Olivia's 8 Month Update

Well, once again this past month has flown by. I really need to get motivated start planning her 1st birthday.

We don't have a crawler yet, but it could be any day now. She gets so frustrated when she face plants when trying to move her legs. Dannie and I both think she gets her temper from us. Makes us wonder how she will be as she gets older.

We had a few sleepless nights when she started teething. So sad watching them go through that, but I know she needs her teeth. She has three teeth now. She has been grinding them and rubbing her tongue all over them like crazy. She also got a virus around the time her first tooth was broke the skin. It finally broke a few days later and we took her to the doctor because she got a rash all over her body. She had something like "Roseola" Glad that's over!!!

She had lots of play dates at Granny's. We tried to swim one day in her little pool, but it was too cold for that. It has started to get chilly at night, so bathing suit season is over for us.

Playing at Granny's house.

She started waving, giving high fives, dancing EVEN MORE, and eating more solids. She kind of grunts at us when she doesn't get her way or wants something. I am still trying to work with her so she can learn some simple signs. So far, she just grunts when I show her. We have been signing milk since she was about four months old. But, recently we have shown her "up" and "more". She is OBSESSED with the Taylor Swift song "Shake it off." I'm sure everyone is aware of that though because of the hundreds of videos we have of her.

Family dinner at Mojo's. 

Olivia's 7 Month Update

Holy moly! Can't believe she is closer to being a year old. I'm a little late at this post, but at least I'm getting it done.

At her check-up on the 20th of August she weighed 18.8 lbs. and you are 25.5 inches long. She definitely gets her height from her daddy.

Let's see we dropped your swaddle last month. It's so much easier getting her to sleep now that we don't have to worry about securing her in there. Also, one less thing to pack when we go to Granny's house. Not that getting her to sleep is any easier unless she is exhausted. She still enjoys music and sleeping on her belly during the day. At night she has been falling asleep on us lately, so we just take her to her pack & play once she's fully asleep.

Granny got her a high chair last month because I managed to break her booster seat. She loves sitting in it to eat and also to play while I cook dinner or do the dishes. Probably makes her feel like such a big girl such she's up so high.

We are working on helping her to crawl. She STILL hates being on her belly for an extended amount of time. When I lay a blanket down with toys she will scoot backwards off the blanket. If I were to leave her there she would probably scoot all over the living room. She started teething the night before last. It was terrible and I'm sad we have to continue to go through it. I know once she has all her teeth she will be able to eat so many different foods. So far her top left tooth is VERY swollen and red and it appears it will be next. But, this morning her bottom left popped out of the skin. Woo hoo! Also, her "teething necklace" that is supposed to help has done nothing. I haven't noticed a difference since I purchased it. Of course my husband has always called it the "Magic necklace" because it releases "magic." I'm not sure why I put it on her still, I guess just in hopes it'll help.

We purchased a kiddie pool because it is so hot here and we have not been able to soak up the sun any other way. I put her in her float and she loved it. Since it isn't mega deep she was able to touch the bottom and somewhat move herself around.

She has become super attached to her paci and loves teddy bears and dolls. We also purchased her some indestructible books from amazon. Within two hours they looked like we had owned them for a few months. She loves them and it's awesome they don't rip or get all soggy fro her drooling all over them.

She is doing awesome with her baby food. I am still giving her gerber fruits and veggies as well as some oatmeal. I also started her on some meats and she loves them. She eats three times a day and sometimes has a snack before bed. She is getting around 4-5 bottles a day. I am still pumping all the time and I have a HUGE supply frozen.

Current faves: bath time, dancing, sleeping on your belly, your paci (you enjoy pulling it in and out of your mouth), different textures, the roku remote, cell phones, tupperware and kitchen spoons, being naked, and water from your cup.

There isn't much she dislikes. All I can think of is getting her diaper changed. She thinks its funny to pull herself out of it. She is such a happy baby! When we run errands or go to eat somewhere she is always in a good mood.

Story time with daddy.

Quiche Recipe

Our family LOVES quiche! There are many different recipes, but I prefer an easy one. It's quick to make and usually lasts us a few days. Quiche is not only a breakfast food, but you can eat it for lunch or dinner also. I've made a few with different ingredients, but the ham & cheese is my favorite. Also, I don't follow the exact recipe. I just add ham here and peppers there. Whatever I think we will enjoy more of.

You will need:
1 Pie pan or baking dish (spray with nonstick cooking oil)
5 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 pie crust
Salt & pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
1 cup ham (I buy the ham steaks. Cook them and then chop them them into small pieces)
1/2 cup chopped green or red bell peppers
1/2 cup chopped onions


Preheat oven to 375. Cook pie crust for 10 minutes then remove from oven. Mix eggs, salt & pepper, and heavy whipping cream together. Layer the peppers and onions on the bottom of the pie crust. Second pour the eggs & whipping cream in. Last of all, sprinkle the shredded cheese and ham in. Bake at 375 for 35-45 minutes until egg mixture is set.

Another favorite is broccoli and turkey sausage. You can mix it up according to what you prefer. Just substitute above meat and veggies. Make a few quiches ahead of time and you can always freeze for later :)

Our Miami Trip

Last week we drove down to Miami. Dannie had a work conference at the Trump National Hotel. It was about a 5 hour drive for us from Ocala. 10 bags later and Dannie had finally filled his tuck. I had probably over-packed, but I wanted to make sure we didn't forget anything. Plus, we don't have a large luggage bags, just a lot of smaller ones which made packing smaller harder.

Olivia slept most of the way. She woke up about half way there and I fed her. I think we stopped a total of two times. She did get a little fussy once we got closer, but ended up falling asleep again. I guess we were lucky the ride there was smooth sailing.

The traffic definitely changed once we got closer to Miami. I'll admit, Ocala drivers are pretty bad, but MOST of them at least still use their turn signals. Plus it had started raining, so I was just a little stressed in the back seat. But, we made it there safe and that's all that matters.

Olivia was pretty good at dinner that night. It was noisy and she likes noise. Also, when she got fussy no one had to hear her. Woo! We ate out every night, so that was new to us. We haven't really braved eating out here because we weren't too sure how it would go or if we would just have to order to-go once the food arrived. The 3rd night at dinner, she did AMAZING! She sat in the high chair, she ate some carrots, then snacked on some bread. She was such a happy baby!

One of my High School friends, Meghan, visited us one day. She brought a long two adorable little ones that she nanny's for. Olivia loved them! She's definitely a little social bug (she must get it from her daddy). We had lunch and played at the pool for awhile. Awesome to be able to catch up with a friend while we were in the area.

The 4th night we ordered pizza and stayed in the room. I think that was the night we got rained out. We saw a lot of rain while we were there. Just had to make plans around it. Saturday we got up decided to tour around the city. We drove to Kendall so Dannie could show me where he went to school when he lived there and also the apartments he used to live in. The schools he went to look a lot different from the small town schools I'm used to. None of his had windows and ours always did, which is just weird to me. From there we headed to Miami Beach. Since we never have cash or change on us we couldn't park, so we just drove through. It was too busy and hot for us anyway. Family pool time that evening. Olivia loves the pool and just being in any water really. Glad we were able to take some pictures of her there.

Josie & Olivia. 

Family pool trip.

Miami.

View from Conference room at hotel. 

Holy Six Months

Can't believe this little lady has been with us half a year. I feel like I need to start planning her first birthday already.  This past month has flown by and Olivia has done so many new things. We love documenting all the new stuff she does. My Instagram is full of it! 

Last month I talked about the routine we had. We probably follow that silly routine one day out of the week now. Some days are just crazy and it's impossible. One day we will get back into a routine. 

She has been so picky with food lately. She still nurses in the morning, plays, and then naps. She used to eat cereal in the morning after nap time. Now, I'm lucky if she'll even take a bottle after. Lunch time solids is give or take. Sometimes she is in the mood for veggies and some days she isn't. She will ALWAYS eat cereal and veggies for dinner, it's just hard figuring out when on HER time. 

She's still sleeping through the night and has been going to bed a little earlier also. Two nights we were able to put her in pj's that cover her hands and let her sleep un-swaddled. She wakes up a few times, but usually falls right back asleep. She still rubs her face a lot when she isn't swaddled which keeps her awake all night. 

She started sitting up around 23 weeks and has only got better at it. She's still struggling with tummy time. She will stay on her tummy for about 15 minutes and then she gets super mad. We have tried and tried to help her with rolling over, but she's still determined to do it on her time. She is such a little jabber-box now. Always talking about something! We have noticed she kicks her leg a lot and likes patting our arms. Maybe it's a comfort thing, but it's cute and makes us laugh. 

This past month we took a small trip down to the Sumtner Landing with her. It was a rainy day so we just walked around. Needed to get out of the house for a bit. Her and I packed up one day and I planned on staying at Sholom Park for awhile, but it got too hot out and the gnats were too bad. We are currently in Miami with daddy while he attends a work conference. I will have to post about it later with some pictures. She's been pretty good so far! 

Some of her current faves are: peas, sweet potatoes, sink baths, remotes, Curious George, beach sounds, sitting outside, sitting in shopping cart, and her activity jumper. 

She is currently not a fan of: squash, tummy-time, having someone hold her when she drinks her bottle (she prefers to sit-up), and a quiet room (she prefers noise). 

Dannie said he loves how excited she gets when he comes home from work now. She's also became pretty attached at the hip lately. If one or the other of us leaves the room, she cries sometimes. 

This month we will continue to work on tummy time. She has her six month check-up on the 20th of August. We will get to see if she's got any taller because she appears to be thinning out and getting longer. The pediatrician said she should be eating solids 3x a day by the time she goes back in. I was curious for the people who are BLW when and what foods did you start with? Is it better for them to have teeth first? She still doesn't appear to have any teeth breaking through yet. I think I'm really just nervous about her choking. 

Off to hang with this little one while dad is working. Pictures to come later!

Medela Breast Pump Review

When we started searching for breast pumps I was clueless. Not only was I unsure where to start, but I wasn't even sure then if I would be able to breastfeed. I knew that I had always wanted to try, but wasn't sure how successful I would be.

Olivia never latched good and ended up only being able to nurse on one side. She will nurse on both, but she gets super fussy after awhile. So, I have been pumping A LOT!

We were lucky enough to have a breast pump donated to us from my cousin. It had been passed to her from one of her friends. I was using the Medela Pump In Style. Prior to having Olivia I contacted our insurance regarding a free pump. At the time they stated I was not eligible unless I was having breastfeeding problems. Since I had not had Olivia yet I was unable to get one before hand. I used this pump from January up until two weeks ago. I didn't really have any issues with it except it was VERY noisy and the suction had started to slow. Another disadvantage was that I didn't have a bag to carry it in. So, I just shoved it in a green bag with bottles, accessories, and a cooler bag. I need a good on-the-go breast pump.

 So after talking to some other mama's on my Instagram who had got free pumps through their insurance, I decided to try again. I contacted Avmed and they told me what was required to have one sent to me. They said I would need to have a Rx faxed from my doctor with the diagnosis code "Breastfeeding" on it as well as some insurance information and office notes. Everything was faxed within two hours. I heard back from my insurance within three hours and it was shipped out the same day. I was told I would receive a Spectra pump. After researching it and reading reviews I was excited to try a new one. I actually received a Medela Personal Advanced Double Pump. A new pump..is a new pump! I was super excited to try it out.

I'm already super spoiled with this pump. I was used to spending 15-30 minutes pumping altogether. The double pump function did not work on my old pump so I had to pump each side separately. Being able to pump both at one time it takes about 6 minutes. Now I have more time to get other stuff done. Another awesome thing that I like is that the pump, cooler section, and accessory space is all in one bag. No more carrying around multiple bags. Not only does this make me happy, but it's so much more quiet. The noise was a big concern for me if and when I went back to work and was still nursing.

It may not be some fancy hospital grade pump. But, as long as it works good and I'm able to get a good amount of milk, I'm happy girl. Pair this up with the Medela Accessory Kit and some storage bags and you're good to go.

Olivia's 5 Months Old

Time is flying! Can't believe Olivia turned 5 month's old this past Saturday. She is such a happy baby! We are enjoying everyday with her.

She had her 4 month check-up with vaccines on the 20th. She weighed 16.4 lbs and was 24 3/4 inches long. We got the okay to start her on solids, but we had already started a few weeks prior since her appointment was at almost 5 month's. She's doing really well. I started giving her cereal once a day. Then added some fruits. She is now having cereal with some fruit twice a day and I started some veggies for dinner. It's funny cause she loves foods that I thought she would hate. But, whatever works. Just happy she is eating.

The beginning of the month Dannie had shingles. It was a bit tough doing everything by myself. He could still help, just couldn't hold Olivia. I haven't ever had chicken pox or the vaccine and Olivia doesn't get vaccinated until she is about 12 month's. I feel for any single mama's out there because I now know how it feels. But, we made it through and Dannie was super excited to hold Olivia again once he was all healed up.

When I heard about getting babies into a routine, I never thought it would be so easy. Well, not that it's easy. It just takes time! The only time we didn't follow through is when we're running errands or at Granny's house. But, in case anyone is wanting to know what we do, this is it..

She usually wakes up between 7:00-8:00 am. We usually change diaper, nurse, and do some playing. She has been eating cereal around 8:30-9:00. I usually warm a 5 oz. bottle. I use half the milk for her cereal and the other half I keep in her bottle so she can have it after. Since she is sleepy by this time, if she isn't full she will have some of her bottle. Then, it's morning nap time. She's doing a lot better with napping in her crib. She will do this between 1-2 hours. Occasionally she will sleep for 3 hours. We do lunch cereal with fruit between 1-2. If she gets really messy during lunch then I will bathe her, if not I wait until after evening feeding. She usually gets another bottle after this. She will nap again between 3-5. Same routine with cereal. Then we will do lots of playing when her daddy gets home between 5:45-6. Depending on what Dannie and I are doing usually depends if she takes an evening nap or not. Sometimes she doesn't and is exhausted by her 9:30-10:30 bed time. We have been TRYING to start bed time earlier. A few nights she has went down at 9, but wakes up during the night. We have decided we would rather her go down later and not wake during the night then go down earlier and wake lots during the night.

She is showing more interest in what we are eating and drinking lately. The other day Dannie was drinking some water while holding her and she reached over to kind of help him hold the glass. Anytime we start eating something she isn't, she's curious to know what it is. I gave her a small taste of some mashed potatoes last night and she seemed to like them just like her mama. Can't wait until she tries her Granny's. She can sit up for about a minute on her own, then she falls forward.

We are still using cloth diapers during the day. I will admit sometimes I'm a slacker and put disposables on her...I need to STOP! Last week I set us back a little on purchasing disposables. They are so expensive and we go through so many!! She has pretty much passed up 3-6 month clothing. I was telling Dannie yesterday that it stinks I have to go through her clothes almost weekly because she is outgrowing them all. When she has cloth diapers on she's wearing 6 months clothes for sure! When she's not a few 3-6 month's still fit. I can't see myself saving all of these clothes. I tried re-selling some, but that didn't go so well.

Olivia's favorite time of the day is when she wakes up. Non-stop smiles from this little lady! We love it, she loves it. I recently purchased her a pool float. She's been in the water three times now. She enjoyed the pool at Granny's and we recently went to a friend's house that had a pool and she loved it. Our goal is to make her a water baby! Our next adventure will be the beach once we purchase a tent.

I have a new breast pump coming in the mail also. It's a Spectra double pump. Not sure what to think about it yet since I have been using a Medela. I looked up reviews on it and watched a few YouTube videos. Just hoping I like it. Have any of you used it or known anyone who has?

At the end of July we will be traveling to Miami for a few days. Any tips you have on traveling with a baby and pumping would be greatly appreciated. Not only that, but since she has started solids, it'll make meal time more complicated since she isn't sitting up yet. We can't pack our whole house up and take it. I'm wondering what I will feed her in. I'd even like to know what you packed. I'm a bit nervous that we will be away from home and an atmosphere we are used to with Olivia. Dannie will be working during the day, so I will be with Olivia during the day in a hotel room.