Baby Boy: 36 weeks

We are nearing the end! If I had this baby the same timing as Gwen, tomorrow would be the day. Luckily, it probably won't happen! I am interested to see what the last month of pregnancy brings since I didn't experience it last time. I can guess it doesn't bring too many pleasant things, but I am greatly looking forward to a baby who has had more time to grow and develop before entering the world. 

How I am Feeling: Large. Just large. My heartburn has subsided thanks to Zantac. I am really tired all the time still, but again, nothing to complain about because it all could be worse! I finally started feeling some Braxton Hicks contractions this past week. Last time I think I felt them much earlier. I am also very excited that my ankles are barely swollen. With Gwen, my ankles were ginormous from 34 weeks and on. 

Food Cravings/Aversions: No new aversions. For cravings, I really wanted raspberry tea over the weekend. I bought some, drank some, then remembered, "Aren't there certain teas you aren't 'supposed' to drink?" I look it up and apparently raspberry tea is one of them. I also don't abide by basically any of the pregnancy "rules" and I am almost to the end. At this point I am not going to stop eating lunch meat and soft cheeses.

What I am Excited About: Naming a baby :) Talking about baby names is one of my favorite topics. I think we may have finalized a name. We have had two for a long time that we liked equally, but after talking through them, I think we have made a decision. 

The other name we still really like, but realized we like it better for if we have another boy down the road. In other words, I am not going to even tell people the other name because it could very likely be used for a future child. Also, the name we are not choosing is a bit riskier and unique name so that gives us more time to see if we really like it before we permanently scar our child for life.

Sweet Thing the Husband did for Me:  It was a tough week. Gwen was super sick and it took a toll on everything. She wasn't eating, sleeping, or drinking anything which was physically and emotionally draining. I am tired non-stop anyways so add a sleepless toddler and I was dying.  One night she was up crying every 15 minutes for 3 hours. David ended up sleeping with her on the couch while I closed the door to our room and slept all night. He is amazing!

Something I have Done to Prepare for the Baby: I PACKED A HOSPITAL BAG! Last time since I was unexpectedly induced from my 36 appointment, I didn't have a chance to pack one. To top it all off we were in the hospital for so long I really did need stuff. It is a very incomplete bag since a lot of the essentials I use every day, but I at least have something. You better believe I am taking that thing to every appointment from here on out too. Just watch, this time I will go to like 42 weeks. Last time crazy early, this time crazy late. I am prepared for it all! I may have even printed off checklists for each of us so if David has to finish packing the bags he knows what to pack.

Gwen's Reactions: I talk about baby brother all the time and she says "bubble" in response, but that is all. I point to my stomach and say, "baby brother" and she then points to her stomach and says, "baby". Not quite... I can only imagine how this transition will go... She is very laid back in some areas and very high maintenance in others. I am mentally preparing for a few weeks of transition and adjustment. I don't expect this to go smoothly, so if it does I will just be pleasantly surprised and very thankful!

Appointment Update: Today was my 36 week appointment and everything looked great! I am measuring right on track. I am excited I get to go weekly now. Am I the only one who loves these appointments?

Facts for the Week:

Days left until due date: 27
Friends who have due dates before mine: 1 (by 1 day!)
Signs of labor: 0
Weddings on/off: off
Current prediction for baby's arrival: January 14


Bump Picture: I don't even have a 36 week picture from last time to compare!  Here is my 36 week bump with Baby Shook #2!

Cloth Diapering: 18 months later

6 months old and rocking her Charlie Banana

We started cloth diapering when Gwen was 2 months old!  We are still going strong!  We have moved on past breast milk poo, beginning solids, and now to the toddler phase!  Regardless of poop, we are saving tons of money and that's why we are doing this in the first place.  We quickly made back the original investment by the time she was one. I love it!

After doing this for almost a year and half, I definitely have preference and my go-to diapers for certain things. Cloth diapering is one of my favorite baby topics to talk about. I kind of love it.  Here are the pros and cons I have found with the different diapers we use on a regular basis:

BumGenius 4.0 Pocket Diaper

This is one of my go-to out of the house diapers.  Since I bought these as a seconds sale on Cotton Babies, I got them for $11 a piece, but no inserts.  My favorite way to stuff them used to be either with a flour sack towel or Charlie Banana insert. Now, to use either of those two I have to use an additional insert or doubler since her pee quantity has gone up. It is easier now to just stuff them with a prefold.

Pros: There are two HUGE pros with this diaper. First, it is simple to teach others to use.  We use snaps so I tell someone, "Count 4 snaps from the left and snap. Count 4 snaps from the right and snap. Done." Second, I know this diaper will not leak and will contain poop when we are out and about.  Crucial! Who wants to clean poop off a baby's butt, thighs, back, clothes, etc. in general much less in the grocery store?

Other pros: cute colors, multiple stuffing options,

Cons: The only one I can think of is that it isn't the trimmest option. When you have double up inserts, it is going to be fluffy!

**I have no idea what the inserts are like for the diapers. This is strictly for the shell.


Charlie Banana One Size Pocket Diaper

I got my only Charlie Banana diaper when Target carried them in stores.  The best part was I got it for 50% off!  I use the inserts that came with this diaper far more than I use the shell, but I will get into why below.  My friend uses these as her go-to, everyday diaper and loves them.  When I do use the shell, I have never had a problem and love the softness of the lining.

Pros: I can definitely see how this diaper would last until potty training.  For Gwen, the waist is still as tight as it goes without crossing the snap over.  Also, like I mentioned, the inserts are great and absorbent.

Cons: The part about this diaper I don't like is the thigh adjustment strap.  I am sure it is great and helps get a better fit, but I am intimidated by it.  I think I am going to put it on the wrong size setting then it will leak when I am out of the house.  That being said, I have never had this diaper leak.  I am just paranoid about it.  It looks like a bra strap found on the inside of the diaper. People who use these all the time would say it is no big deal, so don't let that deter you.

Imagine Prefolds

These are my everyday, all the time diaper. They still look as amazing as they did when I first bought them and Gwen is still in the size small. I use the unbleached cotton SmartFit kind. I simply trifold them and lay them in a Flip cover.

Pros: Affordable, easy to clean, natural fiber. Gwen is still in the size she was when she was 7 lbs. I have to size her up now so I can use the smalls on baby #2!

Cons: Gwen did start developing a rash from the wetness against her skin because unlike pocket diapers, there is no wicking layer between her skin and the absorbent piece. I simply went to JoAnn Fabric's, bought a half yard of micro-fleece, cut up liners, and the problem was resolved.

Flip

These are the covers I use everyday. Just like the BumGenius 4.0s, I got them at a seconds sale. They were only $7 each! Normally, they are $15 each. For Black Friday, I was able to score some more that are the discontinued colors for $5 each! I love that these have double flaps, one in the front and one in the back, which helps hold the prefold in place.

Pros: You can wipe out the cover in between changes as long as no poop gets on it and reuse it once it is dry. They are affordable, easy to use, don't need very many covers (cost effective), and versatile.

Cons: Not the easiest for on the go

**Once again, I have never used the inserts designed to go in the Flip cover.


Other random things I have learned:

1. Diaper sprayers make life 100x easier. We love the Bumkins brand and it has worked well for us on two different toilets. It is also cheaper than the BumGenius sprayer and has better reviews.
2. RLR is your friend when your diapers are looking dingy or aren't smelling quite right even after washing.
3. Make sure your water level matches the amount of diapers you are washing. I have heard it described as wanting it to be a stew, not soup. They need to agitate and rub against each other and not just float around. This was why mine weren't getting as clean.
4. Kelly's Closet has a Facebook diaper support group that is phenomenal. They have helped me solve problems and give great recommendations. I think you can search for it as "Cloth Diaper Support Group".
5. They are the easiest loads of laundry you do all week. There is no sorting, putting away in multiple bedrooms, hanging up on hangers, etc. I really don't even have to fold anything if I don't want to. It is the clothes laundry I can't keep up with. The diaper laundry is a breeze!

We will see how crazy things are when I have two in cloth. Right after baby #2 is born, I will take a break and have both kids in disposables until we have settled into our new normal. More to come on that later I am sure!

Baby Boy: 32 weeks

The countdown just keeps getting smaller and smaller! We are now in the single digits for how many weeks are left: 8 (well, 7 tomorrow)! That is not very long. I have a feeling that with Christmas insanity I will find myself with 3 weeks left and in a panic. I am starting to realize my dreams of painting 4 more rooms in our house before this boy comes is unrealistic. Maybe next spring/summer that will be a better project! 

How I am Feeling: Really great! For the past couple months, I complained a lot about reoccurring pain, but it seems to have subsided. I am exhausted all the time which is really the only symptom I am experiencing. I sleep like a champ at night. I go to bed early, sleep through the night, sometimes even snore, then wake up when Gwen gets up. I'll take it!

My heartburn is also not nearly as bad as it was with Gwen. Hopefully this doesn't mean our boy will have even less hair than Gwen. I'm not even sure if that is possible!

Food Cravings/Aversions: Nothing new here... I just want coffee and chocolate non-stop. Throughout this pregnancy zucchini has grossed me out.

What I am Excited About: There are so many newborns! A LOT of people I know have gone into labor the past couple weeks. It is fun being able to countdown how many people are left still pregnant and how soon they can be expected to have their babies. It makes me equally excited and nervous at the same time. I think I may only have one friend who is due before me now... that puts things into perspective for how soon this kid will be here!

Isn't it funny how all you want to do is speed the process up through 1st and 2nd trimester, then it hits you that you are bringing a child into the world. My brain then wants some extra time. Not like I have any control over it :) 

Ultrasound Update: On Monday, we had the 32 week ultrasound. They wanted to check on growth, fluid around the kidneys, and a very slight placenta previa. 

I knew that the previa and kidney issues would be corrected. My doctor said I pretty much had a 97% chance of both being completely normal and they were! The fluid around his kidneys was at a normal level and the placenta has moved up. 

The growth scan was the biggest wild card. At this point in pregnancy with Gwen, she was measuring in the 20th percentile requiring an additional ultrasound which ended in being induced 4 weeks early. As long as this baby was above the 20th percentile, no ultrasound would be required at 36 weeks putting as at great odds for having a full term baby. This babe was in the 30th percentile! Yay! No 36 week ultrasound as long as I keep measuring normal. He only weighed I think 2 oz more than Gwen did but apparently that was enough! 

If I had anything influence on things (I don't), I would love as small of a baby as possible without being too small. No one wants to deliver a 10 pound baby and I definitely don't desire another 4 pound baby. The 6-7 range sounds good to me!

Sweet Thing the Husband did for Me:  I have to brag on him. This is nothing new that he does, but did you know that he does ALL the dishes in our house? ALL OF THEM! He washes them, dries them, and puts them all away. I only wash a pan when it is dirty, he is at work, and I really want grilled cheese. Other than that scenario, he washes them all, almost every night I might add, and happily does it. If our kitchen looks clean, he is the one to compliment. I can assure you I wasn't the one scrubbing all those pans for an hour.


Something I have Done to Prepare for the Baby: Made two baby registries! A lot of this is to organize my own thoughts on what we may need to get with the added bonus of receiving a discount off anything I register for. This is especially helpful for that first time Target trip when you drop $300 after the baby is born.

Facts for the Week:

Days left until due date: 50
Friends who had babies this past week: 2
Number of people who told me I look bigger than 32 weeks: 1
Number of people who told me I look smaller than 32 weeks: 1

Bump Picture: 

32 weeks 6 days with Gwen

Don't mind my bathroom selfie... it is the best I could do! I am 33 weeks tomorrow so I got desperate :)

32 weeks 6 days with #2

Baby Boy: 28 weeks

Third trimester! Last leg of this pregnancy is underway.  Saying I have 12 weeks left sounds like a long time still, but hearing third trimester helps. It also makes me more motivated to get cleaning and organizing because we all know none of that is happening post-January! 

How I am Feeling: I would say average. I have a lot of more pain this time around.  I have had multiple occasions where I am convinced I am in preterm labor.  I was lucky enough to already be 1 cm at 36 weeks with Gwen which I think is part of the reason my induction was so easy, but I wouldn't be surprised if I was more than that at 36 weeks this time.  At least, I better be.  It would be affirming that this pain was productive :) At the doctors today, they probably were laughing at me to themselves when I told them my cervix hurt. Turns out I am not in preterm labor and everything is just fine!

Food Cravings/Aversions: No aversions to the point of nausea. I am not big on ground beef. I can still eat it in things like lasagna, but ground beef tacos don't sound very good. For cravings, I just want carbs all the time.

What I am Excited About: Seeing Gwen with her little brother. She generally likes other babies and doesn't seem to mind much if another kid takes a toy away from her, so I am hoping both those habits stay around! She is in for lots of fun and lots of learning!

Also, I have 2 friends that are 38 weeks pregnant and then many other friends not far behind them. Soon the babies will be coming! Almost every week I find out someone else is pregnant and I love it! Babies, babies, babies!

Sweet Thing the Husband did for Me:  Booked our babymoon! To say we got an amazing deal is an understatement.  We essentially got our room for $10 and were given a $50 gift certificate to spend on food, golf, or the spa. He even was willing to let me have the $50 gift certificate (plus some) to get a prenatal massage while he went without. Since we are doing this on a strict budget I decided since we would be buying food anyways we should spend it on food. I love that he was willing to pay up for me to be pampered. I mean really sleeping in and not having to cook is the best gift you can give to a mom so that's enough for me! I'll get a massage when we didn't just buy a house... and an area rug... and an ottoman... and Halloween candy.

Gwen's Reactions: She doesn't get it at all. She rubs my belly a lot and I say "baby" hoping it will eventually make some sort of connection. We have the crib assembled in the other room which she has noticed. She normally just says, "Eh?" and points to it. That's about the extent!

Something I have Done to Prepare for the Baby: Lots of Pinterest-ing for his room. We are also trying to get our house in order before he comes. I want all boxes unpacked by January and as many rooms painted as we can. As tired as I am now, it doesn't compare to new baby exhaustion! Now is the time to get it down.

Facts for the Week:

Days left until due date: 78 (under 100!)
Weeks until next ultrasound: 3.5
Pass my glucose test? Yes
Low in iron? No! My spinach salads and cereal consumption have paid off.
Pregnant Halloween costume made? Yes!

Bump Picture: 
Seriously, these pictures could be an ad for how great the iPhone 6 camera is.

28 weeks 5 days with Gwen

28 weeks 5 days with Baby #2

Baby Boy: 24 weeks

Well, I promised myself I would blog regularly through this pregnancy just like I did with Gwen. It didn't happen. While we are over halfway and I am just now writing a post, I am super thankful I kept up with it last time.  I had the thought the other day, "I wonder when I started having heart burn bad last time?" I look up my posts and find about this time is when I was forced to carry the bottle of Tums in my purse non-stop since it would strike anytime all the time. I still am not promising I will keep up with this, but I will maybe start giving it a little more effort.

How I am Feeling: So much better. This pregnancy is way easier than last time. No epic face rashes, less morning sickness, and less aversions.  I am moving much slower this time and have less energy, but I will take just about anything over looking like I got punched in the face multiple times.  Maybe having a boy is easier on my body!

Food Cravings/Aversions: No aversions. I want coffee all the time. I break my 1 cup limit on especially draining days, but I am fine with it :) And no, decaf doesn't cut it.

What I am Excited About: Having a newborn again! They are so snuggly, stay in one place, don't say "no"... it will be exhausting and fun and exhausting. Last time, we were dealt a pretty rough start and I claim to be smarter this time around, so I am hopeful the newborn stage won't set us back into survival mode for quite as long. That switch from 0 to 1 was tough. 1 to 2 won't be nearly as bad, right? Please, tell me I am right.

Sweet Thing the Husband did for Me:  I was reading all the things I wrote for this category to David and he said, "I like that part the best!" We will keep up with it then! He was a rock star this past weekend. Gwen has been regressing with sleep and waking up crazy early. The pinnacle of it all was when she woke up at 4:30 am and was ready to go for the day. NO WAY. He got up with her and let me sleep. That's a good husband and dad. He also changes probably 90% of the diapers when he is home. I was thinking to myself today, "I am pretty sure he does way more than I do when we are both home," He is awesome.

Something I have Done to Prepare for the Baby: Talking about names. We have been set on a name for awhile. Last night, we came up with another option! I am still attached to the first name, but am going to try and be open minded. Both are great names! I also washed all his clothes I bought at a sale and packed them up. Anyone have some boy clothes newborn to 12 months they want to pass my way? :)

Facts for the Week:

Days left until due date: 111
Days until glucose test: 7
Next ultrasound: 32 weeks
Times this week I have forgotten how far I am along: 2
Weight gain: Let's just say I have already gained the total amount I gained last time...




Bump Picture: Note the quality difference between the iPhone 5 and the iPhone 6. :)

24 weeks 6 days with Gwen

24 weeks 2 days with #2

Gwyneth Eden: 12 months

Gwen is 1 year old! It has been a busy month!  You can tell things are clicking in her little mind.  She makes new connections every day leaving me looking at David and saying, "Did she really just do that?"  It is hard believing we have a 1 year old now, but also hard to remember back to when she was 4 lbs.  Crazy how much will change in a year!

Gwen's "Firsts": Saying words that sound something like goalie or girly.  We have no idea what she says but it is super cute.  She FINALLY has learned some sign language.  Her favorite is signing "milk" and "all done".  We started teaching her "all done" so maybe it would cut down on her getting bored and covering our floor with food.... it doesn't work.  She also maybe understands what no means.  When she bites or starts gnawing on my phone I tell her no and then she shakes her head.  Maybe she doesn't get it but I like that she shakes her head :)

She also devoured a cupcake at her birthday party.  She licked off all the icing, flipped it over, and ate the cake. I was hoping she wouldn't eat any of it.

High of the Month: SLEEP.  I never thought the day would come that I would proclaim sleep as the high of our month.  She is a sleeping champ now.  She normally will sleep 11-12 hours overnight without waking up and then sleeps 3-4 hours during the day for naps.  Yesterday she took 2 two hour naps and it was heavenly.  Only took us a year to get here!

Low of the Month: EATING.  Someone told me awhile ago that with kids you will always be having either a sleeping or eating problem or both. Yep.  We get sleep under control and eating progressively is going down the drain.  She will eat yogurt, applesauce, cheese, eggs, and sometimes green beans or peas.  The only thing we have going for us is that I have a large supply of frozen milk still so that is the main part of her diet.  I am hoping she snaps out of her pickiness before the milk runs out!

Facts for the Month: 

Teeth: 6!
Weight: 16 lbs. 8 oz (1%)
Length: 27.5 in.
Moving: She can army crawl really well!
Favorite activity: Walking while holding our hands
Least favorite activity: Mom or Dad setting her down


And here are your monthly pictures:

At Ault Park with friends!

Learning to drive

This picture is too funny not to share.  First Reds game and looking photogenic :)

She kept on eating like it was nothing.

The cupcakes for Gwen's party since she loves cats so much

Gwyneth Eden: 11 months

11 months... DANG!  We are so close to a year.  It is amazing how different she looks and acts each month.  Her quirks and funny personality are so fun. In the pictures you will see some of them :)  

Gwen's "Firsts": Taking steps while holding our hands, sleeping through the night consistently, wearing leg warmers.  All kinds of great things!

High of the Month: Gwen's waving.  She waves to people she knows, doesn't know, dogs, cats, inanimate objects... everything!  I get her up from her nap and the first thing she does is wave.  I think she has some what made the connection to when I tell her, "Wave hi!", she normally will wave!  It is super cute.

Low of the Month: Teething.  It just keeps going on and on and on. I am looking forward to a break from it.  She gets very clingy, naps cease to exist, and I lose my mind.  The one has popped through so the end is near!  Hylands teething tablets have been the only thing that seems to make a difference.

Her favorite teething toy: the monitor

Something I Learned: Gwen has had a cough for over a month.  After 2 doctors visits, antibiotics, and allergy medicine, the doctor diagnosed her with bronchiolitis. There is nothing you can do for it and you just have to ride it out.  I am at least happy we know what it is!

Facts for the Month: 

New foods: guacamole, refried beans, greek yogurt
Teeth: 2 on the bottom and 2 more coming in on top
Weight: My dad tried to weigh her on the scale at home and it said 16.2 pounds
Crawling: no
Walking: no

And here are your monthly pictures:

I love her sleepy eyes and mo hawk in this picture

Our new game is playing with a flat ball on the porch.

"Hold on guys, I have to put on my make up first."

Holding on tight with her pinkies.

Keeping the toys contained.

More shopping cart adventures.

For when your child is fussy...

Gwen has been a mess tonight.

Really, for awhile.

She is cutting teeth and has had the swollen gums for about a month.  I have no idea how long babies are in pain for with this whole teething thing, but I think we are almost through this round of it.

She has did not get much sleep last night because of her relentless cough, a fever, more teething woes, etc. This makes for a CRABBY child and crabby parents :)

We decided to put her down for bed early, so I went on my phone to look up the temperatures overnight to decide what kind of pajamas to put her in.  That is when I had an idea.  What would happen if I let Siri listen to Gwen's crying?

It was entertaining for me. Try it. It at least will amuse you for a little while and hopefully make you laugh in the midst of pure agony.

Gwyneth Eden: 10 months

Gwen is 10 months!  SHE IS SO BIG!  Actually, I know a 3 month old that weighs more than she does, but still, she has come a long way!  This month has been a great month.  Her personality is awesome and developing even more.

Gwen's "Firsts": Lots of talking and babbling.  She is more interested in chatting it up than moving.  Who would have thought my daughter would love socializing so much? :) She gets it from her mama!

She has started consistently sleeping through the night and by consistent I mean that I haven't fed her in the middle of the night for 3 days in a row!  I am hoping next month I can officially declare that she sleeps through the night with ease.  Last night she slept from 8:00 to 6:30!  Praise the Lord!

She went to her first music class with Stella.  It was adorable.  Jess and I probably had more fun than they did, but it was great! Gwen could hit her two sticks together when the teacher did.  I think she is a music prodigy.

High of the Month: Her nose scrunching, also known as her stinker face, had been taken to a whole new level this month.  David also calls it "the face that gives Mommy baby fever" face.  So true.  It is so cute!  When we were out shopping, she looked at someone we didn't know and gave them her mischievous grin.  The unfortunate part is that it is near impossible to catch on camera.

Low of the Month: This has been a great month overall, but maybe that Gwen has been constipated?  You know when that is the best I can come up with that it has been a good month!

Something I Learned: The whole reason why with the Ferber method you check on them.  This made all the difference!  We used to just let her wail for as long as needed without checking on her.  We thought she got more mad when we went in and did not want to make the process take longer.  Once a friend explained why the checks work, she started sleeping through the night.  It feels way more loving this way and I understand now that it reassures her that we haven't left her for forever, but it is time to sleep and all she is going to get from us is a quick check.  Cut the crying time down significantly!

Facts for the Month: 

New foods: I let her have a piece of sugar cookie :)
Words: dada, mama, lala... lots of talking!
Teeth: 2 on the bottom!  So cute!
Moving: still staying in one spot!
Weight: Our little 10 month old weighs 14 lbs. Back to the 1st percentile!


And here are your monthly pictures:

The new background on my phone

First time wearing shoes!

Feel free to judge me... I use a shopping cart cover.

Opening Day parade!

Gwyneth Eden: 9 months

Gwen is 9 months old!  This month was a little confusing for when to declare she was 9 months since her birthday is on the 31st, but February only has 28 days.  I can only imagine how those poor Leap Year people feel.  This month had lots of fun firsts and we can really see her personality developing.  Adorable!

Gwen's "Firsts": Lots of things!  She can now clap, give high-fives, and somewhat wave.  My favorite is when she is playing by herself and I see her from across the room clapping.

She also is showing some interest in being mobile. She rolls onto her belly, pushes her arms straight, and starts scrunching her whole body.  She has maybe only moved an inch.

Gwen stayed overnight with her grandma and grandpa for two nights in a row for the first time!  She did great and so did we!

Last, she has been eating finger foods!  Well, one of two things happen.  Either I feed her the finger foods or she picks them up, forgets that she picked it up, and then drops it on the floor.  Her other favorite tactic is to pick them up, squish them, and move onto the next piece.

High of the Month: My favorite moment from this whole month was our family dance party to every amazing Disney song.  It was fun for David and I to reminisce our childhood and to see Gwen giggle as we danced with her.  As she has gotten older, it is fun being able to do things all together and she her also enjoy it.  In the early months it was also David and I having fun and Gwen had no idea what was happening.  I can only imagine this gets more exciting!

Low of the Month: Gwen is officially afraid of men with beards.  She has never cried when anyone looked at her until now.  Three of our good friends have facial hair and as soon as she sees them is hysterical.  She is definitely going through some separation anxiety so maybe there is a correlation?  Dad has no beard and these men do, therefore I will not trust them.  Don't be offended, some day she will come to realize that beards aren't so bad.

Something I Learned: I think I have finally grasped the idea of phases.  In the past I constantly freaked out when Gwen started eating or sleeping differently... normally when it was for the worse.  Now, I may actually understand that sometimes babies sleep worse for a period of time and that's just part of being a baby.  There are growth spurts, teething, illness, milestones, and a thousand more things that affect how babies act.  Sometimes you just can't fix it.  Its good for my type A personality to go with the flow :)

Facts for the Month: 

New foods: strawberries, chicken, cottage cheese
Words: just saying babababa
Teeth: one is coming in... though this process is going on 2 weeks now!
Weight: we find out next Wednesday
Favorite book: ones I let her try and eat
Cloth diapering: still going strong
Breastfeeding: also still going strong!

And here are your monthly pictures:

I love putting her in animal print!

This completely defeats the purpose of a bumper.

Thursday play date with Stella!

Just like Dad :)  Playing with computer gear.

Gwyneth Eden: 8 Months

My favorite Instagram pic of the month.

8 months!  I think she gets more fun with every month.  She giggles, laughs, and understands more every day.  When someone has not seen her in a week or two, their first response is, "She has gotten so big!"  I can't wait to see at our 9 month appointment how long she is and how much she weighs.  It is surreal to me that we are very quickly approaching the 1 year mark.  I probably say this in every monthly update, but she still seems like a baby to me, so imagining her as a 1 year old is just crazy!  I remember going through all the clothes that were given to us and as I hit the 12 month box thinking, "No way will I ever have a baby that fits in these,"  This was especially true when looking at my 4 lb. baby!

Gwen's "Firsts": Co-slept for the first time!  While David was out of town for a couple days, I did not feel like getting out of bed every single time in the middle of the night.  We normally share the night time duties, so it was much easier to just have her in bed with me!  It was kind of fun, but I am also glad she is back in her own bed :)

She also played dress up for the first time.  Pirate Gwen made an appearance.  Time with cousins is always fun!

High of the Month: She is starting to mimic us (I think).  Honestly, most of the time I don't know if she is mimicking me or if I am mimicking her!  Regardless, it cracks me up and she is cute.  My favorite is when she blows raspberries or when she sounds like Darth Vader.  Who thought a baby sounding like Darth Vader would be cute?  It is adorable.

Low of the Month: Gwen got sick for the first time.  After a long day of running around, her forehead felt warm.  I took her temperature and it was at 102!  No wonder!  After a couple days she was back to normal, but the congestion and runny nose linger.

Something I Learned: If you are a mom already I am sure you know this, but I had no idea that doctors don't worry about a baby's temperature until it reaches 105 or over!  Dang!  I was all concerned about the 102 mark and started (mildly) panicking that this meant the emergency room.... I know.  I never voiced this drastic assumption, but she is little and I know I feel horrible when my temperature reaches 102.  I love that the pediatrician I talked with was able to make me laugh, explain everything thoroughly, and didn't make me feel like an idiot.  Thanks, Doc!

Facts for the Month: 

Newest friend: Naomi Haven!
Favorite way to sleep: On her belly

Things she loves:
     -Being held
     -Reading books
     -Bath time
     -"Talking"

Things she hates:
     -Getting her face cleaned
     -The Nose Frida
     -When we leave the room


And here are your monthly pictures:

Gwen tried to eat the sign for her new friend

This outfit lasted 36 hours.  New record.