Breakfast with Santa

a few weeks ago, daycare hosted a breakfast with santa.  to this i say perfect, we got to introduce everly to the big guy without the lines and $$ of the mall.  and to our delight, she took great pictures. can't say the same for mom and dad who did not do so well in their photo.

Nap Time

Most days Everly is a great napper, today is not one of those days.  In fact I am trapped in the nursery rocking and nursing.  Even the thought of getting up induces a scream... But it allowed me to scroll through my photos on my phone and find these gems of our little one in a much happier mood! 

6 Months

Well the little turned 6 months last week, which was commemorated with her favorite, Shots!  Ok not really... but here are the new numbers:

Height: 26.5"
Weight: 14 lb 1 oz
Head Circumference: 41.5 cm
Onsie Size: 6 months, although we had to move up to 9 months in anything footed
Favorite Toys: Activity Station
                        Rain Maker
                        Soft Books
                        Butterfly is still a favorite
                        Ripping paper, whatever catalog mom is looking at

We've also started introducing solid foods, and our little girl loves to eat.  That shouldn't be a suprise as she demands big bottles too.  Her current favorites are Butternut Squash and Peas.  Turns out apples and pears are not her favorite but we will keep trying.

She continues to be vocal and likes to babble with anyone who will listen and often to herself.

Mom and Dad are also enjoying the last few weeks of a stationary baby.  She has been rolling for a few months, but a single roll.  She is now inchworming and may or may not be on her playmat if you turn your back... sitting and crawling are coming soon, we can feel it.

Speaking of soon, teeth are on the horizon, or at least as best we can tell by the waterfall of drool she produces and desire to chew on everything, mostly fingers, yours, hers, she's not picky.

5 Month Photo Shoot

4 Months! (and 3 months too)

4 months by the numbers:

weight: 11 lbs 13 oz
height: 25.5 "
head circumference: 40cm
onsie Size: too tall for 0-3 months, too skinny for 3-6 months
diaper size: 1

another month has flown by and we again shocked at what a different baby we have.  In months three and four there have been a lot of changes in the stukel home, mainly mom going back to work and everly starting school. the transition has gone really well, with a baby who likes school.  moms favorite part is the cute little art projects that come home (they mostly involve the teachers running everly's hand through paint).  she also really like sensory play, which involves sticking her hands in jello.  looks like we have a mess lover on our hands.

we started going back to musicology after mom won some free classes in a facebook giveaway.  awesome!  ps musicology is the most fun, we will take some pictures one day soon if mom can stop playing long enough.

everly now rolls over both directions consistently.  the other day she rolled to her tummy mid nap and woke up screaming... he still doesn't love tummy time.  she loves her rainmaker toy, raspberries on her belly, putting anything she can grab into her mouth.  her infamous butterfly is still the toy of choice (thanks mamas and papas... this toy is like baby crack).

she is showing her little personality more and more, and is a laid back silly little girl.  we love when she laughs this cute hearty laugh, although we still are trying to figure out what she thinks is so funny.

Airplane rides

So it's official, Everly's first vacation is on the books and just in time too as this momma is back to work.  Everly was a great traveler, slept the entire flight to Wisconsin and 75% of the flight home.  

 More vacation posting to come... As well as some overdue 3 month photos... 

Morning snuggles

This morning Everly and I are having a sweet little snuggle session before her nap. She has found her hands and is starting to use them .. Often to grab mom... By the hair! She also is trying to replace her pacifier if it falls out. 

She loves her monkey wub-a-nub!! So sweet when she hugs on!

2 months!

look at that, little miss everly turned two month's old on wednesday!  she is already changing and growing so much it is amazing to see how she is not out squishy sleepy little newborn anymore but likes to spend more time awake and alert during the day.  she is also a tummy time master, well for the first 5-7 minutes then she lets us know she is o-v-e-r it.  we saw the pediatrician on wednesday to celebrate with 3 shots and an oral med.  yay! ok, we promised her birthdays get more fun.  the bandaids were at least cute.

Height: 23 inches (75%)
Weight: 9 lb 15 oz (between 10 and 25%)
Head Circumference: 50%

Summary: tall and skinny with an average head, just like at birth.

favorites: blowing bubbles, baby talk, head-shoulders-knees and toes song. dad says dad is her favorite thing. oh and poop-free diapers.  other babies. her mom-a-roo.

she loves listening to music, metallica is her favorite band (dad's influence again).  don't worry it is the baby version. we also go to musicology every tuesday where mom gets to learn new fun songs to sing and everly gets to hang out with her friends.

we also go to a mom's group for breastfeeding moms on fridays where she has more friends and we are starting to schedule some play dates with some of her favorites.  i think at this point play dates are moms taking pictures of two babies on the same blanket but it will be fun.

she is getting close to holding her head up all the time, but definitely has control for periods of time.  she can roll to her side and managed to flip herself from tummy to back once.  it was a fluke but she wants to move.  her little legs are always in the crawl motion when she is on her belly, she just doesn't know to push on the ground.

she is also smiling in response to mom and dad which is our favorite thing.  she has also become a lot more vocal making the cutest little baby talk and mimicking the noises we make to her.  we are looking forward to the last month of mom at home and our first plane adventure next month.

Sunday Smiles

This week Everly started to smile! And not just the cute little uncontrollable smirk of the early weeks, real smiles in response to mom (and dad)!  Here is some evidence, although mom needs to practice having the camera ready to go!

newborn photos

we decided to get some newborn photos taken when everly was born to help us remember her that little.  here are some of our favorites.

One Month!

 i can't believe our little girl is already one month old (well yesterday, which i managed to get the pictures taken on).  it feels like we just brought her home yesterday.  it is amazing how much she has grown and changed in this first month... i keep telling her it is ok to slow down on the growing up.

onesie size: squeezing into newborn, swimming in 0-3 month

weight: 8 pounds 6 ounces

sleep: up to 6 hours stretches at night, and to one feeding a night

favorites: sleeping on mom/dad, play gym, boba wrap, walks in the stroller, car rides.  she is flirting with the mamaRoo but has no interest in the other bouncers (yet?)

milestones: she is definitely more alert and spending more and more time awake each day.  she is tracking objects with her eyes and seems to engage more in play time.  we are working on developing a schedule at home with week and will begin the transition from the sleeper in our room to her nursery this coming month.... wish mom and dad luck! oh and she rolls from her back to side easily.  tummy time is so far being well tolerated and we can see great progress in her head control.

A day in the life ... with a newborn

it's official, i am on my own with the baby.  i was lucky enough to have help at home the first three weeks to get us settled...but now it is just me and the babes. it still surprises me sometimes, in a good way, that we have a baby.  it is also amazing how when home with her, i feel busy all day, but can also feel like nothing gets accomplished.  guess it is time to redefined what a productive day is... and since a lot of hours go to feeding, changing and holding the munchkin, i should consider those 'productive' activities as well.  blog posting has been one of those items that is well intentioned but just hasn't happened the way i envisioned.  here's a photo journey of what we have been up to...

just hanging at the hospital

getting her first bath

family photo 

headed home...

first Dr. appointment

just hanging out.

First Adventure

Since bringing Everly home, it has been quite the adjustment to our scheduled around here.  This week we decided to incorporate one of our favorite family activities to little Everly's schedule, a dog walk.  We broke out the Boba wrap for the first time, which i was happy to see she was very content in, stapped on a sun hat to round out the 100% of her new little skin being covered and off we went.  Since it is unbelievably hot these days, we had to venture out early.

our second walk was met with even more adventure, as a little bit down the green belt we ran into a fellow dog walker who had found a turtle at the softball field of the park, and way to far away from water.  being a good samaritan, he was taking him back to the lake, so he didn't roast in the heat of the day.  turns out the turtle had a pretty large fishing hook stuck in his mouth.  that's where mark and i came in, and joined the turtle rescue party.  we walked back home, and then mark went to work.  turtle saved and returned to the lake.  dog walk ruined.