This Baby Goes Up to Eleven

Dear Olivia,

You are 11 months old today. What a big girl you are now. Daddy weighed you the other night and you are tipping the scales at 21 pounds! This month you have become extremely attached to your stuffed monkey who we very creatively nicknamed "monkey".  The verdict is still out on what his real name will be. I was reading you a book today that I read when I was little about two little naughty field mice and the momma mouse was named "Hunka Munka".  I think Hunka Munka Monkey is a perfect fit. You are able to sit still to listen to one book but that's about it before you want to flip out of our laps and do a headfirst dive onto the floor. You actually seemed to understand me finally when I say "no-no" to eating the dog food. You crawled on over to the bowls, sat down, looked at me and shook your head back and forth! It was absolutely amazing to have actually communicated with you and we understood what the other was saying! A very small but triumphant accomplishment for us.  

You started crawling headfirst into your toy bin. You tip your body over and just fall in, hoping you don't land on anything too hard. I admire your fiestiness. No need to wait for anyone to hand you that toy, you'll just take care of business on your own.  

You are starting to show signs of being a "strong willed child".  A kind name we give children who wish to defy their parents on a daily basis. But it really only comes out when you are tired of being strapped in car seats, strollers and carriers. Or during a diaper change. Or during PJ time. Or when you are done eating. Just kidding of course! You are an extremely happy baby and have been since the day we brought you home. 

I love everything about you Olivia. Your baby breath smells as sweet can be after a long day and you've passed out in my arms after a story and song. I kiss your little pink lips over and over hoping one day you will lean over and kiss me back. The best part of my day is going in to get you in the morning or after a nap and I walk in to see a big smile, messy hair and crusty eyes. 

You cut one of your front teeth this week, so I can't wait to see what you are going to look like once more teeth start coming in! I don't know if it's possible for you to get any cuter! 

We love you so much and are ready to celebrate your first birthday in a few weeks! It's going to be a rainbow party! I am hoping it looks like a cute little girl rainbow theme rather than a coming out party. We'll see what happens:)

Love, 

Mama and Dada

I decided it's funnier to post the outtakes when Joe and I are included in a picture with Olivia. I want her to see the real us one day and what we were like with her. If you haven't read this blogpost yet and you are a mom, you should...http://www.huffingtonpost.com/allison-tate/mom-pictures-with-kids_b_1926073.html

Olivia takes DC

Here are a couple of pictures from this week. We went to DC on Saturday to show Olivia the airplanes and space related nerdy stuff at the Air and Space Museum. By the way, that place is awesome when you are a kid, but a SNOOZEfest when you are a grown adult who would much rather be at the Taste of DC street event with all the coolers full of beer right around the corner from the museum. But, our daughter has now seen a small bit of DC, the mall and a museum at only 10 months old! Uncle Kevin did all those things for the first time with her at 34!

This video needs a bit of an explanation. Joe was trying to make it look like she was flying on the metro with the clouds and trees in the background. I was blowing on her hair and it was the cutest thing ever. So we did  it again to try and videotape it and as she "blew away" Joe accidentally went a little too far and knocked her head into the back of the train. She was fine, just a little stunned. And it was a very light, gentle knock. :)

10 Months

 Dear Olivia,

Banana face, Monkey, Livy Lake, Bean, Goober Girl, Darlin', Sweet Cheeks, Baby Girl, Honey Bunny.  Those are just some of the names we call you on a daily basis. I don't know why we even bothered spending all that time coming up with your name since we rarely use it the right way! You are 10 months old today. We have already started thinking about your 1st birthday party and what we want to do to celebrate you.  I am excited about it, but dreading it all the same. A one year old is so much more grown up than a new born baby.

This month you are saying Dada with meaning! Mama comes out every once and awhile but it's Daddy's name you know for sure. And somehow you say it in a completely different voice. It's super high pitched and covered in sugary sweetness. "da- da"... like a little priness who knows how to wrap her big daddy around her little finger so she can have all the goodies she wants. You can give high fives now too, but it's Aunt Steph who taught you that trick and she is still your favorite high fiver. You like to dance when you hear music, but it's more like bobbing your head up and down or moving your little tushie back and forth.

You are so happy all of the time. It's really so amazing Olivia. I guess when your only concern is figuring out how to stuff 20 cheerios in your mouth at one time, life is pretty good!

You finally let me rock and sing you to sleep for naps and bedtime. If I don't have to work that night, I will hold you as long as I can and sometimes just take you with me into my bed so I can watch you sleep. We keep the door to your nursery closed because of the cat, so I feel like I miss out on watching you sleep at night. And if I am being honest, 95% of the time I fall asleep while rocking you. I probably fall asleep faster than you do!

It is so much fun being your Mom. I feel like this entire other world that I was never a part of and quite frankly didn't have much of an interest in for the majority of my adult life has opened up. My number one priority an interest is being the best Mom I can be for you every day. There are so many things I want to do with you and show you when you get older. You love shaking your head when we say "no no".  It's so cute now, but I am sure that will be a different story in the future. I love you so much and I try to tell you every day. Ok every hour of the day practically.

Love, Mommy

9 Months

I guess I got seriously blogged out from the month of June. I have heard many a complaint about my lack of posts, specifically my negligence in failing to post Olivia's 9th and 10th month updates. I did take her official pictures to document the milestones, I just never got around to writing about it. Here are some of her 9 month pictures.  She started clapping and putting her arms above her head when we ask "how big is Olivia?". Which we immediately regretted once football season started. We should have been saying "touchdown"! She is eating almost everything now, which is so much easier! We just feed her whatever we have for dinner and she gets to experience so many different flavors. She really has yet to turn down a specific food. This month she was taking 2 naps a day and sleeping through the night except when teething. She cut one of her upper a teethwhile we were at Alpine Lake with everyone over Labor Day. Ok, let me go on and post 10 months while I have a second at the computer!

Best of the Best

Here are some of my favorite pictures since May.

 I got my iPod only 2 months ago and already have over 600 pictures on it.

 99.9% are of Olivia. 

July Means 8 Months!

Dear Olivia,

My sweet little girl! You are 8 months old already this week. Where oh where is the time going? I am going to turn around and you are going to be asking me for my car keys! This month marked a big milestone.... mobility! You took off crawling like you had known how to do it all along and were just patiently waiting for the right moment to show off. It's been so much fun to watch you discover the world around you in your own unique way.  You've even started pulling up on things and we had to put your crib to the lowest setting so that you don't topple over the side rails at night. 

We went to Smith Mountain Lake with the Iskow side of the family.  You went swimming in the lake, rode on the boat and managed to execute an amazing escape plan from your pack n play that terrified your Mother and Father. While we were there you learned how to say bye bye (ok, it really sounds just like ba) and give a cute little wave. You started eating toast with a little bit of butter, yogurt and chicken. Strawberries and blueberries are a favorite morning snack too. I have been trying to teach you some signs to make it easier to ask for what you want. We are learning "eat" and "more" right now.

During the rare times you are quiet and happy to sit in my arms calmly, usually after a nap, I love to stare at all your features. You have beautiful long eyelashes and perfectly shaped almond eyes. They say eye color is pretty much set at 6 months, so it seems like you have a grey/hazel color. Your lips are so sweet and I try to kiss them every day and tell you "kiss!" so that maybe one day you will turn to me and want a kiss of your own! Your hands and feet are are deliciously pudgy and I could kiss your stubby little toes all day long. Not gonna lie, I totally suck on them and it makes you laugh like crazy. Everyone says you have the cutest thighs, which cracks me up. One lady called them "juicy thighs". Like you were a yummy piece of chicken!

Love,
Mommy and Daddy