Eleven Months

• Stands up without holding anything for balance (and can do squats too)
• Right top tooth popped through 5/20/10, 3 more trying to come through
• Shakes her head 'no'
• Doesn't like dogs very much
• LOVES to empty and fill boxes or containers
• Doesn't like carrots very much
• Top left tooth came through 5/26. 2 more top teeth came in 6/1 for a total of 6 teeth
• Says "go". "No". "Yes".
• Likes to figure things out and do them herself
• Wants to eat whatever you are eating
• Loves plain yogurt
• Doesn't like it when she is left in the backseat of the car alone
• Likes to play with the water hose
• She dropped a large can of Snapple on her left big toe on 6/7 leaving it black and blue and waiting to fall off
• Loves to swing at the park
• Not to sure about horses and doesn't like pigs 

Ten Months

• Dances to music
• Loves to close things
• Wants to lick everything
• Bites and chews
• Likes to feed herself
• Wants to eat off of adult plates
• Whines if you don't feed her what you're eating
• Clicks her tongue all the time
• Loves car keys, remotes, and cell phones. Throws tantrums when they are taken away
• Walks along the couch
• Likes to walk with your hands
• Doesn't like strangers and freaks if Cliff or I leave the room when there are strangers
• Kicks and complains when it's time to change her diaper
• Laughs when she hears others laugh
• Shakes her head 'no'
• Likes soupas
• Does NOT like barking dogs
• Walks around the house with the help of a walker or your fingers
• Not sure about the way sand feels
• Plays chase (tag) and hide and seek (baby version of course)
• Gives kisses (opens her mouth and covers yours with it) but only when she wants to
• Pinches my arms whey she's nervous or tired

Nine Months

• Pulled herself to her feet all by herself using the couch
• Loves oranges
• Likes crackers and cereal
• Raises her arms when she wants to be picked up
• Getting used to how grass feels, but still tries to avoid it
• Started filling and emptying things (like drawers)
• Started crawling on knees
• Repeats "Mama" and "Dada"
• Clicks her tounge often
• Spent her first night away with Mamaw on Easter
• Can easily stand up and sit back down
• Likes to lick everything

Wedded Bliss

Wedding planning is miserable. Don't get me wrong, there is some level of fun about looking at everything you can do, picking out your dress, location, cake, etc. but it's really very, very stressful. The morning of I was so relaxed and peaceful just knowing that all my planning was done and the time had finally come so that I could just enjoy all my months of planning. But the truth is, in the end, the day passes too quickly (especially when you arrive an hour late) that while you do enjoy yourself, it's not nearly as much as you hoped for.

I have learned that why we plan such an extravagant event is as much for our own enjoyment as it is anyone else's. It is the ONE and only time you will ever see the bride and grooms separate worlds collide and meet in a single location. It is a joy I wasn't expecting, but greatly enjoyed.


My day had flaws, but in my eyes it was absolutely perfect. My dress and hair looked great; My cake was delicious and beautiful; my room was put together perfectly; I LOVED my ring; My groom was perfect; The food was fantastic; my photographer took great pictures; and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

At the end of the day, it was worth every last over-priced, budgeted penny and every single moment of stress I complained about. I will never (EVER) plan another one, but if I had to do this one over again, I would... and I wouldn't change a thing (okay, I have learned I'd probably do a few things a bit simpler on myself, but you get the idea).

Wedded Bliss

Wedding planning is miserable. Don't get me wrong, there is some level of fun about looking at everything you can do, picking out your dress, location, cake, etc. but it's really very, very stressful. The morning of I was so relaxed and peaceful just knowing that all my planning was done and the time had finally come so that I could just enjoy all my months of planning. But the truth is, in the end, the day passes too quickly (especially when you arrive an hour late) that while you do enjoy yourself, it's not nearly as much as you hoped for.

I have learned that why we plan such an extravagant event is as much for our own enjoyment as it is anyone else's. It is the ONE and only time you will ever see the bride and grooms separate worlds collide and meet in a single location. It is a joy I wasn't expecting, but greatly enjoyed.

My day had flaws, but in my eyes it was absolutely perfect. My dress and hair looked great; My cake was delicious and beautiful; my room was put together perfectly; I LOVED my ring; My groom was perfect; The food was fantastic; my photographer took great pictures; and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

At the end of the day, it was worth every last over-priced, budgeted penny and every single moment of stress I complained about. I will never (EVER) plan another one, but if I had to do this one over again, I would... and I wouldn't change a thing (okay, I have learned I'd probably do a few things a bit simpler on myself, but you get the idea).

Baby Food

I decided that I wanted Evelyn to have homemade baby food. It's closer to what real food tastes like without all the unnecessary additives and preservatives. Every night after dinner starting when she was a little over 5 months old I would steam fresh vegetables, puree them, and freeze them in ice trays. I did this for weeks, and every time I gave Evelyn a bit of the vegetables to try. She showed no interest no matter what I did. We tried oatmeal with milk and she would just spit it out. She took a few bites of oatmeal with water and that just pushed my buttons, Naturally she wanted the thing that took no work and came from the store, but not the one that I either made in the kitchen or spent hours pumping.

After running out of room in my freezer (it's still pretty overtaken by bags and bags of milk) I stopped and occasionally would pull out a vegetable cube for her meal but she still wasn't very interested. I got desperate and moved on to fruits (which I did NOT want to feed her first) but still she didn't want it. During a meal of pears when she refused to even open her mouth I decided to show her the chocolate Milky Way bar I was enjoying. And who would of guessed it, but she opened her mouth to suck the chocolate off the bar. Often. I guess that's what happens when you spend an entire pregnancy eating chocolate.
We tried a bite of pears again and this time she took them, Oh thank goodness!

After that spectacle we started trying foods more often, usually fruit, and got some success. Never lots of success, but some none the less. Since she eats so little of the solids I'm still not making food, it's just not as shelf stable. I've joined the rest of the schmucks and started feeding her organic baby jars.

Since that time I've discovered baby rice crackers that she LOVES to chew on. She likes sweet potato cereal (from the evil Gerber company) too but I don't like to give her very much. We've had a few run-ins with oranges. She loves them, but gets pissed off when you take them away. Also let her try pickles expecting a silly face but it turns out she really likes them. I've learned she wants to eat food like a big person or an experienced baby (which she refused to be even though I tried) and gets pissed off when you don't let her. I'm gonna be battling temper issues with this little bug.

Eight Months

• Finally started showing intrest in food, starting with the chocolate coating on a milkyway bar
• Tried pears, zucchini, bananas, peaches, apples, squash, peas, soy beans, avacado, lemons, and oranges
• Likes to try to chew on bananas
• Doesn't want mashed food. Would rather have solids
• Military crawls everywhere
• Getting stranger anxietys
• Thinks the swings are fun

Seven Months

• Two bottom teeth came in
• Can scoot backwards, but doesn't do it very often
• Claps hands together often
• Can pass items from one hand to the other fairly well
• Mimics people
• Has minor stranger anxieties and sometimes panics when Mom leaves the room
• Giggles and cries at the same time
• Pulls herself forward in attempt to crawl
• Loves to stand up and bounce or jump
• Makes the indian call all by herself now

Six Months

• Holds conversations with her toys and with people. Sometimes very loudly
• Sits up by herself (still falls over sometimes)
• Caught swine flu but stayed in a good mood the whole time

• Still a grouch when woken up, but super plesant the rest of the time
• Can hold toys easily, and starting to pass toys from one hand to another
• Giggles often
• Cries when she hears the lower notes on the harmonica, but is over it now
• Loves to tear wrapping paper
• Loves paper
• Talks, squeals
• Plays Patty Cake
• Tried solids. Oatmeal, Zucchini, Butternut Squash, and Apples. None went over well, but Apples did make it across the kitchen
• Likes it when you help her make the indian call

Five Months

• Rolled over from back to stomach
• Enjoyed first Thanksgiving
• Tried Dill Pickle juice
• Likes to watch the world from upside down
• Teething has disrupted her sleep
• Giggles
• Blows raspberries when upset
• Watches EVERYTHING
• Did her first black Friday Shopping
• Survived a 7 day trip up to Washington
• Scratches anything that looks interesting
• Gets pissed off when she starts to fall asleep
• Easily upset by her toys. Especially the turtles

• Length fits 6-9mo clothing
• Enjoys sucking on her own toes
• Found her shreiky voice
• Starting to suck thumb more
• Sleeps with one eye open

Black Friday

Evelyn's first Black Friday Experience. Going out at 2am to stand in line at Target in WET, windy Washington. What a wonderful daddy for doing the dirty work of staying outside and letting Evelyn and me stay warm and toasty in the truck.

3:41am... Almost time for Target to open

Black Friday

Evelyn's first Black Friday Experience. Going out at 2am to stand in line at Target in WET, windy Washington. What a wonderful daddy for doing the dirty work of staying outside and letting Evelyn and me stay warm and toasty in the truck.

3:41am... Almost done

Four Months

• Finally found your toes and like to eat them during diaper changes
• Started sucking your thumb. Not often, but sometimes
• Still not fond of a bottle or a pacifier, but willing to play with either for short periods
• Starting to sleep in the car. Sometimes
• Getting on a routine. Wake up, nap, eat, nap, eat, nap.
• Hair is finally growing back in. Mostly on top like a mo-hawk, but it's long enough for bows
• Got ears pierced 11-12-09, only cried for a few minutes
• Rolled over from stomach to back

Three Months

• Survived more than 3 weeks of thrush and antibiotics
• First sinus congestion (very mild)
• Did wonderful at the state fair. All 3 times
• Talks all the time
• Proudly holds her own head up... most of the day
• Stubborn at napping. Afraid to miss anything

• Prefers to be held
• Suffered from constipation
• Hair is finally growing back in
• Likes to practice standing
• LOVES her musical bunny
• Recognizes Mamaw's voice on the phone
• Tracks anything that will move very well
• Still hates the bottle, but will take just enough to keep from starving
• Finally found a great doctor
• Hates to wake up before 9am. Refuses to open eyes, and gets really grumpy if disturbed
• Very calm
• Flirts when she eats
• Loves her mobile
• Has the cutest pouty lip

Two Months

When your umbilical cord fell off your belly button had the most perfect swirl shape to it.. Now, it looks more like a regular belly button.

I thought you had thrush but wasn't sure. I asked for second opinions and it was thought to be just milk residue. When I checked the books ('what to expect') it said thrush is common and clears up on it's own. After you stopped eating well for almost 3 days I called the doctor. You've been on medicine 4 times a day for 3 weeks now. We got the sores off of your lips and gums, but it's still on the inside of your cheek.

You talk all the time. To a mirror, to dots, or your fist, and definitely to us. You have the cutest squeals of joy.

You'll support your own head most of the day (and get annoyed if I don't let you do it) and don't mind tummy time-yet. You are incredibly stubborn about napping. Will refuse to stay asleep for more than a few minutes until you finally just DROP. Then you'll sleep for 3-4 hours, usually after being put in your swing.

Loves to be held, and will get fussy if you haven't been held enough in your mind.

Suffered a few times from constipation (weird since you only get breast milk) and we (meaning Daddy) even had to give you a baby suppository.

Still only been colicky a few times (mostly my fault for not being vigilant about burping).

You had a full head of hair when you were born only to have it fall out a few weeks later. You had a little island on the back of your head and all the hair at the nape of your neck still that didn't fall out. New hair is finally starting to grow back on the rest of your head.

Love to try to stand up. You'll push up with your legs and hold yourself for a few seconds before plopping back down to your butt and think it's the most fun game ever. You'll play this over and over with me.

One of the only things that calms you down (used to work every time, not as much now) is your musical bunny. The only problem is that you have to keep pulling the cord to make it sing so I went out and got you a wind up dog that sings the same song.

Recognizes Mamaw's voice on the phone and smiles.

Tracks things wonderfully. Just started tracking the birds above her swing and now has a mobile that she loves to watch in her crib.

Finally have a doctor that we like.

Hates to wake up before 9am and will stubbornly keep her eyes closed while she cries for more food. Also gets real pissy if you try to change her diaper at night when she wants to sleep. Screams like you're ripping off her arm. However, you wake up in the best mood if you weren't woken up.

Flirts during meal times and will stop eating to smile at you.

Went to the fair 3 times and was wonderful every time. Slept through most of it (every time) and only complained when I almost tried to drown her while breastfeeding (was a bit engorged) while trying to stay subtle in the middle of the fair. Cliff had to help clean you up while I stopped the flow. (Man, I wish I had a picture of her little arms flailing while milk kept spraying your face)

Sometimes gets little baby dreams that make her cry or giggle.

Has scared herself with her own farts.

I experienced her first 'blow out'.

Still hates the bottle, but will take just enough to keep from starving, not enough to make her tummy stop hurting.

Has her first baby cold... luckily it's mostly just congestion.

Enjoys front facing walks in the moby.
Would rather suck her fist than her pacifier.

Has the most adorable (and heart breaking) pouty lip.

Already speaks her mind and will tell you all about her thoughts.

The Dr. and the Prince

1. Adari Natural Nurser - This the first bottle I liked and wanted to invest in. The company claims to "closely duplicate the natural experience of breastfeeding", not so sure that's possible, but okay, I'll bite. You fill the bottle from the bottom (different, not better or worse in my opinion) and the whole bottle is made of a silicone type material, not just the nipple. Feels pretty amazing (sorta like a fake breast I'd imagine). The down side of the bottle is that it runs 10-13 dollars each and so I chose to return the one I bought from BabiesRus (I still had one I found at the JBF sale for $4) and look for a better bottle.



2. First Years Breastflow- This bottle had a unique double nipple system that claims to closely mimic the feel of the breast by being the only bottle that requires compression and suction. In most bottles the milk will drip out quite freely and this one is supposed to need the compression before milk comes out, but after purchasing a few bottles I learned that it's really not much different. Also, the old bottles (which I had one) still contained BPA. After learning of this and calling the company and figuring out that one of my bottle was not safe I decided that I didn't want to risk it at all and I changed bottles again.


3. Think Baby- I discovered this bottle at my favorite baby store Future Generations in Nevada City. First of all it's BPA free and after my panic over the breastflow bottles this is an important factor. It's got a typical cylindrical nipple, but it boats an anti colic nipple with a simple one piece system built in so you don't risk loosing parts. My favorite part of this bottle is that is grows with the baby by adding handles, then turning into a sippie cup. This one adds up to about $8 dollars a bottle and I liked it so much I bought 2 and a set of extra nipples totally almost 30 dollars.

4. Born Free- Nothing all that special about this one past the standard advertisements: BPA Free and Anti Colic. Same round nipple as all the other bottles and their new innovative air vent. This one at least was free when I registered at babiesRus otherwise it would have put me out around $9 dollars a bottle.

5. Gerber- Just your good old fashioned bottle that I only purchased for around a dollar each at Target. I actually only have this bottle because it fits perfectly on my pump and the bottles cost a hell of a lot less than the Medela ones they want you to buy.


6. First Years Soothie- "The same brand hospitals trust and use". Load of bullshit if you ask me. I'm not doubting that hospitals use this bottle, just doubting that it's necessarily their first choice. Hospitals use what they are given, just like when I go to leave they give me a bag filled with simalac formula. "Hospitals recommend simalac".... No, hospitals recommend breast feeding (unless your some pathetic junkie of course) and the simalac is given to them for free, a dirty ploy by the formula companies to keep woman from breastfeeding. Okay, stepping off of my soapbox now and getting back to the point. I'm not so certain that the hospitals recommend this bottle and pacifier as much as it's just right there free and convenient. My other issue with this bottle is it's the same one for the breatflow bottle. Yes, the new ones are BPA free, but I'm still bitter that they were making one that wasn't BPA free for as long as they did (only changed recently).


7. Playtex Drop-Ins- Everyone has seen and tried this bottle, and I'm no different. I have several different type of nipples for this one (round, oval, and orthodontic) and it runs about $5-7 dollars each in the store


8. Nuby Softflex Natural Nurser- I love the pacifiers (although Evelyn hasn't taken those either, I want her to) so I was hoping that a bottle with the same nipple as her pacifier would be an excellent plan. I even got a recommendation (from some random stranger who didn't seem all that bonded with her child) that these bottles are supposed to be really great. This bottle features a 'breast size nipple' (not sure where they found a breast that looks and feels like this, but whatever) 'that encourages the baby to latch'. It features more anti colic valves, and nubs that massage the baby's gums. The fancier Silicone Nurser (priced at $10 when the simpler model was only $5) even has a silicone base so that the parent can help with the feeding by squeezing the sides. That sounds like a great idea, lets drown our baby...

9. Nuk Natural Nurser Wide Neck Bottle- A friend suggested this bottle about how her daughter refused every bottle until she tried this one. 'The innovative nipple shape is designed to conform to Baby’s mouth just like mother’s breast during feeding so it’s more than just a bottle or pacifier, it supports switching between breast and bottle allowing Baby to feed naturally'. I'm realizing that this is becoming a common claim, that one bottle is just like my breast.... apparently the designers don't have breasts of their own. Yes, the shape this nipple is unique (other brands just call it orthodontic) but what I liked about this bottle is the 'air vent' that is supposed to prevent a vacuum and allow saliva and milk to mix (haven't fully figured out the benefit of that yet). I got this also purchased extra nipples for the skinnier bottle.


10. Dr. Browns Wide Neck- Desperation lead me to the internet where several people suggested this bottle as the only successful one they found. One of my best friends also uses this bottle (the glass one) for the anti colic feature. It has a 2 piece internal vent system that keeps a positive pressure flow and air never mixes with the breast milk or formula which minimizes oxidation and helps maintain essential nutrients like vitamins C, A and E. I'm not sure how important that really is since I have to shake the milk before feeding because it separates and wouldn't that cause the same oxidation it's referring to? I can't imagine that a few more bubbles of air passing threw the milk are going to make that big of a difference, but the bottle is pretty interesting all the same. I made a trip to pick up one of these bottles (as well as it's skinnier counter part just in case) and got one for just under 10 dollars a bottle.


11. Playtex Vent Air Advanced Wide Bottle- This bottle also claims less gas, spit up, colic, and other discomforts of bottle feeding. It has the same nipples as the drop ins only they are wider (to imitate the breast). Another good friend suggested this one to me after her fussy baby refused other bottles. I found it at a few stores running $7 dollars each. The thing I was really not found of about this bottle was that it unscrews on the top and the bottom. I can't figure out any situation when that would be needed but apparently someone thought it was a good idea.

I've realized many things in my search for the perfect bottle. First, there is no perfect bottle, if your baby is going to refuse them she will. Second, I'm realizing that Anti Colic advertisements are on just about every bottle. I'm thinking that bottle companies don't really have any clue how to truly prevent colic since there are so many different kinds of Anti-Colic systems: air vents in the bottles, vents in the nipples, vents in the bases, 2 part venting system, 3 part venting system, milk in bags, collapsible bottles... the list goes on. And yet, none of them seem to work for any given baby the same.
~Almost all bottle claim to have a more 'breast like' nipple.
~Orthodontic really just means it's shaped closer to your nipple when the baby is sucking on it.
~Wide neck or Wide base bottles all claim to be easier for switching from bottle to breast and back again.
~BPA-free advertisements like it's the more important than the bottle itself(of course since it's the newest thing to worry over I'm not really complaining).
~A little bit of plastic and silicone sure seems to be overpriced

12. Prince Lionheart Silicone Bottle- This bottle collapses so that the baby drinks less air (wait a minute, haven't I heard this speech before) causing less gas and therefore less colic. Whatever, at this point I'm just collecting bottles hoping to find the magical one that works. This one only put me out $11 dollars at least (at this point it's very sad that I'm okay with shelling out $11 bucks on a CUP). Even more fantastic is that by some amazing chance, she actually took a full meal out of this bottle. I'll cross my fingers that she takes it again too, but for now I know WAY too much about baby bottles, spent WAY too much money on WAY too many of them, but hopefully I won't have to be at work for 9 hours a day worrying about how my baby girl is starving herself.

12 Bottles

Not taking a pacifier leads to not taking a bottle and since I was supposed to be back at work last week this is a HUGE issue. Same as with the pacifiers, I've got over 12 different kinds of bottles and nipples, and she's only taken one of them from me a couple of times. The bigger problem, she's never really taken a bottle from anyone else and that's who will be giving them to her.. someone else!

Pacifier Hell

The books say (several but I'm talking about the 'what to expect' series here) that if you plan to breastfeed your baby that you shouldn't give them a pacifier for the first 4 weeks to prevent nipple confusion. I'm not an expert but I know that breastfeeding is really important to me and wanted to make sure my baby didn't quit on me so I agreed with this logic.

2 weeks into being a human pacifier I decided a little artificial pacifier time couldn't hurt. After all, she was starting to suck on her wrist anyway and she had just found her thumb and I REALLY don't want a thumb sucker. You can take a pacifier away, you can't remove a thumb. So I pop out one of the pacifiers I purchased before she was born (I bought a few packs so I wouldn't loose them), pop it in her mouth and she starts choking and gagging. This breaks my spirit and I decide it's too early and go back to letting her suck on me for comfort.

I then head to babiesrus with my trusty gift cards and look for a different shaped nipple (I had an orthopedic one). She hates that one too. Another week of trying a few more times and I break down, head back to babiesrus armed with the remainder of the giftcards, and buy 4 more kinds of pacifiers. None of which have been successful. I try larger ones (again back at babiesrus) with no luck. Fancy one, cheap ones... I even drive down to Vacaville to get one beause non of the stores around here have it in stock.

All in all I have a fancy (read: over priced) rubber pacifier from Europe; every kind of Nuby Softflex (even a few different sizes); I have Mam's, Playtex, Soothies (the hospitals use it but apparently it's still not good enough for Evelyn), Nuk, and Sauvinex. I have orthopedic nipples, round nipples, flat nipples. Pacifiers made from silicone, caoutchouc (rubber), and latex...Still she refuses to take it... I'm getting desperate, and in the mean time I have invested a small fortune in a plastic collection for my junk drawer.

Stupid book now what am I supposed to do? I have a baby who's not nipple confused, but can't pacify herself!

One Month

Cried for her first bath, but was happier with her duck luve. Enjoyed other baths that Dad gave her and smiled during her bath with Ma in the big tub at 27 days






Smiles often with big grins... especially when Mamaw talks to her or daddy makes funny faces and noises
Still hates being in the car

Been out to a resturant several times during her first 2 weeks of life and already gone on road trips to visit Great-Grandma and to Mamaw and Grandma Debby's house

Sleeps for 5 hours at a time during the night most nights since week 2
Slept for 7 hours during the night at 28 days




LOVES her fist... will stare at it for a very long time quite happily

Always so calm, and loves to have a clean diaper




Still wont take a pacifier and only tried to take a bottle a couple times (with no success), but does pretty good once she's swaddled and shusshed.
Likes to sleep in until around 9am and usually goes to bed about 10pm

Sleeps better when she's really warm

Smiles a ton in the morning

Got her first real awake time 9 days old when she stayed up and played with Ma for a few hours before Dad came home

Grunts when she's happy and her cry starts out sounding like she's saying "ooo gee".

LOVES to snuggle

Gets grumpy often because she's not sitting upright

Already up almost 3 pounds since birth

Am I Done Yet?

Just when I think I'm done I realize I have a few more to send; more thank you cards and announcements. And still, I haven't managed to write cards for everyone who's helped me since Evelyn arrived... There's just not enough time these days (to sleep).