January 24, 2008 23 weeks....

So many things have been going on this week!!! We have had a jammed packed week:) On Monday, we headed to the zoo.... I know it seems like I go a lot... I do. I take Helena once or twice a week. It is so beautiful there and there are amazing hills. Amazing hills means.... you know what it means:) Also on Monday, Helena first tooth broke through on the bottom. I thought she was also getting her top tooth, however she is also working on the other bottom one. I can see the other bottom one and I can feel the top one. Lets just say there has been some biting this week and the milk machine has been closing.... We also got the good news that we are going to have a nephew.... Evan William McGANN!!! We can not wait to meet you:)
On Tuesday we went and visited Alice the Great... this is our CA great grandma.... it was nice to be able to visit with her we always have such great conversation. We also went over to my friend Maria's house, her son Tristan is one day younger the Helena. This is the first time they were together and they actually really interacted! It was sooooooooo CUTE:) We had them kicking the soccer ball, sitting up and playing with blocks and Tristan was trying to teach Helena how to roll all over the house! He is so great at rolling! It was another great day!

Wednesday Helena and I brought her bassinet to my friend Natalie.... she is due with a little girl named Chloe in April. We are so excited to have another friend her is San Diego!!!
Friday we went to the salon and I got a hair cut and everyone at the salon just was awing over miss Helena and her smiles and amazing hair color:) We also went to the zoo over the weekend as a family and just had a nice time together!

TWO Teeth

So for the first time I saw Helena's bottom tooth! We can also feel the one on top! Can not believe she is getting 2 teeth at a time! What a big girl:) She is actually doing a lot better. So maybe we have a week or 2 I am sure before the other 2 start coming in. We are headed to the zoo yet again to celebrate Martin Luther King Day! Hope everyone enjoys their Monday off:)

Cookies N Cats N Fish!

So this weekend we got a fish tank! I use to have this tank with Kendal, she moved so we get to have it! We started out with 4 fish and a frog, we now have 17 fish and a frog! We are so excited. We all love them. Helena's jumper is over there so gets to watch them. Jones spends a good part of his day on top of the tank watching them. And BJ and I just think it is funny that one of the smallest fish, swims around and bites all the other fish! We have a breed of fish that will have babies, so that will be exciting. So far everyone in the tanks seems to be enjoying there home!



Other news from the home front. We are still doing pretty well with sleeping in the crib. She is now taking naps in the crib, we have now had 3 successful 2 hour naps in the crib! I am also working on my parents and our travel website. We have an amazing timeshare to share with our friends and family so keep our eyes out for an email and or a mailer to be at your house in early February. We maybe having a visitor at the end of the month... GRAMMIES is trying to come out so BJ and I can celebrate our 2 your anniversary. We hope she is able to make it.... if not we understand. We are also anxiously awaiting the news on whether or not we are having a new niece or nephew. The McGann's find out on MONDAY what the sex of their baby is. Other then that, we are all doing well. Helena is still always doing new things, like a new laugh she just discovered and she loves playing with her toes. Oh and most importantly she is on to solids, she has now had applesauce and we are on to carrots for the next few days. We hope everyone is having a great week.

Happy 5 Months Helena!

So I was was transferring some things from our babycookie site and I was looking at her growth chart from her Well Check-ups!

• August 18th, 2008 20 inches long, 6 lbs 10 oz
• September 9th, 2008 21 inches long, 8lbs 4 oz
• October 22, 2008 22.25 inches long, 11lbs 13 oz
• December 18th, 2009 24.25 inches long, 14lbs 12 oz

I just think it is so great that she is gaining weight and getting bigger each and everyday! As most of you can tell she has got some major cheeks! Someone asked me if I was breastfeeding her Hagen Daz:) She has a very hearty appetite, she is eating solids 2 times a day and also drinking water from a sippy and lots of breast milk!

We did have a break thru this weekend.... Helena is sleeping thru the night in her crib! She is doing AMAZING!!! I can not believe it! I still am getting up once to pump. I can not make it thru yet plus I like having the extra milk to freeze or for bottles when we are out. Just another milestone for her. I can not believe that 5 months have passed by so quickly! I feel so blessed to have such a great little girl, who is doing new things each and everyday! To celebrate Helena's 5th month, we got a fish tank! We currently have 4 fish and a frog. We will be getting some plants and more fish later this week! I am also bringing Helena to Mommy Matinee. I have not been to the movies since before she was born, so I am really looking forward to this!

I few more things that have happened, the other night while I was getting Helena ready for the bath, BJ had just gotten home and we were chatting with her, I sat her up and she said" Oh yeah" It was so funny! She had no idea what she was saying, just mimicking us... how do they get so smart. She has also really been struggling with her teeth, I feel something on the top but can not see the tooth. She has been beyond fussy, so today while she was whining, I put her pants on her head like a hat. I then made up some crazy songs and we had a good giggle for about 15 minutes and we forgot all about the pain of that tooth. Just goes to show kids do not need any toys, just our imagination!

Week 21!

So this week has been a long week of ups and down. My Uncle lost his battle with cancer on Monday. It is sad to see him go, however he is in a better place with out pain and suffering. I really wish I could have been in Minnesota this week to support my family, that was just not possible. So our prayers and thoughts are with my family!We love you!

Helena is going to be 5 months on Sunday January 11th! During her 21st week, she has been drinking from her sippy cup by herself. She also just started sitting up by herself and playing with her toys! She is getting sooooo big! I can not believe how much more confidence she is gaining everyday to try new things! This week we also attending a music and story time at the library which was a lot of fun! She loves other kids and singing, so this was a winning activity! Things that we are up too... we are headed to the zoo today and this weekend BJ and I are still working with Helena on sleeping thru the night and taking better naps in her crib. I am currently reading a book, " The No Cry Sleep Solution" So far I like the method. We tried "crying it out" It is not for us and Helena cries so hard she chokes herself. BJ and I just can not do that to our little Cheeks! Well we hope everyone has a great weekend! It is going to be in the 70's.... so we are looking forward to being outside:)

Some More New Things...

Helena and I were just playing and she reminded me of a few other things she is doing:
* she is starting to understand Peek- a- Boo... I play this everyday with her silky bear... and she is getting the concept and is pulling the bear over her head and slowly pulling it down with a very big grin!
* She is really giggling and laughing with a razz..... it is very funny. She is also very tickalish and really loves when you play "I'm going to get you" game.
* She is also very much like her father and she fights her sleep! She just wants to stay up and party !
* She is also very handsy.... she loves touching your face, hair, eyes, & ears. She is also getting really good at grabbing her toys and getting them to here mouth!
* And She found her toes:)

Week 20!

So I hope everyone had a great new year! We were bums and just hang around. Helena has been congested and cutting teeth. If we could only see the tooth that is causing a running nose, rosy cheeks, and a very cranky baby..... We spent the day at the San Diego Zoo! We had such a good time. Helena really loved all the plants and waterfalls, so maybe next time she will actually notice the animals. We are members so we can go whenever we want. So we will be there at least once a week. Tons of hills and good walking for me!
Some new things Helena is doing:
* She is almost sitting up by herself.
* She is super talkative.... not sure what she is speaking... lots of high pitch gargles and coos. SOOO CUTE. BJ and I just loved to talk to her! She is the most talkative in her Jumper, on her changing table half naked! Or when we have her on the floor working on rolling.
* Helena is not that interested in rolling, she loves being on her tummy and doing baby pushups and kicking her feet.
* Helena is starting to understand certain words. If I say give me some kisses, she opens her mouth like she is going to eat you! When we say Big Girl Bites, she knows it is time for cereal or oatmeal. SHE LOVES OATMEAL!
* Helena also knows what the camera is and when it comes out she stops smiling. She is sooooo funny, she could be in a full melt down and if she notices the camera, the melt down and over the posing begins. SO funny that she is so little and already gets it! TOO SMART!

Well I hope everyone enjoys the weekend. We are going to de-Christmas our apartment and get back to normal! And just try to catch up on some sleep. Helena is not adjusting well to her crib. We get up anywhere from 2-5 times a night! Believe me BJ and I have almost called it quits, but we are staying strong.