5 Months

Five months old.  We're just cruising right along, the months just flying by.  I know the last half of the year will fly by and you'll be a year old before we know it.  I remember feeling the same guilt around this time with Barrett, that I didn't hold you enough and I regretted that I blinked and you are no longer a newborn.  This time around I've had the added guilt of trying to split my time between you and your brother.  I've said all along that splitting my time is the hardest thing about having two kids (well, that and getting everyone in and out of the car.)  Luckily you just go with the flow and don't seem to mind.  You get lots of cuddles too.  I've started letting myself just relax when we get home from work and I just hold you.  You usually take a nap but sometimes you don't.  I love that time of day.  You are the sweetest baby.  I know I say that every month but you really are.  You love your brother so much, you smile and laugh at him and your dad all the time.  You are definitely a Mama's girl and I'm perfectly okay with that!

• You weighed 14.8llbs on the shipping scale at work.  You've haven't grown much this month and now I'm worried that all the clothes I've bought for Fall and Winter are going to be to big.
• You are 26" long counting your hair.  This is not entirely accurate but it was the best I could get. 
• You're still wearing size 6 months sleepers and 6 month dressy outfits.  We still wear the occasional 3-6 outfit (usually two pieces) and even a few 9m.
• Size 3 diapers and you go through 5-6 per day. 

• You sleep 12 hours at night in your crib!  It is amazing.  I was looking at Barrett's baby book and I don't think he did this until 7 or 8 months.  You are a champion sleeper.
• You usually take a 1.5 hour nap in the morning and again in the afternoon and then another little cap nap before dinner. You usually just put yourself to sleep where ever you are.
• You've been a little fussier at night when I try to put you down but most of the time we are able to just lay you in your crib and you go to sleep.
• In the morning when you wake up you make the sweetest sounds and you're always so happy to see me.

• You are still only taking breast milk.
• We'll start food next month probably unless we think you're ready sooner.  Right now you don't seem interested.
• You nurse every 4 hours for 15-20 minutes.  You take 5-6 ounces when you take a bottle.

• You're rolling back to front.  You started that the day after you turned four months.
• You like sitting up in your bumbo seat. 
• You still very much suck your thumb and like your bunny.
• You are squealing and talking more and more.  You love interacting with us.
• Your smile is the best.  You will smile with your whole body sometimes.
• You also are starting to really belly laugh. You've only done it a few times but it is the best.

• We celebrated your first 4th of July and you loved the fireworks. 
• Your hair is still dark and as you can see wild. 
• Your eyes are still blue.

You have been such a joy to all of us.  Its so hard not to smile when you're around.  I find myself wanting to freeze time and daydreaming about the future all at the same time. You are just so sweet and happy.  We love you so much!

Life Lately

We've been relaxing and trying to stay cool around here lately.  It's usually this point in the summer that I start to be over it.  Everyone is kind of gearing up for back to school and it's so stinking hot.

I haven't been great at taking pictures lately, I haven't even gotten my big camera out of the bag in months.  I feel a little guilty that AveryAnn will pretty much only have cell phone pictures of her first few months. 

I have been able to catch some really sweet moments like this one though.  Barrett almost always gets in the floor and lays with AveryAnn while she's on a pallet. She adores him and I think the feeling is mutal.

He doesn't take naps often.  The timing just doesn't work most days.  I'm hoping this gets better when he goes to school in the fall.  Every now and then he'll fall asleep on the couch and this day was one of those times.  He didn't even finish his snack.

He has been so trying lately.  So all I really wanted was to go to WalMart alone but he cried so hard wanting to go with me, I had to let him tag along.  Then I feel bad because I know all he really wants is one on one time but it's so hard.  Then I feel bad because I feel like I blinked and AveryAnn is almost 5 months old and I feel like I'm missing her being a baby.

She's not a fan of tummy time. 

She is a fan of sucking her thumb.  Which I think is adorable (for now)

I finally got around to making her hospital door hanger into a bow holder.  Now we need more bows.

Cuddling again.

I can't get enough of those rolls.  She is just the happiest, smily-est, easiest baby.

This was after church yesterday.  She looked so sweet in this dress.  I was holding her and I couldn't help but think that she looked just like the daughter I always imagined myself having.  It was a little surreal.  She doesn't wear a ton of dresses because I just love bubbles so much so it was sweet to see her in this beautiful dress.  I tried to get a few pictures of her with my real camera but I wasn't successful.  So a phone picture will have to do.

That's just a little of what's been going on around here. 

Independence Day

I love the fourth of July.  I love Summer time holidays. I love grilled burgers, watermelon and American flags.  I love spending the day by the water and watching the fireworks light up the night sky.  I love it all!

We snuck out of the office a little early Friday afternoon and went to the zoo.  We saw the monkeys and elephants before we called it a hot day and headed home.  Barrett wouldn't let AveryAnn ride in the stroller and she was too hot in the carrier so we threw in the towel and headed home.  (Thankful for a zoo membership so we can go, spend and hour and not feel guilty.  It's already paid for itself several times over and we're only half way through the year.)

I bought a used bumbo for AveryAnn and she's a fan for short periods of time. 

Saturday brought another coordinating outfit before heading to the Moore's house for a day by the pool!  We're going to be so sad when they move and don't have a pool anymore.  But we're excited they're moving closer to us!

Jeremy made the boys so me frozen strawberry lemonade, they pretty much thought it was the coolest thing ever.

This girl will sleep anywhere.  She was so good all day long.  She's just the best baby ever.

Sunday we put on another matching red, white and blue outfit and headed to the lake for the day.  Barrett  had a blast swimming and throwing rocks.  It was a fun day.  We headed back home in time to go to the fireworks at the high school.  This is the first year they've done this and it was so much fun!

This is a terrible picture but you get the idea!

This girl loved the fireworks, Barrett did not.

He was all smiles until they started.

His first shoulder ride.  We were walking by their high school and it made me all emotional.  I know the years will fly by and it'll be no time until we're making that same trek on Friday nights for football games!

We had no plans for Monday and it worked out perfectly.  We were able to get some things done and take naps and just relax.  The boys went to Patrick's parents house for the afternoon to visit.  AveryAnn and I stayed home and did laundry.

I had to get a picture of my little firecracker on her first fourth of July.  We love a good long weekend but Tuesday, man Tuesday was a doozie.  I've never been happier to see Patrick walk in the door from work.