happy half-birthday, caroline!!

oh, my...you are six months and two days old!

we spent your half-birthday in martins mill with grandpa, grandma, laura, greg and baby oak! it was a fun day! i had several photoshoots, the sooners won, your dad made fried ice cream and we at stew and cornbread.  it's amazing to think that in only six months you'll be eating birthday cake....and yes, grandpa will most definitely be serving you ice cream!

we went to see dr. baumgartner this morning for your 6month check up, vaccinations and ear check-up ...and she said you are one perfect baby. we are so blessed.

you are a whopping 20 pounds and 3 ounces (98th percentile)...a long way from my 8 pound, 7 ounce baby! you are 26.5 inches long (77th percentile).

your ear infections have healed nicely and you are a happy and healthy girl!  we will continue to eat your rice cereal, avocado and banana...and now that you're feeling better, i'm ready to shop for pears, sweet potatoes and peaches.  i think you'll like all of those!

here are just some random thoughts about what's been going on in your world...

you are changing so fast, i just can't keep up.  you are truly blossoming into a little girl before my eyes.  as i cuddled you in my arms last spring, i had no idea i'd be pulling leaves out of your mouth in the fall.  you are everywhere...and we are loving watching you explore.

last night, i called your name and you crawled across the room to me.  that was a first...and i am so happy dad and i both were there to see it.  you melt our hearts! you've been mini-crawling here and there...but have yet to truly take off after someone.  i just love it!

today i was sitting on the quilt with you in the sunroom...i was paying bills and you were sweetly playing with your toys (so i thought).  i heard a weird noise and turned to see you sitting on your knees pulling handfulls of leaves from the wreath on our coffee table.  oh dear! i had no idea you could even get to that!

you are still sleeping smack between dad and i and we wouldn't want it any other way.  some of my favorite times with you are waking up to your sweet smile.  you usually wake me up by playing with my hair...and almost always wake up with the sweetest smile ever.  i could just eat you up.

you're eating crackers! we introduced you to "mum-mums" last week and you seem to be a fan.  they are little rice rusks that dissolve in your mouth.  you usually eat them when we are on the go and you are bored.  they work well on our road trips and when running errands.

one of my very favorite things you've been doing is...sucking your thumb.  i've been trying to teach you to suck your thumb since you were hours old!  i'm not a pacifier fan -- but have wanted you to have a way to soothe yourself.  i had decided after the first month or so...that a thumb sucker you would not be. i was wrong! you are sucking more and more everyday.  until today, you have been mindlessly sucking...but today you were sad and you stuck that thumb in your mouth and sucked away. yea caroline! i love to see you soothing yourself. you make me proud, sweet baby!

you have the most precious personality.  you are so joyful and sweet and easy going.  we have a super crazy schedule and are always on the go...you are so easy!  you eat wherever you are and sleep wherever you are.  we've had a few sad days where you were overwhelmed with groups of people you just don't know.  that makes me sad, too.  we spend most of our days just us...so it makes perfect sense that new people may be intimidating.

you are so crazy about your dad. i love to see you smile at him.  we are so blessed that he is ours! i'm thankful that you have an amazing daddy, like me!  your grandpa is my hero and always has been.  i am excited to watch you fall in love with your dad as you grow...it's a most amazing relationship.  i pray that your dad and i are an example of God's love for you.

i could go on forever about how precious you are.  thank you for 6 amazing months, sweet caroline.

here are some pictures we took of you on your half-birthday.  i was finishing up some photoshoots on the square in kaufman and you looked too cute not to photograph.  grandma, laura and oak played in the car with you while i was shooting.

i can hardly believe my wee-baby is half-a-year old. you are true joy to us!

i love you, sarah caroline!
mom

Oak Day

(written Thursday, October 25)

Caroline,

We're in Texas! We arrived yesterday just in time to unload in Martins Mill, pick up Grandpa and head to Dallas for a couple of photoshoots.  This weekend is our last round of Christmas Card Minishoots in Dallas -- whoohooo!!  Grandma came from Waco (where she's been staying with Oak, since his birth) to meet us at the park.  We were so excited to see Grandma and Grandpa.  The last time we saw them is when we left Waco after Oak was born.  We didn't have the best departure, as you were so sick and I was so sad.  It was so good to see everyone on a happier day! I know they were excited to see their happy girl, again!  The Brawners joined us at the park after Blake's flag football game -- it was so good to see them.  They took turns passing you around and loving all over you.  I sure wish we got to see them more.  It seems like Aubrey should be your age, and I should be Aubrey's age.  Please don't grow up as fast as the Brawner's have...I want you little forever.  :) BUT...by the looks of things, that's not happening! You are one busy, busy girl! You are everywhere and in to everything. I love it! :) You've just about got this crawling thing down.  Half of the time you are in a full out "bear crawl" with your bottom high in the air.  Then the other half of the time you are on your hands and knees.  I love watching you work hard at your latest challenge.  You get the hugest smile on your face...I think you're quite proud of your success! I am, too :)

Today we left bright and early to visit Oak-man and Laura in Waco!  We picked up Mama on the way.  I am so bummed that I didn't take any pictures of you, Mama and Oak. :( She is just absolutely crazy about you! She entertained you the entire way to Waco.  She rattled every toy we have in that back seat. Pretty cute.  Mama has always been so special time, it's pretty amazing to see you with her.  We are so blessed to have her!

We spent much of our day taking pictures of Oak.  He's absolutely perfect.  We had so much fun loving on him.  I'm pretty sure if we'd just let you go...you would have given him some big-time loving!  You're pretty good at pinching and grabbing these days, so we couldn't give you free reign.  Your day is coming...he'll be big enough to hold is own in no time. :)

We took lots of pictures at Oak's house, then headed to Cameron Park for a few more.  It was windy and chilly...so we didn't stay too long...you two were about pictured-out. I can't imagine why!!???! :)

 (I couldn't resist this picture...you and Oak are so happy - ha! Look at those faces!)

We kissed Laura and Oak goodbye -- which would have been terribly sad -- but we get to see them tomorrow in Martins Mill! hooray!

We ended a pretty great day with some of my very  favorite treats....cream cheese kolaches from the Czech Stop in West, Starbucks and then Dollar Tacos with Grandpa. Amazing day. And again, you were an angel.  I love that I get to spend these days with you.  What did I do without you?

(we got tickled at you crawling under the coffee table and looking in the basket)

Tomorrow we head to Dallas for a whole bunch of shoots. Then...the best news is we get to pick up your Dad from the airport.  I can't wait :)

Saturday starts with a shoot in Canton, then a few in Kaufman, then OU football and lots of Caroline and Oak love!

I love being here...and it's pretty perfect having you and your Dad here, too.  Hooray for a fun-filled weekend with family.

(here you are now!)

Oh, I do love you my Caroline!

XOXO,
Mom

p.s. -- we are loving fall so much! i hope to do some picture posts about our last week, etc....i just need to get caught up on picture organization!! :)

SISTERS

caroline,

and again, we are so behind! we have had a big, big week with so many firsts! your first cousin was born...and we love him so much! you had your first cold...which was dreadful! you had your first double ear infection...which we found out at your first "sick" doctor's visit....yuck! ....and you are crawling in short spurts and moving all over the house!

as much as i'd love to get to all these in detail...we are both exhausted!

for now, i just want to remember this precious day i shared with you and bertie-girl! you have been happy as can be...i am so glad you are feeling better!

we spent the day at home with a quick outing to the grocery store.  i love these days i have with you! we played with all of your toys, you took several great naps, we baked cookies, played outside with bertie and changed lots and lots of diapers, thanks to the amoxicillin you are taking for your ear infection! :) dad brought home calzone and cookies for dinner! 

you are so much fun right now! i could just eat you up :)

i love you, sarah caroline! i can't wait for another fun day tomorrow...we have a great day planned!

sleep well, sweet girl!

mom

Happy Birthday Grammy!

We hope today is wonderful. :) We are thankful for you and excited for all this year will bring!

W E   L O V E  Y O U!

a stop at the mill

(written thursday, october 15, 2010)

caroline,

we are in martins mill!  we stopped here on our way to waco. we have sure been missing grandma and grandpa.

you are asleep on your grandma's chest right now...you both seem perfectly happy!

today was so great.  you have become quite the seasoned traveler and couldn't be more perfect on the road! you slept until we were about an hour away...then "sang" and played with toys until we got to the house.  you continually amaze me. what a trooper you are :)

the drive was absolutely beautiful. the leaves are starting to change and i enjoyed it so.  i was tempted to stop several times to take your picture in the brilliant color, but figured waking you would only make for a long and rough ride for the both of us.  mama always says, "you never wake a sleeping baby." i usually try to follow that rule, unless of course there is just something you can't miss! :)

grandma greeted us with a new fall wardrobe and a fun new toy! you are set and will be absolutely adorable. we are having so much fun dressing you. :)

we played on the back deck on a quilt until grandpa got home.  they loved seeing all your new tricks...you were super bouncy and loved the cool weather.  something about being with grandpa makes you want to "bouncy, bouncy, bouncy." i love to watch you light up.

mama, nonnie, nicole, jake and sam spent the evening with us.  you enjoyed lots of love! jake read you a book that he has been practicing in kindergarten and sam sang you a very expressive pirate song.  you sat, wide-eyed and took in all the action.  we love any time we get to see mama, nonnie and nicole.  they love you so much.

grandma has been itching to feed you.  you had some banana this afternoon and tonight you had cereal, with a bit of avocado.  you weren't in to the avocado at all...i think you were in a sweet kind of mood tonight.  you get that honestly.  grandma called you a "baby bird"...you were loving the cereal!

i didn't do a very good job at taking pictures, and the few i have are pretty sad....but they're better than nothing.

we can't wait to head to waco tomorrow! maybe if aunt laura hauls you around a bit we can put her into labor. ha. we are thrilled to meet oak...it's pretty exciting to know we will definitely have him here within the next five or so days!

i love you sweet liney.  i can't wait to spend these next days with you! if only your dad were here, i could say this is looking like a perfect weekend.

sleep well, sweet baby girl. tomorrow is going to be a good one.

love,
mom