Starting to Stand

At 11 1/2 months, little McKenna is starting to stand up. Emphasis on "starting." He funny scoot and now a funny spider money or gorilla walk. Her crawl changed after I took her to the chiropractor and he adjusted two spots on her back. Her feet make a lot more contact with the ground now.

And if she is in an amazing mood, she will hold our hands and stand up. But basically she hates it and is just doing it to humor us. Grandma gave her a little standing boot camp, but I do not see much improvement. But as I have said, there is no rush!! I love my baby who is a baby forever!!

Of course she stole the show during out visit to Arizona this week. Everybody loved her. She was an angel and slept great! I was so happy. She was also great in the car, but she fought sleep the whole time and got delirious. Poor thing had a wet diaper most of the trip. Sorry, baby!!

McKenna and the big bounce

So, Kenna just flew down the stairs. I've never seen anything like it. It was horrible.

Tim, Quinn and I are really good at closing the baby gate at the top of the stairs. But this afternoon I was searching my friend's recipe blog, and Quinn was hitting me and screaming about something I had already said "no" to. "Time for a break in your room."

I took her down stairs and forgot to close the baby gate. Quinn was screaming, slamming, kicking, and being quite the problem. I was standing outside of her closed door when I heard a little sound from McKenna, and I just knew she was leaning head first over the stairs. Next thing I new I heard a few thumps. I screamed and ran as fast as I could to the stairs. Before I could get there, she flew into my sight as she bounced off the last stair. It was really horrible. She lay there for a second, and than starting crying the same way she would if I had just taken the remote control away. Nothing more. Nothing less. I picked her up. She cried for a few seconds and stopped.

Tim came running from our room when he heard me scream. He walked right passed me and Kenna and went to help Quinn. It was like an old routine or like two ships passing in the night. No one freaked out. We just surveyed the situation and went on with things.

I've said it before, and I will say it again. It always surprises me how non-dramatic the actual dramatic situations are. Think of how loud and crazy I was yesterday just typing all about how Zoloft tried to "kill" my baby. Then today I let her fall down the stairs, and we just go about our business. It always works that way with us. Like when my kids throw up, it is like a major event, but when they are in the hospital, it is like "Does the little shop next door sell ice cream?" Because what can you do? When it is major, you can't change it or fix it. You just have to survive and move on. When it is not major, you get all crazy and you have time to think, "Is this major?" Knowing is half the battle.

So, anyway, Kenna seems to be unscathed from her ride down the stairs, but I am a little worried. She's acting all normal, but I am just worried she will have bruises or pain. I would not go so far as to say I am worried about internal injuries, but I probably am. I think she is fine. But I do wonder if I should take her to the Dr. Olsen, the magic chiropractor. I think I will.

And maybe I'll cut Zoloft some slack. Ah ... perspective.

So cute

Oh, my sweet McKenna! I just about fell in love with this baby all over again today. She took a bath with me after my half marathon. She was so cute and so happy. She is starting to nod her head "Yes," and I love it. And she likes to play games with Tim where they pass a bath toy back and forth in their mouths. She copies him perfectly and shakes her head with the toy in it so he can't get it. She loves it. She is still doing her gymnastics scoot as I like to call it. She sits in a straddle position, and then uses her hands to push herself forward like a gymnastics strength trick. She is getting really fast at it, too.

Not sure what happen, but her hair stinks. It used Selsen Blue shampoo on it about a week ago, and ever since then, it has smelled like burnt hair. I used oils and all kids of yummy smelly shampoo, and it will not go away. Too bad. Tim thinks the hair got fried my the shampoo, and it will stay like this until it grows out. So sad, stinky baby.

10 Months

My angel is 10 months today. She is scooting around the front room like a gymnast. The girl just likes to have her butt on the ground. She doesn't like to stand or hang out on her hands and knees. She keeps her back really straight and her legs open in a "V" shape. Then she puts her hands on the ground and puts her whole body weight on her hands. Then she scoots forward. It seems like a lot more work than it is worth, and I think she knows that. So, she likes to sort of stay put. Today she is "crawling" all around. And she crawled to me for the first time.

Kenna's got two teeth that she got 2 weeks ago at 9 and a half months. They are the two bottom front teeth. She seems to really enjoy them. She sticks her tongue out a lot to feel the teeth on the bottom of her tongue, and she already has the hang of biting things. She eats her bananas a lot faster now. And she left little teeth marks on a toy baby bottle today.

I call Kenna my 6 month angel because until the last few days with the crawling, she has just sat on the ground and acted like a 6 month old. This is, of course, wonderful because 6 month old babies are gods gift to new moms. They are the best. They do all the fun stuff and none of the crappy stuff. Amen for a 6 month 10 month old. I love it.

McKenna is very social and loving, and I love to cuddle and squeeze her.

She still takes a bottle of formula about every 3 hours. And today for the first time she gestured to a bottle I was putting away and screamed with a "Hey, Give me that," tone of voice. I loved it. So amazing.

Fever

McKenna was really fussy last night before bed, and she woke up with a 101.5 fever. Her whole body was hot except for her left leg. Weird. I thought maybe her sock was cutting off her circulation. I took it off, gave her some Tylenol and put her back to bed. She ate a big breakfast (supper cakes with pear butter yogurt) and is now watching The House of the Lord movie while playing in her exersaucer. I put some lemon and lavender oils on her feet and ear lobes. Tim is sick too, but he won't allow the foot rub. I put lemon oil in his orange juice. My poor babies.

Waving

McKenna learned to wave last week. She usually limits to sharing this privilege and communication to Tim and my friend Melissa. But right now she is watching Littler Einsteins and waving at the TV with all her soul. Man, this girls is so cute. I love her so much, obviously. But seriously ... I love that she can't crawl and doesn't seem to want to. She is much more interested in waving at friends, toys and TVs. I love it.

7 Months

My angel is 7 months now, but I keep telling people she's 6 months because I forget. And I guess I just don't want my baby to be that old.

She sits up great now, but she cries like a crazy lady if she sees me walk out of the room. Sometimes she stops, but lots of times she does not. That's not fun, but sometimes I do love a reason to hold and cuddle her for hours. I didn't do that much with Quinn; she never really needed it. But sometimes McKenna just needs a little extra love.

The only problem these days is that she doesn't like to be fed food. SHE LIKES TO FEED HERSELF, which is crazy messy and pretty confusing. I don't know what to feed her. Half of the time I cave and just stick a handful of animal crackers right in front of her. But today Bridget suggested using one of those mesh feeders. I have never thought about those for actual food consumption. I always thought they were just for giving babies something to suck on. But I filling the mesh part with apple sauce and then squash, and I think we have a winner. She got pretty messing, but she for sure got a lot in her tummy too. Dear me. At least I have clean kid. And it is certainly not my McKenna baby.

Lately, all I want to do is stay home and hug my kids. I hope McKenna is a cuddler. Quinn cuddles. I love it. And as I said, I love to hold my McKenna. Not all the time like a crazy person, but every now and then when it is just us playing, laughing and hugging.

McKenna's First Christmas

McKenna was, of course, adorable on Christmas morning. She -- unlike her sister -- was very obedient at wearing whatever I wanted her too. So she was one half of a matching pair of Christmas PJs. (Not Quinn's fault for changing. Santa brought her a new night gown.) She loved watching Quinn open things and do things, but she mostly spend her time sitting in her chair by the tree opening her own gifts. She would reach down and find one and then net thing I knew she would have it open. It rocked! She was better at opening than Quinn!!

She was a great addition to Christmas Morning. I think we'll invite her again next year.

Getting so Big!!

Oh my goodness! Avery McKenna is getting so big. Dear me. In just a few days, I had to throw dozens of outfits into the too small box. And in one day both Melissa and Tim said that she is looking super cute baby chunky. Love it.

Sitting Up

McKenna is doing more and more sitting up! It is amazing. Just like with all new baby milestones, her sitting up changes her perspective on life and our perspective on her. It really is amazing. She seems to feel a lot more comfortable with a couch behind her, but she can manage to stay sitting in the middle of the floor for quite awhile. I have been pile blankets around her so the fall is soft.

And as I said, her sitting up gives us a whole new view of her. Tim said this week, "She is totally not a newborn anymore. Her cry is even different." And Quinn is suddenly in love with McKenna. She hugs her a lot and is starting to play with her. They sat together in their new play house and pretended with play food. Quinn made the meals, and McKenna tried as hard as she could to eat them.

Kenna's First Sledding Adventure

Kenna mostly sat and watched as the rest of us went Sledding on Christmas eve.

But then just before it was time to go, I puter her down in the snow so I could take a quick video of Tim and Quinn coming down the hill. One minute she was crying, and the next second she was passed out asleep her nose to her knees. She didn't stir for 3 hours after this.

We laid her on a sled to walk to the car. Sweetest thing ever.

gymnastics

Oops. McKenna flipped off the couch today. Ouch. Sorry, baby. I think she's fine. I hope she is. She has developed a new and screeching cry, but I don't think it is relating. She I wake up to help her at night, Tim says, half asleep, "Don't get too close. It might bite." It's that loud. :)

6 Months

My cutie is 6 months!

She still looks like a china doll. She's amazing.

Her sleep patterns are a mess. Especially at night, she goes down twice. The first time I put her down every night, she screams. Then I go get her, and she giggles and plays for an hour with me and Tim on the couch. I think she uses this time to work on her abs.

Her hair is also a mess. 'Nough said about that.

But still she is the best and cutest.

And tonight she sat up by herself for the first time. Looks like she is going from her back to her butt. No tummy for this girl. Oh and she spits raspberries all day. LOUDLY. Quinn used to do a load and crazy fake cough when a room got silent. McKenna starts to spit. It rocks.

Here is the shot of her very first time sitting up.

McKenna loves music

She's not dancing in this video, but she loves to sway her head back and forth to music.

The Lost Symbol and the Missing Milk

I started buying audio books to listen to while I do my training walks for the 3 day Breast Cancer Walk. 60 miles in 3 days.

Well, the first few books were so good that I started listening while I nurse McKenna. It relaxed me and past the time.

Right now I am listening to Dan Brown's new book The Lost Symbol. I actually kind of hate the book, but I feel bad not listening to it since I paid for it. I guess it is just not a good book for listening because it had some mystery and adventure, and when you listen, you can't control how fast you read. Anyway, there is lots I do not like about the book. But so be it, I am listening anyway.

It is starting to get kind of scary and stressful, and I realized today that my milk has stopped coming for McKenna when I listen to the book. She starts crying to let me know I am all dried up!! I have to turn off the book, look at her and sing about how much I love her, and then the milk starts a flowing.

So odd.

And yet another reason to stop reading this stupid book.

Pumpkins and Costumes and Christmas

Well, my dear, you were all about sleeping today while I took Quinn to pick out pumpkins. But we got one for you. (You waited in the car...) When we went to the Barnyard Boo at the Thanksgiving Point Farm. You came on a wagon ride with Quinn and me, and you were so quiet while we listened to a witch storyteller.

Quinn and I dressed you up in my Halloween costume. You are a pink skeleton. You glow in the dark. I put the costume and Quinn in the closet today so she could see it glow!

Even though you are too young to care about Halloween, having you around makes everything better. I can't wait to celebrate Christmas with you. And everyone knows that Halloween night is the first night of Christmas.

Eating and Sleeping

So, McKenna stopped sleeping through the night a few weeks ago. Not sure what happen. But it all went to pot. It caught up with me a few days later, and I have been completely exhausted ever since. Continuous sleep is a jewel, a prize. I miss it.

But last night she (and I) slept from about 10 p.m. until 4:30 a.m. Let me tell you I have never been so happy to be awake at 4:22 a.m. I knew the minute I opened my eyes that I had just got more continuous sleep than I had in weeks. Sad, but wonderful.

Just when the Mama thinks she's got this down .... oh, humility. It's good for us, I guess.

Anyway, Aunt Kristie bought up the fact that I might need to start feed Kenna solids to help her sleep through the night. Not looking forward to that. I've probably mentioned this before, but with Quinn I basically sat around and waited from March 10 (her birthday) to July 4, the first day I gave her solid food. There isn't much else to do when you've only got one.

We'll see. I am also not so sure that I want rice cereal to be her first solid. It really doesn't ahve anything in it, and that is not the kind of diet I support. I know her body needs to start small and all that, but I like to over think things and make them more complicated. For sure, though, I am not buying baby food this time around.

Again, We'll see.

Toys and Poops

Just as I was opening this post to write, I looked at Mckenna who is sitting on the couch next to me leaning against a pillow like she is in this picture. I saw her look at a toy that was sitting on her leg and, just like that, she picked it up and put it in her mouth. What a smarty pants. She is growing so fast. And also pooping so fast. She has not been one to blow out of a diaper, but yesterday she ruined 3 onesies, and only time and laundry will tell if the outfits survived. I call these 20 minute blowouts because that is about how much time it takes me to clean her up and try to save the clothes.

Sucking on her dress

Today was one of those days that McKenna seemed to come alive. I kept noticing that her dress was wet, and I thought it was because she spit up. Turns out she was, in fact, prone to spitting up today (which almost never happens), but several times today at Sarah's wedding luncheon and reception I would look down at McKenna and see that she had her dress in her mouth. She learned to pick it up and put it in her mouth. She was soaking wet all day. Dear me, but I loved it because she just felt so real and old and bright and special and mine.

Getting Bigger

I guess it is stating the obvious to say that McKenna is getting bigger. But it really hit me today when just a few hours after having a conversation in the mothers' room at church about how small her is, I got home and put her in a new shirt from Old Navy -- 6-12 months and fitting fine! I know Old Navy runs small, but please! McKenna is very tall. If I were a good mother, I could tell you exactly how tall because I would be taking her to her well baby check ups ... which I sometimes do not do. But fear not, her four month check up is scheduled and ready for mid October.

McKenna has started to sit in the bumbo chair and little and watch me cook. It is nice to have her around, and I think she feels the same about me. She still loves her gymini, and inspite of my indications on this blog that I would get out with exersaucer, I forgot. Maybe in a few weeks.

Now, for the future, I must say clearly that McKenna is not nearly on the routine we would like. According to Baby Wise, she should be eating every 4 hours or so. We spend several cycles a day eating every 2 hours. It is not a huge deal or I would do something about it. She sleeps through the night ... sometimes. What it comes down to is that I just am too tired to make her cry it out at night and too busy to let her cry it out during the day. Not sure how I feel about this, but all seems to be going just fine.

But McKenna and I have a special bond. Tim thinks she is a little bit of a mama's girl. He says she is just not quite as happy when I am now around. I think that is cute, but it could mean trouble in the worlds to come.

Anyway, 6-12 month shirt today and 3-6 month pants. A bracelet. And dark hair. And mostly a smile to go along with it. What a babe!