We Made It!
The 1st year milestone - we made it! We are officially out of baby stage forever. That is sad to think of it that way, but it's also been a tiring year. However, with Ivy, I don't think the toddler years will be any less tiring.
This Baby is Made for Walkin'
The same is still true from the 9 month entry: Ivy is in constant motion. Except now she walks and climbs, climbs, climbs! She still wants to be by us most of the time, yet holding her is difficult because she constantly squirms to climb away. It's a little easier now when we are out in the world we can let her walk around. Tiring for us to chase her around, but she is happier than being trapped in the stroller like she used to be.
Talky Talky
No first words yet except for mama and dada. She makes the same kkkhhh sound that Addison and Eden made too when they saw Colby Jack - so that is "kitty". She is in the pointing stage and definitely has a lot of baby babbling going on. I think that will be her next "big" milestone.
Sleepy Time
We hit another short-lived milestone last month with Ivy finally sleeping through the night! 7:30pm - 8am! That has happened all of ONE time, and not since. Oh well. But generally Ivy is sleeping better, and less needy through the night when she does wake up. Usually she just needs a diaper bag or her paci. Her 2 daytime naps are easy and consistent. Considering we spent months waking up every couple hours with her, waking up a couple times a night for a minute here and there is a relief to us.
Saturday, December 19, 2015
Friday, October 9, 2015
Ivy - the 9mos old!
Movin' & Groovin'
Nothing slows this girl down! Fpr awhile we were concerned she didn't know how to sit because we rarely witnessed it. But then we realized it's because she never pauses long enough to sit still! She is constantly on the move - army crawl style and climbing and grabbing and rolling everywhere.
Eden and Addison just love her. Eden often snuggles her - a bit too much sometimes! But it's good that we have two "babysitters" who keep an eye (or 2!) on Ivy at all times. Nothing entertains a baby like two older kids!
Month 7
I had 2 business trips a week apart that took me away from Ivy overnight for the first time. It was very difficult for me, especially the logistics of breastfeeding. I know it was hard on Tim too. But we all made it through just fine.
Sometimes the clingy stage can be so tiring, but it's also a warm and fuzzy feeling to know a little baby needs you and loves you so much. That you can dry their tears just by holding them!
Other than Ivy being demanding of our contact and attention, she is usually smiling and laughing so much. She definitely needs attention but once she's got it she is as happy as can be!
Month 8
In June was Ivy's first vacation and hotel stay at the Wisconsin Dells.We stayed at the Great Wolf Lodge and were nervous about how she would be, given that we couldn't turn her loose most of the stay. But she did great, she was happy to be held or just looking around at all the site.
There was some fun for her too - it was her first time in a pool! She pretty much just splashed and kicked. It was good to see that she wasn't afraid of the water and had some interest.
Summer is full of fun! Ivy went to her first 4th of July fireworks! She slept and nursed for awhile when the fireworks got going, but then woke up and watched for a bit. No tears and no fear, so it was a very enjoyable night! She was alert and on the walk back to the car she was very interested in all the people and neighborhood parties around us!
Generally, Ivy is in constant motion and she tries to eat everything! She's a grabber and very curious, a very tiring combination!
Nothing slows this girl down! Fpr awhile we were concerned she didn't know how to sit because we rarely witnessed it. But then we realized it's because she never pauses long enough to sit still! She is constantly on the move - army crawl style and climbing and grabbing and rolling everywhere.
Eden and Addison just love her. Eden often snuggles her - a bit too much sometimes! But it's good that we have two "babysitters" who keep an eye (or 2!) on Ivy at all times. Nothing entertains a baby like two older kids!
Month 7
I had 2 business trips a week apart that took me away from Ivy overnight for the first time. It was very difficult for me, especially the logistics of breastfeeding. I know it was hard on Tim too. But we all made it through just fine.
Sometimes the clingy stage can be so tiring, but it's also a warm and fuzzy feeling to know a little baby needs you and loves you so much. That you can dry their tears just by holding them!
Other than Ivy being demanding of our contact and attention, she is usually smiling and laughing so much. She definitely needs attention but once she's got it she is as happy as can be!
Month 8
In June was Ivy's first vacation and hotel stay at the Wisconsin Dells.We stayed at the Great Wolf Lodge and were nervous about how she would be, given that we couldn't turn her loose most of the stay. But she did great, she was happy to be held or just looking around at all the site.
There was some fun for her too - it was her first time in a pool! She pretty much just splashed and kicked. It was good to see that she wasn't afraid of the water and had some interest.
Summer is full of fun! Ivy went to her first 4th of July fireworks! She slept and nursed for awhile when the fireworks got going, but then woke up and watched for a bit. No tears and no fear, so it was a very enjoyable night! She was alert and on the walk back to the car she was very interested in all the people and neighborhood parties around us!
Generally, Ivy is in constant motion and she tries to eat everything! She's a grabber and very curious, a very tiring combination!
Ivy - 11 Months
Nearing the end of "baby"
These updates get further and further apart, but such is the life of a working mother of 3. However, I'd rather let the blog slide in favor of tending to my children - so I'll say that's the reason!
11 months - what a ride it has been. I can't believe we are nearing a year. That it's already been a year since I was hugely pregnant. Eating burgers, suffering constant heartburn and swollen ankles...and trying to decide on a girl name for Baby Minion!
But here we are. Invitations for Ivy's 1st birthday party went out in the mail, her outfit and gift arrived today.
She's got 4 teeth and more on the way, and is favoring standing and cruising almost everywhere. She is an explorer with determination and curiosity. Ivy will continue to challenge us to keep up with her, but I look forward to where Ivy the Toddler takes us.
The one baby characteristic she hasn't outgrown yet is sleeping through the night. In fact, she is still in infant stage! She wakes up 3-4 times a night and must snuggle and/or nurse/have a bottle to go back to sleep. Of all the baby characteristics I will miss - waking up 4x a night will not be one of them.
However, I know years from now I will think back fondly to the hours I have spent over the years, in the dark, rocking and whispering to my little baby girls.
Clearance Sale
With the baby months coming to a close, we have been piling up the baby equipment in the basement the past few months. And just this week we sold our swing and bouncer. I will admit I was sad to see them go. Not because I want to keep using them - and I'm relieved to have the space in our home, but because I see our memories in them. I see our babies swinging and sleeping in the swing (or screaming!), and I see the monkey toy hanging from the bouncer that they all strained to reach!
Keeping this equipment would just make me hate them as clutter in my basement, so it's all rational (and the $$ doesn't hurt!), but I do see images of our girls go out the door along with it. These toys and baby items really do become part of a parent's life!
Well, in just a few weeks we'll be celebrating the 1st year of little Ivy's life. We are so looking forward to it and there's many more adventures to come!
These updates get further and further apart, but such is the life of a working mother of 3. However, I'd rather let the blog slide in favor of tending to my children - so I'll say that's the reason!
11 months - what a ride it has been. I can't believe we are nearing a year. That it's already been a year since I was hugely pregnant. Eating burgers, suffering constant heartburn and swollen ankles...and trying to decide on a girl name for Baby Minion!
But here we are. Invitations for Ivy's 1st birthday party went out in the mail, her outfit and gift arrived today.
She's got 4 teeth and more on the way, and is favoring standing and cruising almost everywhere. She is an explorer with determination and curiosity. Ivy will continue to challenge us to keep up with her, but I look forward to where Ivy the Toddler takes us.
The one baby characteristic she hasn't outgrown yet is sleeping through the night. In fact, she is still in infant stage! She wakes up 3-4 times a night and must snuggle and/or nurse/have a bottle to go back to sleep. Of all the baby characteristics I will miss - waking up 4x a night will not be one of them.
However, I know years from now I will think back fondly to the hours I have spent over the years, in the dark, rocking and whispering to my little baby girls.
Clearance Sale
With the baby months coming to a close, we have been piling up the baby equipment in the basement the past few months. And just this week we sold our swing and bouncer. I will admit I was sad to see them go. Not because I want to keep using them - and I'm relieved to have the space in our home, but because I see our memories in them. I see our babies swinging and sleeping in the swing (or screaming!), and I see the monkey toy hanging from the bouncer that they all strained to reach!
Keeping this equipment would just make me hate them as clutter in my basement, so it's all rational (and the $$ doesn't hurt!), but I do see images of our girls go out the door along with it. These toys and baby items really do become part of a parent's life!
Well, in just a few weeks we'll be celebrating the 1st year of little Ivy's life. We are so looking forward to it and there's many more adventures to come!
Friday, May 29, 2015
Ivy - 6 Months!
Growing, growing...
Height: 27"
Weight: 17lbs
Jumpin' jumpin'
Ivy, just like her sisters, enjoys the jumperoo. She had her first "jump til she poops all down her leg" experience around her 6mos mark. We know it's always good for that. As she has grown out of the bouncer chair, and the rock 'n play is too restrictive when she's not sleepy (she always strains to sit up) - the jumperoo has become a daily activity for her and mommy & daddy's place to put her for a few minutes. She gets crabby in there after 20min or so, but we'll take what we can get!
Sleepy sleeping
Ivy had a couple weeks of sleeping through the night (8pm - 3am/4am) but then the 11pm feeding crept back in. Her wake up routine varies. If she wakes to eat at 3am, then I definitely wake her to eat before I leave for work. The 4:30am feedings are the worst because they are soooo close to my alarm (5:15) and I really just want that last 30min of sleep so I'm usually crabby for those feedings, and go back and sleep later anyway.
She often has a brief, random morning nap - usually it's falling asleep in the rock n play or swing or on us after a feeding.
Her bedtime is 7:30pm, and very strict at that - a few minutes past, and she screams and lets us know! I rock her and feed her and put her in her crib. For awhile, she'd go to sleep right away without a fight, but the last few weeks we've had to go in there a few times to give her a paci, gas drops, teething gel, change a diaper, feed her again or any combination of the above. Daddy handles the other 2 girls so once I can "escape" Ivy's room, all I need to do is go in and say goodnight to the big sisters. Bedtime is certainly exhausting!
Foody food
Ivy began eating rice cereal at 4mos. In the following weeks, we introduced peas, carrots, green beans and sweet potatoes. She eats great and messy. And now she has real person stinky poops - we miss the mild odor watery breastmilk poops of yore : /
Around 6mos we introduced fruits and meats. She has had bananas, pears, apples, turkey and beef. She loved the beef! No surprise since she made me eat burgers every day she was in my belly! At 6mos we also increased her meals to 3 a day.
Ivy Pivey Lemon Limey
Ivy is a very happy and smiley baby. To family and visitors, she seems very easy and so happy -and that is largely due to family and visitors are often holding her and talking to her. At home, when it's just Daddy or Mommy - she does not like it one bit when we walk away. She's usually fine as long as she can see us, but even then she gets crabby if she's in one place for too long.
With her recent physical achievements of being able to roll both ways, she has spent much more time on the floor in the living room, rolling back and forth across the room! She is happier there for a longer period of time, but we have to stay very close by as we never know where she will roll to next!
Addison and Eden still adore her, and she is enamored by both of her big sisters. Sometimes I can't wait to see what her personality will be - especially since Addison and Eden are so different. But then I remember she already has a personality all her own, and these baby days are numbered.
I do have the strong sentimental sadness with this 3rd/last baby. Our lives are so much busier than ever before so it makes tending to a baby's needs that much more difficult. When each milestone passes, I'm reaching for the pause button because I feel like I missed it, even though I was sitting right there.
We know we don't want to do it again, but we don't want it to end, either.
Height: 27"
Weight: 17lbs
Ivy, just like her sisters, enjoys the jumperoo. She had her first "jump til she poops all down her leg" experience around her 6mos mark. We know it's always good for that. As she has grown out of the bouncer chair, and the rock 'n play is too restrictive when she's not sleepy (she always strains to sit up) - the jumperoo has become a daily activity for her and mommy & daddy's place to put her for a few minutes. She gets crabby in there after 20min or so, but we'll take what we can get!
Sleepy sleeping
Ivy had a couple weeks of sleeping through the night (8pm - 3am/4am) but then the 11pm feeding crept back in. Her wake up routine varies. If she wakes to eat at 3am, then I definitely wake her to eat before I leave for work. The 4:30am feedings are the worst because they are soooo close to my alarm (5:15) and I really just want that last 30min of sleep so I'm usually crabby for those feedings, and go back and sleep later anyway.
She often has a brief, random morning nap - usually it's falling asleep in the rock n play or swing or on us after a feeding.
Her bedtime is 7:30pm, and very strict at that - a few minutes past, and she screams and lets us know! I rock her and feed her and put her in her crib. For awhile, she'd go to sleep right away without a fight, but the last few weeks we've had to go in there a few times to give her a paci, gas drops, teething gel, change a diaper, feed her again or any combination of the above. Daddy handles the other 2 girls so once I can "escape" Ivy's room, all I need to do is go in and say goodnight to the big sisters. Bedtime is certainly exhausting!
Foody food
Ivy began eating rice cereal at 4mos. In the following weeks, we introduced peas, carrots, green beans and sweet potatoes. She eats great and messy. And now she has real person stinky poops - we miss the mild odor watery breastmilk poops of yore : /
Around 6mos we introduced fruits and meats. She has had bananas, pears, apples, turkey and beef. She loved the beef! No surprise since she made me eat burgers every day she was in my belly! At 6mos we also increased her meals to 3 a day.
Ivy Pivey Lemon Limey
Ivy is a very happy and smiley baby. To family and visitors, she seems very easy and so happy -and that is largely due to family and visitors are often holding her and talking to her. At home, when it's just Daddy or Mommy - she does not like it one bit when we walk away. She's usually fine as long as she can see us, but even then she gets crabby if she's in one place for too long.
With her recent physical achievements of being able to roll both ways, she has spent much more time on the floor in the living room, rolling back and forth across the room! She is happier there for a longer period of time, but we have to stay very close by as we never know where she will roll to next!
Addison and Eden still adore her, and she is enamored by both of her big sisters. Sometimes I can't wait to see what her personality will be - especially since Addison and Eden are so different. But then I remember she already has a personality all her own, and these baby days are numbered.
I do have the strong sentimental sadness with this 3rd/last baby. Our lives are so much busier than ever before so it makes tending to a baby's needs that much more difficult. When each milestone passes, I'm reaching for the pause button because I feel like I missed it, even though I was sitting right there.
We know we don't want to do it again, but we don't want it to end, either.
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Ivy - 4 months
Growing, growing...
25.8"
14.13 lbs.
Nothing is slowing this baby down! She is in the 90th percentile for height and 70th for weight.
FEED ME
At her 4 month appointment, Dr gave the go-ahead to start Ivy on rice cereal. It took us several days to go out and get her cereal and clean up the high chair. We're a tad busy these days, of course so fall into the "3rd child" syndrome.
The first feeding went well, she didn't eat a lot but seemed to enjoy ok. However, the next day she was feverish and developed a rash. The next day she still had it so we took her to the Dr who told us to refrain from cereal for a week to see if the rash clears up. I had a really bad cold that week, so I think it was my virus she caught. So we missed a week of cereal there too.
Now she's been having it for over a week and some feedings go better than others. It does seem to give her gas though!
In another week we can move onto the green vegetables which I look forward to! She has been going through a lot of breastmilk the past few weeks and I have not been able to keep up with her demand while I'm at work. So I look forward to supplementing 2 meals a day to help lower her dependence on milk.
Naps!
Around 4mos Ivy started being a solid napper. We're getting into a pretty good routine now, that she usually naps early afternoon, but it does vary sometime. Generally we get at least a 2hr nap from her at some point midday. This has really helped us increase her comfort in her bed instead of the rock and play or on us.
She really sleeps well with her head against the corner of the crib and a little blanky over her face. (Yes, we check on her and yes, it's a handkerchief size thin blanky). We think she just likes it really dark!
All By Myself
Just shy of 5 months old, we moved Ivy into her own room. We are still in transition, but this week we've been putting her down in her crib, not in the pack n play anymore. She still wakes around midnight and then ends up in bed with us the rest of the night, but it is gradual progress to be sure!
At this point, Ivy isn't all that independent yet. I know that sounds silly to say about a 4mos old, but what I mean is that she likes to be held or carried and if we do put her down in a swing or bouncer, she has to be able to see us or she will cry. That's really the only thing that makes her cry - so to visitors and family members, she is a great baby who never cries because someone is always holding her at gatherings.
Only time will tell what type of child she will be someday.
25.8"
14.13 lbs.
Nothing is slowing this baby down! She is in the 90th percentile for height and 70th for weight.
FEED ME
At her 4 month appointment, Dr gave the go-ahead to start Ivy on rice cereal. It took us several days to go out and get her cereal and clean up the high chair. We're a tad busy these days, of course so fall into the "3rd child" syndrome.
The first feeding went well, she didn't eat a lot but seemed to enjoy ok. However, the next day she was feverish and developed a rash. The next day she still had it so we took her to the Dr who told us to refrain from cereal for a week to see if the rash clears up. I had a really bad cold that week, so I think it was my virus she caught. So we missed a week of cereal there too.
Now she's been having it for over a week and some feedings go better than others. It does seem to give her gas though!
In another week we can move onto the green vegetables which I look forward to! She has been going through a lot of breastmilk the past few weeks and I have not been able to keep up with her demand while I'm at work. So I look forward to supplementing 2 meals a day to help lower her dependence on milk.
Naps!
Around 4mos Ivy started being a solid napper. We're getting into a pretty good routine now, that she usually naps early afternoon, but it does vary sometime. Generally we get at least a 2hr nap from her at some point midday. This has really helped us increase her comfort in her bed instead of the rock and play or on us.
She really sleeps well with her head against the corner of the crib and a little blanky over her face. (Yes, we check on her and yes, it's a handkerchief size thin blanky). We think she just likes it really dark!
All By Myself
Just shy of 5 months old, we moved Ivy into her own room. We are still in transition, but this week we've been putting her down in her crib, not in the pack n play anymore. She still wakes around midnight and then ends up in bed with us the rest of the night, but it is gradual progress to be sure!
At this point, Ivy isn't all that independent yet. I know that sounds silly to say about a 4mos old, but what I mean is that she likes to be held or carried and if we do put her down in a swing or bouncer, she has to be able to see us or she will cry. That's really the only thing that makes her cry - so to visitors and family members, she is a great baby who never cries because someone is always holding her at gatherings.
Only time will tell what type of child she will be someday.
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Ivy - 2 Months
Growing Baby
Weight: 12 lbs
Height: 24"
Ivy is in the 90th percentile for height and the 70th percentile for weight. She is our largest baby at this point thus far. And she just seems to keep growing. She has a good appetite and is an efficient eater.
Working Mommy
I went back to work around her 2mos birthday. Now that it's been a few weeks since then, my time at home just seems like a blur. Of course I have the mom guilt of a too-short maternity leave, but that is made much easier by the fact that I leave my girls home with their daddy all day. I think that makes it easier on Ivy that she's comfortable with her surroundings and her sisters, so it was just me she was missing. She didn't eat much the first couple days I was away, perhaps she was confused as to where the boob was. But then she got used to the bottles and has been a good eater since.
My job has been very busy since I returned so the days have been flying by, which makes it easier on me too. Tim has adjusted well to having all 3. It's definitely harder and he's not able to get as many things done in a day than he used to, but I think he's doing great. Every day the children are dressed, fed and the house isn't a total disaster, haha! That's all we can hope for!
I feed her every morning right before I leave and in the evening right when I get home, so I usually only miss 3 feedings. She does still wake up 2-3x a night and it's hard for us to fall asleep before 11pm b/c she fusses and eats a lot from 9-11pm. That makes for some short nights of sleep.
I also added exercise to my morning routine, so getting up at 5:15 am makes it harder! Tim works out after the girls go to bed at 8pm. It's tiring for both of us, but I've been feeling really great about getting in shape again (gradually).
Smiley Ivy
Ivy's adorable little smile started showing just before the 2mos mark. She likes when we sing to her and she smiles back whenever we smile with her. A few weeks ago, some cooing joined those smiles which is about the cutest thing ever!
All in all, she is a happy baby and we are very lucky she's pretty easy. You'd get a different answer from me if you asked around 9pm when she's screaming in my face no matter what I do for 30min, but the other 23 1/2 hours of the day - she's pretty great.
Weight: 12 lbs
Height: 24"
Ivy is in the 90th percentile for height and the 70th percentile for weight. She is our largest baby at this point thus far. And she just seems to keep growing. She has a good appetite and is an efficient eater.
Working Mommy
I went back to work around her 2mos birthday. Now that it's been a few weeks since then, my time at home just seems like a blur. Of course I have the mom guilt of a too-short maternity leave, but that is made much easier by the fact that I leave my girls home with their daddy all day. I think that makes it easier on Ivy that she's comfortable with her surroundings and her sisters, so it was just me she was missing. She didn't eat much the first couple days I was away, perhaps she was confused as to where the boob was. But then she got used to the bottles and has been a good eater since.My job has been very busy since I returned so the days have been flying by, which makes it easier on me too. Tim has adjusted well to having all 3. It's definitely harder and he's not able to get as many things done in a day than he used to, but I think he's doing great. Every day the children are dressed, fed and the house isn't a total disaster, haha! That's all we can hope for!
I feed her every morning right before I leave and in the evening right when I get home, so I usually only miss 3 feedings. She does still wake up 2-3x a night and it's hard for us to fall asleep before 11pm b/c she fusses and eats a lot from 9-11pm. That makes for some short nights of sleep.
I also added exercise to my morning routine, so getting up at 5:15 am makes it harder! Tim works out after the girls go to bed at 8pm. It's tiring for both of us, but I've been feeling really great about getting in shape again (gradually).
Smiley Ivy
All in all, she is a happy baby and we are very lucky she's pretty easy. You'd get a different answer from me if you asked around 9pm when she's screaming in my face no matter what I do for 30min, but the other 23 1/2 hours of the day - she's pretty great.
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