Eight is better than GREAT!

What a month for our sweet little bug. I am starting to realize that the first year of life is to say the least busy. Annaka is learning and growing so much I can barley keep up. If only we grew a tenth as much as a baby in their first precious year we would all be a little bit better, I think.

I fall more and more in love with our little munchkin everyday. She is so sweet and so funny. Time does seem to be slipping by so fast. Some days I do wish she would grow up fast so I could sleep and have a schedule and some days I wish she was still that tiny little baby that would snuggle on my chest for all of her naps. I pray that I savor my time more and that I don't let it pass with out enjoying every moment. I don't want to look back at pictures and wonder where the time went, wonder how it went by so fast and wish to go back in time. Maybe every mom wishes that no matter how much she savors all those sweet little moments.

Well this month not only has Annaka been surrounded by boxes and packing tape but she is also becoming such a "big girl" or as some would call it mobile. Annaka got her bottom two sweet little teeth. I don't believe that they have completely come in but they have made an appearance.  I also learned that her favorite bath time toy is her comb. It is so funny when she lets go of it and a few seconds later searches franticly from side to side to see who has snatched it from her little grasp. The look of relief in her face once it has safely found it's way back to her hand and mouth is priceless. Annaka has also been saying "da-da", as well as lots of other babbling, is this to Kyle we are not quite sure, does she know what she is saying we don't really think so, but who knows. Our little love bug also enjoys waving hello to Blazer our cat or to nothing. Not only has Annaka finally mastered the task from rolling back to belly and belly to a sitting position this Wednesday she CRAWLED!!! I am not 100% sure but I believe that our lives as parents will never be the same.

As always Annaka is the greatest joy in our lives. Kyle and Annaka have play time in the morning while mommy catches a few zzzzz's that is nice. They also take a walk every afternoon when Kyle takes a work break. She is still enjoying all types of foods. Mainly fruits and veggies. We have given her cheese and eggs as well. I think that this month I will be brave enough to offer her meats. She is still nursing 5-6 times a day. Once or twice at night, I like the nights it is once. We are still at 3 naps a day sometimes only 2. I think that when she is sleeping better at night she will go down to two naps. We are all very excited for Annaka to get her own room! Kyle and I think this will help at night. She seems to be such a light sleeper that the slightest noise in our room and she wakes. We have yet to get rid of the pacifier. It's on our goal list.

So this is our bugs update. She is more fun, sweet, lovable, funny and full of personality everyday. We could not be more grateful for her in our lives.

To my sweet 7 month old....

My dear sweet Annaka,
I can't believe that I am sitting down to write your 7th month blog. For some reason this month seemed to fly by faster than the others. Maybe because we had a lot going on this month. We threw a 30th birthday party for you daddy. Your dad's traveling has slowed down and we traveled with him one week so that was nice. We also are currently under contract for a two unit apartment in Portland Maine. So I guess that is a lot on top of the normal day in and day out events.

You are changing and growing so fast. I simply adore you. You do things all the time that I never want to forget. Things that I don't quite know how to capture. you recently started to do this smacking noise, it's not with your lips but with your tongue, I love it! When you sleep you hold on to your tiny little clammy feet with your sweet little clammy hands, we bought a monitor this month and your father and I love to just watch you. At first when we realized we could hook it up to the TV I said "Why would we do that to just sit and watch her, lame." and then that is exactly what we did. We don't have too many pictures of you sleeping since we don't want to wake you (the sleeping beast). One day we will have to be brave and snap the once in a lifetime shot of you in those adorable positions and suffer the consequences before we miss our opportunity. When you were very, very tiny still sleeping on our bellies you use to make this face when you work up it was like a stretching face, you would press your lips together and move your head side to side like Steve Wonder then your head would collapse back on to our chest like your head was the heaviest object you had ever lifted, it probably was at the time. It was adorable I hope I never forget since every time I pulled out the camera that was the time you decided not to do it. When I am watching Gilmore Girls I mean, when we are watching Gilmore Girls, you always stop whatever you are doing and stare at the TV while Carol King plays and the credits roll. I hope never to forget this sweet little things that make you so special.

So this was a big big month for our little angle. We moved you from the co-sleeper bassinet to a full size crib, well a pack and play until we move and you get your own room. You stopped using your baby bath and are using the WHOLE tube. you love it! You started solids, we are taking a baby led weaning approach which I will post about in more detail in a later post. You love avocados, zucchini, strawberries, watermelon cantaloupe, sweet potatoe and bananas. You try everything that we put in front of you. I think that your all time favorite is the avacado though you have one everyday! You also tried an egg for the first time yesterday made in coconut oil with some pepper and spinach. You are also learning to express yourself with your voice. You had a little tantrum the other night in front of your dad and I, we couldn't help but laugh. You have also gone down to two naps. We'll we just started that yesterday. I am sure I will have more to say about it next month. You also are getting your two bottom teeth, very exciting!

I love your relaxed personality you go with the flow, are never really fussy unless you are tired, wet or hungry for the most part. You are smiley and loving. You love to cuddle with people you are comfortable with. When you enter a room or come across a new space I love how you need a minute to asses the environment before you leave my side. Even though you don't rush into anything you never shy away from new experiences.

Annaka your father and I adore you, We are so grateful to God that he picked us to be your parents. We pray everyday that God will give us wisdom when it comes to making choices for your sweet little life. Thank you for being you, we love every single bit of you and we are already so proud of the little person that you are turning out to be.

With all the love in the world,
Mommy

This is us at the Alabama Zoo. You seemed to enjoy yourself.

You love your avocado. 

Our little girl getting bigger!

5 months already?!

This month flew and with Kyle being gone so much I thought it would DRAG! When I look at the calendar it doesn't feel like a very busy month. We took a trip with Kyle to Chicago which was fun and of course Annaka was a champ! She had her first vaccinations and of course was a champ. We visited friends and family and waited for Daddy to come home. Our little Annaka is growing so much and becoming so much more fun. I don't know what age that a little one passes from infant to baby but I would say that Annaka has entered babyhood. Annaka is also napping all on her own now and only waking one time at night to eat. This is WONDERFUL for mommy! I think that my daughter is fantastic. Everyday I watch as her little personality unfolds more and more. She really does bring such joy to my life.

I think that the lesson that I learned this month, well the biggest lesson, is to follow my gut! I tend to read lots of information and ask several people for advice and take the person's advice that seems the most confident. But I need to follow my gut. No one else knows my daughter or the dynamics of our family. I have learned that if I pray for wisdom use some common sense and deliver with love we will figure it out. I also need to remember that raising children can really be trial and error. So I am going to try and listen to that still small voice more often when it comes to my family.

We are looking forward to Kyle's traveling being done, a trip to Minnesota and California to visit family and friends. We are also really looking forward to moving, hopefully back to Portland ME for now.

Kyle and I love our little girl more and more each passing minute and I think that we are starting to "feel" like parents as she grows. We love the beginnings of our little family and look forward to each and every day as we are blessed with the opportunity to watch our little peanut grow into a beautiful little lady.

Our Baby Girl

Family Shot

Mother's Day with my little lady.

Hello Old Friend

Dear Sleep,
It has been so long since we had our usual rendezvous, I miss you dearly. I think about you all day and wish for our reunion. When that will be I do not know. I am wondering if now that I have a baby our relationship is forever changed, I hope not. When I lay my head down on my pillow to meet you for our date I can't help but think of my day. I think of my little girl, my husband, what we did, how I could have done better, what I will do tomorrow, how I can do it better. My thoughts are consumed thus I become distracted and our time together is cut short. I have been talking to Annaka about you how wonderful you are hoping that your relationship will grow. I am hoping that as your relationship grows ours will grow stronger as well. Sometimes when I lay down at night and all seems perfect for our meeting I just can't find you, maybe it is the excitement that has built up and I am so anxious to find you.

I hope you are well and even as time passes and our paths seem to grow farther and farther apart you will know that I think of you always and look forward to our 7-8 hour visits and lazy weekends laying in bed together. Till then be well old friend and if I can't enjoy you like I use to please don't forget about my dear sweet Annaka.

Sincerely,
Beth

Below I have added a photo of my little one in case you need a reminder.