Monday, December 11, 2017

NINE MONTHS | 12-11-17

Hart Barnett Heeter
NINE MONTHS | 12-11-17

Likes:
feeding himself
Happy's eyebrows
iPad/phones
yeti
playing the drums
feeding Happy

Dislikes:
being fed with a spoon
being in the car in at night
baby food

Milestones:
first Thanksgiving + surviving another IL road trip 
modified army crawl
putting himself to sleep for each nap and bedtime
recognizing words have meaning (shouts "DA" for Jon, "puh" for Happ)
pointing to things he wants (mostly milk)
shaking head and whining when he doesn't want something
picking out just the food he wants from his dinner tray

Things we can't live without:
yeti!
toys
warm PJs

Looking forward to:
real crawling
saying words
standing up
Christmas!

EIGHT MONTHS | 11-11-17

Hart Barnett Heeter
EIGHT MONTHS | 11-11-17

Likes:
Happy
snuggles before bed
peek-a-boo
watching dad play guitar
saying mama all day

Dislikes:
strangers
taking three naps a day
when others don't share their food

Milestones:
giving kisses (only to mom)
holding himself up
doing things repeatedly that make others laugh
being less scared of and more shy with strangers
first Halloween - a skeleton!

Things we can't live without:
yeti
things to chew
things to bang together

Looking forward to:
crawling
saying words
Thanksgiving




Wednesday, October 11, 2017

SEVEN MONTHS | 10-11-17

Hart Barnett Heeter
SEVEN MONTHS | 10-11-17

Likes:
food!
climbing out of dock-a-tot
when dad gets home
Happy
teether toys

Dislikes:
peas
bananas
strangers

Milestones:
first flight
screaming for fun
sleeping in crib without dock-a-tot
falling asleep without help
pushing chest off floor during tummy time
confidently sitting
hard consonants (M, D, B)

Things we can't live without:
yeti
teether toys
footed pants (getting chilly here!)
space heater in his brisk nursery

Looking forward to:
getting on hands/knees
babbling
Halloween!

Mid-scream... basically all the time

My little fall baby

Monday, September 11, 2017

SIX MONTHS | 9-11-17

Hart Barnett Heeter
SIX MONTHS | 9-11-17

Likes:
peanut butter
broccoli
sweet potato
apple sauce
strawberries
sitting up
Yeti
peek-a-boo
laughing with mom and dad

Dislikes:
banana
blueberries
laying down all the time
trying to nap in the car

Milestones:
sitting up unassisted (but sometimes topples)
fake coughing
giving high fives
understanding some signs (milk, all done)
"walking" when someone holds him on his feet

Things we can't live without:
Yeti
bumbo
drool bibs

Looking forward to:
first "words"
sitting up confidently
more food!






Thursday, August 24, 2017

24 Weeks Old!

How old
23 weeks, 5 days

Sleep
Hart is definitely going through a developmental leap right now. He's on the cusp of rolling from back to belly AND sitting up, so we think that's what's disrupting his night sleep a bit. He's been restless in bed A LOT, which keeps us up. Some nights are much better than others, but we're pretty ready for him to go back to his stellar sleep. His naps are progressively getting back on track since taking away his pacifier so that's a relief!

Highs
On Saturday, we finally celebrated our anniversary! We went to the Denver Central Market and got tacos and pesto pasta and an ice cream flight. Yum. Hart had a difficult time, but was able to hunker down in the sling and nap a bit of it. 
Monday was really fun because Jon got a work-from-home day due to the eclipse. It was nice to just have an extra day to relax together. Plus we got to venture outside during the eclipse (which was Hart's nap time of course). It was crazy outside and it made me definitely want to travel to see a total eclipse next time.

Lows
This sleep thing is definitely hard. I haven't gotten more than two hours of sleep at a time, even if he's just awake for 15 minutes or I have to pump real quick. It's exhausting. Luckily he's still super smiley and happy all day long. That makes it a bit easier! It's also nice knowing it's a phase!

Eating
Hart LOVES food! His favorites right now are watermelon and sweet potato fries. He is not into banana, but gives it a solid try each time we hand him some. He's really taken to eating solids, and knows exactly how to pick up a fry and cram it in his mouth (and then chew like a monster until it all falls out). He's gained almost two pounds this past month (he only gained one pound in the last two months!), and is all about reaching for our plates. I'm loving it, and getting excited planning meals that the three of us can enjoy together. 

Milestones
At times, he can sit up unsupported! Then all of a sudden, he'll flop over. He can also hold up his weight on his feet, but also will just let his knees give out randomly so you gotta be holding on tight! He's just about ready to roll - getting closer every day - and has let out a "maaaaaaa!" when he's very upset (which I know has nothing to do with me, but we're getting there!). He can also effortlessly put the pacifier back in his mouth!

Looking forward to
We are housesitting again this weekend! I cannot wait! I love their house and their dogs, and it will be especially fun that Jon will be with me the whole time instead of last time when I was there alone a lot! It will be nice to have a little backyard so we can sunbathe while baby sleeps! Plus Happy will have a great time with his girlfriend, Hilde, and bestie, Ranger.


Friday, August 11, 2017

FIVE MONTHS | 8-11-17

Hart Barnett Heeter
FIVE MONTHS | 8-11-17

Likes:
sitting up
laughing with mom and dad
petting Happy
Yeti
eating everything
oatmeal
playing in the bath

Dislikes:
being put down in the crib
when mom is slow during feedings
napping without a pacifier

Milestones:
supported sitting
putting pacifier in mouth
smiling when someone else smiles
pterodactyl screech

Things we can't live without:
Yeti
bumbo seat
dock-a-tot

Looking forward to:
sitting up unassisted
babbling
trying more foods

Yeti & Hart

Monday, July 31, 2017

20 Weeks Old!


1.5 months vs 4.5 months
How old
20 weeks, 2 days

Sleep
Hart had a VERY hard time staying on schedule while we were in Illinois, but hopped right back into things the minute we got home. He's been napping like a champ (1 hour in the morning, 2 hours in the afternoon, 30 minutes in the evening), and his night sleep is still pretty consistently good. We're sleep training, so he is up occasionally at night, but we're doing out best to help him through it so that he can fall back to sleep on his own. Overall, he's still been doing great! Especially with our pacifier cold turkey experiment (see Lows).

Highs
Definitely being home and getting back into our rhythm. It was super fun to visit Illinois and our families, but it was a LONG time to be gone (combined with house sitting), and we were all desperate to get home. Hart has been in a much better mood, and is sleeping great. It's been nice to get back into cooking. I think we've finally got into a rhythm so that Jon and I can eat and still feed Hart before Hart's bedtime. Small victories!


Lows
Going cold turkey on the pacifier. Oh man, it was hard. Luckily for my sanity it only lasted one day. The reason why we decided was because he was up every 45 minutes Saturday night "needing" it back in his mouth. It became the only thing that could get him to sleep, so if he woke up he need it back in his mouth. Yesterday was very hard, with lots of tears from both Hart and me. Buuuut he slept AWESOME last night, went down for the night without a fight, and only woke two times and all he needed was Jon to put their hand on his chest and he went right back to sleep. And he just woke from an extra long morning nap! So the terrible, awful day that was yesterday was completely worth it. He's already sleeping way more soundly.
RIP paci
Memories with paci
Eating
He's still a rockstar eater, and loves his two time dose of oatmeal. Jon feeds him in the evenings and it's really fun to hear them chat and laugh as Hart eats :)

Milestones
Definitely a barely-supported sitter on our hands. If he gets his hands in the right spot, he can hold himself up! He's pretty grouchy unless he's sitting upright because the view is so much better! He also thinks it's hilarious when you stand him on his feet. We have some serious attempts at rolling back to belly, though that's mostly because he grabs his toes and rocks off balance. He's right on track for all his milestones, and is more and more social each day. He used to play alone for a portion of the day, and now he's not happy unless he sees your face. Which is neat, but exhausting!
New bonnet from grandma and totally killing it at tummy time
Hair?!
Looking forward to
There's a lot of fun things coming up. Our anniversary is in a few weeks, and we're planning some ice cream adventures and a possible overnight in the mountains. Jon may be working a trial in Grand Junction, and it might be a possibility for Hart and I to join him! That would be a fun getaway, mostly paid for by his firm. I'm just happy to be home. We recently weaned Hart off of his swaddle, sleep sack, and now pacifier. I'm excited for some relaxing days, finding rhythm in this new phase :)

Sunday, July 16, 2017

FOUR MONTHS | 7-11-17


Hart Barnett Heeter
FOUR MONTHS | 7-11-17

Likes:
sitting up
looking at a cute baby in the mirror
being worn facing out
tickles
chewing on anything/everything
books
pulling mom's hair
Pupper

Dislikes:
being cold after bath
being cradled like a little baby :(
16-hour car rides
sleeping in the same room as mom and dad
Happy's scream/bark

Milestones:
giggling
pulling to sit up
holding on to mom and dad
touching faces
pulling paci out of mouth (constantly)

Things we can't live without:
books
Pupper
paci
activity mat

Looking forward to:
sitting up on own
going in stroller without carseat 
babbling



Monday, June 26, 2017

15 Weeks Old!


How old
15 weeks

Sleep
Hart generally is still doing awesome on sleep. His naps are like clockwork - he seriously goes to bed within 10 minutes of the same time each day (8:30-9:30 and 12:00-2:00, with an afternoon catnap that is 30 minutes and he takes anywhere between 4:30-5:30). His night sleep is pretty awesome. Most of the time he's in his crib from 7:30pm - 7:00am. He has hit that wonderful 4 month sleep regression, but we've seem to found what works well enough for him - swaddled with one arm out, and popped in a sleep sack with a little bean bag on his chest. Lately he's been up from 3-5, just unable to fall asleep. We're experimenting with what works, and trying to help him form good habits at the same time. I'm still impressed with his sleep, and super thankful for big chunks of uninterrupted sleep.

Highs
Oh man, so much has happened since I last posted. I think my favorite thing we did was celebrate Father's Day in Fort Collins. I was pretty anxious about going since it's 1.5 hours without traffic and we wouldn't be driving during naps. Hart did freak on the way home, but cried himself into a deep sleep. Actually being in Fort Collins, though, was great! We actually spent all our time at Odell Brewery and did not regret it. They have a beautiful patio and it was the perfect day. We got to snuggle Hart in the sun, drink new beers, and eat delicious lobster mac and cheese from a local food truck. It was a good day to celebrate Jon and all he means to our family. 




Lows
I'm starting to get a little anxious about the drive to Illinois :( I'm excited to be there, but the getting there is less than desirable. I'm also a little worried about how it will be in terms of sharing our time between our families. We want everyone to see Hart and love on him, but we also want to enjoy ourselves and our time in Illinois while still visiting with friends and family. Oh, and throw in there keeping him on his schedule. I'm going to be very strict about his naps because that makes or breaks not only night sleep, but his mood for the following day. I want to have one place where he sleeps so that it's familiar. Plus he has a ton of sleepy essentials that would be a nightmare to drag around. Anyway, the trip will be awesome, I just hope that everyone is able to have grace with us as it's our first adventure with the babe!

Eating
Hart is doing awesome at eating still. Last time I said I wasn't pumping, but it really stressed me out not knowing if he was getting enough and not seeing the numbers on the scale go up. So he gets a morning bottle and an evening bottle of 6 ounces each, and then breastfeeds 3 times on top of that. He's definitely gaining weight, but I think it's all in his face! Poor guy might have inherited the "Herbert-fat-face," (Uncle Dustin feels me) but at least his multiple chins are adorable for now. He's also getting quicker at eating! He was eating for 30-45 minutes a few weeks ago, but now we're more around 20-30. He does a lot of snoozing while he eats, so it's also me being a little more diligent about poking him as he eats. 

Milestones
He rolled right before his 3 month birthday! He's also turning into quite the chatterbox. He's currently oohing and laughing at his birds behind me and having a blast. He's getting a ton more neck control, like able to lift his head independently of his body. He's also really working on rolling from back to belly, though I'm not quite encouraging that one! He also is showing interest in specific activities and might cry until he does those things. He often will fuss and cry on his activity mat an break into a huge smile once you lean over him. He's definitely a people-person, or at least a mom/dad-person :) He loves when you pretend to drop him, showing he's going to be quite the adventurer! I was pretending to drop him last night and his eyes would shoot open and then he'd realize I was holding him and he'd start laughing. We're practicing our sitting up skills, though the spine is still quite wobbly. And finally he's starting to bear his weight on his little legs! Only for a few seconds at a time, but it's something!



Looking forward to
House sitting starting tomorrow! I have been daydreaming about this for at least a month! Joe and Jen have a stunning house that is beautifully redone (exposed brick, natural wood, cast iron, edison bulbs) with a gorgeous fenced in yard for the dogs. We're bringing Hart's tub so we can have pool parties in the back yard. One of their dogs, Hilde, is super into Hart and sooooo much sweeter with him than Happy so that will be adorable. I'm just picturing watering their vegetable garden while Hart hangs in the shade in his dock a tot and the dogs lounge about. I told them repeatedly not to pay us because this is a true vacation for us. The bus takes Jon literally door to door, and his commute will probably be 10-15 minutes. It's going to be hard coming back to our apartment on the third floor!


Sunday, June 11, 2017

THREE MONTHS | 6-11-17


Hart Barnett Heeter
THREE MONTHS | 6-11-17

Likes:
mobile above bed
being on the changing table
tummy time
copying funny noises
playing on the activity mat
chewing hands
smacking stomach
sleeping
being woken up from naps

Dislikes:
being laid in the crib
getting bored
staying swaddled all night
pool time (for now!)

Milestones:
rolling over
chuckling (not quite a giggle)
copying sounds/noises

Things we can't live without:
dock-a-tot
tank top onesies
bear bonnet
homemade mobile
owl sound machine/nightlight/star projector

Looking forward to
giggling
liking the pool
sitting up



Saturday, June 3, 2017

12 Weeks Old!


3 weeks vs 12 weeks

How old
12 weeks

Sleep
Still doing awesome! Hart averages around 10-11 hours a night! He has been getting up earlier and we think it's because it's so bright in his room. We have some room darkening shades we're gonna put up this weekend to hopefully remedy this! He is also all over the place for naps. Some days he naps around 3 hours total, some days about an hour. Luckily it doesn't change his night sleep much.

Highs
Having Jon's family here was really fun! We did a lot, and relaxed! We ate a lot of good food, watched some tv, and did some shopping! Nana and poppy took advantage of the outlet mall and really spoiled Hart with clothes for 6-9 months. He's going to be so fashionable! We also got to go to Breckenridge Brewery again, and Hart was a superstar like last time!

Jon and I had a couple fun dates this week. We did a picnic after work on Wednesday at Genevieve's favorite CO park. We had sandwiches, watermelon, chips, and angel food cake with fruit and cream. YUM! Hart snoozed a lot of it, but also hung out in the shade and oohed at the sky.

 Hart and I met Jon for lunch on Thursday and we went to a placed called Avanti. It's a big building that they converted to a bar, multiple restaurants, and a generally awesome hang out spot. You can even get food and walk down the road to a brewery! Jon and I tried arepas for the first time and they were so good. We also got tiramisu for dessert. 
Helping dad with some work
Today we had to go downtown to get Jon's stuff from work, and we walked around Denver for a bit. It was super fun, and we even found a chalk art contest! It was pretty intense. When we got home, we got ready for Hart's first pool experience! He really didn't mind dipping his toes in the water, but once his booty (and other bits) got wet, he was pretty done. We had a nice little bath, and are relaxing now!


Lows
This isn't a low for me, but there have been tons of thunderstorms the past few weeks and Happy is miserable. He is very stressed, hides in corners, and follows you around like a shadow. Poor little pup. Luckily, the rest of us have been pretty good!

Eating
Hart is still eating well and consistently. He's not gaining a ton of weight, which worries me, but he is gaining length. He also has tons of wet diapers, so I know he's getting enough food. It's a little discouraging to see the number on the scale stay the same, but he's happy, sleeps well, eats often, and is overall doing great. I'm trying not to obsess over it, but I usually ask Jon each morning or night to weigh Hart. He had moved to eating every 4 hours, and then going 12 hours at night. Since he's not gaining weight, I'm trying to move him to every 3 hours to see if that changes things. He doesn't really let us know when he's hungry, so that makes things difficult. He's almost too relaxed!

Milestones
No huge ones the past few weeks, but he's definitely trying to impersonate our sounds more and more. He loves when I roll my r's at him, and it's really precious to see him trying to do it back. He's starting to repeat vowels, which is really neat. I've been trying to teach him how to roll over, but he's more interested in holding his head up for now. 
One thing we noticed is that he's now starting to cry when he wants to play with us! He used to cry if he needed food, changing, or sleep, but now he cries to get our attention. Hart also is starting to get quite chatty! It's real fun to hear his little voice, especially during story time! He loves to chime in. 

Looking forward to
This next week being over! Jon will be on trial this week, which means he'll be working extra hard, and extra long. It's rough when he has to work so hard and barely gets any time at home. It will be nice when the weekend comes! We're also finalizing Father's Day plans and I'm getting very excited. We're going to go to Fort Collins for the first time, so that will be quite the adventure!
Thanks for the homemade bonnet, grandma! We get asked where others can buy them!