6 month pics

6 months

 

Happy 6 months, baby Clarke!!  As I always say with EVERY post on my children, I cannot believe she is half a year old.  She was JUST BORN!  Oh, well, life is flying by and my children are growing like weeks.  Clarke, especially.  Clarke is a wonderful, beautiful baby girl.  She is a very happy baby.  She lights up any room or place that she is in.  People are constantly commenting on her precious smile.  Here’s what’s going on with Clarke…

-will update her specs after we go to the doctor, but wears size 2 diapers during day, size 3 at night, wears 9-12 month clothes (some smaller and some bigger)

-rolls both ways; although when I put her down for naps sometimes, she screams and screams, yet never rolls back to her back from her belly?  Oh well, when she’s playing she rolls all around.  She can get around pretty well.  I’m afraid (Lord, help me!) that mobility is coming soon.

-no teeth yet

-suffering from some major separation anxiety; I turn my back or heaven forbid, walk away from her= waterworks!  If someone else is holding her, she usually fusses and wants me back if I’m standing in her line of vision

-blows lots of raspberries

-a HUGE cuddler.  She is so snuggly, especially around nursing times. 

-stopped taking reflux medicines about a month ago; doing fine!

-LOVES babyfood.  Eats anything you give her.  Breakfast: rice or oatmeal mixed with fruit; Lunch: veggie and fruit or an Earth’s Best combo jar (she LOVES those); Dinner: meat and veggie.  I will start yogurt soon!

-Nurses when she wakes up (between 6 and 8); nurses again around 11; bottle of formula when she wakes up from her nap (around 3 or 4); nurses before bed (around 6:45 or 7).  Sometimes, an extra feeding is thrown in during the morning.  She gets her baby food after nursing in the morning, after nursing around 11, and then I feed her dinner around 5:30 or 6.  This is a time that she usually gets fussy, so I do dinner then.

-Loves playing in her exersaucer, only when we are in view or the TV is on.  Fusses in the bouncy seat and jumper.  Plays pretty well on a  blanket on the floor with toys (plays for about 5-10 minutes).  Loves to play peek-a-boo and to “talk” to me!  Her talking sounds more like shrieking, but it’s super cute.

-Loves her big sissies!  Eliza Faris shows the most interest in Clarke.  She loves to talk to her and play with her.  It is very sweet!

-Sleeps from around 7 at night until around 7 in the morning.  We have had weeks of 6:15 wake-ups and now she is doing better and sleeping a little bit later.  It’s hit or miss, but she does not wake up at all in between.  Nice to get some sleep!

-Does great in her carseat for short trips (to gym, to Mimi’s, etc).  She plays with toys (putting EVERYTHING in her mouth!), so it seems to keep her better entertained.

-When she is tired, I lay her in her crib on her belly.  She sometimes fusses for a few minutes, but then sucks her fingers and goes to sleep.  She likes her pacifier in the carseat and other times, but I don’t put her to bed with it.  I just don’t want to have to go in and put it back in her mouth a million times a night.  The only other time that she sucks her fingers is when I’m feeding her babyfood.  I have to pull her fingers out of her mouth to get her to eat!  Ha!

Clarke, we love you to pieces!  We are so thankful that God blessed us with you 6 short months ago.  We look forward to many, many more months and years with you.

Happy 1/2 a year birthday, Clarke!

Riding Lessons

One of the MAJOR perks of moving to Aiken is that we live a mile from Amy and Ken (Caleb’s parents). Since Caleb and I married, we have never lived in the same town with family. Having three children three and under makes not having family very hard. Being in Aiken means that we have Amy and Ken as well as my parents about 2 hours away. When we were in LaGrange, it was about a 3 hour trip to see my parents (and 3.5 to 4 hours to Caleb’s after they moved to Aiken). Add to that the stress of driving through Atlanta each time. We couldn’t leave after Caleb got off work on a Friday to drive up there because of ATL traffic. Anyway, I digress.

One of the perks of having Ken and Amy a mile away is that we get to ride horses whenever we want!! Caleb has been riding on Monday and Friday mornings in Hitchcock Woods with his mom and his mom’s trainer, Annie. He absolutely loves doing this! Hitchcock Woods is apparently the largest urban forest in the US. It is a beautiful forest of trails for riding, walking, and running. I have not ridden (is that a word?) a horse since I was a young camper at Camp Illahee. So, Amy has been teaching me riding lessons. It is so fun! We started soon after our move to Aiken and I am slowly learning the basics. Amy is a wonderful teacher. She is extremely encouraging and patient. She has a great way of explaining how to do certain things so that I can understand. It’s hard for me to explain, but I have found her to be a great teacher. My goal in doing lessons is to be able to ride in the “Woods” with Caleb. I think that would be so much fun and relaxing.

So far, I have learned to tack up the horse (kind of–not sure I could do it unassisted!), get on/off the horse, properly sit on the horse/hold the reins, walk, steer, make the horse stop, trot and post, and make transitions between walking and trotting. I have accidentally cantered (faster than trotting) several times and it was terrifying. Today I thought for sure that I was going to fall off the horse. Somehow I got him back under control. There’s a lot to think about when you’re riding!!

So far, I have ridden Baby and Bama. Baby is a very big horse and I find him a little scarier to ride. Bama is smaller, but he can be stubborn when I’m practicing trotting. Baby is smoother when I’m trotting and transitioning. Amy thinks it’s important that I ride Baby so that I get lots of experience. Riding Baby also makes riding Bama seem easier.

I’m enjoying being a “rider-in-training” and look forward to riding in the woods with Caleb sometime soon (but not too soon!! !

Clarke–5 months

My future's looking bright!

Happy 5 months, sweet baby Clarke!  

I can’t believe how much Clarke has grown up.  She has all of the sudden grown out of her “newborn” state.  She is long, thin, and bursting with personality.  Physically, she reminds me a lot of what Eliza Faris was like at this age.   Personality-wise, she reminds me of Ryals.  Here’s what Clarke is up to!

 

-nursing 4-6 times a day, breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner time/bedtime, dreamfeed, and sometimes the middle of the night.  Most days I add a bottle of formula sometime during the day (when I feel the least full).  She usually drinks about 6 oz.

 

-started cereal a little after 4 months, she has mastered rice and oatmeal, I have started adding fruit to her cereal, she has tried some meat babyfood, and today we started vegetables! (squash and peas and she loved them!).  She was just ok with bananas, but likes pears.  Loves oatmeal and is ok with rice cereal.  I am feeding her food after nursing at breakfast, sometimes lunch, and her late afternoon feeding.

 

-loves her bouncy seat, but is starting to want to sit-up more.  I pulled out the Bumbo seat and exersaucer today and she does great in both!  She will sit in the swing for a brief period of time, but she won’t go to sleep in it.  She also likes to lay on a blanket and play with toys around her.  Her FAVORITE playtime is when Eliza Faris comes and gets in her face and talks to her and plays with her.  She LOVES THAT!!

 

-This month, Clarke seemed to settle into time in her carseat.  She has traveled better and doesn’t scream as much in it.  She even goes to sleep in it now!  She likes to put blankets and lovies in her mouth when she’s hanging out in her carseat.

 

-goes to the YMCA here in a Aiken 3-4 times a week and loves Miss Kaylee who takes care of Clarke and her sisters!

 

-wears 6-12 month clothes.  Crazy how Ryals was wearing all of these clothes last year (at 12 months old through the winter) and Clarke is wearing them at 5!  Every child is different!!  She wears size 2 diapers during the day and size 3 at night(figured this out when someone accidentally put one of Ryals’ size 3 diapers on Clarke) .

 

-Clarke’s best nap is in the morning.  The past few weeks, I’ve been going to the gym from about 9:30 until 10:30, then I rush home or to Mimi’s house so that Clarke can take a long nap in a crib.  She usually falls asleep in the car, especially since Kaylee has rocked her or held her and she’s all ready for naptime!  She usually sleeps 2 hours.  She sometimes takes a long afternoon nap; although most days she takes 2 shorter naps.  Afternoons are less predictable.  She has been going to bed between 6 and 8.  If we are home, she goes to bed much earlier.  If we go walking, she’ll catnap in the Baby Bjorn and then go to bed around 8 when the big girls go to bed.  In the past month, she has sleep through the night probably 7-10 times.  It’s frustrating considering she was sleeping through the night at 6.5 weeks.  I know that she’ll go back to it, but it’s hard being patient!!   If she doesn’t sleep all the way through the night, she just wakes up one time, nurses and goes right back down.  It’s not too terrible!

 

-Sleeps on her belly.  Sucks her fingers.  Occasionally takes a paci in the carseat.

 

-Can roll from tummy to back; although she doesn’t do this very often (?).  She sleeps on her tummy, so she usually just stays that way until she’s ready to get up.

 

-Clarke is such a friendly and smiley baby!  She coos and squeals and giggles.  She loves when she has a human face to look at.  She is very happy, so long as she is fed and rested (aren’t we all?!?!).  Sometimes she fights sleep if she gets too tired and that turns into a screaming baby!

 

Clarke, you are such an important piece of our family!  We adore you!  Happy 5 months!

 

Singing Ryals

Clarke–4 months

Howdy readers, I’m sorry for the post-overload!  I want to get these done before we move because I don’t expect to have time to blog for awhile!  So, Clarke is not quite 4 months, but close enough.  :)

Happy 4 months, Baby Clarke!  I feel like you have been with us for so much longer than that.  I can’t believe I was pregnant 4 months ago.

Here is what Clarke is up to at 4 months:

-will update her height/weight after her appointment on Friday

-wears 3-6 month clothes and size 1 diapers during the day, size 2 at night

-wakes once per night to nurse, anytime between 3 and 6.  This is new, but I’m just trying to roll with it!!  She goes back down immediately and has been sleeping until about 8:30.

-smiles all the time!  She wants to be looking at someone at all times.  She follows me around the room with her eyes when she’s laying on the floor or in her bouncy chair.

-is extremely ticklish.  I love to hear her giggle!

Sleeping at Mamamiriam's house

-sleeps on her belly.  Learned to roll at 3.5 weeks from belly to back.  This has thrown a slight curve ball into her sleep training.  We were putting her on her belly and letting her fuss until she fell asleep (which was going really well).  Now, if she is super upset when I put her down, she will immediately roll over on her back and scream.  I’ve found that it helps if I pat her bottom when I put her down until she finds her fingers and settles down.

Happy girl at the beach

-hates being in the carseat.  Screams until she goes to sleep.  We usually have to rock it up and down…yes, this means that the driver has to do this while driving because the motion she likes is impossible to achieve by the passenger seat.  Luckily once she goes to sleep, she’ll sleep for hours and we can enjoy the ride.

-Likes the bouncy seat.  No longer a fan of the swing.  We still keep her “upright” after she eats and it cuts down on how much she spits up for sure.

Loves her Dada!

-Still taking Zantac and prevacid.  I can tell that it works because of how she is when we forget to give it to her.

-Loves her sisters and actually doesn’t mind when they crowd all over her face and goo and gaa at her.  She smiles and doesn’t cry unless they are too rough with her.

-Nurses middle of night, around 8:30AM, between 10:30 and 12, bottle of formula between 1 and 2, nurses between 4 and 5, nurses before bed between 7 and 8.  Naps are still inconsistent.  Usually has a longer morning and afternoon nap, with the occasional catnap during the early evening.

-LOVES being in the Baby Bjorn, as long as the person is walking.  She fusses if you stand still.

Carolina Girl! Coming to Aiken October 7th!

Ryals is 2!

Happy 2nd birthday to Ryals, otherwise known as “Baby Ryals”, “Riley-bear”, “Ralph” (the way it sounds when she says her own name), and “BR”.  We love you so much and are very thankful for your 2 years with us!

Here’s what Ryals is up to at 2 years:

-Weighs 21 lbs (below chart) and is 33 inches tall (25th percentile–yay!)

Often caught without a bow! She pulls them out. Ugh!

-Wears 18 month clothes.  She can still wear many 12 month things and some 24 month stuff.  2T is way to big for now!  Wears a size 3 diaper.  Wears a size 4-5 shoe.

Likes all things chocolate.

-Sleeps like a rock at night–usually about 8PM until 8 or 9 in the morning, unless her sissy wakes her up earlier.  Sleeps with a pacifier and her “mays”.  We lost the original may (pink bunny), but she still has her 2 green/blue elephant “mays”.

How cute am I??

-ADORES her sisters.  She worships the ground EF walks on and wants to do everything that she does.  It’s precious, but sometimes I don’t want her following EF’s example on certain things.  Her big sissy has a way of pulling Ryals into mischief with her.  For example, in Aiken at Mimi’s house, we found them both hiding in the back of the pantry eating unauthorized lollipops.  I know for a fact that Ryals would never have done that alone!  Ryals also adores baby Clarke (sound more like Cwok).  She holds her anytime we let her and is very sweet to her.  They sit beside each other in the car and when Clarke cries, Ryals is sweet and tries to offer her her paci and her may.  *Luckily* she can’t reach her face!

-Talks a lot!  She can definitely get her point across now.  There is a lot of crying, though, when she cannot get us to understand what she wants OR if we won’t give her what she wants.  She will throw down!  And scream.  And it’s loud!

-Obsessed with “bouncy balls”.  She thinks every ball is a bouncy ball and every time she draws or colors, and you ask her what it is, she responds, “bouncy ball!”.  Very exciting.  :)

Playing with her new toys at the beach

-Loves to go “outside”.  She will say it over and over again…or sometimes she’ll just go outside by herself and we’ll have to go grab her and bring her back in.

-Obsessed with doors.  Open and close and open and close.  And slam.

-Loves her Mimi, Papa, Dada, and Pop Pop.  She talks about them all the time!  She also was very attached to Brende (my sis) at the beach.

-Mama’s girl all the way!

-Says “quesadilla” and it’s the most adorable thing ever!

Finally, Ryals is such a sweet and cuddly girl.  She will give hugs and kisses freely as well as “hellos” to EVERYONE who passes by.  She is very agreeable and will do pretty much anything you ask her to do.  She is fairly obedient and responsive to discipline, but if she does get in trouble, it doesn’t take much.  A simple stern look or very light slap on the hand and she is so upset.  Total opposite of her big sis, but I’m sure age 2 will have more difficult days to come!

We love you, Baby Ryals…BIG GIRL Ryals!!

Love my big girl AKA Sissy or Sister

Gotta love this kid…

Won't wear a bow, BUT will wear a bib?

LOVES ice cream...what kind? "WHITE"

One of her favorite places to play...the kitchen sink.

ALWAYS willing to help Ryals...blow out candles, open birthday presents, eat her snack, you get my drift.

 

Clarke-3 months!

Happy 3 months, Clarke!  You are one beautiful baby and we absolutely adore you!

Clarke is doing really well.  She is such a joy to our family.  She loves when her sisters “talk” to her.  She smiles whenever she catches someone’s eye.  She giggles when you tickle her.  I love that all three of my girls are super ticklish!  Her reflux is under control–she takes Zantac and Prevacid twice per day.  On “school days”, Caleb gives Clarke her medicine before she goes to school and then she gets it again before her late afternoon feeding.

-Wears 3-6 month clothes, size 1 diapers

-LOVES baths.

-Goes to St. Peters school every weekday from 8 to 12:30 and loves it.  She gets great reports each day.  I’m amazed that she takes long naps in the room with all those other babies!  Caleb takes her (and her sisters) to school every day and is with them in the afternoons.  I sure do miss them though!  Clarke nurses for longer periods when I’m home…and I think it’s because I’m away from her for so long.

Thanks Emily and Wade for the precious dress!!

-Soothes herself to sleep.  We put her on her belly for naptime and bedtime…and she sucks her fingers and goes to sleep on her own.  She sometimes wakes up and cries out, but usually goes back down without us having to do anything.  Praise the Lord!  She has been napping on her belly for awhile now, but we just started the nighttime belly thing.  Previously, I swaddled her and nursed her to sleep.  However, she went through a few week period where she was waking up several times at night and needed a paci or nursing to go back to sleep.  I realized that she needed access to those sweet baby fingers to suck!  :)

-Prefers to be in a sleeper, so that’s what she stays in.

-Her favorite “play” place is the bouncy seat.  She likes to talk to the parrot and monkey!

-Sleeps all night, from between 8 and 9 until at least 5:45 or 6, sometimes later!  She has slept all night long since she was 6.5 weeks old.

-Likes her paci in the carseat or swing.  She will take most kinds of pacis which is nice because we have so many floating around our house!

-”Talks” to us and it’s so precious.  She makes lots of noises when she’s happy.

-Not rolling over yet.

-Schedule:
Between 5-8AM: wakes to nurse.  If it’s still dark, she goes back down for awhile.

Morning nap

Bottle between 10 and 11–approx 6 oz.

Midday nap

Small bottle between 1 and 2–2-3 oz.

Long afternoon nap

Nurses between 4 and 5 when I get back from work

Catnaps on our walks

7 or 8, nurses again

Between 8 and 9, bath and bedtime (usually I nurse her to sleep)

3 months-Baby Clarke

 

Happy 3 months, Baby Clarke!!