Little sickie baby

The last 30 days are not ones I would like to repeat. Amelia started throwing up one weekend (so scary.) to..ahem, other tummy troubles later the next week. Once we were done with that, she developed a cough that sounded like a 40 year old smoker. Which turned into a running, stuffy nose that lasted for a few days. That cough is still lingering (fingers crossed these antibiotics do the trick this week.), and hopefully once that clears up we'll have a healthy little baby on our hands for a while.

It was so pitiful to see her sick (The throwing up was definitely the scariest/saddest. She looked so confused about what was happening). Everyone at the doctor's office knows us on sight now. I knew kids got sick, but I just didn't expect it to be quite so often. The good news is, I haven't cried about it in a pharmacy this time, so I'd say we're making progress. 

As cute as they are, I hope we don't see these little sickie faces again for a while.

Amelia's 5th & 6th Months in Review

Stats: 
(At 6 month check up)

• 17 pounds (62% for weight)
• 28.5 inches long  (95% for height)

Eating:

• 4 oz of formula every 3-4 hours
• Started solids at 5 months--she's tried Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Avocado, Peas, Green Beans, Carrots, and Rice Cereal. We're going to introduce Fruit this month...just as soon as I go grocery shopping...
• She'll only eat store-bought baby food. Every time I make her puree from scratch she gags. I'm thinking my food processor just can't get it the right consistency.

Sleeping:

• She'll take three naps a day--one around 9:00 AM, a little one around 11:30 or 12:00 and another around 2:30ish PM. She takes them in her swing and I know I need to transition her to the crib but I'm dreading it. Sister loves to be rocked.
• Bedtime is between 7:30 and 8:00 PM. She'll wake up around 3:00 AM to eat a few ounces and then back to sleep until 6:30 or 7:00 AM. 

Wearing:

• Size 3 diapers (she wore size 2 for a total of 3 weeks, then it was up to size 3)
• 9-12 month onsies and sleepers, 12-18 month pants

Tricks and Miscellaneous Skills:

• Jumping, and jumping, and jumping for as long as you'll hold her up on your lap.
• Rolling everywhere she wants to go
• Peek-a-boo is her favorite game, just saying the word is enough to make her giggle
• Supported sitting--so close to sitting up on her own
• Grabbing anything and everything (and it goes straight into her tiny mouth)
• Buzzes those little lips
• Loves to be tickled, and play silly games
• Loves to screech and babble
• Completely lights up when Daddy walks in the door after work. It is the cutest thing to see her excited little smile, and tiny pumping legs! (She lights up for me when I come home from work on Wednesdays too. Makes my day!)

Halloween 2013

October came and went, with all of its glory. The weather even turned nice and crisp for a few days (way to go Florida!) Cory was busy studying for the Engineering Professional exam most of the time, and Amelia is really too little to know the difference, so we were going to let Halloween go this year. But then. Then I saw this little pink owl hat at Hobby Lobby. 40% off. And I couldn't resist it.

So, I bought the hat, hot glued a bajillion felt half circles to a pink onsie/cardigan, and Amelia's first halloween costume was born. I was going to make yellow feet/talons too, but then I remembered the little pink owl moccasins I got at the baby shower a few months ago. Done and done.

We thought she was a pretty darling little baby owl, and she even let Grandpa hold her! So, she's either outgrowing her "cry inconsolably when Grandpa walks into the room" phase, or that owl hat was cutting off circulation to her head. Let's all hope its the former.

When she got flusterated and would flail about, it totally looked like she was flapping her wings. Maybe I'm an unsympathetic mom, but I laughed every time.

We made a last minute trip to a pumpkin patch, because, come on. It was Halloween Eve, so the pumpkins were 50% off! Score. Amelia liked the tiny pumpkins, but was not amused when Cory held her up to all the big pumpkins to find one that "big enough to squeeze her into".  (Please note: We're not actually going to do that. Mostly because that would be a lot of work). Also, the middle aged white man running the patch and the scarecrows made her visibly uncomfortable, but she didn't actually cry. Thats my girl.

Cory: "This one is big enough!"  Amelia: Not. Amused.

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