The Stay At Home Zookeeper: February 2017

Second child problems, I do 2 months at a time. She knows I love her!

7 Months

Likes: Sitting up, putting everything in her mouth, Blaze theme song
Dislikes: being over tired, sleeping
Can/Does: sits up, scoots backwards,
Size/Weight: Still tiny. Moved up to 3-6 month and some 6 month clothes
Still no teeth!

First over-night at grandma and grandpas as Mommy and Daddy went to a wedding in Milwaukee.

St. Nick came! We also have the Elf on the Shelf visiting us. She has been named Yelf. (How Nolan pronounces The Elf and we are going to run with it because how cute is that?!?!) Stella got a chewy banana, some puffs, and a toy.

And because I LOVE comparisons of the two, here are the kids in the same PJs on both of their first St. Nick visit!

Kaukauna Christmas parade. It was freezing. The wind was horrible. Then it was probably the longest Kaukauna parade ever! (maybe it was just that cold that made it feel that way.)

Vanden Heuvel Christmas Party at Great Uncle Pete's shop. We see Santa, play with cousins/second cousins (or maybe 3rd I have no idea how that works). Stella loved her tea set and watching all the kids running around like they are crazy.

We went sledding on our street and in our yard a couple times. Stella does really well sitting up and being outside! Stella is still perfecting sitting and I didnt want her to hit her head while undressing Nolan...so she got to sit in the box while I was undressing Nolan and until it was her turn.

Every year in Kaukauna, a man sets up the North Pole. Santa, elves, reindeer and many other holiday sights to see! The kids really liked it!

With Mommy working for Usborne and being a teacher, we spend lots of time reading. Some times we initiate it, but the best is when they start doing it on their own!

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were wonderful! We went to church and spent time with family. We even managed to get family photos at each place! Christmas morning, we opened presents at our house, then Grandma and Grandpa Jansen, then Grandma and Grandpa Gloudemans.

Stella had her follow up cardio appointment-AND SHE HAS BEEN CLEARED! Both holes have been healed and there is an extra vein but it is just an extra vein, there is no double aortic arch for sure. She is cleared of needing any extra cardio-care.

Stella LOVES her Badger dog!

New Years was spent at home with Ms. Stella Bean feeling very sick. She still smiled for her photos, but that was about all the energy she could muster for a couple days. (hence her faces in her 7 month photos too).

8 Months

Likes: playing with her vanity, screaming/talking, her brother, getting up to see mommy in the night
Dislikes: sleeping through the night, waiting for food, green baby food, puffs/to thick of oatmeal
Can/Does: scoot around on her butt, go from sitting to tummy, move around the floor (but not forwards), clap, beginning to pick up food/small things, hold own bottle/cup (working on actually drinking out of it), crawl!
Size/Weight: 14lbs 5oz (at cardio appt--lost a little weight being sick) Still a big fat 0 in the teeth department!

As mentioned, New Years was spent at home with sick little Stella Ear infection #2. She went from bad to worse through out the weekend and finally on Monday I called to get her in. She had a bulging double ear infection and they think she was either on her way out of RSV or Influenza. Luckily, she was doing ok and already healing from it so we just had to continue to watch. The meds helped her sleep better and begin to feel better.

Alex and I were talking about how we met 14 years ago bowling and decide to take the whole family bowling. It was a little over stimulating for Nolan, but he still did pretty good. We had fun and Stella loved watching all the action! PLUS Mommy and Stella matched in our feathers!

Stella is getting very good at yelling/talking, and she LOVES her vanity from Daddy from Christmas.

8 days into her second round of antibiotics we discovered Ms. Stella is allergic to amoxicillin. It is minor with only some hives covering her body. They checked her ears and they were cleared up so we just stopped taking them but have this listed as an allergy on her record.

We went to the Little Chute pool/water park to celebrate Daddy's birthday and try something new. Stella loves water!

Stella got her first pony tail and pedicure

The kids have been going on some errands with me and Stella is getting good at sitting in the cart like a big girl!

She is also a stinker butt and keeps trying to steal her brother's snacks.

Another building for kids trip!

Apparently at 7.5 months Stella has decided she needs to sleep with a paci..but she doesn't even use it right. She holds it in her hands and chews on it until she falls asleep. I am ok with it as long as she goes to sleep.

Stella doesn't like to be hungry so when she is hungry she demands food.

She is getting good at blowing raspberries. Her favorite time is when she is eating a food she doesnt like or when when she is supposed to be going to sleep.