You are 7 Months Old Today!!

Kaily,

Time has just flown and you are growing so fast! I know your parents are super excited about your growth, but as you Nana, I want you to slow it down... you're gonna be grown before we even blink and eye!

Here's the latest update from your Mom on your progress which is truly amazing:

Yep, Kaily is 7 months old, and I must say, this past month has been the most adventurous month for little Ms. Kaily Sophia!!

Here are the most exciting updates!!

Starting the day after her 6 month birthday, September 19, she's figured out how to sit on her butt from the crawling position, but supporting herself with one hand on the ground.
September 22 was the first time Kaily Pulled herself to standing up in her pack n play!! Now she’s pulling herself up onto anything she can… her favorite is her crib, our bed, and her jumperoo, which she’s SUPPOSE to be jumping INSIDE of it, but she likes to be on the outside of it better.
September 25 was the first time she took 4 crawls on her hands and knees!! She's finally figured out how to crawl rather than doing the "inch worm". Now she’s crawling ALL OVER THE PLACE! Loves to chase after our dogs!

September 26 was the first time she was able to sit up from the crawling position without using her hand to support her. She can now hold herself in the sitting position with no hands supporting at all!

~Talk about a week of NEW MILES STONES!!~

Some other new things:

Kaily knows her name now! Before we thought it was just the sound of our voice she responded to, but now we know for sure that she knows her name because anyone can say Kaily and she’ll look at them!

The cutest thing ever is when she’s in her jumperoo or walker and the dogs go past her, she randomly makes a loud “Dah” noise. Just once… and then a minute later, she’ll make the same noise. Extremely loud… so we think it’s either she’s trying to say dog or trying to bark because that’s what they do! Who knows, but it’s super cute and so neat to know that she’s learning to say a word or mimic!

Her sleeping pattern is ALL OVER THE PLACE. Some nights it will be great, and some nights, all she wants to do is crawl, pull herself up, or just throw a hissy fit!! She’s just too excited to do all the new things she’s learned than sleep…. Which then also leads to NEVER WANTING TO NAP! That’s a whole ‘nother story in itself!

She’s starting to teeth again. For awhile there, she really wasn’t bothered by it… but now, you can tell she’s in more pain. She grabs her ears, chews on her hands or practically anything else she can get in her mouth, and just extremely fussy. Probably another reason some nights she doesn’t sleep as good!

This past month, she’s been eating all kinds of baby food! Any kind of fruits & veggies… no meat yet, but she’s not picky, she’ll eat all of them!! She’s still nursing, but really doesn’t like to take a bottle of breast milk or formula. She’s puts up a fight with daddy every time….

We got Kaily a walker last weekend and she LOVES it! We have tile floor in our living, dining and kitchen and she just cruises all over the place. We play peek-a-boo games with her by hiding behind a wall and she’ll see us and walk herself over to us. It’s so cute! She’s really getting the walking idea, so I’m sure she’ll be walking as fast as she learned to crawl.

And lastly, she weighs 13 pounds!!! Whooo Hoo. Getting chunkier ~ but still only a little over 24 inches. She may be little, but extremely smart and seems to be ahead of the game on her motor skills! All that’s happened within this last month…. Pretty much an accomplishment!!

We’re taking a family trip to Dallas in a few weeks…. I’m looking forward to sharing how she does on her 2nd plane ride, meeting her aunt Nikkie and all our Dallas friends, and any new things she’s learned!! Until then….. Thanks for reading about Little Ms. Kaily Sophia!!!

I love you so much Kaily and can't wait to see you in a few weeks!

Nana

Your coming to Dallas!

Kaily,

Good, no, Great News! You are coming to Dallas for your first visit in November! It will be your second plane ride - already a world traveler! I'm so excited and will be babysitting while Mom & Dad go to a wedding. Once again I get you all to myself!

We Skyped last night and you were so busy! I could hardly see your sweet face because you wouldn't sit still. Your Mom looks so beautiful and you are too! Love the red hair!

You're growing so fast, you will be 6 months old on Saturday. I can hardly believe it! I'm so looking forward to moving to California so I can see you every day!

Lots of love and kisses,

Nana

Visit to California in August

Kaily

I had a wonderful trip to see you last weekend. We had so much fun together! Since I last saw you: you have doubled your weight, you are sleeping longer at night, you are a lot more active,and you are trying to sit up, crawl and stand! Wow! You are growing so fast; I feel like I'm missing so much... but I'll be there in about 4 months.

While I was there, we took several walks, went to the beach, went to the grocery store and played at the house a lot. We went to your first BBQ where your Dad was having his birthday party. Your Mom made cupcakes and we lit the candles and sang Happy Birthday! It was a lot of fun, and you stayed up really late, so the next day you were a little worn out.

I had a wonderful time holding you, kissing on you and giving you baths, of course! You smile more than anyone I know - I hope that never changes. You are obviously a very happy baby!

And I love you very much!

Nana

Fun in California

Hi Sweet Kaily,
I'm visiting you this weekend and having so much fun! It's your Daddy's 30th birthday and they are camping so I get to stay home and take care of YOU! Last night you and I went to the camp site for dinner with your parents and their friends. We had chicken and hot dogs, beans and salad. Your Mom made some delicious cup cakes and put candles on the top (a big 3 and a big 0 for 30 years) and we sang Happy Birthday to your Daddy. We sat around the fire pit to keep warm because it gets a little chilly here in the evenings. You were such a good camper - we didn't get home till 11pm, a little past your bedtime but you were a trouper.
You love to be in front of the camera, so your Dad showed me a trick you do (at only 4.5 months) that's really amazing. Here's the video of your balancing act:

You love to stand on Daddy's hands and balance yourself! Look at that smile, I think you are pretty proud of yourself. We are all so proud of you, too!

Today we walked to the beach together. Riding along in your stroller you slept for a little bit and then you were very content to just look around at all the people and the beach. The weather was gorgeous and it was very relaxing.

I'm so excited that I'm going to be moving here in just 4 months. It will be wonderful to be able to see you grow up and take care of you on a regular basis.

Love you, Nana

Coming to See YOU!

Kaily,

I will be there in just 7 days to see you again - in person! We have been Skyping a lot and your mom sends me videos all the time. But in 7 days I will be able to hold you and kiss your little face. I'll be able to change your diaper (I hear they are really smelly now that you are eating rice cereal, but I don't care) and I'll be able to give you a bath! I love giving you baths because you love them and I get to see your cute little butt. There's just something so special about a baby's butt!

I have so many things I want to do with you when I get there. We'll go for walks, go to the park, go shopping and of course go to the beach! We might do that first!! I'm really missing the beach. You are so lucky that you live so close - but in 5 months, I'll be living there too! Then we can go to the beach together.

See you soon,

Love you always, Nana!

Kaily -

Your mom just made this wonderful video of your life from 0-4 months! She is so creative and such an amazing woman and Mom!

I'm coming to see you on August 11th and I'm so excited! We will have 2 days together, just you and me, because your Dad is turning 30 and they are going camping with some friends for the celebration! I can't wait to hold you, feed you, rock you and KISS you! That's what I miss the most.

Your getting so big and changing every day. Your Mom and Dad are doing such a good job of loving you, taking care of you and raising you! I'm so very proud of them both.

Your hair is growing on top, their calling it your "little mohawk" because around the sides and back of your head, it's not growing so much! Looks very cute - especially when they put a little bow on top or a headband. Which you don't like so much... most babies don't, but we moms dress up our babies for our pleasure. SO the babies just have to endure it all.

Keeping Coco

Today I kept Coco for Deanna

You are getting your first tooth!

Yeah!! Miss Kaily,

Mommy told me today you are getting your first tooth on your bottom gums. WOW!! You're not even 3 months old. That's amazing, really amazing because your Mom was really late at getting her teeth. But you just never know.

She sent me a video and your were really sticking your tongue out a lot and looked really funny! So it turns out that you were feeling the new tooth with your tongue. How cute!

Love you,

Nana

Be sure the love you give is unconditional. Because conditional love is no different than following the wrong footsteps imposed upon you by others. That is not love. (Dr. Wayne Dyer)

http://ping.fm/s3OmF

Missing your beautiful face!!

Hey Kaily!
Just wanted to tell you that you are the light of my life right now. I can't wait to see you in August!

I just love visiting with you on Skype. Last time we talked (Skyped), when I would say your name, you would look at the screen! I just know you are getting used to my voice and you know that it's your Nana talking to you.

I'm so grateful for Skype and all the technology that's available now. It's really wonderful that I get to see how you're growning and changing on a regular basis. You know, when your Mom was little, all we had was the telephone and pictures that had to be mailed to your relatives. We didn't even have email back then. Sounds like the dark ages, doesn't it??

Love you, Nana
http://kailysophia.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default
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First ride on an airplane!

Kaily,

You are so very special that you got to go on an airplane at 2 months old! You went to visit your Daddy's parents and relatives in Massachusetts. Your day of travel was very long but Mommy said you were very good and sweet all day on the plane and in the airports.

Of course, your grandparents John & Kim and all their family, loved seeing you and they had a big party to celebrate.

I got to see you on Skype (while at my office) and you were playing with your toys! That was a first and you loved it! All the people at my office got to see you playing too, and that was a very special day for us.

This picture was sent by your Mom and I just love it! You are so very beautiful and look like an Angel! I love you!

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You turned over!

Kaily,

Your Mom is so much quicker at blogging than me! She is really good at it, too! She gets to write about all your "firsts" but I get to write about this one tonight...

You turned over all by yourself today! Of course, I wasn't there to see it, but your Mom saw it and text me right away. I couldn't believe it cuz you're only 10 weeks old and that's truly amazing. SO I'm predicting that you will be pulling up at 4 months and taking your first steps at 6 months!!

Here you are sitting up in your Bumbo seat. You always look so excited when sitting up so you can see everything. You're going to be a very busy little girl when you grow up - just like your Mom. She loves to keep busy too!

I remember her getting so bored at home waiting for you to arrive. We had totally run out of things to do together and you still weren't here, so she just picked herself up and went to work. Even though they didn't need her, she just wasn't going to sit and home and wait. Me? I went to the beach and read my book!

I love this picture of you sleeping - what a little angel you are! Can't wait to see you in August!

Your Growing!! of course.....

Hey there Princess Kaily,

Just wanted to take a minute from my busy day at work and let you know that I do think of you so often during my day.

Don't you look so cute in this picture! It's on my desktop of my I-Phone right now and you are just precious!

Your Mom called to tell me that you went to the doctor again and you now weigh 9 lbs and 12 oz. and you are 21 3/4" long (tall). You are 2 months old and growing like a weed (that's an old saying - you don't look anything like a weed!!).

Through out my day and especially at lunch time, I'm always looking at the videos your Mom has sent me. And when I'm having a tough day, I love to watch this one video - I'll call it "Sneezy" - over and over and over again to make me laugh!!

I'm coming to see you on August 11th to stay with you for the weekend! Your parents are going on vacation to celebrate your Daddy's birthday, so I'm coming all the way from Dallas to babysit and I will have you ALL TO MYSELF. Except for the dogs - I'll take care of them too! They miss me a lot, also, I'm sure.

So only 84 days till I see you again. You will be almost 5 months old and will be so beautiful!! I can't wait! Love you little Princess!

Day at the Beach

Kaily,

What a beautiful day it was in your neighborhood and my neighborhood here in Dallas, Texas. I was at a friend's pool showing pictures and videos of you.

Just about that time, I got a text from your Mommy with this picture.

Your parents took you to the beach in San Clemente and you looked so cute! Mom said you had a great time and even slept a little bit.

We Skyped tonight and I just love watching you! The newest thing is that you are seeing a lot further now. You love to watch your Dad - they can see your eyes following him. That's really awesome!

I wish I was there with you Kaily - I miss you so much. But I want you to know that I'll be there very soon to watch you grow up to be a beautiful little girl! Just like your Mommy!

I love you so much and think about you all the time!

Missing You So....

You may be wondering why I've been home for over a week and haven't written a thing! I've been missing you so much that every time I think about you I start to cry! this picture was taken the last day I was there and you look kinda sad too! I want to think it was because I was leaving!

My trip home started out so eventful - obviously I REALLY didn't want to come home, because I missed my flight! Actually I had booked it for Friday, the 9th and didn't even know that until the morning of Saturday, the 10th!!

Yeah, I know! Your Dad was about to put my luggage in the car and I when got on my computer to look up the flight number, I saw the flight was booked for the 9th - not the 10th!! OMG... I've never messed up a flight reservation before!! I just wanted more time with YOU!! If I hadn't already committed to work on Monday, I wouldn't have cared and would have stayed longer. But I HAD to go, so I booked a flight for later that afternoon.... :(

So while waiting to take me to the airport, we went to IHOP (your Mom loves their pancakes - I mean LOVES them)! She had to have their pancakes right after she delivered you - didn't want anything else, so since your Dad loves her so much he drove ALL THE WAY to IHOP for pancakes and they were closed!! Imagine that - being closed at 2am ??? It was too funny!

After breakfast we went shopping Garage Sales, another favorite of your Mom's, and that did not make you happy. Remember? You like to be moving... so you were fine while your Dad was driving but when we stopped for a sale, you got very grumpy and I couldn't do much to change that until they got back in the car and we went to the next sale!! Oh my - starting to show a "little personality"!!

So then we went to the airport and I had to leave you... Your Mom and I both cried and weren't happy at all! I cried at the gate and again on the plane. My best friend Deanna picked me up and when I started showing her your pictures and videos on my phone I cried some more. Then we met some girlfriends for dinner and I showed your pics to everyone at dinner. That was tons of fun!!

The week has been so very long and I know that's why! You have won my heart Kaily, and you don't even know it! I love you and can't wait to be with you again. Thank goodness for Skype (which I used 2 times the next day)!! Hope to see you again real soon!

My Little Princess

Kaily,

I think I mentioned before that one of my favorite things to watch is you waking up from a nap. The video below is a good one showing all the stretching you do and the funny faces you make! I just love it and think you will too!

Today you are wearing a little bib that says "Little Princess - Big shoes to fill" and that fits you to a tea! You are our little Princess! You like to swing, listen to "white noise" and suck on your pacifier. You like to be rocked, swaddled and patted on your back. You definitely know what you want!

I leave in 2 days and I'm going to miss you so much! I love to look at you, hold you and kiss on you! I'll miss that the most - your skin is so soft -there's nothing in the world that soft and sweet as a baby's skin!

We've been discussing what you should call me. Till now I've been counting on Nana as my nickname. Lanie, your Aunt, called me Nana when she was young because she is your Mom's half-sister, but now that I have you we are thinking maybe we should pick something more fun and unique. So maybe Gigi, Mimi, Bebe, G-maw, Mamaw, Mia, Tutu, Yaya (Greek for Grandma), Opa & Oma (German), Nona, Noni, or Honey. Which do you like best? Which would be easiest for you to say? I wish I knew now what you would like... so since I don't we'll have to pick for you! More on that later....

Easter Sunday, April 4, 2010

Kaily,

Yesterday was such an amazing day! It was your first Easter and it was a beautiful day to celebrate the Risen Lord. I went to church that morning and said a special prayer for you!

We enjoyed the afternoon with some of your Mom & Dad's friends that live in the neighborhood. While we were having lunch there was an earthquake - yes! your first earthquake.... and you slept right through it!!

It was a "rolling" earthquake with the epicenter in Mexicali south of California. But it was felt all the way up to Los Angeles! Pretty strong and lasted for almost 60 seconds but it felt like a lot longer. It was my first earthquake also, and it was pretty freaky and a little scary. There wasn't any damage in our area, just a lot of shaking going on.

It was so wonderful being with you and your parents on Easter this year. You are very special to me and fill my heart with so much joy... just like your Mom did when she was your age!

I Love you,
Nana Sophie

Your Mom Went to Work Today!

Yes Kaily,

Your Mom went to work today - after only 2 weeks - but it was only for a few hours. She missed you so much, she came home after about 2 hours and then went back again for a couple more. She loves you so much!

So while she was gone, I got to hold you, kiss you and feed you a bottle of Mommy's milk! You loved it. Your Dad fed you with the bottle yesterday for the first time and you did great, so we knew today wouldn't be a problem. You just watched me watching you and your strawberry-blonde hair! It was really fun feeding you today.

Then I held you and took a bunch of pictures of us with my camera. I love digital so we can take as many as we want and then delete all the bad ones! When your Mom was little I kissed her all day long - and that's what I do with you! It was so fun having you all to myself today - I love you so much!

You went to the doctor for your 2 week check up and you weighed 7 lbs. 8 oz. Your last visit was 6 lbs. 5 oz. so you've gained over 1 lb in the last 10 days! You are definitely getting enough to eat! That's for sure!

2 - Weeks Old

Tomorrow you will be 2 weeks old!

You are changing and growing little by little every day and it’s truly amazing and so much fun to watch you. I have to go back to Dallas in 10 days so I am taking every single moment with you that I can. I find myself taking lots and lots of pictures of you in every situation possible. Your face is so full of expression. I would love to know what you are thinking. Already we can tell when you need to go poop, when you have gas, when you need to eat and when you don’t want to sleep. In general, you’re a very good baby. You don’t scream a lot and you’re not colicky. You do love to be in a swing or being held. You like movement and sounds – I guess that’s because your Mom was so active while carrying you (she’s always very busy).

We are still not clear who you look the most like…. But you are absolutely gorgeous! You still have all your hair and your eyes are still dark grey. You have the prettiest lips – they are very defined and I think they will be very full.

My favorite times to hold you are when you are waking up from a nap. I’ve taken a series of pictures and a video so far of this time to share with my friends back home. You are so funny when you are stretching and making faces. My favorite face is when you pucker your lips like a fish and throw your head and hands backwards to stretch! This picture shows you stretching with your lips puckered!!

Love you so much!

Sweet Kaily,

Your first night home you kept all three of us up most of the night! We were pretty tired that next day but SO VERY HAPPY that you were here, so we didn’t care how tired we were. The next night you slept a little better and it will just get better from there. You are so much fun to watch – all your expressions make us laugh so much!

Words can’t express the love I have for you Little One! You are my first grandchild and that makes you very special to me! Today we Skyped with my father (your Great Grandfather) in Belgium, and he was blown away by YOU! You are his first Great-Granddaughter which makes you very special to him to. I wish your Great-Grandmother was here to see you, but she’s in heaven and sees all of us all the time! She’s one of your Angels that will be with you always and loves you very much!