Birthday Girl

Birthdays, New Daycare and a Cold... Oh My!

Julia's 1st birthday party at Nana and Papa's was a success! My mom, the catering extraordinaire really went all out. I don't proclaim to be an over the top girly girl and I am glad that my mom knows that. The place was tastefully decorated to my liking, the menu was just right and the company was priceless. At one point many of the little ones were all out back playing in the yard, which I think made Julia a little envious... but besides that she had a great time with cake and presents! It is so fun to see new favorite toys emerge from the sea of toys she has at her disposal. I am still lacking on uploading birthday pictures and sending out thank you's. I am just lame in that department!

After 3.5 months of daycare at Bright Beginnings Educational Childcare, we moved Julia. I got along well with the provider, but Julia never seemed to settle in. She would fuss most the day, sometimes not eating and napping too well. A few times I would pick her up, get the report for the day and leave in tears knowing that she was so upset and unhappy throughout the day. We tossed around ideas of nannies, daycare centers, another home based daycare, and me staying home. We landed on Four Seasons Academy in Manteca. It is a daycare center based inside Crossroads Grace Community Church. It includes ages to Pre-K and has a structured environment with lots of activities, play and love. After just a day or two, Julia settled in well and found her favorites. In 5 days she has already created 3 art projects, learned new songs and created many new friends. She is really a new baby! So happy, content and is enjoying her new surroundings.

And Lastly, David and I got kicked down AGAIN by this dreaded cold! Third time since Thanksgiving. Julia is fighting off the symptoms and has been showing a bit of a cough but nothing serious. This things will not go away! Typical sore throat, cough and sinus pressure. Absolutely dreadful during the day and almost unbearable at night.

Oh, one more thing, just in case you are interested... I have almost given up nursing. I am so sad about this. I am thrilled to have gone a year but wished stopping was more on my terms instead of my body's decision. I have completely stopped pumping at work and am trying to still nurse at night and in the morning. So far the limited time is still working and she is taking formula and whole milk fairly well. She has never been a huge bottle baby, more so with sippy cups but she is getting the fluids she needs, so we are thankful.

As for now, her favorite toys are her LeapFrog My Pal Violet, Fisher Price Little People Blocks and her Playskool Laugh and Learn Walker that allows her to walk and push all over the family room. I see walking in her very near future.

Look who's turning ONE!

Time flies when you're having FUN!

My original intention when creating this blog was to post more often that I actually have. Working full time and everything else that goes along with being a wife and mother takes up so much time... and I wouldn't have it any other way!

Aside from the daily to do's of an almost-one-year old like crawling, standing, wanting to walk, teething, separation anxiety, refusing to nurse, eating only when she wants to, sleeping only when she wants to and finding her voice (and a loud one at that) it has been business as usual around here.

We are planning for Julia's 1st birthday party or should I say Nana is planning for Julia's 1st birthday party, as all the festivities will be at her castle. How do you create a guest list to include family, close friends, including those who stood by us during the loss of Will to include the journey of my pregnancy with Julia without inviting everyone under the sun? There are so many people in our life that have been there for us that I don't want to leave out, yet we have space limitations. Now mind you Nana's castle is fit for a princess and her posse, but seriously, we must be realistic!

I went through some pictures recently and can't believe how much Julia has grown over the past year. Just late summer she was a little chubby with those cute cheeks, rolls in ther arms and legs, but now she is a tall, thin little girl with the will to do anything! She is very determined, outspoken, stubborn, loves her Daddy, playing with her BlackBerry, beating Daddy at crawling races, pointing at everything, having conversations with us (still completely clueless what she is saying), loves to sing, take a bath, look at herself in the mirror, hang out with Nana and Papa, and watch TV commericals.

Julia, as we approach your first birthday, we are so proud of you, love you more than words can say and I know your big brother Will feels the exact same way! Here's to many, many more years of love and life.

a.k.a. Mommy

P.S. Please pray for the Flowers family during this time. My cousins and their families lost their Dad this weekend as he has gone to be with Jesus.

More Firsts

Besides being a total slacker when it comes to posting - we have had a lot going on and Julia has experienced a lot of firsts.

October:
First tooth
First time crawling (finally!)
First time pulling up to a standing position
First time trying (and loving) table food
First time saying "Da Da"

November:
First road trip to Southern California (and she did amazing!)
First time drinking through a straw
First time sleeping in Mom and Dad's bed (ugh!)
First wave hello/goodbye

December:
First time grinding her teeth (she only has 3)
First Christmas season


As we celebrate this holiday season, I would like to ask you to keep my blogging-mom friend, Jenn in your thoughts and prayers. In 3 days she is due to give birth to her second child, a sweey baby girl. Like us, she and her husband Mike suffered the unthinkable loss of their first baby boy, Tyler, in 2007 after a very premature birth. She is an amazing person and deserves to be a mommy!!

Wordless Wednesday

As we hit the road... driving to Southern California to spend some much overdue time with the Hensley side of the family, please enjoy some recent pictures of Julia with my new Canon Rebel Xsi D-SLR camera.

Camera

Well... you may remember that I blogged about losing my camera battery charger. Well, we bought a new camera (a fabulous Canon Rebel Xsi) and then I found my battery charger! So now we have pictures that we thought were gone forever AND new pictures with a great new camera that I cannot seem to figure out how to use. It will take some time, but I will get the hang of it.

David has been gone this week at a Management training class in Arizona leaving Julia and I home alone. As she starts to crawl everywhere - this has been a great time for Mommy bonding. I don't usually stay on the floor and play, that is usually David's thing with her. But this past week we have been doing just that. She is growing up so fast, is so amazing, so funny, so smart, so mischievous, so brave, so tough and so darn cute!

Daycare has been going really well. She seems to like Amanda, our provider but still isn't too interested in playing with the other kids. I think she is used to adults and needs more time to get used to someone her own size.

We are planning a road trip to southern California for Thanksgiving. It will be our first long distance road drip (longer than 2 hours). We bought a new convertible car seat for the occasion and hope that everything goes smoothly.

With the cameras back in action I will try to get some pictures posted this weekend!

Things that made me smile today...

1. My baby feeling a bit better as she is fighting off an ear infection.
2. My wonderful husband!
3. My new haircut -- now let's just hope I can style it like she did!

Trying to avoid the flu...

Our strategy, as of late, is to AVOID the FLU! On Monday evening Julia came down with a fever. As it progressed through the night and next day we started to worry about the flu and, of course, H1N1. After daily calls to the advice nurse and even a phone appointment with her Pediatrician we ended up at the doctor today. Julia has an ear infection. I hate to say it, but we are relieved. Relieved that it isn't something more serious. She is eating less and has lost some weight but is now on antibiotics and will recover nicely.

As a mom determined to breastfeed through the first year this has been a difficult time for us. Julia has refused to nurse and only occasionally wants a bottle. This is frustrating for me to say the least. I know she has greatly benefited from 8 months of mother's milk -- but I'm just not ready to give up yet. So, as any mother in my situation would do, I will pump and be patient. Be patient and hope that she will resume breastfeeding soon. I really want to get to the 12 month mark.

Oh and did I mention that I am sick too? Probably not. As I worry and care for Julia I often am finding myself totally and completely wiped out and forgetting that I am sick! Not good for my body, that's for sure. I am trying to care for myself -- and with the help my the husband I will be fine. It's amazing how much of me I ignore when Julia needs me. Something every mother knows, I'm sure.

About the pictures... I cannot find my battery charger for my camera, which is why there are no photos since August. I am trying to convince the husband to let me get a new camera. A Canon DSLR. Wish me luck or you can make a donation to my camera fund. Hehehe!

Firsts

Lots of FIRSTS this past week...

• First week at daycare
• First day on a "bottle" only
• First tooth
• First arm/leg coordination attempt at crawling
• First piece of toast
• First time she did not go to work with Mommy

Our little angel is growing up as she has transitioned to day care. If you follow me on Facebook you may have read about our daily progress. She is starting to get used to not going to work with Mom. Our new daycare provider lives in Lathrop and is a Teacher. Well, she was a teacher in Tracy but now does daycare as she also takes care of her little ones. She is wonderful and we really are happy with our choice so far. She has her masters degree in Education and her teaching credential in multiple subjects. She used to teach with our friend Sopa, so we are happy to have a connection in that regard.

Bottles are becoming easier. The funny thing is... after buying every brand under the sun, Julia has settled on liking the first set of bottles we ever bought. Glad she found something that works.

On Friday, 9/18, Julia cut her first tooth - with many more fussy nights ahead of us, we are looking forward to more teeth!

Crawling... she is trying so hard to crawl. I thought tonight was the night, but she only budged a bit. I still think she will walk before crawl... as she hated being on her tummy and loves to stand. We shall see.

Toast is a new favorite!

Today was the first day I was actually in the office and Julia was not. Last week, her first week at daycare, I worked from home to be close by... this week was the first day of ta whole new normal.

I have been really lagging on photos, I need to get better about it - but first I need to find my camera's battery charger!!

On Friday, October 2nd, Julia will be 8 months old - ALREADY!

Where, oh where, has Julia been?

First let me apologize for being such a lazy blogger lately. Julia continues to grow, develop and make us proud every day! Lots has been happening around the Hensley household so I will take the easy way out and just make a list!

• Turned 6 months old on August 2nd
• First trip to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Phil's Fish Market, the Mystery Spot, Capitola and LaSelva Beach
• Rolls around to get from one side of the room to another
• Scoots on her butt while sitting to make her way to a favorite toy
• Got her first "trim" (not a haircut, just a trimmed the long wispies)
• Still no crawling, she would rather stand up than lie on her tummy
• Moved from 1st foods into 2nd foods (baby food)
• Loves green beans and carrots and is starting to accept fruit (she makes the funniest faces when trying new fruits, must be way too tart for her!)
• Starting to drink from a sippy cup (Note: she refuses a bottle, so this is HUGE)
• Moved from bassinet to sleeping exclusively in her crib (this has been since June, just failed to mention it earlier)
• Says MomMomMomMom, though without meaning (still music to my ears!)
• LOVES, absolutely LOVES (did I mention LOVES?) to go swimming!
• Arranged daycare to start sometime in September (Mommy is having a hard time with this one)
• Is wearing size 12 months +
• Last doctor's visit weighed 18 lbs 3 oz and 28 inches tall (way ahead of her peers in height!)
• Loves to play with her friends at work
• Had her first (awake) visit to Will's resting place (all other visits she has been sleeping)
• Was featured in a follow up article in the Dameron Digest (Dameron Hospital Foundation's periodical)
• When not sleeping or eating, she laughs all the time, loves to play with Daddy, go to work with Mommy and spend time with Nana and Papa

I will post pictures soon -- I promise!!

A Sensational, Sunny, Swimming Sunday

Thursdays with Liana

On Thursdays at work, Julia gets to hang out with one of her BFF's -- Liana Osorio. On this past Thursday, most of the day when one was awake, the other was sleeping... making it hard for a photo op. Donning matching giraffe print outfits, here they are hanging out at the end of the day.

"Who's this and why is she wearing MY outfit!?"

.

.

"Uhhhhh... why is she touching me?"

.

.

"Maybe she's kind of cool... she seems nice."

.
.

"Ok, I think I like her, she is funny!"

"Patty cake, patty cake, baker's man..."

Wordless Wednesday

Battle of the Bands

Today the executive staff at work hosted a Relay for Life fundraiser called "Battle of the Bands" where groups assembled and performed songs using the game Rock Band. To raise money, we could pay to enlist a band to perform or we could pay to dress down in rock star or groupie attire. Julia took to the competion and dressed as AC/DC's #1 fan and even snapped her photo with some other "band mates".

Dressed and ready to roll, complete with faux-hawk!

Posing with the other AC/DC #1 fan.

Julia and Dree (aka Mike D from the Beastie Boys)

Wendy, Tommy, Julia and Christian all sporting AC/DC attire

Chillin' at work in the Bumbo

Side view of the faux-hawk

Babies in the Workplace

Julia comes to work with me everyday... and here are a handful of pics that a friend, Bernadette, took last week from her iPhone.