Cora - four months

Cora baby, we began your fourth month of life with quite an adventure.  Around 6 something p.m. we discovered you were running a fever of between 102 & 103.  The nurse on call at our pediatrician urged us to go straight to the ER.  They got us in around 7 and we were there till well past midnight and then we needed to stop at the pharmacy to get some baby tylenol for you and we weren't getting into bed until 1:38 a.m.  Happy three month birthday!  

Things started getting much better really quickly though.  

We spent the next day at Aunt Mandy and Uncle Jeremy's and Daddy brought us all Tamale Kitchen for dinner.  Soo yum!  It was a nice day to hang out and be low key with family and take care of you.

Also, Annma brought over several dresses for us to borrow for you.  They had been both her's and Aunt Mandy's.  So special!

We got to celebrate your first Independence Day!

Family had started coming into town for our family reunion and we all ate dinner at Nana and Ducca's.  

David's first fourth

You also got to meet your cousin Ryan and your Aunt Robin and Uncle Peter for the first time when they came to town.  Ryan could make you laugh and giggle.  It was so much fun to watch!  

Your brother and Caleb and Aaron all love you so much!  It is going to be fun to watch how the dynamic of those crazy three cousins changes as you grow and are more and more able to join in on the fun!  

For part of our family reunion we went out to Rocky Mountain National Park.  You got to go on some hikes with Mama and Daddy, got loved on by a lot of extended family (wish I had gotten more pics!) and also decided that you weren't at all sure that you were going to take a bottle anymore.  hmmm . . . 

You are giving us *such* sweet smiles, screeches, coos, squeals and laughs.  We LOVE it!  

You laugh for Mama the most and it warms my heart.  

You are wearing 3-6 month clothing now and even some 6-12 and 9 month things as well!  This cutie patootie little family reunion t-shirt that matched all the big people's is a 6 month!

You are liking the ergo more and fitting in it better and I really enjoy carrying you in it when we are out and about. 

Sweet baby and Cousin Caitlin

She was holding you at dinner this night and you fell asleep sitting up in her arms.  It was so sweet and cute.  

Our family very nicely gave me the hiking award for hiking up to the waterfall and back down while carrying you.  It about did me in but I'm glad we got to do it together.  One day you're going to be hiking all on your own!

I love you so much sweet baby girl!  

We don't let feeding breaks stop us, you can eat at the top of a waterfall just as well as at our house!

Your hair is falling out and I miss that head full of dark hair you had when you were born but honestly you are so absolutely adorable no matter what your hair is like.  It is really cute how you have a stand up sort of curl that looks like an ocean wave on the top of your head!  I love it!

You have really begun wanting to sit up this month.  You are sooo strong!  I couldn't believe when I saw you pulling yourself up in your bouncy seat like this and you do it a lot!

You really like sitting in your bumbo seat but almost every time you spit up something crazy or have a diaper blowout.  It seems that I am doing laundry every single day trying to get stains out of sheets, swaddles, pjs, clothes . . . 

Nana and Ducca with all of their grandchildren!

You are sitting up on your own 5-6 seconds at a time, especially in my lap on the plane and at Grandmother and Grandaddy's house in the backyard on the grass.  

Uncle John and also Uncle Fili (using Daddy's camera) took pictures of our whole extended family and our little families at our reunion.  It was so much fun!  

You make some really adorable snuffle noises in your sleep sometimes.  

The girls!  

While all of the kids were here for the family reunion, Nana had you all put your hand prints on her deck.  We did your sweet little foot since keeping your hand open at this age would have been tricky.

Aunt Mandy worked on your cradle cap with an olive oil head massage and then we gave you a sink bath!  Look at your fun crazy curly hair!

Your cousin Caleb loves you so much and is so very proud to be your big cousin.  

cutie baby tummy!

Caleb put you to sleep this night.  It was so sweet.  

One Saturday we went to the park for a breakfast picnic.  You continue to enjoy being outside.  I think we are all looking forward to when you can eat picnic food with us in a couple of months!

You fight going down for naps sometimes.  You like to have your paci to go to sleep but you spit it out when you're good and asleep.  You also like to be bundled up for naps and swaddled at night.  We are still loving the woombie swaddles!

You and Mama and Daddy had a lunch date to Maggiano's in Denver one day.  It was YUMMY and you made quite the impression on the other people at the restaurant.  You are a very good baby and very easy to take places!

Mama's friend, Mrs. Tamara made a hair bow for you out of some ribbon from Mama and Daddy's wedding!  One of the *most* thoughtful and special gifts ever!

You sometimes will put yourself to sleep for a nap in your bouncer.  What a blessing.  

We went on another trip this month, to California!  You and Mama and Ducca traveled together and we had a really good trip.  Everyone loved you so much, especially Uncle Chris.  

You and Grandmother got to have some special snuggle time on the swing!

Three generations!

You and I flew from Californiato New Mexico to meet up with David and Daddy and for you to meet Great-Grandad for the first time!  I can't believe I got so few pictures of our time there.  Brother and Dad had both gotten sick though before we got there and we were there for less than 24 hours so it made the whole thing rather hectic.  

Grandad and Cora!  

Grandad thought you were pretty wonderful!  

Look how well you are learning to sit up!

You and Mama after church

You're wearing one of the dresses that Annma lent us.  You look so pretty!

I feel like I am "hopping" being a mama of two.  You guys both seem to need me a lot at the same time.  We are all hanging in there though.  

You absolutely love being on your changing table.  You do a little "dance" a lot of time wriggling all around.   You have found your feet and love to grab them.  

We had several playdates this month at parks and at our house, had dinner with different friends both at our house and at theirs and enjoyed picnics.  

You love your Aunt Mandy and she loves you!  We went on a picnic with them one night for dinner.

You've been taking some good naps this month for which we are really thankful.  Night times are still kind of rough.  I don't think you've slept through the night a single time this month.  Oh, wait, maybe once in New Mexico but we also went to bed really late.  You've been waking up once or twice a night!  ughgh

You are loving your activity gym and can get the toys into your mouth and chew on them ferociously!

You are also doing so great on your tummy and lift your head so high!

Mom doubts have gone through my mind this month as we've wrestled with not much sleeping.  "Is she allergic to dairy like her brother?"  "Am I spoiling her?", etc., etc.

"talking" to Mr. Turtle

sweet baby girl!

You are drooling and chewing so much we wonder if you might be starting to teeth

Your brother continues to love you so much and for the first time this month the two of you are starting to "play" together.  It is the greatest thing to watch!!  I can't wait to continue to get to see it unfold!

Apparently month four wore you out as you finished it out sacked out in Daddy's arms, chewing on his finger at the end of the day!  

We love you sweet baby girl!!

Mama

David's four month post

while the waffle maker works it's magic . . .

This is my "waiting on the waffle maker" post.  

I could be loading the dishwasher while I wait for that "beep" and the green light but instead I am holding a baby girl and writing a blogpost.  

My mom put together this collage of Cora.  I love her expressions.

I have seen so many beautiful big yellow butterflies lately.  One just landed on my pink cosmos flower outside my window.  

We went to Chick-fil-a last night.  Hooray for summer reading program coupons for free kids' meals and coupons for free nuggets from a baseball game.  We were hilarious parents trying to sneak eating an ice dream while David played in the play area!  We thought we were busted when he came out at one point but he didn't even notice!

BEEP!!!

I'm back.

Ate waffles with my boy, baked up the rest of the waffles to be frozen for future mornings - still have the waffle maker clean-up ahead of me - ugg - anyone have any great tips for this?

Got Cora down for a nap, got that dishwasher loaded and it is merrily humming along, got the sticky blueberry cleaned off of David (although there are parts of him that are presently stained blue!) and started the Wee Sing Train video for him at his request.

Whew!  Do mornings feel hectic for you even when you "have nothing to do"?  In this season mornings are feeling very hectic.  

I have started setting my alarm for eight hours after I go to bed (even though I have to get up for a middle of the night feeding) to try to get showered and dressed before the kids are up but that is only sometimes working.  Last night it was my fault for not making myself go to bed early enough.

Well, I should get started on the to do list for the day . . . 

there is that waffle maker to clean

laundry

I want to take pictures of the nursery to post

got some new books from the library and a reading break could be really nice and relaxing

need to clean out the car to get it detailed soon

etc., etc.  

oh and I think I'm making this for dinner tonight so I should prep that

How is your day going?

What are you having for dinner tonight?

Any tips you have for making mornings smooth?

Waffle maker cleaning tips?

Okay!  Have a GREAT one!

Kelly

Cora - three months

Happy Three Months Baby Girl!

Time is flying and you are getting so big!!

While our friend from Missouri was here this month we went on a picnic and you got to be down in the grass for the first time.  You didn't seem to mind it.  

{David's first time in the grass}

You went to your first VBS at church this week.  You usually made it through the worship time but when the speaker started each night you were ready for a diaper change and to go eat.  

Mrs. Bonnie and Mr. Lance sent you these cutie, cute cute flip flops!

and this little outfit!

You wore it to Freddy's for Daddy's birthday dinner.  

You are still sleeping well.  Sometimes you go all night, sometimes you don't . . . 

You put yourself to sleep fairly well.  Sometimes for naps in the bouncer or swing (or even once on your activity gym mat) and often at night now.  We change your diaper, put on jammies (or often just a onesie with as warm as it's been) and tuck you into your swaddle.  You like to have your paci and you will be laid down and drift off to sleep.  

One day I came in during your nap to check on you and you had your feet propped up on the crib side. So cute! 

We had a good time going to Bluegrass and BBQ (which your brother called Bluegrass and Barbecue Sauce!)

I'm still having fun with your clothes.  People have been so generous to us and have blessed us with many, many gifts and hand me downs.  In fact your closet is FULL.  You are starting to outgrow things and I am happy to be able to pass them along to the pregnancy center to give to new moms and we will also be sending some of your things to Zambia through our church to bless tiny babies there.  

Your brother continues to adore you and let you know so oh so enthusiastically.  

We had a couple of playdates this month and you always do great!

Happy girl in your cute little summer sunsuit from Mrs. Leita Rue!

You have started sitting in your bumbo chair some and you really, really seem to enjoy it!  You smile a lot when you're sitting in it.  

Your brother had to check it out too.  

and fill it with toys . . . 

You are such a sweet, peaceful sleeper.

You are just barely starting to hold toys but you love to move all around and have turned over from your front to your back a couple of times.  

Pretty girl!

You had your first "girls' night" this month with Mama and Nana, we went to eat dinner at Whole Foods and then shopped some.  You were good at hanging out in the dressing room with Nana while Mama tried on clothes. 

i love the way your hair is starting to stick up in a little curl on the crown of your head!

You smile and grin at us A LOT and talk to us now and then.  It is so, so much fun!  We are having such a good time with you! 

Reading together

At the end of June we went on a Sunday evening family picnic to the park and had to bundle up it was so chilly!  You continue to enjoy being outside.  

You continue to really enjoy being on your changing table and that is where you will talk the most usually.  You have begun doing a little "dance" where you wriggle your whole body around.  It is really cute.  I think you'd like to roll over from your back to your tummy as well but you're still working on that.  

When we come in to get you up in the morning you reward us with a huge grin!  You're very social and like to be in on the action and hanging out with us.  

You started chewing on our fingers and drooling big time this month.

You really enjoy sitting up (supported) and facing out.  The other day you were trying to raise your head up in your carrier.  

You weigh just over 13 lbs.  

Unfortunately we finished off the month with a trip to the ER.  

You were running a fever of 102-103 and the pediatrician's office told us to take you in.  You were still smiling in the waiting room so we were thankful that you didn't seem too, too sick.  

You gave Daddy's camera this face too though and I think you were beginning to get skeptical of this place and the rest of the evening I will admit was NOT fun as they poked and prodded you.  It looks like it was just a virus and you are back to being your normal self.  We are so thankful!  

We love you baby girl!  

You are a special, special gift!  

photos by Mama and Daddy

just for fun, David's three month blogpost

seven minute post

This is a new development in our lives.  David LOVES digging outside!  It has provided hours upon hours of entertainment and I love that for him.  These pictures were taken in early May.  He is digging in the raised garden bed here but NOW are garden beds are full of plants!  Don't worry though, Daddy made a new digging spot for him.

Yesterday we enjoyed a salad with our own Bibb lettuce, arugula and Italian parsley for lunch (as well as some green onion not from our garden and some campari tomatoes from Costco) . . . BUT it won't be too long until we have tomatoes of our own!!  There are at least 11 on the bushes right now, small and green but they are growing!

AND . . . we are getting rain!!  God is so good!

It has been incredible to get four straight days so far of some good rain showers with no hail to pummel a garden or rose bushes.  I have been enjoying cutting roses and bringing them in to grace table tops and counters.  

Our weekend was good.  It seemed to go by FAST, especially Saturday!  One fun thing that happened on Saturday is that I had my first snow cone in Colorado Springs!!  You may recall my love of snow cones and the fact that they apparently didn't exist in Colorado Springs the first two summers we lived here.  

I got peach and egg custard.  It was yummy!  The ice wasn't quite as amazing as it could have been (being a snow cone connoisseur and all) but it was WAY better than the basically just crushed ice kind of snow cone you find at school carnivals and such.

If you're local, the snow cone stand is set up on Academy close to the Dublin intersection by the Spa and Oak place.  You know what I'm talking about?  He said he would be there through the end of September.  I don't know the hours or if he's open 7 days a week or not.  Let me know if you go and what kind you get.  :) 

Okay, I'm off to work on my to do list including trying to figure out preschool for David for next year while Cora is napping in the swing and David is sitting in here with me reading books.  

What's on your to do list right now and what are you up to today?  

Kelly