Nora -- 7 Months Old

I can't believe my sweet girly girl is already 7-months-old. Nora is just this amazing little thing. She's so completely herself and I just am so in love with getting to know her.

At this point, Nora is pretty little. She's still wearing 3-6 month pants and 6-9 month tops/pjs. She's in a size 3 diaper and was 16 lbs 8 oz at a sick visit check a couple weeks ago. 

This past month has been tougher for Nora. There's been a lot of sickness and very little sleep. I think maybe in the month we've had 5-6 days total where Nora didn't have a runny nose or cough. It's certainly contributed to a crabbier girl and sleep disruptions. 

This month we've been lucky to get a 1.5-2 hour stretch of sleep at night or even a 40 minute nap during the day. Usually, she's waking 5-8 times a night and getting harder and harder to put down. (I hope these days are behind us now that we are working on better sleep habits.) 

Nora started solids this month. We weren't super consistent because of all the sickness, but she does seem to like food. We are doing baby led weaning, so we feed her what we are eating. She seems to like meat better than veggies and fruit at this point. Her favorites have been turkey chili and beef stew. 

Nora is a little mobile at this point but not going anywhere too quickly, thankfully. Unlike Henry at this age, Nora hasn't quite figure out moving on her knees. She can rock a bit, but plops to her belly pretty quick. This month she is super super interested in pulling up on everyone and everything. But she still needs help. She is very good at sitting and does a bit of a butt scoot to move in a circle. She can also scoot backward on her belly and roll from place to place.

Generally, Nora is pretty serious. She likes to observe a situation and an object. She makes you work for laughs and smiles. She is starting to communicate, but makes you work for that too. She signs "mama," "dada," and "milk," and has said "mama" a couple times (but only when hungry). But, overall, she's kinda quiet. 

Nora still loves Henry the best. She loves him, his toys, and anything that he's touched. And he loves her! It's the best. Nora also loves her Daddy, putting toys into containers, and when people pretend to nom on her. She also like to play the "how big is baby?" game and raises her hands above her head. 

I know it's futile to try to get time to slow down, so I just have to enjoy every last second we have with her. 

Introducing the Weaning Cup

Nora is finally to that fun age where we are introducing food. We are taking a very different approach than we did with Henry. This time, we are jumping into Montessori-style weaning. 

As I've mentioned before, in Montessori even the smallest babies are treated as capable beings. Therefore, babies are not isolated to high chairs but eat at a weaning table. Additionally, babies aren't given sippy cups, or kiddie plates. Instead, they use smaller versions of real cups, plates and silverware. 

For Nora, we've chosen to follow these principles. Right now, food is just about exploration for her, so we don't really care if she eats much of it, just that she is exposed to flavors, smells and the ritual of eating as a family. 

Introducing the weaning cup has been a process, one that we are still working on. At first, it was all about exploration. Showing Nora the cup {we're using this one}, letting her feel it and explore it. I kept the low pressure and didn't include water.

Once we had let her see the cup a few times, I moved on to modeling the cup. To do this I sat across from her and said "Mama's turn" before slowly lifting the cup (with water) to my mouth. Use two hand and move very slowly. I made sure that I wasn't talking or doing anything else at this time so she could really focus on how to use the cup. Then, once I placed the cup back to the table, I said "Nora's turn" and let her try. I was very impressed with her desire to copy my movements. And she was very motivated by the water. 

I would be lying if I said the process wasn't messy. Or if I said there wasn't a lot of dumping. But, I'm very ok with that for now. I know that she is likely to break cups. But, I also know she is learning, growing and fully capable! 

If you're considering introducing a weaning cup, keep in mind: 

• This process takes time 
• Let your baby space to use the cup without reacting -- just know that spills and breaks can happen
• Model the behavior often! Your baby is always watching you, so include them in family meals and allow them to watch you eat and drink. 

This post was brought to you as part of the series 12 Months to Montessori! Each month, I will join a bunch of awesome bloggers in bringing you posts on a Montessori topic! This month is all about practical life, make sure to stop by these wonderful bloggers for lots of great Montessori ideas, activities and lessons! 

Amazing blogs involved in the 12 Months of Montessori Learning

Natural Beach Living ~ The Natural Homeschool ~ Living Montessori Now

The Kavanaugh Report ~ Mama's Happy Hive ~ Study at Home Mama ~ Child Led Life

Every Star Is Different ~ Grace and Green Pastures ~ The Pinay Homeschooler

Christmas 2014

Just when you thought holiday photo dump posts were over...I return to blogging! Sorry about my sudden big absence. It's been a month of serious illness with a couple holidays thrown in. 

First it was the flu for Nora, Henry and I. Then, Christmas. Then, New Years and a weird fevery virus for Henry. Then, traveling to visit family. Then, 8 day plague of doom for Nora. And, boom, it's the middle of January. 

We're on like day 3 of no one being really sick right now, which means we have about 4 days left before someone has a snotty nose again...

Anyway, the holidays were wonderful! We chose not to travel this year on Christmas and loved being in our home. 

We had all the food, all the candy, all the cider, all the fires, and all the love. It was the perfect way to celebrate Nora's first Christmas (and the first one Henry really understood).

I hope I always remember the matching pajamas, the laughter, the excitement, and the pure joy. Our little house wass bursting with warmth and love and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and I'm happy to be back to blogging! Bring on 2015!

Nora -- 6 months old!

A half-year. Time moves so fast with a baby. I can't believe my sweet Nora girl is already 6-months-old. 

This past month has been a challenge with her, to say the least. Nora has struggled to sleep during the day and night. Our once awesome sleeper started sleeping in 40/50 minute stretches and getting up as many as 11 times in a night. It's been a struggle to cope, especially figuring out how to take care of two kids and work with almost no sleep (let alone blog).

A friend finally suggested reflux and a lot of symptoms clicked. I think because Nora was so content during the day -- even while exhausted -- that reflux hadn't really crossed my mind. But, sure enough we had her evaluated and she was officially diagnosed. She was put on Prevacid and her sleep improved immediately...then she got the flu (which we are still getting over and it's all gone down hill again.)

Despite the sleep set backs and reflux, Nora is amazing. She's 16 pounds 3 ounces (54 percent) and 24.75 inches (11 percent). She wears 6-9 month sizes tops and 3-6 month pants, and she just moved to a size 3 diaper. Nora still nurses around the clock, like its her job. But we haven't started solids yet, so that might change things. 

Nora is very even keeled, its hard to make her too happy or too sad. She seems to go with the flow most of the time. Nora has had some stranger danger issues and is leery of new situations -- including a nearly 2 hour scream fest at Thanksgiving. She's not really moving too much yet {a welcomed change from Henry} but loves to sit up. She is sitting unassisted but needs help getting up. Every now and then she still flops backwards, but usually because she wants to roll around. She is very good at rolling to her belly but its harder for her to roll to her back. Nora loves to chat, but isn't saying "mama" or "dada" yet, just lots of screaming and babbling.

Nora's favorite things still include Henry and the dogs. But, she also loves paper, reading books and anything meant for Henry to play with. She seems to be rejecting a lot of her baby toys and wanting bigger "kid" stuff. We also started offering Nora work this month on her shelves, but I'll save those for another post! She is also enjoying some time in her exersaucer, but has rejected her swing, bouncy and bumbo.

Also, poor second kid syndrome, I don't think I took a single picture (other than her month pictures) with a real camera, cell phone pics will have to do!

Merry {Awkward} Christmas

What is it about cameras that make 3-year-olds crazy? Seriously? Have you tired photographing a 3-year-old lately? They either get so completely goofy that you can't get a decent picture, they completely forget how to smile, or are just downright awkward. 

Some classic 3-year-old "smiles" include 

The Buck Teeth

The Vacant Stare 

The "I'm-smiling-so-hard"

The Bored

The "Where-am-I-looking-now"

The "What?"

Then, every now and then the 3-year-old surprises you. The charm come out, the love shines through and you get the perfect Christmas card {from Tiny Prints}.

So, instead of "Merry Awkward Christmas" you get "Merry Everything Because I am Beyond Blessed!"