6 Month Update - a little late

It's my turn (Wes) to write the blog again, but I'm going to lean on the Elizabeth expert (Becky) for a lot of this.  My favorite part about Elizabeth is that she lights up when I get home from work and really makes the day better.  She follows me with her eyes while Becky is holding her and I make dinner.  I was supposed to write this post a week ago after Elizabeth's trip to the doctor for her 6 month check up, but between work and miserably striking teams off my brackets, I'm late.  Coincidentally, Becky being a week late is how we got here in the first place.

So, without further adieu, here's all the details and pictures you've been waiting for.  Elizabeth got the routine maintenance on March 21st after turning 6 months old on St. Patrick's Day.  She received a few shots, oil change and tire rotation.  I was told she barely cried for 2 seconds when they gave her the shots, but I'm glad I wasn't there to witness.  I am sure the doctor would have looked at me like I was a fool (accuratley so) when I left the room for the baby to get a shot.  The thought of it makes me feel queasy and helpless.  The results of the visit were height 26" inches (49%), weight 15lbs 1 oz. (23%) and head (59%), so she's starting to take more and more after mama.  That thing's like Sputnik, probably has it's own weather system.  She's been cleared to eat rice and oatmeal cereal, but we've had mixed results so far.  Also, she got moved from Infant 1 to Infant 2 at daycare.  While Elizabeth seems fine with it, mama didn't take it quite as well.

 

She's been so much fun recently.  She started rolling over and gives a big smile after the round of applause.  She's began sleeping on her stomach after we (read: Becky) quit swaddling her.  That process was a little painful because she didn't sleep all that well the first few nights, but it makes putting her to bed and down for naps a lot less of a process.  She also started eating her feet and grabbing at things she wants to hold, which normally ends with her putting them in her mouth.

 

 

 

She has started reaching for the puppies.  We're getting mixed results on the gentleness of the touch - sometimes she kind of rubs and pets them and others she pretty much grabs a handful of hair.  They're very patient and really just wait on her to let go without making much of a fuss, well at least Buster does.  Buster and Rebel turned 5 years old on St. Patrick's day.  The past 6 months have really flown by with Elizabeth, but I remember driving back to Charlotte with the puppies May 5 years ago like it was yesterday.  Rebel is still the world's greatest dog.

 

 

 

We had the opportunity to host a wedding shower in Atlanta for our good friend Josh Zobel and his bride to be Christine.  It was great to see a lot of our friends and for Mimi and GrandDan to be able to keep Elizabeth for the night.  It was the first time we had spent the night in a different place than Elizabeth and was good practice for our upcoming trips and wedding season.

 

Elizabeth is starting to use all the toys and mats and stuff we have around the house.  The playroom formerly referred to as the den is pretty much where she spends all of her time on the weekends when she's awake.  When she's not on the floor, she loves to watch basketball. 

 

Finally, unless she actually reads all the way to the end of this and edits it out, I'm going to brag on Becky.  She's worked hard and started back to the gym at lunch and is below her pre-pregnancy weight.  I think that's really nature's way of letting us know it's time to try for a baby brother for Elizabeth.  In this picture, the bibb says "My mom is hotter than your mom", a gift from our dear friend Audra.  While somewhat amusing, I think it couldn't be more accurate.

 

 



5 Month Update

Elizabeth is five months old now!    I'm definitely not as creative as Wes with these posts, but I'm sure the pictures of Elizabeth I'm posting will make up for it. 

We are officially into our routine now and pretty much know what to expect each day.  Elizabeth is a very easy baby in my opinion (since I typed this, she's going to wake up all night now, haha).  She usually stays asleep until Wes or I are ready for work and then one of us will get her up, ready and fed and take her to "school".  Her "teachers" always say what a doll she is (of course they don't say this to every parent, right?).  We start her nighttime routine (bath, bottle, bed) at 8:00 and she sleeps soundly all night long.  She had a cough a few weeks back, but this has gone away and she seems as healthy as can be.  We are so blessed that she has never had a fever (again, as I type this...).  She is only on formula now and has been for the past month or so.  I tried so hard to keep nursing her and was sad when I had to stop.  To my friends out there that were able to keep up nursing while working, you are amazing!  We go to her 6 month check up in mid-March.  I'll see what the doc says about solid food, I'm thinking she'll be ready for it soon.

Here's what we've been up to since the last post:

I started this month by celebrating the near arrival of my dear friend Rachael's baby girl.  We cannot wait to meet this baby in March!  Elizabeth got to meet the girls I've been friends with for many, many years at the shower.  Along with spending some time with Meme and GrandDan, she also got to meet Katie, Ben and Wyatt for the first time!  I have no pictures of this though, so Katie you'll have to send me the ones you took (or put them on your blog which needs a new post anyway, hint hint)

The following weekend I had my first girls night out in awhile.  It was so much fun and Wes did a great job with Elizabeth (as we all knew he would).  Here's a pic from that night:

The next morning, we woke up and headed to Augusta.  Elizabeth was so excited to visit with her Great Grandparents (along with Great Aunts Carol and Martha and Great Uncles Alden and Ken).  And of course her favorite aunt, Kate. (she fell asleep in baby whisperer's arms)





That night, Nana watched Elizabeth (Thank you!!) while Wes and I went out with the siblings to celebrate Uncle Will's birthday.  It was so nice for Wes and I to have this time with his family that weekend.

Last weekend, we were able to stay fairly low-key and enjoy some time together in Charlotte.  We went out to lunch both Saturday and Sunday.  As Wes said today, lunch is the new dinner for us.  It's hard to get the baby out for dinnertime, so we enjoy our long lunches on the weekends.  As we were coming home from lunch on Saturday, it started snowing like crazy.  We expected a "wintry mix", but nothing like this:

Here are a few more pics from the past few weeks.  I love the one in her exersaucer (she's a little to small for it, but loves being in there for a few minutes).  In the last pic, she's wearing cousin Vance's shirt.

4 Months and Counting

Good news, bad news blogosphere.  Good news - you get to see some great pictures of Elizabeth.  Bad news - you have to suffer through Daddy writing the blog this month as I've volunteered to give Becky a break.

So, here we go.  First things first - Elizabeth is very healthy.  Last Friday, Becky took her to the doctor and she got some more immunizations - rabies, kennel cough, etc.  She weighed in at 11 pounds, 15 ounces and was right at 2 feet tall.  That put her in the 50th percentile for height and head size and the 10th-20th percentile for weight.  When you're looking at pictures and not sure if she's Becky's baby, be comforted that nothing about me says 50th percentile for height and 10th percentile for weight.  She definitely takes after mama with her build.

Recently, she's started reaching for things.  She reaches for our mouths, Becky's hair, her toys, and the puppies.  She folllows the puppies with her eyes and follows us when we're moving.  She's a lot of fun to listen to as she just coos and makes noises.  Becky calls this talking, but until she says Da Da, it's just noises. 

My favorite part of the day is waking her up in the morning.  She sleeps through the night most of the time now, requiring a feeding every so often in the middle of the night.  Waking her up involves turning on the lights and turning off the various apparati that Becky uses to help her fall asleep.  Once she stirs a little, I unswaddle her and remove the restraints that Becky uses to keep her arms and hands from waking her up in the middle of the night.  A few yawns, some eye rubbing, a couple poots, and a stretch later, she opens her eyes to see me.  Most would be scared, but not my brave Elizabeth.  She gives me the biggest grin of the day, and then gives me another when I pick her up to carry her to the changing table.

Daycare is still going very well.  She's the first one to school every morning when I drop her off.  Becky picks her up every day on her way home and we normally get good reports on her demeanor.  I'm just waiting on the day when Becky picks her up and they tell us she bit 3 children, pulled another's hair, and drop kicked a teacher.

This month, Elizabeth has had some pretty exciting trips.  First, she went to Augusta and Atlanta for Christmas.  While in Atlanta, she met Hollis and Trey Thompson and Jack Ward. She was a real trooper on our tour of Georgia.  Although there were a bunch of crazy strangers holding her and passing her all over the place, she was calm and collected, and that was before she even left Augusta.

Once back in Charlotte, she got to help Rebecca work.  She was thoroughly confused by mama's name change, but she just did what she does - smiled like an angel and crapped everywhere for someone else to clean up.  She's already shaping up to be management material.

Before New Year's, she got to meet Justin Crick and Marc Shoemaker.  Marc was practicing for his own child, due in May.  Crick was just there being Crick.  Elizabeth accompanied us on her first brewery tour at Triple C Brewing Co. in Charlotte.  Marc and twin brother Mike Shoemaker came back a week later to do research for our brewery.  While Elizabeth loves looking at herself in the mirror (takes after daddy), I'm pretty sure the twin thing was pretty amazing to her.  They look the same, they sound the same, they're just dressed a little differently.  Well, they dressed differently other than wearing the same Braves hat around all weekend with the same amount of twin-fade from navy to gray.

Finally, what blog would be complete without awkward naked baby photos.  I leave you with this picture not because it's my angel in the bath or because I'm trying to maintain a record to embarass her with later, but because I want you to look at this face and those hands.  She's watching you.  She's an evil genius with the ruthlessness of a mafia boss. 

I'm just kidding...she's my angel.

3 Months Old!

This is now my 3rd week back at work.  We have found our routine and are adjusting well to the new schedule.  Elizabeth seems to love daycare.  The teachers love her too.  Especially since she is the smallest and youngest baby there.  She is taking her bottles really well and getting in good naps during the day.  I love the smiles she gives me when I pick her up at the end of the day.  It's like she can't smile big enough.  Here are a few pictures of her at "school".

She is beginning to sleep really well at night in her crib.  She goes down after a 9:00 feeding and will usually stay asleep until around 4:30 or 5.  I'll feed her then and she'll go back to sleep for an hour or so while I get ready for work.

Elizabeth is such a happy baby.  She's talking like crazy and loves to try and tell us about her day.  She really enjoys her playmat and this will usually keep her entertained for awhile.  She's not a huge fan of the bouncy seat at home, but loves it at daycare.  But, her favorite activity is having Mommy and Daddy talk to her and make faces at her.

I can't believe she is already 3 months old.  We're almost ready to move her into her size 3-6 months clothes.  I feel like she's bigger every time I see her.  I hate that she has so many newborn clothes that she hasn't even worn yet!



So many of you have asked me how I'm doing.  Thank you for your care and concern.  I'm 100% healed and feel great now!

We're looking forward to a busy Christmas weekend in Georgia.  Merry Christmas to you all!

 Here are a few more pictures from the last few weeks: