Tanner James: 11 months

Wow this year has flown by.  I can't believe he is almost one already.  This month has been an interesting one... And this picture is the best one I could get.  Tanner is not so into our little photo shoots anymore.  Oh well.

• Tanner pulled a heavy bar stool down onto the back of his head and neck while I was at work. We have pretty much cleared the house of everything he can get his hands on.  He is the most busy and curious kid ever.  He wants to climb every large thing and eat every small thing in sight.  
• Then the next night he mysteriously had blood dripping out of his ear.  It was enough that I couldn't tell where it was coming from.  Turned out he had just scratched the outside of it but I was panicked for a good 5-10 minutes :)
• He's officially a biter.  I have bruises all over and scratches from where he grabs and pinches me.  
• He is obsessed with his big sister and wants to follow her everywhere.  
• He's officially walking. 
• He is babbling with lots of different sounds now.
• He is waving bye bye. 
• He had his first trip to the ER.  He had a fever for a few days but was ok.  I went to work on Sunday night and his fever spiked.  He had a febrile seizure and had to go to the ER and get cooled down with washcloths and get stabbed in both arms with needles.  It was scary.
• He had his 1st Thanksgiving.  He loved all the food of course.
• It was a crazy month.

Tanner James: 10 months

{climbing the rocking chair}

• His hair is covering his ears on the sides now. Not sure how he is going to sit still for that first hair cut.
• He got 4 teeth at once and I think they are still coming.
• Sleep hasn't been so great. Probably partly because of the teeth and also, now that he's older, co-sleeping is hard because if he wakes up and sees Kyle in bed he wants to crawl over and play which is not so cute at 3am.
• Still super happy boy and he loves to flash his dimples at anyone who will make eye contact with him.
• He loves his big sis and follows her around laughing at everything she does. He's starting to fight back a little if she tries to boss him around though.
• He runs so hot. He gets so sweaty when he sleeps. It's crazy but I've Googled (of course) and I think we are still in the normal range ;)
• We all keep getting sick.  We share everything in this house including every illness that comes within 50 feet of us.
• Tanner is finally starting to imitate and is high fiving.
• He has bumps and bruises constantly and we have had to start getting rid of everything not bolted down for his safety. He's definitely a climber.
• If he's not eating or sleeping, he/s on the move.
• He had his 1st Halloween. We did a family costume of Blake's choosing. She was Alice in Wonderland, Tanner was the White Rabbit, and Kyle and I were Tweedle Dee/Dum.
• Taking 2-3 steps at a time now.

Tanner's Nursery

Better late than never.  Here's a peek into lil'man's room.

I know these pictures are really bright.  I had too much light coming in the window and still can't always figure out the correct settings on my camera.  That and the fact that I have no time for camera  adjustments with these crazy kids around :)

Tanner James: 9 months

This is the best I could get. It's getting harder and harder.

• Still loves all foods and has tried everything. He's had Chow Mein, spaghetti and meat balls, tacos, etc. 
• Starting to do a few more sounds, finally, and has figured out how to gain attention by raising his volume.  It makes things interesting when we are out in public.
• Cutting 1st tooth
• He is cruising really well now and has let go and taken a few steps. He's at expert-level crawling now. It's terrible because he's so fast that he gets away too quick and is into everything these days.  He's a climber too!
• His hair is still a darker, auburn color.  Definitely different than Blake's in color but about the same as far as the curls go at this point.
• He refuses to wear a hat or socks. This bugs me because I want him to wear beanies in the winter because they are so cute. 
• He's a sweaty hot guy all the time. 
• He was a total trooper at his 9 month appointment shots.  Nothing really bothers him for too long. It's a good thing too because he is always getting bumps and bruises. 
• His stats at 9 month check up are: Weight: 19lbs  Height: 28.5 in Head Size:47.5 (98th percentile) That's a huge head!

**Yeah I know this is over a month late. The pictures are taken at at the correct time and I collect the info/milestones on my phone so the info is accurate. I'm just late on the post ;)  10 month post coming soon. 

Tanner James: 8 months

• Finally my hair started falling out. It's not as bad as it was with Blake but I did start noticing it.
• He started the month with an army crawl and ended with real crawling. He's a man on the move now.
• Eating more chucks now and downing the Puffs.
• He had his first non-preferred food. Avocado. Although he does like it mixed with other foods. He even kept eating it like a little trooper.  He just made terrible faces while chewing haha.
• He's still so smiley and loves to laugh.
• He loves to be scared/startled and cracks up
• He's on the go constantly and it's rare to get cuddles anymore.
• He is pulling up to standing on anything he can get his hands on and starting to cruise along furniture.
• He's waking up more at night which is kind of annoying.
• He is also sooo quiet. No real babbling or anything.  He is not yet imitating either and it's driving me crazy.  I'm working with him as much as I can and I know it will come with time.  

Tanner James: 7 months

• Over the past month he's had bananas, peaches, carrots, peas, corn, sweet potatoes, apples and avocados.  So far he LOVES food. :)
• His hair has grown so much.  It's much darker than Blake's was and has a little tiny bit of red tint to it.  It has a mean cow lick in the back that sticks straight up. Haha.
• His eyes are still blue.
• Spit up has really slowed down now but is still happening occasionally.  The doctor diagnosed him with reflux at the last appointment but we aren't doing anything about it because it doesn't seem to bother him.  I do hear him coughing in his sleep though as a result of the reflux. We might have the doc check it again just to make sure.
• We went to the OC Fair. 
• Tanner sleeps in a regular sleep sack now.  He likes to be cozy.
• He got his fat thigh stuck in the crib bars. He was just in a diaper and it was hot so he got it really jammed in there.  It was a little scary but I kept my cool and finally worked it out.  He had a little bruise though :( 
• He's learned how to blow raspberries and does it non-stop.
• He's sitting up all on his own now.  It's nice to have another position to set him down in.
• He's still a good napper and sleeping through the night some nights.
• Blake loves helping out with him. She is such a good big sister.  She kisses him and tells him she loves him all the time.  They are so sweet together.
• Busy, Busy, Busy.  He wants to be held but also wants to be put down but also wants to spin around in your arms.  He's all over the place on the floor too.  Really close to crawling but not quite there yet.

Tanner James: 6 months

• We survived Hand, Foot, Mouth Disease.  Oh man that was bad.  I thought Tanner had a drool rash (which now I think he did have along with the HFM) but as the rash spread, we decided to go to see the doc.  He was diagnosed at first sight and they informed us that it was going around like crazy and is very contagious.  Unfortunately, you can get it over and over so it might be in our future also.  It seems to be the most common childhood disease around here.  We all had it but Blake and I had hardly any symptoms.  I had a fever and sore throat for a couple days and Blake had a runny nose.  Tanner had a rash all over but was otherwise pretty happy.  Kyle, on the other hand, GOT. IT. BAD.  I felt so bad for him.  It was head to toe and very uncomfortable.  The sore throat especially.  It's so weird how it affected us all in different ways but the doctor said that's typical.  The very last symptom Tanner and Kyle had came about a month after they were healthy again.  Their nails started falling off. So weird!
• We went to Cabo.  Tanner's first vacation :)  We had such a good time.  Blake had the time of her life playing in the pool and Tanner loved cruising the pool with me in the water sling.  
• Tanner is rolling all over the place and can get across the room in the 2 seconds you turn your back.  We have to watch him pretty closely. Especially since he puts everything he can get his hands on in his mouth.  He is really close to being able to sit up unassisted.  He can do it for a few seconds on his own but still topples over.
• Spitting up is finally slowing down.  
• We started solid foods and he LOVES it.  He's had bananas and peas so far and can't get the food in his mouth fast enough.
• His hair is getting really thick now but it sticks straight up at the top of his head :)
• He's sleeping in the crib and with us still and takes good long naps during the day.
• He's still such a happy and easy baby.
• My hair hasn't fallen out which is a nice surprise.
• Concerts in the park started so we have been doing that weekly.  Tanner loves to ride in the Ergo and watch the other kids playing and listen to the music.
• He officially has "real" poop, which we aren't too excited about :)
• He's still making sounds but I would like a little more out of him.  I'm constantly singing and making animal sounds and babbling at him.  He must think I'm nuts.  

Tanner James: 5 months

What's been happening this month:

• He found his toes.  I don't know why but it's just the cutest thing ever when they start grabbing their feet.
• We are using the Zipadee Zip now instead of the swaddle.
• He's such a happy baby.  He loves to smile and be smiled at.
• He's weighing in at 16 pounds.
• Still spitting up. Ugh
• We got out the Baby Einstein Bouncer.  He loves it.  That is the best baby product.
• Rolling over a lot and starting to roll from back to tummy.
• Gnawing on anything he can get into his mouth.  He especially likes our fingers and his own toes.
• He had a really bad drool rash.  Or so I thought...  More on that in month 6.

Tanner James: 4 months

What's been happening this month:

• Scooting around all over. He tries to scoot on his booty out of the bouncy chair and swing.  He has to be buckled at all times now. He can also turn himself completely around when laying on his back.
• Still swaddled but gets his arms out a lot.
• Still in bassinet and sleeping with us.
• He is waking up more at night since I have gone back to work.  I don't really mind it since I get extra cuddles at night.
• I'm back to pumping, so that's annoying.
• I've had a lot more trouble losing weight this time around so Kyle got me a Fit Bit for my birthday.  It's helping a lot.
• He still spitting up a ton.  It's frustrating for all of us.  We all need an extra change of clothes at all times.
• He is super snuggly and loves to be held, worn in a sling, and cuddled.
• Rolling over from tummy to back.
• He doesn't mind his tummy time and will hang out there for a while.
• He has set a predictable schedule with a long afternoon nap but is pretty flexible too.

Tanner James: 3 months

What's been happening this month:

• Lots of smiles and laughing.
• He is super ticklish.
• Loves taking baths but cracks up in anticipation of being tickled when I wash in his neck rolls.
• Getting really chunky.
• He is starting to lose his hair and its kind of patchy.  It's not the best look.
• He is still the most easy going, chill baby. He doesn't mind tummy time. He can and will go from wide awake to asleep all on his own, although I nurse him to sleep anyway because I like to.  He never cries.  He just so happy all the time.  
• His neck is getting really strong and he's more and more sturdy every day. 
• We got a swing and he loves being in there.  Blake never really liked the swing.
• He tries to mimic our facial expressions and coos. 
• My milk supply is still really good.  That's making things less stressful this time.
• My nursing aversion is almost completely gone. I'm so glad I finally have a name to what I was experiencing. I had it in the beginning with Blake also and never could figure it out after many hours of Googling.  I described it as itching or that my nerves felt like they were going crazy when I was feeding Blake.  I would scratch and tear at my face and neck whenever I was feeding Blake in the beginning.  Then it went away and I forgot about it.  Then I had Tanner and it started up again. This time I Googled "skin feels like it's crawling while nursing baby."  Up popped all this info about nursing aversion.  I seem to have a mild case since all it really does is make my skin feel creepy and sensitive but some people get bad feelings toward their children which is terrible I'm sure. Anyway, it's gone now, yay!
• I went back to work which is going fine but still sucks. Thankfully he's easy on all of our baby sitters and Blake is a great big sister helper.

Tanner James: 2 months

Tanner has been smiling and interacting with us a lot this month.  I love the sound of his coos.  He is growing like crazy and is almost 13 pounds.  He is wearing 3-6 month size and grows out of clothes quicker than I can keep up.  People comment on his size a lot but he's actually only in the 50th-ish percentile.  He is also up to size 2 in disposable diapers too.  He wears mostly cloth at home now but I'm still using both because he goes through quite a few a day.  I know he's getting enough to eat but he sure does spit up a lot.  I'm getting used to smelling like puke for most of the day.  Maybe I should slow down on the Mother's Milk Tea.  Could have an oversupply this time :).  He's still really mellow and easy and a good sleeper.  He wakes up one or two times at night and goes back to sleep quick.  He sleeps in the bassinet most of the night and then with me in the early morning hours.  Blake is sleeping with us too.  It's kind of nice having both my kiddos with me at night and I'm sure I will like the time with them once I'm back to work.  I use the velcro Swaddle Me swaddlers for sleep and he likes it.  He sometimes gets his hands out but I think I will keep using them for a little while longer because it really helps him stay asleep. I got some of the new hip trendy pacifiers and of course he's not interested.  In case you're interested they are Natursutten natural rubber pacis.  Neither of my kids really took to the pacifier.  Who knows, maybe he will later.  For now he gags on it and spits it out. 

Blake is still enjoying being a big sis and wants to be called sissy :-) 

My favorite thing this month: I got a Sakura Bloom sling and I am obsessed with it.  I have a problem with buying baby carriers.  I just love keeping him close to me and he loves to be held.  The sling is lightweight, compact (fits in my purse or diaper bag), easy to use, and looks beautiful. 

I'm really trying to enjoy my last few weeks off work with lots of quality time and fun with the kiddos.  I'm also trying to mentally prepare to the transition back to work.

Tanner James: 1 month

One month down and it has been so easy.  I get to really enjoy every moment home with both my kiddos because I don't have any of that first time mom stress and anxiety. We have been making the most of every day and doing as much as possible, while still making sure to have lots of relaxing down time for bonding.    

• Tanner is eating like a pro and has been since the first day.  He was already almost up to birth weight at the 2 day doctor appointment.  At the 2 week, he was up to 8lbs 9oz from 7lbs 1oz leaving the hospital.  He does spit up a lot but we aren't too worried about that, it seems to be a laundry problem only.  He also eats fast.  It's such a change from Blake, who took an hour to eat every time. 
• He is super noisy.  He grunts and snorts all day long.  It's pretty cute.  Blake says he sounds like Peppa Pig.
• He's so easy-going and just goes with the flow.  He sleeps under any light or noise conditions, which is convenient because his sissy is often screaming and running through the house during the day.  
• We have been going everywhere because he's so easy.  I started doing things right away.  He has been to a dinner party with the girls, visits to MiMi's and Grammie's, Knott's Berry Farm, Disneyland, a baby shower, a birthday party, the park, the beach, story time at the library, a Superbowl party, my office, My Gym, countless walks, several doctor appointments (mine and his), tons of dinners out, and trips to Target and the grocery store. We have been very busy. :) 
• He has quite a bit of hair and it's darker than Blake's.
• He grew out of the newborn diapers and newborn clothes by the 2nd week.  We are in the size 1 diapers and have not started cloth yet. 
• He loves to be swaddled and is 50/50 on the pacifier.
• He is sleeping in his Halo Swivel Sleeper Bassinest, which is the coolest bassinet ever.  He also sleeps with me when I can't get him back in the bassinet.  This time around I'm not going to make myself crazy with sleep deprivation.  We just do what works and yes we are being safe when co-sleeping. 
• He sleeps a lot still. Napping on and off during the day with a few short periods of wakefulness in the morning and in the evening.  At night he sleeps really well (up only once or twice usually). Of course I get up and change him and feed him but it does not seem hard like it did the first time.  We are pretty rested.  Maybe because he goes back to sleep pretty quick.  I'm sure I will feel differently when I got back to work. 
• I don't need to pump so I haven't been and that makes all the difference.  I feel free.  Pumping sucks!
• He makes tons of funny faces and smiles a lot.
• He loves being in my Solly Baby Wrap.  I also use the Ergo because it's easier to nurse in but the infant insert is kind of a pain so I've been using the wrap more. 
• We got a cool double stroller for our walks that Blake can stand up on so we are getting used to that still. 
• I'm still obsessed with his smell, especially his head. It's like a drug. 
• I seem to have less ADHD symptoms which is weird because the opposite is supposed to be true.
• I got pink-eye. Ugh, the worst. I followed the advice of many mommies and put my breastmilk in it.  Gone in less than a day. I know doctors disagree but it works.
• We survived a cold that Blake picked up at Story Time. She had a pretty miserable stuffed up nose for a few days and I panicked that Tanner would get it so I washed all our hands obsessively and sprayed Lysol on everything.  I thought we were in the clear as she came out of it but a day later Tanner had a stuffed up nose.  It lasted less than a day (yay for the antibodies in breastmilk) and he is totally fine. As a side note, I recommend the snot suckers like the Nose Frida for every mom out there. They work SOOOOO much better than the bulb syringe.  
• Kyle and I both think he looks really different than Blake but most everyone else says they look the same :/ 
• Blake is so in love with him and with being a big sister.  She asked to hold him all day long, gushes over how "tiny" and "cute" he is and gives him tons of kisses. It was hard to tell her no she couldn't kiss him during the days she was sick :(

Overall, it has been an amazing month.  I feel like I could do this at least one more time but hopefully two more.  Now to convince Kyle that we need two more kids...

Tanner's Birth Story

Tanner James O’Bryan

7lbs. 5oz.

20 inches

Born on January 11, 2016 at 7:14pm

I went into labor on a Monday morning while getting ready for work.  It was 6am and I had a few contractions but didn't know if it was the real deal or not.  I had been having them for past few weeks.  It was also 17 days before my due date and I had no expectations of having an early baby.  Anyway they kept coming and I had to decide whether or not to go into work.  I figured it's better to be safe so I called in and told them I wasn't coming in.  About 9am I texted my doctor and she told me to come into the office to get checked first since she was at work.  We got everything ready and had my sister come over to watch Blake and headed over there.  I was dilated to almost 3 and 80% effaced.  She said that was a good start but to walk around for an hour or so to get things moving along before checking into the hospital.  We ran some errands and walked around and headed over to the hospital about noon. They took me back and then told me to walk around the hospital and eat lunch to see how I progressed.  Luckily they decided to keep me and admit me to labor and delivery.  Even if they had sent us home there was no way I was going home.  I knew by this point that I was in labor and things were moving right along.  On the way back we ran into our awesome nurse that was there for Blake's delivery.  Unfortunately she was the head nurse in charge of everyone that day and couldn't be our nurse. That was a bummer but she said she would make sure we got a great one.  She definitely did take care of us because we got a really great nurse and she was with us all the way until Tanner was born (right at shift change time).  I was already at 4cm by the time I got into labor and delivery and was ready for that epidural.  It really does make the whole experience so much more pleasant.  My doctor was not on call that day but she said she would definitely be there and only just had a few quick surgeries that morning.  Again, she is the most amazing OB/GYN out there.  The nurses kept asking who we were because we knew the charge nurse and we had Dr. Koe coming in special for us.  Apparently she never does stuff like that. 

Once I got the epidural, I could really relax and just wait.  We hung out with our moms and I had my sister text me pictures of Blake.  Just like last time I made good progress after the epidural and was ready to push within and a couple hours.  The nurse said it would be a lot quicker this time so I would not be doing any test pushes before the doctor got there.  That was a relief, knowing that it would be quicker and that I would be holding my little man in just a matter of minutes.  I pushed for around 30 minutes which was much less than with Blake and got to help deliver him like I did with Blake.  Once his shoulders were out, I grabbed him under the arms and pulled him out myself.  It is truly the most amazing thing.  I don't know why anyone would not what to do it.  Needless to say, I was obsessed with him from the very first second and we bonded immediately.  I was so much less tired and out of it than I was with Blake, probably because this all happened in the daytime after a full nights sleep and because it was easier and quicker.  After that I just held him on my chest and nursed and Kyle and I stared at him for an hour or so.  He has lots of hair and Kyle and I both think he looks really different than Blake. We aren't sure who he looks like yet though.

I donated my cord and cord blood so there were about 10 people in the room, which is kind of annoying but you really learn to throw your modesty out the window when it comes to giving birth. Donating was the best decision and the girl who collected the blood and cord told us all of the amazing things happening in stem cell research right now. 

Blake waited up past bedtime to FaceTime with us and she was so excited.  All she could do was giggle and say "he's so beautiful".  I don't know how a two year old comes up with that but it's pretty much the most adorable thing I've ever heard.  

I had such a good experience with Blake that it's hard to believe a delivery could be easier than that but this one really was.  I'm really lucky to not have any complications and just an all around pleasant childbirth experience.  Now to convince Kyle that we need to have at least one more child...

Now that we are home, I'm addicted to snuggling him and smelling his head.  It's like a drug and you can feel the hormones take over when you get a whiff of your baby's head.  He is eating great and sleeping 24/7.  It's been much less stressful than the first time around so we are getting so much quality time.  Blake has been great and loves being the big sister.  I'm pretty lucky to have the greatest kids ever born so the transition hasn't been too tough so far.  We will have to wait and see how he is in a few weeks when he becomes more alert and starts keeping me up at night.  For now, everything is bliss so I plan to enjoy it while it lasts. 

Baby Boy Obz

Wow, it's been a while.  Time for an update.

Well, I'm half way through pregnancy #2.  It's gone by so fast and I've hardly had time to think let alone write about every detail.  Here are the highlights:

• Morning sickness: week 8-16 (blech!). It's the worst.  I only threw up at work once but it was pretty bad and I walked around the rest of the day with red dots all over my face where I broke blood vessels.  
• Cravings: citrus fruit again, mostly pineapple juice.
• Weight gain.  Exactly on par with the last pregnancy but somehow I just feel fatter.
• Exhaustion----soo tired. 
• It's a boy!! We are so excited about this.  I don't know how we keep getting so lucky in life but it's awesome.
• Blake is thrilled and comes up to kiss my belly and say "I love you baby Tanner" every day.
• Name: Tanner O'Bryan (still thinking about the middle name)
• Movement: I just started feeling movement last week, which was later than expected. I felt it on the outside within days of feeling him from the inside.  He kicked Blake in the back the whole plane ride home from Maui last week since she was squishing him. 
• Maui: we had another babymoon/family vacation this time around.  It was at the exact same time as last time, week 19. My mom took the whole family on a trip to Hawaii, which was our Christmas present from last year.  We had a great time except for about 3 days in the middle when I came down with some sort of cold/flu and had a fever.  I couldn't get out of bed for 3 days. That wasn't ideal but where better to recover from the flu than in paradise, right?  By the way, THANK YOU MOM for the amazing trip!!
• A little scare: The week before Maui, I started itching all over.  At first I thought it was a food allergy or something. The itching went on for 2 days straight and about 3am I started Googling. One thing kept coming up. Itching with no rash--ICP. Intrahepatic Cholestasis.  It's a liver disease that happens during pregnancy that causes bile acids to build up in the blood stream.  It causes extreme itching in the mother and can be deadly for the baby.  I texted my doc (again, she's awesome) that I was itchy and she had me come in right away for a blood test.  I waited a week for the results and they came back normal. It's still possible I could have this rare condition if I keep itching but it's been much better and I'm feeling more and more confident that this was just a fluke.  If it does turn out that I have ICP, it's not the end of the world.   The biggest problem is that I would have to be induced early and have a preemie baby.  That's a scary thought but we will cross that bridge if we come to it.  

Early Toddlerhood: 12-18 months

Sleep: 

Well we made it!  I'm now on the other side of the endless sleepless nights.  Every night is not perfect but for the most part, we sleep through the night (in our own beds).  She wakes in the night and puts herself back to sleep. Whoo Hoooo!!! It feels good.  I'm so glad I waited for her to get there naturally in her own time.  It isn't easy to wait patiently for this milestone but nothing about parenting is easy.  Looking back, I am so thankful for all that quiet time we spent together in the middle of the night.  I'm happy we co-slept a little bit too, even if Kyle and I both got kicked in the head more than once.  I will never regret the time that I have spent on Blake's needs because she is already needing me less and less everyday. 

Naps are improving too.  It is all just coming together now :)

**I do still rock/walk and/or nurse her to sleep.  She loves to read at bed and nap time also.  She is in a size large Zipadee Zip which is probably not necessary but is a comfort to her and keeps her warm.  

Food:

Oh man food has been a struggle.  I had such high hopes for the healthy habits I was going to create for Blake.  Then we started solids at 6 months and have struggled ever since.  Until now...

I was desperate for her to just try ANYTHING.  I gave up on healthy food and made things like mac and cheese and chicken nuggets just to get her to try different tastes and textures.  I figured if I can get her to try things then I can move into more healthy foods.  Well she pretty much hated everything except fruit and the squeezy baby food packets. Then all of a sudden, she decided she would try things.  It's like she slept through the night one night and woke up thinking "ok I'm ready to eat now."  It's crazy how these two things started happening at the same time but it's making life much easier. 

I'm trying to get her to eat more meat (the biggest challenge) because her iron levels are always low at her doctor appointments.

Nursing:

Yes, I'm still nursing.   No, I don't think there's anything weird about it.  I do think it's weird that people make a big deal about it.  If you are thinking anything other than that boobs are for feeding and comforting babies then you're the weirdo :)

That being said, 2 years is my new goal.  It's what I am comfortable with and it is what's recommended by the World Health Organization.  Our nursing relationship has given us such a special bond and it has been my savior at times.  It can cure hunger, fear, pain, tiredness, anxiety, tantrums etc etc etc.  I'm so happy we made it this far.  I think I will be ready by the time she is 2 to let go of this special time in Blake's life.  It's only really a couple times a day at this point.  She comes to me for comfort and when she's tired and that's it.  

Also, I don't think I have it in me to tandem nurse (look it up) and I'd like to have another baby soon-ish.  Overall, I'm so glad I stuck with it even in the hard times and that I didn't rush into weaning.

Bottles: 

Bottles are another story.  The pediatrician said we should really start weaning off the bottle and I guess I agree with that.  They aren't totally necessary since she can use a cup.  It's just what she's been used to when I'm not there and might make things harder for her caregivers to get rid of them.  Since sleep is getting better, maybe this will work itself out.  Every time I start to worry about something the doctor or a friend says we "should be" doing, it just happens naturally and I remember I need to trust my own instincts and stop worrying. 

Frozen:

Frozen is her favorite thing on earth! It has become a way of life. She loves Anna, Elsa, and Olaf.  We have several Frozen books just to keep us from being bored to death at bedtime.  We have multiple Olaf, Anna, and Elsa dolls and a Frozen nightgown that has to be hidden when dirty.  We even have Frozen band-aids.  I have the movie on DVD, on my phone, and on my iPad (just in case) :)

Milestones:
I find it funny, now, that I ever even worried about Blake reaching her milestones. But it's hard not to think about it when I have been studying child development and delays. I think stressing about every thing with your first child is just a right of passage.  It's a learning experience that no one can teach you.  It's also valuable to be aware, if any delays do come up, because early intervention is so important. That being said, the range of what is normal is wide and all children get there at their own pace.  Blake was never even behind in any of her development but she wasn't ahead either.  That's enough to make a new mom crazy.  I will definitely not be such a worrier with the next babe.
At 18 months, she is now walking, running, climbing, hiding, chasing, screaming, laughing, teasing,  going down the slide, feeding herself with a spoon,  saying 50+ words, imitating everything we say, putting 2 words together, and generally bossing everybody around.  She has memorized songs and books that we read often and can fill in the blanks when I am singing or reading to her. She can hold and write with a pen or crayon and she can manipulate our iPhones and iPad.  We are right on track :)  

Momma's got a day job:
We are transitioning into a new time.  I am working a full time day job as well as some nights at Tsunami on the weekends. I finished school and got hired at Cornerstone Therapies (where I did my clinical hours and also known as "the best pediatric therapy center in town")  I'm so thrilled to be a part of their team. I am learning so much more than I ever would somewhere else because of the amazing mentoring program they have.

Potty Training: 
 Not ready to potty train yet but we are starting to look for the signs.

 Preschool: 
Nope.  Not worried about that yet either. Though people tell me I should be getting on lists, etc etc.  All I know is I want a play-based school and I have one in mind that I think might be good when the time comes.

Hugs and Kisses:  
One of the greatest things to come out of the last 6 months was hugs and kisses. When your child can actually show affection back to you, it is the most amazing feeling.

Halloween 2014

Blake picking out the perfect pumpkin ;)

Our obligatory family pumpkin patch photo.

Us getting our "real" pumpkins at Pavillions after visiting the pumpkin patch.  Seriously, they were way cheaper and a lot better looking.

Blake's costume #1.  She was a doctor, in her official hospital scrubs and a head mirror that I whipped up, for the Main Street daytime trick or treating.

Then in the evening, both of us were bumble bees.  We passed out candy and waved to all the neighborhood kiddos.

Blake Olivia Turns One!!!

I can't believe it!  This year has gone by so fast.  Even with our sleepless nights, it still flew by.  I swear I'm going to turn around and she will be asking for a car.

The party was awesome, except for the fact that Orange County is baking right now.  It must have been 95 degrees inside my house that day.  Ok so the theme was luau but I got really into flamingos towards the end of my planning so it was sort of pineapples and flamingos.  I don't really know what that technically is but I don't care...it was super cute.

Some highlights:
-We had a great turnout and Blake had tons of amazing people to celebrate with.
-There were tons of babies here, all about the same age, and not one meltdown.  Good job moms and dads.  We have some really great kiddos :)
-Blake participated in the cake eating but didn't really love it.  Yessss, I hope she doesn't get her mama's terrible sweet tooth.
-She wore her adorable gold Gap sandals all day and didn't have a fit about it.
-She received tons of really cool toys and super cute outfits.

And for my last monthly post for the 1st year...
Here's what's been happening this month:

• Cruising and walking holding on.  She is so fast now and has even taken a few steps on her own.  She's really close to just letting go.
• She had a clingy phase toward the beginning of the month and a total sleep regression.  This could be tooth related or just developmental, I don't know.
• She now has 8 teeth in and 2 more cutting through.  We brush twice a day every day now and she loves it.  I have to sing the Raffi "Brush Your Teeth" song every time of course.
• She loves to be sung to and we sing at every bed time and nap time now.  I have to sing to get her to eat, to let me change her diaper, etc etc.  She must love my terrible singing voice.
• She also loves Sesame Street songs which I will admit right now that I'm a terrible mom and she does get a little "screen time" on the ipad watching them. She dances and sings along to them.  I highly doubt I'm doing that much permanent damage ;)
• I'm still nursing on demand and my stock answer every time someone asks when I'm going to wean her is " when we are ready."  So basically I have no idea and we are totally fine with that.  It's so hard in the beginning and we have just gotten to the good part a few months ago so I'm definitely not ready to give that up yet.
• I tried to stop nursing to sleep to see if that might help her sleep longer and it backfired on me.  She was just going through a phase and we are back to the old routine and she's getting better and better.  This week I've had a 8 hr stretch and a 7 hr stretch, which makes me feel like a new person in the morning.  I might try some more light training in a month or two and see how she does.  By that I mean trying to night wean for part of the night and keeping her in her own bed for the whole night no matter what.  We are already starting some of that so it won't be a huge transition. 
• Blake's current loves: books, bath time, Curious George, doing things she's not supposed to and getting caught (she's an adrenalin junkie), flirting, waving, her sippy cup, driving (going for walks in her pink push car), swim class, and cheerios.
•  She's waving and saying bye bye but it sounds like buh buh buh.  I have heard hi a few times also and of course the mama/dada babbling still but they don't have the real meaning like bye bye does.

Over the course of this year, I have experienced extreme sleep deprivation, highs of confidence, lows of insecurity, the fear of baby's first fever, the thrill of her first crawl/steps/word, the amazing feeling that comes when she leans in for a kiss without being asked.  I learned how to do just about anything with a baby strapped to my chest/back or on my hip.  I'm learning to let stuff go, to lead by example (put myself in check), to take one day at a time because you just can not predict what will come up, and I'm even (a year later) starting to find myself again and do some things just for me.  This year, I have learned more than I have in the last 25 years in school.

It's been the most challenging and most rewarding experience of my life and I can't wait to see what I have in store with year #2.