Cause for celebration?!?

I think Stella began sleeping through the night between 6-8 weeks old. She was such a great sleeper until around 10 months when she started waking in the night for a bottle. Or two. Or three. Okay, so she was still growing, spurting, she must need the extra calories. Well this growing and spurting never stopped. Even during the holidays at 13 months old, she was waking 3 to 4 times a night. She would eat at least 2 bottles, sometimes more, and sometimes just waking up for a little comfort. Mommy was/is tired.

We weren't planning to cut out bottles right away. Stella's pediatrician wasn't concerned about weaning her off them right at 12 months. We slowly eliminated bottles from her day. At 13 months she was getting one bottle in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one before bed... and then 2-3 (sometimes 4!!) in the middle of the night. We eliminated the afternoon bottle, and then the bedtime bottle. We started giving her bottles with water when she woke up in the night. She'd take a few sips and go back to sleep, but she'd still wake up so it wasn't solving the problem.

Sunday I got home from a weekend away (with plenty of sleep) and put her to bed with a sippy of water in her crib ( a suggestion of my sister-in-law). Since I was well rested, I was prepared to be awake the whole night if this would start helping her sleep better. But she really surprised me. She woke up three times and each time, instead of taking her out of the crib, I just turned her over and rubbed her belly until she calmed down. She'd fall asleep within five minutes after that. We only had to do this for one night, and she's been sleeping through the night since then! (knock on wood).

So I'm loving my sleepy toddler. And she's loving her well-rested momma (I think Matt is too). Next comes the Nuk but I'm not worried about that at all yet.

13 weeks

And feeling great! Due in July.

Getting ready

My... toddler:

Can walk, semi-run.

Laughs when she sneezes.

Says "Mmmmm-ma!" when she kisses.

Says "Awww" when something falls down. (A ducky off the bathtub ledge, a cheerio off her tray)

Can say:

Ducky- "Duh-ee"
Momma- "Ma-mom"
Daddy- "Dayee"
Nana- "Nah-na"
Night-Night- "Nigh- Nigh"
Yeah- "Yeeaaah"
No- "NnnO!"
Tre- "Tay-ee"
Hi- "Hi's, Hiiiiiiiiiiii"
Owie - "Owwie"
Tree- "Tee-ee"
Toy- "Toy"
Oh boy- "Oh doooy!"
Tinner- "Ti-er"

If you ask her to get a book, a ducky, or her milk, she will get it for you.

When I take her out of her crib after nap, she has me hug her lamby then she tosses it back into the crib. I'll say "nuk" and she'll take her nuk out of her mouth and toss it in the crib.

She can feed her dolly a bottle.

She likes to organize things. Put small things into a basket or her purse.

Has a lot of expression.

Loves people, is very social exept with strangers. She's very shy around people she doesn't know.

Is down to one bottle at night time.

She loves green beans and oranges. And she likes most foods. She'll try anything.

She loves her mommy and daddy =)

Ringing in a New Year (And catching up)

Stella turns ONE!! November 14, 2009

Thanksgiving Dinner

With Nana

With new friend Baby Liv!

Mommy got a new lens!

Matt napping on Christmas

Stella with Great Grandma Lil

Merry Christmas, Tinner!

With the new dollhouse Great Grandpa Charlie built for her!

Pretty girl.