Wednesday, 29 February 2012

Adalyn is 8 months!

Well, it's been a long time since I wrote anything down again. I'm still not very inspired, but I know I will regret it in the future if I don't document for myself how things have gone this last little while.  

It's been a good winter.  Extremely warm!  Our first real snow storm came the 2nd last week in February, just when we normally expect the weather to be warming up!  We can count on one hand the amount of times we've had to clear the yard.  With all the warm weather, it should have been easy to go outside for walks, but still I have to work up all the will power I can muster to get outside some days!  Once I'm outside I enjoy it immensely, it's just getting up and doing it that's the difficult part.  I could blame it on Adalyn and the fact that I have to get her all bundled up as well as myself and I have to get the stroller out and work walks between naps and such, but it's really not all that difficult, just more excuses!  hahaha.

Mark has been off work for the winter months which is very special!  I believe I am getting spoiled having him around the house to help entertain Adalyn and to keep me company.  Of course there is still work he has to do (or we have to do) to get everything wrapped up from last year and in preparation for another building season, but there is a lot of spare time too. 

Someone once said that they thought perhaps having 2 children was in a way, easier than one, because you as parents didn't feel the need to entertain and stimulate them all the time.  Their siblings helped with that.  I could understand that, but I suppose then as parents your challenges maybe change.  With two, sure they have each other, and you don't have to be playing with them all day, but then you have to start solving arguments and squalls.  Anyway, that was just a random thought.  When people ask me 'what did you do today?' sometimes I feel silly answering that I didn't do anything, when in reality I spent all day on the floor playing with my baby and when she was napping I rested too or quickly scurried around getting supper made, or bringing laundry downstairs or washing dishes.  haha  What a life!  That's me and my simple life.

Adalyn was 8 months old two days ago!  I can't believe how time has flown!  It sounds so cliche, but it's true.  Now what follows is a detailed documentation of where she is at, so if you'd like, read on, but realize this is for my own interest down the road, so if you're bored say good-bye for now!  :)  

She doesn't have any teeth yet and I keep wondering when they'll pop up.  It'll be nice when she has a tooth or two so we can advance her eating.  I know this is the time when I'm supposed to be starting on chunkier foods, but she has no teeth, how can she eat stuff properly!  She has kind of got the pinching concept down, but if I give her food on her tray to try to eat by herself, she doesn't get much into her mouth.  She's really good with crackers and puffed wheat, but any of the vegetables and fruits she has a difficult time picking up and they end up getting mushed and squished every where.   (part of that is because she like squishing them in her little fists.)
She still doesn't particularly enjoy her meat and vegetables, though she has gotten a lot better lately, but she loves pretty much any fruit we give her.  It's hard not to just give her things we know she likes, because otherwise we have to listen to her moaning and groaning and whining at meals.  We try to coax at least some of meat and veggies into her before we give her something else.  She's got to have her 'no thank you' servings!

She has gotten a lot more confident in her movement this last month.  She isn't crawling yet, but she is maneuvering her way around within a radius of a couple of feet either on her stomach, by pushing herself backwards or turning in circles, or from a sitting position she can move a foot or two in either direction.   When she is standing she doesn't necessarily have to hold on any more.  I was very proud the other day when she stood for a couple of seconds all on her own.  As long as she can lean or hold onto something she is fine.  She is transferring from object to object (ie. from the coffee table to the couch, or from the coffee table to mom)  and kind of starting to walk along things. (just a little)

She has gotten a lot more affectionate in the last couple of weeks too and is a bit more shy of strangers.  She often leans her head against ours and gives a cute little grin or leans her head on our shoulder in a little hug.  I LOVE this new development!  It's so awesome!  Today she was giving me eskimo kisses (rubbing her nose on my cheek) and giggling.  Awww, seriously so so incredible!  God has given me such a beautiful gift! 

She is sleeping from 7:30/8 in the evening till 5-7 in the morning, then I feed her and she sleeps till 8 or so.  This is great progress!  She has 2 naps a day, between 10 and 11 and between 2 and 4.  Naps range from 1 - 2 hours in length. 

In the last day or two she has been discovering her tongue and is waggling it side to side while making noises.  haha  It's funny to watch.  She does it all the time.  When her mouth is closed all you can see is a little bump above her lip moving side to side. haha  So funny!!

Well, I hear her waking up now, so I should go get her.  
I haven't had time to talk about a lot of things I have been learning about, but that will be for another day... 

8 months old and still smiling!