Category Archives: baby

Happy Birthday, Phoebe Jane!

Posted on by
3

Oh littlest birdie, we love you so. You are so beautiful and mighty but petite, feisty and funny, bubbly and silly, loud and very sweet. You can swiftly make a mess in twenty seconds that takes twenty minutes to clean up, take the childproof outlet covers off and pull your sister’s hair. You are so fast as you scoot around the floor on your bottom! You don’t have any teeth (yet!), but you love to feed yourself. Almost every day someone says to us, “that is the most beautiful baby!” And we agree. Happy Birthday, Phoebe Jane!

It’s amazing how much changes in a year, isn’t it?

10 months!

Posted on by
Reply

The littlest birdie in our nest is now 10 months old! Oh, Phoebe Jane, you make everyone smile. No teeth yet, but you are really working hard at experiencing everything with your little mouth. Turns out a fresh-off-the-vine tomato is a good teething tool. You’re also starting to make your way around the world by doing a bottom scoot, which is not unlike how your sister scooted, but also very much your own. You are more like a little bunny hopping across the floor. Or the beach…

We love you little darling Phoebe Jane. But 10 months already?! How did that happen so quickly?

Fatso

Posted on by
3

Phoebe hadn’t gained weight in about two months although she was getting longer and her head was growing. Still our Pediatrician was worried so I had to bring her in for a weight check this week. After shoveling lots of food into her this past month and trying to get as many calories in at every feeding, it worked and she gained a pound! She is now a whopping 14 pounds at almost ten months. Still small, but healthy and happy. This Mama feels better, phew. I hadn’t realized how stressed about it I was until we left the doctor’s office and I felt a weight lifted from my shoulders, ahhhh.

nine months

Posted on by
1

The littlest birdie in our nest is nine months old today. Oh bright and shining one, we can’t stack up the blocks fast enough for your quick little hands. We hope you come to know how deeply you are loved even though your sister enjoys pushing you over and stealing your pacifier when she just can’t take how adorable you are anymore. Your big sister just adores you though, Phoebe Jane, and we know this because most mornings instead of running out of her room and coming to find us, we hear her run down to your room and snuggle up and play with you. This makes a Mama’s heart sing.

We are so blessed to have your beauty and joy in our presence, Phoebs. XO

 

 

eight months

Posted on by
Reply

Little sister Phoebe Jane is eight months old. She (we) had a rough time last week with a wakeful, clingy, cranky, restless babe. Teething? This week she’s a lot better and I’ve been able to actually put her down for a little while without lots of screaming and crying involved. Sigh. Don’t you hate it when your wee ones are out of sorts, but they can’t tell you why yet?

We just love this little one. I thought she was going to be more “laid back” than Wren, but she is beginning to assert herself. In the long run, I love this in my girls. But on a day-to-day basis, geesh, a tiny bit of ease would be lovely. Universe, can you please help me out here?

Rocks from the Big Lake are apparently great teethers. Phoebe discovered this for herself, that smart little birdie of mine.

Happy Summer!

Posted on by
Reply

Happy (official) summer, lovelies! Although the needle has hovered around summery temps off and on since March (!) this year, the summer solstice is upon us. Truth be told, summer is not my favorite season because I don’t fair very well in the heat, but I am planning on embracing it this year. Yes indeed. I have already run more miles in 90 degrees than I ever have so I feel like I’m ready for the heat. I still haven’t exactly figured out how to beach it with a toddler and sand-eating babe in tow, but I’m getting my head and heart wrapped around it. Our nest is in the market for a beach tent/canopy thingy right now. Taking recommendations! And ideas on how to make it work…

It was fun to revisit last year’s Summer List and think about where we were then and the season of life we’re in now. I had a growing baby bump and was still trying to wean Wren from her bedtime nursing. Wren was just two and so much has happened since then. For one, we’ve got this beautiful almost 8 month old with us now who loves to share her sister’s popsicles. And Wren’s bedtime nursing? She just gradually stopped on her own, maybe 4-5 months ago? Or maybe more. My sleep-deprived Mama brain can’t remember! Anyway, I’m glad there was no trauma involved and she weaned on her own. Phew. Now she’s a “big girl” of three with an insatiable appetite for watermelon.

So this year’s summer-with-two-birdies list? Here goes. Many are repeats because they’re just essential.

  • enjoy my annual corn dog at the Cherry Festival
  • can and/or pickle something from our garden
  • pick strawberries (DONE!) and blueberries to put up (freeze, jam, bake?)
  • eat a fresh sandwich from the Village Cheese Shanty in Leland
  • take the girls to the Northwest Michigan Fair. “Goin’ to the fair, goin’ to the fair, goin’ to the Northwest Michigan Fair!”
  • stay up late to be awed by the Perseid meteor showers in August
  • dance with the little birdies at the Cedar Polka Fest.
  • take in a film at the Traverse City Film Festival
  • finish painting the house
  • update the kitchen and move the oven up before the littlest birdie is on the move
  • speaking of moving birdies… enjoy watching the littlest birdie begin to move
  • enjoy lots of park picnics
  • visit all the playgrounds in the area
  • swim with Melissa
  • train hard for the Sleeping Bear 1/2 Marathon in October
  • continue losing weight and getting fitter (did I tell you I’ve been doing an early morning boot camp? oof)
  • help Wren develop her swimming skills
  • have a date night with Chris at Siren Hall with evening sunshine, gin and tonics and shrimp
  • take our first family camping trip (also taking tips and recommendations, but not your horror stories, please and thank you!)

How about you, lovelies? What’s on your must-do summer list? Here’s to a wonderful summer filled with sprinklers, bubbles and sandy toes.

seven months

Posted on by
Reply

Phoebe Jane is seven months old! That means she’s closer to one than she is to being an infant. Oh my! She is almost sitting up on her own and is really into grabbing everything. She likes to move around on the wood floor by lying on her back and pushing her feet against the floor and gliding around. She loves to have her feet played with and she’s crazy about her sister. Nothing brings her more joy than being silly with Wren. Wren loves to call her “little marshmallow,” “little topato (potato),” “Phoebs,” and most recently,”Phoebester.”

Chris keeps saying, “oh don’t grow up yet little baby. Please stay a baby forever!” And Wren gets really mad. “No! I want her to grow up so she can do everything I can do and we can play together.” I can see both sides…

six months

Posted on by
Reply

Our darling little Phoebe Jane is six months old. We all are just crazy about her. Even a little old lady at the store said, “When I look at her, I can understand why people steal babies.” We’ll take that as a compliment, but we’re going to keep her extra safe.

This also means that it’s officially halfway to Halloween. And I just tossed the rest of last year’s candy. My diet couldn’t take staring at the fake pumpkin bucket ANY.MORE.