Bananas

Mama, don't even think about taking this banana away from me!

Laundry Day

What do you wear when laundry and bath happen on the same day? Your owl robe, of course!

And showing off her latest favorite skill, spitting everywhere :)

Sarah's Poncho

It is sooooo cold! And with all of the safety concerns for car seats (and the fact that Sarah grows faster than a weed!) I needed a warm alternative to a snow suit. Bring on a sewing project! Apparently, I'm not that amazing when it comes to sewing...or following directions.... BUT this sweet poncho came out of it, so it all worked out!

Merry Christmas

I absolutely could not resist buying these pajamas for Sarah! How cute are those reindeer feet?!

Anyway, Christmas went EXTREMELY well. There were some tears during the Christmas Eve drive, but a little Mama Milk fixed that and Sarah spent the rest of the drive sleeping. The roads weren't too bad, which was great because I REALLY didn't want to spend Christmas Eve pouting. We went to my uncle's house. Sarah handled the group of people gah-gahing over her like a champ. The next morning we were able to see the other side of my family. Then we had a nice dinner at my parents' followed by a super fun game of Apples to Apples. The ride home went great. And Sarah gave us a late Christmas present - an emerging second tooth AND learning to pull herself to standing!

We are so blessed to have such wonderful family and friends who care about us - and Sarah - so much. Thank you for all of your love and support!

- The Nelsons

Sarah's First Tooth

A tooth FINALLY popped through (after months of "teething")! It is razor sharp, and Sarah won't let us get a good look at it, but it's there! Poor girl is pretty miserable, though. Not only do her gums hurt, she also has a TERRIBLE cold (that she has graciously shared with Mama). Lots of rest this weekend! Hopefully we feel better by Christmas!

Sarah at 5 Months

Sarah can roll over! She's quick too! It's time to start baby proofing! She has started to prefer Mama again. We think it's because we spent so much time traveling this month. She really likes working for toys, so her play mat is pretty fun. She is also able to sit up. Her sounds are becoming more distinct. She really likes yelling ;)

Sarah at 4 Months

Sarah has learned how to grab her feet - and they are her new favorite chew toy. She also likes to grab faces with both of her hands. She is still very hyper. And she loves waking up EARLY

Sarah at 3 Months

Sarah is able to sit in her bumbo. She LOVES baths. She is curious about everything. It's getting difficult to take photos because she's always trying to grab our phones! She's also easily distracted when she's trying to eat or sleep. 

Sarah at 2 Months

We have had so many visitors this month! It's been fun seeing everyone. Sarah is growing very fast. She is able to hold her own pacifier (even though she doesn't really like it) and suck her thumb. She smiles all the time and loves to play - especially at 6am! She giggles! She's also figuring out her hands belong to her and spends long chunks of time looking at and playing with them.

She is able to hold her head up pretty well and LOVES being held upright. She doesn't like her kick and play music chair anymore - she prefers chatting with people or laying on her back. She studies toys now. She isn't all that interested in most of her toys. However, she's really curious about her hippo. And we can't keep her owl lovey away from her! She sleeps with it during the day. She's making lots of noises and has started reciprocal "talking". She is VERY attached to Mama and often needs me to be either holding her or within sight when she is around other people. She also recognizes Dad and always has big smiles for him :)

Sarah at 1 Month

Finally some chunky legs! I guess all that milk is working :) Sarah is starting to respond to us. She holds a gaze, coos, and smiles. She's more alert and constantly checking out her surroundings. She loves being outside and loves lights. She spends more time awake and moves ALL THE TIME. She's a very hyper baby, constantly kicking and waving her arms around. She also knows what she wants and isn't shy about asking for it until we figure out what she's "saying." My aunt calls her assertive. I agree! Her newborn hair is falling out - bring on the mullet!

Sarah at 3 Weeks

Sarah is smiling in her sleep. She also "prays" a lot (clasps her hands together). She still prefers swaddling, but only if she's able to have at least one hand by/on her face. 

Sarah at 2 Weeks

Sarah's doing well and gaining weight (quickly!). She's already over 8.5lbs! We definitely don't get much sleep, but we do get lots of snuggles! Her eyes are open a lot more now, which is fun.

Sarah at 1 Week

1 week old! Already getting big. And her hair is getting lighter. She's nursing well. Cloth diapers are going well. Adjusting to less sleep.

Sarah at 6 Months

We can't believe it's been 6 months already! Where does the time go?! Sarah is giggling and "talking" ALL THE TIME. If you thought she was assertive before, you should hear her now! Her most-used sounds are rah rah mah mah. She also loves to stick out her tongue.

She is able to make choices (examples: spatula or toy giraffe; peekaboo or barnyard book) and let's us know if there's something she wants. She is fascinated by the snow and on windy days likes to sit by the window and watch it blow around. 

At the beginning of December, she was a scooting, rolling machine. Now, as of December 17, she is officially a crawler (especially if there's a water bottle to crawl to!)!

We have tried food a few times. Turned out she really loved her spoon and cup, just not anything we put on/in them. But finally over the past few days she has decided she likes bananas. And loves chewing on dried mango!

Sarah is giggling all the time. She mimics facial expressions and has the eyebrow raise down perfect! She can completely roll over and is starting to scoot. I can't leave her alone in a room anymore! She pinches objects with her fingers and is beginning to figure out the uses for different things. Her favorite is to "drink" from cups and bottles, "brush" her teeth, and "eat" probiotics. She also helps put her arms in the sleeves of her shirts. Owl is still her best friend, although her "bee" (giraffe rattle) and Elmo are close seconds. 

Oh, and she figured out how to play shy. Smile and stare at people and then when they smile back she half Turns away and peaks at them.