Ainsley Catherine: {Six Months}

Hello, friends! Doth your eyes deceive you? Is it a heat-induced mirage?

Nope! I have actually blogged. A whole post. (Golf claps all around.)

I've been doing a fantastic job of keeping up with the blog lately (HA!), so frankly, I'm as shocked as you are that I posted today. It's a summer miracle (!!) However, our littlest lady turned half a year old yesterday, which should merit some sort of online tribute, don't you think?

Ainsley Catherine, you are SIX MONTHS old! Let's see what you're up to...

Weight: 15 lbs.

Length/Height: 25 inches - our girl is long and lean!

Eyes: Blue

Hair: Dark brown

Clothes: She's wearing a 6-9 month in most outfits

Diapers: Size 2 Swaddlers for the win!

Likes: We call her our Smiley Girl because girlfriend is constantly wearing a big ol' grin. She LOVES her big sister and cackles at everything she does, (we are in trouble!) Ains also likes her Exersaucer, being outside, bath time, her dogs and being held. All the time. Allllll the time. (Her momma isn't complaining, though.)

Dislikes: Being put into her carseat, riding in the car, and basically all activities involving a motor vehicle. (Very much opposite of Caroline.)

Eating: We just started integrating solids into her diet last weekend. Well, one solid. We started her on pureed sweet potatoes and she seems to love them. We plan to take it slow and introduce a new food every couple weeks or so, much like we did with Caroline. And, just like before, we'll be making her food vs. buying. (We love the enormous cost-savings aspect, plus it just tastes better!) You can read more about how we feed our babies here, and I'd encourage anyone with an infant to give it a go, if you can.

Sleeping: She sleeps all night in her crib from around 8 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. the next morning. Yes, we are lucky and definitely don't take this for granted.

Milestones: She has started sitting up by herself, which was the big milestone this month!

If I had to describe our sixth month in one word, it would be: Fun! I loooooove babies at this age. They're so fully engaged with their surroundings and constantly doing new things.

Mommy notes:

I'm not going to pretty this up - I was a complete mess every time I thought about what I missed with Ainsley while I was in the hospital. In fact, it was a little bittersweet writing this post and realizing that half a year has gone by since her birth. We had only a couple months together before my heart went kaput and our world was turned upside down.

And this makes me sad.

However, I try really hard not to dwell on what I missed out on with her and, instead, focus on the here and now. And the future. And the fact that, Lord willing, I'll be around for many more milestones to come.

I was scared that she would forget me, forget my voice and my scent and...that I was her mom. But do you know what? We picked right back up.

Sure, I can't nurse her anymore and my energy runs out a lot sooner than before, but we are together - momma and child - just as we should be.

Ainsley Cate, I am so glad you're mine!

Ainsley Catherine: {One Month!}

Our little Ainsley Cate turned one month old this past Saturday, (yes, really.) I'm still in complete shock at how fast this first month has flown. Seriously, didn't we just bring her home from the hospital yesterday?

Ainsley Catherine, you are ONE MONTH old! Let's see what you're up to...

Weight: On January 2nd, I took her to the pediatrician and she weighed 6 lbs. 9 oz. I'll come back and update this when we find out for sure at her one-month appointment this week.

Length/Height: 18.75 in.

Eyes: Blue

Hair: Brown

Clothes: Mostly Newborn and a few Preemie pajamas

Diapers: Newborn size Pampers Swaddlers

Likes: Eating, eating and eating. She also likes to be swaddled tightly. And of course, just like her big sister Caroline, she loves her Wubbanub pacifier.

Dislikes: Getting put into her carseat, being burped, being bathed.

*I could write an entire post (and I likely will) about our feeding routine and the difference in nursing the second baby versus the first. 

Eating: I've been nursing Little Miss pretty much on demand. Ainsley averages 2-3 hours between feedings during the day and every 4 hours at night, (unless she wakes sooner.)

Nursing has been a whole different ballgame this time around - and in the best possible way. My milk came in on the Friday that I was discharged from the hospital, which was much sooner than last time. For the first thirty days, I only nursed her. My lactation consultant said this was the trick to really kicking off your supply to a great start, so I held off on pumping and bottle feeding.

I thought it would be hard, (and it was tiring), but I honestly found it a lot easier than pumping, then trying to transfer to bottles, then washing bottles...you get the drift. I pumped for the first time last week in order to build up a supply of breast milk in our freezer. (For inquiring minds, I'm using the Medela Pump in Style and it is AWESOME.)

Sleeping: Ainsley is sleeping a ton right now because, well, she's a newborn and that's pretty much what they do. I nurse her around 10:30 p.m, then the Mister and I head to bed. She'll generally wake for her first middle-of-the-night feeding around 1:30 or 2:30 a.m, then again around 6:00 a.m. Obviously there are nights when it seems she's up every hour, but thankfully, those have been the minority. She's a pretty good sleeper and we'll happily take four or five hour stretches at night.

Right now, she sleeps in her Rock and Play, then we'll transition her to her crib around three months, just like with Caroline.

Milestones: Well, she's four weeks old, so not really anything too noteworthy; ) Babies' eyesight begins to improve after the third week and she has started to make eye contact with us, which is also really fun.

If I had to describe our first month in one word, it would be: Survival.

I'm not going to sugar-coat things: being a mom to two babies is tough stuff. My days start before the sun comes up. It has been (and still very much is) a learning experience for the whole family. We just kept saying, "If we can survive this first month, we'll have accomplished something", ha! The first two weeks, I honestly felt like we were treading water.

The week of Christmas is a complete blur. I was literally shopping for gifts at 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Week three was a tiny turning point. Things didn't seem quite as overwhelming.

Caroline is super active, running all over the place and trying to climb on everything : ) She is also really curious about the baby and wants to be involved, understandably. I try my best to include her in things like bathing Ainsley. Poor Caroline would cry and cry at first when I would nurse the baby, but that lasted about a week before she decided that was boring, ha!

Our life right now is diapers, bottles, boobs, burping, rocking, swaddling, soothing, aundry and cleaning. Macaroni in hair, tripping over toys at 3 a.m., take-out dinners, sleeping with our eyes open - all part of our everyday now. And we knew it would be.

But honestly y'all, my heart is so very full. I love those two little girls with all my being. And my husband - dear Lord, that man is my rock. As tiring as it has been, I've been on cloud nine. I said before that the happiest time of my life was after Caroline was born. I just felt this emotional high unlike anything. Same thing this time.

I think Stephen summed it up best one time when he said, "I really like our life."

Me too, husband. Me too.

Updates on Stuff You May Be Curious About

The fact that this post title ends in a preposition is going to drive me crazy, but it sounded too stuffy to title it "Updates on Stuff of which You May Be Curious". I just wanted to acknowledge that in writing because, well, I'm a wee bit tightly wound concerning grammar and such. 

Home Tour

I've been trying like the dickens to get our house assembled enough to take you guys on a home tour, but I just haven't had the time. I've been trying to wrap up things at work, get what's left of our things unpacked and stored in the attic, plan a first birthday party and a 30th birthday party (my husband's birthday - tomorrow!), begin Christmas shopping -- I'll be out of commission due to the C-section in the weeks leading up to, so I'm doing it now -- and basically just keep my head above water while I finish out this pregnancy. 

I'm still in search of art for the living room and kitchen, as well as a new comforter for the master bedroom because ours is shot. As soon as I can finish up those details and have a chance to take some photos, I'll let y'all come on in. I promise!

So, all that to say, our home tour may be a Christmas home tour (or winter home tour) instead of a fall one, but by golly, I'm determined to finally show y'all where we live. I love our little abode; we worked really hard for this house and I'm so proud of it.  

My MIL is going to help decorate it  for Christmas and she is a living, breathing, southern version of Martha Stewart, at least when it comes to holiday-i-fying a house. (However, she's never been to prison for insider trading. Do y'all remember when that happened to M-Stew? I still laugh about seeing tabloid photos of her in a prison jumpsuit, collecting pine cones out in the jail yard. I think her stint in the pokey made me love her more.)

Our Second Kid Will Have a Nursery, (or At Least A Crib and Bedding)
In other decorating news, Ainsley has a crib (!!) She won't be sleeping in a milk crate, after all ; ) We ended up going with a slightly different model than the Pottery Barn Taryn crib after we learned a different style converted into a larger toddler bed, (read: more miles out of one bed.) We are putting it together this weekend and I'm so excited!

I also just ordered bedding. This bedding. I love it and I'm pretty sure Ains will, too.

Hair Curling Video Tutorial

I filmed a hair curling how-to for you ladies. If you've got long hair, be sure to tune in late next week, (probably Thursday), and check it out! I think it would definitely work for shorter hair with a few modifications. I'm no pro, but the method I'll demonstrate works best for me.

I've updated my "Products I Love" page

If you've been unable to sleep due to wondering what kind of concealer I use, you can finally rest easy. On this nice little page, you'll find a complete list of the mess I use on my face and hair, as well as tools like my favorite curling iron and hair dryer. If you've been hankering to add to your make-up collection or hair product vault, check it out. 

And if not, it's sure to help you doze off if you've been battling insomnia. 

Please note: If you have questions about how I apply any of the products, please leave a comment at the bottom of the Products I Love page. I try to answer emails promptly, but these days, that's the best way to get a fast answer to your question. I'll reply back on the page, so look for a response within a few days.  

Caroline Rose: {11 Months}

Caroline turned 11 months old today, which can only mean one thing: we're having a birthday next month, folks!

Weight/Length: 18 lbs., 12 oz. and 27 inches tall 

Hair: Hair is blondish-brown now and really thick and long. She still loves to wear her bows and ribbons, my sweet girly girl!

Diapers: Size 3 Pampers Swaddlers. Her tiny hiney has remained, well, quite tiny : )

Clothing: 12 month clothing across the board.

Favorite Things: Her Humpty Dumpty piggy bank, (which she uses as a drum…go figure), remote controls of any variety, her musical activity table, the Mickey and Minnie Mouse dolls her Nana got her, vacuum cleaners – ha!

Likes: Right now, our petite princess loves: following Ruby around the house, petting Ruby and Ari, “helping” me clean out the dishwasher, emptying the dish towels out of the bottom kitchen drawers, feeding herself, Facetiming her grandparents, digging through mommy’s jewelry and purse drawers in the closet, going to the grocery store, being rowdy with daddy – she thinks he’s hilarious!

Dislikes: Getting her diaper changed, (girlfriend has no time for that nonsense), being separated from mommy, (and it’s getting worse every month), and having to get her face and hands wiped after mealtime.

Favorite Foods: Her favorite of all favorites is green beans. The kiddo would eat an entire plateful, if we let her. She also loves roasted butternut squash, pears, berries, peaches, tomatoes, avocado, yellow squash, hummus, artichoke hearts (so random and strange), turkey and roast beef with carrots and mashed potatoes. We have yet to find anything she won’t eat or doesn’t like.

I’m so glad we’ve stuck with preparing all of her food ourselves. We’ve saved a fortune by doing so and I like knowing exactly what she's getting. 

Milestones/Funny Things: She cruises using anything and everything to balance herself, can stand by herself for a few seconds at a time, can jump up and down with both feet in her crib, can keep a beat if she drums on something after watching us, (she’ll copy our rhythm – it’s so cool to watch), waves, sympathy coughs if she hears someone else do it.

Words: Mama, dada, bye-bye, nana (my mom), bah-bah (bottle), uh-oh, yum (!)

Mama Thoughts: 

Well, it’s finally here. The last month that she’ll be less than a year old. It’s bittersweet for me, to be honest. For so many reasons, I’m elated. She’s healthy and thriving and it isn’t something we take lightly. We are very grateful for the gift of celebrating a year with this amazing little girl. It has also been incredible to see her grow and change so tremendously over the past year.

On the other hand, a part of me aches that time has passed so quickly. It seems like only yesterday they were wheeling me into the OR to deliver Caroline. That first moment I saw her and breathed in her sweet smell. A mass of raven-colored hair and creamy, rosy skin. My own flesh and blood. 

I love her so much it really does hurt sometimes. 

Her laugh and smile have become the two things I look forward to most every day. Her name couldn't fit her more perfectly; she really is Sweet Caroline. 

And I'll tell you what, friends; I don't care if I do anything else well in this lifetime, as long as I'm a great mother to her. 

My daughter. 

My child that is half me and half him. The vessel that will carry my heart around forever because it no longer belongs to me; it is all hers.

Until month 12...

24 Weeks: {Baby GIRL Sisti #2}

I had originally planned to post my pics of my Riffraff Gameday outfit, but my camera isn't letting me dump photos or videos onto my Macbook : ( I'm going to let one of the tech gurus I work with work on it today and see if we can't get those up tomorrow!  

So, in lieu of that, here's an impromptu baby bump update post! I was 20 weeks the last time I posted, so it seemed about time for one. 

Weeks: 24 (as of tomorrow)

Trimester: Second

Gender: GIRL! (Woohoooooo!!)

Name: Ainsley Catherine

Baby's Size: According to the What to Expect website, Ainsley should weight about a pound and be approximately 11.8 inches long. 

Cravings: Where to start? Anything salty. Steak and chicken and fried shrimp...oh, my! And cheese. Preferably in the melty, queso-y form. We eat really healthfully during the week, but I won't lie - I've been indulging a little bit more on the weekends!

How I'm Feeling: Lots of energy, which comes in handy with chasing a 10-month-old. I still get sick in the afternoons most every day, but that's just how this pregnant momma rolls. Me + HCG= Yack fest. 

Lots of round ligament pain, which if you've never been pregnant, is a little bit like a tiny knife stabbing you on each side of your lower abdomen when you get up from a seated or laying position. (Fun stuff!) I'm hoping that will go away soon, because OUCH. 

No swelling or shortness of breath, so I'm a happy camper. Just trucking right along! 

Movement: Caroline moved constantly. I mean constantly. Sleeping just didn't happen with that kid. Now Ainsley? Ainsley moves a lot, but at very specific times of day: early morning and late, late at night. And when she moves, she MOVES. Backflips, round-off back handsprings, ballet, tap, jazz, tae kwon do...girlfriend does it all in there. 

Birth plan: See Week 20 : )

Momma thoughts: I am amazed at how quickly this pregnancy has gone by. I can't believe that on Wednesday, 24 weeks will have arrived. And in just four more weeks, we'll be staring the third trimester in the face! We have NOTHING done for this baby. She has a lovely and big nursery, but so far, I haven't had a spare minute to devote to it. Right now, it's serving as a storage place for our empty moving boxes, ha!

Someone asked me the other day if I ever expected to have two this close in age. And my answer was, of course, no. But, I see the beauty in the unexpected. I see it now more than ever before. Someone told me that they'd be "terrified" to be in our position. 

I don't like that word. 

My fears for having two babies 14 months apart are existent, yes, but few. I don't fear how I'll do it. I look forward to figuring it out. I look forward to the messes, the laughs, the tears, the frustrations (yes, those too), the hugs, the kisses, the long nights...for that's the stuff that real life is made of. That's the stuff we will remember when these two girls are heading off to college some day. 

Until sometime next month, friends --

.............................

We had a TON of demand for the Younique mascara (my review of this amazing stuff is here), and I got some emails from girls asking if we could extend the order deadline until payday arrived, so we extended it for a few more days! Be sure and place yours now if you want some for yourself. You'll love it, I promise!

Order HERE 

I may or may not have recorded a tutorial showing you how I apply the mascara coming this Thursday, (barring anymore problems uploading video from my camera!)

Caroline Rose: {Ten Months}

Weight/Length: 18 lbs., 8 oz. and 26.75 inches tall 

Hair: Hair is  honey blonde now and so thick. I’ve enjoyed having a baby with lots of fun hair to fix : )

Diapers: Size 3 Pampers Swaddlers.

Clothing: All 9-12 month clothing.

Favorite Things: Prima, (her Zubels ballerina doll), her rubber ducky, mommy’s jewelry, mommy’s fedora hat, her striped Pickles Farm Fresh blanket, her Fisher Price Activity/Music table.

Likes: Right now, our petite princess loves: bath time, swimming, eating, playing fetch with Ruby (well, watching mommy play fetch with Ruby), going for stroller walks, grocery shopping, going to restaurants, listening to the church choir, watching Doc McStuffins and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

Dislikes: Being hot (she loathes the heat just like her momma), strangers touching her face (and I can’t blame her…everyone wants to pinch her cheeks!), Sesame Street (hates it…dunno why), getting buckled into her car seat (but is cool as a cucumber once she's strapped in), and cats (more about that later, but it’s clear she inherited this phobia from her momma and her daddy, ha!)

Favorite Foods: Green beans, yams, turkey, carrots, applesauce, pears, kiwi, squash, graham crackers, mashed potatoes and plain Greek yogurt (we really like the Fage brand.)

Milestones: She is cruising around and using the furniture to keep her balance. She is starting to stand up from a seated position on her own without having to hold onto anything for support. She recently began clapping for people and it’s so cute. She has added “bye bye” to her word bank, too. She also began this thing where she pretends to cough, then waits for our reaction where we go, “Oh, Caroline! You must be so sick!” It’s hilarious.

Mama Thoughts: 

Nine months went by in a gosh-darn blink. I am so, so sad that these past two months have passed so quickly, but I know that it’s mostly due to the move and also planning for another child.

She is SUPER mobile, crawling and standing and cruising everywhere, and I’m usually wiped out by the end of the day on my days home with her. I am really thankful that I’m able to be there to witness so many of her milestones and funny moments, though. But, my days at the office are a welcomed break, too. 

She is such an inquisitive little thing, constantly watching other people and mimicking what they do. She is fiercely independent, almost to a fault, which I’ve heard is more common in little girls at this age. I wish she wasn’t so much that way; I want her to need me. (Oh gosh, I sound like my own momma now.)

I’m happy to report that she is a momma’s girl through and through. She associates Stephen with playing and laughing and big, rowdy fun, but when it comes to needing comfort or snuggles, she wants only her momma. She is having major separation anxiety when we leave her with sitters at home now. She will stay with a total of three people without fussing: Stephen, my mom and me. She still doesn't really mind daycare though, and will easily let me leave her on the days I work. 

Also? I may be crazy, but I think we are starting to favor a bit more. For a while, she looked a lot more like Stephen, (and still does), but I see more similarities between the two of us for sure now. (Please don’t tell me otherwise; I like fibbing to myself, ha!)

She is the light of my life, that Caroline Rose.

Until month 11… 

Caroline Rose: {Nine Months}

Kind of a little bit crazy NUTS that Caroline is already NINE months old! (I promise that I won't be using annoying CAPS throughout the post.)

Weight/Length: 17 lbs., 14 oz. and 26.5 inches tall 

Hair: Hair is a blondish-brown. And thick!

Diapers: Size 3 Pampers Swaddlers. After the fourth night in a row of Honest Co. diapers leaking horribly, we threw in the towel. They're adorable little dipes, but don't contain the pee pee like our good 'ol Pampers. Sorry, Honest Co! 

Clothing: 9 month clothing across the board, although her 6 month tops still work pretty well, too.

Favorite Things: Her little pink V-tech baby "laptop"; Prima, her Zubels ballerina doll; her Pickles Farmfresh striped blanket, mommy's jewelry ; )

Likes: Right now, our petite princess loves: bath time, being on the lake, being in the yard with the pups, going for walks, sitting in mommy and daddy's bed and watching TV, trips to Target - ha!, eating, live music (especially if it involves drums!)

Dislikes: Being hot (she loathes the heat just like her momma), getting her diaper changed -- girlfriend doesn't have time for that anymore -- and wearing shoes, (she is from the South, after all.)

Favorite Foods: Sweet potatoes, squash, avocados and oatmeal with fresh applesauce. She also loves to snack on pureed pears, watermelon and mango. Her favorite "fun" food is pickles, which we let her enjoy occasionally ; ) We are still preparing all of her food ourselves rather than purchasing, and I love that I know exactly what's going into her little body.

Milestones: She can now go from lying flat to sitting upright, all on her own. She is pulling up and also bear crawling, which is hilarious to watch. She also planks. Yes, my kid can plank. I'll try to snap a pic the next time she does it!

Still says 'mama', 'dada', 'baba' (for bottle), and 'nana' (for my mom, who is her grandmother)

Mama Thoughts: 

Eight months was so much fun, but also really challenging for this expectant (again) momma. Now that she's much more mobile, I find myself drained by the end of the day. Gosh, though, it is SO much fun! (There I go using the annoying CAPS again. Sorry.)

She's a little sponge, constantly soaking in her surroundings and mimicking every sound we make. Caroline is in a stage right now where she wants to engage with everyone around her and likes to strike up conversations with complete strangers, which is hilarious to see.

She is still a devout mama's girl, which, I won't lie, I love. Daddy is fun for goofing around and playing, but when she needs comfort or cuddling, she's all about her mama.

It's true what they say; the bond between and mother and her child is unlike any other. I love her so fiercely and wholly that it nearly hurts. I know I'm partial, but I really do think she's the most beautiful and perfect little human I've ever met.

Taken July 5, 2014, the day after we announced her little baby sister!

And, as excited as I am to have another little girl in December, I'm a little sad that Caroline won't be the only baby anymore. (I hear this is a very common feeling for mamas when they are expecting their second baby.) The most exciting thing to me however, is that she and Ainsley will be so very close in age and, therefore, always have a really special bond. Almost like twins, from what I've been told from other moms with kiddos close in age.

And that, my friends, makes me endlessly happy.

I have loved having a daughter so, so much and I can't wait to see what Month Ten has in store for us!

Caroline Rose: {Eight Months}

I know this is late, (Cee turned 8 months on Saturday), but we had a bit of a crazy weekend. We actually SOLD our house on Saturday morning - yay!! We are elated to get to start the fun and fast house-hunting process! So, with that said, this will be Caroline's last month-by-month update in our current home - crazy, right?!

I'm so excited to see what our next home will look like, where it will be, etc. And very excited for the memories we will make in it!

Weight/Length: 17 pounds, 3 oz. and 25.75 inches tall 

Hair and Eyes: Hair is a blondish-brown. Seeing as how both mine and Stephen's eyes are blue, as well as every member of each of our immediate families...I think they will stay blue ; )

Diapers: Size 3 Pampers Swaddlers and Honest Co. diapers, which we just discovered and love!

Clothing: 6 month clothing across the board. She's gotten some delicious rolls on her, but she's still pretty petite, so I think we're a few months away still from 9 month items. 

Favorite Things: Her Exersaucer, her Olivia the Pig doll, her blocks, watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Doc McStuffin on Disney Jr.

Likes: Right now, our petite princess loves: bath time, sitting in her kiddie pool in the yard, going shopping and sitting up in the shopping cart like a big girl, hanging out in the yard with her doggies, riding on the boat and looking at books

Dislikes: Being hot (loathes the heat just like her momma), getting her diaper changed, (girlfriend doesn't have time for that anymore!)

Favorite Foods: Avocados, sweet potatoes, squash, green beans and infant oatmeal with fresh peaches. I'm very glad that we chose to buy the fruits and veggies and puree them for her, versus buying the ready-made baby food. It's a huge cost-savings, not to mention that I don't worry about the weird preservatives and high fructose corn syrup that she might be getting otherwise. (No judgement at all if you choose to purchase ready-made, but for us this is working well.)

Milestones: She said her first word last week and it was 'mama'! I just melted, y'all. She also said 'dada' the very next day!

She pulled up at about 7.5 months and was quite proud of herself. We are really having to watch her because she is on the move 24-7. 

She also had her two little bottom teeth come in last week and they're so cute!

Mama Thoughts: 

Seven months would best be summed up in one word: changes. Every day, she accomplished some little or big milestone. Her personality also started to come out even more. We have discovered that she is happiest when she's in social settings. She loves to "chat" with other kids and people, and has a very mellow disposition about her. Her daycare teachers say she is by far their most low maintenance baby.

She is also most happy when she is around our dogs. She adores watching them run and play in the yard. They are so gentle and patient with her, and it melts my heart to watch them together.

She is most attached to her mama, but when daddy's around, she loves to play and giggle with him. She associates him most with fun and play, and me with comfort and cuddling, which I love.

That's about all for this month, so stay tuned for NINE months on July 14!

Caroline Rose: {Seven Months}

Weight/Length: About 15 lbs. and hanging out around 24.75 inches long.  Girlfriend is rocking all those delicious baby rolls on her legs and arms. I may or may not be guilty of squishing her little legs while I'm rocking her to sleep. 

Hair and Eyes: Brown hair and blue eyes. Her hair got lighter for a while, but has started to darken again, so I think she'll be a beautiful brunette!

Diapers: Size 2 Pampers Swaddlers diapers 

Clothing: She can still easily wear 3 mo. tops. Most of her rompers and bubbles are 3-6 month. Dresses are pretty much whatever - she can wear 3 month or 6 month sizes in those. 

Favorite Things: Her Disney Baby Einstein Exersaucer, playing with these little silicone dipping sauce bowls, her singing bunny rabbit that her Nana gave her, as well as this (practically antique) play rotary phone that I had as a kid.

Likes: Right now, our petite princess loves: sitting up, standing up with support from mom and dad, riding in the shopping cart like a big girl, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and being around her doggies.

Dislikes: Eating solids, (still prefers her milk, but we are getting there), getting her diaper changed, daycare (yup, we're still there...more on this journey later), being sweaty (she gets it from her momma and prefers to be cool.)

Milestones: Well, I suppose we can count eating solids, but she hates them : ( We're sticking with it and it is getting a bit easier. I think it's just a texture thing, still. 

She is starting to army crawl and scoot using her elbows and knees. Now that we've mastered sitting, we're starting to become mobile!

No teeth yet, and I'm a-okay with that! A dentist friend told us that the longer they take to peek through, the better.

Other Changes: She will imitate someone when they say, "Uh oh!" It's adorable. (Isn't this exciting stuff to read? Ha!) She has also started this thing where she'll wake around 4:00 a.m. EVERY. DARN. DAY. She'll wake, cry, we'll change her diaper and then she'll go back down until 7:00 or so. Not a major event, by any stretch, but it is really strange. I blame it on our ghost ; ) (More on that later, too! ha!)

Mama Thoughts: 

Month six was so much fun. She was fun before, but now she has just come alive! She squeals, laughs, smiles and reaches for people, (mostly her momma...and I don't hate that!) Her personality is becoming more and more evident, which is pretty cool to see. She has also started recognizing certain people and that's fun. We FaceTime all of her grandparents and every time my mom (her Nana) gets on the phone, her head will turn and she'll give the biggest grin. She is also super intrigued with Stephen's dad, her BopBop, which is hilarious. She will sit on his lap and just stare at him and grin and giggle. It's so funny!

It's bittersweet that she's growing so quickly, but I am loving this age right now. She still loves to be rocked and cuddled. And, I can still dress her without protest ; )

Mother's Day was downright amazing this year. (Well, duh. Because I was a mother.) Caroline "gifted" me with a new pair of sandals and a bouquet of pretty roses. She also took me out for breakfast with the help of her daddy ; ) The two of them make my world go 'round.

Until next month, friends. 

Caroline Rose: {Six Months}

Weight/Length: We don't go for her six-month check-up and shots until next week, but our scale at home indicated 13 pounds 13 oz. She's definitely getting longer, too! I think she's close to 24.5 inches now.

Yes, still a peanut, but her cheeks are so squishable and perfect! 

Hair and Eyes: Hair is still a pretty shade of brown. And her eyes are still the brightest of blue. 

Diapers: Size 2 Pampers Swaddlers diapers finally fit her booty.

Clothing: Believe it or not, she can finally wear her 3-6 month Carter's sleepers - woohoo! Most of her everyday clothing is 3 Mo., but at least we've moved out of Newborn sizes ; ) We also purchased some swimsuits last month and have been adding to our growing collection, all in preparation for the boat this summer. 

Favorite Things: Her Sophie the Giraffe toy, her Exersaucer, riding in her stroller, sitting in her Bumbo and watching me cook, having books read to her.

Wearing our "birthday" tiara!

Likes: Right now, our petite princess loves: Strangely, she loves thunder. It all started last week when it was stormy one day. There were several big claps of thunder and, to my amazement, she laughed so hard. Maybe she has a career as a storm chaser in her future?

She also loves looking at books, (thank the Lord this girl loves books like her momma!), listening to the Duke Ellington/Billy Holiday station on iRadio in the car, being outdoors in her stroller, watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on the iPad, stretching on the floor and her doggies, Ruby and Ari. 

Dislikes: People with super loud voices or a loud laugh (I think it startles her), the pipe organ at church (I can't blame her for that one...ick!), getting OUT of the bathtub. Girlfriend loves water.

Milestones: With rolling over from tummy-to-back and vice-versa out of the way, the next big milestone was sitting up. I thought sitting up might happen during her sixth month, but she surprised us and sat bolt upright this past month.

On April 7th at 5 mos., 3 wks., she sat up for the first time! She stayed that way for 23 seconds before tipping over. Ever since that day, she just...sits...and sits...and sits. She can go a half minute or so without assistance, which is really cool to watch. 

I don't know of anything quite as fun as watching your baby grow and develop. 

Eating: We began solids last night. I'm really glad we held off until she was six months old, just because I don't think her tiny tummy was ready until now. (Our pediatrician doesn't like to start sooner than that anyway, but I do know that every baby is different!) 

We don't plan to use the pre-packaged baby food, so I'll be buying her veggies/fruits and pureeing them. Definitely a cost-saver! We will try avocado next, probably Thursday, just to make sure her tummy tolerates solid food well. 

Other Changes: She loves to blow raspberries and will also imitate the long "oo" sound when we say, "boo", which is funny. She belly laughs multiple times per day, which we love. She will also randomly squeal and "sing" all the time. (Especially when mommy is on the phone, ha!)

Sleeping: She is a wonderful, wonderful sleeper. I realize this could all change on a dime, but from 8:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. or so, she sleeps. Sometimes (especially during growth spurts) she'll wake for a quick feeding, then it's back down to bed. 

She takes one long nap around 10:00 a.m. for two hours, then another nap around 1:30, then her final one around 4:30 p.m.

Mama Thoughts: 

Month five was a little more challenging for us, only because she's getting to the stage that she realizes when one of us has left a room. She's definitely quite attached to her mommy and daddy, so we have to remind her that when we walk away to do something (put laundry away, load the dishwasher, etc.), that we're still close by. This behavior also has its perks, though. For instance, she LOVES to be held super closely and rocked during her naps. 

Her demeanor reminds me a lot of her cousin Luke when he was a baby. She's very mellow and smiley, and will "talk" to anyone who's willing to listen. I'm glad she's a social baby. 

I'm still really, really enjoying my part-time work schedule. I love our Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at home together, but I also look forward to the adult interaction and challenging projects on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It really has been a good solution for our family and I don't imagine we'll change anything in the near future. 

We've been enjoying the awesome weather together daily with long stroller walks, which is great cardio for momma, too! It feels great to get moving again. I've also started trying to eat better and incorporate tons of veggies and fruits into my daily eating routine. I ate a lot of junk toward the end of the pregnancy, which I'm sure didn't help my sluggishness. So I'm working to change that. I want to set a good example for Caroline to enjoy healthy foods and always be open to trying new things. 

Until next month, friends. 

Caroline Rose: {Five Months}

Weight/Length: As of exactly one week ago, she was 12 lbs. and 8 oz. Caroline is also 23.5 inches long and her head is measuring 40 cm.

Still a little peanut of a thing, but MAN goes girlfriend have some cheeks on her! I could squish and kiss those puppies all day. And sometimes, I do.

Hair: Hasn’t changed a bit. Still brown and still growing fast : )

Diapers: Size 1 Pampers Swaddlers. We tried on a Size 2 and, um, nope. The dang thing came up under her arm pits, haha!! She has a teeny booty, that Caroline.

Clothing: 0-3 month in Old Navy and Baby Gap, 3 month in Carter's and most everything else. She still can't wear any of her Mud Pie clothes - they're huge on her! I've heard this is common for that brand??

Favorite Things: Her Sophie the Giraffe toy, her Bumbo seat with play tray, her Olivia the Pig doll and her jingle bell ball.

Likes: Right now, our petite princess loves: looking at books with bright pictures, having songs sung to her, music, watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on the iPad, bath time, getting her diaper changed. And "standing". She loves when we hold her in a standing position under her arms and let her put her feet down and straighten her legs. She likes this because it usually ends in us clapping and cheering for her like a bunch of buffoons.

On Wednesday in her stroller. 

Dislikes: The Nose Frida. Not funny, but kind of…she’ll grab the Frida when we’re trying to use it on her and hurl it at us.

Milestones: She rolled over from back-to-tummy on February 9th, then a week later started rolling from tummy-to-back. She began holding her own bottle around the beginning of February, also, right before she turned four months old. She is also starting to gear up for crawling and sitting. She also loves to "talk" and belly laugh, especially when her daddy plays peek-a-boo with her.

This month, she has also started imitating us. We can make a funny sound and she’ll mimic it. It’s so neat to interact with her this way!

She is also learning to pet the dogs. This delights Ruby (our miniature dachshund) to no end because she loves anyone who will dote on her. Ari couldn't care less, but he's a great sport while we let Caroline touch his ears and gently pat his head.

Sleeping: Up until the dadgum time change last Sunday, we were doing great, haha. She’s still sleeping through the night, but instead of going down at her normal time, it’s taking us about an hour longer to get her to sleep. We’re just being patient and looking it as though this just gives us more time to cuddle with her at night : )

She takes one long nap around 10:00 a.m. for two hours, then another nap around 1:30, then her final one around 4:30 p.m.

Mama Thoughts: 

Caroline is changing overnight these days. Clothes that fit last week don’t fit this week. Her little mind is like a sponge and soaks up new things every single day. I’m taking advantage of this and exposing her to as many things as I can. I noticed her staring at a flower in a vase on our countertop the other day. I took this opportunity for her to touch the petals, take in the bright red color and admire the beauty of this new discovery.

It’s true what they say.

When you have a child, everything is new again.

Faster than her little body is growing, is our love for her. I simply cannot imagine being more in love with another tiny human. I miss her terribly on the days that I work, although I do enjoy the time out of the house. But do you know what? That moment when I walk in the door in the afternoons and see her face light up - perfection. Can't put a price on that, friends.

Another stroller walk this morning.

Her blue eyes are getting bluer by the day, too. I'm still not sure if she favors Stephen or me more, but those eyes, y'all...those eyes. Someone said one day that she could probably cut glass with them because of the piercing blue color...I think they might be right.

Until next month, friends. 

....................................

P.S. Sorry about Confessional Friday, but I cannot get InLinkz to work this morning. And this little cutie took priority ; )