Stella's 12th Month

Wow, is it really time to write this already?  Where did the year go?  This was Stella's last month of her first year, but it was definitely an eventful one!  From the the beginning of the month to her birthday party, we had a lot to fit into this month before it was over.

 




To start the month, we had Grandpa's birthday!  It was a small celebration dinner at our house, but it gave Stella a chance to see what she had to look forward to in about a month.  After the dinner, Grandpa and Nonna headed off to Catalina to celebrate the birthday with Stella's aunt, my sister Samantha.  While they were gone, we volunteered to doggy-sit my parents' dog, Trigger.  Trigger and Stella spend a lot of time together already, so they are old pals.  Stella is a HUGE fan of dogs in general, so she thoroughly enjoyed having two dogs to play with in her house.

After having a long weekend with Trigger having a bit of anxiety missing his parents, we were looking forward to having a quiet weekend following.  Unfortunately, Stella had different plans.  We spent a pretty relaxing day getting the house back in order, but after we put Stella to bed, we heard a little cough followed by some pretty serious crying.  Stella had thrown up in bed, and she would continue to throw up late into the night.  We had never experienced Stella throwing up before, so it was a rather sad evening.  Between the two of us, I would have to say that Steve handled it like a pro!  He was totally in charge and such the Dad the whole time.  Stella didn't get much of a fever, so it was just a lot of cuddling and TLC until she fell asleep.

Luckily, Stella woke up the next day as if nothing ever happened.  She was in for a boring few days though because her diet would be all water and bread until we fully tested her stomach.  She had the pleasure of a bread, Cheerio, and pasta diet until we finally introduced applesauce.  Besides the bland diet, you would never know this kid had been sick!  She was running around, climbing stairs, and singing to anyone who would listen.

The weather here finally officially turned into fall, so we had to do a drastic clothing change for Stella.  Even though she gets warm easily, like her daddy, she was still spending a lot of time outside.  Thankfully, after much work we had finally got Stella to wear shoes, and just in the nick of time!  After a summer of being barefoot, it took a few weeks to get her to wear them for more than a few minutes.  But, our outside girl needed shoes if she wanted to play in the new weather.  It is probably our favorite time of year because it really is beautiful here in Reno, and because there is such much to do this time of year.  It's also one of the best times of the year for sports, so if our TV is on, it's either football or baseball (and even a little golf for Steve).

Speaking of sports, Stella got a little insight into the lovely UNLV and UNR rivalry this year.  Ever since I moved back to Reno, my dad and I have made a point of watching the game together.  Being the only member of my family to graduate from UNLV, it's a day where I get to continuously explain why going to UNLV was the best decision I ever made... and why I am looking forward to basketball season ;).  I could care less where Stella ends up going to school, but what can I say, the girl looks amazing in scarlet and gray!

The weekend following our football game, we had another yearly tradition to introduce Stella to- Apple Hill!  My family has been going to Apple Hill in the fall ever since I can remember, and it was time for Stella to take her first trip.  The drive is almost to Sacramento, but it's definitely worth the short trip!  They have countless orchards and vineyards all marked and decorated for the season, and you can go into any one and find all kind of activities and treats.  We stopped at "Denver Dan's" and gave Stella a chance to play with farm animals, go into a pumpkin patch, choose her own apples, and look at local crafts.  It was pretty neat for us to see her enjoying all the new sights and sounds, and to know that the tradition will continue with our kids. 

Apple Hill was the bench marker for what we were calling "The Big Week."  We had about three days to breathe and then we were going into a jam-packed week.  We had a Halloween party, a football game, a photo shoot, guests were arriving, Stella's birthday party, and then Halloween itself all taking place within a week.  We prepped the house as much as we could, tried to get ahead at school and work, but before we knew it, it was time!

 We started off with a rather big Thursday night.  My grandma's retirement home was having a Halloween party, and she had asked if Stella could come visit.  Luckily, my aunt Debbie had bought Stella a Halloween costume weeks before, so we would make sure that she was dressed for the occasion.  Stella was definitely the belle of the ball, and I think that her GG really enjoyed having her come visit.  Right after the party, we had to go up to support Grandpa.  It was my dad's last football game of the season, so we wanted to be there for him.  We were SO lucky that Stella had on her costume because it was freezing!!!  The weather had a serious swing that week, so there we were with a little giraffe running onto the football field.  Stella had her one-year photo shoot in the morning, so we didn't stay too long.

The photo shoot was scheduled for 9 a.m., and the weather was looking to be about fifty degrees!  It was definitely a chilly time to be taking photos outside, but the changing leaves and beautiful scenery made it worth it.  Stella seemed to hardly notice the cold, so here's hoping that we got some great shots of her.  We only had a few hours to prep after that though because it was time for the guests to arrive!

Steve's family has not all been in one place since we got married almost seven years ago!  Lyn and Ken had already made plans to come out for the birthday, but Steve and his sister decided that this birthday could be somewhat of a reunion.  Steve, Julie, and Brian all decided that it would be great to surprise their mom by making sure that all siblings would be here.  So, we had Steve's family flying from Virgina, Texas, and Minnesota to make this birthday extra special. 

I don't think that Lyn had a clue that the rest of the family was coming, and it was so sweet to see her react to the big surprise!  Her birthday is just a bit for Stella's, so this was a birthday present for her too.  Julie also brought her youngest daughter, Caelyn, so Stella had the chance to experience having a buddy in the house for a few days.  I think that everyone truly enjoyed being back together and sharing old stories, and I think that the two girls also enjoyed their time together.  Caelyn was the big girl for the first time ever, and Stella was very interested in all that she had to show her.

 The rest of the weekend was all about family time together, and of course, THE BIRTHDAY!  After shopping around for birthday decor, I was definitely feeling a bit bummed.  Everything was pink, pink, pink and all about a princess theme.  I decided that we would go with Halloween theme instead because the decorations were so much cuter, and besides, Stella looks great in purple and orange :).  We ended up having a family party on Stella's actual birthday, and it was a great celebration!  Stella was a bit overwhelmed by all the people, but I think she had a good time too.  She even had her own little pumpkin pie to blow out a candle on!






The weekend gave me a lot of time to reflect on the last year, and I spent some time going through pictures, videos, and previous blog posts to refresh my memory of what all has happened in Stella's first year with us.  It really is incredible to realize just how much our lives have changed ever since they day Stella came into them.  She herself has changed so much in just a year, and I can only imagine what the rest of her life has in store.  She truly is just starting to come into her own and develop her own little personality.  It is amazing to see pieces of yourself and those you love all blended together into one perfect little person.  Happy Birthday to our bright, little star, Miss Stella Mia!

October 28, 2012

Stella's 11th Month

It's hard to believe, but we are only one month away from celebrating Stella's 1st birthday!  Stella has had a month of being, as her grandfather says, a busy bee.  We all have a little girl on our hands that cannot and will not sit still.  Stella is definitely a walking pro, and she is all about exploring every nook and cranny she can get herself into. 


I have been at work during the days, so I get updates on Stella from her buddies.  Stella spends the days either with her dad, nonna, or grandpa; depending on Steve's class schedule at UNR.  Between the three of them, I am constantly being sent videos and pictures of what Stella is up to while I'm at work.  Gwen is even reaping the benefits because someone is always around, so that means that she is never in her kennel.  It's nice to come home to two happy girls every day after a long day of work.

As I mentioned before, Stella's grandpa keeps telling everyone what a busy little girl we have.  She really cannot be made to sit still; I think the only time we get her to stay in one place is when we get her in her high chair or car seat.  She circles the kitchen island, the kitchen table, the coffee table, then back through the kitchen and starts crawling up the stairs.  It is nice to have such a mobile baby, but we really have to keep our eyes on her, especially when she is somewhere that is not "Stella-proof."  Her grandparents have yet to make their house "Stella-proof," so the days that she spends over there consists of non-stop antics for them.

 







Stella had one 1st this month that made her grandpa very happy; Stella attended her 1st football game!  More importantly, it was a McQueen football game.  We always try to attend one of my dad's games each season, and with Stella being born the night of his last game last season, this season would be her first chance to attend one of Grandpa's games.  Not only was it the first home game of the season, but we actually had a more important reason to be there.  One of our oldest family friends was being inducted into the Hall of Fame, so we made sure that we would all be in attendance.  It was an awesome night that was a huge success, and Stella stayed out the latest she ever has in her little life.  We're already plotting for her next appearance at a football game to cheer for Grandpa, and plans are in the works to take her to her first 49ers game this season!

 Thankfully, the good weather continues here in Reno!  After a long summer of projects to put in landscaping, it has been great being able to enjoy the yard as much as we have.  Stella LOVES playing on the lawn; I think it is probably her favorite place to be.  She has loved being outside on playing on lawns since she was teeny tiny, so it was no surprise that her love continued when our lawn was finally finished.  She loves to run through the grass, chase Gwen, and call the birds.  I think this has to be my favorite new thing that she is doing.  My mom used to take her outside after dinner to watch the birds, and she would make noises to call the birds as they flew by.  In just the last few weeks, Stella has started to call the birds too!  She will look up at the sky and start calling, "Ah, ah, ah!"  It is the cutest little noise that I have ever heard.  Needless to say, between Stella's love for the yard and my love of her bird calling, we spend a lot of time in the backyard.

As you can see in the last picture, Stella finally got into something that Steve's been dying to put her in- overalls!  When I was pregnant with Stella, the first clothing item Steve wanted to buy was a pair of overalls.  After months of waiting, Stella is finally big enough to wear Dad's pick.  I think that Steve had more fun than Stells did, and he spent the day taking pictures and picking her up from the straps.  Stella was a bit confused by the whole experience, but I am glad that her dad had such a good time!

 Speaking of Dad, Stella and Steve have become best buds!  While I am at work, the two of them spend a lot of time together, so they have their own little games and laughs.  If you want to hear Stella laugh, all you need is Steve.  No one can make her laugh like her dad!  Her favorite thing is when he chases her.  She will run through the house cackling, with Steve following behind her saying, "You better run little girl!"  He picks her up and tosses her in the air, and she is in full hysterics by then.  They even have their own version of hide-and-seek that only the two of them play.  Seriously, if it wasn't clear to anyone already, it is abundantly obvious that Stella is a Daddy's girl!  It's amazing to think that these two were separated for the first many months of her life because you would never know that.  They are so adorable together; it just makes me love both of them even more when I see them playing together. 
  

 Other than that, Stella has had a pretty quiet month.  SHE is far from quiet, but it's fun to hear her little voice all over the house.  She is still practicing and learning new words, and she has really gotten into the habit of mimicking sounds.  If you sing something, laugh, or make a noise, there she is repeating you.  Stella is also still very much in love with Gwen.  She walks around saying "Nenna" all the time, and I swear that the majority of her days revolve around following Gwen around.  Stella also understands quite a few words now, and our favorite is "kiss."  You can ask her for a kiss and she will give you one, but she often just walks up to you and does it on her own.  The cutest though is that she's giving kisses to Gwen too!  She started by kissing her back while she was petting her, but now she will walk up to Gwen and kiss her on the nose.  Yep, I kinda love both of these girls!





Well, we are closing in on the official end of Stella's 1st year with us.  It really is hard to believe that she is already old enough to be having a birthday party, but at the same time, it feels like she's always been part of our lives.  She really is such a little ray of sunshine and such the happy little girl.  Speaking of the happy girl, here is Miss Stells hamming it up for her monthly picture:

September 28, 2012

Stella's 10th Month

WALKING!!!  That's really all I can say about this last month.  Stella has become quite the mobile little lady, and she is so over crawling.  Nothing is safe in the house any longer because she is already there before you can turn around.  The little devil will even run!  I think she thinks that we're chasing or racing her, but more than half the time we're just trying to beat her to trouble.

To start out this month, we actually had Stella's nine-month checkup with her pediatrician.  This was by far the most fun visit to her doctor because there were no shots!!!  All we had to do was have her weighed, measured, and give our general report on her well being.  Uh, if only all visits could be this fun!  Well, we were sure that our "little" girl was not so little anymore, but we were surprised by the results.  We were both convinced that she was at least twenty pounds, so we were shocked to hear that she only weighs sixteen pounds, four ounces.  I don't know how that came up on the scale, but it put her in the tenth percentile for weight!  This kid puts away food; it's actually quite impressive.  I honestly thought that we were going to be told to scale back on how much she eats.  The doctor said that because she was crawling and practicing walking all the time that she was using all of her calories.  He said it was nothing to worry about, but we could introduce fats and oils into her diet.  Hearing the idea of feeding her things like bacon and adding whipped cream to her fruit made me nauseous.  To say the least, we decided to stick to her healthy diet and let her continue to eat her massive meals.  She may not have come out big in the weight department, but she did in height!  Finally, Steve's height has kicked in with Stells!  She's like a little tree, and her twenty-eight and one-quarter size put her in the seventy-fifth percentile for height.  I can only hope that she continues to get Daddy's tall genes- can you say volleyball star?

This month also brought a chance to take Stella to her second baseball game.  It was another local Ace's game, but this time she was actually able to enjoy it!  Stella was five months old for her last game and slept through most of it, so this was a huge change.  The biggest obstacle with Stells was keeping her seated; she wanted to walk and see things.  This meant that I spent the bulk of the game walking her around the stadium to let her see everything.  She still could care less about the ball game, but she did love all the people and their food.  Case in point- she made friends with a few parents of players for the Ace's sitting behind us.  It started mainly because she was so interested in what they were always yelling about, but then she really moved in when they kept bringing back snacks.  I think she's a ways off from actually watching the game itself, but I'm glad she enjoys the venue!

Stella's summer activities also continued as usual.  We really kept to bringing her to the pool once a week, and each week made her love the pool even more.  She loves to kick and splash around (mainly kick) and she has become really interested in the other kids there.  I finally got the courage to take her underwater this month, and let's just say that it wasn't the most fun experience for either of us.  You're supposed to blow in their face so they hold their breath before you go under, but Stella took a huge gulp!  When we came up, she gave me this horrible look as if saying, "How could you!"  We've only tried this a few more times since, but she still is not entirely in love with the idea.

She does however still love lakes!  We decided to change the location this month and take Stella to Donner instead of Tahoe.  The main reason we wanted to go to Donner is because this lake is full of public docks and is dog friendly.  This meant that we could bring Gwen and Trigger up to Donner a couple of times with Stella.  It turned into more of a family event than anything, but we all enjoyed the warm weather and beautiful views. 

As I said at the beginning of this post, this month was all about walking!  Just before the I had to go back to work for professional development (August 8th to be exact) Stella moved beyond taking a few steps and started to actually walk.  After a morning of putting my classroom together, I came home to make lunch for Stella and myself.  I set her down on the floor to play with Gwen, and I turned around to put Stella's lunch together.  When I looked back to check on her, she was no longer there; Stella was walking through the living room and kitchen after Gwen!  This simple little stroll across the kitchen was the turning point when Stella no longer feared falling down.  She needed help to stand up, which was usually a very patient Gwen, but once she was standing she was off and walking. 

Sadly, it was back to school for Mommy right after that.  I had my professional development for a few days, then we would be back to school.  In this short time, Stella figured out how to stand up by herself.  This meant that she no longer needed to be next to a table, chair, or Gwen to get mobile.  Stella's sole motivation life became to follow Gwen.  God bless Gwen for being a patient dog because Stella is now even more of a nuisance that she is walking.  Gwen can no longer escape her, but boy does she try!  Stella is even working on saying Gwenna; it sounds kind of like "Danna," but she's still pretty impressed with herself. 

Now that Mom and Dad are both back to school (Steve has gone back to college at UNR) we are all adjusting to our schedule away from each other during the day.  I think that Steve and I are both so glad that Stella decided to start walking over the summer!  There's nothing worse than hearing about some new and exciting thing that your baby has done that you missed.  Walking is such a huge milestone in a baby's life, so we were thrilled that we saw Stella do this first hand.






The summer is over and so are ten months.  We have a tall, talkative, mobile, little lady on our hands that is almost a year old!  She's always walking somewhere now, usually caring objects with her as she goes.  We really do have a little clown on our hands, and she makes our nights after school and weekends so worthwhile.  Even my parents are reaping the benefits of having this little girl in their lives, and they have to be the two cutest grandparents you ever did see!  I think we're all feeling pretty lucky to have her in our lives.  Here is Miss Stells "sitting" for her monthly picture:

August 28, 2012

Stella's 9th Month

This last month has really been all about Stella learning more about what she can do.  It's amazing to see and hear her test herself to see what happens when she tries something new.  We've been busily trying to complete final projects in the new house and enjoy the summer, and she's also been very much part of everything we do.  It's hard to find ourselves free to work on our projects because Stella wants to see what we are doing and try to help.  But, we ended June feeling one step closer to finally having our big projects out of the way.


 

 





As we started July, we were all very excited for Stella to have her first 4th of July!  The 4th of the July is one of our favorite holidays, and it is also the anniversary of when Steve and I started dating.  We didn't have big plans per say, but we were definitely looking forward to barbeque, sunshine, and fireworks.  Unfortunately, Stella started to act a bit odd a few days prior to the holiday.  Our little happy lady was moody and not quite herself; she didn't even want to play!  We checked her temperature and it was clear that someone had a bit of a fever.  She has only ever had a cold, but this was definitely something new.  The night before the 4th her temperature spiked at 102, and she didn't sleep more than a few hours.  With all of us running on little sleep and Stells still maintaining a fever, we decided to spend the holiday in a pillow fort on Mom and Dad's bed.  It was so sad to see our happy little baby so upset and uncomfortable, but thankfully her fever broke and she was as good as new the next morning.  We still aren't sure exactly what she had, but her pediatrician said is was some kind of virus that she obviously overcame.  As long as he wasn't worried, we weren't going to dwell on it either.  

With Stella recovering from her fever, her appetite also recovered!  She went from small meals to putting food down like a bottomless pit!  She was eating with gusto and always wanting more.  The cutest new thing that she started doing was with her bottles.  She no longer wanted to be held while drinking; she wanted to stand and drink.  It was like watching Napoleon Dynamite chug Gatorade!  On the other hand, she also started a new thing with her eating that we are not huge fans of- yelling.  She does not want to wait and be patient for her food, so she will yell at you to put more food on her tray.  We've been trying to teach her that we won't react to being yelled at, but trying to teach an infant is interesting.  Imagine telling a puppy not to bark and you'd understand where we're at.  She's starting to understand that yelling doesn't get her attention, so our meals are going back to happy eating sounds instead of the sound of Stella testing the range of her vocals. 

 Stella had been feeling well for weeks and the weather was lovely, so we decided that it was time to finally get her into a pool!  I had been reading that you could teach a baby to swim as early as six months, so I thought we should get her into a pool to see what she thought.  It was such a fun day (probably most fun for Mommy and Nonna) and I was so proud of how Stella did in the water!  She would turn into a little motor when you told her to kick, and she would splash around and laugh at the water.  We now go to the pool every week, and she gets a little bit braver every visit.  Our latest visit had her going under water!  

We also had the pleasure of having another photo session with Kendall this month.  We didn't really have too many ideas for this shoot, but we thought it would be a great idea to get her first time on a swing in photos.  We did a few shots here at the house, a few outside in the flowers, and then we walked over to the park for the big event.  To say the least, Stella LOVED swinging!  She was laughing and smiling, and we were lucky enough to have Kendall there to capture the whole thing.  With so many parks in our neighborhood, I have a feeling that visits to the swings may become a regular thing.

Right after the photo shoot, we had a rather significant event looming.  I had not left Stella since the day she was born; in fact, I had not left the Reno/Tahoe area since I moved here last summer!  In addition to this, Steve had never been alone with Stella.  After much planning and preparing, I would be taking my first trip and leaving Stella with Steve.  The plan was to go visit my sister in LA for her birthday for an overnight visit.  I was extremely nervous, but I knew that Steve could handle it.  Even when my flight was cancelled and I stayed an extra night, Steve had everything covered.  It was nice to have a weekend to enjoy my sister and help her celebrate her birthday.

Steve did very well with Stella, but I think that he might have had a little help.  Gwen has always been interested and protective with Stella, but now the two of them have become best buddies.  Gwen comes into Stella's room every morning and gives her kisses through her crib.  Stella gets up after every nap and crawls over to Gwen's bed to pet her.  But, I think that Gwen really loves Stella because she knows that Stella is her meal ticket.  Gwen will prop herself under Stella's highchair and wait patiently.  Of course, an infant will drop food on the floor by accident, but Stella will now bend over and share her food with Gwen.  She thinks it's hilarious and laughs when she watches Gwen eat.  So now, when we eat, we ALL eat! 

After months of doing it once in a while, Stella finally started to clap regularly.  She always liked it when we clapped for her, but she started to want to clap for herself.  Every time we would clap for her, she would start clapping too!  She now claps all the time at just about anything.  I'll find her sitting at the back door or in the kitchen just clapping at nothing.  She even put it together with standing, and she will stand and clap!  She loves to stand up and dance to music; well, dance is a strong word.  But, she will stand and bop out to music, then clap for herself.  I think she's proud of her mad dancing skills :).   

We had been seeing Stella stand for months now, and we have anxiously been waiting for her to walk.  She continued to crawl at a lightening quick pace, and she even climbed the stairs!  We have two levels of steps, and she will go up both without pausing.  But, in the last few days, she finally took her first few steps!!!  Steve and I will sit a few feet apart and clap and cheer for her, and she will walk to us!  It started with a few short steps, but now she has taken almost ten steps to get to us.  She still won't walk on her own without encouragement, but we're still pretty amazed to see her walk towards us with a big smile on her face.





Nine months- where does the time go?  Stella continues to change and learn things that blow us away.  She is so curious and wants to do things for herself, so we are trying to stand back and let her discover.  It's incredible to hear her sweet little voice and watch her walk; two things that I think all parents look forward to.  The summer is getting closer to ending for us, but we are relishing every day that we get to spend watching Stella grow.  So, here's the little peanut who is not so little anymore:

July 28, 2012

Stella's 8th Month

After celebrating Memorial Day and the end of June, we all knew that we were getting closer to the best holiday of the year... SUMMER BREAK!  Yes, I said holiday because I consider this an extended holiday for those of us who are lucky enough to be in the teaching profession.  I was very much so looking forward to this because it also meant that I would have some serious time to spend with Stella and Steve.  It also meant that we would start kicking everything into high gear with the new house.  We had a lot of changes we wanted to make to the house, and more importantly, we just wanted to be in there!

I celebrated my last day of school and the successful completion of my first year teaching in Reno.  It's amazing to think that I took the job at my school on a whim, moved back up here to Reno pregnant, had our first child, and survived the remainder of the school while Steve was still living in Albuquerque.  With my job on break, I was ready to get us into our house!  But, we had one pretty important event that would be happening just before we could get in- Stella's baptism.

We had been trying to plan this baptism for what seemed like months (probably since the poor child was born) because we had a lot of coordinating to do with the most important people involved.  To start, we had to make sure that Steve would be in town.  Next, we had to find a time that worked for Stella's godparents that would also be when Steve was in town.  We were lucky enough to have two of our incredible friends from Vegas say yes to being godparents.  We actually asked Dana and Marco while we were staying with them on my drive to move to Reno last summer, so they've been very much a part of Stella's life even before she was born.

Graciously, our Las Vegans took the short flight to Reno to be here for the ceremony.  It was also pretty special for me because Dana is actually pregnant with a little girl!  This would be my first peek at the baby bump, and we would get a chance to talk babies now that we will both be mommies :).  It's amazing to think how much has changed since we met and became friends back in our college days at UNLV, and I can only hope that our girls can become great friends like their mommies.

I would say that the baptism was probably the fastest and easiest ceremony that I have ever seen in a church, and boy was I grateful because Stella was done with the entire thing right about when we finished.  It was actually pretty funny to see a seven-month baby being baptized because it's rare that you see a mobile baby in a baptism dress.  She wanted to walk and stand, she wanted to talk, and she even stuck her tongue out at the deacon!  It gave the audience a few laughs and made for some funny pictures.  Overall, the day was a huge success and Stella was welcomed into the church.  Having our guests in town also seemed a success because it gave them a chance to see Reno in a different light; you know how we UNLV people feel about Reno.  I think that we mainly owe their slight change in opinion to Lake Tahoe though :).  I am so glad that Stella has Dana and Marco in her life, and I look forward to seeing them as parents and getting to know their little girl. 

 Literally, the day after Dana and Marco flew back down to Vegas, it was moving day!  We were really hoping that they would be the first guests in our new house, but a few flooring changes and the delivery of our appliances put us all back to the day after they left.  It was a whirlwind of a weekend with the baptism and our visitors, so I have to admit that we were a little less than ready for the big day.  By the grace of God (and with a lot of help from my parents) we were into the house for our first night.  After all the delays, all the planning, and all the waiting; it was an amazing feeling for the three of us to finally have our first night together in our first home.

Admittedly, the rest of this month ended up being all about the house!  We had appointment after appointment, contractor after contractor; I think that just about every craftsman in the greater Reno/Tahoe area visited our house during the month.  I kept holding my breath because I was worried that Stella wouldn't be able to get settled and stay on her routine with all the oddities going on around her.  Luckily, our little girl acclimated to her new surroundings better than anyone!  She moved seamlessly into this house; it was as if she never knew she moved.  There was so much change going on around her that Steve and I really had to take time to recognize the changes going on with her.

To begin, Stella started to feed herself.  She had moved beyond Mom's milk and Mom's Baby Bullet treats, and Stella began to eat everything we could give her with her own hands.  She loved everything we gave her; from cantaloupe to mozzarella cheese, and loved to pick them up off her tray.  She also would be quite the little chatterbox while she ate; you could tell when she really liked something because she would give "Ma, Ma, Mammas" and "Da, Da, Daddas" in between bites. Oh yes, Stella learned to say "Da, Da" right after Steve got here.  I'm so glad that he got to hear her say it for the first time in person!

I think that having everyone clap for her when she picked up food and put it in her mouth probably helped her along.  She even took to giving everyone "the dictator" as a response to their clapping!  We call it that because it looked like the backwards wave that dictators give.  My mom loved it because it reminded her of her favorite Italian gesture.  By the end of the month, "the dictator" remained on occasion, but it turned into Stella actually waving!  She now will wave hello and goodbye to people.  It's the cutest thing to see her wave to you!










Stella started to feed herself all kinds of finger foods right before a very big official holiday- Steve's 1st Father's Day!  We took Dad and Grandpa out for breakfast to start the day, and then we all headed down to meet Stella's great-grandmother on the river to watch River Fest.  It was a beautiful day with beautiful weather, and I think what made it so special is that we were all together.  Even from thousands of miles away, Steve has been an incredible father.  So, it was nice to get a day to be reminded of how lucky we are to have Steve in our lives.  He already has been an unbelievable husband and partner for me, but I truly feel blessed that Stella gets to have him as a father.  I think a fall in love with him a little more each day that I get to see him and Stella together.  

The day after Father's Day, Stella decided that she had one more present to give her father.  As I had mentioned in a previous blog, Stella has been all about the business of walking.  She will use just about anything to help her stand, and she will get pretty fussy if you don't walk her around the house multiple times throughout the day.  We even had to drop her crib (again) to the lowest level after we kept catching her standing and trying to scale the rails!  When we saw her stand on her own (which was HUGE) we were one hundred percent sure that she would bypass crawling all together because all she wanted to do was walk and stand, but apparently we were wrong. The day after Father's Day Stella decided that she would in fact crawl, but crawl probably isn't the right word for what she does; Stella is lightening quick!  If we take our eyes off of her she is already in the next room.  For example, Steve put her down to change the diaper genie, and Stella crawled down the hall, through our room, and into our bathroom to find me!  We have one mobile baby on our hands!  As if we don't have enough going on with our house, but now we have really had to baby-proof everything because Stella is everywhere.


With so many exciting changes happening with our new home, I was sure that the month of June would be all about the house, but Stella made sure to make some big changes of her own to definitely ensure she was still the center of attention.  To say the least, she definitely keeps us on our toes!  It absolutely blows my mind just how inquisitive and smart she is, and I love seeing the world through her eyes as she discovers new things and discovers what she can do.  Here's our little mobile momma, Stella Mia, at eight months:

June 28, 2012