Update on the less important Jones'

Well in the last Mia update, I was hesistant to let everyone know that I had just taken my content exam for Math 4-8. I know I seem overly confident on here....and it's easy when I have all the time in the world to edit myself to ensure I sound that way ;-) In all seriousness though, I had been studying for a month and a half for this test. I haven't been stressed out like that in years. BUT the results came in and I passed....no wait.....I totally kicked that test's @$$!! I am so relieved to have that part behind me and be able to move forward with a dream I have had for years :)

So coming off the high of my test results, I managed to get sick for the first time in 4 years. And I mean....I GOT SICK! I was in bed for 2 days and then just trying to recover for the next 2. I'm not sure how, but I managed to get strep throat. I guess making out with strangers on the playground is a bad idea? ;-) Luckily the rest of my family escaped the beast and we've all made it to the other side and hardly worse for the wear. Dan really stepped up and took care of Mia. He stayed home from work for 2 days and turned into Mr. Mom. I was reminded how truly blessed I am to have someone like him that I could count on :) I know this should wait for Mia's next update, but if you're like me....you'll forget before then anyway. Mia decided to pick THIS week to start moving around! Yep, we have a crawler :) It's been fun watching her...and by "fun" i mean "exhausting"! gone are the days of sitting around and watching her play. Watching her play is now a game of chase and lots of "Mia! Don't stick those shoes in your mouth!" good times ;-)

So once I got out of bed, I started the job hunt! I have since run into snags that I fully expected to be there. I mean afterall, nothing is ever easy, right? I am just hoping that the reason there are obstacles is to make me work hard and stay focused on a goal. So far I think I am doing just that! I am certainly anxious about what lies ahead, but for the first time in my life the unknown isn't as scary as it is exciting.

This next week is going to prove to be a busy one! We have Mia's 8 month pictures tomorrow, then a birthday party Sunday, Mia and her cousin's pics on Monday, Kaboom Town (sans Mia) on tuesday, my uncle's wedding on Wednesday and then a little get away with the Swindle Fam on Thursday-Sunday!! I'm really looking forward to staying busy and getting out of town for a little while :) I'll make sure to post pics as soon as I get them...our little Mia is getting so big!

One last thing....I haven't really posted about how I'm doing on my goal of being back to my pre-pregnancy self. Well, I made it! I hit my pre-pregnancy weight a couple weeks ago, and since my 3 day fast with being sick, I am actually down from there about 3 lbs. I fully expect those lbs to come screaming back once my appetite is back in high gear, but until then, I am proud to say that I am only 1 lb (and a weird belly button) away from my wedding weight! I feel great and have goals of running a 5K in September and hopefully shooting for the 8mi at the Turkey Trot in November.

If you think about me at all over the course of the next couple weeks, please keep my job hunt in your prayers...and my patience, given our new little mover ;-)

Happy 4th Folks!

8 Months: Teeth and all sorts of movement!

Dear Mia,

You are 8 months old and let me tell you, it's my favorite age yet!! I can hardly believe that the better part of a year has already come and gone....and you sure have made the most of your time this month! I know there are always little milestones from month to month, but this month was packed full. Luckily I remembered to take notes....so here we go!

Early this month, we took our first plane trip to see your Aunt Margaret in Little Rock. I was a nervous wreck through the preparation thought process as well as on the way there. I was worried you would scream the whole time and that the people around me would join forces and that we would be "escorted" off the plane mid-flight. But, I totally underestimated your awesomeness....you were perfect. Aside from slapping the surrounding patrons (luckily they both had kids and thought you were adorable) and falling asleep in my lap (not complaining) JUST as I needed to be gathering all of our stuff, I couldn't have asked for a smoother trip. But, in the anticipation of the worst case scenario, I packed an arsenal of goodies including your first finger foods, apple cinnamon puffs! Now, nevermind that I had 2 new toys for you in your diaper bag, along with new foods, a bottle, pacifiers, and a myriad of old "favorites"....you were more interested in the barf bag and in flight magazine....as well as the bracelet belonging to the lady sitting next to us. But again, we made it in one piece and you had an awesome time hanging out with your aunt :) here are some pictures from the weekend....

your first time in the johnny jumper....you weren't exactly sure what to do with it

I think it's fair to say we wore you out ;-)

Aunt Margaret just HAD to buy you a new outfit :)

someone is up WAY past their bedtime! you just didn't want to miss out on any of the fun

Next up, we celebrated Daddy's first Father's Day! You made him a footprint with a special message on it, and helped mommy make him a picture of all of us to hang on his office wall, along with one of just you and him to take to work to show off :) We stayed in on Father's day and just relaxed and hung out. You went with your daddy to see Yia Yia and Grandpa and give him the gift you made for him on Saturday....and of course, to go swimming :) Then Grammy and Grandpa came over on Sunday for lunch and you let Grandpa hold you for 30 minutes! I think you're finally coming around on the old guy ;-) I know it made his day!

(Side note regarding Father's Day.....you, my dear, are one VERY lucky little girl. Your daddy pretty much thinks the sun rises and sets with you. I don't know how you did it, but you have managed to wrap him around your little finger and all you have to do is make a sound (or look like you're going to make a sound) and he comes running! You rarely let me rock you to sleep and would much prefer to just be left alone, but Lord help....when your daddy is home, you never go to sleep without a big shoulder to snuggle up on. I swear I think you two have something going on behind my back. It's like you just know when he gets home and you either stay awake, or wake up just so that he'll rock you. I have to admit....I'm a little jealous ;-) I couldn't have asked for a better man to be your dad, and I just hope that you and he keep this kind of relationship, even when you're older....even if it makes mommy jealous.)

Here are some pics of the gifts you made:

This is your little footprint. It says "I heart daddy - 6/17/12"

This was for Grandpa Jones :)

Now on to the meat and potatoes of this post....all the other stuff:

You finally gave in and started eating solid foods again....it was touch and go at the beginning of the month and I thought we had, yet again, taken steps in the wrong direction. Come to find out....you were on revolt because your FIRST TOOTH was coming in! Now, I am the mom who thinks that any time you are fussy or in a mood that I am unfamiliar with, that you are teething. I have thought this since you were three months old. I knew I would be right one of these days and this month was it! Your first tooth broke on June 4th. It was the lower right tooth and you have wasted no time in taking full advantage of your new little weapon. You now feed yourself cheerios and puffs. You have totally refused to eat oatmeal or rice cereal since the beginning of the month, so I figured cheerios are close enough. I haven't been to the doc yet to be shot down about that, but given that I can't force those little lips open for oatmeal, I don't really care. I think anyone can tell by looking at your cute little chunky cheeks, that you are not lacking in the nutrition department ;-) We've also expanded our baby food selection to include peaches, squash and you have re-evaluated your stance on peas ;-) You are eating about half a container of food twice a day. I generally do fruit in the mornings and veggies at night. I don't read books about what you should be eating and when, so chances are good that we will have to rearrange our meals next month, but until then, it works for us. You are still taking about 5 bottles a day but you seem to be eating less and I would guess that's because you are eating more solids. We make 7 oz bottles, but as of the last week, you are only drinking 4-5 oz at a time....except at night when you drink 8 oz always.

You still wake up between 6-7....mostly closer to 6 and you still eat around 6,9,12,3 and 6. Although, as of late, we are starting to phase one of the bottles out, so your feedings are spread out a little and the last two fall around 4 and 6:30. You have started fighting bedtime more too. I am hoping it is because of teething (see, I always think it's the reason for weird behavior) but who really knows. Because of this, and my distaste for making 20 trips up and down the stairs at night, I have started putting you down later. Now it's more like 7:15-7:30 with only like 2 trips up the stairs before you call it lights out. Also recently, we have reverted back to waking in the middle of the night....I mean, what's THAT all about?! I literally can't remember the last night i didn't have to get up at some point to go check on you. I have to say...we can do without that! Just as of this morning though, tooth #2 broke through, so I'm hoping that tonight will be a better night.

During the day, you are taking around 2 naps, sometimes 3. The first one is around 7-9 and if you take three, the second is normally around 11-12 and the third around 2:30-4 or 4:30. If you only take 2 naps (if we're out and you can't get in the third) you normally go down around 1 and get up around 3 or shortly after. You are so much more active when we are out now...and interactive. I can't turn my head without you grabbing something and putting it in your mouth. I told a friend the other day that I haven't enjoyed a lunch out since you started sitting in a high chair! ;-) Luckily I always have a myriad of treats in your diaper bag...I love being able to just give you little nibbles now to keep you occupied. Another perk of month 7 ;-)

You remember how I was always talking about how you wouldnt roll from your stomach to your back?? NOT ANY MORE! You are a rolling machine. I knew you could do it....I think you just wanted me to think you couldnt...sneaky little one. Not only do you roll all over now, you can sit up from laying down. Once I saw this when I went in to get you out of your crib in the morning, we decided it was time to lower the crib mattress. That, by the way, is a much easier feat with 2 people and sans crying baby....not that I have experience in that regard given that it was just me, and you managed to scream the whole time. Awesome. You have also started getting up on your hands and knees and trying to move around. You still mostly only move backwards, but you're moving....like a lot! I'm not sure I'm ready for this, but I guess 8 months ago, I wasn't sure I was ready to push a kid through my...well, you know...and that worked out ok, so I guess this will too. You are also really interested now in standing. You are constantly trying to pull up on daddy and I (and as of yesterday, the bath tub and your crib) and you love having us walk you around :)

You are still very much in love with the water too. We go to the pool several times a week and you have a blast during bath time at night! I will include some pics and video below, but before I do that, here are a few other things I wrote down about this month:

*you hold your arms out when you want us to pick you up (MY FAVORITE THING EVER!!!!)

*you clap your hands now - cute when you're excited, even CUTER when you're upset ;-)

*you pat anyone who picks you up on the back or chest, it's kind of like you're comforting them....it's adorable. I didn't realize it until you started doing that, but every time I pick you up, I always pat you....I guess you picked up on that ;-)

*you say 'Da da' ALL THE TIME! It's not really to your Dad, but he will take it any way he can get it. You also say 'na na' and 'ma ma' (again, not to me, but it's a start!) and 'ga ga'. If you are awake, you are most likely talking! what a chatty Cathy!

*we had to switch you to the next nipple size, so you're now on a 4. I assume you'll be here until you start drinking real milk.

*you started drinking out of a sippy cup, you don't like to hold it, but you can definitely get the water out now, where as you used to just gnaw on the sippy part

*you have started wearing some 12 mo clothes....good lord you are long!

*I weighed you the other day, and you weigh right around 20 lbs! wow...just wow.

Well, i guess that's about it for this month. I can't even imagine what is to come with your 9 month update! We are taking your 8 mo pictures this weekend and I'm so excited to see how they turn out :)

Here are some more pics from this month......

Won't be long until you're doing this on your own, and daddy is behind chasing you!

of course you have your own spatula! what else would you chew on while mommy cooks?

I'm not sure why, but you always have that arm up like you're conducting an orchestra or something....

this is the way the sophisticated ladies do it ;-)

getting that knee up to get movin'

one morning on a play date at the nature preserve :)

cheerios are the best snack....if only they were bigger!

getting ready to sit up on your own

on your 8 mo birthday :)

naked babies are the cutest babies

we like to play a little game called "what is with in arms reach that you can chew on that is NOT a toy"

sitting up in your crib after a nap

bathtime is the BEST time :)

it's just a lot of cute for one picture ;-)

As usual, Mia, I am going to end by telling you just how amazing you are. You have no idea how much you have changed my life. You have truly made me a better person. I am learning to appreciate all the small things and let the petty things go. I don't dwell on the bad, but try to focus on what's good. I try to make each day with you count and I make an effort to not be distracted when I'm with you for fear that I'll miss something important. I want you to know that soon you'll be going to hang out with other people during the day, but it's not because I don't love hanging out with you. You are such a loving and social baby, I don't want everyone else to miss out on your awesome ;-) I love you baby girl!

Love,

Mommy