A Typical Day

I have enjoyed being home with Addie this summer more than words can describe. I was telling my friend Jenny yesterday (who has twin boys and a baby boy on the way) that I'd rather stay home with her than go out shopping (I know - SHOCK!), running errands, whatever (except for the library - I love that!). It's just so much fun to watch her play and explore and learn new things, and she is definitely happier at home. Yes, I do get cabin fever and we do go out a lot, but it's just so much fun being at home with her watching her in her element.

So Monday I was going through our huge pile of mail that didn't catch mine nor Tommy's first glance. I was tearing coupons out of a Val-Pak and another magazine. Addie was on the floor with me. She just loves paper and was trying her hardest to get to the magazines and mail that I had. Finally, I just started giving her what I didn't want (and of course, later, she got to what I did want!) and she loved it! Here are a few pictures of her enjoying this new toy!

When Tommy got home, he was on the floor playing with us for a while, then just got quiet and looked around. He looked at Addie and said, "This place is a mess!" She just looked up at him and smiled!

9 Month Old Stats

I love this picture! I took it of her Monday night (Right before bedtime - this is her every night because she is so tired!) because she is still wearing a 3 month sleeper, but I do believe we have finally grown out of it!

Addie Kate had her 9 month Dr.'s visit yesterday. She did wonderful! She hammed it up for the Dr. and nurse, and had them both laughing. She didn't do all of her tricks, but she, of course, showed the Dr. her piggy, pulled up, crawled, talked and yelled up a storm, then told her bye-bye. She didn't tell the nurse bye-bye because she had just stuck her with that nasty needle. That was the only time sweet Addie cried, but it was for less than 30 seconds - she did turn blood red though! Below are her stats - we thank God for our healthy baby girl!

Weight - 18 lbs. 6.5 oz - 39th percentile
Length - 27 in. - 27th percentile
Head - 17.5 in. - 63rd percentile

While she's still low in all areas but head, we are at least still growing - a big difference from the 4th percentile in weight at 2 months! The Dr. was pleased with everything!

Mother Goose on the Loose!

Addie Kate enjoyed her first storytime at the library last week! Wednesday mornings a very special lady, Ms. Donna, does story time for a huge bunch of 0-24 month olds. Whew! She is fabulous though and does a fantastic job with these children. I could definitely tell which children have been coming to Mother Goose on the Loose for a while, and they all just love Ms. Donna! Like I said, there was a huge bunch of children, most running around all over the place, followed by mamas or grandmothers running after them. So, I thought that would scare my sweet Addie - NO! She would crawl right out in the middle of them, which terrified me - I didn't want her to get trampled! It is also quite loud in there - the kids alone are loud, but story time itself is loud (possibly to get over the kids?). Again, I thought that would scare Addie - she does NOT like loud noises/sounds/people (although she's quite loud herself!), but she loved every minute of it - the motions, the songs, the movement, the dancing, all of it! I have a few pictures to share with you, but there aren't many because this story time involved mom too! We will be going back this Wednesday, but then Addie's babysitter will be taking her, not mommy! Oh well, at least she'll enjoy it either way!

Before it started - she was just staring around in amazement!

Tried to get a picture of her ringing the bell (in her hand) to one of the songs.

Look at that - NO FEAR! And so many of you thought she was attached to my hip!

I guess storytime worked its magic - check out this sleeping position for her nap later that day:

Yes, she is completely, literally, doubled-over. It pained me to see this, but do we touch a sleeping baby?

9 Month Old Tricks

Sweet Addie Kate turned 9 months old on Tuesday. Because of that, I thought I'd share several videos with you of her new tricks. They are all pretty short, which is good since there are so many! Here is the rundown:
1 - Both Bye-Bye's - she's so cute, she waves by squeezing her hand together (sideways of course) on one hand, and by using her wrist on the other!
2 - Addie pulling up (yes, can you believe it?) and clapping (Thank you Aunt Melissa for her new toy - she LOVES it!)
3 - Playing Pat-A-Cake
4 - Having a fit - gotta love a good tantrum!
5 - Wah, wah, wah - she loves this!
6 - Addie pulling up on her daddy
7 - Addie reading - she still will pick a book over ANY other toy - I love it!
8 - The big finale - Addie Crawling! She had just crawled all the way to our front door, which is quite a distance, but I didn't have the camera. This is her halfway there.

Addie's Pool

Addie's grandparents, MawMaw and Granddaddy Chuck, bought her this cute little pool that's just her size (with room for Mommy and Daddy too!). Here are some pics and a video of Addie's first time in it. (which was weeks ago, but I'm just now getting around to posting it... sorry!) She loved (and Mommy and Daddy did too) that she could sit in it on her own - our neighborhood pool doesn't have a kiddie pool - ugh! She even got brave and tried to crawl in it!

And here's Addie later that night. If you can't wear Clemson orange, then I guess Colorado pink will have to do! She's a girl after her Daddy's heart, that's for sure! That awful face below is her blowing bubbles, one of her new tricks! Then below that is her on all fours - she'd rather crawl that way, but she can't seem to get each limb to work together!

Pretty Girl

Last week I was able to visit a friend I haven't seen since MY wedding (6 years!!!), and now she's getting married! We went to a party for my friend Ashleigh, and sweet Addie was an angel while we were there! I thought she looked precious, so here are a few pictures. (By the way, her Daddy LOVES the bow!)

Then, this pretty girl proceeded to tell a lady goodbye by reaching up to her in the sweetest little way... then she took that sweet little finger and poked it right on a big mole that this lady had on her face! Nice! We're raising an angel here!

Addie's BRAND NEW Trick!!!!

Just this morning, as Addie was playing in the floor, good ole educational Regis and Kelly started clapping on TV. I had the camera out to take video of Addie playing with her newest toy (courtesy of cousin Tori - thank you, she loves it!), and she started CLAPPING! It was SO CUTE!!! I loved being able to get video of her doing a trick the very first time! I hope all of you enjoy it as much as I do! (Oh, and let me apologize about the video quality - I had to keep putting the camera down to clap so she would copy me. I hope none of you get motion sick!)

My Growing Girl

As much as I've tried to stop it, sweet Addie is still growing up! She will be 9 months old this week. I keep thinking back to last summer when I was huge and pregnant, couldn't bend over, and my poor feet looked like... I don't know what, just fat. And now she's here, and everywhere! Healthy as a horse, happy, talkative, smiley, funny, inquisitive, loud, into everything, crawling, and the love of our lives.

She has started crawling very well this week, today better than ever. For the first time, she has crawled to me in another room. I had her in our room and I was in the laundry room. She was fussing a little and a minute or so later, there she was, with the biggest smile of accomplishment you have ever seen! She's gotten hurt more in the past two days than ever before - bonking her head, bumping into things, etc., nothing scary thankfully! Yet, all that comes with being more mobile and curious. She's learning the word "No!" very quickly, and doesn't care much for it!

Today was bittersweet for me. Tommy's been pushing me to put Addie's baby-baby things away (swing - although so many kids still love it at this age - not ours, bouncey seat, Moses basket - yes it was still out, but now used as a toy bin!, and her teeny tiny clothes.), but I just couldn't do it and found every excuse in the world not to. However, I decided to put MY big girl panties on and we took care of it this afternoon. Our living room looks so nice, but there's a few big holes where things used to be!

To be so very, very, very thankful for the health of our angel girl, I still can't help but miss those sweet days of holding her all day long. See - that does NOT rotten a child and those are days that can never, ever be replaced. I am so thankful that I went with my heart and not the advice of some, and held my sweet baby as often as I wanted!

So, that being said, I pulled out some new toys for Addie, since we put some old ones away. Here are a few videos of her enjoying her new things. In the first two videos, I love how I would stack the toys up and she'd tirelessly take them off! Too cute! The last video is her attemping to climb/pull up on me.

Addie's first dislike

We have finally found a food that Addie cannot stand - guava! She has eaten every single thing we have given her, and mostly happily and excitedly. However, we gave her the BeechNut guava last week, and it was BAD! When you opened the jar it smelled really tart, like grapefruit, and it tasted the same way. By day three of trying it out, she refused. I even mixed it with applesauce and oatmeal - didn't matter - she refused it. It was funny for us to see her refuse something since she's never done it before. Here are some pictures of Addie enjoying this delicacy!

I Love My Uncle Paul and Gorga!

Here's sweet Addie Kate playing with her Uncle Paul and Gorga (my brother and father). Paul gave her the remote control, so he won her over with no problem. Then, Dad came in to "throw" her in the air, and she just laughed and laughed! Addie Kate had a blast, plus it gave mommy a nice little break!

After all that playing, she was pooped and passed out for a nap. When I went in to check on her, this is what I saw - she sleeps just like mommy, with behind in the air and all!

The Charleston Child

When my mom and I were in Charleston the other week, we went to a precious children's boutique, The Charleston Child. While I was shopping, I just sat Addie on the floor and my mom was watching her. They had a white wicker children's table and chairs, and Addie learned that she could scoot on her bottom on their hardwood floors, and pull the chair to her. She thought this was great fun, and was entertaining to everyone in there. She then proceeded to climb/attempt to climb under the clothes. Ahhh, the days of having a little one that will just sit and play in one place! Of course, as soon as I pulled out the camera, she quit! Here are the pictures I was able to capture...

Virginia Hylton Park

While in Lexington for a few days last week, Addie Kate and I played in the park with Heather and Lawson! Addie had a blast... sleeping in the stroller! When she did wake up, I pushed her on the swing, then we went around to see the coi fish. (Oh, and we had lunch at an old Lexington fav - The Deli!) Below are some pictures...

Addie and Lawson - she didn't actually fit in the swing. She used her little leg to prop/hold her back. Too cute!

Sweet, sweaty Lawson. It was soooo hot out there, but that didn't slow him down a bit!

Addie, a few action shots...

Heather and her boy!

Addie Kate Update

Addie has learned so many new tricks lately, I feel like I haven't shared them all with you! She is now 8 1/2 months old. I keep thinking back to last summer and how so very much has changed in our lives since then. Whoa!

• She says bye-bye and waves. A lot of times she's too shy to say bye-bye, but typically if someone says it to her, she automatically starts to wave.


• She continues to army crawl, but has taken a few "steps" crawling the regular way.


• She is trying her hardest to pull up! We can't believe it! She often goes from her hands to feet (like the downward dog position in yoga!) and if you prop her up and hold her, she will stand at a toy or something.


• Tommy had to lower the crib mattress this weekend.


• She started (at 36 weeks) sitting up by herself.


• She has started to let you know if she doesn't want you to hold her. She'll take her arm and tuck it back behind her back and turn her little head.


• She has also started to show excitement by pulling her shoulders up around her head. So sweet!


• She points at everything! The other day I was feeding her, and Tommy was sitting beside us on the couch. All of a sudden she stopped eating, looked up at me, pointed and yelled one of her "words," then went back to eating. Hilarious! Tommy and I just looked at each other and laughed!


• Recap - she says MaMa and DaDa. I was at Tommy's dad's house this week (her Gram and Pop's) and was telling them that I hadn't heard her say DaDa much that day. I looked at her and said, "Addie, say DaDa." She looked at me and said so sweetly, "DaDa!"


• This is old, but I wanted to write it anyway. When she hears any whistling (including The Andy Griffith Show on TV), she breaks her neck to look around and find Tommy. Tommy whistles all the time, and I guess Addie has just made that connection!


• She has started eating Puffs. She doesn't like me putting them in her mouth, but then she enjoys eating them. Although, still no teeth!


• I would write what her favorite toy and favorite thing to do is, but we don't know! We do know this - she LOVES to play in the floor. She could care less for the exersaucer (10 minutes max in that thing), same with the swing, I don't know when the last time was that I put her in her bouncey seat, etc. But put her in the floor surrounded by toys, and she'll play forever!


• She is still a cuddler (which I LOVE) and has the sweetest disposition. She does, however, have a temper. You'll see it if you take something from her!
• She loves to play the drop game, mostly at restaurants. That makes for a fun time eating bending over to pick her toys up all the time! But, she behaves if we play it, so we do!
• She is LOUD! Whether she's happy, sad, or mad, she is LOUD! (I know, no big surprise there!)


• The piggy still reigns supreme in our house! It's our favorite!

I believe that's all for now! Here is an adorable picture. It's a few weeks old, but it's our classic Addie!

Fun with Grandparents!

Addie Kate was able to spend a lot of time with her Maw Maw and Granddaddy Chuck the week of the 4th. They came to babysit her while Mommy went to the Doctor, then we got to see them again over the weekend, along with Aunt Christie! Here are some pictures...

Addie and I rode to Lexington with Janice and Chuck on Sunday. Naturally, it rained when we got there and had to unload the car, so Janice sat with Addie in the truck. Addie decided that she was old enough to drive...

Then Addie was so sweet giving her Maw Maw a kiss goodbye!

Save the Date!

Happy Fourth of July!

I hope everyone had a great Fourth of July! Ours was nice and relaxing, which I guess is just what we needed! After enjoying the first part of the day at home just the three of us, we joined friends Amber and Mikey and their sweet little one at the pool. We swam and played, then ate a yummy dinner of ribs, grilled corn, mac and cheese, local tomatoes, pasta salad, Tommy's green beans, and a few other goodies. It was great - I love summertime cooking! We then headed up to the golf course to watch some beautiful fireworks. Tommy and I were worried as to how Addie Kate would react, and our worrying was worthy - she did NOT like them at first. I'm not sure which was louder - her crying or the actual fireworks! Finally, she calmed down, still not liking them, but at least realized they weren't going to hurt her. Bless her heart, it was about 2 hours past her bedtime and all she wanted to do was go to sleep - those darn fireworks just kept waking her up! Here are some pictures of our fun day!

Playing in the pool with daddy:

On the way to the fireworks:

What a sweet smile...

Followed by the piggy!

Playing with sweet "W:"



While the fireworks were going - you can see that she's not happy!


Mommy trying to get her to enjoy them...

Back to Daddy, burying her head in his chest!

She finally let us sit down with her to watch the rest of the fireworks:

Let us all remember how truly fortunate we are to live in this great country, with freedoms that some in other parts of the world can only dream of! God Bless America!