Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Bring on the Mashed Taters!

Chloe had cereal for the first time last night. Lorne got to feed her the first "real" meal just like he did with Sawyer. Speaking of Sawyer, he was visibly torn between what we were doing in the kitchen versus watching Caillou. It was pretty funny. He would walk back and forth between the two rooms from time to time. We let him try the cereal and his response was, "Yucky!" I think Caillou won that battle hands down!

Chloe seemed to eat quite a bit of the cereal/breastmilk mixture. I made it pretty runny for the first meal and I will continue to make it thicker. I'm planning on doing just cereal for the first week and then add in some baby food next week. She was kind of restless last night, but I don't know if it's because of the cereal or those two teeth that are coming through. Either way, I know it will be a transition for her.

Truth be told, I think that she was more interested in her bib than anything else. It was the first time for her to wear one now that I think of it. I also think it is also going to take her some time to get used to the high chair. She looks so tiny in it compared to Sawyer!

Lorne said that his hand started cramping from holding the tiny spoon.

There was a lot of spitting up going on!


She was still all smiles at the end so that's a good sign!

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Chloe is Six Months Old!

Chloe is one growing little girl! We went to her well-check and she weighs 16 pounds, 9 ounces, and is 27 3/4 inches long. Sawyer weighed 15 pounds, 9 ounces, and was 26 1/4 inches long at the same age. She remains in the 25th percentile for her head circumference, 75th for her weight, and off the chart for her length.

It appears that her two front teeth will push through any day now. Dr. Darrow also seems to think that she will be getting her molars before some of her other teeth! That will be something! I sure would like to nurse her for a full year, but I'll have to see how it goes once all those other teeth start making their appearance! That's one of the main reasons I only nursed Sawyer for eight months!

She continues to roll around like crazy. She is getting up on her hands and knees like she wants to crawl, but no official crawling just yet. She is also trying to push herself up to a sitting position, but rolls over once she gets onto her bottom. It looks like she is really close to figuring it all out, though.

She hates to stay still for her diaper changes and dressings too. I don't know how it's going to be once she's a toddler because she already has no patience for changes. She is usually rolled completely over by the time I get the diaper or the clothes ready.

I plan on starting her on solids really soon. I was throwing around the idea of making her baby food, but I think that I'm just going to go with Gerber's organic line. I'm so glad that I exclusively breastfed for her first six months. There are many advantages to a breastfed baby starting solids closer to six months. They include allowing the digestive system to further develop and making the transition to table foods and finger foods that much sooner. I started Sawyer closer to five months and his plumbing was out of whack for almost three weeks. That was not a fun time! I'm thinking that even though I may not make all of her baby food I will probably throw things into the food processor for her from time to time. It would be pretty convenient since Sawyer still eats lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Speaking of eating, I have begun stretching her to three and four hours between feedings. She is much more interested in watching Caillou or Mickey with her brother than eating. It has to be the most frustrating thing that there is! Those of you who have tried nursing an uninterested baby feel my pain. I think that I need to start pumping after feedings since she is so distracted most of the time! I think that it's a combination of that and just getting what she needs more quickly. I am only nursing on the right side these days so I feel like a sideshow exhibit at the circus, but everything I read says that babies can get all they need on one side so away we go! It means that I will be lopsided for the duration, but there are worse things in life!

I must admit that she is napping much better than two months ago. That being said, I sure wish that she would nap even more! She seems willing to nap at least 1 1/2 hours once during the day, but when I try to lay her down a second time she either doesn't sleep or will only sleep for about thirty minutes. Take today for example: She had two shots this morning with a Tylenol chaser. That would have knocked Sawyer out for at least three hours at this age. She napped for about 1 1/2 hours and that was it! I tried to put her in her swing but that just seemed to tick her off. Now we're going with Plan B which is letting her roll around on the floor. I can't tell you how many afternoons I'm entertaining my infant while my toddler naps. Shouldn't it be the other way around? I guess that I should be happy; they could BOTH be awake right now!





We can never get them to look in the same direction!

Thursday, September 20, 2007

No More Whining!!!

OK. There should be more than enough pictures for everyone to peruse at least through the weekend! :) I went back and posted according to date so scroll down and you'll soon be pretty much caught up on our goings on! Be sure to click on "Chloe is Five Months Old!" under "Previous Posts" as it doesn't show up on the original page. I will take her six month pics this weekend and hope to post them early next week.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

ONEderland!!!!

I am so excited! I had my weigh-in today and I have lost 10% of my joining weight! I needed to lose twenty-two and I have lost 23.4 so far. I now weigh fewer than 200 pounds which means that I am in ONEderland! I swear that last week was the last time for me to ever weigh more than 199. I absolutely cannot go back to that kind of eating and living ever again! I'm doing it for Lorne, Sawyer, and Chloe, but mostly I'm doing this for myself! I want to be there for my family and I want to be at my healthiest for them.

My next goal is to lose twenty more pounds by Christmas. It is fourteen weeks away. It took me nineteen weeks to lose 23.4, but I was "off the wagon" for four of those weeks. Weight loss slows down the closer one gets to goal, so it may take longer, but I WILL NOT QUIT!!! I know that I can do this as long as I stay focused and keep going to the gym. That is key! One of the hardest things for a mom to do is to make herself a priority, but I am going to give it my all! A healthier mom is a better mom!

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Sawyer the Artiste

Sawyer has been going to PlayPals for seven weeks now. He is having so much fun with Miss Linda! It has been such a relief for me because he has adjusted really well to being away from me...at least for 1 1/2 hours a week!

They do a craft each week and Sawyer's favorite by far has been painting. I bought him some paper and finger paints and I let him go to town. The great part is that the paint is all washable so there is no harm done.



Sawyer's first masterpiece.



Monday, September 17, 2007

Presea Violet is Here!

Jeremy and Denise's daughter, and my Goddaughter, Presea Violet, (pronounced "Pri-say-ah"), was born tonight at 8:32 P.M.. She weighs 6 pounds 7 ounces and is 18.5 inches long. Mommy and baby are doing wonderfully! She will be welcomed home by big sister Sophia.

I was able to go to the hospital after we put the kids to bed at 8:00, so I was the third person to hold her! She hadn't even had her bath yet! It was awesome! I was crying before I even saw her! I've never been a Godmother before.

I still don't have the capabilities to post pictures as Lorne is redoing the laptop. I assure you that I will have pics of Presea, Chloe's five month pics (and six month too), Mom and I at Paula Deen, Britt's Sweet 16, and lots of others really soon!

Those of you who keep checking for pics should think of it as punishment for never leaving comments..... :)

Here's Presea!!

I can't get over how tiny she is!

I stood outside the window for at least fifteen minutes! I didn't want to leave!

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Happy Sweet 16 Brittany!!

We traveled to Van Vleck this past weekend for Brittany's Sweet 16. I absolutely cannot believe that Miss Britt is sixteen years old! Where did the time go? She looked so pretty that it brought tears to my eyes! She has grown into such a beautiful young lady!

It was a "Pretty in Pink" party so I had to make a pink dessert. I wouldn't be Aunt Kelly if I came empty handed! I brought pink plain and peanut M&M's. I also made a candy called white trash that Nanny has made for years. I just dyed the almond bark pink and it came out great! I also made a batch with pink candy melts. Those were a lighter pink and the almond bark turned more of a bubble gum pink. They had fajitas catered so dinner was delish!

Brittany and her VIP Girls.

Dad would say Sawyer, Kayla, and Chloe look like owls in a tree, but I think they just look cute!

Britt was thirteen months old when I started dating Lorne. I am sooo old!

Aunt Faye made the cake. It had at least two inches of butter cream icing...yum!

"Make a wish!"

I surprised Britt with a delivery of roses for part of her present. Every girl needs to get roses!

Sunday, September 02, 2007

Sawyer Crocker

Sawyer is enjoying helping me in the kitchen. I decided that he could help me bake chocolate chip cookies. Rick and Priscilla came for a visit that afternoon and I always bake something for my rotten friend Rick.

Sawyer had such a blast! I was as patient as I could be and I think that he had a really good time. I gave him his own pan and dough so he made some cookies of his own. I think that he was really proud of himself and that was so cute! He had lots of fun stirring the dough and adding all of the ingredients. What a fun way to spend time together!

He is always very adamant about wearing my apron.





Chloe looks like she's wondering what her crazy mother and brother are doing!