5 Months Old!

We have a five month old! We spent Josie's five month birthday poolside and she crumpled her five month sticker just as quickly as she received it. But, hold on. She is crumpling things. She is sitting up. She is smiling. She is balancing her checkbook. Just look at this grown up little person! That she can crumple a sticker as she sat up all by herself is blowing this mama's mind.

                             

Josie was all smiles as she escaped the chilly northeast to visit my hometown in south Florida to meet my nephew and Josie's first cousin, Pierce!

She laughed the entire bath with Daddy and Grammy!

Let's be honest - when is this child not all smiles? As a matter of fact, I can tell you exactly when: 8:44 am, 12:44 pm, 4:44 pm, and 8:44 pm; and then 10:59 am, 2:59 pm, and 8:59 pm. One minute before food and one minute before sleep, around the clock. Josie now recognizes her bottle and completely loses her mind politely grunts if it isn't immediately given to her. I digress.

Back to cousin Pierce - he is soooo sweet and his mama Ale is looking great! Josie was verrrry curious about this tiny little cousin creature, especially because she was never that small. 

                                  

I wonder when they will catch up in size. Jonathan predicts age ten. It's really fun to see my brother fall in love with his son, which proves he does have a heart somewhere buried in that tough exterior. 

I loved showing Josie all of the things that were special to me. Here we are in Central Park, standing on a hill I have sprinted up and down for a good ten years of my life. Cue The Lion King music.

                                  

Apparently I have a thing for parks. Below is Liberty Tree Park. Just look at those little toesies! Josie was checking out the official Krause brick. Incidentally, we currently live in front of Liberty State Park right now. There's so much liberty all over the place.

                        

Josie got to meet one of my besties, Lisa, and her sweet family: Robert, Ayla, and Brayden. It's incredible to have friendships spanning decades and seeing people you love with their amazing children. PS - You heard it here first: Ayla Mark is going to be an Olympian.  

                                            

                               

Josie's stats

• Ate her first solid food on her five month birthday! Check out this fine delicacy, aka pureed sweet potatoes. Although I rarely spend any time in the kitchen, I did make her food so that has to count for something. I may not be able to feed myself or my husband (unless you count Lucky Charms & milk, which he does not) but I can feed this child! For the record, she loooooved them! She has since loved pureed apples, peas, and bananas. She might have loved peas the most, which is a good sign.

                                 

                                 

• Attended her first New Year's party and wore her first LBD. It was part NYE party, part engagement celebration. The Krause family nearly doubled in 2015 (5+ 4 = 9!), and Adam is the final member to be added. He made it just in time! Other notable members include: Jonathan, Josie, Ale, and Pierce. 

                               

Here's Jo with her Auntie Alyssa and Auntie Ashley. Check out Ashley's left hand!!!!

                           Josie was sitting up better on January 1st than most adults.                         

• Continues to shriek with delight. It's pretty adorable. With that said, be sure to speak loudly around the Young family, as all ear drums are sure to be blown.

• Went swimming for the first time! She is quite the water baby and splish splashed like she's being doing it for months.

• As previously mentioned, Josie is sitting up like a champ. And being cool like a champ. Annnd waving like a champ.
  
  
  
  

See you soon!
Xoxo- The Jojo

Holly Days

We've had a wonderful holiday season and it's not even over yet! As a throwback to the last blog regarding firsts, it's been a season of firsts for this entire multicultural family...

The thing about having a near five month old is she has the curiosity of a toddler with the mobility of an infant, so we need to explore the world with and for her. It's equal parts amazing and exhausting. Thank Santa for Jonathan, the energizer bunny. Speaking of the big guy...look who met mall Santa with ZERO TEARS! She is fearless! To be fair, this chap does look like the real McCoy. Josie's first Santa encounter - check!

A few days later, we lit the menorah, which was pretty funny. You see, I am what I call a "holiday Jew" and I may have overestimated my knowledge of Hebrew prayers we had a colorful introduction to the Young family Chanukah experience, literally and figuratively. First, the literal color - little Jo loved the lights and we spoke of the general theme of perseverance, which I feel captures the spirit of the occasion. Josie's and Jonathan's first menorah lighting and Chanukah celebration - check!

Now onto the figurative color. You may become ill from the various angles of this ridiculous clip. Sorry about that, but it might be worth it. Remember that time we sang happy birthday to the menorah and a Chanukah prayer became a Whitney Houston song? In the Young household, anything is possible.

For the next series of firsts, let's move on to the purchase (and decoration) of a Christmas tree. Jonathan warned that I would disapprove of his tree selection because I would think it would be enormous and he was right! I stand corrected, though. That tree was perfect. I might be allergic to it, but it's perfect. We loved decorating it, and Josie loved her first ornament from her Auntie Ashie.  Josie's and Jaimie's first Christmas tree - check!

Onto Christmas day! Josie opening her first present ever - check! Never mind she would have preferred to eat the wrapping paper...

While I made a collage, this picture is the CUTEST thing I have ever seen so it merits it's own place of honor:

This holiday season, we've been so lucky to have family come to US. My parents came for Thanksgiving and Jonathan's were here for Christmas. A four and a half month old is a good excuse to avoid holiday travel, so maybe she'll keep working for us when she's one year and four and a half months, and two years and four and a half months...! 

We had a great time and they were so helpful. Check out the adorable moments below:

Finally, I discovered my inner arts and crafts goddess. I had A BLAST making all kinds of things that did not involve cooking (although I did bake once!).

Special thanks to one of Josie's besties and her sweet family for our a&c sesh. Check out their mistletoes!

See ya next year, everyone! 
Xoxo, the tiniest Santa

Josie's Firsts at Four Months Old

I can't believe my babe is four months old! This is the only photo I got where she wasn't trying to eat the stocking. Four months has brought an array of firsts, such as first stocking snack. Read on for more firsts:

Where did that newborn Pup go? Here's Josie at 4 months, 2 months, and one week.

Josie's stats

• Is wearing size 3 diapers. Is wearing 6-9 month clothing. Weighs 18.9 pounds. Earn her first A+ in size: is in the 99%tile in height, weight, and head circumference. 
• Said her first word: "Bill". This did not actually happen, but Jonathan swears it so. We've never said "bill" in front of her. She probably said "buh" followed by "illlllllll", and Jonathan beamed so now all stuffed animals are named Bill. 
• Uttered her first shriek! Jonathan was warming up his voice for an audition and thinks she attempted to copy him. Check out Josie the Pterodactyl:                                      
• Made her first onomatopoeia. She buzzes when she wants to voice a complaint, so she's basically always buzzing. She is easily the tiniest dictator. Here are a sample of her complaints:
• I am bored.
• I want you to stand up with me, not sit down.
• I want you to have both hands and eyes and all of your attention on me. Do not touch anything else. Do not look at anything else. Do not do anything else.
• I am done with the office and my reports.
• I am done with the jungle gym.
• I am done with this carseat.
• I want you to lift me out of my crib.
• I don't want to wear those socks.
• I want to touch my feet.
• I don't like this headband.
• I like that you are holding me, but I need more bouncing.
• I am done with this bath.
• I have a soiled diaper, but I don't want to lay down as it is removed.
• I want to eat my washcloth. Why are you taking it away from me?
• I'm tired but I don't want to go to bed.
• Found her feet (and thumb) for the first time. Check out her First Foot Discovery:                                                                                                                                
• Continued to wake up 6 times a night, and thus prompted a family first motion to "consult the experts" by buying an audio book. Let's be real: sleep training is really for the adults, and not Josie. I admit it. I am an enabler but I if I wake up from a bad dream, I want to be comforted. And, I refuse the cry it out method, though I'm okay with "Buzz it Out". We had a family huddle and decided we needed to act so we listened to a book on tape Twelve Hours Sleep by Twelve Weeks Old on a recent road trip. Although half of the recording was spent on reviewing the author's credentials, we did glean a few nuggets of wisdom. I am happy to report Josie slept from 8:45 pm - 5:15 am so I'm a believer!
• Landed her first desk job, and hates when she runs out of TPS reports on her desk.

  

  Josie at her office with her TPS reports, which includes Bill, the Bee.

• Held her first bottle. I can tell we are going to have a very independent little Pup who wants to do everything herself. She may look like Jonathan but it's clear in this case the Josie apple does not fall far from the Jaimie tree.
• Performed her first magic trick although Josie has since forgotten this skill. We discovered it as we were packing for Boston. Jonathan left her on her tummy on one of her favorite blankets, and told me about a minute later to check on her as we were in the bedroom. I came out and found her on her back! I tested the theory, putting her back on her tummy and she rolled over again. I tried it once more with the camera out and caught it. She only performed it in that moment, though. She won't replicate the skill for any amount of bribery. Maybe she'll remember next month.

First Roll

• Finally, we had our First Visit From Grandma! Josie's west coast grandma visited about a month ago and was soooo helpful! Check out this adorable clip of their time together.

Three Generations of Youngs!

Giving Thanks

Josie's first Thanksgiving was delightful and delicious! Our sweet little apartment housed 9 people (I refuse to refer to Josie as a fraction of a person). My parents met my sister's boyfriend's parents and everyone had a really nice time.

We are incredibly thankful for this little turkey. 

She *almost* let me eat half of my plate!

Our meal was actually catered by one of my dad's clients, which was a lifesaver. Jonathan still elected to make a few healthier choices, so we had some kitchen prep. Well, I should tell the truth: we = they. I have many skills and none of them involve me in a kitchen, except when I was pregnant. I enjoyed being barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen as I fixed my very complicated meal of Frosted Flakes and soy milk. I digress. Back to kitchen prep.

While fixing "healthy" stuffing, Adam (my sister's boyfriend) and Jonathan filmed their audition tape for the new hit show: Amateur Chefs in V-Necks.

Josie did her best to imitate an actual turkey with her ear-piercing squawks. It was headache-inducing so sweet. My mom kept Josie entertained in fifteen second intervals. This photo was taken at 14.5 seconds into the interval.

Jonathan and Adam would take over periodically to film their second audition tape: Button-downs and Babies. Here are a few stills from their clip.

Here's a pic of some of us mid-bite.

Photo credit: Adam Lekach

Here are a couple of group shots:

Photo credit: Sydney Lekach;
I can't tell if Jonathan and I clash or compliment each other here.
I was going to make a joke about this being a microcosm of our relationship, but it's not.
We are kind of amazing together and, for that, I am beyond thankful. #longestphotocaptionever 

The Lovely Lekach Clan + One Krause.
Photo credit: Yours truly

In true family fashion (heh, get it?), my husband and father did not disappoint. I'm not sure if this makes my dad hip or my husband not hip. :)

We have many, many blessings this year and we were so happy to share the holiday with our family, including our little angel.

By the way, this blog is sponsored by the people who brought us 25 sun hats:

Josie, the Three Month Old Giant

Josie's stats

• Current nicknames: Puppy, Jojo, Jojobear, Honeybear, Josie Posey, Little Jo, Little J, Baby J
• Still has blue eyes! Looks like Jonathan. Does not look like me at all. Only acts like me when throws a fit.
• Is wearing size 3 diapers. Is wearing 6 month clothing. Weighs 17 pounds. Is giant.
• Has started picking up objects and shaking them or placing them in mouth. Is likely the reason she weighs 17 pounds. Has probably swallowed a teddy bear.
• Still makes goat noises after a good shout. Also sounds like a buzzer.
• HATES: getting dressed, when feeding ends, staying in bed one minute more than necessary, her Halloween costume.
• MEH: marathons, Skype/FaceTime calls, photoshoots, anyone not her dad including her mom.
• LOVES: bath time, morning diaper changes, flash cards, her dad, Club 806 (hip hop and dancing with her dad), sit-ups. See below.      

                                           
Other notable experiences

Josie the Reluctant Cheerleader
Josie was a marathon cheerleader for her Aunt Ashley (and Deirdre and actor Ethan Hawke)! She received so many high fives from other runners, all of whom obviously sanitized their icky, sweaty mitts pre-five. #parentingfailnumberonemillion

Josie the Emoji

I'm not even sure this needs an explanation, except I'm still experimenting with apps on my phone. And I'm nuts.

Josie the Diva

Josie had her first Halloween! I was torn between putting her in an adorable infant costume (like the kangaroo I found) and capitalizing on her name for a fun pop culture reference. I decided on the latter except...there were a few complications. Mainly, my daughter is a beast who definitely does not fit in clothing intended for tiny humans her size. So, when I ordered the costume pieces a few weeks prior, they weren't even close to the right size. Instead of cool lead singer duds, Josie's costume was more sausage encasement. Oops. At least I'm giving her good material for her future therapy sessions. But, COME ON. JUST LOOK AT HER.

In typical lead singer fashion, our diva is throwing a FIT

In a moment of Halloween panic (we take Halloween verrrry seriously in this house), I called on my mom friends for costume support. Anna (mom of adorable lobster Lucy) came through with a ladybug. Josie hated this one equally but looked equally as cute. She could have been the Queen of Hearts or a lady in an old-timey saloon, minus the antenna hat and wings. Pictured below is also sweet Harper aka Minnie Mouse and daughter of Trish. Lucy, Harper, and Josie are besties - I'm not sure they totally know that but we all love getting them together. More on Josie's wonderful friends in a later post.