She's Two

Helen turned two on Friday! 

Here are a few facts about Helen at two years of age:

Favorite Foods: Bacon (additive free), blueberries and cream, olives, most fruits, peas, cod liver oil (yes, she actually likes it!), yogurt, butter, just about any meat, dried figs...and more! She loves food.
Favorite Books: The Knight and the Dragon, her Brambley Hedge books, I Am A Bunny, and anything to do with animals.
Favorite Television Shows: Peppa Pig and Winnie the Pooh are her all-time favorites. She also likes any YouTube videos about babies or monkeys, or (better yet) baby monkeys. Or babies swimming.
Favorite Toys: She LOVES teddy bears. If she finds one in someone else's house, she wants it. I bought a little plastic tea set for her recently, and she has gotten a lot of use out of it. She also likes her wooden blocks (for building towers to knock over) and her duplos. We bought her a baby doll with a little stroller for her birthday and she adores it.
Chores: She's pretty good about picking up her toys when I ask her. She likes to unload the plastic dishes from the dishwasher. I also have her help me put the clean clothes in the dryer and push the button (her favorite part).
Learning: She can sing most of her ABCs and counts to 11. She's pretty good at picking up the words to songs. She's starting to try to sing on tune. For some reason, she can't get her colors. I guess I just need to work with her more. She has started to get into imaginary play, which is really fun.
Social: If Helen is eating and another kid is around, she wants them to share her food. But when it comes to toys, it's a different story. She is very territorial. We need to work on that. If another little kid is (in her estimation) getting too much attention, she'll make random loud noised to divert the attention to herself. She also does this if Reuben and I hug too long.
Potty Training: I'm pretty sure Helen is capable of being potty trained, it's just a matter of buckling down and doing it. We tried it for half a day and she did very well.
Sleep: Helen still takes one nap in the middle of the day. I have her take a nap 4 hours after she wakes in the morning, and she goes to bed 5 hours after her nap. Her nap is usually 1.5 - 2 hours long, and she usually sleeps about 12 hours at night.
Nursing: Helen is all done nursing now! It was a very gradual process without drama. I might have to do a separate post about it.

[Dress and Cardigan: Carter's]

Funny/Cute Moments:

• My pet name for Helen is Helen-Bear. When I ask her what her name is she says, "Helen-Bear Adelaide."
• One morning I had my hair in a very ugly ponytail that I had slept on. Helen ran her fingers through the ends of it and said, "Pretty hair, Mommy!" Melted my heart.
• After I finished frosting Helen's birthday cake she said, "Where'd the cake go?!"
• When I asked her what her (homemade) birthday ice cream tasted like she replied, "Birthday Party."
• The other day she was talking about Reuben's beard. Then she said, "Mommy's beard!" Reuben asked, "Does Mommy have a beard?" Helen replied, "Mommy has chin!"

It's been grand watching this little stinker growing up. I can't wait to see what new thing she learns and what funny thing she says next.


NOTE: Some links are affiliate. All words and opinions are my own.

18 Months

Our little girlie is 18 months old today! 

Here are a few facts about her:

Favorite Foods: Homemade pumpkin cake (she calls it "appa"), peas, bacon, blueberries, grapes, yogurt with maple syrup...she loves food!

Favorite Books: Nice for Mice, Wiggle!, My Big Animal Book, 

Words: It seems like she's learning new words all the time. She can easily say 2-word sentences, and she's said 3 word sentences a few times. She'll say "love you" and "back Daddy" (come back Daddy). She also says complete words instead of just the beginning consonant sound and the vowels. Sometimes she'll repeat the last consonant sound a few times. 

Social: She LOVES being with other kids. She'll rattle off Justin and Audra's kids' names. But she doesn't necessarily know how to share yet...

Potty Training: Helen has gone on her little potty several times. I'm pretty sure she could master toilet training if I was willing to take the time to teach her, but there's been so much going on lately. I'm thinking of trying this fall. She loves "undies," so that's a good sign. 

Sleep: Helen usually goes to bed between 6:00 and 7:00 and sleeps until 7:00 or 8:00 in the morning. She takes one nap at around 11:00 or 12:00 and sleeps for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. 

Other Things of Interest: She had her first haircut (see last photo)! I just had to trim the mullet she had going on. I think it's a big improvement; Reuben isn't so sure.

She's still nursing, but it's down quite a bit. I'm thinking about starting the weaning process...not sure how she would handle it! I've tried to limit her feedings, but she gets pretty agitated if I refuse. Any tips from veteran moms?

I think she's getting some molars! Which might explain her wanting to nurse constantly and her cranky moods. 

Much to Reuben's chagrin, I've been singing "Let It Go" to Helen. She says "Go, go!" It's pretty cute.

Here's a video of Helen talking:



[If you can't see the video, click HERE]


You can view all of Helen's updates HERE


And that's all for now!



Note: some links are affiliate.

She's One

Helen turned one year old on Thursday.

It has been a crazy journey. Very hard and very rewarding. 

Here are a few updates since last month:

• She claps her hands when I start singing patty-cake and puts her fingers together when I sing The Itsy Bitsy Spider.
• She started being able to follow directions. When I tell her to get a book she'll walk over to the bookshelf and pick one out. For a while she would only choose the Pride and Prejudice counting book. She held it up for me to read it to her again and again and again. Then I hid it from her. I'm such a good mom.
• I also taught her to get my nursing cover for me when she's hungry. Very handy.
• Her words have just exploded. She can say dog, cat, cheese, mama, dad, Teddy, up, all done, ball, please, pretty, brrr, and probably more that I can't remember.
• She's learning where her body parts are. Sometimes she'll point to her nose, eye or belly when I ask her.

I put together a short film with highlights of Helen's firsts:

Here's a look back on her first year of life:

Born on February 13, 2013 at 12:03 PM |  6 pounds 14 ounces | 20.5 inches long

You can read her birth story HERE

Rolled over on a hard surface for the first time at 15 weeks old

She was able to sit up on her own at 5 1/2 months

She tried her first food (egg yolks) at about 5 1/2 months

Crawled for the first time a few days after she turned 6 months old

Pulled herself up to standing at a couple weeks shy of 7 months

Started walking at 9 (almost 10) months

She began doing sign language and saying a few words at 10 months

You can read all of Helen's monthly updates HERE

DISCLOSURE: Some links are affiliate. 

11 Months

My apologies for my hiatus in blogging. It was unintended. We got really busy (visiting my sister who lives over 3 hours away and going to visit my family 4 days in a row while our house was freezing cold). Plus, Reuben's computer died so I've been sharing mine with him.

Anyway, here's what's new with Helen this month:

• She knows three signs really well: up, please, and milk (see THIS video for proof). She occasionally signs for "more" when she's really desperate for something.
• She's also trying to say more words. She says "up" (with a silent p) accompanied by the sign when she wants to be picked up. And I *think* she's trying to say "teddy" and "daddy."
• She has four teeth now! Three on the bottom and one on the top. She was SUPER cranky when her top one was busting through. 
• I taught Helen how to drink from a straw the other day. She also uses a sippy cup and she actually drank from a bottle (she has hated using a bottle up to this point).
• Reuben pulled out his old teddy bear for Helen. She loves it. She'll rest her head on him and coo "Ooooh" -- it's pretty adorable. 
• She's more actively playing peek-a-boo now. She'll raise and lower a blanket and grin, or put her hands behind her head to play (why do little kids NEVER put their hands in the right spot when they play peek-a-boo?!).
• She's also learning to use objects for their intended purpose. The other day I handed her my comb to play with, and to my surprise she tried to comb her hair. And when I was sweeping the floor she found a little plastic golf putter and tried to sweep my dirt. Melted my heart. 
• She also loves to throw balls (or grapefruits) onto the floor and watch them roll (see THIS video).
• Helen knows where my nose is (she points to it when I ask her). Now to teach her where her own nose is...
• She's FINALLY warming up to food. When I'm eating something, she really wants a taste. I made her some ice cream (grass-fed cream, maple syrup and a splash of vanilla). And she loves her pickles (see this and this photo). She still nurses for most of her nutrition, but I'm hoping to transition to more solids.

And that's all I have for this month.

Have a lovely day!

Erica

10 Months + Photo-a-Day: Days 17 + 18

Helen is 10 months old!

Here’s what’s new this month:

• She started walking! At just a week or so shy of 10 months, she really took off. Here and here are videos to prove it.
• She learned how to point at things. It’s fun to see her pointing at animals in books and at people.
• She’s learning how to use signs as well. I taught her the sign for when she wants to nurse. It’s nice to know for sure what she wants.
• She’s learning knew words as well. She says “Bye-bye” and waves, uh-oh (see this video for proof), and hot (pronounced with a silent H) for sure. She probably says other things that I don’t recognize yet.
• She’s sleeping through the night. Hallelujah! She still fusses a bit in the middle of the night, but she’ll put herself back to sleep. We started sleep training her a few nights ago, and it only took about a night and a half for her to figure it out.

And now for the photo-a-day pictures:

Day 17: Cousin Susan loves to give Helen kisses. So sweet!

Day 18: Helping Dad! I love the look of concentration on her face.

2 Responses to 10 Months + Photo-a-Day: Days 17 + 18

1. Cait 
   December 19th, 2013 at 3:19 pm
   She is so tiny to be walking! It’s adorable. My Jacqueline was just past her first birthday, and even she looked like a baby doll walking around.
2. Linda 
   December 19th, 2013 at 8:03 pm
   Congratulations to Helen! Her concentration is a real marvel–where there’s a will there’s a way, and will she has! What a sweetheart.

9 Months Old

Helen is 9 months old today!

Here are some highlights from this past month:

• She now has two teeth (see third photo).
• She’s a little better about cuddling now – she’ll actually lay her head down on my shoulder! One day she laid her head down on her favorite blanket and cooed (see second photo).
• She’s definitely trying to copy my words now. When I fix a smoothie for my breakfast, I say “Brrr, cold!” and let her touch it. She says “Buh, kuh,” in response. There are several more sounds that she tries to copy, but I won’t bore you with the details.
• Still not sleeping through the night. When will it end?!
• She can walk with a little walker that Dad made for her (see this video). She stood for half a minute unsupported before sitting down yesterday; she took half a step yesterday as well.
• She started banging two objects together earlier this month, and yesterday she clapped her hands for the first time. She also learned how to wave earlier this month.
• Helen loves books. She’ll sit on the floor and turn the pages all by herself.
• She loves animals. When I was watching a video while nursing her, the lady in the video picked up a kitten. Helen immediately recognized it, sat up and started cooing.
• She still doesn’t love food. Some new ones she’s tried are carrot, apple and cream.
• She definitely has a preference for me, and no one else will do sometimes. I’m glad to feel needed, but it can get a bit annoying when I’m trying to cook supper. :)

And that’s all the mommy bragging I’ll do for now. ;)

5 Responses to 9 Months Old

1. Beth 
   November 16th, 2013 at 9:10 pm
   I like the shoes in picture four! ;) It’s fun hearing all the updates . . . isn’t it amazing to watch them learn and grow?
2. Judy 
   November 17th, 2013 at 8:15 am
   Have you tried the “sleep training” method where you just make sure all is well with her when she wakes and then simply don’t go to her when she should go back to sleep? It can be a couple of nights of a learning curve for her (and you too) but eventually she will figure out that she’s in charge of soothing herself back to sleep. There are lots of resources and discussions on this on the web, just google “sleep training for babies”. Hope this helps Erica! Thanks for the cute photos of Helen!
3. Megan 
   December 9th, 2013 at 10:55 am
   Traveled over from pinterest–this post is a few weeks old, but I just wanted to encourage you that you’re an awesome mom :) And to link to an article I literally just read that I hope is a word of encouragement from the Lord:
   http://breastfeedchicago.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/5-cool-things-no-one-ever-told-you-about-nighttime-breastfeeding/ . You may have heard most of them, but just an uplifting reminder that you’re always the best thing for your sweet babe :)
4. Erica Lea 
   December 16th, 2013 at 1:14 am
   Megan: Thank you so much for the encouragement! And that was a very interesting article – I hadn’t heard quite a few of the facts. :)
5. Erica Lea 
   December 16th, 2013 at 1:18 am
   Judy: We’ve actually just started to sleep train Helen. It was becoming obvious that her nighttime feeds were a habit. It’s been two nights (only one FULL night), and so far so good. She cried a bit the second night, but nothing too horrible. Fingers crossed that this works – I would love to be able to sleep more than three hours at a time. It’s been a long, long time.

8 Months Old

Helen is 8 months old (8 months and 3 days, if you want to be particular).

She continues to love her bath time.

She’s taken to fake smiling, coughing, and crying. Here’s proof of her fakey cry.

Helen likes food again!  She’s gets the vast majority of her nutrition from breast milk, but it’s fun to feed her solids every once in a while. So far she’s tried egg yolk, chicken broth, avocado, banana and pumpkin (mixed with grass-fed, organic butter). Here’s a video of her eating pumpkin.

She has been having some MAJOR separation anxiety issues lately. She’s all happy and content while I’m holding her, but if I set her down for one second she loses it. Also, I know she doesn’t have pants on in this photo. That’s because she cries and kicks when I try to change her diaper or put clothes on her. So sometimes I just give up and let her roam without pants. I haven’t let her go without a diaper…yet…

Here are a few more facts about Helen:

• She finally got a tooth: her lower right front tooth.
• She also decided to (finally) grow some hair. It’s so fun to see it get thicker.
• Since she got her tooth she’s been experimenting with more consonant sounds (dada, mama, baba, ect.). She says “mama” when she wants comfort.
• Her night time sleeping is actually worse than it was last month. She usually wakes 2-3 times during the night. I haven’t had the heart to makes her go back to sleep without nursing first. I wonder if teething is at the root (no pun intended).
• She’s getting better at standing. She can balance for a few seconds and she has even pushed up to standing by herself (no support) a couple of times. I’d be surprised if she isn’t walking by Christmas. But of course it could take her longer to learn than I think.
• She loves to look at pictures of babies, including herself. And she coos when she sees her cousin Susan.

And that’s Helen’s 8 month update!

7 Responses to 8 Months Old

1. Rebecca Lately 
   October 16th, 2013 at 1:15 pm
   What a sweetie!! She has such a pretty smile :)
2. Kathryn Grace 
   October 16th, 2013 at 4:54 pm
   Love that smirky photo… so cute!!
3. Rebekah 
   October 17th, 2013 at 9:15 am
   She’s a doll! And I bet you’re right about teething as the cause of more frequent waking. That’s what my daughter did… she was sleeping perfectly until the teeth came along. Like you, I just nursed her back to sleep. I figured I’d rather spend five minutes nursing than half an hour listening to her cry. :)
4. Diane 
   October 20th, 2013 at 1:24 pm
   Yes, it’s the teething. Does she have one of the teething rings you can freeze for her to gnaw on? My boys liked that. Of course they also liked gnawing on the furniture and their cribs.
   I don’t think she has separation anxiety, Erica. You’re there all the time so she’s testing you to see how much she can get away with. Dress her and give her some toys to play with when you have things to do since she needs to learn to entertain herself. She can look through some cloth-bound books or stack blocks or bang wooden spoons together. She’ll be walking soon and she needs to know who is in charge (That’s you. Not her.) so she doesn’t end up hurting herself by running from you.
   This is very important if you should have another child while she is still small. She needs to know that you are the final authority and she can’t break things or hurt others. Kids aren’t bad (although it’s easy to think that when they sink their teeth into your leg), but they live in the moment and can’t think ahead. You have to be ahead of her.
   I’m not trying to be bossy, so please don’t take it that way. My kids are grown now and I know trends in childrearing come and go.
   Best of luck!
   Diane
5. Arianna 
   October 22nd, 2013 at 8:39 am
   Oh my, she’s so sweet, in the third picture she’s just… awwww :)
   Cheers from Italy ^_^
6. Arianna 
   October 22nd, 2013 at 8:42 am
   oops I meant greetings, lol
7. Erica Lea 
   November 12th, 2013 at 10:07 pm
   Thanks, everyone! :D
   Diane: I don’t think you’re being bossy – I have lots to learn! :)

7 Months Old!

Helen is seven months old today!

This little rascal is getting into all sorts of trouble lately. She’s an expert at crawling now and loves to explore everywhere. But particularly in the most inconvenient places. Like the trash can.

I can’t believe that she’s already starting to pull up to standing. The other day I was sitting next to her, reading the manual for my new (old) sewing machine. When I looked up, she had pulled herself up onto the window. She’s definitely a very motivated baby.

One awesome thing she’s started doing: going to bed early and sleeping through the night. She still wakes up at 3:00 sometimes, but mostly she’ll sleep from 9 PM to 5 AM. I usually just feed her and put her back in the crib (or keep her in bed with us if I’m too lazy or want some cuddling).

I decided to remove all of the breakable jars from the bottom of this bookshelf and set up a play station for her. She can sit and play by herself for quite a while now (if she’s in a good mood). Hallelujah!!

But I still need to keep an eye on her.

She was contentedly playing with her spatula the other day while I was trying to tidy up our pigsty house. Everything went quiet. I quickly moved in to check on Helen. She had something squishy in her hands. Turns out it was a tiny dead frog.

I had a bit of a freak out moment.

“Aaaahghljkjsdk!! — It’s okay honey. It’s okay. — Gaaaaaah ewewewewew!!”

Later that same day I left her in the bedroom for a moment. I saw her eagerly crawling towards something out of my sight and decided I should investigate. She was just starting to pick up a (very dirty) diaper that I had forgotten to toss into the diaper pail. Thankfully I caught her before she could shove her hand into it. Grossgrossgross.

“Can you believe she’s almost seven months old?” I asked Reuben last night.

“That was a LONG seven months,” he replied.

And it has been.

It’s been a crazy hard adventure.

But it’s so rewarding. I love this little girlie more than I can tell. It’s so much fun to see her personality start to show.

I have continued to take a picture of Helen once a week. It will be fun to put the pictures together into a collage on her first birthday.

Here she is from 0-7 months old.

Little dolly.

Have a lovely day!

Erica

4 Responses to 7 Months Old!

1. Gabby 
   September 13th, 2013 at 3:51 pm
   Haha! She is just so adorable! And looks so sneaky! Such a great idea to take the photos, bet it will be a lovely collage later! =)
   Wishing you a nice weekend! =)
2. Anna 
   September 14th, 2013 at 12:12 pm
   Aw, she’s lovely! And SO up to no good in the first picture :) I’m glad to read that she’s sleeping through the nights and that you’re getting some sleep, from what I’ve gathered you had a rough start.
   I had a similar frog-episode with Malva when she was about 9 months, our cat had dragged in a mouse and laid it beside her, as a gift I presume.. when she was sitting on the kitchen floor up in our summerhouse in Sweden. I totally freaked out to say the least.. :)
   Have a great weekend!
   Anna
3. Cait 
   September 17th, 2013 at 12:56 pm
   What a sweet face! I have the same chevron sheet on my daughter’s crib right now. I had bought fabric to make one and then realized it was only $2 more to buy it at Target, so I returned the fabric :)
   Every two months or so it seemed my baby reached a new turning point. 2 months and 6 months especially were like night and day from before. It gets easier! A lot easier, but then you have to start training them :)
4. kelli 
   October 18th, 2013 at 6:09 pm
   she makes the cutest faces! happy to have stumbled upon your blog via a leaf garland search.=)

Helen Update

Alright, we’re about due for a Helen update, aren’t we?

She’s about 5 1/2 months old now. Oh yes. I’m one of THOSE moms that give the age of their baby in half (or quarter) months. :D

Prepare yourself for a boatload of photos.

Around four months old, I started to teach her to sit up on her own. It was funny to watch her wobble and tip (don’t worry, I caught her). See THIS video.

She puts everything she can get her hands on into her mouth.

She loves to be outside and play in the grass.

She likes bath time again! I think it’s because she can sit up in the water now and doesn’t feel so helpless.

Speaking of which, she can sit up by herself really well now. When I started to set her in front of the mirrors in our bedroom she was actually interested in sitting upright. She still topples over sometimes (much to her dismay), but she usually stays upright for quite a while.

Wearing Dad’s new hat. She loves to chew on plantain leaves.

Helen and cousin Susan were wearing the same diapers, so I had to get a picture.

Here are some of her other recent developments:

• She rolls easily from her tummy to her back and back to tummy (she first rolled over at 13 weeks).
• She’s on the move! If I set her on the rug, there’s no guarantee that she’ll be in the same spot when I look back — she scoots and rolls to get places.
• She can get up onto her hands and knees easily now. And she even does a plank sometimes. Next step – crawling!
• She’s in size 3 diapers and weighs in at 16 pounds.
• She’s down to about 3 naps per day and getting better at sleeping for longer stretches. I’m trying to ease her into sleeping in the crib at night.
• Still no teeth! But I’m pretty sure they’re working on popping out.
• She hasn’t had any solids yet, but I’m thinking about giving her a little taste soon – she’s pretty interested in food and looks longingly at whatever I eat.

It’s so nice that Helen can entertain herself for short periods of time now. But she is still quite a cranky baby. She just gets frustrated so easily! Do any of you have suggestions for fun activities for 6 month old babies? Most days we spend lots of time outside, but there’s only so many times I can play pattycake before going nuts…

All right, that’s all I have for now.

Erica

9 Responses to Helen Update

1. Grace 
   August 1st, 2013 at 7:46 pm
   When my little guy was about 6 months old (he is 2 now) and could sit up, he loved to play in the kitchen. I’d give him some pots and spoons etc and he’d be happy for up to 30 minutes! He also liked sand boxes. Hope this helps! Helen will probably be so much happier when she can crawl! Opens up their little world so much!
2. Sam 
   August 1st, 2013 at 8:13 pm
   My 5 month old loves to be in her baby pool. It’s the perfect size and she’s happy for about an hour. She loves to splash around and hang her arms over the sides to pull on the grass. She also loves her jumper. I put it in the doorway going out to our deck and that way she’s “outside” and entertaining herself.
3. Mary 
   August 1st, 2013 at 10:56 pm
   Playing with pots and pans and the baby pool are both wonderful ideas. My daughter loves to “cook” with me while I’m working on things in the kitchen. Does Helen have a jumper or exersaucer? Don’t be afraid to utilize those things! No guilt. You can’t entertain Helen every single second. I would put my babies in the exersaucer right after breakfast and clean up the kitchen right away, and I never kept them in longer than 1/2 hour at a time, but sometimes you just really need for them to be okay on their own and safe at the same time so you can get something done or have a cup of tea that hasn’t gotten cold. If she’s not accustomed to it, she will not be pleased at first, but try working your way up to it. Try 5 minutes, then 10. I also kept the baby’s little toys in frequent rotation during “floor play” time for more variety. I hope this helps! I agree with Grace; Helen will probably be much more content once she learns to crawl- it really is a whole new world for them!
4. JMN 
   August 5th, 2013 at 2:02 pm
   Try getting a set of stacking rings – my little one loved them at about 6-8 months of age. Also, will you be putting your old recipes back up on your new cooking website? I use your granola recipe every week and had to guess tonight! It looks good, anyways. Your Helen is very cute – have fun with the solid foods! All best, a loyal recipe follower in Europe
5. Erica Lea 
   August 7th, 2013 at 3:44 pm
   Grace: Thanks so much for the advice! I’ve been letting Helen bang on pots, and she loves it! See THISvideo. :) Yes, I think once she can crawl she’ll be much happier – she just gets SO frustrated when she can’t reach her toys.
6. Erica Lea 
   August 7th, 2013 at 3:45 pm
   Sam: Wish we had a kiddy pool for her! I let her splash a pan of water – it was funny to watch. And I think she’d like a jumper – she certainly bounces up and down on my lap! :)
7. Erica Lea 
   August 7th, 2013 at 3:46 pm
   Mary: I put Helen in a walker we borrowed from my sister and she likes it for a few minutes, but then gets frustrated because she can’t pick up the toys that are attached to the tray. :/ But I totally agree – they need to learn to play by themselves for short periods of time! I can’t wait until she learns to crawl…
8. Erica Lea 
   August 7th, 2013 at 3:52 pm
   JMN: I’ll have to keep my eye out for a set – I’ll bet Helen would like those. I’ll be posting some of my favorites from Cooking for Seven, but I’ve moved the old recipes to THIS website. Sorry for the inconvenience!
9. Esther I 
   August 10th, 2013 at 11:44 am
   I second the jumper! Boy, has it been a lifesaver when I need free hands. Also, my 8 month old really enjoys anything she can roll back and forth — plastic or squishy balls are great. Helen will be crawling before you know it!

Growing Up Too Fast? | 3 (almost 4) Month Update

Let’s be real. Having been blessed with a temperamental little girl (who cries at the drop of a hat), the last thing on my mind most days is that she’s growing up too fast. Instead, I long for the day that she can be happy for extended periods of time.

What’s that you say? 18 more years, you say? Please say it ain’t so!

Sometimes I think, she’ll be happy soon; wait another week. Sometimes I think, she’s always going to be crabby; I’ll always be on the edge, wondering if she’s going to lose it.

And then she smiles a big, sloppy, toothless grin and coos and babbles at me. And my heart melts and I want her to be like that always.

Here are some updates about how our little girl is growing.

• She’s over 14 pounds now! That’s more than twice her birth weight. Sometimes I call her porkchop. :D
• She has rolled over from her tummy to her back a half dozen times. And now she can readily roll from her back to her stomach (see this Vine).
• She learned how to reach out and grab objects. And now when I hold up things for her to touch she coos loudly – makes me laugh.
• She loves taking a shower – she had developed a strong distaste for her bath, so we tried taking her into the shower instead. Success!
• Guys. She laughed. FOR REALS.
• Helen is now taking her naps in her crib. And she fell asleep after only 3 minutes the other day! WHEW.

Helen has outgrown her crazy amounts of spitup — and exchanged it for massive amounts of drool. Which makes me wonder if she’s going to get teeth soon…

She’ll be 4 months old next Thursday!

Sorry to all you non-moms for boring you with photos of my baby. Yeah, I guess I’m not. :P

7 Responses to Growing Up Too Fast? | 3 (almost 4) Month Update

1. Liz 
   June 8th, 2013 at 8:32 am
   Your child is ADORABLE. Seriously. I’m due in 2 months and I hope my little one will be half as cute as Helen!
2. Rebecca Lately 
   June 8th, 2013 at 8:32 am
   What a cutie!! I know how you feel. Our second son cried a lot, too, and I was glad that the time flew by.
3. Cait 
   June 9th, 2013 at 7:44 am
   It was the same way for the most part with my now 16 month old, though now I have to say I’m sad that my memory of the first few months is such a blur. It’s almost nonexistent. I have a bad memory anyway though! It’s hard when you realize you’re looking forward so much to naptime when you swore you wouldn’t when you were pregnant. Or when they nap for 15 minutes and are fussy/finicky the rest of the time. But now it’s hard to remember! It gets so much better! Soon :)
4. Emily O. 
   June 9th, 2013 at 9:52 am
   She is so sweet! Hang in there! I agree with everything Cait said.
5. Kathryn Grace 
   June 10th, 2013 at 7:55 am
   Who says non-moms are bored with baby photos? :-) She is adorable!
6. Erica 
   June 10th, 2013 at 6:51 pm
   From one mom of a spirited baby to another. Just remember that for all of that fussy turns into a big ball of happy as well. Babies who cry a lot also laugh a lot. I was just like you a few months ago. Tomorrow will be better…I am not going to make it to tomorrow… But now I have a 10 month old and he is a changed man. He still lets me know when he isn’t happy but it is nothing like the first 4 months. You are almost there!! She is beautiful. We love all of the pictures!!!
7. Esther I 
   July 30th, 2013 at 10:18 am
   As a mom to an 8 month old, 20 month old and 3 year old, I never get enough of marveling at the wonderful milestones. Even though we have had lots of babies in our house in the last 3 years, I’ve checked your site with my husband nearby just to show him how adorable Helen is — so much personality coming through all your pics. What an absolute cutie! Enjoy it all because though it may be cliche, it will all go too fast. My 3 year old reminds me of that every day. Blessings!