Look Mom! No Hands!!

Blake is sitting by herself now! She has really been getting stronger lately, working really hard to stay upright... and tonight was the first time we have seen her sit unsupported for longer than a few seconds. (Excuse her lack of clothing - it's almost bath time.) She sat playing with her play mat for a long time, as we sat close by to catch her when she wobbled or fell to the side. What a big girl!

New Wheels

Not for us... for Blake!
This is our new jogging stroller. We wanted something a little more substantial for our walks/runs around the neighborhood, plus for any outdoor fair or festival we might be going to in the future (Tim can't wait til her first outdoor concert!) You can't miss us coming through the neighborhood - a daddy, a momma, a baby in a big stroller and two dogs on leashes!
This is how Blake usually ends up from our walks... asleep. She really enjoys the walks, looking at everything, wind in her hair, watching the dogs, kicking her feet, and most of the time singing.... until she gets tired and puts her daddoo in (which she can pick up and put in her own mouth!) and then it's not long before she is asleep!

PS. I love the adjustable canopies on strollers these days! It really helps block the sun or wind in almost any position.

6 Month Check Up

This morning I took off work to take Blake to her 6 mo. checkup. Usually it goes somewhat quickly, but today I walked into a very full waiting room of sick kiddos. I tried to hide my disgust when a sick little boy tried to touch B's stroller and play with the toy on it... luckily his mom caught him and told him no before I had to! An hour later and a phone call to school where I had to take the afternoon off as well, we were finally seen and out of there quickly! Apparently all the asthma kids were flared up and that's what was filling up the waiting room.

Anyway, Blake received a great checkup from Dr. B. She really likes him, smiles at him, kicks, flaps, and tries to grab all his instruments, and he's really sweet to her in return. Thank goodness she can't remember the doctor's office as the place where she gets all her shots! ha ha. He always compliments her on how cute, beautiful, etc. she is and today was no different. I think he said a variation of that a couple times, and when we were finished and getting ready to go, he said again "Man, she is gorgeous!" I'm going to pretend he doesn't say that to every baby's mother... He also described her as tall and trim, like the checkups before. She is still 97% for height at 28 inches and 75% for weight at 17 pounds 3 ounces. She's grown an inch and gained around 2 pounds since her 4 mo. checkup. She also received 4 shots, plus an oral vaccination. The extra shot today was her flu shot that he recommended and will be getting the booster for in 30 days, and they hope to have the H1N1 vaccine by then too, so she will be getting those 2 shots in 30 days, poor baby, but after that, she won't go back til 9 months! She only cried til I could pick her up and cuddle!!
Luckily she fell asleep in the car, and is currently napping, which I think she really needs after not sleeping as soundly due to her first tooth. Teething + fussy from shots = much needed nap. I just snuck in to take that picture. She mostly sleeps on her left side now and ends up on her tummy, much like me!

First Tooth

Yesterday Blake's first tooth popped through on the bottom! It was a learning day for us because I had no idea getting a tooth would make her extra poopy... but it did. She has been drooling and chewing on things for awhile now, and I always feel around her gums, but yesterday I didn't. Tim was actually the one who said maybe she's teething. Definitely is! She wasn't interested in her solid foods yesterday - she would only eat a little, she nursed pretty well, but would stop to fuss every so often (which she's done before, so I didn't think anything of). Anyway, she was definitely more fussy, so I was both excited and sad at how big she's getting when I felt the ridges of her first tooth! Now I need to go write in her baby book...

6 Months

Today's conversation:

"Hey, I've seen these before..."
"Mom, we do this every time!"
"Cheese!"
"I feel good, da na na na na na na, like I knew that I would..." She is constantly kicking her feet, flapping her arms, wiggling around. I think she's going to be great for keeping me in shape when she becomes mobile. Notice her pant legs: they are long enough, but she is so wiggly, they keep scooting up her leg! This is just one of the many adorable outfits, size 9 mos., from Grammy Tina and Grandpa Ricardo. Thanks!

Whenever anyone asks me how Blake is doing, I always answer the same. She's wonderful! I have zero complaints and just love everything about her and everything she does.
How could you not love this face???

We go for her 6 mos. checkup Monday morning. So I will blog more with her stats and updates then!

Busy Day

Blake had a very eventful day. She started Musik Garten today, a music/movement program for little ones. My parents graciously decided they would take her to St. Luke's for this class that meets every Wednesday from today through December for an hour in the mornings. There are only 9 babies in the class. Grandma says Blake had fun, and was kicking her legs and wiggling her arms (which she does alot when she gets excited).

Then after picking her up after school, we met up with Tim and went for it. Blake's ears are now pierced. (Enter your opinion here) We think she looks adorable, and yes we thought she did before, too. It was hard for us to see her cry, and yes I cried, too. We made sure to do all the paperwork, prepping, paying, sterilizing, sanitizing... everything before the piercing started. I wanted to be able to leave asap in case Blake was upset. When the first ear was done, it took a little bit before the noise came. First the face crinkled up, pause, then the crying! Then I started crying, then the second ear was done quickly. As soon as I turned her around to cuddle her, and stood up to leave, she stopped crying. I stopped crying when we got to the car. Blake fell asleep on the way home and woke up 45 minutes later as happy as can be!

Adorable!

Labor Day

Blake is such an unhappy baby..... ha ha. She is almost always smiling!


This past weekend we made the 4 hour trek to Lake Buchanan for Labor Day weekend. The lake was really low, but we still played in the water. There was definitely a full house! Tim, Blake, me, my brother Travis, my mom and dad, my sister Katie, her husband Hector, their son Santiago, and my Grandma Pebble were there Friday through Monday. On Saturday, my uncle Scott, my uncle Greg, my cousin Reagan, her husband Jeff, and their daughter Reichly came to spend time and left Sunday. It was so fun to see the three babies playing! Reichly is 14 months old, walking and running, but not a big talker compared to Blake and Santiago who spent the weekend squealing, blowing raspberries, grunting, and making all the noises they could... it makes me wonder if they will always be so talkative!

Both Blake and Santiago love to be outside! I guess that must go for all babies... you better have shade for Blake though, or she gets a little fussy.
Here is sweet Reichly playing with the babies' exersaucers. When they were in them playing, she would try to help the little ones get out. I guess she thought they needed out of there!
Just think... next summer these two will be mobile!