VPK For Olivia

Olivia started VPK August 20. She moved to a new class with a new teacher. She was very excited about big girl school, and asked if I would take her for her first day. As we were walking in she became very quiet and apprehensive. When I asked her what was wrong she said, "Mommy I'm scared." I said, "Olivia what are you scared of." She said, "I'm scared of the big kids." Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Tears welled up in my eyes, and as I tried to keep my composure for the sake of my little girl I said, "Sweetheart you ARE the big kid." We walked into class and she was timid and clingy. She didn't want to say goodbye. After finally detaching her from my leg she waved goodbye at the window and made silly faces like always. I made it to the car and completely lost it. Don't get me wrong I am excited for this new chapter in our lives, but I'm saddened that there will come a day when she won't want to snuggle with me, hold my hand as we cross the street, or think that her dad and I hang the moon and the stars. I worry about the world she will grow up in, and only hope that we can teach her to be a good person. For me it doesn't matter what she becomes or where she goes, but I want her to be a good person with a good heart. That's not too much to ask is it?

First day of VPK.

Grocery shopping is GRRREAT!

A little/lot late...Caroline at 4 months.

Sweet baby girl. Where has four months gone? I am still amazed at how fast and how much a baby can grow and change those first few months. I'm pretty sure I have said that each month, and probably will continue in the future. You had your four month check up when you were closer to 4 1/2 months old. You weighed 17.4 lbs and were 26 inches long. Of course in the 99th percentile for all. Chunky Monkey! And I love tickling, kissing, and pinching every little roll and dimple you have.

Developmentally you have taken off! You smile at anything and everything and still have the best crooked one dimpled smile. You now laugh/giggle out loud in response to a funny face, but usually when tickled. You love to play with Olivia and will contently watch her being her busy crazy self. You will grab anything and everything that is placed near your hands. This often includes my hair, necklace, the dog's beard, Olivia's hair, or you dad's chest and arm hair. You have started babbling all of the time. Mostly vowels with an occasional "mmm." You are beginning to stand for longer periods of time, and starting rolling over from your stomach to your back. Your hands are constantly in your mouth, and the drooling is out of control. We don't even try pacifiers. I cannot remember the last time you actually took one. You have also found your feet, and try your hardest to get those in your mouth. We started solids this month. Your first solid, other and cereal, was green beans. You didn't love them, but you didn't hate them. Applesauce and pears seem to be your favorites. You are still in a size 3 diaper, and are wearing anything from 6 months to 18 month clothing. This month has been difficult health wise for all of us. You earned your first bilateral ear infections, and spent 20 days on antibiotics. Your sister also had bilateral ear infections. Your dad had bilateral pneumonia, and I had an upper respiratory infection. We contemplated bombing the house. Your reflux also got out of control. The theory is that the Zantac stopped being as effective and then the antibiotic for the ear infections just triggered a downward spiral. It took us several weeks of multiple doctors visits, adjusting meds, adding new meds, and lots of trial and error to get you back on track. Of course, this was after you were tortured with a chest xray and urine analysis.Starting solids seems to have helped a little, but we still put cereal in all of your bottles. Your eyes have turned the pretty shade of golden brown with flecks of green. Your hair is beginning to thicken, and continues to have hints of auburn.

I'm so over your pictures.

Carrots anyone?

Mmm peas.

We did squeeze in a visit to Birmingham to see Gigi and Papaw. You and Olivia hung out with them Saturday while I attended a wedding. We left daddy and Layla and all of the sick germs in Tallahassee. You enjoyed swimming for the first time, and naturally kicked your little feet. You were great on the ride up, but you were SO over it on the way back. Tired of the car seat and ready to get out! We love you to the moon and back sweet baby!

Snuggles with papaw.





Snuggles with Gigi.

Water baby.

Sweet friend and beautiful bride.

The First of Many.

Sweet Caroline has experienced two first last week. She is the proud owner of bilateral ear infections earning her her first round of the pink stuff. She hasn't cried once. She hasn't even fussed or had a fever. The only reason we decided to take her to the doctor was because we are all sick and on medications and figured her stuffy little nose and cough might be turning into something else. Well as it turns out we were (for once) right. She is now on antibiotics for 10 days. I'm sure this is only the beginning of many if she is anything like her big sister. Interestingly enough at a few days shy of four months she weighs 17 pounds and is 26 inches long. Oh my what a big girl! Her other first was that she decided to roll over from stomach to back today (August 2, 2012). She hasn't done it since, but I had to do a double take when she got up from her morning nap. She apparently didn't really notice as it did not interfere with her beauty sleep.

From the mouth of a four year old.

Sweet Olivia, you make me smile. You make me laugh. You've even made me snort because I was laughing so hard. You are filled with energy, curiosity, love, and empathy. You talk from the minute you wake up until the minute you fall asleep. You ask questions 24/7, and have said, "Mommy, I know I ask a lot of questions but I just want to know stuff." You never meet a stranger, and often entertain check out clerks and other customers waiting in line. You make others smile, and this makes me proud. You heart is big, and it is full of love and giving for all. You are sensitive, and slightly dramatic. You are creative and artsy. Your imagination is amazing. I can carry on a conversation with you like I could with an adult, and constantly have to remind myself that you are only four years old. Our lives are forever changed because of you, and for this we are grateful. We are blessed.

Your vocabulary is insane. That being said you have certain words or ways of saying some words that are too cute even if slightly wrong.

Olivia Words:
Sunscream (sunscreen)
Thumb toe (big toe)
Dust can (dustpan)
Mometer(monitor)
Sour crap (sour kraut)
Beef turkey (beef jerky)
Yogurt pants (yoga pants)

Currently, you are obsessed with the song "As She's Walking Away, " by the Zac Brown Band. You refer to the song as, "The falling in love song." I play this song at least once a day, and you sing your little heart out!

You have also been known to say "seriously" when something doesn't go your way, and tell Caroline she is "killing you" when she is fussy and won't go to sleep. I have no idea where you have heard these expressions (must be from daddy).

You are our sweet angel. We love you to the moon and back!

Caroline at Three Months

What a difference a month makes! You are an "angel baby." I fear that every time I say that or comment on how sweet you are that I am jinxing us, and you will flip the switch and become a devil baby. So far so good, and we still have our sweet girl.

About a week after we moved you out of our room and into the office daddy needed to work from home. You were restless while trying to sleep. We think his typing was interrupting your beauty sleep so we moved you upstairs to your room. You've been sleeping in your room ever since. At first you slept in your bassinet, but now you are in your crib for naps and at night. You still love to be swaddled and sleep best when you are wrapped up nice and tight. Although, as soon as we swaddle you for the night you break out the pouty lip and fuss/cry for about ten minutes.You will take a paci, but you don't need it. There are many times that you go down without it, or you have spit it out by the time I leave the room. The sound machine is a must.

You have started to coo a lot and "talk" up a storm. You love to kick your legs as fast as they can go, and move your arms. You have the best one sided, crooked, half smile with a dimple in your right cheek and in your chin. I also only have one dimple, but it's on my left side. The one sided smile has earned you the nickname "Elvis."

You recognize your daddy, sister, and me by voice and face and show us by giving us big smiles. You love for me or Olivia to sing to you. You seem to like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Patty Cake, and This Little Piggy the best.

You are great on your tummy, and do such a good job holding your head up and looking around. You will hold a toy if we place it in your hand, and will "bat" at the toys hanging from your rain forest mat. You are starting to bear weight when we stand you on our lap, but you only last for a few seconds.

The drooling has started along with you making spit bubbles. Bibs are our friends and we go through several throughout the day along with multiple burp clothes and changes of clothes.

You love my hair, and by love I mean you grab big handfuls whenever I wear it down-which is seldom these days. You also love to grab my necklace. You never pull, but you also don't want to let go. You also like to grab daddy's chest hair which he thinks is a ton of fun.

Your nicknames are many (you do have Simpson blood in you) and we call you anything and everything, but rarely is it just Caroline. A few nicknames are LB(little bit), Grunty (because you are so noisy), and Elvis (the half smile). We are trying to get out of the habit so none of these stick, but Olivia has a tendency to use Grunty a lot.

You are wearing 3-6 month onesies and mostly 6 and 9 month outfits. I have already cleaned out newborn clothes and some three month onesies and outfits. You are so long that they won't snap between your legs. You are still in a size 2 diaper, but when we finish these we will go ahead and move you to size 3s. You are still on Soy formula with added oatmeal cereal and Zantac for reflux. You usually eat four times a day with one big bottle when you first wake up (8oz) and then 6oz. bottles the rest of the day. If I had to guess I would say you weigh around 15lbs.

Caroline, you truly are a sweet baby. We are so blessed to have you in our family!

June Camera Phone Pictures and Ballet

Olivia started ballet this month, and is loving every minute of it. She looks forward to going, and talks about it non-stop. She also enjoys showing us all of her new dance moves. 

Bright light.

I love each and every roll.

Ready for ballet.

So much fun, and not wanting to leave.



Daddy and his girls.



Tummy time for everyone.

May Camera Phone Pictures

These days it seems that most of my pictures are taken with my phone. I wish the quality was better, but truthfully I don't do much better with my camera. It would probably help if I actually took the time to read a manual on something. One of these days I will put that on the "to do" list.

Doing what I do best.

Snuggles with mommy.

Helping mommy get dressed.

Tummy time is exhausting.

Who says mullets are no longer in style?

Big Sister helping out.

A little pool time.

Road trips are exhauting.

Hanging with Gigi

Rocket launching with Papaw

Morning cartoons

I will sleep anywhere. Even in the middle of the den floor at Gigi and Papaws house.



Deep in conversation with Daddy.



When it's 11:00 p.m. and your baby won't sleep, and she has been fussy for about 1 1/2 hours this is what you resort to...swaddled and sleeping in her carseat. Hey, whatever works.