August 21st, 2011
Our little lollipop is seven months old!
(Well, seven months and three weeks to be exact.)
This month has been packed full of exciting developments with this little one. Since we’re nearing her eight month update, I think I’ll save sharing her progress for that post. In the meantime, here are this month’s photographs and a letter I wrote to the sweet girl on her seven month birthday…
August 2, 2011
Poppy Lucille,
Today you are seven months old. Your presence here has not only made our lives move faster, but you’ve made it much richer too.
Every day it seems you are up to something new. You scoot yourself around like no one can stop you. You navigate your way down hallways and into rooms. You’ve worked little callouses on your toes and the ball of your right foot from pushing off with them so much.
You are determined and feisty. This shouldn’t surprise me as I remember those months you spent in my belly and all that kicking and bouncing you would do. There were a few nights you seemed to enjoy bouncing on the bed. “She’s so feisty!” I’d say to Daddy. And you still are.
You love your bouncer! The second your feet hit the blanket underneath, you are off – pushing your tiny toes against the ground, bouncing up, lifting your knees, then waiting for your toes to touch the blanket so you can do it all over again.
Your first teeth made their appearance this past month. The bottom two popped right through as a pair. Now you’ve discovered that those little pearls can make noise and you enjoy tapping them against your toys.
You are loving your entrance into solid foods. You can’t get enough rice cereal and oatmeal. This week we’ll be starting you on veggies! I love mixing up your little meals because every time you see me with a brightly colored bowl and your milk bottle, you start squealing and kicking your feet and pounding your hands on your tray. We love your excitement over food, because Mommy, Daddy, and Ella, we love to eat good food!
This food business has me baffled, as I can’t believe we’re at this stage already. You are growing and changing faster than I can comprehend.
Daddy and I wake up every morning with you between us. You are the one doing the waking up. You scoot and kick, pull my hair and play with our faces until we wake up. But your sweet face being the first thing I see when I open my eyes makes up for the rough awakening.
You are napping so well these days. You take two lengthy naps, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I lay you in your crib and you are so good at letting yourself drift to sleep. You also love a good car ride and can’t resist a little nap when we go on trips during the day.
Tonight you sat up, on your own, for the very first time! Your crib is pushed against the foot of mine and Daddy’s bed, and the bathroom is a few feet away. Tonight as I was washing my face, I heard you make a squealing sound in your crib. I turned around to see your shining little face peering at me. You were sitting up!! You were so proud of yourself. That squeal was pure delight. And I am so proud of you too. I think that is one of the best memories we’ve made so far. I have been reliving it all night, it was just the best thing to see you so proud of yourself, and the way you beamed at me over your accomplishment. And I can’t get over how cute and tiny you are when you sit up all straight.
You still adore your big sister. She can do no wrong in your opinion. Even when she gets a little rough or takes a toy away from you, you are ready to flash her a smile a few seconds later.
And she feels the same about you. I can’t express how grateful I am to mother a pair of sisters, this pair of sisters, you and Ella Faye, and watch your bond grow as you grow together. We are all blessed.
Our smiley girl, with the big hazel eyes…we love you so so much. You brighten every day with your cheeriness and sweet disposition. You bring so much happiness to our family, and besides that, a dynamic that rounds us out just right.
Love you for always,
Mama
tags: Poppy, Poppy Month to Month
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August 2nd, 2011
(Admittedly, I am late to everything. Ironically, today is actually Poppy’s seven month birthday. I fell behind on posting her month-to-months, but found these photos and notes on my computer a few days ago and really wanted to document them here regardless of time…)
This has been a big month for Poppers. It seems in the last few weeks, she’s done so much growing! It amazes me to think about the milestones she keeps reaching lately. She’s one busy little girl.
When Ella transitioned to her big girl bed, we moved the crib into our room at the foot of our bed. (Poppy’s nursery isn’t quite ready yet.) Poppy loves the space of the crib! And I love having her sleeping so near. The crib fits so nicely there at the end of our bed and I love being able to see her throughout the night.
As you may have seen, the PopTart has started eating rice cereal. She is a big fan!
I caught Poppy pulling herself forward with her arms one day just after she reached six months and by the end of the day, she was full-on army crawling! Sometimes she pushes too forcefully with her legs and gets her little arms stuck under her, and other times she seems to just pull herself along with her arms. Either way, she makes it work and she’s learning coordination. She is so fun to watch.
She loves to go after Ella’s toys. She’ll see one across the room and just go for it. It’s so cute because you can see her thoughts lining up and then this very determined look comes over her tiny face. Then she’s off! Ella is learning very quickly that nothing is off limits if it’s on the floor. She has started taking her toys away from Poppy and putting them up on the sofa, chairs, or coffee table.
I am loving this new skill of Miss Poppy’s, but it also makes me a little nervous. Very soon she will actually be crawling and then walking! She’s learned that she can get where she wants to go, and she is absolutely loving it.
Poppy is also really finding her voice these days. She has a fake cough she will do to get your attention, and (my most favorite skill as of late) she has a little collection of laughs. It seems like she is trying out a bunch of laughs to see which one she wants to keep and make her own. When she lets them out, it makes me think of the scene in Mary Poppins when they go to visit the old man who is stuck up on the ceiling because he “loves to laugh! (Haha haha!)” She just unleashes these different laughs – a giggle, a chuckle, and the happiest little faces to go with them. All I can do is stare and laugh back every time she does it.
This is my very favorite phase of PoppyLou’s life so far. I really loved the newborn days, when she was just a little bundle of squish, but she has so much personality now and every day she is doing something new. She is the happiest little girl. If you give her a smile, she’ll dish one back to you. She is such a pleasure and we feel so blessed that she’s a piece of our family.
Xoxo.
tags: Poppy, Poppy Month to Month
I thought this was a party...LET’S DANCE!
June 13th, 2011
This little love is five months old, which just begs me to say that she’s almost half a year old, and then almost one and then she’ll be Ella’s age and then she’ll be going to kindergarten and high school and moving out and getting married…
Ant just loves it when I set off on that train of growin’ up. I thought time was flying watching Ella grow, but now that there are two, that warp speed has doubled. It seems like we just brought her home.
Poppy is still a jolly little baby. She’s got a smile for everyone (even the deacon as he blessed her on her baptism day).
And does she love to let you hear her happiness. She squawks and squawks and screams and squeals. She’s so funny when she does that.
Her newest thing is to sleep on her belly. She’s discovered it’s the most comfy way to snooze but sometimes I think she gets stuck mid-roll and wakes herself up.
She loves tummy time and rolling around on the floor with her toys. She scoots herself backwards and in circles to get closer to wherever she feels like going. The other day she was playing on the floor with Ant in front of the coffee table and I was on the sofa behind it. She scooted herself backwards off her blankets and further and further until she was under the coffee table. I watched her in awe as she continued to scoot her way toward the sofa. She finally made it to the base and I bent right over and scooped her up.
I think we may introduce rice cereal here in the coming month! Ella was four months when we offered it to her and she loved it. Any time there is food around, Poppy is eating it with her eyes. She’s so intrigued. I let her smell whatever we’re eating from time to time and she opens her little mouth like she’s ready for that bite. The other night I held my burger up to her nose and she dove her head into it, mouth wide open. I really thought she’d get a bite that time!
Lately the Poptart has been waking up about 5am for a feeding and going to sleep for another couple hours. I think the introduction of a little cereal before bed might help tide her growing tummy over and give her more sound sleep. I can’t believe I’m even thinking about solids with her. Time is just going too fast.
Poppy Lucille is wearing her baptismal gown in this month’s photos. It was worn by Ella Faye before her, and me before them. I love the idea that they may use the same little gown for their daughters someday.
tags: Poppy, Poppy Month to Month
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May 18th, 2011
This little bug is four (and a half) months old!
“I can’t believe it” has been repeated several times around here but, I just, can’t, believe it. Time goes by too fast.
PoppyLouGrace (as her big sister calls her) is a squishy little ball of joy. She brightens my days over and over. I say it every day when Ant comes through the door, she’s just the happiest little baby.
Right now diaper changes are her very favorite times. She’s a little ball of happiness when we let her free from her diaper and tickle her. Because of this, nakey time is also her favorite time. We lay a thick blanket on the floor and let her roll around and play and pee wherever she feels. I’ve gotten pretty good about predicting when she’s about to let it loose. The other day she let a little toot out and I swiftly diapered that tiny bum. That was a fair warning, and very appreciated.
Poppy began rolling from her belly to her back at 14 weeks. Since that exciting discovery, just about every time we lay her on her back, she flips herself straight to her belly.
She is teething like crazy. Her little bottom gums get puffy and white from time to time and she loves to chew on hands. Anyone’s hands. I think her favorite hands belong to her daddy. She also likes to try to chew his face. She’s like a dinosaur when she does it.
Lucky for her teething battle, she has figured out how to bring things to her mouth. It’s so fun to watch her realize when something is within reach, then go for it and taste success (literally). These days she always has two fingers in her mouth.
The Easter Bunny brought her two chewie toys; Sophie the Giraffe and a cute little…thing. I don’t know what it’s called but I’m in love with it.
And she is finally starting to play with my handmade donut rattles a bit. She inspired that toy and it makes me so happy to see her enjoy something that I made!
Miss Pops absolutely loves to play peek-a-boo. It has kind of replaced her fascination with the raspberries. Say “boo!” to her and you’re sure to get chuckles.
She also loves to see us dance. I pull out my rusty tap dance moves and as long as I end the jig with jazz hands, she finds it hilarious. Again, completely willing to act the fool for this baby.
As much as she likes to laugh with Mommy and Daddy, I am certain that Ella gets her best laughs. Ella Faye can just walk past her and Pops lets out a chuckle. She’s always got a smile for her big sister. She already thinks she’s the best thing ever.
This little one has become a total chatterbox lately. She and Ella combined, we’re going to have our ears talked off. I can’t imagine the teenage years! My favorite times are after a feeding, when she lays in my lap and just looks up at me and we chat.
Our Poppy Lucille has the brightest eyes, puffy little pillow cheeks, and the sweetest disposition. And the strongest hold on our hearts.
Apron top & bloomers: from when I was a baby
Knit blanket: gift from/made by Erin
tags: Poppy, Poppy Month to Month
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