7 Months!

You are 7 months old...time is moving by so quickly!  New things happening this month...

• Your first tooth popped through last week (bottom right) and you are constantly rubbing your tongue and lips over it.
• You're eating 2-3 "meals" per day and don't really have any dislikes yet.
• You "talk" constantly - making large grunt-like noises.
• We've just started giving you a sippy cup occasionally, but you haven't figured out what it's for - you think it's just another thing to chew on.
• You can sit on your own, unsupported.
• You are not crawling yet, but occasionally will push up onto your hands and knees.
• You're doing better at night, sometimes only waking once around 5/5:30 to eat...we're hoping this becomes your new normal!
• You nap really well at home, usually sleeping 2+ hours per nap and take 2 naps per day (you're a horrible napper at daycare - too much for you to see and do).
• You love bath time and make a huge mess splashing in the water!
• You adore your sister and watch her every move (she loves to try to help take care of you).
• You are a chewer - anything that touches your hands goes straight to your mouth.  It will be interesting keeping Graecyn's little toys out of your reach once you start crawling!
• You drool like crazy! Your shirts and any bibs we put on you are instantly soaked with drool.
• You LOVE to watch the ceiling fan.  I've started turning it on in your room because I know if you wake up, you'll just lay there and watch the fan and (hopefully) fall back asleep.

Graecyn's Birthday Getaway

Graecyn's best friend's (Callie) birthday is one month after hers. So, instead of doing birthday parties this year, Callie's parents and we decided to do a weekend getaway to Great Wolf Lodge in Sandusky, OH. I know, it's not the most glamorous of destinations, but we wanted somewhere with a short drive that would have a lot to do. Great Wolf Lodge did not disappoint; there was so much to do and we did our best to squeeze it all in. 

There was a Magiquest scavenger hunt (Graecyn picked Cocoa as her wizard name).

We went to the indoor waterpark. Graecyn was pretty nervous at first because of the big bucket that dumped water every few minutes (she made sure to stay far away), but ended up having a lot of fun. She said her favorite was the little water slides (she {reluctantly} went down one of the large slides and ended up getting water in her mouth, so that was the end of that).  Cody was pretty overwhelmed/overstimulated by it all and was pretty much frozen still.  He seemed to enjoy floating in the lazy river, but did not like having his toes dipped in the water. 

The girls got manicures and ate ice cream (free, unlimited ice cream the entire stay to all birthdays). 

We spent a lot of time in the arcade and overall, had a great time!

tuckered out!

 

Graecyn Turns 4!

My baby girl is 4!  What?!?  Where has the time gone?  This past year has definitely fit the stereotype of the "trying threes", but has also brought so much laughter and great memories.

The birthday celebration started a week early with a small party while we were in North Carolina; Aunt Amanda made an amazing special "Zarina" cake at your request (Zarina is from the movie "The Pirate Fairy").

On the day of your birthday, you woke up to a fun balloon door that you thought was so neat.

You had a special birthday pancake with sprinkles and whipped cream for breakfast (this picture was taken just before your hair caught on fire a little bit!!...as I was reminding you to keep your hair back).

We spent the afternoon at the Michigan SeaLife Aquarium.

We let you pick out a toy from the gift shop and Daddy and I both were hoping you'd pick one of the cute stuffed animals (I really wanted you to get the little mermaid doll that you first picked out), but you ultimately decided on the pirate hat and sword.

We ended the night with birthday cookie cake and presents.

You said you had a great birthday (you also said that birthdays and birthday cake is boring, but presents are fun).  I don't know that you completely understand what birthday's are all about.  At bedtime as I was tucking you in, I told you "happy birthday" one last time.  You responded with, "why do you and Daddy keep telling me that?".

Birthday Interview:

1. What is your favorite color? orange

2. What is your favorite tv show? Barbie

3. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Peanut butter and sandwich (peanut butter & jelly)

4. What is your favorite snack? Fruit snacks

5. What is your favorite animal? Butterfly

6.  Who is your best friend? Evan and Callie

7. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play tag

8. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Uni (your unicorn flashlight stuffed animal)

9. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Birthday cake

10. What do you want to be when you grow up? Doctor, a Grandma, or a Princess

You say some of the funniest things...

• Burger Kings (Burger King)
• Old McDonalds (McDonald's)
• Barbies (Arby's)
• Switcherated (situated)
• Woosen (loosen...your "l's" sound like "w's")
• Cottonwub (cobweb)
• Mopitos (mosquitos)
• Merote (remote)
• Interecting (interrupting)

While eating cotton candy..."mmmm, this tastes like carpet"

Your knock knock joke:

-G: mama, ding dong

-Me: who's there?

-G: interecting cow, moo

You're becoming very witty.  For example, Daddy takes you to gymnastics twice a week and you recently climbed almost to the top of the big rope that hangs from the ceiling.  That night at bedtime, Daddy told you "night night big rope climber".  You thought for a few seconds and responded "night night gymnastics sitter watcher".  

climbing the rope...almost to the top

You...

• Love all animals except bugs, you hate bugs and call all bugs bees
• Tend to be a bit on the bossy side (I'm hoping this will make you a great leader later in life)
• Can run the TV/DVR pretty much by yourself (selecting your movie, starting it, fast forwarding, rewinding, etc.)
• Have mastered skipping and are a skipping machine (you are often seen skipping instead of walking)
• Know your left from your right
• Can button and unbutton your clothes by yourself
• Can zip jackets by yourself
• Recognize and write several letters of the alphabet (you're really good at writing G, H, T, O - if you focus long enough, you can almost write your name)
• Know your 5 senses
• Have the best imagination and really like to play dress up
• Love to play games and watch movies on the iPad
• Are such a little mama, especially with Cody making sure he's ok and keeping him happy and safe
• Are a great helper and do a great job cleaning up your toys (often without being asked) and love to help fold towels
• Love doing gymnastics and are getting really good at doing handstands, cartwheels, and somersaults
• Love swimming lessons and are getting better each week
• Love to draw and do craft projects, play board and card games, play legos, and dance
• Love love princesses and super heroes equally
• Your favorite movies are Shrek, Lego, Fireman Sam, Barbie

At your 4-year checkup, you weighed 32.8 pounds (29th percentile) and were 3' 5" tall (78th percentile) with your body mass index falling around the 4th percentile.  You are a great eater, but are also so active that you don't keep much weight on.

little "mama"

Happy birthday to my sweet, silly, caring baby girl!  I can't wait to see what the next year has in store for you!

Christmas in North Carolina

With both of our families so far away we have to alternate holidays.  This year Thanksgiving was spent in Iowa and Christmas in North Carolina.  We usually fly to NC, but airfare was so expensive, we decided to fly instead.  We spent Christmas morning playing with the fun things Santa left us and then got on the road around lunch time, thinking it would be a good time to be driving (no traffic); what we didn't take into consideration was that nothing would be open!  We got lucky and found a few restaurants and gas stations that were open along our route...our Christmas dinner was spent at a Chinese buffet (our own version of A Christmas Story!).

Both kids travelled pretty well - Cody did better than the last long trip, but we still have to stop every 2-3 hours, which seems to add about 2 hours to each day of our travel (making an 11 hour trip about 15 hours total).  Graecyn spent 90% of the car ride playing games and watching movies on the iPad and was good to let us know when she was ready for a nap (she liked to nap underneath one of her blankies).

The drive was pretty, especially going through the mountains.  I would love to make the drive in the fall when the leaves have turned; I'm sure the views are even more spectacular then.

driving through West Virginia

nothing like a diaper blow-out in the middle of a road trip

Cody & Mama Selfie

matching jammies

Cody came down with a stomach virus while we were there, which was no fun.  Fortunately, the vomiting only lasted a few hours and no one else in the family got it.

Despite the rainy weather (it rained 90% of the time we were there) and sickness, we enjoyed the warm temperatures and being with family!