Feeding Addison

From not blogging for a while, to 3 in one week! 

I put this very amateur video together of Addison's transition of feeding for the family to see.

I decided with Addison I'd start her later on solids, later being 6 months compared to 4 months with Emma.  My reason, just that Emma suffered with eczema, and I never knew if the food was the cause, and if so, no particular food was ever really evident.  Also I just wanted to enjoy my little baby for a little longer, and to fit in feeding solids along with our existing everyday routine, just seemed like something extra to have to do, so I wasn't in any rush.....  Until I started the solids and saw that Addi wasn't enjoying the food, gagging everytime I tried to give her puree's. 

She took longer to take to eating than Emma, so I began to worry if I left it too late.  Also worried about what to feed her because she seemed so picky (only wanting vegetables and no fruit, and then things like bread, which I was then worried about the wheat allergy), even tho I knew that the solids weren't her main source of nutrition and learning to eat takes time.

Feels like it took so long to where we are now, but Addi is now getting used to feeding herself when I give her fingerfoods and eats well from the spoon now too.  She loves her food, moaning for first bite and for more.  There was a stage where she would only eat from my fingers and refused the spoon.  Now at least she uses her own fingers and I can feed her with a spoon.

So just snippets of video, of Addison eating - her facial expressions sometimes, says it all!

Addi is starting to talk..

Addi saying Ba Ba Ba and splashing in the tub!  The day before she just started making fish sounds, did not expect the Ba Ba Ba to follow so soon after.....she also knows how to give mom heart failure when she tries to pull herself up in the bath!

And just when I thought....

And just when I thought I wouldn't get to see Emma draw her first man, she went and drew not only her first man, but first whale!

As you can see the whale has an eye, and the blowhole on top of it's head.

Then the little man is pretty squished, but has two eyes, a nose, a mouth, hair, arms and legs....

Way too cute!  So proud of my girl...I was wondering when this would all begin....

From probably 2 weeks ago...this was Emma's first rainbow....

June Update

I took these photos last night at bath time - Addison is such a munchkin!  I just can't get enough of this little one!

So this is our June Update, and we're in July already, almost half way through!  It's just been real busy lately, the days are just flying.  The past two months have been extra busy and crazy, as I've been going for Dr appointments 2-3 times a week, kids in tow (such stars to sit thru it all), and Rod has been travelling.  Definitely have had my hands full, but we have a good routine going and we're managing pretty well, I'm pooped by the end of the day though. 
Addison is growing way too fast for me.....crawling, now pulling herself up on her knees and just getting into EVERYTHING!  We hardly had to babyproof our house with Emma, then along came Addison!  Such a different child to Emma, but just as adorable....obviously! 

So many comparisons...

Emma was pretty laid back and quiet, Addi, just wants to go, go, go and screams for things, attention, more food, when she's tired... I'm hoping the screaming is just a phase, a phase of discovering her voice, although my friend Amy, her second, a boy, does the same thing.  Maybe a second child thing??  Not getting as much attention, so screaming for it?? 
Addison can also bring on her tears real quick, so so naughty!  Take something away from her that she really likes and you get a good combo of her scream and cry!

Miss Addison, is fearless, I'll have just fed her milk, and once she's done, she'll just pop off and start crawling off my lap.....Emma we could leave her on the bed, or in a room and she'd stay put.  Leave Addi, and she's crawling off the bed, or already down the hall going into the room 2 doors down.
The safety gate that we got for Emma when she turned 2 years old to keep her in the room when she moved to her big girl bed, has to go up now.  Actually will go up just as soon as I find the hardware.  No idea where I put it.  
Addi is showing interest of climbing up the stairs now too - guess big sister influence - not sure what we're going to do to block the bottom of the stairs off (awkard angels).  We constantly have to keep our eye on this little one.

Emma has always been interested in books and will sit and listen for the most part - Addi could care less, crawls off and finds something else to do, getting caught under the bed, pulling cords, finding other things that she shouldn't find, otherwise just mouthing the books.  Emma's baby books have been in good condition, almost all look new, no teeth marks or dog earred, nothing went in her mouth, we could even leave tags on toys and she wouldn't mouth them...along comes Addison and we have had to remove all tags from toys, and some books are starting to look sad.....boy oh boy!

As you can tell, days are busy busy busy!  The best time of day for me, is when I'm able to coincide both girls naps at the same time, or I get them both in bed by 7:30pm!  I finally get some free time to sit and do nothing, but that time really passes quickly.

In less than two months time, Emma will be starting preschool, twice a week.  I'm so excited for her to start, but at the same time a bit sad, my little, big girl!  I've been fortunate to see every first of Emma, so now to think that she'll draw her first man, or write her first letter and I probably won't get to see that, except for when she brings it home from school.  I guess I could consider home schooling?? haha   Coincidentally, one of our neighbors son (Nicholas) will be attending the same preschool as Emma, and they're going to be in the same class, so that provided some relief that Emma will know at least one child - they get on really well.  Then I met another mom through a friend, and her son, Cael, will also  be in the same class as Emma. So we're trying to meet up as often as we can, also to play at the school's playground, so they can get used to each other and their surroundings.  Quite comforting that Emma will know two of the kids in her class, which should hopefully help with the transition.

Miss Emma - she's grown taller, her hair has grown longer, she's speaking so much these days, just over night she can have a full conversation with you, questioning things, trying to understand why and how.  We still have to ask her to repeat things to understand her, but once we finally get it, we're like, wow Emma, how did you come up with that?
I'm also always amazed how she'll bring something up from a while back and talk about it, remembering things from a year ago!
She's a great big siser, always running to Addi's aid when Addi cries.  She's been such a great help with Rod away, listening and helping me whenever she can.   Rod even questioned if we're making her grow up too fast - because of the "responsibilities" we give her.  I told him that it's probably all part of the role of the big sister.

Her imaginative play has increased dramatically.  Lately she's been throwing surprise birthday parties for me, baking me a cake, bringing it to me and saying, "surprise", then lighting the candles and singing, "Happy Birthday to Mommy".  She then goes on to tell me there are balloons, can I see them, and hands me a gift to open.  She'll also have little tea parties, serving mommy, daddy and Addi.  I tell her to serve her dolls and bears, but she doesn't quite like that idea.
The other imaginative play that she likes, is picking flowers....any picture with flowers, she'll grab at it and pretend to hold a bunch of flowers, come running to me saying, "I picked these for you!", "Flowers for you mom".  Too sweet.  Em loves her nursery rhymes now, singing every day, it's so funny how all these things just start happening when you least expect it, you bring out the camera to try recapture that moment to share with the family, but you can never get it back. 

I love every day with my girls.  They make me laugh and make me so proud to be their mommy!  Even after spending a full day with them, I still can't get enough.

Everyday I wish we were closer to family, just so they can see the two girls for themselves, see their personalities, watch them grow.  I know there is probably so much I forget to mention here in the blog.  As I've told Rod, there is so much that happens in a day that I even forget to share with him, Thankgoodness tho for this blog, family can stay up to date as best I can type, aswell as Skype, Facebook and Whatsapp. Poor girls, my phone is forever in their face!  
 You definitely know you use modern technology too much with your kids, when your daughter says, "I can't see them mom!", when you make a regular phone call and ask them to talk to the person on the other side.

Time to post this update now, it's taken me a week already to finally finish it off, sorry for the ubrupt ending, but if I don't get it up now, it might be August and Emma would have turned 3.
There are a few videos and more pics to share, will eventually upload them along the way.

We can wave and crawl!

Addison has been practising her crawling skills these past few weeks, mainly moving backward, but really trying to reach forward for things, (type of yoga pose, on all 4's and one arm outstretched) always falling on her tummy, then rolling around to get to the object she wanted.  From rolling she would sit up, then move side to side from one butt cheek to the next to move around.  And then this weekend she took one, then 2 "steps" or crawls forward.
Can't believe she's reached this milestone already.

Quite interesting that she's reaching all her milestones one month earlier than what Emma did.

Addison has also learnt to wave, which is too cute.  She has the same move for dancing, her arm just moves to the music.

This morning I managed to capture Addi waving and taking her first 3 crawls.

You can hear Emma in the background.  You  might ask what she's saying, I don't really know.  Her speech will eventually be clearer :)