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!

Halloween in December?

Olivia enjoyed a trip to the pumpkin patch while stomach bug Caroline stayed at home with Daddy. Olivia loves a bounce house more than chocolate. It is the best money I will ever spend regardless of the price that is being charged. She is entertained for as long as I will let her jump, and it helps get out some of her energy.

We celebrated Halloween with friends by taking the girls trunk or treating. Olivia decided to be a flower and wanted Caroline's costume to match. Caroline was a bumble bee. After rushing home to feed the girls and a quick change into their costumes we headed off to the church to meet up with our friends. Robert was also going to meet us there. I had to finish putting Caroline's costume on her after she was out of the car seat. Both costumes on and we walked down the hill to join the festivities. Olivia decided to go into the jump house while Caroline and I stood outside talking to two very nice ladies.

The next thing I hear was a hiccup, a burp, and then projectile yacking from Miss Caroline. The poor lady standing next to me had to jump back to keep her feet from getting pucked on. She had skills, wicked fast moves. As I stood there covered in baby vomit I didn't even know where to begin. Those two sweet and complete strangers lent this desperate momma a hand. One of them ran to her car and grabbed a roll of paper towels while the other spread a blanket on the ground. After I cleaned up Caroline and changed her from her adorable bee costume one of the ladies held and comforted her while I tried to clean myself up. Nothing like handing your screaming baby to a complete stranger while another one helps you wipe puck off of your pants. All cleaned up and crisis averted we were ready from some candy. I was ready for a drink.

Our friends joined us and we had a great time. It was just the right size for the girls to come away with some great loot, but not too overwhelming. Robert did take Olivia to a few of our neighbors homes to let her experience going "door to door."

Thanks to the "incident" I did not get a picture of Caroline in her costume. So of course on one random December day I put the girls in their costume and we headed outside for a little post Halloween photo shoot. The cutest little bee and flower I have ever seen.

Caroline at 7 months.

I am behind. WAY behind. The holidays have hit and I have barely turned on our desktop. It seems like we packed a lot into the last little bit of 2012. Hoping to catch up over the next week or so.

Caroline turned 7 months old on November 5, 2012. At seven months old you weigh around 20 pounds, wear a size three diaper, and 12 month clothing. Don't get me wrong you also wear 12-18 month and sometimes 24 month clothing. The pants are always too long, but your thighs manage to fill out the legs. You have the smallest little feet. All of the shoes we have for you are way too big, and you are still in a size 3 shoe.

You have ventured into more table food, and can handle "chunkier" consistencies when we make your food. You LOVE ham, macaroni and cheese, and orzo. You will eat whatever we put in your mouth, but haven't really mastered putting things in there yourself. You still refuse a sippy cup, and look at us like we have lost our minds when we try to get you to drink from one.

You making razzing sounds all the time, and babble constantly. Your tongue stays out of your mouth most of the time which means there is a lot of drool. You laugh most when tickled, dancing with mommy, or when being tossed in the air. You can sit without support, and rarely fall over. You continue to roll everywhere you want to go.

We enjoyed a quick trip to Birmingham to celebrate an early Thanksgiving with Gigi and Papaw and to visit with cousin Ashley, uncle Kyle, and aunt Laura.

You have started to fight sleep while in the car seat. You don't scream or cry you just don't sleep.

We took advantage of cool fall weather in Tallahassee and introduced you to the swing at our local park. You absolutley loved to swing, and Olivia loved to push you.

You helped mommy with Christmas shopping, and liked sitting in the cart like a big girl.

Trying multi-grain bread and mac and cheese for the first time. Both were a hit! 

You are still a fantastic sleeper and take 2-3 naps a day. Sometimes depending on what time we get home you may or may not take the evening power nap. When you don't you are usually in bed by 6:30 p.m. When you do take a power nap you manage to stay up to a big whopping 8:00 p.m. 

Seven months have gone too fast. I need you to slow down just a bit.

I Love You So...

Olivia's Christmas party will be this Friday. Each child is asked to bring in one wrapped book to exchange with another friend. When we picked our book we were in a hurray, I just skimmed the pages, and threw it into the cart. Later that night Olivia asked if I would read it to her. With the horrible things that have gone on this week with the shooting in Connecticut and in Birmingham I found the pages of this sweet children's book tugging at my heart strings.

I Love You So...

by Marianne Richmond 

"I love you."

"How Much?"

"So much."

"How much is 'so'?"

"Way, way more than you know..."

I love you as brilliant as each sparkling star, and as way out as space, I love you that far.

I love you as gigantic as a great lion's roar, and as deep as the ocean, I love you much more.

"That is a lot," you say, "but how did it start? Where did love come from to be in your heart?"

You put it there, really, when you and I met. And I knew for certain without you I'd fret.

From my head to my toes, I was feeling inside a devotion to you so deep and so wide.

And now it's enormous and wonderfully real and hard to describe how much I feel!

I love you as awesome as a thundery sky, and as soaring mountains I love you that high.

"Do you love me every day?" you ask with doubting awe, "or does love go up 'n down like a teetering see-saw?"

I love you as steady as the earth rounds the sun, though some days of life are farthest from fun.

"Like when you feel mad?" you ask with distress, "'casue I've broken the rules or made a big mess? Or, when I'm unkind, and your feelings are blue, do you love me although I do what I do?"

I love you being nice, and when you're cranky, too. I love you without liking the naughty things you do.

My 'love you' doesn't change like the temper of the days. It's a certain kind of thing in many different ways.

Hanging out with you is where I want to be...eating ice cream sundaes or watching the t.v.

Under your umbrella, behind you on a bike. By you and beside you is what I really like.

"Do you love me just as much when I'm far way from home?" Is your loving still the same in distant lands I roam?"

I love you near or far. I love you high or low. My love is there with you wherever you may go.

"Even when I'm sick...and I can't get out of bed?"

Do you love me better healthy than with fever in my head?"

I love you sick or able. You're always you to me, the one I love forevermore. Undeniably.

I can't imagine life before you came along...me there singing senseless, no meaning to my song.

Call it meant to be or simply blessed fate, you fill my heart with love...and for that I celebrate.

"I love you."

"How Much?"

"So much."

"How much is 'so'?"

"Way, way more than you know..."

So sweet and so simple. This is actually something we are struggling with when we discipline Olivia. She always ask if I still love her even though she hasn't listened etc... Fighting back tears in my eyes I hug her as tight as she will let me and I hope and pray she knows that I will love her more than she will ever know.