{this moment}

 A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember

The 12 Days of Bean- Month 8

Mia's First Christmas was a smashing success, we had a tree and really decorated our apartment, she loved the shiny lights of the tree, and the soft feel of the stockings.

And of course she got a TON of presents

It was also around this time where she started really standing with some help, and becoming more mobile,

The 12 Days of Bean- Month 7

Month 7 was a fun month as we got into October, with cooler weather we were able to take walks and get ready for one of my favorite holidays HALLOWEEN!, We found a parrot costume for Mia since she would sit on Craig's shoulder, we called her Pieces of Bean.

This was also the time we started Mia on solid food for the first time, Rice Cereal..it was very funny to watch her try something new for the first time

Since then she had seemed to be like her parents and like eating..alot..
We were also trying to get her to sleep in her crib, which was a bit hard since we had moved into a new apartment with new sounds and smells. So sometimes she would con us to be with us in our bed, she was cute and hard to resist

Halloween came and we went trick or treating for the first time as a family

In November I was studying for my massage exam test, so Mia got to play alot with her Aunties, who were great, as it started to get colder there were lots of naps being taken at our house, Murple joined in of course

Mia's first Thanksgiving was in Maine, and once I find some pictures I will post them.

By the middle of Dec, just when Mia turned 7  months old, she started really getting her move on
and crawling...oh boy

The 12 Days of Bean- Month 6

Between Sept and Oct of 2010, Mia turned six months, and we were planning on moving to a bigger apartment, which is no easy task especially with a little one. But Mia needed her own room, with a crib in it.
At this point she was really trying to sit up on her own

And one night as we were going to look at furniture at Bob's we got our first really long hysterical kid giggle, she did this every time we went to Bob's I do not know what it that store she thought was so funny, But it cracked her up.

Mia had her second round of shots, which again she did great, I was a complete wuss ball. We slowly moved in our new place, which has a lot more room to play

Some new furniture

And even a crib for Mia

Mia also began really teething at that time, she handled it pretty well, didn't really have alot of screaming...she was really so kind to us.

The 12 Days of Bean- Month 5

In her 5th Month Mia and Murple started to really hang out. What I mean to say is Murple started to really take an interest in Mia. They are pretty cute together, Murple used to like to in anything that was enclosed which is pretty much all baby stuff...and it was fuzzy so Murple totally scored there. I will write more about The Murple Kitty is posts to come.

It was around this time when Mia would start doing little baby giggles, not a ton, but I could get her to laugh if I tickled her under her chin, or if I got very close to her face. She was also sitting up more and holding her head up very strong, she always wanted to go go go..

She also really liked her toes..and her thumb.

She had started really sleeping through the night, and one her favorite things was the swing.

The 12 Days of Bean- Month 4

August was more hot weather and a bit of a break through with The Bean, she started sleeping through the night..mostly..she still had her moments, but we were starting to get a routine during the day and she finally realized that when the sun went down, she should close her eyes, not make them wider.

She also really enjoyed being in the Baby Bjorn, and would actually fall asleep in it. 

And she always did sleep really well. We were really lucky in that respect, she was really kind to us in the first months.

Did I mention she REALLY loves her Dada? She loves being on Craig's shoulders we called this Pieces of Bean,and looked everywhere for a parrot costume for Halloween.

The 12 Days of Bean- Month 3

Her third month came with the first round of the dreaded shots. She was great, barely cried. I however was so nervous that when it was all over I sat in the car and had a good Mom cry. If you are a mom you know what I am taking about. The site of Band-Aids of those little thighs just broke my heart. But since she was a trooper, unlike her pansy mother she did just fine. Since the weather that summer was Africa hot, we really couldn't go outside that much, which was a bummer because Mia really loved being outside. Not so much being in her stroller but she loved the breeze.

She thankfully has a lot of "Aunties" that loved to come to visit and cuddle, We call it Bean Therapy. with a face like that who could blame them!
We would go to the store and get stopped along the way as Mia would catch some senior citizens eye and start cooing. She is a big flirt with the gentlemen...makes me want to lock her in a closet till she is 30!

The 12 Days of Bean- Month 2

Between June and July found us at a beach house for a little vacation, she was starting to try to smile

well trying to smile when she didn't have THE PLUG in her mouth

Or when she wasn't doing the super serious grumpy face that she did pretty much all the time.

A little blurry but you get the idea. We figured out that she looked like a cross between a Fraggle and a house elf. She still wasn't sleeping through the night or even AT night for that matter. But she was super sweet so we forgave her. She was staying up during the day more,but still thinking it was party time at 3am.She was up to 9 pounds and 22 inches long, the her drs. loved her cause she was so easy when we get to appointments.
We also did our first long car trip to Craig's family in Maine, it was a bit difficult but she slept most of the way.
There Mia was once again snuggled by all

And starting to smile a bit more

even if it was only in her sleep.
Towards the end of the month there was lots of cooing, especially at the Dada who is pretty much the moon and the stars as far as Mia is concerned. She used to do this funny thing with her arms, she would stick them straight out and wiggle them. It was the cutest thing and I really miss her doing it sometimes.

The 12 Days of Bean

As the count down to my daughters first birthday begins, and since I never did get around to writing a baby book for her ( I know, I know). I decided that I will take one day and update about that month of her life, until I come to the 12th day. I will spare my readers her birth story cause who really wants to read about me anyway? Mia is way more interesting..trust me.
Mia was born on May 18, 2010 at 4:55pm She weighed 8 pounds 4 ounces and was 20 inches long.

The First Month- We brought Mia home after doing a week in the hospital, learning to be parents trial by fire boot camp style. Swaddling was the best thing a parent could ever learn. She really looked like an elf, especially when she wore head caps. In a swaddle she looked like a Glow Worm.She was super snuggly. She was a pretty calm newborn as newborns go. Slept all day, and wanted to play all night long, didn't cry but really wanted to be entertained. It took her a while to realize she wasn't on Tokyo time. And for a while she really didn't like getting baths.

But she got over it.
She was great when other people held her, and they did love to hold her, she was a regular cuddle bean. We used to stare at her for hours, she was better then tv. She tried to lift her head right away. She was always on the move even then.

Many people say that see looks like me but I could never see it, to me she was my tiny elf, My Mia Bean