15 month update!

Where has the time gone? My last real update on Emma was her 1 year post. Things are so busy around here that I just don't have much time to sit and write a long updated post. 

Let's see, Emma is a thriving toddler that has an endless amount of energy! She wakes up running most days. She takes one afternoon nap that has been lasting close to 2 hours. Nights are touch and go usually. She sleeps through the night sometimes and ofher nights she wakes up once, I change her diaper and put her back down. Then she will sleep until 8am. I have lucked out a few days were she has slept until 9! I think she is making up for all those terrible nights in the beginning and the fact that she didn't start sleeping through the night until 14 months! She is fully weaned as of 2 weeks ago now. Only whole milk now. Her favorite foods are toast, bananas, strawberries, chicken nuggets, parm peas, yogurt, chicken chili and apple sauce. She's eating a lot more these days and is much more willing to try new things. Most of time she is a happy girl. I will say that she has a very strong personality! The girl knows what she wants. Her temper tantrums are quite a scene. All I can do is laugh because it is so loud and annoying. When it gets to bad I get the iPad out and let her watch curious George. It is her favorite show in the world. George is a life saver!!!

We have gone on a few trips since her birthday. Only to at Louis to visit family but it's still fun and I'm so glad she is able to be with family and know that they aren't just people that live in the iPad (FaceTime). We have done lots of zoo trips and went to grants farm and parks. She loves animals, just like her mommy! 

Halloween came and went in a hurry! She wanted nothing to do with pumpkin carving and when it came time to go out trick or treating she was not having it. Until..... She noticed people were giving her candy! Then she was a happy little girl. She loves chocolate and suckers. 

She was tinker bell this year. 

Next up is thanksgiving! Unfortunately we won't be traveling back to stl for this holiday. We will be here in New York. I'm ok with that. A nice quiet evening of turkey stuffing and potatoes topped with pie of course. 

Let's talk molars!!!!! Oh boy do I hate molars. She is getting all four right now the little cusps are popping through right now. But they are taking forever! Her little fingers are constantly hooked in her mouth. Chewing away! A few nights I have had to give her Benadryl to help her sleep. Right now I think they aren't bothering her that much but last month was hard. I just hope they pop through fast. Then I guess we are on to canines! I have heard they are tough too. 

Her 15 month check up is next Monday so I will post her stars then. 

Now here are some pictures!!!!

She found a bag of Doritos and wouldn't let me take them away! 

Chester the giraffe!

I just love this little girl! 

My little tinker bell

I know it's been a bit since I have posted an update so here is a small one. I'll be posting a 15 month update after her dr appointment. 

So for Halloween Emma was Tinker Bell! It was a rough day because she is getting her molars in and has been super cranky. But once she realized people were giving her candy she was having a great time! One lady offered her to pick her candy from the bowl and she was so excited she started shaking her hands out in front of her and said "ahhhhhhhhhhhhh" in a growling voice. Then grabbed two fists full of candy. It was hilarious. We had fun!

Hershey's bar

Halloween!!

I have some awesome Halloween bows available on etsy!!! Here are some pictures and links!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/201410301/halloween-shabby-bow

https://www.etsy.com/listing/201236240/halloween-skull-head-bow

https://www.etsy.com/listing/201245031/halloween-bat-bow

https://www.etsy.com/listing/201245653/cat-in-pumpkin-bow

Weaning

Some people may think I'm crazy but I don't care I only wanted the best for my daughter. Some people have said when are you going to stop breastfeeding? When they get teeth that's when you should stop! She is getting to old for that. She will never stop on her own, you just have to do it. Well you know what, I am so tired of hearing people bash breastfeeding moms. Breastfeeding is such an amazing thing. Not to mention the best thing you could offer your child if you are able to. The bond that is created is unreal. I'm not going to lie I am a bit dad that it is coming to an end. Let me step back a little though and tell you more about my journey with breastfeeding or as I like to refer to it, nursing...

When Emma was born I had read if you want to successfully nurse you shouldn't offer a bottle until after your baby is nursing good. Well I had issues in the beginning. It was very hard. She didn't want to latch on right. Not to mention she had really bad reflux so we both were so frustrated. By the time she finally did get it is was constantly nursing her because of her reflux. (Milk helps the pain go away). So it was more of a hassle to get a bottle ready than it was to just whip out the boob. So that's what I did. After a while, say 2 months I decided to try the bottle. NOPE!!! She refused! She would gag on it and almost throw up. Then that would piss her off and the only thing to calm her was to nurse her. It would have been nice to be able to bottle feed considering how often we traveled and just the convienence of it. Not to mention being able to have the hubby do a feeding at night. That wasn't in the cards though. I tried a million different bottles and nipples and nothing worked. So I just let go of trying. After all most the time it was just easier nursing anyway. 

I introduced a sippy cup to her around 4 months because I knew it was going to be so hard to get her used to it. I went through so many brands and styles. She didn't take well to them but finally around 7-8 months she got it. Thank The Lord! I was able to start cutting some feedings out because she didn't need me for thirst anymore she just used the sippy. That made outings a lot easier too. 

By her first birthday I was down to a morning feeding and a night. When we got back from her birthday trip to stl I decided it was time to drop one more. I chose the night time one because I like feeding her when she wakes up at 6 because she will go back to sleep for a few more hours :) anyway, she did awesome!!! We gave her a sippy with milk in it to have during our nighttime routine and she sucked it down. Then we read a few books and put her to bed. She went right to sleep! I was astonished, I usually nurse her to sleep. So I thought for sure she was gonna be like "uh uh, no no lady, no dice! You better feed me" but no. To be honest I was a little upset. My little girl didn't need me anymore. For the next few weeks I experienced some major depression. I didn't put two and two together until reading some weaning tips online. Weaning can cause depression. As weird as it sounds it's sort of like a really late postpartum event. It made since though. I was getting so upset and even mad sometimes that I didn't get to bond with her like before. After a few weeks it did get easier but it was really hard in the beginning.  

So now at 13 months I am at one feeding a day. In the morning. The past few days she hasn't really even wanted to though. I know in just a short while she will just refuse all together. I will let her decide though. I'm not going to force it because I know she will when she is ready. And I can tell it's going to be very soon. A little depressing to think about it really. Nursing has been a part of my life for over a year. It's hard to let that go bits almost like losing a friend. I will no longer have those one on one quiet moments with her. :( 

Anyway I just wanted to share a little of my story. I hope that one day breastfeeding isn't looked at so differently as bottle feeding. I mean really people. Would you deny a baby food just because you don't want to offend someone. In my case I didn't have a choice in the matter. She refused a bottle. So I really hope that people stop judging. Every situation and every baby is different. Every baby deserves to eat. And that baby shouldn't have to nurse in a bathroom stall or a corner of a room. That mother shouldn't have to go to her car to feed her baby just because she is breastfeeding you don't see people going to the bathroom to bottle feed, do you? I'm sorry, I'm gunna stop ranting. This subject just makes me so mad when it comes to public breastfeeding. 

I hope you all have a great weekend. Here is a pic of my beautiful little girl at 13 months old!!

Emma turns one video

Here is the video I made for Emma's first birthday. 

http://youtu.be/YFyFf_upt58

Labor Day sale Emma's BOWteek

20% off this weekend until Monday at midnight Labor Day! Enter code: labor20 at checkout! I have some new fall bows and Halloween ones!!!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/EmmasBOWteek

1 year old!!!!!!!

I have a ONE YEAR OLD!!  I'm a little late with this post but I just had her dr appointment and wanted to wait until then to post. I am finding it hard to believe that a whole year has past. My life has changed so drastically. For the better of course! She has completed my life on many levels. 

Emma is definitely a toddler! She is doing so much these days. She is basically running these days. Incredibly fast, which makes me a little on edge sometimes. Getting things done around the house is hard. It takes twice as long to do one task as it should. Most days I have to choose between a shower and chores during her nap. That's the only time I really have to do it. Anyway she has so much energy these days. 

We went to St. Louis for her birthday. We had a big party (cowgirl theme). It was great. She got lots of cool presents and got to see family and friends. 

We went to her 12 month appointment and here are her stats. She is 22lbs even and in the 75th% and she is 30inch long and in the 75th%. Doc says she is a healthy one year old! Couldn't ask for anything more! 

Emma has become kind of a picky eater these days. She loves watermelon at the moment. It's so funny watching her eat it too because it is so messy. She gobbles it down so fast. Veggies are not something she is interested in that much. I have gotten her to eat a few peas coated in parm. She takes a few bites and then smacks my hand away. Another favorite is grilled cheese! I try not to make it to often because of all the carbs but she loves it. If I can't get her to eat anything my go to is always watermelon and grilled cheese. Emma has taken to whiole milk nicely. I do have to flavor it with a little pro bugs though. It's a yogurt that is a watery consistency. They come in different flavors. They are organic and I love them. They really make it much easier to transition. Speaking of... I'm down to 2 nursing sessions a day. I will be dropping one more next week. I just can't decide which one to drop. The bedtime one is nice because it relaxes her and puts her to sleep. But the morning one allows me to sleep longer. She wakes up around 5 and I feed her and she will sleep until 8-8:30. I love my sleep. So I think I will get rid of the evening one. Or I might try a cry it out for the am and see how that goes for a few days. Decisions decisions!!! Lol

Here are a few random things. Emma is in 18 month clothing now. Big girl! She sleeps with her favorite stuffed animal we named patty. It's a giraffe of course. She snuggles so cute with it. She is basically running now. She loves books and bubbles!! She also loves chasing the pups around the house. They aren't as amused as she is of course. But they do like it sometimes. Clapping her hands and giving high fives all the time. Gives her baby dolls kisses. She is in a size 5 diaper. One of my new favorite things to do is put her hair in a pony tail! She looks so stinkin cute!

I'll leave you with some more pictures! 

First time at the beach. 

On the plane. 

Very mad I took away her piece of paper she was eating. 

My little chef!