Jeanette - 8 months old

My baby girl is growing up so fast!  Where has the time gone?!

Height: 31 inches or so, I could get a good measurement

Weight: About 17-18lbs, I put her on the baby scale the other night but she would not stop wiggling!

Clothes/Diapers:  Jeanette is still in a size 2 diaper and I don't see that changing anytime soon.  They actually fit her about perfect right now.  As far as clothes, she can still wear some 6 month onesies but is mostly wearing 9 month now since she's so long!  She can still wear a lot of her 6 month pants but I can tell they are getting too short.  I had to get her some more 9 month clothes since she didn't have many and I am still on the hunt for fall/winter coats.  She also is in need of shoes, but finding something that fits her tiny, skinny foot is next to impossible.  I found some slipper type shoes and hope to get them for her this weekend.

Sleep:  Naps have been a struggle over the last week, I imagine it's because she's had a bit of a cold and is cutting a tooth.  She still sleeps amazing at night though, from about 8pm to 7am and sometimes even later on the weekends.  I feel blessed to have a good sleeper, she must get it from her father!

Feedings:  Jeanette takes about 3 bottles a day now, around 6-7 ounces each.  She has a fruit with oatmeal around lunch time and a veggie around 7.  I think she's ready to have a morning snack as well and I may start that over the weekend.  She LOVES yogurt (we've been having the yobaby peach and pear) and loves all of the orange veggies.  She's very interested in watching Andrew and I eat and tries to reach out and grab the food.  I have been trying puffs with her but she can't quite get them into her mouth on her own yet.

Trying to eat the puffs

Worst Moment(s):  Jeanette had a bit of a cold over the weekend, she was a trooper even with coughing in the night.

Best Moment(s):  Watching her change is amazing!  She is also finally sitting up, she can't really put herself into a sitting position yet, but she loves to lay on her side and play.  It's funny because a lot of people in my family lay like that on the floor so it must be genetic!  Hearing her start to babble more was one of my favorite things this month!

Development:  Jeanette cut her first tooth!  One of her bottom teeth has come through and it's super adorable, though sharp!  She was such a trooper when it came through.  She's also "crawling" or more like pulling and dragging herself across the floor.  She gets up on all fours and crawls for real for a second and then falls over.  She's a lot better at sitting up now and when I hold her up, she can stand pretty well.  She also claps her hands and says mama, dada, and baba.  She's learning to put food into her mouth (we've been practicing with puffs)

Sitting up like a big girl! 

Jeanette Likes:  Eating, chasing the cat and dog, playing in the dogs water bowl (I've moved it now I don't know how many times but she keeps finding it), baths, clapping, sitting in the cart at the store (this is a new one), being outside and watching the trees blow in the wind, going to visit family and being chased by mommy and daddy around the house.

Sitting in daddy's high chair at Grandma and Grandpa's House

Another one of her new favorite things is looking out the front door.  She especially likes it when Bessie is outside so she can watch her in the yard. She laughs so hard when she comes to the door and barks.  

Jeanette Dislikes: Since we have been trying veggies/fruits there has not been much that she disliked, until the night we tried green beans!  She wanted nothing to do with eating those!

Playing with mommy's feet.

Riding in the cart for the first time at Target!  

Laying on her side, so also loves to bang the
sippy cup on the floor and make a bunch of noise.

I cannot believe that Jeanette is 8 months old already and how much she has changed!!!!!

Two

Today we celebrate our two year wedding anniversary.  Looking at my TimeHop the other day, I realized how much life has changed in two years.

As we prepared for our wedding two years ago, my grandpa was put in hospice and passed away just 5 days after our wedding.  It was a happy time but also so full of sorrow.  Looking back, I know that in some way he was with me that day and he still is today.

As the weather has cooled and started feeling more like fall, it brings back so many memories of our wedding day and preparing for our wedding.  I could not have asked for a better day, despite a few weather hiccups.  I married the man of my dreams in front of our closest family and friends and today I love him even more.

In two years we have been through so much: my grandpa passed away, I started a new job which was a welcome and much needed change, we traveled to Florida together and we found out we were expecting a baby and though Jeanette was a surprise she has totally changed our lives.

I hope to never forget how I felt on our wedding day and that our love will continue to grow.

Wherever you go, I shall go
Wherever you live, so shall I live
Your people will be my people
And your God will be my God too

Wherever you die, I shall die
And there shall I be buried beside you.

We will be together forever

And our love will be the gift of our lives.

Hey there

Due to me being a cheapskate, I did a little blog refresh using Cutest Blog on the Block. Maybe someday I will pay for a blog design, but for now this works for me, something fresh and light!

I realize that it's already Tuesday, but I did not really recap my weekend.

I won tickets to the Ohio State game on Saturday in a work drawing.  I've lived in Columbus since I was 4 and I've never been to a game.  Our seats weren't exactly close and the walk up the super steep stairs was about enough to bring on an anxiety attack but we had a great time!

Since we had four tickets my brother and his wife came with us.  By far the best part was the half time show which was a tribute to D-Day and the troops.  The Alumni Band also joined which made it close to 1,000 people marching that day!

Andrew's mom watched Jeanette for us since my parents were out of town she had a great time with her grandma.  She was super nervous about watching her for such a long period of time but as always Jeanette was well behaved!

Sunday was a typical day around the house, cleaning, doing laundry and with the added fun of chasing Jeanette around.  It's so much harder to get things done now that she's mobile.  I can put her in the exersaucer so I can unload the dishwasher and she was in there quite a bit while I made baby food.  I've been trying to move things around in the kitchen so she can crawl around in there too.  I did the laundry and ironing while she was napping.

Jeanette also has an obsession with the cat and dog.  For the most part, they run off when she gets too close.  All three of my little ones love to stare out the front door and on Sunday, Bradley the cat was watching birds in the yard when Jeanette decided she wanted to get across the room to see what he was doing.  The cat did not run away at first but as soon as Jeanette screamed he was gone and it made for an awesome photo.

It's also really feeling like fall in Ohio so yesterday I decided it was time to make the first pumpkin pie of the season.  It's Andrews favorite food and Jeanette even cooperated so I could roll out the crust and use the leftovers to make pie crust cinnamon rolls.  My mom always did this when she made a pie and they are so good!  Basically you just roll out the leftover crust, slather it in butter and sprinkle on some sugar and cinnamon and bake them with the pie till they are cooked to your liking.  They are great with coffee!

On the agenda for this week:  Our anniversary is on the 22nd but we are celebrating on Friday night with dinner at J. Alexander's steak house.  My mom is keeping Jeanette overnight for us so we can have some time together.

When you miss someone

Soon it will be 2 years since my grandpa passed away after a three year battle with lung and brain cancer.  Not too long ago, my grandma gave me a box filled with old pictures and the one above was inside.  I had never seen this picture before.  I think it was taken on a trip to Florida when I was three.  There aren't many pictures of just me and my grandpa.  I see so much of my dad in this picture and I see a lot of Jeanette in me as well.

My grandpa was put into hospice just three weeks before my wedding.  What was supposed to be the happiest time of my life was also one of the saddest.  We were married on September 22 and he died on the 27 while we were on our honeymoon.  I remember the call from my brother, the quiet drive back to Ohio, the tears and seeing my grandma for the first time.  

I miss him almost every day.  I think of how much he would have adored Jeanette, how much he loved Andrew, his jokes that I had heard a million times but still laughed at them, his mannerisms, the sound of his voice, how he stirred the ice in his glass of cheap whiskey and his laugh.

Just the other night Andrew and I were sharing stories of him and how he was like a second grandpa to Andrew.  I never got to meet Andrew's grandparents and I imagine he longs for them to still be around to meet me and to meet Jeanette.  He was a good judge of character and the fact that he took to Andrew so quickly really meant something.

I hope that he's proud of me and that he's watching over Jeanette.  I know that as she grows older, I will be sure to share my stories and memories of him with her.  

Love you and miss you grandpa.

Currently....

The last month has been a bit rough, crazy and overwhelming....

Jeanette got sick for the first time with vomiting and a high fever
Andrew had strep and then a week later I got it
The engine went out in our car while on a road trip
Our cat got sick with a bad UTI

I've also taken on more responsibility at work, Andrew has been dealing with a less than pleasant boss and Jeanette has become mobile.

I haven't been able to keep up on the housework, even with Andrew's help.  We both come home from work and we are pooped.  I would much rather play on the floor with Jeanette and then veg in front of the TV after she goes to sleep.

I've also been experiencing a lot of digestive issues/anxiety/stress which has made it hard for me to work out.  I haven't lost any weight in the last three weeks.  It's depressing but thankfully at my doctor appointment a little over a week ago, I got some answers and I started on some medicine.  The doctor believes that most of my issues are anxiety related, so I am back on Lexapro which I took while I was pregnant.  It's been about 10 days since I started and I am already feeling worlds better.

I hope that soon our little family can get back on track.

On a more positive note - Andrew fixed our car, we are all healthy and happy, Jeanette cut her first bottom tooth and for now things have calmed down for both of us at work.

Life can be overwhelming at times, but I am always thankful for our little family and the life we have together!

The weekend & Jeanette's 6 month photos

Having a long weekend was so wonderful since we have been so busy lately!  Our weekend started on Thursday night, we celebrated my grandma's birthday at my mom and dad's house and my mom offered to keep Jeanette overnight.  She was going to have her on Friday anyway so it made sense.  Going home without her was so strange, but I knew she was in good hands.  I worked from home on Friday and worked on laundry and cleaning as well.  I wonder if I will ever get caught back up again.

Andrew had almost gotten the engine back in our SUV on Thursday when he was home and wrapped it up on Friday night.  I went out to help after Jeanette went to bed and by about 9pm she was up and running again!

Saturday morning I dropped Jeanette off with my mom, picked up my brother and headed back home to go to our favorite Labor Day Weekend tradition, Swapper Days.  Its like a giant, hillbilly flea market and we love to go look around and people watch.  It was super hot that day so we thought it best not to take Jeanette with us.  We didn't buy much but enjoyed walking around.

Sunday Andrew had to work, so I spent the day baby proofing the house, Jeanette is almost crawling now and can pull herself across the room as you can see in the video below.  Once Andrew got home, we ran our errands and went out for some wings that night.

Monday we visited with Andrews family for the afternoon after I went shopping at Goodwill with my mom in the morning.  It was half off day for the holiday and I was able to find some clothes for work.  I have really fallen off the weight loss wagon....I hope to post about that sometime in the next week or so.  We had a nice time seeing Andrew's parents since they were on vacation we had not seen them for two weeks.  They could not believe how much Jeanette had grown and that she was almost crawling.

I also got to see more of Jeanette's 6 month photos and wanted to share them.  Our photographer should have the disk to me in the next couple of weeks so I can get prints and post the rest!

I love this picture so much!!!!!

This is probably my second favorite photo.