Tuesday, January 26, 2016

11 1/2 months!

We are two weeks into January and 2 weeks away from Paige turning 12 months old!  She has learned so many new tricks in the last two weeks that I had to mark it down.

She got two new teeth.  She got her top two front teeth, one the first week and one the second week of January.  She also was able to feed herself a squeezy pouch, which is a joy for this momma! She also learned to stand up the first week of January.  We had been trying for awhile to get her to, but she would always just kneel down immediately.  Suddenly, she was in the bath one night and she just stood there, for a good 5 seconds.  And each night after that she would stand longer and longer.  Then, the second week of January, she took a step.  She didn't know she did, but she was just far enough from me, that she walked one step.  So each day after that, she would take one or two steps but no more.  And finally, the third week of January she wasn't paying attention and just walked.  A good 4 steps and we were all watching and so proud of her!  So we did that for a few days. And then, one night, she walked to Harper and didn't fall.  So she turned around and walked back.  It turned into about 8 steps.  I just can't believe she's a walker!  She won't really walk, she still wants to crawl or hold a finger to walk around.  She just keeps amazing me with how big she is getting.  My sweet little baby is almost not a baby anymore!












Outakes.







11 months...so big so fast!

Paige is 11 months.  I might tear up every time I think about that.  I just can't believe that she is almost a year.  A few weeks left.  She is getting big.  Learning so many new tricks.  Changing from baby to toddler.  Since she is our last baby, I'm not handling this as well as I did with Harper.

Paige is about 19 pounds, which is about 50th%.  It would seem that she was bigger because her rolls and chunk seem much more prevalent.  She is inches tall, which is about average too.  She looks so much like Harper, especially 1 year old Harper.  She has long hair for a baby.  It already is curling up at the bottom and running way over her headbands.  We even got it into pigtails this month.  She is getting into size 4 diapers.  She is starting to wear shoes, size 2's, but her feet are a bit chubby and her heel is skinny.  So shoes don't stay on at all.  She is in 12 month clothes, and I just can't seem to take her out of her footie pj's.  She

She is still on the same routine.  Wakes up around 6:30, bottle at 7, breakfast at 7:30.  Nap around 9:30.  Bottle at 11, lunch at 12, Nap from 1-3.  Bottle at 3, Dinner at 5, Bath at 6, Bottle and Bed at 7.  She has added in more food and less ounces at bottles but she isn't consistent.  We are trying to wean her off bottles slowly while adding more snacks in between meals so that she doesn't need them.  She seems to be doing pretty well so that's awesome.  She loves berries, carbs, starches.  Basic baby snacks - puffs, wheels, cheesies.  Applesauce pouches are so convenient and she likes them.  This month she won't eat blueberries or bananas or green beans.  She will always be happy with a Ritz cracker.  She is drinking water some at meals, but not a ton.  She still chokes a bit, like it comes out so fast that she doesn't know how to swallow so it all spills out.  But she still likes to play with her cup.  She has started "dropping" it on the floor and wiping her tray off with her hands, throwing all the food to the ground.  I nicely but firmly tell her, "No mam."  She looks at me, waiting to see if I'm kidding, and then the lip comes out quivering.  She just starts sobbing and wailing with a cry that is all it's own.  It is literally the saddest thing I have ever seen.

She is really into walking these days.  She loves to hold onto anyone who will walk around the house with her.  She holds hands or grabs onto clothes, anything to pull up and walk around.  Harper is the best and walks with her every where.  Lately, she has been pulling up on Harper's back and they walk together in circles around the kitchen.  One night, Harper roamed reading stories from the bible while Paige trailed behind her holding her nightgown.  She is good at walking around the playroom holding on to various objects.  Pushing her walker around the living room.  Cody tries so hard to get her to walk without holding on.  She probably could do it, but she won't.  Anytime she can tell that he is trying to let go of her hands, she immediately sits down.  She is getting close though!

She still babbles all day long.  She loves to repeat the ma-me sounds.  Like, all day every day, day in and day out.  Mimi has decided it sounds enough like her name.  Pop wanted his name too so he tried one night and she actually got it!  We work on Sissy a lot too because I'm sure that will be her favorite word.  She likes to make funny noises and laughs and then watch us die with laughter at her.  Anytime she can get a laugh, she will keep repeating her actions.  Such an entertainer.

She still sleeps ok.  She is sleeping all the way through the night.  Sometimes she cries out or talks in her sleep, but always puts her self right back to sleep.  Still, the more she sleeps, the more she sleeps.  When she gets on a trek of bad days, it just continues to get worse until she can't take it anymore.  She still goes to bed at 7ish, because it seems that she will always wake up around 6:30-7 the next morning.  Over the Christmas break, for a few days she let us all sleep in until almost 8am and it was glorious.  She has her paci, her blanket to cover her face, and her warm blanket for her legs.  She loves her blankies.

She is getting better about playing with toys.  She will play with barbies and dolls now (she loves "babies").  She loves to sit and pull everything out of a box or bucket.  She likes to take something completely apart and then move on to something else.  Her favorite thing to do in the playroom is climb on the little red chair.  She climbs up it and then stands up in it.  Sadly, she isn't the best balancer and falls frequently.  But it never phases her for long because she goes right back.  Climbing around the couch is about the same.  Always afraid she is going to fall off, but she just crawls and jumps and falls around like crazy.  And she is happy doing it.  She loves her new Cozy Coupe Truck too.  She likes to climb in and out.  She likes to be pushed around by Harper.  She likes to walk around it and push it around.  It's a fun jungle gym for her.  She also likes her busy board.  She likes to pop the door stopper and turn the light on.  She still likes her little house/door in the living room and it's our go to toy when we need to sit her down for just a bit.  Her other activity that always keeps her happy is pulling books off shelves in her room, Harper's room, or the playroom.  She loves to destroy and sit in mess.  She also likes books, so this one is one of her favorites.

She does much better at church and BSF.  She likes all the ladies now and doesn't cry for long at all.  She still always needs Harper with her if I'm leaving her, but it makes it so much easier to drop her off.  Harper is always willing to stay with her and make sure she is ok and happy.  They always play together wherever they go.  People tell me how shocked they are that if Paige is upset, she is immediately comforted by Harper.

Harper and Paige are already best friends.  Honestly, it's crazy how much they love each other.  Paige adores Harper and Harper is her second mama.  They spend so much time together and never get tired of each other.  They play well together and love to do anything together.  Harper is the best helper I could have ever asked for and Paige is the best baby.  It's amazing to see these two sisters together.  When I found out we were having two girls, this was my dream.  Sisters that would love each other more than anyone else and take care of each no matter what.  Love them both so much.    


























Monday, January 25, 2016

The Wedding of Mr and Mrs Kelly


Kara and Kevin got married on New Year's Eve in Georgetown.  We headed down Wednesday for the rehearsal dinner.  We had Taylor and Carleigh come with us so they could help us during the wedding.  Cody was a groomsman and I was a bridesmaid, as well as Harper being a flower girl.  So we needed extra hands for the trip.  We met in Frisco and ran some errands and then drove to Austin.  Paige slept for most of the way down there and Tay and Car fell asleep for a bit.  Harper even tried to fake sleep for a bit so it was nice and quiet.  We spent a bit playing Trivia Crack.  We ate the truffles we stole from McCools.  We played games and read books and talked for hours.  I've missed spending hours and hours with my sisters.  About Waco, we also realized we forgot to grab Cody's tux from the Men's Warehouse in Allen.  Like, just plumb forgot.  So we called and got them to overnight it to the Austin location but it was a bit of a chaotic mess. 

We got to there and checked in at the hotel.  Grabbed dinner and headed to the rehearsal.  We got to visit with all the other girls and guys in the wedding party.  Sadly, it had been a long day and the girls were exhausted.  So they were grumpy and as soon as it was over, we took them back to the hotel to sleep.  Cody and I headed to this cute restaurant to have the rehearsal dinner.  We got to chat with Stephanie and Melanie and Jessica most of the night, so it was a good time.  We headed home around 11pm.  That night, Harper slept on the pull out bed.  Taylor and Carleigh slept on a bed together and their phones went off about 600 times that night.  Carleigh was low so we were up from about 12-1 getting her sugar up.  Then, about 2 Paige decided she didn't want to sleep anymore.  After a loooong time of holding, rocking, crying, patting, laying together in the bed, fussing, playing, lots of jumping, I finally got her to sleep at 4:30 and put her in her bed at 5.  I honestly cannot believe she was up for that long.  It was brutal.  And then of course Harper was up at 7am.  So up we got.  

The day of the wedding, I showered and we had breakfast downstairs.  We noticed Harper wasn't feeling well and had a small temperature.  But she was ok otherwise, so we just moved on.  Sadly, she was pretty sick and I just didn't know it.  After breakfast, I headed to the hair salon with Melinda and Cody stayed with the girls.  Taylor and Carleigh took care of Harper and Paige that morning.  They played games, read books, napped, and hung out in the hallway and hotel.  They played with Kayla, Kevin's niece who was the other flower girl.  Cody had to go get his tux and grab lunch for the girls so it was kind of a crazy day.  I had a blast at the hair salon.  We had mimosas and tacos and talked all morning.  Kara was beautiful and a little overwhelmed by still having to arrange the seating chart.  I got back to the hotel around 12 and had Carleigh do my makeup.  It was more than it ever is but that's because I have no clue how to do it.  So it was all fancy and fabulous.  Add that to my sequin, glittery, full length gold dress and I felt like a movie star.  At 2pm, Cody and I headed to take wedding party pictures and the girls stayed at the hotel.  

It was absolutely freezing that week.  We had three outdoor locations for all our pictures in downtown Austin.  We got on the shuttle bus which made it way more fun.  We picked up Kara and Kevin who had already taken their first peek pictures.  It was cold and we might have been a bit whiney about that, but it was still a blast.  After pictures, we headed to the wedding venue.  We got there and the seating chart wasn't done yet, so we all busted that out.  It took about 8 of us over an hour and it was a bit crazy.  After that, people started coming and we all had to touch up our hair and make up.  Taylor and Carleigh brought the girls on the shuttle and they were so cute in their matching outfits.  Kevin's mom made all the dresses and I love that they looked so stinking cute in them.  Harper and Kayla wore little princess crowns too and loved them.  As we were in the bridal room about to head out, Kara realized she couldn't find her garter.  In a quick moment, we grabbed Paige's headband that was ivory lace with a gold flower and it was perfect!  

The wedding was beautiful.  There were 300 people there, family and friends.  The men walked in from the back to the front center.  The girls walked out one at a time.  This was all a bit long considering there were 12 bridesmaids and 12 groomsmen.  The ring bearers and flower girls did great. Harper was so nervous but she was totally fine as long as she was with Kayla.  Kara came in and she was beautiful.  The wedding was short and sweet.  The girls did great standing up front, until about 15 minutes in and then they sat on the fireplace behind.  It was beautiful to watch the families come up and pray for them and for them to take communion together for the first time as a married couple.  We walked out to the back and around and Kara and Kevin took a few pictures with their families.  We went down to help Harper with the pictures and figured out that she was super sick.  She was burning up with fever but shaking because she was so cold.  She wouldn't take any pictures so we just let Taylor and Carleigh take the girls back to the hotel and put them to bed.  

After that, the reception started!  We got introduced and then we all got to have dinner.  It was so good - short rib brisket and mashed potatoes family style.  After dinner, we had toasts and first dances.  We had drinks and talked and laughed and had the best time.  We got to sit by Stephanie and Jeff as well as Melinda and Aaron.  We joked and chatted and danced all night.  The men sat back and relaxed.  Cody got to hang out with Troy and Micah from A&M so that was fun for him.  The shoes came off because who stands for hours in 4 inch heels...  Kara and Kevin danced all night long.  It was a fabulous night!  We started getting a bit tired by 10pm, because we had been doing wedding stuff for over 12 hours.  But we made it to New Years.  We tried to whip cream the car but the driver wouldn't let us.  We got noise makers and hats and glow sticks.  We bid them farewell with sparklers and love.  Such a fabulous wedding!

We took the shuttle back, went to bed about 2am.  I felt Harper's head and she was burning up at 2am but I didn't want to wake her if she was sleeping ok.  However, she woke up at 6am with such a high fever spike that she started throwing up.  It was a quick wake up for everyone.  We all got it together and got dressed.  Carleigh and I went down to get breakfast for everyone while Taylor and Harper watched cartoons.  Cody and I took Harper to the urgent care at 8am and she got diagnosed with strep.  We went back to the hotel and packed up and hit the road.  She was feeling better with all the tylenol but we were all exhausted and ready to get home.  We had lunch and napped on the way home.  Played more trivia crack, ate more truffles.  It was a fabulous and wonderful wedding weekend and we loved every minute of our family and celebrating our best friends getting married!