Peas Please!!

~EDIT: The video I took this morning of her blowing raspberries


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Today was another new veggie day... I decided that we would be trying peas today instead of green beans. Those come next :-) She seemed to like them & opened her mouth for the spoon when I held it up. Barely any made it to the bib... except when she did this kind of like spitting thing. It's hard to explain & I'll have to take a video of it. But basically I think she's trying to blow raspberries. We have another first today besides the new veggie... Delilah said "A-da". Now, the day before she said "MaMa" she said "A-ma" and so I think she'll be saying "DaDa" here any day. Of course if she doesn't & chooses to say "MaMa" some more that's ok too ;-)

Just hangin' out

A great-grandparent by any other name...

Yesterday John, Delilah & I went to visit my Pappy & step-gram. They haven't seen her since the week after Christmas. We had wanted to get out there but with the snow it made it almost impossible. I know, I know... there hasn't been any snow for awhile so we have no excuse. I've made a promise to myself that we'll go out there more (although I seriously hate exposing her to that stinkin' cigarette smoke) BTW... Dad, quit smoking!

This morning before we left for my parents', John had Delilah on the couch next to the XBox controller. It was then that she showed Daddy that she loves video games just as much as de does! Tonight was another bath day for Delilah (and yea mom, you're right- we did teach her to splash LoL)... this time she got a shampoo-hawk.

Tomorrow John is taking his application to Holsom... please pray that he gets in. Ashley's wonderful husband, Jon, put in a shining recommendation for John today- which he doesn't do for anyone normally and for which we SUPER DUPER appreciate! We love you guys sooo much!!

Splish splash I was takin' a bath!

Every other night Delilah gets a bath. About a month after she was born was when she really started liking bath time & didn't cry for it. Ever since then she has enjoyed bath time & in the past few weeks she has discovered splashing. She loves to do it & has learned how to kick her legs harder, thus sending water splashing to the floor (we don't mind!). The other month I tried to give her a shampoo mohawk... that didn't work at all! But last night I tried again & was successful. We took pics to share but only got two good ones and a not so good one (daddy took that one).

~EDIT: I wanted to add more earlier but I forgot what I wanted to post LoL John graduated from McCann in January. He's been feeling really down about not getting called for interviews. There was this one place that he applied to that called him last Sunday to ask him a few questions. He called back Monday & the guy said that he would call during the week if he was interested in interviewing John. Friday rolled around & no call. So John & I were talking and he asked if I thought he should maybe try to go to Holsom (the bread factory). Holsom is a good place to work where you'll make a decent- no more than decent- living for this area. They have good insurance too. If he got a job there I wouldn't have to go back to work. Or well I wouldn't have to stay at work (it takes the insurance 6 months to kick in). Of course it would be a temporary job & he would still look for a job in his field. Ashley said her husband (also a Jon :-) ) would be able to put in a good word for John & that Jon is very highly thought of at Holsom (I wouldn't doubt it!). I asked her about it last night and to my disappointment the Holsom hiring boom has passed. We're too late. Of course we'll still try & John (upon Jon's advice) will bug the sh*t out of them. And Jon said he'd still put in a good word for John (thanks Jon! We appreciate it!!).

But I've come to the harsh realization that I will have to go back to work... for sure... no more being in denial. No more thinking that maybe, just maybe John will get a job before I'd have to go back. Time with Delilah is growing short & not that I wasn't before but I really need to live the time up that I have left with her (thank God it's still like a month!). I don't know if I can leave her.... I don't know how I can handle that... I don't know how John will be able to handle being alone with her (she doesn't take a bottle). I like ignorant bliss better than educated sorrow *sigh*

Sweet Potatoe Pie

Ok maybe not pie but sweet potatoes for sure. Today Delilah tried sweet potatoes. She seemed to enjoy them but it was hard to tell because she was falling asleep at the helm... seriously she so needed a nap after our Easter Photo Shoot #3 attempt that she was falling asleep mid-bite.

This morning, before our sweet potato expedition we went over to Auntie Ashley's for another attempt at an Easter photo shoot. It didn't go very well. Ms. Grumpy needed a nap & would not stop crying when I put her next to Landon for the photos. Ashley did however (well according to Ashley since I haven't seen them yet ;-) ) get some pretty good pics of her in her Easter dress since she calmed down when I lay her down long enough to get some snap shots.

After all that, I came home & fed her and then lay her down for a nap. She slept 2 1/2 hours! A record for this little one.

In a few days we're going to try one of the green veggies. I'm excited for these (well not so much green beans from what I've been hearing about them) but I'm also ready for fruits! Those will have to wait for a bit though because I'd like her to wait a little after the green veggies are sampled to take some time with all of the veggies before fruits.



This is the other day- she got a little messy with the carrots

Yay- It's Official!!

~EDIT: John heard her say it this morning too!
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This morning after feeding Delilah, I was burping her & she was kind of babbling. I heard her say "Ma" but nothing else followed. Then she said it- "MaMa"!! I can't wait to hear her say "DaDa" now :-D

Next veggie....

So yesterday we tried our next veggie... it was a choice between carrots or sweet potatoes and we chose carrots. She really seemed to like them & barely any made it to her bib. I love the faces she makes when trying new foods. Even when she tastes them again the next day. This time John got the first reaction. When we did squash he didn't get ~the~ shot & I was soo annoyed :-\

The other day, I'm not sure where we were, but Delilah was talking when I swear I heard her say "MaMa". But John said it was more like "A-ma". Then yesterday when I was diapering her after her bath I ~know~ I heard "MaMa" but we're not saying it's an official "MaMa". So we've got an unofficial "MaMa" here :-D

Today we went to visit John's parents. It's always nice to visit since we don't get to get out there much & it's even nicer when Delilah smiles for them (instead of giving PapPap the lip). Towards the end of our visit, Grandma was playing with Delilah on the floor. Out for decoration was this really cute stuff Easter bunny. Grandma takes the bunny & is playing with Delilah with it. For the first time at Grandma & PapPaps Delilah let out a giggle of delight at this adorable stuffed Easter bunny. So cute!

The Carrot Collage

Veggie Verdict

Well the verdict is in... the squash is a go. Yesterday & today more of the squash got in to her mouth than on to her bib. Somehow she managed to get some on the sleeve of her onesie though. I'm excited for Friday. We're going to try a new veggie that day. I'm not sure if we'll do carrots of sweet potatoes.

Tonight my mom came over- usually she comes over on Tuesdays but there was a change of plans. We all went for a walk (the weather was ~gorgeous~!) but my mom had to turn back because she has this horribly awful, painful sciatica. I feel bad for her :-( I hope the drs can make it better but I don't know what they can do to make it better.

John has been looking for a job since he graduated. It's only been 2 months but he hasn't gotten any interview calls. We even gave his resume to my mom & dad's neighbor who works at Geisinger and has connections. We didn't hear a thing... talk about being disappointed. Imagine my surprise when their neighbor shows up at their door last Sunday. He had an e-mail from the one guy he gave John's resume to and in that e-mail there were two names & addresses that he recommended John send his cover letter & resume to. We promptly sent it out on Monday. Please everyone keep your fingers crossed for us. Not only would it be great for John to get a job but it'd be even more wonderful if he could get one where I could stay home with Munchkin.

The other day I came up with the idea of doing a journal for Delilah. I thought of doing this back when she was born but only go to 2 entries when I decided that I was just going to forget it. I don't know why I changed my mind but I guess it's because I think she'd like to read back on at least the first year of her life. I know I loved reading the stuff my mom recorded & I wish there was more because it wasn't enough to satisfy me. Anyway I've been working on this journal going back over when she was born & through the months. Some entries are only a sentence or two long because I can't remember details of the day- only what I wrote down in the calendar. Doing this has certainly brought back some wonderful memories back that I've sort of forgotten. And some I don't know I'd want to go through again.

I miss holding her while she sleeps snuggled up on my chest. I miss how little she was... I know she's still little but I miss the new little littleness of her. I miss how little her clothes were. I look at these pair of brown pants she has that are so little & it makes me sad. Then I think back to her sleeping habits... like when I'd nurse her from 9:00 p.m. until 12:00 a.m. where I couldn't put her down until the time chimed 12:00 or she'd cry. But I really don't have any other complaints other than that- she started sleeping better in December & that pattern didn't even last that long.

I'm just so back & forth on having a second one. At first it was one & done. Then I was thinking how it would be nice having another one. Then I flipped back to being uncertain again. I know that if we do have another it won't be for awhile. I want Delilah to be a little older. And if we don't have another that's ok too.

There's been some discussion on Delilah's one hat... it's been called a bunny, a mouse, a cat... it's actually a dog. Today I took a picture of her actual bunny hat. Can you tell which is which ;-) *Answer at the bottom*







* The first is the puppy hat & the second is the bunny hat ;-)

First Vegetable Fun

Today Delilah tried her first vegetable... squash. She did pretty well with it & even got some down (I heard the swallows) but mostly it ended up on her face/bib. Every time I put the spoon in her mouth she did this thing where it made the squash sputter out (I'll have to post the video).

Last night Delilah was so tired that she went to bed without a fuss. In fact she was asleep before I lay her down. Around 12:00 this morning she woke up & started crying. I waited to see if she would go back to sleep but she didn't. I went in to comfort her & discovered that she had a wet diaper. Of course she wouldn't go back to sleep with one of those! After changing her I tried comforting her again but it wasn't working. I went back to bed & lay down hoping she'd drift off. No such luck. John came up for bed a little later & suggested I feed her. I didn't really want to do that because they say that they don't need that middle of the night feeding when they're 4 months & you could start a habit that'll be tough to break. That's what I ended up doing however, because she was hungry & of course I wouldn't deny her if she's truly hungry.

~Warning~ Poop post ahead :-D So Delilah doesn't have a BM every day... usually every other day. We know that she's getting ready to have one when her toots start getting stinky. Tonight after her last feeding, John was giving her belly farts before wrapping her up. She decided to reward his belly farts with real farts of her own. Those farts were ~so~ stinky & turned in to that "golden" poop. Boy was that stinky too! I don't think she's ever had that stinky of a BM ;-p She's taking after daddy not only in looks but also in stinkiness (well sometimes the stinkiness).

First veggie pictures



Video:

The Oatmeal Diaries

Today we tried oatmeal again for lunch. This time she seemed to enjoy it ~and~ ate it all up! I'm so proud of her for eating like a big girl. For dinner we did rice cereal which she still seems to be iffy on. I kind of think I messed that up for her when I tried to stick juice in it to see if it'd help her go potty. She called me out on that one immediately LoL Ah well- try and try again. Next week we're going to start her on vegetables. I don't know what the heck I was thinking today but instead of getting like 4-5 jars of one we got 3 jars of 3 different kinds LoL Sometimes I don't know where my brain is. I'll just have to have John pick up some of whatever we're going to try when he goes grocery shopping (that's right, he goes because he spends less money getting the same darn stuff I'd get when I go somehow).

Well just got in from a movie with Ash & it's almost 1:00. Gotta go to bed & get some sleep! Night!

Love Hurts

So before Delilah was born I decided I wanted a tattoo to showcase my love for my child & my family. I got the idea to do a tattoo that held John's birth month flower (Gladiolus- symbolizes strength of character, sincerity, generosity. The flower of the gladiators), Delilah's birth month flower (Cosmos- symbolize peace, modesty, creation, and wholeness), and my birth month flower (Chrysanthemum- symbolize cheerfulness, rest, loveliness, optimism, abundance, wealth). Not only would this tattoo symbolize my family but it would (hopefully) cover up a prior tattoo that I no longer cared for (before and after pics at the bottom). Of course like usual, Chuck (the guy that does my tattoos) blew me away with his vision. The tattoo was better than I ever imagined it to be in the first place.

She had her 4 month pediatrician appointment today at 11:00. It went very well & she's doing fantastically. I thought it was funny that she gained 1 3/4 pounds as well as gained 1 3/4 inches in height. She weighed 14 pounds 2 oz. and was 24.75 inches tall. Her pedi looked her over & everything was tip top. She got two shots & one oral dose of an immunization (which she did very well for even though she cried :-( ). We were told we could do oatmeal and could also start vegetables- orange & yellow ones. She didn't really give us a time frame to start vegetables so we're going to begin them in about 5 days (the amount of time you're supposed to give between trying new foods to make sure there's no allergies). By her next appointment she's supposed to be eating 2 servings of rice cereal a day plus 3 servings of vegetables.

Today we add another 2 more firsts to Delilah's list of firsts. For the first time ever she sat in her high chair. While in that high chair she experienced oatmeal. She looked too cute sitting in that high chair looking so small. She looked even cuter with oatmeal spewing from her mouth (I'm not sure she got any down but we'll try again tomorrow).

This afternoon in to this evening we babysat Shawn & Landon for my bestest friend, Ashley. It was too cute- I got there & Shawn was up (no afternoon nap for that little man today!). I'm sitting on the couch & he comes over to me and lifts up my shirt sleeve to look at my tattoos. Ashley tells him that the thing on my arm is flowers. So he leans in close & starts sniffing my arm! LoL He said they smell good :-D Not long later Landon was up from his nap. We all played until John came over with Delilah. Both boys were very good & Shawn seemed to enjoy playing with Uncle John. Landon & Delilah are just the cutest little things together. Landon is infatuated with her & loves to grab, kiss & share his thumb with her. She really likes him even more now than she did (although she still liked him just fine then)... every time they're together she smiles at him & doesn't oppose to the kisses or shared thumb attempts. It seems however that he does not like when the grabbing is reciprocated. I was holding Delilah & Landon was at my side standing. Delilah decided she was going to lean forward & put her hands on his head. He seemed to be saying 'No way Lady Jane! Only I can do the grabbing!'

The tattoo:
The Before (it means Destiny, Friendship & Eternal Love)

The After (the top flower is John's, middle is mine & bottom is Delilah's)

In the crib

In the morning

In the high chair

Oatmeal Time!

Our little girl is a big girl now :-\

Today Ashley & I went for a walk through the cemetery again. It's funny but she asked me if it was morbid to let Shawn walk around (which would benefit her making the double stroller a little bit lighter hehe). I don't think so. I mean, people are so weird about cemeteries but why? They're supposed to be a place of peace and serenity where people can come & remember the good times they had with their loved ones. Maybe it's a romantic idea because I know it's not like that for everyone but for me it is. It's not weird. And in my opinion the kids are going to have to learn about it someday anyway. It's not something I'm going to hide from my daughter- when the time is right she'll know about life and death. But right now they're just little kids/babies & don't know any better about this neat place with lots of trees to climb (or well, go up to them wanting to climb them ;-) ) and steps to play on.

Tonight we haven't had any better of a time putting her to bed. She cried for 15 minutes before John went up.. and picked her up even though I told him not to. I know how it is though- it's hard to let her lay there and cry. Anyway, he came back down after not being able to get her to sleep and I went up. I also ended up picking her up & then lay on the bed with her. Shortly after I called John upstairs to see if he thought we should put her in her crib. We switched the monitor over to her bedroom & lay her down to sleep in her crib for the very first time (*sigh*). She still cried & was having no part of going to sleep but we only had to go upstairs two times before she finally gave in. And we did ~not~ pick her up those two times ;-) That was around 8:15. I'm hoping that with being in her room where the blinds make it super dark as opposed to our bedroom where the light filters through fairly brightly for being room darkening blinds she'll be able to fall asleep more easily. It's going to be so weird not having her over in our room. It's going to be weird with it pitch black in there with no nightlight (how am I going to feed her?). It's change and change I don't like.

Tomorrow is her 4 month pediatrician appointment. More shots- boo! I'm sure she'll be fine though. She did really well with her 2 month shots. I'm hoping her pedi will give us the go ahead to try vegetables soon. I guess it's around 5 months you can give them but I'm not sure I can wait 2 weeks... ok, I suppose I ~could~ but that doesn't mean I want to ;-)

P.S. I ~know~ she's not exactly a big girl now being only 4 months and all. Even when she is a big girl someday she'll always be our little girl.

The time change sure did bring a change

The time change has seemed to discombobulate my daughter... the morning of the time change- around 7:00 a.m. Delilah decided she was going to get up. I let her lay in her pack n play for about a 1/2 hour while she talked/shrieked before I accepted she wasn't going to go back to sleep. Last night she was fine to put to sleep. This morning around 4:00 a.m. she decided she wasn't going to go back to sleep and I let her lay in her pack n play while she again talked/shrieked (mind you, I did try to tell her to go back to sleep both mornings & not pick her up). She would not go back to sleep and an hour later I was forced to pick her up & rock her until she was drowsy enough to put back down. Tonight was absolutely horrific. We haven't had this kind of time putting her to sleep since she was a new newborn. We lay her down & she started crying (about 7:00)... fast forward to through to 8:30/9:00, after multiple tries from both John & myself to get her to sleep & lay her down (no go), when I carried her back upstairs & put her down in her pack n play where she stayed asleep this time. I don't know what was wrong- maybe she didn't feel good, maybe it was because it wasn't dark in our room when we put her up to bed... who knows. All I know is that it may be time to put her in her room where we have roman blinds that make the room pitch black (of course we'll be adding in a nightlight that we've had in our room since she's been born).

Today we all hung out around the house until about 1:30 when I left to go get my hair done. I haven't been to the salon where I normally venture since before Delilah was born... unless you count the day my mom & I dropped John off for him to get his hair cut before heading back to her house (I didn't want to wait there for him with Delilah lest I had to feed her). Anyway, my roots were starting to super show & I figured that I wouldn't dye it myself any time soon because I haven't felt like it & I was lucky enough to get in to my star hair stylist today. I love how I feel when I leave. I love how my hair feels. I wish I could get my hair to look like it does when I leave there. I guess I could if I really tried but I don't own a hair dryer and probably won't invest in one. Tomorrow I'll be babysitting my two favoritest boys in the whole world, Shawn & Landon, while their mommy attends to some things in regards to her Nan who had surgery today (please keep her in your thoughts). Wednesday John & I are going to see Watchmen (yay!) while his parents watch Delilah for us. Thursday is her 4 month pediatrician appointment (more shots- boo!). Friday morning Ashley & I are possibly going to attempt Easter Photo Shoot 3 and will be catching a movie later in the day. Busy week!

Attack of Mr. Bumbo Head

Playing with the teether monkey Auntie Ashley got me

Mommy Loves Me & Petting the Pup

Diaper Head (Pics added)

Yesterday was such a busy day. It started off with John changing Delilah's diaper in the bedroom. He likes to put the clean diaper on her head, unfolded, before putting it on her tush. Every time he does it I think it's just a pee disaster waiting to happen. And yesterday was. Right after he put it on her head, I happened to look down & she was peeing. It soaked through the comforter, the sheet, the fitted sheet & our mattress cover. Oi... but it was funny.

A little later Delilah & I went to Auntie Ashley's for an Easter picture session & then an outing. While we had quite a few issues with the session (technical & baby) Ashley captured quite a few awesome pics. Even though some are photography site material, they're still damn cute. After we were done with the pictures we went to lunch & then to Kidsgrove in Selinsgrove where we met her Aunt Lisa & cousins, Miranda and Erin. Delilah got to swing for the very first time!! After that it was a stop to surprise her Aunt Jodi (mommy to Miranda & Erin) and then to Target for some camera supplies (for Ash. I got some hair dye). Then it was home, a bath & off to bed- for Delilah that is. But not before Delilah gave mommy a bloody nose. I had just fed her on one side & was trying to burp her. Her head bopped forward & smacked right in to my nose. Luckily it wasn't bad & she was ok. I went back to Ash's afterwards to watch P.S. I Love You (good movie, but sad).

Today John & I went to Walmart (I hate Walmart) and then to Kidsgrove so he could see Delilah in the swing. Not only did she swing today, she went down the slide too! So fun :-) After our family outing fun, Delilah & I went over to Ash's for a trip to the marina for a walk. Although we didn't do much walking but more of watching Shawn play & pushing Landon and Delilah in the swings. It was great though and everyone, especially Shawn, was so well behaved!! Now only if it were that easy every time we went out hehe

The pics as promised:

The Easter Bunny Shoot (click on the collage for a bigger picture)

The Bunny Pair

My Easter Bunny

Delilah's Little Love

1st ride in a swing!


2nd ride in the swing

First ride on the slide

At the marina

One Hot B.it.ch

So I stopped by Target this afternoon after my doctor appointment. I'm walking around wasting a little bit of time before going to find what I came for (which I alas did not find). There's this guy in there that is kind of behind me but I duck in to an aisle & get away from him. I give it no more thought. Until I check out. I check out (bought Delilah a bathing suit we've been eyeing up- good thing I got it today as it was the last size 12!!) & walk out the first set of doors. I see this guy out there & I think 'Great, some creepy guy standing outside.' I walk through the second set of doors & he says something to me. I don't hear him & I say "Excuse me?" He repeats himself & says "Are you single?" I go "Um, no." And walked on to my car. I get in the car & look up. There the guy is still in front of the store & I'm thinking, 'What is he trying to pick up women who walk out of the store?' Then he walks back in. Creepy (and funny)! I must admit I was on edge from the moment I walked out the door. I'm very suspicious of people- especially anyone who shows interest in me.

Delilah has been getting so big, so fast. I hate it... but I love it too. I love seeing her develop. She's been talking lots more, grabbing at things & lately has been putting her hands up to our faces when we play with her. I'll pull her close & she'll put both hands on my cheeks. Or John will be playing with her & she'll grab his nose. He makes her laugh when he moves his head back & forth and says "O no! My nose!" So cute. She's still in our room in her pack n play. I know we should move her to the crib soon but I so don't want to. The doctor said that there's nothing wrong with her sleeping in her pack n play until she's too big for it. She said instead of moving her to the crib immediately that we should try moving the pack n play out of the room gradually. *sigh* I want her in our room forever! LoL Ok Ok, I know I wouldn't want her in there forever but I'm having issues letting go. I'm getting the same feelings about it that I was about going back to work & I'm not even leaving her really!

Playing around with the camera



Look at that drool!

Trying to rollover

Then she rolls back