28 Weeks

It's been a nice relaxing week at the Hetrick house.  No traveling, no big plans, just livin' the dream ;)

Here are some of the photos from this past week.

We decided to try sweet potatoes! 

A little skeptical at first

"Hmmmm, this is actually pretty tasty."

"I love it!"

"But now I'm full Dad.  Hello..... read my body language.  NO MORE!"

"Ah, my thumb.  My new favorite thing."

Since we decided to make our own baby food, I bought the Baby Bullet (blender type thing) and it came with these little storage jars.  How cute are they?  And they have a little dial on the top where you dial in the date that you made the food, which I love.  And yes, Addy hammered that whole cup of sweet potatoes on her first try!

Since we have not taken any pics of Addy in the bath since her very first day in the bath tub, I decided it was time for a few of those this week.

Not sure why this one is a little bit blurry.  A photographer I am not.

"Daddy dumped the water right in my face!"

"But I don't really mind."

(I feel the need to mention here that he did wash the soap out of her hair before pouring water down her face.  It was just water, not soapy water.  OK, I feel better now.)

"Why is that camera always in my face?  Can't a girl get some privacy around here?"

Precious baby feet

Love it :)

She is just starting to sit up more and getting more playful in the tub, so we'll get some better tub photos in a few months when playtime is in full force.

And, of course, we have our weekly photos.

She loves that rattle

How cute is this little outfit that I got her at the Carters outlet?  I went there for the first time last week and it was bad news.  I loved so much stuff (AKA bought so much stuff).  I want to go back already, but I will be strong.  Because now I know that every time I go I am sure to come home with way too much, and I will have to endure the 20 questions/exasperation from my hubby.  Totally worth it this time though.  I mean, I told him she needed new jammies.  Did she need 10 pairs of new jammies?  Maybe not.

This thumb is a new thing that I have to contend with when trying to get pics.  Did I mention that we think Addy is a lefty?  She always puts the thumb from her left hand in her mouth and she tends to reach for things (like the spoon during her meals) with her left hand too.

Gotcha!  A smile!

Look at our big girl!  Very focused on the task at hand as always.

There you have it.  Just another week at the Hetrick house :)  Hope you all have a great weekend!

Where Has The Day Gone?

Why do I feel like I ask myself that question all the time???

Before I had Addy we had a cleaning lady that came every other week, and when I was pregnant I told her we wouldn't need her anymore once the baby was born because I'd be home most of the time.  I figured, I am only working one 12 hour shift a week, how hard could it be to keep the house nice and clean?  Famous last words.  I realize that this is entirely possible, so why does it seem so difficult?

I feel like I am constantly struggling to find time to get things done.  Like Addy's baby books.  I am getting anxiety thinking about the fact that she is over half a year old and I've barely started them.  I tell myself every week, this will be the week that I'll work on them, but then before I know it, the week is over and they are still collecting dust in the den.  WHY?

Is it just a lack of time management?  Is it my extreme procrastination rearing its ugly head?  I always tell myself that I will get some things done after Addy goes to bed, but let's be honest.  That never happens.  Ever.  I am just so tired by the time I put her to bed that I can't fathom doing anything productive.  Which is why I need to really try to buckle down and get things done while she naps.

I mean, I know Addy doesn't nap particularly well, but you'd think I'd have something to show for the time that she does nap.  I blame this blog..... and the countless others that I read ;)  For example, I was reading a blog that had sample weekly cleaning schedules on it this morning.  Well, perhaps I should've just been cleaning instead of reading about cleaning.  I should declare some days "no computer days" or something.  I need help!

I do love lists though, so maybe if I have some type of weekly chore list written out it will inspire me to do things just so I can cross them off.  Yes, I am that big of a dork. 

Anyway, time to step away from the computer and start my real life day.  Addy, Daisy, and I are gonna head out for a run before the heat/humidity become unbearable.  Yup, another half marathon is in my future.  Savannah Rock and Roll Half Marathon here I come!  T-minus 3 months and counting!

Maybe some fresh air and physical exercise will motivate me to tackle some chores when I get home.

Hopefully tonight I won't go to bed saying "Where has the day gone?"

Little Peepers

OMG we have to lower the crib mattress!!!! 

So I was happily going about my chores while Addy was "napping" a few minutes ago and I decided to swing by her room and check on her.  I leave her door ajar while she sleeps so that I can make said checks without waking her by opening the door.  (We don't have a video monitor, and I'll admit that is one thing I wish we did have.)

So I stealthily tiptoed to her doorway to find her on her belly with her little hand curled around the crib railing.  With that little hand/arm, she had pulled herself up high enough that she was peering over the top of the crib!!!!!!  No joke!

My eyes flew open and I almost ran in there, but I just stood and watched for a minute.  All I could see were her little eyes peering over the top of her crib, just checking out her room.  She didn't see me there, and she fell back down in a few seconds.  I wish I could have gotten a picture, but then she definitely would have seen me and nap time would've been even more of a mess.  Nonetheless, when Mike gets home from work he's gonna get the fun job of lowering the crib mattress before a major catastrophe occurs. 

Yup, that same crib that he grunted and groaned over when putting it together before Addy was born.  He claimed that he was "never messing with that d*** thing again".

I "gently" reminded him that "we" (meaning "he") would have to mess with it to lower the mattress when she got bigger.  He was not happy with that revelation then, and he won't be happy with the news now. 

But in order to attempt to prevent her from following in her daddy's footsteps and flinging herself over her crib onto the floor, it has to be done.  Sorry Daddy.  Safety first!

P.S.  Can I just mention that upon concluding this post, Addy is still crying in her crib.  Yup, 25 minutes and counting.  Sigh.  Will nap time ever get easier????????????

Rolling With Laughter

This is a post of a few recent videos.  Yesterday, I FINALLY witnessed the belly to back roll!  I know Addy has been doing it for a few weeks, but I only ever saw the end result, and never actually witnessed the big roll until yesterday.  She saved it for Daddy's birthday :)

Then I found a few videos from about a month ago.  Here is us trying to get a good video of Addy holding her own bottle... She is already doing it so much better, and this video is only a few weeks old!

This video is from our Fourth of July trip to PA.  I love her little laughs!!!

Have a great day!

27 Weeks and A Girls Getaway



This week Mike took Addy's pics because I was .........(nope, not working) ON VACATION!! 

Two of my friends and I went to Nags head on the Outer Banks for 4 days and it was wonderful!  And since two of the three of us have young babies, we joked that it was one big pump party.  TMI?  Sorry.  Anywho, we had such a blast, just us girls.  It's been a long time since we've done that, and it was such a nice relaxing getaway.  The weather wasn't the greatest, but we were able to lay on the beach (albeit without sun for the most part) and chat, so we were all good with that.

Mike was so nice to take off of work for me to go so that he could stay home and take care of Addy.  I am one lucky lady :)  So it was Daddy and Addy mania, and they had so much fun!  I missed them both like crazy, but Mike was great and sent me text pictures and videos while I was gone.  I seriously felt like she looked different when I got back.  In less than four days of being gone?  No joke, she changed.  Crazy how babies do that.

Onto the pics...

And, check it out!  Our first weekly pic of Addy sitting up!....

Yay!  But what on earth is that thing in the lower left corner?  A finger...a leg?  Honestly, I have no idea.  Kinda creeps me out.

So there you have it.  Week 27 was my longest time away from my baby to date: Thursday - Sunday.  Had a great time with my gals, but I'm so glad to be back home with my family!

Happy Monday ... and a BIG Happy 32nd Birthday to the greatest husband a girl could ever dream of!  Love you Michael!

6 Months!

Dear Linzo Bean,

I think we have enough nicknames for you to write you a letter a month for 10 years!  Ha ha!

So the big 0.5! (as Grandpa would say).  I cannot believe you have been with us for over half a year already!  This past month you have gotten so much more interactive, and life with you is becoming more and more fun all the time. :)

You've really started exploring a lot more with your hands over this past month.  You grab our faces and laugh when we are holding you.  You love to grab my necklace, earrings, watch, rings, shirt, hair, etc...  Whatever you can reach, you grab for.  Hence Mommy's new hair cut.  You still try to grab my hair, but now you can only get the tips.  Ha ha!  You also love to clap your hands, and hold hands with whatever baby you may be hanging out with (either Luca or Carley).  It's so cute!

Your hair is really starting to come in now, though we are still unsure of what color it will be.  I'm thinking a light brown.  Your eyes definitely seem to be turning brown. 

We went to the doctor for your six month appointment this morning and here are your stats:

Weight: 16 lbs (50th percentile)
Length: 27 inches (90th percentile)
Head circumference: 44 cm (85th percentile)

You are Mommy and Daddy's tall girl!  Weird thing is, when they measured you, they said 25.5 inches.  I was thinking in my head "Wasn't she 26 inches 2 months ago?"  Then on the paper they wrote 27 inches.  Hmmmm.  When you wake up from your nap I am going to measure you again to get an accurate length.  (I measured you, and you are indeed 27 inches exactly.)

We started giving you rice cereal a few days before your six month birthday and you get so so excited about meal time.  Though I don't think you end up with much of it in your belly at this point.  ;)  We are going to start giving you cereal twice a day now instead of just once, and then we will gradually start adding other foods too.  Maybe in a month or so we can drop one of your nursing sessions.  You eat 5 times during the day and once at night.  (And you still spit up A LOT.)   I think you know the word "milk" because whenever I ask you if you want it, you get super excited!  Ha ha!

At night, you are a great sleeper, but Mommy and Daddy are going to try to eliminate that night time feed soon. Don't make it too hard on us, OK? You go to bed around 7:30PM and wake up around 7:30AM, which is fantastic, but you still get up between 4-5AM every night to eat. You always immediately fall back to sleep after I nurse you, which is probably why I haven't been in a huge rush to stop doing it.  I'll say it.  It's easier to just get up and feed you than it is to lay there and listen to you cry.  Because if I know you, and I think I do, we'll be in for some rough nights once we finally bite the bullet to get rid of the 4AM feed. 

One part of life with you that is always a struggle is naps.  Addy, you are a napping nightmare.  I am so schedule driven that I just want you to be semi predictable with your nap lengths, but you keep me on my toes.  Sometimes your naps are and hour and a half, sometimes they are 25 minutes.  We just never know what to expect.  And you almost always cry before falling asleep.  Sometimes for less than 5 minutes, sometimes for 30 minutes.  I hate to hear my baby girl crying, but I leave you alone because I know you will fall asleep eventually, and you need your sleep.  We are still going with about 3 naps per day.  Daddy says I need to relax, because you are a very happy girl; barely ever cranky.  So maybe short naps are all that you need and I just need to accept that.  I'm still gonna try for longer ones though ;)

You have been a lot more interested in your toys lately, so Daddy broke down and bought you some pretty cool stuff a few weeks ago.  It's really fun to watch you play.  You get this intensely focused look on your face when you are playing with/examining something.  Wild Eyed Marie comes out in full force.  Maybe you will be a scientist someday!

You also still love rolling around on the floor under your activity mat.  Though its still just back to belly.  You are taking your good old time about rolling the other way.  I will say that you have done it.  Daddy and I have seen the end result.  We just haven't actually witnessed the belly to back roll yet.

You have started to be able to sit up by propping yourself up with your hands for a short time.  Then you slowly topple over.  It's so funny to watch! 

And you are definitely a thumb sucker!  You really started doing that a lot this past month, and you are starting to figure out that it soothes you, which is great!

The babbling has begun!  You have been making cooing noises for months now, but this past month you started really making distinct consonant sounds and you're first babble is "ba ba".  You say it over and over and then we sing "Ba Ba Black Sheep".  I'm working hard to make "ma ma" you're next one, but why do I have a feeling that "da da" will come first? ;)

I thank my lucky stars every day that I'm able to spend so much time at home with you.  Working one day a week is the perfect amount because I don't feel like I am missing too much time with you, and I know you and Daddy are having lots of fun on those days that I work.  He is the most amazing Daddy and he absolutely adores you.

You and Mommy were up in Philly visiting Aunt Tina and Uncle Jay for your six month birthday, so Tina took the place of Daddy in the photo this month.  And, get this...I forgot to get a video!  So unlike me.  But don't worry, there are many, many videos of you Addy Marie.

About to get that thumb!

You and Holly Heinnickel

You promptly pooped on your outfit (and Aunt Tina and Uncle Jay's couch :( ) after our photo shoot, so here you gals are before we got you into a new outfit.

       
When Aunt Tina and I planned this trip we purposely didn't tell your grandparents that we were coming, so we drove to Allentown on your six month birthday and surprised them!

At Applebees with Grandpa

Visiting Grandma Beth at work

Hanging at Grandma D's house

Then we drove back to Philly and kept you awake until Uncle Jay got home from work so he could hang out with you too!

Just got done with your bath

Our trip was so much fun, and you were a trooper on the airplane!  Not as easy as our flight to Florida because now you want me to entertain you the whole time.  And naps on the plane?  I think not.  Too much to look at for you to bother yourself with a nap.  But, all in all, it was a great trip and it was so much fun to surprise everyone.   You have a lot of family members that miss you like crazy little girl!

Well, there is your sixth month in a nutshell.  I love you more than I ever imagined that I could, Adilyn. I love walking into your room when you wake up to have you flash me that huge toothless grin when you see me coming. It's the absolute greatest feeling in the world! You are my little princess, and in some ways I just want to keep you as my little baby forever, but in other ways I can't wait to see what you'll do next!  These past six months have been amazing.  And I know you are having just as much fun as Daddy and I are!

I will end this letter with my favorite photo of you and I so far.  I think I might frame it!

I love you to pieces Linny Linny Linzo Bean!

Love,
Mommy

First Solid Food....Finally!

Yup, we've finally made it to the 6 month mark and started feeding Addy some rice cereal once a day.  We started a few days before her six month birthday because Addy and I were going to be up in Philly visiting Aunt Tina on the exact day.  And of course it was an experience Daddy wanted to be part of too :) 

Feeding babies solid foods off of a spoon for the first time never fails to be hilarious.  It ends up slopped and sprayed everywhere, with more on the bib, the table, and us than actually ends up in her belly.  But it's so fun!  And don't worry, we got tons of pics and a video or two ;)

We started with rice cereal mixed with breast milk because it is the easiest to digest, causes the least number of allergies, and is closest in taste to what she's used to.  We are doing the recommended one time a day for now.  Most sources recommend that the one time a day be in the morning so that you have all day to see if your baby developes a reaction.   But we give it to her at dinner time instead because it just works better for us.  That way Mike and I are both there, and we hoped it would help keep her from melting down so early in the evening, and maybe help her sleep longer at night. 

Those last two things we hoped for?  Rice cereal hasn't seemed to make a bit of difference.  Addy is still Crankpot Marie starting around 6:30 every evening.  As far as sleeping longer at night?  She still gets up between 4 and 5AM almost every night to eat and then goes back to bed until about 7:30.  That may be more out of habit than anything else.  Once she starts getting more solids we are going to have to try to rid her of that night time wake up.  Sigh.  That'll be fun.

Onto the pics!

Getting ready

"Oooh Mom, that looks delicious!  I'll take that please."

Yes, we have learned NOT to keep that bowl on her tray.  Ha ha!

"Yummmm!"

Open that little birdie mouth!

"Here Mom, let me help you guide that spoon."

"Bring it on Dad!  I'm ready."

 Success!

"This spoon is also good to chew on."

Excited baby toes!

"This is awesome!"

I love how her little hand wraps around our fingers.

There's that smile we all know and love :)

"Do I have anything on my face?"

"How about now?"

All clean and happy!

"Aunt Tina, is that you?"

"Oh my gosh it's Face Time!  Good thing I got cleaned up first!"

"Now that's what I call a good day!"

Sorry for the bombardment of pics, but who are we kidding?  We all knew I'd go crazy with her first food!  And, as to not disappoint, here are the videos!

All in all, the first attempt with solid food went really well.  Even if she didn't get much of that rice cereal actually in her belly, she sure was excited about it!