Mia's walking :):)

Hi everone,

I have not posted in so long it's ridiculous!! Sorry!

Mia started taking her first steps on January 20th, 2009. She walked a few feet at a time. Then, on February 4th, like magic, she started really going!! It was like night and day. I was at my mother in law's house and she just started having the courage to walk a lot more! I couldn't believe it. She was getting quite fast at the walking thing by Valentine's Day. So this is how it all worked out. Now she is quite good and rarely falls. She walks all the time instead of crawling. She never does this anymore!

We have a little problem with constipation from time to time, so I now put some mineral oil in her bottle everyday. It gets bad that she is crying from the discomfort and there is a tinge of blood in her stool. I have to help her along with a thermometer to break it up as she pushes. It KILLS me to see her in pain, but it is not too often and I have mastered how to help her. If I don't give her the mineral oil, I notice it gets bad again. I constantly give her fruit, which she loves, and other high fiber foods.

She had her flu shots and now they are giving the shots in her arms because she is walking.

Anyway, she is doing great overall. She is CONSTANTLY making us laugh and smile and I am enjoying her more and more and more. She makes this "face" that is hysterical. She started about 2 weeks ago. She was just experimenting I guess with her facial muscles and I laughed at one of her expressions, and now, of course, she does it all the time. All I have to say is "Mia, do the face " -there it is and I'm cracking up of course!!

I'll post some pics of her in the next few days. I just put her down for a nap and want to get some things done!! One more thing, she sleeps like a champ now. We put her down awake. She cries but as soon as we leave the room, she stops. She sleeps from generally 8pm to 7-8am. It's fantastic. She's really a super good girl and I love her more and more everyday if that's possible!!

Love,
The Bellomos

Many Updates!!!!!!!!!

Ok, I am FINALLY having some time to get caught up here! My parents were here yesterday and stole Mia last night so I could have some time to catch up on many things! This being one of them! Ok, so I have posted MANY pics with this post. I have a CRAZY end of December as you probabaly can figure out. In 2 weeks, I had Christmas, and Mia's birthday and then New Years. We had a party for her on the 28th of December, the day before her actual birthday. It was so just crazy after Christmas that I had absolutely no down time.

Mia had a super Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We went to Giacomo's aunt's house for the eve, and went to my inlaws for the day along with my parents. It was so nice of course to finally show Mia how magical Christmas is!!! Her First Birthday went well too. We had about 30 people at our house. I have to say, I'm happy we did not invite more, it was just enough! It was so much fun and Mia played with all the kids down in the basement the entire time. She even ripped her tights she had so much fun! We kept her actual birthday very quiet. It was just Giacomo and I and our Mia, which was perfect. We gave her another piece of her cake which she didn't complain about. Then for New Years, which was very quiet as well, (guess this is what happens in the world of parenthood), we went to my inlaws and celebrated with them and Giacomo's aunt and uncle. It was so funny, Mia went to sleep, I guess it was 9ish and then woke up about 11pm. She didn't want to go back to sleep! My daughter does not want to miss a good time! It's in her blood...wonder where she gets that from?? LOL. She helped us ring in 2009. It was so great! My little diva!! As you can see from the pics, I included all of these festive events. I was so behind with the photos!

As for Mia's growth, she sure is getting big! I just had her 1 year well visit on Monday, January 12th! Everything is on track. Her stats are : Height- 28.75 inches, weight 22 lbs. 14 oz and head circ. - 19.25 She is in like the 80th %ile for weight..my chubber!, and in the 40th %ile for height. No surprise there that she dropped a bit in the height department! The funny thing I must add, when they measured her head, I believe the Dr. was surprised. Mia's head is the only thing that is large!!! She measured my head and then had me measures Giacomo's when I was home. It's the joke inside the Bellomo house that everyone has a fat head. Anyway, I called in Giacomo's head measurement to the Dr. They are going to note it. The dr. just wanted to be sure it is hereditary. She was not concerened at all. I'll hear what they have to say at her next visit. Anyway, onto the shots...my poor Mia had to get 4 shots! I was so upset and so was she obviously. This is the most she has received in one sitting. I used to split up her 4 shot sessions into 2 and 2. I feel better now that she is bigger. I was strong and went for it. She cried needless to say and was sobbing a bit afterwards. The sobbing KILLS me..but I tried my best to distract afterwards and she was ok.

She is ALMOST walking. I believe it will be anywhere from 1-2 weeks away. My parents were here are we all witnessed her take one step very quickly from a toy I bought her for xmas which helps her learn to walk. She moved to the couch. I guess we can consider this her "first steps". She uses this little toy and walks down the halls, etc. It is the cutest thing!!! She just started feeling comfortable with it last week, about January 8th. We gave it to her for Christmas. She cruises all around the furniture of course. It is really going to be soon. I'm so excited. It's SO AMAZING to see all these changes!!!! The amazement has never gone away the whole year!!!!

What else, oh, she just cut her 5th tooth! I think I am behind telling you this. She just cut her second front tooth! On the bottom she has 3, her 2 front ones and on to the right.

We have been giving her half formula and half whole milk the past 2 weeks. We are finishing up our last can of Similac Alimentum right now! It's almost done! YEAHHHHHHH!! No more of that yucky smell, although Giacomo and I have gotten quite usesd to it!! lol. Also Mia is taking a lot of table food now. Pretty much whatever we are eating, as long as I can break it small and it is relatively soft, she gets it. She really seems to prefer table food more than the jarred baby food. Can you blame her? Although, we still do give her stage 2 and 3. We mix it up. If I make her table food that fills her, then obviously, I don't give her jarred food. I made her pastina with chicken broth and ricotta the other day and boy, did she LOVE IT! She make a "mmmmmm" sound whenever she is eating good home cooked table food. We all get such a kick out of it.

I also started her just her just yesterday on liquid multivitamins from the Dr. She seemed to love them. I put the dropper right in her mouth. I am going to try and use sippy cups most of the time now. Although we do give bottles. I haven't been strict at all, but now I think we should really stick to just sippy cups during the day and I'll be ok with a morning and night bottle. I think 12 months is a bit too early to take them off the bottle completely. Although, she really likes the sippy cup, so maybe I'll just try, one day, to just give sippy cups.

Anyway, I have so much to do...I have been busy putting Mia's year of pics in albums I received from her baby shower. I have this very special baby book I have been filling out since before she was born and it's turning out so nice.

I'm gonna run. Hopefully with the next post, I'll put some video's of her so you can see her in action! We have her walking down the hall with her push cart! It's TOO CUTE!

Talk to you soon!

The Bellomos