Forward Momentum

So, Mia may not totally have the correct form of crawling down yet, but as of yesterday has finally mastered what Zeus and I call "forward momentum".  She use to get up on her hands and knees, rock back and forth, and then push herself backwards.  She would scoot backwards all over the floor in this fashion, often ending up against or under random furniture.

Well, as of yesterday, she's learned to inchworm herself forward to go after things she wants.  It has been so much fun seeing her learn how her little body works.  I catch her, on various occasions, with this stunned and fascinated look of concentration on her face as she's learning to do things.  I SO love being a mommy, and being HER mommy in particular!!! 

Speaking of "forward momentum", I'm trying to work on that myself.  Like Mia, lately I've felt that I'm doing a lot of turning in a circle without getting anywhere lately.  That, or I see where I want to go or where I want to be and I face in that direction but only seem to be moving backwards, farther and farther away from it instead of towards it.  Hopefully, like my little Mia, I will soon get down that same kind of "forward momentum"!

She also LOVES to stand up.  I put out my fingers and she'll pull herself (with my help) to standing.  I'm not sure if it was HER mimicking MY look of excited, open-mouthed wonder, or if it was ME copying that look from HER!  Either way, we BOTH get really excited when she pulls herself to standing.  Luckily she doesn't do it on other things yet, but it's just one more reminder that I need to baby proof the house and move her crib mattress down a notch or two!

I THOUGHT we had mastered solids - feeding her rice cereal and baby fruit or vegetables with the majority of the food ending up in the baby instead of on the bib.  I was very excited about it and how good she was doing.  Then yesterday and today happened.  She still opens her mouth for the food, but then has decided she likes the feel of then sticking her food-covered tongue out and letting the majority of the food slime down her face and bib.  ARGH!  I'm not sure how to get her to quit doing this, but it's seriously becoming a HUGE mess.  Aye mi amour!

Photo Overload

So, I've been way behind in posting lately, so I'm going to try and catch up at least a little by posting some of my favorites from the last little bit.  :)

We ended up traveling to El Paso twice in December, at the beginning of December for the anniversary of Zeus's mom's passing, and at the end of December for New Year's and the Sun Bowl. 

First trip out:

enthralled by a story book - Victoria, DJ, me, Mia and Carlos

Mia's first taste of bean juice - Zeus was way excited.  Mia only took a few swallows... :)

...then decided to try sucking the beans out of mama's (refried) bean burrito instead

Pobrecita got an ear infection this trip out. Back at grandma Lina's after a trip to the ER with a fevered screaming baby.  On medication and eating the doctor's orders while trying to eat her toes at the same time...  that's my girl!

Visiting Zeus's mom and sister's grave sites.

Had to hit Chico's Tacos on the way out of El Paso.

Stopped on the way back in Fredricksburg at the holiday town square. Tia Bertha, mama and Mia - BRRRR!

Time for a quick family shot.

Then a little further down the road, more lovely lights.

back at home - first time trying solids - don't even THINK about putting that in my mouth

mama knows all the tricks - rubbing the gums gets the mouth open...

...so you can get the spoon in. Tricky, tricky!

Kuck!

Mid December we headed to Houston for Mia's one month surgery follow-up at Shriner's Hospital.  Zeus's friend Robert was kind enough to hook us up with a reduced rate room so that we didn't have to rush the trip and be on the road 6 hours in one day.  Thank you Robert!!!

Mia and Dr. Blackwell - the plastic surgeon who did her repair.

 

The hotel we stayed at had a fun little decorated section in the lobby.  Had to get a pic of Mia and Santa.

Papa's turn with Mia in front of the chimney and Christmas tree.

Christmas party at Chrissy's and decorating cookies.  So fun!  Santa even showed up and delivered presents to all the kiddos.

Mia and papa on mom and dad's first anniversary - dinner at Hut's where we ate all the time when we were dating.

Mia "hangin" at Hut's while mommy and daddy ate.

Family photo on December 26th - Anniversary dinner at Hut's.  :)

All bundled up with papa and ready to hit the road.

Seriousness. Mia playing on the floor while mama cleans her little room and puts away her clothes.

My little investigator checking out the tray on her stroller while mama has her post op follow up visit at the doctors office.

Checking out every nook and cranny of the stroller.

Getting so big - she can finally sit up in the cart!  These smaller Ross carts are the perfect size.

However, the larger Walmart carts work great for tired babies who are done sitting up.

 

Ahhh!  So comfy!  We kept tucking her arm back in and she'd stretch it back out again.  Silly girl!

Yeah, my baby girl LOVES cups and even knows how to "work" them.  She see's anyone with a cup and she gets "excited baby body" and opens her mouth for it.  :)

LOVING the bouncer... until mama realized her little hands were turning PURPLE!  :(  Guess she's still a little to small for the arm holes and it was cutting off circulation.  Sadness on so many levels!

Open Says A Me

So this evening when I was trying to feed Mia her daily solids, I put the spoon near her mouth as I opened my mouth and she opened her mouth on her own for the FIRST TIME EVER!  Yay!!!  She's actually doing lip smacking motions as she gums at the spoonful of food.  Open sessame!  Open Says A Me!  :)

This week she also realized that she can stick out her tongue and the food will fall off of it.  Silly girl.  Also, she's now a HUGE fan of the wash cloth I use to fight, uh I mean wipe, her face off with.  :)  She loves to stick it in her mouth and chew/suck at it (even though she can't actually CREATE suction with the cleft in her palate) and also stick her thumb in it and chew at it as well.

Wash cloth - yum!!!  Mia's new favorite thing.

Oh no mom!  Don't take it away!

Oh my!  What is this?

Delicious!  Mia's NEW new favorite thing.  :)