5 Months Old

Izzy Lou is now a whole 5 months old. She continues to be a busy baby and it won't be much longer before she starts moving beyond her blanket. She's already gone beyond the little one of the play gym and has gotten into a couple weird places, like under the toilet. Yuch! Needless to say, we've become better about keeping the floors clean. I also need to finish making her crib bumpers since she has started to roll/scootch to the walls and has gotten a couple good bonks to the head. And last week, she got her leg stuck between the slats. Ouch!

We've had a lot of fun together this summer so far and of course I'm getting none of the projects I had planned done. I figure she's only this young once but then that could be a valid excuse for years to come. I did get one project done and that was a taggie blankie for Izzy since I had been making them for everyone else lately. She loves it! Half the ribbons have gotten a good dose of drool already.

No measurements this month since Izzy doesn't have her next appointment until September. I'm guessing she's beyond 11 pounds and she's grown out of some of her pj's lengthwise. We also needed to get her a new hat. I should figure out how to sew them since she actually likes wearing them.

Izzy has come to like food as much as nursing if not more so. So far bananas are the hands-down favorite. Just at the mention of the word or the sight of the yellow crescent makes her smile and open up. She doesn't like peas or green beans but if they're laced with bananas then it's ok-ish. She also loves plums and gets really upset when it's gone. Like bananas, all good things come to an end sometime.

Milestones:
Grabs and holds her feet
Laughs in anticipation
Reaches out for objects while on her tummy

Likes:
Running water
Our morning walk with the neighbors
BANANAS
Plums (real ones), Sweet Potatoes, Pears
The Six Little Ducks song (quack, quack quack!)
The play gym and her bouncy seat still :)
Being on her tummy (finally!)
Her new blankie and her rattly doll
Chewing on EVERYTHING
Her alone time

Dislikes:
Peas
Bad dreams
Sudden loud noises
The discontinuity of spoon feeding
The crib wall (bonk!)

Izzy loves her new blanket

You've got a little something on your chin, Izzy

Izzy looking cute in her dressie

Ah, the flexibility of babies

Hey!

Time to go!

Outside!

Today the sun was finally out after a couple days of rain, rain, and more rain. So Izzy and I spent most of the day outside. We struck out early this morning to take the dogs out to Rutland State Park. It was a good thing we didn't take the stroller since the roads were being regraded and very muddy due to wash outs this week. Then after a good nap and some lawn mowing, we went out this afternoon to have floor time out on the lawn.

Izzy was having such a nice nap in the car

Mommy and Izzy out for a hike

This sun thing is bright

The pups have a short rest before heading back home

Check out these ducks

Oh, hi Mom :)

An Afternoon with Aunt Amy

Tuesday, Aunt Amy took the day off from work since she had just gotten back from Wisconsin that morning after a missed connecting flight in Detroit (no, she did not talk to anyone in Detroit). We tried to go blueberry picking but the farm is closed on Tuesdays. Oops. Should've called first. So we took a nice walk over Dexter Drumlin in Lancaster since it was really nice out and we didn't want to go straight home having driven all the way out there.

Roger Williams Zooooooo!

Today, Aunt Laura and Griffin treated us to a day at the zoo using their season pass. It was a hot, hot, HOT day but the zoo had plenty of shade and even some misters to help us cool off. Izzy had a rough start but pigged out during lunch and was all smiles in time to see the flamingos. Griffin was right, those are the best! We also got to see giraffes, an elephant, seals swimming underwater (though Izzy was more impressed by the reflections), monkeys, and a bunch of funky birds. It was a long day for all of us and even Griffin fell asleep by the end.

Laura and Griffin cool off

Izzy shares a plum with Mommy

and ends up eating most of it!

Mmmm Hair

Goin' to Connecticut

Last Thursday, Izzy and I went down to New London to visit Aunt Gail and stay the night. We picked up Cousin Sarah on the way to go visit Great Grandpa Horning. We had a nice visit outside hanging out on the benches before he had dinner.

Later that night we went over to Debbie's for a cook-out and also got to meet her brother Michael and niece Carolyn. Carolyn was having fun weighing herself on the scale. She's nearly 7 times Izzy's size! Not bad for an 8 yr. old.

Friday Debbie treated us to lunch and then we went on a trip to Harkness Park. It was the first time Izzy had been to the beach and of course we had to dip her tootsies into the water. She didn't mind as long as she was facing the shore. The oncoming waves were a bit much for her. Hopefully she'll like them when she's a bit older. The park also had beautiful gardens surrounding a large mansion. We'll definitely be visiting again this summer.

Izzy wore her nature dress for Great Grandpa.

Sittin' in the shade with Great Grandpa

Izzy, Gail and Sarah lean to the left.

Carolyn plays with Griffin's cousin Izzy

Carolyn bids Izzy good night after supper.

Izzy had an outdoor nap while Debbie and I ate lunch

Debbie was Izzy's personal chauffeur at Harkness.

Froggies were hiding in the garden pond

Izzy keeps an eye out for those waves

Swing Dixie

This evening, Izzy and I joined our friend Cathy to listen to old time jazz and picnic in Newton Square Park. Izzy had fun dancing, hanging out on the blanket, and watching all the other little kiddies at the concert. One quiet little girl kept coming over to visit and laid down on our blanket. Another kept squealing in joy at the baby. So cute. The music was good, too :)

Cathy's holding a baby! For real this time :)

Izzy likes (little) people watching.

Cathy's blanket is awesome!

First 4th of July

Happy Fourth of July!


Izzy's had a busy weekend and has been out past her bedtime three days in a row. Tonight is bath and bed on time. Thursday, we went to watch the Worcester fireworks from the hill in Shrewsbury. The mosquitoes beat us into an early retreat but we got to see the finale while driving down Rte 9. Friday was a party at Nuance and Shaughn's. Izzy got to show of the sailor dress Nuance had gotten her when she was born. She finally fits in it :) Last night was a yummy barbeque at Seann and Dawn's. Izzy had a grand time playing peek-a-boo with Emma and Tim. Cole was entranced by the baby and had fun trying to get her to grab grass.

Nuance shows off Izzy in her outfit.

Izzy's a lot lighter than Helene's nephews

Xine introduces Izzy to Cole

Cole keeps Izzy entertained while Mom and Dad eat

Fourth Month Check-up

Izzy had her check-up today and did very well. She broke 10 pounds! 10 lb 2 oz to be exact. So Grandma Pat was very close to guessing her weight. If I hadn't changed her diaper, maybe she could've gotten that last ounce. She is also 22 inches long (2nd pctl) and has a 16.5 inch head (70th pctl). So big noggin which holds in all those brains on a petite frame. But she's still following her curve so all is well. The doctor's names for Izzy today included honey bunny and little miss peewee. Izzy showed off her new tricks including holding herself up while on her tummy then flipped over into the heavy wooden ruler. Oops! Well, it's far from the first time she'll bang her noggin. The doctor also called us brave for starting her on foods already and was very glad that we didn't wait for her permission. She told us keep going and only wait about 2 days between new foods. So today was pear and she loved that. Next maybe peas or carrots. Yum!

Auntie Gail comes North

Sunday, Aunt Gail came up to visit Izzy for the first time. Izzy loved her...at a distance. We'll need to get those two together more so they can get used to one another. Hopefully we'll be able to take advantage of Aunt Gail's proximity to the beach this summer.

Aunt Laura's Birthday (2 days early)

Saturday, Izzy and I went out with Grandma and Ben to Natick to celebrate Aunt Laura's birthday at John Harvard's. Griffin was a ham and showed off his eating and straw wielding skills. Izzy started out cranky but after a quick bottle got into the swing of things and got to play with Mommy's straw. If it's in her hand, it's in her mouth.

A picture with the Birthday Girl

Izzy and Griffin hanging on the table

Aw... they're holding hands

Izzy is a straw-novice

Griffin shows her the correct way


Afterwards, we went to the patriotic mini-golf course. Everyone was pretty close on the first half but Uncle Fred pulled way ahead in the second even though I got two holes in one. Izzy fell asleep around the 9th hole and missed both of them. Griffin also got in the game towards the end. He really liked Grandma's pink ball.

Stylin'

Griffin uses a more direct method of getting the ball in the hole

Izzy sleeps through the back nine

4 Months Old

Izzy turned four months old on Friday. She's a sweetie but has shown that she does have quite a temper. Especially when it is nap time and she's not in her crib yet. Izzy has set her own bed time to be 7pm and she still wakes up around 5:30am. She's been busy trying to find new positions in her crib and travels quite a bit in it. While at Grandpa's, Izzy finally turned over back to front after a week of struggling. Of course, she doesn't like being on her tummy so whining ensues shortly after she's done it.

This has been a physically intensive time for Izzy. Izzy has decided that being upright is the way to be and has been working on her abs. If she's laying on us or propped up, she will pull herself up. Sometimes she pulls even further and puts her head to her knees. She's also doing a lot of leg lifts and now can touch her knees and is working on reaching her toes. We do a lot of arm work doing pull-ups. She also has a new jumpster to do some leg work. She hasn't quite gotten bouncing yet but enjoys the 360 views.

Izzy's hand-eye coordination has improved and is most often used to grab things to put in her mouth: body parts, rattles, straws, toucans. So last week, we decided to give her a chance to eat something real. She didn't like the rice cereal (who would?) but did eat oatmeal. Now she's on bananas and sweet potatoes. She's making a real mess but most of it's getting in her tummy.

Izzy likes:
Kicking in her bathtub
Bananananas
Talking with her rainforest friends
Chewing on stuff (no teeth though)
Riding in her red stroller
Sitting in her jumpster
Watching the dogs play

Izzy dislikes:
Missing naptime
Waking up tummy down
The Weather

Milestones:
Rolling over back to front
Holds chest up on arms (cobra pose?)
Grasps hands together
Travels by wiggling on her back
Sits propped up
Eating solids!

Gone to bed

Next morning

Izzy likes her new jumpster

Murphy does, too

Mmmm bananas

This food thing is great!