New Year...New You

Oh my gosh. I can't believe that it has been 2 months since we've posted anything. And the last post was pictures from October! The New Year brings a resolution from Mike and Teresa to get healthier through regular exercise, healthier eating and weight loss. But seems it should also include posting to this blog. It is such a wonderful way to document our children's lives with milestones and stories we do not want to forget.

Well, first let me write down a few things about Kelsey. She is now 8 1/2 months old. Two days ago she weighed 19lbs 12oz. She continues to be a wonderful baby. She is very content and could sit all day long with a few toys around her and her sisters running around entertaining her. With her laid back attitude, she's been resistant to moving about too much. We posted a while ago that she was rolling over. But really that was that she could roll over. Not that she would choose to do so on a regular basis. So far her 8th month has been a big one though. At 8 months 2 days her first bottom tooth showed up. It was the bottom left and looked REALLY crooked. At 8 months 7 days we were able to get Kelsey rolling again. It required putting something that she wanted just out of her reach. Oh and it couldn't just be a fun toy. Usually something she shouldn't have was the most effective way to get her to want it (i.e. a small object she could choke on, a sharp knife, Jack's slimey ball). At 8 months 9 days her bottom right tooth pushed through. Fortunately as both bottom teeth continue coming in, it appears her bottom left will straighten out.

Some of you may remember Lily's first word...NICE...in response to a burp...as in...NNN-IIII-CCC-EEE! Well, Kelsey's first word? Burp. At first I was sure that it was just impressive that she was getting the b and p sounds together. But after a few days of consistently hearing "bup" followed shortly there after or preceded by a burp, I'm pretty sure this is her first word. She also says DaDa, and Adda (Addison), and Ja (Jack), and PahPahPah (Peoopee). She also likes to pretend she is a dog by panting. We are using sign language to try and promote that with her.

Perhaps our only complaint about Kelsey is night time sleeping. She usually will wake up one time between 8p and 7a to nurse. On a few special nights she will sleep until 5 or 6 in the morning. On some not so special nights she will wake up at midnight and decide it is fun to be awake. Mommy does not think it is fun to be awake then. Especially if after Kelsey going back to sleep at 2a she decides to wake again at 6:30a.

Kelsey is taking two naps a day. Usually around 9:30 and again around 2:30. She is quite easy to put down for naps. Read a book, tell her it is time for sleep, lay her down in her crib, turn on her jungle mobile, and leave the room. She may talk for a bit, but she puts herself to sleep. Night time is a different story. If I leave the room before she is asleep or mostly asleep, she screams bloody murder. Fortunately most nights she goes to sleep pretty quickly, but this is one issue I'd like to get sorted out soon.

Kelsey has been eating baby food since she was 5 1/2 months old. She likes to eat a variety of foods and will even gladly eat green beans. Around the time of the appearance of her first tooth we started giving her food that she can pick up on her own. She is quite good at picking up milk soaked cheerios one at a time. She's even getting pretty good at picking up banana pieces even though they are a bit slippery.

Kelsey is kind of pulling up to standing, but so far only uses mommy for pulling up. But she will stand at her Leap Frog Learning table for quite a while and even moves around it a tiny bit. She has developed a love for walking holding on to someone's hands, but she still walks a bit like Frankenstein.

I'd say Kelsey is a long way from crawling. When on her stomach she will turn herself around, but she doesn't roll over on her back and she is not getting up on all 4s. She does kind of scoot herself backwards, but she hasn't figured out propelling herself forward using her legs. Truth be told she doesn't get as much practice at this as she should...did I mention she is very content sitting?

Well, Kelsey is waking from her morning nap now. Jack woke her by barking and over the monitor I could hear "Ja. Ja. Ja."

More later. I have several funny stories to tell and Christmas info to relay. And updates on what Addison and Lily are up to.

Teresa