Bad Blogging + Promised Update

There's no excuse for bad blogging - it's really self-imposed pressure to create something worth reading that prevents me from blogging more often.  My own answer to that: "Lame, Mary. Lame."

And so, I'm going to TRY to make sure that I don't miss these massive milestones that fleet through our daily lives. Especially as I reiterate to myself how quickly it all goes by. 

Baby #2 update: we do not have a name picked out for our 2nd daughter.  No, we are not simply "not telling people", "keeping it a surprise" or any other version.  I thought we (read: I) was sold on a name that suddenly was bounced after reading Elizabeth a story about a Saint from Peru and she liked the picture.  Lots of high level reasoning on this one, huh? 

We're pretty boring in general these days.  I've taken to trying to rest as much as I can, but I may have jinxed my own luck, after merrily responding to questions about sleep and comfort with, "I'm very blessed; I've been sleeping great!" Until 2 nights ago when I stopped sleeping well. Another great example as to why mother's have a short memory.

Elizabeth is still biting the heads and faces of the baby dolls that we work to lovingly introduce; but when her sweet 2 month-old cousin, Brandon, visited yesterday, she was all eyes and seemed to recognize the difference between plastic and skin. Thank Goodness!  Molly did find her curled up inside of Brandon's carseat, yanking on his toys and clamoring for his bottle and pacifier.  But...when he made any sad sounds, she perked up and looked equally distraught on his behalf. Very sweet to see her concern.  He's such a great baby; I was thrilled they made the trip and helped get E used to babies.

Thanks again for all of the well wishes!!! We are so fortunate to have loving family and friends helping at all corners.

xoxo
The Slaugs

The average day...

Daily schedule:

 

• Awake: 6:45-7:15am - if Daddy's home, he goes in to greet her in the morning
• Breakfast: banana/applesauce/cheerios/yogurt/oatmeal
• 1st Nap: 2-4 hours (typically 2.5/3hrs.)
• Lunch: anything - truly
• Playtime for 2-2.5 hrs.
• 2nd Nap: 1.5-3 hrs. (typically 2 hrs.)
• Play until Daddy gets home - including an awkward sprint/fall/sprint/fall/sprint trip to the front door when he arrives.
• Dinner: whatever we're having - plus some extra greens, if we're on top of it.
• Bedtime: 7pm - bottle, books (unless she's falling asleep in her highchair - which happens 2-3 times per week - then we abbreviate the bedtime routine) and she's put into her bed.

Diapers: 2-3 poopy diapers/day (size 4s)

 

Temperment: She's simply a joy. Truly a joy.

Happy Halloween!



How cute that they match?!



Walking, Talking & Teeth!!!

I've been getting really bad about updating recently.  Partly because we're almost ready to launch Dave's photo blog, Facebook page and a host of other things keeping us swamped...which is really exciting! 

We also were blessed with an insurgency of Slaugenhoups! From all points, Alaska, Maryland, and Clarion County. Very fun.

And...the purpose of this blog...to track our sweet baby girl's first year...has lots of updating to do!  We are finally walking (Well, Ellie took her first steps at Erin Vanderbeck's parents' house on September 25th.  She took a few steps toward Erin's cracker).  Shocking, right?

At breakfast last week, Ellie was eyeing up Killian (the dog) in the dining room while she sat perched in her high chair.  She blurted out as clearly as an adult would say it, "Doggie". Dave and I looked at each other and tried to replicate it, but she was entirely consumed by her breakfast at that point. The "Hi" and "Hey"s are back regularly too.

Finally!!!!!!! a tooth! After a very restless night in the pack 'n' play in Aunt Molly and Uncle Michael's house, I felt a pointy part on her lower left gum.  After months of applying the 'she must be teething' label to a bad night's sleep, we finally made it!  We can stop saving for dentures. Dave can stop losing bets to me about when a tooth will pop. And yes, she walked before she had teeth.

Clearly, I owe better posts on all of these things, since they're all such a big deal in kid terms, but I need to grab some photos too.

Hope everyone's doing well and enjoying fall! 

time to lower the crib!

On anything. On everthing. Whenever. Wherever. Look out.

It was one morning when I went into her room to get her only to find her staring over the crib rail at me. We lowered the mattress that afternoon!

Pulling herself up on objects and people came so quickly after crawling that it's hard to believe.

She will crawl over and pull herself up on my leg. She will crawl over and pull herself up on her highchair. She will pull herself up on the dog. She pulls herself up on the exersaucer, which leaves her looking like she's providing the percussion for a thunderstorm. Swaying, bending, arching, teetering and (if I can get there fast enough to avoid it) crashing. It spins and rocks, so it's my least favorite thing that she climbs on.

The carpet often provides a safe landing, and I watch her like a hawk around corners and hard surfaces. That aside, she's so proud of herself that I can't help but let her keep doing it. Everywhere!

And we're.........crawling?!?!

The little one had been working on moving for quite some time. She started the wounded soldier/sniper drag around 5 months. Then she started getting up on all fours and rocking (well, maybe teetering or shaking is a better description). David and I assembled a bet that she would crawl within the next 10 days, or before her 6 month mark of 6/8/10. I took the under and David took the over.

Her crawl track finally paid off on June 14th. My Dad was over to offer assistance with the shed construction and we were all outside. Ellie had a blanket in the yard scattered with a few toys. She was up on all fours and rocked herself forward.

Cross patterning like a rockstar. She moved nearly 6 feet. Of course, I shed a tear. Crying as a Mom, when your kids do new things, is so foreign to me, so I challenge someone to explain it to me. It just happens.

The kicker is that once it's figured out, it's all they can do. I had childproofed just in time! And thanks to my loving husband, we switched the dining room and the piano room. Now the room closest to the kitchen is child friendly and she can do whatever she wants with plenty of safe room. Added perk, the dining room now feels lie a real room!