Today marked our last month of infancy for Bella. In only one month's time, Bella will be a toddler and we will be counting down the days until her 2nd birthday. I'm going to take my time and relish this last month of infancy.
Bella didn't have an 11-month wellness appointment, but she made quite a few trips to the pediatrician within the last month for various illnesses. Here are her 11-month stats:
Height: About 30 inches
Weight: About 25 pounds
Clothing Size: Bella is wearing some 9-month clothes, but mostly wears 12-month clothes. She does have some 18-24-month clothes (silly Gymboree). Her closet and drawers were recently organized and we have stored all her newborn-6-month clothes (tear).
Sleeping Pattern: Bella is still sleeping through the night and averages about 10 hours of sleep per night. She also takes a morning and an afternoon nap and averages about 1.5-2 hours for each nap. Some times she spoils me and sleeps for 3+ hours! =)
Eating Pattern: Bella has really cut back on the amount of formula she drinks each day. We have also decided to give her a sippy cup or two with formula each day, in an attempt to gently transition her from a bottle to strictly a sippy cup. She recently decided that pureed baby food is lame and likes to self feed. We have been trying to feed her a balanced diet, in hopes of establishing a good foundation for her future eating habits.
Milestones: Bella still has 5 teeth (3 top teeth and 2 bottom teeth) and is working on tooth #6. This sixth tooth has been a royal pain. It's popped through and retracted... it's popped through and retracted. Hopefully it will make a final descent once and for all within the next week. Bella is a professional Army crawler and she has become quite fast. She has recently started sitting up on her own and has perfected this. Her new favorite thing to do is crawl to the sliding glass door, sit up and bang on the glass and yell at the dogs when they are outside. She is also talking more, which we really enjoy.
Friends: Bella has been sick with pink eye and an upper respiratory infection, so she hasn't seen much of her friends recently. We have met some new friends from the A-T-L.
Current Events: Another St. Petersburg Police Department officer was killed in the line of duty. He was shot and killed by a 16-year-old kid... 16!!! Governor Rick Scott turned down funding from the federal government for the high speed rail project (smart move).
Bella has made great strides with her helmet! When she first had a head scan, the asymmetry of her head was 15.7mm. She had a scan two weeks ago and the asymmetry was only 9.5mm! This is a great improvement and is very good news! Hopefully she'll only have another month or two in the helmet.
Well, that's all from Casa de Lasher. The countdown until Bella's 1st Birthday is underway... in t-minus 1 month!
Happy 11-Month Birthday, Isabella Eve!
Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Ups and Downs
Today was a pretty good, but the day certainly had it's ups and downs...
While Bella was napping this morning, a delivery man stopped by to deliver our new soft vertical shades for the sliding glass door in the family. The shade wasn't supposed to be manufactured, let alone delivered until late March. Levolor quoted me a date of March 17th for manufacturing, so needless to say, I was very surprised by today's delivery. We spent a lot of money on our window treatments because only two windows in our entire house are of standard size. We chose Levolor products because of the quality, the look and the price. This is the second time we've had to replace the shades in the family, but this is one of the only window treatments we open and close on a frequent basis. Add dogs and a very curious infant into the mix and you can only begin to imagine why we've had to replace it. Long story short... Levolor has AMAZING customer service and if we need to purchase any additional window treatments in the future, you can bet that they will be Levolor.
The delivery man rang the door bell, which caused the dogs to bark, which caused Bella to be woken up abruptly. She was not a happy camper and had a mini-meltdown while getting dressed for the day. We overcame the mini-meltdown and were out the door for the afternoon... or so I thought.
I had forgotten her lunch bag and so I had to run back into the house to grab it. The alarm was set and I deactivated the alarm, grabbed the bag and set the alarm again. Apparently somewhere in the process of re-entering the house, I set the alarm off. I did not hear an audible alarm and I had no indication that I had set off the alarm. A few moments later and after listening to a voicemail message from ADT, I learned that the alarm had been set off. I pulled back into the garage, called ADT and began the process of canceling the alarm. We have had three companies monitor our house in three years. At first we had Brinks, then Broadview and now ADT. Customer service with Brinks and Broadview was great and we had no complaints. ADT is a different story. It took me nearly 8 minutes to get through to someone to cancel the alarm. Usually when an alarm is set off, the monitoring company will make several calls to ensure everything is okay. If the company cannot confirm this, then law enforcement is contacted and sent out to the home. Eight minutes is a LONG time! What if our house had really been broken in to? Our house would have been wiped out in eight minutes! Luckily I was able to cancel the alarm and went through a series of procedures to troubleshoot the system. Fortunately, our alarm system appears to be working just fine... unfortunately, we will most likely receive a notice from Hillsborough County for yet another "false alarm." Bummer.
Bella and I met some friends for lunch and it was a really great afternoon. We also stopped by Buy Buy Baby and Babies-R-Us after lunch for a little shopping. I'm proud to report that I did not purchase one item at either store. I practiced some major self control and I am quite proud of myself. I also saved $10 at Babies-R-Us on an outfit I had purchased for Bella that went on sale. I dread having to make returns at Babies-R-Us because they make it so difficult. I prepared myself for the worst, but hoped for the best. I am pleased to say that Babies-R-Us price matched the outfit and credited my bank account $10.
We went out to dinner once Ian got home from work and had a nice evening. Bella is so funny at restaurants and enjoys putting on a show for people. She enjoyed the chicken fingers, french fries and salad we ordered for her. It's crazy to think that in another month, she will be eating what we eat, all the time.
Today wasn't entirely great, as I received some bad news about a friend of mine. A mutual friend of mine informed me that he had gotten himself into some trouble and today he agreed to a plea bargain. The whole situation is very complicated and I really don't want to get into details. He will be sentenced in June, and he's looking at a minimum of 5 years in federal prison. I am really disappointed in this friend, but I still feel sorry for him. Okay, that's enough about that.
I'm looking forward to the weekend and we have some fun things planned. The highlight of our weekend will be Bella's friend, Taylan's, 1st birthday party at Gymboree. We also have some chores around the house to do and we could use a little rest and relaxation, too. Speaking of rest, it's time for me to hit the sack. Goodnight all!
Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella
While Bella was napping this morning, a delivery man stopped by to deliver our new soft vertical shades for the sliding glass door in the family. The shade wasn't supposed to be manufactured, let alone delivered until late March. Levolor quoted me a date of March 17th for manufacturing, so needless to say, I was very surprised by today's delivery. We spent a lot of money on our window treatments because only two windows in our entire house are of standard size. We chose Levolor products because of the quality, the look and the price. This is the second time we've had to replace the shades in the family, but this is one of the only window treatments we open and close on a frequent basis. Add dogs and a very curious infant into the mix and you can only begin to imagine why we've had to replace it. Long story short... Levolor has AMAZING customer service and if we need to purchase any additional window treatments in the future, you can bet that they will be Levolor.
The delivery man rang the door bell, which caused the dogs to bark, which caused Bella to be woken up abruptly. She was not a happy camper and had a mini-meltdown while getting dressed for the day. We overcame the mini-meltdown and were out the door for the afternoon... or so I thought.
I had forgotten her lunch bag and so I had to run back into the house to grab it. The alarm was set and I deactivated the alarm, grabbed the bag and set the alarm again. Apparently somewhere in the process of re-entering the house, I set the alarm off. I did not hear an audible alarm and I had no indication that I had set off the alarm. A few moments later and after listening to a voicemail message from ADT, I learned that the alarm had been set off. I pulled back into the garage, called ADT and began the process of canceling the alarm. We have had three companies monitor our house in three years. At first we had Brinks, then Broadview and now ADT. Customer service with Brinks and Broadview was great and we had no complaints. ADT is a different story. It took me nearly 8 minutes to get through to someone to cancel the alarm. Usually when an alarm is set off, the monitoring company will make several calls to ensure everything is okay. If the company cannot confirm this, then law enforcement is contacted and sent out to the home. Eight minutes is a LONG time! What if our house had really been broken in to? Our house would have been wiped out in eight minutes! Luckily I was able to cancel the alarm and went through a series of procedures to troubleshoot the system. Fortunately, our alarm system appears to be working just fine... unfortunately, we will most likely receive a notice from Hillsborough County for yet another "false alarm." Bummer.
Bella and I met some friends for lunch and it was a really great afternoon. We also stopped by Buy Buy Baby and Babies-R-Us after lunch for a little shopping. I'm proud to report that I did not purchase one item at either store. I practiced some major self control and I am quite proud of myself. I also saved $10 at Babies-R-Us on an outfit I had purchased for Bella that went on sale. I dread having to make returns at Babies-R-Us because they make it so difficult. I prepared myself for the worst, but hoped for the best. I am pleased to say that Babies-R-Us price matched the outfit and credited my bank account $10.
We went out to dinner once Ian got home from work and had a nice evening. Bella is so funny at restaurants and enjoys putting on a show for people. She enjoyed the chicken fingers, french fries and salad we ordered for her. It's crazy to think that in another month, she will be eating what we eat, all the time.
Today wasn't entirely great, as I received some bad news about a friend of mine. A mutual friend of mine informed me that he had gotten himself into some trouble and today he agreed to a plea bargain. The whole situation is very complicated and I really don't want to get into details. He will be sentenced in June, and he's looking at a minimum of 5 years in federal prison. I am really disappointed in this friend, but I still feel sorry for him. Okay, that's enough about that.
I'm looking forward to the weekend and we have some fun things planned. The highlight of our weekend will be Bella's friend, Taylan's, 1st birthday party at Gymboree. We also have some chores around the house to do and we could use a little rest and relaxation, too. Speaking of rest, it's time for me to hit the sack. Goodnight all!
Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Life is just a bowl of cherries...
All things considered and after the past few days, today was a very pleasant day. The weather was breezy, but warm. Bella was in a relatively good mood. And I was able to have some much needed "me time." The house is also clean and we have groceries for the next few days. I feel like today was a productive day and I am very happy about that. Life is just a bowl of cherries... as can be seen on Bella's outfit today.
Bella was up and at 'em bright and early. She has learned to sit up and enjoys sitting up in her crib until one of us comes to get her. She is aware of the video monitor and often gazes into the camera. It's actually pretty darn cute and is much more pleasant than waking up to a crying baby. Bella played contently by herself this morning, while I was able to get a few chores done around the house. She did fight her morning nap, but gave up after about 20 minutes of playing in her crib. She slept for about two hours and woke up in a great mood. Her good mood has continued into the evening and she is playing by herself while as I am typing.
We are waiting for Ian to get home, who has been working long hours. He may even have to work tonight, which is no fun, but hopefully it makes for an easier day tomorrow. Busy season in the accounting world is no fun for the employees or the families they often leave behind. Luckily busy season comes and goes relatively quick, so this will be all but a forgotten memory in another few weeks.
Tomorrow we were supposed to go to the zoo with some friends, but this has been cancelled. Perhaps we can get to the zoo within the next few weeks, before it gets too warm. We are going to have lunch with our new friends, the Parks tomorrow, which should be fun. This weekend we have a birthday party to attend and will possibly be making a cameo at the Strawberry Festival in Plant City. I am really looking forward to family time this weekend and it's so nice to know that we won't be wasting the weekend having to complete chores around the house.
I would also like to give myself a pat on the back for being so diligent with the blog this week. I set a goal and I am in the process of accomplishing this goal... Good job, Kim!
Well, it is getting close to Bella's bed time, so I'm going to finish this post by saying that today was a very good day... end of story.
Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella
Bella was up and at 'em bright and early. She has learned to sit up and enjoys sitting up in her crib until one of us comes to get her. She is aware of the video monitor and often gazes into the camera. It's actually pretty darn cute and is much more pleasant than waking up to a crying baby. Bella played contently by herself this morning, while I was able to get a few chores done around the house. She did fight her morning nap, but gave up after about 20 minutes of playing in her crib. She slept for about two hours and woke up in a great mood. Her good mood has continued into the evening and she is playing by herself while as I am typing.
We are waiting for Ian to get home, who has been working long hours. He may even have to work tonight, which is no fun, but hopefully it makes for an easier day tomorrow. Busy season in the accounting world is no fun for the employees or the families they often leave behind. Luckily busy season comes and goes relatively quick, so this will be all but a forgotten memory in another few weeks.
Tomorrow we were supposed to go to the zoo with some friends, but this has been cancelled. Perhaps we can get to the zoo within the next few weeks, before it gets too warm. We are going to have lunch with our new friends, the Parks tomorrow, which should be fun. This weekend we have a birthday party to attend and will possibly be making a cameo at the Strawberry Festival in Plant City. I am really looking forward to family time this weekend and it's so nice to know that we won't be wasting the weekend having to complete chores around the house.
I would also like to give myself a pat on the back for being so diligent with the blog this week. I set a goal and I am in the process of accomplishing this goal... Good job, Kim!
Well, it is getting close to Bella's bed time, so I'm going to finish this post by saying that today was a very good day... end of story.
Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Can I Get a Do-Over, please?
Have you ever had one of those days when EVERYTHING seems to go wrong? Today, I am having one of those days. I'm in desperate need of a do-over.
Let me begin by saying, I love Bella very much and I love being able to stay at home with her, but days like today make it very difficult for me to enjoy this luxury. Bella has been extremely fussy this week and today is no exception. She woke up twice last night but managed to get herself back to sleep after a few minutes. When she woke up for the day, she was crying, which is not like her and I knew that today was going to be a very long day. Bella usually plays very well by herself and can entertain herself while I wash dishes or start a load of laundry... usually. Today she whined while I washed dishes and cried when I went outside to let the dogs inside. She fought her morning nap AND her afternoon nap. And, when I woke Bella up from her afternoon nap, she was not happy. She screamed and screamed, until I handed her to Ian and she fine. While playing with Bella on the floor, she was very rough with me and tried to head butt me several times. What happened to my sweet baby girl?
Okay, that's more than enough complaining. On a positive note, Bella is Army crawling like crazy. She loves crawling on the tile and is quite efficient. Her mobility means she gets into everything. Her favorite places to crawl include one of the surround sound speakers and the door stopper by the front door. She also enjoys watching the dogs through the sliding glass door when they are outside. Today she was "yelling" at them and banging on the window when they would bark. I have no idea where she learned this... umm, yes I do, as she has probably seen me do it a million times.
When Ian was the only one who was able to console her this evening, for a moment, my feelings were actually hurt. It was like mommy wasn't good enough for her and the more I tried to console her, the more upset she got. I quickly got over this when I saw the smile that came across her face once Ian picked her up. I do love the bond she and Ian share and I'm glad he was there to wipe away her tears. I always knew she would be daddy's little girl and man, does she have him wrapped around her little finger!
Busy season is in full swing and Ian has been getting pulled in multiple directions at work. Tonight he has been working at home and estimates he will most likely be working until at least midnight. I teased him at dinner and suggested that maybe he should learn better time management skills. I think I offended him, but I assured him that I was merely teasing him. Ian juggles work and home very well and does so much around the house. He helps out with Bella, chores and other things that pop up. Bella is thankful for such a great daddy and I am thankful for such a great husband.
Well, that pretty much sums up our day. Bella is asleep and I am right behind her. Unfortunately, Ian will be working late and his date with the sand man will be delayed. Hopefully tomorrow will bring better moods for Bella and me. Here's to hoping...
Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella
Let me begin by saying, I love Bella very much and I love being able to stay at home with her, but days like today make it very difficult for me to enjoy this luxury. Bella has been extremely fussy this week and today is no exception. She woke up twice last night but managed to get herself back to sleep after a few minutes. When she woke up for the day, she was crying, which is not like her and I knew that today was going to be a very long day. Bella usually plays very well by herself and can entertain herself while I wash dishes or start a load of laundry... usually. Today she whined while I washed dishes and cried when I went outside to let the dogs inside. She fought her morning nap AND her afternoon nap. And, when I woke Bella up from her afternoon nap, she was not happy. She screamed and screamed, until I handed her to Ian and she fine. While playing with Bella on the floor, she was very rough with me and tried to head butt me several times. What happened to my sweet baby girl?
Okay, that's more than enough complaining. On a positive note, Bella is Army crawling like crazy. She loves crawling on the tile and is quite efficient. Her mobility means she gets into everything. Her favorite places to crawl include one of the surround sound speakers and the door stopper by the front door. She also enjoys watching the dogs through the sliding glass door when they are outside. Today she was "yelling" at them and banging on the window when they would bark. I have no idea where she learned this... umm, yes I do, as she has probably seen me do it a million times.
When Ian was the only one who was able to console her this evening, for a moment, my feelings were actually hurt. It was like mommy wasn't good enough for her and the more I tried to console her, the more upset she got. I quickly got over this when I saw the smile that came across her face once Ian picked her up. I do love the bond she and Ian share and I'm glad he was there to wipe away her tears. I always knew she would be daddy's little girl and man, does she have him wrapped around her little finger!
Busy season is in full swing and Ian has been getting pulled in multiple directions at work. Tonight he has been working at home and estimates he will most likely be working until at least midnight. I teased him at dinner and suggested that maybe he should learn better time management skills. I think I offended him, but I assured him that I was merely teasing him. Ian juggles work and home very well and does so much around the house. He helps out with Bella, chores and other things that pop up. Bella is thankful for such a great daddy and I am thankful for such a great husband.
Well, that pretty much sums up our day. Bella is asleep and I am right behind her. Unfortunately, Ian will be working late and his date with the sand man will be delayed. Hopefully tomorrow will bring better moods for Bella and me. Here's to hoping...
Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Rainy Day Blues
When I woke up this morning, I made a mental note for myself to water the plants in the front yard before the sun was at it's peak. I went into the garage, found the watering can and filled it up. As I was watering the plants, I was quickly reminded of the family of birds who have taken up residency in one of our trees in the front yard. I could hear the baby birds chirping and caught a few glimpses of the mama bird. She flew in and out of the tree, as if she was warning me that I was too close to the nest. I have watched Alfred Hitchcock's movie "The Birds" and I consider myself a sensible person, so I quickly finished watering the plans and ran for my life. No sooner did I finish watering the plants that good old mother nature reminded me that she calls the shots... and it began to rain. Okay, it poured. It just goes to show that whenever I water my outdoor plants, it will always rain. Forget weather forecasts and all the scientific mumbo jumbo, if I water my plants, it will rain.
The rain did assist in a marathon nap for Bella in the morning. The child slept for 3.5 hours! Despite multiple losses of electricity, Bella's trusty white noise machine remained on and she slept... and slept... and slept. She slept though play group and she almost slept through lunch. Luckily we were able to meet up with a few friends for lunch and run a few errands before her afternoon nap. As exhausted as she was after running around all afternoon, she fought her afternoon nap, but has since surrendered to the sand man.
Bella has not been her usual, happy self the last few days. She has been fussier than usual and quite clingy. During her 10-month photo session yesterday, she screamed and cried... the entire time! She has never done this at a photo session and it was a really awful experience for Bella, myself and the photographer. She managed to crack a few smiles in between her bouts of crying, so I was able to select a few good pictures to purchase. We will be going back sometime this month and hopefully Bella will be her cute, jolly self. I think she may be teething, so I'll give her a mulligan for the time being.
I'm hoping it will rain again tonight so that I won't have to water my plants in the morning... wishful thinking, I suppose.
Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella
The rain did assist in a marathon nap for Bella in the morning. The child slept for 3.5 hours! Despite multiple losses of electricity, Bella's trusty white noise machine remained on and she slept... and slept... and slept. She slept though play group and she almost slept through lunch. Luckily we were able to meet up with a few friends for lunch and run a few errands before her afternoon nap. As exhausted as she was after running around all afternoon, she fought her afternoon nap, but has since surrendered to the sand man.
Bella has not been her usual, happy self the last few days. She has been fussier than usual and quite clingy. During her 10-month photo session yesterday, she screamed and cried... the entire time! She has never done this at a photo session and it was a really awful experience for Bella, myself and the photographer. She managed to crack a few smiles in between her bouts of crying, so I was able to select a few good pictures to purchase. We will be going back sometime this month and hopefully Bella will be her cute, jolly self. I think she may be teething, so I'll give her a mulligan for the time being.
I'm hoping it will rain again tonight so that I won't have to water my plants in the morning... wishful thinking, I suppose.
Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella
Monday, February 28, 2011
We're Famous!
This weekend we celebrated Grandma Ruth's birthday by going to Buca di Beppo. Our last time at a family style restaurant with Ian's family did not go very well, so I was very hesitant to go to Buca di Beppo, but it turned out to be a fun evening out. Bella was the center of attention and enjoyed the attention she received from patrons and waitresses. Bella was not having her pureed pasta and chicken meal, so we shared our chicken parmigiana and pasta with her... and she LOVED it! She also used her sippy cup to drink her formula and finished the entire sippy cup. What a big girl!
Grandma Ruth spent the night and watched Bella so Ian and I could get some chores completed around the house. We power washed the lanai and the front of the house. We also trimmed the hedges and pulled out some plants that did not make it through winter. Let me just say... power washing is awesome! I love seeing the results and I love not having to use harsh chemicals to get rid of dirt and grim. We began power washing the driveway, but stopped about a quarter into the project because it would have taken all day. It's amazing how dirty our driveway and I cannot wait to finish the project. We also finished cleaning the interior of our house and it feels great starting the week with such a clean house!
Last night we had some new friends over for dinner, James, Jodi and their two adorable (and well behaved) children. Ian and James work together and Jodi and I have been getting to know each other via email. They just moved to Florida and they live in the same community as our friends Paul and Lisa. They seem to really like the house and neighborhood, but I don't think they're very fond of the weather. Who doesn't love 85 degree weather in February?!? Okay, okay... I kid, I kid! Anyway... they're both really nice people and their children are super cute. Their daughter is almost 3 years-old and their son is 9 months-old, so Bella got on very well with them. I think the the favorite toy(s) of the evening (for the babies) were James' shoes. It was funny watching the two little ones untie James' shoe, over and over again. Jodi is working on her master's degree, works from home, raises two kids and blogs. She blogs DAILY and she is the reason I have resolved to keep up with my blog. We actually made it into her blog (only good things)! Woo-hoo, we're famous!
This week Bella and I have a few things on the agenda. I need to take Bella to get her 10-month photos done, we have a huge consignment sale to attend, we have a play date in Tampa to attend and of course her twice a week physical therapy appointments. I'm sure there are a few other things I'm forgetting, but these are the ones I can remember. I'm fairly tired this morning because Bella woke up several times last night and of course my insomnia joined the party. I was awake from 3:30am-5:00am, which was not fun, but thankfully, I managed to fall back to sleep for a few hours. We let Bella cry-it-out last night because this is the method we have been using since our return from Baltimore in January. We obviously ensure all of her needs have been met (i.e. hunger/diaper/pain) and if all these needs have been met, we then allow her to self soothe. She never cries for more than 10-15 minutes and it works for us.
Well even though we have a clean house... I have a TON of laundry to do. The early bird gets the worm... or her laundry finished, so I'd better get to it!
Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella
Saturday, February 26, 2011
She Crawls!
We officially have a crawler in our house... well she's more of an expert Army crawler, but Bella is crawling nonetheless. This is a huge milestone for us, because Bella is nearly 11-months-old and just perfected her Army crawling. The next thing we know, she will be crawling on her hands and knees and eventually walking.
These physical development "milestones" are important to us because Bella has not always had an easy time reaching such "milestones." I say "milestones" because crawling is not considered an actual milestone in terms of development, however it is important for us to consider it a milestone. When Bella was diagnosed with torticollis and plagiocephaly, I worried that she would have a difficult time compensating, however she seems to be developing at a normal pace. We have been working with her to pull her self up and stand with support, but this seems to be a difficult task her. She still does not pull herself up and definitely is not cruising yet. Again, I am worried, but the pediatrician and physical therapist do not consider it a problem at this point in time.
Speaking of Bella's plagiocephaly... she has been in her helmet since December 10th and has made great progress. When her head was scanned and measured in late November, the asymmetry was 15.7mm, meaning the difference in the shape of her head was 15.7mm. This is seen as moderate to severe and warranted the prescription of the corrective helmet. Bella had a scan and measurements done after being in the helmet for 8 weeks and the asymmetry has improved greatly... and is now only 9.5mm! This is very promising news and we're hoping that another big growth spurt (or two) will help reduce the asymmetry even more. Bella still has bi-weekly appointments with the orthotist and physical therapy twice a week.
Anyway... we are so very proud that Bella started crawling and I cannot believe how quickly she is growing up!
Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella
These physical development "milestones" are important to us because Bella has not always had an easy time reaching such "milestones." I say "milestones" because crawling is not considered an actual milestone in terms of development, however it is important for us to consider it a milestone. When Bella was diagnosed with torticollis and plagiocephaly, I worried that she would have a difficult time compensating, however she seems to be developing at a normal pace. We have been working with her to pull her self up and stand with support, but this seems to be a difficult task her. She still does not pull herself up and definitely is not cruising yet. Again, I am worried, but the pediatrician and physical therapist do not consider it a problem at this point in time.
Speaking of Bella's plagiocephaly... she has been in her helmet since December 10th and has made great progress. When her head was scanned and measured in late November, the asymmetry was 15.7mm, meaning the difference in the shape of her head was 15.7mm. This is seen as moderate to severe and warranted the prescription of the corrective helmet. Bella had a scan and measurements done after being in the helmet for 8 weeks and the asymmetry has improved greatly... and is now only 9.5mm! This is very promising news and we're hoping that another big growth spurt (or two) will help reduce the asymmetry even more. Bella still has bi-weekly appointments with the orthotist and physical therapy twice a week.
Anyway... we are so very proud that Bella started crawling and I cannot believe how quickly she is growing up!
Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Bella is 10-Months-Old TODAY!!!
It's hard to believe that I'm writing Bella's 10-month update, because in my mind, it feels like just yesterday that I was announcing my pregnancy and anxiously awaiting her arrival. Now that she's been a part of our lives for 10 months, we really can't imagine life without her. She is such a blessing and if every child were like Bella, then I'd gladly have 10 more children... okay, maybe 2 or 3 more.
Bella didn't have a 10-month wellness appointment, but she did manage to see the pediatrician for pink eye... so without further adieu...
Height: 29.5 inches!
Weight: 24 pounds 10 ounces
Clothing Size: Bella seems to be outgrowing her 9-month pajamas, so I recently ordered some pajamas from Old Navy... in size 18-24 months! I was going to order the 12-18 month pajamas, but I figured we could get more use out of the larger size.
Sleeping Pattern: Bella must have missed her own bed because she has been sleeping VERY WELL since we returned from Baltimore. We have totally ditched the middle of the night feeding and Bella has been sleeping through the night. We put Bella to bed around 8:00pm and she wakes up around 6:30am. Needless to say we are all VERY THANKFUL for her new sleeping habits. Bella is also napping twice a day for 1.5-2 hours each nap.
Eating Pattern: Bella's eating habits have been a little iffy lately. She is drinking her normal bottles, but she sometimes refuses solids. We still try to give her solids, despite her refusal, but with a little patience, she eventually gives in and eats. She is great at picking up food off her tray and putting it into her mouth. I would like to note that she may be a "south paw" because she seems to favor her left hand.
Milestones: Bella has 5 teeth (3 top teeth and 2 bottom teeth) and is working on tooth #6. She is a trooper when it comes to teething, but can be a little fussy when beginning to cut a new tooth. Bella is army crawling but still prefers to roll her away around. Bella learned how to play "Patty Cake" and says (a variation) of the phrase and claps her hands together. Bella is a little parrot. She tries to repeat words that we say and her most recent words have been "car", "dog", "good girl" and "hi." She is so smart and she is going to be quite the talker when she's older... I suppose it runs in the family?!?
Friends: The usual motley crew of characters, including, Connor, Layla, Taylan, Luke, Camden, Carter, Tyler, Lily, Gia and Logan. We haven't seen our neighborhood friends recently because everyone has been sick. It's so much fun to see the babies grow up together and it's been great to make mommy friends. Bella has recently taken trips with her friends to Busch Gardens and the Florida Aquarium.
Current Events: There has been much unrest in Egypt as the citizens of Egypt have called for President Mubarak to step down. Protests began several days ago and seem to be heating up. Two police officers in St. Petersburg were killed in the line of duty. A mother in New Tampa murdered her two teenage children for "mouthing off". Needless to say, we've had some very sober days, and we're hoping for good news soon. Our friends and family up north have been experiencing a very active winter storm season... as have our friends in the Mid-West. Better them, than us! let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
Bella has been in her helmet for almost 2 months and is doing very well. The specialist seems pleased with her progress and we go for a scan in about two weeks for exact measurements. The torticollis... oh the torticollis... Bella has been in physical therapy, twice a week since October and I'm really not sure if her condition is improving or not. Some days her neck appears to be straight and other days her neck appears to be tilted. Hopefully another few months of physical therapy and maturity will help her overcome this. Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers!
Well, that's all from Casa de Lasher. The countdown until Bella's 1st Birthday is underway... in t-minus 2 months!
Happy 10-Month Birthday, Isabella Eve!
Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Bella's Official 9 Month Stats
Bella had her 9-month-wellness check up today, so I thought I'd go ahead and post her official stats:
Height: 29 1/4 inches long (95th percentile)
Weight: 24 pounds 4 ounces (100th+ percentile, technically off the charts)
The pediatrician says Bella is doing just great and she is very happy with her growth. Bella is a big girl and there is not a damn thing wrong with that!
Well, that's all I have time for right now!
Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella
Height: 29 1/4 inches long (95th percentile)
Weight: 24 pounds 4 ounces (100th+ percentile, technically off the charts)
The pediatrician says Bella is doing just great and she is very happy with her growth. Bella is a big girl and there is not a damn thing wrong with that!
Well, that's all I have time for right now!
Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Bella is 9-months-old TODAY!!!
Greetings from Baltimore! We’ve been in Baltimore since December 18th and we’ll be here until January 10th. Our trip has been just over 3 weeks and we’re finishing up our northern vacation. We decided to spend the holidays in Baltimore so that Bella could experience all the fun-filled family get-togethers we experience year after year. It’s been a really great trip and I think we’ll all be sad to return to Florida.
While we’ve been here, Bella turned 9-months-old. Today, Bella 9-months-old and we are “celebrating” in Baltimore. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, but this time is going way too fast! Our little baby is growing up and in another 3 months will be a… toddler. I’ve already begun to plan Bella’s 1st birthday party and have a theme in mind. I’m not ready to share the theme just yet, but as her birthday approaches, I’ll share a few details here and there.
Bella has been scheduled for a 9-month wellness appointment; so official stats will be posted next week. Pop (a.k.a. my dad) and Ian measured her length with a tape and we’re approximating her weight
Height: About 30 inches! Wow, she is getting so tall!
Weight: about 25 pounds (and gaining…)
Clothing Size: I typically don’t post what size clothes Bella is wearing but she wears a 12-18 months in Gymboree clothes and 9 and 12 month clothes in everything else. We’ve gone through a year’s worth of clothes in under 9 months. She was only able to wear several outfits once or twice because she outgrew things so quickly.
Sleeping Pattern: Since arriving in Baltimore, Bella’s sleep was been… well… umm… AWFUL! She is waking up 2-3 times a night. Needless to say we are all a little sleep deprived and take advantage of Bella’s two naps a day. We’re hoping to get her back on track once we’re back home next week.
Eating Pattern: Bella continues to eat about 5-6 ounces every 3-4 hours and is eating solids and snacks 3 times a day. Bella is a great eater and will eat whatever is placed in front of her. We’re very thankful that she is a good eater and hope this pattern continues.
Milestones: Bella has 4 teeth and has 2 more on the way. As most parents say, “teething bites”. It’s awful to see Bella in pain, but with each new tooth, the teething process seems to get a bit easier. Thank goodness for Motrin! Bella is still on the verge of crawling and up on her hands and knees throughout the day. She is an expert at rolling and rolls to get from place to place. Bella has recently started “waving” and while I’m not sure she knows what she is doing, she often uses her hand to “wave” at people and things.
Friends: We haven’t seen our friends in almost 3 weeks and we miss them very much! Birthday season will begin once we return to Tampa and we’ll be attending birthday parties from now until July!
Current Events: This week all the new Senators, Delegates and political leadership have been sworn in. We’re not too sure what is happening back in Florida because we’ve been in Baltimore.
Bella celebrated her first Hanukkah and Christmas a few weeks ago. She also met her other set of great-grandparents, my grandparents, Poppy and Ms. Dot. She loved the lights, the Christmas carols, the presents and especially the wrapping paper. Bella received many lovely and thoughtful gifts from friends and family members and we are very thankful for this. Bella also received many new toys for Hanukkah and Christmas. She is spoiled, but she totally deserves it.
Bella has been in her helmet for almost 1 month and is doing well. It appears to us that her head shape is improving and we can’t wait to get back to Florida to confirm this with the specialist. As for the torticollis, we’re still concerned about the significance of her tilted neck and we’re going to seek a second opinion from a pediatric orthopedic specialist when we get home. All things considered, Bella’s conditions could be much worse and for this we are very thankful, but still keep us in your thoughts and prayers.
I’m on borrowed time right now and the little princess will be up from her afternoon nap before I know it. Just wanted to catch everyone up on what we’ve been up to and how our trip to Baltimore has been. More posts will follow regarding details of our trip and pictures from the holidays. Keep warm everyone!
Happy 9-Month Birthday, Isabella Eve!
Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella
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