Happy Birthday, Chadmo/Daddy!

The cutest centerpiece of all, for Daddy's 32nd birthday dinner! :)

Chadmo's first birthday with a baby in arms - Dylan really is the best present of all!

Happy birthday Chadmo - you are the best daddy & husband in the world and we love you bunches & bunches. I hope that for your birthday, Dylan gives you the gift of sleeping ALL night! (A girl can dream, right?)

Oatmeal

The very first bite of Dylan's very first 'solid' food - oatmeal! She looked a little concerned at the start...

But right away she thought: "Hey, this is fun!"

She had big smiles the whole time! She thought it was fun to squish around with her tongue and stick her fingers in, and about every 3rd bite she would figure out how to swallow it!

"I LOVE airplane & train noises! This is a great game!!"

"This transporter-thinga-ma-bob is fun to have in my mouth too! Why haven't we played this game before??"

"Hmmm, am I supposed to swallow this stuff? Or play with it?"

"Daddy! What's Mommy doing to me?!? I'm not sure what it is, but I think I like it!"

A couple of bites in. (I forgot to take a starting picture.)

Pretty good progress for a first try, I'd say. I think she would've eaten more too, but it was dangerously close to bed time and a little too far from her last nap.

I was impressed with Dyl's first attempt at eating! Let's hope she continues to do well and just likes it more and more and figures out that it's something you swallow. :) I think bananas will be our next step.

Whew, she's still been sleeping terribly. I actually went up to talk to the doctor today in a fit of desperation. I think it was helpful, so we're trying a lot of big changes at once to try to make a big impact (and get it all over with at once.) We're starting solids, stopping swaddling, not letting her sleep in the swing anymore (this is the one I'm the most nervous about) and thus insisting she sleeps in her crib, letting her have a lovey burp cloth (her favorite thing so far), and letting her sleep with a loose knit (non-smothery) blanket. Also, we're going to try to have Chad put her down and fend her off from nursing for the first couple times she's up at night. Oh, and the doctor wants me to weigh her before and after a feeding sometime to make sure she's getting enough milk. She's worried that my extreme sleep deprivation is stressing me enough that it might be decreasing my milk supply, making Dyl have to nurse more frequently to get enough milk, sleep depriving me more, and creating a vicious cycle. Hopefully the cereal mixed with milk will help with this if it is the case. So we're changing a million things at once & seeing how it goes - wish us luck!

*5 minutes post-blog post: Dyl is already up and screaming her head off. :( extra well-wishing requested, I think this is going to be a looong transition.

Dyl's first seafood

"Would you like some sushi, Dylly?"

"Mmm, mmm! I think I like seafood, Mommy!" :)

"Come here fishy, I can catch you all by myself."

"Ta da! You taste so good, I think I'll have seconds."

Learning to 'float' - she's not too sure what she thinks about this yet! But we've gotta get some practice in before summer & pool time!

Snuffly Sunday

Miss Dylan, fresh out of the tub and telling us all about her splishy-splashy adventures (in a sad, yet adorable, congested voice.)

Unfortunately none of our colds seem much improved today - Dyl is more congested, Chadmo's nose is running like a faucet, and I've had a horrible headache/sinus pressure all day (though oddly my congestion seems better?) Fortunately Dyl has been in a fabulous mood all weekend, despite her cold. She's been napping better (though mostly in our arms) - and better naps do tend to make for a happier baby!

Grandma was sweet enough to come over and play with Dylan for a couple of hours while Chad and I lazed about on the couch and watched the movie "Contagion". (Possibly not the best choice of movies when we all have colds.) I think this was the first time we successfully watched an entire movie since Dylan was born! Thank you Grandma/Mom! :) It was lovely!

Icky Sickies

"Look at my fun new bed that Grandma & Grandpa picked up for me in Lancaster today! Isn't it silly, it gives me bunny ears! But it's pretty cozy, I think I like it. We'll see what I think of it in the next couple of nights..." (Mommy & Daddy are keeping their fingers crossed that it magically makes her sleep all night! ;))

"Oooh, I see my pretty night light over there. I just love to look at EVERYTHING these days, it makes it hard to settle down and eat for more than 2 minutes. But then I don't eat quite enough and I'm hungry again in 45 minutes... Whoops! Sorry Mommy!"

"I can even dance a jig in my new bed - plus it lets me sleep right next to Mommy & Daddy's big bed. Too cool!"

Well, Chad, Dyl, & I all woke up with runny noses & sneezing, and a cough for poor Dyl. Needless to say, she slept terribly last night since I imagine this was coming on then. It's so sad to hear her little voice sound congested, and her cough seems to be the worst when she's falling asleep. She was in great spirits all day in spite of her cold; smiley & laughing! Unfortunately Chad & I are feeling like we've been dragged through a keyhole sideways - but still, much better to feel that way with a happy baby than with a crabby baby! But Dyl couldn't nap in her bed or in her swing at all, so she needed to be held for all her naps today. Let's hope that's not the case for all night. Also, we're praying that Miss Dyl wakes up feeling loads better tomorrow (and at least not worse.) What I wouldn't give for some Nyquil or Dayquil for myself right about now!

TGIF

"Mommy, I think there's something wrong with one of my stuffed animals, its' eyes are glowing!"

"In any case, it's cute and fluffy. Back to my blocks!"

Dyl & I had a fun day today. We went to surprise Grandma with a visit at school at the end of her school day! She got to show Dylly off to some of her teacher friends, and Dyl got to have a snack in Grandma's classroom. Then the 3 of us decided we should run up to Lancaster for a quick bit of shopping at Kohl's, which we did, and we had a very good time. We parted ways at Walmart, and Dyl and I headed home. Shortly after we got home, Daddy & then Grandpa arrived. Grandpa didn't stay long, and then Daddy made a tasty dinner & we've had a fairly relaxing evening. Now we're working on baby bedtime and enjoying the fact that it's the weekend. I'm looking forward to having no plans at all this weekend for the first time in what feels like ages. Who knows what we'll get into tomorrow? Maybe we'll just take lots of naps and catch up on some sleep. :) Whatever we feel like! Happy weekend, all!

Sisters

Our cutie pie Haley-Bug in her highchair!

Our cutie pie Haley-Bug chewing on her Sophie!

Our cutie pie Dylan-Roo chewing on her Sophie in her highchair!