In 11 months we've learned...

The Best Photo of the Group 

The Outtakes

My favorite one!

Playing Tug O War with Daddy.

What we learned:
Honestly we haven't learned much new that I can think of right now, but we are very thankful for our beautiful and smart baby girl!

How She'd Grown
...She understands simple commands like "No don't touch" and "Come here"
...Squats while standing
...Walking like a pro and trying to climb on things
...She did the hand motions for the itsy bitsy spider once! It was so cute!
...She loves her books! She'll bring us one and sit on our laps.
...Occasionally says "bye bye"
...Loves looking at herself in the mirror!
...Loves to empty things from a container and put them back.
...She's Mommy's big helper! She helps Mommy put the laundry in the dryer and put the laundry away (as well as unfolding the laundry). She helps Mommy clean up her toys! We start early here with chores! :)

For more photos click here.

Sad Day

The following news is not something we've shared with many people.  But since this is really the only place that I "journal" I feel the need to write my thoughts here.

Last month I took a pregnancy test and it was positive.  Last Friday I had my first prenatal appointment.  During the appointment they did a viability ultrasound because of my history of a previous miscarriage.  The ultrasound showed the sac still intact but everything surrounding it coming apart.  There was no heartbeat present.  I was suppose to be between 8-9 weeks.  The baby measured 6 weeks.  I have a follow up appointment next Tuesday.  Many tears have been shed for this beautiful baby.  I think having my Cece at home has helped me to deal (or not deal) with the grief of losing this baby.  At least it is different from last time. I get to come home to my sweet girl. Though I will never get to hold my first baby and this baby, they will always be loved and I hope someday I'll get to meet them.


UPDATE:
I had my follow up doctor's appointment on March 6th. There was still no heart beat and the ultrasound looked similar to the last one.  I no longer felt pregnant and would sometimes forget I still was. After talking with my doctor and a few family and friends, I decided to have another D & C. That was on March 9th.  It was a tough decision. On one hand I wanted a natural miscarriage or one assisted by the tablets because it wasn't surgery, was more natural, and it wasn't a medical emergency. On the other hand, the waiting for a natural miscarriage made it hard to move on and grieve. I didn't want to wait 3+ months for my body to figure things out, if it did at all. And if I took the tablets I would have to do it on a weekend when Trevor would be home to care of me and the baby and I didn't want to spend the little time we have all together as a family with me curled up in our bed crying.  The thought of experiencing the physical and emotional pain would make be burst into tears. My little girl wouldn't understand why Mommy was so upset and in so much pain.
In the end, I decided on the D & C. Trevor was traveling home that day from a work trip. I thought I would be fine without him there since I've had one in the past and I work in a surgery center and knew what would happen. But it was much harder to be without him there than I thought. The nurses and doctors took such great care of me, as well as my family when I got home.
I've told Cece about this little baby, even though I'm not sure how much she understands. I still cry every now and then, but I feel like I am healing both physically and emotionally.
The doctor has recommended that we wait at least 6 months to try again in order to give my body time to heal from both pregnancies and to emotionally heal. 

In 8, 9, and 10 months We've Learned...

Wow!!! I'm so behind. I picked this background in honor of all our birthdays approaching and since I'm so slow, by the time I update again, Cece will probably be 1 year! On to the catch up...

In 8 months We Learned...

...Cece handled her first bilateral ear infection well!
...organized chaos best describes our first holiday season with a little one.
...what it truly means to have a mobile baby (aka diaper changes with a baby rolling and crawling away from you).
...Cece does not like Santa Claus.
...now we truly know what separation anxiety is.
...shopping/running errands with a sick baby sucks!
...how sweet (and at times frustrating) it is when all she wants to do is be held or cuddled by you.

How She's Grown
...She's crawling around. It's super cute! She uses her right leg to push off and drags her left leg underneath her.
...Continues to babble.
...Says Mama and Dada
...Cruises (moving from one piece of furniture to the next for support) everywhere!
...She's learning to use her pincer grasp. She especially loves to use it to pick up Gerber Graduates Veggie Dips and Happy Baby Banana Puffs, which I affectionately call Baby Crack

Happy 8 month birthday!


In 9 months We Learned...

...We haven't baby proofed the house enough (nothing bad happened but she gets into everything!)
...What great friends we have (Thanks Sarah for watching Cece the week before Christmas!)

How She's Grown
...She eats with her fingers.
...She drinks from a cup with assistance (she's actually done this for a while, since around October). She's still trying to figure out sippy cups.
...Continues to cruise and crawl.
...She's stands really well by herself.
...She stoops from a standing position to try ti pick something up.
...Uses her pincer grasp very well.

Happy 9 month birthday!


In 10 months we Learned...

(Okay so you got your picture; now I'm going to play with this sign)

...Once again we relearned the importance of Mommy and Daddy time.
...She is a budding escape artist. She is constantly learning new ways to break out of her baby play area.
...Our baby is learning so much every day!


How She's Grown
...She's WALKING!!!!!
...Tons of talking! She says Mama and Dada pretty consistently, though not always to the right parent. She'll imitate words. The cutest one so far is when Trevor was talking to her she said "I like you Dada" and later that same day he said "I love you" to her and she said "I wub you." Ah! melt my heart. She has also said hello and byebye.
...She knows how to wave hello and good-bye! So cute!!!
...She knows if you say "Cheers" you clink your glasses together. She LOVES this!
...She puts objects in containers. The toys with holes cut out in different shapes and you have to put the right shape in the hole; she can put the circle in the circle. She needs some guidance (aka us picking out the right shape) but she's starting to get it!

Happy 10 month birthday!


For more photos click here and here.

In 7 Months We've Learned...

Take 1

 Take 2

Take 3...Mommy gives up

...How cool it is to feel your baby's first tooth!
...Holidays have a new meaning! They're so much more fun!
...How amazing it is to only pump 1-2 times a day instead of 6-8!

...How fast she's learning and growing! 7 months ago she couldn't even hold up her head!
...It's awesome having someone babysit her one night a month so we can have some couple time.


How she's grown
sh... She will drop objects and look for them.
...She babbles a lot!
...She's a squirmy wiggly worm!
...She uses the coffee table, mommy and daddy, the laundry basket, etc to pull herself up to standing.
...She can pick toys out of a box.
...She bangs objects together.
...She loves bouncing when standing or sitting in your lap.
...She can transfer objects from hand to another.
...She's able to turn pages, but chunks at a time. She can do individual pages if we lift the page a little for her.
...She loves walking with assistance.
...She says "Mama" and means me! (poor Dada...)
...Her first tooth is starting to come out.
...Sometimes searches for hidden objects.

Happy 7 month birthday, Cece!

For more photos click here.

In 5 and 6 Months We've Learned...

So I didn't get around to doing a post about 5 months. Oops!  Here's 5 and 6 months!

How she's grown

...She sits up unsupported.

...She passes objects from hand to hand.

...She plays with her hands and feet.

...She lunges forward and tries to crawl.

...it's important to get out of the house.

...once you get a good routine going, things change.

...she's got such a personality!
...having a sick baby stinks!

How she's grown

...She can walk when you hold both of her hands.

...She can stand up holding on to the couch and coffee table unsupported.

...She is eating solids consistently.

...She drags objects towards her.

...She cries when we leave the room (she's discovered object permanence).

...She knows us from strangers.

She's learned cause and effect -- if I drop this toy mommy will pick it up.

Happy 6th month birthday, Cece!

For more photos click here.

In 4 Months We've Learned...

...How fast time flies (and how fast she grows)!
...How blessed we are to have our moms' help!
...How important bedtime routines are but sometimes babies set their own schedules.
...How awesome it is when they hit major milestones!!!
...What a beautiful laugh she has!
...How important it is to continually nourish your marriage.

How She's Grown
- She can bring her hands together
- She can roll over!!!
- She likes to hold her books and toys
- She likes to play her piano
- She likes to sit-up
- She likes to stand up (with support of course)!
- She loves to laugh and smile!!!
- She reaches for and grabs her toys!
- Turns her head when she hear our voices.
- Discovered her toes!
- Tries to lunge forward
- Likes to play with her hands
- Can sit up very briefly without support.
- She likes to sit at the table during meal times.


More photos here.

Annoucement Cards

So we don't have twin girls, but I liked the design of the card a lot! I figure why send 2 announcements (birth and baptism) when you can send one! I got a great deal on them too! Right now Shutterfly has 20% off all 5x7 and 4x8 cards and free shipping off order $30+! And I found an awesome coupon code on Retailmenot.com for an additional 50% off! The coupon code is: SFLYCARDS50! Woohoo! I got 75 cards for $25.17!

Photo Card

View the entire collection of cards.