I'm not going to wrap my daughter in bubble wrap.

I am not going to wrap my daughter in bubble wrap.  She's a kid, a VERY active kid at that. Kids get hurt, and sometimes you have to let them get hurt. 

 This is the lesson that I have been learning this summer.  When the summer began I hovered over my what I believed to be fearless 1.5 year old.  My hovering caused multiple problems: 

1. It brought out the terrible 2's in my daughter, which led to frustration on both our ends.
2. I realized I was keeping her from learning lessons for herself.
3. And I was making her more dependent. 

I might be mistaken but I believe the goal as a parent is to raise healthy, happy, independent, thriving children. Not a child that expects you to go to their first interview with them.  Yes, I realize that she is not even two but I believe all experiences help to mold who we are. I found my self hovering for two reasons: she seemed fearless, and I was I was worried what others thought.  I felt like others would judge me if I allowed my daughter to walk up those stairs or go down the slide on her own.  I was glad when I met other Mom's at the park who had kids about the same age as my daughter or younger, who allowed their children to take the same risks.  When I let my anxiety go away some very positive things happened.

1. I stopped controlling my child so much, which meant she actually started to listen better when I needed her to. 
2. She showed me that she will ask for help when she needs assistance.

Here is Zoe asking for help down a slide. 

She has taken a few spills this summer, which is bound to happen when you have a child that runs everywhere she goes.  However, my daughter is very resilient.  She will cry, but often times not very long, and  then she's squirming out of my hands to get right back on that horse. And you know what I am proud of her for that.  I am proud that she doesn't let one mistake cause her give up on learning something new or even having a little fun. 

I find it interesting to compare Zoe to this other child.  If I had to guess the other child is just barely a year old, around 8 months younger than Zoe.  This little girl was happy and content to stand at one single fountain the whole time she was there, unlike Zoe who had to run around every single fountain. Even at a year, Zoe would not have been content to stand at one fountain.  She always had to see it all. If you notice in the bottom photo I circled Zoe in the background.  If you look close enough only one foot is just barely touching the ground. This girl is agile! When you have a child this active it's a part of life you just have to learn to accept. They are going to fall and they are going to get hurt. In fact she had two good falls at the fountains. I will always be there close by to pick her up, give her a kiss, and put her back on her feet. 

The end on 2013

So I have been really terrible about keeping up this blog. I haven't written a post since February last year.   One reason may be because I'm not a very good writer. I don't mind writing I just know my grammar is terrible.  Trust me I hear it from my husband all the time.   He always tells me that he will be the one teaching Zoe grammar, and math too...I'll hold him to that when homework time comes around!

Another reason is because it is just plain hard to find the time when you are a full time working Mom of a VERY active little girl.  Oddly her learning to walk has actually caused her to slow down some.  She finally learned how to sit and be content, well at least for a few minutes, which is longer than she could do before.

I figured I would use my goals that I made at the beginning of last year as a way to get everyone caught up on what we have done this year.  Maybe this will even help me remember as well. :)

1.  Take Zoe to the Georgia aquarium.

2.  Buy a city pass and visit all the attractions that Atlanta and the pass has to offer. 

I think after completion of the first goal this idea went bye bye.  Mainly because going to see the attractions was more for me than it was for Zoe.  She was still young over the summer and not always a happy camper when out and about.  I think some of this stuff will just have to postponed until she is older.  Maybe even this upcoming summer.  I definitely think she will appreciate the aquarium much more this summer. She finally starting to show interest in our own aquarium at home.

However,  Zoe and I did tag along with Diane and her little Floodlings to the Center for the Puppetry Arts.  And on another day, we also met up with Stacey and her daughter in Downtown Lawrenceville for small Children's Music Festival.    The Lawrenceville trip turned into quite a day.  Diane missed the show due to be rear ended by a guy texting, and on my way home I had my first ever flat tire.  Fortunately,  Zach happened to have a meeting in Gwinnett that day which made it easy for him to come to Zoe and I's rescue.

Late Summer Early fall we made several family hiking trips, and enjoying a variety of walking trails around Georgia.  We also purchased a pass to Stone Mountain, which has allowed us to hike Stone Mountain on multiple occasions.

 

 





Zoe and I also took a Gymboree class with James (Diane's Son), and Allyson (Stacy's Daughter).

            

 

3.  Take a class to improve my artistic skills.  Most likely some type of photography class, but I always like learning new things.  Especially if I can take it into the classroom.

So this didn't happen either.  Didn't I mention it is hard to find the time when you are the mother of a very active little girl. However,  I feel I have grown a lot in my photography over the last year.  Despite not taking a class I have read and study more.  I've also practiced more because I have a beautiful daughter that I love to photograph!  I even had a blast photographing another wedding this past year. Who knows maybe one of these days I will take the leap and go into business for myself.

 

Martin and Ashley Engagement Photos

Suzy and Steven Witcher Wedding

I even started a painting last year...Yes, Only started.  I got the bug to paint right after Christmas, and have been wanting to paint a Seahorse for Zoe's bedroom.  I have the beautiful aqua blue water all over the canvas, and a basic outline of a seahorse, and then....well...that's where I stopped. Zach raved about it, but then later admitted exactly what I was thinking.  The Seahorse is looking a little cartoony, and well I can't decided if I want to go that route or not.  It is for a child's room.

 

Zoe painting for the first time

4. Go to the beach, and play in the sand with Zoe

This happened more than once.  I know we went to Panama City at least twice, Gulf Shores and to Edisto once.  The first time we went to Panama City it was still cold.  Zoe was only 4 or 5 months old and saw the beach for the first time bundled up in a blanket. However, by the time Summer rolled around she was ready for some sand fun, and LOVED  the waves.  And by the time we made it to Edisto it was cooling down again, but still warm enough to run along the beach.  It was everything I could do to keep Zoe from running straight into the water. I think we have a water girl!

          

 
These photos are from our Golf Shores Trip

                   

 

These are from the pool at home

Panama City 

5.  See Cirque Du Soleil.  

Honestly, I'm not even sure if they came into town this year...

6.  Read 13 books this year. 

I didn't get anywhere close on this one.  I read 5 books completely through, and two books partially.  I'm most upset about the books that I didn't complete.  I stopped reading them only so I could try to read the up coming Book Club book, and actually make it to a meeting. I did a much better job reading in 2011/2012.  I guess it's easier to read when your stuck in one place for 30 minutes or more nursing or pumping for a baby.  However for someone who just a few years ago only read one maybe two books a year I still think this is pretty impressive.  It's also possible I'm forgetting a book or two.

7.  Provide Zoe with Breast milk until she turns one

Zoe was exclusively breast feed until she started being fed food at 6 months.  And then from there she did not have a sip of formula until 9 months.  At 9 months I introduced to the occasional formula bottle because I knew when I returned to work at 10 months I no longer wanted to pump at work.  I continued to nurse her morning and night until she was a year.   Looking back now I know I probably put way to much pressure on myself.  However, I will probably do it again for the next child.

8.   Learn to handle things as they come.  Stop worrying so much about the "WHAT IF".

I don't know for sure if I have accomplished this, or ever will, but I have definitely relaxed a little bit with my fears and stresses for Zoe.   Don't get my wrong I still worry about her, but I have settled into my shoes as a Mom a little better.

9.  Scuba Dive again
I completed one dive at the Jetties in Panama City.

Zoe checking out my gear after a dive. 

10. Create two new paintings/drawings
I guess I wasn't feeling creative enough.  However, 2014 seems to be a creative year already...I'll have to keep you posted.

11. Begin and finish Zoe's Baby album.

I am so excited about the fact that I have completed this.  I order a digital album from Shutterfly.  I do plan to go back and hand write in a few details, but all the photos from her first year of life have been compiled into one awesome book. :)  I've had to remissness several times already since the album arrived in the mail.

12.  Enjoy a girls night out.

Since I was a bridesmaid in two weddings last year I was able to have at least two of these, but I'm sure there were a few more as well.


13. Sew something
I have a Sewing machine sitting in my house waiting to be used.  My Mother has even spent some time here in the past year and used it, Sewing stuff for us I might add.  And yet I am still to intimidated by it I guess...I just need to learn how to thread it myself.  I really do want to try my hand at Sewing.  I remember making pillows back in High School.

Despite me not following my list exactly.  2013 was still a fantastic and eventful year!!

Father-Daughter

 

Weighing in on Weight

I always knew Zoe was going to be a small baby,  her size has never been a surprise to me.  I was a small baby, in fact smaller than her.   Zach and I are not huge people, so then why is her size such a huge concern?

I've really grown aggravated with the percentile charts.  At Zoe's two month doctors appointment she had gained the appropriate amount of weight, yet the doctor commented on how thin she looked.  Stating that most babies are chubby.   Well she's not most babies!!  Genetically I don't think this girl is ever going to be big.  But do I think she is healthy...YES!

Fortunately at the most recent, 4 month visit, the doctor took mine and my husbands size into consideration.  She also commented on how active Zoe is for her age, which can also affect weight gain.   She informed me that babies gain the most weight during the first six months of life because that is when they are the most sedentary, which Zoe has never really been.  As my father-in-law likes to point out Zoe's arms are always moving.

However despite Zoe seeming to be a perfectly healthy active baby who is gaining weight at her own pace, and growing up rather than out the doctor wants me to work on fattening her up. So that she doesn't fall off the percentile charts.  First of all in this generation of obese children why are they trying to fatten up a perfectly healthy baby!!  And Zoe is the not the first baby that I've heard doctors say this about.  My cousin has also be told the same thing about her daughter.  I also have several co-workers who told me that doctors said the same thing to them, and their children are still small but perfectly healthy.

At the doctors office the other day my doctor suggested that I start feeding Zoe rice cereal in two weeks.  But not only did she want me to start feeding her rice cereal she wanted me to add BUTTER to the cereal to fatten her up.  I mentioned to the doctor my allergy concern because my husband has a lot of food allergies, and I also mentioned that I have never been fully convinced that Zoe doesn't have a dairy intolerance.   Instead of butter she suggested olive oil.  After talking this over with several people, and my husband we both decided we were definitely not comfortable with feeding solids at this point, and especially not butter. I don't want to start clogging her arteries with butter already.  In addition, all the current allergy research strongly suggest not to feed solids until 6 months, and to breastfeed until that time if you are concerned at all about allergies.  Which we are!  So now I'm in a dilemma go ahead and feed my daughter cereal with BUTTER, and risk her having allergies or wait until six months and potentially avoid the allergy concern.  ( I say potentially, I know nothing is guaranteed)

Further more, this is what I find really funny...I was reading over the packet of information that my doctor gave me about feeding solids, and it discussed teaching healthy habits now; don't force your child to eat if they are no longer hungry.   It also said that a 4 to 6 month old baby should be eating/drinking anywhere from four to seven times a day.  Zoe gets four, 5oz bottles at day care plus she eats from me once in the morning and anywhere from two to three times in the evening, so a total of eight times a day.  Zoe is content with six meals a day. However, I have been waking up my good sleeper and adding other meals in just to give her more calories.  I am feeding her without her asking/wanting to already.   I am fine with waking her up a few extra times.  I understand that she is small, and that 12 hours is a long time for her to go without eating.  But my little girl sure does love sleep.  She will let you know when she is tired, and hates to be kept up past her bed time.  She also hates being woken up, but I wake her to make sure she has a few extra calories.

I do a lot of things for Zoe's health.  Breastfeeding is definitely not easy, and trying to keep up a pumped supply is even harder.  Pumps are not as efficient as babies. I feel fortunate to be working at a middle school this year, because of all the planning time I actually get.  If it wasn't for the planning time I don't know how I would be able to keep this up. I miss working at the elementary school, but I would not have had this luxury there. I had little or no planning time last year, and from talking to my old coworkers it sounds as though there is even less this year. I am glad that my doctor at least understand the importance of breastfeeding, and isn't trying to talk me into formula feeding like so many others.   The way I see it formula is a food based product because most formulas are either dairy based or soy based.  Two of the most common food allergies in this country are dairy and soy.   I'm just not ready to introduce those to Zoe's diet yet.  I'd rather let her body build up a tolerance (hopefully)  to those substances through the natural milk that my bodies creates specifically for HER.  And hopefully once her digestion has matured her body will handle them on her own.

Four Months

Hard to believe that time has passed so quickly.  Zoe is four months old.
It really is truly amazing how quickly babies learn and how much they progress and grow in such a short amount of time.   In the last week I have seen Zoe do so many new things, and show interest in stuff that has never seemed to interest her before.

On her car seat handle I have had a toy bird that vibrates when you pull the bird.  This bird has been on her car seat since the beginning. I use to think it scared her so I usually just slid it down to the side out of her view, but would occasionally slid it up again to see if her opinion of it has changed.  The other day I took Zoe shopping so I could return some items.  Upon entering the store the store clerk said, "Hi" to Zoe which immediately made Zoe start crying.  It was one of those moments where Zoe was locked in on me, and I think the store clerk startled her.  To distract her, and keep her attention while in the store I slid the bird up into her view, and pulled on it a few times to show her how it vibrated.  A little while later, while still waiting in line I look down to see Zoe grabbing hold of the birds feet and actually pulling it down towards her.  I gasped in my amazement. That was the first time I've seen her have so much control over her hands and fingers.   I've seen her grab hold of things before, but I've never realize how much precision she actually has.  Her fine motor skills impress me daily!  Motor skills are important for a future artist ; P 

I don't recall which hand she actually grabbed the bird with, but if I haven't mentioned it before I think she is going to be a lefty.

During Zoe's third month of life she also learned how to flip herself over from back to front.  I have been expecting Zoe to achieve this skill for some time now, because she has been showing interest for months .  Yet, some how it still caught me off guard    I laid her on the floor for just a brief moment while I was getting something done, and when I looked up at her she had just flipped herself over.  She probably thought I was one crazy lady with all the hooting and hollering that I was doing.  I was just so proud of her, and wanted to let her know.

It is funny when babies learn new skills, or at lease Zoe,  it seems as though she can't stop doing something once she figures it out.  Almost every time I lay her down she flips herself over.  At Zoe's four month visit the other day she decided to show off her rolling skills to the doctor.  She flipped herself over and then raiser her head high showing off how strong she is.

I had originally planned on using this outfit for Zoe's  newborn  photos, but she was just too small.  I had to wait until she grew into it.

Zach's not very happy with the way I dressed her up for these photos.  He wants me to take more four month photos in a different outfit.  What are your thoughts?

In God's hands

Sunday, January 27th  Zoe was baptized at Sandy Springs United Methodist Church. 

Zach and I started attending Sandy Springs United Methodist a few Months before Zoe was born.  In fact I remember the first Sunday we attended the church vividly.  It was a HOT day in July, and I believe their air conditioner was broken (not fun for a pregnant women who was just getting over a heat rash). Despite the heat we felt welcomed immediately by Reverend Ken and Pastor Blair.  

Pastor Blair seen above holding Zoe was also very pregnant when we met.  She was due to have a daughter just a few short weeks after Zoe. We made and instant connection over the joy that was about to enter our lives.  Soon after Blair joined us for dinner one night.  Zach got to show off his cooking talents and made gluten free chicken parmigiana. At that time I was getting to the I'm over pregnancy stage so I was hoping Zach would have made eggplant parmigiana, but I knew  Blair still had a few weeks till she was considered full term so I decided not to risk her eating eggplant. 

Over dinner we discussed the church, and soon felt that this was the church that we wanted to begin Zoe's life with God. 

 I loved going to church while I was pregnant.  Zoe was always very active in my belly while at church.  I could tell she was happy.  Zoe was typically very calm in utero, she moved just enough for me to know she was healthy, but in general not very active.  It was always so exciting to feel her which is why I loved it at Church.  ( Zoe was so calm in the womb I  actually find in amazing how active she is now.)

Nana loves her Grand baby!!

We had to do a last minute clothing change.  I  had just finished getting Zoe all  dressed up at home, and  she immediately  soaked her gown by spitting up on it.  So I had to quickly change her wash it off throw it in the dry, and then change her back into the gown when we arrived at church.  Nana gladly took on the chore of changing Zoe.

The gown that Zoe was baptized in was the same gown that I wore when I was baptized.  

I love this photo!!  Zach is just SOOOOOO in love with Zoe.  I think there is a  Daddy - Daughter blog post coming soon. 

Up to 3 months

At one month I was lucky to get a photo with Zoe's eyes open.  

At two months of age Zoe was starting to show the signs of being a mover and shaker (not really a surprise, considering she is part Zach).  She began to show interest in her feet, and was continually grabbing for them.  Although, was not successful at apprehending them until the weekend before Christmas. 

Upon her birth Zoe was practically rolling herself back and forth, and came close to flipping herself over on several occasions.  At one month of age she flipped herself over a few times when she was sat next to me in the bed.  I was pretty sure most of these incidence were accidents, and the slight slope that my divot created in the bed helped to assist her to accomplish this task. 

However, during her second month of life Zoe began to show a desire to purposefully roll herself over from back to front a task she hasn't fully mastered.  I predict this will be accomplished within the week after watching her today.  

But, it was New Years Eve, just a few days before she turned three months that she accomplished flipping belly to back.  The entire next day Zoe was on a flipping roll. : )  

I am so glad that I've been taking these Month by Month photos. It is amazing to see her progression side by side.  I know she is developing, but I never realize how much she has actually developed until I look back at these photos. 

In the three month photos you can tell how much of a mover and a shaker she actually is.  These photos were a challenge to take.  Which is why the blocks in many of the photos were not as in focus as I would like them to be.  But in many ways that's what I love about them.  They show her personality, and interests.  Just look at this last one...She is staring so intensely at her foot. Or the one above where the blocks captured her attention.   The environment around her is beginning to become so exciting and interesting.  

On another note I think the pacifier is going to be a thing of the past...Zoe has found her thumb.   All that time Zach spent teaching her to put a pacifier in her own mouth, and she wont  even use that skill any more.  OK, so she never successfully put a pacifier in her mouth on her own, but it was pretty amazing to watch her try.  She would bring the pacifier from her outstretched hand to her face and usually hit her nose instead of her mouth, but I was impressed. Her developing motor skills lead me to believe I may have an artist on my hands.  I'm already predicting that Zoe will be a lefty.  She seems to be more apt to hold things in that hand.  So many things to learn and explore the future is so exciting. 

I think it's time to start baby proofing.