Dear Silvia: 7 Months

Dear Silvia,

Wow - we really stink at this whole blogging thing, don't we? I promise that the only reason we're so behind on blog posts is because we are having so much fun with you!

At 7 months, you really started to show your personality! More laughter than ever, louder giggles and shrieks, bigger smiles! You are so fun to have around and we love hauling you everywhere we go. You're so happy-go-lucky...smiling at strangers, checking out every new scene, kicking your legs, swinging your arms! Everywhere we go, we hear comments on how you're such a "happy girl", "beautiful girl"...and sometimes "handsome boy" :) Sorry, we don't always dress you in pink with bows and you don't have much hair (yet!)

You learned to sit up really tall and strong this month, just in time to open presents during your first Christmas! You recived a fun, pink toy camera from Grandma and Grandpa Rasmusson, a dolly from Nana andPapa Cow, a cool, pink step stool from your Godmom Lynn and a doll house from your Godmom Megan. From Santa, you got your first red-headed dolly named Leona. She's so cute! What a fun Christmas it was for you...and for us! Having you around has made Christmas so much more special for your Dad and I too. You wore a new red dress, cream sweater, tights and gold dress shoes for Christmas. I looked high and low for a pretty gold hairbow for you to wear...but no luck. You still looked so absolutely adorable in your first Christmas outfit. I had a blast picking it out too! (One of the perks of having a little girl!)

Outside of the many holiday get togethers we had, we also had many fun play dates with the other babies and Moms from our baby classes. Of course, we also had a play date with the Sticha Chicas and Garin and Carter!

On top of sitting really well, you've started to get up on all fours and rock back and forth....like you're rev'ing your engine to get moving!

You're enjoying eating solids more and more as we've been adding more foods to your diet. At Christmas you got to enjoy some squash and sweet potatoes...yum!

Silvia - you bring so much joy to our lives...more than we could have ever imagined. You're such a happy girl and we're soo thankful for that!

Keep being your smiley, happy, healthy self!

We love you so much - having you was the best decision we ever made! :)

Mama and Dad

Dear Silvia: 6 Months

Dear Silvia,

Let me start out by saying how much we love you...and follow with how sorry we are that this post is nearly 3 months late! We're having so much fun being your parents that we simply cannot force ourselves to take the time to write it all down, but I know we must or sometime you'll ask us "when did I first sit up" and we'll look at eachother blankly and say "we don't remember...but I'm sure it was sometime before your 1st birthday"...so, we write! :)

The 6 month milestone brought about many exciting firsts for you:
-You ate solids for the first time. We started with cereal and it took you a couple weeks to get used to the idea. Now, you're a pro!
-Your first Halloween...you were a monkey!
-You became a "big" cousin...your new cousin Joseph Kenneth arrived on Oct. 30th. He's a cutie!
-We celebrated my birthday - Your mom officially turned 29 for the first time!
-We also celebrated Nana Cow's birthday.
-You attened your first 5K race. You and Dad came to watch me run my first race since having you. It was SO cold, but we bundled you up tightly!
-You and I and one of my friends went to a book signing for one of our favorite blogging couples (Young House Love). We waited in a long line (you napped) then when we finally got in you took in all the sights and sounds of the HUNDREDS of people there. At the end, the woman behind us in line said "I cannot believe how content your baby is." We hear this a lot about you - you're such a good girl!

Your hair is starting to come in more and more and we sometimes lovingly refer to you as "Fuzzy"! You are still incredibly long. We're used to your pants being highwaters and your onesies snapping tightly. At your 6 month appt., you weighed in at 16lbs 10oz. (67%), 27" (92%) and your head was 55%.

You continue to have such a wonderfully content personality. You smile at us, strangers and yourself in the mirror. When we sing, you "sing" along. You're practicing your sitting but still tip over when left unassisted for too long.

With the addition of solids, and a little help from sleep training, your nights have only gotten better. You sleep 10-13 hours a night, in a stretch...it's SO wonderful! Thanks for that!

Daycare continues to go well - you love to see all the other kids and learn from them. You still love bath time and playing with your toys on the floor. It's fun to see how you now play on your own, picking up toys and inspecting them closely, then following up with a taste test of each.

Silvia, you are the greatest joy we know - you brighten our days and remind us every minute how becoming parents was the best decision we ever made.

"Halfy Birthday!"

We love you so much baby girl,
Mama and Daddy

Dear Silvia: 3 Months

Dear Silvia,

This post is a little late, but I will not skimp on content...I promise!

Well, this month I started back at work part-time (hence the delayed post!) and it's gone pretty well so far....thanks to both of your Grandmas who have been coming over to watch you on the days I have to work. Next month, I'm back full-time and you'll start at daycare. I'm sure you'll have much fun with your new daycare friends!

We've said it before and we'll say it again...you're a mover and shaker and you like to be where all the action is! You now officially roll from front to back and back to front...though, its not happening consistently. When playing during tummy time, you also move your legs up and down on the ground (like mountain climbers) or stiffen your legs up (like a plank)...I think you're wanting to get your little body moving. I wonder how long before you start crawling...yikes!

You coo and "talk" so much! You're constantly blowing bubbles and you now also give us deep, belly laughs. It's so cute! You've also started to grasp toys and move them around, knowing that they'll make a noise when you do so. When laying down, you've started to tuck your chin to your chest and attempt to sit yourself up. When we go in to give you a smooch, you open your mouth...nothing like a big, wet open-mouth kiss!

You're liking bath time more and more and you now splash around while in your little tub. We moved  you to your crib and you're doing great in there....though, you still like to get up and party 1-3 times a night. You squawk in your crib until someone comes to get you and when they do you immediately stop what you're doing and give a HUGE smile. It's hard to be grouchy (even at 1, 2, 3am) when you're greeted by such a nice, gummy smile!

We've moved you entirely into your 3 month clothing, but you're on the verge of being too long for some of your sleepers. I guess its time to starting pulling out some of your 6 months clothes too....already?!?!  Your little cheeks are filling out nicely and you also have started to have little chubber rolls on your inner thighs.

You love being read to and will sit so nicely the whole time. The hair you had lost is now coming back slowly, but you still have your cute little mullet (so stylish!). Your eyes are still blue...though I still think that will eventually change.

Overall, you are a pretty happy little girl. You smile all the time, even at strangers or when you're mad.

You were last weighed a couple weeks ago (at almost 12 weeks) and you were 12lbs. 10oz. I'm guessing you're around 13lbs. now as your size 1 diapers are getting pretty snug. Your next dr. appt. will be at 4 months, so I'll have more accurate height/weight info in next month's post.

You've had a lot of other firsts this past month, too:
- You've now been to a movie at the theater twice! You slept/ate throughout the first movie "What to expect when you're expecting" and were wide awake during "Spiderman"....both times you were a good little girl and kept quiet.
- You went to the MN Science Museum. Truth be told, it was a dud of an exhibit...but you, your Dad and I still managed to have a good time.
- You went to your first Church Festival at St. Patrick's. It was hot and you were pooped by the end. In fact, you napped on a picnic table at one point in the day!
- You went to your first bridal shower, baby shower (for you!) and birthday party...so much fun!
- You and I went to Mom and Baby yoga a few times. It was so much fun...you loved seeing all the other babies and being moved up, down and all around.
- You went to your first Twins game...sadly, they lost.
- You've now met ALL three of your Great Grandmas. We recently took a trip to Altoona, WI so you could meet your Great Grandma McNamara. She loved holding you and talking to you and you smiled the whole time.
- Now, that I think about it....that was your first out-of-state trip too! Woohoo Wisconsin!
- You were baptized! Father George, the priest who married your Dad & I, baptized you at St. Anne's Catholic Church in LeSueur, MN. It was such a beautiful day with (almost) all of our family.

How was that for an eventful month?!?! We had so much fun and are looking forward to the next!

We love you so much,
Mama and Dad

Dear Silvia: 2 Months

Dear Silvia,

This past month has flown by! I started clearing out your newborn clothes and washing/putting away your new 3 month outfits...so bittersweet. You're growing SO fast!

You've learned lots of new "tricks" this month. You babble and coo and "talk" away, especially when you're on the dresser getting your diaper changed. You tell stories to your Dad and I as we lean over and get right in your face. You also like talking to your "little friend" in the mirror! She's such a nice little girl, isn't she? ;)

You now take baths in your baby bathtub (rather than the smaller washtub we used to use). You enjoy it much more and smile away!

As mentioned above, you're a smiling machine...especially when you first wake up. Those fresh morning smiles are the best. Your Dad and I fight over them!

You've been able to meet many of your new cousins and even a couple of your Great Grandmas this month. We still need to get out to Wisconsin to see Great Grandma McNamara...hopefully sometime this next month.

You absolutely love being around other kids. You'll lay contently on a blanket on the floor and stare as they play around you. This makes me feel better when I think about sending you off to daycare.

I had begun to brag about how well you were sleeping when WHAM!...you decided to change that up. For a week or so, you were up many times each night. You and I spent a lot of time "visiting" in the wee hours of the morning that week. It was...fun! :)  Just lately you've again started to sleep better. Last night you slept 6 hours in a row. I felt like a whole new woman when you woke me up for your 3am feeding. Thanks for that.

You went on quite a growing streak recently, gaining almost a pound last week...YIKES! I think that explains all the late night/early morning feedings you were needing. This is also why we washed up all your 3 month clothes. Girl, you're almost 11lbs. now...goodbye newborn outfits!

Your pretty red hair is starting to rub off and now you just have a nice, long tuft in the back. It's very stylish! :)

Last week you discovered your thumb. We heard you sucking away through the baby monitor and when we went into your room, you had that thumb in your mouth and were as happy as a clam! You had been searching your fist for weeks to find that thumb, though we haven't seen you with it in your mouth since. So, I guess you still aren't "officially" a thumbsucker but man, you're working hard to get there by sucking on your fists whenever you can. Both your Dad and I were thumbsuckers, too, so we "get" it.

We took you in for your 2 month appointment last week, which included shots. Your Dad was able to take the day off to join us. What can I say? It wasn't that enjoyable for any of us...all three of us cried. You were a trouper, sporting your Tweety Bird bandaids, and bounced back to your smiley self later that day and even took a 3 hour nap afterward! At your appointment, you weighed in at 10lbs. 4oz. (40%), measured 23" long (80%) and your head was 15" around (40%).

You and I started taking a New Mama class with a bunch of other first-time moms. It's been so much fun! You're a model student, staring and talking to our instructor the whole time. She often stops class and says, "Well, hello Silvia. I see you have something to say too." It's adorable. There are twin baby girls in our class who were born at the same hospital as you, on the same day just hours after you were born!

The three of us have been trying out new things this past month to keep the summer lively. One day we visited your Dad's work and then afterward went downtown to have lunch outside from the food trucks. You and I (partially) walked around Lake Calhoun. It started to look overcast-y, so I turned the stroller around and ran back to the car...and then it never ended up raining. :( We also went and visited my work and have met up with many friends for lunch, coffee, dinner, etc. Basically, we try to get out and about each day for some fun. This summer has been very different from any other but so much fun!

We celebrated the 4th of July with some friends and although you didn't get to go swimming, you did try out your new swimsuits! It's been a hot summer. If you were a bit older, we'd be spending most days at the Splash Pad.

This month went far too fast and I'm sure that trend will continue. I'm sad to say that you and I only have 1 more month together before I have to start transitioning back to work. I'm confident you'll do great at daycare..but know I'll miss these days together so much when I go back to work. Ok, enough of that...here's to another fun month!

We love you little girl,

Mama & Dad