Flyin' High

Gianna's new favorite thing is for Bobby to launch her in the air.  When she was younger and he would lift her really high with one hand, I panicked.  But now, it's so much fun to watch!  Here are some shots from this afternoon.  Note her facial expressions and the beautiful fall leaves in the background.  Fall is here!!

Gianna amazes me with her ability to follow directions and understand what I'm saying.  For example, she learned a couple days ago that when I say, "let's change your diaper," she walks into her room where her changing table is.  Also, last night when I said, "Okay, it's time for night-night.  Let's get a book and your paci," she walked into her room, got a book off her shelf and then reached for where the pacifier always is.  Amazing!!  She also learns new words almost everyday and can obey other "commands" we give her, such as, "go get that_____."  Fill in the blank with toy, milk, cheese, blanket, shoe, etc...  FYI, I know every parent thinks their kid is amazing, but I'm really just writting all this so that I can remember when she learned this stuff and how I felt as she was learning it.

Our friends gave us this stand-up sand box, but they suggested that we could also fill it with water.  So, we did!  And Gia had a blast with Bobby while playing in it and getting wet.  Bobby said she wanted to sit down in the water, so needless to say she was soaked.

Another fun fact:  we have added "cleaning up" to our bed-time routine.  Last night I decided that it was time for her to start picking up toys (actually, I probably should have started about a month ago, but I kept forgetting), so we put her toys away together before reading her bedtime story.  Okay, so it was more me picking toys up and Gia putting them way & taking the back out again, but oh well, it's the habbit I'm trying to focus on and instill.

Also, we got her crayons and coloring books at the dollar store so that I could follow the doctor's directions and get her coloring.  She does more licking the crayons than coloring with them, but that's okay.  She seems to like it for a short while, but it's not as much fun as being tickled or chased, or even playing with the jack-in-the-box (a favorite game!).  I think her gifting might be in music more than art, anyway, but you never know.

Gianna Grace, you're growing so fast!  What will you get into next?

Blankets & Hiding Places

Yesterday we noticed that Gianna was starting to carry things around with her... mostly a blanket or stuffed animal.  She particularly loves the stuffed animal (we think it's supposed to be a bear) that Bobby brought her back from Peru before she was born.  She holds it under her arm and keeps it close as she walks all around the house.  She also has a couple of blankets that she loves to carry.  It's about the cutest thing ever.

Today we were all in the living room hanging out after dinner, and Gianna began opening the doors to the entertainment center and pulling things out.  Then she tried to stick her leg into the shelf, and then the rest of her!  She can't fit in it, but she was so cute trying!

As Gianna keeps getting bigger and doing new things, I want to cling more to her babyhood than ever.  I think that especially since I began working, I feel like the time is flying by too quickly and I don't have the time to really soak it in.  I'm glad I really like my job, otherwise I think I'd cry everyday as I think about missing out on watching Gia grow!  I am so thankful for the 14 months I had with her at home, and I hope that we find ourselves in a place where I can be home again with her at some point.  But we are blessed with a healthy, happy girl, and I'm just enjoying every moment I can with her!

It's "New Things" Day!

Our day has been so fun and eventful!  But first, here's a recap of our 15 month doctor appointment we went to on Monday:

Weight: 21 lbs (25%)

Height: 31 1/4 inches (45%)

Head: 45%

So, looks like she grew a lot, gained weight well, and her body is finally catching up with her head!  She got 3 shots (one was the flu shot), and the lady went fast but made her bleed more than I would have liked.  It was Bobby's first experience with watching Gia get shots, and he was SO sad for her.  He scooped her up once they were over and held her close.  So sweet :o)  And I didn't have to be there all by myself!  The doctor was impressed with the fact that Gia says 10+ words, plus a two-word phrase, but said that we needed to be teaching her how to color.  Really?  I had no clue, I'm new at this stuff.  

Okay, on to today.  This morning we picked up bagels at Einstein's & went to Starbucks (and got our awesome Venti drinks thanks to my dad's free-drink coupons).  At Starbucks, Gia ate some bagel, whipped cream off my drink, and a banana.  When I offered her the banana, I said, "do you want some banana?"  Gia says, "Nana?"  She learned a new word!  Now she's been saying "nana" all day, which my mom was pretty excited about (since Gia will call her Nana).  Side note: later today Gianna learned to say "cheese."  She is just into learning the names of her favorite foods, ha ha.  That's my little bambino.

After coffee, we went to Kid-to-Kid to get her a cheap costume for Halloween.  Bobby wanted her to be a monkey since Gia's favorite thing to do is say "ooo ooo ooo" when you ask her what a monkey says.  We were really excited to find a cute, warm costume of a monkey in her size!  She looks adorable in it... I'm so ready for Halloween!

When we got home, Bobby was talking with his mom on the phone as he lay on the living room floor.  Gianna was carrying a toy & fell, hiting her face on Bobby's leg.  She sat up, cried big time and held her face.  I ran & picked her up, looking her face all over.  Then I saw blood pooling up in her mouth, and I freaked out.  I kept picturing the 19 Kids and Counting episode where Johanna bit through her cheek and had to get stitches.  After Bobby got the flashlight and looked in her mouth, I said, "Check up top."  And there it was, her new tooth!  I guess the fall had broken the skin & let the tooth come through!  Pretty cool (I mean, it was cool after I had given Gianna some ice chips and the pain went away).

Okay, time for some pictures from the day!  These are the clothes that I couldn't resist getting while we were at the consignment store.  I got good deals!

This jacket is my favorite!  I can't wait for colder weather now.

She needed some new shoes because her feet have been growing lately.  I'm way to frugle to spend real money on shoes that she'll only wear for 3 months.  The store had some good used ones, but no tennis shoes.  I did find these cute boots, though!

Bobby showed Gianna how to use the flashlight today.  It was cute watching her walk around shining the light on things and sticking it in her mouth.

Gianna loves my sunglasses, ha ha.

I just loved her outfit today, so we took a picture.  And thanks for my shirt, Mama Faye!  Go Gamecocks!!

15 months!

Gianna turned 15 months this past Friday, August 31.  I can't believe all that she is doing now and how fast she's growing up.  Here's a recap of somethings I want to remember from these past couple months:

Still only has 2 teeth, but the top ones are close!

Still loves fruit and carbs... just like her mama.

Started walking (14 1/2 months)

Weaned off the bottle

Now only takes the paci at nap/night time (14 months)

Started saying "Mama" clearly, as well as "ball, bye-bye, bow" and sometimes "thank you"

Loves dancing to music!

Can make the sound of a monkey and cow

Knows where her nose, tongue and hair are.  She also pats her head when you ask her where her bow is.

Poses for the camera

Gives hugs sporadically and when asked

Spends all day away from me

Can show me where the "blue ball" is

Is learning to be "easy" (gentle), but doesn't quite get it yet.

This is a great age!  She gives lots of hugs, walks around, still cries sometimes when I leave the room (depends on her mood), and loves big kids.  She waves at everyone in the grocery store and says, "hi!"  She's very attatched to me, especially since I started working, but also loves being with and playing with Bobby.  She is starting to realize that the TV exists, but doesn't watch it for more than a few seconds.  Gia doesn't love the car as much at this point.  She's good for about 15 minutes, and then gets antsy.

You're so much fun, Gia!  I've had to let go of your babyhood a lot in this stage, but I'm looking forward to watching you develop your personality as you become a toddler.  We love you!

Bye-Bye Bottle

When I went in for Gia's 12 month check-up, the doctor was adamant that I should wean Gianna off of the bottle as soon as possible.  So, being a first time mom, I listened and took away the first bottle.  But Gianna didn't like to drink milk out of the sippy, so I couldn't take away her other two because the doctor was also adamant that Gia get 24 onces of milk per day.

Well, two months rolled by, and Gianna was still on her nap-time and night-time bottles.  I had decided, the heck with our doctor, I was going to enjoy this time of feeding her a bottle.  I wasn't sure how or when we were going to wean her, but I wasn't in a rush.  Then, this past Monday, Gianna stopped drinking her milk with Kenna at nap-time.  And then she pushed the bottle away when Bobby fed her at night.  And then on Tuesday she wouldn't take the bottle from me, either.  The weekend before she had also started to really love drinking milk out of her sippy cup.  So, we figured that she had decided it was time to let go of the bottle and start using the sippy.  As you can see, she's adjusted well.

She likes to carry her sippy of water like a football at her side while drinking out of the sippy of milk.

No more pictures, please, Mom.

I cried at first when she gave up the bottle.  I mean, I had no warning!  I figured we would set a time to switch to the sippy, and then I could have like a week to get used to the idea and really charish those last few bottle feedings.  But we are quickly learning about our daughter that she does things when she's ready.  When she was ready to stop being swaddled, she just got her arms out of the wrap and slept free.  When she was ready to stop falling asleep with her milk while being rocked, she stayed awake and then put herself to sleep in the crib.  I don't need to worry about her giving things up (like the pacifier), because I know that when she's ready, that will be it.  She'll be done.

I thought that I was going to be really sad for a while when she gave up the bottle, but in fact, I think the times of reading to her before naps/bed are even sweeter.  She just leans against my chest, looks at the book with me, and helps me flip the pages.  It's sweet times of snuggling with each other (which doesn't happen often, or at least for very long).  I do feel like I'm letting go of her "babyhood" a bit, but each stage just gets better and better.  I look forward to when she'll be able to read the book to me :o)

Football Season!

This will be a strange post for those people who know me best, but I am really excited about football season!  I hated this game until I married Bobby, and, slowly, he converted me.  I don't like to watch just any game... it has to be a team that I love (which is usually either USC or the Saints).  Tonight was USC's (South Carolina) first game.  In fact, just now USC made a touchdown, and my husband is walking around the living room clapping to the theme song and giving me high-fives.  Love it.

Gianna has never seen this side of her daddy before... Daddy the Football Fanatic.  She just stared at him as he yelled and jumped up at the TV, and then smiled once she realized he was happy.  We don't have very many USC clothes for her right now, so we put her in a onsie that is almost too small and a 9 month Gamecock jacket that finally fits her.  She looks a little boyish, but still so stinkin' cute.

Bobby was really excited to watch the game.  His excitement is made even better by knowing that I love it too, and the icing on the cake is that he gets to share his love of USC with Gianna.  She is bound to be a football fan, which is fine with me as long as she doesn't play the game.  My heart couldn't take it.  I watch the game like a mother now.  Everytime a player gets hurt I think, "oh my gosh, his mom must be so worried!"  

I think that I love football because of two things:  It makes me think of Fall (my favorite season), and it gives me a way to enjoy my husband and be excited with him.  It's really fun to watch the game and cheer with Bobby when USC has a great play, and he looks forward to watching it with me, too.  And somehow I've gotten so attached to the teams that I anxiously root for them as much as he does!  I also love making cider in the crockpotwhile watching the game... I curl up with cider and a blanket and watch my husband shout & bite his nails.  Really great memories!  I hope USC does well this year, and I can't wait to watch the Saints play!!

 

Our "New Normal"

Today I started work for the first time since Gianna was born (about 15 months).  I accepted a position as a Special Education Teacher's Aide at a local charter school working 8:30am-3pm Monday - Friday.  Gianna, when you read back over this one day, I want you to know why I went back to work, and how hard it has been to leave you. 

Bobby and I try to pay cash for everything.  We're no Duggars, but the only debt we have is the house morgage.  This coming year we are looking at having to:

1) Buy a new car (the civic is dying)

2) Lord willing, pay for a new baby (hospitals ain't cheap... maybe we'll just have a home birth and spare ourselves this expense).

3) Fly home to see our family 

Gianna, your daddy and I want to be able to pay cash for the car and birth of the next baby (no I'm not pregnant, but we do hope to have another baby at some point), and we consider traveling home to see your grandparents a top priority for us.  I'm working, my little girl, so that we can pay for these things and teach you how to manage your money wisely.  Not that a car payment is bad, but you can save a lot of money by paying cash most of the time.  And the hospital gives a nice discount if we pay up front, too!

You are more important than money.  If I thought you couldn't handle being out of my care, I wouldn't work.  But you LOVE being around other people, and I think you might be having more fun at Kenna's house than at ours!  I trust your care-giver.  She is kind, patient, attentive, loving, and will treat you the way I would.  You're enjoying being with her and her family, so I know that while I'm at work, you're happy.

This morning was so hard putting you in the car and watching Daddy drive you to Kenna's house.  I kept telling Daddy, "So, remember to tell Kenna that she has a bottle and her sippy in the bag.  And make sure Kenna knows where the diapers are in the bag, because sometimes people don't know that they are in the diaper carrier.  Oh, and tell her that Gia she has a change of clothes in case she gets messy.  And she has a bib in there, too!"  Your daddy kept holding my arms, saying, "it's okay, Lindz, Kenna knows.  Gia will be okay.  She will be fine."  Bless him, he was so calm.

I called Kenna one time while at work to make sure she had everything she needed, and that you were okay.  She said that you were very happy and doing great.  I had to push my thoughts of you out of my head at times because I couldn't dwell on how much I missed you.  It suddenly hit me while I was half way through the day that this is an everyday-thing.  I'm not just away from you for a little bit, but I'm going to be away from you everyday, 5 days a week, for 10 months.  It was then that it really got hard.

When I picked you up this afternoon, you were having such a good time, you weren't even ready to come into my arms!  That made me so happy and relieved, and I knew that you really were fine, that we can get used to this "new normal."  After we got home, of course, you lost it at dinner, and then were extremely clingy to me.  Your daddy had to get used to this.  Normally, we are together all day, and then when Daddy gets home, you are super excited to see him, and the two of you spend a long time playing together.  But tonight, you just wanted Mama, and Daddy was surprised that you didn't want to play.  You and Daddy did get to play, but it will take a few days for you to get used to not seeing me all day.  Fortuantely, you get to see Daddy all day on Fridays!

It's SO hard not to be with you all day.  I feel like I'm missing so much, but at the same time, I know you're fine and I'm providing for our future.  I do love my job, thankfully, but it will take time for me to adjust to being away from you.  I miss you, baby, and I can't wait for the weekend when we can be together all day!