Mommy's Dress

My mom saved some of my baby clothes from way back when! 

I have put Oakley in a couple outfits, but most have been too big or the wrong season for her size. 

 Today, I noticed this sweet blue dress in the back of her closet and pulled it out... 

It fit perfectly and was the best morning for a photo op!

According to my mom, my Aunt Holly (my mom's oldest sister) wanted to buy me my first girly dress.

  

She spared no expense or frills!

This sweet blue dress has ruffles, poofs, flowers, hanging ribbon off the back and a little bell under the skirt that rings quietly when you move!

It was so fun and special to dress Oakley up in it and get pictures that we can cherish!

Now I just need to see if my mom has a picture of me in it!

Such a dolly and full of sweet love and cuteness!

8 Months Old

It's that time again! And I'm only a day late in getting up Oakley's 8 month post!

She has changed a lot over this last month!

Physically and verbally, she is much different then she was a month ago!

Here is what you are up to these days:

* Nights have stayed the same.  Go to bed around 8:00, wake up around 8:30/9:00 the next morning.  Still on occasion you will wake up about an hour or two after you go to sleep and then are up until 11:00 or so, I can't find a rhyme or reason as to why.

* You have begun to put yourself to sleep.  I will nurse you while rocking before naps or bedtime, but if you aren't asleep, I just lay you down.  You grab your baby doll, put your two fingers in your mouth and roll over to your side to fall asleep.  It's so cute and I'm so glad, but I get sad sometimes at how fast you are growing up.

* Still napping two times a day (once in the morning, once in the afternoon).

* You are consistently eating 3 meals a day of solid food and nurse about 4-6 times a day.  Typically when you wake up and go down for naps.

* Eating is great.  Your favorite is my smoothies mixed with plain yogurt

* You are NOT a fan of straight veggies, and I have to mix them with some kind of fruit too

* You are getting better at eating things that aren't pureed, although you still gag and choke some when you do.

* You are very interested in your food and like to play in it and try to feed yourself

* You are VERY distracted while nursing.  If someone or something is around and making noise, it gets your attention...so you can imagine nursing you with two brothers running around can be a bit frustrating :)

* You still just have your bottom two teeth and like to mouth and chew everything

* You can sit up entirely independent and get from sitting to laying, but not back up yet.

* You are up on all 4's, rocking and can scoot forward at times, but you aren't quite crawling.  You are rolling and pushing yourself backwards, so you get stuck in awkward positions from time to time!

* You love playing with your tongue! Sticking it out, blowing with it, spitting with it and making raspberries

* You have added new sounds this week and say /dadadada/ all the time! I'm not qualifying "dada" as your first word yet, since you just love babbling that combination!

* You are still so very attached to me!  And for some reason you are okay with some people holding you but others NOT at all! You will cry if they just look at you...which of course makes them feel bad!

* You are screeching and screaming more, blowing air in and out of your nose, babbling back and forth and overall just much more vocal!

* You don't belly laugh often, but it's so cute when you do

* You smile a lot for us and laugh at us...but are a hard sell to strangers

* Landon can get you laughing just as good as I can (we sometimes have competitions to see who can get you to laugh and smile the best)!

* You do not like to be left alone and are just so sweet!

* You really love your walker and it's so funny to watch you maneuver it and run all over the living room.  The unfortunate this is that once you notice me, you follow me everywhere and will continually ram into my ankles until I pick you up...little stinker!

* Fine motor skills are stronger and you have a great grasp.  You are much more coordinated at grabbing, reaching and putting things in your mouth!

* You are in size 6 month clothing and size 3 diapers

* Hair is brown and eyes are blue

* You weigh...

Overall, you LOVE us and we LOVE you!

It's a great match!!!

Lazy Days of Summer

School is back in session and our lazy days of summer are over.

Although it is nice to be back in a routine, I do miss our quiet mornings at home, playdates and times of not getting out of our pajamas until late morning.

Now Landon starts school at 7:45 AM, so we are all up well before 7:00.

This morning he was gone, breakfast had been made, eaten, cleaned up and Blake and I were dressed and ready for the day by 8:15...quite a contrast to what we did all summer long. 

All in all it was a GREAT summer.

We played hard

Rested hard

Grew

Laughed

Loved

Learned

Swam

Caught creepy crawlies

Shot off rockets

Explored

and just enjoyed each other as a family!

The stage we are in is challenging and rewarding at the same time (such a weird contrast at times)

I know when my kids are all teenagers and wanting to be off with their friends, I will look back and miss these times in which I am their best friend and if they could choose one person to be with during the day it would most likely be me.  Such a heartfelt love they give me on a daily basis!

Raising littles is hard...but there is so much joy, grace and love to be found amongst the challenges!

First Day of Preschool 2015

Yesterday was the first day of preschool for our loving, happy-go-lucky middle baby!

He was ALL smiles in the morning and on the way to school and then the waterworks began when he knew I was going to leave :(

He was so excited to be in the class with the same teacher that Landon had last year, but the separation anxiety and fear of the unknown is real for Blake. 

It definitely broke my heart having to leave him crying.  Big crocodile tears were rolling down his face as he begged me not to leave.  Of course those are the moments I question what the right thing is to do.  I texted the woman who is in charge of the preschool and she said that he settled down quickly and by recess had a huge smile on his face.  I had a knot in my stomach all morning at work and it didn't help that I wasn't even able to pick him up (since Wednesdays are the day I work).  

Sadly, I know that the tears will come again next week and that it will take him some time to adjust to the new class, teachers and students.  He does love it though and I have to keep reminding myself of that.  He was so excited to talk about his day and tell us all about his class. 

It's so interesting for me to see the differences between our kids.  There are some similarities in which they are both so loving and sweet.  

BUT Landon never cried in preschool and has an easier time adjusting to new environments.  He gets nervous and will hang back to observe, but can handle those situations better.  

Blake wears his emotions on his sleeve...he loves big, cries big and throws fits big :)

I wouldn't trade either of them for anything and am so thankful for the ways in which they challenge us as parents.  

We definitely have to rely on the Lord and the Holy Spirit for wisdom in how to parent each one in order to bring out their strengths based on the personalities the Lord blessed them with. 

Blake is definitely our sour patch kid! There is honestly no one sweeter or more loving then him, but when he is sour he IS sour!

What a sweet boy he is! 

I can't wait to see him grow and change and learn this year! I have a feeling we will see a lot of it!