sip

We're just starting to introduce a cup to Matilda. The sippy cup is too hard to drink out of, so I thought we'd try a regular cup just to get the idea that she can get food from a cup. Grandpa got her a tiny little coffee mug that says "baby's first finnish cup" and that's the cup we tried this morning.
I'm sure it's not the cup's fault, but Matilda didn't really seem into it yet.

Matilda's 6 month check up

Matilda had her 6 month check up today.
She is 14 pounds, 7 ounces and 27 inches long.
She is still in the 20th percentile for weight and the 90th for height and has been steady on that curve.
She is very very healthy and the doctor remarked on how strong she is (again) and said that she is an advanced sitter for her age and that most of her peers would not be able to sit nearly as long as she can and a good number of 6 month olds are not sitting on their own yet at all, so she really is strong!
He said her social development is going well too--she smiles and laughs and is making consonant sounds and is interested in and engaged with her toys and surroundings.
She was very good. She had to get three shots again, and daddy sat with her this time, she cried, which was hard for daddy, but they both made it through.
She has two teeth and she should have a third in a few weeks. The doctor said she would probably have 6-8 teeth before her next visit!
We'll be starting foods at 8 months.
She goes back in April for a 9-month check up.

Hero Daddy

While we were doing Matilda's 6 month photo shoot she was having a little trouble standing up in her crib (it's still a new thing for her). When she tipped over, Daddy rushed to catch her before she could fall. Click on the picture to see a bigger image--it's quite an action shot with her pacifier suspended in mid-air and all.

In other news, Matilda's second tooth broke through last night and she made sure we all knew about it. Long night, but she seems much happier now. And she's got her two bottom front teeth! One is about 1/2 way in now (the Christmas Eve tooth) and the other is just poking through the gums. In a couple weeks I bet I'll be able to post a toothy smile, but for now she's constantly touching it or covering it with her tongue--it must be fascinating to her!

No more consignment toys?

There are only 3 new toys and one new clothing item in that picture, and they were all gifts. Everything else she is wearing (except the diaper) and playing with are second hand or consignment finds.
We have a wonderful consignment store in our town and we do most of our shopping for Matilda there. But we might not be able to much longer.



The Consumer Products Safety Commission has decided to pass rigorous new safety testing standards for lead and phaylates on ALL childrens' products (including clothing) SOLD after Feb 10. This law is so broad that most consignment stores and specialty business probably can't afford the testing. Kiddie consignment stores are probably going to be forced out of business by this new law, as well as a lot of small businesses that make hand-made clothing and toys.

Now, I'm all for protecting children from lead poisoning, of course... but couldn't something less broad, or at least not retro-active have been written?

I do most of Matilda's shopping for toys and clothes at a consignment store for kid's stuff. I feel sad that this store will likely be pushed out of business by this law, and while I'm greatful that I'm able to afford to do her shopping (albeit for fewer things) at other stores, I worry for the families that can't.

I also find it sad that so many more people probably know about the stupid digital TV conversion happening on Feb 17 than know about this law which will have a much greater economic impact--not only on the families who depend on thrift shopping, but on the businesses that will have to close their doors.
And to think of all the wasted goods that are going to go straight to the landfills now--you know these business can't get caught giving away possibly tainted goods! Oh the thought just hurts!
The whole thing makes me sad and angry.

What can we do? We're running out of time, but you can contact your congress person and demand that they amend the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act in a satisfactory manner to protect consignment businesses, prevent needless waste, allow families who still depend on donations and thrift shopping to be able to continue to clothe their children, and allow crafters and purveyors of handmade childrens products to stay in business. At the very least the law could apply to only products MADE after February 10 and second hand products that have been subject to recalls--it doesn't have to be retro-active.
This particular act is consumer protectivisim gone WAY too far, and at a time when we can ill afford it.

Here's a link from the CPSC about the Act (CPSIA)

Here's one more great link with more (digestible) information about the act and more things you can do to help (if you're so inclined)!

6 Months!!!

Matilda is 6 months old today. Here's the photo shoot!





She has changed our lives so much. I couldn't possibly put into words the way she has affected us, but I can tell you about all that she has learned in this time!
When we brought her home all she did was sleep, cry, poop and eat (and even that wasn't easy!). She has learned to roll over, she can sit on her own, she can even start to stand for a bit while she's holding on to something. She laugh and giggles a lot--she's very ticklish and thinks that Daddy is hilarious! She choses her favorite toys and grabs them and plays with them, she bangs on things and delights in the fact that she can make noises, she's growing and growing and growing, and she's getting very chatty. She knows who mom and dad are, but she's friendly and likes to play with everyone. She has favorite toys (like her whisk and remote control) but those are changing now that Christmas and it's bounty came! She interacts with the dogs and she sleeps in her own room. She likes to listen to us read her stories. She snuggles and tries to give mommy kisses and she reaches out for me whenever I am near. Just yesterday she was playing in the hallway practicing her sounds and I could hear her saying over and over "Ma... mamm... mah" I know it doesn't mean anything yet, but it makes me so excited for the time that it does. She's also experimenting with D, G, B and P. And she likes to make kissy noises.
I love being her mom and every sleepless night and crazy worry has been totally worth it.

Door County Christmas Day 1

We are back from Door County. We had a lovely Christmas with Jim and Joanne and Kim and Eric.
We got off to a bit of a rocky start--we planned to head out Friday night but the bad weather postponed our trip and we didn't get to leave until Saturday morning. We were nervous that Matilda would be a beast in the car but we left at nap time and she was wonderful (for a baby). She slept all the way to Milwaukee and we stopped at a Culver's in Mequon to eat and feed and change her and play for a little while. After that she was awake until Sheboygan, but mostly just played quietly and then slept from Sheboygan all the way to Fish Creek! We stopped to feed her one more time and when we got up to the house she was happy and excited!
Kim and Eric were also supposed to arrive Saturday afternoon but the bad weather on Friday had delayed a lot of flights and it affected Saturday travel as well. After a series of delays they eventually arrived in Appleton instead of Green Bay and didn't make it to the house until 2am! Their luggage didn't make it until Christmas Eve though!
When we arrived the house smelled wonderful, Joanne had made a tasty turkey dinner for us with all the trimmings. It was nice, especially since she and Jim missed Thanksgiving with us, and we appreciated all that effort to make us feel welcomed. We were sad that Kim and Eric couldn't join us, but the five us enjoyed dinner before Jim had to drive to Appleton.
So, with the slow start, our first full day in Door County was Sunday the 21st. Everyone (except Ed, Matilda and I) slept in. They were all up by the time Matilda was done with her morning nap though, and everyone was ready to play!
Here's Matilda with Aunt Kim and Uncle Eric and Daddy, she had so much fun!

All Wrapped Up

After-Christmas Glow

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and that you're having fun trying out all your new stuff--Matilda sure is!

Merry Christmas!

We are enjoying our first family Christmas with our little girl, and we hope you are all having a happy holiday.
In case you were wondering what Matilda got for Christmas--she got many lovely things, but we're most excited that she cut her first tooth on Christmas Eve!
You can only see a tiny sliver, but you can feel it in there. It's her bottom front right tooth. She's growing so quickly!

Destruction

We've had a leak. Yesterday we got a call that a pipe had burst and was spraying water all over my office. We haven't seen the pictures yet, but it ruined the carpet in two rooms, all the drywall on that side of the house, my desk, computer, modem, book shelves, all of our law books, all of my tax and other financial paperwork, our wedding albums, artwork we were waiting to frame and hang, and saddest of all--all of our pre-digital age pictures, including all of the pictures of me from babyhood on all of the pictures from our first three years together (and most of law school) and all of Ed's Europe pictures. It got into the basement too.
We were lucky to have Adella there to find out that there was a problem, and our neighbor has been handling the situation for us for now so we don't have to go back in the snow and try to live in a wet house with a baby.
The dryers arrived by Tuesday night and got straight to work, but they said it would take at least 3 days to dry it out and we're going to have to rip out all the drywall and carpet and ceilings and such. The plumber came today and said that the pipe froze in the cold weather (even though we left the heat on) because our builder didn't put any insulation above the garage (although we did pay them to insulate the whole garage, but that will be a separate and undoubtedly long issue to deal with) The lack of insulation also explains why Matilda's room is so cold all the time.
Needless to say this has been an unpleasant Christmas surprise. I am so sad about losing all the pictures and I am not looking forward to sifting through the debris, but I know we are very lucky to have the help that we do in getting this done. Keep me in your thoughts over the next few weeks while I sift through the destruction and try to manage Matilda during the reconstruction.

Reindeer Games

Gifts from A-far

We opened presents the other night at home. Matilda recieved many thoughtful gifts from the family (Ed and I did too!).

Mona didn't just send the box we let her play in (see yesterday's post), she also sent an adorable outfit and Matilda's First Christmas ornament--Matilda was impressed.


Sally sent an outfit for Matilda too, and as lovely as the outfit was, Matilda really loved the paper it came in!


My grandparents sent Matilda a "CD player" toy and she loves pressing the buttons and seeing what will happen. They also got her a book about colors and the very first page is her favorite--Yellow!



Matilda recieved such an embarassment of riches that she ran out of paitience before we were done and we didn't get a chance to take pictures of her opening all of her gifts, but my mom sent books and a cute onesie and Natalie, Chase and Boston sent pants, cups, bowls and spoons. We won't be starting on foods until March, but she does love to practice with the spoons. The sippy cups confound her though.

Thank you to everyone for sending such thoughtful things to our little girl!

Send her to Abu Dhabi!

What is going on here?


Oh, I'm going somewhere? Fun!


Wheeee!

First Snow

It's amazing she can even bend enough to sit in her little snow suit!



Does it count as a "first snow" experience if you don't actually touch the snow?



Snow Angel

MWAH!

Matilda has learned how to smack her lips and make a kissy noise--it's pretty cute and you can tell she's impressed with herself!

Est. 12.16.06

We celebrated our second wedding anniversary last night. It was our cotton anniversary. Ed got me some beautiful pyjamas and I got him a plush robe--we're still hopeful that some day we'll be able to lounge or sleep! Ed's parents even sent us some very cozy flannel sheets. We celebrated by going out to a nice dinner at the Herrington Inn. The food was delicious and it was so beautiful looking out at the trees and the river and the Christmas lights while the snow was falling.
It's amazing to think how much has changed in such a short time. Two years ago we were dancing the night away at our wedding reception in Indiana. We would shortly go back to our jobs as attorneys and our house in Elkhart. Now, I'm loving being a stay-at-home mom, Ed has a new career, we have a home in Geneva and, of course, we have Matilda.
I can't imagine what the next few years could bring, but I know whatever it is we'll be doing it together.

All Clean

Matila likes to scooch over sideways now and hang her feet out of the tub at bath time--too funny. She can be such a ham!

Santa, Baby

We took Matilda to visit Santa this morning at a Brunch with Santa in our neighborhood.


She was so good for Santa...
First she checked him out:


Then she decided everything was ok. No smiles, but no tears--we count it as a win (especially considering how badly our previous photo attempts have gone)


She did get a little antsy while we were eating, but daddy took care of it!

She can sit!

This is probably the single most helpful development (to me) that she's had so far, but Matilda has mastered unsupported sitting! She sits by herself and plays, she sits and looks at her reflection in the mirror and talks to it, she can sit in the hall while I do laundry, and my little tough girl doesn't even cry when she falls over!

Jingle Bells