ONE!

Quinn is ONE! She's been one for a couple weeks now, but we have been seriously busy since. By busy I mostly mean sick. We are back in action this week and today, Election Day, I finally have a day off! So year one blogpost is on the agenda. At the official one year weigh in Quinn came in at 19 pounds, 11 ounces. She's 30 inches long. She's keeping it consistent in the 50th and 75th percentiles. She has 15 teeth...just waiting on one top molar to come through and then hopefully we will be done with teeth until the 2 year molars (which she will probably get tomorrow at the rate we are going). 

We celebrated Quinn's first birthday with our family and some good friends at our house. We had her favorite food (PASTA!) for lunch. After her pasta she had her first cake...vanilla cake with vanilla icing. After being hesitant, she got a little more into it, but never really went too crazy. Quinn (and her parents) have been very lucky for the help of our families and our Virginia family this past year. 

We are still blessed with a very funny, curious, smart, and independent girl. She becomes more and more strong willed by the day. She has learned a lot the past month. She is better at sharing attention and becoming more independent in playing. She still loves reading. She often will pick out books and bring them to us, or even pick out books and "read" to herself. She is pretty much full on walking at this point, that's probably happened within the last week. She is also really great with signs. She signs for dog, baby, milk, thank you, more, all done, bath, etc. She is also understanding more and more that we tell her and will follow our directions..."go get...," "where is...," "come here...," etc. She is not the best at following NO :). Quinn has a lot to say, but we don't really understand her yet. Hopefully soon! 

Our daily schedule is still pretty consistent. Quinn wakes up at about 6:30 everyday and goes to bed about 8. She takes an hour long morning nap and about a 2 hour afternoon one. We did drop a midday milk feeding, but sometimes takes milk in a cup at that time. She does not like cow's milk! She eats everything we eat and a lot of it. We went out to lunch today and she finished her own pizza. She still loves pasta, most fruits and veggies, she's getting better with meat, likes cheese, falafel, and really most things we give her. Her independence is alive at meal times as well when she likes to try to feed herself using a fork and spoon, and she's really pretty good at it. 

This past year has gone by so fast and all three of us has learned so much! Quinn has brought so much fun to our family and we are so excited to see what she will do each day. We are looking forward to all the new things this next year will bring! We love you, Q!

Eleven Months

Quinn turned eleven months old on September 22! We are officially on the final countdown to her first birthday! We had no well check this month, but I would estimate she is a little over 19 pounds and getting taller and taller. I am looking forward to knowing official stats at her first year appointment. What I can tell you for sure is that she is still happy, funny, smart, curious, and strong willed. She got her first molar and canine tooth recently...bringing the current total to 10 teeth.

The biggest change from ten to eleven months was being in daycare full time. This year we have her going to a home daycare in our neighborhood. She is the youngest by one month and there are about 4-6 kids there at a time. Quinn proved herself quite the diva the first few weeks. She wanted all the attention all the time. She would get very jealous if her sitter would help or hold someone else. She has been doing better the last week or so, but it was rough there for a little.

Quinn is still keeping a great routine. She wakes up at about 6:30 everyday and goes to bed around 8. She takes about an hour long morning nap, and usually a two hour afternoon nap. She has milk three times a day and eats solids for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus an afternoon snack. She eats A LOT. I really don't know where she puts it all. Current favorites include pasta, peas, beets, pretty much any fruit, cheese, really anything. She is currently on a meat strike though. Occasionally she will surprise me and eat some, but usually not. She still does not enjoy time in her high chair...or her car seat for that matter.

First Chipotle!

She still loves board books and reading. She is also starting to figure out fitting shapes into the appropriate holes and stacking. She still likes golfing and rolling things under the couch for us to help her get. She is starting to mimic more and more...she likes to stick her tongue out and yell back and forth. If you tell her to go find things for you, she will...go get elmo, baby, cancun kitty, shoes, water, ball, book, etc. She is starting to do more baby signs (dog, more, all done, milk, thank you, happy).

We are looking forward to all the new things she learns this month and celebrating her first birthday in less than three weeks!!!

100 Days of Summer, The Finale

In my book summer really ended when I went back to work. At least the summer I once knew. But here is the end of our 100 Days of Summer project. I'm already looking forward to next summer's 100 Days. Quinn will be so big. Next up...first birthdays and real blog posts. 

{Day 92:August 29}

First day of school and first day of daycare stripes!

{Day 93:August 30}

Soooo they made a new, and much nicer, road to Bennett. It actually fits two cars. I was super excited and it's still mind blowing, really. 

{Day 94:August 31}

New favorite activity.

{Day 95:September 1}

Quinn's first painting!!!

{Day 96:September 2}

Bugs on the morning walk at daycare

{Day 97:September 3}

Gameday!!!!

{Day 98:September 4}

Making stuffed peppers for the freezer!

{Day 99:September 5}

Fully gated.

{Day 100:September 6}

Quinn is a cat lady. This cat has been visiting our yard and she couldn't be happier about it. Don't worry, I'm still "allergic."

100 Days of Summer, Week 13

I totally almost forgot my 100 days post! It's official. As of tomorrow school is in session. It will be a big day for everyone in our house tomorrow. Quinn starts daycare, like real daycare. I begin my 9th year at Bennett, and Matt starts a new class at Marymount. I already can't wait for the three day weekend. Keep us all in your prayers this week!

{Day 85:August 22}

The start of teacher work week. BES: Year 9.

{Day 86:August 23}

Snuggling her BFF

{Day 87:August 24}

Somie took Quinn to feed the fish and the ducks.

She fed herself. Typical.

{Day 88:August 25}

Hanging from the newly installed gate. Again, typical.

{Day 89:August 26}

EpiPen training.

{Day 90:August 27}

Weekend! Golfing in pajamas.

{Day 91:August 28}

I decided to make banana muffins instead of banana bread this morning. Excellent move!

Ten Months!

Dear sweet Quinn is two whole hands! Quinn is so big and has a personality that grows bigger everyday. She is smart, stubborn, persistent, happy, curious, funny, and fearless. There is no well check for ten months, but I would estimate her at about 19 pounds. She hasn't popped any new teeth this month, but I can see swelling where her molars are starting to come in.

Quinn took her first trip to the beach this past month. She loved everything about it, especially swimming in the ocean and sitting at the edge of the water. She also enjoyed the sand. While we were at the beach she took her first few independent steps. And then she got her first bruise. Getting to the beach was not as much fun as being there. Traveling still proves to be an issue. She absolutely can't stand her car seat.

Our routine is still going strong. We have dropped to three milk feedings, three solid meals, and an afternoon snack most days. Quinn's ten month birthday coincided with my return to work (obviously why this post is late), so I am hoping she will make a nice transition to daycare (she will start at her new day care next week) and keep her routine, or at least find one similar. She is still taking a shorter morning nap, and a longer afternoon one. She goes to bed around 8 and wakes up usually around 6:30. She was having some trouble going down at night, but I am going to attribute that to traveling and being a little out of sorts and having to be retrained on bedtime procedures. Just the past few days she has done much better and been much happier when getting in the crib.

Current favorites include crawling, walking whenever possible, books, her golf clubs, balls, Elmo, plasitc shapes, and cups. She loves to watch other kids. She also likes to climb the stairs. She likes to copy and mimc people. She is also getting good at rolling a ball back and forth with someone. She likes to be chased, and to be sneaky, and to be 'caught' acting this way. She laughs hysterically about it. She's still chatting us up, but I do notice her speech changing. In addition to the one syllable repeats (mama, dada, etc.), she has like long strings of nonsense words. When she hears music she starts dancing and when she sees the camera come out she smiles for a picture. We are really having so much fun with her.

It's hard to believe at this time last year I was starting a school year preparing for maternity leave. It's truly been the fastest year of my life.

100 Days of Summer, Week 12

Today was my last official day of summer...so sad. Tomorrow starts teacher work week, and the rest of the craziness that comes with two people working full-time jobs (plus a part-time one), raising a busy baby, and managing the rest of life. It's been so fun to be home with Quinn this summer. She has changed so much in seven or eight weeks we have been together. I am definitely lucky to get these bonus weeks. We have lots of changes in store the next couple of weeks and a big 10 month birthday tomorrow. 

{Day 78:August 15}

I was attempting to teach Q to use this snack cup and it went so well I decided to take it out and about the next day...when she proceeded to dump and eat all her Cheerios off the Bennett library floor...at least she was quiet during my meeting

{Day 79:August 16}

Because sometimes you just need to dry your hair.

{Day 80:August 17}

Parachute at Toddlin Time

{Day 81:August 18}

Taking one of our last trips to the pool

{Day 82:August 19}

Wild Friday night trying to find a baby gate to fit this...theres a lot of problems here. 

{Day 83:August 20}

Katerina's for dinner to close out summer.

{Day 84:August 21}

First goldfish :)

100 Days of Summer, Week 11

It's been an action packed week. We ventured to Toddlin' Time a few days and we went to the pool with our old friends from babysitting! Matt and I also celebrated our 4th anniversary and got to go out for the night. This coming week is my last week home with Quinn. I am beyond sad, but I am hoping to have another fun filled week before sucking it up and getting back into the school year routine. 

{Day 71:August 8}

Adventures at Toddlin' Time. Q loved playing with balls, watching the big kids, and doing the parachute

{Day 72:August 9}

Problem Solver! Crawling with a dress :)

{Day 73:August 10}

Watermelon Lover...she's going to be disappointed come fall. 

{Day 74:August 11}

Reunited with her friends at the pool!

{Day 75:August 12}

Anniversary Smores :)

{Day 76:August 13}

Then we went out for our anniversary to a train depot converted to a restaurant. 

{Day 77:August 14}

Greek turkey burgers!