Big Changes

It's been a while since we've posted and some big changes have happened since then. We made a big move from California to Idaho for Justin's new job with Northwestern Mutual Financial and to be closer to Justin's brother and nieces. It all happened really quickly. It all started in February when we decided to start looking at making a move. We came to Idaho to visit and have Justin interview with a few companies during the first week of March and we left with Justin having accepted a position with Northwestern Mutual. 

After paperwork was finished, background check completed and a drug test passed we had exactly two weeks to plan, pack and move to Idaho. We left California on April 6, and with a stopover in Winnemucca, NV for the night arrived at our new home on April 7, 2013. 

Just before leaving our house in California for the last time. 

  

We stopped as we crossed into Idaho to commemorate our big move. 

 

It's been exactly a month since we arrived and we have had a blast here. We've been making friends, visiting new places and we even joined the local YMCA which is pretty dang cool. It even has a water slide and wading pool for the little kids. We can't wait to see what other fun stuff our new adventure has in store for us.

 

Happy Easter 2013!

Olivia's first Easter was a blast. I forgot to take any other pictures, but this is her enjoying the graham cracker bunnies from the eggs she found in her first egg hunt. 

Happy 1st Birthday Olivia!

Since we are moving before Olivia turns 1 we decided to have a birthday celebration with our family and friends in Napa. We picked the Saturday before Easter but since we are packing we couldn't have it at our house. We decided to host it at the same park we've had Avery's birthday and cross our fingers for good weather. 

Unfortunately we did not make out on the weather, but what would a rainbow themed birthday party be without rain? Luckily it didn't rain too hard and the trees gave us pretty good cover. The kids enjoyed themselves splashing in the water and getting all wet.

Daredevil

 

Look at this kid. She has no fear. At least she has a good reason. 

Mama's girls

Today the girls took naps at different times, but it was a great to spend some one on one with each of the girls individually. They sure are fun!

Olivia: 10 months

THIS MONTH YOUR BABY MAY:

• roll a ball to you as her social skills and interest in play continues to grow rolling and throwing!
• go from lying to sitting without any help Oh yea. She has been doing this for a couple weeks.
• show a desire to please you as she becomes even more attached to you—the trust, love and connection between your baby and you are continuing to grow She has started to show off. It's pretty cute!
• search for a toy after watching you hide it—your baby is beginning to understand that an object exists even when she cannot see it (object permanence) Oh yes. She realizes that things aren't gone even if she can't see it. It makes it difficult to distract her from something she shouldn't have... like crayons which she likes to chew on when Avery accidentally leaves them within her reach.
• resist being put to bed or left alone as her attachment to you grows I still nurse/rock her to sleep so I don't notice this, but I know she would be very upset if I left her alone to go to sleep. She does get quite clingy when I try to leave a room to do something else like cook dinner when she is playing.
• remember a favorite song and laugh and smile when it's played Not that I've noticed, but she does get calm when the Pandora lullaby station is on I think because the songs are familiar.
• express herself with gestures and sounds instead of cries She reaches and grunts to get what she wants. If I don't "get it" right away then she cries.
• use gibberish in a conversational way Not too often but I have noticed a couple times.

 

Peek a boo!

Olivia has learned a new trick. Peek a boo. It looks something like this. It's pretty hilarious.

A month in photos: February 2013

Trampolining.

 Our trampoline has been one of the best investments we have made for the kids so far. They love it and we have so much fun together as a family.

Balloons

Sundays are always good for an adventure. We found one this morning with these balloons. We chased them all the way from our house to Alston Park. Avery was so fascinated with their size and the fact that there were people in them. Olivia just wanted to run around but since she has just recently learned to walk she was not ready to tackle the hills. So daddy carried her, and she loved that too. 

Happy Valentine's Day 2013

A girl and her donut; now that's love.

Faces of Olivia

Month in Photos: January 2013

Olivia: 9 months!

Weight: 22lbs 2oz
Height: 29 3/4 in.

THIS MONTH YOUR BABY MAY:

• respond to simple requests (such as "Give Mommy the toy.") Olivia will look when you call her and sometimes waves when asked.
• use consonants as she begins saying "mama" or "dada" She hasn't said the words mama and dada, but she does say the consonant/vowel combinations that she needs to say it.
• learn and say one other word No words yet, but her pediatrician is not concerned and neither are we.
• pivot in a circle as her coordination continues to develop and her muscles strengthen She is great at standing and turning around.
• feed herself, although she may be a bit messy Yep! She has always fed herself. When she does she is messy and honestly she actually prefers to be fed for that reason.
• manipulate tiny objects, such as veggie dices and cereal, between her thumb and forefinger Her pincer grasp is getting great. She can even pass items from one hand from the other.                                                    
• drop toys on purpose to watch them fall and then look for them—a sign that your baby is curious about how she can affect the objects around her She has discovered pushing or throwing things off her highchair tray. To her it's hilarious.
• develop the instinct to bounce to music She is a dancing queen. She loves moving her body and especially her head to music or really any time. She has even started doing this head shake that is reminiscent of hair band performances.
• point and poke with her index finger as a sign of her growing curiosity If I get poked in the eye only 3 times at night it's a good night. She also loves to stick her finger in my mouth while she nurses. Unfortunately her nails grow so fast and now I have to be really diligent of cutting them regularly.

Twinkle Twinkle

Two and a half year olds are hilarious. Every night before bed I read Avery two books and then we talk a little before I sing Baby Beluga to her and we snuggle while she falls asleep.

Recently Avery has learned the first part of the song Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. So far she knows,

Twinkle twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are

She's also learned how to tell jokes. She's actually pretty good at it. Well the last couple nights she has asked to sing what she knows of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star before I sing Baby Beluga. Tonight she started

"Twinkle twinkle little star"

Then stopped. She turns to me and says, "Is that it?" :::long pause::: "NOPE!" and bursts into hysterical laughter. This continued a few times with her stopping at various places in the two verses that she knows to ask "Is that it?" Finally when she was laughing so much she couldn't make it through the question I had to stop her. She was never going to sleep if I let her keep going.

She is learning so much every day and it's just so fun to see her mind work and experience things for the first time. It's always an adventure listening to her talk.

8 months: A comparison

Everyone always wants to know if Avery and Olivia look alike. Honestly? I usually say yes they look very much alike... until I did this comparison. They definitely look like sisters, but they look less 'identical' than I thought. 

Olivia: 8 months!

Weight: 22lbs 9.5oz

THIS MONTH YOUR BABY MAY:

• "rake" small objects toward her and pick them up as her coordination skills and dexterity continue to develop Yep! This is especially true of food. She is always hungry!
• clap and bang objects together as her muscle coordination improves Clapping is her favorite!
• use her arms to invite someone to pick her up She has recently started reaching for mama when she is being held by any one else. She is a real mama's girl.
• reach for the spoon when you feed her at mealtimes We usually offer to let her feed herself  so she has always been grabbing the spoon or my hand or whatever is holding the food.
• turn away when no longer hungry She definitely knows when she is done and will hit the spoon/food away or move her face away.
• babble random consonants: "di, ba, ma" Olivia has really blossomed with the sounds she makes. It's so cute! Words are to come soon.
• understand "no" (although your baby may understand the meanings of other words by now, the word "no" is key because she’ll also understand the actions she must take when hearing it) Oh yes. And she does not like being told no at all.
• understand a rough idea of "in" and "out" (the first instance of recognizing a spatial relationship) I'm not really sure actually. Maybe though.
• add tongue movement to change the sound of a word She really likes to make sounds with her tongue. Her favorite is making the kissing sound with the her tongue on the roof of her mouth.