Braelyn ~ 7 months

Happy 7th months sweetpea! You are so fun an animated, I just love this age. I am sure every month I will be saying that though ;)

In the past month you...

* started sitting on your own. However, we still have to be near you so you don't get too excited or reach too far and faceplant.

* roll from your belly to your back. No crawling yet, but you have just started getting way up on your arms and getting your legs moving. I think some army crawling will be happening soon.

* wave bye bye

* Got to spend some time with Lizzy before she headed back to Germany

* eat lots of different baby foods...and even chew on the little baby crackers' too! Gotta keep a close eye on you though b/c you always bite half of the thing off! You want everything that we are eating or drinking though and stalk us the entire time we are eating ;)

* Like to be held - a lot. You have gotten into a phase where you want mommy to carry you around, all day long! It's a killer on my back!

You are still nursing like a champ. Wearing 12 month clothes...even some 18 month pants and size 4 diapers. Still sleeping through the night from about 8pm til 7am, then usually you'll eat and go back to bed until 9ish. Then also take about a two hour nap each day. You love you're sleep! 

No teeth yet, I swear one has to be coming soon though! You love playing with your brother...and chewing on your piggies. And anything else you can get in your mouth!

My two favorites times of the day are:

* when you wake up in the morning. You are full of coo's and smiles and are so excited and happy when I peak over the crib at you and say "Good morning my little sunshine." You start wiggling in your crib like a fish out of water...we call it your fish dance ;)

* tucking you in at night. Once you and Nolan are asleep for the night, daddy and I come in before we go to bed to check on you and make sure you are covered up and comfy. I just love how sweet and innocent you guys are and I love ending my day knowing just how blessed we are.

I love you so much sweet little lady...

Nolan Patrick ~ 2.5 years

My little man is such a big boy these days! Wow, are we really half way to 3! You are as rotten as they come one minute, then the sweetest little lover the next. I think my favorite time of the day with you is before bedtime...you love to 'schuggle mommy-O' and I love to 'schuggle' you right back :)

Even though you are only 2 1/2, you still look like you are about 4 years old. You are so tall and grown up looking ! You're wearing 3T shirts and have just moved up to 4T clothing. This was a very sad moment for me because 4T is in the big boy clothing department! How is that possible?! Your shoe size in a 9, big foot! And we are still not potty trained :( Actually, you have ZERO interest lately, so i'm not holding my breath for it to happen soon...unfortunately. Mama would LOVE to stop buying diapers for two kids...and would really love to stop changing your stinky butt!

Eating for you is hit or miss. Some days you eat great, others you eat nothing. Your favorite thing to eat is fruit snacks and favorite drink is milk. You are obsessed with watching Bubble Guppies and Fireman Sam. You're favorite things to do are to play with your cho cho table, tractors, and firetrucks or to jump in your bounce house.

I can't believe how much you have changed over the past few months. You have lost a lot of your shyness and are really playing well with other little ones your age...especially your buddy Cale! You two have a so much fun together! I see many years of these little ornery boys running around causing trouble.

You really developed quite the attitude also. If you are misbehaving, I tell you that you better stop or you will go to timeout and your response is "NO MOMMY, I'll put YOU in timeout!!" I try SO hard not to laugh at you when I am trying to discipline...which I admit, am not very good at.

You love to help out...whether it be cooking dinner or changing braelyns diaper or laundry, you think you are big stuff when you help. You are still smitten with your sister! I love when you do sweet little baby talk to her and try to make her smile, it's so sweet!

Those big brown eyes melt my heart and I'm excited to watch you grow into a little man...I love you to the moon and back!

Braelyn ~ 6 months

Happy 6 months, sweet little lovebug of mine...

 Lots of growing and changing over the past month - and while I adore watching you learn and change so much, I get so sad knowing you are growing so fast and these are my last "itty bitty" baby moments. Like when you suck on your fat little toes, or when you are tired, you start to suck on your bottom lip and bury your face in my shoulder...that giggle that you do when I start kissing on your neck or blowing on your belly...sigh... I don't want these days to ever end...

 

You're still my little angel child...always smiling and happy and it's a rarity for you to fuss or cry. You have such an awesome personality and are just so laid back and chill all the time. Always having something to say and are 'talking, squeeling, and singing' all fo the time. Have I mentioned how much I adore you???

 

 At your 6 month appointment you weighed in at 19lbs 4oz (92%) and were 28in(99%) long. You got 4 shots and it was AWFUL, I don't think i've ever seen you cry like that...it broke mommy's heart :( You are right on track with all of your milestones and have been as healthy as can be and I hope it stays that way!

 Just eating my toes, waiting for Dr Phillips

 

 

 

Still exclusively breastfed but take a bottle every now in then when I am at work...and you are finally not fighting it! We have also started introducing foods and you are LOVING it. So far you have had oatmeal, bananas, apples and avocados. You crack me up when we take a bite of food or take a drink...you're eyes get as wide as can be and you immediatly lunge and start reaching for whatever we have. And you have learned how to drink out of a sippy cup too! Still no teeth...and you really aren't acting like they are bothering you either.

YUM, avocados!

 

 

 You are still sleeping through the night...usually going to bed around 8:00p and up around 6-7:00am to eat, then back to bed til around 9am. I love when you wake up, you lay in your crib and just squeel and babble and are as happy as can be. You are getting pretty close to sitting unassisted and are still only rolling from back to belly. You had an awful rash on your face for about 2 months, we saw the Dr and a pediatric dermatologist multiple times and it is finally getting under control and it is looking so much better!

 

It was such a busy month with Thanksgiving and Christmas and all of our get together, etc. but you were a trooper throughout all of it. You still love your brother to pieces (and he loves you just as much) and your eyes light up every time you see him...and you have followed in his footsteps and your favrotie show is Bubble Guppies.

 

Snuggling

 

Daddy's first basketball game - Go Loggers!

 

Daddy and his favorite cheerleader

 

You even got to sit on Santas lap again on Christmas Eve!

 

You are very lucky to be loved by so many people and we are very lucky to have you in our lives! Thank you so much for making my heart smile each and every day...I love you, my little sugarbutt ;)