23 Month Update

Well, it's almost time... Miss Hanley is almost 2. This post is super late but we've been busy having so much success in potty training!! Haha

No, but really, I don't even remember the last time she had an accident (peeing) either in her diaper if we are out or otherwise. Pooping is another story... we will tackle that in due time. I'm just so elated that she essentially is potty trained, except for nap and bedtime, and isn't even 2!!!

Not much has changed with her otherwise. Her vocabulary is endless and you can carry little conversations with her.

Still only 12 teeth, waiting on those canines, I see one looks like it's about to pop through but hasn't happened yet. She went to the dentist for the first time a few weeks ago and did so great! Everyone at her dentists office adored her!

I'm pretty sure she weighs the same, unless she has lost weight, which I wouldn't be surprised.

Her eating is actually horrendous. Most times she won't eat dinner and then asks for "somepin to eat" an hour later - drives me crazy!

Still always singing, always asking to "watch TB" *which I've had to start limiting*.

Adventures in Potty Training!

Today was day #2 of absolutely no potty accidents and no going potty in diapers! (except for nap and bed times, of course, I'm not that brave yet!) She is doing so well. We didn't leave the house one time yesterday which helps big time.

Today we did venture out for lunch with my sister. I put a diaper on her because I didn't want a disaster on my hands but we had a chat and she stayed dry the entire time. After lunch we went to the mall and we were in a store when she started grunting and saying " potty mommy" so I checked her diaper, it was still dry so I scooped her up and ran her all the way to a bathroom. I reminded her the whole way to hold it and when we got to the potty she pooped!! What a big girl!! I luckily had a sucker in my purse and every time I told her how proud of her I was, she would get bashful and lay her head on my shoulder. She's such a sweet little spirit!

I feel like this time is the real deal, or I hope so at least, every other try at this she would have accidents and I would get discouraged and put a diaper back on her. So far, if she has to go potty and I'm not asking her or sitting her on her potty, she puts herself on it and goes all on her own!!

Before, when I've tried to get her going on the potty, I would put normal underwear on her and tell her it wasn't a diaper and that she couldn't go potty in them; she would have accidents and a diaper would go back on. So this time, she's literally is running around with NOTHING on her lower half. Only a shirt and it's working so much better.

She knows after she goes to the bathroom in her potty she either gets a sucker or some M&M's (depending on the time of day as to how many she gets, but usually no more than 3). We have a potty song and a potty dance we do as well and its hilarious seeing her do it with me. She also yells, "yay Hanley!!" haha

Tomorrow is another day, and we will try conquering the hardship that is potty training again! She's not even 2 yet but she's so incredibly smart, I know she can do it if she just put her mind to it!!

Ps: she counted to 5 in Spanish today, all.on.her.own! We were floored when she did it. I continued on with "seis and siete" and she yells "ocho!" Haha I about died!

22 Month Update

Time is absolutely flying by! Its amazing how fast time goes when you have a child that's growing up right before your eyes! (Did I say that same thing last monthly update!?!)

Hanley is absolutely thriving! She is such a joy and so pleasant!

Her most favorite things include singing all the nursery rhymes and Dora the Explorer!

No new teeth, still waiting on her eye teeth to come in. She weighs roughly 25lbs, everyone comments that she is looking leaner - she's losing her belly and chunky thighs. =(

She's getting picky with some foods and isn't afraid to spit out whatever she doesn't want. As a baby she would eat absolutely anything.

She's very opinionated but extremely polite! She says please and thank you, bless you, sorry, and excuse me when appropriate. She's starting to say  "yes please" and "no thank you" which melts my heart!

She's very bossy with the dogs, which I find hilarious. Loves to hold her babies, wrap them up in blankets and console them.

She is working on counting all the way to 20 and knows her ABCs. She is getting better and better with shapes but still pretty rusty on her colors.

Potty training for the past month hasn't exactly been going so good. I guess I haven't exactly been consistent with her but she hasn't been a fan of going like she was last month.

22 months old is such a great age! It's hard for me to believe but its just gonna get better!!

Co-Sleeping - And My Opinion On It.

From birth to 5 months old, Hanley slept in our room, directly next to my side of the bed in a bassinet. The number of times she slept in our actual bed during that time span was very low - I don't exactly remember now but very very rarely. It just never worked out for the better. Unless she was really having a horrible night, laying in between Michael and I always seemed to make the night worse.

I knew back when I was pregnant with Hanley that I didn't want her in our bed at night. Our bed was for us and her bed was for her, and that is the way I've always seen it. A lot of people believe in co-sleeping because their baby is only a baby for such a short time, and that's their decision and fine. Those people can continue to get crappy sleep and share a bed with little toes in their backs and baby drool on their pillows. I'm not judging, it's just not for me. Me - I prefer to know exactly where she is, know she is safe, getting the best sleep possible, and continue to be a great sleeper - all in her own bed!

Some of our family was sick during the 4th of July get together last weekend and alas, Hanley woke up yesterday with a runny nose. Aside from the runny nose, she acted fine all day long. When it was time to go to bed, we did our usual bedtime routine, and she laid down and fell asleep just like every other night. I stayed up until around 1:30am but it wasn't long after I fell asleep when Hanley was up crying. Typically, she doesn't wake up at night, and if she does, it's usually just a couple cries like she was having a bad dream or something like that, and never actually wakes or gets up. So last night she seemed to wake up, standing up in her crib crying every time I fell back asleep. She would NOT let me lay her down at all or she would scream bloody murder. So I tried to rock her, when she fell asleep I laid her back down and immediately she woke up again. EGH So feeling desperate, I brought her into our bed. The moment she got in between us, she acted like it was play time and wanted to talk. I was very firm telling her it was time for bed and I pretended to be sleeping and she was wide awake for nearly 45 minutes. That clearly wasn't working so I took her back to her room and got comfy in her glider and rocked her for what felt like forever until I knew she was really asleep. Finally, I put her back to bed and she stayed asleep until morning. Problem was, when I finally got back to my bed, it was 5am. I was hoping that would mean she would sleep longer, so I could too, of course. But nope, she was up at her normal time and we carried on with our day.

She still had a runny nose today, but so far so good with her sleeping. I am going to bed early(ier) tonight just in case she decides to have a bad night again. Goodnight!

21 Month Update

Hanley is growing up so incredibly fast! She is extremely bright and brings so much joy to my life!

Let's see:::

Around 26lbs - she hasn't been to the doctor lately but the last time I stood her on a scale it said 26. She is thinning out some, I think. Still waiting on her last first year molar to come all the way through and all 4 eye teeth. Her hair is getting so long and starting to get a little curl to the ends.

She can now count to 14 and sings the ABC's. Constantly walking around singing "E-I-E-I-O", "One Two Buckle My Shoe...", and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." She loves to sing songs and begs me to sing more and more and more! We are still working on some shapes and I'm always identifying colors to her and asking her if she knows what color something is. She is working on it but still likes to call everything blue and/or green.

She's pretty much speaking in sentences now! She still does some sign language, "please" and "more" mainly, even though she doesn't really need to, it's probably just habit at this point.

Still extremely polite; says bless you, please, and thank you every chance she gets! Just starting to say "excuse me" if she burps or something like that, which is so adorable! Loves reading books and I'm pretty sure she is getting tired of most of her toys. Although, she just got a little kitchen and she is enjoying playing with that lately.

She is absolutely obsessed with Dora the Explorer. Like screams when it comes on and asks to watch "Dora Dora" all day long. I definitely have to limit her TV time because she could watch all day long. Dora themed birthday party!?! It might just be happening and I hope she loves it!

She is starting to get the hang of going potty on the big girl potty...starting... she's been going most days throughout the week, at least once, just not very consistent. She does, however, say "potty mommy, potty" the moment I go into her room to get her out of her bed in the mornings. She doesn't always go potty in the mornings when I take her but at least it's on her mind!

I'm very thankful that so far she doesn't throw tantrums. I hear stories of other kids her age having meltdowns but it's rare for Hanley to have one. I really hope she keeps up her kind spirit and passes right over the terrible two's (could I be so lucky!?!?). I have her schedule pretty regimented and so she seems to only throw tantrums when she is tired, hungry, or teething - so not very often. Thank goodness! I wonder if it also helps that she talks so well because I've always read that a lot of the time, tantrums happen because the child doesn't effectively know how to express their feelings. Who really knows, right!?!

This summer is already flying by so fast, it's hard to believe! I'm starting to plan her 2nd birthday party (tear). We have so many things to do and experiences to have - I'm trying to pack our summer full of fun things, even if she won't really remember. I love her so much, what did I ever do without her!?

Competing Against Myself

I've been very consistent with my workouts for the past several months. It now feels second nature to go to the gym or go out for a run.

My mother in law asked me the other morning, as I was getting ready to go for an early morning run, how I get the energy to run. I didn't exactly have an answer for her at that moment. I thought about that question throughout the rest of the day as I fought off wanting to take a nap. I ended up running 2.5 miles that morning and then later that same day went and lifted weights at the gym.

As I was getting ready to head to the gym, it kind of just hit me: it's motivation driven by determination and dedication. It's very rewarding to see results and feel stronger! Not to mention, getting done with a run puts you on a natural high. Comparing your run to each other run, your minutes per mile, time, and miles ran. Just the simple fact that I have the ability to put my running shoes on and run miles at a time, without stopping, is something I definitely take for granted. There are people unable to run, walk even; or people think they could never be a runner so they never even try. I don't necessarily think every runner was born to be a runner...it's something you have to work for, you try and try again, you might not go very far or fast at first but that doesn't matter, you are only in a competition with yourself, no one else!

I probably tell myself at least once a day; "Nothing to it, but to do it!" I never regret a workout or a run. I also remind myself daily that I'm in no competition with anyone else, only myself. It's not fair to compare your day 5 to someone else's day 100.

I'm starting to see some changes in my body and that's always a big motivator. So much time and energy goes into going to the gym and it's nice to see a little pay off over time!

Anyway, so if you've ever wanted to run, just try. You aren't going to be a marathoner at first, maybe even never, but you will never know if you don't try. No excuses, nothing to it, but to do it! <3

Breastfeeding Diaries

As I reflect, I feel EXTREMELY lucky and fortunate to have breastfed Hanley for a year and a half!

It's been around a month and a half since I have weaned her.. I just decided it was time and I honestly don't feel like she was really getting much anyway. More than anything, toward the end I feel like it was more of a routine and soothing thing.

It was a quick wean and very very painless - it's like she never even was a breastfed baby. The night I decided it was the last night (or planned) I tried soaking it in, the entire year and a half, such a bittersweet moment.

The next night, I was a little worried about how things would go. I actually brought her a little cup, half full of warm milk to drink while I read her some night time books. After I read the books and she was done drinking her milk, I gave her a pacifier and never gave her a chance to try "going for it". I laid her in her crib and told her it was time to go to sleep and walked out. If I remember correctly, she might have fussed for a few seconds and might have taken her an extra 5 minutes to fall asleep but each night got better and better.

Each night, she wanted less and less milk from the cup I would bring to her room. Until finally, she didn't drink any of the milk. This was the best scenerio in my mind because I didn't want to have to wean her from drinking the milk, especially when it came time to potty train for night time!

Thankfully I have a pretty easy going little lady! We weaned and neither one of us have looked back! I thank God I had such a wonderful journey breastfeeding her. I'm such a huge breastfeeding advocate, it's not easy, especially in the beginning but if it's something you want for your baby, I would suggest fighting through it!

If anyone ever has any questions, in need of advice or encouragement, I am always here. I'm not really shy when it comes to that, because I feel like it's such a natural thing and the best for all babies!