Kaitlyn: Month Six

My Precious Baby Girl,

I didn't know that it was possible to love you anymore than I already do, but each morning when you wake up and I look into your pretty brown eyes, I fall more and more in love with you. I can't believe that you have already been with us for half a year. It seemed like it took forever for you to finally make your appearance, and these last six months have just flown by. We are so amazed and captivated by you and all the things that you are learning to do.

You are bursting at the seams with personality. You are learning new things all the time, and you love to repeat your new tricks over and over. :o) This month, you have learned the fine art of "shrieking" your happiness. You have learned how to stick your tongue way out and spit everywhere. You now know that you can change the octave of your voice in a variety of ways and you know that you make a "uh uh uh uh uh" noise when moaning/crying/"talking" while someone pats your back. Sometimes you like to "help" make the pitch change in your voice. You are too cute!

You are definitely recognizing the people in your life, and it is so rewarding to come home from a long day at work and see your beautiful face light up with a smile for mommy. (or daddy, grandma, grandpa, uncle Jon, etc.)

You are so mobile these days. I thought for sure you would be crawling by six months, but you are almost there. You can get yourself on all fours and you rock back and forth, but you have yet to start moving your knees forward. You are getting really good at pushing yourself backwards though. :o) You love to roll, and no one can trust you to stay put anywhere these days. In fact, it is incredible difficult to change you as you try to roll off the changing table as soon as we put you down. You roll from your back to your stomach, push yourself up on all fours, sit down in the tripod sit and topple onto you back. Wash, rinse, repeat. You are very happy doing this for 15-30 minutes at a time!

You are still a fabulous sleeper and snuggler. We are definitely blessed in this department. You sleep about 12 hours at night now. You go to bed around 9:30 to 10:30 and sleep anywhere from 7:00 to 08:30. Usually you wake up, eat some more and then sleep for another 2-3 hours. Naps are another story....sometimes you take 2-3 2 hour naps, and sometimes you hardly nap at all. Those latter days are a lot harder for everyone because you are sooo tired!

You are meeting your milestones very well, too. You roll in both directions, turn towards sounds and voices, you try to imitate our sounds (and faces), you sit without support momentarily, you mouth objects (and hands, clothes, chins, noses, etc), you try to lunge forward but no "official" crawling yet, and you drag objects towards yourself.

You are drinking anywhere from 20 to 27 oz this month, with an average of 24 oz a day. You usually eat 6 bottles of 4 oz, but occasionally, you will take more at a time. Mommy finally started packing up your 3-6 month clothes today. I think that you are going to need to start wearing your 6-12 month clothes more. Your dresses are looking like shirts with bloomers and your pants are getting tighter on the waist and looking like capri's or daisy dukes for your shorts. Daddy says those are a "no-no."

You are definitely becoming quite the big girl, Katie Bug! We are so blessed that we have you in our lives. I cannot image my life without you in it. You are our sunshine, baby girl, and we love you so very, very much.

Happy Half Year Birthday, Lovebug!

Love,

Mommy

First Solids: Rice Cereal

We fed Kaitlyn her first cereal today. I have been waiting to start her on solids based on the current recommendations by the AAP of six months exclusive breastfeeding. And, I am happy to say that we met that milestone!! Woohoo!!! (Most know this has been challenging for us).

She has been showing signs that she is ready for solids for a couple of weeks now:

*She sits upright

*Can support her head upright

*"Mouths objects"

*Watches us eat

*Mimics our eating

*Tries to eat/drink all of our food...

Some of this has been rather interesting, like say when she wants to share Uncle Jon's glass of wine.

Gimme that Uncle Jon!

Don't worry, we didn't actually let her drink any.

And she was rather determined to help Grandpa eat his birthday cake.

That is until Daddy came along and took all the frosting off her hands. She didn't like that part very much.

So tonight when I got home from work, we decided to make her some cereal. Everyone was there to see how the Doodlebug did, and I am happy to report she got about half of the cereal actually in her mouth!

Ready for Dinner!

I want the MILK!

She didn't like eating in the high chair at first, so I had to hold her....

Then Grandma was able to get her to eat some; she wanted to help.

Grandma and Katie

She got a bunch of it on her face and bib.

My turn!

Daddy started off feeding her, and then took another turn at the end. By this point she was done eating and she knows that Daddy is a sucker for her alligator tears! :o)
Our little girl is growing up!

Trying to Crawl

Our little goober is trying to crawl....she is not quite there yet, but she sure is trying. :o)

Happy Father's Day

Paul with his Baby Girl

Three Generations of Medina's

Kaitlyn: Month Five

Katie Bear,

I cannot believe that you are already five months old! Time has been going by so quickly, I am a couple of days late in writing you this letter. I was off all weekend, and we spent a lot of time snuggling and playing together. Daddy and I feel like we work so much, we don't get to play with you as often as we'd like. Too bad being home with you isn't a paid position or we would both take it! :o)

As usual, you continue to amaze us with your growth and development. Not long after you turned four months old, you were rolling from your tummy to your back. Now you have rolling down pat and you are rolling all over the house. If we put you down on the floor to play on your blanket, it isn't long before you have left the blanket and are clear across the room! You are trying so hard to figure out this crawling thing; I am sure by the next letter, we will be chasing you around as you crawl away. Right now, you sort of look like an inchworm with your bottom in the air and then you kind of flop forward to "crawl."

This month has brought a lot of "firsts" for you; you learned a a new trick this month. About three weeks ago, you learned how to make raspberries, although sometimes its more like you're just blowing spit. You are so excited with yourself for learning how to do this, and you like to show any and everyone that wants to see.

You took your first plane ride on May 17th for your very first trip to Oklahoma. Gam-Gam had her left knee replaced and you went with mommy, grandma and uncle Jon to help great-grandpa take care of her. You were such a good girl on the plane. You didn't cry or fuss anymore than usual, which is when you are hungry or sleepy. We stayed in the house that mommy and Uncle Jon grew up in and we both slept in my old room. It was very surreal having you with us. We were only away three days, but it was the longest that you have been away from your daddy since you were born.

You also went to Austin for the first time this month to see Uncle Jon swear into the Texas Bar. On the way home, we stopped at the Gristmill in Gruene, Texas and you sat in a highchair for the first time. You didn't like it very much and tried to climb out within five minutes.


This past month, we took you to the pool for the first time, and you also had your first day with daddy while mommy was was at work. Daddy said that you had a great time and stayed in your pajamas all day. I got a lot of pictures of you playing with your toys that day, and you sure did look happy. :)

And speaking of a happy baby, you laughed for the very first time on your fifth month birthday. Grandma was playing with your ticklish feet while mommy and daddy were away, and Grandma and Grandpa said that you were giggling up a storm.

Some other things that you have learned this month:
-You love to play with your hands and your feet. You are constantly grabbing your feet and everything, including your fingers, goes into your mouth.
-You recognize your name and turn to inspect new sounds.
-You are rolling in both directions (which is a six months skill).
-You sit up with help and your hands on the floor for a few seconds before you topple over.

We have not remeasured you this month, but your clothes are getting shorter, so we know that you have stretched out longer than you were at last month's check-up. You still fit into your 3-6 month clothes, for the most part, and you are still eating six four ounce bottles a day. You continue to be our wonderful sleeper (I am a bit afraid to type that as I worry you will go on a sleep strike...) and sleep about 12 hours a night from 21:30 to 09:30.

We love you so much Kaitlyn Marie and continue to thank God for giving us such a special blessing of you for a daughter. You are the sparkle in our eyes.

Love,
Mommy

Katie is a little fishy!

We decided to take Kaitlyn to the pool today. So far, she has really enjoyed the water. She likes to take baths not only in her bathtub, but in our big bath tub. She loves to get in the hottub and really likes sitting out by the pond at our house and Mini's house. I wasn't too sure how Kaitlyn would do at the pool, but she did pretty well!

Not too sure about this!!!

Kaitlyn after she got used to the water.

Daddy and Katie

Katie with Mommy and Uncle Jon!

Happy Mother's Day

Me with our Angel

Three Generations

Kaitlyn: Month Four

Katie Bug,

Today, you are four months old. You are growing so fast, and it seems like every time we blink, you are bigger than before. This week I have noticed how different you look. You are definitely an infant and not a newborn. You look so much bigger than last week, even. You are stretching out and putting on more baby weight. You are absolutely precious, and we couldn't be more in love with you.

This month was a busy and exciting one. Mama went back to work and you have been adjusting to your new care providers well and just started staying with Mini this week. Uncle Jon and Grandpa had so much fun babysitting you. So much fun, in fact, that Uncle Jon still wants mommy to drop you off each week so that he can watch you. You guys have a lot of fun together. I have noticed that you both have a very special bond. You have a smile for your Uncle Jon that I have not seen you give to anyone else. Something about him amazes you, and you light up so much whenever he is around. Even if you are in the middle of eating, you stop everything to stare at Uncle Jon with your beautiful brown eyes wide open. He loves to sing and dance to you and snuggle with you for naps. I know that you two are going to have so much fun together as you grow older.

We have been on the go quite a bit this month, and you seem to like being outside and staying busy with mommy and daddy. We took you to the Strawberry Festival, SeaWorld, The Battle of the Flowers Parade and the King William Fair this month. You were such a good baby, too, and happily played in your carrier and looked around, trying to take it all in.

Battle of the Flowers Parade

King William Fair

Even with all the changes around you, you are still on a pretty good schedule. You usually fall asleep between 9:30 and 11:00pm and will sleep until 6:00 or 8:30am. We have been putting you down for 8 hour stretches of sleep for quite some time now, and you love to snuggle and fall asleep on anyone (preferably Grandma) whenever you get the chance. You love sleep just like mommy!!! :o)

You are eating six bottles, roughly 24 ounces, a day now. You have grown so much, we have officially put you in your 3-6 months clothes. I got a little teary-eyed packing up all of your newborn and 0-3 month clothes. I really can't believe how fast time has passed, but it was time to move forward, and I know we will be putting you in 6-9 month clothes before we know it.

You have been exceeding your development milestones, as well. Grandpa is so proud of how smart you are. (As we all are!) At four months, you are now able to:

-smile
-bear weight on your legs
-coo and "talk" to mommy, daddy and anyone else listening
-grasp a toy, and usually your dresses and clothing
-play with your hands and feet (this is a 5 mo skill)



You are still working on cutting that first tooth. We don't know when it is ever going to just break through so that you can be done with it. It bothers you a lot, and you are drooling up a storm lately. :o)

I think the most exciting thing for Mommy and Daddy this month is that you ROLLED OVER! Monday night, while mommy was folding your clothes and daddy was showering, you decided to just roll on over from your back to your belly. You did it without any trouble, too, like it was the most natural thing and you had been doing it all along. Daddy clapped and cheered for you and we both told you how proud we were of you. Since then, you have been rolling over like crazy, although you keep getting your right hand caught underneath you and that really upsets you. It won't be long before you will be crawling all over the house.


We love you so much Booberooni, and we are so grateful that God has blessed us with such an amazing daughter. I hope that you will always know how very special you are to us and to our family.


Love,
Mommy

Kaitlyn Learns to Roll!

Kaitlyn rolled from her back to her tummy tonight! We were so surprised that she has already reached this milestone. Fortunately, we were both at home and were able to watch her reach this special milestone first hand!

Kaitlyn's Baptismal

St. Anthony de Padua

Kaitlyn’s Baptismal was a very special day. We baptized Katie at St. Anthony de Padua Catholic Church on April 25th after the noon mass. We took a baptismal preparation class with TJ and Lindsay a few weeks before the baptismal with Deacon Joe. It was a bright sunny day, and we were excited that so many of our friends and family could join us. Those in attendance were: Mamaw and Papaw, Uncle Jonathan, Aunt Tara, Terence and Lindsay Potter, Uncle Jason and Aunt Melissa, Grandpa Paul, Eric, Denisse, Tamara, Carmen and Tye, Mark and Erin, Grandma and Grandpa Gauna, Mini, Gammy and Grandpa Judge, Nana, and Aunt Belinda.

Kaitlyn and her godparents, Terence and Tara

The father talking to Katie

Blessing of Kaitlyn

"I baptize you in the name of the Father.."

Blessing of Katie's blanket, rosary, bible and handkerchief

Katie did very well during the baptismal. She did not like having her clothes removed for the oil to be placed on her sternum. She also didn’t want to get her hair wet with the holy water. But otherwise she was good and she slept through the ceremony. Marcus came and took some great pictures of the baptismal for us. There was only one other baptismal that day, so it was a very intimate sacrament.



Our Extended Ross Family



Godparents, Tara and TJ

Our Family with Katie's Godparents

Our Family

Extended Medina, Gauna and Chavez Family

Afterwards, TJ and Lindsay, Tara, Paul and myself, Jon, and Mom and Papa went to eat at Paloma Blanca.  It was an unforgettable day!