12.30.2012

Kennedy's 22 Week Check In


5 months down, first Christmas over, the end of the year baby girl was born is right around the corner.  I just can't believe how fast this year has flown by and how quickly Kennedy is growing and changing.

How Big Is Baby?





  • Kennedy is at least 14 pounds now.  She is also growing noticeably longer.  (She can touch the floor from her jumparoo and bounces like a maniac!)
  • We did another closet purge this week.  K can still wear 3 month tops and 3 month bottoms... but anything that is one piece (like sleep and plays)... she is in 6 or 9 month.
  • Full time cloth diapering. One size and smalls with two medium fleece soakers.

Development & Milestones
  • Kennedy can sit perfectly now.  It is so fun to watch her sit like a big girl and play with her toys. 
  • She is doing great with her rolling and mini push ups.  When she lays on her belly, she kicks up a storm, but doesn't really get anywhere yet.  It won't be long before she is crawling, but not quite yet.
  • Still no teeth... but still teething.
Diet/Nursing
  • Nursing is still going great!  This week I am going to practice nursing in my ring sling.  We will be taking our first plane ride in a few weeks and I want to make sure I can nurse discreetly in the sling for take off and landing.  Wish me luck!
  • Pumping at work is also going well.
Sleep

  • Still sleeping in 4 hour stretches with an occasional 5 hour stretch, which is glorious!
  • Naps have been ok this week.  She has been taking longer to go down for her nap (fussing and fighting to stay awake) and when she finally does fall asleep, it's only been for 20 or 30 minutes at a time.  I'm not sure what that's all about, but I hope this phase passes fast.  Nap time is when mommy cleans and gets things done around the house.
PP Mommy Check In

  • Down another pound or two.  Weird.
  • Right now I am about 123 lbs.  
  • *For reference, my highest pregnancy weight was 162, my pre-pregnancy weight was 130 and my goal weight is 125* 

How Is Daddy?

  • Kevin has had a wonderful week.  He enjoyed 3 days off for Christmas and wrapped up his last week as a housekeeper.  Next week starts a new job with better hours/days and better pay.  He is very excited to be able to have every night and weekend off with his baby girl.

Any appointments, visitors or outings?  Anything else new?

  • Christmas was wonderful!!  New Years is coming up.  I can't believe in a few days it will be "My baby was born last year."  I'm not looking forward to leaving her birth year behind, but excited to see what 2013 has in store for us
  • Cloth diapering is still going great!! 

  Product Rave: 

  • Teething Necklace... baby girl loves to chew on anything she can get her hands on and this has managed to keep her occupied and happy for long stretches.
Any upcoming developments, milestones?  What's next?

  • The end of Kennedy's birth year is in 2 days.  2012 has been such an amazing year that I am sad to see it end... but I know 2013 will be an amazing year full of many firsts.  Bring it on!!
  • Next pediatrician appointment for Kennedy is in January for her 6 month check up.
  • We will be taking our first trip on an airplane in a little more than a week.  We are flying down to Orlando to see my family.  I can't wait to post pictures.  :) 
  Picture Time:

12.23.2012

Kennedy's 21 Week Check In

21 weeks and Christmas is just a few days away.  Last Christmas (aside from being super pukey!) I daydreamed about what it would be like to celebrate with my little one... now here she is and celebrate we will!!  So hard to believe my dreams have come true and we will really be spending this Christmas together!!



How Big Is Baby?

  • Kennedy has to be about 14 pounds now.  She is such a big girl!!  
  • Most of her 3 month clothes are retired.  She is wearing mostly 3-6 and 6 month clothes now.  I think we will be doing another closet purge/clothing retirement soon.  She is growing like a weed.
  • Full time cloth diapering. One size and smalls with two medium fleece soakers.
Development & Milestones
  • Kennedy can sit easily now for up to a minute or so.  Her balance is getting much better.  
  • Baby girl has been talking up a storm and cracking herself up.
  • She can now reach the floor from her Jumparoo and loves to bounce bounce bounce.
  • Still no teeth... but still teething.
Diet/Nursing
  • Nursing is still going great!
  • Pumping at work is also going well.
Sleep
  • Still sleeping in 4 hour stretches with an occasional 5 hour stretch, which is glorious!
  • Naps have been great!  She is napping in her crib regularly.  We are considering trying to transition her to her crib for night time, but I don't know if I am ready to move her to her room.  Seems so far away!!
PP Mommy Check In

  • Holding steady at my normal weight now.
  • Right now I 125 lbs.  
  • *For reference, my highest pregnancy weight was 162, my pre-pregnancy weight was 130 and my goal weight is 125* 
How Is Daddy?
  • Kevin is just plain wonderful.  He handles bath time, story time, bed time... all by himself 5 nights a week.  I am so lucky to have him!! 
Any appointments, visitors or outings?  Anything else new?
  • Nothing new this week really. Christmas is in 2 days and we couldn't be more excited.
  • Cloth diapering is still going great!! 
  Product Rave: 
  • Teething Necklace... baby girl loves to chew on anything she can get her hands on and this has managed to keep her occupied and happy for long stretches.
Any upcoming developments, milestones?  What's next?

  • Next pediatrician appointment for Kennedy is in January for her 6 month check up.
  • We will be taking our first trip on an airplane in a few weeks.  We are flying down to Orlando to see my family.  I can't wait to post pictures.  :)

12.16.2012

Kennedy's 20 Week Check In

20 weeks.  Just wow.  20 weeks pregnant is half way, half baked, the turning point.... now Kennedy has been outside the womb for 20 weeks and it's hard for me to even remember what it was like to reach the 20 week mark of having her on the inside.  Time is just flying flying by... I wish there was a way for me to stop it somehow. 


How Big Is Baby?

  • Kennedy is likely 14 pounds now.  She is growing very tall also.  I have noticed that some of her pants are now becoming high waters, lol.
  • Most of her 3 month clothes are retired.  She is wearing mostly 3-6 and 6 month clothes now.  Big girl!
  • Full time cloth diapering. One size and smalls with two medium fleece soakers.
Development & Milestones
  • Kennedy can sit unsupported fairly well.  She does tend to topple over when she tries to look around, or usually when she tries to watch wherever Lucy goes.  But... we are so proud of how well she can sit.
  • Kennedy has been very vocal.  She likes to babble and coo when she first wakes up, which is just the sweetest thing.  She laughs and shrieks when she plays in her bouncer also.  Cracks me up!
  • Still no teeth... but still teething with a vengence.  I know they will make their appearance sooner or later.  Later is fine with me... but I don't like seeing her so uncomfortable.  It seems to be worst at night.  Poor girl.
Diet/Nursing
  • Nursing is still going great!
  • Pumping at work is also going well.
Sleep
  • Still sleeping in 4 hour stretches... every once in a blue moon I will get a 5 hour stretch.  Not often... but when I do it's amazing!
  • Naps have been pretty good.  Kennedy naps in her crib like a big girl for mommy now.  Daddy is having a tough time getting her to sleep in the crib, but she normally does pretty good for me.
PP Mommy Check In

  • Back up a pound or two.  I blame my bake sale and 2 cookie exchanges.  :P
  • Right now I 125 lbs.  
  • *For reference, my highest pregnancy weight was 162, my pre-pregnancy weight was 130 and my goal weight is 125* 
How Is Daddy?
  • Kevin is doing great!!  We are so excited for Christmas!!   
Any appointments, visitors or outings?  Anything else new?
  • Nothing new this week really. 
  • Cloth diapering is still going great!! 
  Love/Hate: 
  • Love: Love You Zoo Jumparoo.  This is, by far, Kennedy's favorite toy!
  • Hate:  
Any upcoming developments, milestones?  What's next?

  • Next pediatrician appointment for Kennedy is in January for her 6 month check up.

12.09.2012

Kennedy's 19 Week Check In

19 weeks and growing so big!  Baby girl had another great week of growing, playing, learning and loving.  :)



How Big Is Baby?

  • Kennedy is somewhere between 13 1/2 and 14 pounds.
  • Most of her 3 month clothes are retired.  She is wearing mostly 3-6 and 6 month clothes now.  Big girl!
  • Full time cloth diapering. One size and smalls with two medium fleece soakers.
Development & Milestones
  • Kennedy can roll from back to tummy with ease now... although she still doesn't quite know what to do with herself once she gets onto her tummy. 
  • Kennedy has graduated from zombie to zombie-dactyl.  She still does her zombie talking and adds in a high pitched pteradactyl-like screech every so often.
  • Still no teeth, but I think we are getting pretty close.  She is slobbering like it's her job and chewing on everything she can get into her mouth.
Diet/Nursing
  • Nursing is still going great!
  • Pumping at work is also going well.
  • I have such an overload of milk (completely full freezer and 1/4 full deep freezer) that I finally decided to contact the National Milk Bank to discuss donation.  I found out that by taking Colace, I have made my milk ineligible for donation.  However, 24 hours after I stop taking it, my milk can be collected for donation.  So... the loads and loads of milk I have saved already is ours to keep... but I will start storing for donation soon.  I'm kind of excited about this.  :)
Sleep
  • Still sleeping in 4 hour stretches... Still.
  • Naps have been pretty good this week.  Fingers crossed this trend continues.  :)
PP Mommy Check In
  • Back down to 123-124 this week.  Bye Bye Thanksgiving poundage!
  • Right now I 124 lbs.  
  • *For reference, my highest pregnancy weight was 162, my pre-pregnancy weight was 130 and my goal weight is 125* 
How Is Daddy?
  • Kevin is doing really great!  We are both so very excited for our little girl's first Christmas. 
Any appointments, visitors or outings?  Anything else new?
  • Nothing new this week really. 
  • Cloth diapering is still going great!! 
  Product Love: 
  • Love: Amber teething necklace.  We weren't completely sure how well it was working... then we spent one night without it.  Yep.  It works.  
Any upcoming developments, milestones?  What's next?
  • Next pediatrician appointment for Kennedy is in January for her 6 month check up.
Picture Time!!

Bonus Family Pictures!!  :)
 

12.06.2012

Recipe: BEST.meatballs.EVER (according to my husband)

*I cannot vouch for the accuracy of his claim because he gobbled them all up before I had a chance to try one...

A little back story... My husband works first shift and I work second.  We "baby swap" in the parking garage most days when he is leaving and I am arriving.  Fun stuff.  I like to *try* (key word TRY) to get something in the crock pot for him for dinner before I leave for work.  More often than not, the last hour or so before I leave for work is complete and utter chaos.  Kennedy is waking up from her nap, I'm trying to get all the pieces of my breast pump sterilized and packed (doing this the night before would make a lot more sense... but that just never happens), Kennedy blows out a diaper then wants to nurse, Lucy destroys a fluffy dog toy all over the living room, etc etc etc.  And in the midst of all of this, I am scrambling to throw a bunch of stuff in my crock pot that may or may not be edible.  :) 
This is why I went nutso with the crock pot meals (link here) before Kennedy arrived.  When things get really crazy, I just grab a bag from my freezer, toss it in the crock pot and run out the door.

So earlier in the week, I had the foresight to thaw out a pound of ground beef.  What for?  I dunno.  Just seemed like a good idea at the time.  Yesterday I knew I needed to use the ground beef, but for the life of me couldn't figure out what to do with it.  We had already made chili over the weekend and I didn't have time to do up a whole spaghetti sauce.  I was stuck.  

Then I thought... meatballs!!  Kevin loves meatballs!  I can whip some together real quick, no problem.  But I wanted to jazz them up somehow... and so...

BBQ Cheddar Meatballs (or the BEST.meatballs.EVER according to Kevin)
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 egg
  • generous amount of Famous Dave's Steakburger Seasoning
  • 1 jar of your favorite BBQ sauce (I used Dino BBQ Sensuous Slathering Sauce)
Combine everything except the BBQ sauce into a mixing bowl and mix well.  Roll into large meatballs and place in glass baking dish.  Bake at 375 for about 15-20 minutes or until browned.  Place in crock pot on low and cover with BBQ sauce.  

Simple.  Delicious.  :)  Next time I make them I will make sure to hide a few from Kevin so I can actually try them. 

12.02.2012

Kennedy's 18 Week Check In

This little peanut is growing so fast!!  This was a great week for us!  I am so lucky to have such a sweet, fun little girl!



How Big Is Baby?

  • Kennedy is 13 pounds 9 ounces and 26 1/4 inches, according to her appointment on Tuesday.
  • Most of her 3 month clothes are retired.  She is wearing mostly 3-6 and 6 month clothes now.  Big girl!
  • Full time cloth diapering. One size and smalls with two medium fleece soakers and 3 more on the way.
Development & Milestones
  • Kennedy has been a rolling machine this week.  She almost instantly starts wiggling and rolling when I lay her down on her back.  This is cute to watch, but it makes nap times kind of crazy.  I lay her down, she rolls over and screams.  I flip her on her back, she rolls over and screams.  And repeat and repeat and repeat until she tires out and falls asleep.
  • Kennedy has started zombie talking.  It's pretty funny.  She gets this low growling deep voice and babbles non stop for several minutes.  I think she has been watching too much Walking Dead with daddy. 
  • No teeth yet, but they are definitely working their way in.  Kennedy has really been chomping down on my knuckles and shoulder every chance she gets.  She has tons of teething toys, but I guess they just don't taste as good as mommy's fingers. 
Diet/Nursing
  • Nursing is still going great!
  • Pumping at work has been a challenge this week.  I don't know if there is something wrong with my pump or if it somehow got turned on in my bag, but twice this week- two nights in a row- the pump died after only a minute and a half.  I was almost in tears!!  Not cool, Medela.  I keep meaning to call them to see if it needs replaced, but I keep getting side tracked.  Oops.
Sleep
  • Still sleeping in 4 hour stretches... I don't think we are ever going to get past 4 hours... but that's ok.
  • Naps haven't been so great this week, mostly because she keeps rolling over!  Maybe next week will be better.
PP Mommy Check In
  • I snuck on the scale at work and weighed in.  Still at 125, even after Thanksgiving food craziness.  Woot woot!!
  • Right now I 125 lbs.  
  • *For reference, my highest pregnancy weight was 162, my pre-pregnancy weight was 130 and my goal weight is 125* 
How Is Daddy?
  • Kevin is doing great as always.  :)  I have the best husband and father to our little girl.
Any appointments, visitors or outings?  Anything else new?
  • Kennedy had her 4 month check up on Tuesday.  She is growing wonderfully!!  26 1/4 inches (97%) and 13 pounds 9 ounces (50 something %).  The doctor says she is a healthy (and cute!) baby girl!!  She took her shots without much fuss and made it through the post shot night ok.  I'm so proud of my little girl!
  • Cloth diapering is still going great!! 
  Product Love: 
  • Love:
Any upcoming developments, milestones?  What's next?
  • Next pediatrician appointment for Kennedy is in January for her 6 month check up.
Picture Time!!