Happy Halloween!

With love, 

From Audrey Leigh

Hush little baby

Dont Say a word....

This is your "new thing" right now. touching and feeling our faces when we hold you and rock you to sleep. Yes, mommy is still here so close your eyes. Im not going anywhere. Never. ily

Introducing solids

Who would have thought the day would arrive, that I would be spoon feeding my daughter. When I officially heard her GULP I knew she wasnt just pushing it back out with her tongue. She was actually eating. Way to go Leigh-Leigh! You catch on too quick.

From the moment you set your eyes on the baby food jar [im using organic baby food, this was pears], you start grabbing with your hands. I know you're ready for another spoonful because you grab for the spoon. I love to hear your gulps because since you're still learning to swallow, they sounds over-exaggerated! Its the cutest thing. Keep at it, my love. This week we had to keep you on just the pears to see if you would develop an allergic reaction, but all has been well thus far....next week we can introduce a new flavor- Carrots. I plan on rotating out fruits and veggies so you develop a liking to BOTH. Your mommy loooooves ALL fruits and veggies so I know you will too. Bon Appetit!

Fall/Winter baby couture

Im a summer person at heart, but I cant wait for winter to come along because im in love with layering pieces. I had my moment of loving bright playful colors for the summer but you can do so much more with outfitting in the fall/winter. Here are some examples of adorable outfits that come to mind as we gear up for fall/winter

Halloween homemade treats

Here are some cute Halloween DIY treats to entertain guests and little ones.

Cant wait to host my own parties in the future. Happy Trick or TREATING

Tummy time

Dear Audrey,
You absolutely hate tummy time =/ Im not quite sure why. If only you knew how beneficial it is for your development. I know that once you start crawling, im not gonna be able to stop you from going, going, going. BUT, you wont be able to get to that next step if you dont practice with tummy time. I know you shriek and throw a little hissy fit, but mommy will continue to put you on your big 'ole baby belly whether you like it or not ;] you'll thank me later darling....

Custom-made bows

My friend Amanda is starting up with her own business. She makes headbands and bows from felt. She's a very creative and talented person and I asked her to make Audrey two cute bows for Halloween. Audrey's costume is a ladybug and her daytime Halloween onesie is orange and black. Since this is there first grandchild that they get to be around, her grandpa loves to beat mommy to the punch when it comes to Holiday outfits. He gets so excited, and it was to no surprise that he bought Audrey a ladybug costume a month before Halloween. So a ladybug it is! Here are her bows:

I loved the homemade touch. She hand stitched all the details onto the ladybug bow, no hot glue gun. She packaged them complete with cute Halloween tags. This picture does her work no justice [you cant see the details]. She's just getting started but I know that she will do so well. Here is her blog, check her out!

Olivethis.blogspot.com

Audreys 4 months

HAPPY 4 MONTHS my little boozer! My, does time fly! I was reminiscing on your earliest days, and it seems like it was just yesterday. Being in the delivery room, your facial features when you were little, being up with you all hours of the night. I miss those days. You've actually grown into your features, you don't just look like a little baby but MY baby. I can't wait for you to walk but that means you have to grow up. Take your time my little angel. Let mommy enjoy every minute of your little existence.

So here's what's new with you:
-you are a screamer. You shriek at the top of your lungs to get noticed
-you slap at toys, not grab but slap. You're testing out all the different functions your little hands can do.
-you wanna talk and carry out conversations so bad. You pucker your little lips and make vowel sounds. Can you say "ma-ma" please?
-you found your toes and love grabbing them. Enjoy your flexibility now
-you were size 3 diapers and you drink 6 oz of milk now. We are gonna start you on organic solids soon
-you still hate tummy time, but we keep trying. You need to work those muscles
-you sleep from 8pm-5 or 7 am. I feed you and then we cuddle back to sleep until 10 am.
-you know that mommy has to leave somewhere and you don't like it. But I love coming home after work to call out your name and watch you look up instantly for me, and once you see me you smile so big!! I love it!!!
-you love watching sports with grandpa
-you like to touch faces, especially when your being rocked to sleep. I think you just like to feel that someone is there.

...you're such a big girl! I see babies your age at work all the time and they are so small and don't look like they can sit up or hold their head up. I'm so proud of you. I love you Audrey, may God continue to keep his blessings on you.

Cause and Effect

Im so shocked at how my lil girl is starting to realize cause and effect...actions and reactions. On her playmat, there is a sun that hangs down and every time you hit it, it plays a sound. Before I would hit it myself to show her, this is the noise you get out of it when you do so. After a while I would then start to take her hand or her little foot and help her hit it. TODAY for the first time that my eyes have seen, she was just smacking it all by herself. Ive noticed that for the past couple of days shes been smacking at her toys. Not grabbing, smacking. Thats another one of her favorite things to do. But what amazed me most was that she wasnt just hitting the sun toy to hit it. She would hit it and after the noise would re-hit it again to produce another noise. Like she knew in order to hear a noise it must be touched. Smart little girl. Takes after her mommy. Dont believe me, take a look:

Little screamer

So about 2 or 3 weeks ago Audrey's new fave thing was to scream. I knew she was learning her voice and how to use it. I think she's surprised at what she can do and shes having fun with it. I hope this is just a phase tho, because baby girl can scream! lol. I caught a little of her grunts and screams.

Playing Footsies

So I came home from work today and guess what I saw:

Yes folks, Audrey now grabs her toes. Babies are so flexible. She'll just sit there like that.....Like okay mommy what do I do next? Can I let go? I love experiencing these milestones with her. I know there are many more to come.

Not ready for SOLO

 

I know, I know, Audrey should be sleeping in her crib by now but im just not ready to let her go yet =/ I love having her in her bassinet right beside my bed. Ive been able to put her on a schedule where she goes to sleep by at least 8 or 9 pm, she might wake up once at night, usually stirring around. She wakes up in the morning for a feeding around 5 or 6 am.  Because I work, I need sleep and the 11pm-12am bedtimes were killing me. I was more than happy to start her on an early bedtime.....early bedtime for me too! Shes been doing well with that but I still prefer her in her bassinet. I already bought her a baby monitor [sound and video] that sits right by my bed. I will put it to use......when the time is right.

Vowel sounds

Another new fave thing Audrey loves to do now is pucker her lips together to make vowel sounds. "Oooooh's" especially. She loves it when I enunciate words really slowly...vowel sounds....she tries to mimic me its the cutest thing. And then she smiles real big like mommy looks too funny making those faces. I swear she says "i love you" and "uh-oh". From now on when I talk to her I make sure I say words with lots of vowels and I enunciate them and say them real slow. She will be saying her first words before we know it!

Its so hard to say GOODBYE

Oh man, I knew the time would come! Now that Audrey follows me with her eyes, she does just that when I leave to go to work. She gives me these puppy dog eyes and its becoming a lot harder to leave her. Grandma says she is a lot more fussy while im gone because she misses "mommy". Sometimes im late getting ready for work because I love to just watch her play or kiss her a bazillion times! I love the way she smiles so big at me when she sees/plays with me. It melts my heart. Im so in love with this girl(=

Cold morning cuddles

The best part of my mornings are our cuddles. When she wakes around 5 or 6am I take her from her bassinet and lay her in bed with me and I cuddle her back to sleep. Its just too cold, mommy will keep you warm ;]

Grocery shopping fun

We love taking Audrey out grocery shopping. Its been a little chilly out lately so I was able to bundle her up, especially since its cold in grocery stores. She's still such a calm little baby. A joy to have out.

Grandpa's lil' sports fan

Uh oh, I think we have a sports fan on our hands! When grandpa spends time with Audrey she loves to watch baseball, nascar and football. Cartoons may spark her interest from time to time [Disney playhouse and Agent OSO]....BUT when baseball, nascar and football are on she plays close attention! Its so amazing. Her and grandpa's bonding time for sure.

Sunday football

My Dallas Cowboys have NOT been doing good lately so I decided it was time to whip out the cheer leading outfit!

...of course they still didnt win, but win lose or tie COWBOYS FAN TILL I DIE.

Toy interaction

She has grown SO much! I could sit Audrey in her acticity center and she wouldnt really touch her toys or interact. Things have changed, she nows grabs and slaps at her little toys! She is still too short to reach the ground so she cant bounce yet...soon my little one!

Enjoying long walks

I bought a new stroller just for walks and jogs, something more easily movable, lightweight and easy to pack up in the car. I love taking Audrey for walks around the neighborhood once a day [if the weather is right] just because she was cooped up in the house for a little over 2 months. Fresh air is definitely good, and she loves seeing the outside world. This world is so new to her, might as well take it in and enjoy it(=

Bath time!

She loves her bath time! I have now taken off her little sling pad and she now sits a little more upright in her bath [not shown in the pic]. Its about that time now.....oh boy is she growing! She also plays with her rubber ducky. I love how she now takes interest in her toys. Big step from just staring at them, lol

Audrey's FIRST outing w/mommy

As soon As she got her shots and we waited off her sickness, I took Audrey out shopping with mommy! I bought her a new stroller thats to die for and I couldnt wait to use it! She was such a great baby, no fussiness at all. The stroller puts her to sleep! Say hiiiiii!

Summer heat

A few weeks ago it was scorching hot! Audrey is too little to take to the pool so I found a new way to spice up her bath time with a little bit of pool time!

I also wanted to put her bathing suits to use, my friends bought her some really adorable ones and im sad she hasnt been able to use them. I dont want these to go to waste...she will grow out of ALL of them by next year =/

Introducing Rice cereal

During Audrey's last Dr. visit, the pediatrician let us know that we should start Audrey on solids within the next couple of weeks. I thought it was best to progress to solids by introducing RICE cereal. You add it to formula/breastmilk. I didnt want to start Audrey to quickly on solids because i didnt want to hurt her. Now that shes being introduced something other than liquid, her bowel movements will also change to a more solid substance. I didnt want that sudden change to hurt her little tummy. So for now Audrey is satisfied with Rice cereal in her formula and It has helped a lot in making her more full. She loves it, but a little at a time ;]