2012!!?

It's 2012 already!?? Holy cow how time flies! Where does it all go! I am finally going to make myself sit down and catch up on the last month since the last post; at least through the New Year! It is unbelieveable how much our little girl has changed in one month...let alone 5 of them!! It is a bittersweet feeling to think that our baby is already 5 months old and so many times we ask each other how did that much time pass already! So what has happened in a month??

Alivia had her 4 month check up on December 19th where she got rave reviews from her pediatrician, Dr. Cooperrider. She weighed in at 16 lbs, 5 oz (94%) and measured at 26 1/2 inches (99%) with a head circumference of 17 inches (94%). She continues to grow like a weed and Mommy has had to pack up all clothes that are less than 6 months and even some that are 6 months proceeding into 6-9 month and 9 month outfits!! She got the okay to start on cereal at her 4 month check up which she has thrived at as well as a few experiments with a fruit and veggie here and there! Her vaccinations did not go as well as the first time but she still did okay with them with only a low grade fever and little bit of fussiness. Nothing a little TLC didn't take care of!

We finished up the holidays and enjoyed celebrating Liv's first Christmas! Christmas Eve was at Aunt Jenny & Uncle Brandon's where we celebrated with all of the Kern Family. We then returned home and awaited Santa's visit, woke up at home to open our presents as a family and continued our travels down to Nana and Papa's house to celebrate with the Lint Family. So many people helped make the Holiday incredibly special for her! She was certainly treated very well in the overabundance of gifts in which I just finally put the last box away!! We will wrap up the final of the "Christmas" celebrations with an overnight at the waterpark in Des Moines with the Lint Family for a combination of Christmas and Cousin Ashleigh's 8th birthday this coming weekend. This will be Alivia's first experience in "big" water and we hope that she likes it as much as her baths!! This will allow us to do lots of boating with her Cousin Brady as he is hoping this summer! : )

Milestones since our last post...I believe I mentioned Miss Alivia was rolling from her back to her stomach (which I have been told a number of times is "backwards" from most babies) and after many tantrums and getting upset, she finally figured out the tummy to back rolling in the last week or so and has become quite the pro at rolling. We have also noticed that she has managed to learn to spin herself in complete circles as we will put her on part of the floor and she will end up in a completely different direction and opposite side of the floor by the time we turn around. So this goes without saying that it is now time to start child proofing the house and keeping a close eye on what she is doing!! As mentioned, we have experimented on some foods. Cereal was the first with a couple of fruits and veggies here and there. She is touch and go on whether she wants it from one day to the next but obviously there is no hurry but more practice than anything at this point. What else? She is very engrossed in her "piggies" in the last couple of weeks as she tries to figure out how to get them to her mouth. She is laughing more and more and we have found a number of ticklish spots including her back, her tummy, under her arm pits and under her butt cheeks (just like her Cousin Ashleigh!) : ) She is developing more and more of a personality and brightens our day, no matter how terrible it has been, when we walk in the room, say "peanut" and she stops in her tracks, looks our way and gives us the brightest grin ever! There is no day bad enough for that smile not to wash it all away!

Then came 2012!! We rang in Alivia's first New Year together, as a family, at Aunt Jenny and Uncle Brandon's. Although she slept right through it all, we are anxious to start a new and exciting year with our precious little girl! We love you peanut and can't wait to start another year with you as we watch you grow and develop!

Happy New Year!!