Catch up...

I'm going to try REALLY hard...really, really, REALLY hard to do some catching up on posts. Once again, there are about 20 posts in my queue...all started and unfinished. I sure am hoping I can finish them up and post them soon. Of course, it means you will really have to look hard for new posts because some were started last JUNE!

I guess my biggest excuse has been, well, life. I have truly spent the last year enjoying every minute of this little one (who isn't so little anymore, by the way). With the girls in school, homework, dinner, cleaning, early bedtimes, my own work, and just spending time with my loves...there is little time left to blog. Heck people, I'm lucky if I can remember to jot down a milestone or two in my phone's notes section!

So here's to getting caught up...sooner, rather than later!

NINE months!

My dear sweet Allessandra,

Where have 9 months gone? You are doing the most amazing things and while you are still behind a little bit in terms of development (to be completely expected, I mean, you were 9 weeks early)...I am reveling in each milestone and so proud of how far you have come.

In the last three months, we have watched your personality develop, watched you get stronger, and watched you fall more in love with your sisters. Here are a few of the highlights (mommy sure does love to keep tracks of these big days):

8/12...6 months. You can hold your left shin with your left hand while laying on your back.

8/13...6 months. Toes!!!! You can grab your toes with your left hand while you are laying on your back. Probably one of mommy's favorite moments is when all of my girls were able to grab their toes.

8/16...6 months, 1 week. You can roll from your back to your side.

8/20...6 months, 1 week. You blow raspberries, pretty much all.day.long. And mommy thinks you are pretty cute doing it!

8/28...6 months, 2 weeks. Mommy and you have some fun games. For one, you love to bury your little head in my shoulder and scream and then mommy gives you big side to side hug and yells "Aaaaahhhhhh!"

9/1...6 months, 3 weeks. If you have a toy in front of you, you can sit up pretty well...not 100%, but we are real close!

9/5...6 months, 4 weeks. Ah, you have rediscovered your voice...happy pterodactyl screams have returned!

9/12...7 months. You are sitting up by yourself!

9/19...7 months, 1 weeks. The babbling has begun! Ya-ya-ya-ya-ya and va-va-va-va-va are the first two syllables of choice!

9/22...7 months, 2 weeks. You are babbling da-da-da-da-da!

9/22...7 months, 2 weeks. You absolutely LOVE putting BOTH feet in your mouth. How on earth you do this is beyond me!

9/23...7 months, 2 weeks. You are rolling from your back to your tummy now!

9/30...7 months, 3 weeks. And now you are rolling from your tummy to your back! A complete roller!

9/30...7 months, 3 weeks. You find yourself hilarious...yes, you actually laugh at YOURSELF. It's the cutest sound.

10/1...7 months, 3 weeks. You are making this funny scrunched up face that mommy calls your "Scoongie face!"

10/5...7 months, 4 weeks. Another syllable...now you are babbling ba-ba-ba-ba-ba.

`10/7...7 months, 4 weeks. Finally! Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma is your babble of choice today.

10/14...8 months. So are so proud of yourself! You are clapping hand over hand and definitely love the praise.

10/15...8 months, 1 weeks. You understand (and do NOT like) "No, no!"

10/24...8 months, 2 weeks. You are starting to reach forward from a seated position to end up on your belly.

11/1...8 months, 3 weeks. Make that LUNGING forward from a seated position to end up on your belly!

As you can see it's been a busy 3 months and I have no doubt that the next 3 months are going to be JUST as busy! Your 9 month well-check is on the 20th, so we will see how that goes. We are excited to see how much you have grown physically and hopefully hear you are doing well despite that early start!

SIX months!

Dear Alle,
Happy 1/2 birthday my little one! Well, you really aren't all that little any more. Just a few weeks ago on July 22 when you were 5 months, 2 weeks old ACTUAL and 3 months, 1 week old ADJUSTED, you weighed in at 13 pounds, 4 ounces. You are growing like a weed flower and continue to change with each passing day. There seems to be new milestones met each week. Here are a few of my favorites:

7/14...For the past few days you have been feeding one last time before 9:00pm and sleeping until 7:30-8:00am. Um, are you really my child? Not only are you sleeping WELL through the night, but you just might possibly be the easiest of babies when it comes to putting you down for bedtime. Our nighttime routine is still flexible, but that will change when the girls start school in August and I will have time with you after they are asleep to bathe you, read to you, sing to you, and just plain snuggle you. Right now our nights are so late with summer time fun, late swims, late movies, late desserts...you get the picture, right? Right now, after your last feed and actually sometime toward the end of it, you become rather sleepy. You rub your eyes and your blinks become long and heavy. At this point I can lay you down in your cosleeper, give you your paci, lovie, and burp cloth and walk away, leaving you drifting off to sleep completely on your own. Really? Could it be any easier?

7/30 You have discovered your voice! Remember all that you would do with your lips and mouth only to say something so tiny, so short, and so soft? Well, those days are LONG gone. You have completey discoverd your voice and you sure do love hearing yourself talk...all. the. time.

8/1...While I'm not quite sure exactly when you started doing this, I know it was somewhere between 5-6 months actual and 3-4 months adjusted. When you are nursing, once you are somewhat satisfied you like to take an intermission, lay back, and chat with mama. I usually can't get a word in edge-wise and you take this prime opportunity when you have my undivided attention, to just plain smile, coo, and BABBLE. When you are finished talking, you simply roll back to your side and let me know our "chat" is over.

8/1...Tummy time has become fairly easy for you. You hold your hold at a beautiful 90 degree angle and prop yourself so sweetly up on your forearms, clasping your hands together.

8/5...Hhhhmmm, wait a minute? Who are YOU? You seem to be starting to show some hesitation and uncertainty towards people you have never met or don't see regularly.

Your official well-check is on 8/19 at almost 6.5 months. I can't wait to get the new stats and hear from your doctor just how fabulous you are doing!

All my love little one...