8 months

I cannot believe this sweet girl is 8 months old!  What would I do without this sweet, smiling face???

Ellie, you are the BEST baby.  De De and I say it to each other all of the time.  I really think we can't believe how good you are.  If you ever have a brother or sister I am sure they will never sleep and fuss and cry all the time.  We will still love them (of course) but you are just that good!

 You are so happy.  You love to blow bubbles and talk and coo and squeal.  It is the sweetest sound!  You also love it when we blow onto your tummy...you just giggle and laugh uncontrollably.  You are constantly waving and clapping your hands these days.  If I wave or move my arms, you will imitate me and do it right back.  You are SO smart!!

This week you all of a sudden had 2 teeth magically appear!  I cried and cried because it was another milestone that reminded me how much you are growing.  I am so happy you are thriving and developing, but I wish you could just stay my tiny baby forever!  I also have a feeling you are turning in to quite the mama's girl. While I secretly kinda love it, I can't hog you all of the time!  There are plenty of other people who want to hold you and love on you, so you better let me share!

You are SO curious and in to everything.  You want anything and everything that we have or that is within your little arms reach.  I think you are about over the whole baby food thing.  You would much rather feed yourself cheese or puffs!  I have a feeling you are going to be pretty independent:)  You are wearing mostly 9 month sized clothes and still some 6 month stuff.  I am so glad it is cooling off so I can start putting you in all of your fall clothes!

Ellie, to us you are the sweetest baby EVER and we love you so much!  I can't believe how big you are!

Football

Yesterday Don's team played at home so we decided to do a little tailgate get together with some family and friends!  I of course did not take any pictures except of babies, but that's all anybody wants to see anyway, right?

Everybody brought lots of great food and we snacked and hung out until it was time to go watch the game.  The turn out of the game wasn't quite what we had hoped for, but we still had a good time and Ellie did great!

  She stayed for the entire game and only got sleepy and clingy towards the end.  I was so proud of her!  She wore her little cheerleader dress and bloomers, and I thought she looked so cute!  Her friends Elam and Will came too.  It was so much fun to get the babies together!!!

Kim holding baby Will

BIG news

I guess the diaper rash, runny nose, and ear infections can only mean one thing...

MY BABY HAS A TOOTH!!!!!!!

SHE IS SOOOOO BIG!!!

I CRIED LIKE A BABY MYSELF!

Doc update

Ellie still has an ear infection...and to be quite honest I am not surprised.  So we've got a different antibiotic and some Children's Claritin for her nose/allergy issues.  You'd never know it, though!  Look at this happy baby!

34 Weeks

I am actually on time today!

We go back to the doctor to have ears re-checked and maybe get this nose under control!

I work tonight and Don is actually in town this weekend.  WHOO HOO!!!!

Somebody has found the ties on her crib bumpers!

We had 6 month pics taken 2 months late the other day.  Can't wait to see them!  We have some special visitors coming tomorrow.  I'm sure there will be lots of picture taking involved!

Ellie and her food

I don't think I ever mentioned on here about my homemade baby food experience.  I made sweet potatoes, squash and carrots.  We went through it all fairly quickly and I have yet to replenish our stash.  Between MDO and me being back at work, it has been easier (but NOT cheaper!) to just buy jarred.  Ellie really liked my homemade versions so I still plan to make her more in the near future.  I do try to buy as much organic jarred as possible to make myself feel better!  I also got some tips from my older brother (the chef!) to roast my carrots and not steam them next time.  He said it brings out the natural sugars and they retain more vitamins that way.  I will definitely be doing that!

Now that she is older, we have moved up to Stage 2 foods with some combinations.  I haven't bought any veggie combinations, just fruit, and so far so good.  I have been going by the Wholesome Baby Food website for recipes and ideas and I think she is ready to try meat!  I refuse to buy the jarred "dog food" meat combos, so I am planning on making my own.  We are going to try a little apple and chicken combo first.  I will let you all know how she likes it!  This afternoon after her sweet potatoes and apples/peaches, I put a little bit of shredded 2% mild cheddar on her tray.  I really think she like it!  She also gets a snack of puffs and water once a day now.

Here is a little idea of her new eating routine that we started last Monday.  I think so far it has gone pretty well!  I can't believe she is down to just 3 bottles a day.  Tear:(

Wake up: 8 ounce bottle

3 hours later:  Yogurt and 1 jar of fruit

morning nap

3 hours later:  1 veggie, half jar of fruit, 8 ounce bottle

afternoon nap

3 hours later:  1 veggie other half of fruit

3 hours later:  8 ounce bottle 

Bed time!

33 weeks, new shoes, stuffy noses, and football

Yes, I am way behind again but the whole "working with an almost 8 month old and a husband that's out of town" situation is no joke!

We are on day 10 of antibiotics and I am afraid Ellie now has a cold:(  We were up 3 times last night because poor baby just couldn't breathe.  She is extremely stuffy one day and has a nose like a running faucet the next.  The pediatrician is open on Saturdays but they are of course booked solid all day.  We have our follow up appointment on Tuesday for her ears so I guess we will just wait until then.  I did get the go ahead to give her children's Mucinex.  They also recommended a cool mist humidifier so I guess we are headed to Tar-jay soon!  "Boogie Wipes" are my new BFF and yes, they make a wipe for everything now.  We have paci wipes, boogie wipes, hand sanitizer wipes, etc. etc. etc.!

Oh, and Tuesday she turned 33 weeks!  So fun!  I am planning on doing a post on her food and eating schedule soon because we have been trying new things this week.  She has also figured out how to go from "hand to mouth" with the puffs and yogurt melts.  SO BIG!!

You will notice she is sporting her LU onesie today (it's pretty snug, probably the last wear we will get out of it) because Daddy and his team play West Alabama today!  We will be rooting them on from here and hope they bring home another victory!  I had planned on doing more pics with her wearing these bloomers:

but it just didn't happen.  She needed a nap so I opted for just a picture of them and her new shoes instead.  I have been on the hunt for a couple of pairs of shoes to get us through fall and I found these at Target.  I love them!  They are soft and comfy, and she is very curious about them on her feet since she really hasn't worn shoes but just a handful of times.  I also found a sweet pair of dressy white shoes for church at another shop.

So there is a little update...I just hope my sweet girl gets to feeling better soon.  She is acting as happy as can be this morning and eating like a champ, but we all know how annoying a stuffy/runny nose can be.  Imagine how it must be for her:(

Happy Weekend!!

Everyone is entitled to their opinion...

We just got home from Target and I had my first experience with a complete stranger that thought she needed to share with me her unsolicited opinion.  I knew it was coming. Everyone that is pregnant or that has a new baby is subject to mounds of advice, stories, and opinions whether they like it or not.  Somehow this still bothered me.

(Let me preface this by saying that I have turned into a complete "germaphobe" and the fact that she was riding in the shopping cart without the cover was driving me insane!)


So yes, Ellie was in fact sitting up in the shopping cart without her cover.  Keep in mind she is almost EIGHT MONTHS OLD and has been sitting up on her own for quite a while now.  Her infant carrier weighs at least 20 pounds and she was 19 lbs. 13 oz. last week at the doctor.  That means for me to carry her into the store, I would be lugging around 40 pounds of baby and car seat!  Even my big and strong football coach husband admits regularly how heavy that thing is.  So I have recently been sitting her in shopping carts and restaurant high chairs if we are out.  She is big enough.  She is sitting up.  It's time!

So anyway, as I walked up to the check out line a lady came up to me and said: "I just really hate to see babies that small sitting up in a shopping cart.  I just really hate that."

Ummmm, Hello??  Did I ask you how you felt about me putting my child in a shopping cart?  NOOOO!!!

But then after she managed to sort of insult me and my shopping methods, she must have felt bad because she followed all of it with "but she's beautiful".  Gee, thanks lady.  Way to make yourself feel better.  I was dumbfounded.  I am not good with comebacks so all I managed to say was "well she's almost 8 months old" (as in, she's really not that little anymore!).

Why did she feel like she had to share that with me?  I was already worried enough about her little hands rubbing all over the cart even though I had thoroughly wiped down the entire thing before I put her in it.  Thanks for making me even more self conscious about my decisions as a parent.

So I guess I am just venting a little bit and I don't want to forget that this little incident occurred.   I am already constantly worrying about Ellie and if I am doing the best job I can as a mother. I seem to second guess every move I make all because I want is what's best for her.  If I wanted to sit at home all day everyday and go crazy, I would.  But I won't.  We will go to Target and she might get germy but that's life and I will try to do all I can to protect her from as much as I can.  Every parent does things a little differently and has their own outlook on things, but in the end we all want what is best.

So yes, we are all entitled to our opinions... but sometimes it's best to keep them to yourself!!!

That's all for today...happier posts coming soon!!!

Bored...

• Don is on his way home from ATL...by the way, LU beat Georgia State (in the Georgia Dome) 23-14!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Ellie has been in bed since 6
• My pumpkin candles are lit and the fall decor is out
• My house is semi-clean

So I decided to play around and make a collage!  I have been planning on doing this all along (hence the reasoning for the weekly pics) but I decided to go ahead and get a head start before January 26, 2011 hits me like a ton of bricks.  I added the last 2 pictures to fill in the gaps until I have more to add.  Look how much she has grown!!!!  Love you sweet girl:)

32 Weeks

It has been a busy week for us and with Ellie getting her first little ear infection, I have been thrown completely off.  I think she is on her way back to normal but she's still not 100%.  I forgot to mention that at the doc they weighed her and she is now 19 lbs. 13 oz!!!!  I can't believe that in 2 weeks she will be 8 months old!

Here is our big girl!

Don also got her high chair put together this week and she loves sitting in it:)  Probably because she has associated sitting in it with food!  It makes me sad though.  I have packed up more clothes and now we are getting ready to put the swing and Bumbo up in the attic.  She is growing too fast for me!

I have let her try puffs a couple of times but she still hasn't mastered going from hand to mouth.  We are working on that though!

I also have a question....what about juice?  She has had juice a couple of times to assist with tummy issues.  She doesn't seem to love it and cannot grasp the concept of a sippy cup yet.  I buy the Gerber baby 100% juice and still water that down a little bit.  I am thinking of just giving her a little bit of water just to see.  She seems to choke on the juice I guess because it is thinner than formula and goes down faster.    

When and what kind of liquids did you introduce?  

It was bound to happen...

My sweet girl has her first (of many I am sure) ear infections.  This has been so hard!  She has been fussy at MDO, waking up crying in the middle of the night and pulling at her ear for the last few days.  I had been wavering back and forth about calling the doctor and this morning after another spell I gave in.  The worst part was when they had to clean out her ears with a Water Pik.  I had to help the nurses hold her still and she cried and screamed and it just broke my heart.  She hated every minute of it.  Even though it was traumatic (for both of us!), I am glad I called and got us in.  I took these pictures while we were waiting on Dr. Amy.  She was getting a little restless and hungry so I let her go to town on the paper on the table. We've got an antibiotic and some drops so hopefully she will be back to her old self soon!  I sure have enjoyed all of our cuddle time:)

Fall...finally?

I feel like I may be pushing the seasons a bit this year but I am SO ready for Fall!  The weather, the clothes, the food, the holidays...bring it on!  I have lots to be excited about and thankful for this year, and I really can't wait to celebrate!  I was up in the attic looking for Ellie's high chair so Don could get it put together and came across my fall decorations so I went ahead and brought them down.  They are sitting in a pile waiting to be put out!

This may sound silly, but I have looked forward to seasons changing even more since Ellie was born simply because of all of the cute outfits she has waiting on her.  When it comes to buying clothes for her, I will admit I can go a little crazy.  But I NEVER buy anything full price.  I love a good bargain and mainly shop for myself at TJ Maxx and Target and occasionally Macy's.  These days I'd much rather spend my money on clothes for her.  Some of my favorite brands of "fancy" kids clothes are Mom and Me, Bailey Boys, the classic Feltman Bros.,  Lollypop Kids, Remember Nguyen, Kelly's Kids, Zuccini, and Strasburg Children to name a few.

These are just a few of the things for Fall that I have been stocking up on.  They are all from Remember Nguyen's clearance section except for the navy cheerleader dress and it is from Lollypop Kids.  I think I paid $12 for the smocked turkey jumper!!!

(Just a note, most of her clothes are Carter's, Gymboree, Target or Wal-Mart comfy stuff.  She does dress up for MDO, certain outings, and church but when we are at home, she is in her "soft clothes"!)


I am in love with this t-shirt De De bought at a Jewelry Show a couple of weeks ago.  I found some black leggings at Wal-Mart for $3 to go with them.  Now all she needs is an orange bow!

Mrs. Marilyn (our monogram/applique lady) is also working on a few casual Fall and Christmas tops.  Oh, Christmas...I can hardly wait!  She might just have a different outfit for everyday of the week!  I am kidding...maybe:)

What about these fake baby "Uggs"?  Oh the cuteness!  TJ Maxx...$6!  I can totally see her sportin' these at a football game after it cools off.  Hurry up fall weather!

In other news...I bought Ellie some Baby Mum Mum's at Target yesterday and let her try them out.  I got the banana flavor and I really think she liked it!  She also had Gerber Oatmeal and enjoyed that with her fruit this morning.

(This is a Mom & Me dress from a shop here...Spoil Me Rotten)

And what is Fall without a Halloween costume?  We probably won't be trick or treating this year, but you better believe she will be dressed up:)  I should leave this is as a surprise but I can't wait!

YAY FALL!!!

Great Weekend

Warning!  Long post with lots of pics!

There is something to be said about LU (currently still NAIA) playing Division II schools this season.  Many of their games are on Thursday nights, which means Don is OFF on that following Saturday!!!  We enjoyed having him home so much this weekend.  Friday night he was home in time for dinner so we ate together and I even tried to keep Ellie up so he could play with her for a little while.  He even jumped in and helped me out which I really appreciated:)  I know he has missed those diaper changes since football started!

I guess keeping her up was a bad idea because at 1 am, I was awakened to this smiley, happy baby who was ready to party in her crib!  She has been moving and rolling and turning over so much in her bed lately and I couldn't help but laugh at this when I walked in and saw her.

Saturday turned out to be a gorgeous day so we decided to go out and do something fun!  We started out with breakfast at IHOP where we ran into Don's mom, Mark and Nick!  We enjoyed seeing them and they got to see Ellie again this week which I know they were happy about.  

After breakfast, we headed to Alamo to the Tennessee Safari Park.  Apparently everyone else in West TN had the same idea (and it turned out to be half price weekend and free hot dogs and face painting...ha!) but we really enjoyed ourselves!  

Don even broke out his binoculars so he could see the animals that weren't close by.  He really had a good time!  It was crazy though...it is a drive through park and some of these animals had no fear!  We bought a bucket of feed and they came straight up to our car and even stuck their heads in!  This was the car in front of us.

It made me a little nervous, but it turned out to be fine.  I even took Ellie out of her car seat and let her ride in my lap (I know, I know--Mother of the Year).  We were riding extremely slow and I just couldn't let her miss out!  She loved looking out the window.  

Here is Don feeding every animal that walked by.  I'm telling you, he was like a kid again!  

A wild boar...

Feeding a bull!

After we finished the drive through portion, we got out to go see the giraffe and monkeys. 

 It was getting close to nap time so we headed home so Ellie could rest and so Don could work in the yard.  Mammie called shortly after we got home and wanted to see if we were home so she could visit.  She even volunteered to babysit and I did not hesitate to take her up on the offer!  Don really wanted to go watch the UT game somewhere, so we headed up to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch.  We instead ended up watching more of the Arkansas State-Auburn game because his former boss, Coach Freeze is now the OC at ASU!  It was fun watching him on TV.  It really made me miss him and his sweet family.  Thank you Mammie for watching our sweet girl and giving us a night out together!!

We went to 9:30 service this morning and Don is now back at work.  I was sad to see him go but I could not complain because we had him home more than usual.  Nothing makes me happier than spending time with my sweet little family!!!!

Starlight Symphony

We attended the Starlight Symphony on the grounds of 1st Presbyterian a couple of weekends ago.  We had a great time with our friends Leigh and Cole and baby Will, but it was HOT!!!  The church is not far from our house so we decided to walk over and I am glad we did.  After this experience, Don and I both agreed that at Christmas or birthday Ellie will be getting a wagon!  We really needed it but did just fine with our big stroller and the basket underneath.

We brought a few snacks and tried to enjoy the music as best we could with little babies.  Ellie slept through most of it and even through the cannons at the end.  I was so proud of her!  This was just another little family outing that I am glad we got to do together:)