Updates Galore

I have been so busy it has been impossible to even get pictures uploaded. Ugh. This one is actually from about a month ago when Cousin Morgan visited. The girls had a matching outfit from a family member that we needed to get a snapshot in. I spend most of that Sunday concocting a studio in my kitchen. The pictures turned out pretty good considering we had a nine month old, a ten month old and a four year old in the shots. The above picture Uncle Wayne photoshopped and spiced up the colors. The look like little angels, or should I say little Reneesemes (only twilight fans will understand!)?

I haven't given a SBD update in like two weeks. Mainly I packed on a few pounds in Vegas so I wanted to give myself a catch up week. I didn't do too bad on vacation. Even switching to Vodka/Soda which is carb free. It took a while to get used to but the taste grew on me. When I did cheat (with the hashbrowns) I tried to limit myself to a bite or two. Michael is still doing great. He even plays basketball a few times a week at lunch. I have been awful about exercising unless you count walking a million miles up and down the strip in Vegas.

Total lost:

Michael: 30 lbs

Stephaine: 18 lbs

We have both been feeling the effects on our wardrobes. Shirts that were impossibly tight on Michael now swallow him and I put on a dress this weekend I had not worn since my high school graduation. It still needed some spanx but I got it on! There is not much left in my closet that I cannot wear. It is awesome. Even my stuff that was small in starting to fit. So we are doing great on the diet front. Still losing. Only one thing might lead to a stall for me. Which brings me to my next update.

I am officially weaning Lily. It is actually quite heartbreaking in some areas. One area it is not? Pumping. Hallelujah I am done. I packed up my pump and all associated supplies last night. Thank god. I won't miss that anymore. Now maybe I can get to bed before 11pm every night. At this point, after my Vegas trip I just don't have much of a supply. The trip killed it.

I have only cut out pumping this week. I would like to continue to nurse her in the morning and evenings but for the past several mornings even after nursing she wants a little more milk so I have had to give her a small bottle of formula. So I am not sure how much longer I will last. That is the part I am sad about. I really enjoy nursing. If I was a stay at home mom I would nurse her as long as possible. I mean not ridiculously long. Who needs a toddler unbuttoning their shirt? But longer than this! I don't think ten months is anything to be ashamed of though. I did better than most of my friends. I know very few that make it a year.

She is eating more and more table food anyway and hardly shows interest in a bottle/me anymore. It wouldn't have been long without the vacation. She is very independent apparently. There isn't much we don't give her at this point. Just the usual no peanuts, honey or eggs. I also don't let her have sugary foods. But pretty much everything else is fair game. She eat two meals a day at daycare and one snack. We wanted to start transitioning her second bottle at daycare to a sippy cup (she gets on bottle and one sippy cup a day there) but with me leaving she regressed a little. It was to be expected. With the weaning I wouldn't be surprised if this gets pushed back a little longer since she will be getting two more bottles a day instead of nursing (if she chooses). So we will wait a few weeks and try again. My goal is to have her at a morning bottle, 2 sippy cups during the day, and one bottle at night before the end of April.

Lily is so close to walking it's not even funny. She is standing for longer periods of time and trying to move her feet but immediately falling. It doesn't dishearten her though. She keeps trying again. She is pretty fast behind her push toys. If only she would figure out how to turn it around! The game of running into walls and turning to look at us to turn is getting old and damaging to my baseboards!

Vocally we have seen some new sounds recently. Including "dawll" which I think is 'ball' and a lot more Mama. She has been saying Mama but usually when upset or randomly. But now? I hear it at least a few times a day. Also a random "th" sound. Not sure what that will turn into. One day I was sure we heard 'Hi' several times but I have not heard it repeated beyond that episode.

Her new favorite game? Catch! Michael and I will toss her a ball (her favorite toy by far) and ask her to throw it back. She proceeds to pick it up and drop it behind her back. It is adorable! I need to get a video of this.

Another random development. She has been peek a boo for a while but I think she recently figured out that we cannot see her unless she can see our eyes. So she 'peeks' around everything to look at you in the eyes. It is too sweet. For example if I lay on the floor with my head laying down in my arms she gets down and peeks under my arms to see me. As soon as our eyes meet her whole face lights up with a smile. That is my favorite game!

This weekend Michael and I are having a yard sale to clean up the house for spring cleaning. Getting rid of some furniture and such to clear room for Lily's mobility. We are getting rid of one of the two beds in our bonus room to make way for the playroom transition. The funny thing is I thought it would be years before she would be ready for that but I am ready to isolate the drama into one area.

This yard sale will including packing up the baby stuff she has outgrown. Including the exersaucer. Oh that thing was a lifesaver and I wish she still tolerated it. But I will be glad to get it out of my floor. I am also packing up our last swing (travel swing). She will not be strapped into anything unless it has food on the tray. She did take to walking around the exersaucer which made it official we were packing it up because it is not stable for that kind of use.

Whew. i know I missed some stuff but they gets you semi caught up. Upcoming? Easter and Michael goes to Vegas.