and we have giggles!

I almost died when she started laughing...It is sickeningly cute.




ps. this took me three days to figure out how to upload because the file was too big...ugh i'm blogger challenged.

First Thanksgiving

Everyone went around the table during Thanksgiving dinner and said what they were thankful for, and if Liv could talk I know she would have said "MASHED POTATOES"! She Loves her some Mashed Potatoes...but that didn't really surprise me. I sat her bumbo seat on the dinner table next to me and she ate dinner right along with everyone else. She loved it. We did a lot of visiting and Liv ended up getting crabby by the end of the night and I was exhausted, but it was a good holiday altogether. We would have like to celebrate with Pat, but we'll trade Christmas...those Canadians don't celebrate the same Thanksgiving anyways ;). In the future, we'll get two!

Dani was here this weekend and we took some Christmas pictures. So I'm looking forward to that. The only problem with pictures lately is that the little lump can't sit up by herself and she doesn't sleep or sit happily through the photo shoot. I can't wait until she can sit up and we don't have to be surrounding her making sure she doesn't face plant. Dani always does an amazing job though...she works with us haha.

I did something a little unusual today, I spent a few hours making baby food for Liv! I made sweet potatoes, bananas, pears, an apple and pear mix, and a sweet potato and apple mix. It was actually pretty easy and I'm trying to save money so it makes sense for me. I read about it online, and also read how to freeze it. It made a ton of food and I was quite proud of myself. Liv ate some bananas and some pears today. She seemed to like them more than she's like any of the store bought food I've gotten her. I'm going to try to keep it up...It was kind of fun actually.

I didn't get any pictures of Liv on Thanksgiving, but I think Dani did...these will have to do for now.

I posted this picture because you can really see where her blonde hair is coming in up front.

Lily licking Liv's ears...weirdo dog

Kisses from auntie

Things are looking up

Well, earlier this week I gave up on waiting for Liv's paperwork because I was afraid it wouldn't come. So I applied for her passport with a special circumstances statement. This was on Monday, and her paperwork came yesterday!!! I'm going in today to have it sent :). When we got the paperwork Liv and I did the "we are going to Ireland" dance! I shouldn't speak so soon because technically, no passports are in our hands, but I'm thinking positively.


Yesterday was a good day all around...Dani got here last night! Liv and I love when Auntie Dani comes. We are going to attempt some Christmas pictures today and maybe split the photo shoot up into two days. My friend, Jocie, also came up yesterday and we are all going out tonight...its a big night to go out in the soo (the day before thanksgiving). I'm guessing its so popular because everyone comes back into town for the holiday. Regardless of why, I'm looking forward to it.


Liv has been pretty predictable lately. She has her nap in the morning and longer nap in the afternoon. Its a nice break for sure. I get things done in that time, like showering, drinking coffee...the essentials. We are still trying rice cereal. I've been mixing in peaches or sweet potatoes. She likes it, but she doesn't love it yet. We definitley can't try it when she has reached the point of too hungry. Or else I can't shovel it in fast enough and it ends in a screaming fit with food all over liv's face, hands, etc. I'm working on Liv sitting up. I place her boppy behind her and some toys in front of her. She is doing pretty well. Sometimes she'll lean back and pull herself forward. She will also grab a toy in front of her. Its progress! Rolling over is still a no-go. I'm not sure how I can convince her that its a good idea, but she has given up on it. I will put her on her belly and it will usually end with her face in the blanket and screaming.


Something else Liv has been doing...I wouldn't say she "plays strange", but she is definitley developing a preference for me. Its weird...I always say "geez, why does she like me so much?". She will cry and cry sometimes if someone else has her and she knows i'm around and she wants me or can't see me. Last night she threw a fit while I ran into town. My mom and Dani called me and were like "get back here". When I got home, she was all sweaty and her face was red. She was pretty worked up and as soon as I picked her up she was all smiles. I won't lie...it feels good, but it can also be frustrating. OH and you might notice in some of these pictures that Liv is looking quite bald and that is because she is! She is seriously losing hair, one side more than the other. I've mentioned it before, but the blonde keeps coming in. By the looks of it is going to be white blonde.

Auntie Dani had her smiling like crazy...we call it her silent laugh, she just can't figure out the real thing yet.

"oh I love you Auntie...you're so funny"

Forgot to mention that she has been sucking on her two fingers...no thumb

Drool

She loves her soft elmo book from Grandma Doreen

Whoa, what a week

We have had quite the week so far. After writing my last post and being up twice that night with Liv...my day got even better. I dropped Liv off at my grandma's at around 10:20am and went to Penny's Kitchen (coffehouse). That is where I go to work on my thesis because they have wifi and as much coffee as I can inhale. I left there at 12pm and went to the hospital to pick up my questionnaires for my thesis. I was there maybe 15 minutes and then went to lunch at Maloney's (pub). After lunch I picked Liv up and went home...when I opened the passenger door to get liv, I grabbed my backpack and went to grab my purse, and it wasn't there?! So I get Liv and bring everything inside replaying exactly what might have happened to my purse and where I could have misplaced it. When I went to Penny's kitchen I took my wallet and phone out of my purse and left my purse in the car...I never lock my doors due to the fact that the passenger lock is sometimes impossible to unlock and that is the side I put liv in because I'm driving Pat's 2-door explorer. I seriously kept thinking "no way did someone steal my purse in sault ste. marie"....well I guess they did.

Here is the kicker....my passport was in my purse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So was my camera, well my grandma's that she gave me :(. I am having the longest streak of bad luck known to man. UMM I have a plane ticket to Ireland for December 14th and i just got my passport stolen! So after I cry, hyperventilate, and talk out what i'm going to do with my mom, I pack liv up and drive back in town. Stop at everywhere I was, give them my name and phone number, walk around and check dumpsters, and finally end up at the police station to file a police report.

This story gets better. I am treating this as though I am never getting my passport back because if I wait and see then I won't be going to Ireland, which isn't exceptable. The problem I ran into is I don't have a copy of my birth certificate (and when you get your passport stolen, you don't get to just renew it, the whole process starts over). Did I add that I was born in Arizona? So its not just a simple trip to the county clerk's office to get a copy. Ya. I did however get a phone call today saying it should be delivered, but I need to be here to sign for it. I am also still waiting for Liv's paperwork from Pat to get her passport. It is supposed to arrive today also, so we will see.

Moral of the story...lock your doors, even if you live in a small "innocent" town and you have to crawl across the driver and passenger seats with an infant in tow in order to fidget like a maniac in order to unlock the door to clip your child's carseat into her base! I hope this theif was happy when he/she saw that there was absolutely NO money in that purse. Ok...one more thing. This theif saw a base for a carseat in the backseat and also a stroller! Who steals from a mom with a baby????? Ok I'm done ranting...here are some pictures of Liv, the bright side of my life ha.
"Come here mr. elephant...get in my mouth"

trying to get her thumb? she spends a majority of her time doing this...

Trying to eat her giraffe rattle...see a pattern?

Hi pretty girl

Thanks Aunt Jilly for the cool zippy!

We are sooo Green ;)...another gift from Aunt Jilly

Concentration

Best dressed girl on the block

Failure

Well, I'm writing this post after waking up at 12am, 3am, and 6:45am, 18oz of formula, and 5 diapers (liv pooped after I already changed her diaper and I ripped the tab off of one bc I couldn't figure out why the damn thing wouldn't open in the dark...). So I guess it's safe to say that the rice cereal didn't work. How does an almost 4 month old baby go from sleeping consistently through the night to waking up not once, but twice a night?!!! Doesn't Liv know mommy has a thesis due this Saturday and has way too much to do to be a walking zombie?? Its just crazy to me because she drinks 6ozs every time....so she is waking up hungry or the little nugget would fall asleep during her bottle.

She is in her crib right now listening to herself talk to her mobile...and she needs to go back to sleep because now I have to get up for the day and get myself ready. I pick up my questionnaires for my study today and have so much to get finished by Friday its a little scary. I'm just going to drink an extra large coffee. or five. Wish me luck...

mmmmmm rice cereal

After getting the "ok" from Dr. Mackie and having a week of Liv waking up in the middle of the night again, not to mention waking up twice last night :/, I decided we were trying the rice cereal. She LOVES it. She sits up good in her bumbo, so we just attach the tray and are using that as her "highchair" for now. Yesterday morning I made her some plain rice cereal and her meal before bed we mixed some gerber pears in it. I'm hoping that this will do the trick. She had about 4oz of milk along with her cereal (to wash it down of course). I would have expected her to be confused on what to do with cereal, but she's got it down...and didn't hesitate on whether she liked it or not.

Something else Liv is really into is Sesame Street. Well I should say Sesame Street songs. She was being cranky one day so I went on youtube and typed in sesame street and I got "Elmo's Song"....and she's been hooked since then. I just peruse through all the songs I can find and she'll happily sit there with her blankie and going to town on her sucky. I took a video of Liv eating her cereal and I also downloaded one from her in her johnny jumper a few days ago.

New Camera

Another good trip to Marquette. We left Tuesday night and arrived around 9pm. Liv slept most of the way, which is pretty usual for her. I just make sure she has a full belly before we leave. I was a little worried because she had a mini meltdown right before we left. She was due for another dose of tylenol (because of her vaccinations) and she was a bit cranky that night and a little the next day. Liv slept in a bed with me that night and slept straight through until 6:30am. She was exhausted, plus she always sleeps an extra hour or so when she sleeps with me...figures.

We got up early Wednesday morning and went shopping, ate border grill mmm, and visited Dani and Mike. Dani had said she wanted to give me her "old" camera. She appreciates good pictures and since she's not around she said she wants to at least look at quality pictures. Photo Snob :). So she whipped out her old Nikon and started showing me how to use it. I'm thinking it will take me awhile to get the hang of, but we took a bunch of pictures just playing around. So thank you Auntie Dani.

Some of the pictures you will see Liv in a Johnny Jumper. I had wanted one for when we go to visit Pat, because we won't have all of Liv's bouncers and swing plus it will fit nicely in my suitcase. My mom knew this and when she was at a second hand store she found one for a good price! Liv didn't really know what she was doing in it and just spun around in a circle like the little nugget that she is.

In other news...Our tickets are booked to Belfast! We are leaving December 14th until January 11th. We are really excited to see Patty. My grammy is flying over with us and then leaving on December 21st. So I'm gonna have to get the hang of traveling with an infant on the way over because on the way back I'm on my own, eeek! I may need a stiff drink when I land back in Michigan. I better get working on my camera skills too so that I can have lots of great pictures from our trip!

Liv loves standing and looking around...its one of her favorite pasttimes

Smiling with her new hat on, from auntie Dani of course...she keeps her on the track to having a closet as jam packed as her own

It is so cute on her!

Two of her favorite things, eating and auntie

"Hey guys, what am i supposed to do in here?"

Getting tired of all the pictures

There are some faces that Liv makes where she looks like her dad. AND case in point...holy moly that is Pat all the way. As the nurse in the hospital put it "there's no way he can deny her!"

2 Month Well Visit

Liv had her 2 month well visit at 3 1/2 months. Oh well, Dr. Mackie has a lot of babies and it took us awhile to get in. No big deal. The appointment started out great. Liv was in a good mood, surprisingly because she was due to eat. She smiled and coo'd the whole time.

Here are her stats:
Weight: 17lbs 1oz - over the 95th percentile (he didn't give me an exact percent)
Height: 24 inches - 75th percentile
Head: 16 1/2 in - no percentile on this one

Dr. Mackie said "well, she's a little chubby...but we knew that" hahah. She is healthy though and thats all we care about. I asked about a rash she's had on her neck and Dr. Mackie made me feel better about not giving her the antibiotic that was given to her at the walk-in clinic, but prescribed Liv a cream for her neck. He also "ok'd" me to start feeding her cereal at 4 months. The downside of the appointment was yet to come though. Ellie, Dr. Mackie's nurse came in with another nurse and 3 vaccinations. They asked if I wanted to be in the room and I agreed, so I leaned over and held both of Liv's hands. Well Liv's chubby thighs didn't help her out in this department. She squeezed her little eyes shut, her face got beat red and she screamed her little head off. She had big alligator tears rolling down her cheeks and she cried harder than I have ever seen her cry. After they were all done Ellie said I could feed her in the room because they didn't need it. So I agreed because I thought it would calm her down. She would eat, then it was like she remembered what I just did to her and start crying hard again, then eat some more...it went on for awhile. Then this little baby boy came by and Ellie stopped in front of the door with him and he was crying and as soon as Liv heard him....she started again. It was a little traumatizing to Liv. I gave her a little bit of tylenol before her appointment, but now that I know she gets the big girl dose, I will give her more in a few hours.

Other than that, we are now waiting to leave for Marquette and Liv is passed out in her carseat because she fell asleep on the way home and there was no way I was waking her up. Here are some pictures of Liv in all of her chubby cuteness...and a video, or two.




Sporting her leg warmers and doing a little aerobics?




passed out in the chair next to her grandma

pouting in her sleep

Big blue eyes

Smiling at Lily

Cute outfit and the tennies her daddy got for her :)

Getting ready to go to grammy's for the morning while mom was at work...check out those winter boots!

Liv and I...early in the morning

Grandma and Liv

Liv has really started using her jungle gym how she is supposed to and not just sit there. She gets excited and kicks her little legs...it looks so funny.

Here's liv gabbing away for Shannon, my mom, and I

Laidback Weekend

Liv and I had a really laid back weekend. We didn't have anything going on so we just lounged around. It was nice. I worked a few days last week so it was nice to just relax. I'm still looking for more work because subbing isn't making me as busy as I'd like. I will figure it out though :). I love being home with Liv, but mommy needs money.

We finally have Liv's 2 month appointment coming up on Tuesday. Only about a month and a half late. However, I'm really annoyed because I got a letter back in july when I was pregnant saying I might be up for jury duty from August through November....I tried getting out of it seeing I was due on August 2nd, but I had no such luck and wouldn't you know I get assigned jury duty for tuesday!!!!!! I'm so mad...but I'm supposed to call Monday and find out if it was cancelled. I hear they are cancelled a lot so I'm crossing my fingers. I have a list of questions for the doctor and I will have to send it with my mom if I can't go. I would like to be there though because Liv gets two vaccinations. Hopefully her chubby thighs will be good for something :). After our day on tuesday, we are going to go to Marquette and then staying for the day on Wednesday and heading home. Dani wants to see Liv and my mom has the day off. Dani and I have been talking about Christmas pictures so maybe we can take a few while we are there? If not we are going to try to talk her into coming up during Thanksgiving. Either way, let me know if you would like me to send you some of Liv's Holiday Pics!

Hey mom!

Looking like a little princess

Rolly Polly

Liv is SO stinkin' close to rolling over! I've been working on her by laying her on her tummy and she squirms and gets mad and wants on her back. I try to get her excited and get her to want to roll over. This was as close as she has got to it. I grabbed my camera the minute I saw her trying because I've been diligently trying to get her interested! Go Liv!

HALLOWEEN

Halloween isn't so much fun with a baby...except for seeing her in her costume(s), however Liv hated getting dressed up. Hated it, besides when she was trying to eat the glitter that was on the tule surrounding her dress. Or the little plastic decal on the front...she basically just wanted to eat her costume.

My mom has a closet full of costumes and she just happens to have an adult Dorothy costume. So, just for fun I put it on and put Liv in hers so that we could have a cute pictures of us together. But her "real" costume was snow white. My mom's work office has a daycare attached to it and every year the kids come through and have a little "parade" and they employees in her office all dress up and hand out candy, so thats where Liv and I went on Friday. She was actually pleasant in her costume that day but the poor thing was exhausted by the end and I have some pictures of her asleep sitting up in my lap.

Liv spent the night with her great grandma on Halloween because my family and friends and I go to a big Halloween party every year. She was good for her grandma though and slept until 6:30, so maybe this means we'll have to do another sleepover sometime :). I was a little worried because this past week Liv has decided to wake up in the middle of the night for a bottle (6oz bottle to be exact), but the night before she slept til 5:30 and so I was crossing my fingers that she would do it again...and she did! Now lets see if this trend continues.

There she is eating her fist

The two Dorothy's and Toto

This is where she fell asleep at my mom's office

She was fading

Dazzling everyone at my mom's office with her pretty dress and lots of smiles