Ana's latest Language Development

Adjectives, possesives, plurals, counting, letter IDing, and 3 part sentences
(1) descriptive words- pointing out and explaining all objects she touches and views, both near and far, with astounding accuracy.
-wet or dry
-cold or hot (I think this is a side effect left over from Tucker----see earlier post for explanation. Thus, she fears anything "hot" so we're trying to teach her "warm")
-Heavy (when carrying something around)
-Happy, sad, or angry

(2) Possesives. She now can tell you who's something is. For example, "mommy's water", "ana's mimi", "Taylor's nuk", etc....

(3) Plurals. Accurately adding "s" to all nouns when she refers to more than one. For example, "Mommy there's a puppy" and "Mommy there's 2 puppies"

(4) Counting. Ana is counting objects to 2 independently and 3 with help...thank you "count" her new favorite character

(5) Letters. She can ID the letters, A, B, C, D, Z and sing the song...thank you A-Z Seasmee Street Video

(6) Sentences. She is speaking in 3 part sentences more and more each day....most common phrases include
There is _______
Where is ______
Here is _____
I don't know.
Where did ____ go

A relief from Cabin Fever- OUT AT LAST

Justin and I were bound and determined to get back a little of summer life. So we took the girls for their first sisterhood hike. This is Unicoi State Park in the foot hills of the Blue Ridge Mountain Range. Everyone was quite tired and a bit stressed, but we prevailed!


THE PINE CONE- Ana's newsest discovery. While Mommy was feeding Taylor, Ana entertained herself by tracking down all the pinecones in her view and stacking them in a nice, neat pile in the middle of the trail!

Our First Arts and Craft day

Lucky for Ana Taylor has decided to take a little...OK LONG...snooze this AM. So out came our art supplies for the first time. Ana is in ARTIST heaven. She is ADORABLE and I wish you all were here right now to see her. She is purposefully and oh so carefully looking at each marker and placing it on the paper. Then, when she is satisfied she turns the page and starts a whole new masterpiece! Earlier we had out the ink and she was having a ball sticking her hands and feet on the pad, then on the paper and seeing her "has" (hands) and "oots" (feet) on the paper. We had to do it many times.
I think she is a righty- sorry dad!

Nightly Ritual

For those of you who miss us dearly.....here you see the only way we sleep, thus is what each night looks like behind the doors of good 'ol Abbey Manor- this is the assumed position for Daddy and Taylor until her last feeding! Isn't it sweet?

Taylor's first milestones

This little peanut is smarter than we think...she's figured out the best way to calm mom down is to do a new trick. So, today, after hours of crying, she surprised me with 10 minutes of mommy bliss....

First SMILE

First COO

First consistent and purposeful batting/reaching for hanging toys

First repeated attempt to roll back and forth from back to tummy (oh she's so very close)

Play time was a SERIOUS success this afternoon, and even Ana got to join in the fun!

Auntie Jess comes for the weekend

My sister came in for the night Saturday to see her god daughter Ana and meet Taylor. For such a short trip we sure packed in a lot of fun. We took Ana to our "big pool" for Christmas in July (Santa was there in beach gear), had a mommies night out to a party south of the city (leaving Daddy home with both girls...AND..he survived!) and checked out the Atlanta Botanical Gardens...my new favorite must hit spot!

Atlanta Botanical Gardens

BLOW AWAY the Milwaukee Domes. Ana had such fun running through the fountains, inside the catalyst, playing in the frog pond...and much much more. It was a little hot for Taylor so despite all my efforts to nurse and even bottle feed, she wasn't having it. She made up for it last night though!!!

Ana develops Empathy

I have to document Ana's latest before it passes us without memory...Ana has a book called "Ho, Ho, Ho Tucker". Tucker is a dog who loves Christmas and in the book he partakes in all the holiday traditions from a puppy's perspective. About mid book Tucker eats Christmas Cookies right off the hot pan and burns his nose. At this point of the book, Ana begins to cry (I mean really cry with tears and all) and says, "oh no, Tucker, owie, nose, hurt" over and over again. She now stops me on the page before the burning incident and says "all done mommy" and closes the book to avoid the trauma of seeing an injured Tucker, and talks about his "Tucker's hurt nose" all day long.

I never knew a 16 month old could have such empathy. She is such a doll!!!!

Following In Her Sisters Footprints

I had to pack away my first outfit today as Taylor has OUTGROWN it already.

It seems she is taking after her sister in her speedy growth, and actually surpassing her. When I put on a pair of 0-3 month footie jammies and couldn't get her legs in while zipping them up I had to check Ana's baby book to see her size at one month and compare (I know I know...we're not supposed to compare children, but just this once is OK, right?!!??!).

Anyway, it seems our little Taylor is BIGGER than Ana was at one month.
Ana: 9 lbs, 21 inches
Taylor: 9.75 lbs, 22 inches

WOW! I wonder if this will keep up.

Now, if she could just follow her sisters lead in sleeping behavior (Ana was sleeping a straight 9 hours at 8 weeks old) we'd be in baby heaven all over again!

Documentary: Eat, Wake, Sleep- All the Faces of Taylor

Just SOOO Sleepy


But just can't seem to sleep


A bath to calm (yes, baths now have become a calming agent for our dear Taylor. She now gets one every night at 8:30)

And she's down! Phew...who knew it would take so long.

5 Weeks

En Route home from Acquarium

Such a busy day

Titi & Leena

Leticia and Angelina came for a WONDERFUL visit this past weekend. The girls had a great time and I was in friendship heaven having my long time b-friend here with me to share my up and downs of second parent hood.

We kept them quite busy playing in our playroom, the back yard, at the "big pool, the Georgia Acqaurium and shopping.
It was so cute listenting the the girls "talk" to one another, get into mischief together and follow one anothers lead in various play activities.

Here are the girls playing away.

Calling all moms

OK moms...I need some ideas as I am CLEAR OUT! I have a beautiful little 5 week old who thinks it is a GREAT idea to stay up ALL NIGHT. When I say ALL NIGHT. I mean ALL NIGHT. For the past 4 days now she gets up for her 1:00 AM feeding and doesn't fall back to sleep until 5:00 AM...yes...all night.

Any ideas?

1 Month

Taylor has survived another doctor appointment. Here are the results-

Weight: 9 lbs. 11.5 oz = 50 %
Hieght: 22 inches = 75 %
Head circumference: 14 inches = 12 %

(Doctor thinks we have a future model on our hands: long and lean :) )

No Sleeping/crying/fussing Diagnosis = REFLUX

It seems our poor baby Taylor, while she looks just like her Daddy, has gotten my poor stomach genetics. The doctor is sure the reason for her constant distaste for life is due to reflux. So we are starting Zantac BID (2 times a day) and OH DOES SHE HATE the medicene. But, if it has anything to do with her great night sleep last night (see next post) she'll soon learn of it's "happy" power!

She also got her second round of HEP B shots and didn't handle the situation all too well. She screamed harder, longer and with more fierce than I thought possisble. For the first time ever I too cried along with her...just so heart breaking.

Currently we have Angelina and Leticia for a visit and Ana got to stay home and play with them. Such a great time to have them here. The two girls are adorable together and I love having my long time b-friend with me to share in all my joys and miseries of 2nd parenthood. Stay tuned for shots of the weekend!

Oh What a Night!

Was is the shots?
Was it the NOT SLEEPING for 2 whole days?
Was is the new medicene for reflux?

One will never know, but the result was bliss....6 straight hours of uninterrupted sleep followed by another 2 hours!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

BORED????? Could it be so?

I feel as if I'm in the twilight zone. It is 1:30 in the afternoon and I think I'm bored. I'm not sure. It's been awhile, so I may be misjudging this feeling. However, I am wandering around, wondering what to do with ALL MY TIME- both girls have now been sleeping for 1 hour- and munching on food. I THINK that's boredom?

It's amazing, I've showered, checked e-mail, changed the laundry, ate lunch, and still...they SLEEP! WOW!

Pulling out all the stops

As mentioned yesterday and the day before (see earlier posts) our days with Taylor can be a bit long, which make for longer nights when there is no break in the day, so today Daddy discovered an AMAZING trick- see below- water running, dishwasher going and vaccuum cleaner motor turning away makes for one sleepy TAYLOR. AHHHHHHH...peace at last! QUICK...I must go shower. ENJOY the latest shots!

Truly Adorable

"mess"

Here is Ana playing in her new turtle sand box...it took her awhile to get the hang of how fun playing in the sand is. The first few times she just touched it and said "mess" over and again while wiping her hands off. But now she thinks it's the bomb! We have it outside our patio doors and she runs over to the door begging for "turtle peese, out"!!!!!!!

Free Moment

I am in the middle of one my few cherished free moments as both girls are safely, and lovingly, accounted for- Ana with her beloved mimis (blankets) tucked away in bed, and Taylor in Daddy's arms without tears (BIG FEAT for this time of night with her)...way to go Daddy- so, I thought I'd do a quick update to record how this first, almost, month has been in the Toson house. Easy, unfortunatley, is not a word I can use to describe how our transition is going. However, fast is appropriate. Taylor is challenging us in new ways and Ana is coming along for the ride.

Taylor is healthy and growing quickly, even getting a few rolls, but doesn't seem to agree with life quite yet. She still is either eating or fussing with quick cat naps in between. I know we had these days with Ana, but it's quite different with Taylor as I don't have the time or undivided attention that I had for Ana. And for that I feel awful....I wonder every second what I'm missing when giving one attention and not able to give my 100% to the other...a juggling act I'm sure I will forever struggle with, but hope in time one that will ease up. One thing is for sure though and that is our immediate and constant unconditional love for her. Night time, while filled with her "fussy" time, is still one of the best in that I finally can just stare at her and all her delicate and beautiful features that zoom by during our crazy days. I am looking forward to her 1 month check up next week to see how much she's grown and changed in the eyes of the doctor! It's hard to belive it's already been one month. WOW!

Ana is BLOSSOMING and is just the best big sister around. She is so helpful with all the "baby needs" and loves to give Taylor love and kisses. Every morning and night is begun or concluded with self requested "Tay Tay, kiss" from Ana. She is just so sweet! Her language continues to AMAZE Justin and I as we have full conversations with our 1 year old. She is already answering quite abstract questions, following 2 and 3 step directions, labeling emotions of herself and others, and having full back and forth conversations with all her toys while playing make believe. It's just so fun to watch her.

All in all the month has been nothing short of a miracle and I know, even with all the new challenges that slam us in the face daily, we will look back and wish we could take these days back. So Justin and I continue our support of one another to make it through, and do our best to see the greatness that is before us (something we could work on!). Thank you to EVERYONE who has, and continues to, support us with time, advice, thoughts, gifts, kinds words and moments of sanity through this all. It is NOT FORGOTTEN!

SURVIVED DAY ONE

And even got dinner on the table. But,....DAY II is a bit more challenging for me.

Taylor is against 3 things (1) sleeping during the day, (2) being put down AT ALL, (3) infant carriers

Ana is cutting her last eye tooth...FUN STUFF HERE!

CHALLENGING to say the least

TAYLOR ROLLS OVER

That's right....yesterday, Taylor's 3rd week + 1 day in this world, she rolled from her tummy to her back!

WOW!

Ana: "Nana, Gaga, home, bye, bye, Maggie"

This is what Ana says now as she works through the concept of her favorite people in the world leaving her. Quite impressive if you ask me...she is explaining to us all how Nana and Gaga had to go bye bye to go home and see their dog Maggie.

It was very sad and I am still trying to get over my seperation anxiety, as well as juggling two babies and keeping a house in order. I did survive day one, and what the day it was...

Our last Goodbye's! I'm tearing up just looking at these again......this will be a hard adjustment for me!

3 weeks...how time flies

See how tiny she is next to my hand (and...GREAT startle response to flashing camera lights- good sign :) ) Also, her jaundice seems to be completely gone with no phototherapy....good job Taylor!


A Nora tip.......the finger suck!


First call to the on-call doctor/nurse...REALLY BAD daiper rash that caused unsoothable SCREAMING. Turned out to be FUNGUS on the DOOPA. Poor thing. Nothing that a little anti fungal cream and cortizone couldn't handle though. She's back to her content self today. PHEW...I was getting a little nervous there for a moment.