Roly Poly!

So Addison has been trying for a bout a month to turn over. I never knew that it was such a hard thing to do until I started observing her. It is funny the things we take for granted. I never thought about the fact that so many things were so hard to do! Walking, swallowing, turning over, grabbing things, crawling, etc. The list could go on forever. Anyways, on Saturday Addison finally achieved her goal. She rolled over! I took a video of it (with my phone since it was the closest thing to grab). Take a look and share in our joy!


Now, I just need to get her to stop trying to roll over in the bathtub (and when I'm changing her diaper or her clothes). Next, crawling or flipping from tummy to back.

Reading Is Fundamental!

R.I.F was a HUGE thing back in Iowa. I don't know if that is a country wide program but each year they would have a R.I.F. Day where you would get to choose a free book. Anyways, That really has nothing to do with this post except for me describing the title. Really random.

So, today I took a trip to my local library. I talked to the children's librarian about some pointers on reading with infants because I really want to instill a love of reading in Addison. So many people just sit their children in front of electronic entertainment. That's fine and good but in moderation.

Well, after my talk with the librarian I set to work on picking out some books. Let me tell you, it's not easy. Here is what she advised:

• Babies like pictures of other babies so pick books with pictures of babies
• Get a story book without words and just point out things on the page like trees, sky, dog, baby, etc
• Get a book with just a few words on each page to keep the baby engaged
• Make sure the book has BRIGHT BOLD colors to attract the baby's attention.

Well, I guess she knew what she was talking about because Addison LOVES the books I picked out. I got a lot of board books that had pictures of babies from around the world in them (unfortunately there were no pictures of babies from Papua New Guinea). Here is her reaction to them:



For some reason I think this picture is SO cute...idk.

Food Please!

A month ago Addison started becoming really interested in our food. I was hesitant to start her on solids because she just seemed so young to me. That hesitation lasted until we were in Washington for my cousin's wedding. I gave her a tiny bit of cake and she LOVED it. I tried her on rice cereal and it just wasn't working for her. Then, yesterday, I decided to have another go at it. Well, as it turns out, a few weeks can make a HUGE difference in a baby's development because she took to rice cereal like a fish to water. She LOVES it. I started her off with rice cereal mixed with gerber 1st starts apple sauce and a little bit of warm water to thin it out and warm it up. Our first attempt was a complete mess but a lot of fun. Of course, afterward a bath was in order as she had it EVERYWHERE. Here are a few pictures and a video from our experience:

I guess we'll have to teach her how to eat with her mouth closed...

"This is really great stuff Mom!"
Addison likes to eat it with her hands in her mouth...we tried to have her NOT do that today as it made a HUGE mess.



After our first experience, we learned to take Addison's clothes off and have her just eat in her diaper as it is really hard to get her in the bath when everything and everybody is covered in rice cereal.

By the way, I KNOW that you will all be skeptical of me until I get a video of this but Addison has said her first word! She says Hi. She said it to me the other day and my mom and Ralph can be witnesses to it. I thought it was a fluke or one time thing BUT today, at church, a person came up to her and said, "Hi Addison!" and Addison promptly said "Hi" back. That was the only noise she made at the time and the person was like, "Did she just say hi to me?!" So, that has been really exciting. It is still really sporadic but she has said it!

4 Month Update

On Monday, September 6, 2010 Addison turned 4 months old. It was a good day that was spent with family. My Grandma (my mom's mom) was visiting which made it even better. I took a 4 generation picture which she will love to have one day. Also, I made sure to get a picture of Addison and her Great-Grandma Ingersoll. Unfortunately, she was so fascinated with her toes that she wouldn't look up so the picture is of her with her great grandma and the top of her head. Oh well...that's life.
This is the four generation shot.Addison and her Great-Grandma Ingersoll.


Today she went in for her 4 month appointment. Here are her stats:

Height: 26 1/4" (95%)
Weight 16lbs 4 oz (95%)
Head: 42.2 Cm (80%)

Addison is growing like a weed and that is wonderful! I hope she is nice and tall. Here is a picture I took yesterday of her:
She is so big and I can HARDLY believe it! I love it!

On another note, the dentist has been a very popular place for us to frequent lately. Ralph has had to have 4 extractions, a teeth cleaning, and 4 cavities filled. Growing up in Papua New Guinea teeth care was not that important. So the trips to the dentist have been needed. Here he is with his brand new smile:
We were SO fortunate that my Grandma Whitmore funded this whole project. He was in desperate need for it. On a horrible note, I got my teeth cleaned and found out that I have TWO cavities. Not good. I am having them filled next week. I'm SUPER nervous because these are only my 2nd and 3rd cavities EVER. Apparently there is an old wives tale that says have a baby and loose a tooth (well now it is have a baby and get a cavity). The dentist said that I'm lucky that I only had 2 cavities with the amount of throwing up I had.

Oh...one more thing that I don't think I've mentioned on here yet...RALPH GOT HIS GREEN CARD!! No more worries as he is basically a citizen (without the right to vote and he can be deported if they have just cause). Anyways, that is the update for our family!

Yay for me!

Donning a graduation cap and gown I am not but graduating tomorrow (for real this time) I am! I am so very excited about this. They kept telling me that they had to check things out but that I probably wouldn't be graduating but then I figured out what was wrong and it is all cleared up now. I can not wait to receive my actual degree and put it in my red BYU Hawaii degree holder. This is truly a blessing and a GIANT leap forward in our lives.