Another Milestone

The word "milestone" is defined as :

"An action or event marking a significant change or stage in development."

I'm sure most mothers can appreciate that watching your little one grow and reach milestones is bitter-sweet.

Sweet, because your baby is growing and healthy and wonderful. They are loving life, discovering all the amazing aspects of it. Everything from being captivated by the same goofy game of peek-a-boo (no matter how many times you play with them,) to simply fascinated by the "other" baby in the mirror.

Bitter, because your baby is slowly growing up, and won't be your baby forever. Just like a milestone was originally used to mark the passing miles towards a destination, so these developmental signposts are marking your little ones growing independence, and thus, their diminishing need for you.

I know. I'm being a touch dramatic, and I realize I still have plenty of time with my baby--sort of--I know that she will begin to need me in different ways; but, while we pass each milestone, each achievement, I shed tears of both incredible joy and sweet sorrow.

Now then, I wax poetic, and must get onto the meatier part of this post--the reporting of the actual MILESTONE Maelle has reached!

Wait for it...

MAELLE NOW SLEEPS THROUGH THE NIGHT!

After much debating, agonizing, and general not knowing if we should or not, Matt and I decided it was time to try a little sleep training. Let me clarify. Maelle has never been a bad sleeper. She never went through that newborn stage of not knowing when it was nighttime and waking up and wanting to stay up in the wee hours of the morning. However, she definitely developed certain times when she would wake up and want to be nursed, not because she was hungry, but because she wanted the comfort of the whole experience. For a long time, we obliged, well, I did, and woke up sometimes 2-3 times a night to indulge her. After almost 7 months, that was getting old, and I was in serious need of a full night sleep.

Enter Sleep Training.

(I know there is a lot of different ideas about helping babies sleep through the night--so please, no criticism. We did what we thought was right for our family, others may feel differently, we understand.)

Can someone please tell me if we are the only parents to feel like our heart is being ripped out as our beautiful, sweet, innocent little girl is crying her eyes out in the other room? We were prepared for it. We read all the books that said that it was important for babies to learn to develop good sleeping habits, to self-sooth,

BLAH, BLAH, BLAH

It was one of the hardest things I have ever done. Picture me at 2:30 in the morning, with my pillow and a blanket, on the floor outside Maelle's room, weeping along with her, listening to her, praying with all my might that she finds the blissful release that sleep offers.

No joke. That was me.

However, after one night of pure torture, Maelle seems to have got it.

Last night, she didn't make a peep until 6:30 am, when I happily got up, refreshed and relieved, and nursed my amazing, beautiful, lovely little girl--I can't begin to express how proud I am of her.

Milestone met.

My mothering becomes a little less necessary.

My heart becomes a little more full of love for my growing Jelly Bean.

Matt and I shed of few tears of joy and sorrow.

We look forward to the next milestone, anxiously anticipating while willing time to slow down.

We love you Maelle.

A Happy Half-Birthday

That's right! Can you believe it???!!!?!? MAELLE IS 6 MONTHS OLD TODAY!

Can someone please tell that sweet little baby of mine to stop growing up so fast?!?
She is officially now eating solid food--in fact, today was her first taste. She had rice cereal, nothing fancy, but she loved it, and of course, she got it absolutely EVERYWHERE. It was so great.

The Whole Tooth...

Maelle has been teething for quite a while now, and today, all that gnawing and chewing and drooling paid off. She has officially cut her first tooth. It's on the bottom front, and a sharp little sucker. I know it's a little funny, but Matt and I are bursting with pride...every little accomplishment and indication of growth has us beaming, and this is no different.

Way to go Maelle! WE LOVE YOU!

Cutting ties...already

So tonight is the first night that Maëlle is going to sleep in her own room, and not in ours. I know I know. By most people's standards we're probably well behind on this. She is almost six months old now.

But believe it or not the first ties that we are cutting with our first daughter are quite difficult. We'll see how the night goes. We're hoping that her being in her own room will lead to better quality sleeps without us disturbing occasionally.

Because Babies Are Meant to Be Spoiled...

All babies need grandparents--especially ones that spoil them. My parents came to visit with my sister for a week, and it was great to have them. As always, it was a whirlwind, but so great. We went shopping (oh did we go shopping--wish my sister was closer, we'd do it more often,) we went to the Palmyra Pageant, Niagara Falls (the boys went on the Whirlpool Jet Boat Tour, the girls...shopped...) and we had a generally great time spending time together and watching Maelle get SPOILED!!

Grandma and Grandpa spent a little bit o'money and Maelle came away with one fantabulous exersaucer, a piggy bank, and clothes, clothes, clothes...It was awesome, and Maelle LOVES it all. The exersaucer is super fun, and Maelle LOVES it. She is reaching for toys and there are so many lights and things to grab, it keeps her very occupied. :)

Grandparents and Aunties are amazing. I am so very glad they got to come and visit!

The Flick of a Switch

It is always amazing to me how Fast everything can change. It's kind of like the flick of a switch, first it's OFF, and then it is ON. No 'half-way' here.

Maelle is like that.

Last week she was a tiny baby, sleeping in her

tiny bassinet, still and quiet....

and now FLICK,

she's a big baby, in a big crib and a little tornado in bed!

It feels like it happened overnight, out-of-the-blue, and all-of-a-sudden!

The scary/exciting part? I'm not sure which switch will be flicked next!

On a Roll...

My goodness...Maelle is now over 3 months old and changing SO much! Let me give you few examples:

1. She can now hold her head in line with her body when she is pulled up from laying down. Although I am no longer able to use this exercise as a way to clean under her double chins, it is exciting to see her gain more control over her giant noggin.

2. Tummy Time is becoming less and less traumatic. She actually is able to smile a bit when laying sunny-side down, which means I don't feel like I'm killing her when I put her that way.

3. She has become an excellent Kicker--in fact, she loves it when the bar on her floor gym starts to lean towards her feet--she kicks at the little hanging toys like crazy. We call them "her friends" because she smiles at them and gets very excited when she is laying underneath them--hopefully, her drop kicking them is not an indication of how she will treat any real friends she makes.

4. She is learning how to sooth herself to sleep. Not only does this mean she sleeps longer at night, but it also means she is able to go down for a nap much easier--although, I must admit, helping her learn to self-soothe might be making me go a touch grey. We have had a few tears over this (me and her) but, it is working, and she is beginning to understand that nap time does not have to be a traumatic event...most days.

5. Perhaps the most exciting thing: She can roll from her stomach to her back. It is still a big effort, and sometimes she doesn't quite succeed, but she has done it about 3 times, without assistance. It is pretty crazy to watch. You can tell she is concentrating really hard and trying to get her body to do what she tells it.

On a different note...

For those of you who know Matt and are friends with him on Facebook, you might have seen a recent post detailing some of our text messages to each other. For those you who missed it:

As a follow up, a friend suggested this...I got a kick out of it, maybe you will too...just remember: Beware the Number 3: