Gia Monster 13/14 months

These months seem to fly right by! Gia got that first tooth ampere few days shy of a year and then by 13 months had the top 2 and bottom 2! Loving her toothy grins! 

Lousy picture but cute pig tailed kid with some big top toothers! 

She is such a joy! She knows what she wants and expresses as best she can. Often leading us somewhere. She's getting better with sign language knowing: more, eat, all done and please! Her rebellious side takes her to the street giggling which is terrifying. She's pretty much got a second gear in speed walking. She's been a trooper this summer for numerous bike rides in the buggy with Gracie, Max's soccer games, camping for daddy's birthday, the state fair, hiking at minnehaha! I think she giggles the most. She can keep herself occupied like Max does and loves his Legos. She also is getting along so well with Gracie and loves her little toys and purses. She's climbing on everything. Up stools, up chairs and onto the table, up ladders. 

I think GG recently had a growth spurt. She seems so tall. Yet still so petite! Her hair has a ginger tone to it and I'm really hoping it sticks around. She stopped nursing on August 22nd her 14 month. She's done super well with the weaning which I'm glad about. Yet sad that my last baby is done. We are unbelievable blessed! 

Milestones!

Its do fun when the kids hit milestones together! This is a delayed post...

Max is reading his bob books recommended by his awesome pre school teachers! This is fun! I think he is memorizing it and guessing.. He knows the letters and sounds but hasn't out it all together yet, but he's trying! We will keep working on it! He recently got a new bike for dan the bike man! (My uncle fan who owns a bike store!) it is the next size up but also has gears and handle brakes! He can do tricks on his bike. He can come to a sliding sideways stop and go no feet! 

Gracie's is getting used to her bike! She can go on a full dog loop! By the end she's tired but wow! She's fallen off a few times as all beginners do so she isn't totally gung ho as much anymore. 

In other exciting Gracie news, she's wearing undies! For a long time now, probably close to 6 months she's been pretty good about going potty on the potty. A few ups and downs but she didn't want to wear the undies! She's doing it!! Since late April early May she has been rocking it!! It's do cute to see her little bum in shorts instead if pull ups! She's waking up dry more often than not! 

Hooray for Gracie! This opens up preschool, vbs, and so many other options! 

Finally, Gia bug... Where to begin with this little love? Some where right about 10 months so late April I was in Las Vegas and daddy was home with the kids. He got the training going well and I came home to a pretty awesome walker!! So she is up and down stairs independently! This scares most people but we say "feet first" and she gets down and toboggans down the stairs! She has started to try to face forward and scooch down on her butt. That's more scary, so we try to help her feet first but she's got a mind of her own! 

So much fun and activity here! 

9 months

      

This little lady is 9 months! Wow! It's been a whole month since Disney mania!

Georgia is a speedy crawling, Houdini in the high chair, gummy girl! She had her first ear infection this past month. Poor girl. 

Her dare devil level is very high. She navigates the stairs pretty well, still reinforcing going feet first on her belly down them! 

There is pretty much nothing she can't do! I love her spunky hair, with a touch of red (dare I say it!) to it! 

We love this sweet girl so much! so thankful for her daddy, awesome big brother, loving big sister and nana for keeping an eye on her when I can't! It takes a village! 

8 months for ms Gia!

Ms Gia bug is 8 months old! She is so fun! She's curious and happy! The only time she is unhappy is in the carseat, usually at the end of the day/before a nap! She crawls so quick now And wants to know about everything! Her grab is lighting fast! She pulls up on just about anything! Her standing is coming along well! So far in a Disney she has LOVED the characters! She has been know to bite a few mouse noses! All in love, I swear! And those characters eat her up. 

Speaking if eating.. She eats everything! Yet still no teeth!  Gia has started doing this head tilt thing when my mom pulls out the camera! It's hilarious! 

She can cluck like a duck and clap her hands! She's sweet! I can't believe how fast she's growing up! 

Fountain Hills, AZ

My late Grandma Georgie, my baby's namesake, has a dear sister that lives in Fountain Hills, AZ. Usually my amazing aunties make a pilgrimage in the name of art to Fountain Hills every November. It's really a guise to spend some quality time with the outstanding little lady whom we lovely dearly, who makes 93 look great and who reminds us and help channel the lady we miss so much! In 2004 I had the privilege to be the first if my generation to go and spend time with these family members! It was such a great experience! Now 9 years later, I went with my baby Georgia for my 3 visit! The Morris clan are such generous hosts! My first time I learned the legends of Auntie Mary's Fudge! This time I enjoyed the company of 3 out of 4 aunties, my sweet cousin Meg, who is a bride in waiting and the Dear Mary! It's such a blessed time! Georgia loved every moment.. Let me clarify, ...every moment NOT in a car seat! It was so fun to have special time with the baby. And auntie Mary has 2 kids in FH that we saw and some great friends! Here us my photo roll!

Great aunt Nanc!

Great aunt Barbie

Auntie Marys infamous autograph 

Wall! Georgia was measured way down here at the bottom!

Auntie view !

Mary and Georgie!

Fountain Hills art fair, the fountain and Meg, Nanc and Cher!

I so hope to return to make more memories with the fantastic Morris', my aunties and cousins! 

6months!

Okay so she's currently closer to 7 months but I'm going to try to remember back ! On December 22nd our baby was half a year! I am so enjoying the moments with this baby! She is so smiley and bouncy! We celebrated Christmas with Nana Mary and Grandpa Craig on the 22nd ! We also got to meet Logan Schneider for the first time! It was a very great day!

As for this past month, Ms Gia has learned to crawl, mastered sitting, eating more rice cereal and veggies and fruits. Started to take some table food that is cut up real small. The world is really her oyster! She got to celebrate her first Thanksgiving!

And helped complete not one but 2. 5k races! Both the turkey day 5 k and the ugly sweater 5k 2 days later! She's really getting her miles in! Good thing she goes with the flow so well!

She is becoming extremely mobile and "talking" much more! Her hair is staying brown and is starting to come in a bit more, although she is very much still a fuzzy duck! Especially after a bath! Now that sitting is established she loves the bath and splashing as much as possible! 

We are starting to get a routine down. And while I believe that she is probably in steep competition to be our easiest baby, her daddy might have other feelings! She has been know to hold out drinking her bottles until I get home from work, mostly the weekends and then wants to nurse most of the night! But evenings she drinks better but as I understand it, needs to be held more. Still she has a smile for everyone and when she truly is excited she bounces and turns her head away as if she can't even stand it !

She is a joy and we feel so blessed! Happy 1/2 year my baby!

All about the 5's!

Its November 22! That makes our baby girl 5 months old! ( it's also the day I went into labor with Max!) 

What a great age 5 months is!! Gia has really grown this month! She is a tiny people! Let's see what has happened in her life this past month...: she found her toes, she went on her first plane ride, she  started grabbing at things especially food and drinks! Ms Gia started some veggies in the past two or so week, too! She loves them! She digs the puffs and yogurt melts, too! Gia has started to sit up really well! If she gets unstable she turns in Ito a roll! She loves having her gums rubbed but no teeth imminent! And just this week she has been getting up on all fours and rocking then sliding herself backwards!! Ahhhh! I think I might not feed her and hold her for awhile, until she gets these ridiculous notions out if her head!!

The car seat is getting easier and we are down to maybe only 1/2 the time crying. She loves Max because he's pretty funny but has a love/gate with Gracie. I'm suspects that won't change for awhile! I think Grace just is in her face too much! But in graces defense, she just lives this baby so much!! I keep thinking these two girls are pretty different! I think Gia will be more petite and darker hair and eyes. It is so fun to see how these kids are all different !

Please stay tuned! I'm sure there is more to come!!

Georgia is 3 months!

So in a hotel room in Duluth, my baby turned 3 months! Since I have not yet won the lottery I return to work in one week! (Sooner, since my post is belated!)  

A bit about Ms Gia at 3 months...

She is a happy baby! I think she looks a lot like me as a baby! I just hope she doesn't get my little Book legs! She has really good head control and likes to be up and looking around! She is very easy going unless 1. She has a dirty diaper, 2. She is hungry ( and is getting ignored) or 3. She is in need of a nap. Gia is very close to rolling over... She can get her head to do a 180 but can't get her body to follow through. She has mastered grabbing my hair! As if my hair went falling out fast enough anyway! Darn pregnancy hormones! :-) She is wearing mostly 3 month clothes still but maxing out some of the sleepers! 

She averages about 8 hours a night..some a little longer some shorter. She takes many naps and if I can keep her awake long enough I can get a 3-4 hour nap and get some time with the big kids and maybe something else done, too! 

Her hair is starting to come in a bit more and it's staying light brown! I love it!! We have recently a started putting her in her high chair for meals and she loves sitting and making eye contact with everyone! We are on vacation so I don't have an approximate weight or length but she is a healthy girl!

She loves her daddy and brother and sister, mommy, too! 

She coos a bunch and its so cute! Her car seat in the car is still not her favorite spot! 

And she's awake so this post should come to an end!

Gia is one month old!

July 22nd, 2013

Today my baby, our baby, is a whole month old! My last baby...I was hoping for 'time' to take its time and let her grow leisurely. We are not due back at the pediatrician a for a month so my measure,nets will have to suffice. I clocked her at 22.5 inches, she has grown a whole inch and a half! As for weigh, on our not so reliable scale, got her roughly at 9.4 lbs! So she's gained a pound and a half! Yay peanut! 

She is a belly sleeper. Just try to lay her on her back. If you want her to cry that's the sure fire way! The positive of the belly sleeping is her neck and back are already fairly strong. She holds that little noggin up really well. 

She is a trooper! She's been up north to Breezy Point, to 3 soccer games and a soccer practice in the extreme humidity. She's even been to "watch" her siblings swimming lessons! She rolls with us really well! 

Her dark hair is sticking around, too! I think she has lost the jaundice coloring and in the last week even her poo has changed to a more greenish brown color! I put that last bit in there just for a reminder. 

Her bro and sis love her up! Grace is very sweet and can not resist a smooch when she walks by her. They also play pretty well together and have been taking advantage of the gorgeous summer we have been having. They have put in long hours out in the sandbox play area and playhouse! 

Our summer is loosening up with swimming lessons wrapping up last week. We are now down to Max's soccer games on Mondays and Wednesdays this week and next week! Each game he plays he gets how to play a little more! last week wednesday he had two shots on goal and a bunch of touches of the ball! much better than his first game where he stood in his assigned position and watched everybody else run around! i find myself getting choked up watching him which i blame on the hormones, but I know it's just me being a proud momma. I love watching my kids grown up and finally participate in these events. i think having some activity every night has been nice to get me out of the house but it has been a little much for Robb, whose been back to work plus all the evening shenanigans! 

June 22nd, 2013

A day we will not soon forget...

Our last saturday as a four pack.  

I had big plans for beautifying before "the big day". Robb took the kids to McDonald's for some pancakes and then to target for some snacks for the day, this allowed me to sleep in and have some quiet time before my appt. I woke up and perused Facebook. Even did a little status update about having "six short sweet days" before being a mom of 3! Then I got up out of bed and my water broke. Yep, not 6 days, not even 6 hours. I ran to the bathroom, grabbing my phone as I went by. Thinking--oh my goodness did that really just happen?! I called Robb twice but his phone was on silence from his work week so I sent a text message ( something like ..I need you home now, my water broke!!), then called my work to tell them my water broke and I was on my way in and texted my doctor. The obvious next move was to get into the shower, you know, since there was a change of my big plans. Robb got home and thought I was crazy to be in the shower. He started running around gathering our hospital bag, the kids bags, calling his sister to see if she could take the kids for the day, sweating like nobody's business. I wavered between crying and trying to keep my cool. Crying for so SO many reasons. That I did something wrong to cause my water to brake. Because I was about to meet my baby girl. Because I was still supposed to have 6 days to prepare our house, our kids, our lives and most importantly my mind about adding a sweet baby to our mix. And crying because it was all happening so fast! 

While in the shower, my doctor called and said he would meet me at the hospital and help us have a baby. I told him something like " take your time, my water broke but I'm not contracting..." Famous last  words. Wouldn't you know it, I started contracting every 3 minutes from that point until I laid down after getting my spinal and could no long feel them! 

Robb was able to corral me into the car and we talked through what would do with the kids, the dogs, and his work. It was exciting. We met his sister Lisa in the hospital parking lot and passed off Max and Grace. Then we (i) waddled my way into the hospital. We rode the elevator up since I was a patient and not going to work. We got into triage and I was doubled teamed ( i mean this in the very best way) by Jen and Jodi both I had as a labor nurse with  Max and Gracie. Then it really went fast. One would be asking questions the other putting in my IV. Soon I was ushered into the OR and about to meet our baby! I remember it all being so surreal. My mind could not wrap around it. ( I'm not sure it has yet!)

I noticed new things laying there in OR. A place I've been seems like hundreds of times. The shadows that dance on the ceiling. Trying to imagine what might be happening on the other side of that blue drape. I could hear mumbling on the other side but couldn't make anything out. Soon there was a call to get cameras ready and then a little cry. Such a sweet cry. I love her cry. Not all cries are cute. Hers is. She was pretty calm in there but I appreciated the few bellows she let out just to tell me she was indeed here and ok! Then she was weighed. 7lbs 14 oz. my smallest baby! Not by much. Grace was 7lbs 15 oz, otherwise same dimensions.. 21inches long, 14 inch head. I couldn't wait to see her and hold her. Once she was all swaddled up Robb brought her over for me to see. She has my eyes, the same as Max, and Gracie's nose, little lips, and soft sweet cheeks that are irresistible to smooch. The rest of the time was a blur. Especially a few weeks out. I remember chatting a lot with Erin Angelats about having 3 kids. Then getting to hold and really check her over. Seeing who it was wiggling around in there. She nursed very well, something like 20 minutes each side. We had a few fun visits from my coworker friends. We made phone calls and Jen gave her a bath. Then we headed up to 4th floor. We had a few hours of quiet before Robb's parent came and Lisa came back with the kids. Jerry brought balloons and a  Birthday cake for Gia. It was fun to have the kids meet their new little sister. Max wasn't too interested but there was cake and his cousins came, too. Grace took a minute to put it all together that this was indeed our baby. It wasn't  just a tall tale that Gia would come out of my belly! Once she absorbed it she wanted to hug her, hold her, and give her kisses. It was so sweet, not to mention nerve wracking.  Lois and Jerry agreed to take the kids back to their house until we left the hospital. they also  stopped on their way down and picked up the dogs to bring them to the pet hotel. Thank you so much! you were life savers!

I think my dad and Julie came by after dads work at Costco. Since it had thunder stormed he night before many people's power had gone out along with Costcos. So I remember dad saying that he spent his day ridding the place of all the spoiled food and trying to get it ready for shoppers. I wonder if it was all the "weather" that got me into labor. I've always wondered about that phenomenon of barometric pressure changing and inducing labor. That's all I can remember from that day. That and we were so glad miss Gia picked her birthday and that she was here safe and sound.

And that we had cable to watch.