Happy Halloween

Dani's First Pumpkin

Tutu for Dani's First Birthday, Homemade by Mommy

So exhausted from playing at Grandma's, being a watermelon, and just general mayhem, she finally flopped onto her side from sitting up sleeping

Dani's First Halloween Costume, a watermelon, she didn't so much mind the costume, but she was not a fan of all the people at the Halloween party.  She eventually warmed up to her audience!

This past Thursday night was her first night all night at Grandma's and she did well (and first Cardinal's World Series Win).  Then this weekend was her first Halloween party where she dressed as a watermelon (what a cutie).  Sunday was the first day she pulled herself up in her crib (and was too tired from that point on to do it again).  She stood, let go and stood alone for a moment and then lifted her foot to take a step and fell face first.  She bounced and hit her head on the crib side.  Today on the phone with Aunt Holly, I could hear Dani in the background saying "sock" while pulling on her sock.  Such a smart cookie!

Crawling Watermelons

Dani crawled today. It wasn't efficient and it wasn't graceful but she crawled. Shortly after that she did her "downward dog" pose in an effort to stand up.

Thursday night was her first time spending the night at Grandma's house. My mom watched her while I had to go out of town. With Dad having two broken wrists and still unable to help, we had to come up with a plan. By my mom's excitement leading up to the big night, I could tell it was going to be fun for both of them! The full details may always remain a mystery to me, but I know they DID have fun!

And so today, full of energy and excitement, she crawled across the kitchen floor.

Now, she's turning into a watermelon for her first Halloween party!!

Sitting Up Sleeping

For the past two nights, Dani has decided that she doesn’t want to lay down at bed time. The first night she had quieted down some, but when I went to check on her, there she was sitting up leaning on the bed for support. The second night I would have thought she was a sleep because she was so quiet, but when I peeked in I thought I saw movement. Alas, I walked in and there she was, rocking herself back and forth, binky in mouth, playing with the mirror on her crib. Eventually, she fell asleep, sitting up, just as she did earlier in the day at Aunt Holly’s when it was naptime.

bah-la-la-la

"Can you do it", I say, with a bit of encouragement to my voice while I show Dani how the light switch is flicked on and off. It's part of our after shower routine. While I dry her off, I keep her preoccupied with the light switch. Last night she surprised me by turning the light off!

Then this morning, while we were eating breakfast, Dani stuck her food filled hand, as usual, over the side of her seat in hopes to lure a dog nearer to her. Normally Bella is there for the taking, but when she wasn't Dani looked to me for help as if to say, "why are the dogs not here". I very simply told her that Bella as not under the table, which of course upon hearing her name, prompted Bella to slink on over. After seeing Bella and hearing me say her name, Dani tried to say it. She did this a few times, except her version of Bella comes out more like "bah-la-la-la".

Just when I feel like she's amazed me more than I though possible, she was standing at the ottoman, rocking her butt around, when she stopped, let go, and simply turned around to face me. She promptly fell, but the point is that she let go and turned around! She was pretty thrilled by my response!

What an amazing little girl!

Eleven Months Old

Wow, eleven months have gone by so quickly!  I was just thinking the other day about how happy I am about keeping this blog because I couldn't quite remember at what point Dani turned from the slug that newborns are into this really active human being.  It sounds silly to say it that way, but any parent can attest, there seems to be a switch that changes their baby from immobile and helpless to active and eager to learn.  I can at least go back and look at the time when she really first started sitting up on her own!

I guess I can't say that a whole lot has changed since last month, Dani isn't really crawling or walking, but attempting to do both really well.  She plays with a variety of toys, not one that is a favorite per say.  She does love her glow worm though, she sways to the music!  She has four teeth up top and two on the bottom (see above picture), but based on her drooling/biting/mood, I'd guess something else is coming in too.  Last time we weighed her, she was at 14.7 pounds, and we only expected her to get to 3 ounces shy of 15 pounds.  Yesterday she got the first of her two part flu shot, and while it went well and she responded fine to it, it sure did make her crabby (and frankly, don't flu shots make you cranky?).

Today, Dani and I put a few Halloween decorations out.  I have always thought of fall as the fun time of Halloween, Thanksgiving, falling leaves, cool weather, turkeys, goblins, and ghouls.  It occurred to me, when saying and pointing out "pumpkin" and Dani clapping about it, that I sort of have a new addition to "Fall".  I have Dani helping with decorations, taking Dani to fall festivals, getting excited in all new ways about Halloween, and of course Dani's brithday.  It isn't that I had not thought about this before as I really looked forward to it all.  But, like all things, it's hard to judge something you've never done, and until your hands get dirty, so to speak, you never know how exciting you'll find the job.  Frankly, I'm loving every minute of it.  Fall has never been better!

Yeah, Halloween!

Playing with leaf

Playing with grass

Happy Eleven Month Birthday Dano!

post script: I plan to have a very small first birthday party for Dani, nothing big since it will likely be at our home which is far too small for anything extravagant.  Please do not take it personally for lack of invitation.  I really appreciate your understanding!

A Scary Moment

We had a small scare today.  I had finished pumping, with Dani to my side, and as I turned to put the milk on the table Chris happened to look over and see that Dani was sucking on the tubing for the pump that she stole while I had my back turned for just a moment.  We took it away and noticed that the end nozzle piece was missing. 

Dani had a tiny cough, I looked at her desperate to see if it fell out of her mouth. Nothing.  I poked my finger around her mouth, desperate that it would fall out of a cheek.  Nothing.    We searched and there was no luck finding it.  Finally, I accepted the fact that she probably ate the tiny plastic thingy.   I asked Chris what I should do, and we conceded that we needed help, so we called Holly, the all-knowing-of-kid-things sister.  After discussing that it was likely that we just needed to wait for it to pass and to maybe contact the nurse hotline to ask a few questions, I had a plan.

Before I was even off the phone Chris was asking if I checked something...trying to eagerly listen to Holly's advice I shushed him.  As soon as I was off the phone he starts talking again, "have you checked the bottle part?".  What?  The bottle pa....OH, that part.  You have got to me sh!ttin' me, it was right there.  Crisis adverted.  So thankful!