2 Month Check-Up

Yesterday Ansley had her 2 month check-up and the start of her immunizations. Grandmother Leete (Ansley's great-great grandmother) went with us for emotional support (for me). This is our 4th trip to the doctor's office and each trip has been awful. Ansley screams the minute we walk into the office and doesn't stop until we leave. This trip was completely different. She only got a little fussy right before the shots (it had been an hour of waiting), and right before she got the shot she fell asleep. Of course the shot woke her up, but she feel asleep again before we even made it out of the office. I think that our new scheduling has been working. She is really learning to self-soothe. Dr. Williams reassured me that I was doing everything right. We love Dr. Laramie!!! We are breaking up her shots, so we have to go again next week, but that is okay with me. She weighs 10 lbs 7 oz and is 23 inches long. She is only in the 25-50th% for weight, but her head is in the 75th%. So I guess that she is going to be an itty bitty with a big noggin- it could be worse.

Happy Halloween

Julianna has really been wanting to carve a pumpkin this year, and I have really been avoiding it. I always remember it being quite a hassel and pretty over-rated. This afternoon she came home from school and asked when we could carve her pumpkin. I couldn't put it off another day being that tomorrow is Halloween, and I didn't want her to end up in therapy as an adult because her mom never let her do anything messy-so we carved two pumpkins (to make up for the fact that I don't allow paint, glue, glitter, and other messy stuff). A friend "Booed" us earlier in the week and gave us a pumpkin carving kit, so we pulled that out and got started. We carved one ghost and one jack-o-lantern that Julianna designed. I have the pumpkin seeds drying out so that I can cook them tomorrow. We had a really good time and I have the pictures to prove that I am not always afraid of mess!

Catchin' Up

Things have been great at the Zak house the past week. Jason didn't have class, so I had extra help in the evenings- very nice for the frazzled mom! Julianna is still loving school. Thursday was "Special Person" day at ther school, so Ansley and I packed up and headed to Porter Ridge Elementary. It was great to see her in action with her class. She shared her poetry book with me and the class sang a couple songs. Julianna also had to write on a leaf why the person that was visitin gher was special. She wrote on her leaf "you make me brownies." Little does she know that I made those for her afterschool snack because I was craving brownie mix! After that we made a tissue paper fall tree together. Her teacher said that she is such a little teacher. Last week her job was to be the paper passer outer, and before she would pass the paper out to students she would say "I'll give you your paper when you are quiet." I am not sure that she will be the most popular with the other kids, but her teacher loves her! (I have pictures, but I can't seem to be able to rotate them clockwise on this laptop).

Saturday morning the girls played together on our bed. Julianna read and did puppet shows for Ansley. Ansley watched her for about 45 minutes. I can't believe how crazy she already is for her sister. Julianna is quite the big sister and so sweet to try and entertain the little one.

Friday night Julianna went with her friend Avery to see HSM 3. It was her first time going to the movies with a friend and she had a great time. Ansley and I went to have dinner with the grandmas for Grandma Linda's birthday. Ansley was a bit of a fuss pot at first, but then after Grammie introduced her to ice cream she seemed to settle down- thanks Grammie. Ansley won't take a bottle, but apparently she has no problem with vanilla ice cream!

Ansley and I are working on getting her on a schedule. She has only been able to fall asleep by being rocked or in her swing since she was born. I have been that mom that prays that when I lay her down she is asleep enough not to wake up. And when she is fussy and I can't calm her down I am a little to quick to breastfeed her-even when she is not hungry. So Sunday I decided that it was D day. For her afternoon nap I put her in her bassinet and allowed her to cry. I read that most will cry about 15-20 minutes. Not my baby. ONE HOUR! Yes, she screamed for an entire hour, and then finally fell asleep for an hour! I did check on her every 15 minutes to tell her that I loved her and that I was sorry. That afternoon she fell asleep again in her bouncie seat (she's never done that) and on Grandma Fran's shoulder. Last night I put her down and she screamed for an hour and a half before finally falling asleep for an hour. When she woke up in the middle of the night, I fed her, rocked her and put her back down while she was still a little awake and she managed to settle herself down. We'll see how today goes. I hate to hear her cry, but I really hate not being able to eat dinner out or go to the mall without nursing or swinging her car seat back and forth until she falls asleep. I am hoping that she is a quick learn and that it won't be too bad!

Cradle C(r)ap

Okay, so Ansley has finally gotten over the baby acne, but we have moved into new territory- Cradle Cap. Or Cradle Crap as I like to refer to it as, because it looks so awful. I have been kind of picking at it- I know I shouldn't do that. The other afternoon I was talking with my neighbor about it and she said to rub baby oil in it and brush it. I did that before her bath that evening and noticed that it was better the next morning, but there was still a good amount of flaking. That morning I soaked the poor baby in baby oil and brushed her hair- but she was so greasy looking that I had to make her wear a hat all day. Poor thing- good thing she looks cute in a hat!

Wild Weekend

This weekend Papa and Nanni and Erin and Graham were in town for a visit. On Friday we had a Jeans Party. Since Ansley had her first pair of jeans, Aunt Erin decided that was reason enough to have a party- and I am always up for some cupcakes. It was funny, because a lot of the neighbors were outside wearing their jeans, so they were invited too. They probably think that we are a bit nutty, but it was fun.

On Saturday I decided that I was going to fix dinner for the entire clan. A neighbor made homemade pasta shells for us after Ansley was born and I loved them, so I thought that I would make them. It did take all day, but it was worth it. My husband was impressed! Grammie did some shopping while she was in Florida for Goosie, so she is now rocking some really cute fall outfits- if we could just get the fall weather to cooperate.

Sunday Ansley and I went to meet the family for pancakes to see Erin and Graham off. The baby slept the entire time- thank goodness. Sunday afternoon Daddy watched the baby while Julianna, Nanni and I went shopping. Nanni bought Julianna her Halloween costume- Sharpay from HSM. We also got Goose a couple pair of shoes to wear with her new outfits. When I got home Papa was feeding Ansley a bottle- this is a really big deal. She has only taken a few bottles in her short life. Papa is so good with the little girls! Sunday afternoon Julianna and Papa went to the park together and had a fun time. They found a rock and Papa cut it in half and put a hole in it. Julianna decorated hers with paints and glitter. Papa is going to fix his up in Ohio.

Forever in Blue Jeans

I have been dying to get Ansley a pair of blue jeans- all girls need a good pair. Yesterday we went to The Children's Place and I got the cutest little pair for her. They have little ruffles at the bottom. I washed them as soon as I got home and couldn't wait to put them on her this morning. Jason gave the SAT at school, so while he was gone and Goose was playing dress up, Ansley had a photo shoot in her new jeans. Oh, and then she pooped in them...nice.

Baby Wise? Not Really.

Things at the Zak house are going well. Julianna is still loving school. Every morning Jason walks her to school and tells her "not to go getting smarter than him." It is a cute little thing that they do! The other night at dinner she tried to stump him with the question "What colors can you not make?" His answer was white and black. I thought that the answer was blue, red, and yellow and Julianna agreed, so I guess that she is getting smarter than him. She has stayed on green everyday, gotten to get a treat out of the treasure chest a few times, and received awards for being good on the bus!
Our only worry is that there is a little boy in her class and on the bus that tries to kiss her. She came home last week telling us about him. We told her to tell him that her mommy would call his mommy if he didn't stop. I am not sure that she is really concerned about it because when she tells us that is is going on she smiles and giggles- yes already. Poor Jason. This is a picture of her school picture. Don't worry, I'll get real ones to you all! Things are going well with Ansley. We went in for a weight check with Dr. Laramie this week. Ansley weighs 9 lbs. 2 oz. Laramie said that she is gaining about an ounce a day. Ansley sleeps in her swing for most of the day and I was a little worried about that, but Laramie said as long as she can fall asleep in her bed that is okay. Well, yesterday, just to test I laid her down in her Pack and Play for her afternoon nap and she slept in it for about an hour. I was so excited- we don't have to be dependent on the swing(s)- although we have 3 so we will be using them! I am also trying to keep her awake after she nurses during the day. That is a little harder than you would think. She falls asleep while she is eating, and lets be honest there isn't too much to do with a 6 week old. Although, this week she has really started smiling and cooing. We have discussions during the day and she actually agrees with me about everything. That will last until she learns the word "no".
It seems that the consensus is that the baby looks like Jason when she is smiling, and like me when she is pouting...nice.