Dear Liv,

If you'd like to hear about Liv's birthday party, or see all the photos from her special day today, click HERE!

Dear Liv,

I am completely and totally in love with you. I've never met a baby quite like you- you're so easy going and fun to be around. While you make your desire to be with me above other people known, you've never really had any 'stranger anxiety'. You'll let pretty much anyone hold you, and you're pretty generous with your smile too. Ever since you were a tiny baby, you have been this way- it melts my heart and you make me so proud.

I feel like because of your easy going attitude, you don't have a really a strong desire to get up and go. You're crawling now, but it's still more of a 'hand-hand-scoot' technique rather than moving one knee at a time. Twice, you've pulled up to stand on things, but you can't get yourself sitting again after that. If we help you to stand up next to something (like the couch) you can hold yourself there for a long time. To be honest, even though you consistently roll over to sleep on your belly now, you never seem to roll over from your back to your belly during the day. If I lay you on a blanket, you stay on your back and kick your legs in the air, chew on your toes, or suck your thumb. I'd say you're a lazy baby, but that sounds rude. You're perfectly wonderful, and totally content. And, I love it.

When I sit you down places, you pop right over to your hands and knees, lay on your belly to play, and then move yourself back to a sitting position without any problem. You do scoot around to explore, but mostly you're pleased as punch to wait for your big sister to bring you a toy or entertain you in some way.

Your thumb. Oh geez, Liv. Don't you want to stop sucking your thumb? You're an addict. I have a hard time deciding if it's something we should be more aggressive about stopping, or let it run it's course. For now, I'm leaving you alone about it. Hopefully you'll get bored of it once you're moving around a little more, and busy exploring.

You're not quite as vocal as your sister was at this age. You say Ma Ma Ma all day long, but other than that, not much. You can say "Hi & Da Da" too. Maybe a few more things, but nothing very consistent.

While I've tried like heck not to neglect you for being second born, we have been slackers with you as far as teaching you sign language is concerned. We've barely done it. Sorry baby. I'll try to do a little more. You can clap on command, wave, and high five (softly) though. :) Also, if I hold out my pointer finger you will hold out yours and touch tip to tip. I really like that.

When you make eye contact with anyone in our family, you light up like a firework and we do the same in return. You've got all of us wrapped around your little finger, and we're loving every minute of it. Today your sister told me- "Mommy- you're the birthday Mommy, I'm the birthday sister, and Liv is the birthday girl!!!" She was so excited for you, and had so much fun celebrating your birthday with our family and friends. Daddy had fun too- I know his heart swelled with happiness when you offered him some of your birthday cake just like your sister did on her first birthday. Thanks for sharing sweet girl!

I almost forgot to add my most favorite thing about you! How you snuggle! Often, you'll just rest your little head on my shoulder and make sweet little "Mhmmm, Mhmmm" noises while you rest on me. With Jillian, I had to wait for her to have a fever before she would snuggle like this! It's such a treat to have a healthy happy baby who's willing to hug me like that! Even if you don't want to snuggle, if I push your head onto me and ask you to, you'll oblige for a few seconds before popping your head up and looking at me as if you're asking, "was that enough, Mommy?"

I love you baby. I can't tell you enough how proud I am to be your Mom. You are our sweet little cupcake. Happy Birthday.

Love,

Mom

P.S. This is IT for Liv's baby blog. I can't believe it. Thursday is going to feel a little vacant now. Don't worry though... If you need your Kules baby fix, just visit us at www.kulesfamily.blogspot.com where I'll continue to keep you updated about the latest happenings in MD!

52 Weeks Old

I promise, there will be a more mushy post when I close this blog with her birthday photos. So, for now, I'll choke back my emotions about our baby turning one already, and just post the pics for this week.

This week we've been busy! My cousin Heidi has been in town for a visit with her fiance Matt, and little girl Savannah- it's been so much fun letting the girls spend time together. There are only a few pictures of them together, but it's no indication of how much fun/time they have had!

In the PHOTOS THIS WEEK (link), you'll see Liv wearing an adorable yellow headband my Mom made for her, beach photos from a trip we took to Ocean City last weekend, posing with Heidi and family, playing at the park, hangin' out in a baby sling (and eating her toes while doing it), and riding a carousel!

Tomorrow morning we will wake up and wish our little Liv a happy birthday- wow, how time flies!

Thanks for following the journey of her first year with us! If you've enjoyed seeing photos/hearing about her half as much as I have enjoyed sharing them, it's been worth the effort. I'll post once more about her birthday party and the 'birthday photo shoot' I'll do of her, and then we will call this blog a wrap! Wow. If you want to follow the latest on her, and the rest of our family, hop on over to www.kulesfamily.blogspot.com!

Nancy

51 Weeks Old

Doesn't she look sassy in this photo? It's like she is thinking- yeah... I could crawl away from you now if I wanted to Mom! Haha! Gotta love new found independence!

Something exciting happened today- Liv pulled up to stand all by herself! She was playing on the ground and I cleaned up a toy she was apparently not done with yet. So, she crawled right over to the toy box, grabbed it, and stood up. I tried to get her to recreate this feat (I even 'bribed her' with my laptop on the couch) but so far it's a one time occurrence. More to follow, I'm sure! ;)

If you check out the PICTURES FROM THIS WEEK (link), you'll see our notorious messy eater, opening an early birthday present from Kathy (thanks Kathy!), playing at an awesome dramatic play center in Baltimore, posing outside in a cute Hawaiian dress, Sweet girl with a soccer ball, crawling around accessorized -smile-, playing with Daddy and Jillian, and a very unhappy Liv while I tried to recreate a picture I had taken of Jillian wearing the same cute tank top. Oh well.

Only a little more than a week before our baby turns one- I can't believe it!

Until next week!!!!

Nancy

Crawling Video...

I heard the video from Liv's post this week did not come through via email. If you'd like to see it, you can click HERE to visit the actual blog, and then you should be able to click play on there!

Hope it works!

I just took that video 3 days ago, and she's already gotten better/faster... Sweet girl- she's determined now!!! :)

Nancy

50 Weeks Old

50. Weeks. Old.

Wow.

This week Liv finally learned how to scoot/crawl!!! Every once in awhile, she will get her knees under her for a good push, but mostly it's an interesting hip pivot technique which is featured in the video I added at the bottom of this post. She's such a sweet girl- now she will "crawl" over to me, put her arms up and say. "Mammmamamam" Aww...

In the PHOTOS THIS WEEK (link) you'll see a few photos of Liv's famous disastrous eating style, and typical after meal rinse in the sink, Liv modeling the back of an adorable outfit, our friend Ashley who was back for another visit, so we enjoyed hanging out with her around the house, and with some local friends. We hosted a play date for our MOMS Club about community helpers (firemen, police...) and a friend brought along her husbands fireman hat- SO Cool! Liv looks SO little under it!!! Despite the heat and humidity, we managed to get some cute photos of Ashley with the girls, and of Liv in the grass. Don't miss my favorite new photo of the girls- a black and white of Jillian kissing Liv and a cute one of sisters in matching pajamas too.

Have a wonderful week!

Nancy

VIDEO:

49 Weeks Old!

Another week already?

I suspect Liv is working on her top two teeth now. The drooling and mid day thumb sucking had stopped, and now we're full steam ahead again. I guess maybe she will have a toothy grin for her first birthday photos! The bottoms two are looking great and don't seem to be giving her any trouble now... She's happily using them for new things- like eating an entire piece of pizza WHOLE! I handed her a slice while we were at a party, (expecting her to gnaw on it a little) and when I turned around a few minutes later, it was gone. I looked on the floor. I asked Jillian about it. Then, the Dad across the table said, "um... yeah, she ate that whole thing". I could not believe it!

This week Liv did something new- sat up in her crib. I laugh because I know this is WAY later than most kids sit up in the crib, but up until just the other day, our sweet content little girl was always just laying there in the same place I had left her. Imagine my surprise when I went in at nap time, and both her legs were hanging through the bars, and her arms were draped over the top of the rail. She was just sitting there chillin', smiling at me. Time to finally lower her crib- at 11 months... hehe! Sweet baby.

To clarify, she's been able to go from her belly to sitting by herself for some time, but this is just the first time she did it in her crib. :)

This week in the photos (link) you'll see the girls sharing a cinnamon roll on Saturday morning (we've been doing "Cinnamon Roll Saturday" as a weekly tradition for nearly a year now, and sweet cupcake is finally old enough to taste our breakfast treat too!), showing off "I'm getting married rings" with Natalie, Liv patiently playing the patient in Jillian's favorite Dr. game, some naked crawling and bare feet comparing, Liv showing her flexibility on the white background, Liv's friend Leah 'encouraging her' to stand up, -smile- the girls having fun at Chuck-e-cheese (and Liv with that pizza I mentioned), sweet sleepy baby crawling, posing in a cute outfit (thanks Cindy!), and fun at the pool.

Have a great week!

Nancy

48 Weeks Old

Well folks, she's officially 11 months old! And, we could not be happier with our sweet little cupcake!

Sure, she's still only crawling (scooting) backwards, and sure, she's been a little more clingy/needy lately, but man oh man, she's still the sweetest, smiliest, most snuggly baby I've ever met.

It seems like every time Ryan makes eye contact with Liv, she lights up and claps her little hands. She loves her Daddy so much! She's pretty fond of her Mommy too- my favorite time is in the morning when both girls have just gotten up and we spend about 30 minutes just hanging out, reading, and snuggling in our big bed. We sure are lucky people, being the parents of these two lovely ladies!

In the PHOTOS THIS WEEK (link) you'll see: Fun with local friends, Liv hanging out with her friend Charlie, Jillian and Liv at the golf course playing on a chair, both girls in the cart at Costco, pictures with our friend Ashley, Liv inspired by Ashley to wear her heel-arious shoes (thanks Maggie!), COVERED in Mangos (have I mentioned what a MESSY eater this kid is???), nearly too big for her car seat, hanging out with Daddy and Jillian, Jillian and Liv meet our new friend baby John (he is PERFECT, like a little doll!!), fun in the bath- a close up of the birthmarks along her left arm, and more of her lashes (maybe she's born with it, maybe it's Maybelline...), posing outside, and fun at the *swimming pool!

* I should note- the bathing suit Liv is wearing in these photos, Jillian wore last week. It still fits Jillian just fine (it's 12 month size) and was just right for Liv too. I said to Jillian, "You're still wearing that bathing suit, are you sure you want to pick it for Liv today?" she responded, "oh... yeah... it will be fine for her. I'm just longer-ish, so it's different on me." true, true... :)

Have a great week! Only 4 more posts left on Liv's first year blog- can you believe it?!?

Nancy

47 Weeks Old!

What a week! Liv is finally really making an effort to crawl- depending on just how desirable something is (usually the most intriguing items are disgusting things like shoes or off limit things like cell phones, but oh well!) she will scoot and lunge until she gets it. Watch out Jillian- your world is about to change!

This week my Mom came to visit and we had a wonderful time- so wonderful in fact, that I barely took out my camera! I did get a couple pics, so be sure to check them out in the PHOTOS THIS WEEK!

In the pics, you'll see: Liv's second tooth, (I TRIED my hardest to get a good photo, but MAN! This kid is keeping her teeth under wraps!), fun with Mommy, fun with Natalie, Picking flowers for Grandma, Eating lunch with my Mom, Grandma and her girls, a family pic, pretty in blue (long lashes!), bath time with our friend Ashley who is visiting right now (SO great!), reading with Ash, and practicing crawling naked (good grip on the carpet!)

That's all for this week!

Nancy

46 Weeks Old

If Liv were being a little more cooperative about the whole thing, I'd have a nice photo of her brand new first tooth to share with you! As it is, you'll have to take my word for it! It's in there, and cute as can be. It's the bottom left tooth, and we can see the bottom right one just below the surface, so I'm sure next week I'll be reporting that both her bottom teeth have arrived. Aw!

As cute as those little teeth may be, they are causing a bit of a ruckus in our house. Liv has been waking up in the morning at 7am (about an hour early), and her afternoon nap is a little harder too (I can hear her talking in her crib right now, and it's only been about 1.5 hours- darn!) She's moody, wants to he held all the time, and is much less patient about Jillian taking toys from her, or touching her. I'm sure it will pass, and really, she's still being pretty darn good, just fussy on a 'Liv scale'...

Other exciting news- Liv is drinking out of a regular straw now, and can slurp in slippery noodles too! Let me tell you, the infatuation with drinking straws sure does make going out to eat a lot more fun (sarcastic!) She's a little obsessed, but at least we know she is well hydrated!

If you have a spare 15 minutes, check out all THE PHOTOS FROM THIS WEEK. There are a lot of great ones- it's been a fun 7 days. A 4th of July play date/early photo shoot, fun at a beach about 30 minutes away from the house, messy eater, photos from 4th of July (Jillian is being a STINKER in these pics... if you want proof that she's not always a ham for the camera, you've got it!) posing on a beach chair, and sister photos in adorable orange outfits from my cousin Heidi (thanks Heidi!) Whew! What a week!

Hope all is well, and wish us luck keeping cool in this record breaking East Coast heat! It's pool weather, that's for sure!!!

Nancy

45 Weeks Old

She said Ma Ma! Hooray! In all fairness, she didn't look at me or say it TO me or anything, but she can VERY distinctly make the MaMaMaMa sound now :) Makes my day to hear it.

Crawling update: At this point, I'm confident Liv has the strength to be crawling, and based on how she climbs all over me when we snuggle in bed, or lunges when she sees something she wants, (ie, the computer right now!!!) I'd say she has the motor skills too. The desire? Still nill. Oh well. She does put one foot behind her so she can lean Waaaaay over to reach things, and 'walk' hand over hand to lower herself down, or go back to a sitting position... :)

One big thing of note this week is Liv is finally drinking out of a sippy cup without a problem. She still needs an assist to get it tipped, but she sucks down water like nobody's business!

It's been a busy week, and we're having lots of fun this summer! Check out all the PHOTOS from this week (link)! You'll notice we were able to meet up with our friend Kathy in DC... up until this week, we were only 'online friends' so it was a huge treat to meet her in person! You'll also see Liv at the pool, helping Jillian and I make lemonade (by sitting in the sink!), lots of time outside, and a very familiar highchair pose with one foot up on the tray... Hmmm... I suppose these girls are siblings after all! Oh, and a collection of Liv munching on a leaf outside. High fiber diet ;)

More updates in 7 days!

Nancy

44 Weeks Old

Well, she's officially 10 months old now. Whew. And yes, if you know me, this means the serious planning for her first birthday party has begun ;) It's going to be fabulous! Hehehe... I have gone back and forth with possible 'themes' for the party, and finally settled on basing it around the color yellow instead of a character or something. We're going to ask everyone who comes to her party to wear yellow for the event too- I can't wait for the photos! It's going to be so cheery and fun! So, if you're local, start checking your wardrobe for yellow, and mark off the Sat or Sun (not sure which yet) after her b-day (Aug. 20th). :)

It's funny when I think of her birthday getting closer... she seems like so much more of a baby at this age than Jillian did. I know this is in large part because she is still not crawling, but there's other things too. She's just such a content/mellow little girl so far (I'll be eating my words when she's 12, I know!) We are really enjoying her so much- she makes being a Mom as easy as it could possibly be!

This week we kept busy with friends- In the PHOTOS THIS WEEK (link) you'll see a play date where we learned about gardening and Liv was passed around by some of the adorable kids in our MOMS Club, bath time in the sink with big sister Jillian, photos from Father's Day, a "yellow themed" play date (the inspiration for her party!!!), and some sister & individual photos on our black background.

Hope all is well!

Nancy

43 Weeks Old

Liv is staring to learn the power of accessorizing ;) Thanks for the cute hat, Traci!

It seems like it's been a long week since I last posted! In the PHOTOS THIS WEEK (link) you'll see sweet Liv's naked bum getting into the bath, lots of fun self feeding fruits (like blackberries!) and the rinse in the sink which follows said feedings... :) some time outside with Jillian, a tub full of girls after swimming (fun!), Jillian & Liv playing dress up with cute new hats, Jillian's method to entice Liv to crawl on the rug in her room, some photos with me on a train at a local park and on the carousel with Jillian, enjoying a baby picnic with Liv's friend Laney, a not-too-super family pic (this was the best one out of about 8 that were taken... oh well...), Liv posing in the grass & Jillian offering Liv a rose from our garden.

WHEW! No wonder it seems like the last 7 days have been a lot- all these outside activities are exhausting!

Changes of note: For the past few days, Liv has not eaten any baby food! Only finger foods and things that are typically spoon fed (ie, yogurt, apple sauce, beans, hummus...) it's pretty cool to have a baby that can eat 'normal' food! She likes pretty much everything she tries, but right now I'd say her favorite thing is yogurt or hummus. Yum.

Aside from graduating baby food, Liv also learned to clap on command this week, but as a result, seems to have forgotten how to wave on command. haha. Oh well. We're really starting to work on some of the baby sign language, and I'm sure it's only a matter of time before she's saying "please" with her cute pudgy little hand!

Hope all is well,

Nancy

42 Weeks Old

How could you not want to kiss that face? Goodness little cupcake, you certainly are sweet!

I hope you LOVE the video below as much as we do- Liv is doing something new... waving! It's SO stinkin' cute! If you get these updates via email, you may have to click this link to see the video on the blog (www.kulesfamily2.blogspot.com) And, if it makes you smile, throw me some love and leave a comment on this blog! Is there anybody out there?!? :)

Aside from waving, the other remarkable thing Liv did this week was eat 2 whole stage 2 baby foods, and a bunch of veggie straws and hummus all in one sitting. This girl sure does like hummus! I'm so glad- It's a favorite snack for us girls to share in the afternoon!

In the PHOTOS THIS WEEK (link) you'll see mini golfing with Daddy, lots of cowgirl/farm fun, flirting with our friend Leighton, snack time, and fun in a baby pool!

Until next week!

Nancy

41 Weeks Old

Has it really been another week already?! In case you were wondering, in the world of Jillian, Liv's nickname (cupcake) has now evolved into any treat food item she can think of. So, when they are playing in the other room I overhear, "Hello there my little cupcake muffin brownie potato chip!" Haha. These girls are so darn sweet and play so nicely together!

I know I usually only post one pic per week on here, and leave you to see the rest on the Shutterfly link if you're interested, but I had to share the photo below too. I can't get enough! There's a few more from this little photo shoot on the LINK FOR THIS WEEK, so check 'em out if you'd like!

Ryan's home from his trip overseas, so we're just settling back into our routine with Daddy. It's been a busy week and we're looking forward to the weekend since after Ryan was gone for 10 days he had to jump right into work... we're ready for some quality family time!!!

Today we finally found time to go to story time and Liv loved it... especially playing peek-a-boo with the little scarfs.

In the photos you'll see the tail end of Grandma and Marilyn's visit, a pack and play full of babies on 'orange day' at our house, Liv laying on the pillow I talked about last week, the rest of the black background pics, a couple of when we met Ryan at Andrews Air Force Base, fun outside, bath time, library and fun with friends!

Until next week,

Nancy

40 Weeks Old

WHAT?!?! 9 months old? Awww.... little cupcake, we love you so much!

This week has been crazy fun! Ryan went out of town (to Iraq!) so MY grandma and sister Marilyn came into town for a visit. Grandma Mary turned 70 on May 25th, and we though it would be cool for her to spend this milestone birthday with her two granddaughters AND two GREAT-granddaughters! That makes for a great photo, huh? I'll be sure to get at least one great group shot before they leave on Saturday. I've got to say: Marilyn and Grandma are officially smitten with baby Liv. I should also add, they have been sharing very nicely ;) Good job girls. Good thing we have sweet Jillian to steal some (lots!) of their attention too.

We've been hanging out at the house, (I've been getting some things done sans children since I've got willing live in babysitters here! haha!) meeting up with local friends, and playing tourist in the DC area a little. It's been great.

Click HERE to see all the photos from this week!

Liv updates: she's turning a corner on her tummy time!!! The other night I was sitting in the living room with Grandma and Marilyn and we thought Liv might like being on her belly more with a little pillow under there for support. Sure enough! Then, we made the pillow prop smaller and smaller and now she is not putting up much of a fuss at all about being on just her belly for short periods of time. It's progress! Also, Liv has been impressing Grandma with her hand eye coordination- there's a little loop on a ball toy we have and Liv will focus, and then poke her little finger right through the loop to grab it. Cute, cute...

Also, for the record, I believe Liv's official nickname has stuck: It's CUPCAKE. :)

Until next week,

Nancy

39 Weeks Old

Even though it was Jillian's birthday week, Liv sure wasn't neglected in the photo taking! My Dad came from Nevada for a visit, and the girls had a wonderful time with Grandpa (thanks for coming, Dad!)

This week, Liv was a trooper with our busy schedule... It seems there was maybe one day of the week where she got to be on her normal routine. She's sweet none the less though. She's still not a huge fan of tummy time however (although I've yet to get a picture!) she can keep a little space between her belly and the floor if you prop her up in crawling position! Hey! It's a start!!!

CLICK HERE for the photos this week: you'll see Jillian's birthday get together this past weekend, lots of fun with Grandpa (at the Science Center, at home, and bike riding), some shots of her eating, and a little photo shoot outside.

Until next week!

38 Weeks Old

For the record, I know this post is late (Sorry Mom, and Marilyn) but after 37 weeks of posting on time, I hope you'll cut me some slack this once! ;)

This week was very busy. On Thursday we were in NYC for a work event for Ryan, and Friday late afternoon we returned home and rushed around to prepare for a small birthday party we had for Jillian on Saturday. We had a wonderful time, but that event kept me from posting until now. Plus, my Dad came into town on Thursday night and our friend Neil is visiting too! It's been crazy, but lots of fun!
Another reason I didn't post until now is because I can't find the cord for my small point and shoot camera and it's making me CRAZY!!! I usually don't have too many photos on that camera, but this week I happen to know there were one or two keepers! :( Oh well, I'll add them to the shutterfly link for this week when I find it!

Liv news for the week: She's consistently sitting in a high chair when we go out to eat, and she is the sweetest baby in the whole world. Period. Sorry other Moms out there, I'm sure your kid is very sweet too. Haha...

Have a wonderful week- I'll be back with more pictures on Thursday!

LINK FOR THIS WEEK'S PHOTOS

:) Nancy

37 Weeks Old

'Lollipop Lollipop oh lolli, lolli, lolli. Lollipop Lollipop oh lolli, lolli, lolli.... LolliPOP!'

8 months old, and guess who got their first lollipop today? LIV! No, I would have never done this on my own, and no, I did not get a picture. It all just happened SO fast, and only lasted a few seconds... We went to the dry cleaner and Jillian was acting shy. The nice lady there bribed her to be friendly with a lollipop. It worked. Moments later, the lady had unwrapped another one and given it to MY BABY! Goodness! I must have looked shocked when I glanced down into her car seat because the lady quickly assured me that, "she likes it!" Um. Yeah. I'm sure she does!

In the end, Jillian ended up with 2 lollipops, and I ended up with one very jealous and sticky baby.

Another first for Liv this week was 'swimming' in our little pool in the yard. The girls loved this, and Liv was not bothered at all by the cold water or being splashed. They had a great time playing, I had a great time taking photos. :)

Liv is also starting to try some new foods. She got ahold of some Ritz crackers the other day, and was pretty darn happy about that. She also is getting the hang of some finger veggies and other regular items cut up really small. She still does not have any teeth, but she's workin' those gums on her food very well!

Aside from those things, in the PHOTOS THIS WEEK you'll see a picture of Liv sitting in her diaper and none too pleased about it. It's rare, but this was taken on an afternoon where she was crabby, crabby, crabby! I'm glad she's not a grouch like that very often, but also more than happy to take a moment to document it when she is. Haha!

Take care!

Nancy

36 Weeks Old

Liv is 8 months old, and while we were at the pediatrician for Jillian, I plopped her on a scale- 18.4lbs! I actually thought she would weigh more than that... maybe she's starting to slow down a little...

This week in the PHOTOS (LINK) you'll see that we celebrated Ryan's birthday! Also, Liv had fun outside, ate lunch at Sonic (she got to eat a french fry!), and enjoyed hanging out with her baby friend Laney at the Go Cart Raceway. We also enjoyed lots of sister bath time, snacking on new things like cheese puffs (now that Liv is proficient at self feeding!), and playing with lots of toys! Whew!

I can also happily report that Liv seems to be turning over a new leaf on her attempt to be more mobile. She is doing this really funny worm wiggle crawl thing when she lays on her back. She still FAR prefers being on her back than belly, so unfortunately when we try to give her some time to practice crawling, she just flips right over. Oh well!

Until next week!

Nancy

35 Weeks Old

Da Da Daaa DAAaa Da Da! Big news for this week is Liv turned 8 months old, and is doing LOTS and LOTS of talking including saying Da Da all the time! It's so cute and despite the fact that I'm (more than) a little jealous that he gets to be first, I'm trying to focus on the fact that it means Ma Ma is probably just around the corner... :)

Oh man, I could just gobble this kid up. Her little personality is just so lovable! She always has a big smile for anyone willing to make eye contact with her, and she's just such a joy to be around. Ryan and I were pretty sure we wanted to have another baby before we had Liv, but if we weren't convinced this is the type of baby that would convince to go ahead and try for #3- she's just so amazing- I can't say it enough.

This week Ryan's Dad traveled to see us and although I didn't get as many pictures as I would have liked, that's only because we were SO busy while he was here. It was a great visit- thanks for taking your time to come see us, Jay!

In the PHOTOS THIS WEEK (LINK) you'll see Go Cart racing, Grandpa Jay, out to lunch, fun in the yard, and a VERY unhappy baby being forced to try to crawl. It's still a no go, folks. ;)

Until next week,

Nancy

34 Weeks Old

Each week I like to pick my favorite photo of Liv's face for this blog.  For this "main photo" it's always one of her looking right at the camera.  Even though this one isn't my absolute favorite (when I saw the choices I had to work with I just about grabbed her out of bed at 11:15pm for a quick photo shoot) (I'm only a little kidding) but it will do.  She's a cutie even if the photo is a tad out of focus on her face!

Anyway- as usual, Liv has been a peach this week.  The new thing to report is over the past few weeks, she's been getting better and better at feeding herself little things, and sitting in the high chair.  She's getting so big!  She really likes eating yogurt drops, and these little veggie straw things (that are basically potato chips).  It's cute, and although she does make a huge mess and drop most of it on the floor, it's progress.  Let's just say that she and Peanut are getting to be better and better friends...  ;)

Today I was telling Ryan about what a great day I had with the girls.  It was fabulous.  We went out to a garden in Baltimore that plants 80K tulips each year!!!  80K!!!  There were all sorts of flower beds, and lots of variety in bloom colors and such.  Most of the PHOTOS FROM THIS WEEK are from the garden.  I took Liv's Easter dress with us, and got a few extra of her in that!

Enjoy!  

Until next week.....

Nancy

33 Weeks Old

Although there are a good number of photos this week (LINK), there's not as much variety as usual.  This is because over Easter weekend, we traveled to NYC, and I left my camera on the train when we got off.  I could not believe it!  We assumed there was no chance we'd get it back, but believe it or not, after a series of phone calls, (I'm making this sound easy!) it was found and shipped back to me!  Amazing!

This week Liv enjoyed her second trip to New York, lots of fun family Easter time, and time outside enjoying our great Spring weather!

Busy day... that's all for now-

Nancy

32 Weeks Old

Do you know what I love the most about being a Mom?  That these babies, are ours.  I can do whatever I want with them, whenever I want.  I have always loved babies.  I remember looking at moms with their cute little ones at restaurants and such and thinking- 'I'd like to pick that baby up' or 'I bet that baby would laugh if I ticked her'.  And now?  I can pick them up, tickle them, kiss them, love them.... all on my own terms.  I. LOVE. THESE. KIDS.  And, I love being a Mom.  When I get Liv out of her crib in the morning, or after a nap I always say, "Hi Goo-dee Girl"  ("Goo-dee girl" explanation:  My friend Marlyn speaks Spanish, and calls Liv "Gorda" which means fat.  haha.  Since I don't speak Spanish, I found myself changing this nickname into Gouda (my love of cheese, and her milky squishy texture explains this) Gouda somehow, evolved to Goo-Dee (with Jillian's help) and that explains that.)  

Anyway- Goo-dee girl has been in the habit of waking at 5:30am for a snack and a snuggle and this week we decided no more.  If I try to let her put herself back to sleep, she talks/whines/sings for OVER an hour before going back to bed.  Since her room and ours shares a wall, this means I'm awake the whole time.  The solution?  Liv has slept the last 4 nights in a pack and play in the laundry room.  And me, I've slept great.  Ha!  I think she's getting over waking up at 5ish now that she's not getting any attention, so I'm sure she'll be back in her pretty room soon.  haha!

In the PHOTOS THIS WEEK (link), you'll see Liv on her beautiful Easter quilt (thank you Shere!), Jillian "helping me" feed Liv, our Easter bunny in a basket, face painting, tummy time with her friend Laney, cute VANS from Aunt Marilyn, out to dinner, after the bath, pretty face, checking email with Jillian, story time at the library, & us on a tour of the local baseball field.  Whew!  What a week!

Take care,

Nancy

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31 Weeks Old

My only complaint this week would have to be that for a little while now, Liv has decided waking up around 5:30am would be a good idea.  No thanks.  But, look at this face...  how mad could I really be?!  Lately, Liv has been getting much more 'grabby'.  She's constantly putting things in her mouth, grabbing my shirt, pulling on my necklace...   It's fun to see her really interacting with her environment.  She still loves to lay on her back on a blanket and look at the ceiling fans, and is pretty content just being there- no scooting, purposeful rolling, trying to crawl just yet.  

In the PHOTOS this week (link), you'll see a pic of two double strollers at the mall (it's an impressive amount of kids/cargo!),  Jillian and Liv in Jilli's 'reading corner', family snuggle on Jillian's new full size big girl bed, happy Liv/sleepy Liv, outside eating leaves, lunch on the patio, snuggle time, chewing time, and fun at/outside of the Baltimore Science Museum with good friends.  What a week!

Hope all is well...

Nancy

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30 Weeks Old

Over 6 months old?  Nearly 7 months old?  Who?  Our baby?  No. Way.  Oh sweet Liv, we are having so much fun with you!

The big news to report this week, is that Liv has turned over a new leaf in regards to baby food!  She's eating about 1/2 a jar in the afternoon, and the other half in the evening.  And she does not even act like we are trying to poison her anymore!  AND it only takes a few minutes for her to eat her whole serving!  Woo Hoo!

Aside from that, in the PHOTOS this week (LINK), you'll notice some evidence of thumb sucking (NOOOooooo!), sister time, bath time, an entirely consumed jar of baby food, time outside, St. Patty's Day fun, swinging at the park (first time!), playing at the park, 'sampling' a stick, and zonked out after a long day of running around!

Till next week,

Nancy!

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29 Weeks Old

Since we've been home so much for the past few weeks, I've really had a chance to watch Liv, and analyze her development. It's interesting, because her laid back attitude really shows in the things she is doing. Yes, she loves to chew on things, but no, she won't go out of her way to reach them. Yes, she can sit up on her own, but hey, isn't it just easier to lay down? haha! Anyway... I'm not concerned about her by any means, I just think her behavior is a little unusual for a 2nd born... shouldn't she be trying like heck to keep up with Jillian?! And then, I think about their relationship, and realize Jillian enables Liv to be a "baby" most of the time... She brings her toys, she moves things closer for her, she plays right next to Liv so, "she can see". It's very sweet. One of the things I am enjoying most right now is watching this sister relationship develop. They certainly do like each other a lot!

In regards to the RSV, things are still a little yucky around here. Thank goodness for the awesome weather we have been having that has allowed for LOTS of outside time (even some naked outside time! See the photos....) It's been great. Liv loves being in the swing outside as much as Jillian did, so that makes it easy for me. Liv still hates tummy time (unless she is naked!) and still shows zero interest in trying to crawl/creep/scoot.

In the PHOTOS (LINK) this week, you'll see Liv getting a breathing treatment, snuggling with Daddy, lots of fun in the yard, sister kisses, standing up outside, swinging, & examining a tag (to determine its chew-a-bility I assume).

Have a great week, and send positive energy our way that we FINALLY kick this nasty virus and can get out of the house again!!!!!

Nancy

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28 Weeks Old

You know, it seems thus far, whatever life throws her way, Liv takes it in stride (can you say 'in stride' before someone can walk?!) and is happy, happy, happy.  I hope that's a lifelong trait for her...

This week, life (aka: a skating rink full of snotty kids) threw RSV her way.  For those of you that don't know, RSV is a respiratory virus that is quite infectious, lasts for longer than an average cold, and can be quite serious for small infants, or people in high risk categories (such as anyone with a compromised immune system, asthma, or lung disease).  Fortunately, our kids do not have any of those risks so although they both have it right now, it's presenting in them as a standard cold...  The problem is, as a responsible parent, you really need to quarantine your kid if they are coughing/runny at all to prevent spreading the infection to other people/kids who may be high risk, and could seriously be in danger if they caught it!  So, we're homebound.

And, even though I knew our girls are not in a high risk category, when a doctor says, "Yup, Liv tested positive" it makes your heart jump.  Poor little thing.

So, we now own another humidifier for each of the girls rooms, have lots of baby vicks on hand for soothing stuffy noses, and we're ridin' it out.  We suspect they caught it last Monday at the skating rink, so if that's the case, we're already 10 days into the virus.  Hopefully we'll be all clear after the weekend...  

And, as you can see (I took the above photo of Liv today) despite not feeling well, she's still pretty darn happy.  :)

Also this week Aunt Marilyn headed home to California (the girls and I miss her!), Liv is turning a corner on eating baby food (she's made it very clear that she (like her sister) HATES rice cereal and would prefer just fruit or veggies), and (as pictured) can stay standing by herself if you place her next to something for her to hold onto!  I'm glad she did this so I could get a good photo of her hilarious naked butt!  ;)

Till next week, click HERE to see the PHOTOS!

Nancy

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27 Weeks Old

Hi there sunshine!  What a great week we have had!

Maybe it was the extra attention she got during the week we spent in Las Vegas with my parents, or maybe she's decided her Mommy was right and there was no need for that whiney behavior!  Either way, we've got our happy go lucky little Liv back!

The funny thing is that on each plane ride, she decided to FREAK OUT for about 5 minutes.  Unexplained, uncontrollable crying.  It was like she was in pain or something... terrible.  I don't think it was her ears, but that may have contributed.  Oh well.  It was just a few minutes of crying (but enough to scare the people around us... lol)

She was an absolute peach in NV, and loved visiting with my Mom and Dad, as well as a quick visit from my Grandma Mary, & Uncle Mark.  At the end of the trip, my sister Marilyn and her fiance Neal drove in from California to meet Liv.  Marilyn then flew home with me and the girls (Ryan had headed back home earlier in the week) and is hanging out with us here on the East coast until Friday.  It's been great to have her here- she is SUPER helpful with the girls, and it's fun to have some sister time for me too!  We went today and had a photo taken of the four of us, one of her with the girls, and two of Liv for her 6 month birthday!

You can check them out HERE, or on the slideshow below!

Have a great week!!!

Nancy

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26 Weeks Old

This weekend, Liv will officially turn 6 months old! Does that seem awfully fast to anyone else?!? She's such a fun baby- we traveled to Vegas this week to visit my parents, and she's been a doll. She babbles and coos all the time, and still does lots of smiling for her family. She's starting to get a little more wary of strangers though- she definitly prefers familiar faces at this point...

We have been trying to encourage Liv to spend more time on her tummy, but for now, she has no interest in scooting/trying to crawl at all! Oh well! Maybe next week, she'll turn over a new leaf in regards to crawling since she'll be 1/2 a year old!!!!

Till next week, click HERE to see all the photos, or view the slideshow below!

Also, you can click HERE to see Valentine photos I took of both girls...

Take care-

Nancy

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25 Weeks Old

This week there are lots of new PHOTOS!

Liv is starting to get so much personality- we're having such a good time getting to know this little girl!

I know I usually talk about what a wonderful easy going baby Liv is, but this week has been a bit of a challenge.  Maybe it's the weather (we've been stuck inside for awhile because of snow) or, maybe it's something else?  I've been checking for teeth, giving her extra naps...  not sure :(  I hope this is just a quick phase because I'm not sure I can carry her around all day anymore!  She's always been a little snuggle bug, but now she's starting to be more vocal about wanting to be with me all the time!

In the slideshow below you'll see our sweet happy girl smiling, some sister hugs, Liv's different hairstyles (SHE HATED THIS!), fun with Mommy, snow baby in a basket, peek-a-boo, bath time, fun with Daddy, family Rock Band time, making lemonade, Liv puts in her own pacifier, and snuggling in a blanket!  Whew!  Enjoy your week!

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24 Weeks Old

Hi there silly face Liv!  We sure do love to kiss you, hug you, and make you laugh!

Now that Liv is 5 months old, she is really starting to show off her personality. She really loves when people talk to/smile at her and is always good for a grin back!  She warms your heart with those smiles!  Liv LOVES her family and has really started looking around when she hears Daddy's voice- 'where is that guy?!'  :)

Although Liv has rolled from her back to her belly, and belly to back, it's only been a handful of times.  She really likes to lounge most of all!  Haha!  We've started 'baby boot camp' around here though, (using toys that make her sit/stand vs. lay) and that seems to be helping to develop her leg/ab muscles more.  Not that there's anything wrong with being a delicious blob baby when you are 5 months old!!!!

Aside from more time sitting, Liv tried carrots this week (no thanks) and had a few friends over (see photos in the slideshow of her friends ganging up on her!!!) If you click HERE to see the photos from this week, you'll also see some tummy time, a happy girl, laying in the sink, playing with toys, sucking on fingers, sitting, smiling, and a photo mid-sneeze... ahhhh CHoo!

Have a great week!

Nancy

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23 Weeks Old

Sweet little Liv, despite not feeling 100% this week, you're still a happy-go-lucky little baby... we are so lucky to call you ours!

Thursday sure does creep up quickly around here!  This week Liv has started to get more comfortable with her rolling. You'll notice in some of the photos I had a little bit of a hard time keeping her on her belly to take a picture!  :)  She also is still drooling quite a bit, still loves her bouncy chair or snuggling, and is totally, TOTALLY smitten with her big sister.  Jillian can make her laugh at the drop of a hat!

We've been dealing with a stuffy nose and cough for about 4 days now.  Sweet little thing!  It's hard to eat when your nose is plugged up, but she's figuring it out.  We've pulled out all the tricks for infant colds since they can't take any meds... propping up her mattress to a slight angle, humidifier, warm room, baby vicks, saline drops, booger sucker...  It seems to be helping.  Luckily, the rest of our family is in good health so hopefully this has almost run its course.

Click HERE to see this weeks photos! You'll see a happy girl hanging out in the swing outside, a sad girl because Mommy stopped the swing to take a photo, lots of her rolling around/posing in the cute CUTE personalized bloomers our friend got for her (thanks Karen!), posing pretty on the couch, playing with big sister on the floor (this takes place in our house for hours each day!), and two cute black and white photos.

Hope all is well with you!  

Until next week,

Nancy

P.S.- I know I usually only feature one photo per week, but I had to include this one too in case you don't check out the slideshow.  Mmmm!  I could eat her!!!

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22 Weeks Old

Liv- you are 5 months old already? We are so crazy about you!  This time has flown by and every day we fall more and more in love with you!  It's so fun to watch you try new things...
This week, Liv got her first taste of rice cereal!  I'm pretty sure Jillian and I were more excited than she was, but she warmed up to the idea.  She's not the most efficient eater just yet (ie: I made about 4 tablespoons of food, and I'd estimate she actually swallowed less than a teaspoon!) but we're getting there.  I'm trying to give her some practice at least once a day.  There are lots of cute photos this week of her eating.  You can click HERE to see them!

Also in the photos, you'll see Liv in a pretty white outfit, some bath time fun/snuggles, a picture of Liv posing with a bunch of stuffed animals (I'm calling this one, "Where's Liv?!"), a baby who loves her pacifier, and some sister time.

Until next week!

Nancy

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21 Weeks Old

Oh sweet girl, we just can't get enough of you!

Despite the fact that we had a busy week, I don't have as many new photos as I'd expect. I was thinking about it, and I'm certain the cold weather has something to do with it.  When we're out and about, I'm less likely to drag my big camera along (since we already have jackets/blankets to deal with) and taking pictures indoors provides far less variety.  Oh well- there are more portrait type shots this week, but she's documented none the less!

The big news this week is that Liv officially rolled over from her belly to her back.  Twice in a row.  No extra squishy surface, or other variable that may have contributed...  She did it all by herself!  She's yet to repeat her trick for Ryan to see, but it's just a matter of time I'm sure.

Another change- the drool factor.  My friend Marlyn noticed at the beginning of the week that Liv had "a ton of drool going on" and it has gotten nothing but worse as the week progressed.  Teeth?

Liv's vocalizing is also continuing to develop...  I was on the phone this morning talking to my parents and she kept interrupting to tell a Loooooong story!  "AAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaAaaAA"

In the Photos:  Liv crashed out under her new floor toy (thanks Ali!), Liv all dressed up on our way to a baptism for our friend baby Charlie, Ryan getting some big smiles/love from Liv, Liv watching Jillian "build dinosaur houses", baby headband model photos (Ryan can't stand headbands on the girls, but I think it's cute every once in awhile!), hand sucking/drooling, a birthday party, more sleeping/smiling/yawning...  You can check them out in the slideshow below, or click HERE!

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20 Weeks Old

Dear Liv:  I am so glad you are a healthy, thriving baby.  You bring an incredible amount of joy into our home... smiling all the time, your sweet little giggle...  You're amazing.

That being said, want to slow down just a TOUCH on the growing? 

At Liv's 4 month appointment yesterday she was:

24 3/4 inches tall (70th %)

weighed 15lbs, 9.5oz (90th %)

and had a head circumference of 41.5cm (70th %)

I know she seems huge (especially considering Jillian is currently 2 years, 7 months old and weighed in yesterday at only 26lbs!) but I think it is worth noting that when Jillian was 18 weeks old, she weighed 14lbs, 8oz and was 24.5 inches tall... 

This week was a lot of fun.  Liv continues to be adored by her sister (and Mom and Dad!) and smiles on cue almost 100% of the time.  If you nibble on her neck and make grunting noises (grunts mandatory) she will always giggle, and if you bite her toes she will look at you like you are absolutely insane.  Haha...

Thanks to Liv's nice round belly, we can prop her into a sitting position for long enough to take a photo.  She's not really a huge fan of that though...  She has warmed up a little to the Bumbo chair now, but still really prefers the bouncy chair to anything else.  

Liv had to get 4 shots yesterday at her well baby visit.  She did just fine... minimal screaming, and she does not seem too sore today.  Jillian on the other hand, TOTALLY wigged out about the shots.  She was hysterically crying and yelled to the nurse- "I don't want you to give my sister shots!"  and, "Don't touch her!"  If I was not already trying to console one crying child, it may have been a little cute and heartwarming the way she was defending her little sis.  In retrospect, it really was sweet.  At the time, total headache.  :)

Last topic:  Liv's hair.  It seems the falling out may be done, and we're left with no hair on the sides (although that is already growing back somewhat quickly) and a long mohawk on the top.  It's hilarious.  She really rocks the look, I think.  Today I put her little spike into a pony tail, and got some cute photos...  

In the slideshow below (or at this LINK), you'll see Liv practicing her hand eye coordination, some 'sitting' on our bed, a few shots of her band aids, lots of bath time fun, a play date with Abby (she's 3 weeks younger than Liv) and the ponytail shots.

Have a great week!

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