Katie and the Activity Mat

Katie Talking

Holding head up!

We have noticed just in the past two days that Katie has really started to hold her head up on her own. Often times after she eats, she enjoys to lay in your lap and kick around, but the past couple of days she much rather would prefer for you to hold her in a standing position. It was then that we noticed she had hit this big milestone!

While over at a friend's house yesterday, I watched as she was being carried around the house and sure enough she held her head up high and looked all around. There is something about this milestone that makes you realize how fast they start to grow up!

The Nap Routine

Each week I tend to set a new goal for myself of something that I would like to accomplish with Katie. This week it is surrounding her napping schedule. Many books advise you not to start a nap routine until the baby turns 2 months, and now that she is 10 weeks old, it is definitely time. Until now, Katie has been taking these little cat naps either in her pack and play, the swing (if she happens to fall asleep in there), the car while out running errands and periodically on one of us. This week, all that changed when I decided it was time for her to start napping in the crib.

I'm still trying to figure out what her nap times will be, but for now we are starting to establish the routine of her going down for at least 2 naps in the crib - 1 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon.

Everything I read states that I will more than likely have to let her cry it out, but so far that has yet to happen! 2 days in a row, I have taken her into her nursery about the time she starts to get fussy (approximately 1 hour after she is finished eating) and I rock with her for 5 minutes, just enough to get her nice and calm. Then, I put her in the crib - AWAKE - leave the room and wait to see what happens. Sure enough, she soothes herself right to sleep!

She may be too young to get on an exact schedule (i.e., a 2:00 afternoon nap), but at least we are starting to establish some form of a routine, and given that "routines" have helped her to sleep through the night starting at 8 weeks, I have no doubt this will help too!

Katie and her activity mat

She LOVES this thing! It's fun to sit at the kitchen counter and watch her play on her activity mat. She kicks, squirms, coos, squawks and, of course, smiles like crazy!

2-Month Check-Up

Well, the dreaded appointment is finally over. The Shots. I haven't been looking forward to this appointment probably since November 12, 2009 and built it up in my mind to be this awful thing. I thought I would walk out of the building sobbing (and her screaming), but it was honestly not a big deal at all. Yes, she cried (screamed is more like it), but as soon as the nurse was finished and she was back in my arms, the little Katie bug was fine. I had a bottle ready for her, she ate just a little bit before I put her back into her car seat and got out of there. She was asleep before we left the parking lot...and is still sleeping!

Weight: 11.4 lbs
Height: 22 1/4 inches long

Doctor's assessment: Perfect!

Family Visits

Katie had a very fun-filled/busy weekend meeting her Granddad, Uncle and Great Uncle! They traveled from all over the place to come and spend the weekend with her (and us, of course!). Here are a few highlights:

Baby in the Mirror

I am 2 Months Old Today

From Katie:

"Today I turned 2 months old! Mommy likes to tell me stories about what she was doing on this day 2 months ago. I keep wondering if she is going to do this every single month of my life because I can already recite the story by memory.

In the past month, I have started to "talk" - it's really my own secret language that no one else can understand, and I love it! My mommy and daddy always talk back to me, but I don't really know what they are saying. Why can't they speak my language?

I've also really started to like my activity mat and changing table pad - mommy and daddy put me on there and I love to kick, punch, squirm and...well...talk! They like to put me on my tummy sometimes, and even though I cry (and sometimes scream bloody murder), they don't seem to get the point that I really do NOT like it!! I wish they would get the point.

My biggest accomplishment is that I have started to sleep through the night!! Auntie Julia tells me that most babies can't do that at my age - especially 8 hours and 15 minutes like I did last night. I am obviously very well advanced and more talented than most babies. HAHA! Just kidding! I hope my mommy and daddy know that this isn't going to last. Just as they start to get comfortable, I am planning on changing up my routine on them. You have to keep these people on their toes.

Well, my mommy says it's bath time...something I LOVE!

Come back next month to hear what all I have been up to."

3 nights in a row!

I am probably going to jinx myself by even writing about this, but we have had 3 nights in a row of 7+ hours of straight sleep! I am well aware that it will not last forever (so don't email me/post to my Facebook wall anything along these lines) - but for now I will enjoy these extra hours that I have been getting!

Off to finish feeding the munchkin and get her off to dreamland.

A HUGE Milestone!

I can't believe it, but the little munchkin slept from 10-5 last night!! Well, she wasn't really asleep by 10, but she was quiet in her crib, and that is what counts! I woke up at 1, thinking I heard her...turns out I didn't. I woke up at 3:00 and checked the video monitor, expecting to see her stirring...she wasn't. I woke up at 3:45, checked the video monitor to see if she had moved positions...she had (phew). I woke up at 5:00 when it was time for Smyrna Dad to get up for work and about jumped for joy that she was still sleeping...and starting to stir!

So, I guess Babywise was right - one day between 7-9 weeks, they just "all of a sudden", sleep through the night!

I'm not getting my hopes up for a repeat occurence, but am curious as to what she will do tonight!

A little video for you...

The Perfect Winter Day

The Little Katie Bug and I are, for the most part, hanging out indoors today - on this rather chilly and even snowy January day. She is hanging out in her pack 'n play - was napping, but is now awake, and I am sitting here in the peace and quiet, enjoying a cup of hot chocolate, watching the snow flurries come down.

We made a trip to the pediatrician yesterday afternoon because it appears as though the little one has the start of her first head cold. After seeing some nice stuff come out of her nose the other night, and hearing gurgly noises in her throat, we felt it was best to see what the doctor thought. Sure enough, as Smyrna Mama expected, it is a possible cold. A very, very mild one at that.

So, after running a couple errands with me this morning, she is all snug as a bug in the warm toasty indoors...

A Photo for Inspiration

Wanted: SLEEP

Every new mom craves it, yearns for it, begs for it and is hopeful that one day more than 3 straight hours of sleep will return to their lives. I am now one of those moms. I have been working quite hard to get Katie on a good bedtime routine and, based on what I am reading (on message boards, various websites), she seems to be responding well. Naturally, I am not satisfied and want more...and am somewhat hopeful she will start sleeping in longer stretches soon.

Right now, I have her asleep by 10:00 and she is waking up around 2-2:30 am. I feed/burp/change/rock her for an hour and then she usually wakes back up around 6 or 6:30 am. I find myself obsessed with reading tips on how to improve her sleeping, make her sleep longer, and have even resorted to posting messages on message boards asking for reassurance that something will change soon.

I am prepared for the fact that we may have a while to go before she sleeps longer than 4 hours at a time, but a girl can dream, right?

This afternoon, I will be starting a new book that I picked up for $2.50 at the local used book store - The Baby Sleep Solution: A Proven Program to Teach Your Baby to Sleep Twelve Hours a Night just to see what techniques they recommend. I can't seem to get enough "sleep" reading these days...well, when I am not trying to get some sleep myself! :)

Happy New Year!

I know I shouldn't jump ahead, but I have found myself thinking, "What will Katie Bug be doing this time next year?" and even thought a couple of times, "What will Katie be doing 10 years from now?" It's crazy to think how fast 365 days are going to fly by.

A New Year's Resolution that I have is to take as many pictures and video of Katie over the next year as possible. Given that I am constantly taking pictures, it should be a pretty attainable goal! :)

So, to kick off the resolution, here is a little video for you!