Josie is 3 Months Old

Our little Josephine is 3 months old today! 1/4 of her first year has flown by!

Josie is doing great! She is in 0-3 month clothes and size 1 diapers. She doesn't have a well check this month so we don't have an official weight for her. Our scale at home says that she is 11lb 7oz though, which excites us! (You would think she weighs a lot more based on her adorably chubby cheeks, but really she is only around the 17%ile for weight.)  She usually drinks 4-5 ounces at a time. She still spits up, but not as much as before. Still you have to watch out for her or you could get a fountain of spit up all over you!

On the 16th Josie slept for 6 hours! I remember her waking up and fussing about 4 hours after she had previously ate. I woke up, gave her a pacifier and went back to bed. I figured she would fuss again in a few minutes, but was so tired that I just wanted a few extra minutes of sleep. I woke up to Joe asking me if I fed Josie. I groggily told him that I hadn't fed her. He asked me if I knew what time it was. I didn't and he told me that it was 4 in the morning - 6 hours since Josie had last ate. I was so tired and confused that I started apologizing for sleeping and not feeding her. It took him three times to get it through to me that this was a good thing! Since then there have been a few nights where Josie has gone 5-5 1/2 hours in between feeds (and this is usually starting at 6 or 7PM, not really in the middle of the night), but not 6 hours again. She generally goes about 4 hours in between feedings at night and still around 3 during the day. Hopefully this will continue to improve. Momma and Daddy need some more (uninterrupted) sleep at night! (I have no idea how we got up every 3 hours for 5 months with Sophie. I don't remember being this tired back then!)

Josie sleeps swaddled up in her crib. She often has at least one hand sticking out of her swaddling blanket. In the mornings she usually has worked an arm out, too.

Josie has rolled over a few times (as mentioned in a previous post). She was a rolling over champ for a few days, but hasn't been as interested in it as of late. We are so proud of her though. Look at how quickly she does it in this video:

Josie is becoming very vocal. She is cooing, gooing, and starting to giggle! I love having little 'conversations' with her. She gets so excited and animated. It is adorable! I wonder if she is going to be just as chatty as her big sister. Only time will tell. (Don't mind the mess in the background of this video.)

We are so fortunate because Josie is such a happy baby! She really doesn't cry often. When she does cry it is because she is either hungry or tired. Usually though she is just smiling or observing all the things around her. She is happiest though when you are in front of her, making eye contact and talking to her. Her smile gets so big! It is the most wonderful sight I have ever seen! I hope she is always this happy and good!

Josie has discovered her hands and can't keep them out of her mouth. She is constantly sucking on her fingers (even after eating when we know she isn't hungry) and ours. She even pulled at Sophie's fingers one day and started gumming them. Sophie exclaimed, "Stop licking me, Josie!" Fingers aren't the only things she will put in her mouth. She also enjoys gumming on her lovie, bibs, burp cloths, blankets, and other random toys. Anything that she can get into her mouth will go into it. Besides putting her hands in her mouth, Josie is also grabbing things. We often will find blankets pulled up to her mouth or bibs and burp cloths covering her face because she has grabbed them and pulled them towards her mouth. On night I even watched her as she grabbed her bib, which was attached to her and had her paci on it-it had fallen there, with both hands and raise it up to her face until the paci went back into her mouth. Amazing!

As mentioned in an earlier post, Josie was baptized this month. She did such a good job during the baptism, barely crying. What a good girl we have.

Snoozing during our walk to the park.

We've had some really nice days this month which have allowed us to spend time outside. We've visited the zoo twice, went on multiple walks, and have spent time on the front porch watching Sophie run and play. Josie seems to really like being outside, which is good since I am planning on spending as much time outside as possible with the girls this summer.

Enjoying some time in her seat while out on the front porch.

We've tried Josie out in the Bumbo a few times. She is still pretty wobbly and tips over to the side a lot, but each time she gets better and stronger. I've even noticed that when I put her in the Rock n Play Sleeper she will try to sit up. I am proud of how well she is doing with this skill. The only downside of the Bumbo is that Sophie gets really jealous when Josie sits in it (this is one of the only things she has been jealous of since we have brought Josie home). She tells us that Josie wants out and will kick at the seat. Not cool. She is getting better about waiting her turn and letting her little sister use the seat, but still isn't too happy about it.

Josie has met a bunch of new friends this week. Not only has she met some of my friends' kids, but she also has met all of the kids at the baby sitter's. Janice said that Josie loves watching all of the kids play and she will sit there happily as she watches them. The kids like Josie, too, and always rush over to her car seat to greet her when we get there in the morning. One little boy even kissed Josie on the cheek this morning when we got there. So sweet!
Josie's very best friend is her big sister, Sophie. She loves watching Sophie play and listening to her talk. She always seems happier when Sophie is around. Concerned, too, due to how loud Sophie is, but mostly happy. I am glad that these two little girls love each other so much!

Don't they look like they are sharing a secret?

Here are some more pictures from this month:

Such a happy girl.

Hanging out with Pawpaw Marvin

Daddy and his two girls! 

This face cracks me up!

I loved when she snuggled up with her lovie. So sweet. 

When she isn't smiling, Josie is making this face. It is a mixture of concern and  'what the heck are you doing?'

I love those chubby little cheeks!

Her cheeks don't look so big when she isn't laying down.

They love each other!

My loves in their Reds gear.

I love when Josie smiles!

Milk coma

She loves telling Daddy about her day when he gets home from work.

I was grading papers late one night and looked over at this beautiful girl sleeping in her chair.  She is absolutely precious.

Kisses from Mommy

Sophie wanted to wear a white shirt and get into the crib, too. 

Josie was falling over and Sophie was trying to help her up. She kept saying, "Get up and look at Mommy, Josie."

Lets Do the Potty Dance

Sophie pooped on the potty today! I am so proud of her.

I was getting ready for work and Sophie had gotten water all over her pjs. I told her to go take off her wet clothes and try peeing on the potty. I hurried up and finished getting ready before heading to get Sophie dressed. As soon as I walked into the hallway I saw Sophie sitting on the potty. She called out to me, "I go poop!" Immediately after saying this she screamed, "I not wanna poop! I not wanna!" Um, okay... As I entered the bathroom I told her that she didn't have to poop if she didn't want to. Then I smelled it. Sure enough, my girl pooped on the potty for the very first time! I was so darn proud of her. While she seemed a little freaked at first, she became pretty proud as well. She dumped everything in the big toilet and flushed it down all on her own with a big smile on her face.

I am so proud Sophie. I can't wait until summer vacation starts so that we can really concentrate on potty training. Hopefully Sophie will be completely on board with the idea and training will go pretty smoothly. *cross fingers*

32 Months

Since no big events or changes have happened this month that require me to write big paragraphs, I thought I would change how I do Sophie's monthly wrap-up. I'll let pictures/videos of her and their captions tell what has been going on this month.

Sophie loves looking at pictures on my phone. She asks to see them at least 5 times a day. Sometimes offering to let her look at pictures is the only way I can get her to do things. She is so sweet when she looks through them and gets so darn excited! (She also loves taking pictures with my phone. And playing games. And calling people...)

Sophie loves singing! She randomly bursts into song. It is so darn cute! You never know what our little jukebox is going to sing. 'You Are My Sunshine' is one of her favorites to sing. I love how she puts her own 'spin' on the song (watch the video clip). 

Another song Sophie loves to sing. 

If Sophie falls asleep in the car before nap time she will refuse to take a real nap. It doesn't matter if she fell asleep for 5 minutes or 30, she thinks that counts as a real nap. She also is beastly if you wake her up from sleeping in the car. Because of all this we have left her in the car a few times so she could continue sleeping.  (The car is in the garage with the windows down and the door to the house open so we can hear her.) While I don't like leaving her out in the garage, I am glad that she gets some sleep. 

Our future doctor or PA. She still loves playing with this stethoscope, which she calls her check-up.

First ride in the double stroller. She loved it!

Sophie let Janice braid her hair. It was so cute! I wish she would let me play with her hair like that. She usually refuses to let me do anything to it.

Taking a picture of me taking her picture.

Sharing a meal with her future boyfriend

Trying to convince Aunt Debra to give her some Coke. Maybe when you turn 3, Sophie.

I love when she snuggles with me.

Sophie is all about the chap stick and lip gloss. She is also all about trying to put them on Joe and I, which can be pretty messy.

Sophie has been all about her sunglasses this month.

Sophie has not been a fan of her bed the past two months. While I was still on maternity leave, if I wanted her to  take a nap and not fight her about it then I would let her sleep with me either on the couch or my bed. I tried not to do this often, but some days it wasn't worth the battle to get her to go to sleep in her bed. (Plus I am selfish, as I love when she snuggles up next to me and falls asleep.)

Just like nap time, it has been a battle this month to get Sophie to sleep in her bed at night. She throws some pretty big fits! It has been rough. Eventually she will wear herself out and fall asleep. Besides not wanting to sleep in her bed, Sophie has also been getting up in the middle of the night. Often she cries and screams. Sometimes she will fall right back to sleep once we go in to check on her, while other nights are more difficult. We have brought her into bed with us once or twice and she fell right back asleep, but it isn't a habit we want to start. Another night I brought her downstairs with me while I was waiting on Josie's next feeding. This picture is from that night (3 am). I didn't turn any light on, but Sophie found her beads, sunglasses and doll. She was singing, dancing around, telling jokes and having a good old time. Crazy kid!

This video is also from Sophie's little 3 am show. She was quite the ham that night. (She is saying "Guess what? Chicken butt.")

We were so excited to have some nice weather so that we could visit the park.

Sophie was having an awful morning - screaming, crying, and just plain unhappy. (We still don't know why) The only way we could cheer her up was by saying we would visit Debra and Kaci. Sophie had a great time visiting with her cousin (and playing with all of her stuff!)

My silly girl definitely has a sense of humor. She loves telling jokes (like the chicken butt joke I've already mentioned) and even makes her own silly jokes up. When we ask her what her name is (she knows all of our full names) she will often say, "I Sophie Lynn Tissue!" It cracks me up every time. 

I am so jealous of Sophie's eyelashes. They are beautiful!

Brushing her teeth (She needs a new toothbrush. She keeps biting the rubber off this one.)

Craft time

Sophie ran around for about 20 minutes looking for the "pretty yellow flowers." She was so excited every time she found one. She would run it over to show us. 

Miss Jealousy doesn't like when I take pictures of only Josie.

This is what she does when I told her not to touch Josie's lips.

Sophie slept in this all the time when she was a baby (so much that there is a flat spot on the back of her head. Oh well. At least it kept her safe during her feeding tube days.) One day when Sophie was refusing to nap, Joe asked if she wanted to sleep in Josie's seat. She happily agreed and ended up sleeping for almost 2 hours!

This picture cracks me up!
Sophie loves helping to 'burp' Josie. She really is a great helper.

Sophie loves her baby sister so much. It is really sweet. 

Building 'castles'

Sophie absolutely loves the Little Blessing books. 

This little girl is so sweet, helpful and compassionate. If you are sad (or pretend to be) she will come over to you and ask if you are okay and tell you not to cry. If I need an item for Josie, I can generally count on Sophie to get it for me. We get tons of 'huggies and kissies' each day. I couldn't ask for a better daughter. 

As I mentioned before, Sophie loves to sing. She really likes singing songs from Yo Gabba Gabba. We often hear either "Get the Sillies Out" or "Hold Stilllllllll.....wiggle wiggle wiggle go....wiggle wiggle wiggle stop!"