A little late Christmas post

Wow. Christmas! Here and gone already, but we had a bit of a crazy season this year. Throughout all the sicknesses and things breaking down on us, we still pulled together a pretty happy Christmas. Emma's first, after all! Behold, the Christmas Eve matching pajama photo (as shown this year in donuts):

I still can't really get over how stinkin' beautiful my girls are. And happy (most of the time!), too! Alright alright, so quite a bit spirited in there too... but what's life without a bit of spice?

We went a bit overboard with presents this year, as did Santa. I think next year we will be a bit more subdued :) (There's no way to fully appreciate too many things when you're a bit too little! Especially when some of the biggest hits were a talking bird and a jelly shark)

It wouldn't be Christmas around here either without a bit of nerdiness... this year exhibited by a replica A New Hope Darth Vader mask for the husband.

We rang in the new year with a few close friends, and lots of good food and drinkies! Bring it on 2017!!!

Emma: Ten Months!

Size/Weight: Who the heck knows! She seems extra large these days, but it's just a feeling. Ask my sore arms!

Sleep: Dare I say it? This month was better than the last. At least, a bit more normal! I still do a lot of praying when I wake up to work in the morning (pleeeeeease stay asleep... pleeeeease stay asleep...) but it's been a lot more regular these days. Up at 7:30am, down at 9:30, up at 11, down at 1:30, up at 3, down at 8pm, up once between 12 and 4, and hopefully that's it. Sometimes she wakes up one extra time when I am supposed to be waking up at 5am for work (and I clock in late. Blerg.) But honestly, I'm super happy for the regularity. I have to do weird things to get her to sleep sometimes (her new favorite is me making weird popping mouth noises in her ear when she holds my finger, that seems to do the trick... it makes her laugh, then she falls asleep) There's been a lot less hair pulling out and punching in the eyeball lately! 

Social: Stranger danger as officially taken in to effect, but she's a bit of a goofball once she gets used to people. She loves catching eyes with people then busting out into smiley fits. She also likes to show her displeasure by making grandpa face, as demonstrated below.

Diet: Formula, and all the protein! She's had a full happy belly lately. Some of her favorite foods are egg yolks, chicken, rice cereal (by the bowl) and grapes. She still makes the funniest faces at fruits, of all things!

Clothes: 18 months still fit well, starting to reach in to the 24 month clothes (I like being a step up; baby pants tend to pull in to their poor little crotches and it's nice to have pants that are long enough!)

Likes: Her sister (who can always make her laugh!), my hair, when you make dramatic, serious faces at her in a surprising way (no clue how to describe that, I make weird faces around here), her BeatBelle (I sing freeze dance in my sleep now), pretending to walk and attack her sister, Walter, so many other things!

Dislikes: Getting changed (I am continually amazed at how difficult it is to get her to lay still. Some tactics I use to distract her are having two toys to bang together, or the ABC song seems to work well), when she's had enough of something (she turns her rage face on), being put down when she'd rather use me as mom-taxi, when you try and get one extra spoon full of food in to her when she's had enough (she will go all kung foo on you and bat bat the heck out of your loaded spoon)

Milestones: Clapping, waving goodbye with a purpose, trying like heck to pretend she can crawl (although it looks like she's still a ways off!) No teeth in sight, I'm so happy she's taking her time with things. This part goes so fast!!

Norah update?: 

• She started preschool this week!! She's gone two days so far, and has done amazing. I'm so proud of her. This is the first time she's been anywhere without family... which is a big deal! I watched from the observation room yesterday, but went home today with Emma. It's nuts. Hard on me, but I know it's good for her to be a bit more independent as well.
• This has been a pretty great month. She's been so, so sweet and snugly. She picked up a few naps here and there last week, but has mainly done without. It's been odd! But she's my great helper when Emma goes to sleep. 
• "This song [Of Monsters and Men song] makes me feel like I'm in love."
• She's also been the sweetest big sister. My favorite is when Emma will tell her stories (she's very adamant), Norah will translate for me. "Mom, she doesn't want that toy, she wants her strawberry." "She really wants you to stop doing that and get me some strawberry cereal."

Emma: Nine Months!

Size/Weight: 20 lbs (50-75th percentile), 29.25" long (90th percentile), 44cm head (above 95 percentile). So she's back on the charts! (Holy cow, do I finally have a normal-ish sized child?! I think I do! At six months she was so off the chart in height the doctor wasn't quite sure how to describe her, haha! 

Sleep: Aaaaaah, eight months. Eighth month sleep!! Kind of like last month again (still up, still fussy sometimes and not others, goes to bed like a champ, or not). But we came to a few realizations this month that made the end of the month easier tan the first half. Mainly, food. The more solids she eats, the less milk she drinks. My boobs are apparently offended by this; because they've been producing less. (Because who wants milk when there's chicken. You know.) So by the end of the day, I've got nothing. Which isn't great for hungry tummies. Which isn't great for sleeping. Hence the supplementation with formula. More milk = happier tummy before bed = happier baby in theory. I can tell a better habit is starting to be produced; but I'm not calling it until it's more than a night here or there. 

Social: Still a lot like last month. She's starting waving though, which is stinkin' precious. I love it so much!!

Diet: Like mentioned; supply is down, formula is in. She's finally taking it like a champ, and what started out like a supplement is moving towards nurse whenever I can, then follow up with a bottle whenever she's hungry (which is every time minus the first nurse of the day). This part is hard. It was much harder with Norah (with whom I had a huge hormone fallout after the milk was running dry), but it's still making me a bit sentimental-- number one priority is happy healthy baby with a full tummy; mom will do what I can then try and get over the rest. But this is our last baby, and I'm still mourning the last times I'll get to have that bond with her, you know?

Clothes: Happily in 18 month clothes

Likes: 'Surprise' games (she will reach out and touch my face, and I will react with a little noise and surprise her fast-- hard to explain; but it's pretty precious; Norah gets in on it too), when Norah makes her laugh (which is a lot these days!), eating, being snuck up on/funny face time, DAD (her favorite is when I'm holding her and she sees dad after not seeing him for awhile-- she has her certain way of greeting him that's pretty precious. She lights up!

Dislikes: Being set down when she'd rather you carry her, her changing table (which is odd because that's also one of her favorite places to be played with?) diaper changes (she's mastering the crocodile roll; I've mastered jiu jitsu with one arm only on an infant) peaches (she makes the sour 'no' face)

Milestones: Waving has been a fun one, and mobility has picked up a bit! She now flips like a fancy pancake, and has fun waving people down to stare in to their souls or tell them stories. I love it. If the sleep was perfect, this would be one of my favorite stages. (And it technically fell in 'ten month', but she had her first snow this week!! She loved it!)

Norah update?: I'm going to start putting Norah things in bullets:

• This girl is a riot. She has been making up stories that range from the bizarre to the absolutely precious. My favorites are the ones she makes up on the potty when she's having 'personal time'. I need to start a bathroom book.
• There are good days and bad days. And I mean really good. And really bad. But it's okay. I try to log the good so the bad ones are bearable. And loving your kids more than anything else on the planet helps too; I just really wish they came with their own personal instruction manuals.
• Norah's thoughts on the snow: "My heart has a little mouth, and it's smiling because it's happy." 

Emma: Eight Months

Size/Weight: 18 month clothes, and looking pretty lengthy! No clue how much she weighs...

Sleep: Well, I hate to report that she's still a baby. Ha! But really, it's pretty in line with all of baby-dom. She's usually up between 1-2 times a night; and either goes back to sleep quickly-- or not. She either goes to bed like a champ with no problems at all, or if she accidentally falls asleep after 6pm for even a few minutes, she's up until 11. She's a pretty great napper though, which has been great-- I'm really trying hard to soak up the cuddles while she's willing to give them. Now only if she wouldn't freak out, jump out of my arms and try and pull my hair out if she doesn't want to sleep :) 

Social: A bit of stranger danger has picked up, but so has her sense of adorable. She's so darn giggly, happy, and generally precious. She will look at you and 'sing a little'-- she will make little happy chirps at you while smiling her face off. It really melts my heart. She's so chatty these days as well! She communicates with dad through 'head bops'-- she will tilt her head far to the side, wait for dad to do it, then go the other way. Quite cute!

Diet: Thought my milk supply backup was going to be fine... but now I'm running out again. I'm going to try and see if she will take formula again at night if she's having trouble sleeping; my feeble backup milk in the freezer won't get us to a year if we have to ride on it. Food, however, is going amazing-- she eats anything I put in front of her, and seems to love all of it. I would say fruit is her least favorite, but even that's getting much better.

Clothes: snug in 12 month, comfortably moving to 18 month, although the legs are all a bit long!

Likes: When Norah makes her laugh (she will jump for her, sing to her, and they cuddle every morning in Norah's bed which lights emma's whole face up), 'singing' chirps to people, patting Walter, staying up late to party after hours with Mom and Dad :) 

Dislikes: When you try to make her sleep when it's not in her plans. NEIGH NEIGH NEIGH she will tell you. 

Milestones: pincer grasp! She can now grab all the tiny things. Which means living with a toddler is now that much more terrifying. EMMA DON'T GRAB THAT.

Norah update?: this month really has been a cute one. Norah, for the most part, has had a really great month (not all day every day, but we've had some great moments). I can't entirely explain it. She's becoming more thoughtful, well-spoken, and polite. She's seeming to grasp that when she does things that hurt, she's immediately apologetic. The only thing that hasn't been clicking this month is the whole listening the first time-- she will ask you the same question in a row 9-10 times in a row... which means she's three, right?!

A Visit from Grandma and Grandpa

Bryan's parents live in Missouri, and they haven't met Emma yet! We had Bryan's mom stay with us for a few weeks at the end of the summer, but it was such a treat to get his dad over too. I am glad I got to snag a few photos of snuggles and book time while they were both here.

Punkin' Huntin'

Man. I'm so happy we found a pumpkin patch we look forward to going to every year! Schilter Farms is the perfect blend of all things fall that we love. Norah loves it too, and I am excited for Emma to have her first memories here as well.

Norah, in her happy place.

We wanted to get a picture of everyone sitting on pumpkins together... but Emma was so passed out, we didn't want to wake her! So a carrier and dramatic photo it is.

Our maternity shoot with Baby Sprout...

...only eight months too late! Becky and Jon did us a huge favor and snapped some lovely photos of our family before we grew to a family of four. I am so thankful for them!