9 month check-up (last week)

stats:

weight - 20.4 pounds

height - 28.5 inches

healthy, happy and crawling everywhere!!!

this was our last doctor's visit here in cambridge which i'm not terribly sad about. no one compares to dr. fitch in san antonio- that's all i'll say about that! 

{he took a little tumble off the couch the morning of his appointment, explaining the bright red nose and bump on his forehead. i felt like a horrible mother, 

and i think kevin was embarrassed of my lack of parenting skills in front of the doctor.  darn it!}

8 month photo shoot

kevin: out of town (have i mentioned k is out of town? we miss him. yea for tonight!)
ivy: enthralled in mickey mouse clubhouse
me & e: photo-shooting with an actual camera. no more less iPhone pics!

i am not sure of his height and weight (we'll get his next stats at 9 months) 

but i do know that he is back to his uninterrupted 11-12 hours at night.
(plus 2 naps)

can i get a hallelujah! 

firsts this month:

going to target 

(i am pretty sure today was his first trip there. 

insane. 

ivy had been exactly a million times by now.)

last week was my first time being in the car by myself with ivy and eli.

super insane!

(we are usually just in the car on sundays, and kevin with us.)

first time trying sweet potato puree. 

not havin it.

none of it.

the guy only wants a BOTTLE.

at all times.

ivy said sweetly to eli today: "how's your bottle, buddy? good?"

hahahaha. 

first time pulling himself up to a standing position. 

(holding something of course)

first easter!

first time eating puffs.

loves em.

(the one exception to his bottle)

first time flipping out of his bouncer. 

this never happened to ives, but he's done it 3 or 4 times...

poor thing.

first time in the park swing!!! 

it is soooo cute.

he holds on with both hands. 

oh it's so cute.

he's our little buddy and we love him so! 

eli boy

eli is sooo giggly right now! he thinks everything we say and do is hilarious. he's such a sweetheart, and so easy. he will stroll for miles! the past few days he sat in the stroller while ivy played at the park, then we strolled to lunch, all during lunch, and on and on. i mean like hours! when your first child hated the sight of a stroller/car seat/anything inhibiting, you seriously appreciate it. he also gives the best hugs, putting his chubby hands around our necks and holding tight. he sits up on his own, and enjoys playing with anything ivy brings him. ivy has mastered "the trade". she knows not to take a toy away from him, and that she needs to give him something else if she wants what he has. so she'll swap toys with him and say "oh thank you! mom - eli sharing with me!" really she's just taking advantage of the fact that he has no idea what's goin on. she's a clever one! she loves to hold him, tell him to hush, tell him he's so silly, play peek-a-boo which cracks him up, ask him "eli boy, what so funny about?" haha. he goes with it. her, me, us, strolls, car rides, whatever.  i just love him. he's in such a fun stage right now. not a fragile newborn, not yet a toddler... just perfectly in between.

happy 7 months! (a couple weeks late)

5 months

5 things:

1. no longer the baby of the family.... olive's taking over.
that was a short little run, but he's still the only boy!
maybe he'll get a friend in june.

2. he sleeps in gramma's closet... 8pm - 10am straight yesterday. but sometimes he gets up for a 5am feeding.

3.he plays in the exersaucer, the swing, the bumbo, but his favorite is to hang in someone's arms. he has the funniest look on his face (mouth open, basically expression-less) and just hangs, taking it all in. (there's a lot to take in).

4. he takes a bath in the bumbo in the sink in the laundry room. i realllly wish i had a huge sink to bathe my kids in at home. maybe one day...

5. nicknames include tank, moose, honeybun.... and ivy calls him "baby eli" (sounds like ee-yi).  but sometimes when he has a dirty diaper or he's fussing she'll say "eli james!"  haha.

4 months

(technically on the 10th....but we had his appt today.)

photo fun in the doc's office.

stats: 17 lbs, 26 inches. 90%

i love you eli!

you're sweeter, fatter, happier and cuter than ever.

mmwwaaa!

3 months

and growing like a weed. those cheeks!!!

tidbits:

--sleeping 12 hours (same as last month)

--eating all day every day. i really should write it down because it's pretty amazing.

--wearing size 3-6 months in clothes, size 3 diapers

--went on a little trip this month to houston for esther's birthday! slept the whole 4-hr flight snug as a bug in a bjorn.

--he started wearing shoes which is the cutest thing. call me crazy, but i like boys shoes more than girls. at least for babies. (ivy didn't have shoes til she was one and walking!)

--still most definitely favors kevin's dad

--he sucks his thumb with his pointer over his nose. so cute!

--he has yet to sit his royal hiney in a stroller. he'd probably love it, the bjorn just works better for us right now (by us i mean me)

--likes to swing in the mornings, nap in the afternoon and be held in the evenings

--he smiles every time someone looks at him in his adorable squinty way. (he is probably happy to be getting any attention - ivy steals a lot!)

--still enjoying his night time bath (again, probably loving the attention) and i bet he could just sit in the sink all evening. i think it's so funny i have to clean between the rolls in the PALM OF HIS HAND -- who has rolls there??

--he really is a happy, sweet sweet baby. he never has a "fussy time" and only cries if he's hungry.

--if i had to describe him in three words: mellow, chubby, content.

--he loves his momma and his momma loves him :)

two months

two month stats:

height: 24 1/4 inches 90%

weight: 14 pounds, 3 ounces 90%

sleeping 10-12 hours w/one feeding around 3, or none at all.

(majorly shocking improvement!)

you're smiling more and more in your cute squinty way.

of course i just love it.

other than that i must say you are pretty mellow.

and i love that too.

thanks for being you. thanks for being ours!

ivy's first birthday: menu, cake and favors

the menu:

cheddar scones with pork tenderloin

summer salad

{greens with red onions, oranges, strawberries, cayenne pecans, bleu cheese and balsamic vinaigrette}
vegetable and pasta salad

{artichoke hearts, asparagus, carrots, red peppers and pasta with garlic dressing}

yeast rolls

{with strawberry butter}

food by elizabeth swift.

the cake:

i baked a buttermilk poppyseed cake for ivy on the afternoon of her birthday. i take back what i said about the party hats - this was my favorite thing i did. it was important to me to make it myself, and although it wasn't as beautiful as a professional would've come up with, it was special to me, and i loved preparing my daughter's first sweet! i used the same cream cheese frosting i made for the coconut cupcakes, only i had gen make it pale pink. i dusted on a powdered sugar bird {used from the bird template card stock}, stuck in one tall white candle and there it was! ivy's first birthday cake :) it was served with blue bell strawberry ice cream.

more desserts:

coconut cupcakes, frosted brownies, popcorn, grandma's roll out hearts, mini chocolate pecan tarts (for kevin's bday), and bird cookies.

etc:

happy birthday ivy!

i love you from the bottom of my heart.