Esther @ 1 YEAR!

Oh, sweet Little Bit. It's such a strange thing watching you grow up. With your brothers, I had hope for more kids...I knew I WANTED more kids, and believed I would have more. With you, though....well, unless something drastically changes, you're it sweetie. The Final One. And watching you move through these stages of growing up is so bittersweet. Knowing we are leaving the baby things behind for good is so sad. And I feel like I missed so much of your first year because I was wrapped up in myself and all that we were going through. I'm sorry you're never going to know a time when your father and I were together, but you will also never know the fighting that went on between us. I believe that moving forward, once your brothers and I have time to heal, things will be much better for us. So, hang in there sweetie. The next year is another big one...but hopefully only for you!

Stats

21 lbs 3 oz (72%)

29" (49%)

We are at one of those stages where every darn day seems to bring something new. Esther is not only standing on her own, but she's started dancing! She can take a few steps on her own, but still mostly cruises. And crawling. She can go anywhere like that and uses it to her advantage when I'm not going the right way, or am distracted by her brothers. In fact, she's found the candy drawer and will make her way over to it when I'm not looking, and go digging for suckers!

Also....climbing. And getting down off things (like my bed, or the couch).

And Esther looooves to practice walking. It's so cute to hold her hand and walk around....but sometimes she wants to walk and we just can't. Like at church. Or in the middle of a busy store. Then the squirming starts. And if she doesn't get out, the screaming kicks in. She can somehow turn completely around in a seatbelt in a shopping cart. Also, it's now fun to walk in circles holding my hand...until I get dizzy and make her stop.

Oh yeah, and she's trying out her voice. She's definitely learned volume and loves to hear how she sounds in different places. If she hears an echo, all bets are off. That girl can make some noise.

Esther is also getting...sheesh, a bunch of teeth. Her 2nd on the top (both sides) finally came through but the 3rd from the middle are both right behind. The second out on the bottom have just popped through as well. Also, apparently one of her molars is coming too. These teeth, let me tell you. They move for a few days and we have really crappy nights of sleep (even giving her Tylenol only gets us until about 3). Then we get a break. And, while the break is nice recovery time, I wish they moved at a more slow-and-steady pace.

Speaking of sleep. She still naps in the car. I need to get things switched around and try to get her back in the crib. Two problems: it will involve screaming, there will be a lack of naps while this gets figured out. Both problems will definitely interfere with work and since we're coming down off a database switch....I've been super busy. So, I suppose that will be put off a bit longer.

Esther has tried so many different foods! She even sampled some sushi last night. But we seem to have hit the toddler eating stage super early. I don't even know what to feed her sometimes! Unless it's cheese, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, or yogurt drops, she's not interested. She's even been turning down grapes!!! I'm so glad Esther is still nursing because she's too young for vitamins to cover that gap in her diet.

Talking is funny. It's like Esther suddenly blurts out a bunch of new words...then doesn't use them! The most recent one is "shoe". Heard it once when we got her new shoes and haven't since. She also can say "Isaiah" perfectly! She's said Micah a few times. But, mostly they're still bruh-buh. My favorite, though is "dis", especially when I ask what she has and she holds it up and says "dis". So stinking cute, that girl. She also says "Ma" reliably. Any animal is "bark bark". Ruff is occasionally "dog".

Esther's had a cold for...about a week now. The first night was freaking awful because I had to sleep on the couch to keep her upright enough that the congestion wasn't making her feel smothered. Since then, we've been able to sleep in my bed, but she always wakes up in the middle of the night coughing. It takes a bit to get that to subside enough for me to be able to go back to sleep (because she gets really agitated by it). Thankfully, it doesn't wake her up enough to make her think it's time to get up for the day. So only one of us seems to be suffering from lack of sleep.

I'm sure there's more she's doing. I just can't seem to keep track of all of it. This will probably be my last monthly update for her, but I'm sure she will be mentioned in her brother's yearly updates coming up soon!

Comparing...

Esther	Micah	Isaiah
21 lbs 3 oz (72%)	20 lbs, 4 oz (15%)	25 lbs, 5 oz (95%)
29" (49%)	27 3/4" (3%)	31 1/2" (95%)

Esther @ 11 Months!

Only one more month until Esther turns 1! I can't even believe it. We've been through so much in the past year, it seems like it's gone by so slowly but now we're celebrating Esther's birthday. "The days drag on, the years fly by" sure is applicable here.

I want to say not much has changed in the past month, but I don't think that's true. The absolute biggest thing is, Esther is starting to make her wants known. Loudly. She HATES getting changed. She HATES having things taken away from her. She HATES it when I shower. She HATES getting in the car. She LOVES the kitties. She LOVES going outside. She LOVES to swing. She LOVES her brothers. So, we've been making some small changes here and there.

One of her newly developed dislikes became sitting in her high chair. It didn't matter if she was hungry, she didn't like it. Take away the tray and put her at the table? That will do just nicely, thankyouverymuch.

I've decided to encourage the walking versus crawling for a couple reasons. One, with it cooling off, she's going to wear through pants pretty quickly. Two, she may be more likely to be knocked down but she's less likely to get accidentally (or not) stomped on. I went out and got her one of those push toys and she loved it for about 2 days...now Micah plays with it more than she does. But, in the past couple days her standing alone is really starting to improve. I think the biggest part of that is she's realized she can do it, and now doesn't sit down the second she knows what's going on. She gets so stinking proud of herself, too. It's pretty darn cute.

Isaiah and Esther still love each other. Those two, my goodness. She just looks up to him. He loves her so much...though he doesn't like it when I tell him to play with her while I shower. Apparently he "doesn't know how" to play with her. 

Micah and Esther on the other hand. They have such a love/hate relationship. Definite sibling rivalry there, usually specifically directed at my lap. Occasionally at a toy. Other times, they are so sweet together. I hope the competition wanes as Esther becomes more independent.

Esther is starting to come out of her "I only want Mommy" phase. Thank goodness! I love her so much but sometimes just being able to have someone else hold her for 10 minutes is such a relief. She's even started putting her arms out to have other people hold her. It doesn't usually last long, especially if Micah sees the opportunity and wants to be held. Baby steps.

There's more words coming out of Esther all the time. She said "thanks" when Micah gave her something in church one day. The absolute best was when I told her "I love you" and she copied me. Seriously....awwwwwww! So adorable! She's also waving (and occasionally saying) "hi" and "bye". She pointed at Isaiah and said "bruh-buh Zay" (or something along those lines) a couple mornings ago! Ruff is sometimes "Rup Rup", other times she copies his barking. I know there's a few more, but they escape me right now.

Napping. Ugh, napping is still an issue. She will take a great afternoon nap IF I leave her in the car to do it. She's fallen asleep after dropping Micah off at preschool and not woken up until we got back to school to pick the boys up. But this means I'm stuck out in the car with her. Thankfully my computer can connect to the wifi from my parking spot by the back door...so I just sit in my car and work. Even making phone calls doesn't seem to bother her.

Esther also had her first camping experience! I took the kids and we joined Isaiah's cub scout pack for the family campout. I was worried new surroundings, new routine would throw her off, but she did great. If she had been less interested in trying to eat rocks, that would have been better. Also, if she'd had an easier time falling asleep that would have been nice too...but she wanted to see what those boys were doing. Overall, we survived and so I count it as a win.

Let me just say that I'm awful glad I started planning her birthday stuff really freaking early. I mean, I'm super excited about it and want to have a good time, but 2 months seemed a little excessive. Until I started calling around for things. Like a cake, and a photographer. Several were already booked! I need to remember this for next year if I want to do pictures near her birthday. People schedule fall and holiday pictures around this time so places are booooked. I got in with a lady that had a mini-session cancellation, so I hope I can get some good pictures will all 3 that way!

I guess that's about it for now. On to the big birthday!!!

Esther @ 10 Months!

I can't believe Esther is TEN MONTHS OLD! I seriously thought I had lost track somewhere and had to count to make sure I had it right! Good grief, she's getting so close to 1!

Esther has recently taken less of an interest in walking. She can get exactly where she wants to go crawling, and isn't interested in where Mommy wants to take her, even if it means she gets to walk. But, she's pulling up on everything and cruising so maybe she will do it without my help. Who knows. She's also started doing the Wile E Coyote thing where she stand by herself...but only until she realizes she's doing it and then she sits down.

There was one moment when I though "hey, she's do it...." she was standing by the coffee table and the bench where Echo was sleeping was juuuust out of reach. She sat there trying to grab it for a minute, thought about it, then tried to take the 1 step it would have taken....and fell. She was pretty disappointed about it too. Maybe that will give her the motivation to start trying again.

Back at the beginning of the month I brought the kids with me to a cub scout parent meeting. The boys were out playing while the parents talked in a classroom and Esther kept crawling out of the room (where she couldn't see me) to watch the boys / get in trouble. It was the first time I've really just sort of let her go out of my sight (besides at home) and was surprised she didn't get "lost" and start crying. The adventuring is about to begin.

Little stinker has also started crawling over and putting her face in the dog bowl when she's thirsty. Psh. Goofball.

Esther is "talking" quite a bit lately! By that I mean she can distinctly say things that sound close enough that I can tell she knows what she's talking about...but it's just not every time. So far she's saying Mama, Hi (Iiiiiii), Brother (bruh-buh) and dog (daw-daw).

We are having some interesting times adjusting to both the boys being away (Micah half day) at school. It's so much easier to get some work done when it's just her here and awake...but I still wish she'd take a longer nap so I could really be productive. The best naps she takes are in the car! Oh well, having to play with her for a minute between every phone call or two definitely keeps me from computer burnout.

Esther is waving at just about everyone lately. I don't think most people realize it because it's more like the Hitler salute, but we walk around the store and she does it all the time! It's so funny when someone realize she's waving at them and then she usually turns all shy and clingy. What a goose.

Clapping is another fun thing. Oh! And she's doing peek-a-boo on her own now. I love it! She just has the biggest smiles when she's playing. She's also started bopping along when I play music...that also gets a big cheesy grin out of her.

Her crib is a no go at this point. I don't know what happened, but right around 9 months she was DONE with it. Put her in there asleep or awake, doesn't matter, she's instantly up and screaming. I've given up and just let her nap in my bed. I'm toying with the idea of shuffling furniture around and putting her crib in my room...maybe when the boys get their bunk bed.

She still eats like a champ. Still nurses, but definitely less often. We did have an increase at the beginning of the month due to a cold, but that settled back down.

She's loving mirrors and likes to give "the baby" kisses. She will give us kisses sometimes too, but she seems to need to be in the mood for that. One night she just kept kissing Micah over and over and over but I got one kiss and then she was done (poor Isaiah didn't get any).

I can't think of anything else at this point. We're getting so close to her birthday!

Esther @ 9 Months

Stats

20 lbs (78%)

27 1/2" (45%)

I totally feel like I just wrote Esther's 8 month update! Maybe because I wrote Isaiah's 6.5 update lately? Or because time is FLYING by? I don't know!

Oh, little bit. She is getting really good at pulling up lately. It seems like she's suddenly doing it on everything! There have even been some cruising attempts, and I'm seeing her push up to her hands and feet a lot more frequently. I though crawling would slow down her walking attempts, but that was only temporary! I wouldn't be surprised if she starts walking before 10 months.

Talking is growing too! She loves to just jabber away, but she's added "Dada" and "Bruhbuh" to her repertoire. A couple weeks ago when Isaiah came in my room one morning Esther looked at him for a minute and said "bruhbuh" (followed by her typical big smile for him). Ohmygosh that made Isaiah's day!

Micah and Esther have been having some issues lately. I'm not real sure what it is, but Micah's started acting out and it's usually directed at Esther (and usually when I'm trying to do something...make dinner/a bed/phone call/etc). I'm not real sure what to do about that, because it seems to be getting a little worse. Micah starts preschool next week so maybe that stimulation will even him out.

Sleep is still just a mess. I don't even know what to do! She sleeps awesome with me at night but good gracious if I try and get her to sleep anywhere else she's up in 30 minutes. Some days she will take a 30 minute nap in the morning and another in the afternoon and that's IT! It doesn't seem like she should be getting enough sleep, but she doesn't look tired and isn't overly cranky. This too shall pass, I suppose. I'm wondering if having both the boys gone for a couple hours once school starts will help her at least take a good afternoon nap.

Esther is now eating all meals with us. I still struggle some days to find something for her to eat, particularly at breakfast when everyone else is having cereal. But she sits at the table and usually at least makes an attempt to try what we have. Pickles are still a good backup.

More teeth are coming! I haven't decided yet if she's getting both up top or just one. Thankfully they are so far not as bad as the bottoms. We shall see if that lasts.

Her checkup isn't for a couple days, so I will come back with stats then. I wonder how close she is to Micah! (Poor bug, I'm going to wonder this every month.)

Comparing...

Esther	Micah	Isaiah
20 lbs (78%)	18 lbs, 6 oz (20%)	---------------
27 1/2" (45%)	27" (15%)	---------------

Apparently, I lost Isaiah's 9 month stats somewhere. Also apparently, there is a huge (percentage) difference in just 1/2" at this point. I guess that makes sense when kids are so little. So, this is about where Micah started staying tiny and Esther is not following his lead. (Actually, we got Micah weighed at Esther's checkup and there's only about 8 pounds difference at this point!)

Esther @ 8 Months

Esther is now 8 months old! She is the most adorable little thing! I don't think she's gotten much bigger since 7 months because she's mostly still wearing the same size in clothes. She only has about 3 outfits left in 9-month so I guess she has gotten a bit bigger...12-month is definitely what we're going for now.

This month started out pretty rough for everyone with the move. We all were short-tempered and/or clingy and/or frustrated for a couple weeks. Thankfully we're getting out of that slump and starting to enjoy the new place. Best part about an apartment is it forces us to get out and walk Ruff. Esther usually takes a nap when we go out in the morning...I just strap her on my back in the Ergo and away we go!

My favorite new development just happened this past weekend. Esther started saying "Mama"! I love it! It's really clear, too. Maybe it's just wishful thinking, but she really seems to only direct it to me.

Esther is now a pro at getting into a sitting position from her belly. She's also doing a bit of crawling, but usually just a foot or two so she can get whatever she wants. I've also seen her up on hands and feet but she doesn't know what to do after that so she sits (falls) back down.

Speaking of being on her feet...Esther's now pulled herself up to standing twice. Once during a bath in the sink I turned to say something to Isaiah and when I turned back she had pulled herself up. (I missed it!!!) The next time she grabbed the edge of her toy box and pulled up like she's been doing it for a while. The strange thing is, she's tried since then and not gotten anywhere.

I think Esther's favorite thing to do right now is to stand at her toy box and grab for toys. She can do that forever! Another fun activity is playing with her computer...she loves to close the lid! I open it and she closes it...over and over and over again. Peek-a-boo is still a top contender too.

Esther's had several rough days lately. I really don't know if its new teeth, an ear infection or something else but I'm leaning toward teeth. Low fever, diarrhea, super fussy, awful sleep. I actually realized I had lost (thrown away?) all the syringes for my baby Tylenol when the fever really showed up. Thank goodness Auntie Becca was still awake and able to bring us more medicine (with the syringe!) at 1:00 in the morning. Bestest Auntie to the rescue! Things seem to be settling down again, but night sleep still isn't quite back to normal.

We are all currently adjusting to Mommy having a job again. Yay! Part-time, working from home so we're having to work on a schedule that lets me get some things done during the day. I wish Esther would take a longer nap in the afternoon but when she wakes up Isaiah is available to play with her for a bit. (I'm not sure what's going to happen when he goes back to school!)

I've been giving Esther food when the boys and I have our meals for a while now and I've noticed she's really reduced her nursing during the day. I'm not sure how I feel about that. On one hand its nice to be able to leave the house with her and not be nursing in the middle of Target (I'm always worried about comments, never had any)....but I'm not even close to ready for her to wean!

One last big thing is Esther will now go spend at least part of the day with the boys when they are with Jeremy. Its nice to have a couple hours to myself, even if they are taken up by errands, cleaning and work. I'm somewhat surprised by how easy it was for her to start going with them but it seems to have been no big deal. She isn't doing all day yet, but I'm not ready for that either!

We have a bit of "down time" before the next thing that changes our schedule (school!) so I'm expecting some big developments from my Little Bit. Let's see what the next month brings! :)

Esther @ 7 Months

My lovely daughter is seven months old today! We are going through a move, so this will be a pretty quick update. I just didn't want to forget.

I suspect Esther is getting ready for a growth spurt, based on the chunk that is developing...especially on her legs. She has a roll ON her knee! I don't think I've seen that since Isaiah. She's phasing out of her 9-month clothes and the 12-month are starting to look better. She also got her first swimming suit! I got a two-piece (tankini, because babies in bikinis just seems wrong) figuring diaper changes would be easier. Well, the top seems a bit tight and the bottom is falling off! I don't even know what to do about all that...but she's a baby so I guess it doesn't matter. (I realize that doesn't make sense with my issues regarding baby bikinis but whatevs.)

We finally have teeth poking through! Both the bottom ones. Not that the lack of teeth have caused her any issues, she happily eats whatever the rest of us are eating. A new favorite? Hot dogs! I bet she'd eat them every meal if she could. I think she'll eat half a hot dog at a time, though that's hard to tell because Ruff gets his nose all up in her lap to get things as soon as they are dropped.

Esther is getting less and less patient with sitting down to play...this includes her walker! (Making packing difficult....) She just wants to walk. Or stand. Or anything but sit. She's also starting walking only holding on to one of my hands. She's all over the place like that, really needs to get her balance down, but it leaves her a free hand to grab stuff! Esther is also trying sooooo hard to pull herself up. She hasn't been able to reach anything at the right height and sturdy enough to get herself up yet...but it's going to happen soon!

Nursing is going strong, but she is so easily distracted these days! Any time she hears anything (her brothers, the dogs, the phone) she has to turn and try to figure out what's up. I think this is also related to her wanting to know what everyone is up to. It takes a lot longer to fill her up this way!

A couple weeks ago we had an appointment for WIC and they tested Esther's blood as part of it. Just a quick poke to see if she's anemic. Minimum reading should be 11, she had 8.8 and 10. When I called the pediatrician, they told me to start her on iron vitamins and set up an appointment to check her. I only gave her those vitamins a few days because they upset her belly or something. Even spreading them out over the day, and always after eating, she had some really rough nights on the days she took them. I just hope this is a temporary thing. I worry enough about Micah with his bleeding disorder, I don't want something else to stress over.

That's about it for now. Over halfway to Esther's first birthday now!!

Esther @ 6 Months

Stats

17 lbs, 7.4 oz (75%)

25 1/4" (25%)

My sweet girl is 6 months old today!

Silly little Esther has been sitting for about 6 weeks, is practicing walking and now...is rolling over. Lol! She's got it kind of backwards and it cracks me up. It pretty much only happens when I put her in bed and she rolls onto her belly, often gets stuck, and gets super upset. The first time she did it she got so upset I though she was hurt based on the way she started crying. Nope, just on her belly (and spun 180 degrees...somehow!)

Sleep is a nightmare more often than not. Maybe I need to look into sleep training? I dunno. I didn't do it with the boys, and I don't do well with letting her cry. The thing is, the boys took good naps during the day. Miss Esther suuuuuucks at napping. I mean, seriously....30 minutes max. Occasionally she will sleep longer but when her sleep sheep turns off (after 45 minutes) she's up. I just downloaded an app on my phone the other day that will play white noise indefinitely. So far she's slept longer than 30 minutes....once. I'm thinking I need to do a combination of keeping her up a little longer between naps (so she's good and tired) and using that app on my phone. See if we can extend those naps. Longer naps less often, that's the goal.

Thankfully, sleep at night is pretty awesome.

Esther is definitely becoming very anchored to me. At this point there is only 1 person out there I can leave her with...and that's the lady that watches the kids while I do counseling. I guess I've left her with Miss Norma often enough now that Esther knows who she is. But this is creating problems. I had car trouble last week and left her with someone from church (ohmygosh thank God for that family...they sure helped me out!) and Esther cried until she passed out. Same thing when I left her with my mom last week. I'm getting worried about leaving her for court and when (if) I eventually start work. She's going to have a really rough time.

She still won't take a bottle buuuuuut....there's been some interest in sippy cups. I'm trying a few different kinds and she still won't sit there and drink much. She did manage to taste Micah's lemonade with a straw at a restaurant yesterday, so maybe I need to get more of those straw cups. At least there's interest there. I need to try it more regularly but I just...I can't remember to do it. Yet another thing that's going to be tough for her when I have to leave her at daycare. (Though, at the rate the job hunt is (not) going, she may be on solids before I start working.)

As for food...she wants everything! She will try anything that gets close enough for her to grab. So far she really likes lasagna, pickles, cheese, crackers, grapes, chicken and Cheetos. She does NOT like cottage cheese, eggs, or banana. I need to come up with a better variety of things for her to try. I grabbed a couple cans of fruit...she did NOT like the fruit cocktail but I haven't tried the peaches yet.

Esther got her first shoes a couple weeks ago. She still loves being outside and it's finally nice more often than not. The problem was, she wanted to walk around out there but the concrete was hurting her feet. So, shoes solved that problem. Earlier than the boys, for sure (but she also needs them more than they did!)

Esther's still working on walking. She loves being in the walker, and is finally starting to be able to move it forward a bit. There's a lot of backing into walls and getting stuck, still. I'm thinking it won't last much longer, though. The time she can stand on her own is getting a bit longer every day (it seems). Esther's also starting to be able to pull herself up, but only with my fingers. She hasn't really tried doing it with anything else. Know what? I'm okay with that. Kids get so much harder to keep track on when they really start moving on their own. So far, she still stays put.

Esther lost the last tiny bit of baby hair she had on the back of her head...but the rest is coming in pretty well. The bald spot on the back of her head is disappearing (thanks to sitting up and hair growth). Yay! But I had to say goodbye to her last bit of dark baby hair. Her hair is definitely darker than either of the boys' started. I mean, obviously Micah is a towhead, but even when Isaiah's hair first came in it was more golden than brown. Esther's hair is about the same color as Isaiah's is now. If hers darkens too, she's going to have some dark brown hair.

Speaking of her head...it's getting too big for her hair ribbons. I know I can get some more (when I have the money) but it's still sad that's she's growing out of her baby bows. Just like it's a little sad when she outgrows each size of clothes. But the hair bands are just a milestone that the boys didn't really have.

In the past week or so, Esther's really become fascinated with the cats. I'm talking full-on excited baby when she sees them. The dogs don't interest her as much, maybe because they've been in her face since the day she came home from the hospital. Those kitties, though...they're awesome. Of course, they run away if I walk toward them with her so I have to do a sneak attack. Except for Spots, sometimes he comes up to her and walks away with a few less strands of fur.

Other things she finds very exciting: Peek-a-boo, bouncing, "flying", and her brothers!

By the way, in size 3 diapers. In 9 month clothes, 12 month are fitting though. Also, I randomly realized her ankles and Micah's ankles are about the same size (as measured by my fingers). Esther's going to outweigh her big brother pretty soon!

Comparing...

Esther	Micah	Isaiah
17 lbs, 7.4 oz (75%)	17 lbs, 3 oz (50%)	20 lbs, 10 oz (90%)
25 1/4" (25%)	25 1/2" (25%)	28" (95%)

So Isaiah is still the undisputed king in the "big baby" comparison. Esther didn't grow a ton between last checkup and this one. I can't remember exactly when Micah's growth sort of...stagnated. I want to say around 6 months. Maybe Esther's going to stay tiny like her brother? Though, on the other hand, she's already trying to walk, and that's burning calories. We'll just have to wait and see.

Esther @ 5 Months

My sweet little girl is another month older! She's such a cute little thing. I went out and bought her some clothes for summer lately and went up to 9-month. Hopefully that will hold her for most of the season...if it ever stays warm. Girl clothes are so much cuter than boy clothes! And there's more options. I'm going to avoid straight t-shirts and shorts for a while, I think!

Esther had her first Easter! Again...girl clothes are super cute! Her dress was adorable. She did pretty well getting passed around at Mynaw's house. Can I just say...it's funny to see Uncle Joel voluntarily hold a baby now when he was so nervous to hold Isaiah after he was born! Granted, newborns are not the same as a 4-month old...but I often remember Joel's comment of "I will crush him with my man strength" when I see him holding a baby.

Also, btw, completely missed Purim. Not that I've ever celebrated it, but it's the holiday celebrating the story of Queen Esther and how she saved the Jews. "For such a time as this...." and all that. (It's in the Bible, people!)

Little girl is still exclusively nursing. In fact, she will not take a bottle. I've tried...especially since the pediatrician keeps pushing us with the vitamin D, but it's just a no go. Even if someone else has the bottle (sorry Becca and AnnMarie!). I'm actually hoping I don't get a job until she can eat regular food and/or drink from a sippy cup. That will save a lot of tears when she has to start daycare. (There will be enough when I have to leave her...from both of us!)

She is starting to get super interested in what I'm eating. I've let her try a few things...oranges, apples, eggrolls, etc. You know, stuff she really seems to want. She pretty much just sucks on everything still so I'm not quite to where I'm going out of my way to feed her. Probably going to start that pretty soon though. I'm just going to do the BLW (I think it's called?) where I give her what we're eating. It worked really well with Micah! He will try about anything and eats a larger variety than Isaiah (who had jarred baby food). 

Esther has made some big strides in the past month. She's sitting longer and longer every day. Oh, it makes her SO happy to be able to see what everyone else is doing! Laying down / leaning back is no longer okay...usually it means instant tears! The walker and jumper are now our best friends. Actually, she will stay in her jumper for a good while most days, making it easier to fold laundry or make dinner. It also means she can participate in some things with her brothers.

Then, this happened recently. Yup, STANDING by herself! The picture is super blurry because she wasn't still and I was incredibly nervous she would topple over and hurt herself. But, she did it! Esther's been practicing walking too! Giant steps, lifting her little knees to her waist...it's hilarious! She will walk across the house (which is about all my back can manage) holding on to my fingers and taking those big, high steps. I've had one prediction  that she will be walking on her own by 7 months. We shall see.

Still nothing on the teeth front. They're coming...they HAVE to be. Her eyes, nose and mouth are all running. Ahh! But,  the pediatrician said what I thought were teeth are actually gum cysts (which babies can get and should go away on their own). Didn't know such a thing existed.

So, a lot going on for my little bit. Onward to six months!

Esther @ 4 Months

Stats

15 lbs, 4 oz (76%)

25" (70%)

Well, another month has come and gone! It's been a rough one too. Without making this all about me...all the bad news is just wearing me down and I'm grieving the loss of a relationship even though it wasn't salvageable.

Esther's had a rough couple of weeks, too. She's already getting teeth...and decided to start on the top. The corner of her top right tooth poked through about a week ago. Actually, scratch that...looking again I think it's actually her top to the right of the middle. Crazy girl. I keep going back and forth on if I think her bottom middle ones are coming too. Either way, she's been a fussy mess for a bit. I'm hoping she gets some relief soon.

Possibly related to the teeth is a distinct lack of good sleep during the day. I think she would be consolidating naps if she could just stay asleep. But she doesn't, unless she's sleeping on me. I can still put her down in bed during the day and she will fuss for a minute then fall asleep on her own...but it never lasts long. The longest she will sleep is 45 minutes, when her sleep sheep thing turns off. I can't sneak in there to keep it going because she wakes up...but she falls asleep soooo much better when it's on! And I know she will sleep longer because I will occasionally take a nap with her (one of the perks of unemployment!) and then she will sleep for hours! I think I just need to try a sound machine that doesn't switch off and see if that will help during the day.

Thank goodness spring is finally here! Esther loooooooves to go outside. Sometimes it's the only thing I can do to calm her down. The double stroller I got a while back sure comes in handy now. If all else fails I can pop the little ones in it and go walk until Esther wipes out.

Esther has really started watching me when I'm eating. I think she may be ready to start trying foods as soon as she is sitting up a bit better. I will probably do the same as with Micah and skip the jars of baby food and go right to tiny bits of real food. I have already let her start tasting things, and she always makes faces. No matter how interesting she things it is, I'd bet food is going to be pushed right back out of her mouth.

I got out the jumper yesterday and so far that's a winner. Its something she will hang out in for a bit before she gets fussy. She's been enjoying the walker a lot recently too. Anything that keeps her upright! She haaaaates laying down! Front or back, its usually instant tears.

Sibling love is still in full swing too. The boys are still infatuated with their sister and I love how easily she smiles for them. I think she hates laying down because she can't really keep track of what they're up to, so she's almost always sitting or (her new favorite) standing. Obviously she's still getting help at this point but I'm starting to wonder if she will be an early walker so she can keep up with them.

Esther also loves to talk. And giggle. Oh goodness, she's a cutie. Sitting her in my lap and having a conversation (even though I have no clue what's being said) is the greatest thing. She will also giggle and shriek for her brothers...or, as I found out one day, at pictures of her brothers. And she will give us the biggest smiles. I wish I could get a picture of one, but electronics don't make her smile like that.

Esther is also growing like a weed. The new clothes I got her last month are starting to be too small. I put her in a 9-month onesie yesterday and it was just barely too long for her...but not so long that she couldn't wear it. I'm so glad I didn't buy much for her in 6-month! Between the weather change and the growth they only lasted a few weeks. I just hope she doesn't get too big for the Easter dress I already bought her because I can't find it in the next size up.

And so we're off onto another month. I predict a lot of outside activities including zoo trips, visiting playgrounds, and bike rides (for the boys). Hopefully Esther will get some relief from those teeth moving in. And who knows what else!

Comparing...

Esther	Micah	Isaiah
15 lbs, 4 oz (76%)	14 lbs, 15 oz (25%)	18lbs, 3 oz (100%)
25" (70%)	23 3/4" (10%)	26 1/2" (88%)

Esther @ 3 Months

With babies, every month is a big one. Its hard to remember everything that's changed in the last 30-ish days! Pictures taken just a short while ago already show someone so different. That being said...it seems like Esther has changed quite a bit since mid-January!

Esther sure has grown! Since Christmas she's gone up TWO SIZES! She's now in size 2 diapers and some 6-9 month clothes (this depends on the brand). Her hospital nickname (Little Bit) is slowly falling out of use. She certainly has come a long way from just over 6 pounds!

She's got her bobble head pretty well under control at this point and is starting to work on sitting up. I have to admit I rarely lay her down so she has made no progress toward rolling over. In my defense...between two rambunctious dogs and two crazy brothers I feel much better having her in a chair or propped on the pillow thing. I have recognized this as a potential problem (the not rolling over part) and am starting to give her more time on her back/stomach.

The boys still love their sister, though you can tell the novelty is wearing off. They no longer ask to hold her multiple times a day. Since she now weighs half as much as Micah, its probably good he doesn't try it. They can interact with her a bit more, though. She especially seems to like us singing to her and the boys get a kick out of that.

We've definitely had some rough days lately. Like don't-put-me-down-or-I-will-scream days. I'm inclined to think teeth are coming (drooling, fussy, etc) but really can't get a good look in her mouth. Besides, I don't know how many times I chalked rough patches with Micah up to teeth, only to be wrong.

I think the best things are our "conversations". Esther loves to make little baby noises and tries to copy me when I'm making faces at her. She is just so stinking cute! The boys will get in on it too and repeat some of her 'goo's back at her.

And oh dear the grabbing has started! It is super cute to see her grab a toy and work on getting it to her mouth, but Esther's already gotten a good grip on my hair a few times. Next will be the glasses!

That's all I can come up with for now. Like I said, Esther has changed a lot...I'm sure I missed some!

Esther @ 2 Months (and Other News)

Stats

12 lbs, 5 oz (50%)

22 3/4" (35%)

Another month has flown by! I know the holidays provided a lot of distraction as well as the "other stuff" I will mention in a bit.

Month two was pretty big for Esther. First Christmas! First New Year! It sure is odd having such a tiny baby for the holidays since the boys were born at the opposite end of the year. Christmas Eve was rough because she fussed most of the evening after Mass. Thankfully, she made up for that by sleeping in her chair most of Christmas day.

The boys are still in love with their sister! We have had some hard times listening but there hasn't been anything negative directed at Esther. Even Micah has done an amazing job when I was expecting lots of trouble from him. Isaiah, of course, is an awesome big brother!

Esther started smiling around six weeks and that has now progressed to full on open mouth, arm waving, feet kicking excitement when she sees me. I love it! She's also grown like a weed lately. In size 1 diapers and wearing mostly 3-6 month clothes. We kind of skipped over the 0-3 size, though some will fit her. She even outgrew the little crocheted hats we got from the hospital! :(

The past week or so has been rough. She still naps pretty well for the majority of the morning which lets me catch up on stuff (and shower!). Evenings, though? Must. Be. Held. I'm so grateful I got that sling! I can mostly make dinner with that, except when I'm using the stove...that makes me nervous! The worst part was bathtime for the boys because she would get herself so worked up until she just screaaaamed! Then it took forever to get her to sleep with having to do bed time and such. The past few nights I've put her in the tub with the boys which is super crowded, but no screaming baby!

Esther is also getting better control of her giant bobble head! It seems like she's holding it up better and longer every day. I will be super excited when she has it controlled a bit better and can sit at the table while we're eating (instead of in my lap).

In Other News...

Since we didn't have enough going on, I started potty training Micah. He got it in 2 days (minus the pooping part)! I was so proud! Unfortunately, we've had some regression which is frustrating (especially when we're out running errands). I hate to admit it, but I've lost my temper and yelled a few times. I regrouped and calmed down about it and he's doing better again. He's even staying dry at naptime and overnight! Except pooping. WHY is that so hard for boys?!?

Last thing...Jeremy moved out at the end of December. Due to his cheating, lying and stealing, we will be getting divorced. I have 5 million things I want to say about that, but 99% of them aren't nice...and once I get started it will take a while to get all that out.

Comparing...

Esther	Micah	Isaiah
12 lbs, 5 oz (50%)	12 lbs (92%)	14 lbs, 14 oz (78%)
22 3/4" (35%)	21 3/8" (60%)	23 3/4" (69%)

Esther @ 1 Month

Stats

7 lbs 13 oz (15%)

20 inches (7%)

This has to be super fast while Esther is sleeping and Micah is coloring....

• Growing out of newborn clothes (can't stretch out too well in them) but most 0-3 still looks huge on her, especially the arms
• Takes 1 good nap in her crib most mornings
• Totally clingy the rest of the day and wants Mommy to hold her.
• Eats like a champs...also comfort nurses a lot in the afternoon/evening
• Will occasionally take a plug
• Most nights wakes up around midnight and 4:00 to eat. Each can last 30-90 minutes.
• I definitely feel better rested some days than others.
• Brothers are still in love with their sister. Listening and getting along don't always go as well.
• Esther was baptized December 7th.

1 month old!
(Still so tiny)

Comparing...

Esther	Micah	Isaiah
7 lbs 13 oz (15%)	10 lbs, 4 oz (75%)	11 lbs, 2 oz (76%)
20 inches (7%)	21 3/8" (50%)	22" (65%)

Introducing: Esther

Esther Diane Spencer

Born 12:08 pm

6 lbs 3 oz

19 3/4 inches