Claire Olivia Week by Week: 9 Months

Dear Claire,

Today you are 9 months old.  You have officially been alive on the outside as long as you were on the inside of my tummy.  All I can say is that I wish my pregnancy would have gone by as quickly as the first 9 months of your life have.

Some exciting news is that today your third tooth finally cut through!  You have been working on cutting your top two teeth for a few weeks now, and today your top left tooth finally cut through all the way!  You haven't been napping very well lately, and you have woken up in the middle of the night a couple of times this past week, which you never do, so I'm pretty sure your teeth have been bugging you pretty badly.  Hopefully your other top tooth will cut through in the next day or two so you can start feeling a little better. 

I think you are on the verge of walking.  I don't know what I'll do when that happens, you already keep me busy enough crawling everywhere and getting into everything all day long.  You love Rory's dog crate and you crawl in there at least once a day.  You crawl to the furniture all over the house and pull yourself up so you can stand and walk.  You really love to hold my fingers and walk around the house with me.  You get so excited and you smile and squeal happily the whole time.  We borrowed a walker toy from one of your cousins and this past week you started pulling yourself up to it, and pushing it around the house all by yourself.   

You are down to taking two naps a day.  Since we cut your third nap you have started going to bed around 6:30 now and sleep until about 6 am.  You sleep best in your crib, and you are very attached to your baby quilt that I made for you.  You love to clutch it in your hands and cuddle it by your face as you go to sleep.  It is so sweet to watch.

You are a good little eater still, but a couple weeks ago you broke out into a rash around your mouth.  I took you to your pediatrician and he was pretty certain it was a food allergy/sensitity, so we had to cut out a lot of foods and go back to really basic foods until we figure out what is causing it.  I think it is either dairy, or really acidic fruits.  Your rash is almost all the way gone, and as soon as it is I'll reintroduce some of those foods and see if anything causes it to come back.  

You can do a few little tricks on command.  You shake your head no, clap your hands, and give "kisses" (open-mouthed slobbery ones).  You've started to try and copy things that we do now, like blowing raspberries with your lips, nodding your head, and you do this little yell thing at Rory after she barks trying to copy her.  Every time I get you out of your crib I always greet you really happily in my mommy voice and say "Hi".  You've started doing it back to me when I come into a room and you see me.  This one is pretty new so I'm not sure how intentional it is from you, but it seriously sounds just like you are saying hi to me.  I love it so much!

You went to your first costume party last weekend.  You were definitely the star of the show.  Your dad and I went with a bunch of other couples, and we were the only ones with a baby.  Everyone thought you were pretty adorable.  You got to try out your Halloween costume and you looked so cute!  I can't wait for everyone else to see you on Halloween when we take you trick-or-treating.  

We had your nine month check up and you weigh 17 lb 2 oz, and are about 28.5 inches tall.  You are still a little skinny thing!  You are in the 32nd percentile for weight and 79th percentile for height.  Your doctor said you are just built like your mom and since you crawled super early and started pulling yourself up to stand early you are burning more calories than most babies your age.

October is my favorite month of the year and I have been having so much fun sharing it with you this year.  We've gone on lots of walks and looked at all the pretty leaves, baked and shared yummy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (which you love!), made a few trips to Beus pond, and watched some fun Halloween movies.  I'm planning on taking you to the library this week to check out a big stack of Halloween books to read before the the holiday is over and we're going to try to go to a corn maze/pumpkin patch with you.  I am also excited you get to celebrate my 25th birthday with me on Halloween. This has, by far, been my most favorite year yet.  Getting to be your mother is the best gift I could ever ask for.

I love you too much sweet girl!

Love, 

Mom  

Claire Olivia Week by Week: 36 Weeks

Claire turned 36 Weeks old today. We're continuing to baby proof around the house, since she is figuring out how to get into everything.  She loves to pull herself on things to stand and she has started walking along the length of the couch.  She also loves to walk when we hold her fingers.  She lifts her legs really high with each step, almost like high knees.  It's pretty adorable.  Anytime she sees me eating she crawls to me as fast as she can and opens her mouth like a little baby bird until I share a taste with her.  She loves real food and will eat pretty much anything I give to her.  Her two top teeth are getting closer at cutting through.  I'm guessing they'll pop through in the next few weeks or so.  Claire is just a dream baby, she makes this mom business so much fun!  

Claire Olivia Week by Week: 8 Months

Dear Claire, 

Today you turned 8 months old.  You have learned so much this past month!  You are officially a full blown crawler and you do it all day long.  You started real crawling about 3 weeks ago and left the army crawling in the dust.  You love exploring the house and getting into everything.  You are fascinated with the dog food & water bowls and you try to crawl to them any chance you get.  You pull yourself up on everything so you are standing.  You pull yourself up and stand next to the entertainment center, couch, dog crate, and you have started pulling yourself up so your standing in your crib.  I think it's time we lower your mattress in the crib so you can't crawl out ;).   You are eating solids a lot better, but you definitely like real food better than baby food.  You are not a big fan of purees but you will eat table food cut up in small pieces really well.  Your favorite foods right now include yogurt, spaghetti, cut up green beans, grapes, string cheese, and little pieces of bread.  You love to clap and play patty cake.  You squeal and get excited when you see other kids and babies.  You've started trying to copy some of the things I do and you always shake your head back and forth and smile when I shake my head at you and say "no, no, no."  You've started to like when I read you books and you'll actually sit really still and look at the pages for a few minutes.  When you get bored you try to grab the pages and eat them, but at least you're making progress ;).    You are a great sleeper still.  You go to bed between 7 & 8 pm and sleep until about 6 am.  You also take 3 naps a day, 2 long ones and one short one in the evening.  You love to play with Rory and you giggle all the time when she licks you or nuzzles you.  It's so fun to watch.  You've also started getting really excited when your dad gets home.  You smile really big and crawl to him as fast as you can.  
You are super mellow and easy going.  You really are just a sweetheart.  You love to cuddle and you smile and giggle at me when I sing your bedtime song.  Even though it's a little bittersweet, I love watching you grow and learn.  I can't wait to see what you'll learn this month, and especially what you'll have learned by the time you are a year old in a few more months!

I love you too much,

Mom      

Claire Olivia Week by Week: 27 Weeks

Claire turned 27 weeks today!  This has been a big week for her.  She got her 6 month shots on Monday, she made her first attempts at crawling, she got her first sippy cup, and she cut her first tooth!  We also took her swimming for the first time and she loved it.  This has been a very busy week for her!  I still can't believe my little baby has gotten so big and is learning all these new things.  I really love this age though.  Claire is so fun to play with and it is so much fun watching her learn and discover new things!  

Claire Olivia Week by Week: 6 Months

Dear Claire,

Happy Half Birthday!  Today you turned 6 months old.  I feel like this is a really big milestone in babyhood.  You are growing so much and learning how to do so many new things.  You roll, wiggle, and scoot all over the place.  Lately, you have been pushing up on your knees, much to my dismay, I think you will be crawling sooner than later.  You aren't really doing too well with our deal of you not being allowed to grow anymore ;).  We have your doctor's appointment on Monday so I will have to update this afterwards with your height and weight.  
A few of your favorite things right now are your stuffed elephant, Rory, and the tags on blankets and stuffed animals. You love to suck on the tags and can find them on almost anything! You are starting to get really observant and pay attention to little details like buttons, zippers, and snaps on clothing and things.  You also love watching Rory now.  You've finally discovered we have a dog and you watch her all day long.  You love grabbing her fur and you get really excited whenever she comes up and licks you. 

You haven't cut any teeth yet, but your two front bottom ones are looking pretty close.  You love to gnaw on cold celery sticks and apple slices.  I have found that these work as the best teethers for you!  Although, mine and your dad's knuckles work pretty good too when we're in a pinch.

You aren't a huge fan of solids yet.  I try to get you to eat them 2-3 times a day.  Some days you'll eat really well, but most days after 4-5 bites you are done.  If I try to get you to eat more you just gag and get mad.  Hopefully you'll start liking them more eventually.  You have also started to show that you have a little bit of a temper (you probably got it from me).  You are always trying to swipe my phone or iPod and chew on them.  If you are successful at swiping it and get it in your mouth, when I take it away you get super mad at me and cry angrily.  At this age I find it pretty cute and it usually just makes me laugh.  In the future when you are older....I probably won't find it as funny. You love music. Anytime music plays you get excited and start kicking your legs and wiggling. Sometimes I put on Curious George for you to watch, and you LOVE the intro during the music. You get super excited every time I turn it on. I recorded a video of you watching it that's posted below.
You are just the sweetest baby.  You bring so much happiness into mine and your dad's lives.  We're so lucky you are ours.

I love you too much!

Love,

Mom

P.S. Today is Monday the 21st.  We went to the doctor and you got your 6 month shots.  You did pretty good.  You were a little more vocal and cried more than you have in the past.  You weigh 15 pounds 10 ounces, and are 26 1/2 inches long; 40 percentile for weight and 75th percentile for height.    

Claire Olivia Week by Week: 22 Weeks

Claire turned 22 weeks old today.  I know I am a bit biased, but gosh she is cute!  I had to take her pictures in her swimsuit this week in case she grows out of it soon.  The swimsuit was an awesome thrift find last year while I was pregnant and then I found the swim cap that matched perfectly at Target a few months ago.  I love both the swimsuit & cap so much.  I can't get over how cute she looks in them.  I have so much fun with Claire doing these weekly photos.  I hope she likes to play dress up as much as I do when she gets older ;).  I don't think there's any question that I was made to be the mother of a girl!    

Claire Olivia Week by Week: 5 Months

Dear Claire,

Today you turned 5 months old.  We celebrated with some pureed avocado & banana blend for you and peanut butter chocolate chip cookies for me and dad (don't worry you'll be able to share the good stuff with us soon enough).  We started feeding you solids last week.  Today was the fourth time and you finally started to get the hang of it.  At first you couldn't really figure out how to swallow it so most of the food ended up on your face.  Today you probably swallowed half, and only half ended up on your face :)

You are a squirmy little girl and you roll around all day long.  You've also started arching your back and wiggling when you want to get out of your swing, stroller, or car seat.  I have to make sure you are always buckled in so you won't fall out!  You have started reaching and grabbing for things.  You especially like to grab my face and hair.  You still try to put everything in your mouth, including my hair which I'm constantly untangling from your fingers.  Between that and the postpartum hair loss, I'm really starting to see the appeal in a shorter mom haircut!We had your 4 month appointment a few weeks ago.  You were actually 4 1/2 months at the time.  You weighed 14 lb 9 oz and were almost 26 inches long; 47% for weight and 88% for height.  You are probably going to be tall and skinny just like your mom & dad.Some of your favorite things right now are your swing, this loopy/plastic toy you got from nana for Christmas, and going for walks/runs with me in your stroller.  You love to play with me and dad, and are interacting a lot more when we play with you.  You get really excited and giggle and squeal when we tickle you and blow raspberries on your tummy.

I feel like at this age everything with our routine/schedule has really clicked with you.  I am pretty strict with your schedule, but I really believe that is why you are such an easy going baby since you know what to expect everyday.  You sleep really well at night from 8pm-6am and for the most part you nap really well too.  You typically take 3 naps a day, but you just barely dropped your fourth nap. 

You are learning to sit up by yourself, and you are getting pretty good at it!  You can't quite balance unless you keep weight on your hands too, but I think you'll be strong enough to do it really soon. 

You are such a fun girl.  Even when you are grumpy you make me giggle.  It takes a lot to make you really cry, instead you do this funny sort of grunt of frustration.  I probably shouldn't find so much humor in it, but it's impossibly cute.  I can't believe in one more month you will reach your 1/2 birthday.  I love watching you grow up, even if it kind of breaks my heart at the same time.  

I love you too much!

Love,

Mom