Starring Reese!

I made a movie starring the cutest girl!!!!! Be sure the sound is on!

JUMP!

As if we didn't have enough play stations in our house at the moment we decided to break out another one- the jump n jive! It says 4 months of age on it and little girl will be 4 months next week so we thought why not! I think she was in desperate need of something new and exciting to play with!

She absolutely LOVED it! Once she got the hang of the whole jumping thing she was off! I have a video of when we first put her in and she's so cute! She'd jump a little and then look at us and smile and get all excited, and then jump a little more and smile and laugh harder! So cute!!!!

The little mat plays music when her little feet touch it. It's like she's tap dancing to the music!

Aren't those leg rolls delicious?

Reese's first lake trip!

We were generously invited to head out to the Brassell's lake house for the weekend! Ironically last time we were there we were pregnant with Reesie but didn't know it yet! We headed out to Granbury on Friday afternoon. We met up with everybody at the lakehouse and Reese let everyone know right then and there that she was done with her carseat, done with the car, and basically just done with the day! After some calming techniques and a nap we loaded her back into the car and headed to a local burger place called Grumps for some burgers. The Petry's met us up there. Afterwards we headed back to the house and called it a night. We had to pack so much for a 2 day trip! Last time we had one small bag! This time we had a giant suitcase + a bassinette + her playmat! She had way more gear than us!

The next morning we were all up bright and early and enjoyed sitting out by the lake. Abby and I got to go on a nice walk while Reese took her morning nap. We decided to try to put Reese in the lake later that day. She has always loved swimming so we thought why not!

It took 3 of us to get her finagled into an infant life jacket and then we put the baby who was in the life jacket into the infant floatie.

She was in so many contraptions she could barely move! I wouldn't say she was really thrilled or anything but she definitely didn't cry! She just looked around and took it all in. She did kick her little feet which was pretty cute. Once we had her in a more sitting up position she seemed to tolerate it a little more.

She was pretty tuckered out after all that floating in the lake!

We made homemade pizza and homemade ice cream for dessert that night! Soooo good!

Watching Daddy fish...

It was a pretty fun weekend! There was not much time to relax though! We were all pretty tired on the way back!

I think I have been going and going and going and have finally hit a wall b/c I am sick! Thankfully I got cancelled today and am taking advantage of my mom being here. She has been taking care of Reese for me while I do something I have not done in awhile- lay on the couch. And it is glorious! Praying that no one else comes down with what I appear to have come down with. I made Reese's 4 month checkup appointment today...wow time is really flying by!

One year ago today...

...we found out we were going to have a baby!!!

And here she is one year later!!!!

July 25 will always be remembered as the day our lives were forever altered! We thought we were happy then, but we had no idea the absolute joy Reese Elizabeth would bring us! And I soooo knew it was a girl from day one!

I don't know if I ever blogged about the day we found out so here goes...

I was still on nights and had worked all week. I had Friday and Saturday off. On Friday (the 24th) we went over to Aaron and Worth Anne's for dinner and a movie or something like that. I was 2 days late and SOOO NERVOUS!!! We had just started trying the month before and I thought there was NO WAY it would happen that quick! I couldn't even concentrate on the movie! We decided to take a test the next morning. I still didn't believe there was any way I could possibly be pregnant.

The next morning I popped out of bed bright and early. The only symptom I had was constant peeing!!!! Andrew came into the bathroom and I nervously peed on that stick. I was shaking!!! I capped the stick and then practically threw it at Andrew b/c I couldn't even bear to look at it! He walked over to the tub to look at it while I washed my hands. I walked over to him as he was waiting for results. It was one of those ones with the 2 lines. I was still shaking!

He looked at me with a disappointed face and said "Babe, I'm sorry. There's only 1 line." I said "That's ok, I didn't think it would be positive." I took the test from him to inspect it myself and was shocked to see a 2nd line rapidly getting darker and darker. I infamously screamed "There's another line!!!!!" He grabbed it back from me and said "Oh my gosh you're right!" We stood there in disbelief staring at 2 very dark lines- obviously a positive pregnancy test! There was no way that thing was a false positive!

So I snatched the test back and started pacing the bathroom. The bathroom got very small so I proceeded to pace the house! I couldn't stop staring at my positive pregnancy test! Surely it couldn't be that easy! I suddenly decided that we must get more tests! So off to Starbucks we raced to get some coffee. We stopped at CVS on the way home to pick up a pack of those digital tests. I thought surely that test would be the ultimate decider.

So we get back home and I pace some more and wait until I have to pee again. Fast forward- I have to pee again! We run to the bathroom and repeat the whole sequence of events from an hour or so ago and wait. We both stare at the test like 2 kids on Christmas morning as the little hour glass thingy ticks down the seconds and suddenly...PREGNANT pops up!!! I screamed! Andrew high fived me! WE WERE PREGNANT!!!!!!

Andrew suddenly had the urge to mow the lawn- don't ask me why. So while he did that I jumped on baby center to figure out my due date! I was 4 weeks and 1 day and due April 2. I couldn't believe I was only 4 weeks! Man, April 2 felt so far away. But I LOVED that my due date was April 2. I have a thing for even numbers and I love the month of April. It is both of our birthdays and the month we met!

We went out to lunch at San Francisco Oven and went and made a shirt that said "I'm gonna be a cousin" to give to Mack later that night. I wanted to wait to start telling people, but Andrew could not wait to tell his brother! I agreed we could tell them if we could wait until our first doctor's appointment to tell the rest of the fam. We went to the pool with the other Herrells and then went over to their house and gave Mack his "present". They quickly got it and were soooo happy for us! We had a cook out that night to celebrate!

And the rest is history! The past year crawled by at times, but wow here we are a year later with a precious 3 month old! They say the days are long, but the years are short and I totally agree. She is amazing and wonderful in every way and I can't believe we didn't even know she existed until July 25, 2009. In some way it feels like she has always been here with us. I have heard people say that before and never really understood what it meant, but now I do.

So happy 1 year anniversary to us of finding out that we were blessed by God with the most precious gift of Reese Elizabeth!

Girls Day!!!

Jenny and I have been trying to get together forever and it finally worked out! Her girls are 13 months. It feels like they were just born! We met up at Willow Bend mall and hit the food court! We all had chick-fil-a. Well except for Reese. She got hers later ha! Reese was such a good girl sitting in her stroller like a big girl! She just sat and smiled, and looked around and was very content! Oh and then she had this MASSIVE blowout! I was praying and speedwalking the whole way to the bathroom. I mean it was like millimeters from coming out the sides! We lined up the girls and took a picture. I can't believe that is my child in this picture. I still can't believe I have a baby. I can't believe I'm going on playdates with friends and their babies with my baby. When does it sink in? I mean it all feels really real, but at times I'm just in disbelief that the past year I carried a child, birthed her, and now am a full time mom to her! I could just scream I'm so happy!

I love that Reese is smiling in this pic...

Then we took off for the play area! I had never been to a play area in a mall before! I mean what reason would I have to be in one? It's like this whole new world! The mall during the day is like this private club of moms and babies and lots of strollers! This is where they all hang out! Jenny told me especially in the summer the mall is the best place to take your kiddos. You can get lunch, play, stroll, keep them entertained, and especially beat the heat! Kaitlin and Avery took off walking/crawling all over the play area. Reese hung out on a little blanket and watched all the kids playing. These little girls kept coming over and "petting her". One tried to steal her keys. I didn't know what to do! I didn't want to take them from her and make her mad! So here comes Kaitlin crawling over and the little girl gave her the keys! So thanks Kaitlin for getting Reese's keys back! At one point this little boy came over and told me about 2,976 times "I was a baby in mommy's tummy!" It was so random but so funny! Reese had her bottle in the play area and then we packed up and strolled the mall! We stopped and got some delicious pretzels. At one point Reese decided she would rather ride in the bjorn than her stroller. I happily obliged. I seriously don't know what we'd do without the bjorn! That thing is a lifesaver!

Working on tummy time while all the big kids play...

Strolling with my best girl!

I am so glad I know about this mall secret! Once she's older I can see us enjoying many more hot afternoons this way!!!! You can only stay at home so much. I am starting to get stir crazy on my days off and need some ideas of what to do!

July 4, 2010

This...

plus this...

plus this...

plus these...

equals these lovely gems!!!

Thanks to Our Best Bites, my dessert was a hit at the 4th of July pool party we attended!

So good!

We had a fun 4th of July with some great friends! We had a total of 6 babies! The highlight of the day for us was when Reese cackled out loud not once but twice! And it was in front of everyone! Of course I cried! It was the cutest thing ever! She has almost done it again today but not quite the magnitude of the ones on 4th of July!

We took some cute pics of our little firecracker before heading out to the party. Reese got to hang out with her little birthday buddies Kinley and Alyssa. Kinley was born at the end of March and Alyssa was born just 5 days after her!

Hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend!

3 months!

Well our little tooter is 3 months old!!!! That is 1/4 of a year! She is soooo fun and makes us laugh all day long! Here are her latest stats!

On our scale at home she is a whopping 14 lbs!

She is wearing mostly 3-6 month clothes.

We ran out of size 1 diapers the week you turned 3 months and the size 2's fit so well around your beautiful chunky thighs! They have been containing the frequent blowouts you have been having with the size 1's! Thank goodness b/c I have been having to stain treat so many of your clothes! (and mine ha!)

We have established your morning nap but are still working on your afternoon one. You go down a little after 8 and will sleep for 2 hrs. You take a little catnap around noon, and then at some point in the afternoon you will take another longer nap. Sometimes its at 2 and sometimes its at 3. We are getting better at figuring out when you are ready for you nap!

She still takes 5 oz every 3 hours for a total of 6 feeds a day. She also discovered that she has hands this month and likes to "help" you feed her. During her 12th week she was very fussy during her feeds and refused to finish hardly any of her bottles. She would get very distracted about halfway through and have no interest what so ever. And pretty much scream if you had the nerve to try to coax her to finish. This led us to believe she was ready to drop her late night feed! We ended up doing this on July 4 at 3 months and 2 days and she slept from 8:30 pm to 7 am AND finished every single bottle the next day and even wanted more at her last 2 feedings! Again...Babywise really knows there stuff!

She seems to favor the person she is with all day. Whether she is with me, Andrew, or my mom all day she seems to want to stay with person for the evening if that makes sense. I will have her all day and then Andrew comes home from work at 7 and she wants nothing to do with him and wants to stay with me. Or if I'm at work and my mom has her all day and I come home and scoop her up I am NOT what she wants!!! This has made me soooo sad! I think we have figured out it is in the handoff. Instead of just handing her off right when we get home we will put her on her play mat to play for a bit and then the other person will pick her up, and then she seems to be fine with the new person the rest of the evening. *most of the time.

Some evenings she will have a fussy time around the same time each time and nightly walks seem to be the answer! She likes to be outside and listen to all the sounds! Needless to say we have taken ALOT of evening walks in the past few weeks! She still LOVES to face out in the bjorn, and we have also started putting her in her stroller without the infant seat and she loves sitting up like a big girl!

You seem to have noticed that you have some pet cats! Since Jack likes to be near you at all times you probably notice him the most! I think you like his orange hair! You were staring at him the other day as if to try to figure out what he was! When he is near and your little hand brushes against his fur, you will keep it there and pet him!

She still sleeps swaddled at night but has been "busting out" more and more. I tried the graduate sleep sack but her hands were out almost immediately with the flap of fabric over her face! So we quit using that before we even got to use it! We also tried a bigger swaddle but it seems it is a bit too big for her with too much fabric. So we are still using the size smalls, but this girl is strong! I have to rewrap her usually once a night. I am waiting for a weekend when I am off and we can try to train her to sleep without the swaddle! She is still in her bassinette in our room also. Once we train her to sleep without the swaddle we are going to make the big move to her crib! :( I think I will need the transition more than she will!

She still loves her baths and LOVES her hairwashed.

And now a mommy update. I have been a pumping fool over the past 3 months! So much so that we had no room for food in our freezer! So we purchased a deep freeze this month! I was surprised at how reasonable they are. Now we have room for food in our freezer and the shelf life of breastmilk is 6 months in a deep freeze vs. 3 months in a fridge/freezer combo. It's quite ridiculous how proud I am of my stash. If my calculations are correct it is probably about 2 months worth of feedings for her! I love organizing it, dating it, freezing it etc. I am very OCD when it comes to Reese's milk. I think I would probably curl up in a ball and cry for a week if something happened to our liquid gold stash!!!

You have been unable to keep the soothie paci in your mouth for a whole nap so one random day I tried the avent paci. The same one that you acted like I was gagging you with when I gave it to you before. And what do you know?? You loves it! You keeps it in your mouth much better during nap time!

We hit the road for your first road trip to San Antonio!

We celebrated Daddy's first Father's day and made him a stepping stone with your footprints!

You also went swimming for the first time and have since been 2 more times! You love it and are very calm in the water!

You have become quite vocal and seem to have found your voice! Several times a day you start "singing" and just yell for several minutes at a time! We have gotten some cute videos of this. I need to figure out how to post them!

Daddy put together your exersaucer for you and we have been trying you in it a few times a week. You are still a little too tiny for it so we have to pad you with 4 rolled up blankets. But you are able to hit a few of the buttons and make it play music! I think you will be loving it before too long!

This was a big month b/c Reese met her Great Grandma all the way from Tennessee!

I think we may have a thumb sucker! At 12 weeks you started trying to suck your L thumb. It's funny b/c I sucked my L thumb too!

You are quite fond of your lovie in the car. It is a sweet little bunny that your Nanny bought you for Easter. It has been hooked to your carseat from the beginning but you are just now starting to notice it. You like to hug it and bring it up to your face and mouth. When you fall asleep in the car you hold onto the soft and silky parts.

You have really perfected poking out your bottom lip this month. You do it when you are about to lose it, and also seem to do it when you are very busy playing. I told you whenever you want anything all you have to do is poke out that bottom lip and we'll be eating out of your hands!

You are getting really good at putting toys in your mouth!

Her favorite toy right now is probably her activity mat. I even put her under it one day as a last ditch attempt to stop her from crying and it worked!!! She loves to grab the animals and put them in her mouth. She seems to favor the monkey over the other animals. She will now lay under it for 20 minutes and entertain herself! This is when I usually grab some lunch!

We keep thinking she is close to rolling from back to front. She can get her little hiney off the ground and tilted to one side but can't quite get all the way around.

Her latest obsession as of 12 weeks is her feet! In our laps, on the changing table, on the ground she always seems to grab onto those feet! It's like she just figured out that they are attatched to her body! She is one flexible girl!

Reese Elizabeth you are truly the best thing in this world to me and your daddy! I have never felt a joy like this before! My heart is so full of love for you I don't know how it can possibly hold it all! Having a baby is what life is all about.