Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Beach time!!!

Last week we had our annual beach trip with the Littles. This year that included Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt B, Ame (David's cousin), Mimi, Papa, David, me and the littlest Littles. :)

Amelia Jayne's first time at the ocean.


Fun times in the "lazy" river. I don't know how lazy it is when you're watching a three year old. :)



Xander and Mimi having some downtime, playing games on her computer.

Xander's first experience bowling!


Action shot :)





Sandcastles in the sand



About AJ - Seven months

I wrote this during the first week of June. And I'm just now getting around to posting it. Shame on me.



Amelia Jayne turned 7 months old on May 24. I'm behind. Again. :)


Here are some of the fun things she's been doing this month.


Her third tooth popped in earlier this week. One of her top front teeth. The one beside it has almost made it's way through, too. I can see the whiteness and swollen gums that means it'll be here in a matter of days. I always think getting the top teeth really changes a baby's looks. She won't look like a little baby for much longer!


We took a trip to TN last week. She was a champ! Her schedule was thrown off, she was in the car 18 hours over a three day period, and she didn't have her brother around to entertain her, but she did so well. Her older cousins were a huge help, entertaining her, touching her, loving on her and playing with her. They're much more willing to talk to her and play with her than Xander is. The difference between siblings and cousins, I guess. Anyway, for her first trip longer than 3 hours she did remarkably well. She's such a good baby!


She's using all kinds of consonants when she babbles now. She says gaga, baba, dada, rara and mama. I think she's using dada pretty intentionally now. She uses it other times, too, but she uses it more when she's around David. Don't get too excited about her saying mama. She only says that when she's crying. And I don't think she associates it with me at all.


She learned how to bark! My dad has four dogs, one of which will bring you a toy and bark at you until you throw it. I was sitting on the floor with Amelia Jayne and he brought his toy over to me, sat back, and barked. Constantly. Amelia Jayne would just look at him curiously and then she eventually started making a noise that was an imitation of Charlie's bark! Haha! It was so cute. I can still get her to do it if I start barking at her first. She's also starting to make different noises when she sees our cat, Spike. He meows sometimes and she'll start squealing. It's so cute!



She's not doing as much physically as I thought she would by now. I thought she would be crawling, as active as she's been up to this point, but not yet. She leans forward, hands on the floor and can sometimes get her legs under her. She rocks a little bit, but always ends up with her belly on the floor. She also likes to lunge at things. She's pulled up twice in her bed on her crib railing, and will pull up to her knees, on you, if you're sitting on the floor with her.


She's been eating lots of new foods! She's had apples, sweet potatoes, avocados, peaches, green beans, peas, carrots, pears, bananas, and squash. I've been making her baby food which I feel is healthier for her, plus it's a lot cheaper! I made some of Xander's baby food, but gave up part way through. I was having a hard time remembering why and then I realized it was the time of year that he started eating. Fresh fruit and vegetable were harder to come by in the fall and winter. Amelia Jayne will be getting lots of fresh fruit and vegetables this summer!


 Standing while leaning on the back of the chair...


Mostly.

She is a great kisser. :) She does the slobbery, open-mouthed, kiss-like-you-mean-it kind of kisses. They're adorable and I love them.


I'm sure there are more things I can't think of, but that's a good idea of what my little girl has been up to this month! Time is just flying by!




Thursday, June 14, 2012

Frances

Last week on June 3, my stepmom's mom passed away.


Unfortunately David had some projects at work that he had to complete, so he wasn't able to travel with us to Tennessee. I knew it would be difficult taking Xander, but without David going I decided it would be too much for me. And since my mom and David's mom offered to keep him, that worked out well. Erin, Nathan, their kids, Amelia Jayne and I all loaded up in my mom's van and headed out to Tennessee. A typically 7-hour drive was a 9-hour drive. It was a lot - 18 hours of driving in 3 days. But it was worth it. Despite the circumstances it was nice to see everyone. My Aunt Karen came in from Virginia and it was a nice visit with her and my dad and Karen. Thanks for your prayers.


Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Broadway Lights series

With the Tony Awards happening just last Sunday, it made me think of all the musicals I've seen over the past few years. I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but there are some awesome Broadway musicals that come to our city - it's called the Broadway Lights series through Blumenthal Performing Arts. My mother-in-law has been so generous to us and has bought David, Becky and I season tickets for the last three seasons. It gives her an excuse to watch my babies. I don't mind. :)


Here are the shows we've seen over the past few years:

2009/10 BROADWAY LIGHTS SERIES
A CHORUS LINE 
SOUTH PACIFIC
THE ALUMINUM SHOW
SPRING AWAKENING 
JERSEY BOYS 
WICKED 
MARY POPPINS 
GREASE


2010/11 DUKE ENERGY BROADWAY LIGHTS SERIES 
2011/12 DUKE ENERGY BROADWAY LIGHTS SERIES


Here is the lineup for the 2012/2013 season. Looks great, right?!?