This post is old!

( I typed this a few weeks ago and never posted). Rose is 5 months now, and absolutely darling. Month 4 was filled with a fast-growing baby. She gained 2 pounds between her 4-month check-up and her 5-month dr appointment. What? She jumped from 11 to 13 pounds. She is soo smart (we like to think so ;)). She can make a taco with her tongue if we do it too--we have yet to catch it on tape. So cuuuuute. She rolls to the right (from back to tummy) and rarely stays on her back. You can tell she really wants to be moving.

Praise Heaven

Rose slept 8 hours straight last night.


If I had known she was going to do that, I would have gone to bed earlier. She has been waking every 2 or 3 hours to eat or just to cry. She has also been doing slightly better today and yesterday with naps--I mean sleeping 30 mins or even 1 hour instead of 10 minutes and then screaming like nobody's business for 20 while being held by me.

Hopefully I don't jinx this, but she seems to be feeling better. She has had either a cold or stomach issues back-to-back for 6 or 7 weeks and I am TIRED. I loved her still, but it was trying. So far so good tonight. I put her in bed and she woke up (!) but went back to sleep on her own. I have not been able to put her in bed awake since 2 months.

I kiss this face a million times a day.

So I missed the 4 month update. Rose turned 4 months on November 6th. The previous month was full of changes and new developments! She is very responsive--she imitates what we say to her, vowels in particular. She also blows bubbles in response to us. The last week of her 3rd month, she rolled over to the tummy. Now she is a rolling fiend. But she gets stuck on her stomach and gets frustrated because she wants to be mobile. She also loves to stand. She is now much better about playing with toys--she can pretty much hold and handle them without help. This makes life much easier! She is so much fun. It was also a hard month (and month 4 is continuing to be so). She has had a recurring cold/flu--she is not always her usual cheerful self. Also, we have been struggling to get her to take some longer naps, otherwise she is sooo unhappy. But such is life! At least she does pretty well at night. She had her first Halloween and was tinkerbell. She was adorable. We really partied--wore our costumes to 3 different events that weekend.

As for me, I have been reading more than usual. It's fun to get back into it and to find myself immersed in a book. I enjoyed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society. I also liked Princess Academy by Shannon Hale. I also read 3 Weeks with my Brother by Nicolas Sparks. I loved it--so full of great childhood stories and it really makes you think about your loved ones. I also read Mrs. Mike--I loved it! There may have been one other I can't remember.

Someone wrote on her blog that 3 o'clock is the worst time of day for a mom. I totally agree. It is the longest time of day, baby starts to fuss in the evening, and I feel like I have been waiting forever already for Raimo to get home. I am always excited to see him. However, it is not such a long wait now that he isn't commuting from Provo! Yay!

We had a great Thanksgiving week. My photos aren't uploaded yet--I will write about it later. My mom said she looks totally different from 2 months ago. She really is changing every day!

P.S. I forgot to mention Rose had checkups again. She was 11 pounds 6 ounces. She is 24.5 inches and head was 15.3. She is still in 0-3 months and 3 months clothes. She is too tall for the 0-3 pajamas though! Her face has really rounded out, but she is still long and skinny--just the teeniest belly!
P.P.S. I MADE those Halloween costumes for Raimo and me. This was a big deal because I have never made anything without a pattern or without having someone walk me through every step! They looked homemade, but I was proud. My dress began as a Victoria's Secret negligee and robe from the DI!

3 Days Old!

We were watching videos of Rose when she was a newborn. She is definitely grown up now, 3 and a half months and so much bigger! It is a little sad that she is not so new and little anymore, but I have to remind myself of all the fun things about this phase. Right now she is soo smiley and happy and so much easier a lot of the time. But here is a video we took right before leaving the hospital. Love that her eyes go in all different directions and that her binky is as big as her head!

cute!!!!!!!!!!!!

A full week

This has been one of the busiest weeks for me. Raimo's last day at Veracity was Tuesday, which means I get the car!!!!

On Wed. I went to Provo and got together with Kylie. We went to Kneader's and then walked around the mall. I got Rose a few new headbands/flowers. On Thurs. Monica came to Sandy and we hung out, made kabobs, watched a movie, and got pedicures. It was much needed! Friday we went to Provo to visit Ryan and Ana Maria and their new baby, Beckham. We went out for some delicious food and hung out at their place. Today we went to Mikko's hockey game, out to lunch, and walked around Fashion Place where we ran into Dave and Anna. Fun day. Tonight I'm not sure what we'll do. Maybe just hang out.

So here are some more photos from last month.


Love that mouth









Mewideth holding Wose

3 Months

This is another post about Rose, for all you Rose fans. She is three months today, and I feel like it has just flown by. Raimo thinks it has been a very slow 3 months. She has continued to grow little by little. This month she grew out of some of the newborn stuff--so sad to pack it away!!! The newborn shoes are too big still, but she is wearing 0-3 and some 3 month clothes. She has finally settled into a routine, sleeping from 8 or 9 pm till 8 or 9 am, with feedings at 4 and 6:30, and general fussiness/sleep between 6:30 and 8 am. She is awake a lot of the time in the day. She takes a few 20 or 30 minute cat-naps, but I usually have to really try to make her take naps at all. Not good!!! The other day I laid her on the changing pad for a second and when I turned around she was asleep! That was really cute. Her belly is getting a little chubbers and her little thighs have new rolls :)



This is one of my favorite outfits!

She sleeps on her right side with arms over her face. She does this with her arms when she eats too.
and sometimes on her back with arms up. She is good about going to sleep at night. I usually have to put the binky back in a couple of times, but she doesn't get upset about having to go to bed.

One of those catnaps. So cute

And let's get real--lots of the time she looks like this. Her cry has gotten stronger- more gusto.
Cute booties and matching headband!
Big toe sticks out!!!!
During priesthood this weekend Nicole and I went to Nordstrom with this:
5 kids under age 4. It was like a parade-- we got lots of stares.

Rose finally met Lilia. She is 24 days younger than Lilia.

We are still living in Sandy. We pass the time riding turtles
watching hGTV
being cute

and having princess parties.



Princess Rose fell asleep in the doll buggy.


Snuggles with dad
Rose had a minor cold this week, but she is doing ok.
I finally bought Goodnight Moon ( and Corduroy and an A Zeal of Zebras). Rose enjoys books--at least the sound of our voice and the pictures. She is so attentive for such a small thing! She always locks eyes with strangers at church and the mall and the store, and they just fall in love and can;t help stopping and talking to her and asking me how old she is. It catches people off guard. She isn't showing much interest in reaching for things or rolling for them. The only rolling has happened on the bed and couch but that was with some slant. She does love to stand (with support). She seems to prefer it to sitting. She still loves to talk--she is so social and wants attention. She loves when you sing to her. She hates to be put on the floor or be left alone. She is very spoiled and gets to be held a lot. I have really soaked up these first months with her, but I'm trying to get her to be interested in playing so I can get some things done. She still cries in the car seat, but it has improved and I try not to let that stop me from going out.
No matter what, when we go out to eat she decides to cry through the meal. It's like she knows. Raimo and I get a date night on the weekend and Rose stays with Mimi.
This month she started drooling. Fun.

A couple of weeks ago I was feeling so exhausted. There was one night where I didn't go to sleep till 4 am. And it wasn't Rose- she was asleep. I was just having some insomnia. And then it kept happening--I would be up till 1 and have to wake up a few hours later with the baby. I had my first breakdown since having a baby, one night when I couldn't sleep. Elder Uchtdorf's talk to the Relief Society came at the right time. I went to the doctor because my ears were bothering me, but it wasn't an ear infection. The doctor was really great and wanting to help. It was so nice to take care of me for once, as my focus has been on baby and Raimo. She gave me all these referrals-- for a TMJ specialist (since that can cause ear pain), her dentist since I don't have one, a physical therapist, a prescription for a pain med that will also help me sleep. She was so nice. I started by going to the dentist. I was really glad--he was really nice and we hadn't been in a while. He also confirmed that TMJ flares up with stress... so that solves it. I feel immense stress when I can't sleep. I used to leave slumber parties because I couldn't sleep and it gave me anxiety. Not to mention the stress of caring for a baby. He said a specialist will give me exercises and stretches that might help.

I've been sleeping better and I think it helps that it has cooled off this week.

Today this surprised us:

Yes, that's snow. Strangely I'm ok with it, though I am ready for some lovely autumn. I'm glad it's cooling down. It rained yesterday and last night and this morning and for part of today it turned to snow. I feel happier when it rains--I'm tired of being hot. It's not fun when there's no pool or beach or summer activities to go with it. This is the first summer of my life that I did not get any tan whatsoever. Hopefully next year. Meanwhile, I'm enjoying the rain.



I typed most of this one-handed.

Percentiles at 2 Months

Since my pediatrician didn't tell me where Rose falls in percentiles, I looked it up online. She is very little!

Based on the data you submitted, your child falls into the following percentiles:

Length = between percentile 10 and 25
Weight = below percentile 5
Head Circumference = below percentile 5

And here's what they were when she was born:

Based on the data you submitted, your child falls into the following percentiles:

Length = in percentile 50
Weight = between percentile 25 and 50
Head Circumference = below percentile 5

She really does have a tiny head! haha

These pics are a little unorganized. Rose's 8th week brought more crying, more gas, less sleeping. All the routines were upset by our traveling. She had her 2 month appointment. She is now 8 pounds 14 ounces, 21 and 3/4 inches long and her head is 14.4 centimeters. Just for record purposes, when she was born she was 6 pounds 10 ounces and 19.5 inches and her head was 10 centimeters. At her five day appointment she was 6 pounds 5 ounces, and at her 2 week appointment she was 6 pounds 14 ounces and still 19.5 inches.

So she has gained two pounds exactly since the last appointment. And by now (10 weeks) she is probably 9 pounds! Hard to believe my tiny baby has grown that much. She had her shots that day and had a fever for the following 4 or 5 days. It kind of freaked me out--it is so hard to see your baby not feeling well. That week was our first road trip with Rose. She did quite well. It took sooo much longer having to stop for feedings, but she was a champ and I think it helped her get used to her car seat a little more. She doesn't always cry in it now. She slept pretty much the whole way. And we had her blessing at grandma and grandpa's house. It was such a beautiful blessing, and Rose cooed at dad throughout the whole thing. It was such a special day.





Here we are on the Beaver rocking chair. Never mind that I look like trash-- it was Rose's first time.

Rose met her great-grandmas for the first time on this trip

More driving

Week 9 flew by. We hopped back in the car for yet another road trip. I stopped in Vegas to play with Marko, Amanda, Sofie, and Laila. Sofie loved Rose. Raimo continued to California for a job interview, which was successful, however it is not turning out to be a job we are that interested in after all unfortunately. It does not have any of the things we are looking for, so it was a depressing drive back home.

Here is some skin to skin time. She went to sleep right away.

Today we are at week 10. Rose is more darling than ever. The fussiness is not as bad. She is getting smarter all the time. She communicates with us all the time. She listens and looks at pictures when we read books to her. She seems to be at the point where she needs some entertainment--she doesn't just want to lay there. I need to get her some kind of interactive toys or something.

Raimo and I are trying to figure out what to do next. He has some more interviews lined up, but for now he is still commuting to Provo. I hope he finds a family-friendly job that gives him a little freedom compared to the standard 8-5 ( but that is just my personal hope--not really something that will happen I am guessing). And that will also make him happy of course. So far most jobs would be less pay than his current job, so they are not very appealing. We are looking in CA and Vegas mostly. Wish us luck! We really want to move on from this job and the not so honest management there.