Happy Birthday Ryan

Today is Ryan's birthday. I was very domestic and baked a bunch of cupcakes that spelled out "Happy Birthday Ryan." My dad, stepmom, sisters and brother all came up to visit today as well. I'm not sure what Sofia thought when she woke up from her nap and saw all those people in the living room. She was a little more cranky today than usual, so by the time we left for dinner, she had already had three naps. All of us, incuding Ryan after he got off work, trooped to Easton and ate dinner at California Pizza Kitchen. Yum! It was a fun experience, even though the service was a little lacking. (I can speak from experience, I worked in restaruants for 6 years.) Anyway, we all sat at one big booth, and Sofia was part of the fun because the restaurant had mini-highchairs that sat right on the booth seat. This was the first time I have fed Sofia dinner in public since she began on solids, and it was a lot smoother than I thought it would be. After dinner and the mall, Ryan and Sofia and I headed home. I think Sofia was out before we had even left the parking garage. When we got home, I put her straight to bed and, after some mumbling and babbling, she was out for the night. Speaking of going out, that's what Ryan did for his birthday evening. I figured he deserved it. I just enjoyed the evening alone, drank a couple of beersand

watched the Devil Wears Prada. Ahhh, relaxing!

Good News

SO, today after work I found out some awesome news. I have been accepted to the graduate program at Kent State for a Master's in Library Science. Honestly, there was no reason why I wouldn't have gotten in, but I was nervous anyway. I start classes in the fall, so I have a few months to mentally prepare myself for going back to school, working part-time and taking care of a baby. It's a lot on my plate, but I am excited.

Back in the City

Sofia and I made it back to Columbus today and pretty early too. I knew her whole schedule would be thrown off, and it was, so she was kind of cranky and tired. Luckily she took about three naps before Ryan even came home from work. I will say, though, when that girl is tired, boy does she like to laugh. I happened to pick her up and got a whiff of the diaper. It was stinky. So I said as much. "Ewww, stinky diaper!" And Sofia started laughing. So I said it again, and again, and she just kept giggling as if it was the funniest thing she had ever heard. (What can I say, Mommy's a funny gal.) I love when she laughs, I just wish she did it more often. I could listen to it all day long. Usually I just torture her by doing the same action that makes her laugh over and over. Also, one other thing, Sofia took two little crawls forward today. She was doing the typical sit and lunge (sounds like some kind of exercise) and usually she just falls fowards onto her stomach. Not today! Today she moved her little arms forward two times before falling on her stomach. I know, it's not that exciting, but hey, it's all I've got!

Road Trip

Sofia and I took a road trip to Cincinnati today. I was supposed to work, but I had some personal problems to take care of, so off we went to Chelsea's house. (This is Sofia's blog, so I'm not going to get into the personal problems, sorry.) Anyway, we drove down here and met Chelsea at her work for lunch. Sofia got cooed over by all of the female employees, as well as most of the men. After luch we continued to Chelsea's house (previously my mom's) and visited with our neighbor Elsie. After that we headed out to Grandpa and Grandma Whyte. It's been three months since they last saw Sofia in person, so she had a lot of tricks to show them. I think she was more interested in the cats than the Grandparents! She played, ate a dinner of carrots and formula, and then we were on the road back to Chelsea's. By that point, Sofia was sick of being in her carseat, but she was too tired to argue. I was just happy she went to bed very easy. I put her right in the pack and play and heard not a peep. It could have been a lot worse!

Busy Sunday

I swear, we were going nonstop from 9:30 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. Since Sunday's are the only day Ryan and I have off together (usually) we decided to start some spring cleaning. Actually, I started it by cleaning the bathrooms since he was watching Sofia. After that, I had to move onto our bedroom. It needed to be cleaned soooo bad. We're not dirty people, but the bedroom is the one place we put all of our extra things that we don't need or don't want out in the rest of the apartment. Once we got going, we really got going. It's less cluttered, things are put away, and you don't get stressed or claustrophobic. IT was verging on those rooms on the cleanup shows like Clean Sweep. After that, we decided to go to Target to get some more stuff for the apartment. (Thank God for the refund check.) Hoestly, this is the first time in the 5 years we have been dating that we have really been able to get our apartment decorated and looking more put-together, instead of a mish-mash of hand me downs. We're definitely growing up! So, as for the things we bought, they include a new dining table and chairs, a cd/dvd rack, and curtains for the living room. Can you believe we have never had curtains?! After we came home from that, and put Sofia down for a nap, we cleaned some more. Once Sofia woke up and was fed, we were off to Russ and Vanessa's for dinner. Throughout all of this, Sofia was awesome. She was a little fussy at Target because we put her in the shopping cart for the first time, and I don't think she cared for it. Mainly, she just wanted to chew on the metal bars. (Eww, gross.) After dinner, we came home and put Sofia to bed, and then proceeded to spend the next 3 hours putting together the table and chairs. Hopefully Sofia gets more of Ryan's patience than mine.

It's time to get clean!

Shopping!

Sofia and I spent the day shopping with my friend Beth. We almost spend it on the couch in our jammies, but instead we took advantage of the beautiful weather. We went to lunch at Panera, and Sofia got to sit in a high chair and continuously throw her toys on the ground and stare at a group of teenage boys behind us. After that we hit the stores. I was very good, only buying what I needed. I got my brother a gift for his birthday, which is today and picked up something for Ryan's birthday, which is next Saturday. After that, I had to go to Carter's. Oh that place will be the financial ruin of me! I only spent $20 on four outfits (I already had a $10 gift check). Oh, you should see these outfits!! I bought sizes that she'll be able to wear towards the end of summer into fall, but I can't wait. By the time we headed for home, Sofia had stayed awake for three hours in a row. Usually she can only go for two, but in the past few days, she's gone from three naps a day to two. This has been helpful for the times we need to go out during the day. Later this evening, our friends Russ and Vanessa came by with their daughter. Sofia was up for maybe an hour before we put her to bed. All in all it was nice day off.

Rainy Day and Senora Crankypants!

So, I was with senora crankpants all day today. I swear, she may only be six months, but boy can she have a little attitude. She was tired and mad (because I wouldn't hold her) and so she started to throw down her board books she was looking at. Right then and there I knew it was naptime. After she woke up from her nap, which was shorter than usual, she was still a little cranky. She ate most of her lunch and even tried the carrots I was giving her, and she seemed to enjoy them. But again, one hour later she was fussy and cranky so off to another nap. By the time she woke up, Vanessa and her daughter Genevieve were at the house. Sofia was so happy to see the baby! Genevieve's only 2 months, so it's crazy to see the difference between the two girls. By the time Vanessa left, Ryan was literally pulling into the parking spot she had just vacated. Sofia and I took a short trip to the mailbox. It was the only time we could get outside because of the rain. But at least it's warm, right? Anyway, by the time Daddy came home Sofia was put down for another nap. She was still sleeping when I left for work, so I can only hope that everything went okay and she ate her dinner. It was a good thing she took her little afternoon siesta when Ryan got home because we were able to assemble our newly arrived coffee table. Seriously, I thought the thing was shorter when we saw it at Target. It's taller than the couch cushions, but I guess that's the price you pay when you get one with two shelves. (If you saw the link from my previous post then you would know what it looks like, if not, click on the word coffee table in the post.) I think it's just something we're going to have to get used to. The matching t.v.stand should arrive tomorrow, while I'm at work of course. Please, oh please, I hope someone will not steal it!

A Day in the Life

This is for all of you who don't get to regularly see Sofia. A little taste of her world, shall we say...

8:00-9:00 a.m. I usually wake up sometime in this hour, talking to myself for the first 15 minutes. Hmmm...why hasn't anyone come to get me? Maybe I'll start crying...Yep, works every time.

9:00-10:30 a.m. I start my morning off with a big bottle of formula while Mommy watches the news and Live with Regis and Kelly. After my bottle I get dressed for the day. It's always fun to see what Mommy will put me in, although usually I wind up in something different by the end of the day. After that I play in my exersauce o' fun while Mommy eats breakfast and when she's done she takes me out and plays with me on the floor.

10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Uh oh, now I'm getting tired. First I'll rub my eyes. Nope, Mommy didn't see that. Next I'll yawn. Nope, missed that one too. Okay, now I'll have to cry and act fussy. Yup, that one worked. Now I'm off for my nap.

12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Ahh, nice and refreshed (too bad my diaper isn't). Mommy takes me from my crib and puts me in my high chair. What is on the menu today? Yumm...looks like rice cereal, sweet potatoes and a bottle. After I'm done eating, and getting food all over the place, Mommy changes my diaper and then we play on the floor. Sometimes we go to the mall, but not today.

2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Okay, now I'm getting tired again. Time to turn on the crankiness. Works like a charm. Off to the crib for another nap.

4:30 p.m. -8:00 p.m. Ahhh. Daddy's home. Someone new to play with. There goes Mommy, out the door. I guess I'll just see her tomorrow morning. Now it's time for another bottle and diaper change. Then Daddy takes me outside for a walk and we look at the ducks. (I'm glad I don't smell as bad as they do.) Back inside we go for more playing on the floor. Wait, Daddy's picking me up. Must be bathtime! Splash, splash...Now I'm hungry from all that playing. (I know, we do it a little backwards, bath then dinner.) Yumm...sweet potatoes, rice cereal and formula again. One last clean up, into my sleep sack and time for a little cuddle time with Daddy. Tonight we're reading The Very Busy Spider, one of my favorite books. Next, I'll start rubbing my eyes, good he took the cue. It's off to bed until tomorrow.


I know, a little cheesy, but I was bored. What can I say? I hope you enjoyed A Day in the Life of Sofia.

Daddy's Day

Sofia got to spend the day with her Daddy. I had to go work from 9-6, so Ryan got a little taste of what I do everyday. From what I hear, they had a pretty busy day. First they went to get the oil changed in Ryan's car and then from there they went to Blockbuster. I think that's going to become one of Sofia's favorite places because she was grabbing videos from the shelf and talking to the dvd covers. After a nap and lunch at home, they both came to visit me at the library. What a nice surprise for my day! (Well, actually, I knew they were coming because I suggested that Ryan bring her.) When I got home from work, we decided to go to Ruby Tuesdays for dinner (oh how I love their salad bar) and we have made a new discovery about Sofia. Besides being able to attract 50 year old men (there were two guys sitting at a table next to ours and the one guy just couldn't keep from talking to Sofia and telling her how pretty she was), Sofia can now sit in the high chair by herself. No more lugging in the carseat everytime we go to a restaurant! She was a perfect baby while out. We laid out some toys on the table, and she happily grabbed them and played the hour we were there. She did keep throwing her toys on the floor, which I'm sure made Ryan and I look like prairie dogs every time we had to duck and pick one up.

Out and About

Sofia and I went to the mall today. Spring Fever has hit and we were ready to get out. We did have one casualty, though. The stuffed turtle Chelsea gave Sofia was lost in the mall. It was with is when we went in but gone by the time we came out and since I had already strapped her in the carseat, I just didn't feel like going all the way back in. Hopefully some other little kid found it and gave it a good home (but didn't take home the slobbery germs.)

Ryan and I are excited because I got my tax check, and with it we are buying a new coffee table and entertainment stand. I know the glass coffee table we have now is pretty and would be a fun obstacle for Sofia, but we just didn't think glass and toddling baby would work to well. I ordered the set on Target.com, which was a first for me, and it should arrive either Thursday or Friday. I hope we get everything we need, so that I won't be forever jaded about online ordering.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

I believe Kent Brockman from the Simpsons said it best, "On St. Patrick's Day, everyone is a little Irish, except of course for the Italians." (I have to joke about that with Ryan, since he's Italian." Sofia was ready for today with her green shirt, thanks to Grandpa and Grandma Whyte. I'm hoping she'll last in it all day, but most of the time she comes back from the babysitter's she has a new outfit on. We'll see.

Can I just say that Sofia gets more fun every day. I can't wait for her to be more mobile. Unlike all the people that warn me, I'm looking forward to her crawling and walking because I just find the newborn stage just slightly too boring. I like to chase after kids, it'll give me a chance to burn off some extra calories. (I know what you're going to say, "you say that now, but just wait." ) Anywho, that's about all I have to say for today. I'm not sure what the big plans will be for tonight, maybe drink a pint of Guinness after Sofia goes to bed, read a book, watch some t.v. I am the epitome of excitement.

I want to Stand!

Oh. My. Goodness. Ever since Sofia discovered she could pull herself up and stand, that's all she wants to do. (Thanks Chelsea for helping her "discover" her new talent.) Since she can't stand on her own, mommy or daddy has to help. If we set her down, she cries. Plus, I just added fuel to the fire by teaching her to pull up on the crib railing all by herself! I am proud and terrified at the same time. Ryan thinks we need to lower the crib now, but I was quick to point out that a. she still can't get to a sitting position from lying down and b., I really don't want to break my back bending down even further to get her in and out of the crib. In the end, laziness won! Other than that little accomplishment, things have been going well. Sofia's been eating rice cereal every evening and loving it. She's been sleeping more, almost thirteen hours a night. I tell Ryan almost every day that we are very lucky that Sofia sleeps as much as she does and we should not take it for granted. We are so lucky to have such a good baby!

Blech!

I know this blog is about Sofia, but man have I been feeling pretty lousy the past few days. I'll admit, Saturday was my own fault because Chelsea and I went out the night before and drank a little too much. But Sunday came and I was still feeling lousy and then by Monday, just in time for Sofia's doctor's appointment I was not doing well. If it wasn't coming out one end it was coming out the other. I know, that's gross, but I can't help it. I started feeling a little better today, but I was weak and dehydrated so I slept for most of the day. Thank God Ryan had the day off and he watched Sofia most of the time. Well, enough about me and my illnesses.

I can't believe how fast Sofia is growing and hitting her milestones. She can already sit by herself. She'll sit for long periods of time and the only reason she falls over is because she is usually lunging for a toy or something. Plus, Chelsea helped me discover that she is starting to pull herself up on things. If I sit her next to her exersaucer, she'll grab the edge, put her little legs underneath her, and pull herself up with minimal support from me. Plus, she tried to move towards the cat by "cruising" along the exersaucer too. However, I won't let her stand up alone because I don't want her to take a header into something. Pretty soon she's going to be crawling and walking and wow, time flies.

6 Months Old

Sofia has hit the 6 month mark and has come in at a whopping 13 lb. 4 oz and 24 in. 5th percentile for both height and weight. What can I say, she's petite. Now, if only mommy was in the 5th percentile too... Our doctor's appointment went well. We get to officially start her on solids, rice cereal, then veggies, then fruit. We did cheat and give her tastes of cereal about a month ago, but now we have the doctor's okay. Besides, maybe she'll start putting on the ounces.

A sweet tooth already?

Bad Luck

Okay, so first I just need to rant about our stupid apartment office. "Apparently", they are claiming they didn't get our rent check. I check my checking statement online, and sure enough, my check was cashed as of March 2. The only issue is I send half the rent by check, Ryan pays half with a money order, but both are put in the same envelope. So now I have to call the office tomorrow. Ugh.

So, on to news about Sofia. Well, there's not much. She's been fussy the past few days, and I think it may be because she is teething. Other than that, she seems pretty happy. I've been going through her clothes, weeding out all of the stuff that's too small. It's kind of sad to see all of the clothes that she used to fit into, and the stuff that she won't get to wear because of the season. I'm glad she's smaller because she is stays in her clothes longer, which makes them last. I can't wait until it gets warmer because I have some really cute clothes for this summer and spring, including two little pairs of shorts. I'm so glad I had a girl!

Bad Luck

Okay, so first I just need to rant about our stupid apartment office. "Apparently", they are claiming they didn't get our rent check. I check my checking statement online, and sure enough, my check was cashed as of March 2. The only issue is I send half the rent by check, Ryan pays half with a money order, but both are put in the same envelope. So now I have to call the office tomorrow. Ugh.

So, on to news about Sofia. Well, there's not much. She's been fussy the past few days, and I think it may be because she is teething. Other than that, she seems pretty happy. I've been going through her clothes, weeding out all of the stuff that's too small. It's kind of sad to see all of the clothes that she used to fit into, and the stuff that she won't get to wear because of the season. I'm glad she's smaller because she is stays in her clothes longer, which makes them last. I can't wait until it gets warmer because I have some really cute clothes for this summer and spring, including two little pairs of shorts. I'm so glad I had a girl!

Pants Head!

I really don't have much to say today, but I realized that I haven't posted any new pictures recently, so here you go.

Getting reasy to head out on the town!
Drooling machine.

Well, enjoy the pictures. Hopefully I'll have something more exciting to share next time.

What is With the Snow?

I mean seriously...come on! Yesterday was beautiful, but today has just been snow and wind. It's nice for December, but now that it's March I expect some warmer, sunnier days. So how did Sofia and I spend the pretty day yesterday? At the mall, of course. I know, I know, you don't even have to say it! I still can't get over how many comments I receive from people when I'm out with Sofia. (What can i say, I like getting them!) I've more than a few people tell me that she is the cutest baby, looks like a baby doll, is so tiny, and has huge eyes. I guess Ryan and I should start producing more pretty babies! ( Just kidding mom, I don't want to give anyone a heart attack out there!)

On a sadder note, today will be Sofia's first funeral. One of Ryan's previous coworker/friend passed away Sunday evening. He was a great artist, cook, and friend. We will all miss you Ben.

Finally...the Laughter!

Finally, Sofia has decided to laugh for me. She's been laughing and giggling with daddy for a few weeks now, but me? Oh no, not for mommy. Sundaywas the first time. I'll tell you, it's the sweetest sound in the whole world. However, now that she has giggled, I want to hear it all the time, at all costs! Today I may have gone a little overboard. I started bouncing her up and down on my leg and then I would sing her really high, which would make her laugh. So I kept it up and did it so long that she actually threw up a little. I didn't know, she kept laughing so I figured everything was fine. Besides, she's used to spitiing up. (I'm just kidding though, I really don't torture my child all that much.)

So, today was the first time I had to take Sofia to the doctor when it wasn't a regualr checkup. She's had a boil on her ear (I know, gross) for the past couple of days. I figured it probably wasn't anything, but I thought I should get it checked out since a few years ago Ryan and I both had Staph infections (again, gross). So we went and it turned out to not be a big deal, although the doctor did prescribe antibiotics which is supposed to turn her poop red (what is wrong with me today?! ).

Target+Carissa=Dangerous

Sofia and I had a full day yesterday. We started off by going to Target. Dangerous, very dangerous! But I promise, everything I bought were things I needed, like underwear and socks. And not even fancy underwear! Plus, I had to buy some things for Sofia. I bought some new bottles because we are attempting to wean. I'll tell you, it's really hard to stop breastfeeding. I'm happy to stop because it frees me up, but at the same time I feel really guilty (both because formula is expensive and I feel as though I'm robbing Sofia of valuable nutrients.) Please, someone tell me it's okay! Anway, back to my day. We went to Target and then out to lunch. Our next stop of the day was the library. We went to one of the musical performances they were having. I swear, Sofia was the star of the show! The musician loved her and Sofia really like watching her play her guitar. One of the librarians who was running the program talked about Sofia in front of the crowd. I felt embarrassed, and proud, at the mention. Finally, we ended the night at my friend Beth's house. Beth and her boyfriend made us dinner and we stayed there until the late hour of 9:30 pm! My how things have changed.

I Like to Read

Okay, sometimes I think I go a little overboard with the amount of items I check out at the library. As of today, I have about 40 books checked out. Yes, 40. And that's after I already returned some reserves I decided I could wait to read. What is wrong with me? I'm never going to read all of them, although I'm sure I'll try. I will admit that of the 40, at least 15 are books I took out for Sofia. What can I say, I like to have a mini library at home. At least I don't have to worry about fines since I work for the library. Who knows how much I would be in debt!

Anyway, I wish I had exciting things to say about Sofia. We walked to Big Lots today (I love that store.) and I bought her a cheap, plastic phone. I think the reason I've been buying her toys lately is not because she's bored with the ones she has, but because I am! So yeah, we got outside and boy was it windy! I made sure to bundle her up in her snow outfit and a blanket, plus I draped an afghan over the stroller to block the wind even more. I don't think she minded being outside because I'm sure she gets as sick of being inside as I do.

Oh, one more funny thing. Our friends Russ and Vanessa have their daughter who is one month old. They took her to the doctor and she was about 9lb. 10 oz, right in the 50th percentile. What was Sofia at 1 month? 7lb. 14 oz. What percentile? About the 4th. What can I say, we have a little baby (and I'm told that everytime we go out.) Sometimes I wish I was in the 4th percentile!

Give Me a Kiss!

I had to post this really quick. I think Sofia knows how to give kisses. When she woke up this morning, I picked her up in my arms. She put her hands around my neck and then proceeded to slobber, suck on my cheek. She has never done that before. Then, just to see if it was a fluke, I had her on my lap and said, "I want kisses!" Sofia turned her face towards mine and again kissed/slobbered on my cheek. She did that about five times in a row. I'll have to keep testing her after she wakes up from her nap, but for now I'm going to keep believing that she is giving me kisses!

My New Toy!

Sofia has a new toy today. Ryan's chef gave it to us. It's an exersaucer, which, from what I hear, is an amazing invention in the world of babies. Sofia seems to like it. At one point, however, she stood up in it and couldn't figure out how to sit back down. The look on her face was priceless. Don't worry, I didn't let her panic too long.

Sofia and I went to the mall today. Just two girls on a shopping trip. It was nice to get out of the house. It was such a pretty day too. Finally the weather is starting to go above freezing which made it not a big pain to go out with Sofia. I couldn't get over how many people commented on her while we were at the mall. People talked about how pretty she is (which is true), what big eyes she has (which she does), how little she is for her age (which I don't get) and what a cute boy she was (which she isn't). We only ran across one crazy guy at the bookstore. He grabbed her little doll and started shaking it in her face. I'm sorry, but I would never take some random baby's toy and shake it in their face. But whatever. (He was also the one who thought Sofia was a boy, even though she had on purple socks, butterflies on her pants, and the doll he was shaking was pink.)

I'm definitely looking forward to tomorrow night. Ryan and I are having a date for the first time since October. Okay, we did go the movies for two hours on New Year's Day, but this time we're going to the movies and Panera. One of Ryan's coworkers is going to babysit for us. I hope Sofia is good for Dawn, especially since she has to put her to bed, which I hope Sofia will cooperate. We've never had anyone besides us put her to bed. My biggest fear would be coming home around midnight, and Sofia still being awake. I'm sure that won't happen, but either way I'm sure I post it!

Back to Work

Aahhh...I'm finally back to work after not being there since last Friday. I've been stuck in the house because of the cold and the snow, and poor Sofia and I are going stir-crazy. She was being whiny, I was being whiny, it just wasn't good. But now I'm at work and I'll be here all day tomorrow too. People probably think I'm crazy because I actually want to go to work, instead of vice versa. If I worked full-time I would probably feel differently, but I don't, so I'm happy to be here.

I know I shouldn't wish for Sofia to get older, but I really can't wait until she can do more and play with me. She's fun now, but I'm running out of ideas of things to play with her. Yesterday I sat her in the laundry basket, surrounded by pillows, and threaded a scarf through the holes and pulled her around the apartment. She enjoyed it until I took a corner too fast and tipped her over. Don't worry, she was fine. I just startled her a bit. I might have to break out that game on Saturday. I just need to find some more ideas. There is just so much staring in the mirror and looking at myself that I can take!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy V-Day! I've had two days off from work in a row because of all this crazy snow. We have at least 8 inches, if not more, outside the apartment. Ryan, Sofia and I braved the snow and went out to dinner tonight to celebrate. Last year on this day, Ryan and I were seeing Sofia for the first time, only she was the size of a lima bean!

But back to this snow! I figured I would be off yesterday because it was pretty nasty, but today came as a surprise. Unlike most people, I hope I work tomorrow because I

actually like going to work. I know, what's wrong with me?! It gives Sofia and I a much needed break from each other. (Sometimes I think she needs if more than me!) I wish I could go outside and play with Sofia in the snow, but that's just not possible. Maybe next year. We did take a walk to the mailbox. I bundled Sofia up in her little snow outfit. I don't think she knew what to make of everything, especially the cold wind blowing in her face. I would have walked around a little longer, but I had fears of falling or slipping on the ice, so we didn't trek any farther. It'll be much easier when she can walk, that way, when she falls, she'll be closer to the ground and it won't be my fault! (Is that being a bad mother?)

5 Months Old !

Sofia is 5 months old today and I can't believe how fast time goes. It seems like just yesterday she was a motionless blob on the couch, even though I really can't remember that stage because of the sleep deprevation. She has changed so much, rolling over, eating cereal, getting sick. So many "firsts" and many more to come.



Sofia is still fighting through her first cold. I called the doctor this morning to see if I should bring her in because her cough sounds kind of bad. It's rough and phlemy(is that even a word?) and I just wasn't sure if there was anything I could give her. There isn't and she seems to be doing better. It was nice to have a normal day. Sofia and I were able to follow our usual schedule since we weren't traveling and had nothing planned. I was even able to clean the shower( I'm ashamed to admit it's been a while), dust, do laundrey, and even make dinner (beef stroghenoff) in my crock pot. Wow, I am so domesticated. It beats sitting around watching crappy t.v. I've been trying not to watch too much when I could be doing so much more. Once the weather turns warm, I'll be out of this apartment going to the park, the library, shopping (but not buying), and anywhere else that's not inside this apartment! Hopefully this cold weather will pass, even though we have another storm coming through with lots of snow and freezing rain! It's hard to get excited about snow when you don't have snow days to look forward to.


Five month's old!

Books, Books, and More Books

There are books out there for everything, parenting included. Since I work at a library, I have access to these thousands of books and usually I take advantage of it. Right after Sofia was born I started to read all of the parenting books and baby books. (Actually, before she was even born I started to read the pregnancy books, so I was doomed from the start!) Anyway, I've read what seems like dozens, and probably is, of these books. Now that Sofia is almost five months old, I'm getting a little bored and overwhelmed by all of the "advice" these books have to offer, most of which contradicts each other. I've moved on to humorous parenting books. I know, it's still the same genre, but at least it's a step (if not a small step) in another direction. Although I'm sure by the time Sofia is hitting her toddler years I'll be reading What to Expect the Toddler Years! Anyway, the whole point of this post was to say I have found a very funny parenting book called Sippy Cups are NOT for Chardonnay. I wanted to recommend it for those who read this that are going to have kids or have just had kids. (That would be you Jessica and Vanessa!) It's very real and very tongue-in-cheek. And no, this won't turn into a book report!

Farewell

Well, we sent Grandma Colleen on her way to Phoenix on Tuesday. It was quite an adventure taking her to the airport with all of the snow coming in! What would normally take 20 minutes turned into an hour drive to the airport, and a three hour drive from the airport. Chelsea was driving and I was in the back seat with Sofia. Since we were only going five miles an hour, at one point I had to feed Sofia. (Illegal, I know, but it beat a crying baby.) I wish I could say that going to Cincinnati had been more fun, but Sofia was sick with a cold while we were there, so her being fussy didn't add to anything. Plus, with all of the snow, I couldn't make it back to COlumbus until today, which made me miss a day of work. I cherish my work days because I get a break, so I'm trying to enjoy my time at work today. I was happy to leave her with Ryan this afternoon. I feel bad, but after being with her non-stop since Sunday and the fact that she was sick kind of took its toll on me. Is it bad to feel that way?

Mom, if you're reading this, I hope Phoenix is fun and we miss you already. Again, it still feels as though you're on vacation!

Nothing exciting planned for the rest of the week. Just work tomorrow. Then maybe a trip to the grocery store because we are running out of everything at home!

Sick Baby

Yesterday was quite a scare. Ryan called me about 4:30 p.m at work to tell me that Sofia had been puking all day at the babysitter. I knew if Ryan called me at work, then it must be serious. I have never raced out of work so fast! When I got home, poor Sofia was fast asleep in Ryan's arms, looking a bit yellow. I called my mom, no answer. I called my dad. I called my friend Jenn who is a nurse, no answer. Finally we got a hold of Ryan's mom. She told me to breathe, which I did. She said that as long as Sofia didn't have a fever, which she didn't, or diarrhea, none too, than she was probably okay. I called the doctor just in case, and he just said to give her Pedialyte so that she won't get dehydrated. Once we gave her that she started to feel better and even went to bed at her normal time. This morning I woke up to a cheerful baby (although mommy wasn't quite as cheerful because it was 7:30 a.m.) All seems to be well today. Sofia's a little more sluggish than usual, but other than that, she's doing good. I'm still keeping her on the Pedialyte diet. I do feel bad because that stuff tastes nasty, I know because I tried a sip last night. MMmmm, warm salt water!

TGI Friday

Today is the start of any normal person's weekend. Not me, I work tomorrow and Sunday. I tried to make today special, though. Sofia and I went to the library and listened to a music performer that they're having every Friday this February. Sofia had a really good time looking at all of the people. She would stand in my lap and tap her little foot. The added bonus was the other babies around her. She was fascinated by them! Then, to cap off the evening, we picked up Ryan and all went to T.G.I. Fridays. I have not been there in ages. (Last time Ryan and I went there, which was when I was still a manager at BW3, two of my cooks were there, but us a bunch of shots, and then preceded to get kicked out (them, not us). It's a long story.) Anway, we went there and had a pretty nice, albeit quick, time. Sofia spent most of the time eating, so I got to use my one-handed eating trick. (Now that I think about it, people usually eat with one hand, but you get the point.) Their food was tasty, especially those new fried green beans. And I'm not even being to endorse them! Once we got home, I fed Sofia more cereal tonight, and she actually ate the whole bowl. I was pretty surprised, but she kept opening her mouth for more. I like the cereal, but for now we're just going to keep it to tastings.

Sale, Sale, Sale!

It has been so cold lately! Usually I like winter weather, but now that I have Sofia, the cold makes it really hard to get out and about. If it was just me, I wouldn'd mind the short walk through the parking lot to the mall or wherever. Now I have a stroller to unpack, a baby to unpack, ect. It's just not quite as fun. Sofia and I did venture outside yesterday. We took an exciting excursion to Target. Exciting, but dangerous. Not because of the cold, but because of the temptation. It never fails, I feel the need to buy something everytime I go there. Granted, I had a mission to buy diapers and wipes, but then I veered off course into the baby section (always a big mistake) and saw sale! sale! sale! I was good, I only bought a few (three) onesies. And I was smart, I bought bigger sizes that Sofia will fit in next year. I did the same thing when I went to the mall on Monday. The Children's Place, which is usually too pricey for my budget, was having an awesome 50% off sale on already markdowned clothes. I was able to get a 12mo purple zip up fleece hoodie, green sweatshirt, long sleeved onesie, and a blue velvety shirt (12 mo.) for only about 13 dollars. Original price for all four? Somewhere close to $40. I know, I'm incredible. No more shopping excursions for a while, at least not until the tax checks come in and then I'm going to pay down a credit card. After that, Ryan and I plan on purchasing a new coffee table (the thought of glass and toddler just don't seem to mix in my mind) and a new entertainment center. Plus a few other things like new shoes, glasses, ect. I know, we are the epitome of excitement.

Yum Yum! Part 2

It was night two of the rice cereal show here at our house. We even broke out the high chair for this event. I can't believe how easy it was. She would grab the spoon and bring it to her own mouth. We still need to work on swallowing, but we'll get there. For now it's just fun to watch her expressions as she eats the food. They're mixed with surprise, disgust, shock, and finally acceptance. We're going to keep with the cereal for awhile, at least until she learns to swallow it better. It could be worse, she could just be spitting the food right back at me.

Yum Yum!

Baby cereal. Probably one of the blandest things ever made. Sofia did pretty well for the first time eating it. She'd swallow, spit, swallow, cry, swallow, smile, ect ect. She was so hungry that she would grab for the spoon as I brought it towards her mouth, and then once the food was in, make a very disgusted face. I don't blame her. I tried a little taste, and it is pretty bad. But the experience was fun. Now we'll get to give her little tastings every day and soon she'll be eating it all the time. Ryan is more excited about the actually baby food vegetables and fruits, but I keep telling him we have to do this for a month or two before we move on. After the rice cereal, maybe I'll mix it up with some wheat or barley cereal...delicious! I will admit, I feel a little guilty going against what the doctor said, but oh well. It's my baby, "I'll do what I want!" Although I will feel bad if she has some sort of reaction (doubtful).

Ryan was a little put out because I didn't have any pictures of him, except for one of his hand, so I said I would add more. This is the best one so far. December 26, 2006. There, now you're included, Ryan!

What the ?

Okay, I finally figured out how to download pictures from my camera to my computer, which means I can upload new (and current) pictures of Sofia for everyone to see!

So, I've had a busy past couple of days. This wouldn't happen if I updated my blog everyday, but now that I have pictures, I'm going to try. Yesterday, Sofia and I drove down to Hamilton for Mom's surprise going away party. She was really good until the party started, and then she wanted nothing to do with anyone but me. She'd cry and fuss unless I held her. It was fine at first, but then, right before we left, she started wailing! It must have been her stomach because she was pretty gassy once we got home. Today we visited Russ, Vanessa and little Genevieve. Sofia was good, and pooped yet again! Tonight we went to Ryan's work Christmas party (yes, I said Christmas party.) Everyone loved Sofia, and she showed what a good baby she could be! No crying, only a little fussing. After next week, when we go to Cincinnati to send Grandma Colleen on her way to Phoenix, things will slow down and we won't be travelling as much.

Tomorrow will be a new experience. We're going to try and give Sofia cereal for the first time. The doctor said to wait until she's six months, but honestly I think she's ready (and the doctor is a little old-fashioned) and Ryan is so excited about starting her on real food. He's been talking about this before she was born! I'm just amazed at how fast she's growing! She can practically sit up by herself, for about 30 seconds, and she talks to herself all the time. And now, especially after seeing Genevieve, I realize how fast time flies. I'm trying to enjoy it as much as possible. Well, that's about it for now. Here are some pictures to enjoy!

Sofia reading her book!

What are you looking at?

Hanging with Russ (looking a little like a boy!)

Back from Cincy

Sofia and I just returned from Cincinnati this afternoon after visiting my mom for a couple of days. We're trying to get in as much face time as possible before she makes the big move to Phoenix. We went down there on a whim. I woke up Tuesday morning and thought, "Hmm, I have Wednesday off and I don't work until 5 p.m. on Thursday, I think we'll drive down to see mom." And so we did. Ryan didn't want us to go at first, he gets worried when we drive that far together since I don't have a cell phone. But it was nice and I was glad I went.



We got down there Tuesday evening, almost 10 p.m. Sofia slept the whole car ride and was bombarded by mom and Chelsea, so she didn't get to bed until close to midnight. Then, an hour later, she woke up (thanks to me trying to turn her head because it looked very uncomfortable how she was sleeping) and cried until after 2 a.m. I don't know what was wrong with her, altough my mom said she was probably so tired she didn't know what to do. Finally, I rocked her until she fell asleep and put her in bed with me and Chelsea. Thankfully last night was much easier! I'm glad I went down there too, because I got two free end tables out of the deal. My mom didn't want to take them to Phoenix, so I said I would take them (they match the wood on our couch and everything.)



Other than that, now I'm back at work. It's a pretty quiet night, which is nice, but I wish it was a little busier. I have all day off tomorrow, and then Saturday it's back to work and for Sofia, back to the babysitter. Which, by the way, seems to be working it out. They said Sofia was very good. She fussed for the first hour, but then fell asleep with Whitney, our babysitter's daughter, and after that she was very good. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that this will last.

This is an older picture because I haven't had a chance to download the new ones.

By the way, I forgot to mention that Sofia had her four month checkup. She went to a new doctor, and I'm not sure how I feel about him. However, as far as her stats, she is 11 lb.s 4 oz. She is 23 and 2/3 inches tall. And she got four shots in her poor little legs. Luckily, Ryan was with me and was able to witness it all. Although, I must say, the shots weren't as bad this time around (at least not for me watching them). We go back in two months, and I'm going to give the doctor another chance.

Cabin Fever

I think Sofia and I are both getting cabin fever. It kind of sucks being stuck inside all day because of the rain. Plus, I think Sofia is definetely starting to teeth. She constantly has her fingers in her mouth. But sometimes she isn's even sucking on them, but instead she pushes them against her gums. Plus, she's starting to get fussier in the evenings. And here I thought we had already passed that stage!

She started at the new babysitter today. I like her babysitter, Suzanne and her daughter who helps, Whitney. But, I still cried when I left her there this morning. (It was partly leaving her and the other was from fighting with Ryan, but I'm not going to get into that.) I still need to check Suzanne's references, especially since everyone keeps telling me to, and that it will make me feel more comfortable. But, I just hate calling people I don't know, a common fear I'm sure. I'm going to do it, at least so I don't feel like a bad mother.

Other than that, I wish I could say more was going on. Our friends Russ and Vanessa should be having their baby in the next couple of weeks. I'm so excited! It's going to be weird seeing a newborn, even though Sofia was that age only four short months ago (it's hard to believe, I know.) I guess I can tell the other news too, if not then oops. I'm going to be an aunt. My older sister Jessica is pregnant, which is exciting. I never thought it would happen, at least not now anyway, so it was a big surprise when she told me (and I was told first!) . She's due around late August early September, just in time for Sofia's birthday. Now she'll have a cousin. (But she will always be the first grandchild!!)

Vanessa holding Sofia at 6 days old. (You can't see Vanessa's bump, but it's there!)

By the way, I will promise to post more pictures as soon as I figure out how to download new ones from my camera to the computer.

Rough Night

Last night was rough. Sofia has been sleeping through the night, ten hours or so, since she was a little over two months old. Last night was the first night in a long time it took forever for her to fall asleep and stay asleep. She was fussy until about 9:30 and then we put her down. An hour later she was up and crying. I tried to let her cry and fall back asleep, but she wouldn't. I finally had to take her out of bed. Even after I picked her up she wouldn't stop crying. Plus, whenever she opened her mouth, her breath smelled a little off. Slightly metallic. It was really weird. After calling my mom at 11 p.m. and searching the internet for reasons of the metallic smell, I broke down and fed Sofia. I guess that did the trick. After a few minutes of eating, she was back to her smiling happy self. She still fussed a little throughout the night and woke up at 7:45 am, but at least she's not sick or something (at least I hope not.) Now she's been napping for the past two hours, which has let me get a lot done. I've been able to clean both bathrooms, clean the kitchen, eat a snack, read my e-mail. Although I feel as though I have done a lot, just looking around the living room makes me realize there is so much more to clean. Oh well, that's what tomorrow is for!

Babysitter Accomplished

Im keeping my fingers crossed, but it seems we have found a new babysitter, for now. She only lives about five minutes away, mother of four and works from home. She starts Saturday and I'm nervous. Relieved and nervous at the same time. At least the search is over with for a while because I hate having to talk to new people when it comes to things like this.

Well, I think Sofia is finally readjusting from the holidays and aunt Chelsea visiting this past weekend. She was fussy last night and took a while to fall asleep, even after a fun bathtime (in which she didn't cry once!). She slept through the night, right through her 5 a.m. feeding she sometimes likes to take. Ryan went and checked on her before he went to work at 8 a.m. Usually she'll make some grunting noises or things like that, but nshe was silent. I woke around 9, which is such a luxury, and even though I didn't hear anything from her room, I couldn't go back to bed because I was too worried that something was wrong. I finally went and woke her up at 9:30. So, from that point on, our day was off. She was in the middle of her morning nap when I had to wake her up to go to our interview. By the time we left, she was cranky and tired. So, after eating, she fell asleep in her crib (and I fell asleep on the couch.) She woke up, and cried while I changed her, one of those gut wrenching cries. I fed her again, she fell asleep. Finally, after Ryan came home, she woke up just in time to go to the grocery store. I turned her around in her front carrier so that she could see what was going on. I think she really liked to see what was going on, and gumming the front of the carrier. The thing was soaking wet by the time we got home, as was her shirt. I never knew so much drool could come out of such a small person. Anway, she fussed a little bit tonight, fighting sleep until the bitter end. When will she learn that sleep is a losing battle? The funniest part of her bedtime was the Ocean Wonders crib toy we got for Christmas. Sofia likes it until she wants to fall asleep. She cried when it turned off, so I went in her room and turned it back on. Five minutes later, she started crying again. I went in to see if it was still on, which it was, but this time she as crying because she wanted it off so she could go to sleep. I turned it off, and she was out within seconds. Weird.

Drool

Friday afternoon, Sofia and I took a little road trip down to Cincinnati to surprise my mom at a work get together. It was about a four hour round trip, but it was worth it. Sofia was a little overwhelmed when we first got there, and one of mom's supervisors made her cry, but other than she was pretty good. Chelsea came back with us because she babysat for me on Saturday. We're still looking for babysitters, but I do have a couple of
interviews tomorrow. I hope it goes well!

So, Sofia has been drooling up a storm. I have to change her shirt a few times a day because they get so wet. Plus, she's starting to blow rasberries, which is pretty funny. She'll just sit there, and then out of nowhere, she'll start up. She's like a little motorboat. It's really neat seeing her reach all of her milestones. Well, now it's bathtime. I'm still waiting for her to enjoy it, but usually she just sits in her little tub with her fists balled up as if she's freezing. I'm sure it will happen soon.

Happy New Year

Last year at this time, I was pregnant and didn't even know it. I spent a couple more weekends getting a little crazy. Wow, how life has changed!

So, we went and saw Ryan's mom and stepdad, Mark, this past weekend for New Year's. It was relaxing because once we got there, we didn't have any other place to go. Ryan and I even got to go out alone and see a movie together, something we haven't done in almost six months or so. We saw Night at the Musuem with Ben Stiller. I highly recommend it. Two thumbs up. Sofia was good. Smiling and talking and being cute. She especially liked Mark (she has a thing for guys, something we'll have to watch out for when she gets older!). We had Christmas all over again. I got a beautiful red robe (thanks Rose!) that I'm wearing right now. Sofia got a very cute yellow outfit and a little stuffed pony. We left Tuesday to resume our normal lives. Let me just say, I was very happy to go back to work today. I missed the library. We were busy too, which really helped time fly. I had to switch my weekend days because we have yet to find a babysitter. Luckily, I talked Chelsea into coming up here again with the promise of $50 dollars and a Mr.Winkle day planner. I do have a couple of prospects in the childcare department that I am going to further explore tomorrow.

Oh, last, but not least. Ryan and I have entered the 20th century with our new internet connection. (I know, I know, it's the 21st century, but everyone else has had internet long before us.) Now I'll be able to update this blog everyday, rather than waiting until I was at work to do it. I'm sure I'll have some fun stuff to write after tomorrow. Until then...

Happy New Year

I'm sure you're all wondering where the pictures are, but until I find my cable for the camera I can't post any. So, keep an eye out in the past postings because that's where I'll put them when I find them. Anyway, I can't believe it's 2008. Where did 2007 go? We New Year's Eve at our friends Russ and Vanessa. Their little girl is four months younger than Sofia so the two got along, well, as much as two 0ne-year-olds can. To put it in perspective, there was a lot of cup sharing between the two and a little bit of pushing, but all in all they were really cute together. As for the adults, we started a little imbibing after the kids went to sleep. I think I imbibed a little too much and stayed up a little too late. Luckily no one had to worry about driving because we stayed the night (see, we're responsible adults.) However, imbibing too much always finds a way to bite you in the behind. Silly me, I figured that since Sofia stayed up later than usual, she would sleep in...no such luck. She was up about an hour earlier than usual. Ugh. Luckily Ryan got up with her and I was able to "sleep" for an extra hour or two. After we came home, all of us took a nap and then just hung out on the couch all afternoon. I'm a little bittersweet that the holidays are finally over. Oh well, there's always next year.

On a Roll...

I thought last week when Sofia rolled over for the first time that it was just a fluke, because she hadn't done it since. However, today, lo and behold she did it again. Four times to be exact. I was able to document it on video (so now this day will live on forever.) It was pretty exciting. I cheer her on everytime, which I think freaks her out a little bit.

So, I've been talking to a prospective babysitter through e-mail for the past few weeks. I'm really scared to meet her. Not that I don't think she'll be nice or anything, but because trusting someone with my baby is scary. I don't know why, but I think it'll be easier to leave her with a daycare (if that day ever comes) than with just one person. Plus, it's always scary to let someone into your home, especially a complete stranger. Unfortunately, this is the age we live in and since the government won't help families find affordable child care, than I have to do it on my own. Ahhh, if only I was rich enough to not have to work, or better yet, I work and Ryan could stay home.

Enough about that (although I did warn that I would complain about the babysitter issue until I could find one.)

I got to work at the Children's Desk today. It was interesting. I almost think it's more scary working there than the reference desk where I normally work. However, I did find a book list containing books for babies that I want to get. I really want to start reading to Sofia as soon as possible. Plus, she's getting to the point where she is starting to pay attention for longer periods of time, so I think she'll like to look at more books. Plus, the winter storytimes will be starting at the library in January, and I figure she's close enough to the six month age limit (plus the ladies at the library always want to see her.) I just hope she loves books as much as I do.

Babsitter Blues Part 2

I swear, I am the worst person at searching for babysitters. I find numbers to call, or I have people I e-mail, and then I never call them back. What is wrong with me, seriously? Actually, I know the answer. I'm too afraid to find someone because I'm afraid to leave my daughter with a stranger. I'm sure that's a pretty common feeling. It's so hard to know who to trust. I've tried craigslist mainly, and I usually find a couple of viable candidates but I never follow through. So, what could be just a week or two of stress turns into weeks and weeks of stress. But how do you know who you can trust? (Plus, although it's hard to believe, I have a real fear of calling people I don't know on the phone.)

So, onward I look, and in the meantime I'll just complain about it to everyone (sorry everyone!)

I think Sofia is readjusting to life back at home. That'll only last for a few days because then we're off to Grandma Rose!! I could tell she was a little off today because she had a major poo for Ryan. I'm getting really good at training her to do that for him. Twice in two days, and daddy got to change them both!! I guess I would be pretty grumpy if I was clogged up.

What a Long, Strange Trip

What a long past few days this has been. Sofia has been a trooper. She barely cried, smiled at everyone, let everyone hold her, basically perfect! I asked my mom if I was that good when I was a baby. No, I cried alot.

Well, we'll be leaving Cincinnati in a few hours. I don't want to leave, but I am looking forward to going home and just relaxing. I've barely looked at my Christmas gifts because I was so busy taking care of Sofia. I finally have new work clothes. I've been wearing the same clothes for the past two years and they're looking pretty ratty. Someone please tell me why clothes manufactures make pants so long. Just because I'm a size 10 doesn't mean I'm 5'10". I guess I could get them hemmed, but I'm too lazy and poor. I'm going to get some new pants with my Target gift card I got. That is, unless I see a nicer wood coffee table. Ryan and I have wanted one for a while. Plus, the glass one we currently own won't be so safe once Sofia starts crawling and walking. I can just picture the damage the corners could do!

Okay, back to work tomorrow and back to our normal routines for a few days. Then next weekend off to Grandma Rose's house.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! What a busy past two days, but Sofia has survived so far. Yesterday we did Christmas Eve with the Whyte's, which is always crazy. About 40 people of so stuck in one house! At least I got a glimpse of what Sofia will be doing the next few years since practically every age group was represented. She got to sit on Santa's lap, and then everyone elses. Her little third cousins all wanted to hold her. (I told you it was a big family.) Sofia didn't cry at all. She just drooled, talked to everyone. She especially liked cousin Benji. Then, after getting home two hours past her bedtime, she went to bed soon followed by everyone else.

This morning I was the first one up. Of course I had to wake everyone else up and tell them that Santa had come!! This Christmas also had a new experience for me, breastfeeding while opening presents. I have never had to do that. I didn't mind so much (although I think it makes Chelsea a little uncomfortable, but then again, who wants to see their sister's boob?) Sofia got the ocean's wonder for her crib, some really cute clothes, a crazy singing train, and a set of my Little ponies. I think I'm more excited about those!! Her Uncle Logan insisted she have those.

All in all it was very nice Christmas. Everyone was so happy to see her. She was good at Aunt Connie's today. I must say, I think all of her little Christmas outfits were the best. Oh, thank heaven for little girls!

I hope everyone else had a wonderful Christmas as well. Now I'll just have to lose the 5 lbs. I've gained over the past few days.

Check out my new rocker!

Christmas, Here We Come!

Even though I'm 25, I still get butterflies in my stomach everytime Christmas draws near. I was so excited to leave work today I could hardly stand it! (And I did leave once, to visit Sofia because I had an extra hour for lunch.) This year is especially important because it is Sofia's first Christmas! The only sad part is that my mom will soon be moving to Phoenix, so this will be our last big hurrah for a while.

I can't wait to see what she gets because I'm the one who gets to open the presents!!

Well, I'm too excited to write anymore. I'm sure I'll spend all day tomorrow packing and baking. I'm trying out a brownie recipe involving a peppermint icing. MMmmmm. Can't wait.

(As you can see, my brain is no longer available because this post is all over the place.)

Christmas Shopping

Thank goodness Christmas comes but once a year. I tell myself every year that I'm going to start my shopping early, but it never happens. Besides, even when I try, I end up buying even more than I want because I feel I must. Oh well, tis the season for giving!

I don't know what's been up with Sofia the past few days. I think her schedule may be off a bit because she is being the biggest fusspot in the world. We went to visit my friend Beth yesterday for lunch. Everything was going well for the first hour or so, but then when Sofia started to get tired, she would not go to sleep at all. I guess it was too exciting. Beth has a dog and a cat and a real Christmas tree (and a very clean apartment!). I guess it was just too much and she was afraid she would miss something. I thought it was just that, but then she did the same thing today. No matter how hard I tried, the child would not take an afternoon nap. I think I've lost my magic mommy touch, and now daddy is gaining it. However, he has gotten exploding poo two days in a row, so I really can't complain too much.

Bah, humbug!

Babysitter Blues

Nothing beats the holiday blues quite like babysitter blues. When I went back to wok part time a couple of months ago, I had the hardest time trying to find a babysitter that would be willing to work Friday one week and Saturday the next. It's really, really hard. Luckily I have great friends and family who were willing to help out for a few weeks before I found someone. Finally, I did find Ashley, and I really like her. Unfortunately, it looks like her work schedule at school isn't going to work with mine, so now I'm looking for someone new. What a stressful time. I love working at the library, but I have the rotating weekends. It makes it really hard on working moms. It wouldn't be so bad if Ryan didn't have to work weekends as well, but that's the restaurant business for ya. Oh well, maybe I'll have luck. Otherwise, I'll just be complaining on this thing for the next few weeks.

Other than that, major milestone moment!! Sofia rolled over from her tummy to her back for the first time on Tuesday! It was kind of out of nowhere, because I had her on her stomach practicing tummy time when I looked down and noticed she had gotten both shoulders over and all that was left was her left leg. After a couple of kicks, there it went, and there she went. It was pretty cool. I was always afraid I would miss these things because she would be with the babysitter or something like that. I just can't get over how fast she's growing! Pretty soon she'll be sitting on her own and after that crawling. (I have to stop myself from getting too far ahead.)

I'm hoping the next couple of weeks go well. Poor Sofia will be doing a lot of traveling. First to Grandma Colleen and then Grandpa and Grandma Whyte for Christmas. Then New Year's we go to Grandma Rose's. I'm just hoping she'll be able to sleep in the pack n play and that her schedule won't get too off course! Wish me luck!

Until next time...

Pumping in the Morning, Pumping in the Evening

I love going to work, but one of the most depressing parts is sitting in the bathroom pumping. Those fifteen minutes I spend in there are horrible. I sit on a chair, stare at the white wall, and listen to the sweet sounds of "whir, whir whir." Honestly, it could be worse. I could be doing it in a public bathroom.

Okay, enough about the wonderful world of pumping. I worked all day today and my little Sofia was asleep when I left. She woke up for her early morning feeding and then went back to sleep right after. Of course she doesn't do this on my days off, but I guess today she slept until almost 9 am. She has to take after me when it comes to the sleep department. I have to be one of the luckiest moms because my baby has been sleeping through the night since she was two months old. However, I still can't explain why I'm tired everyday? Maybe it's those first months catching up to me!

Anyway, I work all weekend. Unlike most people, I don't mind working Sundays at the library. Probably because it's so busy and the time goes by quickly. However, it does cut into the time I get to hang out with Ryan. Sundays are the only full day we have off together, since he works on Fridays and Saturdays. But, it gives him a chance to hang out with Sofia.

I wish I had more exciting things to say. Sofia has discovered she can make some cool sounds if she has a lot of spit in her throat. Almost a gurgling noise. That, and she's started to make small rasberries. I guess her drooling is coming in handy as a communication tool (not just a cleaning tool as she likes to use it on mommy's, and whoever else is holding her, shirts.) At least the drool doesn't smell. We once had a cat who could burn a whole through your clothes with his stinky drool!

The Grossest Thing Ever

Okay, so this will probably be a very gross post, but I can't help it, I have to tell someone. So, to begin, Sofia hasn't pooped in about two or three days. That's quite a while for her. Plus, I could tell she had been having some gas pains off and on, so Ryan and I really wanted her to poop. Well, today I had her playing on the floor and I turned her over so we could have some tummy time. All was going well until she got really quiet. She looked as though she was thinking really hard about something. Well, I smelled what she was thinking about, and then I heard the tell-tale sound. I was happy because I knew she would feel better, that is until I went to change her. If only she had waited one more hour, then daddy could have joined in the experience too. Oh, it was so, so disgusting. I never could have thought so much could come out of such a little person. Well, I won't gross you with any more details. (If you could only smell it, then you would know.) And I thought breastfed babies weren't supposed to be so smelly!

"I feel much better now!"

Santa Claus is Coming...

Wow, I'm so glad I'm done with my holiday shopping. I swear, it gets more and more frustrating each year. Luckliy, Chelsea and I were able to brainstorm together and figure out gifts for the family. Plus, I couldn't resist buying Sofia a couple of new, cute outfits. I just defended my purchases by saying that she didn't have any cute Christmas clothes besides her two Christmas dresses, plus both outfits were half off at Carters. That store is dangerous. Thank goodness I didn't go there while I was pregnant, or I would be more in debt than I already am!! But, the outfits were worth it. I bought them big so they'll last through the winter. She even got to wear one of her outfits at the Library Christmas party on Saturday. I took along my posse (Chelsea, Ryan and Sofia) and we had a good time. I didn't get a chance to stay too long because it was too close to Sofia's bed time. She was very good, considering she was passed along from person to person. We even got a chance to go out on the dance floor and shake our booties! (Well, I shook my booty and Sofia just went along for the ride.) But, after shopping all day and then the party and then seeing Santa Claus On Sunday, there were no meltdowns! Getting ready to go to the Library Christmas Party!

T.G.I.F.

Seriously, thank goodness it's Friday! Three whole days off! (I know, I know, I only work part-time, but being a mom is a full time job in itself.) I love work, I really do, but I still get excited when the weekend comes. It still feels like a weekend.

This week will be especially fun because not only is Aunt Chelsea coming (which I've mentioned in previous posts) but it's also the work Christmas party. I probably wouldn't go if I didn't have Sofia, but I can't deny people the pleasure of seeing her. So, as my civic duty to the library, I will go.

P.S. Sofia is still being an awesome baby!! Changes are going to happen soon, I can feel it.

Roll, roll, roll your baby...

Poor Sofia is trying so hard to roll over from her stomach to her back, but she just can't quite do it. She gets so frustrated, starts to cry, and then just puts her head on the floor from the sheer exhaustion of it all. She'll get it one day. For now I help her by rolling her over.

I've been trying to keep my days exciting at home, but it's hard to do. Sometimes I feel like all I do is clean, watch the baby, shower, feed the baby, watch t.v., feed the baby. I've started to find some more toys to wave in Sofia's face. So far she's grasped a rattle and shook it (highlight of my day), put a teething ring in her mouth, and tried to put a stuffed butterfly in her mouth. So far, her favorite thing to put in her mouth is her fist. (I'm just waiting for the day she starts crawling and putting everything in her mouth.) Now that she's playing longer and more interested in things, it's a lot more fun.

Tomorrow the babysitter comes because I have to work my long day at the library. I'm sure I'll try to keep myself as busy as possible so I don't have to sit and think about her all day long. It usually works pretty well and I wind up calling Ashley only once or twice during the day. It's getting a lot easier as the weeks go by.

Another Day

I'm not good at coming up with clever titles for my post, and I apologize. Anyway, I can't believe the changes in Sofia. I don't notice them at first, because they happen so gradually, but then one day it's like BOOM! she's changed. For example, today I noticed that she doesn't cry as much when I set her down. For a while, she would fuss when I set her down and not stop until I picked her back up again. Today I noticed that when I set her down, she didn't care. Finally, I'm able to get things done. It may only be 10 minutes here or 20 minutes there, but it's worth it. Another thing I noticed is that she's trying to roll over when I put her on her stomach. She does this airplane thing, with both feet stretched out behind her and her arms in the air.

Today we played dress-up, or rather I dressed up Sofia and she just had to take it! I couldn't help it. She got her Christmas dress from Great-Aunt Becky and I had to see what it looked like on her. Very cute, of course. I don't think Sofia knew what to make of the tights, though. We'll see how long those stay on. Aunt Chelsea is planning on visiting this weekend. That means I won't have to change as many diapers, because she offers to do it for me and I'm not complaining! We're thinking of trying to get pictures with Santa this weekend. I know she's too young to know what's going on, but I can't resist the urge. Only now, you have to buy a whole package of pictures if you want any at all. What happened to the days of getting a polaroid? Oh well, everyone's trying to make a buck, even Santa.

Aunt Chelsea and Sofia. (Sofia looks thrilled!!)

Mommy's sick

It's a lot harder to be sick now that there is another person around. Sofia woke up at 7:45 am this morning to eat, and all I wanted her to do was fall back asleep. No such luck. However, today was Ryan's day off, so he woke up and took care of her so mommy could sleep an extra two hours. (I never would have thought sleeping until 9:45 am would be "sleeping in.") Things always run a little differently when daddy watches Sofia. I guess because I have everything down to science since I'm with her every day. Ryan does a good job, though, so I can't complain.

Plus, I can't complain about Sofia's sleeping habits. Most babies aren't sleeping through the night at this stage, so I really lucked out with Sofia.

I'm starting to dread her getting older, especially after watching the kids at the library. It gets old telling them to "quiet down" or "stop running around." I think parents think that librarians are free babysitters. I've seen little kids (toddlers) practically walk out the front door because their parents aren't paying attention to them. I've learned a lot of parenting skills just by watching what not to do.

The Babysitter

Sofia is hanging with our babysitter today. Ashley, the babysitter, is a really nice girl. She goes to college and seems competent, and I don't get a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach, but I still can't help but feel horrible every time I have to leave Sofia with her. The thing is, I really like going to work. So, as you can see, I'm between a rock (work) and a hard place(leaving Sofia with the sitter.) I know I'm not alone and I know it has to be done, but that doesn't mean I have to like it!

So, Sofia has started rotating while sleeping in her crib at night. I'll come and check on her and find that somehow she has twisted 90 degrees. Then, when I go in to feed her at 6 am, she has rotated another 90 degrees. It's like she's a clock or something. I don't know how she does it, I've never seen her do it while awake(while I'm awake, not her.) Of course Ryan saw her do it, but she's a daddy's girl and does all sorts of fantastic things when it's just the two of them. (Like not cry after her bath and almost laugh.) When she's awake, she doesn't care too much about trying to roll over, even though now's the time when she should start. Maybe it's a subconsious desire (do babys even have subconsious desires?) to roll over, or, as I like to believe, it's just magic what she does in her crib

Sofia and Aunt Chelsea. I promise I'll put more current pictures of Sofia as soon as I can, but for now these will have to do.