Progress

This week has been better. My anxiety levels have decreased a bit and I'm settling into a routine. It's not as good as it can get, but it's definitely better.

I forgot to post about the Peanut's 9 month appointment. She's in the 40th percentile for height now (woo hoo) and still in the 10th for weight. Our little lady got the go ahead for all solid foods with the exception of seafood and is right on target.

She's crawling ALL over the place now. The other morning she crawled right into Tuck's water bowl.

She's eating more textured foods. She's had some chicken, pasta, bananas, a bite of a pancake and muffin. She loves greek yogurt and is eating big kid oatmeal. She's doing great in the textured food department.

She's doing a better job unlocking her knees when she's standing. I even got her to take a couple of guided steps last night.

She has stopped sleeping. The night before last she was up from 2:00-3:00am and then up again at 4:30am and 5:45am. Last night she was up from 3:30-4:45am. She will sleep just fine in my arms, but the minute I lay her down she starts crying again.

I've started planning the Peanut's first birthday party and it's super fun to plan. I might be going a bit overboard. But then again, she only gets one first birthday party.

On a side note, with my husband's new job his online presence has decreased...a lot. I used to talk to him frequently throughout the day via email but with his training and meetings, I get an email or two a day. Plus, I feel like I don't seem him at all anymore. We need a date night and soon.

Some other fun things may be in the works We'll see how they play out before I divulge too much.

Bedrooms and boxes

To say this week has been rough would be an understatement. I've missed the normalcy of life so much this week that it literally pains me to think about. While we've mostly settled in to our new, temporary home, I'm still living between bedrooms and boxes. Some clothes here, other clothes there, still searching for things that I need from time to time. I miss my 20 minute commute. I miss my morning breakfast club. I miss my bed. I miss my room. I miss my daughter's nursery. I miss my home. I miss everything that used to be that is no more.

I am extremely grateful to my father-in-law for letting us stay with him. He is a great host and very flexible. But it's not my home. I feel like a guest. I feel compelled to pick up every toy before I go to bed, to make sure bottles don't stay in the sink longer than a day, to throw every piece of trash in the garbage the minute it's produced. After a stressful day, I feel even more stress. I don't even feel like I have the comfort of my mom anymore. I see her for maybe 10 minutes in the morning. The afternoon/evening is a rush of dinner, household chores and bed time routines. This will all change once I establish a new routine. My anxiety will calm down and I will adapt to a new normal.  But for now, I'm in a whirlwind of emotions and just trying to get by a day at a time.

A wise person once told me you aren't growing if you're not outside your comfort zone.  Well there isn't any part of me in any sort of comfort zone right now. It will get better. It will get better. It will get better.

Florida

Last Thursday, the husband, the Peanut and I flew to Florida to visit my best friend and her family. The Peanut did great on her first flight. She chatted with people around us for half the flight and slept for the other half, both going in and coming out. Everyone around us commented on how well she did. I'd say she gets an A+ for her first and second plane rides. 

Just landed in Florida

We had a great time while we were there. Friday we checked out the zoo. If you're ever in Tampa and need some kid/family friend things to do, check out the Tampa Lowry Zoo. It's very kid friendly (as it should be) but it's also very hands on. You can touch sting rays, feed birds, giraffes and rhinos and a separate exhibit that changes seasonally is within the zoo for a couple bucks extra. We saw the Jurassic Park type exhibit.

Saturday we went to see Winter, the dolphin that Disney based it's movie Dolphin Tales around.  It was cool to see her but the aquarium itself was small. We headed to the Bubba Gump's and had a good meal where I snagged these cute pictures.

The Peanut even squeezed in her first swing ride thanks to Cierra and Cayden's swing set! 

All in all our vacation was great. I enjoyed the visit and cannot wait to go back. As sad as I was to go, I'm ready to get back in a routine. With the move and the change in my office, life has been pretty chaotic lately. My first day at my new office location was yesterday and it went pretty well. The commute isn't horrible. On the plus side, my little lady was CRAWLING when I picked her up from Grandma's yesterday! Yes, crawling! She's a little wobbly but on the move now! 

Last Post from Baltimore

Well, packing ends tonight, moving starts tomorrow. So long Baltimore. It's been a really fun ride. So many memories that I will look back on and laugh about forever. I hope I've made just as lasting of an impression on you, as you have on me!

My living room that is barely walkable thanks to all our stuff :)

Cleaning out my dresser with help from my mom, who will kill me if she sees this

On the upside of thing, the Peanut turned 9 months old today! This month has been filled with just as many learning experiences and curves as last month!

This month the Peanut has learned:

So big! She's so cute with her little arms held high in air. 

To move. She is mobile! It's not exactly traditional crawling but she's moving...forward instead of backward.

About books. She is really into books. She loves turning pages and looking at the characters on the page. 

To blow raspberries and it is so funny to watch her.

To wave! She is a pro at waving hello and goodbye, especially to daddy. 

New words. She can say hi, da da, ma ma, tuck and she is constantly "talking" to us.

Still no sippy cup. Girlfriend loves the bottle and hates the sippy cup.

Still no "real" solid food. She isn't a fan of textures and prefers the purees over anything with consistency. We will be chatting with Dr. Lake about that on Tuesday at her 9 month appt. 

This month she will be:

Taking her first plane ride to visit Aunt Christen and family in Florida! Fingers crossed for a successful plane ride.

Visiting a zoo for the first time and going swimming...all while visiting Aunt Christen :) 

Starting a new morning routine since I will be commuting an hour to work. We might get a bed time routine established because our mornings will be much earlier/crazier. 

Soooo big! 

I love my feet!

I can make sounds with my lips now! So fun!

There's that foot again!

Happy 9 months babygirl! 

Easter and a 4th Ear Infection

Peanut's second teeny tiny little tooth is working it's way through and it's no fun for anyone. She is fussier, crankier and down right more miserable than when the last tooth popped up. Perhaps because this time she has an ear infection to go with teething pain.

Her first Easter was nice, we saw lots of family and she picked out her very own Easter egg.

I could probably write a book but I'm exhausted from the lack of sleep so I'll stick to a couple of sentences and some cute pictures. Happy (one day late) Easter!