March Back in Time

Since I started to fall behind on this blog back in March, I decided to write a large summary of our activities around the end of March. Olivia has changed a lot since then, but there were some blog-worthy happenings that occurred.

Great Aunt Amelia's House

3.23.09 Uncle Roel and Oliver invited us to go with them to visit Great Aunt Amelia. Olivia and Oliver had fun showing off their crawling skills. Mala bought Olivia some socks and a cute little doll. Olivia loved the visit!

"I'm Awake!!"

3.24.09 This is what I found when I went to go pick up Olivia after one of her naps. She is getting more active each day.

Visiting Great Grandma & Great Grandpa Ackerman

3.24.09 We went to Fruitport in the evening to visit Olivia's G-Gma & G-Gpa Ackerman. Olivia was very well behaved and enjoyed sitting with G-Gma. We all went to dinner at Bob Evans; it was a nice evening!

Little Explorer

3.25.09 Once Olivia discovered she could crawl under the table, it became one of her favorite activities!

Floor Time = Play Time

3.27.09 Olivia enjoying floor time.

Time with Daddy!

3.27.09 Olivia sitting in the pass through to the kitchen, probably watching Mommy clean up!

Standing Tall

3.27.09 Olivia was just starting to explore her feet, trying to pull herself up. Daddy would help her get to her feet to help her practice standing. She was still very unsteady in her knees and didn't understand that she needed to hold onto something in order to keep standing. She's growing up so fast!

Ouch!!
3.27.09 This bump happened after playing with Daddy by the sofa and coffee table. She hit her forehead on the coffe table. Olivia did not like the ice pack, though. She would barely hold her head still for us to put it on her forehead.

Grandma & Grandpa Ackerman Visit
3.28.09 Once a month, Grandma & Grandpa Ackerman drive down to visit both Olivia and Jenna. This Saturday we met everyone for lunch at Friday's, went to Barnes & Noble, and then returned to our house to relax. Grandma took time to read Olivia her new book.

Olivia playing with Daddy's OfficeMax rubberband ball.

"Jenna, can I play with that?"
Olivia loves having her cousin visit. Here, Jenna was playing hard to get, but Olivia kept at it, eventually winning her over!

Reading another book with Grandma.

Kisses from Grandma are the best!

"These are pretty necklaces, Grandma."

Uncle Craig plays with Jenna while Olivia watches the silliness.

Time with Grandpa is always nice!

"It's magic, Olivia!"

"You can't hide from me!!"
3.30.09 Olivia likes to crawl onto the hardwood and peer around the corner into the kitchen. We can no longer escape from her!!

Jumping Olivia Flash
3.31.09 Exercising her legs with Daddy.

Precious Boudoir

Here are some pictures of Olivia's nursery that I took last month. We painted the horizontal stripes with my parent's help, and the majority of the decor was received from my baby showers. The furniture was mine when I was a baby, and the rocking chair was a gift from Olivia's Great Aunt Amelia and Great Grandma Zamarripa. Her room is really the only room in the house that is decorated top to bottom. I just have to buy the material for her curtains, but I think it looks pretty good!

A handmade quilt from Great Aunt Linda hangs above the crib. My childhood rocking chair sits beside her crib, ready for her to use when she's a little older.

Embroidered Holly Hobby pictures made by Great Aunt Amelia once hung in my nursery.

Sssshhhhh....Sleeping Baby

Happy Belated 8-Month Birthday!

Olivia 4.19.08

Olivia turned 8 months old over a week ago, and I realized I never wrote a blog about it. So, here is my attempt to catch-up. Our 8-month old is so amazing! Each day with her is a blessing for us both. She has really grown over the past 8 months. Here's a glimpse into what she is like as an 8-month old.

Sleeping Patterns>>She takes two naps during the day, lasting about 1.5 hours each, and she falls asleep for the night around 8 pm and wakes around 7:30 am. She does still have some nights where she tosses and turns and wakes herself up crying around 12 or 1 am; a bottle and some cuddling help her fall back asleep. Teething, though, has caused her to wake up more during some nights. She now has one tooth, which has popped up in the front right of her bottom gum.

Feeding Schedule>>Bottle feedings have become easier and quicker with the purchase of faster flowing nipples (thanks to Daddy); although, Olivia's squirming remains in effect during all feedings. She tends to drink 4 six ounce bottles. She also has oatmeal or rice cereal in the morning and 2 veggies later (in afternoon and evening). We are working on introducing more fruits. To date, she has only tried apples, bananas, peaches and blueberries. We made some fruits this past Saturday, so they will soon be integrated into her daily diet.

Fun Things About Olivia>>She now pulls herself up to standing! This is a huge accomplishment, and it keeps us on our toes as she is still quite unsteady and doesn't realize that she has to hold on in order to remain standing. It seems that as one bruise fades another fall ensues, causing a new bruise to form. Olivia loves to talk, and more than talking, she loves to scream (shrill shrieks of joy or to get one's attention). I don't know who taught her this!?!? She also enjoys books and can even be bribed to stop what she's doing and come over to me when I have a book in my hand. Olivia has a little personality, and unfortunately, she is already showing some stubborn tendencies. She definitely lets you know if you are hindering her from what she wants to do! We definitely have our work cut out for us!

She has enhanced our lives so much over these past 8 months, and we couldn't have asked for anything more! We love you, Olivia Frances!

Olivia Frances Ackerman 8.19.08

Olivia's First Easter

He Is Risen! He Is Risen, Indeed!

The Ackerman trio had a fun Easter! We attended Sunday service at Harvest OPC in the morning. Olivia was a little fussy before we left as she was due for her morning nap. We hoped she would rest quietly or sleep during the service, but when we arrived she was wide awake. Last week, we put Olivia in the nursery for the first time. They gave us a pager to hold in case she had any problems during the service. To our surprise, the pager never went off; however, when we went to pick her up afterward, they informed us that the pager must've not worked since they tried contacting us several times! She had been crying, and the worker was holding her trying to feed her a bottle. They said she was very tired and would fall asleep soon. I could tell she was quite upset and had been a real treat for the nursery workers (if you've witnessed her crying episodes, you understand). This is why we did not put her in the nursery for the Easter service. Anyway, during the first congregational prayer, Olivia let out a shrill shout. Peter and I both smiled at one another, hoping that was all she had to say, but seconds later, another shout came. Needless to say, we both spent time holding Olivia outside in the foyer area.

The Easter Bunny Came!

Saturday, Grandma brought over some Easter gifts for Olivia. A special pink pail, a teddy bear dressed up like a bunny, a handmade Olivia dressed doll , two books, and a chick hat and booties set.

Olivia LOVED the pail and pulling out all the pink paper filler!

Peter & I got an Easter basket, too, filled with chocolates and jelly beans. It was my basket from when I was a child.

Olivia laughing with Grandma.

Who knew she would match her favorite ABC/123 doll?

Tuckered Out
After church, Olivia was due for her morning nap. We didn't even have time to get her out of her Easter dress!

Our Little Easter Girl
Since we didn't get any pictures of Olivia's Easter attire prior to church, we had a little photo shoot after she woke up from her nap. You can tell by the look in her face that she was not too thrilled about getting all dolled up again! She looked so darling, though, in the outfit that Grandma Ackerman and cousin Jenna picked out for her that pictures were necessary.

"You'd better hurry up with these pictures, Mom! I'm getting irritated!" I think Olivia is quickly learning that the need for a perfect picture is a curse of mine .

"I've had ENOUGH of this photo shoot!"

Not a bad photo...minus the tears in her eyes.

"I'd like to take the bonnet OFF!"

I got her to finally smile...I think it was due to Maggie coming nearby.

"I prefer the floor over sitting nicely in a chair."

Time to get out of the dress. Her little chubby legs are so cute!

Having more fun with the paper filler and bucket.

Special Delivery
Olivia had fun opening her Easter cards. She received cards from Great Grandma & Grandpa Ackerman and Grandma & Grandpa Smith.

I didn't realize she was putting the money in her mouth!

"Thank you for my Easter cards!"