Chalkboard Pic and 12 Month Update!



Photo cred: Ahem... me. Also posted on Instagram @dbaitx



I tell you, keeping up with writing a blog is NOT as easy as some other mommies make it look!  I can barely find time in the day to brush my hair, let alone sit at a computer after an 8 hour day of work [sitting at a computer].  Needless to say, my posts are few and far between, but I still enjoy doing them!  Which reminds me, I still need to post pictures of her first birthday party... doh!  See how bad I am at this?!

Last night was a very lazy night for my husband and I.  I literally came home from work, sprawled out on the floor, closed my eyes, and relaxed... until a little person walked over to me and started pulling my hair.  Nap time was over.  Berlyn has this way of making any moment enjoyable and she is the best company anyone could ask for.  I have to admit though, she definitely has a 'tude going on, and it is NOT fun!  (See previous post here).  Since then, I have learned to just ignore her fits when she throws them and to not baby her when she cries for no reason (i.e. taking my cell phone away from her).  This seems to help because she understands now that I am not going to run to her side whenever her feelings are "hurt."  Her fits last for a shorter amount of time, but she does still like to push buttons.  Then again, what toddler doesn't?

Now on to Little Berlyn's schedule!  Her wake up and bed times are still the same, nothing's changed there.  However, now we feed her heartier meals instead of the ol' oatmeal mixed with pureed fruit.  For breakfast she will eat waffles, pancakes, yogurt, fruit, and sometimes this cool mom will let her have a mini cupcake :).  Since she is drinking cow's milk now, it makes it SO much easier to just pour it in a sippy cup and give it to her.  No more measuring, no more mixing, and more importantly, no more BUYING formula!  Yay!

She will typically take a nap in the morning around 9:30 or 10:00 and then eat lunch whenever she wakes up.  We no longer wake her to eat anymore (haven't been doing that for a while now).  In fact, the day after her birthday party she took a 5 hour nap.  Talk about being pooped out!  I may or may not have napped for the same amount of time she did. 

Once she's up and has eaten lunch, we will play and maybe run some errands.  I love just spending time with her especially while we go shopping!  We love Baby Gap, Old Navy, and Target!  Of course this schedule is different during the week when she is with her daddy.  They do fun things like watch Star Trek, Duck Dynasty, and Pawn Stars... yawn.  She eats dinner around 6:00 or 6:30 - usually mealoaf, turkey stroganoff, chicken, pasta, veggies, and milk.  Around 7:30 or 8:00 we will give her a bath, a little milk or juice, brush her teeth (all 13 of them), and say "ni-ni."  She will sleep until 7 or 8 the next morning.  I wish I had 12 hours of sleep every night... crazy girl.

So that about sums up Berlyn and what she's been up to these days.  What are your baby's schedules?  Does anyone else have any advice to give?!

Temper Tantrum, Much?

So, just in the past month, Berlyn has been throwing these tantrums. It typically happens after we tell her "no," or take something away from her that she shouldn't have. She will fling her whole body backwards (in this picture I had to support her upper body until she touched the floor otherwise she would have busted her head open... so dramatic), and then she will cry/whine. At her one year check-up, we addressed this with her pediatrician and he told us just to "leave the room" when she threw a tantrum and that is EXACTLY what we have been doing. It seems to be working, because she will quit whining as soon as we walk away, but I still don't want her to grow into being a bratty little girl!!

Berlyn is the sweetest, happiest, smartest baby, and I hope this is just a phase she is going through, but I can't help but wonder whether she will do this all the time or what?! Does anyone else's baby do this? How do you deal with it?! Help!

{We Have a Toddler}

Because my husband works 3 12's each week, almost every time I get home from work my he greets me with Berlyn.  The other night when I got home from work my husband says to Berlyn, "Walk to Mama!"  I was a little confused because just that morning she was only standing by herself and taking two or three steps at a time.  I digress... I stood there for a couple seconds with my arms open and she actually WALKED to me!  This is by far my most exciting moment of being her mom!

From that moment on, she would walk from the coffee table (which is actually an old chest) to the sofa, and then from the sofa to the kitchen.  I swear this chick has been planning this for dayssss and just now decided to show us what she's been up to.  I'm telling you, it is the craziest thing to watch your "little" baby actually have the willpower to walk.  It seems as though all she needed was a little time and a dose of extra confidence.  She is such a smart baby and I LOVE her to pieces!

As a side note, I still need to post about Berlyn's first birthday.  I have posted a few pics on instagram (@dbaitx) but I have most of the pictures on my actual camera :)

Until then, enjoy the [short] video of The Boo and have a great Friday night!!!