Seven Months

Dear Gracie,

You are seven months old!  So, you probably noticed that this month's letter is late again.  Remind me to tell you someday about how this time in our young family's lives is the omghardesttimeever.  Spoiler alert, we make it through ok!

 

 

Look at those chubby little legs!  At your doctor's appointment around the beginning of this month, we found out that you were not gaining weight as quickly as doctor would like, so we put you on a milkshake diet.  No, really we just started you on formula, and cut back on my breastfeeding.  This was tough on me, but you seem to love the formula even though it is gross looking and foul smelling (not to mention what it has done to the presents you leave for us in your diaper!)  After just a week on formula and all of the solids we could get down your throat, you gained an entire pound and were right back on track.  Whew.  In Daddy and I's defense, you weren't complaining when you weren't gaining weight.  We weren't trying to starve you on purpose or anything.  Promise.

 

In month seven, the growling took a backseat to your new favorite pasttime....screaming.  You weren't screaming because something was wrong or because you needed something, you screamed just for fun with a huge smile on your face.  Just like growling, you started screaming everywhere.  You screamed in your highchair when I was feeding you breakfast, you screamed in your jumparoo when Daddy was on a conference call, you screamed in restaurants and coffee shops.  Your grandparents all refered to this high pitched noise as "singing".  If that is the extent of your singing talent, then we don't need to worry about having to sit through choir concerts or school musicals.  You favorite thing to do while screaming is bang your feet on the ground as hard as you can.  We've already established how much of a morning person you are, so I'm sure that the twenty something guys that live below us really love your 5:30 AM vocal and percussion performances.

 

Screaming is not the only thing you were doing with your mouth this month, you also started constantly babbling things like dadadadadada or blablablablabla and you sprouted two teeth!  So many new and exciting things coming out of that tiny little mouth!  I have to say that I thought I would be sad when you inevitably (like a majority of kids) said dada before mama.  I was completely wrong though.  Watching you say that over and over again with a huge drooly smile on your face makes my heart so happy.  You are Daddy's mini-me (we've nicknamed you Brace), so it's only fair that you uttered his name first.  I'm sure mama is not far behind. 

 

The two teeth that made themselves at home in your mouth were not as happy of an occasion.  It took several long weeks for the little guys to make their appearance through your gums, and you were not a happy camper.  You started waking up several times a night, and there was nothing we could really do to help you other than feed your Tylenot every four hours and provide lots of cold chew toys.  I've never felt so helpless in my life....oh wait, yes I have...just a week later, you got your first cold.  Not only were your teeth hurting, you also couldn't breathe.  You learned really quickly that you hates having your nose wiped and that the bulb syringe was the worst thing in the world.  Now, if you would just learn to blow your own nose already things would be fine!  The first night of your cold was the worst.  I sat with you in the bathroom with the shower running for a long time rocking you back and forth praying that it would help your congestion.  You just kept looking up at me like "help me, please!"  Luckily, we all made it through the teething and the cold, although I'm pretty sure there are like twenty more teeth to go.  Is it too much to ask that they all magically come in at the same time?

 

Your have started to overcome your awful stranger danger anxiety and let people other than myself and Daddy hold you for extended periods of time.  You even let Uncle Bri Bri look at you for a few minutes.  Last month the sight of his face sent you into a total meltdown.  It's nice for people to finally meet the sweet and smily girl that I post all of the pictures of.  We spent a weekend at Grandma and Pop-Pop H's house and you finally met the last of your cousins and Aunts and Uncles.  As usual, you were the main attraction, and you defintely put on a show.  Your Great Grandma loved holding you, and I've never seen her smile so big before.  While we were there, you took your first bath in a big tub sitting up all by yourself.  You loved splashing the water with your hands and giggling.  You looked so grown up in there!

 

You started waving goodbye, and Daddy has been working so hard on getting you to do the signal for touchdown.  You are a pretty good student even though Daddy tickles you a lot during your lessons.  You and Daddy are getting along pretty good at home during the day.  I love walking in the door each night to see what you are wearing.  If I forget to lay out clothes for you, Daddy dresses you himself, and he makes some bold choices.  That man is not afraid of color and does not shy away from mixing prints!  He is such a good daddy!  He took a week off from work, and you two did so many things together.  You went for long walks, rode in a taxi for your first time, and did some home improvement tasks around the apartment.  You're a pretty good team.  Being away from you during the day is still hard, but that huge smile you greet me with when I walk in the door every single night is pretty much the most awesome thing ever.

 

I'm sitting here writing this letter with your monitor propped up next to my computer.  You just rolled over halfway and snuggled up to your favorite stuffed animal, Ducky.  I wonder what you are dreaming about.  I hope it's something wonderful!

 

xoxo

Momma

 

p.s.  You love shoes and feet.  Here you are in action after setting your sights on my Chucks.  Pretty much nothing gets in your way!

 

 

 

 

 



Six Months

Dear Gracie,

Kitten, you were six months old last week!  Due to my computer catching a virus, your letter is a little bit late this month.  Sorry about that, but if you're old enough to read this, you already know that things in our house always get done....just not always exactly on time.  You being born the day before your due date was one of the only times I've ever been early for anything!

 

 

There you are, already bored with the task at hand and looking towards your next adventure.  You started out your sixth month with a growl.  One day while happily jumping up and down in your jumparoo trying out new sounds, a low "grrrrrrrrrrrrr" came out of your mouth amidst the usual squeals and shrieks.  It sounded just like a dog, and I couldn't believe that noise came out of you.  You smiled that adorable toothless grin at me and did it again, "grrrrrrrrrr."  I couldn't stop laughing.  Then, later that night, you kept doing it for Daddy and I, and we were on the floor cracking up.  The more we laughed, the more you growled.  Then, you started growling while nursing, and in the bathtub, and in bed at night, and in your highchair, and so on and so on, and it was no longer that cute.  In fact, in Target an older woman stopped in the aisle to say hello to you, and you growled at her, quite loudly.  She took a step back as if she'd been bitten.  I think you were offended that she didn't find you amusing, and the growling (thank goodness) came to an end some days later.

 

You want to be a big girl helper.  During the same trip to Target that you acted like a possessed child towards an old lady, you also decided you wanted to start pushing the cart for me.  Strapped onto my chest in your Baby Bjorn, you clamped your hands down on the shopping cart.  I can take my hands off, keep walking, and you do all the work!  I knew I'd be putting you to work someday making me hot dogs and filing my nails, but you're already pulling your own weight around here!  Other things you enjoy helping me do include:  holding (and chewing on) the grocery list at the store, holding my keys or Daisy's leash during morning walks,   taking off my glasses and pulling my hair out of my ponytail (ok, that one is not exactly helpful and actually hurts a little), and taking your own socks off any chance you get.  Hopefully this doesn't mean you're going to start asking for an allowance soon.

 

Not only do you help Momma out, but without even knowing it, you help Daisy too.  Something about being around you just makes Daisy feel safe.  Anytime there is a storm or fireworks or any other loud noises at night, she wants in your room with you.  She will sit outside of your door and whine until we let her in there.  Then, she trots right over to your crib to make sure you're ok, and then curls up next to you.  One night we let her in there and then forgot all about her until we went to bed and checked the monitor and saw her blinking eyes in the dark.  Your face lights up when she runs into the room, and she loves covering your face and toes with wet kisses.  It just warms my heart to see you two laying together on the floor.  My two girls!

 

Just like I predicted last month, you are the valedictorian of eating solids!  You have mastered whole grain cereal, bananas, sweet potatoes, avocados, pears, and green beans.  Once you decided you were ready to eat, girl, were you ever ready to eat!  If Daddy and I don't shovel the food into your  mouth fast enough, you grunt and get red in the face.  So impatient, but I understand.  Daddy gets like that when he's hungry too.  The snacks in the diaper bag are for him - not you.

 

You tried so many new things this month.  You went to the park for the first time and Daddy pushed you in the swing and went down the slide with you.  It was a sunny day, and your wide brimmed hat was about the only thing peeking up over the edge of the swing, and Daddy kissed your toes every time you swung towards him.  It must have been exhausting for you because it wasn't long before you were falling asleep on my shoulder, all tuckered out.  You took your first trip to Wrigley Field to watch a baseball game.  You started sleeping in child's pose with your booty up in the air, and I love seeing you like that in the morning.  You look so peaceful and warm cuddled up to your blanket, that I want to climb into that crib with you and curl up.  You started scootching across the floor like an inchworm using your head.  I can't even explain this - it sort of looks like break dancing.  I'm sure we'll embarrass you with a video of it someday - probably in front of your boyfriend right before you go to Prom.  You are sitting up on your own and like to stand up holding on to the coffee table by yourself.  You play peekaboo, grab your feet and put them in your mouth, and love to be tickled under the chin.  You want to do it all, and you giggle the entire time.

 

In the midst of all of these changes, I went back to work.  For ten weeks I will be student teaching at a nearby elementary school, and you will be staying home with Daddy.  I'm sure someday the topic of whether your Mom stays home with you or not will come up with you and your friends.  When it does, I want you to know that I am doing this so that you will be proud of me.  I want you to know that you should never settle for something in your life that makes you unhappy.  There is always another option, and when it doesn't feel like there is, I will be there to help you find it.  What felt like an earth shattering change to me was barely a tiny blip on your radar.  You were still the same beautiful, adventurous, happy girl when I got home at night.  I smothered you with one million kisses, and you were like "moooooooommmmmmm".

 

You have changed all of our lives - mine, Daddy's and Daisy's, and I'm not sure what we would do without you now.  Daisy in particular is looking forward to you starting to drop some food on the floor.  Daddy is looking forward to having someone else to have political debates with, and I am looking forward to long walks through the fall leaves.  I predict that month seven will be the best yet!

 

xoxo

Momma

 

p.s.  Here are a few outtakes from your photo session with your best friend.  The last one is my favorite.  I love you and your big heart!



Five Months

Dear Gracie,

My little girl, you are a beautiful and joyous five months old!  You've become so curious in the past few weeks.  That little grin on your face says, "uh, huh, sure, mom - turn your back so I can roll over into that fireplace now."

Yes, you have mastered rolling over.  Stomach to back, back to stomach, up over your shoulder, some mysterious way that has you waking up in really weird positions in bed - girl, you are on the go.  I was in line at a movie theatre to see "The Hunger Games" when Daddy called to tell me you'd done it.  I burst out in tears I was so proud of you.  You'd been determined for weeks (never crying when you'd get stuck halfway over), and you'd finally done it.  I hung up the phone and turned to the woman behind me and said, "My kid rolled over - awesome!"  She sort of rolled her eyes at me and took another puff of her cigarette.  I wanted to stick my tongue out at her.

Everything you do now has a purpose.  You never just do something to do it, there is some end result you are reaching for.  You roll over to grab that toy you'd been eyeing all morning.  You jump in your jumperoo to hear it play the sound effect "boooiiinnngg" over and over (and over and over) again.  You do pilates v-ups to see what's going on when you're lying on your back.  You're working out more than me!  The world is just so interesting to you.  Your hands are constantly working.  Grabbing and feeling the carpet, your blanket, the couch, some one's shirt, my face - you want to know what everything is and what it feels like (and usually if it will fit in your mouth).  Sometimes I just sit back and watch you think.  Entire hours go by where the sounds of your squeels and some background music of either "Call Me Maybe" or "What Makes Your Beautiful" (c'mon those are our summer jams!) are the only sounds in the room, and I watch you like my favorite reality show ever. 

There have been so many firsts this month - some successful and some not so successful.  Hey, that's life, honey!  You successfully made it through your first 5K in the jogging stroller.  You and I did great - your Dad, finished without dying, so that was good.  You giggled and babbled the whole time, and technically, you beat us both by crossing the finish line before us.  You also had your first taste of solids.  This started out pretty well, but quickly took a bad turn, and you are currently back on a liquid diet.  Don't worry, you wanted to eat the multi-grain rice cereal, but your tongue and stomach had other ideas.  I'm sure that in your six month letter that I will be praising your love of solids, and how you had learned to love sitting in your highchair again without screaming and grunting.

For a few extremely warm days, we spent some time with your Grandma and Grandpa H on their farm.  Your Grandpa H and Daddy swung a baby swing for you in the tree that I used to climb as a little girl.  Grandpa pushed you, and the look on your face was pure joy.  With the wind in your hair and the sun on your face, I have never seen you look more beautiful and content.  I wonder what was going through your mind.  You went on plenty of nature walks during those few days, and each time you came inside from looking at the hummingbirds or from touching the leaves on the trees, you smelled like the outdoors, and I just couldn't smell your head and kiss your cheeks enough.  I know, totally embarrassing, but totally necessary. 

This was a month that I wish I could have froze in time for just a little bit longer.  Except for that whole fake coughing thing you started.  Like you need more attention. 

xoxo
Momma

p.s.  Here are a few outtakes from your photo session this month.  Gracie on the go.

Four Months

Dear Gracie,

Last week, you turned four months old.  With the way you took a hold of your schedule and life and said, "this is how it's gonna be, Momma", I felt like you turned 18 years old. 

I know, you're crying in this picture, but I don't want you to get the idea that you are rainbows and sunshine all of the time.  So, yeah, sometimes you cry.  This picture is pure four month old Gracie.  You did not want to wear those silly sandals, and you let me know it.  You did not want to lay down on the floor and smile, and you let me know it.  In the fourth month of your life, you have marched to the top of the mountain and shouted out "I'm Grace, and I'll do what I want!"  I love it.  I don't want you to be a kid who just lays back and lets Daddy and I make all the decisions without your input.  I want to have discussions and debates with you and find our common and uncommon ground.  Well, we definitely found our uncommon ground the day of this photo, and it was those sandals.



Suddenly, in the middle of this month, you decided to start taking naps.  I'm not talking 15 minute naps in the swing that give me time to catch my breath.  These are 45 minute - 1 1/2 hour naps, twice a day!  Suddenly, I have time to drink my cup of coffee without reheating it three times, and I read most of the front page of the Chicago Tribune.  I can take showers without taking you into the bathroom in your bouncer with me and showering with the curtain halfway open.  I actually did a whole 20 minute yoga video the other morning.  You know what though?  I miss you during that time.  I find myself checking the monitor a ridiculous amount of times, and popping my head in your nursery just to watch you sleep.  I'm just a little jealous of your blanket you snuggle up to and wish it was my shoulder.  I'm also jealous that you made this little nap schedule up on your own.  You didn't want or need my help.  You did it on your own time.  You're already so grown up.

Soon after you started napping, other big milestones started happening.  You no longer wanted to be swaddled, you would start the night in one place in your crib and end up in a completely different position by morning, and then you started rolling over on your side from you back.  Suddenly, you were a baby on the move.  You kick your feet in the bathtub now, and throw your head back and laugh, like really LAUGH, when you think something is funny.  Sometimes this thing is Daisy, and she is licking your feet while you gurgle your appreciation.  You're learning to pet her gently, and she is extremely patient and loving with you, even when you pulled out an entire handful of her hair.

You ended your fourth month with your very first vacation at Grandma and Grandpa F's lake cottage.  I was a wreck leading up to the trip worrying about the car ride and how well you would sleep at night and other various things.  I should have spent all that time worrying doing something else because you were just perfect.  I'll never forget the look on your face when the water rushed up over your toes for the first time on the beach, or how sweet you looked napping in just your diaper after a long morning of playing.  One night, as Daddy and I were toweling you off after taking a bath, you looked up at us and touched my face with your hand.  It was the absolute perfect moment.

You are keeping us on our toes, Gracie, and we love it.  I think it's safe to say that you have us in the palm of your tiny little dimpled hand.

xoxo
Momma

Three Months

Dear Gracie,

You are now three months old, and I had to bribe you to keep that headband on.  It's like your hands still sometimes have a mind of their own and punch you in the face or pull things off your head or out of your mouth.  I really hope that goes away or middle school is going to be really rough.

Right now you are playing on your activity mat just laughing and talking to this little monkey hanging down.  I think he is currently your best friend, and I wish I could understand the long conversations you have with him, although they are mostly one-sided.  You also have your paci, a blanket, and a toy all clutched to your chest in a choke hold.  As soon as you learned how to hold on to things, you started toy hoarding.  You can relax, Daisy has no interest in your spit up covered toys.  I promise.

At the beginning of your third month, we moved to a new apartment in a new neighborhood, and at first, I thought you hated it.  You slept awful the first few nights and screamed during the day anytime I tried to unpack a box.  I guess you missed the constant Lady Gaga and Katy Perry music or Drag Queen Bingo Mondays of our old place.  Then, you started to warm up to it a bit.  We started taking long morning walks to the park and had play dates with your friend Connor.  You grew to love the trees and birds outside of the front windows and we still spend time everyday looking out at them with Daisy.  The best part of our move, Aunt Ses and Uncle Bri Bri live just across the alley from us.  Unfortunately, their new apartment seems to bring out the worst in you, but I'm sure you'll adjust.

The most amazing part of this month has been watching your growing relationship with Daddy.  Anytime he comes into the room, you smile and giggle like he is your most favorite thing in the world.  You hold two sided conversations together (a step up from monkey) which consist mostly of goooooos and ahhhhhhhs.  At night, he gives you a bottle and puts you to bed never forgetting to read you a story (your favorite is Goodnight Stinkypants) or to say your prayers.  Sometimes I creep into our bedroom and turn on the monitor so I can hear him talking to you. 

There are still things that we probably do wrong.  Last week because I am absolutely petrified of using the nail clippers on you, I bit your nails while you were sleeping.  Gross, I know, but at this point in our relationship, very necessary.  During a visit to see Grandma and Grandpa H, I had you stay up way past your nap and bedtime so that you could see everyone, and you responded by throwing a fit for a few hours.  Lesson learned!  You have a bald spot on the back of your head that we try to cover up with hats as much as possible, and I can't figure out a way to make you enjoy tummy time.  For every possible mistake though, there are the triumphs, like going shopping for the first time with you facing forward in your Baby Bjorn.  You cooed and smiled at everyone that passed you, and laughed at yourself in the huge mirrors.  At your first street festival, in the middle of the crowds and loud music, you snuggled up and took a long nap, and at Connor's first birthday party, you spit up on command when someone touched the flower on your shirt. 

Ok, that last one might not have been a triumph, but it was hilarious, and we laugh with you so much every single day.  Your fourth month will probably bring even more amazing changes in you, and your IQ is going to skyrocket because I'm reading to you out of my US History textbook during story time.  Maybe you can take my midterm for me?

xoxo

Momma

Mother's Day

Dear Gracie,

Sunday I celebrated my first Mother's Day as your Momma.  I still can't believe that I have my own holiday!  All day I just felt like I should be thanking you and Daddy for MAKING me a mother! 

Just because I'm sure by the time you're able to read this, you'll have forgotten what wonderful presents you got me (or maybe because you weren't actually on the shopping trip at all), I'll fill you in.  You are so thoughtful.  You got me a book that I can read to you at bedtime and a book to keep track of all of our little family's milestones.  And, my favorite, was a little necklace with a "G" on it that I'll wear all the time so you'll always be with me, Lil' G (that's your rap name by the way). 

When I was rocking you to sleep after a long day of gift giving, brunch eating, and park walking, you looked right up at me and stretched really big and shook your pompoms (it's this really cute thing where you stretch your arms over your head so big that you little fists shake) at me and smiled.  That was the best thanks I could've asked for.

Gracie, thank YOU for being my daughter.  I'm the lucky one :)

xoxo

Momma

Two Months

Dear Gracie,

On Thursday, you turned two months old.

You are growing in so many ways.  Your toes are at the very end of your 3 month old sleepers, your legs stick through the sides of the rocking chair when I rock you to sleep at night, and your head no longer fits in the hat that was so big on your way home from the hospital that it covered your eyes and nose.  You also spend hours a day staring at yourself in mirrors and smiling .  I often sing "You're So Vain" to you, even though I'm pretty sure there's no way you know you're staring at yourself.

Mornings are my absolute favorite time of day to spend with you.  After your morning feeding, we snuggle up on the couch for a nice nap with Daisy curled up at our feet.  Then we wake up and you do your Jazzercise routine on your activity mat.  I'm not kidding, you move your arms and legs so fast that your breathe sounds like you are running a marathon.  Your hands occasionally get stuck in the rings hanging down, and I usually yell "Yes!  She's going to be a gymnast" really loud until your dad knocks on the wall and tells me to calm down. 

At six weeks, we had to take you to the Children's Memorial Hospital to have ultrasound pictures taken of your hips and spine.  (Just so you don't worry, you were just fine!)  You were such a brave little baby.  While I was using every single bit of  strength I had to keep it together seeing you lay in that huge hospital bed, you were being the perfect patient sleeping through most of the procedure and barely crying at all.  When the doctor called with your clean bill of health, I broke down in tears and you just grinned up at me the cutest little toothless, gummy, slobbery grin ever.  You'll never know how much that little smile meant to me.

You recently started sleeping through the night a majority of the time pretty much all on your own.  The first time you did it, your daddy and I both woke up to the light streaming through the windows and both said "is she alive?!"  You were.  Whew.  Seven hours of uninterrupted sleep was amaaaazing let me tell you, but, I think it was just a peach offering because at the same exact time, you decided to just up and stop taking naps during the day.  Obviously, there are more important things for you to be doing during the day like checking the Dow and writing poems in your diary about how unfair it is that your parents won't let you get a mohawk.  Life is tough, right?

We are all just finding our way through this together, the three of us, and I think we're doing a pretty good job. 

xoxo
Momma