rushley & crew

Dear Holly, Oh my sweet girl, how I love you! In the last few weeks, I've really felt like you're growing up. You were my little Holly for so long, and now you're getting to be my big Holly! (Though that doesn't stop you from always wanting to sit on my lap, which you're also getting big for 😅) You love art and music, and you're still not the biggest fan of books. Picture books are fine, but almost every time I read a chapter book aloud, you ask at some point, "when are you going to be done???" 😂 You often look for ways to help, so even when your help isn't all that helpful, it's always sweet! (And can be helpful, too 😊) You love being a big sister (you're always trying to tell Peter what to do) but not always a little sister (you and Ada can definitely get at each other's throats!), and you love playing with whichever sibling will play with you. Our family wouldn't be the same without you, and I'm so glad you're part of ...

Dear Holly, What a year it's been. When you turned 3, you were THE SWEETEST child, and this year has been a little bit of a wild ride 😅 You're starting to get back to your sweeter roots, but you still have a mean streak! You like getting your way, and you are not afraid to voice your disapproval when you DON'T get your way. There is just no reasoning with you in so many situations 😅🤣 You are silly. You love to ride your scooter. You love to sing, but usually not all the right words 😊 You love to dance at your class. You love to color and cut at home. You love to tell other people when THEY are not following the rules, nevermind the times that you don't follow them. You're still a mama's girl, and you prefer to be near me, even if I'm working on something else. You always want to come with me to the grocery store and to help me in the kitchen. You don't *dislike* books, but you're not crazy about them like Ada has been. You've learned how to w...

Oh my sweet, sweet Holly, I love you so much! I can't even describe accurately how special I feel our bond is. It's just easy to love you because you love me so freely. Of course you still have tantrums and blow-ups, but most of the time you are truly so calm and sweet and kind. Your little voice is sooo cute. You are the biggest snuggler (with me, at least) -- you snuggle me in my bed after I get you up, in your rocking chair before and/or after sleep times, and almost anytime I sit down on the couch, you make your way over to snuggle with me. Plus you tell me frequently that you want to snuggle me on the couch 😍 I'm excited for us to add a little brother to our family, but I sometimes worry about how it will affect our relationship -- you love to be close to me so often, and I know I won't always be available to be so close once baby brother gets here. I know we'll all figure it out, but I just hope you always know how much I love you through that big change. I...

Stats 25.0 lbs (26%), 33.12" (36%) Size 4 diapers Mostly wearing 24m or 2T these days Words At 21 months, she was saying roughly 45 words, and now she's easily saying 100+. She basically just talks a ton, though she's definitely in the stage where she needs mom and dad as translators for other people. She says sentences up to about 5 words ("What you doing daddy?" "where Ada go?" "milk please, mama")  Some of the words she started saying before I stopped taking notes: Anna (from Frozen ) toot snuggle hat cat meow pumpkin sock leaf eye panda fish (sounded like "fee-ah" at first, now says "fishie") I love you cup show moon ready soup washcloth ("Shash-sauce") shower Elsa sleep sack Weston cheese blueberries cake monkey cereal lid She also likes to add -ee endings to things, like hug-ee and ice-ee.  She won't say "santa," but instead calls him "papa." With words that end in -er, she often swit...

Stats 23.8 lbs (48%), 31.6" (13%) Size 4 diapers 12-24 month clothes, but 18-24m clothes fit best! Words At 18 months, she was saying about 20 words, and now she also says: Sissy Shoe Grandma Cookie Apple Happy Stinky Bum JJ (a la Cocomelon) Holly Buckle Bubble Phone Fly (the bug) Ugga Mugga (Daniel Tiger) Here you go Go away Peng (for penguin) Mine Hot So 40+ Milestones no new teeth (still 12) can identify most facial body parts walking up and down stairs on her own (holding the wall) or with help coloring without eating the writing instruments jumps like a frog a lot runs really well even tries out Ada's bikes and scooters Overall she's just pretty physically able. Fearless with slides. Seriously does any of them, all by herself. I think it's the cutest thing. Obsessions Still prefers mom, but has eased up a bit. Still obsessed with her puppy, along with her penguin and sleep sack. Real dogs. She loves to see them whenever she goes on my walk with me. Cookies. Def he...

Well, I didn't do my usual weigh and measure, and I'm about a month late posting this, but here are the few notes I've put in my phone about Holly these last few months! Stats Size 4 diapers 12-24 month clothes, but 18m clothes fit best! Words At 15 months, she was saying about 10 words, and now she also says: Mommy Papa Hiya Puppy Doggie (every animal is either a puppy or a doggie haha) Boo (sounds like "Bo") Beep Ew (always about diapers or toilets 😂) Yummy Baby (and she says it anytime she sees a toddler or younger!) Her favorite and most commonly used words are "mommy" "go" "uh oh" "no" and "puppy." Milestones 12 teeth (including 4 molars) Mastered the art of getting out of being picked up right around 15 months Giving hugs and kisses when asked (sometimes) 😍 Obsessions She definitely prefers mom. Anytime she gets hurt, anytime I'm THERE, she wants me. Which is both sweet (for me) and sad (for Russ), and ...

Stats 21 pounds even (24%) (Ada was also 21 pounds even at 15 months!) 30 inches (32%) Size 3 diapers (double diapering at night, and I think I'll size up the next time I buy diapers because they're seeming small lately) 12-18 month clothes. A lot of the 12-month stuff is getting too small. Words In addition to "mama" and "dada," which she was saying at 12 months, she now says: hi (more like "hi hi hi hi hi!") go uh oh thank you (she did it a few times but hasn't much lately) all done (also not doing this one much anymore) cheese (for pictures) She just started saying "bye bye" but with G sounds haha (guy guy) No Milestones Started cruising along furniture like two days after her birthday She has  eight teeth! And the 5th and 6th teeth to come in were parts of her top (I think) molars! . . . they're like way back there! Started going DOWN stairs around 13-14 months. She took her first steps on 2/16 (14 months), and started standin...

  Stats size 3 diapers size 9-12 month clothing -- she is outgrowing clothes more quickly than big sis did because her torso is so long! 20.0 pounds (54%), 28.75 inches (34%) Notable events Thanksgiving trip (and REALLY long car trip) to Arizona, where she met her Holmes great grandparents. She did pretty well with the trip -- even slept at all the times she was supposed to, even in the car! Her birthday party! We threw a rainbow themed party for her, which turned virtual at the last minute due to Covid exposure. She did the crawl (chose the toy doll) and cake smash for the virtual party :) Tricks/Milestones Two teeth! Both bottom teeth came in at the same time right around Thanksgiving. Does a full crawl more often than the shimmy crawl now, but still sometimes does the shimmy crawl :) Constantly pulling up on things, but not yet cruising. Favorite things Taking all the things out of all the places -- books, dress ups, toys, anything. Especially right after it's been cleaned up! S...

Stats size 3 diapers size 6-12 month clothing 18.4 pounds (35%), 28.5 inches (43%) Notable events Halloween as the Sanderson Sisters & Billy Butcherson! :) Tricks crawls backward signs all done, more, and milk (kinda) turns book pages elbows and knees crawling (more than an army crawl, less than a full crawl . . . we call it a shimmy crawl because she clasps her hands together while she does it, so it looks like she's doing a little shimmy). She has done full crawling on occasion, but prefers her shimmy crawl. climbing UP stairs pulling to stand Favorite things dancing to music splashing in baths making a mad dash for crumbs after she's been cleaned off but the high chair space hasn't Ada Random tidbits She blows anytime something comes out of the microwave (even if it's not in front of her yet) She had her first sickness -- she was soooo cuddly and sleepy 😍 Eating: After she refused to nurse several times, I cut down to two breastfeeding sessions each day (both on...

Stats size 3 diapers size 3-12 month clothing  17.8 pounds (34%), 28 inches (43%) Notable events I left her overnight for the first time! Went on a little girls getaway with two friends, and she did great with Dad. I pumped while I was gone, pumped for 20 minutes, and literally made 2 ounces. And that was with pumping later than usual, even when I pumped in the morning! Crazy. She also didn't drink much milk while I was gone, which was kind of surprising. Tricks Dancing! She loves to bounce herself in whatever way possible! Not crawling on hands and knees, but can get anywhere she wants with army crawling, and she's FAST! She sometimes gets up on knees, but still waiting on a full crawl :) Blowing on food when we tell her it's hot :) Trying to climb up us and everything Favorite things She loves the park. She often gets mad if we take her out of the swing, or if we're at the park but not yet swinging. Girlfriend is obsessed with water! Probably because she doesn't g...

Stats size 3 diapers size 3-9 month clothing 17.4 pounds (36%), 27 inches (24%) Notable events You went on your first family trip! We went camping in the Grand Tetons, and you slept in a pack and play under a slumberpod, so you were really spoiled 😂 Tricks Saying "Dada" early on this month Also saying "baba" (not in reference to anything) and even "Ada" sometimes! Not sure if it's on purpose though 🤷 Getting from sitting to your tummy on purpose Army crawling! Just within the last week or so, you're really getting around! Self-feeding super well now / getting better with your pincer grasp Waving sometimes Favorite things You love clapping and pattycake :) We got the exersaucer out and you seem to like it quite a bit! Swinging. You freaking love it! You love to grab and mouth everything you're not supposed to -- phones, my pump, charging cords, etc. Random tidbits I feel like Ada isn't as obsessed with you as she used to be 😔 She's be...

Stats size 3 diapers mostly size 3-6 month clothing, but probably ready to size up soon. 16.0 pounds (23%), 26.75 inches (36%) Notable events Nothing really! Tricks Sitting up! You were close last month, so you started sitting up at the beginning of the month and now you're a pro! Saying "mama"! You literally said it for the first time LAST NIGHT. Your first word! And it's me! I'm so excited :) Turning radially. It's the funniest thing -- You're like a dog chasing its tail, but you're chasing your toes :) Clapping (I think it started as an approximation for the sign "more" but we've really gotten lazy with signing, so now you just clap) Favorite things For a few days at the beginning of the month, you would hold onto your foot while breastfeeding. It was so funny, but it was short-lived. You give big ol' open-mouthed kisses wherever you can! I think it's so cute. You shake your head back and forth like it...

Stats size 3 diapers size 3-6 month clothing fits great still. I'll probably pull down the 6-9 month box soon just for more options though! 15.4 pounds (23%), 26.5 inches (51%) Notable events We finally did your baby blessing! With church canceled the last several months, it just kind of fell off the radar. We did the blessing in our home, with only grandparents and our bishop. All the pictures were super cute because you're so smiley!  Tricks/Milestones You started rolling from tummy to back right after you turned 6 months, on 6/24. Now you just roll all over the place! :) You aren't doing it as much lately, but for the first couple weeks of the month, you were blowing raspberries all the time. We started you on solids right after you turned 6 months, and it's crazy to see how far you've come! We're following a progressive approach to BLW, so we started with tiny tastes, and now we've moved from tiny tastes, to thickened pu...

Stats size 3 diapers size 3-6 month clothing 15.2 pounds (32%), 26 inches (55%) Notable events You met the whole Petersen family in an impromptu reunion! Haha the trip was not planned, but in a matter of 2 or 3 days, my three out-of-state siblings decided to bring their families to Utah! Everyone LOVED loving on you, which was kinda funny for me, because at our last everyone-family-reunion, Ada was about 10 months old, but she was one of FOUR babies, so she wasn't as hot of a commodity. But since you were the lone baby this time around, everyone wanted a turn with you, and while I loooooove playing and snuggling with you, it was also nice to be able to set you down and have about 5 different kiddos immediately entertaining you. Tricks For a long time, you pretty much only rolled back to belly, over your left shoulder. But with some practicing in the last week, you can now roll back to belly both ways with no assistance. No belly to back rolling though! You als...

Stats size 2 diapers size 3-6 month clothing 13.6 pounds (18%), 25.5 inches (63%) Notable events Nothing too exciting this month! Tricks For a while there, you were REALLY into grabbing your toes (and even sucking on them 😍), but not so much anymore. You're definitely more inclined to do it if there's nothing in your way, aka naked or diaper only. You don't roll all over the place anymore, but you still will occasionally. Pretty much always back to tummy (haven't seen you do tummy to back in months) Favorite things You like being thrown in the air :) YOU'RE A CUDDLER! Ada was NOT, so this is a welcome change. Like clockwork, as soon as I turn out the light to sing you your bedtime song, you start sucking your thumb and you lay your head down on my shoulder. I LOVE IT SO MUCH. You're obsessed with your dad. I literally cannot feed you if I'm sitting next to him, because you'll lean away from me to look at him and smil...