eight months old
Date: 02/19/2011 12:24:17 PM
~ February 19, 2011~8 Months Old!~
Today, Chloe is 8 months old. This was a very quick month with freezing temperatures, more snow, and stuffy noses with ear infections! We are glad that we are getting closer and closer to warmer temperatures; walks outside and daylight past 6:00. Well not that close but there is light at the end of the Ohio winter tunnel!
This month, Chloe unfortunately got hit with a monster cold. She spiked a 103-degree temperature, was congested, and had a terrible cough and another ear infection. The winter cold was then passed to mommy who also got an ear/sinus infection and to daddy who got the cough. We are all finally on the mend and happy for that!
Beside the countless tissues, saline sprays, and “snot sucking” that was going on we managed to have a little fun. This month Chloe has definitely started to get the hang of crawling more and more each day and it won’t be long until we will be`` chasing her all around. She will stick her buckey in the air and go on all fours. When she attempts to move forward she will either go backwards or her knees will slide out from underneath her and her head will fall to the floor. It is fun to see her determination when she sees a something she wants. She will continue to go on all fours and inch her way up to the toy all while stretching and grasping for it. She can go from a sitting position to a crawling position. Chloe is also very flexible when she decides she wants something. She will be sitting and spread her legs out and reach for whatever she has her eyes on or even scoot on her bottom. She has also started to put her one leg back underneath herself to gain a little more leverage. This little trick has caused her to fall headfirst at times. She looks too cute when she is balanced on her one knee. You can see her thinking and planning her next move. She also seems to enjoy standing while holding onto things for support. Her feet hardly look big enough to balance the rest of her body.
Chloe is on her same napping and nursing/bottle schedule but now is eating more solids. She has become more and more interested in food and is eating more at lunch and dinner. She is eating a variety of vegetables and some fruits and we have noticed this month she has started to eat most anything we feed her. She seems to really love to eat vegetables and especially spinach, (our little Popeye!), squash, peas, beans, carrots, apples and bananas. She seems to eat more fruits and vegetables when it is mixed with oatmeal and is a thicker consistency. We tried baby yogurt but she didn’t seem to like it too much. We were told it would help her stomach while she was on her antibiotic but I’m pretty sure she thought that the yogurt was worse than any side effects from the medicine. After the first feeding, you would not have even got the yogurt to her mouth and she would start to gag. Very dramatic!
We have lowered her crib because she has started to try and pull up. I think we are a long ways away from her actually being able to do that but with all the spinach she is eating it might be any day. ☺
Chloe is still quite a dancer and likes music. There can be music on TV, one of her toys, or even daddy just humming and Chloe will bob up and down. She also loves to mimic people. Her newest tricks are nodding “yes”, patting the ground and occasionally waving “bye-bye” after she sees us doing it to her. Chloe also loves to play peek-a-boo in her crib. She gets so excited and will scream with laughter when we pop up or she pulls up and sees us below. Her excitement has caused a head bump on the crib a time or two.
This month Chloe hit another milestone-her first set of pigtails! Her hair is now long enough to have piggies. I am starting young so she can get used to me fixing her hair. It is so fun to dress her up. And I know I need to do it now, while she still lets me.
No tooth for Chloe yet but it looks like the bottom gums are getting ready for two to come in.
Another absolutely adorable thing Chloe does is when she is taking a shower with daddy she will get real relaxed, lay her head on his chest and start sucking her finger while the water is hitting her back. I try snapping a picture but she usually is too nosy and will look up.
We think she is getting more and more of her own personality. She is so happy, easy to make smile or laugh; nosy, independent in her own way, determined and funny. She will scream and yell and slap her hands down to get a laugh from us. She will also stick out her tongue and blow bubbles and giggle. She is real sweet and we can see both our personalities in her.
Seven Months Old!
Wow! Our Chloe is seven months old. For some reason, seven months seems so much older than six. This month has been a good one for the Vincent family. We had a wonderful holiday spent with family, friends, and vacation! Paul and I were both off during the holidays and spending so much time with Chloe spoiled us. We think Chloe may have even gotten a little spoiled too. We have noticed that this month, Chloe is especially curious about where we are and what we are doing. She seems to get upset if we leave the room. Trying to clean up or pack lunches in the morning can be a bit of a challenge. She seems to want to be in on the action too. I may have even caught Chloe sitting on the counter top being entertained with a loaf of bread while Daddy unloaded the dishwasher one morning. We have decided we need to be tough and not have her glued to our side as we move around the house. Unfortunately, for now, we think it is pretty darn cute that she is our little sidekick.Chloe is continuing to nurse three times a day and drinks two to three bottles while we are at work. She is getting into more of a routine of eating solids too. She is typically eating cereal at lunch and cereal and a vegetable for dinner. She has tried carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, peas and beans. She doesn’t seem to really LOVE any of them yet but if she is hungry, WATCH OUT, she will gobble up any cereal you point towards her. While eating she will stick her fist in her mouth and suck in between mouthfuls or even put her mouth on the tray and lick off any that has dropped. She is quite a lady! But if she is not in the mood to eat, she will turn away, spit the food out or just hold the food in her mouth and not swallow, yuck! Chloe has also tried and enjoys Gerbers puffs. She has tried banana, cherry, and cheese flavored. She looks funny chewing the puff and is getting better on chewing and keeping the puff in her mouth without help. She has also started picking up the puffs and bringing them to her mouth. We will continue to work on her motor skills. She definitely has a mind of her own. She is napping, on average, three times a day. Once in the morning, a longer afternoon nap and a short evening nap.Chloe enjoys playing independently and will sit for an extended period of time playing with all her different toys. It is neat to watch her grab for different toys and reach, stretch and bend to snatch what she wants. She seems to continue to chew on anything she can get her hands on. Toys she seems particularly fond of are, chew rings, blocks, rubber ducks, “Sophie”, her squeaky giraffe, and things that makes nose or play music. She will bounce up and down or sway when music is turned on. She also seems to love shiny things, Mommy’s ring or Daddy’s watch, and anything that has to do with electronics, remotes, phones, and computers. She will drop whatever toy she has and reach for it if it is in eyesight.One thing we think is completely adorable is Chloe seems to sigh often. It is too cute when she is done reaching for a toy and retrieves it she will let out a big breathe.Chloe has also become more and more interested in books. She enjoys sitting on your lap, grabbing, and biting books as you read them to her. Her favorites, well I guess our favorites, are Barnyard Dance, On The Night You Were Born, The Belly Button Book, So Big!-Elmo, and any touch and feel stories. Daddy reads the best version of Barnyard Dance!Chloe still loves her bath and would sit and chase her little duckies around forever if we would let her. She sits in the tub and right away reaches for them and splashes all around. On a few occasions she has nose-dived into the water because she reached a little too far. Luckily Daddy is there to snatch her up. We think it scares us more than it does her.This month Chloe has been a mover and a shaker. She is now rolling from side to side, rising up on all fours, and starting to move her legs, as if she is getting ready to crawl. She is scooting backwards for now but we don’t think it will be long until she figures it out and then WATCH OUT, we are in trouble. We have had to move the video monitor off her crib because she has now learned to pull it down. We have recently looked at the monitor and noticed it moving all around and then see a big eye looking back at us or we see her mouth as she tries to “eat” it. She is also all over her crib. She is on her belly, on her back, on her side, with or with out covers, turned all different directions throughout the night. This month she started to wake up occasionally one time throughout the night around 3:00 or 4:00. She will fuss and usually pacify herself by sucking on her right index finger but over break she may have been spoiled. Someone, not naming names, found it easier to just get up, nurse her and put her right back down, so she would sleep in longer. It worked for us over break, she slept until 8:00 or so but when school came around it was a little harder. We are re-training her that Mommy is not coming in and she seems to be getting back on track and not waking up. Chloe is also becoming more and more vocal. She continues to say Da-Da and has started to say Ba-Ba, and more recently Ma-Ma. She will whisper and mimic sounds we make. Gramma taught her to make noise and then she will put her hand over her mouth and Chloe will make an Aa-Aa-Aa noise. Gramma also helped Chloe play in snow for the first time. Gramma brought in a bucket of snow and Chloe was able to stick her hands in it. They even built a tiny snowman. This month Chloe got the flu! It was sad to see her get sick. We used a little cereal bowl as a bucket. She didn’t seem to mind too much and would flash us a smile afterwards. Again, Mommy and Daddy were more scared and worried than she was.Lastly, Chloe experienced her first Christmas. She was absolutely spoiled rotten and was lucky to receive many fun toys and cute clothes! She was more interested in the wrapping paper and bows than the presents for now. Nonetheless, we made sure to take a lot of pictures. Santa brought Chloe some books, clothes, and a musical instrument cube. She loves pressing the different buttons and bouncing up and down as she watches the lights flash. A special gift from Daddy for Chloe and Mommy was matching winter hats! Again, another great month with many happy memories!
six months old
Date: 12/19/2010
Happy half-Birthday to Chloe and Happy Holidays to all.
This month Chloe has started to eat rice cereal. We started feeding her a small portion after her evening 1-hour nap in hopes of keeping her happy and awake a little longer. We selfishly want to keep her awake longer so we can spend time with her in the evenings. She seems to enjoy eating cereal and also seems to be getting the hang of it. She lets us know when she is no longer interested in eating by putting her lips together and blowing raspberries. For those of you who weren't born in 1930s, this means blowing bubbles or making stinker sounds with her lips. I (Paul) had no clue what she meant when she told me about this raspberries talk. She has also tried other fruits with cereal in the late morning. Recently I received this text from our sitter, “Your little girl is becoming quite a good eater! She’ll be eating steak in no time!” We’re interested in watching Chloe experience new foods.
Chloe continues to be a very even-tempered baby and likes her routine. She has gotten more vocal in telling us when she wants something. She will fuss if she is playing too long with one thing, if she is tired, or hungry. We feel like it is easy to pacify her. She is adorable when she plays in her excercaucer. She will spin around from one toy to the next, jumping, squealing and talking all while making sure we are watching her. Chloe will play independently, in her exersaucer for long stretches. She is also sitting with no support for several minutes in a row and will play with toys on the ground independently. She is getting stronger and we can see her catch her balance if she starts to topple over. Chloe has also found her toes. When you are changing her diaper, she will grab her piggies and put them in her mouth.
She is doing better in the car and sometimes I still need to climb to the back seat. We think she just enjoys being part of the conversation. She seems to think it is funny when mommy sings Christmas tunes to her. Hmmm, is she saying something about my singing voice…She is still very giggly and is always willing to flash us her smile. If she is not totally comfortable she will just sit and stare at you.
She is becoming more interested in other children and babies. She seems to observe what they are doing and it is fun to see the nieces and nephews interact with her. They are all so sweet with Chloe and give her a lot of kisses and smiles.
We took Chloe to the doctor on December 6, to check on her ears and she weighed 13 pounds and 12 ounces. We will soon go for her 6-month check-up and vaccinations.
Some new things Chloe does this month are giving us open-mouth kisses. If you are holding her close to your face she will put her two tiny hands on your cheeks and nose-dive right towards you. When you try to get away she will pull you closer and laugh. She laughs but we are worried as she draws near with her open mouth- she is a powerful 14 pounds. Usually when Chloe goes to sleep she falls asleep on her belly with her fist in her mouth. But I was fortunate enough to have THREE snow days and I started noticing that she will roll over on her side, put her one fist in her mouth and use her other arm to keep her fist in her mouth. She looks so grown-up sleeping like that in her crib. I also noticed on my days off, that if she ran the show she would typically sleep in until 8:00 or wake at 6:00, eat and then sleep until 9:00. Chloe has always been a “Daddy’s girl” but we have noticed that she especially lights up when he gets home from work. One evening she was in her crib upstairs getting ready to take her evening nap and I was listening to her babble and giggle to herself, as soon as Paul walked in and started talking, she began to cry. As soon as Paul went in her room she stopped and smiled a real big gummy smile. When I am nursing her before bed, Chloe will be eating well but as soon as Paul says something she will arch her back to look at Paul. She will repeat this over and over. We think it is really cute but in order to have her continue to eat, he will either have to pretend like he is not looking or move to the other side of me and won’t talk. She sure loves her daddy!!
Paul is taking off days over the holidays and we plan on relaxing with family and friends, taking Chloe to our old stomping grounds, Walsh, and enjoying our first Christmas as a family. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Five Months
Date: 11/19/2010 08:58:14 AM
~Five months old!~ November 19, 2010
Today, Chloe is five months old. Here are just some of the fun things our little girl has been doing and the things we hope to never forget.
We recently put together her excersaucer and even though her feet don’t touch the bottom, she enjoys discovering all the little toys and gadgets. If you ask us, it is a little much but she seems to enjoy it. For now, we placed a dictionary under her feet until she grows a few more inches. Chloe is continuing to play with rattles and toys. She loves picking up objects and bringing them to her mouth. She will bring her hands together and pass the toy from one hand to the other. She will get frustrated if she drops a toy and start flapping her arms around.
Chloe is very social and if you leave the room when she is “talking” or wants your attention she will usually start to cry. Chloe does seem to be shy when she is around people she is not familiar with. However, when she warms up, watch out! She'll chat you up and won't let you go. She blows bubbles and sticks out her tongue. She makes grunting sounds and different noises all the time. We love the way her tiny nostrils flare when she is making a long, constant noise. Recently Chloe started saying, “da, da, da”. We get super excited and pretend she is doing it because of her Daddy. Soon enough, I’m sure. (check out the video)
She enjoys to be held and will sometimes fall asleep in your arms but she is starting to become quite the wiggle worm. She still hasn’t rolled from her back to her belly but will roll from one side and then back. She is sitting by herself, in a tripod position for many seconds in a row. She looks so tiny sitting on the ground!
She likes her pacifier occasionally but will more often than not reach up and pull the pacifier out and then get mad when she tries to put it back in and she has if flipped the wrong way. We think she is becoming more and more interested in food because she has started to follow our hand as we pick something up and put in our mouth. We have not started any solids but we think we will soon.
She enjoys showers and is always very interested in the shower faucet. She will twist her head all around even if she is turned the other direction. Chloe is eating around 2-6 ounce bottles while I’m at work and nursing 3 times with mommy, in the morning, after school and bedtime. When we feed her she reaches up and rubs our chin or neck and plays with mommy’s hair. She will rub her eyes, head and face when she is nursing too. We love that she grips onto our shirts or places her hands on the bottle to help us. Chloe is going to bed around 8:00-8:30, we usually hear her talking around 5:00 but then she will find her index finger knuckle and fall back to sleep on her own until 6:30. We love looking in the monitor and seeing her holding her head up and her big eyes staring back at us, like she is thinking, “I see you, I know you are looking at me!” Mommy will wake up periodically throughout the night, not because she hears her, but because she just wants to look at her sleeping. Mommy will even wake up Daddy if she is looking especially cute just to show him. He is surprisingly not as interested as mommy when it is 3:30 in the morning…An additional funny thing she does is scrape her little nails against surfaces she's laying on or is nearby to soothe herself to sleep along with sucking on her fingers.
When we go in her room to get her in the morning, she is usually flipped over, turned the opposite direction and her blankets are off of her. We secretly love when she wakes up a LITTLE earlier, so daddy can get her and she can eat and snuggle with us in bed for usually one too many minutes, especially now that it is chilly. She must not have gotten the memo about the time change-the first morning after, she woke up at 4:00 and didn’t go back to sleep. We did enjoy coffee and playing together before getting ready for work but we are glad we don’t do that every day!
She got her first ear infections… she had 102-degree fever and was not happy, none of us were. One night she was in so much pain that we were up from midnight to 8:00 in the morning. She would only sleep when you were holding her straight up. It was a little Birthday treat for Daddy. ;) We learned that she is not a fan of medicine, especially the flavorless ones..
She laughs at silly things, like when mommy is whipping her head and yelling or when daddy is ballroom dancing with her… Nicknames we have for her, Chlo, pooker, Cooe, little peanut, baby.
Chloe’s hair is growing in more and more, a light blonde color...some people think she may be a light red head, We’re thinking a sandy blond. Her baby hair is wispy and straight, we wonder if she is going to have curly hair. Her eyes are still blue but we can see them changing, we think her eyes will be more of a blue/green color…but we will see.
Chloe was the cutest little lamb for Halloween and our neighbors must have thought we were crazy putting her in the grass and putting on a show to get the perfect picture.
She loves spending time with Gramma and we love when we get a picture of her on our phones while we are at work.
We are already looking forward to Christmas and can’t wait to take Chloe to pick out our tree! We have already started thinking about what Santa will get her, even though we know she will not have a clue…
Chloe simply put, is the best. Each month some how gets better and we fall even more in love!
We sure have plenty to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Happy Turkey Day! Gobble, gobble!
four months old!
Date: 10/19/2010
Our little Chloe is 4 months old! It is amazing how fast this month went. Chloe seems to be growing and changing more and more each day. We feel like she has gotten so big already even though people still seem to say she is a "little peanut". Just this past week, we have noticed her hair growing thicker and her legs and arms filling out more and more. She has just started outgrowing 0-3 moth clothes.
Chloe's daily routine has pretty much stayed the same, nursing three times a day and two bottle feedings while we are at work. She is bathing and going to bed around 8:30 and will typically get up between 6:15-6:45. Chloe continues to suck on her fist to soothe herself to sleep and occasionally uses a pacifier. This month she has really been sucking and playing with her hands. They are always in her mouth. If you put your hand anywhere near her mouth, she will go after your hands too. She has really started grabbing and playing with her rattles and toys. She will grab onto rings, hold and shake rattles and bite on just about anything.
We have started reading books with her at night and she seems to be looking at the picture as we read. She continues to enjoy "tummy time". She is getting stronger and stronger and when she gets feisty she will stick her bottom up and kick off the ground and wiggle around. She likes to spend time in her swing. She loves to be involved in conversation and she is very social. She likes to "talk" to us all the time too. When she is eating and someone walks in the room she is always interested in who it is and what they are doing. Chloe is an easy baby to make smile and laugh and just the sound of our voices will make her turn, bright eyed and giggly. It is one of the best feelings! She may just be reacting to the sound of our voice but it seems that she is starting to recognize her name when we call it.
Last weekend Chloe was also baptized. It was a special day because she was also baptized with her cousins, Gabi and Grayson. Damian and Beth are Chloe's Godparents. It was a wonderful day spent with family. The weather was gorgeous and we celebrated with ALL the family at Tobin and Veronika's house.
We go for her 4 month check-up this week and we are getting excited for Halloween this weekend. Halloween weekend last year was when we told our family we were expecting! Chloe is going to be a little lamb this year. Stay tuned for some pictures. Happy Halloween!
Great News Anniversary
Date: 10/09/2010
On this same day a year ago, Mommy was shocked by some good news made in the ladies room. We won't get into the details about how she came about to find this good news, but just know that it had to do with you. Daddy was in the kitchen making breakfast in our little garden view and mommy was thinking about all the things we needed to pack for our evening trip. That night, we were going to an Albanese wedding in Pittsburgh, so we were going to be busy running around that day and traveling for an overnight with family and friends. We were already excited for the night, but then news of your creation really got the party started. Mommy took a test and came out "Pauuuul" and I knew we had something exciting. I looked down on this little white piece of plastic and we found out that our lives were soon to change. Mommy and Daddy had some allergic reactions to the double-lined test, then Daddy rushed off to the store to make sure we weren't being fibbed to by the generic tester. THREE TESTS LATER, we had the same great news. From that day on, we thought about you every single day and haven't stopped since. We kept that news to ourselves for three whole weeks, then shared the great news with Grammy and Grampy and Gramma and Bapa.
three months old!
Date: 09/19/2010 08:19:32 AM
This month has again really gone by quickly. We have been busy with work and getting into the swing of things. We have also been busy getting work done around the house. Last spring, there was a terrible hailstorm that left us with holes in our roof and siding. This month we finally got the work completed on our house. Because we needed a whole new roof and siding we were able to pick and choose the colors we wanted. Our goal was to add some much needed curb appeal and we are happy with how things turned out!
Chloe has also continued to enjoy her time during the day. She is becoming more interactive and vocal each day, too. We have started to notice that she is recognizing our voices more and more. She continues to “talk” to us and giggle at our funny faces and voices. We have even figured out that she is ticklish. Our favorite is when she can’t catch her breath because she is laughing at us and is getting excited. This month she has gotten a lot stronger, too. She can lift her head up for numerous seconds at a time. She tends to get feisty if you leave her on her stomach too long. We have caught her rolling over from her stomach to her back a few times! Chloe continues to be on a daily schedule and enjoys her sleep. We know she is ready for her nap when she starts fussing. It has been great so far, that all we have to do is lay her in bed and she will fall asleep on her own. Her bedtime has gotten earlier this month. She will typically take a bath around 8:30-9:00, eat, and then go to bed. She usually wakes up between 6:00-6:30. Although everyone tells us to JUST WAIT!, we are enjoying her solid sleep each night while it lasts. Another month has gone by and we feel happier and luckier everyday.
Happy Fall!
Another School Year Begins
Date: 08/31/2010 02:38:38 PM
One week of school down and we made it! Chloe did really well spending Monday and Thursday with Gramma (of course!) and Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday with Kelly. It was sure hard to leave Chloe all day but we all survived. On the morning I was saying goodbye to Chloe for the first time I asked her to smile for mommy and she did. It was a great big smile that looks just like her daddy’s did when he was a baby. I know it was probably a coincidence, but I pretended it wasn’t. I think she was telling us both that she would be OK. Before she left with Paul we both made a deal with Chloe that she wouldn’t change or grow while she was away from us. We’ll see how she does. We think everything will work out just fine this school year. Paul and I also made a deal with each other that we would try our hardest not to spend all our time wishing for the weekend to come. The weeks are going by so fast with Chloe that we don’t want to rush her first year with us anymore. We are trying to enjoy the time we have with her in the mornings and evenings as much as possible. Getting up on a Monday morning is far more enjoyable when you get to go in her room and watch her wake up. She is just the cutest when she doesn’t even have her eyes open yet and she is stretching and yawning. As soon as you lay her on the changing table she will stretch out her little legs, open her eyes, look up and usually smile. She is the happiest baby! She stretches her legs out sooooo long that it even looks like it feels good. Also, the excitement I feel after my drive home from work is wonderful. On my drive home and especially when I pull in the driveway to pick her up, I get so excited to see her and hold her that it almost feels like Christmas. Chloe is by far the best thing that has ever happened to us and brings so much joy to our lives each day. She is our little peanut and we plan to make the most of each day and continue to try and remember how lucky we really are.
Two Months Old!
Date: 08/19/2010 09:35:57 AM
Our little Chloe is two months old today! Wow, I feel like we were just writing about her turning one month old. Time is sure flying by. It has been a great month and her little personality is coming out more and more. She continues to be a happy and cuddly baby. We went for her 2 month check-up and she is weighing a whopping 10 lbs 3 oz in the 30 percentile and is 21.8 inches long in the 36 percentile. The doctor says she looks great and growing perfectly. She was give an oral and 3 shot vaccinations yesterday. Although she was not a fan, she did well. She slept for most of the day and seems to be back to normal today.
She is typically eating 6-7 times a day. Two of the feedings are formula/bottles to get her ready for when I start school...next week. :( She is typically taking 3 longer naps a day, going to bed around 10:30 and waking up around 6:00. She has been sleeping through the night for about 2 weeks and each night we feel lucky and hope that it continues.
This month she has started to strongly dislike riding in the car. Chloe will cry and cry until she finally gives up and falls asleep. We have learned to just turn up the radio and hope we get to our destination as quick as possible. Chloe loves to be held, listen to music, and swing in her swing. She has also started sucking on her fingers and fist. She is adorable when she tries to squeeze her whole fist in her mouth. Her neck strength is getting stronger. When she is laying in her crib we will watch on the monitor as she flips her head back and forth until she falls asleep. Chloe has also started wiggling her way around the crib. When she gets upset she kicks her legs and scoots from one end to the other. Chloe is becoming more and more interactive with us and has really started cooing and babbling. She is especially chatty when she first wakes up in the morning and in the evenings. The best is when she smiles at you and giggles when you talk to her in a high voice and coo and babble at her. We will post some more videos soon.
Chloe has already brought us so much joy and it is an amazing feeling as we watch her learn and do new things each day.
Chloe is ONE month old!
Date: 07/19/2010 06:22:31 AM
Wow! It has been one whole month since the arrival of our beautiful Chloe Ann. We are amazed at how fast time is flying by and how quickly Chloe seems to be growing and changing. Paul and I have enjoyed every second of this month and can't get enough of her!
At her one month doctor's visit, Chloe weighed 8 whole pounds and was 20 1/2 inches long. She is in the 51st percentile for height and 26th percentile for weight. Wherever we go, people still think she is quite the peanut but she has definitely gotten chubbier cheeks! Chloe seems like she is going to have big blue eyes and blonde hair - although the hair, for now, is quickly fading away. Chloe has a very pleasant personality and only really cries when she is hungry or wants to be held by mommy or daddy. Nursing has been going well for us and her feedings seem to be getting shorter lately. We introduced her to the bottle/formula at 3 weeks and she seems to be doing great with that too. She is eating every 2-3 hours during the day and typically wakes up between 1:00-2:00 am and between 5:00-6:00 am at night. We feel pretty lucky that she will nurse and then fall right back to sleep again at night. (so far) We understand that that can change overnight -- Boof. We hope not.
Chloe seems to like her swing. She sits and swings wide awake while mommy cleans and showers for the day each morning. She also likes to spend short periods of time under her activity mat. She really likes to look and swing at the stuffed giraffe. She seems to love to be cuddled and held chest to chest. She also loves to take a bath! She can be crying and as soon as she gets in the water she is happy as a clam. I think we may have a future swimmer. Chloe seems to smile and track people's voices and faces. We have also been enjoying the summer weather by taking walks around the neighborhood. Chloe has been a good car traveler and only occasionally cries in the backseat. When she does let out some yelps, we will turn the music up and sing and she will calm down. She finds our odd voices mesmerizing. Chloe is still getting the hiccups very frequently, just like when she was in my belly. At first the hiccups didn't seem to bother her but now I think they are getting quite annoying. The doctor said she will out grow them soon.
That is just a quick glance at Chloe Ann this month. We look forward to enjoying another month with her before I head back to work and school starts.
Chloe is born!
Date: 06/27/2010 07:05:52 PM
On June 19 at 3:52 a.m. our Chloe Ann was born. It was the most amazing moment and one that will stick with us forever. It was also a Father's Day that probably won't be topped!
The labor and delivery started on Friday, June 18 at 8:00 a.m. when I was induced. I started feeling contractions around 1:00 p.m. Chloe was posterior, so that meant contractions were coming in pairs and more more frequent. Around 4:00 p.m. I was only 2 cm dilated and the doctor broke my water. I expected things to move faster but nope, just more contractions, closer together. At 8:00 p.m. and only 2 1/2 cm dilated, I was given an epidural, which was wonderful! I was able to rest and hoped things would progress. Finally at 12:00 a.m. the doctor came in and told me I was only 3 cm dilated and that the best choice for the baby and me was to have a c-section. There were 2 emergency c-sections pushed ahead of us and finally at 3:00 a.m. we were sent in for surgery. It was scary but exciting at the same time. Paul was by my side as we waited to meet Chloe. I couldn't see her right away but I could hear Paul's reaction to her and it was priceless. Paul then brought her over and she was absolutely prefect, bright eyed with big, adorable lips. She weighed 6 lbs and 7 oz. and was 19 3/4 inches long. It was a little hard not to be able to hold her right away. I was brought to the recovery room around 6:00 a.m. and by 6:30 a.m. Bapa and Gramma were able to meet Chloe. They were troopers and stayed with us from about 1:00 p.m. on the 18th until they were able to meet Chloe. The only sleep they got was the short nap they took in the hospital's parking lot. :) Grammy and Grampy came to meet Chloe later that morning.
The stay in the hospital was nice and each day I started to feel better and better. We were lucky to have some visitors that were anxious to meet Chloe while we were in the hospital too. Thank you to Bapa, Gramma, Grampy, Grammy, Ashley, Grandma Vicki, Millie, Aunt Veronika, Uncle Tobin, Uncle Damiam, and Aunt Jenny.
We came home from the hospital on Tuesday and Paul was able to be home until Thursday. We think Chloe is the most adorable thing and can't imagine not having her in our life. It is such a unique feeling to love something so much! We look forward to growing and loving Chloe more and more each day!
progress!
Date: 06/14/2010
I went to see the doctor today and we have made some progress! I am 1 cm dilated. If Chloe doesn't come sooner, we are scheduled for an induction on Friday morning. It is going to be one special Father's Day for Paul!! Next time we post, we will hopefully be posting pictures of our baby girl!! We can't wait to meet her. :)
sitting pretty
Date: 06/10/2010
Looks like lil Miss Chloe is just sitting pretty for now. I went to the doctors today and I am the SAME as last week, no dilation and still only 50% effaced. I go again on Monday and then we will schedule an induction for next week. I know I shouldn't complain too much because I feel great and we are both healthy but we are just a bit anxious.
June!
Date: 05/29/2010
TWO MORE WEEKS UNTIL OUR DUE DATE!! It is a really crazy feeling and we can’t believe it. It seems like just yesterday that we had weeks and weeks left -- now it's just days! I have been going to my weekly appointments and the doctor says everything is looking good. The baby is head down and in position, which has been nice because she is giving my ribs a break! I don’t think I have really dropped but I feel like we are ready. I am ready to have my own body back and get back into shape. I talked with my doctor and she said that she doesn’t like for moms to go over their due date more than a week, so in three weeks or less Baby Chloe will be here!
The last couple of weeks should move pretty quickly. We have a nice three-day weekend with nothing we HAVE to do. I have two more days with students and 5 more days of school! We go in for our next appointment on June 4th unless something happens sooner. Family will also be in town next weekend and SUMMER VACATION starts! Looking forward to having a wonderful summer vacation focusing all on our family!
May!
Date: 05/10/2010
We can’t believe it is already MAY and we only have about 4 ½ weeks until our due date. The pregnancy continues to be moving really quickly and we look forward to finally meeting Chloe very soon. Paul and I are always commenting to each other and to Chloe that we want her to “hurry up already!” - although we want her to be really strong and tough like her Dad, so I guess we can't rush it too much. We feel like we already have such a strong bond with her and can’t wait to see her tiny face.
I am continuing to feel good, but I am getting more and more tired each day and sleeping is becoming a little tricky. It is hard to find a comfortable position. My tummy is getting bigger and bigger and Chloe’s movements are easier to see each day. My stomach is approximately 10 toilet paper squares big around. (It was measured for a baby shower game.) As I was working with a group of students the other day, one student was shocked to see my stomach moving all around and commented that it look like a wave. Needless to say, the other kids were drawn to looking at her movements and the reading lesson was pretty much over.
Over the last few weeks, we have been enjoying our time together and we were lucky to have two more baby showers thrown for us. Mom Vincent and Auntie Beth threw us a shower in Garrettsville. Aunts and cousins were there and it was a wonderful time. My school also threw us a shower. The time, effort, and thought that have been given to us have been truly heart warming. We continue to feel so lucky to have such amazing families and friends. Chloe has already felt so much love from everyone.
We also finished our childbirth classes and went on a hospital tour. It was exciting to see the little babies in the nursery and see where we will be headed very soon. I have started to pack our bags and plan on putting in the car seat this week. Paul and Dad Sikora put together the bouncer, swing, and stroller yesterday, while Mom and I took tags off clothes, washed and organized Chloe’s closet and dresser. The valances were hung this weekend too and we got a few more things from Babies R Us. It is becoming more and more real each day!
We are looking forward to celebrating Aunt Katie, Uncle Damian and Baby Boy Sikora this weekend at their shower. Uncle Dan will be home from Libya and Aunt Cara and Uncle Adam will be home from California in the beginning of June. We are hoping that Chloe comes a few days early to meet them all before they have to fly back!
Our house is finally a HOME!
Date: 04/18/2010
We are 32 weeks and 2 days pregnant and feeling great! We can't believe we only have around 8 weeks until our journey of being pregnant will be over and a whole new one begins. Everything has been going well and we have been working hard to get the house ready for Chloe's arrival. This past week we finished the nursery and got the rest of the house decorated and organized. We are finally feeling like we can relax and prepare for our baby girl to join the family in June. Thank you to all that have helped us!
My next check-up is on the 26th and I am hoping that the doctor schedules an ultrasound so we can see Chloe. The doctor says that I am a boring patient and that is exactly what you want to be when you are pregnant. I am hoping that keeps up the rest of the time! Paul and I have been going to childbirth preparation classes and we will be touring the hospital next week. It has been fun, exciting, and a little shocking. :)
Chloe is still moving around a whole bunch and my tummy is getting bigger and bigger! She also gets the hiccups at least a few times a day. Isa was able to feel her hiccups the other day and it was so cute to watch her face each time she felt it. The only thing that have been a little annoying has been the rib pain. Chloe likes to get under the right side of my rib and push. It is quite uncomfortable and it is the worst when I'm driving in the car and at night. But it is fun to feel her kicks get stronger and stronger.
We also had a wonderful shower last weekend. Every last detail was perfect and it was a a great and sunny day spent with family and friends. Chloe was spoiled with so many gifts. We cannot wait to dress Chole in all the the adorable clothes. Thank you to everyone who helped celebrate the arrival of our little one.
getting closer and getting ready!
Date: 04/02/2010
We just got back from a fun and sunny mini vacation to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Paul had a business trip and because I'm on my spring break I was able to tag along. It was wonderful to see the sun and the ocean for a few days!
We have been working hard around the house the past few weekends and we finally feel like things are coming together. Mom and Dad Vincent came over last Saturday and helped us paint the dining room, kitchen, and guest bedroom. Then on Sunday, Dad and Mom Sikora came over to do some touch ups and sand, plaster, sand, and plaster the nursery. It took some time but the room is on its way to becoming beautiful! We came home from our trip and had a nice surprise! Mom and Dad primed, painted and took up the carpet in the babies room! They even put our bookshelf together. They are sure crazy but sweet people. We are so lucky to have parents that love us so much and offer to help us out! We couldn't have done it without you all.
Paul and I are going to put together the crib and dresser tonight and paint the trim this week! We will post pictures once we have it completed. Now it is time for the fun stuff...decorating! 10 weeks and counting, getting more and more excited each day!
Almost Springtime!
Date: 03/04/2010
It has been a while since there have been any updates in the Vincent home but we were blessed last week with the arrival of two new nieces for us/two cousins for Chloe. Welcome to the world, Millie and Gabi!
They are both so adorable and we can’t wait to have the girls grow up together. Paul and I visited Veronika and Gabi in the hospital, where we are planning to deliver and it was a little weird to think that we will be doing the same thing in just a few short months. I don’t think it has really set in yet.
I can’t believe that we are 26 weeks along with less than 100 days to go. Our pregnancy has really flown by! I have been feeling good and feeling Chloe move around a lot. She seems very active at night, so I have a feeling we may be in trouble when she arrives in June. She is quite the jumping bean! I am always trying to get Paul to see her big jumps and kicks but many times she stops right as we are looking. She must be stubborn like her mom. I haven’t really had any cravings and I don’t think I eat any more now that I am pregnant. The only thing I really seem to like and have everyday is an apple or applesauce. I feel like I look huge but I know I have a ways to go and more pounds to gain!
Things with Paul and his work seem to be slowing down now so we hope to get things going again around the house. The nursery furniture was delivered last weekend! Seeing the big boxes made me anxious and ready to get the nursery started this week. Paul and his dad worked on getting the wallpaper off and it seems like it is going to be a bit of a chore. We have had the bedding and paint color picked out since December so I’m just a little excited to get it completed and ready for Chloe.
We met with our new doctor a couple of weeks ago and we have another appointment in a week. It is just a check up so the doctor can get more familiar with us. We have heard many good things about this doctor and she seems really nice. She helped deliver my friend’s baby in September so we know we are in good hands.
Well that is all for now. Hope everyone is doing well and we will post more pictures of the progress of the nursery. Happy almost spring!
Moving Day!
Date: 01/30/2010
Today we moved into our first home! We are so excited to start this new chapter in our lives. We had many helpers who gave a lot of hard work and time to help us out. We want to thank each and ever person! We definitely couldn't have done it without them. We have been busy trying to get the house sorted and decorated and we feel so lucky to be closer to family and friends. We are looking forward to painting soon! We will post pictures of the house after we get a little more organized!
It's a GIRL!!
Date: 01/19/2010
Today we had our "big ultrasound" and found out that you are our little girl! Mommy, Daddy and all your grandparents came to see you bright and early this morning. It was such a special experience for everyone. The ultrasound technician measured everything and showed us all your little body parts. She said you and mommy are healthy and you look perfect. We were so excited to see you move all around and see your heart beating (154). You were quite a wiggle worm! You did not stop moving the whole time and we loved every second of it. Our next appointment is February 15th. We can't believe that on Friday we will be half way through the pregnancy. We can't wait to get your nursery ready and prepare for you in our new home. We can't wait to meet you, Chloe Ann!
A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Date: 01/01/2010
We have had a very busy and fun Christmas break! We have calculated that we have driven over 800 miles from Christmas Eve to New Year's Eve. We are hoping that all the car trips will make you a great car rider when you are born.
We have enjoyed seeing family and friends the past week and feel lucky to be apart of two loving families! If you look under our Christmas tree there are many gifts just for you. Everyone else must be just as excited to meet you as we are! You also gave Mommy a gift on Christmas Eve morning. I felt you move for the first time! It felt like a little flutter. Daddy and I can also feel you when we touch my belly. You like you hang out in the lower left side of my belly.
We also have some very exciting news...we put an offer on our first home and it got officially accepted on Christmas Eve! We spent the past few days working on inspections and paper work and hope it is our home on January 29th. We think it is a perfect place to bring you home in June.
Lastly, we went for a check-up yesterday and we heard your heartbeat, 142. We have our "big ultrasound" on January 19th. Gramma, Bapa, Grampy and Grammy are all hoping to come to see you on that day too. The doctor said we will also be able to see if you are a boy or a girl. We look forward to being able to prepare and get excited for you, Jack or Chloe!
Again, we are very thankful for all the happy things we have in our lives. It is going to be a great 2010!
Second Ultrasound
Date: 12/07/2009
We had a check-up on December 3 and we heard your heartbeat, 156. We thought we were having our ultrasound that day too but instead we heard your heartbeat using the Doppler. Daddy was there to hear it and he was so happy! The doctor's scheduled an ultrasound for today and I got to see you. The last ultrasound was almost 6 weeks ago and boy how you have grown! Even though you are only 3 inches long and 1 ounce you look like a beautiful baby. I was able to see your mouth open and shut and saw you flip around in my stomach. I was able to hear your heartbeat, 160, and see a close up of your little foot. You are not even born yet and you have already filled us with so much joy! Daddy and I will get to see you again when you are 20 weeks! We are so blessed to have a healthy little baby and can't wait to see you again!
Happy Halloween
Date: 11/01/2009
It sure was a HAPPY HALLOWEEN weekend! On Friday, we found out that Daddy passed his Bar exam! Later that night, we went to see Grammy and Grampy Vincent and we surprised them with the big news of your arrival on June 11, 2010. We also told Uncle Dan and Tori and Great Grammy. Everyone is really excited and already looking forward to meeting you. On Saturday, we went home to North Ridgeville and told Bapa and Gramma Sikora. Gramma reacted just the way we knew she would. She couldn't believe it and was sooooo happy! We also got to tell Aunt Veronika and Uncle Tobin. We made shirts for your cousins to wear. I don't think anyone had any idea and everyone is so happy. This was probably one of the most exciting and memorable weekends so far. We can't wait to tell more people!
First Ultrasound
Date: 10/29/2008
Today was the day of our first ultrasound! We got to see you for the first time. The doctor said everything looks healthy and you are 7 weeks and 6 days old. Your heartbeat was 134 and you measured 1.26 cm. We can't wait to see you again at our next appointment on December 3!
