Goodbye Gummy smiles and 6 mth stats.

Gianna woke up with a bit of a fever today so I gave her some Tylenol, fed her and did what I do every morning at least once- felt her gums for teeth. To my surprise I felt something!! We have a tooth!! I can feel it but I have yet to see it. Little stinker will not let me look into her mouth no matter how much bribing I am doing. It's the bottom left tooth. The right bottom tooth looked like its going to come up any day now when I looked yesterday.

Funny thing is that the doctor yesterday said that she did not see any teething going on when she looked at Gianna's gums yesterday. She actually said and I quote "Its going to be a while before she gets any teeth." Of course my daughter had to prove that mean lady who poked and prodded her wrong. I am going to miss that gummy smile.

She officially weighs 19 lbs and 13 ounces and is in the 95% for weight. She is 28 inches long. Which means we are back on the charts for height at 99%. Her head is in the 70% but I can not for the life of me remember the measurements and I am too lazy to go look it up.

The Waiting Game

We are moving again. The Hubs job here in Hill Country is coming to an end and now its time to move on to the next job. The Hubs has been told that he would more than likely be moving to the Windy City, and that the start date to the new job would be mid May. That is less than a month. We started our research for a new place to live but have yet to set anything in line until we are given the 100% go ahead. We have been doing this for years now and I should be used to this kind of life but I am not. I am stressed to the max. No matter how much preparation The Hubs and I do it always seems to end the same way. Too much to do with too little time.

The Hubs went to the corporate office and met with the President and VP of his company to discuss his future plans. We were under the impression that after this meeting we would have a clear plan of what's next. The meeting lead to further positive discussions and negotiations which left things a bit murky for our relocation. It sounds like they still want us in the Windy City but they still need to work out the details. The Hubs asked if we should lock in a place in the Windy City and was told to wait a bit. The president and VP will get back to The Hubs in a week or so.

So we wait. And with each passing day my stress level increases.

First time in the park

With a grin from ear to ear just swinging away. The faster and the higher the bigger the smile and a squeal of delight.  God, I love this kid.

Half Birthday

My Pretty Girl is six months old today. Holy shit. Where did the time go? No, seriously my baby is becoming a not so baby waaaay too quickly. Little Miss G is becoming such a big girl now. All she wants to do is go go go. Its to the point where she no longer wants to cuddle in mommy's arms but instead she wants to roll all around on the floor and with such determination to grab this toy or that toy.  I put her in her crib and come back to find her flipped over, all the way on the other side of the crib, on her knees, with her butt high in the air, sleeping. How in the world is that comfortable to her? I will never know.

Her hand eye coordination has improved tenfold. She can easily manipulate objects, moving toys from one hand to the other, and back again. Finally ending their journey to her mouth. She has mastered the art of toe sucking. With that comes her special talent of taking her socks off her feet. As soon and her pants come off she knows diaper changing is next and her feet go directly into her mouth.

Speaking of manipulation... that girl knows how to get what she wants. If you are out of eye sight and she wants your attention she'll let you know. If she thinks she did something pretty fantastic she will look at you and wait for your reaction. She wants you to laugh at her and praise her. If you are not paying attention to her.... she lets you know that she does not appreciate it.  The Hubs and I are going to have our hands full when she becomes a teen.

We started her on purees. Fruits and Veggies.  She hates all of them. Each time I introduce her to something new I get all excited thinking I am going to get this awesome reaction. Well, I do get a reaction but its not the awesome that I hope for. She scrunches up her face and many times just spits it all back out. Sometimes she even gags. Then she will clamp her mouth down shut and turns her head. Store closed. Come back again soon. You would think I was poisoning her or something. I just recently gave her a bit of a puff, thinking to myself that she is going to loooove these. Nope. Not my kid. What kid does not like puffs?! I am thinking that eventually she will appreciate the taste of different foods. I mean, she is my child and I LOVE ALL food so she has to too? Right?

I wouldn't trade it for the world.  I always heard parents say that but now I really really understand what they mean.  

Happy 6th month day, my little diva.

Shopping cart fun

Gianna is kicking butt and taking names when it comes to sitting.  She went from sitting for a few seconds to being able to sit on her own for a half hour or more.  I decided to try our first shopping excursion without the infant car seat last week.

So we went to Ikea. I was at first a nervous wreck about it.  I put her in the cart and walk super duper slooooow.  I was so scared that even though she was buckled in really tight that she would tip over.  Not my little girl.  She took to it right away and loved it.  I mean seriously loved it.

She was squealing with delight at every person that walked by.  She stared at all the lights and displays with a big smile on her face.  She talked to every one and everything that she saw.  It was just as much fun for me as it was for her.  For the first time it felt like I was shopping with a little buddy.  Gianna has become my shopping partner in crime.

Check out how cute my family is...

cuz it will be awhile until you see more photos from us.  Stupid me just realized that I left our camera charger back at our place in Home Town and after we took a few photos on Friday our camera died.  I am totally kicking myself.  How am I supposed to get a six month picture of Gianna on Thursday when I have no camera?  Do I go to the store and buy a new camera charger that I *may* only need for a week?

My parents may be visiting us this weekend and I asked them to stop at our place to pick up the various things that I so happened to have forgotten on our last visit home and bring it with them when they come here.  Oh yes, there is much much more that I accidently forgot to repack on our last visit to Home Town that we have just been living without over the past two weeks.  If they do not come then I will be SOL until we go to Home Town May 2nd.

This is just the shitty reality with living on the road.  You are always needing something, people places or things, that are just not where you are at.  We have solved some of the headache buy buying two of everything, but buying two of every.little.thing. adds up.  Living in two homes states away from each other sucks.  Living on the road just sucks.

I digress... so here is the cuteness that is us.

Can I bitch just for a second more????  Another thing that sucks with living on the road.... we rarely get pics of all three of us together as a family.  

Tushy Day.

Gianna has had some serious diaper rash these past few days.  I have been changing her diaper frequently, letting her sit in the bath tub for longer periods,  and apply loads of cream but it seemed to get worse instead of better.  After the advice of some wonderful ladies I decided to let Gianna air things out for a day.   I had a shirt on her for most of the day but after a poop explosion that dirtied her clothes up she went fully nude for couple of hours before bedtime.  (Thankfully this explosion happened in a diaper at the grocery store and not all over my house.)

I could not get over her cuteness of her naked tush so I took a bazillion pictures.  I only wish my camera was not crap and could get more decent pics in the natural light.

Of course Zoey had to get into the action.

Gianna must have loved it too because when it was time to put her pajamas and diapers back on she was not having it.  

Paying the Obama's a visit.

Well, not really but we were in their neck of the woods.  We are made the 4 hour drive out to visit my bff since Jr year at college, D, and her hubby CT.  The way we figured it, we are not going to be in Hill Country for too much longer and we might as well take advantage of living relatively close to them and make the drive out to visit.  I am so glad that we did.

National Cathedral

It was the perfect weekend with a wonderful couple.  We did not do the traditional sight seeing like we did the last time we visited with them, two years ago.  Instead it was a low key, eat amazing food, good conversations, take long walks, and hug your best friend type of weekend.  Perfect.

We spent most of Saturday in Old Town walking around the area and shopping in the unique stores.  It's so pretty in the DC area.  I could totally envision myself living in an area like this and being perfectly content.

Old Town

Gianna in her big girl stroller.

If you are ever in Old Town and have a craving for some fish and chips you have to eat at this restaurant.  OH MY GOD!  It was like a party in my mouth.  The flaky fish, the curry dipping sauce for the fries are to die for.  I was in food heaven.  Of course I finished my plate and left totally stuff to the point where I felt sick.  I did not care. I had a foodgasam.  Leave it to D and CT to know the way to my heart.

The only downside to the weekend was when we were taking the dogs, our pup Zoey and their two Husky's: Hugo and Cheyenne, for an afternoon stroll prior to going out to dinner Saturday evening.  We came upon a house with a vicious dog who managed to bite Hugo, the gentle giant, under a chain link fence.  It was a pretty bad bite so Hugo needed to go to the doggie ER.  The poor pup had to get six stitches to his front paw.  About four hours later Hugo was brought back home. A little doped and with a newly wrapped up paw.  We ended up staying in that night to watch over Hugo.  My sorority sister came over with her boyfriend and a bunch of pizza's.  :)

D and Hugo

We drove back home Sunday morning.  I miss my D already.  Maybe I can convince The Hub's company to do work on the east coast??  

A Little Over a Year Ago...

The Hubs and I went to Mexico for what was supposed to be a last hoorah before we got knocked up but it ended up being a baby moon instead.   At that time I was ten weeks along and still could not wrap the idea around my brain that I was having a baby.  I would walk around the mexican buffet and look at the olives and think to myself... that is the size of my baby... you are having a baby.  I think it helped me make our child more real when I could compare her to the size of food.  Still to this day I cannot look at an olive the same way.  It always reminds me of that moment in my life and all of the emotions and excitement of being pregnant with G.

At this point we had no idea what we were expecting, but The Hubs was convinced we were having a girl.    Although in my heart of hearts I felt like it could be a girl I did not feel as strongly as he did about the gender.  He said he just knew.  While we were perusing the markets we came across a cute shop that was selling handmade clothing when we spotted this:

We both fell in love with it.  Looking at this dress I could see my unborn child wearing it.  It made being pregnant real to me.  I looked at it and placed it back on the rack saying to The Hubgs why buy it when we do not know what we were having.  The Hubs insisted that we purchase it.  He said he knew we were having a girl and if we didn't we could save it or gift it to someone who was.  He was adamant that we had to have it.  So we did.

Crazy that one year later it fits my five and a half month old daughter.  Crazy that its been such a warm spring that she has been able to wear it.

Gianna would not look at me outside to take a picture.  The grass and leaves were way more exciting.

Somethings are just meant to be.

Easter

Other than being overwhelmingly tired from the night prior Easter was perfect. Below are pictures of Gianna with her first basket.

She was more interested in eating the receipt then what was in the basket.  (Yes, the easter bunny shops at the Gap.)

We then took pictures before we had to head out to Grammy's and Papa's for Easter lunch. 

Once we got there Gianna got another basket from her Grammy.  

We stuffed our faces with some awesome food and took a crap load of pictures.  My youngest sister-in-law announced that she is pregnant with her second child.  So now both my SIL's and pregnant with their 2nd child!  Gianna also sat up for the first time with no arms!!  (She has bee tripoding for a few weeks now.) In the end, it was an amazing but exhausting holiday.  

The Hubs and Gianna passed out on the floor. 

March Madness

It's not smart to go to the bar to root for your alma mater the night before a big holiday especially when your daughter has suddenly refused to sleep through the night and you have to spend five hours in a car the following day with that child to get back to Hill Country.  Would I do it again??  Hell yes, but I have never proclaimed to be the smartest person on the block.

Momma hung out with amazing friends and got buzzed.

My beautiful younger sister and I

It was an intense game.

My BFF since the 7th grade, S.

The Hubs and I.

We drank, ate, watched basketball and drank some more.  Being in Hometown and being out is not complete until you make a late night stop at the local Coney Island and pig out on chili cheese fries, with chili and cheese on the side please.  Sad that we lost but overall throughly enjoyed the night out.  

First time in the grass...

and Gianna was not a big fan.  It was a beautiful day on Thursday and the grass was finally dry so I figured I would try to take some pictures of Gianna outside.  With a look of fear in her eyes, she stayed in the exact same spot that I laid her down on and did not move a single limb, finger or toe.  After a few seconds she cried until I picked up.

Life is much better on a fluffy pink blanket. 

Things that make me go, hmmmmmmm?

I have always be a size five girl.  Size four is too small thanks to the big booty and size six has always been a bit too big do due a smaller waist.  When I was a teeny bopper and I worked at 5.7.9 I was in my element.  Size fives everywhere and they fit me perfectly.  Now that I am an adult and shop at the big girl clothing stores, size fives are no where to be found.  I am now faced with the ultimate dilemma.  Go a bit too tight or just a tab bit big? 9 times out of 10 I go a bit too big.  I figure things shrink in the wash or if need be I can always take things in.

Well, here is the crazy thing.  Due to the beautiful weather I have begun pulling out the summer capris and whatnot.  They are all too big.  Not the normal bit too big but the I look like a took a dump in my pants too big.  What.the.hell??  I do not think I have lost any weight.  I still am a bit fuller around my stomach and probably will always be no matter how many crunches I do, so why are my pants falling off of me as I walk around the house?

I am thinking three things.  One, breast feeding is my friend.  Two,  I lost my best feature in this new postpartum body.  My ass. Three,  maybe my pants were always this big but since I have not worn them in over two years I no longer remember their "bigness"??