Hollyn is Four Months Old Today!

 Despite my disbelief, you are four months old today!!!

Let's see what you've been up to...

My little turkey (outfit courtesy of Mommy :)

At your four month check up you weighed 14lbs., 25.25in long, and 39.25cm head circumference (Your percentiles stayed about the same). You had to get three shots (they were out of the fourth one you were suppose to get so your chubby thighs got spared an additional stab!) and one oral vaccine. When the nurse went to give you the oral vaccine I was like, "Oh, she won't take that. Let me get prepared with a burp cloth." So just to prove me wrong, you slurped that thing down! Apparently it's really sweet.

You've been sleeping through the night so well since you were a month old but this past month you started waking up in the middle of the night for a couple weeks... you seem to be back to sleeping through the night again... for now anyways... you like to keep me on my toes!

 You've started to like tummy time more.

And you do a good job pushing yourself up.

You love Hank... and he seems fond of you. You love to pull his soft, fluffy hair (that, I'm not sure he is so fond of).

You reach and grab your toys (as well as other things) and bring them to your mouth.

This looks interesting.

You still refuse to take a bottle! It's not like I want you to take it that often, it would just be nice for mommy and daddy to be able to leave you with Grammy and Grandpop for more than a couple of hours. But you are one stubborn little girl (no idea where you get that from ;). I've tried many different bottles and different nipples and you want nothing to do with any of them. You pretty much cry at the sight of a bottle. So you know what??? You win! I've decided to go straight to a sippy cup with a rubber spout. And you actually drank a few sips of water out of it!

You definitely have the strength to sit up but you are too wiggly to keep from falling over.

17 Weeks

You love to go shopping! (Just like mommy ;) You are pretty happy to ride in your stroller and look around but you really like to be in your Bjourn baby carrier. I think you are able to see more.

16 Week

You laugh a lot now and we love it... and quite frankly, we are willing to make complete fools out of ourselves for the chance to hear that sweet little giggle.

You are such a ham!

Strike a pose!

 You like your dangling bugs hanging from your carrier and you've learned to reach for them to make them jingle (I think you are really trying to rip them down to eat them ;)

15 Weeks

The doctor suggested starting solids so we did.

Your high chair is still a little big for you.

You had your first taste of cereal...

And peas...

And carrots (Which have been your favorite so far).

My little elf <3

You met your Great Grandma Marti for the first time this month! We had a great visit.

We visited a pumpkin patch for a cute photo op.

My pumpkin in a pumpkin patch.

You liked the Hollyn sized pumpkins :)

We took you to the Friendswood  Trick-or-Treat in the Park... didn't realize it was a very popular event! The crowds were a little much so we didn't stay very long.

You were a lady bug for Halloween (fitting since daddy calls you his Holly Bug).

And you went trick-or-treating with your friends (Well, daddy carried you and you passed out about halfway through).

14 Weeks

You started rolling from your tummy to your back a little before you were three months, but at first it seemed more like an accident. Then, the day after you turned three months we caught you in action!

This month you also started rolling from your back to your stomach and now you are a rolling machine!

You are just so much fun! We've really enjoyed how alert and active you've become this month! We are thankful for so many things this Thanksgiving season, but most of all, you! We love you little girl!

Biological Bonus

When my husband and I started dating 9 years ago (yesterday), I fell in love with his family. I loved the fact that he had a big (or at least bigger than mine) family.

One particularly cool aspect of his family is that his mom was adopted as a baby. While her adoptive parents are her mom and dad, she found her biological mom, Marti, when she was 30 and developed an amazing relationship with her. I think this is so cool and I tell Jeff he has a bonus grandma :)

Marti comes to visit about once a year and this year was extra special because she got to meet her first great granddaughter!

4 generations

We spent part of her visit enjoying the beautiful weather with a trip to the Pearland Town Center. It was a great visit full of love and laughter.

We love you, Marti and look forward to your next visit :)

October, I Will Miss Thee

I L-O-V-E October! I really think it's the best month (even though my hubby, with horrible allergies, would beg to differ). Why??? Well...


Pumpkin patches!

Mellowcreme pumpkins :)

Fall festivals

It finally starts getting cold down here in Houston! (Which means out come the winter clothes!)

Cute babies dressed in costumes

Trick-or-treating... which I now get to do again! (a great reason to have a baby ;)

And...

of course, my birthday!!! ;)

Good bye October! You will be missed! See you again next year! Hello November!

Hollyn is Three Months Old Today!

Seriously?!?! Three months?!?! It's sad how fast time goes by but also so amazing to watch you grow!

Let's see what you've been up to...

At your three month check up you weighed 12lbs 11oz (50-75th %), 24.5in long (90th %), and your head was 38.5cm around (10th %). And no shots this month!!!

I nurse you 6 times a day, about every 3 hours (except at night). I was so worried about "nipple confusion" in the beginning that I insisted on no more bottles once you gained enough weight back to stop supplementing your feedings (which was at 2 weeks). Kinda back fired on me... now you refuse to take a bottle which isn't a big deal except for when Grammy and Grandpop watch you and I have to race home to a hungry (screaming) baby. Makes it hard (impossible) for me to go anywhere for more than a couple of hours... but this precious, little face is worth the sacrifice :)

This face makes my heart melt :)

I knew you were so close... and I was just dying to hear it... and today you did it!!! You laughed your little heart out! :)

You are so over pacifiers. You won't take one at all anymore! But you adore your lovies. You like to chew and suck on them (which kinda grosses me out, but hey, whatever floats your boat ;)

Working on your modesty ;)

You have discovered your voice and you love to talk to us.

You are starting to enjoy your tummy time a little more.

I had to get a tushi shot :)

You love sitting up. You can't sit up by yourself yet, of course, but when I lay you on your back you try to do a sit up.

11 Weeks

You wore your first pair of jeans this month.

10 Weeks

You love the Baby Bjourn carrier. You look around in amazement at everything... and then often pass out like this.

Shopping with mommy

We took you to your first high school football game and you did pretty good... of course mommy was a little stressed with all the loud noises and the tight space.

It's a dad life ;)

You are such a happy little girl!

Ready for Halloween

You wore your first pair of flip flops... what cute little tootsies!

You like to play in your jumper...

and you've already discovered how to push the buttons because, well, you're a genius! ;)

I took you to your first baby shower (well, outside of the womb ;) and you partied til you dropped!

Right after 2 months we decided it was time for you to start sleeping in your own crib in your room so we got you this fancy mobile. On an average night, I feed you between 7-8, give you your bath, have a little play time and then put you down for bed. You will typically fall asleep with little fussing watching your mobile. Then I feed you again around 10:30 (while you're still sleeping) and you sleep until 7:00 (and sometimes later! I actually had to wake you up at 9:00am once because you were still sleeping!)

You are such a good baby! I think we are definitely spoiled! At the very least, extremely blessed to have you in our lives. You make each day exciting. We love you, Holly Bug!

Tae Bo with Billy Blanks!

Today I had the most amazing opportunity... I took a Tae Bo class from Billy Blanks himself! I've been taking Tae Bo classes at the YMCA for a few years now and I just love it. It is a crazy hard work out but fun at the same time. The instructor, Hiro, was one of the first certified Tae Bo instructors and has been in Billy's videos. Hiro had arranged for Billy to come to the Perry YMCA and teach Tae Bo classes. The tickets were only $20 and the money goes to his foundation, Tae Bo for the Troops.

The class was an hour and a half and a good challenge.

After the class Billy talked to us for a while about goals.

If you look close, I'm sitting in the back with the lavender tank top :)

Unfortunately, I had to leave early because I had a hungry baby (who refuses to take a bottle ;) waiting on me so I didn't get a picture with Billy or an autograph but it was still an awesome day :)

Hollyn is Two Months Old Today

 Two months of joy.

Let's see what you've been up to...

You went back to the doctor last week (at 8 weeks, 9/13/11) and you weighed 11lbs, 4oz, 23.5in long, and your head was 37.5cm (still my little peanut head in the 5-10th %). You had to get 3 shots and an oral vaccination. The shots did not go so well... you screamed your head off and turned bright red! You were pretty much inconsolable for a while and it broke my heart.

The doctor suggested more tummy time including some supervised naps on you tummy... and this it what that looks like.. I love that lil ruffle butt!

Just a few days after you turned one month you started sleeping through the night. We turn on the Simply Noise app on our iPhones to white noise and you love it. You sleep great to it. You normally sleep from about 11:00pm to 7:00am. (It's A-mazing sleeping at night again!)

Drum roll please... you rolled over from your tummy to your back today for the first time! I'm very proud of you :)

You normally do pretty good in your car seat... well, as long as it's moving. This is you on our way to your daddy's work for the first time for a lunch date. Everyone loved seeing you, especially daddy's patients. (He does therapy at a nursing home) I'm pretty sure your chubby little cheeks made some people's day :)

By the way, you're a Longhorn fan ;)

Hook 'em horns!

8 Weeks

You've started noticing the TV and I'm pretty sure daddy enjoys y'alls TV watching time as much as you do.

Watching the Texans with daddy.

You started smiling and it is so adorable!

And it's not just random gas grins anymore, you actually respond to us.

You've also starting cooing. I could listen to you all day.

You do surprisingly well sitting up in the Bumbo seat.

You and your bestie Harper having some girl talk

Your brothers have really adapted well, as you can tell. If you are crying in your pack-n-play (which you still sleep in in mommy and daddy's room) and I shut the door to let you fall asleep, the boys go to the door and cry for you. They just don't like their baby sis to be upset.

Apparently I make a good pillow

Not sure where you get those long legs but I love them! (7 Weeks)

I had to throw this pic in bc I seem to be the one always taking the pics

You love your Harper's swing that swing sideways. You sleep so good in it! But your own swing is growing on you.

As you can tell from the video, you also love to kick your feet these days.

My friend Trina made this outfit for you and you look like a little doll in it!

On occasion, you pass out playing... it's a rough life!

6 Weeks

Dressed up for our first lunch date with Kelsey and Christina at none other than Chick-fil-a

You like to hang in your bouncy seat while mommy gets ready in the mornings so it's win-win for both of us.

5 Weeks

It's hard to believe 2 months have come and gone but each day is more fun! We just love watching you grow and learn new things. But most of all, we just love you!

Update

It's hard to keep up a blog when you have a baby... and even harder to have something other than your baby to write about! Ha!

For a quick update:

Hollyn and I both had our six weeks check ups this week. Hers went great. (I adore our pediatrician). She weighed 10lbs 8oz (75th %), 22.75in long (90th %), and her head is 36cm (12th % ha!). She had to get two shots (Polio and Hep B part 2) which totally sucked. I would normally make Jeff be the mean one who has to hold her leg while they torture my poor baby but he was at his own doctor's appointment so I had to be the bad guy. Boo.

My appointment... well... not so great. I'm healing but apparently I "over" healed so the doctor had to cauterize scar tissue. Yes, that means BURN off. With NO pain meds. So needless to say, I was not released for "activity" yet. I have to go back in 3 weeks and hopefully all is well then.

In other exciting news, I developed mastitis two days ago. I had no idea how bad this could be. It was apparently caused by a clogged duct. Not only is it painful, but you get flu like symptoms with it : / I HATE being sick (as if everyone doesn't) so I always try to do more than I should too soon. I really wanted to enjoy the weekend and in my head I should feel better since I've been on antibiotics for two full days so my parents came to watch Hollyn while we got out of the house. After running a couple of errands we went for an early dinner. Food sounded so good in my head... but unfortunately I couldn't eat... instead I got sick in a PUBLIC bathroom! Gross! Flashback to pregnancy!

Anyways, I'm getting a lot braver about going places with Hollyn and we've actually started to venture out into society so hopefully I will have more exciting things to talk about soon. (Other than my tortured lady parts!)