eight.

(written december 30)

sarah caroline,

eight months ago you were hours old. i was in awe. tonight you are crawling all over grandma and grandpa's house. i am in awe.

you have brought us eight months of unimaginable, unexplainable, unbelievable joy.

i am so humbled that God chose us to parent you.  honored beyond words.  i've been thinking a lot lately about what our life should look like.  where/what/who/how should we do this life? i know we're just starting out and we've entered a lifetime of thinking and praying as we do our part in God's growing you into a lady.  but, i don't want to look back on these days and wish we would have done something else/more for you or with you sooner rather than later.  i want to be so intentional in what and how we live this life.  you should always know that you are so loved and so wanted.  so cherished.  so valued. truly!

today, sweet baby...we celebrate eight amazing months with you!

what are you up to these days?

you weigh (roughly) a whopping 23 pounds! daddy and i weighed you on grandma's bathroom scale...so give or take a bit.

we recently bumped you up to a size 4 diaper

you sleep right between mom and dad, and just above bertie-girl (in our bed)

you usually fall asleep eating, or we'll rock you or bounce you on the work-out ball

as for naps...they differ each day.  on our best days, you take a good morning nap and one in the late afternoon

you got your two front teeth just in time for christmas! you now have 4 teeth. two on top, two on bottom

you're not a very scheduled girl...i really don't know how you could...our life has been pretty crazy!

we've had a few long stretches in the night, but you do still like to party hard when it gets dark

you have lots of little names...not one has really stuck more than the others...liney, lou, boo, liney-bean...burrito!, caro, k-line...

you haven fallen head over heels for your daddy.  you beam when he walks in the door from work. i couldn't love it more! i can't wait to watch you fall more and more in love with him...we are blessed girls! ;)

you LOVE your grandparents. and i love watching you with them!

you are loving big-girl food.  you're just eating dinner right now, but i hope to add an earlier meal this month.  you eat bananas, avocado, peaches, pears, green beans and sweet potatoes. we usually mix at least bananas in with either rice, multigrain or oatmeal cereal and add another food on the side.  we usually start your meal with puffs...to keep you busy while i cook and to work on your fine motor skills. you like to pick up your crackers!  you do have some special crackers to help keep you busy in your car seat.  you love to hold them! we've also started giving you water in a sippy cup...you've really taken to it lately.

you are absolutely everywhere! you are a super crawler and can be from one side of the house to the other in no time flat.  you keep me on my toes :)

you still hike up one leg for a little kick start, when you're in a rush.  you are one busy girl.

 

you almost always carry a friend with you when you crawl.  most of the time it's "stripes" the sock monkey.  he's your very best friend.  you two are just precious together. it makes my heart melt when you see him.  you get sooo excited! you breathe heavy and pull him close to you.  i love to watch you "love!"  if you can't find stripes, your brown-haired baby comes in a close second...but if they're both busy...anything soft and sweet will do.

you are pulling up on any and everything.  i really thought you'd be taking steps by your eighth month.  but, thankfully you are really taking your time learning how to stand!  you have learned to sit down softly from a standing position and we rarely have big falls anymore.  you will cruise to and from pieces of furniture that are very close together, especially if there is a remote control or cell phone to entice you!    you are so strong and so beautiful.  i just love being your mom ;)

as for tricks...your bag is full! you're not really into performing on demand...but you love to sneak in your tricks on your own time!

you are a clapping machine.  i really think it's one of the most adorable things i've every seen.

you've got a great "aaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!" we worked forever trying to teach you to pat your mouth with the palm of your hand and make the "aahh" sound...but you do it with the back of your hand. absolutely adorable.

the last week or so you have really started waving.  it took you a while to really wave.  you would always just curl your fingers slowly and look at your hands.  then, one day you popped up with the double handed wave and you haven't slowed down.  i love that you're giving your all with that wave!

your little personality is really blossoming.  we're really learning a lot about eachother -- you're beginning to express your opinions more and more.  so, i'm having to start explaining to you how things are going to work around our house.  i think we're a pretty good team ;)

you are truly a happy, happy girl! when you light up, your whole body fills with joy and i just can't get enough of you! i'm excited to see all you do, and all you are! i'm proud to be your mom.

you have blessed our life in uncountable ways, sarah caroline.  happy 8 months to you!

my cup runneth over!

i love you,
mom

thankful

sweet baby,

we are buried and our blog has taken the brunt of it. and the laundry. and the house. and well, everything!

we are hopefully finishing our christmas carding this week...and we can't wait to just play and enjoy this special time! our house is still decorated for fall and our bags are still packed from our thanksgiving in texas. but, you are wearing you first christmas dress of the season today! i have dreamed of spending this incredible time of year with my child...and our first is here! we're going to have a ball.

i wanted to drop in and tell you HAPPY SEVEN MONTHS! i hope to do a real seven month blog tonite or tomorrow.

we have a lot of catching up to do...baby grace, thanksgiving, so so much!

but...for now...here is the card we sent to your grandparents and aunts and uncles.

we have much to be thankful for...

i love you sarah caroline!

mom

...add it to the list!

sweet girl,

since we're welcoming your new "baby" cousins to the world, and you're growing up to be such a big girl...we figured it was time to convert your bassinet stroller to the big-girl seat.

we took a stroll around the neighborhood in your new big-girl stroller.  you loved it! :)

since today was all about firsts, i figured we should note your first of many strolls.

...and yes, people do pay me to take pictures of their children. oh, dear...please forgive me for the pictures i am about to post. but, hey...i just love the memories they hold too much not to keep them.

{shoot. i was so close to catching that smile. atleast i got a dimple! i would have tried for another...but bertie and dad were ready to go!}

{could this be any more perfect? or any blurrier? a cup of blue moon coffee, the most precious girl in the whole world holding the hand of the most amazing husband in the whole world who is walking the most precious dog in the whole world. wow. i love every bit of this.}

here's to a brand new week! i can't wait to spend my days with you...

i love you,
mom

weekend blurps

oh, sweet caroline!

what a weekend of firsts you've had...

this post is simply what this blog is about: documenting your life!

i'll add a few iphone pics of you this weekend...i didn't do a good job of taking pictures.

friday night was CRAZY...you were an energizer bunny until AFTER midnight! i couldn't believe it...i tried all of your tricks...we rocked. we ate. we read books. we bounced on the ball. we ate. we sang. we danced. we ate. we did it ALL. you were a party animal! by midnight i was drained (literally) and i knew you had to be!  you crashed....and (drumroll, please!)
YOU SLEPT EIGHT SOLID HOURS! whoohoo.  no, i'm not holding my breath or expecting this to be a new normal.  but, i am so proud of you for this accomplishment.  it's crazy to think that it's the first time in six months that either of us have slept a straight eight hours.  we both woke up saturday morning feeling great! i could only assume it was the beginning to a seamless and awesome day of shopping!! (if i'd only known!)

really, our day was pretty great.  we just had a hard time getting out the door.

i planned to leave the house by 10am to get some errands taken care of before we met margo for lunch and a spin through the junior league's "holiday market."

it was a super cold morning and i'm still learning how to best dress you on these days.  i want you to be warm, but not too bundled because then you are uncomfortable! so...we are learning to layer well..while still maintaining your level of style, of course! :) your dad and i worked hard on your outfit and you were looking pretty cute in your new dress and corduroys.  at this point we're already running late. i fed you and called margo to say that we would prefer to just do an early lunch and holiday market, then do our running around after we played with her.  your dad was playing with you while i stocked the car for the day when i got "the call" that you had a dirty diaper. no biggie.  it was good that you would surely have a fresh diaper for the road. as i was changing you, i kept finding this little black specks on the wipes. after further investigation, i realized there was something big and black sticking out of your bottom. YOUR FIRST DINGLE-BERRY!  (sidenote: bertie is the queen of dingle-berries, but i never dreamed my beautiful daughter would be, too!) as i pulled it out it was a complete, intact leaf! ha! i got so tickled, that you got tickled and you tee-teed all over yourself, me, the chair...soaking it all! oh, goodness! sooo...onto outfit number two! to say the least, we were eating lunch and doing the holiday market at the original planned time. :)

(i'd like to note that you seem to have a productive digestive system. this isn't the first leaf i've found evidence of...you seem to handle them well!)

we had a fun early afternoon with margo, bought you a few "accessories," then picked up dad for some christmas shopping.  we bought you some clothes and your "big" christmas present.  that was a blast for me.

 (this is your new headband we bought with margo! i've never been a big fan of putting things on your head...bows just look cheesey on you...but, i'm starting to like the funky little headbands.  

this was just too cute on you!)

we got home just in time to watch the sooners play (somewhat) and eat pizza with friends.  you had another late night of partying...you slept well, but still made sure you didn't miss any nighttime snacks.

your next first was...SUNDAY SCHOOL! we had decided this was the week we would take you to the nursery for the first time.  it's taken me six months to work myself up for leaving you.  you looked so precious in your little fall smocked dress...like such a big girl being dropped off. :) our leaving you was easy.  you happily went to the nursery worker and some of our friends were (thankfully) down there, so we jumped into conversation with them instead of thinking about the fact we were leaving you in someone else's care.  i think i checked the pager 200 times during sunday school...but never heard a word.  we were in the middle of communion in "big church" when i got a text from mark thomson (the preschool minister's husband) asking me to please come to your classroom.  the church is all under construction and hallways are blocked off...i couldn't find my way to you.  it was the longest walk i've ever made...my heart was hurting for you.  i could hear you as i neared your room!  i've never seen you so upset. your eyes were soo red and wet and you were breathing so hard! i was so sad, and so were you.  the nursery workers couldn't have been sweeter.  they were giving you so much love -- but you just really needed mom and dad.  i probably nursed you for 30 seconds and you were dead to the world..your breathing still rattled from crying so hard...so sad! dad found us in the nursing room and we headed to the entry area of the church, so we could watch the sermon on tv.  you were so asleep....until you woke with a scream.  it was so terrifying and you were not easily comforted.  we ran outside because you were so loud.  until you heard your dad's voice, you just screamed! broke my heart, sweet baby.

we fed you in the car, you relaxed and realized you were safe and sound with us. whew!
...and there is still more!

we decided to stop at blue moon and have brunch on the patio.  it was an amazing day and i knew you'd love sitting outside.  we ordered and you and i headed to grab a table. dad was getting drinks when i felt really wet! you had your first MAJOR blow-out on me and you in public! whoohoo!! you and i were both covered in poop. fun! sooo...we made a beeline for the car and took a wipe-bath and stripped off your yucky clothes.  thank goodness your dress was salvageable.  good thing we were sitting outside, because i was a bit worried that we might be smelly.

from there, we had a great family lunch.  you loved the cool breeze and bananas. you loved your baby doll and sophie's friend. we loved our food and coffee.  life was good for all :)

i hoped we would spend the rest of the afternoon out back hanging a tree swing. but...toys r us was out.  we are going to get one soon! i don't want you to miss out on these beautiful fall days.

you are happily napping in my arms (now. when i started the post, you were cozy with my scarf in your seat.)  i'm assuming you'll spend much of your day just like this.  you have had an exhausting weekend of FIRSTS!  it must be tiring to accomplish so much in just a couple of days...

i love you sweet girl! you make us smile more and more everyday...
mom

november 3, 2010

caroline,

here are some pictures we took on wednesday.  we spent most of the day inside working on photo editing & christmas cards...and we needed some fresh air, so we took a few breaks!  i must say you are absolutely adorable -- i just love everything about this precious personality that is budding before my eyes!

 

 

 

 

yes, i know the scarf makes you look like an old lady.  but, i was so excited when i bought it...you just had to wear it! :) 

i love you, sweet baby!

mom

Pumpkin Patch

caroline,

last tuesday we took a two hour trek through eastern oklahoma to a pumpkin patch that is about 20 minutes from our house. long story. i wasn't a happy camper...until we arrived at carmichael's pumpkin patch and i watched you have a ball! you loved all the different colorful pumpkins. you loved the pot-belly pig. you loved all the school children on field trips. you loved the cool breeze. you loved the big black cow. but, most of all...you loved that the ground was covered in straw! you were in hog heaven cramming your mouth full of straw. yum.  you were so preoccupied by your surroundings that keeping your attention for a photograph was tough...but we still got some sweet fall pictures so we'll always remember our first pumpkin patch outing!  we brought home four big, beautiful pumpkins. one for everyone in our family...including bertie-girl of course. i love spending my days with you, caroline.  you are the sweetest little thing in the whole world...i can't imagine spending my time doing anything else.

...when we were packing up to head to the car, a mom (whom i don't even remember seeing...but obviously had been watching us) asked if i got any good pictures and noted that she saw you smash you face on a pumpkin and eat leaves.  cool.  i bet she thinks i'm a real winner-mom.  i wonder if she also saw you gag on that leaf until you threw up all over the pumpkin? ha.  it was well worth every bit... you had a blast!

i love you sweet girl! happy fall :)
mom