Just the beginning ...

We are just beginning some new things with sweet Caroline - she has decided since Catherine Ellis graduated to big girl panties last week that she needed to graduate to a few milestones herself!

They are:

Rice Cereal - that's right, we tried our first bowl with a bit of breast milk on Sunday - I think she liked it - what do you think?

Anticipating the first yummy bite!

First bite goes in ....

What was THAT???

I might like it ...

Coming out of my bumbo for some more!

Want some Daddy?!?

I got this lady!

The beloved exersaucer - David, Catherine Ellis and I all loved this thing when Catherine Ellis was Caroline's age - it keeps a baby busy for a long time and for the most part content! Caroline tried it out Sunday as well and was in it for almost an hour!

A bit bewildered by all there is to play with ....

Big showing Little the ropes ....

Hum, that book looks interesting ...

A little reading at 5 months, ha!

Big Sister trying to steal the limelight by showing
her big girl panties (never a dull moment here!)

5 Months - So Close

Sweet Caroline is 5 months today! She is learning and doing so much these days that it's hard to keep up! I think David and I would both say that as each month passes we get a wee bit more excited about how much fun the girls are going to have together in a few short months when Caroline starts crawling/walking!

October 15, 2011 - 5 months

Here are some of the wonderful things sweet Caroline is up to these days:

• she's still eating every 3 to 3 1/2 hours during the day! We are all food lovers in this house so she gets it honest.
  
• we've not started rice cereal, but I plan to this weekend - will keep you all posted on how this goes.
• she's smiling, talking and squealing a lot - it's quite entertaining!
• she is SO close to rolling completely over - SO close that I have a video for you below - it's worth the watch and listening to my cheer leading - promise!
• she is SO close to sitting up by herself, I think by next month she'll have it.
• she is sleeping from 7:00 p.m. - 4:00-6:00 a.m. - pretty good - at least 9 hours most every night. We will continue to work on a consistent wake up time of 6 or 7, that will just take time.
• she's still swaddled and on her back for night time sleeping; day sleeping she's on her tummy.
• she puts EVERYTHING in her mouth - tries to eat whomever is holding her and loves her hands and feet.
• still napping well - cat naps 2-3 times a day for 30-45 minutes and usually one long nap for about 2 hours or more during the middle of the day.
• tummy time - she still does really well with this - much better than big sister did:)
• you are a little girl - you're still wearing 3 month clothes and they are a bit roomy still - that's okay - dainty is just what little girls should be!
• you've had your first cold this month, but it's not been bad at all - you're congested, but you've weathered it well and haven't lost any sleep over it (and neither have we!).

Happy baby ...

We love to try scoot out of the sitting position these days ....

What you lookin' at??

A little gymnastics .... (don't worry, it's not what it appears)

All smiles...

Silly girl ...

What a little beauty

My sweet, precious, little girl - we love you so much! God has truly blessed us with the gift of you - we can't wait to see what the rest of the journey holds!

Ladies and gentleman - our SO CLOSE 5 month old just this morning:

Aunt Wren

We had a delightful visit from Aunt Wren this past weekend - what a treat! Catherine Ellis always has such a good time with Wren - Wren is so good at playing make believe - just wait till you see where they went grocery shopping on Saturday (ingenious!). It was a gorgeous day that we spent almost all of outside playing in the sunshine and breeze!

Grocery shopping at our form of Publix in our backyard

Learning about wild mushrooms -
thank goodness Wren is an environmental educator!

Surveying her grocery bag ... rocks, leaves,
flowers, weeds and mushrooms

Almost too busy to stop for a quick pic ...

Nothing like a little cheek love ...

Sweet Caroline was happy to see Aunt Wren too - heck we were just all thrilled that Wren was seeing her happy!! The last time Wren was here (when Caroline was 11 weeks) we were still in the troughs of c-o-l-i-c and our home wasn't necessarily a happy home when Caroline was awake. Bless her little heart! But that's all over and she was her little delightful self on Saturday and a treat for us all!

Wren and sweet Caroline

Like stars that shine in the heavens,

A godmother’s endless love,

Lights the way for her godchild,

As the lord gives a nod from above.

She was chosen because of her goodness,

And too, for her gentle side.

But also because her godchild,

Could view her with love and pride.


For she is a perfect example

Of all that a person should be,

A kind and a caring guardian

Standing by for eternity!

Our Village

It takes a village to raise a child! So true! If I've said one time I've said it one hundred times! We are SO fortunate to have families and friends that support us, love us and care deeply about us - not only David and me, but our girls as well. I have never understood more than I do now that it truly takes a village and our village ROCKS!

Here are some folks that love us that we've had the good fortune of spending some time with over the past few weeks - and believe me this doesn't even begin to document all the fabulous people we get to spend time with that I don't have the camera in hand to take a shot:

Sweet Aunt Stephie - oh does Catherine Ellis love her!

Jackson and William (Aunt Stephie and her twin sister Adrian's boys)

Stephie and Catherine Ellis riding the see saw

Aunt B and CE - these two have the best time together!

Aunt B and sweet Caroline

Uncle C and Catherine Ellis - notice the stylin' shades Uncle C
picked out for his girl!

Catherine Ellis, Archer 11 weeks and Caroline -
sweet play date with one of my besties little man

Uncle Double listening to Catherine Ellis read

Uncle Double meeting sweet Caroline for the first time

Uncle Double and his biggest fans

Meme reading to her girls

Aunt Stella & Caroline

Stephie & Caroline

Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

Proverbs 11:14

30 months

There is only one thing I want to highlight about Catherine Ellis as she turned 30 months on Sunday - see if you notice the difference:

Before ...

After ...

That's right - our big girl is wearing big girl panties! And YES, this is worthy of shouting to the rooftops - our girl is almost completely potty trained!! Today was her first full day at school with her panties and she was dry all day!! We are SO proud!

We are still wearing pull-ups for nighttime and nap time - although most every nap she wakes up dry - those times are just harder to stay dry and if I don't have to change sheets two or three times a day it truly makes me a better Mommy, ha!

So, next time you see our girl - ask her what her big news is!! She will gladly tell you (who are we kidding, she'll gladly show you too!) all about her big girl panties! What a milestone - we'll keep you posted as we knock this transition out!

Flashback Friday

Catherine Ellis - October 2009
(6 months)

Catherine Ellis chilling in the tub - October 2009

Catherine Ellis - October 2010
(18 months)

Catherine Ellis showing off some of her new skills in the fall of 2009: