Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Hollon Elizabeth - 10 Months




10 Months Old Recap:
Likes: Fisher Price farm, Leap Frog phone, water bottles, pulling up on anything, pushing anything around other than an actual push toy, snuggles, sticking her finger up her nose or your nose, when you jump out from behind something & scare her, drinking water out of your cup, the stool in the kitchen. And she still loves to be held & loves attention.
Dislikes: Not being picked up immediately once she wakes up
Milestones: Pulls up on things, but will not stand up on her own. She'll push her highchair all over our floor, but will not push one of her walking toys. No steps on her own yet.You can ask her to point to her nose, ear, mouth, eyes or toes. She is right about 50% of the time. She made her first animal sound. When you ask her what the cow says, she says "ooooooooo" (she leaves off the "m"). Of course the only time she does it is when you don't prompt her to.
Sleep: FINALLY! We are sleeping through the night. We are not having a 'sleeping through the night' party yet, but we will have a small toast. I don't know if it was turning 9 months, or those 4 top teeth coming in or the 2 week break from our normal schedule. But once we got back from traveling (2 weeks after she turned 9 months), she finally started sleeping through the night. (More info about our struggles later.) She goes to bed around 8:00 and usually sleeps until 6:00 or 7:00. I'm still trying to push her bedtime up some, but for now, it is what it is. She takes 2 naps during the day. One at 9:00 and one around 1:00 or 2:00. She usually sleeps around 1.5-2 hours during her naps. She sleeps with her mam pacifier. She has a few luvees and stuffed animals that she sleeps with, but there isn't one that she is attached to yet. She almost always cries whenever you lay her down, but she usually stops after a minute or two. She is a very light sleeper. So once she goes to sleep, no one can get ice from the ice machine, use the restroom upstairs or breathe within 5 feet of her room. 
Eat: She is still getting her milk from me, 95% of the time. Since I work from home, it is just easy, cheap & convenient. So we go with it. She has her milk at 7:00 in the morning. She usually eats yogurt or baby cereal with fruit for breakfast (around 8:00). She usually has her 2nd thing of milk around 11:00 and lunch at noon. She has more milk when she wakes up from her afternoon nap and then eats supper around 6:00. Her last milk feeding is right before bed. Sometimes there is an extra feeding of milk thrown in, depending on her nap schedule and our schedule that day. I do the same as I did with Jake, we have a "flexible" schedule. I make her baby food most of the time. Usually one Sunday, I'll make a ton of food & freeze it for her. That will last us about a month. She'll eat that if we are at home and she eats the baby food packets if we are out. She likes both and doesn't seem to favor one over the other. I'm having a hard time moving her to table food. I am paranoid about choking. If she eats table food, I break it up so tiny, it is basically just a bunch of crumbs on her tray. I break it up so tiny, she can't get her fingers to pinch it to get it to her mouth. I am definitely the problem and I'm working on it. She does love puffs, yogurt melts & crunchies. When she first started eating, I was worried because she only liked fruits. But she has come around and will pretty much eat anything. I've made pretty much every puree from the cookbooks Cooking for Baby and Weelicious. Her favorite is still fruit though. She loves water. She'll drink it out of a sippy cup, but she really loves it out of a regular cup. (Have I mentioned that she can be high maintenance?) She evidently thinks legos are tasty, because I've had to dig them out of her mouth 3 different times.   
Appearance: That hair. It gets comments wherever we go. I thought as it got longer, it would lay down. But it hasn't. It just sticks up higher. The only time it will lay flat, is if it is wet. And even then, it is trying to stick up. The front is getting longer and almost getting in her eyes. So I usually try to keep that pulled to the side. Her hair color is still light brown, but if it is freshly washed and sunlight hits it, it is blonde. She has 8 teeth now (2 more came in on bottom). So she has her 4 top middle & 4 bottom middle.
Size: 6-12 months in clothing. She can wear 12 month clothing in some things. But the little dress above was a 12 months and was a little too big. (We were getting ready to go run errands and the dress is a wrap type dress. Once I got it on her, I realized it was a little too big, but I was too lazy to change her.) Size 3 diapers.
Talking: Since last month, she has added the words toes, bye, and hi. I still don't think she knows exactly what words mean. But she knows she gets attention when she says them, so she'll do it. Of course she never does it on command, because that would make it seem like we were not lairs. 
Movement: She used to wave by just throwing her arm up & down, but now she'll open & close her fist. But she does it to her face, so it's like she is waving to herself. She loves peek-a-boo and loves to hide things behind her head. She crawls all over the place. Her favorite place to crawl to is Jake's room or a bathroom. She is not sure about stairs and doesn't seem to be a climber. She'll walk around pushing a chair or stool but will not walk using a push toy or holding your hand. I like to pretend she can give kisses. I really think she is trying to bite my face, but I pretend it is kisses. 

Friday, June 26, 2015

Father's Day

We went to church Sunday morning and celebrated with Robbie with gifts & cards. Robbie is such an amazing father. I knew when we were dating, that he would make a great father, and he has not disappointed. He is the leader of our family, our provider. And the only one who can remember anything. He keeps us in order, makes us laugh, and is the rock of our family. We all love him so very much and I am so grateful that he is the father of our children.

After church, the Bush's came over so we could celebrate Robbie's dad (Granddad). We cooked out and had a nice lunch outside. Nothing says Happy Father's Day like making your husband cook. In my defense, if I was working the grill, that would have been an even worse father's day gift. Chuck is such a special father. Him & Robbie have so many happy memories of going to races, to Auburn football games to road trips. He has shown by example how to be a loving, devoted, Christian father. He takes care of me like I was his own daughter and our kids just adore him. 


Getting ready to give Granddad his father's day gift

Hollon trying watermelon for the first time



Hollon was extremely interested in Granddad's card


Jake was supposed to spend the week at my parent's house, so after lunch, the kids and I headed down to Prattville so I could drop Jake off and spend some time with my dad.
Someone got a hold of Gran's phone
And yes her hair looks like this all the time
It will.not.sit.down
I am so glad I was able to spend the afternoon with my dad. On Monday, a dear friend of my parents passed away suddenly & unexpectedly. He was my parent's age and in good health. He leaves behind a devastated wife & daughter. It has been on my mind all week. Have I told my dad enough just how much I love him? How much I appreciate everything he has done for me? How grateful I am that he gave me a life better than I could ever imagine? That he taught me so much and he made me who I am today? One of my very favorite childhood memories is one night my dad took me on a father/daughter date. I still remember I wore a pink blouse and floral skirt. He took me to eat at Wendy's and then we went to see the movie Earnest Goes to Camp. I felt so beautiful and so special that night. I still can remember that feeling. I am so grateful that I had such a loving father that was so devoted. Just last year, he & I rode to Atlanta together for my nephew Gaines birth (my mom was already in Atlanta). It was just my dad & I for 3 hours in the car, and we had the best time. We laughed (I took us to an abandoned warehouse by typing in the wrong address in GPS), we talked about business, we talked about relationships, we reminisced. It was 3 great hours that I am so glad that I had with just my father & I. I love my father with all my heart and my kids love him just as much.   

"For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory." 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12



Thursday, June 25, 2015

Weeks in Review

I can't believe we're into our 5th week of summer, and other than the beach, I've not documented anything we've done. The 2nd week of summer, I had to go to Chattanooga for the week for an audit. So Hollon went to stay with my parents and since Jake had swim lessons that week, he stayed with the Bush's. 

My nieces are such a huge help with Hollon and Hollon just adores them.
Marrell feeding Hollon


We were all back together Friday evening.
Jake fighting with Granddad



Hollon is obsessed with iPhones
She points and swipes her finger on the screen
The 3rd week of summer, Jake stayed home with Hollon & me. I got the bright idea to tell Jake that I would pay him, if he'd help babysit Hollon while I worked. We made it until Tuesday before he quit. He had left his favorite book out (after I had already put it up twice and told him he couldn't leave it where Hollon could reach it). He was supposed to be watching her anyways, but he wasn't paying attention to her, because he was too busy performing ninja moves in front of the mirror. Next thing we hear is ripppppppppppppppp. Hollon tore one of the pages and was looking pretty proud of herself. Jake freaked out. He started yelling at Hollon and told me that I needed to spank her. He stomped out of the room and off the job. Walking off the job - his first blemish on his resume. 

Don't let that sweet little grin fool you. You cannot leave anything around this girl. She will tear or eat anything she can get her hands on.

The only time in her life that leg rolls will be cute
So one day, the kids & I were shopping in TJ Maxx. We were in the shoe section and next thing I know, Jake is holding up a shoe that he thinks I should buy. It has blue rhinestones on it and I'm pretty sure I'd seen a pre-teen trying it on earlier. I was trying to convince Jake that wasn't quite my style and was more appropriate for someone 20 years younger than me. No to be outdone, Hollon then pulls a shoe off the rack and is trying to show me. Another miss. I have to inform her that shoe might be better for someone 20 years older than me. Needless to say, no shoes were bought that day.
Jake & Hollon showing me the beautiful shoes they found for me



Hollon with her pick
Later in the week, Jake rejoined the workforce. He wanted me to set up his tent for Hollon & him to play in. Hollon wasn't very keen on it.
Much to brother's dismay, H trying to escape

Making her getaway 
Also this week, Hollon discovered toilets. She will crawl from room to room trying to find a bathroom door not shut.
She doesn't realize I'm standing behind her

Caught
Jake had his second week of swim lessons







On Saturday that week, we had some friends come over and go swimming. I got no pictures of us all at the pool, but afterwards they came over and we grilled out that night.
They have a little boy who is a month younger than Hollon



Jake liked making him laugh
Jake's cousin Jackson was in town staying with Mimi & Granddad. So they came over Sunday night for dinner so Jake & Jackson could play.
Hollon will be more obsessed with iPhones than her brother



Jake & Jackson

Mimi giving Hollon a bottle
The 4th week of summer, Jake had his first summer camp. He took tennis lessons at the YMCA. 
All greased up with sunscreen
The camp days were long for him. And they didn't allow much downtime. So Jake didn't just love it. And it didn't help that cousin Jackson was in town staying with Mimi & Granddad, so Jake would have much rather been over there playing with him. So after camp each day, I tried to allow Jake a treat each day. On Monday we got slushies from Sonic & I let him play games on the computer. 
Until sister ruined it trying to help

"who me?"

"just let me help you"

"just kidding"

"I'm not bothering brother"

"who am I kidding, yes I am"

Jake was less than amused
On Tuesday, Chuck picked Jake up from camp and took him & Jackson swimming at our pool.

On Thursday after camp, I took Jake to the library. We had a nice afternoon and then I had to swing by the store to pickup laundry detergent. I let Jake look at the toys. There was a lego set that he wanted. He thinks all lego sets cost $20, so he was asking me to give him twenty dollars. I told him that was what his chore money was for. And he had just spent all of his chore money a few weeks ago on a lego set. So he would just need to save back up. Usually Jake would have been okay with that. But we was tired from camp and in a bad mood. So he completely melted down. Like crying, laying in the floor melting down. It's embarrassing when your toddler does it. It is even more embarrassing when your 6 year old does it.
Right before the meltdown. At least one person is happy!