Cooking, Crafting & Kids: March 2014

There are so many things to look forward to this month but let's begin with what we've been up to this past month.

I have started coaching Junior High boy's soccer. (a lot of fun, but oh man... junior high boys... enough said).
Ross and Makenzie are getting even more quality time together.
Makenzie is really enjoying eating food like us.
Makenzie participated in her second 5K, this time I pushed her in our new jogger while she slept the whole time.
Ross and I have begun our weekly date night tradition, as of now it's technically a "family' night since Makenzie comes along with us.
Makenzie has enjoyed a few playdates with friends at or around her same age.

(she was sitting for this picture and decided to lunge forward)

what Makenzie LOVES

carrots

feeding herself with the spoon

lunging forward after anything and everything while sitting

giving open mouth wet slobbery kisses

sitting in high chairs and grocery carts instead of her car seat

the outdoors, even in the rain

what Makenzie ~~DISLIKES~~

a poopy bottom

when she can't see mommy anymore

NEW SKILLS

Raspberry noises (aka: zerberts)

Rolling from back to tummy
almost able to push up an hands and knees
moving from a sitting position to on her tummy without face planting every time

Developmental progress

Eat

Man, can this girl eat!! She is still exclusively breastfed but not for a lack of trying. I hate to say it but Makenzie is a bit of a milk snob. Not only does her milk need to be just the right temperature she is also not a fan of formula. **Insert sad mommy face here.** Just the other day it was not convenient for me to breastfeed and so I whipped together an on the go pouch of formula and she refused to take it! ugh... she would suck on her bottle and then just dribble it out her mouth. I was bummed. She is eating roughly between 4-6 feedings a day, with each feeding being 4-6 ounces.

She also has infant oatmeal for breakfast, a veggie for lunch, and oatmeal and a veggie for dinner. She has yet to try other fruits besides bananas and prunes. (Prunes to relieve constipation, worked like a charm) Here are some foods she has tried so far and a few to be tested out this month.

Carrots, Broccoli, Sweet Potatoes, Butternut Squash, Asparagus, Cauliflower, Zucchini Yellow Squash, Peas, Avocado, Banana, and Prunes.

Soon to try: Eggplant, Bell Peppers (green, red, orange, and yellow), Green Beans, and Cucumber. Maybe even some turkey...depending on if any teeth come in. :)

That's how daddy feeds her, I tried it and she won't eat like that for me. :)

She can't have sushi yet, so she'll take avocado. I think she's happy about that.

Play

Makenzie is becoming such an active baby. It is so special to witness her learning first hand. She is still very into putting absolutely everything in her mouth to explore it so I am still holding off sensory play with moon dough and sand. She loves water play at bath time!

We brought out her shape sorter and so far she is excellent at putting the shapes in her hand and then in her mouth. She is however really starting to imitate us so I continue to show her how things work and then I enjoy how she shows me how things REALLY work. :)

Oh babies, they are so fun and creative!

Violet is her new best friend.

Makenzie and Jack are taking over Beach Hut Deli!!!

This is a cup, I eat it like this!

Mak & Daddy playtime.

Sleep

I am so thankful to have survived the 6 month sleep regression! That one was a doozy! Now she is back to sleeping pretty well through the night. She will still wake up 1-2 times a night to nurse, but goes right back down. I have to say she is a rockstar napper! She naps two naps a day usually lasting 1-2 hours each. Every now and then she enjoys a short catnap in the evening before dinner.

Her first nap on her tummy!

What does Makenzie's schedule look like now...

8:30am wake up, nurse

9:00am infant oatmeal & finish nursing

PLAYTIME (books, blocks, maybe gym daycare)

10:30am morning nap time

12-12:30pm wake-up from nap, nurse

1:00pm veggie

2:30-3:00pm Afternoon nap time

4:00-5:00pm wake up from nap, nurse

6:00pm infant oatmeal and veggie

7:00pm bath time

8:00pm night time nursing before bed

8:15-8:30pm Bed time

11pm-1am night time nurse

5:30am early morning nurse

Diapers

I know some of you are wondering what cloth diapers are like now that we have started Makenzie on "solid" foods. I have to say the first few weeks were a little rough and dirty. Her poops were in between breastfed poop and solid poop. I spent a couple minutes after each diaper change with a poop washing the diaper out in the utility sink. Now the poops are solid enough and they aren't really making the diaper dirty so I can just dump the poop into the toilet and flush. The poops are definitely getting a distinct smell and Ross has some funny faces when he changes them. :)

More fun photos...