So Excitable!

Talia - 36 Weeks

What a busy 35th week Mommy and Daddy had. The week started with Mommy losing her tooth and a wonderful swim with Tally at the Community Center. Monday was a mad dash to prepare for Mommy's business trip, including an impromptu dentist visit, Daddy's volleyball game, and a 3-hour training class from 7-10PM for Mommy. Tuesday and Wednesday, Mommy flew to South Carolina for her third business trip in 4 weeks. She came home with a terrible sinus infection, meaning a mad dash to the doctor's office before the weekend cause Daddy's gone all next week to Philadelphia! Oh, and did I mention our pantry has become a nice home for several mice?

Top 4 reasons the Diffendal family can't wait till April:

• Daddy's semester will be over
• No planned business trips
• Less sickness passed between Tally and Mommy (hopefully)
• Warmer weather (hopefully)

Talia has started to enjoy standing while playing. She balances very well, just needs someone there to catch her when she gets tired. This girl may walk before she crawls because she still shows no signs of wanting to move forward on her tummy....

Alysia

Talia SWIMS!

She was excited before we even left the house....

Tally was a natural swimmer! Her legs are so strong, she literally kicked her legs like a frog. She loved to splash with her arms, and even dunked her head face forward (ON HER OWN WILL) several times. Mommy and Tally swam for over an hour!

Mom lost her bridge (which she's had for over ten years) on Sunday after church. So happy that there was need to take close-up pictures to capture the missing tooth:)

All in all, it was such a fun time! Tally learned to swim; Mommy learned that "Little Swimmers" are not to be worn for any length of time outside of the pool....... tried to save some time by getting her dressed before the drive to the Community Center..... Tally arrived SOAKED with pee. Oops.

Alysia

Talia - 8 Months

Stats: 15 lbs 7 oz; NA

TALIA FUN FACTS
Favorite Pasttimes: Sitting and playing with toys, Monkeying all over Mommy's lap
Favorite Toys: Exersaucer, Fish Aquarium, BALLS
Favorite Noises to Make: "Dap-Dap", "Dy-Dy", blowing her nose, lip smacks
New-found "likes": Waving her arms, Ballroom Dancing with Mommy or Daddy, Dancing while sitting, Appliances, Strawberries and Bananas

New at 8 Months:
Solid foods: Peas, Green Beans, Strawberries, Bananas, Squash

Solids at Lunchtime - now 3 meals a day
Formula: 100%

Requesting Someone to Hold her: Arms Up / Bum Bouncing

Nose-Diving from your arms at something she wants

Going from Sitting to Tummy

Realization that things can be inside of other things (fish in aquarium, coin in piggy bank, etc)

Pulling her hat off - within 5 seconds

Talia's Appearance: People call her "peanut". She can still fit in most of her 3-month clothes, but normally wears 6-month. Her hair is dirty blonde with several shades of highlights. Folks comment on how "styled" her hair looks - we do nothing to make it wave around her face. Her eyes are a very dark blue.

Talia's "Schedule": Always in bed between 8-9PM - usually has to be awoken around 6:45AM on weekdays, but will sleep until about 8AM on weekends. Talia spends the day playing with three other babies at In the Beginning from about 7:15AM - 5:15PM, usually taking two 1-2 hour naps during the day. The evening is full of playtime!

Froggy chair shots (1 month, 4 months, 8 months below):

Alysia

Talia - 35 Weeks

Talia's 34th week was much better than last! She beat her RSV bug with a lot of loving care, a visit from Nana, Poppy, and Uncle Ben, and several presents from family and friends. She was cleared at the doctor on Thursday; her medications end tomorrow.

Thanks so much for the presents Grandma & Pappy, Aunt Ann and Uncle Dan, and Rick!

Nana & Poppy win the award for the most difficult travel to Midland!

Talia is really starting to get around on her belly. She continues to scoot only backwards and side-to-side. She's going to have to learn how to move forward soon - because she gets herself into some difficult positions....

Alysia

Talia - 34 Weeks

Talia's 33rd week can be summed up with one word: MISERABLE. Poor little girl came down with what we thought was a cold late Sunday evening. It turned out to be a nasty case of RSV.

On Monday morning, Daddy called the doctor because Tally awoke with a strange, raspy cough. The doctor told us to monitor, use saline solution and an aspirator often, and call if the condition worsened or she began to run a fever. By Tuesday morning, Tally was miserable (but no fever) and Daddy decided to stay home with her for the morning; Mommy came home in the afternoon. By Tuesday evening, after office hours of course, Talia's fever began, prompting a doctor's visit on Wednesday. After several hours at the office and some tests, Talia was diagnosed with RSV and sent home with multiple prescriptions for treatment:

• Amoxicillin (pink liquid), twice per day for her ear infection - side effect of RSV
• Singulair (powder), once per day for her lungs
• Albuterol (liquid vaporized via breathing machine), every four hours!

Mommy and Daddy hate administering the breathing treatments, especially when Tally is sound asleep in the middle of the night. Poor girl isn't fond of the mask that must remain on her face for 7 minutes straight in order to get the full dosage. It breaks our heart to hear her scream, but we know it's helping her get better.......

By Thursday, Talia's smiles had returned. She still coughs and sounds like a frog at times. She's quite the trooper - but didn't we all know that from her time within the womb?

Alysia

Talia - 33 Weeks

Talia had a very busy 33rd week! It started with another visit from her Uncle Ben! He spent the night Friday and Saturday, enjoying dinner in Bay City with Tally in her big-girl highchair, and catching a Saginaw Spirit ice hockey game!

Talia continues to be a constant source of entertainment and is growing up before our eyes. In the past two weeks, she's made a new friend - the microwave. She turns her head all the way around to watch her friend in action, and talks to her friend in a very enthusiastic way:)

Last night, we had visions curls in Talia's hair. It was mostly hat-head, but so darn cute.

Finally - we think Tally may be getting some more teeth soon. She's back to her drooly self, as shown in the picture below. She also slept a bit less soundly this week, and would refuse solid food on occasion. We always try to find a logical explanation for these things, even though we know better (we are engineers, right?).

Alysia

Yoga Ball Reach

Talia's Lullaby

A few weeks ago, Talia decided she falls asleep best by singing herself a lullaby. She does this in the car, on your shoulder, lying in her crib, etc. We have a hard time not laughing when she starts her song - see for yourself!

Alysia