Geaux Tigers!

What do you mean Poppy is not a Tiger's Fan?

 

 

 

Tiger's like to eat Dawgs, right mommy?

Personalized Book

We just ordered this book for Daniel. It is called, "Are you a Cow?" by Sandra Boynton. I love all of her books (we have 6 of them) and I came across this site where you can personalize one. We added his name and pictures to it. I can't wait for it to get here! It is by far one of the best personalized books I have found.

Daniel's First 6 Months!

Here is the Photo Book I created for Daniel's First 6 Months!

Click here to view this photo book larger

50 Weeks

How Old?  50 Weeks (11 months, 2 weeks and 2 days)
Weight? Close to 18 pounds
Clothing? 12 months tops and 9 months pants, size 3 diapers
Sleep? He is our awesome sleeper! Bedtime is around 7:30
Toys? I bought his this Playschool Ball Popper toy thing that he loves!! He also got a new toy box to put his toys in. I cleaned out his playroom and put away a lot of toys that he does not play with any longer. This included his Jumperoo...it is hard to believe he has outgrown that!
Eating?  He is eating well! I am really working on getting him to eat more big people food. It is hard to judge how much he eats when it is not in a 4oz container like I am used to. I have also cut out another bottle. He only gets one in the morning and one at night. In place of his afternoon bottle I give him a larger snack and make sure he drinks lots of water.
New discoveries? Points at everything, stands for a little while and has taken a step here or there. He is responding to a lot more commands and putting objects into containers. (eg. balls into holes, legos into dump truck, etc.)
Words? No new words but he tries to copy what you say.
Things we did this week?  Went to A LOT of consignment sales and stocked up on toys and clothes for the Fall/Winter months. He spent the night with Mimi and Pops Friday night while Brian and I went to the Braves game. He attended Preschool for the third day and did great!
What I am looking forward to? Daniel's birthday party!!!
New Things/ Things to Watch For? Your baby may be able to respond to simple questions and commands, especially if you give him some clues with hand gestures. For example, ask "Where's your mouth?" and point to it. Or try "Hand me the cup" and point to the object. He may even answer you in his own way, using his own gestures, such as shaking his head for "no."

Because he's receptive now, it's a good time to begin to teach your baby how to help out. Emphasize "please" and "thank you," and make toy cleanup time fun by turning it into a game. Though he probably won't get the idea just yet, it's not too early to start. Break the task into very small parts. At this age, he'll need you to work with him by his side.

It's up to you to help your baby make connections between objects and their names — the more you do, the faster your child's vocabulary will grow. Keep talking to your baby and labeling things. Count stair steps as you climb them, and point out the names and colors of the fruits and vegetables at the grocery store. Read your baby a picture book and ask him to point to or name familiar objects. Solicit his opinion once in a while: Ask him if he'd like to wear the red or the blue socks, or if he'd like to play with his blocks or his stacking rings. Give him only two choices — both of which are right in front of him. He may not answer, but then again, he may surprise you.

Preschool Success!

So today was day 2 of preschool and instead of trying to get him used to it, I just handed him over with all of his stuff and let him cry as I walked away... can you say HEARTBREAKING?!? I walked to the car praying that today would be a better day. I had an appointment and was worried they were going to call and say he needed to be picked up. I gave them Poppy's information in case that happened. Around 11:20 I sent Poppy  a text and asked if he had heard from Daniel's teacher. He said that he hadn't. I left the appointment and went to pick up Daniel. I got there and he was getting his diaper changed. As soon as he saw me he began crying. His teachers said he did great today. He settled down not long after I left and they even went outside and played.

I feel so much better now! I think he will do well!

49 Weeks

How Old?  49 Weeks (11 months, 1 week and 2 days)
Weight? ? Not sure Close to 18lbs I am guessing.
Clothing? 9 and 12 months but the pants are to big in the waist...6 months fit in the waist but are too short...
Sleep? He goes to bed at about 7:30 or 8 and gets up between 6:30 and 7:30. He takes about a 45 minute nap in the morning and 1-2 hour nap in the afternoon.
Toys? Cars, balls, mommy and daddy's keys, any little thing he finds on the floor
Eating?  Breakfast - Bottle, Yogurt and fruit...Morning Snack - fruit, puffs, crakers...Lunch - Veggies, meat, cheese and fruit,...Afternoon Snack - Bottle, puff, crackers, fruit...Dinner - Veggies, meat, cheese and fruit
New discoveries? He has take a step or two (no hands) without realizing it when going between toys and furniture.He is scared of so many things! Toys that move unexpectedly or make loud noises.
Words? Da-da and Ma-ma but is saying things the last few days that sound  like words...just not sure what he is trying to say.
Things we did this week? Hung out with our neighnbors, Jessica and Jude , had the Anderson family night when Grandma Ann was in town, celebrated Nicole's birthday at Pappadeaux, had Family Day with the Sevin's at Logan's house  and STARTED PRESCHOOL!! Busy Week!
What I am looking forward to? Daniel's first birthday party!!! I think we are ready!!
New Things/ Things to Watch For? Your baby has probably been wrestling with bouts of separation anxiety during the last several months. This is natural: She loves and depends on you, so she's distressed when you leave. To ease departures, make them short and sweet. Be matter-of-fact when you leave your child at daycare or with a babysitter at home, and don't prolong the agony with extended goodbyes. Your baby's tears will subside soon after you're out of sight. You can help your baby feel more independent by not hovering over her all the time. Of course, she still needs to know that you're around and dependable. So if she toddles to another room, wait a couple of minutes before following. If you go to another area of the house, call to her when you're in the next room — but don't come running every time she squawks. Your baby probably enjoys looking at books and leafing through the pages, though she won't always turn them one by one. Indulge in great picture books, like Anno's Journey, by the great Japanese artist Mitsumasa Anno, Tamara Hoban's Is It Red? Is It Yellow? Is It Blue?, which introduces primary colors through photos of everyday objects, and The Snowman, by Raymond Briggs, a full-color cartoon book about a snowman who comes to life. Or stick with sturdy and inexpensive board books that can stand up to small fingers. To add variety to your baby's reading time and to find out what appeals to her the most, try your local library or the kids' section at a family-friendly bookstore.

Eating a Pickle with Poppy!

Us at Pappadeaux

Logan and Daniel, Cousins!

Daniel chillin in the pool!

Preschool...Day One

Well I took him to school around 9:00am and met his teacher, teacher's assistant and some of the other teachers. I LOVE his teachers. There is a 2:4 teacher student ratio for this age group! That is such a blessing. They are so sweet and his main teacher has been at this school for 9 years. They made me feel very comfortable leaving him in their hands. His main teacher gave me her cell phone number in case I wanted to call and check in. How Awesome it that!

Anyways, I sat him on the floor and he took off and started playing. About 15 minutes later when I was done drilling his teachers I decided to leave. I made it to the front office and realized I had his paci in my hand! OH-NO! I walked back to his room and saw another teacher in the hall who asked if I wanted her to take it to him so he wouldn't see me. Thank God she was there. I stood close by as she handed it to his teacher. I listened to see if he was crying and he wasn't! YAY success!

Well at least I thought so...

Around 11am I received a call from his teacher saying that she thinks Daniel has had enough for the day. He had been fine until he got tired. He fell asleep with the teacher's assistant rocking him but when he woke up, around 10:45, he was fussy and looking around for someone he knew. She did not want to push him too hard his first day and I had told her I was able to come back whenever I needed to. When I picked him up he was back asleep in the teacher's arms. They said he really did good for his first day and they think he will get used to it fast. I sure hope so!

My sweet little man all ready for school!

First Day of School!

Okay, so I know he is not even one yet but I have looked into several MMO or Preschool programs for Daniel to start attending twice a week. First of all, Preschool and MMO are different in the fact that actual teachers teach preschool and volunteers or non-teachers (no degree) do MMO. I had no idea there was a difference when I first started looking.

Tomorrow will be Daniel's first day of preschool. It is only 2 days a week from 9am - 12pm or 1pm depending on if I want him to stay through lunch or not. I am going to stay and check it out for a little while and see how I like the teacher and environment. I have had anxiety about this since we decided officially on Friday that we will give it a try. I know it will be good for both Daniel and me. Daniel will be able to learn social skills and not be so attached to me everywhere we go. It will also give me time to start working more (gotta make that money) which I am really excited to do.

On Friday night my mom and I went shopping to find Daniel a little backpack. I really wanted to get him a Mickey Mouse one but it is really hard to find a small backpack much less one with what you want on it when you don't have time to order one online. So we found this really cute Buzz Lightyear backpack that will have to do until we order his Mickey Mouse one with his name monogrammed on it. I will post picture tomorrow of Daniel with his backpack and let you know about his first day of school!

Wordless Wednesday!

48 Weeks

11 Months Old

How Old?  48 Weeks (11 months, 2 days)
Weight? ? 17lbs 10oz as of last week
Clothing? Same old clothes. I have started getting 12 and 18 months for the fall. He grows out of shirts before pants.
Sleep? He goes to bed at about 7:30 and gets up between 6:30 and 7:30. He takes about a 45 minute nap in the morning and 1-2 hour nap in the afternoon.
Toys? He L-O-V-E-S music and will dance as soon as he hears it!
Eating?  Breakfast - Bottle, Yogurt and fruit...Morning Snack - fruit, puffs, crakers...Lunch - Veggies, meat, cheese and fruit,...Afternoon Snack - Bottle, puff, crackers, fruit...Dinner - Veggies, meat, cheese and fruit
New discoveries? We are working on him holding up 1 finger when I ask how old he is. He does it some of the time :)
Words? Da-da and Ma-ma (mostly dada) and he knows who da-da is!
Things we did this week? We had a playdate with our neighbors, Jessica and Jude.We went to the doctor twice! On Thursday we went in because he was not himself and I thought it could be teething but wanted to make sure. His throat was red so we thought that might be part of it too. That night he developed a rash on his bottom which for Daniel is pretty common because his skin is so sensitive. Well on Friday evening his rash was head to toe. So Saturday morning we took him to the doc and they said it was Hand Foot and Mouth Disease BUT if it got worse to call because it could also be some kind of skin infection. Well it got worse so we called the doc on call and they decided to give him an oral antibiotic. Well it worked...whether it was just viral and ran it's course or an infection that needed to be treated, it is 95% gone and Daniel is back to himself!
What I am looking forward to? Daniel's birthday party!!! 
New Things/ Things to Watch For? Words and word-like sounds are now spilling out of your baby, and he's able to use them meaningfully. As his brain continues to develop, so does his ability to reason and speak. Encourage his interest in language and his understanding of two-way communication by being an avid listener and responding to his sounds. To polish his memory skills, play games like patty-cake and peek-a-boo. At this age, your baby can probably imitate word sounds and inflections. He may be able to follow simple one-step directions, such as "Please bring me the ball" or "Pick up the spoon." Help him learn by separating multistep commands into easy-to-follow single steps, reinforcing them with gestures. Remember to cherish this brief but remarkable period when your baby's communication skills are emerging: They're perhaps his most important skill!

 

11 Months!

He is such a big boy, weighing in at 17lbs 10oz and 27.75 inches tall. Okay, so he is little but he is big to us! Here are a few pictures I took of him this morning.

This is the face I get when I tell him "No"

Daniel's new Mickey Mouse Guitar to help him feel better!

Dad and Daniel Wrestling

Wordless Wednesday...One year ago today!

 

47 Weeks

How Old?  47 Weeks (10 months, 3 weeks, 5 days)
Weight? ? We will find out Friday
Clothing? Mostly 12 Months but still a few 9 months that mommy does not want to put away!
Sleep? He goes to bed at about 7:30 and gets up between 6:30 and 7:30. He takes about a 45 minute nap in the morning and 1-2 hour nap in the afternoon.
Toys? He still loves cars, balls, anything that makes noise or rolls.
Eating? He has been a pig lately. Breakfast - Bottle, Yogurt and fruit...Morning Snack - fruit, puffs, crakers...Lunch - Veggies, meat, cheese and fruit,...Afternoon Snack - Bottle, puff, crackers, fruit...Dinner - Veggies, meat, cheese and fruit
New discoveries? He can now say MA-MA! However, if you ask him to say it he says da-da :(
Things we did this week? We bought everything for Daniel's first birthday party, ordered invitations and got a video monitor!
What I am looking forward to? Meeting baby Joshua today! I can't wait to hold him!

New Things/ Things to Watch For? Your baby is improving his verbal skills daily, but there are things you may be able to do in order to help him learn a bit faster. Remember to speak slowly to your baby and be sure to label everything. Name all the things - forks, spoons, dog, cat, cup, plate, toast, and anything else - you, or your baby, sees and handles. You can teach your baby concepts such as hot and cold, in and out, and wet and dry. Teach them colors by pointing them out everywhere you go. While your baby won't be able to repeat after you and probably won't know his colors for a while, he will be able to understand you. Ask your baby questions in an attempt to get him to answer you. Don't try to force your baby. Make it fun and make learning something your baby wants to do. Praise him when he finally gets it figured out, even if it is just a tiny part of the big picture. You can also read to your baby regularly, and read the same books. Repetitiveness is a great learning tool for babies.

Video Monitor...

So we invested in a video monitor for Daniel. We looked around, compared prices and even checked Consumer Reports. We found the one we wanted based on price and reviews and went and got it at Baby Depot Friday night.

Summer Infant Day & Night Handheld Color Video Monitor with 1.8" Screen - Silver

It is awesome being able to see Daniel getting himself to sleep and watching him play in his crib...BUT  Last night I was looking on Amazon and saw that they had a video monitor that Pans and Zooms AND it has a 2.5 inch screen instead of only 1.8 inches. Guess what? I can get it for $20 less than the one we have! So I just ordered the new one and am keeping the one we have until the other one comes in. You know after having a video monitor for one night there is no way I can live without it!

Summer Infant Best View Handheld Color Video Monitor with 2.5" Screen

Another Word?

Three days after saying da-da, Daniel started saying ma-ma!! I guess he could tell mom was a little jealous. I love it! He said it when he was trying to get my attention so I am wondering if he knows that I am mama or if it was just a coincidence. Anyways, I just had to post it!

First Word!

On Tuesday night Daniel started saying "da-da"! He was just playing at my mom's house and started saying it. Mia, Uncle Andrew and Mommy were there to hear it and see it! We all looked at each other and asked, "did he just say da-da"? Sure enough he started saying it over and over again. I had to call daddy to let him hear it over the phone! He is so proud!

Here is a little clip of Daniel saying his first word.

Wordless Wednesday

46 Weeks

How Old?  46 Weeks (10 months, 2 weeks, 5 days)
Weight? 17lbs 7oz
Clothing? 9 - 12 months
Sleep? Wonderful. I thought with him teething, we would not sleep as well but nope, we are good!
Toys? Chapstick containers, cups, balls, Daisy, brushes, fingernail clippers and anything else he is not supposed to have!
Eating?  Eats three 8 ounce bottles a day morning, afternoon and bedtime, 5-6 jars of baby food and some of whatever we have.
New discoveries? making the "wa-wa" sound on his own, he is getting his second tooth and his first one has broke through!
Things we did this week?  Had a play date with Alycia and Cael and Sarah, Will and Jack. Went to Erin's first birthday party.
What I am looking forward to? His birthday party in 6 weeks!
New Things/ Things to Watch For? Only a few weeks shy of his first birthday, your baby's no longer a helpless infant who can't do anything without you. He still needs plenty of care and support, but his growing independence — evident in his solo standing, stooping, and squatting — is becoming apparent. Your baby may walk while gripping your hand, and he'll hold out his arm or leg to help you dress him. At mealtimes, he may be able to grip a cup and drink from it independently (though some children may not do this for a few more months) and hand-feed himself an entire meal. Once your baby's able to drink from a cup by himself, you may need to start ducking, because he's just as likely to toss it when he's finished as to put it down gently. Your baby will also purposely drop objects for someone, probably you, to pick up. If you get tired of this dropping game, take away the object for a few minutes and try to distract your baby with something just as enticing, such as a fun game of peek-a-boo.

Time Warp Tuesday!

One Week Old

Only 6 Weeks

Our baby boy will be ONE, 6 weeks from Wednesday. It is very bittersweet. I love playing with him and seeing his personality now. I love watching him learn new things and show me how smart he is. At t he same time when I look at his newborn pictures and my pregnancy pictures it makes me tear up. He is mister independent! No more being held or carried, he can do it himself. Where has the time gone? Where is my baby that used to love to be held and rocked?!?

 Here he is...he wants to stand!

Life has sped up since Daniel arrived and I am assuming it will just get faster. This has been the most incredible 10 ½ months of my life. I love you baby boy!