Amelia's 3rd and 4th Months in Review

Stats: 
(At 4  month check up)

• 14 pounds 5 ounces (70% for weight)
• 26 inches long  (90% for height)

Eating:

• 4 oz of formula every 3-4 hours
• We called time of death on breastfeeding around 3 months. To keep a long story short, it just wasn't working. (I do feel regret about it, mostly when I'm paying for formula. That junk is pricey) 

Sleeping:

• At 3 months she was still snoozing most of the time, around the clock. We called her cuddles 'cause thats what she was.
• Around 4 months she started staying awake for longer stretches of time during the day, and would go to bed for the night around 8:30. 
• She'd sleep most of the night, sometimes waking up around 3:00 AM to eat a few ounces and then back to sleep until 6:30 or 7:00 AM. 
•  Sister loves her naps. Nap time happens around 9ish, 12ish, 3ish, and sometimes 5ish. 

Wearing:

• Size 1 diapers 
• 3-6 month clothes
• 6-12 month socks (Them there long skinny feet)

Tricks and Miscellaneous Skills:

• Social smiling (at 3 months) 
• Hysterical laughing fits (at 3.5 months. I asked her if I was cute or she was cute, and she totally lost it. That was obviously a ridiculous question.)
• Rolling from back to stomach (at 4 months) (She'd chill on her tummy for a minute, and then realize what she'd done and promptly let us know she regretted her life choices)
• Found her feet! (At 4 months she discovered them and thought they were great. One day I put some little owl shoes on her, and then she stared at her feet for like, 15 minutes)
• She cries when middle aged white men talk to her...I don't even know. It started with Grandpa Allen on his BIRTHDAY. Happy B-day Gramps. I will now cry hysterically. Its the strangest thing. Hopefully she grows out of this soon 'cause its pretty sad.
• Supported sitting
• Loves to stand on your lap (with lots of help)

Here's to the right side of the bed

Usually around 6:30 or 7:00 I start to hear little baby sounds emanating from the room across the hall.  Thats my cue, but sometimes I can get away with a few more minutes of sleep before I get her up for the day. She kicks and coos and entertains herself while I wake myself up. She is like a tiny, happy snooze button.  When I finally get in there to pick her up, she looks you right in the eyes and give you the most sincere, and gummy, little smile.  Good morning indeed.

Sometimes she gets super excited about it all and her legs start to pump and her arms start to wave. She greets the day with everything she's got.  If your whole body isn't joyfully flailing about, I gotta say, I think you're doing mornings wrong. 

A Baby Shower for Freya! {Vintage Woodland Baby Shower}

A few weeks ago we threw a baby shower for Freya. Freya has had a hand in planning at least 15 baby showers for other people over the past few years, so we really tried to make hers something special. This was one of my most favorite parties ever. We love you, Freya! Hurry up November, so we can meet baby Lily!

We didn't want it to be a super "themed" shower, but we definitely wanted the overall feel of the party to be vintage, pretty, floral, and woodsy. Vintage Woodland? Is that a thing? 

We held the shower at the sweetest little cottage at Lichgate park here in Tallahassee (the place featured in Freya's baby announcement photo shoot). The whole place feels like the most wonderful secret garden, hidden in the middle of town. I'm convinced there couldn't have been a more perfect venue in the entire world. 

The party activities were kept to a minimum, but we did have guests self address envelopes for Freya's thank you notes, make a wish/leave their wisdom on a note card, and play the Gauge their Age game with Freya and Brett's cute baby pictures. It was nice to have a few little things to do, but we mostly ate and talked and enjoyed ourselves. It felt just right.

Anyway, I'll let the pictures do the talking now. Source list at the bottom!

Hostess shot! Tanya, Kendal, Freya, me, & Kristen

Invitations:
Printed on: Rifle Paper Co. Antoinette Stationary
Fonts used in design: Corneria Script Demo, Ecuyer DAX, & Bergamont Ornaments

Menu:
Baked Potato Soup
Black Bean & Quinoa Soup
Crusty bread for dipping
Arugula & Spinach Green Salad
Various Garnishes (Cheese, sour cream, oyster crackers, etc.)

Dessert:
Chocolate Chip cookies (Publix bakery)
Fudgey Brownie Bites (Publix bakery)
Old fashioned Cake Donuts (Publix bakery)
Cran-Apple Crisp (recipe from SincerelyFreya.com, baked in Mason 4 oz. Jelly jars)
Chocolate Cake & Orange Cloud Icing (by Melissa at OneDayWeekends)
French Vanilla Cake & Strawberry Icing(by Melissa at OneDayWeekends)
White Moon Cake & Lemon Glow Icing (by Melissa at OneDayWeekends)

Paper Goods:
Soup Cups (Sweet Party Shop on Etsy)
Wooden disposable flatware (Webstaurantstore.com)
Dessert Plates (Party City)
Dinner Plates (Party City)
Ripple paper cups (Amazon.com)
Printed paper straws (VeryJane.com)

Decor:
Boxwood Garland (Michaels)
Dried Billy Ball (Craspedia) Flowers (Hammelmans LLC)
Tassel Garland Tutorial
Tree Stump Label Holders (Vermont Branch Co. on Etsy)
HoneyComb Paper Balls (Devra Party Corp)

Favors:
Candles in Baby food jars
Candle wicks from Amazon.com
Tutorial on recycling old candles

Ready to Pop: A Baby Shower {DIY Soda Pop Bar}

A few weeks ago we decided to put together a little diaper shower for two of our lovely friends, Alisha and Margaret. We went with a "Ready to POP!" theme, and boy did we go with it. We may have stretched it a bit too far, but who's to say? 

We had a little popcorn bar, lots of balloons, all the food on skewers because then it's a "pop", home made pop tarts,  Hop on Pop books for the guests to sign, blow pop party favors, and my favorite part (okay, the part I was in charge of) a cream soda pop bar. 

The mamas got lots of diapers and cute little outfits, and we all had a good time chatting with each other. Let's do it again soon, shall we?

Notes on the Soda Pop bar:

The measurements I listed work best for 18 oz. cups. We had a little shortage with our club soda at the last minute, so we had to use smaller cups, but honestly the smaller size was a little better. We just halved all the measurements listed in the instruction and it tasted just fine. The smaller size left you wanting more so you could try all the flavors.

We used Torani Syrup, which I found at World Market for $7.99 per bottle. You can also order it online from the Torani shop directly, or on Amazon.com. You could use other brands of flavoring syrup, and there were lots to choose from in the liquor aisles at the grocery store. I soaked the original labels off the bottles and made my own (printed on sticker paper).

Paper straws. I found the gray ones at Michael's in their wedding dept. I didn't realize it at the time, but they were $7.99! For 24 straws, that is a huge rip off. Hobby Lobby sells packs of 24 striped paper straws for $2.99. And you can find almost any color online almost anywhere for waaaay less. So, lesson learned.