Browsing Category

First Year Months

One Whole Year

Happy Birthday Sweet Hadley Girl!

It is near impossible to believe that you are on year old, but every time I look at you I am reminded that you are. This year has flown by and I absolutely adore this one year old stage that we’re in!

You are super sweet and love to lay your head down on my shoulder when I ask you to give me a hug. You like to be held more than anything which works out well for all of the times that you’re waiting on Sissy to finish an activity and I’m holding you.

You love your Daddy! As soon as you hear the door open you crawl as fast as you can back to him and then sit up on your knees with your arms up for him to pick you up. When he goes to wash his hands first you start wailing until he picks you up.

You also love Charlotte and James. You really want to be right there in the fun with them and will crawl up to them and try and read books with them or lay with them when they’re watching tv. They take good care of you and keep an eye out for you so that you’ll stay out of trouble.

Even though it seems like you want to run around with them, you have no desire to start walking! You won’t even really stand up without holding on to something and don’t like taking steps with us holding your hands although you will if we insist. You will stand between Charlotte and James for a quick picture holding their hands but those times are very limited and very, very short!

You’re somewhere between being a good eater and a bad one. You still eat baby food great but love to pick up a cheerio and stick it in your mouth between baby food bites thus getting you even messier. You will eat crackers and goldfish and baby food snacks (puffs, yogurt melts, etc) but don’t even like pieces of bread or muffin. You made a hilariously not amused face the first time I gave you a sippy with whole milk in it but you have adjusted and drink it like a champ now. I’m almost finished weaning you and you’ve done really well with it.

You talk constantly but not really anything that we can identify. When you want more food you usually just yell or squeal when we ask you if you want more. And when you’re not happy with something you stick that lip out and squeeze up your eyes and let out a pitiful wail. With two older siblings you are getting knocked around more than they did and you’re pretty tough but occasionally a foot to the belly or them dumping you out of their lap will really hurt your feelings. You do bounce back quickly though!

You’re wearing 12 month clothes and size 3 diapers. The clothes are sometimes still big on you but most fit great. I think I’m going to move you up to size 4 diapers soon though due to an abundance of leaks lately. I have no idea how much you weigh and moved your checkup back until June so that I could go on Charlotte’s last field trip of the year (sorry!). You look tiny when you’re just in your diaper but look pretty normal when you’re dressed. Your brother and sister were petite too so I think it just comes natural.

You are still a great sleeper even if you do sometimes play for the majority of a nap time these days. We’re sticking with two naps a day for a while but you do fine when you have to skip one of them for church or an event. And you wake up pretty early in the morning (between 5:30 and 6) but are content just to hang out in your bed and doze until I come and get you at 7.

We love you so much precious girl! You are a gift from God that we didn’t even know that we were missing. I am so glad that he has allowed me to be your Mom. Happy Birthday!

I love you every second, of every minute, of every day.

Mommy

One Month ‘Till Cake

My sweet, charming Hadley girl,

Today you are 11 months old. In one very short month you will have your first birthday and, while I love watching you grow, it will be a bittersweet month. You are the most precious baby girl and we love you so much!

This month you did a lot!

You finally learned how to sit down by yourself from standing (that was a long time coming but at least you quit standing up so often in your bed prior to learning how to get yourself down).

You really started vocalizing. You will almost always respond with a very southern “Hey” when you see someone or want their attention. You have sometimes sounded like you were saying other words but nothing concrete.

You got two more teeth (both top center ones) and while they weren’t fun to get, you are so adorable with them!

You started swimming lessons last week and are doing great. You float all by yourself and can get yourself to a back float no matter what way Ms. Caroline puts you in the water. You are still whimpering throughout the lesson but are quick to calm down when you get out of the pool and today even seemed proud of yourself so I think you’re getting more comfortable with it.

Your schedule is still much the same but occasionally I’ll drop one of the mid-day feedings to prepare you to start weaning. You aren’t phased one bit if you miss one of those feedings so I think that process will, hopefully, go fairly smoothly. You take two naps (9-11 and 1-3:30) and sleep from about 7:30 – 7. You nurse four times a day (7, 11, 3:30, 7) and eat baby food three times.

Speaking of baby food, you won’t touch table foot with a ten foot pole. Well, you’ll eat crackers and cheerio’s but that’s it. Blueberry muffins? Wrinkle up your nose and let it fall out of your mouth if I put it in there. Pancakes? Will pick around them to get the puffs out without touching a single bite. We’re pretty baffled, especially James. Tonight at dinner he threw his hands up in the air and said, “Who wouldn’t eat pancakes and blueberry muffins??!?!” I know you’ll get used to it but you need to pick up your eating habits and soon!

You are an incredibly happy baby. Other than swimming lessons you rarely ever cry unless your brother is trying to “play” with you and, thus, pushing you down or something. You give lots of smiles and giggles. There has only been one occasion when you cried hysterically when I gave you to anyone else and that was after your first day of swimming lessons so it was probably deserved. You have started crying when we leave you at Sunday School but I knew that was coming. You’re always happy when we pick you up after the service. Your sweet spirit endears you to everyone who comes across you and we are so thankful for that!

You are a growing girl. Nine month clothes fit you well these days and you can wear most 12 month clothes as well. You’re still in size 3 diapers and your Easter sandals were size 1’s. I can especially tell that you are growing in weight when I wear you in the Baby Bjorn. It is significantly harder to carry you for long periods in that than it used to be.

We love you so much Hadley and are loving getting to see the girl that you are becoming. We pray that you always seek God’s wisdom and that you always know that he made you the exact way that you are for a purpose. God specially chose every one of your features and he couldn’t have done a better job if you asked me.

I love you baby girl!

Mommy

First Year Months, Hadley

The Countdown is On

Hadley-girl,

I know I say this every month but I don’t know how you are already 10 months old. This year has flown by and we are now at two months until you turn a year. One year old!?!? You’ll practically be an adult then! Despite the fact that time is racing by and you are growing each and every second, we are so thankful that you are our sweet baby girl. So, what are you up to this month?

Pulling up on EVERYTHING. Your favorite standing toy is now the chest next to the couch that we keep James’ trains and cars and other toys in. As soon as we set you down anywhere in that vicinity you immediately beeline to it and start opening drawers and standing up pulling things out. You occasionally get your arms stuck as you accidentally push a drawer in while trying to reach for something but for the most part you’re content to just hang out there and play with things that you’re not supposed to. You also go the hang of pulling up on your crib this month which drove us to desperation. You would get yourself up multiple times each nap but couldn’t get yourself back down and would stand there and cry. I think (knock on wood) that you’ve finally tired of that game and have been either getting yourself back down without me knowing or not standing up for the past few days. I surely hope that that phase is behind us because it is no fun for anyone.

You have two teeth now and are working on number three. We thought your top one was going to come through last week because you were pretty miserable but it hasn’t made an appearance yet. Your two bottom teeth are so cute though and you can really see them now!

Even though you have some teeth, you aren’t really interested in real food. You’ll down baby food, puffs, yogurt melts and the like as if we never feed you, but if I give you a small piece of bread or fruit you’ll leave it sitting on the table in front of you. If you do get it in your mouth you make the worst face imaginable as if we are torturing you by feeding you a bite of buttermilk pancakes. It baffles me but I remember James being like this too so I figure you’ll eat real food eventually.

You are growing and definitely getting heavier. Your six months clothes are too small so you’re in 9 month outfits as well as some smaller 12 month right now. Still in a size three diaper. You’re taking two naps a day (9-11 and 1:15-3:30) and sleep from 7:15-7. You nurse four times a day (7, 11, 3:30, 7) and eat baby food three times (after breakfast, after lunch, and with us at dinner).

You are incredibly happy and so sweet. You give us lots of giggles and huge grins. You especially love it when Sissy gets in the car after school and you can see someone from your rear-facing perch. Occasionally it sounds like you are saying Mama and one night we promise that you signed “All Done” and said it back to me when I asked if you were all done but that was a one time experience. KayKay attests though that you are saying her name (as NayNay) and I’m pretty sure I heard it yesterday too so maybe those verbal skills are about to take off!

We love you so much sweetheart and enjoy every second with you. We pray that as you grow in stature you’ll also grow in God and know that his love for you (and ours) knows no bounds and is forever.

We love you every second, of every minute, of every day,

Mommy

First Year Months, Hadley

Three Quarters

My sweet, precious Hadley-girl,

I am in love with you more and more with every day of your life. Your smiles and babbles and joy at life makes me want to see the world through your eyes. You add so much joy to our lives and we are so thankful for you!

It’s almost impossible to believe that you are nine months old but the calendar says that you are and I guess it doesn’t lie. You are growing so much, baby, and we love watching you to see what new skill you discover next!

This month you got your first tooth (January 22nd, bottom right when we’re looking at you) and started to pull up all the time on anything and everything. You started watching Charlotte and James more wistfully and trying to engage with them in their games. They’re not too fond of that right now but I’m sure soon you’ll all three be running around like crazy kids.

You are nursing four times a day (7, 11, 3:30, and 7) and taking two naps (9-11 and 1-3:30). You eat a container of baby food with us for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and also enjoy snacking on puffs and yogurt melts while we’re getting dinner ready. You will eat any type of baby food and have started eating small pieces of real food (bananas, bread, sweet potatoes). You tend to make a real unpleasant face when you first get a piece of real food in your mouth but you keep eating them so I assume it’s just because of the different texture.

Your hair has gotten so long that I have to put a bow or pony tail holder in every single day. That was fine for the first few weeks but you’re over it now and try to pull them out often. One day I had to pull over into a parking lot on the road because Charlotte told me that not only had you pulled out your bow but you had the whole thing in your mouth. That was the day we switched to the bigger sized bows and I started taking them out when we would go anywhere in the car.

We went to the doctor on the 10th for what I thought was an ear infection but turned out to be just teething and an ear infection. We did your nine month checkup and you grew a lot since your six month checkup! You weighed 15.7 pounds (15%), were 27″ long (30%), and your noggin was 17.3″ around (50%). You’re wearing size three diapers and can wear six months clothes but they’re getting tight on you and 9 month outfits fit better.

We love you so much Hadley-girl. God created you in His image and we can’t wait to see what he has planned for your life!

Love,

Mommy

First Year Months, Hadley, Mommy Advice, Recipes

H turns 8 (months)

Hadley girl,

It’s near impossible to believe that you are already eight months old. And my how you’ve grown this month! You’re moving and shaking all over the place and it’s all I can do to keep up. I love you sweet girl.

This month you switched from army crawling to real crawling. You look like one of those little crawling baby dolls because you’re so tiny and you move around with your little arms and legs just a going. You have gotten faster and faster and now we will sit you down and you’ll be across the room in no time.

You are also constantly talking and, we think, saying some real words with meaning. On the 18th we were reading bedtime books in the study and you were crawling on the floor. You crawled over to Daddy and looked up and it sounded like you said “Dada”. You don’t speak on command yet but it sure seems like you consistently say Dada so we’re counting it as your first word. Since then you often say “Hey” back to us and sometimes say “Bye.”

Food is still one of your favorite pastimes. You’re still nursing five times a day and eating two containers of baby food each day. The first time I fed you pears you weren’t a fan but you eat them now and everything else that I can feed you including garden vegetable, apple prune, pear pineapple.

Despite your large appetite you are still tiny. You seem big to me because you’re wearing 6-9 month clothes but when I see pictures of other babies you’re age it confirms what the doctor said at your last appointment, you’re tiny. But you’re perfectly proportioned and growing and eating so I assume you’ll just catch up in your toddlerhood like your brother and sister. You’re also still in size 2 diapers but are getting close to needing a size 3.

You are still a fantastic sleeper and are on the same schedule that you’ve been on for a while. Nowadays though you are very flexible on missing naps. If you miss one you are fine with just two although you’re happiest when you get all three. This is wonderful news and has made our lives so much easier since you are happy missing your morning nap to play in the nursery at church and can miss your later afternoon nap if we’re ferrying Charlotte around. You are truly a go with the flow baby at this point.

Not only are you crawling everywhere but this week you also pulled up to standing by yourself! We were picking up the playroom and James yelled “Hadley!” and I turned around and you were standing up holding up on a storage box. You watch Charlotte and James with envy in your eyes and I know that it won’t be long before you’re running around after them. I contemplated strapping a weight to your back to keep you still but I’m not sure that even that would work at this point. You are very determined to discover your world and master anything that stands in your way. Those will be very good traits when you get older.

Overall sweet girl, you are a joy and we are so blessed to be your parents. You love to cuddle in to my shoulder if I’m holding you and someone talks to you. You are generous with your toothless grins and giggle and babble often putting smiles on everyone’s faces. We love you so much!

Love,

Mommy

First Year Months, Hadley

Our Growing, Growing Girl

Hadley girl,

It’s hard to believe that it’s now closer to your first birthday that it is to when you were born. This first year of your life is passing in the blink of an eye and I’m out of breath just trying to keep up. While these pictures were taken on your seven month birthday and I’m writing this from notes I made on that day, this post is obviously very late. December has been full to the brim and I’m so glad that we were able to add you to our family this year!

At seven months you are all over the place. You’re army crawling everywhere and can get somewhere fast. You are no longer content just to stay on a blanket but can crawl off of one almost as soon as I put you on it. Because of that I’ve started to let you crawl around on the floor even though my germaphobic tendencies have me cringing almost the entire time you’re down there. In good news, I’m cleaning our floors more often than I ever have before and I’m also telling myself that you’re just building your immunity.

That doesn’t seem to be the case though (I’m sure they’re not really related) but this past month you got your first ear infection. The cold of doom descended upon our family after the Homecoming game and after a few weeks of a runny nose and a yucky cough you finally succumbed to an ear infection. Numbing drops made you more comfortable and you celebrated your seven month birthday on your first round of antibiotics. Here’s hoping that they kicked it for good and we won’t have to worry about another one for a while.

During this past month you celebrated your first Thanksgiving and stayed through your first full football game versus Mississippi State. You are a very go-with-the-flow kind of girl and are happy pretty much all the time. We weaned you off of your reflux meds this month and you did fine without them. You are still spitting up some though but I guess that will just go away with a little more time.

You love baby food and are eating veggies now. You open your mouth as soon as I sit them down in front of you and will eat an entire container in one sitting. Right now you’ve tried peas, green beans, squash, and carrots and have loved them all.

You weighed 14.1 pounds on December 1st at the doctor. We think you’re growing so big but you’re really still very very tiny compared to other babies your age. I don’t really understand that though because you’re wearing 6-9 month clothes so the fashion industry doesn’t think you’re small! Our doctor says that you’re just perfect though and you sleep and eat good and are developing wonderfully so that’s all that matters.

You are still in a size 2 diaper and eat at 7am, 11am, 2:30pm, 5:30pm, and 7:45pm with naps between all of those except after the 5:30pm feeding. On the rare occasions that we get to sleep late you will sleep until we wake you up, sometimes as late as 8 am! And I wake you up at 7am in the morning’s so that we can get Charlotte and James up, fed, and to school. You, and me, would prefer we slept later in the mornings.

You are babbling up a storm these days with lots of sounds that sound like words. You have noticed the tv when it’s on and you’re up and also love interacting with all of us but especially with Charlotte and James. You squeal and giggle when they do silly things and smile so big when you see any of your people.

This month you also got a new nickname: Hadley monster. I don’t really remember the story behind it…Daddy gave it to you, but it’s stuck and we all call you Hadley monster some. I promise, if it sticks, that it is all out of love kind of like Cookie Monster loves cookies, calling you Hadley monster means we love Hadley.

We love you so much Hadley!

Mommy

Older Posts