Christmas Photo Shoot: Take Two

Since the first time at the studio with Elsa didn't produce as many really great photos of just Karina, we went back to try again a few days later. As you can see, it went much better, and this time we did get some really great photos.

Karina and Elsa

Today Lee and I took Karina and Elsa to have their picture taken for a surprise Christmas gift for Grandma Mary and Opa. I think we almost made the photographer cry when we told her that her subjects to be photographed were 3 months and 10 months old. Although it was about 500 degrees in the room, and Karina was so stressed out that she kept her little hands balled up into fists for the entire photo shoot, Elsa smiled a lot and we managed to get some memorable pictures anyway. If you notice that the photo resolution is terrible, it's because we didn't buy the CD from the portrait studio...these are the cheap poor quality copies they give you for free.

If you look closely you'll observe that they are mirroring each other exactly, with opposite head tilts, pointing hands and balled-up fist hands.

Here are some of Karina's individual poses. She just wouldn't smile...not like her at all...so we finally gave up and tried to shoot some "serious" shots...the ones in the pink dress. Some of them turned out kind of neat.

Ten Months Old

"I love being 10 months old!"

Karina is now 10 months old and lately she's been having fun saying "hi" to everyone. It's very cute because she often says it so quietly that the intended receiver of the greeting doesn't hear her, so she'll just say it again...and again and again. Sometimes she'll also wave "hello" but not always in unison.

Additionally she's begun to express her personality as she experiments with new vocalizations and sounds. She's learned to do the "raspberry" sound which is not only hysterical to observe, with spittle flying and the funniest expression on her face, but has given her Daddy and I our first picture to use to embarrass Karina when she's older and giving us a hard time. By the way, if you're wondering why she's in her Christmas outfit, I was trying it on for size and when she started raspberry-ing I just couldn't resist taking the picture regardless of the outfit.

Can you see the drool hanging from her chin?

She's also begun to enjoy "finger walking." Although she's been able to stand up for along time now, her feet have always remained planted firmly on the ground. Even if she was reaching for something she'd still just lean until she fell over. However, just a few days ago she took a few steps while holding onto my hands...I had to encourage her by leaning her over so far that her foot came off of the ground and then I sort of swung her body so her leg moved forward...but she seemed to catch on pretty quickly.Karina walking with a little help from Daddy

Another development has been her fine motor control, especially in regards to her hands and fingers. When I 'm changing her diaper, Karina is able to reach the light switch. She's been interested in it for a long time and always leans forward to play with it. But lately she has been able to flip the switch off and just the other day she learned how to flip it on too. What she doesn't realize is that she has also learned how to pull up to her knees because that's the only way she can reach the switch. So I imagine she'll make the connection that she can "stand" on her knees on the floor, too.Karina after her first Holiday Party

Thanksgiving at Gammy and Grandpa's

It was Karina's first Thanksgiving and we were spending it with the Matterns, but on the way to Grayslake we stopped by to visit with Great-Gramma Kathryn. This was the second time they had met, but Karina was much more entertaining this time...she showed Great-Gramma how she likes to "finger walk" and stand up! It was really nice to see Great-Gramma smile and she did so quite a number of times at Karina. She especially liked holding and kissing Karina's hands. We'll need to get back for another visit soon so Karina can show off her new "tricks" and have more kisses and smiles!Great Gramma Kathryn and Uncle Quentin

Four generations of women spanning the Colemans/Medlers/Matterns and Heinrichs (missing the second generation...Gammy, who was at home making dinner for us Thanksgiving piggies!)

Karina showing Great-Gramma how she can walk and stand

Then back at Gammy and Grandpa's house Karina had a great time showing everyone how she could push herself up to sitting and how proficient she has gotten at rolling to get around. We all enjoyed a great dinner and Karina enjoyed sitting at the table with the whole family.

Sitting at the table

Eating from the bread basket...or should I say just eating the bread basket?

Enjoying her own Thanksgiving oatmeal!

After dinner, Grandpa was teaching Karina how to roll her tongue and whistle through it. She was fascinated and tried very hard to roll her tongue, but although she can roll her body around the room she couldn't roll her tongue, yet. She did however have the ability to stick her finger in Grandpa's curled up tongue and she had a lot of fun doing that. She especially liked it when she stopped the whistling by blocking Grandpa's tongue with her finger!Karina closely observing Grandpa's technique

Grandpa explaining the finer points of his craft
A great big thank you to Gammy and Grandpa for hosting a lovely Thanksgiving! We at the Heinrich homestead are ever so thankful for both of our wonderful families! You all mean so much to us and to Karina...we would not be the happy family that we are without you!
Happy Thanksgiving!

Sitting 101

Karina mastered sitting up back at the developmentally appropriate age of 6 months old. How to get into that sitting position...other than by being placed in it by Mommy or Daddy...was something that I wondered about. Well, for Karina her transition came with the ability to lean on one elbow...as displayed in these photos.

Karina leaning on her elbow doing her "tough girl" movie star pose.

Looking out of the crib for Daddy...still leaning on her elbow.

Karina expressing herself by yelling for Daddy!

She gradually got strong enough to push up with that arm and learned to stick her opposite leg up in the air to create leverage and viola! she was sitting! She's still not crawling, however!

Marquette's Newest Cheerleader

Karina went to her first Marquette Golden Eagles Basketball Game on November 10th, 2006! Mommy and Daddy were very excited, but a bit apprehensive about how it would go. As it turns out we had no reason to be worried. Karina was tired as the game didn't start until 7:30 pm, but she handled it like a trouper. She wasn't her usually smilely self, but she only cried once when the team scored an exciting basket and the crowd roared suddenly. A nip on the pacifier and she was okay. Here she is with Mommy in front of the "sea of gold."It's always so enlightening to have a baby around to help you realize what you take for granted...for example the noises in a stadium. After we'd been there awhile and Karina was looking around, we noticed she kept looking up at the ceiling. At first we thought she was looking at the lights or the girders or the banners, but eventually realized that she was looking towards the sound of the announcer's voice! If you didn't know that he was sitting at center court, one could easily think he was way up there yelling down from the ceiling...if you think about it, that's exactly where you hear his voice coming from. Anyway, we were so proud of how well-behaved Karina was and Tom can't wait for her to sing along with the fight song!

Here's she is three days later at her second MU Basketball Game! Notice her enjoying libations with the other fans!

Going Down?

Well, I knew the day would come when we would have to admit that our little baby is not so little any more...when we would be concerned that she might crawl over the edge of the crib, and we'd have to lower her mattress. That day has come...however, I didn't realize what a dramatic change it would be! Not only does the mattress move down closer to the cold floor but one also has to remove the soft decorative "bumper" and her comfy sleep positioner (kind of like head and arm rests) that we had in her crib against APA recommendations (bad, bad parents!)

The old set up

So, suddenly she's near the floor and colder, has nothing to protect her from banging her head on the sides of the crib, nothing to block out visual stimuli and drafts of cold air and nothing to swaddle her head and body and encourage her to lie still and while she falls asleep. Needless to say the first attempt was a dramatic failure! Karina was very tired and ready for her nap however the change was so exciting she couldn't help herself from rolling around to look at everything and trying to sit up. She couldn't sleep so I decided to try a more gradual transition. I replaced the bumper, but put it on the outside of the crib so it would block the drafts and limit the new visual stimuli to the crib bars only. The new set up

This worked and hopefully after a couple of weeks I will be able to remove the bumper! I have to tell you, though, I still can't get over how much this new sleeping arrangment makes Karina look like such a big girl. And gone are the days when we could sneak in under the cover of the bumper to pop the pacifier back in her mouth without her realizing how it got there!

So Cute!

Here are a few of my favorite recent pictures of Karina just having fun. In the last one she's smiling at Beth...do you think Karina loves her Aunt Beth just a little!
"Yay, I'm naked!"

"I love shapes!"

"I love my Aunt Beth"

Family Resemblance?

When Elsa was born, I was struck by how much she looked like her daddy...not Karina...but looking at these two pictures (proudly displayed on Grandma Mary's refrigerator) I cannot believe the resemblance between the two girls! Does anyone else see it, too, or do I suddenly think all babies look alike?

Elsa
2 months

Karina
5 months