8 Months

Linnea has hit the 8 month mark!!!! Wow I can't believe how fast it goes. She is sooo funny and is developing so many cute personality traits. I am so thankful I get to be the one to help raise her on this Earth. She is one of the greatest loves of my life!!!!! Here are some things about Linnea

-I love to try and figure out how things work.

- I love to sing to music

-I love to have my back and necked rubbed (big help in calming me down)

-I hate to take naps

-I have discovered I love my binki

-I love the Phantom of the Opera

-I move my arms and get really stiff and excited when I see familiar people or even new faces

-I love when daddy tickles my tummy and neck

-I love the song "Little Bunny Fufu"

-I love my toy box, not the toys, just the box

-I love when mommy reads me stories about shapes and Goodnight Moon

-I love love love tubby time and playing with the foam letters and numbers

-I have learned that my stroller has straps that hold me down just like my awful carseat so I like to make a fuss on walks sometimes.

-I can make about 3 crawls before I have to rest

-I love new foods, especially fruit and veggies

-I love cuddles and kisses

-I love to eat mommy's cell phone and hold the remote

-I love my peter rabbit stuffed animal and stuffed Elephant

-I still like to laugh when others cry especially cousin Asher

-I love my grandparents and love to have my pictures taken.

-I love to eat and eat and eat, but I still am long and skinny!!

-I love to coo and talk to everyone and tell them stories

-I love to roll everywhere to get to place to place.

-I love to give pitty laughs to help mommy and daddy feel better about themselves when they aren't funny.

WE LOVE YOU LITTLE GIRL!!!!!

Sleeping Update...

Well on a previous post I said that Linnea hasn't been sleeping that great, well it's still basically the same, but I finally stepped up and decided she needs her sleep, I need my sleep, both day and night so I realized when she does cry in her crib it is not hurt, scared or a hungry cry, it is a temper-tantrum. It is amazing if you really listen, babies have a different cry for everything they need, so anyways I realized I need to teach Linnea now that she can't get my attention through temper-tantrums that way and she needs her sleep so last night and this afternoon were my first attempts at the "cry it out" soooooo hard, but I stuck with it. She woke up last night around 2:30 just wanting to be rocked or held...it would've taken about 10 minutes if I chose to do that to get her back to sleep, but I thought if I keep this up I'm going to be having an 18 month old someday not sleeping through the night or who knows. So I turned on her mobile and rubbed her tummy told her to sleep and I loved her and walked out. She hated that with a passion!!!!! She screamed and yelled for over an hour. I would periodically walk in and out to make sure she was safe and guess what eventually she went back to sleep AMAZING!!!! and she slept until like 8:15 this morning!!! It was a rough time waiting for that to happen I didn't even attempt to go to my bed I just sat on our couch and waited! Derek came and checked on her one time because when I would walk in she freaked out 10 times more (she knows mom is the milk machine). Then with nap time today we went through the same issue, I closed her door and tried to do some of my calls, got in the shower so I couldn't hear her. Once again she did fall asleep. Not very long, but long enough to get some jobs done and about 2 or 3 calls!!! So I think we are on our way...She wakes up everytime still in love with me, she smiles and doesn't hate me for making her cry so hopefully sleep will come easier for her tonight, thanks for the tips Andrea and Katie...they are helping alot!!! We'll see how the next few nights go!!!

If you know anyone who wants this sweetie...

We need to find sweet little Gemma a better home, I just feel so bad leaving her alone all day. She is super smart, she already knows sit and come, we're working on leave it and stay. She is starting to go to the door to outside, so she knows that that is where the potty is, so that is getting better. We are asking $600 (thats what we paid) but I will take $500. She was the "runt" of the litter so compared to other St. Bernard's she won't be as large. I wish we could keep her, it's just not fair to her. If you know of anyone have them give me a call thanks!

Having fun with the Camera...

Well nothing has really been happening, but I hate when I have the same post on for weeks so I thought I'd just post some adorable pictures of Linnea!!! I did finish my final exam today for my last pre-req for the COTA program. I need to get a B out of the class in order to be accepted into the program so we'll just have to wait and see

what happens. O also you know that cute puppy we just bought, well we are already selling her because my mom is super allergic and I feel just so guilty about leaving a dog all day long while Derek works and when I am back in school full time, so if anyone knows anyone who wants a puppy she is just such a sweet dog!!!! Let me know.

What is going on????

Ok so Linnea has decided to change her sleep patterns completely!!! She has been an AMAZING sleeper so far in her life, like 3 hour naps and sleeping from 8 to 8 every night. She cut her two bottom teeth and still seemed normal except she woke up about 6:30 or 7 in the morning, now we have a different story...maybe a 45 minute nap during the day and maybe another 15 minute nap later on, then going to bed still around 8 or 8:30 and waking up around 2 then 4 then 5 then finally around 7. This has been going on for the last two weeks, as some of you know I work at home and I count on longer naps to get any work done!!! So any advice to help kids sleep better I would love it. I don't know if her teeth are upsetting her or what, but she is still a happy baby a little bit more needy and when she wakes up from her naps it is LOUD she likes to scream! Some people told me the "let them cry" method, I tried, can't do it...it makes me cry, so anything else would be much appreciated.

Another new addition...

Well Derek and I welcomed the newest member of our clan on Wednesday...Gemma! Yes, if you're wondering what type of dog she is...she will be a full grown St. Bernard someday. We wanted to look at some pets and found Gemma on monday, but we thought no maybe a parrot...then we saw her again on Wednesday and just said you know lets get her. We names her after a real Italian Saint, Gemma Galgani, I thought it was cool. Some of you may think we are nuts for having a small home with a giant dog, but they are lethargic dogs who do well in the house, we just need to give her some good walks and they are called "nanny dogs" because they are so patient with kids, which she has proven to us when Linnea digs at her eyes and pulls on her lips and ears. I am still kind of hesitant, but she is such a loveable puppy that she makes me forget sometimes. I hope it all works out because I'm sure she will be a great dog that our family will just love!!!

7 Months

Well our beautiful Linnea has hit her 7 month mark...yesterday...she is such a joy to our little family! Here are some things about Linnea...

-She loves singing along to the sacrament hymns (even though some people don't find it too pretty)

-She loves to dance & spin with mom and dad all over the house.

-She loves playing one for the money with dad

-She loves to reach for everything in sight and try to get it into her mouth

-She has her two bottom front teeth and is sprouting a molar

-She loves the water

-She loves to blow spit all over and make motor boat noises

-She loves her fruits and veggies

-She loves taking walks with mom and telling stories about what she is seeing

-She sounds like Darth Vadar when she is excited about something and is breathing hard

-She is an early to bed early to riser

-she loves to bounce in her exersaucer

-She is trying soooo hard to get on her knees to start crawling

-She loves to be a bully and laugh when other babies cry

-She loves to read books with mom and dad

-She loves her rubber ducky and tubby time

- She is such a social butterfly and loves to show her smile to anyone she meets

There is soooo much more I could go on and on, Linnea is sooo loved by Derek and I and everyone who meets her. I can't imagine life without her and am so grateful for the chance I have to watch her grow into such a beautiful little girl, I can't to see what she becomes!!!! We love you little girl!!!!

She isn't so sure about this picture :)