Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Snow pictures
Who knew that we would have a snow day to celebrate Elise's 13-month birthday? John and Sarah came over to play in the snow with us this afternoon. I can't believe that it is STILL coming down!
Monday, February 22, 2010
13 months!
Elise is now 13 months old, so it is time for the monthly summary. Aside from the occasional tantrum, we are at an easy stage. At 13 months, she:
-loves to walk around the house carrying her toys, clothes, books, etc. This is by far her favorite activity. She just likes to explore and follow me around. She doesn't get into everything.... yet. We'll see what the next month holds. She also loves to walk around outside and pick up leaves.
-is still a great napper and sleeper. Aside from one rough teething night and a few nights away from home (she is about 50-50 in the pack and play), she slept 11.5-12 hours every night this month. She usually goes to bed around 7:30-7:45 and wakes up around 7:15-7:30. If we are at home, she takes her morning nap around 9 or 9:30. If we are at church or bible study, she will still take a good morning nap when we get home. Her afternoon nap starts around 2. Most days, at least one of these extends past 1.5 hours. She just loves to sleep! She's still averaging about 15 hours of total sleep per day. I usually put her back in her pajamas for her naps.
-is a great car traveler. She is still rear-facing. She loves to say "mama" and twist her head around in her car seat so that she can see me. Much to Mike's chagrin, Elise likes to listen to children's music in the car. She will still sleep well in the car seat when it is time for a nap or bedtime.
-is a great eater. She loves just about everything (except avocado). Some favorites include: broccoli, peas, grapes, spaghetti, open-faced grilled cheese (a piece of bread toasted with cheese on top), lima beans, black beans, sweet potatoes, any type of meat, etc. Occasionally, she will eat from a fork or spoon, but she prefers to feed herself. She has gone out to eat MANY times this month and has been wonderful. I think this is because her communication during mealtimes has improved so much. She does the "more" sign or points to her cup when she is thirsty. She holds both hands up for "all done" when she is done... and she means it. You better remove her tray right then or else she'll start dropping food on the floor. She still doesn't eat much for a breakfast meal. Sometimes I don't even offer it to her if she goes down for an early nap. We still nurse 4 times a day (morning, after both naps, and before bed) and I still haven't introduced cow's milk... maybe this month :)
-understands sooooo much! I am just waiting for her vocabulary to explode. She is good at mimicking sounds that I make. Tonight, she was pulling clothes out of her drawer and I asked her to put her pajamas back in the drawer... and she did! Of course, she promptly pulled them back out again, but she definitely understood. On command (if she isn't distracted by something more interesting), she will pet Boss (if he lets her), go get a book from her room, go into the bathroom, go to the piano, bring me a specific toy, put something in something, follow directions to find something, point to a specific toy, object, or person in the house ("where's ____?), clap, make noise (bang objects together), open and crawl through the door of her learning home, etc. She is starting to wave/say byebye at an appropriate time without being asked. It is quite cute.
-likes to hold and hug her baby doll and stuffed animals.
-strongly dislikes 75% of diaper changes, 50% of clothes changes, and 20% of "getting in the car seat" changes.
Most valuable items: I still use the Beco Baby Carrier frequently (we both love it). I use the Beaba Babycook at least once a day. It would be hard to successfully eat out without the Kiddopotamus TinyDiner Placemat and matching bib. I recently got the Carter's EasyFit Velour Crib Sheet because the sheets that came with her bedding were starting to wear (and they are soooo hard to get on). These new sheets are wonderful and super cozy. Elise is not picky about toys at this age... she just wants something that she can carry around the house. She would be totally happy with a water bottle, a leaf, and a shoe. Maybe next month she will actually play with her toys :)
I am still way behind on posts from the last month (Christmas #3, birthday party, random Mike pics/videos). Stay tuned!
-loves to walk around the house carrying her toys, clothes, books, etc. This is by far her favorite activity. She just likes to explore and follow me around. She doesn't get into everything.... yet. We'll see what the next month holds. She also loves to walk around outside and pick up leaves.
-is still a great napper and sleeper. Aside from one rough teething night and a few nights away from home (she is about 50-50 in the pack and play), she slept 11.5-12 hours every night this month. She usually goes to bed around 7:30-7:45 and wakes up around 7:15-7:30. If we are at home, she takes her morning nap around 9 or 9:30. If we are at church or bible study, she will still take a good morning nap when we get home. Her afternoon nap starts around 2. Most days, at least one of these extends past 1.5 hours. She just loves to sleep! She's still averaging about 15 hours of total sleep per day. I usually put her back in her pajamas for her naps.
-is a great car traveler. She is still rear-facing. She loves to say "mama" and twist her head around in her car seat so that she can see me. Much to Mike's chagrin, Elise likes to listen to children's music in the car. She will still sleep well in the car seat when it is time for a nap or bedtime.
-is a great eater. She loves just about everything (except avocado). Some favorites include: broccoli, peas, grapes, spaghetti, open-faced grilled cheese (a piece of bread toasted with cheese on top), lima beans, black beans, sweet potatoes, any type of meat, etc. Occasionally, she will eat from a fork or spoon, but she prefers to feed herself. She has gone out to eat MANY times this month and has been wonderful. I think this is because her communication during mealtimes has improved so much. She does the "more" sign or points to her cup when she is thirsty. She holds both hands up for "all done" when she is done... and she means it. You better remove her tray right then or else she'll start dropping food on the floor. She still doesn't eat much for a breakfast meal. Sometimes I don't even offer it to her if she goes down for an early nap. We still nurse 4 times a day (morning, after both naps, and before bed) and I still haven't introduced cow's milk... maybe this month :)
-understands sooooo much! I am just waiting for her vocabulary to explode. She is good at mimicking sounds that I make. Tonight, she was pulling clothes out of her drawer and I asked her to put her pajamas back in the drawer... and she did! Of course, she promptly pulled them back out again, but she definitely understood. On command (if she isn't distracted by something more interesting), she will pet Boss (if he lets her), go get a book from her room, go into the bathroom, go to the piano, bring me a specific toy, put something in something, follow directions to find something, point to a specific toy, object, or person in the house ("where's ____?), clap, make noise (bang objects together), open and crawl through the door of her learning home, etc. She is starting to wave/say byebye at an appropriate time without being asked. It is quite cute.
-likes to hold and hug her baby doll and stuffed animals.
-strongly dislikes 75% of diaper changes, 50% of clothes changes, and 20% of "getting in the car seat" changes.
Most valuable items: I still use the Beco Baby Carrier frequently (we both love it). I use the Beaba Babycook at least once a day. It would be hard to successfully eat out without the Kiddopotamus TinyDiner Placemat and matching bib. I recently got the Carter's EasyFit Velour Crib Sheet because the sheets that came with her bedding were starting to wear (and they are soooo hard to get on). These new sheets are wonderful and super cozy. Elise is not picky about toys at this age... she just wants something that she can carry around the house. She would be totally happy with a water bottle, a leaf, and a shoe. Maybe next month she will actually play with her toys :)
I am still way behind on posts from the last month (Christmas #3, birthday party, random Mike pics/videos). Stay tuned!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Bath?
I've been meaning to get this on video for a few weeks. Elise understands SO much and constantly amazes me with the things she remembers. She knows where all of her favorite things are in the house, so if you ask her to get a book, go to the piano, take a bath, etc, she will go to the room where she does those things. She hasn't added any new words to her vocabulary over the last few weeks, but the 10 or so that she knows are said more frequently.
She has been using "Mama" to get my attention when I am not looking at her. A few weeks ago I was checking my email while she was playing with toys, and she walked over to me, put her hand on my knee, and said "mama.... MAMA!" and then grinned when I looked at her. She especially likes to say "Mama" in the car and twist her head around to see me from her rear-facing car seat. She almost always says "bye" or "byebye" while she waves goodbye. A few weeks ago, she started folding her hand in half when she waves instead of waving with her arm. When she hears Boss barking, she says "Bah" and looks for him. She will actually walk around the house looking for him or she will go to the back door and point to him outside.
I have made an effort to communicate with her during mealtimes and it has paid off. She uses "more" (sometimes says it, sometimes signs it) when she wants more food (if the tray is empty) or some water. I tried teaching "drink" but she hasn't picked up on it. She also uses "all done" (both hands up) when she is finished eating. As soon as she signals she is finished, I remove the tray or else she will start dropping pieces of food on the floor. Boss loves that part. Tonight, she wanted to nurse about 30 minutes early, so she used the "milk" sign instead of waiting for her usual time. I am now going to focus on teaching "please".
Here is another funny video that was taken a few weeks ago. Her boyfriend is a very talented musician and conductor!
Bath? from Stephanie Powell on Vimeo.
She has been using "Mama" to get my attention when I am not looking at her. A few weeks ago I was checking my email while she was playing with toys, and she walked over to me, put her hand on my knee, and said "mama.... MAMA!" and then grinned when I looked at her. She especially likes to say "Mama" in the car and twist her head around to see me from her rear-facing car seat. She almost always says "bye" or "byebye" while she waves goodbye. A few weeks ago, she started folding her hand in half when she waves instead of waving with her arm. When she hears Boss barking, she says "Bah" and looks for him. She will actually walk around the house looking for him or she will go to the back door and point to him outside.
I have made an effort to communicate with her during mealtimes and it has paid off. She uses "more" (sometimes says it, sometimes signs it) when she wants more food (if the tray is empty) or some water. I tried teaching "drink" but she hasn't picked up on it. She also uses "all done" (both hands up) when she is finished eating. As soon as she signals she is finished, I remove the tray or else she will start dropping pieces of food on the floor. Boss loves that part. Tonight, she wanted to nurse about 30 minutes early, so she used the "milk" sign instead of waiting for her usual time. I am now going to focus on teaching "please".
Here is another funny video that was taken a few weeks ago. Her boyfriend is a very talented musician and conductor!
John the pianist from Stephanie Powell on Vimeo.
Monday, February 15, 2010
New shoes!
Elise has been wearing a pair of 12-18 month Robeez since October. I got them for free by signing up for an email list at USA Baby. They were very functional in the crawling/pulling up/cruising stage. When she started walking short distances on her own, she wore them in the house to give her tights or socks more traction on the tile. Now that she wants to walk outside, it is time for some real shoes. My mom and I took her shopping at Sandy's Shoes, which is the same store that my mom used to take me to get shoes. The guy that fitted Elise for shoes also fitted me for shoes in my toddler/kid days! He and my mom remembered each other. I got her a pair of size 5.5 Pediped Flex Isabella shoes in Chocolate. The salesman commented on her large feet. She gets these from both sides of the family. The shoes fit perfectly and she walks/squats/stands up wonderfully in them. They are pretty yet understated and the thick rubber sole is durable and flexible. Luckily, the brown shoes were on sale because the spring/summer styles are out. We tested them out in my parents' front yard this afternoon. Hopefully these will last until it is time for sandals!
She loved walking on the sidewalk and grass with a leaf in both hands.
Look, a tree!
Time to find another leaf...
Shoes in action...
Sunday, February 14, 2010
It's over!
I ran the Austin Half Marathon this morning. The weather was absolutely perfect for running... 45-50 degrees with very little breeze. We had to get up at 4:45 this morning in order to get downtown and set up to start the race at 7. The longest training run I did was 8 miles in mid-January, so I definitely didn't know what to expect today.
Since the weather was so good, I thought that I might actually try to run the whole thing. I knew if I could make it to 10 miles, then I would be able to do the last 3.1 miles. At that point it is just a mental game. Bryan ran with me for the first 3.5-4 miles (which was way longer than I expected, thanks Bryan!) and we got off to a great start. He took off to run the rest of the race at a faster pace. I turned my iPod on and enjoyed the next few miles. Around 7.5 miles, I started feeling really hungry, so I had some of the "Gu" that Bryan gave me. I proceeded to have a "bite" of the Gu at every water stop for the rest of the race. I walked for probably 10 seconds through each water stop and that gave me the energy that I needed to keep going.
The worst part of the whole race was just before 12 miles. We had just gone up what I thought was the last hill, and as we crested it, I saw this ENORMOUS hill in the distance. It was one of those "Ohhhh, crap, you've got to be kidding me!" moments. I had gone so far, and as I was "trudging" up the hill, I kept thinking to myself... "Mike is going to call me to see how the race went, and I can't tell him that I ran the first 12 miles and walked the last one! I have to keep going!" I barely jogged up the hill and almost cried when I got to the top because it was that hard. Thankfully, there was a water stop coming up and then only 1/2 of a downhill mile to go. I even sprinted the last few blocks. I feel great tonight aside from a nagging pain in my right heel. Hopefully it will go away with a day of rest.
The official results haven't been posted online yet. Of course, I forgot to stop my watch when I crossed the finish line. I believe I finished a few minutes shy of 2 hours, which should be about a 9 minute pace. Edited to say: I finished at 1:58:36, This was faster than I expected, so I am very pleased! My mom and 2 of my aunts walked the 1/2 and did a great job. Bryan and 2 of my cousins ran the 1/2, and another cousin completed his first full marathon. I definitely couldn't imagine running the 1/2 twice in a row. Kudos to Caleb and Julie and everyone else who has accomplished that feat!
I'm trying to upload some recent videos of Elise but vimeo.com is giving me trouble. I'll try again tomorrow!
Happy Valentine's Day to my wonderful husband. Elise and I love you so much! We are so proud to be your family.
Since the weather was so good, I thought that I might actually try to run the whole thing. I knew if I could make it to 10 miles, then I would be able to do the last 3.1 miles. At that point it is just a mental game. Bryan ran with me for the first 3.5-4 miles (which was way longer than I expected, thanks Bryan!) and we got off to a great start. He took off to run the rest of the race at a faster pace. I turned my iPod on and enjoyed the next few miles. Around 7.5 miles, I started feeling really hungry, so I had some of the "Gu" that Bryan gave me. I proceeded to have a "bite" of the Gu at every water stop for the rest of the race. I walked for probably 10 seconds through each water stop and that gave me the energy that I needed to keep going.
The worst part of the whole race was just before 12 miles. We had just gone up what I thought was the last hill, and as we crested it, I saw this ENORMOUS hill in the distance. It was one of those "Ohhhh, crap, you've got to be kidding me!" moments. I had gone so far, and as I was "trudging" up the hill, I kept thinking to myself... "Mike is going to call me to see how the race went, and I can't tell him that I ran the first 12 miles and walked the last one! I have to keep going!" I barely jogged up the hill and almost cried when I got to the top because it was that hard. Thankfully, there was a water stop coming up and then only 1/2 of a downhill mile to go. I even sprinted the last few blocks. I feel great tonight aside from a nagging pain in my right heel. Hopefully it will go away with a day of rest.
The official results haven't been posted online yet. Of course, I forgot to stop my watch when I crossed the finish line. I believe I finished a few minutes shy of 2 hours, which should be about a 9 minute pace. Edited to say: I finished at 1:58:36, This was faster than I expected, so I am very pleased! My mom and 2 of my aunts walked the 1/2 and did a great job. Bryan and 2 of my cousins ran the 1/2, and another cousin completed his first full marathon. I definitely couldn't imagine running the 1/2 twice in a row. Kudos to Caleb and Julie and everyone else who has accomplished that feat!
I'm trying to upload some recent videos of Elise but vimeo.com is giving me trouble. I'll try again tomorrow!
Happy Valentine's Day to my wonderful husband. Elise and I love you so much! We are so proud to be your family.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Christmas
Here is catch-up post #1 for the last 3 weeks. We had Christmas with Elise on January 21, which was the day after she started walking all the time. She was so cute walking over to her presents! Santa got her a Radio Flyer Walker Wagon filled with some books, a doll, and a bath toy. She isn't as interested in pushing the wagon as she would have been before she started walking. Instead, she likes to climb in and out of it and put things in and take things out of it. I think she will enjoy pushing her dolls and stuffed animals around in it as she gets older.
She still loves to read. If you hand her a book upside down, she will turn it around so that she is looking at it the right way. It is so cute. She also loves her baby doll. She recently learned to "hug" her stuffed animals and her doll. Today we were at a friend's house and she grabbed a doll and started hugging it!
Here are our stockings and her wagon filled with presents... Mike and I made each other's stockings in 2004 and Mike made Elise's stocking while he was in Iraq. I have to admit that he is much better at stocking-making than I am! This will be our last Christmas in this house, so it will be interesting to see what our setup looks like in Alabama.
She still loves to read. If you hand her a book upside down, she will turn it around so that she is looking at it the right way. It is so cute. She also loves her baby doll. She recently learned to "hug" her stuffed animals and her doll. Today we were at a friend's house and she grabbed a doll and started hugging it!
Here are our stockings and her wagon filled with presents... Mike and I made each other's stockings in 2004 and Mike made Elise's stocking while he was in Iraq. I have to admit that he is much better at stocking-making than I am! This will be our last Christmas in this house, so it will be interesting to see what our setup looks like in Alabama.
Walking to her presents
Pushing the wagon
Admiring the stocking that Daddy made her... she LOVED pointing to the stockings on the mantle
She wasn't very interested in opening presents but did enjoy reading books. I got her several Christmas books at a 50% discount after Christmas... one of the perks of doing Christmas in January!
Playing with her toys (her doll is under her right knee)
Admiring the stocking that Daddy made her... she LOVED pointing to the stockings on the mantle
She wasn't very interested in opening presents but did enjoy reading books. I got her several Christmas books at a 50% discount after Christmas... one of the perks of doing Christmas in January!
Playing with her toys (her doll is under her right knee)
Friday, February 5, 2010
We are still here
Mike left yesterday to head back to Iraq. He should be back home in about 10-11 weeks, so that is very exciting! We had a fantastic time. This was a perfect 2-week window into life with Elise. She changed so much while he was here! He arrived on January 19, she started walking all the time on January 20 (she had been walking short distances since Christmas), she learned how to squat down, pick something up, and keep walking, she turned 1 on January 23, she learned how to stand herself up without assistance, she learned how to climb in/out of her wagon and rocking chair, etc. Her favorite thing is to walk around the house and carry random objects with her. She also loves to walk to you, give you a hug, and then turn back around and keep exploring. She is my little shadow and will follow me all around the house.
This leaves me wondering what she will be like at 15 months old when he returns. I imagine that her vocabulary will expand a lot, but I don't know what else to expect.
I have a ton of pictures to sort through, and eventually I will get to it, but for now I will just share the link to the sneak peek of our family pictures from January 30. They were taken by Melody Clampet at our house and she did a wonderful job! I am thankful to have found another great photographer after Jessica Strom moved to Kansas. We have so many wonderful memories of Elise's first year that have been captured in photographs. I love it!
Also, if you look at the sneak peek you can see the dress that Elise wore for her first birthday party (brown with colorful flowers). My friend Shannon over at Jelby's made it for her and I just loved how well it turned out! The print is Carnival Bloom and I ordered the fabric online. Elise also has a bib in the same print that I ordered from etsy.com.
Have a good weekend!
This leaves me wondering what she will be like at 15 months old when he returns. I imagine that her vocabulary will expand a lot, but I don't know what else to expect.
I have a ton of pictures to sort through, and eventually I will get to it, but for now I will just share the link to the sneak peek of our family pictures from January 30. They were taken by Melody Clampet at our house and she did a wonderful job! I am thankful to have found another great photographer after Jessica Strom moved to Kansas. We have so many wonderful memories of Elise's first year that have been captured in photographs. I love it!
Also, if you look at the sneak peek you can see the dress that Elise wore for her first birthday party (brown with colorful flowers). My friend Shannon over at Jelby's made it for her and I just loved how well it turned out! The print is Carnival Bloom and I ordered the fabric online. Elise also has a bib in the same print that I ordered from etsy.com.
Have a good weekend!
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