I love my highchair!!

It's been too long since I posted, so we are very behind. I still owe you all pictures of Lila's Baptism, her first cereal eating and of course her 1st Christmas. Instead of writing a very long post, I will start with the latest pictures of our little beauty. Daddy put together her highchair last night and this morning we gave it a whirl. She loved it! I couldn't resist snapping these pictures of her. I'm not sure about the harness- it's like a carseat, 5 buckles- seems like a bit much for a highchair. She looks like she is wearing a backpack in the pictures.

I'm ready for my meal!Am I a happy baby or what?!?

She still looks so small when you see how big the white tray looks

We Are . . .

PENN STATE!!!!

Our Family Visit to the Nittany Lion Statue

It has been 7 years since I have been back to a Penn State football game- and I'm glad we saved it for the time the Nittany Lions won the Big Ten Championship. This was quite an initiation for Ian, who had never been to Penn State. We choose the coldest football game in 20 years (or so the radio announcers told us) and even got some State College snow. He got the whole experience- tailgating, walking all the way to the stadium from downtown, touring the campus (including all my dorms, off campus apartment, and the fraternity houses). It was a great weekend for Lila too. She got to visit PSU for the first time and even got a picture with the Nittany Lion, ate at the Corner Room and strolled around campus and town. It was a big weekend.

Just like the old days!!! Megan and I before the game- trying to keep warm. We should have followed our husbands lead and drank to keep warm- but in our minds that only equalled more trips to the potty- not fun when you are wearing 5 layers :) Megan and Jason are expert tailgaters, and we were treated to a fabulous spread including chicken noodle soup, Jason burgers, hot dogs, chips, pasta salad and our neighbors apple cake- YUM!

Ian and I right before heading into the game. Notice how he doesn't look too cold?? I credit the beverage in his hand (and 6 pack already in his belly). Once we got inside the stadium, hot chocolate was the key to our survival.

Even Lila was all bundled up this weekend. Gotta love that winter hat :) She didn't come to the game, but she did enjoy some Penn State traditions like a tour of campus in her stroller, dinner at Baby's diner and a trip to the bookstore. Hopefully we will be there with her again in about 17 years on freshman move in day! (I think Daddy is thinking Princeton, but I still have my fingers crossed for another PSU alum)

Where has the time gone??

We find ourselves asking this question with each passing week. I think we are still in shock that our little baby is already 4 months old- is it really November already?

It seems like just yesterday we were being handed this beautiful bundle in the stripped blanket and little pink hat. Well, there was a bit more to it than being "handed" the baby- but the memory of the pain has quickly faded :) Now we find ourselves at her 4 month mark, all too quickly. She continues to amaze us with how much she is growing and changing. We love watching her personality emerge and continue to love her reactions to us- she knows her Mommy and Daddy (and has Daddy wrapped around her finger- if I may add). It's incredible how much our love for her has grown- and we thought we were in love on July 17th- that was only the very beginning. We are so very blessed!

Our 4 month checkup was a success- and we all got shots. When I say all of us, I mean Ian and I too (they offered us the Flu shot and we jumped at the chance to get it all done in 1 visit). Poor Lila had another round of 5 shots but did very well. She cried for a little while and then settled down as if nothing happened. She is still growing like a weed. She weighed in at 14 pounds 10 ounces (75%) and 25" long (75%). Her head is still little- only 25%- which still astounds us since Ian and I do not have small heads! The Dr gave her rave reviews as far as her alertness, head control and flexibility (since she had her feet in her hands and up over her head when the Dr. came into the room- gotta love discovering your feet!) We only had 1 thing to get at CVS this time - some cream for her dry patches on her legs. The best news- her umbilical hernia is almost completely healed. The Dr said it is still there- just smaller- but should be totally gone by 1 year- YAY Lila!! Overall it was a good visit.

As I sit updating this blog, our little angel is sleeping away due to the Tylenol induced shot coma. Here are some of our latest photos of our beauty- hope you enjoy :)

New Tricks

Oh boy- have we been busy learning new tricks! Lila has mastered a couple new skills that I just have to share. Keep in mind that this first time mommy is pretty easily impressed, so please bear with me- it's all so exciting to Mommy and Daddy. Instead of telling you about them, I figured I'd show you them with pictures. Notice the foot on the bar- it's as if she is saying "If I could just get a little more leverage . . ."

Lila has a fascination with her rings- and especially with putting the rings into her mouth. These days she puts just about everything in her mouth- or at least tries to. The determined look on her face in this picture is priceless. She seems to be concentrating so hard.

I just love the look on her face here . . . she looks amazed. The crazy part is that I have put these rings on everything she owns (because she likes them so much)- ie- her carseat, her playmat, her bouncy sear- and she still acts like it is the first time she has seen them. I am guessing that her short term memory is not fully developed yet.

Here she is enjoying a little tummy time. Holding her head up and pushing up on her arms is one of her latest tricks- mommy is super proud of this little accomplishment because I had fallen behind on the tummy time the first few months- but now we are doing it everyday and she is doing much better.

Saving the best for last . . . Lila reached her first milestone- SHE ROLLED OVER!!!!! Hold your applause- it was the easy way (from tummy to back). But the simple fact that I got to see it with my own eyes was amazing. I think she got the idea that it was good because I stood over her clapping and yelling and dancing like a crazy woman- oh the things that excite a Mommy :)

Hope your week has been as eventful as ours. Enjoy the pictures!!

What we've been up to

With Halloween last week, I wasn't able to write about some of our latest adventures.

Last week Lila and I made a trip to Lewisburg to visit Megan and her little boy Joshua. It was quite an adventure in the car (2 1/2 hours each way), but she was a trooper. We had a little crying spell around Harrisburg, but mostly she just slept and played with the rings on her carseat. I have to admit that I was pretty surprised that we didn't have to pull over and eat on the side of the road, but she lasted until we got to Megan's house.

Joshua is the most gentle 2 year old I have ever met. His mother swears he was on his best behavior- and we were impressed. Just look at the picture above, it says it all! He is so sweet and very talkative. We got a full introduction to all his toys, especially his guitar. I had no doubt that he would be musical, just like his mommy, and he showed us his guitar skills and singing ability. I have to say that I was most impressed with his vocabulary- Joshua is a very smart cookie. Some of the things he says are hilarious- I especially loved the story from election day when he looked over the table and said "I vote please". How cute!?!

Another big happening in the P household was the Phillies winning the world series. Everyone knows about Ian's obsession with baseball, so this should not surprise you. Let's just say that this year's baseball season has been very very long with the Phillies going all the way. Ian went to several world series games and had a blast. When it came time to have the victory parade, Daddy wanted to take his little girl. So we packed up the car and headed down to the stadium. Luckily we got tickets in the KPMG suite box so we weren't in the middle of all the madness with a 3 month old. Daddy was proudly showing off his little Phillies fan.

Our little Phillies fan

Daddy and Lila awaiting the world series ceremony at the ballpark. This was Lila's first day in jeans- and I have to admit that I teared up when I put them on her- she looked so grown up. Needless to say, we haven't worn them again.

Happy Halloween Sweet Pea!

Here are the much awaited pictures of our little sweet pea in her first Halloween costume. There was no debate on what Lila would dress as for Halloween as soon as we saw this costume. Ian and I called her baby P and sweet Pea for much of my pregnancy, so this costume was perfect! I know that I am biased, but isn't she the most adorable little Pea??

We had a great Halloween filled with a million trick or treaters in cute costumes. Luckily the weather was nice, so we sat outside like we usually do to hand out candy. We even had a nice visit from Grandma and Grandpa who couldn't wait to see their little Lila all dressed up. Then we celebrated Halloween again on Saturday with Jen and Kraig and their little "monkey" Taylor. Here is a photo of the 2 buddies together. Some day these 2 will revolt on their mommies for making them dress in these silly costumes- but it's worth it for the picture opp.

Hope you all had a great Halloween. Enjoy the photos of our little lady!!

100 Days Old!!!

Believe it or not, Lila is 100 days old today. You may ask . . . what kind of crazy lady measures her kids age in days?? Let me explain. Since she was born, I have been keeping a little log book to keep track of her feedings. When you are in the hospital and the nurses keep asking you " when did she eat and for how many minutes?" you realize that it is impossible to keep track of these tidbits unless you write them down. So, to help me keep track of the breastfeeding and make sure she is eating enough I have been keeping a little journal- and although I probably do not need it anymore, I still do it. Long story . . . but today is day 100. So I started thinking of how many times we have changed diapers or ate in the past 100 days and compiled a little list.

100 days =

800 feedings (probably more, but I was guessing)

1000 dirty diaper changes (also a little on the low side)

50 baths

300 Naps

250 changes of clothes (some days it is 4 per day, but 2 seems to be the average)
7 Days of Eye Drops

95 Doses of Vitamins

Happy 100 Days Lila!! We love you more every day :)

What can Mommy do in 2 hours . . .

The answer is - many, many things! I find myself asking this question this lovely morning because for the first time in 3 months, my daughter has decided to take a 2 hour nap (gasp!!) I know, a 2 hour nap may not seem like a newsworthy event- but in the Petropoulos household it is. I have even managed to get a ton of things done while she snoozed. Here is a small list for your entertainment-
1- Shower
2- Get Dressed
3- Put on Makeup (something that rarely gets done these days)
4- Empty the dishwasher
5- Put away laundry
6- Watch "The View" (although I am fed up with Elizabeth and her constant political insight)
7- Eat lunch (a real lunch- not just a lean pocket or granola bar)
8- Check my email (and actually respond to messages- not normal these days)
9- Read an article in Parenting Magazine about family traditions (which I love!!)
10- Update the blog (hence this silly little list!)

Aahh 2 hour naps . . . may they continue forever :)

Our little pumpkin takes a trip to the patch

As you can see, Lila's first trip to the pumpkin patch was more exciting for Mommy and Daddy then it was for her. She snoozed through the great pumpkin (above in the stroller) and through the pumpkin corral where we chose her a baby pumpkin . She did manage to wake up for the pig races at Freddy Hill Farm and to get this adorable picture taken of our family inside a pumpkin (pretty silly- but cute anyway)



Mommy picked out the perfect round pumpkin to take home and carve. We had a bet going as to how much it weighed because it looked heavy to me- and I guessed 18 lbs. Boy was I wrong, it was 27 lbs and poor daddy got stuck carrying it all the way to the car on his shoulder. Gotta love Daddy!


Happy Fall!!!

This is what it's all about . . .

This is as good as it gets!! Daddy snapped this picture on Saturday afternoon after we returned from our neighborhood block party and needed a little nap.

Thank goodness for a relaxing Saturday, because on Sunday our little lady decided it was time for more growing and started eating like a horse. I looked in one of my many baby books, and sure enough, around 3 months is usually a growth spurt. The main characteristic is non stop eating and boy was she hungry. We had to forgo our sleeping nights for 2 nights because Lila wanted to eat- at 4am and 3:15am to be exact. I must have forgotten how hard it is to wake up after only 4 hours of sleep because on Monday I was a zombie. She proceded to eat every 2- 2 1/2 hours all day Monday- so we stayed in our PJ's all day and just ate (8 times- but who's counting). By 4:30pm she had already eaten as many times as she usually does in 24 hours- so she must be growing a lot!! I have to admit that this was quite a shock because we had been on such a nice schedule and I was finally feeling fully rested. The good news is that it seems to have slowed down because she didn't start to stir until 5:30am this morning. Lets hope that we are back on track today.

My memory of the past 2 days was completely erased when I saw this picture- it's amazing how quickly you can forget the bad days with one look at that adorable face.

Playtime

Here are a few recent photos of Lila' s playtime activities.
She's very active (as you can see from the shot below with her feet over her head) she may be a gymnast (although mom is hoping for a dancer- go figure!). She is keeping us busy and amused with her new expressions and constant moving. Her little legs are always moving and resemble a swimming frog when you put her on her back- very cute. This moving does make for interesting diaper changing, but it's very fun for play time.

One of her other favorite things is her pink bouncy chair. Daddy and I affectionately refer to it as the "poop chair" because within 5-10 mins after placing her in the chair, she poops. This happens almost without fail and has been the cause of many outfit changes in the past 11 weeks. Sometimes I consider just putting her in there in a diaper so we can save the clothes- but what is the point of having so many cute outfits if you can't change multiple times in 1 day?? Our record is 4 outfits in 1 day.


I tried her green bumbo seat (picture to the right) this week for the first time. I think she is still a bit young for it, especially b/c she is not a pro at holding her head up yet. But she made the cutest face and I had to capture it. She looks like a little person sitting up in that seat, and not a baby. Scary how fast the time goes. She fits in there perfectly already, so she may have outgrown it by the time she can hold her head up better. Oh well- it made for a cute photo :)



Hope you are enjoying a beautiful fall day like we are in PA.

Top 10 Mommy Miracles

In honor of Lila's big 10 week birthday, I thought I'd share the top 10 mommy miracles I have discovered over the past 2 months.

10) Aquaphor- This stuff is nothing short of amazing. Its like Vaseline, but seems to have magic powers. The pediatrician recommended it for the dry patches on Lila's face and it worked super fast. They were gone in 24 hours!

9) Select-a-size paper towels- This sales and marketing lady strongly endorses the select-a-size towel. Our accountant daddy also loves the $$ savings because we waste way less paper towels by using smaller pieces. They are very handy for all things baby- cleaning spit up, drying pacifiers, and wiping dribbled vitamins off her face. What a great product!!!

8)Swaddle Me Blanket- AKA the baby straight jacket. This little contraption has been key to helping our baby sleep so well through the night. At first she hated having her arms velcroed down- but we made a compromise and velcro 1 arm inside the blanket and leave one free. I'm not sure if it is the bedtime routine, or the blanket that helps her sleep for 7 hours- but it works. I would highly recommend this to any new mommies out there.

7)Showers- It is amazing how good a nice hot shower feels. I read a story about a new mom (who was having a hard time making any time for herself)that took 3 showers a day because she knew they were "allowed". I remember how good that first shower in the hospital felt, and they haven't lost their incredible feel. Something about the water running, blocking out any crying or phone ringing- completely rejuvenating.

6)Mommy friends and Grandparents- Whether you are sharing stories, giving advice or bringing over food- I couldn't have done it without all of my mommy friends. Lila is also so lucky to have all 4 of her grandparents within 45 mins- and boy are they helpful! They run errands with us, bring us meals, and stay with our little angel so we can go to weddings and out to dinner. But the most special thing is the joy this little girl brings to them- you can see it in their faces every time they are around her. She is a true gift to our family, in every way!

5)Daddy- Lila and mommy spent our first 3 days without Daddy this week- and we sure missed him (especially Mommy!!). I think I started to take for granted all the helpful things he does at night and on the weekends. Most of his chores are not glamorous- ie. changing the diaper champ bag, loading the dishwasher, taking out the trash, changing the early AM or late PM diaper- but they are necessary. We are 2 very lucky girls to have him in our lives!

4)Baby talk- How fun is it to hold a conversation with a 2 month old?? I think it is amazing. She is getting so vocal and I just adore hearing her little voice explore new sounds. Once you get her going, she will ramble for a few minutes if you respond to her in baby ramble. It makes us laugh so hard when she is getting tired and cranky and the coo's sound more sad- aah, aaahhh. Her voice is a little raspy and it's really cute.

1, 2 & 3)Smiles, Smiles, Smiles- I didn't think I could love anything more than hearing her noises- until I saw that gummy smile for the first time. It just melts my heart every time I see it. She is getting more expressive every day, including smiling when she thinks things are funny. One of her favorite things this week is hearing me clear my throat- which came about because mommy has a cold. It's turned into our little joke- I clear my throat and say "I've got a froggy in my throat" and she grins from ear to ear. Her laugh should be coming soon- right now she has a semi cough laugh- but I am pretty sure that will turn into her laugh. That will probably be #1 next month.


I hope my list inspires you to think of the 10 little miracles in your life this month :) Happy Friday!!

She's sleeping . . .

and it's 1:45 PM! The phone just rang and she continues to snooze- it's amazing:)Our little lady has been sleeping wonderful at night (about 7 hours each night), but it is a bit harder to get her to rest for more than 45 mins at a time during the day. Our best bet is to take her out in the car or in the stroller- then she sleeps for hours at a time. This works great for running errands, going to lunch or to the mall. But by the end of the evening it catches up with her and she is a basket case. I'm sure all of my mommy friends understand exactly what I am talking about.

It's official . . .

she's no longer a newborn! Well, at least not in clothing size. I had to bite the bullet and change her this morning out of her Newborn size jammies. I realized that I have been trying to squeeze her into all those cute cuddly newborn sleepers and the poor child can no longer straighten her legs b/c she is too long. I can't bring myself to pack all the newborn stuff away yet . . . maybe in another month.

The above picture should show exactly what I mean. I feel like I just bought this outfit, and now the pants are capri pants. I wish she would stay this little forever

Happy 2 months Lila!!

It's hard to believe that our little girl is already 2 months old. The time has gone as quickly as everyone says it does . . . in the blink of an eye it will be Christmas!

We had our 2 month Dr checkup this morning. She is doing great and growing like a weed. Mommy and Daddy had a bet on how much she was going to weigh- I am happy to report that mommy was a little low (11 lbs 5 oz) with her guess and daddy was a little high (11 lbs 13 oz)- so we tied. She also had her first big round of shots (5 total- yuck). Needless to say, she didn't enjoy them. After you hear the cry that she lets out after a shot, you realize that the crys at home are not really that "you're hurting me" cry. That cry is in a different ballpark- not fun to hear- and very loud. And we had some real tears too . .. luckily mommy didn't cry (but I did look away because I couldn't stand seeing her face so upset). 4 Band-Aids later, we were all set to go. Thank goodness for health insurance b/c the total for today was $843- highway robbery.

Here are her latest stats:
Length: 23 1/2 (75-90 percentile)
Weight: 11 lbs 8 oz (75 percentile)
Head: 15 (50 percentile)

Happy 2 Month Birthday Baby!!!

How quick they grow . . .

We continue to be amazed at how quick the time goes by. Our world has been turned upside down since the arrival of our little one- in a good way!! She continues to inspire us, amaze us and change us every day. We have experienced many "firsts" in the past 8 weeks including her first outings, walks, family reunion, smiles, baths, Dr. apts, and even sleeping through the night (7 hours so far- let's hope it continues!!) We are enjoying every minute. Hope you enjoy some of her latest photos.

First Free Moment . . .

This mommy stuff is time consuming- I knew it would be, but somehow until it happens to you (and you have to pray for 10 free mins to shower) you don't understand completely. So I finally have a free minute to add some pictures to the blog and update you all on our past few weeks happenings with little Lila.

Pictures first . . . above are a few of our favorites from the hospital and the first week. The first one is our very first family photo. The others are from day 1.

It's amazing how quickly the past month has gone. The first 2 weeks felt like 2 years, but it has gotten so much better. She is quite the little eater and has gained over a pound already. She eats every 2 hours round-the-clock, so it makes sense that she is filling out. If we could only get her to sleep as well as she eats- we would have it made:) Sleep during the day is tough- she'd rather be awake and looking around. We can get her to sleep for 4 1/2 hours at night, so that makes up for it. Funny how 4 hours of sleep for new parents feels heavenly- I guess compared to the 1 1/2 hours we were getting the first week, it feels like a lot. Overall, she is a very pleasant baby. She isn't too fussy- usually crying only when she is tired, hungry or wants to be changed. I think we are very lucky so far- but I am not going to get too confident because every day seems to be different and I am sure the tides could change at any time. We are just taking it one day at a time and enjoying our time together as a family.

Until next time . . .