Addie's First Soccer Season (With Carter!)

Although I try to live by a rule of only one extra-circular activity for each kid while they are in school (especially when they are just starting school!) We made an exception if they play on one another's team. Addie had been very hesitant about playing any team sports wanting to focus on her dance and gymnastics however it is really important to Blake and I that she is introduced to team sports at an early age. We were debating signing Carter up for the next age group up in soccer so he could play more at his level but we asked him what he thought about having Addie play on his same team this one year, with the goal of getting her excited about soccer! Carter was all in and thought it was a great idea. He promised to pass the ball to her and help her score!  These are from the first half of the season and as you can tell she is NOT AFRAID to be in the middle of all the action but we are still anxiously awaiting her firts goal in a game!

The Last Time My Living Room Will EVER Look Like This...

9.6.13

 

The two months between four and five months of age must result in the largest amount of large BABY STUFF you will ever have to have at one time! They still occassionally use the baby swing but they are ready for the huge activity center and then out come the numberous toys they can shove in their mouth.

 

As I was preparing to pack up the play-mat and baby swing that we had been given almost seven years ago exactly, I remembered the excitement around opening our shower gifts in preperation for Carter's big arrival.

Although I could be sad that this HUGE chapter in life called "NEWBORNS" is closing, I can't help but feel at peace that we have no regrets having number three and are ready for the amazing chapters that lay ahead of us as a family of five! (Plus I am ready to have my living room back!)

 



Water Skiing - Carter (5.5 years) and Addison(just 4 years)

I belive this is Carter's third summer trying to water ski (the first year in 2010), when he was 3 didn’t end up successful.) And this year was Addie's second year trying to ski... early mornings, while most people are still sleeping, is always the best time for them to pop right up! However with Carter's interest in fishing, early mornings have called for alternating between skiing and fishing. Addie loved skiing behind the sea foo and popped right up!

Delaney At 5 Months Old

8.8.13

 This fifth month of life, you were much better in the car and proved to be very flexible traveling to the lake and beach for several trips, your feet are in your mouth ALL the time, according to our scale you weighed 16.5 pounds, you are obsessed with your brother and sister, you eyes are still the amazing blue, you started drinking out of a sippy cup quite often after being obsessed with drinking my ice water, you stare at us while we eat following the food into our mouths.

 You nurse or have a bottle while I am at work (7-8 oz) 5-6 times a day depending on how early you wake up - you eat around 7AM, 10:30, 1:30, 5 & 8 and sleep for 10-11 hours at night, by 5.5 months you were done with the swing and sitting up for 20-30 seconds on your own. On September 5, just shy of 6 months you confidently turned from your stomach back to your back without getting your arm stuck. The following day at school you rolled 20 feet across the room without stopping!

 

As far as introducing solids & beginning to wean, we had stopped all solids last month and waited until 5.5 months to introduce homemade baby food chicken but we still thought it caused you gassiness so after two days we held off once again. A week before you turned 6 months, I decided even though nursing was going so well that I needed to slow down and begin to wean you for some personal/family/work/life balance. I quit waking up in the middle of the night to pump and only am pumping once during the day and still nursing you first and last feeding of the day. You used up the frozen reserve in the freezer right as you turned 6 months. I am proud to say that I provided you every single calorie that got you passed 17 pounds and to six months of life without getting sick!

 



All About Her Toes!

8.08.13

My good camera has been broken for nearly a month, so most pictures I have these days are from the phone. It figures it happens when Delaney is at the most adorable age ever. Delaney's 5th month has been all about sucking on her toes and learning to sit up so these might be the last pictures I have of her laying down!

Port A!

This was Delany's second trip to the beach this summer and she was a rock star proving to be very easy going with the ability to be off schedule and go with the flow, allowing us all to have such a fun weekend - thanks sweet girl! She spent several hours lounging under the tent on Saturday, napping as we played there Sunday morning and surprised us by sleeping most of both drives to and from!

Addie's First Horseback Riding Lesson

Meme gave Addie one of the most unique and fun 5th birthday gifts ever. Horseback riding lessons! Being just five, I was unsure how Addie would do but she loved every second of the experience and surprised us all by even learning to "post" and cantor on her very first lesson. She loves explaining how you turn the horse and how you get him to go. I was suprised how much she learned in the very first lesson! Thanks Meme for these lessons and introducing our animal obsessed girl to such amazing new things!