Sooooo Far Behind!

I am very sorry it has been forever since I have posted anything! I realized this past week that the last post says, "7 Months!" and well, Zoey is almost 9 months old now! A lot can happen in the short amount of time.

The teething has finally taken a break. The poor girl was teething for almost 2 months straight. In that time 7 teeth popped through! It was a painful time for her, but she handled it like a champ. Since the teething has stopped she is really starting to take better to the cereal. I think it also helps that we are being diligent about feeding times with it. Before it was a little scattered when we would attempt it, but now, Lunch and Supper start with a little bit of cereal. She's doing really well. She has her 9 month check this week so I will be asking what other foods to introduce. We are excited about seeing what sorts of things she will like.



Zoey has also started crawling! Time to get my running shoes on :) She doesn't get very far yet, but she is definitely mobile. It's crazy to see how these things happen. I've been working in Early Learning for years now and it never ceases to amaze me how these little bodies just know how to progress. It's even more amazing to see in your own child! We are starting to work on BabyProofing the house. The gates with go up, moving furniture, covering outlets.....so much that needs to get done! Christmas holidays are definitely going to be full in the Duiker home.

Last night we also had our first night out with Zoey staying with a babysitter. Auntie Bailey came to watch Zoey at our house while we went to an Elders Christmas Supper. It was great! I was obviously a little sad about leaving her but I knew she was totally fine. She hasn't been going to bed any earlier than 9:30 lately so we had time to be with some good people from the church. It's nice to know that she is fine if we are out for a few hours. So we are hoping to ease into that a little more here and there :)

We are very excited about Zoey's first Christmas! Christmas is my favorite holiday of them all! It's just fantastic and makes me very happy. We can't wait to see her open some of her gifts. We know she is going to be VERY spoiled this year :) But I think it is more for all of us rather than her, since she would usually prefer the box or paper it was wrapped in!



I will update you all after the holidays, fingers crossed :)

Wishing you all the very best and a Blessed and Merry Christmas!

7 Months!

Such a sweetie pie :) A lot had happened since the last post! Zoey is not 7 months old and working her way quickly to 8 months! I know it's cliched but they do grow up so so fast! I am soaking up all the time I can with her and enjoying the cuddles and quiet time along with the sweet moments of her exploration. I adore watching her focus so intently on something new in her hands. Her little mind is taking in all the new sensory information and her tiny hands try to control it and examine the objects.

I've been talking to Henry about the fear and joy that comes with realizing you are responsible not only for this baby to keep her safe, healthy and loved, but you are responsible for turning a little baby into a good child, a well adjusted adult. Some days I feel dangerously under qualified! But in talking to other parents I think that comes with the job. On the flip side, how could a child as sweet as she is be anything less than a sweet and wonderful grown up. I just keep praying that we raise her the way God wants us too.

In the past week or two I've been struggling to get on the treadmill or outside for walks. It was eating away at my self esteem. While I know that in the broad scope of things I've done okay post pregnancy, however, its those pesky final 10 pounds that make your jeans not fit and everything you wore before pregnancy look ill shaped. The fact that my boobs are obnoxiously large from breastfeeding sure doesn't help things either. So I've come to the place where I realized I don't get to complain about my body if I'm not doing anything about it. So once I realized that trying to run during the day or at night really doesn't work for me I am now getting my runs in the morning. Sometimes she sleeps till 8 which works great for me, or I'll try and get up at 6 which does happen, or after Henry goes to work I'll bring her down and put her in the jumper (which is now downstairs) and she'll play for the 20 - 30 minutes that I need (start slow :). So far it's been great. Those few minutes I take for me and it starts my day off right. I am being proactive and it's helping me mind and body. And in return Zoey gets a mommy who is more well adjusted and present and Henry gets a wife who is less cranky and has more energy (going to bed at 8:30 is embarrassing!).

Zoey is eating more cereal and we are working hard with her on that one. I hit a point the other day where I thought, 'I am going to be nursing her forever!'. The reality is (after some research and levelheadedness) she won't be nursing forever, it may be a tough transition (for both of us) when the time comes. I have committed mentally to a year of nursing but we are all hoping that in a few months she might be doing half cereal/solid and half nursing soonish. The teeth that have come in have surprisingly not complicated things...so far! There is a top tooth that is causing a little bit of grief lately and I think it's fixing to come through hopefully soon. This teething thing is awful! The fact that they go up and down this much is sad! Babies go through a lot that way.

That's all for now :) Time to get some work done!

God Bless

Six Months and Back to Work I Go!

My baby girl is 6 months old and I cannot believe it! She is growing so much everyday and her personality continues to develop and we love it! This is a really fun age for us. She plays more and interacts in brand new ways.

So new things that she is doing! She is sitting up all on her own now! I still prop some pillows up against the hard items around her (just in case she tips over which does happen). We are letting her tip over since we want her to know that she is okay if she does tip over but we are always right there for her and nothing too hard around her. Common sense stuff :)

Also she has been able to roll over from back to tummy very well for a little while now, but has been pretty resistant to rolling back from tummy to back. However, in the past few weeks she is learning that she can do that. She will pull herself by tugging on blankets or mummy and daddy. She can also do it purely through leverage. Very exciting.




The past few days she has been tilting her head when she looks at people which is unbelievably hilarious and adorable. As well, we finally found some rice cereal that she likes but apparently she only wants daddy to feed it to her :) She is very smitten with daddy! When she hears that door open she gets very excited and has a huge grin just for him.



Little girl is awake now, but I will mention that October 12th I will be returning to work. I work from home so I am very fortunate to still be with her during the day but it will be a challenge to figure out how to get my work done during the day and still make sure she feels engaged, loved, and happy :) I have my work cut out for me but we will figure it out!

Zoey Loves to Jump!

The Long Weekend is Over....

We had a lovely and quiet long weekend. Sometimes it is nice to have a weekend with no plans and the time to just relax a bit. It was so nice to have Henry home for the extra day as well! He loves being home with us and getting that extra time with Zoey and man does she love spending time with her daddy!

On Saturday we were thinking about going to the Farmer's Market but opted instead to take a walk around the neighborhood and explore the area around the new school they finished across the way. It has a public school attached as well so we wanted to know what that was like as well. I think Zoey and I might make a trip over there today and see about getting a library card and check schedules for activities for wee ones :) We also found they have a gorgeous park beside the school that should be opening sometime soon. We think they are just waiting for the grass to fully take root before allowing people to trample all over it. So we are looking forward to that opening up! I'm finding that we all do a lot better during our day if we get out for a nice walk. I take Zoey in the sling (a little extra exercise) and tie Zeppelins leash around my waist. It's good for him to know he has to stay right beside me and I also always have both hands for Zoey.

Zoey has been doing great sleep wise as well. We think she has been teething or starting another growth spurt....again :) Which would account for the extra feedings in the night but overall we couldn't be happier. We don't have to take her out of her crib once we put her down initially to 'top her off' lately. She's been quite content with us going in and rubbing her tummy or putting her fish tank on (it plays music and has lights). It's nice to feel like you're doing the right thing for her. There are so many opinions and theories on sleep techniques and people tend to get very passionate about their own method. For us, she would go into her crib after she fell asleep while eating, which for some is a big no no. But when we would try to wake her before we put her down she would get frustrated or no wake up at all. So we realized she goes to sleep and stays asleep when we put her down, why mess with that. We worried that we would pay for it later and have her not be able to go to sleep in her crib at night with out being fed or falling asleep first, but the past few weeks have shown us she is well adjusted, and she knows the routine. If she wakes up after we put her down she just needs a little comforting and she is out like a light. Therefore, we have come to the conclusion that we did what worked for Zoey. This may very well change for any other children we have, but we are comfortable and happy with the choices we made for her ;)

Teething, Walks, and Lunch with Daddy!

It's been a little while since I've actually updated everyone so while the little one sleeps I figure now is as good a time as any :)

Things have been going well. How can I complain? Zoey is an amazing little girl and we revel in watching her grown and change every day! She has so much personality that is coming through. She is a sweetheart with an amazing sense of humor already. Her laugh sets my heart on fire. The other day she was sitting beside me on the couch and she just started laughing at me. It was hilarious (until I started wondering was so funny) Needless to say, Henry was beside himself laughing while she giggled away. Henry was playing with her last night and she has figured out when Daddy is going to tickle her and she squeals and laughs before he even touches her. The mornings are the best time to catch her laughing and smiling. This morning while Henry and I had coffee we just sat and watched her bounce and chew on her toys and look up and beam at us. It was like she gets so overwhelmed with how happy she is that it seeps out of her pores and shines on her face. She is also really starting to notice Zeppelin. The two of them usually could care less about each other but lately if he is close to her she'll reach out and try to touch his face. He likes to like her hands and feet. We have to watch him sometimes because she'll boot him in the face and he thinks its play time. Not that he would hurt her but it's important to keep an eye on the situation ;)

We are pretty sure she is teething a little again. Poor babes. We are wondering if its the cause of her waking up a little earlier at night time. Not too sure but the bum rash and fussiness seems to be a good indicator of it. We have the infant tylenol for when it gets really bad, but we are trying to not rely on that too heavily. But when she's in pain and there is nothing we can do, we both agree there is no benefit to withholding that from her. Even just a quarter dose seems to take enough of the edge off for her.

Today we are going to pack up and go have lunch with daddy. We'll bring the bumbo and have a mini picnic in the back of the Rav. I'm looking forward to it! I started thinking, I have the opportunity to do that kind of stuff right now, why wouldn't I? Plus I know that for Henry and most dads it's hard when you don't get to spend that much time with your children. Plus I like to get out and see him as well :)

So I better pack us up and get going!

Until next time!

Fooooood!