Mara-30 Weeks

Weight: Still not exactly sure where you stand in this department.  You are probably getting closer to 20 lbs. and somewhere around 26 in.

Health: We avoided the colds on the way here and at your cousin's house.  We still have the trip back but I'm hoping we all will stay healthy.

Pretty Girl

Social: You have been super social on this trip, more than I ever thought.  You quickly warmed up to your cousins and loved having kids around your size around.  You also loved all the commotion in Wisconsin and Minnesota.  There was so much to look at and hear!

In Illinois you babbled the whole way through Taco Tuesday with Mama's family and everyone loved it.  You flashed the biggest smiles and seemed to soak up the limelight.  As the noise in the room grew so did your voice.  You had to be the loudest of all.

Playing with Ginger 

Diet: We are still breastfeeding about the same amount.  You nurse about every three to four hours and still want to nurse to sleep.  You are doing better with the sippy cup.  You like a particular one and have figured out how to get the liquid out of it.  I still think you far off on this front though.

You are doing so much better with solids.  You consistently eat about 2 ounces twice a day.  We usually do breakfast and dinner but sometimes do lunch if the timing works out and you're hungry.  We have been traveling and you are loving the store bought baby food.  I hope when we get home you will go back to eating my food!

You still love all things sweet and love your fruits.  You have done well with some of the vegetable store bought brands so that's encouraging.

You eat so well with a spoon and love to help feed yourself.  You are still a messy eater but I think that's just the fun of it all.  We are working on feeding you larger bits of food but you still have trouble picking things up on your own.

Daddy is still giving you all the treats.  You got your first taste of ice cream and loved it!!

She wanted to chew on the table and wasn't happy about Daddy putting the cloth down

Clothes: You are still in 9 month things and I think we'll be there for a bit longer.  This is probably the longest you've been in one size and its so nice.  I feel like we're finally getting real wear on your clothes.  Your 12 month things are mainly dresses so I think we'll even get more wear on them!

During our travels you moved up to size 3 diapers.

It was a mutual love

Mama's Favorites: I love watching you try to crawl.  You are so close and I think you'll do it any minute now.  You are also so good at playing.  You love your toys and are finding new ways to play with them.

I loved watching you interact with your cousins.  You talked to them and tried to play with them.  I also loved seeing how attached you are to Daddy and me.  I love that we have cemented that bond as a family and that you look to us for assurance in new places and with new people.

Crying: You still don't cry much.  You have developed this fake whine that you do when you want some object or something isn't going your way.  We can tell instantly when you are using your fake cry versus your real cry.

Like father like daughter

Sleep: This area is about the same.  You are still doing great and easily go down for bed.  You get up anywhere from one to two times a night.  It tends to be more when we are traveling because you need reassurance that we are near in new places.  We have found that giving you a pacifier when you wake up early helps too.  You usually suck on it a bit then it falls out of your mouth as you fall asleep.

Your naps are becoming more predictable.  We are still mainly holding you although we can put you down without you instantly waking up anymore.  Naps are best in the car and with all the traveling we've tried to time our driving to them.

This Week:  We are visiting family in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois.  We are also soaking up every minute with Daddy.  This constant family time has been amazing!!

Foulk siblings with their firstborns

Baby Likes: You love to talk and are talking more each day, sometimes babbling for hours.  You still love your toys.  Your favorites are the lunchbox grandma gave you and a purple hippo you got at Easter.  You also loved stacking bowls that grandma had at her house.

Any set of keys are always at risk of you grabbing them.  You also love cords, buddy, and the remote.
                             

Crusin' at grandma's

Milestones: So much!  You've started banging objects together for the joy of making noise.  You will grab any two things that you think will make noise and proceed to clap them together.

You are constantly babbling.  You are saying new syllables daily and get so excited when we talk back to you.

You have started making real progress with crawling.  You now twist side to side when seated to move across the floor.  It's slow going but you get where you want to go.  You  have also gotten up on your knees and rocked back and forth.

You are still loving eating and are mastering the pincer grasp.  You love cereal puffs and bread.  Plus all fruit!

You have mastered a fake laugh and do it constantly.  You get really excited when we mimic you back.  On that note you also have a pretty conceivable fake cry too.

You are standing more with assistance.  You like to hold our hands and practice your balance.

You can imitate.  You almost immediately imitate everything we do from sounds to hand movements.

Helping Papa

Best of Times: Visiting family.  You had so much fun with your cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents.

Worst of Times:  None in particular.  There was a few nights with less sleep due to travel but overall nothing huge.