1 month old pictures

Miss Yara at 1 month (9/23/12) taken by Hilary.

2 month old Wellness Appointment

Yara 2 month old wellness appointment:

12 lbs 2 oz (73%)

23 1/2 inches long (91%)

15 1/2 head circumference (84%)

Doctor said that she is looking good in every way!  Yara is able to smile spontaneously.  She coo's and babbles when she is happy.  Loves to bring her little blanket to her mouth with her hands.  The other day I found her holding her own hands together and it was adorable!  When she is laying/playing on the playmat looking at her mobile going around and around she bats at the little birds.  And she will track you from a mile away and keep your eye on you until you notice her; and she smiles!

And as far as her skin goes, we are to keep up with the cetaphil soap and lotion/cream but for her head we are to use sebulex shampoo to help get rid of some of the build up that is happening with her head because of the lack of "washing".

Yara got three shots today and an oral.  (Pentacel (DtaP, HiB, IPV), Hep B, Prevnar and oral was Rotaeq)

2 months

8 weeks, 8 weeks how did that happen?!  I can't believe our little girl has been with us for 2 months.  At first I didn't know how I would be able to survive but everyday I got a little smarter and it got a little easier.  I remember being so involved in the baby's care that I missed Kau'e so much.  I would long to play with him, hold him, feed him, do anything with him because I missed him.  Now, I have to say that longing is over because the scale is balanced...kind of!  Its getting easier plus Yara isn't so high maintenance that all newborns are.  She is a great sleeper.  On average at nights she gives us 4-6 hour stretches and its heaven.  Plus most nights she only wakes up once to feed.  She is a great eater.  She nurses on one side for about 15 minutes on average.  But when it comes to load up time, before bed, she nurses for a whole hour.  Of course a lot of it is stop and go because she is asleep.  But I keep her there because I know she will give us 4-6 hour stretches.  She does have a fussy time usually between 7-9pm but it doesn't last long.  She loves to suck on her arm but now I have introduced a blanket and a pacifier to her.  The paci isn't really working that well during the day but at nights when she wants to suck without getting milk it comes in handy.  Its a trial and error with kids.  Plus she would be the first in my family to take one so we will see.  We are still bathing her twice a week because of her skin issues but I think we might add another day to the mix to see if everything is okay.  She is a happy baby.  She will track you with her eyes if you come close to her.  And if you leave she will break her neck to follow you.  She lights up with smiles when her cousins are close.  Well in fact she smiles every easily.  She does like to sleep on her tummy, shame on me I know but she loves it, and one night I woke up with her on her back.  Sure enough that morning when I put her on her back for tummy/play time she was trying to roll from side to side.  So we will see what happens soon.  We got to the doctors on Monday for her 2 month check up so I will get back to you all about her weight, height, etc.  But for now she is wearing 3 month clothing and size 1 diapers.  She is long and lean because in the size 3 month clothing with feet she is stretching it out but doesn't fill out the legs/arms opening.  What a horrible problem to have, long and lean! LOL!  We love you Yara girl!

The Jefferson Collection by Richard Cruise

The Jefferson Collection from Richard Cruise

A Tulip Poplar II tree that once stood on the West Lawn on the grounds of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello could not be saved after many attempts in June of 2011.  The tree was taken down and for a whole year the Thomas Jefferson Foundation planned on how to distribute the tree to share the love of trees that Jefferson had with others.   The limbs of this tree were entrusted to different artisans by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation.  One of the artisans that was selected was Richard Cruise.

--Jefferson to Martha Randolph "I never before knew the full value of trees.  My house is entirely embossomed in high plane-trees, with good grass below; and under them I breakfast, dine, write, read, and receive my company.  what would I not give that trees planted nearest round the house at Monticello were full grown."

Well this year at the Fair I wanted to get a glimpse of the bowls that Richard Cruise would be making from the tree.  I never thought I would own one!  Sure enough I got there around 1pm on Saturday and the last one was mine!!!  There were only 30 bowls made of the limbs and I bought the last one; number 22!  I'm in love with it and so glad I have a piece of history!  A piece of wood that Thomas Jefferson himself planet year ago!

Yara in Pictures

Waterford

Waterford Fair weekend is the best thing ever in October (besides my older sister's birthday...love ya')!  It always falls on the first weekend of the month so you never forget it!  This year I went on Saturday with Romulo and the kids and then again on Sunday without any kids while the hubby watched them!  I love him! He knows how much I adore this fair and let me go and enjoy it by myself!  Heaven!  But I did miss my family and my head was with them while I walked the streets and looked at the vendors crafts.

Pictures to come and more on this fair later.  But for now the one room school house on 2nd street.  And the Jefferson Collection...love me some history!

End of September and Falling into October (Part 3)

Took Kau'e to the doctors on Friday, Oct 5th because I was pretty sure he had Hand, Foot, and Mouth disease, again!  Why at the end of summer beginning of fall? Because it can come at anytime! Yeah, fun for me!  It was crazy because it was worse than the one time before he had it!  But whatever I took it in strides! So he did a lot of sleeping, thankgoodness!

End of September and Falling into October (Part 2)

I had a birthday!  The 30th birthday, the year of the young years are over!  Just kidding!  30 wasn't too bad!  Feels weird to say I'm 30 but its true and i will embrace it.  It didn't feel much of a birthday because I had Yara's face to worry about and taking her to the doctors.  Plus, Romulo worked from 7am-midnight so I didn't see him much.  But I did feel bless to have the life I have and to have a family so close to share the day with even if it was short and uneventful!

But on Sunday the day before my Birthday I had a big family birthday dinner and I got my hair cut!  I needed it and I got 12+inches taken off.  Its amazing and I love it!

End of September and Falling into October (part 1)

Our little Yara is precious!  On my birthday, September 24th, Yara's face got really swollen and was red with bumps all over it.  I called the doctor and ended up going in later that afternoon to get her checked out. She was not having any other symptoms besides the redness around her eyes and the bags of water that were on her eye lids.  I mean she could barely open her eyes because of the pools of water.  After a million and 1 questions about what could be "new" to Yara the doctor told me to watch her closely for the next few hours/days and try to keep her as chemically clean as possible.   So, I went home washed all her clothes in sensitive All detergent, used unscented dryer sheets, washed her up in Cetaphil cleanser and lotioned her up in Cetaphil, rewashed some of my clothes, changed her sheet to her bed, and other stuff I can't remember now!  Finally by Thursday morning she started to clear up.  Our follow up visit was on Wednesday, Oct 3rd and by then there were no signs of this crazy flare up besides some small red bumps on her body.  (Yara was 10lbs 8oz at October 3rd appointment). And this is still from the reaction she had to whatever it was.  Doctor thinks she has really sensitive skin and didn't like one of the many things we were using on or around her.

Items we had used on Yara:
-Johnson and Johnson Head to Toe
-Aveeno Baby Wash
-Aveeno Oatmeal Ezcema Lotion
-Arm and Hammer Detergent
-All Detergent
-Bounce Dryer Sheet Linen scent
-Bounce Dryer Sheet Unscented
-Johnson and Johnson baby oil

These were the only things that we physically used on her.  If it was a reaction to my makeup, my lotion (which was only cetaphil or nivea), someones perfume (I haven't used any since she was born), or anything else she may have come in contact with we may never know what it is because who knows!  But if it was something from the list above we will know in a few months after things have calmed down and she is older and we could try introducing them back to her one by one.

But as of now I am just glad she is okay.  But we are to keep her cleaned as chemically free as possible and to bathe her 1-2 times a week!  And to let go of the craddle cap that can/could/will/whatever develop on her head.  We want to keep her naturally oils on her and not wash them away.  We can use Olive Oil on her head to help soften up any craddle cap that is there.  And we will be using Cetaphil lotion/cleanser on her when we do bathe her.

It was so sad and scary to watch your little one suffer and not have a clue to what was hurting her.  I'm just glad that was over and done with.

BTW, Kau'e was taken to the doctors for the redness and dryness around her eyes/eyelids and they too think it is ezcema.  We are to put cetaphil on his face/eyes multiple times a day and to only clean his eye area 2 times a week unless otherwise needed more.  Poor kid! (Kau'e at 39lbs)

Pictures of Poor Yara's face!