6 Months

Dear Caroline,

How did one half of a year go by? I should say...fly by! Since you made quite the haul in the clothing department for Christmas, I cleaned out her drawers to make room for the new threads. I picked up the tiny newborn and 0-3 month sizes and stored them away. I also have perused through some of your first moments captured...how quickly it goes by. I need to stop. Stop now before I get the fever. On the other hand, I just want to enjoy you and all of your special moments for the next little while. Pure joy.

Highlights from this month...

--Taking lots and lots of pictures getting ready for Christmas cards...which seriously, I didn't order enough...I even mailed out to groups...lesson learned and I humbly apologize.

--Eating! She is a great eater! It took a few tries learning to use a spoon, but once she got the hang of it she has thoroughly enjoyed expanding her pallet! We eat oatmeal mixed with either pears or apples late in the morning and for dinner we eat rice mixed with either squash, carrots, or sweet potatoes. Yummy! I also ended up buying a Chicco highchair...loving it. Thanks, Brandi for the suggestion!

--Sitting up. We started out the month sitting in the tripod position with an arm out front. The arms are too busy reaching for toys now and we are sitting really well.

--Pulling up. Yes, I said, pulling up. Daddy has caught her trying to pull up in her crib. Tonight during her bath she was trying to maneuver herself to standing position using her infant tub. When I'm changing her diaper, she will grab hold of the towel rack, too. Folks, we have a mover and shaker.

--Babbling. My favorite. In the morning, she babbles when we wakes up. It warms my heart. Morning continues to be her best time of the day. We get the most talking in this time of day, too.

--Longer sleeping. Woo hoo! She generally is only waking up once in the middle of the night now and I've noticed it is because of a very, very wet diaper. I don't believe the claim of a 12 hour diaper. I'm here to dispute that it holds 12 hours of tinkle.

--Caroline is becoming more interested in Dodger. She tries to pet him. Dodger still is not interested in her. Dodger still does not believe he's a dog. He still rules the house.

--Fits best in size 3-6 month clothing. Wearing size 2 diapers, or size 1 when Daddy accidentally bought the wrong box. We simply referred to them as a bikini style diaper and laugh.

Pictures from this month








Thanks be to God for my wonderful Christmas gift. Caroline, know you are loved.

Love,

Mommy

Christmas Activities for a Family of Three

We are enjoying the thought of Caroline's first Christmas. Here are a few moments from December so far...

Just one of the Christmas outfits.



Caroline's 1st Carol of Lights. She loves music and lights so this was a perfect event for her to attend. It was a beautiful evening!




Nursery school Christmas story with Caroline as an angel. It was precious. I love the voice of a little child and they were just so, so sweet.






Merry Christmas.

Much love,

Five Months

Dear Caroline,

Pardon me while I back track a little bit to November 23. You turned five months. Your personality is beginning to shine through. We would do just about anything for a smile and giggle and we do plenty of ridiculous songs and dances to see just one more! You are beginning to sit up unassisted for a bit before you topple to the side. You need a variety of toys to keep you entertained as your attention will divert. Mostly, you just like being with people. You like seeing faces and being held and cuddled. We tried rice cereal and you hated it. You still really, really love your bottle which you are holding. You wear 3-6 months size and size two diapers. I recently bought some three to six month size shoes and they were too big. I'm curious what percentage you are in now as far as weight and height. Maybe I should take you to the produce aisle and weigh you. Nevermind, too many germs. I would end up hosing you down with sanitizer! Know that you are loved.


Love,

Mommy

Posting in my Robe

I've been chastised for my non-posting ways lately. I cannot think in coherent paragraphs this time of evening so here goes.

a. I never have loved my robe so much in all my life. This goes for sleep, pillows, my bed. Do you see a theme? My dream present would be 48 hours of uninterrupted sleep. I would also have meals in bed, too. Yep. This is the stuff fantasies are made of.

b. Caroline slept in her bed for the first time all night last night 9:30 PM to 6:00 AM. I woke up and nearly skipped to work with the extra energy!

c. Dora the Explorer is in the shop for majorly loud, squeaky noises. They are going to try to keep her going as long as possible.

d. Guilt. I could write a whole blog everyday on how guilty I feel about everything in my life. Guilty for working. Guilty for the laundry not being done each day. Guilty for my lack of cooking. Guilty for not getting the baby weight off sooner. Guilty for being so tired. Guilty for not being better at socializing. Guilty for not having found a church. Guilty for not being more fun. Guilty at work in many ways. Guilty for the way I look. I look rough some days. And, because of these deep seeds of guilt, I take criticism to heart--constructive or not. Motherhood is hard. Being a wife is hard. Being a teacher is hard. Being a friend that anyone would want to be around right now, hard. To have a friend, you have to be a friend. And really, I want to sleep and catch up on all the things I'm behind on. Laundry, bottles, cleaning, grading, planning, and sleeeeeeeeeeep. Being Dodger Malouf's owner...hard, too.

e. Thanksgiving is almost 2 weeks away. Gobble, gobble. I am so thankful for many blessings. That needs to be a whole new post. I really am so grateful. Right now, I don't sound that way.

There you go. Not my most glamorous post.

Much love,

Four Months

Dear Caroline,

You turned four months last weekend. I apologize for not being Johnny on the Spot with a post, but life is sorta like a hamster and a wheel and right now I'm the hamster and I cannot figure out how to jump off the wheel, but that's for another post. It's fun to think back to last year this time we were learning that we would be parents. We were overjoyed. I wondered who you'd be and at this point it was still a secret that Daddy and I kept to ourselves. I think I talked about you nonstop every night in bed to him.

Papaw and Mimi celebrated with us your 4 months of life! They enjoyed their time playing with you! At the doctor's office last week, you are weighing 14 lbs and around 24 inches long. This puts you in the 75th percentile for both. Funny, but you still fit in 3 month size clothing. You continue to love bath time. You are really getting the hang of your playmat and wacking the jingly-jangling toys above. You love to suck on your fingers and thumb as you are a drool machine! I'm looking for teeth, but so far I don't spy any. You are a snuggle bunny and love laying on top of me. You roll, roll, roll from back to tummy. However, you definitely don't like being on your tummy and wake yourself up often. That means you have been sleeping atop Mommy at night. We need to learn to tuck that arm to get back to your back ASAP! You love to walk assisted. Your personality is beginning to shine through with giggles and smiles. Your favorite is when Mommy sings silly, silly songs with goofy movements to further the entertainment...good thing God gave you a very silly Mommy. I thank God for allowing me to be your Mommy. I count it a privilege. Know you are loved.


Four Month Pictures




Love,

Mommy

Coffee, Tea, or Me?

I've found my calling. I don't particularly enjoy flying. I think I just want to dance cheesy and then deboard.

Much love,

Three Months

Dear Caroline,

Three months...my, oh, my! You continue to be such a joy to our lives. You have such a pleasant disposition. You seem so content with everything as long as you've eaten even when you aren't feeling top notch. You had to go to the doctor for congestion this month and are having to take an antibiotic to help you get rid of some of the congestion. But, of course, you take your medicine like a champ. When I took you into the doctor you weighed 12.5 pounds. This past week you shocked us when you rolled over in your bed at night so early. We place you on your back to sleep, but you have insisted in flipping over to your tummy. Then, we had to strip off your bumper when you put yourself in the corner of your bed. We reinstated the movement monitor as well as the video/noise monitor. Daddy even caught you with an arm and leg hanging between the slats. You are usually only waking us once in the night somewhere around 2 AM to eat, but last night you slept the WHOLE night! I even woke up Daddy to go in and check on you. We were pretty shocked! You continue to love your bath time and looking at yourself in the mirror. You are eating about 4-5 ounces at a time. You seem to love for anyone to hold you; you don't really favor one person or another holding you...you love everyone! You have excellent neck control and are really hitting all of your necessary milestones. Here are a few shots from your third month.

Swing


Outside Picture Time


And, of course, Dodger thinks the camera should be on him. We have MANY pictures with Dodger trying to weasel his way into the shot.


Bath time love.



Sleeping on her way to nursery school


Measuring growth on lamb mat


Picture before a night out on the town


Working on those neck muscles in our Bumbo chair


Know you are loved.

Much love,

Mommy