Bedtime Routine

Recently Dave, Carly, and I found a bedtime routine that we all enjoy. She gets a bath, is dressed in a sleep bag and hat, has her last feeding in the nursery, is put to bed, and read her bedtime prayer as I slowly back out of the room and say "goodnight" before closing the door. Tonight our routine had a few interesting speed bumps. Right before her bath Dave was giving Carly her vitamins. Some how there was a splatter and droplets ended up on the counter, my sweatshirt, and the ceiling. Then while Dave was bathing her she really began to kick in the tub. She has slowly been working up to this and Dave would just laugh, he even tried to teach her to do this a few weeks back while I was bathing her. Tonight she was successful! We had water on the floor from her, Dave stepping back from being splashed and bumping into to me... it was a real hoot to watch. We recovered quickly and the remainder of her bedtime was a success. Meaning there were no tears as I put her down and she seems to be sleeping soundly. Now we can only hope this will last through the night (like usual) and we will sleep later than today's 6am wake up call. :-)

Carly's First Snow

While Carly isn't quite old enough to enjoy the snow that fell yesterday and this morning, she still knew something wasn't quite right outside. We would stand at the front window watching the snow fall and Carly would look outside, then turn her head and look at me and then back to outside. This repeated several times.



It was quite the snowfall for metro Charlotte, starting about 4:30pm on Friday and continuing through the night until the wee hours this morning. We managed to keep roughly 3 inches on our yard, but totals have been as high as 6 around us with 10 as you get closer to the mountains. So after we watched the snow fall under the full moon last night, we warmed up by a fire and had some S'mores.



Then this morning we woke up later then usual, Carly slept for 13 hours, and had a wonderful breakfast of French toast made from homemade sourdough bread and bacon. We needed big breakfast to prepare ourselves for the cold weather outside.

Once we were all full (Carly decided she needed 10oz in the span of 45 minutes after sleeping 13 hours) we ventured outside to experience Carly's first snow.



We went down to watch the older kids play in the snow and sled down the hilly street.



Even though we had Carly pretty well bundled, she wasn't digging the cold so we didn't stay out long.



Once back inside, Carly napped while I shoveled the driveway for the first time in my life. Then I checked on the boat and removed about 6 inches of snow from the cover and then decided I was done for the day. After all that we started another fire and have been lazily sitting and playing by the warm fire for the rest of the day.



Rest of the pictures can be found here

Getting Big

Accomplishments

Carly has managed to accomplish two BIG things today!! She got a late start to her day but finally woke up at 9:30. Once she was up, she hit the ground running (as much as a 3 month old can). During our first round of play time she was busy kicking her kick board and playing with her activity gym. Then she began rocking, and rocking, and rocking. Left to right, left to right. She wasn't quite ready to roll over but she did get up on her left side before falling back onto her back. During tonight's tummy time she continued to work on rolling over. This time she rolled over from her tummy to her back twice. I'm not really sure she meant to roll over, but she did it. Both times she had her left arm extended, her right arm bent under her chest and was really moving her legs. Had she extended her right arm I think she would have scooted instead of rolling.

It's Funny How Things Change

This weekend our family piled into the Trailblazer and headed south to Georgia. David and I have been making this trip south from Cornelius together since August of 2005 (the weekend he proposed). However, this trip was slightly different and a little more crowded. Dave and I each had our bags, Jake was packed in with his container of food, and then there was Carly. She had her bag of clothes, bag of toys, bag of bottles and the pump, her tummy time mat, bouncy chair, and diaper bag.

The reason for our trip was to visit with Dave's family and a handful of his college friends. Gathering with these friends while down in Georgia or at various Clemson sporting events is common, but it wasn't quite the same this time. When these post college gatherings began it typically involved loudness, teasing, alcohol, food, and sports. This weekend's gathering involved all of these things; however, they were not at the center of our attention. The center of our attention were four beautiful babies. There was a 10 month old, 5 month old, 3 month old (Carly), and 1 month old present at our gathering. This definitely added a new dynamic to an old group of friends.

This gathering was also a big deal for Carly! She got to meet her first set of friends. She has been looked at and "petted" by a few of the kids in our neighborhood, but she had never been around children close to her age. It was really cute to watch. Austin and Carly shared the activity gym while Parker toddled around the gym inspecting what they were doing and what Sarah was doing while she napped. Carly was also fascinated with some of Parker's toys, hopefully Cupid or the Easter Bunny were paying attention to her excitement for a special deliver in upcoming months. :-)

As we drove home today in the rain I couldn't help but reflect on this weekend and think, "It's funny how things change!"

Rest of the pictures here!

A NEW toy, or at least NEW to Carly!

This morning I ventured out in the cloudy weather (instead of staying in my nice cozy bed) to meet another LKN mom. On Thursday morning I posted an opinion question about Bumbos on the LKN Mommies Forum and immediately responses began piling in about how great they were or how their children hadn't been able to use a Bumbo because their legs were to pudgy or the kids were to squirmy. But in addition to opinions about these special foam chairs came offers from other moms who were willing to sell me their chair for 1/4 of the retail price. Because my biggest concern was not would Carly use it but rather the asking price for a chair she would only potentially use for a short period, I jumped on these offers. This morning I became the proud owner of a slightly used Bumbo! Best of all Carly has used the chair 3 times today. Once to watch the train, once to play with her toys, and once to read books with me. I absolutely love being able to play with Carly sitting in my lap, but being supported by this chair (especially since she is starting to wiggle a lot more).



Our big morning was followed with a car ride up to the mountains. The weather today was warm and cloudy, so Dave decided a ride to the mountains would be fun. Carly and I both love car rides so he had no objections from us. So after lunch and Carly's nap we piled into the truck and began our trip. While en route Dave remembered that there was a Mellow Mushroom (one of his favorite restaurants that isn't in the Charlotte area) and offered to take me out to dinner (another thing I seldom object to). We shared and enjoyed some warm yummy pretzels and a calzone before Carly woke up for her dinner. Once we were all nice and full we loaded ourselves back into the truck and had a cozy ride home.

She Loves to Sing!!

Carly may not ever be able to carry a tune but she sure does love to sing!!

No More 0-3's :-(

While playing with Carly the "family" discussions (Carly's input is quite humorous) always seem to turn to how big she is getting. I realize she has a LONG way to go in the growing process because she won't be under two feet for ever, but the realization really hit Dave and I last night. After a diaper change Dave dressed Carly in a sleep 'n play and brought her back downstairs. As soon as he sat down and placed her across his lap we both realized she couldn't fully extend her leg... which not only meant we had to change her again, but that her 0-3 month sleep 'n plays were too short and a thing of the past. She can still wear her 3 month sleep 'n plays, and her 3 month outfits. However, the 0-3 onesies also seem to be a thing of the past. Our little girl seems to be growing and changing daily in front of us.

Boo-Boo

Carly got her first boo-boo today! :-( She and I were sitting upstairs reading Green Eggs and Ham and it happened. She was helping me turn the page and she got a paper cut. It is probably a half a centimeter long, didn't bleed, and didn't phase her. But it really shocked me. I was so busy paying attention and watching her try to be a big girl and help me turn the pages and the next thing I knew she had a boo-boo, but was still determined to turn the page. She isn't successful at turning paper pages, but is making some progress with board and cloth books. Her desire to mimic Dave and I with her hands is really cute oh yeah and she is sticking her tongue out at everyone and everything now.

Having some fun...

The bow is attached to her hair and is staying on independently, but I have a feeling it wouldn't last long if we were to go out and about. :-)

Playtime!

After a late start to the day (9am wake up and another 90 degree turn while sleeping), Carly is making up for it by being extremely playful! She has used her activity mat twice. Kicking the musical kick board and hitting the various noise makers above her head. She has had tummy time on her surfboard (twice), in front of the train, and in front of some new toys. Today she and I began playing with a rolling toy. This toy has three ducks that roll within two larger circular pieces. While sitting up with me Carly began batting at the three little ducks and making them spin and spin. Because she was sitting in between my legs while playing I couldn't see her face; however, she kept hitting the ducks so I am assuming she enjoyed watching them spin around. Then we started the repetitious game of "mommy builds the building and Carly knocks it down" using some pink soft blocks she got from Santa. Together we really had a great time. Jake even joined us for the fun. He sat down beside me a rested his head on my thigh. While I was petting him and Carly was playing she noticed Jake and began to pet him too. I have to give Jake an A+ for his patience because Carly's hands aren't the steadiest. As a result she was petting around his eye, nose, mouth, gums, and everything in that general area. He was as still as he could be, soaking up all of the attention.

This evening she then showed her dad all of these playful moves. Knocking the blocks over on her dad and smiling at him while he took her picture! She continued her playfulness by sitting in her exersaucer and staring at all the neat things she can't reach yet.

Girls Road Trip!!

Carly and I set off yesterday for our first girly road trip. I woke up nice and early so that I would be ready to start our day based on Carly's schedule. I woke up around 6 and showered, packed the car, got all of her morning routine items ready (new outfit, new diaper, etc.), and had her car seat ready. By 8 I began pacing. I have been told regularly not to wake a sleeping baby and I tend to agree with that philosophy, but Carly's morning routine isn't a fast 15 minute event. Typically it takes about an hour, but there are days will it will drag on for what seems like an eternity. Finally at 9 she began to stir and our day was off. She ate, got ready, and was loaded into the car. At 9:59 I was calling Dave offering to drive by his office for a final goodbye since she had been asleep when he left for work. My offered was denied with a "smart" comment about how he has to work right now, unlike "some people". So we were off on our trip!

Our drive was an uneventful (thank goodness) trek south on I-77. Upon our arrival I unloaded the car while Carly finished her nap. After waking up and eating she began to show my mom her new talents. She kicked her little musical kick mat while also beating the rattle and bell that hang above her head on the activity gym. Then it was time to show off her new surfboard tummy time mat with a real water pad.

Later on in the afternoon my Aunt Nancy, her mother-in-law, and my cousin Christina arrived to meet Carly. Of course this meant she wanted to show off all of her talents and toys again. So, she did! (I'm sure at some point she will get a complex about being the center of attention...) Luckly, by the time my dad came home last night she was too tired to show off again. Instead she went to him to be rocked to sleep (she totally escaped my tough love approach last night). But she did rotate 90 degrees in her sleep again.

This morning she was ready to show off after her early morning nap. She showed him her surfboard mat, kicked her kick mat and waved her arms (even convincing him to join her on the floor), and grasped her flower rattle for him (of course while he was rocking her in the lazy boy).

As we prepared to depart she was working on her "high maintenance" schedule. She ate slowly and played with her grandmother, instead of at the quick pace from the previous morning. However, we were on the road in time to beat Dave home from work!

Tough Love

Tonight was a tough night on all. We realized that Carly was no longer sucking on her hand to soothe herself, but using our shoulder/shirt to do the job. (This used to be her sign for letting me know it was feeding time.) I decided I was tired of my shoulder being her pacifier so pulled her way and cradled her. This of course brought a few minutes of tears and then she just stopped and looked at me. Dave and I both started talking about moments recently when we thought maybe she was playing us with the tears.

Recently when I've been rocking her to sleep she will open her eyes, see that I'm still there, and then close them again. Then today at nap time she was asleep until I placed her in the crib. The crocodile tears started, so I went to pick her up. As soon as my hands were under her shoulders she stopped. She fell back asleep and I pulled my hands out and left her.

So after her last feeding tonight I started to carry her upstairs to rock her to sleep. She started sucking my shoulder again, so I cradled her and the tears began again. This time they continued for about 5 minutes when I just needed to put her down and walk away for a few moments. (She was shrieking REALLY, REALLY loudly.) Then the strangest thing happened. She screamed for about 5 minutes straight, and then started to calm down. There was an occasional scream, and I am sure the tears were streaming down her face, but after about 5 minutes of an occasional outburst she was asleep.

By typing and rereading tonight's events I feel like Dave and I were mean parents. However, we did watch her entire episode on the baby monitor (with the sound turned off since we could hear her) and I am sure it was a lot harder on us than it was on her. Plus I'm sure she will thank us for this one day. :-)

Doctor's Visit

Carly had her two month check-up today (just a little delayed due to the holidays). She currently weighs 11 lbs 12 oz, I think the number is slightly stacked since her daddy was feeding her on the way to the scale since the appointment fell right at her feeding time. She also measured at 23.75 inches long. Today's visit also brought about shots. She was fussy during them, but she was fussy before the nurse even walked in. Due to the appointment falling during when she would have preferred her second feeding she was eating a little, then being measured, eating a little, then being looked at by the doctor, etc... She got a little fussy when Dave had to hold her hands down so our doctor could check her ears, throat, and eyes. But who can blame her, we've never held her down in a restraining manner and she really likes to move her hands. Then after the doctor finished we held off on continuing her feeding because we knew the nurse would be back in. During our waiting time Carly stared at an illustration of "the cow jumping over the moon" and played with Dave and I, but then the hunger pains hit. Her fussiness began and only escalated when Dave had to restrain her again and when I had to hold her for the oral vaccine. As the nurse finished with the oral vaccine Carly began her bottle and all was right with the world, until we stopped feeding her again to dress her and vacate the room. Then Dave continued feeding her, and again all was right in the world of Carly.

All in all today's visit had the tears I was expecting; however, I was expecting them due to her shots not for food. But I guess that's what I get trying to plan around her feeding schedule (she normally eats at 10, but she woke up earlier this morning and therefore wanted her second feeding earlier).

She likes to move it, move it...

Carly is beginning to move! I woke up this morning to her little squeaks coming from the monitor. I checked it quickly to see if she was waking up or just making making noise (she is a LOUD sleeper). To my surprise she had turned herself a full 90 degrees in the crib. Instead of being perpendicular to her sheet saver she was now parallel sleeping right next to it, almost as if it were her little security blanket. Unfortunately I wasn't quick enough to grab a camera and get a picture before she realized she was hungry and wanted to make sure Dave and I knew it as well. After her morning feeding though she nodding back into dreamland for about an hour and half before I had to wake her up for the doctor, and again she had started to turn. This time she hadn't made it that far around but I am curious about how far she would have turned if I hadn't woken her up...

She is definitely a girl…

So yesterday Carly really liked the train. This afternoon she did too, she had enjoyable train time with me and Dave. However, tonight she wasn't having it anymore...

What can I say, girls change their minds from moment to moment...

I gave in...

I offically have given in to the Christmas Lego train. After another tearful afternoon of tummy time I asked Dave to set up the train again. And like magic tummy time became a happy experience all over again, like before. So while the Christmas season only has two days left officialy our house will continue to have the Christmas train running the tracks.

Playful Night!

Carly has had a playful evening. She is currently NOT a fan of tummy time and we keep trying to trick her into it. Dave had her on her tummy earlier today and she began screaming, then he flipped her onto her back, and once she realized she wasn't on her tummy anymore and stopped crying he flipped her right back onto her tummy for a few more minutes. After this not so enjoyable experience for Carly she really did have a playful evening. She is really enjoying her activity gym from her Uncle Jamie and Aunt Sharon. She loves to bat at the elephant bell and giraffe rattle while also kicking the musical board that is slightly elevated from the floor.

After about 15 minutes of this fun (which is a long time in Carly's world) she then was tricked into more tummy time; however, this time it was on her Daddy's chest. She really is becoming quite strong and is really pushing herself up off of the floor (or in this case her dad's chest).

I think we may need to set up Dave's Christmas Lego train again to survive tummy time...

Here's to 2010!

As the first day of 2010 comes to an end I have to admit that I have spent the day sad to see 2009 gone. At this time last year I was celebrating 2008 finally coming to an end and praying very, very hard that 2009 would at least be a little better, and I was MUCH better. This was the year that we found out we were pregnant (and on my birthday!), prepared for Carly's big arrival, and then celebrated her arrival. While I'm not wanting 2010 to come with that much excitement, I am hoping this is at least a fun and healthy year for us all!

Dave, Sharon, and Carly's Christmas Adventure

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! We are still recovering from our big Christmas adventure (travelling with a two month old) and Carly's first New Year's Eve Party!
Here is a synopsis of our trip:
December 17 - 20: We all traveled to Atlanta to drop Jake off for his "Christmas Vacation" and Carly got to sleep in her daddy's old crib. She was also able to meet some of her Daddy's friends from college and Parker.
December 23: We traveled to Columbia. Carly got to meet Danny (Dave's college roommate) and she spent her first night in my old crib.
December 24: Christmas Eve! Carly got to celebrate Christmas and meet my Mimi (grandmother) and my aunts Nancy and Donna with my family's traditional Christmas Eve spaghetti dinner.
December 25: Carly's FIRST Christmas! Santa came and brought her blocks, a hair bow holder, a tummy time mirror, books, and a few stocking stuffers.
December 26: We packed up the car with our new presents and continued our Christmas adventure down I-26 to Seabrook Island. This road trip brought A LOT of excitement. While en route we heard Carly filling her diaper so stopped at a rest area outside of Charleston. Dave changed the passenger side front seat into a changing station and prepared to change Carly's first "on the road" diaper. Upon removing her pants he realized we had a BLOW OUT... I started pulling out our disposable bags to wrap everything up in when I heard, "Are you serious?" followed by "Are you done peeing yet?" and the site of Dave holding Carly's naked body outside of the car while she continued to pee. At this point all we could do was laugh, and realize that a state trooper may be concerned about the type of parents we were (if he/she didn't have children). Once we were all cleaned up we continued our trip. Once we arrived Carly was able to see her Grandma, Papa, and Aunt Julia and then meet her Great Grandma and Papa, her cousins Jonathan and Patrick, and her Great Aunt Bubble and Uncle Earl. Shortly after our arrival she also got to meet her Uncle Jamie.
December 27: Carly got all dressed up and went to church with the whole family. She looked so cute in her Christmas dress and was very well behaved.
December 28: Carly got to meet Mrs. Peel (a friend of her Great Grandma and Papa).
December 29: Carly had to say good-bye to her Great Aunt Bubble and Uncle Earl and cousins Jonathan and Patrick. She was then able to meet Mr. and Mrs. Smith (friends of her Great Grandma and Papa).
December 30: We started a trip home, with Jake and even more presents. We stopped in Columbia to feed Carly and to clean up another BLOW OUT!
December 31: Carly attended a New Year's Eve party. She wasn't awake to see midnight, but she was sleeping nicely in the Baby Bjorn so that mommy and daddy could stay at the party to ring in 2010 with friends.