11 Months!

Isabel Jade! How in the world are you 11 months old? I know every Mom thinks that the time flies by, but it goes by quicker with you than any other baby, I'm sure of it. :)

At this age you:

*Wear a size 12 months in most clothing. You're still very small-waisted and you have a couple of 6-9 month skirts that are just now fitting. You are in a size 3 shoe and size 3 diaper. You haven't had a checkup in awhile but I would estimate you at around 19 lbs.

*You sleep through the night...sometimes. Ha! I don't really know what to tell people when they ask, because this week....yes, you are sleeping through the night. Last week? Not so much. You still take 2 naps during the day. One mid-morning and one in the afternoon.

*We are about done with formula. I still give you a bottle first thing in the morning, always. And then some nights I give you a bottle before bed. It just depends on what time you ate dinner. You are doing so well on whole milk in a sippy and table food, that you really don't seem to care about your bottle one way or the other. I can't even list all of the things that you are eating now. Pretty much, if you can chew it and it's relatively healthy, I give it to you.

*Speaking of chewing, you still just have the 2 teeth on the bottom. They are so cute that I don't even care if you ever get anymore. I'm kidding of course.

*Oh there is this one minor detail and it is that you are WALKING!!!! You started a little over a week ago. I wouldn't enter you in a marathon just yet, because you still prefer to crawl. But every day you are getting braver and taking more steps. And just this week you started standing up without pulling up on anything. You've been into everything since you started crawling at 6 months, but now....oh my gosh. Well, it's taken me 3 attempts to type this post...so far.

*You say ma-ma, da-da, and "yeah". Pretty positive that you have no idea what "yeah" means, but it's still cute. You talk all of the time. All day long with the jibberish. It's pretty adorable. You also scream and shriek and squeal all day long and that is mostly cute too. Ha.

*I've learned that I can keep you content in the cart at the grocery store, just so long as you have a sippy cup, a bowl of puffs, and a random grocery item up front with you. If I forget any of the above, I end up carrying you and pushing the cart at the same time.

*Randoms: You are so funny. Always smiling and making the goofiest faces. You never meet a stranger which scares me a little. You have learned to steal the dog's toy and squeak it 1 million times until he finally pounces on you. You like for Daddy to put you on his back and run around the yard with you. You've started to want to share your food with Mommy and Daddy, regardless of how slimy that particular food is. :) You laugh about most things. You give really slobbery kisses. You LOVE bathtime. You've only been sick a couple of times-we have been so lucky. You're such a sweet girl, really. I can't imagine an easier baby than you. I'm sure that your future siblings will give us a run for our money. It only seems fair. Haha.

*While I'm talking about how sweet you are I want to go ahead and add that you have learned to throw fits. This is pretty recent, so I almost forgot it although I don't see how. You can throw a fit with the best of them!!! They are few and far between, but oh man. Things that cause fits: not feeding you fast enough, making you lay down in your bed for sleeping purposes, putting you in the playpen so that I can go to the restroom, taking anything away from you, Daddy telling you "no" (you laugh when I say it), etc.

So I've blinked and 11 months have gone by and I am planning a birthday party for my sweet tiny baby, who isn't tiny at all anymore. So bittersweet. Your Dad and I are so excited to see you grow up, but don't be in any hurry about it, okay?

10 months!

On Feburary 21, you turned 10 months old!!!

At this age you:

*Weigh 18 lbs, and wear sizes 9 months and 12 months in clothing. Wear a size 3 diaper and a size 2 shoe. (tiny feet)

* Eat 2-3 6 oz bottles of formula a day, but other than that you are eating table food/baby food. You are sort of over the pureed stuff unless it comes in a squeeze pouch that you can suck it out of. Haha. You love Mum Mums, applesauce from the pouch, puffs, yogurt melts, Danimals yogurt, and beef sticks as far as baby food goes. Otherwise you like mac-n-cheese, fruit cocktail and graham crackers, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green beans, peas, corn, cheesy rice and ice cream. You are such a good eater. Always have been!

Until lately we haven't been able to get you to drink much juice, which is fine...I know that you're not supposed to have much because the sugar is bad for your teeth...but recently we realized that you LOVE Juicy Juice, apple juice in the box. You can use a straw like a champ! You're still hit and miss with the sippy cups and I keep trying to find which one you do the best with. Today was a good sippy cup day. :) You also still love that paci!

*You say "ma-ma", "da-da", and a lot of jibberish. You make hilarious noises that sound like you're trying to clear your throat...except that you're not. You make a creepy noise that sounds like the kid from "The Grudge" haha. You are so ornery. You're into everything and just recently learned to climb which has been intense. You are SO curious about everything and rarely sit still. You love to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and we have made it part of our early morning routine. You go to bed about 8 p.m., wake up around 4 a.m. (yikes) and sometimes I can get you to go right back to sleep after a diaper change...and other times I give you a bottle and you go back to sleep. I don't care that it's a no-no. :) And then you're usually up for the day around 6 a.m. or so, which is when we watch Mickey. You generally take 2 naps, one around 9 a.m. and one around 1 p.m. and they are usually 1-2 hours a piece. Sometimes you will take a nap around 5 p.m. as well.

*You love to be outside! You love dogs and kids of any age. You just crack up everytime you see either.

*You still have 2 bottom teeth and I don't really see more on their way just yet.

*You are still crawling, cruising the furniture and standing without holding on. Occasionally we can get you to let go and take 1-2 steps, but usually you squat down as soon as you realize that no one is holding on.

*You just recently learned "peek-a-boo". You will squat down and I will say "Where's my Isabel?" and then you will pop up and I say "boo!". This goes on for a long long time, but I love every second of it.

You also know how to "roll em' up" (patty cake), but don't have any interest in clapping your hands or "throwing them in the pan". :)

*You love to have your teeth brushed. Momma is glad for this.
*You still love bathtime and you are a wild child in there. You squeal and splash and are wanting to spend more and more time in there.

This is a long update, but you do SOOO much now that I don't want to forget it...and I know that I am leaving some things out.

This is such a fun age and you keep us laughing all day long. We still love you very, very much sweet girl.

9 months!!!!

(clearly, these monthly pics have gotten a little more difficult, haha)

Isabel, on January 21st, you turned 9 months old!!!!

At 9 months you:

*Wear a size 6-9 months, 9 months and very few 12 months clothes.

*Wear a size 3 diaper

*Wear a size 2 shoe

*You have 2 teeth!!!! This just happened in the past month. You are also starting to stand for a few seconds at a time without holding onto anything.

*You have started taking baths in the big tub and I put your little whale bathtub away. You love to crawl around and splash, and stand up which makes me nervous. We bought you a bath mat and a ducky faucet cover in order to prevent injuries, haha.

*You say "ma-ma" and "bye bye" although I am certain you have no idea what they mean. You will also wave hi and bye bye and you actually do know what that means.

*You still LOVE Pedro. He does not feel the same about you, lol.

*You are still eating about the same as last month. A few 6 oz bottles a day, and a few 4 oz bottles with baby food. We have also started experimenting more with table food, and you are doing well with those. This month you tried, french toast, ice cream, chocolate chip cookie, graham cracker, baked beans, cottage cheese, a little bit of taco meat....and probably a few more things that I am forgetting. Honestly, you have been a good eater since birth. The only thing that you actually don't like is juice, which I hear is a good thing altough I find it odd. Haha. We have been trying to introduce you to the sippy cup and you do okay sometimes and other times it enrages you. lol

*I am not sure exactly what you weigh, you have a checkup tomorrow...but I am going to guess between 19-20 lbs.

*You love to chitter chatter and squeal. The other day, your Daddy and I were driving in a much bigger town than the one we live in and we were lost and trying to read a map (conveniently left Tom.Tom in other car) and you were screaming and squealing and we couldn't help but crack up. STRESS! Haha.

*You love to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse! You will sit still for most cartoons or animated shows for a little while, but that seems to be your fave. You also love the Hugg.ies slip on diaper commercial and sadly, the Hum.ane Society commercials make you giggle. I know it's just because you see the animals, but I always tell your Dad it's a little creepy that you laugh at those sad little guys. Haha. There is also another commercial where a pig squeals that you love...and I hate that commercial!!!!

*You are in to everything, but you have been this way for a few months. You follow me everywhere that I go (crawling) and you can bust out of playyard like it's not even a challenge.

*Like always, you are the best thing to happen to your Daddy and me and I look forward to watching you grow up, although I hope you take your time. :)

*I stand corrected: You weighed, 17 lbs 11oz. 27 inches long 30%tile on both.

8 months!

I'm incredibly late with this one, because of the holidays and the fact that my PC is a dinosaur and I try to avoid it completely...but nonetheless, I did manage to snap a picture of my sweetie on her 8 month bday.

Isabel Jade, at 8 months you:

*Crawl like a champ and pull up and cruise the furniture. I believe you will be walkng within the next couple of months.

*Make several noises like ba ba ba ba, and you blow raspberries. You've started to stick your tongue out at people who stick their's out first. You laugh and talk to yourself and will play contently with your toys for 30 minutes or so at a time. You are into everything!!!! I am constantly finding new ways to childproof and still yet you manage to get into things that are big no-no's!

*You wear a size 6-9 months in clothing and a size 2 diaper. We attempted to move you into 3's because we have a stock pile of them, but you just aren't there yet and that is a-ok! You weigh around 18 lbs. You're next checkup isn't until next month so we don't know that exact amount.

*This month you got sick for the first time. :( You were hoarse and had a really runny nose for several days so I took you to the doc and he said you had a double ear infection. No fun!

*You still like to be held to fall asleep at night or even for naps. You sleep decent, but usually will wake up at least once during the middle of the night because you have lost your pacifier.

*You are eating 3, 6 oz bottles a day and roughly 3, 4 oz bottles with food. We feed you fruit in the morning, a meat and veg for lunch and usually more fruit or yogurt in the evenings. We are starting to experiment with solids a little more. So far you have had some mashed potatoes, animal crackers, jello, pickles, and pinto beans. You also love to eat puffs. I have yet to find a food that you don't like. :) We still have to be very careful because you STILL don't have any teeth.

*You do not like any sort of confinement. We set up a playyard in our living room and you escape it. You don't want to be in your car seat anymore. You don't even like socks on your feet and you rip them off 100 times a day! Ha! You are a little bit on the ornery side, I think.

I cannot believe that you are 8 months old. I feel like you've been in our lives forever and not very long at all, all at the same time. We love you very much and are having so much fun watching your little personality develop.

7 months!!!

Isabel Jade:

At 7 months, you are a wild child! :)
It seems like since the last post, you have started doing so many new things. You crawl. Not just a little bit, but all over the place and at a fast rate of speed. You are pulling up on any furniture that is at your level. You are sitting up on your own. We have dropped your crib and your pack-n-play down to the lowest level. You are just generally into EVERYTHING! This is such a fun and exhausting stage!

You are sleeping great (most days). You go to bed around 8:30p.m. and wake up around 5 a.m. to take a bottle and then sleep until about 8 a.m. You normally take a couple of 1-2 hour naps during the day.

You do not like confinement! After a while of being in your car seat/stroller/high chair you are ready to be out! I've just started putting you in the shopping cart instead of leaving you in the car seat while I get groceries, and you seem to be a lot happier.

You take around 4-5 bottles a day and eat 2 jars/cups of baby food. We mix it up. You also still take cereal in your nighttime bottle. This week I decided to let you try a sippy cup with juice and you picked it up just like you knew what you were doing. I don't think we'll have trouble weaning you off the bottle when that time comes. (not rushing it!)

You wear 6-9 months in clothing and a size 2 diaper. We'll probably bump you up to a size 3 in the next week or so. You also weigh somewhere around 17 lbs. You're long and your waist is tiny. Your thighs....are not tiny. haha

We love you very much and I cannot believe that you have been in our lives for 7 months!

6 months!

Isabel, at 6 months you:

*Weigh around 16 lbs. We'll know for sure this next week when you go for your checkup. You look really long, so I am eager to see how many inches you've grown. You wear a size 6 months in clothes and a size 2 diaper.
*You've started eating Ger.ber 2nd foods and you like them so far. You still take around 4, 6 oz. bottles a day, and you eat cereal first thing in the morning and before bed.
*You have started to reach for people (mostly me) and you are like seconds away from crawling. In fact, you pretty much are crawling...it just isn't very graceful and it doesn't last for long just yet. You are also trying to sit up on your own.
*You are sleeping so well. Normally you sleep anywhere from 10-12 hours a night without waking up. We have an off night every once in a while, but even those aren't so bad.
*Still no teeth, but you have not acted like you feel well these past couple of days and I wonder if you aren't trying to get a tooth in. I hope that's all it is. :(

Just like every month, we adore you. I will never be able to express to your Dad just how grateful I am that I get to stay home with you each day. I have the best job on the planet and I'd argue that with anyone. :)

5 months!

First off, let's pretend that this date says Sept 21. :) BUT...the picture is actually from Sept 21 so at least there's that. We were having a "stay in our pajamas" day, so I slapped a bow on her tiny bald head and we ran with it. Haha.

Isabel Jade, at 5 months you:

*Weigh somewhere around 15 lbs. No appt this month so that's a guesstimate. You are around 25 inches long. You are in a size 6 months clothes, and wear a Size 2 diaper.

*Eat 2, 6 oz bottles a day mixed with rice cereal. You eat 2-3, 5 oz bottles of just formula. And you eat a fruit in the morning and a veg in the evening. Your favorites are prunes, pears, & sweet potatoes. But you have also eaten and do pretty well with green beans, peas, bananas, apples, peaches, & squash. You're a good eater to say the least.

*Love baths, looking at yourself in the mirror, toys, your pacifier, talking and laughing, & Pedro. (our Chihuahua)

*Hate the big dogs, diaper changes in public restrooms (still trying to figure this one out) & being still in any one place for very long.

New and fun things that you do:

Roll everywhere at a fast rate of speed, get *almost* into the crawling position, sit in the tripod position (sometimes), talk and talk and talk, laugh & squeal for no reason at all, SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT HALLELUJAH, watch every single thing that the dog does, grab for things (toys, the dog, hair, jewelry, glasses, etc.), you slap at the giraffe toy that hangs on the handle of your car seat, and my favorite thing that you do is wake me up in the mornings not by crying but by talking to your mobile. You always wake up in a good mood.

Is it possible to love you a little more each day? You are such a joy to our lives. We are so blessed to have such a happy and healthy little girl to spend our days with.