Waving bye bye

Allyssa now waves bye bye to her daddy when he goes to work.

Today I got a phone call from my insurance company's watch dogs who are trying to make sure everyone is skinny. That's right; they told me I need to be in their weight loss program! I told them that I do not need to be in their weight loss program. I am skinnier today than I was when I graduated high school. Just because I had preeclampsia my health insurance company decided that I'm fat. Well, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, you are stupid; go pick on someone who really does have health problems and leave me alone! Calling me fat! That ticks me off. What are you going to do next, call the anorexic girl and tell her to go on a diet because her blood pressure isn't right either!? Maybe before you suggest that I should be in your weight loss program you should ask how much I weigh!

Allyssa's First Steps

After Allyssa's after lunch nap today she didn't cry for me to pick her up right away, so I turned her light on and let her play in her crib. David and I watched her a little while before he had to go back to work. Then, I sat her up in her crib and she pulled herself to standing using her crib toy. Then she took a step towards the railing on the length of the crib (the toy is at one end). Then she followed me as I walked to the other end of the crib. She faultered a little because she took her hand off the railing, but I just put it back on the railing, and she kept on going. She walked all the way by herself. We've got a cruising baby!!

Allyssa's new skills

This past week Allyssa learned how to manipulate her tongue to make a "kch" noise. She also will pick up her doll and slobber all over it when you say, "Kiss the baby!"

Shoes

I sold my first pair of shoes. The lady gave them to her grandson who is just over one year. He loves them so much that he refuses to take them off. He cried when his grandma put him in the highchair for breakfast because he wanted to walk! She said that she should have bought the next size bigger because they are only going to fit for a couple of weeks, so she's going to buy another pair!

Allyssa working in the garden

Sleepy Baby

My new job

Yeah, that's right. I am selling baby shoes, sizes 3-8. I decided to do this as a way to meet moms, and I thought it would be fun. Allyssa will by my sales girl once she starts walking and squeaking (they are squeaky shoes), so for now business will probably be slow. Here is a picture of some of the larger shoes. I'm so excited!!

Jan. 25th

Allyssa likes to wave our hands for us. Here she snuggles Daddy's hand to her face.

Jan 25th

Allyssa loves her new play mats because now she can cook with Mommy in the kitchen! We made cookies!

Jan 24th

Fun in the Box - Jan 23rd

Mommy and Allyssa

Grandma made matching pants for us and for Sarah and Cali and Rachel and Tayten. Okay girls, let's see yours!!

Rainy Days and Aiti

Allyssa loves Aiti so much! It was rainy and cold for a few days, so I didn't want to take Allyssa out at all, so we brought Aiti in (that is very special for Aiti). Though I didn't capture it in any of the pictures Allyssa was more than tickled by Aiti. She would lunge out of David's and my arms. It was so funny to watch her. Aiti is so good to her and will let Allyssa pet her and even grab her mouth if Allyssa happens to do that.

Sleepy Dog

This dog was Michael's and somehow wound up at my house in Allyssa's bedroom. She chose it to be her sleepy dog. She wants itwhen she is getting ready for a nap and when she wakes up.

Update

Just thought I'd post a little update for those of you who've been asking me questions. Allyssa isn't do anything "new," but she is getting better at lots of things. She loves to try to pull herself to standing from sitting. She also likes to put her little bottom in the air when she is attempting to crawl. I hear that that means she's getting closer to crawling. For those of you who have been asking about her sleeping she still wakes up in the night - at least twice. We figure she will until she is at least a toddler, so we've just decided to be fine with that. She's so cute who wouldn't want to get up in the middle of the night to see her anyway? As for naps, still 3 that last 20 min each. She is very active during the day and doesn't want to miss a thing. She doesn't want to be out of anyone's sight and she wants to be in whatever everyone else is in, so mainly we play with her on the floor. By the way, Allyssa's blocks have been confiscated by her Mommy and Daddy who love to spell words with them. She is about 17 1/2 pounds and growing every day. She's eating a wide variety of food that now includes meat. Still has a toothless grin, but she drools a lot! Yesterday her drool fell on the dog's whiskers. Aiti was very perplexed and had trouble trying to lick it off. It was really funny.

Jan. 14th

Daddy was playing with Allyssa, and she did this to herself. She pulled the box over and got under it to play in it.

All that's left of her TB testing

Tuberculosis

Monday we went in to get a skin test for Allyssa to see if she had the TB germ and if treatment needed to be continued (as you recall, she was being treated for TB for the last 2 months). Today we went in to get it read. Negative. She never even had the stupid germ. It makes me so mad. She had to be tested twice, take a pill every day crushed up in her food, and go to see the Health Dept. for check-ups several times. How many naps did they ruin? Several. Today she took a nap on the way home from the Health Dept. She slept 15 min. She won't nap again until after lunch. How many days did they make me worry? Too many. Stupid TB. Stupid hospital. Stupid NICU. Stupid Health Dept.

New things Allyssa has learned this month

Jan. 3rd - Allyssa discovered her hair. She pets her head a lot these days. So cute!
Jan. 14th - Allyssa discovered her ear. She pulls on it.
Jan. 14th - Allyssa figured out that I whistle the same tune that her bug is singing. She looked at the bug, and then at me, and then at the bug, and then at me, and then she smiled!! She thought that was great, and it kept her entertained for a good while.

Jan 15th

Allyssa has been very interested in sneezes as of late. Today after I sneezed Allyssa said, "AHHHH POO!" Then, she smiled. Then, she sneezed for real.

Jan. 5th

Allyssa giving Mommy a kiss

Allyssa likes to sit in her crib and she tries to pull herself to standing. She can't do it in the crib, but she can do it on the floor.

Jan. 4th - Wildlife Refuge

Aligator!!

Allyssa with Grandpa - Jan. 4th

Jan. 4th - Daddy and Allyssa

Jan. 4th - Wildlife Refuge

Here are some havalinas, green jays (this is the bird that I thought was yellow with a blue head several posts back), cardinals, and I forgot the name of the other.

Allyssa with Grandma - Jan. 3rd