Olivia: 11 Months

Stats:

17.8 lbs

27.5 inches

Size: 12 Months

Size 3 Disposable diapers (on the rare occasion that we use them!)

Tooth Count: 4 on Top, 2 on Bottom

Nicknames: Liv, Liver Dude, Sneekle Freetzie, Chickadee

Finally growing some hair… still our little strawberry blonde, with the longest (dark) lashes I’ve ever seen.

Loves:

The Christmas Tree

Lights, lamps and fans.

Snowmen (not sure what it is about them… the stuffed or picture variety seem to really tickle her…maybe it’s something about that carrot nose?)

Her new Baby-Baby (from Mamaw)

Her new piano just like Daddy’s (from Gramma and Poppa G)

Slides

Big Gee (Giant Giraffe from Auntie Maggie!)

Eating Dirt, Grass and Sticks

Klyde Warren Children’s Park

All stuffed animals, blankets and soft things. Even those that don’t belong to her

Favorite Books: Where’s Spot? (Especially loves it when Mommy/Daddy make animal sounds), Baby Einstein Christmas Books, Mommies are for Counting Stars, Baby Animals Touch and Feel

Favorite Toys: Music table, toy drums, lady bug instruments, Melissa & Doug Puzzles

Little People Nativity Set

Any “toys” that are NOT “toys

Foods: Avocados are now OUT (Who would have thought?) Blueberries always a fav. Peas. Anything pinch-able or swallow whole-able. Also a huge fan of “Cherrios

Girlfriend LOVES her wubbanub… not ready to give up that Paci….

Cranks:

Swings

Sick on Vacation

Diaper Changes

Highchairs

Long drives in the car

Not being allowed to crawl around on the ground at the airport

The Snowsuit

Milestones:

Olivia’s First Christmas Highlights

Christmas at Mamaw’s

1st Cousins Bath at Mamaw’s House with Rylie (5) & Remie (7 mo)

Christmas Party and  Christmas Play at Great Papaw’s House

1st Christmas in CA

Christmas Eve Service @ St. Margaret’s in San Juan Capistrano

 Christmas Morning Presents and traditional Christmas Breakfast

Opening Presents

1st trip to the beach on Christmas Day Tide-Pooling & Exploring

1st trip to Big Bear (Also first time in the snow!)

1st brewery tour (@ Stone Brewery in Escondido, CA)

First real word: “Baby” … except sometimes it sounds more like “BAY-BO”

Other “Words” : Mama, Dada, Geee, Durg Durg Durg (maybe Dog? maybe Durch?)

Patting her tummy, Patting Mommy and Daddy’s back

Pointing at everything and making sounds that sort of sound like “dis” and “dat”

Reaching up high (WEEEEEE!)

Giving Kisses… big, open-mouthed, wet ones.

Olivia: 10 Months | Olivia: 9 Months | Olivia: 8 Months

Olivia: Bed Time, Best Time

In so many ways I really do believe that we were blessed with one of the BEST babies in the world. Olivia is generally happy, doesn’t cry or fuss much, nurses like a champ, is easily entertained, etc. HOWEVER – she still struggles with that whole sleep-through-the-night thing… Let me preface this quick rant awesome praise, by saying that I would NEVER trade her sweet temperament for 12-hour nights and that I LOVE LOVE LOVE our precious girl, even in the sleepless nights. That being said, bedtime is our favorite part of the day – maybe it’s the hope that tonight will be the night… the night that Olivia finally sleeps through the night.  I’m sure that day will come… hopefully sooner than later… until then, I’ll share the good.

Our evening routine usually starts after dinner, around 7. Olivia and I usually snuggle up in our big bed and read 3-5 books. These are our favorites:

Baby Einstein Rain-forest Discoveries – Here

Baby Touch and Feel Animals –  Here

Where’s Spot? – Here

Olivia – Here

Mommies Are for Counting Stars – Here

Book time usually lasts around 30 minutes, then Daniel takes over for bath time. I usually take advantage of the next 20 minutes or so and finish up the dishes from dinner, fold laundry, etc. Daniel LOVES giving Olivia a bath (with bubbles) – it’s kind of become their special alone time. After her bath, I spend about 15 minutes giving Olivia a little massage with our favorite baby lotion (Thanks Poppa G for introducing me to the good stuff!), brush/rub her gums, condition/brush her fuzzy head, get jammies on, etc.

Weleda Calendula Baby Lotion – Here

The Honest Company Shampoo + Body Wash – Here

California Baby Calming Bubble Bath – Here

Then we sit in the rocker and I say our prayers and sing a few songs while Olivia nurses… usually another 15-20 minutes. (She eats a TON at her last feeding of the day).

So total that up – Our bedtime routine takes anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half. Although that sounds like quite the process – I think Dan + I agree… it’s a pretty great part of the day…

UNTIL…

11:30 PM rolls around – Dan + I have been asleep about an hour (If we’re lucky!)… and Olivia lets out a few mild complaints… Rarely resulting in rolling over and going back to sleep. Usually I go in – let her nurse for a few minutes… rock her for a few more, thinking “surely this will be enough to top-her-off and she’ll definitely make it though the night”

THEN…

3:30 AM… and she wants to eat again… Except this time… we rock for a few minutes, I put her down…and her eyes POP open… “Mom! I’m not asleep yet!” so we rock a few more minutes… and I try again. Occasionally she drifts back to sleep. More often than not… after the 2nd or 3rd attempt, I’m too delirious and/or keep rocking myself to sleep, so I just throw up the white flag and let Olivia join us in bed. Immediately – she crashes. What is it about our bed? (Actually I know EXACTLY what it is about the super fancy memory foam mattress is AWESOME and pre-baby gave me some of the best nights sleep I’d ever had…)

BEEP BEEP BEEP…

5:00 AM Daniel’s alarm goes off… always enough to wake me up… luckily, Olivia sleeps through it. Daniel tip-toes around, showers + makes the coffee… Olivia squirms (still mostly asleep) and wiggles kicks for another 2 hours… I TRY to stay out of her way… and eventually get up, get a cup of coffee… read, check email, etc. only slightly irritated that she’s still sleeping… and I’m NOT.

I know we’ll get there eventually… Until then, I plan on joining my napping baby at least once a day.

Happy Siesta,

XO

Momma Meg

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