D month-by-month – Page 2

August 9, 2017

Seven!

Della turned 7 years old on the 1st, and she is growing into the most wonderful, smart, adorable girl.

She had a couple things on her birthday list, but at the top was a gift from Daddy. She wanted him to teach her how to make lasagna, about which I was so excited. I love lasagna! And if my kids can learn how to cook at this young age, I will be thrilled. It’s a skill I somehow never acquired, and Ryan is so good at it they can’t have a better teacher. So we got all the ingredients, I got her Hello Kitty apron out for her, and they got to work. Ryan said Della did about 85% of the work, and it turned out deliciously! I was so proud.

There’s really not much to say about this girl besides singing her praises. She loves school and can’t wait to start 2nd grade; she loves to read and is an excellent writer; she loves to ride her bike and play outside, especially if she can turn cartwheels and practice her gymnastics; she loves to help around the house and is always asking for a list of chores (seriously?? how did we get so lucky?!); and she is the best big sister to Lana and Morrison that could ever exist.

Happy 7th birthday, my peanut #1! We all love you so very much – to the moon and back doesn’t even begin to describe it! You are a blessing, and our family is so very lucky to have you in it!

August 9, 2016

Six!

Our beautiful firstborn turned 6 on August 1, and she just keeps getting more amazing by the year.

This past year has definitely been one of much growth for her. Not only is she getting taller by the day, but she had her first year of all-day school with K5 and absolutely loved it. She adored her teacher, Mrs. Murphy, and really thrived. She is such a good student and loves to learn. She’s so looking forward to getting back there in a few weeks and starting 1st grade!

She loves the monkey bars, riding her bike, scootering all over the place, running around the yards with her neighborhood friends, any show on PBS Kids, America Ninja Warrior, Masterchef, and still all things Frozen and Hello Kitty. She has become the best reader, with the Magic Treehouse series being her favorite. And she is the most wonderful big sister, constantly playing with Lana and Morrison.

Della is one of the kindest, sweetest, most conscientious, and gorgeous people I know, inside and out. And I’m not just saying that because she’s my daughter. The size of her heart and the limitless expanse of her mind inspire me and make me prouder every single day. She truly is a friend to all.

Happy 6th birthday, our sweet Della Jolee!! Words can’t even describe how much we love you!

August 5, 2013

36 month stats

Della turned 3 years old last Thursday. It’s funny, because everyone says oh my gosh, I can’t believe she’s 3, but I can. It honestly feels like it has been 3 years – hasn’t gone too fast; hasn’t gone too slow. Just right. Which is perfect for enjoying every day with this amazing little girl.

I was waiting to write this post until we got her official 3 year stats from her checkup, so here they are:

Height: 39″ (85%. i was actually surprised this wasn’t a higher %)
Weight: 29.8 lbs. (50%. and i thought this one was going to be a lower %)
Blood pressure: 93/68 (i think. they didn’t write this one down for me, but i’m pretty sure that’s what the machine read)

I really have no idea where to begin for her 3rd birthday post, because there is so much that goes on with this one. She’s smart, she’s funny, she’s beautiful, she’s crazy, she’s extremely well-behaved (usually), she’s our first.

She loves to dance around and make up her own songs now, which is absolute music to my ears. Even when I have no clue what the words are.

She has definitely inherited my somewhat of a perfectionist streak. For example, her dishes and silverware have to match in color. Everything has its place, and she knows exactly where that is. Fortunately, this also makes her an excellent cleaner-upper, which comes in very handy when her little sister is constantly crawling around the house like a whirling dervish.

She knows her ABCs, can count to 10 (the numbers between 11-20 are getting there, but they’re rarely in order. and the other day she threw a “twelve-teen” in there. we’ll work on those), knows how to spell Della (and i think knows how to spell Lana too), and has a whole repertoire of actual songs that she loves to sing – the ABC song, Wheels on the Bus, Row Row Row Your Boat, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Ring Around the Rosy, On Top of Spaghetti, and on and on.

Her coloring skills are becoming masterful. A few months ago she surprised us by drawing great circles out of the blue one day. And recently we’ve noticed how well she can stay in the lines now.

She absolutely adores playing at the park still and just being outside in general. I take the 2 of them for runs in the stroller all the time, and she just loves it. Afterwards we usually walk around the neighborhood for a bit so I can cool down, and she always requests a walk to the fire station to see if the trucks are outside, then by the library, and then by the fountain across the street from the library to make hand and footprints around it if it’s not too green from algae.

My best garbage pick yet came just the other week, all for her. I returned from a long walk with them and saw a perfectly good Little Tykes slide and an adjustable basketball hoop sitting by the curb just a few blocks down from us. You’d have thought it was Christmas by how excited she was for that slide. I was thrilled, since I have been looking for an inexpensive backyard something for her forever. Can’t beat free!

She loves purple, all the Sesame Street characters, Monsters Inc., Toy Story, Team Umizoomi, Dora, and reading. Her favorite foods include chicken nuggets, pb&j, bananas, Cuties (those little tiny oranges), fruit snacks, Kix cereal, french fries, string cheese, applesauce, yogurt, and pasta. She is on her 2nd round of swim lessons and can’t get enough.

She’s already into size 4T pants, as long as they have an adjustable waist to cinch around her tiny belly. Her shoes are about 8-9, and she just got some new pairs that she loves to pieces.

She is so helpful, and such a fantastic big sister. You’d think it’s always the younger one who’d want to follow the big one around, but often times that order is reversed in our home. Della loves to follow Lana around the house, imitating her little sounds and motions as they go. I’m so happy we were able to give her a sister.

I really can’t describe how much I love this little girl. She is an absolute dream, and we could not have been luckier when she came into our family. This past year spent at home with her has been better than I ever expected, and I’ll never be able to thank her enough for making me so wonderfully happy.

Happy 3rd birthday, Della Jolee! We love you so much!

February 1, 2013February 1, 2013

30 month stats

You’re 2 and a half years old today. That means that every second from here on out you’ll be closer to 3 years old than to 2. Wow!

official 30 month pics. unfortunately half of them came out blurry, so i apologize for the sub-par quality. i am not a dslr master.

There’s no way words can even begin to describe all that you are and who you are becoming every day. Being home and watching you grow more than ever these past couple months has been simply amazing, and it is so fun to watch you turning into a real little person. Here is an attempt to encapsulate just a little of your essence:

Full sentences forming
Potty trained by 28 months (thank you!!)
Almost 2″ taller than you were on your 2nd birthday
Head and shoulders above the table tops now
Reaching up to the counters and sink
Eyes shining brightly
Crooked little “oh well” face
Mischievous grin
Cheeeeese! as you set up your tripod and take actual pictures with your little orange camera
8, 9, 10 fast! as you race back and forth from the kitchen to living room
Singing A, B, Cs
The wheels on the bus
Hiding under blankets in Daddy’s spot on the couch and bed
Playing in your playhouse outside and in your kitchen inside
Coloring
Being outdoors
Swings and slides at the park
Helping Mama put the dishes away from the dishwasher
Helping make ice with the ice cube trays
Giving Baby Lana sweet little hugs and kisses on her head
Pointing out all of Lana’s “leetle tiny” features and parts
In your own words – “Don’t cry, Baby Lana, it’s ok. I’m your big sister. I’m right here.”
Watching up on the changing dresser as I change Lana’s diapers
Elmo, Cookie Monster, Abby, & Dora still being your favorites
“Hmm, nek on now?” a.k.a “Hmm, what’s on next?” when watching PBS shows (we know the whole morning lineup. a good thing or bad?)
Knowing fully how to turn on and manipulate our iPhones and tablet computers (which completely blows my mind)
“Hmm, do day?” a.k.a. “Hmm, what did we do today?” as we get ready for sleep
Your cute little words that I sometimes wish would never change:
- mee-mees = mittens
- bapas = vitamins & diapers (those 2 sound extremely similar)
- moke = smoke
- no = snow (and no, obviously)
- roo-roos, said while making a zipper motion on your shirt = cars (it’s your version of vroom-vroom)
- roar = lion, tiger, bear… anything that roars
- hop = frog & rabbit
- neigh = horse
- bas = sheep
- pee-pees = piggies, a.k.a. pigtails
- toi-toi = toilet
- mee-meeze = excuse me (because you seriously fart like a man. thanks, daddy)
- di-dos = dinosaurs
- oppeepees = octopus
- ameemees = ambulance
- dupples = buckles
- i’m sure there are more that need to be added here…
Some words come out perfectly, which is always incredible
Stickers
Robot dance & your monster walk
Toy Story, The Lorax, & Monsters, Inc.
A day back in daycare here and there, so you can keep playing with your best mates Hemingway and Nathyn (a.k.a Hemmy and Nay-Nay)
Doing your exercises
Memory like a steel trap

I could probably go on for all eternity here, but it really is just astounding watching you, my first child, grow in such a profound way. You have transformed from a tiny, helpless, immobile newborn into a beautiful, (usually) polite, charismatic toddler going on full-blown kid running through this world.

You certainly have your days, as we all do, but you nearly constantly make us so utterly proud and thankful that you are our child. We’re all learning here as we go, but hopefully you’d say Daddy and I are doing a pretty good job, if you knew what any of this meant. We love you so very, very much, my sweet Della Jolee, and that is one thing that will never ever change.

August 6, 2012August 6, 2012

24 month stats

this was the best we could get for her official 2 yr. picture. somebody insisted on being silly

TWO!! That’s how old Della turned last week, and I swear she turned into a miniature person overnight.

What does the life of a 2 year old look like? I’ll tell how this one’s is, anyway:

Official measurements at her well check on her exact 2 year birthday: height – 36.25″ (97%), weight – 25.7 lbs. (25-50%), blood pressure – 83/47 (yes, they actually put the cuff on her and everything! it was so cute, she just sat there perfectly still and let the nurse do it). Her doctor said she was amazed because D was so cooperative, acting like and the size of a 3 year old, that it was so weird seeing her in a diaper and knowing she’s only 24 months old.
Motion is constant. She’s always running, jumping, spinning, dancing, climbing, or playing with something. Apparently walking is not on the list of things to do for 2 year olds.
Language is exploding. Just in this past month or so alone she’s begun stringing 2 words together all the time. We’ve gotten a couple 3 word phrases, but usually she sticks to 2 in a row right now. Some of her favorites include:
- big ouch
- big truck
- big lake
- big boats
- me outside (as in i want to go outside, mom!)
- me night-night (translation: i just woke up)
- big poop
- bye-bye poop (when you flush. yes, potty humor starting already)
- orange juice
- more milk
Other new words since the last update include (and i’m sure this list is severely lacking, but i can’t remember more right now)
- walk
- rock
- dark
- duck
- stuck
- poop (sounds like poot)
If she doesn’t want you to sing/whistle/hum along to some song she’ll wave her hand at you and say “No, no no”.
Potty training. She shows interest, so we got her a little potty seat that goes on the regular toilet seat but can also turn into its own stand alone chair for her, but she hasn’t actually used it yet. She more likes to climb up and just hang out on the seat. However, once during our little vacation a few weeks ago she did poop on the toilet, but I think it was more of a fluke that I asked her if she had to poop when she really did than anything. She did just turn 2 though, so I’m definitely not going to rush into or push this one. When she’s ready, she’ll be ready.

Hmm, I think those are the major things for this time. More than anything, I just can’t believe how big she’s getting! I have a feeling full sentences are just around the corner, and then it will be hilarious to hear what she thinks she’s really saying now. I love this girl more than anything and am really looking forward to all the time we get to spend together these next couple months. Happy birthday, peanut!!

first trip to the zoo on her birthday was a hit!

the official 2 yr. height measurement. look how much i’ve grown!

And here’s a little comparison to see just how much has changed in the last year. Apparently the shirt hasn’t, though…

July 16, 2012January 3, 2013

23 month stats

Yes, this post is over 2 weeks late. But do you know what that means? Della will be 2 years old in just over 2 weeks!!

Excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor because I just fainted at that thought…

official 23 mo. pics

This child amazes and entertains me more and more each day. I am, however, starting to get a little nervous about what life will be like when there are 2 of them.

Besides growing like a serious weed, there isn’t a ton of new stuff going on since the last updates. I will refer you to the 21 month and 22 month stats for her ever-growing vocabulary, because I don’t feel like typing them all out again. Oh come on, you know I’m lazy.

Since then, however, there have been a couple new additions:

hammock (which she says surprisingly perfectly. guess she finally learned that “k” sound after all)
truck (which she has also had in her repertoire for awhile now, but it’s been perfected)
Hemmy (her friend Hemingway at school. this was the mystery “emmy” word that took me months to figure out)
Nay-nay (her friend Nathan at school)
No-no (her friend Noah at school)
up! (when she wants to be picked up)
PaPa (pronounced paw-paw, and what she calls all of her grandparents. so we have to distinguish between which grandma and which grandpa, just to make sure who we’re talking about)
Mo-mochs (my mom and stepdad’s dog is named Mocha and we often call her “Mochie-Mochs”. so this is d’s version)
mine & me (actually her new favorite phrase is “no mine, della’s!” her “della” still sounds suspiciously like “dada”, but when she yanks whatever it is you’re dealing with away while saying this, you know she’s definitely talking about della. almost 2? yes)
starting to learn black, green, and brown instead of calling everything she doesn’t know “purple”
heavy (been saying this for awhile, i’ve just forgotten to list it)
empty (same as with “heavy”, and sounds very similar)
rag (pronounced more like “rye”, how she refers to the burp rag with which she sleeps)
almost (doesn’t say this one often, but will repeat it after you)
outside
broke
hot dog (have i listed this one before? she’s been saying it forever)
mouth (sounds like “moushe”)
nose
neck (another one that doesn’t really come out on its own, but she’ll repeat it very well)
starting to count, even though her “1, 2, 3” sounds more like “oo, doo, eee”

I’m sure there are more, but her sibling is currently feasting on my brain cells and not allowing me to recall them for you at this moment.

She’s also become fond of standing with her back against the height board Ryan made for her 1st birthday last year and seeing how much she’s grown since she turned 1. It’s so funny to watch because she’ll just back up against it and wait for you to measure how tall she is.

2 years old. Wow. I seriously can’t believe it. It still doesn’t seem like these past 2 years have flown by like time usually does, but saying we have a 2 year old just blows my mind.

Here are some pictures from the past couple weeks. Her 4th of July outfit was so cute with those stars on her shorts, but I felt bad for the poor kid – it was about 470 degrees outside and she’s constantly in motion, as evidenced by the blur factor below.

my little flower…

naked baby alert!

June 6, 2012January 3, 2013

22 month stats

21 mo. pics late, but she’s such a screwball i couldn’t resist showing you.

D turned 22 months old last Friday, and that means she’ll be 2 in less than 2 months now! How in the world did that happen?

I just gave a pretty comprehensive update post for her 21 month stats not too long ago, so I’ll just supplement that one with developments since.

New words:

mess
baby (pretty good timing, i’d say)
milk (sounds more like moosh)
pink (sounds kind of like pish. i guess she likes her ks to make a sh sound)
yellow
oh no! (complete with hands out to the side and everything)
night-night

Adores singing the wheels on the bus song (has for awhile now, i just forgot to mention it), and is excellent at saying “shh” when the driver says, “shh, shh, shh!”. She even puts her little index finger up to her lips and everything. Too cute.
Knows to cover her mouth when she coughs, which they must have learned at daycare. When I saw her doing that I also taught her to sneeze into the crook of her arm. She doesn’t do that for real yet, though, only for fake sneezes.
Will imitate a burp or a fart. Has also been doing this for awhile now too, so ladylike.
Simply revels in shouting, “No, no, no!” and squirming away when you try to get her to do something or pick her up to brush her teeth/change her diaper/get her in the bathtub/etc. She’s not really serious about her No!s yet, more just imitating the word, but I can only imagine where it will lead in a few months. We discovered she picked this up at school too one day last week when we dropped her off and one of the little boys in her room was shouting “No!” over and over again. Excellent.
Loves playing outside, and has been a wonderful little helper in the gardens this spring. R built an entirely new retaining wall along the whole back garden, and she was out there at every opportunity, usually stomping around in her puppy flip-flops, swim suit, swim shirt, and sun hat. Very helpful.
Still having some bedtime issues with crying after we put her down, but I hope this is just a phase. She had gotten so good at reading her night-night stories and just going right into her crib to fall asleep, but for about a month now she insists on starting to cry about 2 minutes after you leave her room. Sometimes I’ll wait just outside her door after I put her down to watch and quiet her from afar if she starts whining, which seems to work, but I’d rather not have to do that either. I want the easy bedtimes back.
Thankfully she’s illness-free right now (knock on all things wood around you!), but her hands and feet peeled something wicked after that last round of HFM. Her poor little feet and toes are still really peeling; her hands appear to be almost finished. It’s like she was molting or something. Very odd.

I really can’t believe how big this little one is getting. She’s an adorable, hysterical little girl, and I can’t wait to see her as a big sister. I will always cherish her big fish lip kisses and giant bear hugs as only she can give.