Great prayer

Saw this on Facebook and thought it was worth posting. 

12 months old

What on amazing first year we've had with Greta.  She's the pride and joy of my life.  I love watching her personality develop.

1. Can take a few steps by herself, but can get places faster by crawling.
2. Can say sit and butt
3. Knows the word "no" and lots of other words.
4. Will shake her head no if she doesn't want anything or if she's doing something she's not supposed to be doing
5. Is feisty
6. Covers her mouth if she doesn't want the food you are feeding her
7. Gets excited about shoes and tries to put them on
8. Loves to sit and rock in her rocking chair, especially with her baby
9.  Hugs, kisses, rocks and feeds her baby dolls
10. Spends lots of time playing in her little house

Can't wait to see what amazing things Greta's 2nd year has in store for her.

Stats from her 1 year 

Weight- 23 lb 14.5 oz - 92%,
Height - 31 1/4 in - 96%
Head circumference - 18.8 inches - 97%

Happy birthday Greta!

Wow! How fast a year can go! I am now the mom of a one year old.

We had a great weekend preparing and celebrating Greta. Despite both Greta and I bring quite under the weather. We pulled it together. Ryan cleaned and decorated the basement for our guest list of about 30.  I made food and the cake. Great team RAD effort! And our wonderful family and friends brought Greta some great gifts that will bring her much joy. 

As I sit rocking her to sleep (no judgment - it's her birthday), I think back over the year. Greta made adjusting to motherhood a nice and dare I say easy transition. We have had our share of long nights. Trial and error. And trial and success. I phoned and texted a few mom friends. I've cried tears of joy. Tears of exhaustion. Tears just because. We laugh. We dance. We sing. We play. We love.

I love her more than words can say... But I'll try. She gives the best hugs and kisses but can turn on her German ways (aka stubbornness) is a blink of an eye. I love watching the joy and wonder in her eyes and the way she lights up a room with her smile and laughter. I love watching her study and try to figure out something new and then clap when she does. I love cuddling her close and watching how nurturing she is with her dolls. I love the love in her eyes for her daddy. I love her mischievous tinkle in her eye and smile. 

I love her. I love being a family. And I truly love being Greta's mommy. 

Happy birthday baby girl! I am so excited to see all that you grow up to be.

Loves her baby dolls

Greta loves baby dolls. Big, small... Doesn't matter. She loves gigging, kissing, tickling, rocking, taking for walks and feeding them. It is sooo cute!

First bad report from day care

So Greta got her first bad report from day care. My little strong willed baby did not want to do what they wanted so she had a meltdown. No one could console her. Them finally she calmed down and was Greta again.

Oh my! This could get challenging soon.

Happy St. Patricks day

Greta's first St. Patrick's day was celebrated with a fabulous outfit and a yummy corned beef, potatoes and carrots dinner... Which she loved!

Our little lady is getting too big!

Another work trip

Although a little easier this time, I still did not enjoy being away for 3 days. Plus I had to leave the day we got another 8 inches of snow.

But everyone did great and I swear in the 3 days I was gone her hair grown inches.

Look at this face that I got to come home too!

Stubborn

What happens when 2 stubborn people have a baby... Well they make a very strong willed stubborn baby. Yes that's right Greta is not perfect. She's close. And boy is she stubborn!

Sometimes I think she's too young to have temper tantrum but I'm pretty sure she has them. She wants her way.  And she wants to do it when she wants to do it. 

Oh I can foresee fun times ahead. 

Her mad face

 

Day care also wrote on her chart that she has been throwing temper tantrums when not getting her way... is she doing this at home too? 

 

Unfortunately, yes.  How do I fix this??

I should be doing's

Yesterday as I sat holding Greta while she slept I kept think of all the things I should be doing... Finishing the laundry, unpacking, feeding the dogs, getting dinner decided, baking something, working on Greta's birthday party. The list goes on and on. 

But then I realized... I should be holding her because I missed her so much this week. I should be watching her sleep because she looks like an angel when she does. I should be rocking her because it's comforting for both of us. I should be not doing anything else because she's growing up too fast.

So here's to putting off the should be doings and enjoying the now.... Which happens to be watching this sweet face sleep.

Travel tips when breastfeeding

These are my travel tips to all you breastfeeding moms who have to travel without your baby.

1. Pumps are big and bulky and I have to ask why? I might have to invest in the bag free pump next time. 

2. Pumping in an airplane bathroom is not enjoyable. There isn't enough room to begin with much less add a huge bag and bottles, and tubing oh my! Did that!

3. Pumping in an airplane seat... A little easier than the bathroom and way less claustrophobic. Yup - I did that too!

4. Taking breastmilk through security isn't too hard. 

5. Taking all the breastmilk you pumped (or could fit) home with you  - a pain in the butt!

6. Pumping and dumping makes me want to cry. Do not like it at all - seems like such a waste.

7. It takes way tooooo long to set up the pump and start pumping.

8. Coordinating presentations around a pumping schedule is a challenge.

9. Pumping using the battery pack for power is soooooo slow!

10. People are really nice when tell them you have to pump and need a place to do it. Quite impressed! Late checkouts. Locating family bathrooms. Not letting people kill me on the plane when in the bathroom for 20 minutes.

And lastly... 

11. Breastfeeding moms shouldn't have to leave their babies until they are done nursing. Ever! (Unless they want to, but this mama doesn't)

3 of the longest days ever

This month is going to be very hard. I have 2 work trips - back to back weeks. First up was California. Left on Tuesday and took the red eye home Thursday and landed at 6:15 this morning. Going on no sleep but holding my baby after being gone that long was totally worth it. FaceTime was great while I was gone but almost made me miss her more. It was just so weird to not have the monitor next to me at night and see her little face in it. Or rock her to sleep or nurse her. By the end of the trip, moms with babies must have thought I was crazy because I just keep staring and thinking about Greta.

I hate leaving her and wish I never have to!

On the happy side, Ryan got some great help from his mother and dad who have been staying with us this week, giving Greta lots of extra love and cuddles. They helped get her ready in the morning, took and picked her up from day care and helped feed her dinner... Plus lots of play time. 

More pictures to come!

Missing her so!

Day care sent me this great email today...

Picture of Greta sleeping!  She's all tuckered out.  After lunch, she was standing at the top of the climber, bouncing and dancing to Latin music, shaking her little booty with a big smile on her face!

 - Ms. Jeanette

Sleeping on a cot

Greta has officially graduated and now sleeps on a cot like a big kid at day care. Where has the time gone!