Dear Anya, Happy ELEVEN Months!

Dear Anya Violet,

Hi there Little Miss. You sure are growing quickly! Those cheeks are getting fuller and are even more kissable. Those thighs are getting rolls....finally! And we even see you cute little belly hang out now that you are wearing little tee's with the warmer weather. I could just snuggle you all day, if you'd let me!

Your personality at eleven months:
-Very active and such a busy-body
-Carefree and independent
-Happy and such a ham
-Playful and friendly (you wave to everyone!)
-Intellectual and strong

You probably weigh 22 pounds. Last month I took you to the dr for a cold and you weighed slightly over 21 pounds. You are now almost completely weaned and are doing great with bottles full time. We just started small doses for whole milk with formula and you didn't seem to mind at all. You are wearing size 12-18 month clothing, size 4 diapers (although we are still using cloth.) Your hair has grown longer and you curls that flip up by your neckline. I even started doing a little pony tail on you, but the band falls out sometimes.

This month you still take two naps a day. One around 9 am and the other around 1 pm. You wake up between 6:30-7:30 everyday and are in bed by 7:30. This week you napped amazingly! Two hour nap in the morning and two hour nap in the afternoon...thank you to spring break we were home much of the week to allow this. You love holding a paci in each hand when I put you in your crib. It provides you with a lot of comfort and you don't even cry when I put you down awake anymore for naps. It's awesome!

You have a huge love of flavorful food: spaghetti, chili, fruit smoothies, soups, guacamole. We give you pretty much everything we eat. This month you new favorite snacks are graham crackers! You already know the word.

At 11 months you are now clapping, waving, giving kisses, and starting to give "hi-5s". We were eating dinner when you learned how to clap. I showed you and then you did it and were shocked that you clapped. Then we could see you thinking "So that's how you do it!" It was so funny! We are working on blowing kisses, saying "Dada" (you are so stuck on Mama and haven't mastered Dada yet). You have said Dada before so we know it's possible. Yesterday we went to Ari's house to play with Seylah and Emma. I was holding Emma and you got jealous for the first time ever. You grabbed onto my leg and said "Up, Up, Up". First time saying "up"!! Last night as I was getting you ready for bed you kept saying "Ni-Ni" over and over....when I put you down I always say "Night Night Anya". Daddy and I think that's what you were saying.

The toys you have been playing with a lot this month are your "Anya Mobile", "truck"-actually a car/bike thing but if we say "car" Charlie goes crazy-happy thinking we are going for a car-ride. You have just started to push your doll-baby's stroller by yourself. It still makes Daddy a little uneasy, as he is afraid you are going to push it too hard and fly forward. We are both amazed at how well you are doing with it! And boy is it cute to watch a baby girl push her doll. You have yet to take your first steps on your own, but are gaining lots of balance and go from sitting to standing with ease. I love watching you squat...so cute!

You still love the nursery at church and going out in public. Yesterday I was serving in the nursery and you were next door and I watched you the whole time. You looked so cute through that little window. You played so nicely and played hard with the toys! At one point you saw me and smiled and came crawling to the wall, until you realized you couldn't get to me you started crying. I felt so bad! They gave you Puffs to calm you down. Eating always does! haha!

We traveled to visit Aunt Cindy and Uncle Tony last week. You did great in the car and slept better with your little strap pillows, plus you loved Auntie Kates entaining you! While we were in Ohio you saw Great Grandma Egbers again, you saw cousin Luke (gave him a lip smacking kiss) and played "dress up" with cousin Avery.

I've started planning and preparing more and more for you birthday. I can't believe it is almost here!
I love you so much Anya! You are such a sweetheart and I absolutely adore you!!! Happy 11 months!
Love,
Mommy

Welcome Spring!

It's only March and I can say that Spring has arrived here in Chicagoland. Mid-70s for the week...I'll take that any day! Some say the cold will come back in April, I like to be optimistic and say the cold winter days are gone and only warm days are ahead. My crocuses are blooming and tulips and daffodils are taking off! They sure do love this weather too. Every evening we've gone for walks as a family (that's how we end each day in the summer...so it's nice to know that is just around the corner).
Today Anya had her first encounter with grass. She didn't like it too much!

This age makes playing outside difficult. She's still a crawler which makes everything in the grass that much more tempting to put in her mouth. But she's much too active to be restrained to a small area like I tried today. She's going to be an adventurous monkey like Daddy!

I broke out my gardening tools to do some much needed work on our garden. I can't wait to plant our tomatoes and herbs!

Happy Spring!

Dear Anya, Happy TEN Months!

Dear Anya,

You turned 10 months old yesterday! We're talking double-digits now. The reason for my late posting is because we were in Ohio because your Great Grandpa passed away. We stayed with our relatives for the entire week and you did wonderful, even though you are getting four new teeth on the top...OUCH! You enjoyed seeing tons of new faces and playing with cousin Luke. Auntie Cindy and Uncle Tony were thrilled as always to see you and kiss your chubby cheeks!

This month you have become Mommy's little chimp, as you love to cling to my hip. You are becoming a lot better at standing and sitting on your own and are crusing along furniture at times. It won't be long until you are walking on your own! In the beginning of the month you had your first terrible cold that lasted nearly two weeks, but you were such a trooper like always! You have to be the happiest, most adaptable baby ever (7 hour car ride both ways to Ohio and new environment for a week, plus teething proved this point!)

This month you have started to become a little chatter box! You say "Momma" in context now. I love it! We have also heard you say "Hi", "all done", "more", "uh-oh", and most recently "Dadda". It's about time with that one! I feel like I say it to you all the time, but you just look at me most of the time and say "Momma". When we were in Ohio I heard you say "Dadda" a few times, but since Daddy wasn't with us he missed it!

You are so social Anya...especially with your little baby friends! It's so adorable to watch you literally light up when you see another baby or toddler! Daddy and I are praying that God will provide us with siblings for you.

You have also really started to fill out this month, probably from all of the food you eat! You wear size 12-18 months. You love everything from spaghetti to pesto chicken and everything in between. I would say with you when food has more flavor you enjoy it more. I don't blame you one bit! By the end of this month you will be completely weaned...so sad but what a blessing I was able to nurse you for 11 months! You were such a fussy nurser in the beginning but we kept at it because I new it was best for you. I am so glad I did!

I am starting to plan your first year birthday party which is going to be a very girlie party filled with vintage pieces and hints of giraffe (I had to include your famous Giraffy photos somehow!) I can't believe I am already talking first birthday with you. It went so fast, but at the same time it's hard to remember life before you. You are such a blessing and a joy to spend everyday at home with.

I love you!
Love,
Mommy

Dear Anya, Happy NINE Months!

Dear Anya,

Could it be that you are nine months already? You are growing into such a wonderful little girl! This month you have made HUGE progress with your gross motor skills. You are now...

-Pulling self to a sitting and standing position when holding onto something
-Stand at the couch and walker toys
-Go to kneeling position in pack-n-play and crib...not yet standing in there
-Army crawl super, duper fast!
-Crawling constantly to Charlie's dish, Charlie's toys, and Charlie himself...all.the.time!
-Wearing 12-18 month clothes
-Shoe size 2-3. They may be dainty but boy are they strong!I keep reading about flat feet on babies, yours are not they have arches. Quite stinky too!
-Largest snap setting for cloth diapers (that's only when I do two inserts)
-Wearing tiny pony tails sometimes with the bow that is velcro
-Becoming good friends with Ariana
-Sleeping through the night, up until you got a terrible cold a few days ago. Last night was very rough!
-Started weaning, you take formula at least twice a day now and are doing fine with it
-You eat everything we eat, besides nuts, honey, cow's milk things like that. You are doing very well with eating, pincer grasp, and drinking out of a cup by yourself. Yesterday you drank out of a straw cup for the first time and you choked a little but you loved that cup.

We are going to the doctor on Monday. I am excited to find out your growth! UPDATE: We went to your 9 month check up on Monday and you weigh 20 lbs and are 32inches long! 99% for length, 91% for head size, and 78% for weight! The doctor said you are doing great and hitting all of the developmental milestones.

This month your new favorite toy is "Violet" the dog that sings you bedtime songs at Ariana's house. She can also say your name! You also love, love, LOVE Auntie Katie's blackberry, so much that you called a client of hers. LOL!

Love,
Mommy

Anya's First Snow!

Well it's January 12th and the first real snow storm has hit Chicago.  God has blessed us with an amazingly mild winter.  In years past we've already had one or two snow days but we have had nothing but a few flakes up to this point.  God has made each season so beautiful and I am content whether it is snowy and cold or warm and sunny. 

Did it snow where you live?

Even Charlie loves the snow. We call him our snow pup!

Dear Anya, Happy Eight Months!

Dear Baby Girl,

How can this be?  You are already eight months old!!!!  This month:

• You started crawling much faster....you're still digging the army crawl but have gotten on all fours a few times so I think that is right around the corner. 

• You have gained more balance when you sit upright.  You will begin to tip backwards and catch yourself with those strong abs of yours...lol!

• You wore your first bow...only for a few minutes because it fell out, but you had one in!  Your hair is really starting to come in.

• You love to be read to, especially when I read you those "touch and feel" books.  Last month you always put the pages in your mouth, you still sometimes do that but not as much.  Daddy even caught you turning the pages in your hard cover color book. 

• You eat almost everything we eat from pesto chicken pasta, to beef stew.  You love to eat food and try new things.  I feed you Cheerios a lot and we say "Cheerio darling"...okay, Mommy is a nerd.  This month you have become more efficient with the pincer grasp and enjoy feeding yourself.  Sometimes we see you using both hands to get food in your mouth.  Hungry baby!

• You have started giving yourself a bottle when we recline you in your high chair.  You are an expert on using the sippy cup, but still occasionally tip it over to bite on the bottom.  I love watching your big cheeks suck in....so adorable!

• You still wake up occasionally at night to nurse, but most of the time you wake up once either really early in the night (11pm) or really early (5am). 

• You love being in the nursery at church and enjoy being held by other people.  You have no stranger or separation anxiety...I pray that that continues! Everytime we pick you up and ask how you did, they always say you are so pleasant and a happy baby. 

• We have begun baby proofing the house...baby gates are up. 

 More interesting facts about you:

• You are very inquisitive, observant, attentive, happy, social, and playful! 
• You love cords, cell phones cameras, the blinds on the back door, Charlie's new duck toy (I try to keep these out of reach)
• You are wearing size 9 months, but most of your outfits are 12 months, but they still seem a little big.  Shoe size is three. 
• Highlights this month were celebrating your first Christmas and seeing Aunt Cindy and Uncle Tony again!
• You can go now without bibs having to be on all the time, unlike when you were younger.  You have been off your reflux medicine for a few months now and you seem to be doing great.  You still get the hiccups from time to time but they don't seem to bother you as much.   
• At this stage you take 2-3 naps per day and the time is always a little different each day depending on when you wake up.  Some days you sleep in the AM for an hour, other days it could be for 2.5-3 hours! The afternoon nap varies just as much.  Every night you go down around 7:00-7:30.  Daddy reads Narnia most nights when he is home. 
• On occasion you will say "Mama", "Hi", and you have even said "Uh, Oh!"
• Most people say you are so big.  They think you are a toddler!  I tell them you are going to be my little model:-)
• I weighed you on our scale at home and you were exactly 20 pounds with diaper on.  Girl, you are growing so fast!

Anya Violet I love you!  You are my little sunshine:-)   Happy 8 months of life!
Mommy
P.S. Here are some more photos from this month: