11 Months, Can it be??

Happy 11 Months Addison Joy!!

I cannot believe in less than a month Addison will be a year old, where has time gone?? This month was full of ups and downs but its easy to forget the downs. Some of the downs: double ear infection and a not so pleasent flight from MS to DC. Some of the ups: she is saying more and more words, learning more sign language, understanding more of what you say and getting so mobile.

The Stats

• Weight: Hovering around 21 pounds; she lost quite a bit of weight when she got sick
• Height: 30 inches I would guess
• Clothes: 12 months and some 18 months. Depends on the brand
• Diaper Size: 4

Milestones

• Talking: She can "say" so many words now and can look at pictures of a couple of things and identify them. For example, she can see a picture of a baby, daddy, duck and Addison and say each of those words. Now let me tell you her words on not pronounced perfectly but she sure says those words and many more. It is so exciting to see her learn words!
• Mobility: I believe she is still very far from walking, which is fine with us! She has a lot of baby and height to drag around. Plus, she is an observer so she is happy watching rather than getting up and joining in. She pulls up on EVERYTHING and cruises around on everything as well. She sometimes does a regular crawl now too versus her usual army crawl. She is much faster army crawling though.
• Breastfeeding: Oh man....we are quitting in a matter of days. As soon as she's finished with her antibiotics---straight to the cup with cow's milk we go! She was doing great with milk in her cup until she got sick then she would drink from a cup OR bottle---ONLY ME!!!! This is the first time EVER she has ONLY wanted to nurse. We are thinking we will continue a bedtime bottle with expressed milk until 13-14 months or until she wont take it which ever comes first. So technically she will be breastfed the whole first year. I feel blessed we made it this long!!!! Thank you to all my friends and family who encouraged me every step of the way--I could not do it without you. A special thank you to my most precious husband who not only encouraged me but also helped me eat right and stay focused on the commitment. I don't see how people do it for a year on their second, third and subsequent children--wow!
• Eating: We are pretty much off all purees with the exception of a few here and there (especially fruits to ensure she is hydrated). It is so fun giving her some table food and some super yummy "toddler" foods such as turkey loaf, sweet potato fries, Chicken and Rice Peach Stew, toast with homemade fruit paste, pancakes, etc. I still do not LOVE mealtimes, but it is beginning to grow on me.
• Personality: Not much to report here that is any different than previous posts. Addison is still quite an observer; the church nursery all love Addison because she is so well behaved but they joke because she usually finds one spot with one toy and stays there watching everyone. She does not like diaper/clothing changes and has started a bit of separation anxiety again. Addison is truly a JOY and lights up a room with her goof ball faces.
• Routine: I AM LOVING THIS ROUTINE!!!!!!!!!!!!! She only takes two naps but they are LONG!! She naps from 10am-12:00 or 12:30pm and then again from 2:30pm-4:30 or 5:00pm; not to mention she sleeps from 7:45 or 8:00pm to 8:00 am. I am not convinced she is actually asleep that entire time, but she sure doesn't make a peep.
• Teeth: Oh man do I hate hate teething! She is about to get her pre-molars in. Poor thing gets her teeth so early, I think she doesnt know how to handle it. I am so over it, but she really is a trooper.
• Independent Play: After vacation for 2 weeks followed by a week of sickness, this has been a challenge. She is back to 15 minutes of independent play once a day. Our goal is 20-25 minutes in the morning and then 15 minutes in the evening. We will get back though!

Coming Up

• The Spring Consignment Sale is coming up at my church and I cannot wait---WE NEED CLOTHES!!!! AND Addison will be in the nursery all day for 2.5 days so it will be great for her!!!
• We are turning her car set forward facing on April 1...YAY!! I am so ready for this, then she and I can chat in the car better!
• Her first birthday party, not sure what I am doing yet....but my old high school friend made these cupcake pops and I may have to try it out too!!! Tonya---Any words of wisdom??? Either way, I will throw something together the week before I am sure!

Pictures & Videos

Bloopers from the 11 month photo shoot, she loves sticking her tongue out. Good thing we are ending the monthly pictures at 12 months cause she wont sit still anymore!

Monkey face; she loves to do this at people because she always gets a laugh.

How about I hold the sign mommy??? Much more exciting!

She is ready to be done with independent play, ha! The timer went off and she is reaching for it!

Loves helping Daddy on the computer.

Cooking pizza with mommy; I cannot wait until she can stand on a step stool and really help. One of my fondest memories growing up is helping my mom cook; she was/is such a great teacher. If only I could cook like my mom!!!

Daddy's light saber!

This is how she waits for Matthew to come home sometimes.

Spaghetti is messy!

Mommy with her girls.

I really just wanted a picture of her outfit. I HAD to get the shift because she got so excited when she saw the frogs.

hehehe, I love the frogs and I dont know why!

Clean Up Sign

Jump, Jump, Jumping....but not getting much air. If any of you have seen ME try to jump, you might know where she gets this from :)

Happy Valentines Day

This was our valentine this year :)

All wrapped up!

Our valentines was pretty low key and that is how we like it! I made a special dinner complete with Texas Sheet cake for dinner than night and also gave Matthew a couple magazines he has been wanting (not a subscription, just a couple issues). Grandma Grant bought Addison a sweet little valentine outfit as well...and yes...she will wear this even when its NOT valentines day. I loved the shirt (pictures below) because it almost looks retro.

And last but not least, Matthew and I went out for a rare evening alone while Addison played with all her friends. She is the youngest of most of our friends kids here in DC, but not for long----two of them have one on the way!!!! Matthew and I went to Old Towne for dinner and then tried to hit up Starbucks but....we forgot they close so early on Sundays. We went to Target instead and raided the dollar bin!!! Addison was still up playing with all her friends (there were 6 other kids playing with her ages 9, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2) and she was having so much fun she was grinning ear to ear when we arrived to pick her up! Matthew wrote me the sweetest letter as my valentine gift and I loved it!!!!

Our valentine cheeseball smiler

Matthew's prize. Those are the flowers he got for me a few days before.

In Old Towne Alexandria

A Trip Grandma Grant's Daycare

I am behind in my blogging, yet again!

While Addison and I visited Gambrell Manor a few weeks ago, we decided to spend a couple of days at Grandma's daycare to see the Grant side of the family. Originally we were supposed to be there for two nights and three days, but Addison's cousin Lyla (the one and only pupil at Grandma's daycare) got sick with a stomach bug. Knowing that we would be on a plane for 6-8 hours on Friday, we decided not to risk giving anything to Addison, so we delayed our trip by a day.

Addison enjoyed her time with Lyla. It took Addison a while to warm up to Lyla, since she is a bit shy and passive. She always needs a while to sit back, observe and assess the new people and environment. At first Addison whimpered any time L.C. came up to her but after an hour or so they started to play. Bath time together however did not go as well; I think Addison was tired from all the traveling and a little overwhelmed by all the toys, audience and bathing partner who could stand!! HAHA! After recovering from bath time...they were so cute having a little PJ party!

Personally, I enjoyed interacting with Lyla and Addison together. It was neat to see how they are only 10 months apart but yet still SO different developmentally. I am looking forward to the next few years when the 10 month age gap is nothing and they can really have a blast together! I bet in about 1-2 years they will get into all kinds of mischief together. It will be so fun!!!!

A Day In The Life

So...my pen pal did a post that outlined a day in her life and I LOVED reading it. I thought I would do the same, here was a fairly typical day in the Grant Gang. This was Wednesday, February 16.

• 6:30 AM: Woke up to say goodbye to Matthew and...went back to sleep :)
• 7:15 AM: Woke up and laid in bed for a while...I was exhausted this morning, don't know why
• 7:30 AM: Drank coffee and just reflected on the week and the week ahead
• 8:15 AM: I hear Addison talking so I go in to nurse and change her diaper
• 8:30 AM: Pump
• 8:45 AM: Feed Addison cereal with a bit of applesauce and some banana
• 9:00-9:20AM: Addison has independent play time in her play pen. She did not used to fuss during this time, in fact she LOVED it but since we got back from our two weeks in MS, she has been trying to fight it. We will get back. While she played, I unloaded the dishwasher, cleaned up from breakfast and ate my breakfast.
• 9:20-9:45AM: Structured play time with Mommy. This is where I pick the toy and we play with it together.
• 9:45AM: Clearly she is ready for a nap. She barley conked her head on a toy and fussed and cried for 15 min.
• 10:00AM: Read a story, sing "Jesus Loves Me" twice, and down for a nap
• 10:00-12:00PM: Make the bed, quiet time with God, put the laundry away, vacuumed basement, worked on consignment, ate lunch
• 12:05PM: Hear Addison talking in bed
• 12:15PM: Addison is still talking so I go get her, change her clothes then nurse
• 12:40PM: Addison eats lunch; Sweet Potato and Corn Puree, Spagehtti finger food and diced Monteray Jack cheese
• 1:00PM-2:00PM: Go on a walk (with Piper too), play on the swings at the playground
• 2:00-2:15PM: I vaccumed the main level and upstairs while Addison played in her crib and bouncer
• 2:20PM: AJ goes down for a nap
• 2:20-4:15PM: I shower and get ready for church; totally exhuasted I decide to have a snack and just working on consignment stuff! Also prep for dinner and make Addison's dinner.
• 4:30PM: Nurse and feed Addison (finger food green beans which she didnt like, puree green beans, cheese, and I cant remember what else). Finish making dinner. Play with Addison until Matthew gets home from work.
• 6:00PM: Matthew gets home from work, we eat dinner and load up the car to head to church (we stop by starbucks on the way---coffee for him, caramel hot chocolate for me)
• 7:00PM: Church begins, Addison goes to the nursery. There were lots of babies there, YAY!!!
• 8:20PM: Arrive home from church, nurse Addison, put her to bed (bedtime is usually about 7:45 but church keeps us up a bit later)
• 8:40PM-11:00PM: Hang out with Matthew time!!!!!!! We watch a few episodes of Bones on Netflix and I fall asleep in the last one :)
• 11:00PM: SLEEP!!!!

So there you have it, that is a fairly typical day for us with the exception of church which is only Wednesday and Saturday nights. And who says stay at home moms aren't busy???? Man...I am exhausted!!!

Gambrell Manor

Although I always prefer for all of the Grant Gang to be together, Addison and I enjoyed our time at Gambrell manor while Matthew was away on business for two weeks. I am very thankful to have the means and support to come to Gambrell manor while Matthew has to be away. We had a lot of fun!!

Addison did well on th flight over, but since she was way overtired when we FINALLY arrived (left our house at 7:00 AM EST and arrived at 3:30 PM EST) at Gambrell manor, it took an hour of me holding her fussing to finally fall asleep for an evening nap. She doesn't normally take an evening nap but after only sleeping a total of an hour all day (she usually naps about 4 hours a day) , she needed it.

I admit, I am not the best at being completely flexible with the routine I keep at home nor am I the best at letting everyone else step in and help with A.J. I am so accustom to doing most things totally on my own since we have no family in D.C., it is almost like I have to break a bad habit. One day (maybe when we are done nursing) I will break this nasty habit!

Addison warmed up to her Mia and Papa much quicker this time and was crawling all over them in no time. Mia is very patient and such a great teacher, Addison always learns to do so many things when she is with her. While at Gambrell manor Addison:

• Began pulling up on anything, anyone and everything
• Learned to say her name
• Learned to say hot and learned that the fire in the fire place was "hot"
• Meet her GREAT Grammy and Grandaddy McIntosh
• MET HER PEN PAL (read all about their meeting on Stori's blog post "A Match Made In Pen Pal Heaven")
• Went to Louisiana for the first time
• Learned to play patty cake--meaning she knows how to do her hands during the song
• Started sticking her tongue out...a lot and copies you when you do it

We did have a great time while in Mississippi, but the flight home was not as great. I think it will be a while before I brave flying alone again. Addison has ALWAYS been interested in what is going on around her and I think that got the best of her on the way home. We were exhausted when we got home, but she went right to sleep and was back into her normal routine the next day. We were so glad to see Matthew; he had cleaned up the house and bought me welcome home flowers!!! He is the bestest.

Not sure when our next trip will be, probably Thanksgiving.

She loves her some omelette

Enjoying a super snack with Papa

She loved sitting outside and playing with a little stick, haha!

Great Grannie talking to her only Great Grandbaby.....so far :)

Addison chillin with her Great Grammy

Great Grammy, Mia, Mommy and Addison!

Cheesing it up for Papa

Addison and Mia