breakfast with Santa

Every year a local restaurant holds a "Breakfast with Santa" event. They eat pancakes, talk to Santa and decorate a white chocolate Christmas tree. It's been fun going the last few years and taking Tripp and Makinley. I usually get the kids dressed up, but this year, we went in our pj's!

If you had told me last year at breakfast with Santa that we would have a 3 month old with us this year, I never would have believed you. I am constantly thinking about what a whirlwind the last year has been. It's been almost a year since we found out Addie Grey was on her way. Crazy.

Addie Grey- Three Months

Well, while I'm busy trying to figure out how to slow down time, you're busy growing like a weed. Three months have flown by in a flash.

 This past month was tough as mommy had to return to work.  It has been extremely difficult on her, but (even with all her worrying) you've handled it like a champ. While mommy is at work, you've settled into a nice routine of eating every three hours and falling asleep on your own at nap time.

You continue to be a very laid back and easy baby. As long as your belly is full and you are well rested, we are good to go. And, oh your smiles!!! They can melt the toughest heart.

 You are really starting to want to interact more with us and we love it. You aren't quite as vocal as your sister was at this age, but you do make the occasional cooing noise. Most of the time, you are quiet and content just to look around.

 At three months you....

• Eat 4-5 ounces every 3 hours when drinking from a bottle. If mommy is home and you're able to nurse, you still eat every 2 hours.
• Fall asleep on your own at nap time. As soon as you fuss from being tired, we lay you down on your belly and you fall right to sleep.
• Speaking of nap time, it's the ONLY time you will take a paci. You suck it for just a few seconds, fall asleep and then spit it out.
• Still suck your fingers and fist pretty often. But you don't do it to soothe yourself. You do it while you're wide awake and happy.
• When you're laying on your back to play, you rock on to your side. You do it over and over until you basically rotate yourself in a complete circle.
• You've started batting at your toys on your playmat.
• You do NOT like to be laying flat on your back. You strain as hard as you can to try to sit yourself up. I joke that you are going to give yourself a hernia.
• You still wear size 0-3 month clothes, but I can tell they are starting to get too sma s
• During tummy time, you will raise yourself up so you can try to look around.
• Still love to be in your bouncy seat.
• Haven't laughed yet, but mommy sure tries!! Don't think it will be much longer.

The joy you bring us continues to grow. We love you more than words can say!
*EDITED TO ADD- You just GIGGLED for the first time*

a second birthday

Hard to believe that this little man is TWO!!

 Trey and Jenn planned a cookies themed birthday party and the kids all enjoyed decorating cookies and playing outside.

 My kids aren't big cake eaters. Makinley took one lick of her icing and she was done. I don't think Tripp even did that.

 This little one spent a lot of the party snoozing. It's what she does best!

I love celebrating the life of my nephew! He is a miracle and brings so much joy to our family. We love you, Bear!! Happy 2nd birthday!

back at it

Well, I'm back at work. And it's exactly as hard as I knew it would be. That first Monday and Tuesday were pure torture. I cried a bucket of tears. Makinley asked me if I was going to cry every day, so I figured I better get it together. But, it's still hard. With really no end in sight to it getting any easier. I didn't have to leave Tripp until he was 5 months old....Makinley was almost a year. This leaving a 2 1/2 month old is tough.

I forgot to blog about her two month check up. She did great. I decided to spread her shots out because I couldn't handle her getting four in one day. So, we did two that appointment and I'll do two more this month. That will put her back on track. She only cried for a minute, but it still broke my heart. Her stats (at 2 1/2 months old):

Weight: 12.2 pounds
Height: 23.75 inches
Head: I can't remember. I'll have to come back and add it later.

She has a hermangioma (I have no clue how to spell it) on her head. It's a cluster of blood vessels that are really close together. It sticks up off the top of her head and it's red. Another name for it is a strawberry. It could get lots bigger, or it could go away completely on its own. Only time will tell. They won't do anything about it until she is at least a year old, and then it will be up to us. I don't know if we'll do anything about it since her hair should cover it up.

I'm waiting on her to start laughing. It's coming. This baby smiles with her whole face. And her daddy has started calling her "Cheeks". We love this girl of ours.

outtakes

Here are some outtakes from our Christmas card picture session!

Makinley LOVED dressing like Addie Grey! She has been asking and I finally found them this matching outfit for the Christmas season. They are actually getting about 6-7 "sister sets" for Christmas, but they won't work until the Spring/Summer. This is all we have for right now, but they are SO cute. We'll probably wear it every Sunday for the month of December! :-)

Thanksgiving was very low key. My mom and dad came and spent 3 nights. We just hung out and enjoyed time together. Joey's mom and Tom and his family came over for lunch on Thanksgiving. We did a little bit of shopping on Black Friday, but not much. We aren't going all out this year for Christmas, so it was pretty easy to get our shopping done!

 My daddy and his closed eyes!!!

We missed Trey, Jenn and Bear this year. They spent Thanksgiving with her family in North Carolina!

santa and cousins

We took the kids to see Santa over the weekend. We will also have breakfast with Santa in a couple of weeks, but I heard great things about this Santa, so I wanted to go see him. He did not disappoint. Not only was a beautiful Santa, but he was so attentive to the kids. He really listened to them and asked them questions. He didn't rush them and he gave them great advice about listening to mommy and daddy!

Doesn't Addie Grey look thrilled by her first visit?! The kids had each made a list. We've told them they can only ask Santa for three toys this year. And they have both been just fine with that. Tripp's list hasn't changed since day one. Makinley's changes every other day. I think her "official" list she gave to Santa was a Dr. Baby, a Cinderella dress and a Cinderella vanity. The problem with that is that she already HAS a Cinderella dress and a Cinderella vanity. So, Santa is going to be writing her a letter explaining that he needs to save his vanities for little girls that don't have them and she needs to pick something else (aka American Girl McKenna would be a GREAT choice to pick).

Later on Saturday, Trey, Jenn and Bear came. They haven't been to just hang out in forever and we had a great time. The kids played well together and Jenn and I got out and ran a few errands while the boys watched football. That night we tried to go to a nice restaurant in town and that was a total disaster.

Look at all four cousins! Bear isn't quite so sure what to think in this picture!

But he started to warm up! He's not talking yet (although I DID get to hear him say 'mama' and 'dada'), but every time Tripp blew a bubble with his bubble gum (a new trick he has learned) Bear would say, 'OH!' and point to the bubble!

Look at that sweet smile trying to come through!! He was so cute holding Addie Grey!

Totally different subject for a second. I took the kids for their well check ups and their flu shot a couple of weeks ago. Tripp was a champ. Makinley? She kicked two different nurses in their FACE and acted like a wild animal the whole time. The baby slept most of the time, but when she woke up, she was screaming. I was sweating by the time I left and in need of alcohol (although I never drink). But, so I don't forget, here are the kids stats:

Tripp:
Height 49.5 inches (70%)
Weight 51 pounds (60%)

Makinley:
Height 49 inches (off the charts)
Weight 54 pounds (off the charts and MORE THAN HER BROTHER)
   *Mak has gained SIX POUNDS since APRIL. I don't know what in the world is going on with her. She is a giant!*

Looking forward to spending the week with my family for Thanksgiving. NOT looking forward to Monday and returning to the working world. At all.