Last Night...

Noelle has been waking up in the middle of the night crying because she wants her pacifier (falls out while she sleeps).  We have tried to put multiple pacis in the crib, so she can grab one easily. Well it doesn't work.  We have tried the tough love...wait 10 minutes and she will fall back to sleep.  Ummm...nope - not her.  It is the WORST 10 minutes ever.  We have two options:

Option 1:  Wait 10 minutes to go to her... guaranteed she will still be awake after 10 minutes.
Option 2:  Put her paci in her mouth and we are all back asleep before the 10 minutes is up.

We have been choosing Option 2.

Well last night, she was so upset.  I got up to rock her to sleep (teething and allergies).  She is in the discovery phase where she has to "pet" me when I hold her.  I wish it were just "petting" me.  The girl grabs my skin and pulls - eeekkk!  Last night I thought for sure she was going to pull out my jugular.   I have finally stopped losing my hair, but now my hair is getting pulled out.  Noelle is just so precious and doesn't know what she is doing.  It's hard when I am deliriously tired and I am getting pulled and ripped. I will take it:)

Off to a playgroup today in the park!

Love,
Noelle's Mommy

Sign Language

Noelle just "signed" for the first time this weekend!  She was so hunger and she signed "milk."  It was a great accomplishment.  We have been signing to her since she was four months old.  Now that she has picked up "milk", we are teaching her - "more", "food", and "all done".  Yeah!

PS:  Her seven month b-day was Monday.  I can't believe how fast time flies.  She changes everyday.

Love,
Noelle's Mommy

Beer Drinking, Tea-Infused, Oatmeal Loving Mommy!

Once Noelle turned six months, the doc recommended a more "solid" diet vs. a "liquid" diet.  She loves her food (I am still making the majority of it).  However, since I have been giving her more food, my supply is reducing - supply and demand.  I am getting so paranoid and sad that I am going to dry up.  I heard that Guinness beer, nursing tea (tastes like black licorice), and oatmeal help.  I feel like I am a drunk mommy who has to pee all the time - hence the tea - that is sick of oatmeal!  Just kidding... I don't have to pee all the time.  No...just kidding... I do have to pee all the time, but I am not drunk:)  Guinness tastes gross.  Couldn't a nice wheat beer help out?  If anyone has any suggestions - please pass them along!  I will keep you posted on my faucets!

Love,
Noelle's Mommy

She gave me a hickey...

We went to dinner with some friends last night and I think Noelle was hungry.  She gave me a hickey on my arm.  She is too cute.

We brought her to the doctor yesterday and she has allergies!  I can't believe at seven months you can already have allergies.  Running nose, eczema on her back, congested, puffy eyes...  She has been in a really good mood despite all of her ailments.  Booger sucker to the rescue!!!!!!

Love,
Noelle's Mommy

Today's Venting Day!

I just needed to vent...

-Dear Miss Know It All Who Makes You Feel Like A Crappy Mom:  It's 70 degrees outside.  I think Noelle's long sleeved shirt, pants, socks, and shoes are warm enough.  You don't need to tell me that I need to dress her better (quote "Even though the weather is warm enough for you, it's not warm enough for your baby.").  I don't want your advice.

-Dear Person Who Stole Noelle's Winter Hat From the Pediatrician's Office:  I am still mad at you.  Noelle was only two weeks old when you stole her hat.  You are mean.

-Dear Not Clean Person On the Street Who Touched My Baby:  Really?  I don't know you and you don't look clean.  You can look, but don't touch.

-Dear Tourist Who Tried Taking Pictures of Noelle:  Please don't circle us while we are picnicking and then take out your camera.  I am a little uncomfortable of strangers taking pictures of her.  PLUS - you didn't ask, you just were going to snap away.  Remember...don't get between the mama and her cub.

Sorry for venting... crazy people this week:)

Love,

Noelle's Mommy

That's not a kiss...she's hungry!

This past weekend, we went out to dinner with friends.  I was holding Noelle and she started sucking on my face.  Our friends thought it was so cute that she was giving me a kiss.  I told them - "That's not a kiss, she is hungry!"  Noelle thinks that milk comes out of every part of my body.  When she is hungry - I better watch out or I will get a nice hickey. My chin - no food, my nose - no food, my arm - still no food.

PS:  I think she is really teething this time.  She is stuffy, not sleeping, drooling more - poor girl.

Love,
Noelle's Mommy

Dare I say it?.... Drama Queen

Our little princess is turning into a drama queen or maybe a diva.  Noelle has started to fake cry to get what she wants.  The problem is I give her everything she wants.  I need to stand strong, but it's so hard.  She also is the pickiest eater EVER!  She won't eat anything green.  I thought babies were supposed to love green beans.  I can understand the asparagus, but green beans are good!  I have to put them in her rice cereal in the mornings.

She literally changes before my eyes.  She is turning into a little person with a HUGE personality.  Right now she is jumping in the exersaucer (which she wants to stay in for hours).  However, she is fake crying.  She wants me to stand next to her, so she can have the best of both worlds (playing and have me near her). I am not complaining.  I feel blessed everyday to have her!  Also how can I complain when she loves her mommy.

She's so cute!

PS:  Happy Birthday, Papa Larson!

Love,
Noelle's Mommy

I don't know where I live!

Yesterday was the first time I have driven in about four months (we have moved to NJ since then).  Freddy picked us up and dropped himself off at work.  I know how to get around from his office, but that's about it.  I called him after lunch to see when he wanted me to pick him up.  He said to go home and he would call me when he was ready.  I told him I couldn't since I don't know where we live ... really!  I went shopping near his office instead (Noelle got some cute, new outfits).

I do know how to get home from the PATH or Lightrail (aka trains).  Give me a car and I am lost.  Freddy has told me a few times, but my brain doesn't absorb this information.

Love,
Noelle's Mommy

Mommy Faux-Pas

So since I have been a mommy, I have made many faux-pas.  Here are a few...

1.  On Friday, I went out to lunch with another mommy at a NON-KID friendly restaurant.  While at lunch, Noelle was grunting away and made a stinky.  I had to change her diaper on the floor (with the changing pad) - no changing table.  I normally keep the little odor plastic bags with me, but I changed diaper bags and forgot to put them in.  It was a level 8 diaper. I put the smelly, level 8 diaper in the garbage.  It immediately left an odor in the bathroom.  Whoops!

2.  Noelle is so hungry when she wakes up in the morning.  She screams if I try to change her diaper, so I normally feed her first.  Today she got up at 6:00am.  At 9:30am, I was feeding her for the second time and thought - gee I never changed her diaper.  Whoops!  It was so heavy.  She is such a good baby (but I probably gave her diaper rash).

3. I attempt to go to the gym three times a week (feel guilty if I don't since we are paying uber $ for a gym membership that I HAD to have and now have no desire to go - locked in for one year).  Noelle is normally so good at the daycare.  I work out for about 30 minutes (but very worth the money), so she is not away from me for long.  Sometimes I drop her off when I know she is tired.  She CRIES and CRIES.  The daycare ladies are so nice and just hold and rock her.  They think she misses me.  I probably should let her nap and then workout...

Love,
Noelle's Mommy

Calls are coming in!

I submitted Noelle's information to a couple of modeling agencies this week and we are already getting calls!  We have an interview on Monday.  I am so excited!  Most of the gigs are in Manhattan which will be perfect.  Wish us luck!  Notre Dame will be paid for by her 1st birthday!

Also she got her ears pierced yesterday.  She was SOOOOO upset.  I think I cried for longer.  It's so weird.  I am not normally an emotional / crying person.  However, if my daughter is upset - let the waterworks flow!  I was a little worried that piercing her ears would affect her modeling gigs...but who cares!  She is so cute - everyone will still want her.

Yeah Baby Noelle!

PS:  Milestones - she slept on her side last night.  She also was trying to copy me when I held up my pointer finger.

Love,
Noelle's Mommy

Sleep...

I love sleep.  Pre-baby, I would sleep 8-10 hours every night.  I NEED my sleep.  Freddy, he can sleep six hours every night and be fine.  He feels that he operates better on six hours vs. eight hours.  Noelle has taken after her daddy.  I think I could sleep more than Noelle in a 24 hour period.  She goes to bed at 9pm and wakes up at 6:30am (could vary from day to day).  She takes a couple of naps - only lasting one hour each.  I give her plenty of opportunities to take more naps, sleep longer.  Nope - she doesn't want to miss a thing.  My mom tells me that when I was little she would say "Kimmey, time for bed."  I would go to bed without a fight and fall right asleep.  Hmmmm...I think Noelle will be a fighter when it is bedtime:)

Wish us luck today - Noelle is getting her ears pierced (for real this time).  Stay tuned for pictures.

Love,
Noelle's Mommy

HUGE Milestones!

Noelle is so wonderful!  She is rolling over tummy to back and back to tummy.  She is definitely mobile.  She is also sitting up on her own.  Yesterday we put her on her tummy and a toy out of reach.  She was inch-worming her way towards it.  SO CLOSE TO CRAWLING...  No teeth yet, but she is a drooling monster.  She still only likes bananas and rice cereal.  However, if I put a little bit of spinach in her rice cereal - she doesn't notice (but just a wee bit).

Story of the day... I didn't realize that I was "nesting" when I was preggo.  I did go through a can of Pledge  per month.  Since Noelle blessed us with her presence, I don't think I have touched the Pledge.  Freddy was so patience.  We did really clean a lot (mostly him since I could not move around my big belly).  Note to self...clean.

Love,
Noelle's Mommy

Dear Doctor...

Dear Doctor:

I know I am supposed to fatten up my daughter, but what do you do when all she wants to eat are B - A - N - A - N - A - S?  One day she likes eggplant, the next day not so much.  I try oatmeal cereal (for babies)... the next day she won't open her mouth.  Our little girl is smart.  I start feeding her bananas and when she isn't looking, I switch the food.  She sticks out her tongue to taste it before opening her mouth.  I also tried Jessica Seinfeld's book ideas about adding healthy ingredients.  Didn't work!  I tried putting Greek yogurt in her bananas...nope.

Today I am making sweet potatoes with a hint of avocados.  Wish me luck!

Yummy list:
-bananas
-rice cereal
-sweet potatoes
-carrots
-apples
-pears

Sometimes list:
-eggplant
-oatmeal

Icky list:
-peas
-and everything else when she feels like being a picky eater

Love,
Noelle's Mommy

B - A - N - A - N - A - S!

Bananas, bananas, yeah, bananas!  Noelle's favorite food so far has been bananas.  I ate about five a day when I was pregnant.  I could not get enough.  I think it's in her blood system.  When my sister was preggo, she ate so many apples and drank tons of apple juice.  My niece gobbles up apples all the time!  We I am preggo the next time, hubby wants me to eat lima beans and broccoli:)

Cute story... As if on cue, everytime I put Noelle in the highchair she has to take a potty break from eating. She grunts and grunts until everything is out.  Only time in your life where you can relieve yourself at the dinner table and everyone is cheering you on!

Love,
Noelle's Mommy