Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

4 months!

Dear Kate Elizabeth,
Yesterday you turned 4 months old! This last month has brought lots of changes and new skills on your part, and we LOVE watching you develop everyday! It's so much fun to see what you can accomplish, but your Mama also gets sad that time is flying by us.

You are HAPPIER!! Now, you smile more and even laugh sometimes and you pay lots of attention to lights and sounds (toys or TV). You are so smart too...we've noticed that you catch on to patterns and you already recognize certain songs and sayings. You are so much fun to play with! You still get a bit cranky when it's nap time or if you're bored, but nothing like before :)


You can now roll over both ways and you try so hard to scoot and squirm! You like the bumbo seat sometimes, and the swing is still in use. I'm back to work now, so you get to hang out with Nannie all day and you're usually such a good girl for her! Y'all play lots (you especially love their beach) and she loves her days with you. Nannie told me the other day that when she wakes up in the mornings, she can't wait to come over and get you when I go to work :)


 You and Nannie on the beach. I lost your sun hat so you wear your "My first fishing hat" so you don't get a sunburn!

You still nurse and I pump 3 times during the day at work so Nannie has plenty of the good stuff to feed you :) Last weekend, I started giving you some rice cereal! You just barely make the minimum age, but you love taking your medicine, so I figured you'd enjoy it, and I reallllllyyyyy want you to sleep a bit longer at night. I love you more than anything, but waking every 3 hours just isn't fun. Last night I cheated and let you sleep in the swing, where you slept 5 hours...





You love the dogs too! And clearly, Maggie loves you :) I don't let her lick all over your face, but she was licking your toes and you were smiling, so when I tried to get a pic, she snuck in for a kiss!

You still wear size 2 diapers (Pampers sensitive with some A&D original each time) and you're wearing 6 month clothes. They fit, but you're very tall and some things may be too short soon!

Last weekend, we made a quick day trip to Orlando to celebrate Emily's birthday at Ice at Gaylord Palms. We weren't sure what you'd think about the 9 degree temps, but you were great! I strapped your bundled self in the Bjorn (which is a LIFESAVER these days) and then wrapped their big jacket around you. You never fussed!
 Thanks for the hat Aunt Lauren!
 Daddy, Kate & Mama, and Uncle Jeremy
Nannie with most of her babies

 Happy Birthday Miss Emily!

 Who said you wouldn't use your baby North Face in Florida?! Thanks Uncle Scotty!

 This cracks me up! Scotty took it - you were actually sitting in the bumbo, but you look so grown up!

This is where you lay in the mornings while Mama does her makeup before work (don't mind the unmade bed...it's always made before I leave the house :) and sometimes Maggie watches you!


You have a very regular bedtime routine that has kind of just fallen into place. You still get a bath every night because NOTHING makes you happier, then I blowdry you, dress you, nurse you and you're OUT in just a couple of minutes. Then I lay you upright against my chest to get a burp out, and when you're sleeping there and cuddling with your little arms around me, ALL IS RIGHT WITH THE WORLD. There is nothing more perfect, and it is one of my favorite times with you.


We love you SO much and can't imagine our lives without you! You are so precious, and I LOVE your babbling. You have the sweetest, most beautiful little voice and I just know you have so much to tell us. You are going to be such a talker! You're an automatic destressor for all of us, and I look forward to every single day with you!! 


You're my favorite thing, baby doll!!





Sunday, November 20, 2011

So this is what it's like...

...to have a happy baby! 
I'm sorry, no pictures with this post because I haven't loaded them on my computer yet, and I'm too tired to start that right now, but life is just so wonderful that I had to post :)
Kate has really turned the corner in the past week or so, and now she spends most of her days HAPPY and  SMILING!! We are able to go more places, play more, sit more, do more tummy time, watch her ROLL OVER, take more pictures, and snuggle her! She has been perfect to us since day one, but now she's perfect AND fun! Lots of things going on and she'll be 4 months Tuesday, so I'll blog more later (with pictures, I promise!)
Also, we started rice cereal this weekend...you know we have about 100 pictures and 30 minutes of video. Stay tuned :)

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Kate laughs!

Kate's laugh is BY FAR our favorite sound in the world! This is just a short video clip from the tail end of a little "laugh session" she had with Daddy when he got home from work.
Not the best quality...my phone was the closest thing to grab and I just used that (usually unflattering) screen flip feature.

My whole life I've heard how when I was a baby, I would laugh so much that I'd get the hiccups...notice her hiccups starting :)


Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Still here!


For all seven of you who may read this, sorry I haven't been updating as much. I went back to work 2 weeks ago, and let's just say it's a good thing I really love my job :) Miss Kate is SO wonderful and happy and smiley in the mornings, which makes it tough to pass her to my momma, but at least I know she's in perfect hands. Nannie (and Pop Pop) and Kate enjoy their days together, and while I'm fixing other kiddos at work, mom texts me lots of smiles to get me through the day!

Kate loves the hammock at their house - she's still such a mover!

 Kate is changing so much, and although it's exciting to see her new "tricks," it really makes me appreciate every little snuggle with her :) She has started reaching for toys, and yesterday she ROLLED OVER!! I don't have a video :( because she did it while I was at work, but we were still super excited!


Evenings are still her crankier time, but in general she is a much happier baby! Now if she'd just sleep more than 2-3 hour stretches at night....come on baby doll, I miss you during the day too, but a little more sleep would be fantastic! 

She'll be 4 months next week, and you better believe we're starting rice cereal. I'm hoping that will help her sleep...

She loves to dip her toes in the (cold) pool!

Still no teeth, but she puts everything in her mouth and drools so much


Maggie and Kate were cows for Halloween!

We "trick or treated" down to the Hooks' house for a picture, but Kate wasn't so sure about a fleece hoodie in hot Florida weather!

Are you kidding? How cute is she?! 
(Even if her hair on top is falling out!)

 Daddy loves her so much, and we can finally lay or sit still with Kate a few minutes each day!!

In other news, Kate's first pair of jeans came in the mail today (ahhh!!) and after browsing Target and Babies R Us, I don't think Santa will have any willpower this Christmas ;) 
I can't wait for the holidays with her!

Also, please pray for my sweet friend Michelle and her little bun in the oven - they could use a bit of health and happiness right now.





Saturday, November 12, 2011

November 12

November 12, 2010

November 12, 2011
The best blessing in the WHOLE WORLD!!

 It's amazing what can change in one year!!

We love you Kate Elizabeth!!!