Last Day

Despite the look on her face in most of these pictures, we ended her preschool year on a good note.  She was back to her normal self and loving her time at "school" the last two weeks.  

Yay for summer!

5 Months

I say this every month, but seriously where is the time going?  My goodness!  I guess that is showing my age because only our parents and grandparents say how fast time flies by.  Our days seem very long sometimes, but before I know it, another month has passed.  

As a side note, I have posted more detail than usual below about feedings and schedules.  I have had some people ask me questions recently regarding those things and I wanted to answer with what works for us.  And as always, it is also for me.  When I have had questions with Annie, I have been so grateful I had this blog to look back at Caroline's stats and info.  All that to say, this might not interest many of you!   

Our baby Annie is 5 months and so much fun.  I love these pictures of her.  I feel they reflect her personality pretty well thus far.  Annie is calm, content, and up for whatever comes next in her day.  She is flexible and will take a nap just about anywhere. 

She has had a few milestones over the last month.  She rolled over, started laughing, and is in love with her feet/toes!  Her favorite thing to do by far is watch her crazy big sister running all over the place!

Annie is going to bed about 7:30 and sleeps until about 6 or 6:30 most days.  If she wakes up before 6, I put the paci in, but I do not feed her.  I know she is still tired and will sleep longer.  I do not want her getting used to eating any earlier.  If we are home she will take about a 1.5 to 2 hour morning nap - (around 8am-10am).  Her afternoon nap is about the same (around 2pm-4pm).   And most days she has another cat nap around lunch.  I can tell she is getting older because she is more predictable during the day now.  Much more routine than an infant which is very bittersweet.      

I am still nursing and she has 5 feedings a day right now.  Give or take about 30mins, but usually 6:30am, 10am, 1:30pm, 4pm, 7pm.   No real reasoning to it, but that is just what works best for our days and Caroline's schedule.  I like to try and have Annie's first feeding before Caroline is up in the morning, and one of the afternoon feedings while Caroline is napping (depending on when Caroline goes down to nap).    

I have not started rice cereal or baby food.  Some people like introducing that around 4 months, but I like starting that closer to 6 months.  I try to do it a week or so before the 6 month check up so I can ask questions when I go to the doc.  I like things simple and Annie is full after her feedings without baby food right now, so we will wait another couple weeks.  

We love watching this girl grow and change everyday!

Happy Birthday Uncle Matt

Yesterday was my brother, Matt's, birthday.  Matt flies for the Navy and he is currently deployed.  He is on the USS Lincoln (that is why C says he is on a boat in the video).  Birthdays are one of those things that make me sad I live far away from close family.  But another reason I am grateful for technology!  

Happy Birthday Matt!  We love you and hope you come home very soon!  

To read more about the USS Lincoln and what they have been up to, click here and here. 

This picture was taken several years ago, but is one of my favorites.  

Engaged!

These two love birds got engaged on Saturday! 

We couldn't be more thrilled for Erin and Bubba.  So grateful we could be there to celebrate with you!

Two and a half

Oh, this little girls keeps me on my toes.  She is officially two and a half.     

She is cautious and timid and does not take a risk at anything.  At the same time, she is strong willed and knows exactly what she wants.  She wants to do everything all by herself.  She is shy and quiet in any new environment and will not open up until she is comfortable.  Once she is comfortable, she is a social butterfly.  

She talks all day long and asks questions even more.  Today she asked me, "Mommy, who built our house?" Out of the blue.  I don't know how these things pop in her head.  Every time she hears a new word she says, "oh, I don't know that word."  

She is a diva and as girly as the come! She loves to play and pretend. 

Curious George might be her best friend.  

Two things she definitely got from her Daddy: sleeping and eating.  She has always been a good eater and the girl can sleep a lot! 

She does not like preschool anymore.  I am not sure exactly why, but pretty sure it has something to do with me and Annie being together while she is at school.  She doesn't cry, but just says she doesn't want to play.  Hoping it is a short phase because she used to love it and she is going back next year.  Thankfully, it is almost summer!

She is witty and silly.  Makes us laugh daily.

Her nicknames are monkey and pumpkin.  Not sure how those started or clicked.    

She loves her paci and does not want to potty train yet.  I don't really care about either of these things right now and I am not pushing them.  We will figure it out this summer.  Like everyone says, "They will not go to kindergarten with a paci and in a diaper."  So, that is my motto.  

I cannot believe we are half way to three! What a fun journey it has been for 2.5 years.  We love you more than you know little monkey!   

3 and 4 months

I failed to do a 3 month post in March for Annie girl so, we are playing catch up and combining months.  I did manage to take her picture then though.  

Three months is one of my favorite milestones.  For both our girls, three months turned a corner into sleeping more at night and overall a little more consistency during the day.

At or around 3 months:

Annie slept from 7:30pm to 7am for the first time.

Still inconsistent with that every night, but it showed me she could do it.  Most nights she was typically sleeping 7:30pm-5am.  Most days she is good about taking the paci when she wakes up at 5 and typically falls back asleep until 6:30-7 when I feed her.   

Likes:

carseat

stroller

play-mat

baths 

Dislikes:

bumbo

loud noises

We dropped the swaddle and now sleep in the sleep sack.  Annie alternates between the paci and sucking her fingers.  

 She is chill and content and that is the facial expression she gives us most of the time.  

Takes about three 45min-1 hr naps a day and then one catnap in the evening. 

Cooing the sweetest little sounds more and more.  

Feeding 5 times a day.  

At or around 4 months:

13lbs. 9oz. 25.5 inches 

Sleeping 7:30pm to around 6am.  

Holding her head up better.  

Still feeding 5 times a day.

Napping 2-3 times per day.

Her eyes seem to be changing colors.  For a while they were more blue than Caroline's and now many days they look more hazel.
She has started to giggle some.
Recognizing familiar voices and faces more and more.
Can grab and hold on to small toys better.  

Likes:
being held
chewing on anything
Praise Baby
her giraffe lovey

Dislikes:
swing
new faces

Easter

Easter is my favorite holiday. We get to celebrate Jesus, but it is so much more laid back.  And I love that because of what Jesus did we have hope in this life.  

And let's be honest, I also love the more "holiday/marketing" aspects of Easter too.  Pastels, seersucker and southern clothes, warmer weather, the Masters (when it falls on Easter), and I swear Easter candy taste better in egg shape and/or pastel colors.  

John took a little time of work last Friday which was such a treat.  We are never just in town when he is off work (unless we are having a baby and that doesn't really count).  Anyway, we loved having a long weekend with him.  Friday, G and Buster came to visit and it was Annie's first time to meet Buster.  Sadly, I think Annie must have been scared away by Buster's new beard because she wanted nothing to do with him.  Regardless though, we always love our time together.    

We also enjoyed a cookout with some of my cousins Friday and then celebrating a good friend's birthday later that night.  Saturday, John and I headed to the Master's for the day.  We didn't even know what to do with 12 hours alone together.  It was heavenly to have a day with no agendas.  After we grabbed our favorite sandwiches we watched a few of our favorite golfers tee off.  Then, we camped out in the grass around the 16th hole where we spent the rest of the day talking and catching up.     

Sunday the girls woke up to some little treats in their baskets.  I love that Caroline (and obviously Annie) is still at the age where there are no expectations.  I put 3 eggs in each basket with 1 jellybean per egg and she was pumped! Plus, she got to eat them before breakfast.   

Caroline was thrilled and she basically gets two baskets as she also takes over Annie's.

Sweet Annie.  Just content and along for the ride.

I decided to start a tradition of putting books in their baskets.  That way we all win.  It is fun for the girls to have new books to add to our collection and I feel like they are getting something a little more meaningful and purposeful. 

After church, we headed to Bob's house (John's grandfather) for an egg hunt and lunch. 

I had a strange reality check when we took this picture.  I reached down to hold Caroline for the pic and she didn't want to be held.  She wanted to stand in front of us.  It was so unnatural for me to not be holding anyone and realize Caroline is tall enough to just stand up for the picture like a big girl.  Random, I know, but it is amazing to me how much she is growing up everyday and becoming more "independent" in her own way.    

Yaya and Annie

All the younger cousins

"Money Mommy!"

Caroline loves Mayson

I love a good bonnet on Easter in the South.

This was my dress and bonnet as a little girl and Caroline also wore it for her first Easter.

Happy Easter folks!  He is risen.  He is risen, indeed!