Hair Identity Crisis

I noticed today the color of my daughters har has made some dramatic changes over the past 7 months... check this out, if you havent noticed...

Here she is, one day old. My dad is holding her. She has DARK brown hair. Like chocolate brown.

OK, fast forward to 3 months old. Here, shes got RED hair! I didn't realize how red it was at the time.

Here she is, the other day, with her best friend, Dalia! Look how BLOND her hair is?!

So, whats it going to be hair? WOW. Shes changing her hair color more than I did in High school. hahah

A Three Toothed Crawling Monkey

Watching Olive grow up feels kinda like walking next to someone who is on one of those walking escalators. Just as I start getting comfortable with the stage she's at, and what shes doing- OOOP she's moved on and on to something else. I feel like I am constantly playing catch up. There are slower times when I can sit back and observe and enjoy where she is, but there there are days (like today) when I am like... wait WHAT? On Monday this week we were so comfortable with the rolling, smiling giggling baby we had. Today, we look down as our what seems to be a toddler as she CRAWLS across the floor, chasing a toy car, who then picks it up with one hand, sits down, and waves at us with the other. WHO IS THIS? 

I went to a mom/baby playgroup today that is at the local hospital and lead by this fabulous nurse/doula/child educator lady. There were 4 babies total, all Olive's age. All these adorable babies were so fun to watch! All the babies stayed pretty close to their mama's and played contently with whatever little toy they had. All except Olive, who was on the other side of the room, pulling down purses, climbing in and out of chairs, taking people's cell phones, stealing others toys, and finally ending up playing a fun little game of "peek-a-boo" by reflection in the wall window. The leader of the group at one point commented at how active and "exploratory" Olive is. She then said.. "you DO realize you have a little MONKEY on your hands, dont you!?" 

I'm in for it. I'm loving it.

This is Olive!!! She's curious, bold, silly, social, persistant, and active! She's just on the go go go, and loves every second of it! I just absolutely LOVE seeing her little personality come out. I am the proudest of parents!

She's also loving food food, and I'm trying as hard as I can to make sure she gets all types of healthy foods! She Popped out tooth 3 now, and I think 4 is not far behind! 

This morning she rolled over (this wasnt the first time), and said "Da"- and touched Adam's face. 

These are amazing times. When I can stop, catch my breath, and enjoy these times, I do because I know I'm just another day away from rediscovering my child. 

She sat

Today, January 20th, 2012 Olive sat up all on her own.

How being a mom has changed me

I was thinking today how much my life has changed since the stork dropped off this bundle of chubs. It's incredible to look back and see how different things were seven months ago, and how this motherhood thing has changed my life forever. I thought I would share some of my thoughts...

Before Olive the following things happened frequently and never happen now:
1. I slept in past 8.
2. I stayed up on purpose past 10.
3. I took LONG peaceful showers.
4. I took LONG peaceful baths.
5. I only got in the car and drove around if I was going somewhere.
6. I never made up songs about poop, never sang with my fingers, and shouted "YEAH" at the end of a song.
7. I watched TV during the day.
8. I knit frequently.
9. Adam and I went to movies.
10. Leaving the house meant just grabbing my purse and putting on shoes.
11. I never really cared where to sit in restaurants.
12. My house was quiet.
13. I rarely touched poop.
14. I wondered if and when I would ever be a mother, and wondered if I would be any good at it.

After Olive, things that happen frequently that never happened before:
1. I sit and stare at her for hours in amazement.
2. I sing way more.
3. I pay more attention to what I watch on TV, and what I eat.
4. I think about HOW I can watch her and still go to the bathroom, bathe, and eat.
5. I drive, and drive......
6. I spend an hour of every night in a dark room, rocking, and meditating (or texting..)
7. I walk more.
8. I am WAY more social. "play dates" are just a fancy word for hanging out in the middle of the day.
9. I am brought to tears with gratitude and wonder how I could have ever lived without her.
10. I wonder if I am doing anything right. I get mad at people who question what I do, but I constantly question what I do..
11. I can get dressed in less than 5 minutes, WHILE singing "Twinkle Twinkle"
12. I can pee on command.
13. I can type with only my left hand. I can pretty much do anything with one hand.

Just in case you cant tell from reading my blog or seeing all the facebook posts, I am absolutely in love with my daughter. I cant help but think I am the luckiest person alive for getting to take care of this amazing little girl. She is the joy in my life. I only hope that I can be a mother as kind and patient as my own mother. I only hope I can raise her to love herself as much as we do.

Being a mother is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I always knew I wanted to be a mother. I always knew I would love her. I never imagined it would be this much. 

Seven Month Itch

Nothing is really itching, but I liked that title. Olive is now seven months!!! This month she has really developed socially and physically. Socially she is recognizing people (and dogs), shes waving, shes giving high-fives, and of course giggling and laughing. We went on an airplane last week and we would go stand up by the bathrooms in the back and she would wave at every one!! She loved getting all the attention (I wonder where she gets this from...)! The flight attendants held her and loved her and took pictures with her and she really hammed it up! She really had a blast on our trip to the east coast! We ate at restaurants, slept in a hotel room, and did something fun everyday!

Physically, she is ALMOST crawling. She gets up on her hands and knees and rocks back and forth. Now she thrusts one food forward and falls on her face, but shes working on it. She spends a lot of time rolling around on the ground, "lounging" on her side, and falling on her face.

Shes enjoying solid foods! She eats pears, sweet potatoes, peas, broccoli, mango, carrots (hates them), avocado, banana, and chicken (hated).

Her top tooth is coming in. She is still esleeping around 10-12 hours at night, and napping is still hard during the day. She only wants to nap while in her car seat..... She is SUCH a silly girl! She LOVES laughing and screaming! She is such a pleasure!

Her last check up she weighed 16.11 pounds (50th percentile), Height 26 inches (75th percentile)

Almost 7 months, almost crawling!

I took this video today. She's growing so fast!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zE8xK37z5lY

Ho Ho Holidays

Christmas came and went and with it came Olive's first cold. About a week before Christmas she suddenly stopped sleeping through the night and started waking up every few hours. She wasnt exhibiting any sick symptoms yet, so of course I panicked. My precious sleep.... its gone... I had visions of months and months of struggling to get to her to sleep again, and having to let her "cry it out". After 3 nights of this I really started panicking. I was reading online, calling the Dr, and talking to every mother out there looking for answers. Growth spurt? Teething? And the scariest... she has learned to manipulate me..? Turns out. She was sick. ..Then I got sick. ..Then Adam got sick...

I swear, in my 32 years of life I have never experienced anything like it. The week of sickness was perhaps  absolutely the hardest week of my life. Multiple times a day I had horrible thoughts about running out the door, screaming, killing some small animal, and jumping in front of a car. I came to the conclusion that I really couldn't do it, but I had no other choice. No one else could do it for me (and Adam)... She needed us, and we needed rest, but we didn't matter. It was almost like what I imagine running a marathon would be like. Your pushed beyond what you can actually do, and then do even more. I swear, after that I want to put Olive inside of a bubble and keep all germs away. I'm really not kidding. We somehow got threw it thanks to Wallace teamwork, earplugs, antibiotics (ear infection...), and lots of tears and hysterically desperate prayers at 4 am ... oh... moving on.

On actual Christmas, Olive was starting to feel better, but still not good. She was good enough to open presents though. She loved the paper and the ribbons. I was surprised by how much she liked opening presents. She got some good stuff..

We went down to Aptos to visit Adam's parents a few days later. More presents! She had a great time and enjoyed showing grandma and grandpa Wallace how cute she is.

Whats she into these days? EVERYTHING. She is scooting, rolling, turning, sitting, and crawling backwards, so she can pretty much get wherever she wants. Shes getting up on her hands and knees and rocking back and forth. She's hitting everything to hear the noises it all makes. She splashes in the bath and giggles. She's interactive and loves grabbing daddy's beard.

 Yeah, heart melt.


 Adam made this amazingly wonderful Christmas card. I got them all printed up, envelopes ready to address... but, just couldn't get it together to send them, SO enjoy it please :)

Olive hanging her first ornament

Happy New Year! 2012 was the most exciting year of my life. My life will never be the same, and being a parent is better than I ever imagined. Harder than I imagined at times, but sweeter as well.  I look forward to the next year. Watching Olive grow and learn. This year she will walk, and talk. Amazing.