A Few Goodmans: January 2014

What a fun, action-packed month! Everyone's happy and growing. Get ready for a long one folks! We've been busy!

Growth:
Jonah is still our little dude! Our scale says he is 28 pounds.

Tessa will get weighed and measured next Friday. For now, I will tell you this: her rolls have rolls, her cheeks are full and kissable, and we get a good workout carrying her around! She can wear anything from 3-6 M to 9 M clothing. Based on our estimations with the home scale, she weighs about 18 pounds. Best part, is she and Jonah can wear the same diapers now.

She's much bigger than Samantha now!

How she sized up to Samantha at 1 month

Looking bigger in the 3M pajamas we photographed her in at 1month

As she looked in them at 1 month

Sleep:
Jonah is back to giving us some grief at nap time and some at bedtime, but we just discovered a new trick. We sit in the lap of the big polar bear cousin Corey bought him and Jonah rocks ducky while one of us rocks Tessa and we all read books and sing songs.

Tessa has gone from 4 naps to 3 and the long mid-day nap isn't as long. At night, there have been some tough times, but she transitioned well to the sleep sack. We hit a bump in the road with teething. She started waking once and twice a night and got back into the habit of nursing at night. With some wonderful guidance from a family friend who is a pediatric NP, we have been trying a modified Ferber method at night to teach her to soothe herself. Julian has been the late night champ, going in and out of her room for up to an hour until she is asleep. We are praying we see some good results soon!

Eating:
Jonah dropped the candy habit, which only lasted about a week, and is back to preferring "apricotraisinpruneanddates!" He has been getting a bit wiggly in his seat now that he's in the booster, but he is still eating good meals.

Jonah learned to butter bread

He had a ball prepping cauliflower with a knife

Proud of his preparation

Jonah has started sitting at the kitchen counter sometimes

All done at the table and trying to take Mimi with him

Tessa has been nursing a little around 6 am, 9, 12, 3, 6 and 9. That's all good and well, but the big deal has been starting solids! We had a strong feeling she was going to love learning what was waiting for her at the end of the spoon; she has been staring longingly at each bite and sip we take. Right after (and I mean right after!) we got home from vacation, we sat her down in the high chair for her big debut. We loaded the spoon with a breast milk and rice cereal mixture, Jonah squealed with delight, Tessa's eyes widened, and she opened her mouth for a taste. From her reaction to the first few bites, it looked like she was confused and perhaps a little grossed out. By the third or fourth bite, she started flapping her arms, kicking her legs, making happy noises, and going for it! She has now tried and enjoyed rice cereal, carrots, sweet potatoes, and peas. Jonah adores cooking for her and feeding her; he does a good job of both!

More!

Tessa's first time eating at Whole Foods

Shabbat

Personality:
Jonah certainly never gets bored; he always has an idea of what he wants to play with. Lately, that's trains, puzzles, Tessa, books, listening to and dancing to music, and playing instruments. He's going through a phase where he likes to boss Alton around. He is so good at keeping himself busy while Tessa needs attention but also loves playing with us or other friends or family. We can spend the whole day at home or go out and about; he's happy either way. When we do go out, he has especially been enjoying story time at the library downtown, play group at the synagogue, or play dates with friends. He seems so grateful to have his sister and doesn't tire of hugging, patting, talking to, singing to, playing with, and entertaining Tessa.

Jonah really looks forward to haircuts

He loves making a "train" in Tessa's room

He can't get enough Tessa hugs!!

Puzzles and snuggles

Nursing Ducky

...and burping Ducky

Morning snuggles. "Tessa's being edamame"

Checking out the snow

Tessa is also very easily entertained; she enjoys pretty much anything she can hold and put in her mouth. We see her taking in everything around her, responding to faces with a smile or a laugh, studying toys and shaking them, and making noises both very high and low and zombie-like. She's up for whatever, whether she's being carted along to drop Jonah off and hang out in the babysitting room while Mommy exercises, flopping around on a play mat, grocery shopping, sitting in her play seat, taking a bath, getting changed (many time a day!), or being held. She has started to laugh when you kiss or tickle her tummy or neck.

Books with Grandma while Tessa plays in her play chair

Milestones:
Jonah got his first pair of scissors and is very excited to be using them along with a glue stick. He keeps getting better at puzzles and can assemble a 36-pc puzzle independently. He doesn't do anything productive on the potty but read; he has started to identify some words in Hop on Pop by sight. If you point to letters, he will tell you what they are and the sounds they make. He can also tell you what letter he hears at the start of a lot of words.

Tessa now flails all limbs, not just the right. She varies the pitch of her voice. At exactly 6 months, she sits for a few seconds without being supported. The rolling took a back-step after not getting much tummy time on vacation, but she's got it back. She has started spending time in the exersaucer but her feet barely touch the bottom. She got 2 bottom teeth that are all the way in and cute as can be. She also started putting her toes in her mouth.

First sit!!!!

Second sit!

Not where I left her. Hm.

Events: Whew, this is a long list this month! . . .

We took a cruise on the Disney Magic with Mimi and Poppy. It was amazing. We highly recommend a Disney cruise for all ages; we all had a ball!

Snacking in the stateroom after we embarked

A baby and an animal towel

Jonah thought the verandah was the boat and the rest was not.
It was a lot to wrap his head around.

The ship had a splash pad and Jonah was in love with Huey, Dewey, and Louie

Watching her first Disney movie!

Gazing at Sleeping Beauty and snuggling a washcloth

Dinner at The Animator's Palate. The walls come to life as you eat. It's magical!

Loving some cous cous!

Mickey sprinkles on his ice cream!

Tendering to Grand Cayman

Splash pad on the beach in Cozumel

My beauty, the Belle, with Belle

Jonah couldn't get enough of the elevators

A wonderful gingerbread house on the ship

Jonah waited in a long line to meet Goofy. He was so excited until the last minute when he hid behind a bench. Goofy must have thought Jonah wanted to play hide and seek, so he jumped out at him. He screamed, cried, and ran away. We comforted him...but not until capturing the moment on camera. Now when he talks about it, he laughs.

Jonah and Daddy running on the promenade deck

They had an AMAZING Toy Story play room on the ship

"Where's the buffet??"

Ever since the Ohio State Fair, Jonah has been talking about the horse-drawn carriages he saw there. At Easton, they were offering rides around the holidays. Mimi and Poppy treated us to a trot around in one and Jonah was happy.

We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas with Mimi and Poppy. Jonah came to understand the idea of Santa Claus and was happy to bake him cookies and leave them on the mantel. Come Christmas morning, he enjoyed an indulgent breakfast and delighted at the contents at his stocking. We all relaxed and enjoyed the day together.

Loving a croissant

This is how Jonah dragged Tessa into the living room to see if Santa came

Tessa's first stocking

And then he dragged her around on this

Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Larry hosted the family for a (belated) Chanukah party. Jonah got to play with is cousins, and Tessa got lots of snuggles.

We celebrated New Year's Eve at home and we were happy that Mimi and Poppy joined us. We all cooked together and had a seafood feast.

Jonah discovered and loved crab legs. He has been asking for them again. And flamingo legs! Haha.

Giant pretzel, aka, phone

Naked New Years baby!

Mommy's midnight kisses

Long-standing tradition of New Year's Day at the Smiths' house

We were so happy that Grandma and Grandpa were able to make a trip, avoiding snowstorms and bitter cold. The kids are always so happy to play with them!