Elliet {11 months}

Poor Elliet - I think she will suffer from "2nd Child Syndrome" her entire life!  This momma is not up to speed like I was with Harper.  And I feel terrible.  Really, I do.  So here is Ellie's 11 month update - even though she turns ONE in 20 short days!!!!  :(

Clothing Size: 12 -18 month

Diaper Size: 3

Weight: 23 pounds

Teeth: 8 ( I think)

Speech: Elliet's new word is "Ta Ta Ta" as she tickles her belly.  She pretends to tickle herself and it's the sweetest thing ever. Otherwise she says "pa pa" for puppy, and that's about it so far. 

Eating: 6 oz bottle of formula before naps and bed.  Elliet eats anything we eat.  Her diet mostly consists of finger foods: toast, eggs, hot dogs, green beans, hamburger, diced lunch meat, bananas, etc.  New food this month: strawberries, gold fish crackers, cantaloupe, brat burger, spaghetti, and black olives.  We did finally find a food that she doesn't like: cantaloupe!  

Sleeping: Elliet is still taking 2 during the day - 2 hours EACH!  Bedtime is still around the 8 o'clock hour and she usually goes down without a fuss for naps and bedtime.  She has been sleeping through the night about 50% of the time.  The past few nights have been for about 14 hours straight - I think she's growing!  

Favorite Toy: Baby dolls

Favorite Activity: being outside!

Personality: Busy is an understatement!  We spent a long weekend with our families a few weeks back and everyone got to see just how busy she really is - I think they were all surprised a bit.  She is a happy girl - just ON.THE.GO non-stop!  I don't remember Harper being so active - I told Adam that Elliet is going to be his 'boy.'  For example: Today I got out Harper's old ride-on/push toys - and one of them was a train.  After about an hour of inspecting/figuring out the train - Elliet had already learned to stand on the seat!  She is just nuts!  Something a curious and wild little boy would do!  We wouldn't trade her for the world though - she makes us all laugh - she likes to be funny.  

 Mobility: Not walking yet - but hopefully yet this month.  She walks around the house with her push toys but has yet to take a step on her own.  Her new favorite thing to do is CLIMB!

Health/Milestones/Development

• gives high fives (has for a few months)
• Voted (unofficially) Best Baby in the nursery at her daycare
• can climb steps
• Broke out in hives - which we think is because of the chemicals from the hot tub
• First case of strep throat (along with her sister)
• loves to point at things shes interested in
• pretends to tickle herself
• hates getting diaper changed
• upgraded to a bigger car seat

The Bumble Bee Birthday party is only 3 weeks away ~ can't wait!!!!

(Click HERE for Harper's update at 11 months)

New Vocabulary

Here is a Harper funny for you!

Last week Harper and I were cooking together in the kitchen and she was practicing her rhyming skills.  It went something like this:

Harper: Kissed - Pissed- Kissed - Pissed
Me: Harper don't say that word anymore.
Harper: Why, what does it mean?
Me: It means that you're really mad.
Harper: Like 100 times mad???
Me: Yes
Harper: I've been pissed before.

OMG - I was laughing so hard!  I then had to explain to her that it wasn't a very nice word and that she shouldn't use it.

Oh I love the innocence of little kids!

Strep Throat

Sickness has hit the Nerlien house! Me & the girls have strep throat. The extra naps & cuddles have been nice but my throat hurts miserably bad! I think I would rather swallow razor blades.

We are on an antibiotic for the next 10 days. I hope we all start kicking this soon.

In the mean time I will enjoy these few quiet days with my girls!

Elliet {10 months}

I'm the world's worst.blogger.ever!  Sorry!

Elliet turned 10 months old 3 days ago.  She is so much fun - I love the stage that she's at right now.


Clothing Size: 12 -18 months

Diaper Size: 3

Teeth: 2 on the bottom, and 6 on top

Speech: Says ma-ma and da-da but I don't think she necessarily associates the words with Adam an I.  Elliet says "Pa" for puppy and "Da" for drink.  She also signs "more" during meals.    She also tries to say "uh-oh" when she drops her cup onto the floor when she's sitting in her high chair

Eating Habits: 6 oz bottles every 3-4 hours during the day.  She eats some baby food for meals, but mostly table foods.  Her food lists consists of: toast, scrambled eggs, diced hot dogs, green beans, cooked carrots and broccoli, pasta, diced chicken, cheerios, frozen pizza, and her Gerber snacks.  She also drinks cups of water or watered down apple juice for meals.

Sleeping Habits: Elliet is still taking 2 during the day - 2 hours EACH!  Bedtime is still around the 8 o'clock hour and she usually goes down without a fuss for naps and bedtime.  She usually wakes up once in the night for a bottle and diaper change. (Annoying!)  She loves snuggling with her blankie!

Favorite Toy: No favorite yet.  She enjoys playing ball and eating Harper's babies.

Favorite Activity: bath time and sitting outside

Personality: Elliet is a very good baby.  She is smiley and happy most of the time.  She is starting to show a temper and lack of patience by screaming LOUD and HIGH PITCHED.  She definitely knows what she likes and doesn't like.  She is very curious and busy, busy, busy.  The girl never rests.  We joke how opposite of Harper she is.  I think Elliet is going to be our handful.  At this point, she really isn't too shy/scared around strangers, which is a nice change from Harper.

Nicknames: Ellie, Ells, Bells, Elsie May, Ellie Bug

Mobility: Cruising around the furniture!  Elliet can also stand on her own for a few seconds.  I imagine she'll be walking by 1!

Health/Milestones/Development

• cruising around the furniture
• opens drawers/cupboards and knows how to make a MESS
• signs "more"
• waves bye-by

Elliet {9 months}

Little Elliet turned 9 months old last week.  9 months!  I can't believe how much faster time goes with the 2nd child!

Weight: Elliet weighed about 21 pounds with her diapers and clothes on when Adam weighed her on our home scale

Diaper Size: 3

Clothing Size: 12 months

Teeth: 6

Speech: tries to say "uh-oh" - but just says the "uh!"  Every time she drops her cup from her hi-chair she say "Uh!"  We started teaching her baby sign language, as we did for Harper.  Just the basics - more, all done, and bath.

Eating: Elliet still only drinks 4 oz formula at each sitting, but she is down to about 4 or 5 bottles a day.  She eats a mixture of baby food and table food for meals.  So far she has eaten: toast, scrambled eggs, saltine crackers, bananas, pizza, green beans, and pineapple.

Sleep: Elliet take a 2 hour nap in the morning and a 2 hour nap in the afternoon.  Bed time is around 8/8:30 and she wakes up in the morning around 7:30.  Unfortunately she is not sleeping through the night yet - she usually wakes up once for a diaper change and bottle. (I hope this stops...SOON!)

Movement: As I promised in her 8-month post, Elliet is officially crawling!  And she pulls herself up on everything....the couches, chairs, coffee table, bed, toys, etc.  I LOVE when she crawls over to me and pulls up on my leg and wants me to hold her.  I don't know why - just makes me feel wanted :)  I predict that she will be 'cruising' by next month.

Favorite Toy: books or anything of Harper's

Development/Health/Milestones

• went for 1st ride in stroller and loved it! She was SO relaxed
• started using special shampoo (T-Sal) for dry scalp just like Harper needed when she was a baby
• crawling and pulling self to standing position!
• claps hands spontaneously or when you say "Patty Cake"
• throws her hands in the air when you say "So big"
• shakes her head no
• loves to imitate faces - especially scrunching up her nose

Only 3 more months until Elliet turns 1 - I better start working on her BUMBLE BEE Birthday Party!!!  It'll be here before we know it!

Happy Birthday, Gary

Today is my father-in-law's Birthday.  Happy 62nd Birthday, Gary!!!  (as he says, "one year closer to retirement!") 

Grandpa with all of his grandkids

Grandpa Gary & Elliet - she wore her special shirt just for him that said "Grandpa Loves Me"

We hope you had a GREAT day!!!!!!!!!!

Harper 4 1/2

Harper turned 4 1/2 this week!  A half of a year is a big deal when you're a kid, or at least I thought so!

Harper continues to be an amazing big sister.  She has exceeded our expectations beyond belief.  She entertains Elliet, shares with her, reads to her, feeds her, holds/carries her, soothes her, and now takes baths with Elliet.  There are times when she doesn't want to share with her, or gets frustrated when Elliet gets into her stuff, but that is to be expected.  We look forward to watching Harper teach Elliet new things, such as counting, using a spoon/fork, coloring, etc.

Harper also continues to love preschool.  We have conferences in a few weeks and are looking forward to what the teachers have to say about her progress and if she's ready for the BIG K!!!!!!  

In her spare time, Harper enjoys playing on the kindle, watching TV, reading books, playing board games/cards, and playing with Elliet.  Harper's favorite shows are Full House, The Brady Bunch, Peppa Pig, Caillou, Quints by Surprise, and The Little Couple.  Quite the variety!  I can't wait until it warms up and we can spend time outside again!

Harper is finishing up her first year of dance.  She only has two months left before her recital.  Sometimes I'm able to watch her class if the door gets left open.  Harper is very good - she actually concentrates and follows directions.  

Harper is looking forward to a few things coming up in the next few months:  Her dance recital in May and being a flower girl in June.  She also plans on playing Blast Ball again this summer.

How is even possible that we're only 6 months away from having a 5-year-old?!  And possibly a kindergartner?!

WE LOVE YOU HARPER!!!!!!!!!!!!

Valentines 2014

Hello Everyone!  (Hopefully I still have followers out there despite the lack of blogs....)  I WILL get caught up on blogs this week.

Let's start with Valentine's Day ~

Adam and I both had to work on Valentine's Day, so we celebrated the evening before.  We didn't do anything special, but did eat a heart-shaped pizza from Papa Murphy's!  It was soooo good - and only $7!

Our 2 little Valentines

Harper had a Valentine's party at school.  She chose Fun Dip Valentines.  Elliet also got in on the celebration at daycare.  She received a lot of suckers and fruit snacks.....

Elliet and Harper gave their teachers a cute reusable cup filled with chocolate.  Elliet gave her friends a Go-Go Squeeze applesauce pouch with a cute little note that read "You're my main SQUEEZE, Valentine!"

The girls spent the weekend in Northwood, as Adam and I had to work all weekend.  Before Adam took them to meet my parents, he stopped at my work with the girls for a surprise visit...and flowers!  After work, I met him for Chinese, and that concluded Valentines Day 2014!

Elliet ~ 8 months

Time for another monthly update......

Diaper Size: 3

Clothing Size: 9 - 12 months

Teeth: 4

Mobility: almost crawling......and can pull herself up on furniture at times.  She WILL be crawling by 9 months.  Harper was crawling at 7 months....but she didn't have a big sister to place toys in front of her whenever she whined!

Speech: still lots of gibberish.  She also makes a funny high-pitched chant - a cross between a puppy yelping and a monkey

Eating: We have started giving Elliet soft table foods and she loves it!  Otherwise she continues to eat baby food and/or rice cereal for lunch and supper.  She still drinks 4 oz formula every 3-4 hours during the day too.  We have started giving her Gerber Puffs and Yogurt Melts too.

Sleeping: Elliet is a great napper - takes a 2 hour morning nap and a 2 hour afternoon nap!  She is still waking up in the middle of the night for a bottle - but goes right back to bed.  (However, she is NOT a good sleeper at Grandma's house!)  

Favorite Toy: She doesn't really have a favorite - as long as she can chew on it!

Favorite Activity: bath time with sissy!!!!  (pictures to come!)

Health/Development/Milestones:

+ beginning to pull herself up on furniture

+ eating 'real' food

+ takes baths in the big tub 

Kid President's 20 Things We Should Say More Often

We watched this video at a staff meeting.  It is too cute not to share.  Enjoy.

Valentine's Nursery List

Elliet got her Valentine's List for the nursery at daycare today.  Isn't that just the cutest thing?!  I never even thought about making Valentine's for her age group, but it is just so precious that I'll have to come up with something.  The age group is newborn - 2 years old.  Maybe I'll find some cute little books at the dollar store or something???

Anyways, I just had to share her class list because the names are so adorable:

• Hayden
• Leo
• Howard
• Carter
• Lola
• Bode
• Elliet
• Reed
• Brecklyn

Leo....Lola....awwwwwwwwww so cute!

Elliet {7 months}

Our sweet little Ellie is 7 months old now.  I swear this past month went by in the blink of an eye!

She got to spend her "7 month Birthday" at the doctor :(   She came down with her first (and hopefully last) ear infection.  Poor little girl was in so much pain.  We did enjoy the extra cuddles though!

Weight: She weighed 20# 3 oz at the doctor - diapered and clothed

Clothing Size: 6-12 months

Diaper Size: 3

Teeth: Two!!!  "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth..."  Elliet got her 2 bottom/center teeth on Christmas!  What a great gift, huh?!  Pleasantly to our surprise, her sleep was not interrupted.

Mobility: Not crawling yet, but can scootch backwards and in circles.

Speech: Lots of talking these days - she says MAMA(!), dada, and baba amongst other gibberish.  I don't think she associates the words with meaning....except for mama?!  {wishful thinking!}

Eating: Elliet eats 4 oz of formula about every 3-4 hours.  She also eats baby food and/or rice cereal for supper.

Sleeping: Elliet still continues to take 2 long naps throughout the day!  She has been waking up in the early morning hours for a bottle on most nights.  She loves to snuggle with blankets when she sleeps - she pulls them up to her mouth/face and leaves them there.  It worries Adam and I sick.  We check on her throughout the night and remove the blanket off her face, but she always manages to pull it back up over her face.  She's not particular about the blanket either - it can be any blanket.  (We use light receiving blankets)

Favorite Toy: She has been enjoying the new toys that she received for Christmas - her favorites are the Fisher Price Bubble Gum Machine and her baby doll

Favorite Activity: Besides pulling hair, playing Patty Cake - or ANYTHING that we are doing.  She has to be in on the action AT ALL TIMES

Health/Development/Milestones at 6 months:

• first ear infection
• first 2 teeth
• first Christmas
• can sit up 
• received first 1/2 of flu shot
• drinks from a sippy cup
• gives kisses

It's The Little Things

I don't know what it is, but lately I've been hooked on "traditions" and thinking about how things were when I was a kid.  Maybe it's because I'm a parent of young kids and I want them to grow up with warm fuzzies when thinking about their childhood.

A few Christmas items that make my heart warm and happy are: 

1. Santa Ornament.

This ornament is made out of yarn by my Grandma Betty.  It is such a neat little ornament because when you squeeze the jaw line together, the mouth opens up.  It fits a Hershey's Kiss perfectly.  We always made sure to put candy in his mouth and fill it regularly.  Even as an adult I would always check it when I was home for Christmas.  This year my Grandma made me one for my tree (and my brothers).  So excited for my girls to enjoy this fun little ornament.

  

  2. Stockings
My Grandma Betty hand-stitched all of our Christmas stockings.  Aren't they gorgeous?  She said it takes her approximately 1 full month to make one - averaging 4 hours per day!  These stockings mean so much to me.  I would be DEVASTATED if something ever happened to one.  I hope one day that the girls will appreciate them too.

Life isn't made up of big things, it's made up of a million little things. :)

Christmas 2013

Better late than never....here are a few pictures from Christmas at our house this year.....

The girls on Christmas Eve with their yearly ornament.  This is a tradition that I started a few years ago.  Every Christmas Eve the girls will get to open one gift - and that being a Christmas ornament.  I pick out an ornament that personally represents that child's year.  I hope that one day the girls will look forward to seeing what ornament we picked out for them.  If not,at least they will have 18+ ornaments to start their own Christmas tree when they reach adulthood.

Instead of cookies, we decided Santa needed some donuts!  (Aren't they adorable, they look like Rudolph.  Thanks Pinterest!)  We also set out some carrots for the reindeer and some water for Santa.  (Harper is really into water right now  - so we didn't want to de-rail that train!)

Harper asked Santa for a ballerina barre` 

Elliet's first Christmas - Harper did a great job helping Ellie open her presents

Speaking of presents - I bought the girls' presents based off something I read on the Internet.  "Something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read."  I WILL following this gift-buying guide every year.  It's so easy and it keeps things 'even.'  Four gifts is plenty.  They usually get a few things from Santa, a stocking full of goodies, and get completely SPOILED from their grandparents :)  So four gifts from Adam and I is more than enough.  Plus, Christmas isn't all about the presents anyways.....

Another fun Pinterest idea - Christmas Tree pancakes!  I'm hoping to make these every year.  It was super easy - just had to add some green food coloring to the pancake batter and used a sausage link for the tree trunk.

I love creating holiday traditions with my family.  Someday the girls will appreciate it.  Until then....

We hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas spent with your loved ones.  We sure did.  

Harper can READ

At just 4 years old, Harper is learning to read!  For the past few months Harper has been really interested in the beginning sounds/letters of words.  She has been practicing sounding words out by writing them on paper.  (Ex: garlic toast = grlk tost)  I decided that I would buy her some books for beginning readers just to see how she'd do.  She did AWESOME!  She read the first 10 books with hardly any help.  (Side note: teaching your child to read takes A LOT of patience as it may take 30+ seconds just to read one sentence.)   

After doing a little research, I decided to start with  BOB Books for Beginning Readers.  (I actually ordered them from Amazon though)  There are 10 books in each series.  Each book focuses on a different sound, vowel, or sight word.  Every series contains the same familiar characters.  The illustrations are simple, with black, white and red being the only colors.  I definitely recommend BOB books for anyone with kids that are learning how to read.  We will be purchasing more books as Harper's reading skills advance.  And we will be buying the 'pre-reader' series for Elliet. 

Check out the videos of Harper reading!

I hope Harper's love of books and reading continues as she grows up!

30

I have declared January as the month to catch up on blogs!  So here we go.....

I turned the big 3-0 last month! Thirty sounds "so old", until you get there.  I didn't mourn over this milestone, it is actually kind of exciting.  I'm married, own a home, have 2 beautiful children, have a full-time job.....now I can chillax and enjoy watching my girls grow up and attempt to be the best wife and mother I can be.  (I'm predicting that life in the 40's will be even better with less debt/bills to pay off)

My mother gave me the perfect birthday card.  It said: "Welcome to your 30's!  It's just like your 20's, only your hangovers last longer.  And you start buying sensible shoes." Ha - so true!

I didn't have a big birthday party or really do anything special.  (Does going through the McDonald's drive through count?!  Adam bought!)  Adam and I went out with my family and some friends the night before.  Pretty low key - which is what I like.

Here is to NO wrinkles/fine lines, NO grey hair,and  NO varicose veins for the next decade!!!!

2013: Harper's Thoughts

1.  What was your favorite thing from this past spring?

Playing ball with daddy and mommy.

2.  What was your favorite thing from this past  summer?

Playing soccer with daddy.

3.  What was your favorite thing from this past fall?

Jumping in leaves.

4.  What was your favorite thing from this past winter?

Playing in the snow.

5.  What was the hardest thing that happened this past year?

Opening a box.

6.  What were the best books you read in 2013?

My new books.  The ones that were in the box.  (BOB Books - blog on that later.)

7.  Who were the important people in your life?

Daddy, Mommy, and that's it.

8.  What was a favorite thing you learned this past year?

Reading books.

9.  How do you hope next year will be different?

I go to Kindergarten.

10.  What are some of your goals for the coming year?

• play soccer
• play football
• play basketball

Too cute!  (Thanks for the idea, Ashley!)

Year in Review: 2013

Another year has come and gone right before our eyes.  And I don't think time is going to slow down anytime soon.  Here is a recap of our family's year:

January:  I was working nights and unable to keep up with Adam's work schedule and finding a baby-sitter for Harper over nights, so I switched my status at work to PRN.  Adam celebrated his 34th Birthday.

February: We found out the gender of baby #2 at our Gender Reveal Party.

March: I accepted a full-time day position on the Med/Surg floor at the hospital

April: Adam advanced to deputy #5 at work.  We had a 3-D ultrasound.

May: My in-laws celebrated 35 years of marriage! (Anniversary was actually in April, but the party was in May.)  Harper finished her first year of preschool.  We took a trip to the Mall of American with Harper before the baby came.  (See May Catch Up)

June: Our 2nd Daughter, Elliet Elizabeth Nerlien was born!!!!!!!!!  Harper played Blast Ball.

July: Adam took a trip to Vegas with some friends from Clarion.

August: We went to the State Fair with a group of friends and attended the Toby Keith Concert.  Adam and Harper also spend many, many days at the swimming pool while mommy and Elliet rested at home.

September: Harper started 4-year old preschool.    Harper turned FOUR and had a princess birthday party.  Harper also started dance - ballet and tap.  Harper went to the dentist for the first time.

October: Harper and Elliet went trick-or-treating.

November: This was the worst month.EVER.  Adam's grandmother passed away (his last living grandparent).  We found out that my Grandpa has Stage 4 Lung Cancer.  Sad, sad month for everybody.

December: We cut down a Christmas Tree again.  Santa visited the girls.  Brooke turned 30!

Our family is very blessed.  We are looking forward to all the great things 2014 has to offer: Elliet's 1st Birthday, Harper's dance recital, my brother's wedding, our nieces graduation, and Harper starting Kindergarten.

I have lots of blogging to catch up - come back and visit soon.  Thanks for keeping up with us in 2013!

Lots of Love,

Adam, Brooke, Harper, & Elliet