9 Months Old!

Sweet Girl~
You have gotten to be such a big girl over the past month! You love to sit and play with your toys on the soft spot. Speaking of the soft spot, you all should visit the site and go to the photo gallery to see some pictures of my little models (aka: Camden and Drew). A friend created the product and asked us to do a photo shoot for her new website and we got a complimentaty soft spot, yippee!
You love bath time. After we wash you, you sit up and love playing with toys and then you love being on your tummy as you scoot around the tub splashing and playing. You love watching the water circle down the drain too.
You have made eating time much easier, you don't spit out nearly as much food as you used to. We introduced chicken and turkey at dinner time and you L-O-V-E them both. Mommy and Daddy can't stand the smell of them at all though! You love it when I get a bottle of juice for you. Once you have your eyes on it, you open your mouth and get very excited! You still nurse 4 times a day, in the morning when you wake, around 10:30 after am nap, around 2:30 after pm nap and before bedtime. Mommy is thinking 1 more month before I start to wean you. I really wanted to make it to 1 year for many reasons...but, not being able to eat dairy has been really hard. You also don't want to nurse as much anymore. You would rather be looking around the room or listening to Drew play. The morning and evening times are easy because we are usually alone, but the two daytime feedings are becoming difficult. Since you have not been as interested, I feel like my supply has dropped off some. I started to feel this way around the same time with Drew and started to wean him at 10 1/2 months. I thought I was going to make it longer with you, but it doesn't look like that will happen after all.
You are starting to scoot backwards when you are on the ground, it won't be long before you are cruising all over this house making mommy baby proof even more.
Most nights, I put you to bed around 7 and don't see you again until 7am (except when I tuck you in before I go to sleep :) You still take 2 naps a day and somedays I put you down around 4pm for a quick 3rd nap before dinner.
You are starting to babble more and more. Tonight as you were gazing at your daddy (like most nights) you were really trying to talk to him! Still NO teeth! I am starting to wonder if they are in there at all! You seem to be teething like crazy but still no sign of them popping through your gums!
You have been so much fun lately. You love to be tickled and have the cutest little laugh. Things have been much easier all around for the past month or so. You are so much fun little girl, we love you!
love,
mommy

9 Month Photos

8 Months Old!

Camden-

Sweet girl, wow 8 months old!

Very shortly after I wrote your 7 month update, we decided it was time for you to start sleeping in your crib. That meant a few nights of crying it out, AKA: Ferber. May 28th we put you in your crib to sleep for the first time. We let you cry for 10 minutes before going up to give you the paci and sooth you. You cried for 20 minutes, but then woke 30 minutes later and cried for another 20 minutes (again: only 10 minutes at a time). After that, you did great. The second night was a little tougher for you (and mommy went to music on the green and left daddy home to listen to the crying...and it was exactly what we needed!) Daddy said you cried for 70 minutes (so 7 paci plug ins)= no fun. but... by the 3rd night you slept from 7:30pm-6:30am and only woke twice, BUT, you got yourself back to sleep :) It was a rough couple weeks going upstairs in the middle of the night to nurse and plug in your paci, but now you sleep through most nights and don't get up until around 7am and we are no longer nursing in the night, yahoo! It feels so freeing to have our bedroom back! No more tip toeing in to get ready for bed, and now we get to watch TV at night in bed again! :)

You are starting to like solid food more and more. Still doing the same for breakfast, lunch and dinner and now we have added in a bottle of juice in the late afternoon.

You are finally sitting confidently. I think it is because you like to have such good posture instead of leaning forward for support that it took you so long to sit without toppling over! You still spit up a ton, but it doesn't seem to bother you as much as it used to. Mommy is still staying away from dairy, as it seems to make you spit up even more. I am really craving some ice cream and will indulge big time when you turn 1 and we are no longer nursing. (assuming we make it to 1 year...I quit with Drew around 10 1/2 months)
This past month daddy had his first father's day with you. You were a trooper as we spent our morning at the Dallas World Aquarium and you had to nap on the go. Mommy usually tries to be home each day for both your naps. I thought as a second child you would have to nap in the car more, but I really like the routine for you and it gives me time to get ready to leave the house. There will be enough juggling of naps in the fall when we are driving Drew to/from "school" two mornings/afternoons a week.

You and Drew are super cute together and you love playing with him. I recently started to play with the video portion of my camera, so that will be fun catching the two of you in action together :)

We love you sweet girl, you complete us! (I think!)

Love, Mommy

helping Guinness unwrap her birthday treats

summertime fun at the Lantana spray park

father's day at the aquarium

8 months old!

Busy Month of June

Yes, we are still all alive and doing well :) I don't seem to find as much time to blog as I used to. I am still an avid photographer with my kids, but don't seem to find the time to edit anymore either, so they sit on the computer waiting...and waiting...and waiting...I am working on March photos right now. It's a long process, going through the hundreds of photos each month, editing the favorites, saving them to CD's, uploading to print and share, etc. whew! anyway, back to the month of June...

Will and I celebrated 11 years of marriage on the 13th. We had auntie Rachael come babysit and we went out to dinner. After dinner we went to a fun restaurant/wine bar for live music and flights of wine. We really enjoyed a much needed evening out together.

Tomorrow, we celebrate Guinness' 4th birthday! She was our first baby and we will have had her 4 years come next month. She is the best dog ever. She is so sweet to the kids, even when Drew is pulling her tail and yanking on her collar. She is a big part of our family :)

Sunday, we look forward to celebrating daddy all day! The kids and I have been busy shopping and doing projects all week for him. He has chosen to spend the day at the Dallas World Aquarium with his family on Sunday.

Camden will be 8 months old next week. Big girl has been sleeping in her crib and sleeping through most nights.

Then last and certainly least...my birthday next week. 32, ugh... oh well. nothing spectacular planned, just some cake and ice cream with my 3 favorite people that evening!

11 years together

4 years old

cutie pie!

loves being in Camden's crib with her

lots of baths in our tub lately

happy girl!

tutu cute!

7 Months Old!

Camden-

Sweet girl, you are 7 months old! Happier, and cuter with each day that goes by. You are so sweet to be around, mommy just loves watching you smile and laugh.
You are still doing about the same for sleeping. You go to bed around 6:45pm and get up once to nurse and then sleep till 6:30ish. Some mornings you like to wake up around 6 and it really doesn't make mommy happy. Drew was sleeping till past 7 each day by this point, and mommy wishes you would too! You are still taking your 3 naps in your crib and since we have to plug in your paci sooo many times each evening (while you are spitting up and burping, trying to get to sleep you poor thing) you are still sleeping in the pack n' play in our room. Mommy isn't used to this whole paci thing still, and I hope that you are able to find it on your own soon :) I think part of our whole sleeping/reflux issue is that we are making you sleep on your tummy and you hadn't started to roll there yet on your own. Dr. R told us that you should start sleeping on your tummy so that the back of your head doesn't flatten.
You eat oatmeal cereal and a fruit for breakfast and rice cereal and a veggie for dinner. This week we started doing a fruit for lunch too. We need to start doing meat soon and adding another veggie in there for lunch. You have tried carrots, peas, squash, green beans and sweet potatoes and pretty much like them all now. For fruit, you have tried applesauce, pears and bananas and bananas are definitely your favorite. Without being mixed with cereal, you still make a funny face when I feed you applesauce or pears!
In some ways you are an easier baby than Drew was. You are much less serious than he was/is and you smile at just about everyone you meet. You also fell asleep in the stroller the last two times we had you up late at music on the green, Drew never would have fallen asleep outside with music that loud! Although in other ways, we are coming to find out that Drew was actually an easier baby. He had reflux and the milk allergy too but not nearly as bad as you do. Also, by this age we we able to put him down to sleep at 6:30pm and not have to go in there all night (until the 1 night time feeding). We are constantly having to give you the paci to get you to go back to sleep. Mommy would be ready to let you cry it out at 7 months old but each time I go in there you are spitting up all over the place. Of course we can't let you try to sleep in all that mess.
You (we) got thrush this month, so you have been on your very first antibiotic. This weekend you also seem to have gotten a cold or maybe just some yucky allergies, in any case you can't breathe very well through your nose at night.
I can't believe we are 1 month closer to your 1st birthday! You are loved so very much Ca Cam Reesey girl!

first time with carrots!

on your changing table in your room

having fun in the exersaucer

Picture Tag!

Here are the rules:

1. Find your sixth picture folder and in that folder, the sixth picture.2. Post it on your blog with some of the background of the picture.3. Tag four others and leave a comment on their blog to let them know they’ve been tagged.

This was on Valentine's Day (if I were more caught up on organizing photos, it would be a much more recent folder that was 6th) and I had just gotten rid of my Canon camera. I had borrowed a neighbors' SLR for pics of the kids, but I randomly shot this one from my old elf camera. Drew was sitting at the island enjoying a heart lolipop. There are number magnets, books, flash cards, candy and pacifiers all over the island from the kids' Valentine's goodie bags.

Will and I later had delicious steak and wine for dinner and he surprised me with my iPhone.

oh yeah, and I tag...Jen S, Kimberly V, Shayna O, and Laura B

Happy Half Birthday!

Dear Drew,

My sweet little boy, you continue to amaze us with each day that passes. You are such a smart two and a half year old...and here's why....
You have known all your shapes and colors since before you turned two. Now you know most all your letters (sometimes you skip V) and can almost sing the ABC song in entirety by yourself. You always say ABCB (instead of ABCD) even though you most certainly know the letter D! You recognize all your letters and know most of their sounds too. When ever we point out a letter to you, we say "C is for Camden" or "P is for pizza", so now you always ask us "what's this spell?" as you show us a letter. We are working on counting and you think you do such a great job already! (we do too buddy!)

You love animals and know all their sounds. You have been asking mommy to touch a horse (horkey), you ask me "drew touch horkey someday". We finally took you this weekend and you got to feed the horses carrots and apples. You kept asking to sit on them, hopefully your interest continues and this summer you can ride one. You recently started pronouncing horse correctly and it sorta makes me sad.

You love your daddy to pieces. You prefer him almost all weekend long. Although when Monday morning comes you are just fine with your good ole' momma! When you hear daddy's garage open in the evening, you run to go hide so you can "boo daddy". You love to scare him and see his reaction.
When I come get you in the mornings, you love to have Camden sit in your crib with you and you read books to her. You are such a sweet, loving big brother to her. When she cries you try everything you can to sooth her. Of course some times you make her cry. Like tonight when you gagged her with the medicine dropper. But seriously, she is one lucky girl to have you as her big bro'.

You love barney and Caillou. We watch them both as we are preparing/eating lunch each day. Yes, yes, we started watching too much TV, but it allows mommy to nurse in semi-peacefulness. You told me today that "my love Caillou" and that "he's my favorite".

You know all kinds of trucks/construction vehicles. It amazes me how you keep them all straight. You knew them all before I had mastered them. You call airplanes 'airport planes' and you love 'helicockers' .

You love the color blue. You chose blue rain boots this year. You always request the blue bowl for breakfast. Each morning you choose a blue vitamin out of your blue bowl (you are sad on the days you have to have a red or orange vitamin because we won't break more blue ones until they are gone).

You pretty much always like to have socks on. I think it started over the winter when we would put them on you if your jammies didn't have feet. Now you request them each evening before brushing your teeth.

You love to be outside. Whether it's riding your bike down to the pond, sitting in the driveway with chalk, or outside with a ball, you love being out there.

When you are doing something that you are not supposed to, and daddy or I come over to correct you, you tell us to "go over there" because you don't want to stop.

As much as you love Guinness, you really have been torturing her lately. I know you love her though because when you talk about our family you always include her.

You certainly have your 'terrible 2' days and have since you were about 18 months. But I have to say, I think the worst is behind us. You seem to be more easy going these last couple months and you really are turning into such a big boy and I have so much fun with you each day.

We love you big guy!

In January with Camden

Valentine's Day

your 3rd busted lip in Feb.

playing on the porch telling me "bye bye mommy"

St. Patrick's Day

your 'put the camera away' smile

"easter morning jackpot"

half birthday ice cream cones!

6 Months Old!

Camden-
Seriously? Am I seriously sitting down to write your 6 month update? The time continues to go so quickly watching you turn into a big girl! Let's see...lots of changes this past month.
You had cereal for the first time on March 27th. I was planning to wait a little longer, but after a bad episode of reflux/gas, it was Dr. R's next offered solution since you have been on prevacid and lately it doesn't seem to be helping you. I can't say that the cereal has really helped your reflux but you are getting better at keeping it in your mouth and not spitting it all out. You get 2 Tbs. of cereal each evening and what ever milk we have left over you get in a bottle. You do well with the bottle now that you are getting one most evenings. We are about to start doing cereal in the mornings this weekend too, then on to veggies!
Last week we attempted to have you start napping in your crib upstairs, now that your room is finally complete. Let's just say that the first day did.not.go.well! I think part of the problem was that I was not swaddling you, and you didn't really go for that! I checked with Dr. R and he said swaddling you still is not a problem, so the next day we tried nap in the crib swaddled, and you did great :) Now you are taking 2-3 naps in there each day and it is the only place you are napping. I re-read "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" to get us going on more of a sleep routine and luckily having mommy brush up on her reading has got us off to a great start! You now take your AM nap at 9 (or a little before) and nap for about 90 minutes (exactly what Drew was doing at this age). Then I can usually hold you until about 12:30 for your next nap which lasts about 2 hours. Some evenings you like to have a 3rd short nap (45 min-1 hour) before dinner to help us get till bedtime. You even wake up during naps and get yourself back to sleep. Big progress girl! Last night you did great, only waking once at 3:30am to feed and then slept again till 7, but some nights your reflux has you uncomfortable and wanting to nurse for comfort...so yes, you are still sleeping in our room in your bassinet! Last week you slept through from 10pm-7am, it had taken us till 10pm to get you to sleep because your tummy was bothering you so much :( We are nursing about 4 times a day now and once during the night. Usually around 7:30am, 10:30am, 2:30pm and around 6:30pm before bed.
Mommy had you at the doc last week because you had your very first fever (and you got tylenol for the first time because of it). Luckily, it is just teething. You are eating your hands all the time, and tugging at those ears. Dr. R said your eyes are definitely turning brown.
Mommy switched paci's for you this past week. I wanted to get some paci clips and the soothies are sort of a pain with those...Also, you were still using the newborn soothies because you didn't really go for the 3 month + ones which are a lot firmer, so we really needed to switch paci's anyway. I tried the Mam for 1 day and you did ok with it, then we tried the Nuk and you did really well with that one, so we stuck with it and bought you some more. Now you love your nuk and your pink lovey when you are tired. It seems to stay in your mouth a lot better during naps.
You love playing with Drew. Anything he does, you smile at. I had him help me with some of your 6 month photos because he does so great at getting you happy!
We love you lil' sissy!