ANNA IS 7 MONTHS OLD

Well, I missed posting Anna's 6 month update.  In fact, I just took her this past week for her 6 month well-baby appt.  So, we'll do a 7 month update.   It's a bit more exciting than her 6 month anyways. 

17.9 lbs 60th %, 25.9" 25th %  She had 2 shots that she did really well with.  It always makes me so sad though.  The doc said she looked really great and is hitting all of her milestones.  We'll go back again for her 9 month check. 

Here are a few milestones that Miss Anna has hit up to this point:

The girl has 7 teeth already! Yes, I said 7 teeth! And she is working on an 8th. I can't believe it! Through all of the teething she has still been really good. Not quite her normal, super happy self, but you would never have known that she was getting that many teeth. We had one really bad night where I slept with her in her chair til about 2 am before I could get her to sleep on her own, but that is it. She's amazing!

Getting herself into a sitting position.

Crawling! Yes, she is crawling everywhere! It's really really cute too.

Eating solids. So far she seems to like everything that I have made for her: sweet potatoes, spinach, butternut squash, split peas, broccoli and avocados. I just bumped her up to eating twice a day today and she was very happy.

She has slept through the night a few times recently, but definitely not consistently.  Last night she was up every 2 hours to nurse.  I feel like she might be going through a growth spurt or something.  I really hope that tonight is not a repeat. 

Basically Anna is just an absolute sweetheart.  She has the best personality and is so beautiful inside and out.  She is quick to smile and laugh.  She loves to be held, but really loves to be on the ground and explore.  We are so blessed to have such a lovely daughter.  I am more and more in love with her everyday. 

7 Months!  Showing off all of those teeth!  And yes, that is a tutu diaper cover.

Alexander was playing "ring around the rosey" with Anna. 

Playing with big brother's toys.

Getting ready to go outside with her sun hat.

And I couldn't help but include this pic of Alexander.  This last week he wouldn't take a nap 3 of 5 days.  I'm a bit worried that he's trying to give up his nap but I really hope not because we both still need him to nap.  The other day when he wouldn't sleep he wanted to sit in his chair and read.  I said "okay" as long as he was quiet and calm.  I checked on him a few minutes later and this was what I found.  The poor boy slept for almost 2 hours like this.  I would say that he definitely still needs to take a nap.  What do you think?

CATCH UP WITH PICS



I turned our living room/kitchen into a race track for a few days.

Crossing the finish line!

 Trip To Kentucky...

All smiles with Grandma Oolie

Playing fooseball with Grandpa Mike

Chris with his nephew Charlie for the first time.

Alexander at the Louisville Science Center

With Pap and Frostine at the BBC in Louisville.

 Back home...

6 months old and happy!

Playing around!

Ready to try solid food for the first time...

Loves sweet potatoes!

Art project

Painting

Yes, those are more teeth.  She is working on #5 and #6 as we speak. 

I love spinache too!

Helping mommy bake cookies...I think it's time for me to make him his own apron.

Making volcanos erupt.

Playing.

MARBLES

This past Saturday we took Alexander and Anna to Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh.  It's a hands-on museum designed for young kids and was perfect for our 2 1/2 year old.  From the moment we walked in he was in heaven.  It was 2 floors full of exhibits of everything that he loves.  He started with a giant wooden train table at least 4 times the size of his at home, then we moved onto this giant room full of pretend play scenarios.  They had a fire engine with Alexander sized fire fighter clothing.  There was a fishing boat equipped with fishing poles and life jackets.  And much much more including a giant pirate ship, indoor sports arenas, a wood working station and a huge play kitchen and pizzeria.  It was definitely worth the trip to Raleigh and I can't wait to go back! 

Playing giant Connect Four

Driving the fishing boat

Splashing in the water zone

Aaargh, matey

Our little culinary whiz

Handy-man Xan

"What do you want on your pizza, Mommy?"

Fresh out of the oven

"That's be $10, Daddy."

 And I couldn't leave out Anna.  She enjoyed the museum as well, but a bit differently.  She had a blast just watching all of the crazy kiddos running around playing.  Here's a little pic of her sitting up all by herself. 

Sitting up all by herself.

30 MONTH CHECK UP AND OTHER FUNNY THINGS

Yesterday I took Alexander for his 30 month check up.   The doc says he looks good, healthy, and developmentally on track.  His stats are:  weight 31 lbs 75th% and height 93 cm (36.5 in) 75th %.  He had to get a shot and took it pretty well.  It's amazing how much stickers make things better.

In the doctor's office the exam table is on top of a large fire truck that Alexander thought was just amazing.  He couldn't get enough of it.  He was pretending to drive it and asking all sorts of questions about it while I was filling out a questionnaire on how he's doing in different categories such as problem solving, speech, motor skills etc.  I was reading the question, "Can your child put together a sentence with 2-3 big words?  If so, please give an example." and he asks me, word for word, "Where is the fire engine truck going, mommy?"  So yes, I would say that he can put together a sentence with 2-3 words.  It appears that his speech is right on track.

A couple of posts ago I listed a bunch of funny/memorable things that Alexander has said.  Well, here are a few more:

• As I was putting him down for his nap the other day.  "I love you, I love you.  You are my sweetheart."  Seriously.  Melt. My. Heart.
• In response to seeing the band-aid on my finger:  Alexander: "Mommy, did you get a boo boo?"  Me: "Yes, Alexander, I did."  Alexander:  "You have a band-aid on it?" Me: "Yes, I do."  Alexander:  "Do you want me to kiss it, mommy?"  Me:  "Yes, I would love that."
• And right now instead of saying "yes" he answers a lot of questions with "su-re".  He says it as a 2 syllable word.  Pretty funny. 

DIAPER TROUBLE



So today I was planning on spending the day getting ready for the little Super Bowl get together that we are hosting tomorrow.  However, my son had other ideas for the way that I should spend a big chunk of my day.  I put him down for a nap and then Chris left to go to the store for me.  I realized about a half an hour later that he wasn't sleeping.  I could hear him moving around in his room.  As I approached his door I smelled the distinct smell of a dirty diaper.  I opened the door and much to my surprise, he had taken his diaper off and was playing with its contents.  Yes, that's right.  It was all over his hands and smeared all over the carpet.  You may be thinking that at this point I completely freaked out, but I somehow remained calm on the outside.  On the inside I was crying and gagging.  I ended up putting him in the bathtub and called Chris to bring home some good carpet cleaner.  It took a while, but I finally was able to get the mess and the smell out of the carpet.  I'm not gonna lie, it was so disgusting. 

We are getting ready to start potty training and now I feel like we can't start soon enough.  We're talking about it with him and trying to get him excited.  But we are doing a big road trip in a couple of weeks to go back to Kentucky and we think it best to wait until we get back.  The tricky part is going to be keeping his diaper on him until then.  I'm considering duct tape...