Happy 15 Months Sweet Caroline!

Happy 15 Months sweet Caroline Grace!!!  Can we please pause time... and just stay for a while!  You are growing up so fast!!!  I remember just saying you were my baby and now you are a "toddler"... just where has the time gone? We are so proud of you and your fierce independent spirit.  You have grown so much the last 3 months in so many ways... Here is a quick overview of your latest and greatest happenings!

Stats... You are a little over 23#'s and wearing 12-18 month and a few 18-24 month clothes and size 5 diapers.  Your weight puts you in the 80%!  You gained 3 pounds since your 12 month check up!!!  And stand 30.25 inches tall, which is 45%!  Growing up to quickly if you ask me.  You are a great eater and love most everything we put in front of you.  Your latest food loves include yogurt covered raisins, m&ms, french fries, hot dogs, black beans and lo mein noodles!

Sleep... You are a fine sleeper... you have been waking up between 7-8 and have some milk and breakfast then playtime till it is time to leave to take brother to school or to swim lessons... then home for lunch and more play time till nap time at 2pm.  You have become an excellent napper since we have dropped your morning nap.  Momma worked hard on that this last month to help with our schedule and short car naps!  Then when you wake up we play some more then dinner at 5:30, bath, play time and then books, milk and bed by 8pm!   

Play... You are officially all over the place and into all things!!  You love to dump out baskets and buckets of toys and play so well with your brother.  You have been known to throw quite a fit when you don't get your way and have even pulled his hair a few times... we are working on that, but mostly distracting you with something else to play with... when you learn to express yourself better life will be better for all!  You have about 7+ words, but don't really use them unless you repeat after us.  We will keep working sweet girl!  You also LOVE to play outside.  You could stay out there all day if I'd let you!  Digging in the dirt, playing with the rocks, and sand box... you name it you love it!  You also LOVE your blanket and bunny... you snuggle them and cuddle them when you are ready for a little rest time and even lay out on the floor like your ready for a little cat nap!  It is the cutest thing!  Another fun thing you have started doing this last month is dance... you LOVE to move and watching you is pure joy.  You put your hands out and turn around in circles... bounce up and down, trying to jump, but haven't quite conquered lift off just yet!  You clap and say Hooray and are so proud of yourself.

Caroline, you are probably the most independent 15 month old toddler I have ever met.  You are loving and stubborn all rolled into one sweet, precious, angelic, beautiful, feisty, joyful, opinionated, happy and captivating little love.  You wave and give smiles generously and we know the Lord has big plans for your big personality!  We are so incredibly blessed to call you our sweet Caroline and can't wait to see the next months and milestones to unfold!

Caroline you are our sweet baby girl and we Thank God everyday for the gift you are!

Happy 10 Months Caroline!

Happy 10 Months sweet Caroline Grace!!!  You have grown leaps and bounds this last month and you are growing out of the "baby stage" and into the "toddler stage" oh to quickly!

Stats... You are a little over 19#'s and moving into some 12-18 month clothes and still in size 3 diapers and 4 nighttime diapers.

Sleep... Well we were doing better... you have been waking up between 6-7... closer to 6 and have a bottle then go back to sleep till 7:30-8ish.  Not terrible but I wish you would split the difference and just sleep till 7!  We will get there!  You are still not the best napper, but most of that is our crazy morning schedules.  Get what you can in the car while we run errands, take brother to school or any other activities we have going on.  And then take another nap in the afternoon around 2-3:30.  Then you are ready for bed around 7:15!

Food... You have moved to 1/2 momma's milk and 1/2 formula and don't mind it one bit!  You love to eat and are really doing well at feeding yourself.  Some of your new favorites include carrots, meatballs and noodles!  You take 4 bottles, 6 oz each along with breakfast, lunch and dinner and a few snacks on the go!

Play... Your personality and love to interact and play has defiantly shined through this month.  We took our annual beach trip to South Padre and you did awesome.  Even despite the week before you had an ear infection and bronchitis.  Not fun but you were such a trooper and did amazing at taking your  meds and breathing treatments.  Your first real sickness by the way!  You kicked it well and were back to your happy self in no time!  You still love to play with brother, but you have become more and more independent this past month.  Not sure if it is coming out more since brother started school or you are just leaning and exploring more on your own.  Another new happening this month is you are now crawling on all 4's and moving fast.  You love to talk, but still no momma!  Of the celebration it will be when I hear those sweet words for the first time!

Caroline you are our sweet baby girl and we Thank God everyday for the gift you are!

Happy 4 Months Caroline!

Happy 4 Months sweet girl!!!  It has been a fun filled 4th month for you and our family!  I know I say this each month but your sweet personality has really started to show with the milestone of your sweet giggles and belly laughs!

Your stats... You weigh 13 pounds 14 oz. today at your 4 month check up.  And you are 25 inches long.  Growing right on track and catching up to big brother!!

Your health... Perfect!  You are 100% healthy and right on track!

You eat... 100% mommas milk.  You take a bottle and nurse and are happy with either.  You are taking ~27-31 ounces a day with 6 feedings.  The last few days you have not taken any of your dream feed so that might be on the way out!  Your morning schedule go a little something like this... 5:30-6:30 - nurse and right back to sleep, 8-9 - awake and take 5 oz bottle, 9-10ish playtime/errands, 10-noonish nap... then the mid afternoon is a bit unscheduled, but you still eat every 3 hours and take a good 2-3 hour nap in the late afternoon.  Then bath, books, last bottle around 8:30 then bed.  We are still trying your dreamfeed around 10:30ish but you have not wanted it the last few nights... We will continue to try but you might be done with it!  So in short... you average 8.5 hours awake time and 15.5 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period.  And sleeping 8-9 hours straight at night... a few 10+ nights... which mommy is super excited about!

You love to... eat, sleep, smile, look at the fan and lights and watch your brother play!  You have also enjoyed tummy time this month since you can hold your head up and can do mini pushups!  You also love to lay on your back and swat at the toys on your play mat and in your bouncy seat.  It is fun to watch brother encourage you to "Get that soccer ball" as he says!!!  So much joy for this mommas heart!

Caroline, this month has been so special for us.  We have really seen your personality and spark come out the past few weeks and cannot wait to see more smiles and giggles in the weeks and month and years to come.  Happy 4 Months to our sweet Caroline.

Happy 2nd Birthday Benjamin!

Happy 2 years sweet boy!  To say the past 24 months have flown by would be an understatement.   You are our greatest joy and we love you infinity times infinity!

Your stats... You are 34.5 inches tall and weigh 30.5 pounds.  Which is 60% for height and 75% for weight.

You eat... everything and will try anything!  You are still not the biggest fan of breakfast but we will keep working on that!  Some other food loves include rice and beans, popsicles, chips, chili cheese  hot dogs, cantaloupe, sandwiches, and of course the always favorite cupcakes and ice cream!

This is a typical day in the life of you at 2 years old Benjamin... When you wake up in the morning I get you out of your crib and you come back to momma and daddy's bed for some morning snuggles and your beloved milk.  Half of the time you will drift off back to sleep for another hour or so and then up for good around 8:30-9ish.  You are the sweetest cuddle in the morning and these are some of my favorite moments together.  Just the other day when you woke up I asked your if you knew what today was and you said "I don no" and I said "Today is your birthday!" then you said "I need cake momma!"  The sweetest most funny little boy I know!!  After morning snuggles and laughed we get up and have breakfest and get ready for the day.  Depending on what is our on schedule we will either head out for errands, playdates, soccer practice, appointments or if we can we will just hang out and play at home!  Then have lunch around noon, then afternoon nap for you around 2.  You usually sleep anywhere between 1-1.5 hours (yes still a short napper) then back to your favorite... PLAYING!  We will usually play outside and or go for a walk to the park and or mailbox and then around 5ish start getting dinner ready for 6pm.  Then we play a little more then off to bath before daddy gets home.  Once daddy walks in the door you are all about playing with him which gives me a little time to pick up the house and do my evening chores around the house.  They love and sweet relationship you and your daddy have is one that brings joy to my heart everyday.  He is your hero and it is a pleasure watching you two together.  Then around 8:30 is it off to your bedroom for book and night night!  You love your crib and ask to go to sleep when you are finished reading and are tired which is typically around 8:45.  You are one passionate, loving, caring, compassionate, brilliant, polite, independent, self aware, stubborn, fierce, talkative, handsome, perfect and hilarious little boy that we are so proud to call ours!

Your daddy still makes you laugh the hardest, but you are still a momma boy at heart!  Your 1,000+ word vocabulary is expanding so fast.  You repeat and remember everything!  It amazes us everyday the things that come our of your little mind!  One thing that is new is your nac for negating and reasoning... we will have to keep a close finger on this one!!!  You are like a sponge and you pick up new things everyday!  I am soooo incredibly proud to be your momma and love teaching you new things and seeing you explore everyday. 

Benjamin's 2 year old photos!