8 Months - Week 4

This week at school, Cate got to take home her apple she "made" and her pumpkin she "made". They are both very cute!

We've been trying more and more this week to introduce solids to Cate. Some she has taken to and some she hasn't. We attempted pasta, peas, apples, continuing the 'Cheetos' and Puffs. She didn't really take to the pasta or the apples. The peas went okay and she has been eating the Puffs more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reBLt-TzWvE

Cate is getting more comfortable with crawling around and pulling herself up to her activity table. This week she crawling up to the couch and finally pulled herself up! She, however, has not been able to figure out how to get back down. She gets really scared when she is unsteady and she starts crying. We have been trying to explain to her that she needs to fall on her butt, she has padding afterall!

Other randoms from the week:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyUo8hVBPGk

So of course, Halloween is today. We didn't want to try to have Cate wear her costume tonight, she's is her crankiest in the evenings and I don't see her lasting. She is wearing a little Halloween outfit with spiders all over it that she has been wearing for the day. We got her in her costume long enough to take photos. She actually did really well in it and during taking pictures. Cate is a sock monkey!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=480O4dFH3Ss

Happy Halloween!

8 Months - Week 3

Cate has now become a pro at pulling herself up on most things. She still has not done it on the couch but I'm sure she's close. She will crawl right up to her activity table and pull herself up to start playing. She has not figured out how to get down from standing though. She knows she wants to get down but can't figure out how.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRSrn8VIqs8

Cate is getting more used to solids. Some of her Stage 3 baby foods have larger chunks in them than others. She hasn't mastered these chunkier foods yet. But she has been getting more used to her "Cheetos". She eats them easily and will even stick the whole thing in her mouth and mush it around in her mouth and make chewing motions. She's close!

Friday night we decided to try heading out of Pearland for dinner. After dinner Mike wanted to go to a gun store/range. I didn't think Cate would enjoy this (me either!) so she and I headed to Ross. I realized I didn't have our stroller with us and carrying her around the store wouldn't last long since she's getting so heavy, so I put her in the cart, which she thought was very funny. As we walked around she would look around the cart and giggle to herself.

Cate's second top tooth has finally broken through her gums. It's not as big as the other just yet, but it's out! She enjoys chewing on things more now and is a different baby without the pain. Hopefully we will have a break before the next teeth start coming in!

She has started rocking when she stands now, much like she did before she started crawling. I guess we are getting ready to walk! She's doing great at crawling. I wish she would get a little more independent and curious. I'm sure I'll regret those words later but I want her to crawl around and explore more. She mostly stays in one room. She has started a little exploring this week. She crawls more freely in and about the kitchen now. On Saturday she crawled straight into our bedroom and bathroom but started crying once she got in there because no one was with her and she couldn't figure out how to get back out of there!

She started to giggling and laughing to herself. It's really funny. She will be playing or start crawling toward some toy and she just laughs to herself, sort of devious-like. Too funny!

During one of her bath times this week, I decided to catch her trying to drink the water. We joke that she is a kitty cat when she does this. She is sticking out her tongue and trying to catch the water with her hands. It's really funny!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6cwc1ms6kg

8 months - week 2

Cate has discovered tilting her head to one side this week. I only see her do it when she's in her high chair when she's eating. It's pretty funny. She thinks it's really funny when you do it back to her.

Early in the week I was told that Cate has been trying to stand up at school. She has been crawling around and gets up on her knees to play but hasn't gotten much further.

But on Saturday she crawled over to her activity table and pulled herself up! I haven't caught it on video yet, but I'm sure I'll have plenty of opportunity!

Cate has moved up to Stage 3 foods. She has done pretty well with it so far. We tried Chicken and Stars today and she kept spitting it out because of the larger chunks in it. She's not used to it yet. She has been eating the Puffs. She has figured out that they go in her mouth, but she spits them out alot because she's not used to having solids yet. We also tried the cheese puffs (look like Cheetos) and she ate a few of those. I think it helps that they were bigger to grasp too.

She has also taken more to holding her own bottle. Still not exactly understanding that she has to hold it up to get it out. But she's close.

Her top teeth are still coming in. One tooth is in and growing in fast, but the other is taking its time. So we are still dealing with teeth pain, fussiness and some diaper rash.

You can sort of make out her top tooth in the next two pics.

Obviously, with Cate cutting in her teeth, she chews on everything!

Here are randoms from the week...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIXoo-pIr6Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SNAx3MVtYc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiqKPi4XF70

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aecwUJBpMAw

 

8 Months - Week 1

We got the pics from Stephenie that she took of all of us! I really love them! These are just a couple.

Cate came home this week with her spider she made at school for Halloween. Last week at school they studied apples, so I should be getting something she made from that lesson too. Her school pics came in. I'm not a huge fan of the pics. Her outfit really did not match the Fall background they chose. I'll know for next year I guess. We decided not to order any, especially after getting great pics form Stephenie!

Cate had doc appt. this week. She didn't have to have shots this time, but we went ahead and got her the first half of her flu shot. She will go back next month for the 2nd half. She also had her blood tested and is a little anemic. She gets this from mommy. So we have started her on a daily vitamin with extra iron in it. She didn't cry once when having blood taken or when she got her flu shot! Cate is now 20lbs., 28 1/8" tall! We don't have to go see the doctor again until she is a year old.

The doctor also said it was okay to start Cate on Cheerios or Gerber Puffs. So we got some apple/cinnamon Puffs. She's not too sure about them right now. She has only eaten a couple, but only because we put them in her mouth. She picks them up well with her thumb and fore finger, but hasn't tried to put it in her own mouth. I find this funny since she puts everything else in her mouth! The doc also said to start her on Stage 3 baby foods, which are more chunky. We haven't tried them yet. I think after she gets used to those eating the Cheerios or Puffs will be more natural.

Aunt Courtney and Jonathan came in for a visit on Friday. Mike and I went to a friend's wedding that night, so Court and Jonathan watched Cate for us. Courtney brought in a few outfits for Cate: LSU jersey, Who Dat bloomers, and a Mardi Gras outfit! We'll have to wait a little longer to wear the Mardi Gras outfit, but the others we can enjoy now!

Her top teeth are almost broken through now. She done pretty well with cutting these than the first two.

Cate had a rough night last night. I don't think anything was really wrong, just a hard time sleeping, which means a hard time sleeping for us too. Hopefully she goes back to normal tonight!

7 months - week 4

This has been the last week of Cate's 7 month old life :) She will be 8 months old tomorrow! Where does the time go? Mike just realized that next month we will have been in the "new" house for a year! So I guess it's not "new" anymore? But it's all new to Cate!

One of Cate's top teeth have broken through. She is working on the other one. So far it hasn't been too bad. I say that now, but if you had asked me a few days ago I likely would have said something else.

Cate has gone back and forth with the food. We are still testing new flavors and for the most part is eating well and enjoying it. She takes to the fruit alot more because it's sweeter. There hasn't been one flavor that she has really loved yet, other than the apples and pears.

My cousin Stephenie and her daughter Raelee came for a visit this weekend. Raelee and Cate played Thursday night so well. Raelee pretended to be a lion and crawled around while Cate ran after her (with me holding her up). Cate laughed and laughed. She had a great time! When it was time for Cate to go to bed, she drank her bottle quickly and passed out! She was exhausted from playing. Unfortunately Raelee go sick Friday night and we had to separate Cate and Raelee from playing the rest of the weekend.

While Stephenie was here, she and I did some shopping Saturday. I bought a few books for Cate: The Complete Story of Winnie the Pooh (to read when she's older), My First ABC Book, My First Numbers Book, My First Words Book. Mike has also ordered some "cajun" books for Cate: The Cajun Alphabet, Cajun Night Before Christmas, Petite Rouge: A Cajun Little Red Riding Hood. We also went to a consignment shop close by the house and I got Cate a walker, a little drum and a cute jacket. Stephenie got Cate a play table for her to practice standing up on her own.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPb5-ApddTU

Stephenie also brought some of her photography gear to get some photos of Cate and of all of us. We attempted pictures Saturday night but Cate was ready for bed and we didn't get a while lot. Sunday morning we all headed to a near by park and took some more photos. They were really cute! I can't wait til Steph sends them over :) Here are a couple I stole from Steph's FB page. More to come...

After Steph and Realee left, Cate finished her nap. She played around some with her new and old toys then we got out of the house for a nice long walk! What a beautiful day it is!

Cate will be 8 months old tomorrow. She has a doctor appointment on Wednesday. We will also have company next weekend. Mike's sister, Courtney, is coming for a visit!