Sierra, you're Bananas!!!

January 31, 2014

Ending up January 2014 on a good note. Gus and I enjoyed our Friday morning with the baby together. He has switched over to the later shift, and I go in later 3 days/week. So it was really nice to have some quality family time for a few mornings this week. I found myself staring at Gus as he was playing with Sierra. I cherish the times I am able to see his love for her come out every day.

When Gus picked her up today from the crib he said, "She's bigger than she was last night." As it turns out, I think he is right. She's going through another growth spurt. She is eating yams with carrots, bananas with blueberries (pureed) as well as her rice cereal and regular feedings. Yummy! All of this new food is fueling her growth (her hair is coming in thicker now too). She chews on the beer bottles for teething on occasion.

It's hard to be away from her for almost 11 hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays... it makes me grumpy to be honest. It was pretty rough this week, but we kept her up later so I could spend more time with her. We tried on the shoes I bought her for when she turns one; well big foot fits them now! Just like her parents! I also wanted to show a video of her crawling for the family who doesn't get to see it all the time.

Can little Sierra please stand up?

January 26, 2014

Sierra has been learning how to pull herself up (mostly to her knees but occasionaly to a stand) by grabbing onto the couch, laundry baskets, stools, and anything else she can get her hands on. She is increasingly less interested in "toys" and more interested in that which we don't want her to play with. Her banter remains a prominent "dah dah dah," but variations do pop up here and there. It is probably just coincidental, but Gus and Sierra grow ever closer as the days pass. He just loves spending time with her and showing her as much of the world as he can. He giggles at her mannerisms all the time now.

We dropped Pop Pop Mickey off at the airport early in the week. What a wonderful trip it was! Daycare has been going along smoothly, although I still hate being away from her... that will never change. It has made our week less eventful here; along with the fact that both Gus and I are trying to switch over to our new schedules (back to full time for me). I sent him this video of Sierra before I went to work one day this week.

On Saturday I presented at the NSCA regional conference... which I was slightly nervous about, but went well. Today, AUNTIE LYN came over! It's great having family within a stone's throw. Unfortunately while we were out picking up straw for the chickens today, my favorite chicken was killed by a juvenile Red Tail Hawk. Ironic. I guess we had always thought they were sitting .... ducks for all of the hawks in the area.

Grandpa is coming to town

January 19, 2014

Last weekend we all had a great time at Lisa and Jeremy's dinner. Our friend Jill even got some family photos for us.

Before we went we brought Sierra's pink push car to the arboretum. Sierra looked so proud of herself in that little thing, it was as if she was driving it herself.

 On Monday Sierra and I went to a small baby play group which thoroughly tired her out. She slept all the way up until I had to bring her to get the flu shot. We were able to meet up with a friend for a walk in the arboretum who I hadn't seen in ages (who is newly pregnant!!). It was very nice to catch up again.

Tuesday was Bailey (our sitter's last day). We have to switch over to full-time daycare starting this Tuesday. My schedule shifts at work this semester. Luckily, my dad came to town Tuesday evening and was able to hang out with her during the week. Since she was actually quite sick it was nice he was there to give her TLC the whole time.

Saturday we headed to Auburn to check out Knee-deep Brewery and Auburn Ale House. We had to show my Dad a new area. Eventhough both Gus and I were schooled in cornhole (the picnic game made famous in Cinncinati, OH) by my dad, we all had a great time!

Although Sierra has been sick all week, she is quite the happy weazer (as doctors call her). She is also developing her vocabulary and forming more "baby gibberish" words.

When I was 6 months

I couldn't help but mention, when I was 6 months old my biological mother passed away. It gives special meaning to this day with our daughter. I watch her fall asleep upon my breast. As I take a deep breath with hers, I think I can somehow describe in words my emotions for this special day. I am still speechless; overwhelmed with the love I feel (and have never felt before). I can't imagine the pain of losing Sierra at this point in our relationship; even without knowing you were going to. My biological mother's death has made me much more aware of the ephemeral aspects of child rearing. Those which I will always cherish.

6 months tomorrow!

January 11, 2014

Here we are turning another corner; Sierra is army crawling her way around everywhere now! What a big girl she has gotten to be so quickly! We had another phenominal week in world of parenting. It may have been because I was able to take more vacation from work again this week. Sunday Gus, Sierra, and I went for a great hike near Lake Berryessa. I used to run this hike while I was preparing for my JMT hike, and I would finish it in about 1.5 hours so I predicted it would only take us about 2.5 hours to hike with the baby... not a chance. It took us 3.5 hours between the steep climb with the (amazing Osprey pack) baby on my back, the feeding stops, and actually enjoying the scenery it took us a bit longer. Yes, I asked to carry her up the climb... the baby weight isn't gone yet! Gus took over when we hit the really rocky terrain (he has better ankles and stability than I do). After we finished we stopped at the Berryessa Gap brewery, where they were playing live music and had a food truck parked. It was a really fun! This is what I imagined us doing as a family when we received our Osprey pack at our babyshower.

On Monday Gus' cousin Nic came to town, and Sierra and I went to pick him up in Sacramento. We all went to lunch in midtown after he got in. It's so nice to get to know him better; he has a great sense of humor and is really quite whitty. Lyn, Gus, Nic, Sierra, and I all went out to dinner that night and went to trivia night afterwards (although Sierra and I had to leave early so she could get to bed). Apparently, their team would have done better if I had stayed (I'm just sayin'). Nic headed out the following morning; it was really great to have him visit. Sierra loved staring at her uncle.

Wednesday Sierra and I went to a baby play group!!! It was so fun for us. She still loves playing with other babies, and I love getting to know other moms in town too.

On Thursday I had to work in the morning so Gus worked swing shift so that Sierra could go to her last free swim class. Gus had a great time with her there, and he even told me he wished he had been able to go to more. Unfortunately, our schedule only permitted me to bring her most of the time. While I was at work I was given a bunch of hand-me-down toys from a colleague, and quickly introduced them all to Sierra once we got home. I strapped her into this car and pushed her around the driveway for 20 minutes, and she still didn't tire of it.

We went over to the library and met up with another mom and her babies on Friday, and then we had Sierra's (dun-dun-dun) ..... 6 month shots later in the day. Poor thing. It's so hard to see her cry like that. She is really LONG for her weight apparently. She was 18 lbs 11oz and 28.5 inches long and 17.5 inches for her (huge) dome piece... just like her papa (well I guess my head is huge too)!

Gus and I both got our lifts and our cardiovascular exercise in this morning. The dogs, Sierra, and I went for a run together and Gus hit the rollers on his bike. It's nice to get into more of a rhythm for our exercise again. We are going over to our friends Lisa and Jeremy's for a parents' dinner (5 families with new babies from around town) tonight. I'm excited for Gus to meet some of the dads of the moms and babies I have known for the past few months.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2014

January 4, 2014 (Just shy of 6 months)

Last week Sierra discovered her tongue... Pretty funny really; she's sticking it out and chewing on it more often. We made her carrot puree with breast milk and rice cereal. She wasn't sure what to think of it really.

But I still really enjoy our "quiet times" (only quiet when she's tired) breastfeeding.

Also, this week she has been sitting upright for extented periods of time after we plop her on the floor. She is making really great advancements in her crawling attempts. She is actually moving forward now! Her first tooth is coming through on the bottom now too... which means a lot of drool!

We were able to see Grammy and Grandpa Jer-Bear on there way through town on Monday afternoon. On Tuesday (New Year's Eve) we went with our good friends, the newly weds, Julia and Chris for a hike in Cool. They had their energetic pup, Taj, and we brought our hiking back pack for Sierra. What an awesome pack (made by Osprey)! She had a great time in it too. Afterwards we went to brunch at an amazing restaurant in Loomis, which was a converted greenhouse.

On New Year's day, Auntie Lyn came over to babysit for a little and Gus and I went for a bike ride together. It's great to spend time with just Gus while Sierra was with family.

Thursday we had one of our last free swim classes, and Sierra submerged again. She kicks and splashes in the water, and it is evident that she loves that time she spends there! Friday we went to a free sample baby sign language class and in the evening we went to "family swim night" with Gus too. There were 2 other infants there that Sierra proceeded to splash (which she does when she is excited) everytime she got close to them.

Something else we have been enjoying are our short daily runs in the Bob with the dogs. I strap the dogs to my waist and push her down the dirt farm roads by the house almost daily. The runs are short, but they are fun for all 4 of us.