Caroline at 10 months

Caroline, my little toothless wonder. You are 10 months old and you do not have a single tooth in your head. However, this has not kept you from eating chicken or sausage. You will eat pretty much anything we put in your mouth. Although you did gag the other day when I gave you rice.

You have started trying to pull up on objects, but mostly pull things over. You can go from your stomach to a sitting position, and we often find you in your crib sitting up waiting on us to come and get you.




You love to play peek-a-boo and patty cake. You often shake your head no or move your body back and forth when you are done with something. This is usually during meals when you are tired of us making you work for the table food or use a sippy cup. You ARE hard headed.

We are finishing up the last pack of size three diapers, and hopefully will use them before you outgrow them. It's going to be a close call. You are still wearing mostly size 12 month clothing, but I am buying size 18 month for spring.

You love giving daddy high fives, and lean in for kisses from mommy.You refuse to keep on a pair of socks. I know the little old ladies in the store are shaming me for my barefooted baby in cool weather, but you will not keep on a pair of socks. As soon as we put you in the car seat it is game on to see how fast you can get them off. I find tiny baby socks all over my car in the oddest places.



I can't believe I should be planning your first birthday. Maybe if I procrastinate I can keep you a baby a little longer.

Caroline at 9 months

Caroline at your 9 month well check you weighed in at a mere 21lbs and you measured 29.25in. long. This places you in 85-95% for height and weight. You are actually on the growth chart, and the pediatrician was pleased with your overall growth. She is new to the practice and this was our first time meeting her so the appointment was a little longer and more in depth than usual. Sometimes it is nice to have a fresh, new perspective and/or approach to things. She agreed that we would continue the Prevacid for the reflux but would not increase the dosage due to your weight increase unless you started experiencing symptoms. We also reviewed the need for soy formula and when she heard your reaction to dairy yogurt she very strongly encouraged us to stay away from milk products. Although you seem to have done okay with little pieces of cheese here and there. We also reviewed your developmental milestones. Your dad and I seem to think you are a little behind on your gross and fine motor skills, but the doctor assured me that you are your own person and will do things on your time. We were concerned with the fact that you aren't "conventionally" crawling, but you do army crawl or roll and get to where you want to go. The pediatrician wasn't concerned, but you are making progress each month, and are meeting milestones. Besides all of my PT and OT friends assure me you are perfect, which we already knew.

We have been working very hard on getting you to feed yourself, and it amazes me how fast children learn. In less than a week you have gone from picking food up in a raking motion to using a pincher grasp and putting it in your mouth. Next step...sippy cup. You will take a few sips from one as long as we hold it. Socially you are quiet the ham. You are clapping your hands, working on high five with daddy, and shaking your head no. You also mimic a lot of facial gestures and sounds we make. You will fake cough, laugh when we sneeze, and squeal when Olivia laughs.

Returning from Christmas break has been a struggle. It appears you were a little spoiled staying home with your grandparents and daddy for two weeks. Transitioning back into daycare has not been fun, but your last day last week went fairly well. Let's hope it continues this week. Your dad and I seem to think you are a stay home kind of girl.

You are still wearing size 3 diapers, but it won't be long before we transition into size 4. You wear mostly 12 month clothing and a few 18 month pieces. The 18 month pants are always too long, and your tiny little feet disappear. You enjoy singing with mommy, going for walks in your wagon, playing with your ABC bear, and playing with your walking toy. We still lay you down for naps or bedtime with only a hug and a kiss. You take your lovie and rub it over your face and suck on its ear to put yourself to sleep. Your hair is getting thick and long. Everyone seems to think you will be a redhead like mommy. Your eyes remain a dark brown around the outer edge, and a beautiful golden amber on the inside.

You are a beautiful baby, and we are blessed to have you in our family. Your sister told me the other day she was so thankful for her baby sister, because she loved you SO much. We all love you SO much.

Hip Hip Hooray for Christmas Vacation

I always have plans, ideas, expectations in my head for the holidays. I rarely execute all of them. As much as I tell myself I am not going to stress I always do. This year was not exception, but I did better. Notice I said better and not great. We did a lot of baking. It calms me. I remember one day in the middle of cleaning the house and doing laundry I stopped everything and baked 3 dozen cookies. Who doesn't need 3 dozen cookies on a random Saturday in the middle of December. My waist now hates me for those 3 dozen cookies, and the salted caramel bark, and the Kentucky pie.

My parents, famously known as Gigi and Papaw, hit town the Sunday before Christmas. Olivia was beyond excited to have an entire week with her grandparents. If I had a quarter for every time she uttered the words Gigi or Papaw I could pay off our house. My poor parents. I know they loved every minute of it, but I think they needed a vacation to get over their vacation.

Miss Caroline came down with a horrible cold then weekend before Christmas. Her poor little eyes and face were so swollen. She ran a low grade temperature and had a little cough, but she remained in the best mood. All she did was sleep. We had to wake her up at 9:30 a.m. Christmas morning so she wouldn't miss the festivities entirely.

All puffy and snotty, but still as sweet as can be.

Christmas Eve we baked cookies and pies. Did a little last minute wrapping, and watched the best Christmas movies of all time-Christmas Vacation and Elf. There might have been hot coco involved. Oh and marshmallows and a fire. Olivia decorated cookies for Santa, and picked out the perfect carrots for his reindeer. She sprinkled reindeer food in the front yard so they would know to come to her house. She was beyond excited, and really got into Christmas this year.



Sprinkling reindeer food.



Santa did not disappoint. Olivia received a new bicycle and a penguin parade. (Ever since seeing Mr. Poppers Penguins she had been asking for a penguin parade for Christmas). American Girl invaded our house along with several outfits and a carrying case.

Santa left a wagon for Caroline, and she and Olivia enjoy rides around the neighborhood.

After stuffing ourselves with monkey bread we headed over to our neighbors house for brunch. We are blessed to have wonderful neighbors who love our children and have taken us in like we are family. After brunch we began prepping for our Christmas dinner. Like we needed to eat again. Another set of neighbors joined us for Christmas dinner. We introduced them to several southern favorites, they are originally form Canada, and I don't think they were too shocked. After stuffing ourselves for the third time that day we all donned our fat pants and passed out in our respective places on the couch or chairs. Olivia and Caroline spent the rest of the week hanging out with their grandparents while Robert and I returned to work. It was so nice to have my parents here. That is one of my favorite memories growing up was having my grandparents spend the night with us Christmas eve and open gifts with us Christmas morning. Mom kept breakfast simple, usually sweet rolls and sausage biscuits. And we would sit around in our pjs and play until it was time to go to their house for Christmas lunch. We have started our own tradition of having homemade monkey bread and pigs-n-blanket on Christmas morning. I love that our little family is finding and making its own traditions. That's what it is all about. When I find myself getting wrapped up in what I think I should be doing I have to stop and remind myself that this is the only year Olivia will be four at Christmas and this is the only first Christmas Caroline will experience. They could care less if the house is clean, the laundry is done, and if I have executed all of my pinterest ideas. They will remember mommy letting them make a mess in the kitchen while we baked, tasting a sugar cookie for the first time, and licking icing off of the spoon. Kids do not require big gestures or elaborate plans. They require love and patience.

A round of tubes for all

Tallahassee...Not only are you the capital of Florida but you are also the capital of allergies and sinus trouble. After suffering from chronic sinus infections when we first moved here I made an appointment with an allergist. He told me that I had the usual seasonal allergies, that Tallahassee is the worst place to live for people with allergies, and that I would probably adjust after living here for 4-5 years. It appears that our children have inherited our wonderful genes in this department. During a follow-up appointment with the ENT over the summer we found out that both of Olivia's tubes had fallen out. Like clock work she started getting ear infections, and by November she had been treated for three infections. So the Monday after Thanksgiving she went for bilateral tube placement.

After a quick procedure and a popsicle in surgery this girl was not ready to go home and recover. She was ready for breakfast. She housed and entire adult serving of french toast with eggs, bacon, and home fries. She definitely made up for not having anything to eat since dinner the night before.
Caroline had her first ear infection when she was about 3 months old, and she was treated for her fourth infection in December. She had bilateral tubes placed on December 18th. We are on a first name basis with the ENT and his office staff. They even let me schedule their appointments at the same time. They recognize me when we pass in the hallways of the hospital or cafeteria. I think we funded his ski trip to Colorado. Both girls are on the mend (for now), and lets hope these tubes stay in and work for a while.

Caroline at 8 months

Caroline you are a big 8 months old. I did not do a good job of taking pictures this month other than Christmas pictures. You weigh around 20.5lbs and I would guess you are around 29 inches tall. I can't remember if I have mentioned this before but you are no longer in the click and carry car seat. You outgrew it around Thanksgiving and are now riding in a big seat that remains stationary in the car. You love to stand and hold onto our fingers, and will bounce your legs when you get excited.



Loving a beautiful day at the park.



Showing her school spirit.

You will feed yourself a cracker or biter biscuit once we initiate the action of putting it in your mouth. You have started dropping objects to see our reaction, and look for it once it is dropped. You will pass a toy from one hand to the other and work very hard to get to an object that is out of reach.

 This is the first month you noticed the monthly stickers. As soon as I put it on your shirt you began working to get it off.

Finally success!

You continue to roll or army crawl wherever you go. I guess conventional crawling isn't your thing. Conventional or not our hearts are full of love for you!