New milestones

We recently found an activity jumper for her. She's not too keen on laying down to play; she would much rather be standing or sitting. So it seemed like the right time for this toy. I thought she would love the standing up part but aside from spontaneously hitting the toys or grabbing them she wouldn't be able to do much just yet. I was wrong. Only two days into it and she can already turn herself (albeit slowly) to any of the toys. She has two favorites that I can tell. She likes the little globe and the chameleon. They both light up and sing. The chameleon is pretty easy to get singing- you barely have to move it. So when she does bounce, it goes off.  The globe on the other hand takes a little more skills. You actually have to press the buttons. I am amazed that she has this figured out! She can only reach one of the three buttons for now- but as her mom, I couldn't be more proud!

She's starting to play more with the alligator. It doesn't sing like the other things on the activity center but she can push them off the side and I think she enjoys watching them fall. 

Theres also a butterfly/dragonfly toy on her left in the above picture. She's pretty good about getting a death grip on it and then not understanding why she can no longer turn. Silly girl. 

She's so funny about this squeaky giraffe. She loves it. I think it's easy to squeeze when she wraps her arms around it so that's why she tends to hug rather than using only her hands.

Mitchell Scholarship Dinner and Story Time with Dad

Last night we attended the annual summer dinner hosted by the US-Ireland Alliance. It was great to visit with some of our friends that we met while in Ireland.

It is getting harder to do some of these activities that are later in the evening with Olivia. She definitely needs to to be home in the evenings. We have some friends here with twins, and their kids go to bed at 5:30 every night and so they really don't get to go out much when different events are going on. I think we are about there.  She was really good at the dinner; she just wasn't her usual happy self.

On our way to dinner

Steven is really good about spending every extra minute with her. They do a lot of story time! She may turn into a book monster like her dad. Her and I do more singing time. Eventually I'll have to stop making up the words to the songs and I'll have to actually start hitting the notes.

We were ready for dinner on time before Steven came home to get us. So we took a few pictures of her.

 

A lunch date with Dad and Olivia at 14 weeks

There are days that I look at her and think, "holy smokes, she grew a lot this week!" It mostly has to do with new skills that she picks up or is refining. She is so aware of everything around her. I feel like maybe part of the reason that she cat naps during the day is because she doesn't want to miss out on anything.

She is starting to notice that sometimes it's not mom or dad holding her. She does not like that one bit. The people in the childcare center at the gym are so nice. They always take great care of her. We went to drop her off the other night and as soon as Steven handed her off, it was an instant scream until he took her back.

 Then yesterday we went to Mainside to meet Steven for lunch (a perk of him working so close and with a relatively set schedule now). We gave a ride to one of our friends to his car. (We couldn't let him walk- it was nearly 100 degrees and very humid). He sat in the back with her and she would not stop crying for the 5 minutes that it took to get there! As soon as we made it to his car and he got out, she was fine. Our friend was feeling kind of bad because she wouldn't stop crying. Steven went back after lunch and told him later she probably just had a tummy bubble that was upsetting her to make him feel better.  We specifically pass her around to everyone in order to avoid this. We want her to be excited about meeting new people- not be afraid of them.

Steven started Comm School this last week. Last week was pretty easy for him. They mostly took care of the admin side of things like gear being issued and working through the first part of the courses. They've been separated into groups of about 20 it sounds like and he says that it's a great group that he is in. I'm really glad to hear that because I know there is going to be a lot of work involved. Today is his first test and the next is on Monday already.

We took some more pictures of her this morning. It seemed like a great idea at 6am. In all reality, of the many many pictures we took, these really are the ONLY ones that turned out. I think maybe in the future we will have to wait until after her morning nap. Half the pictures she was talking (which she does a lot of these days- and I love it!), the other half she was in a bit of a sour mood.

Only a few more weeks before we let her try cereal. Time is flying by so fast!

It was one of those weeks

I would say it was a quiet week but it was busy and it went so fast! 

Olivia is finally playing with the different hanging things on her mat rather than just looking at them. She will stay here for almost 45 minutes when she's having a good time.

One of my fun stories for the week is that I managed to show up to a baby shower 3 hours late- I guess I put the wrong time down. So that was interesting. There's nothing quite like showing up looking like a pack mule with your kid, weighted down diaper bag and gift- only to have the hostess giving you a funny look and let you know that,"you just missed everyone." She was pretty awesome though. Being the grandma that she is, she pulled out all the left over food and fed me as well as fussed over how cute she thought Olivia was. You have to love those generous people in your life.

Here's to a better, and hopefully more on time, week this week! 

First night in her room....

This girl is growing so much! Not just in size either. She really does look at you and try to talk. She rolls now as well. She looks at her toys and is starting to really reach for them- and then try and drag them to her mouth. She has a rattle that looks like a dumbbell. It's collided with her head more times than it has made it to her mouth, but the idea is there. We've noticed that she likes the tv too :/ I was kind of hoping she would never take interest in it; that's already not the case. She will twist her body around to watch it if her back is to it and you are talking to her. 

I feel like I should preface the rest of this post with i've been trying to read up on sleep training. All the literature points to the fact that she is well within the time frame to start. Last night it happened. Olivia slept in her room. I know most people are probably going to say "about time". She's already 3 months! I SHOULD be thrilled. But up until now, she's been in her rock n play in our room on my side. (Or dare I admit to her co sleeping in our bed on occasion). Her crib has only been for naps- as in, I'm awake during that time so I can check on her if I want to and still get things done. It was working for us. Now i'm feeling like we needed our space back and in the long run, she will sleep better in her own space. I was ready to do the up a bazillion times during the night to help her learn to sleep in her own room. Little did I know what I was in for. She was fine- she didn't even need me. I was not prepared for her not needing me.

Last night I didn't sleep well. I must have checked on her at least 5 times and every time she was in the exact same spot- still breathing, still sleeping. I kept her monitor close by. I even shook it a couple times to make sure it was working and it was. It's an angelcare monitor that has a sensor pad in case she stops breathing as well as a noise monitor. So for all intensive purposes, I should have been relaxed. We have our room back and she was sleeping just fine (even after a couple of false alarms). But no. Instead, I spent a lot of time browsing a new website my sister sent (http://www.alwaysunderpay.com/) and playing scrabble and words with friends. I really don't like to chat with people I don't know; I just resign from those games. They get weird and I just want to play and win. I also found a funny entry on one of my favorite food blogs I think everyone should read (http://www.ourbestbites.com/2013/05/a-few-thoughts-before-mothers-day/). Seriously, the pictures of the eggs in the vacuum and the 400 special story crack me up! 

Anyway, back on track, I'm afraid I'm turning into a helicopter mom. You know the one who needs to chill out and let her kid be a kid and stop hovering because they might do something? I really don't want to be that person. Maybe it's a first time mom thing and it will get easier with the next child or on a day I didn't take a nap while trying to adjust back to east coast time. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and myself in check for now. It's a good thing I have Steven to balance me out. The guy slept with no problem at all. 

On a side note, we made it to the class at the gym too late and it had already filled up. So I let Steven set up a workout program for both of us. The majority of it was on TRX bands. It was such a great workout. But I'm totally feeling it now- you know the kind where your legs start shaking while trying to get up out of the chair. Or when you go to reach for something up high and you end up feeling like your doing a major arm stretch. Yep, it's like that. 

Fireworks.... Take 2

We made it back to Virginia safe and sound. Olivia was a great flyer again. She was a little fussy the first hour of our flight but then crashed for the next 4 hours. I was pretty proud of her. We also ended up super lucky and had the middle seat empty with a very kind lady who loves all babies in the window seat. Coming off the plane was like being hit with a wall of humidity and heat, but it is nice to be back. I'm feeling like a trip to the pool is in order this week.

We met up with some friends last night, Mike and Kelcey. We had a great salmon dinner, several rounds of Monopoly Deal, and an impressive fireworks display. That was the first time I have seen fireworks that were not illegally shot off and were not on a holiday. 

Happy Independence Day!

Happy Independence Day! Hope everyone has a safe one and gets to enjoy the fireworks. We are looking forward to a great BBQ followed by an Everette Aqua socks baseball game complete with stadium fireworks!

Update.... 

Our game is headed into extra innings. I'm now convinced that if you bring an infant, the game will inevitably go longer. Good thing I love a game under the lights. 

Our game went a total of 12 innings and we lost 8-5 :(.

Travel diary... She found her finger...

Olivia likes her pacifier but she much prefers to suck on her entire hand. I try to replace it with her pacifier. Inevitably she finds her hand. Well, there has been a development. I went to pull her out of the car and realized that she found a favorite finger.... I give you exhibit A.

She goes crazy with it too. I hear her in the back seat and I'm sure if she had teeth, her finger would be gone.

We had the chance today to take some family photos. I'm so happy about them too. It's been a little crazy trying to find time to take pictures where Steven and I have nothing going on. There is always some sort of event, work commitment or church engagement going on. 

I can't believe our little princess is already  3 months old!!

We visited with some more family today! Steven's uncle Dan lives not too far away. We were able to stop by and see the family. Kinsey and Kyler were a lot of fun to play with. With such an age difference between Steven and I and then them, it feels like they should be more Olivia's cousin rather than ours sometimes.

We also went to our favorite walking place here in Woodinville. It's the same place that Steven first told me he loved me and also where he proposed to me. (It's also where I said "thank you" to his "I love you," and "let's be friends for now," but most importantly a big "YES" to his "Marry me" speech.) The walk was so nice and refreshing. I love it when the three of us get to hang out and have fun!