Monthly Update {5 months}

Lilly Rose,

You are growing so fast! This past month was wonderful. You are learning and doing more each day. Here's a little of what you were up to this past month:

--You like to talk and still blow bubbles.

--You still love your hands; you hold them a lot and usually have them in your mouth.

--Started eating food, you like all foods so far (sweet potato, squash, sweet peas, green beans, pears, peaches (2nd try you took to them), banana's and apples. you enjoy your rice cereal too.)

--We are still breast feeding but you definitely like your 5oz bottles twice a day.

--This month you grabbed your toes for the first time (actually at the doctors office in front of Dr. Baker)

--Roll from side to side

--Giggling with mama - this is soo sweet. I love to hear you giggle, we do laugh a lot.

--Your Sophie Giraffe - we take her everywhere we go to keep you company.

--Just before you turned 5 months old you rolled from front to back. You haven't rolled again except one or two times since, you don't like to be put on your tummy much.

--Your favorite songs are 'Itsy bitsy spider' and 'This little light of mine' - you literally light up when we sing those to you.

You have been such a joy and becoming a really pleasant baby this past month. Yaya says it is because you can finally have FOOD, maybe so. Either way, we are glad that you don't cry as much and you laugh more. We get lots of smiles from you, they melt my heart!! I can't wait to see what you learn to do this month. We love you so much Lilly Rose!

Stats:

(about the same as last month)

12 lb, 24 in long

Clothes - some newborn, 0-3 & 6mo in PJs

Diapers - size 1

Very active - standing is still your favorite

Eyes - still blue, turning a little but can't make out what they will be just yet

Oh, Beryl {Lilly's first storm}

We survived our first tropical storm with a baby in the house. Actually, it was quite a pleasant storm here at the Bird house. We did get a lot of much needed rain, really high winds but thankfully we didn't lose our power (a lot of people did) and there's no big mess to clean up outside. I guess that's the only perk of not having a lot of trees in your yard (I wish we had more trees until a storm comes through town).

Playing through the storm

The BEST part...the storm provided wonderful sleeping weather. I put Lilly down around 9:45 last night and the winds were so loud I really thought I would have a sleepless night. My girl proved me wrong and slept right through it until (are you ready...) 8:30! I haven't seen 8:30AM (nor PM for that matter) in my bed in a very very long time. It was so great! I greeted my girl in her crib and she was all smiles. I just love my happy morning baby.

I'm very thankful we didn't need to use our flashlights and there was no damage. Looks like we'll have a rainy week though. Today, the storm has downgraded to a tropical depression so there is not much sunshine in our future at the moment. Probably a great excuse to stay in doors and clean out a closet or two...and PLAY!

First Pool Visit {5 months old}

Lilly Rose turned 5 months old this week! It really seems like just a week ago, maybe 2, that we were in the hospital admiring our new bundle of joy. I keep reminding myself to take in each little moment (tears and all) and I'm trying not to blink. I'll have to do her monthly update post but for now I just have enough time to share some pictures I snapped with my camera phone at the pool.

After dinner a couple nights ago Billy suggested a visit to the pool. It sounded perfect! The sun was going down and the weather was just right, not too muggy. We wanted to see if Lilly Rose had any reaction to the pool we hope to be spending many (many!) days at this summer. I really do hope she's a water baby. She really enjoys bath time so maybe that's a good sign.

Here's our girl getting her toes wet in the kiddie pool... no reaction. She didn't smile much but didn't fuss either. She just seemed to be taking it all in.

Billy decided to jump in and do some laps so Lilly Rose and I sat on the side and watched. I am really looking forward to this summer. We have so many things planned and Lilly is getting just big enough to do more and more with. It's my first summer not working since graduating college, 10 years ago --- that makes me feel very old typing that, so I'm really looking forward to the days ahead with my girl!!

Food {oh, so tasty!}

We have a little foodie on our hands. Lilly Rose enjoys lunch and dinner time so much more now that we've broadened her selections. No longer does our baby girl just enjoy milk, she loves many different foods. We started with rice cereal and peaches (after I consulted with Dr. Baker on fruits vs. veggies and there is no evidence to back up the "bad to begin with a fruit" theory).

Since her first meal was a lunch we gave her rice cereal and peaches. Lilly did not love the peaches but I was curious to know if it was just because it was her first try at food. She made many different faces and the meal ended with tears. So, we tried peaches again this week and she loves them! So far she has enjoyed: rice cereal, peaches, apples, pears, squash, sweet potato and green beans. I'm very proud of my fruit and veggie eating girl. :) Lilly likes to make "mmmmm" noises in between bites and when I ask her if it's good, she replies with a big messy smile. I always thought I'd be the OCD mom that has to wipe her kids face in between each bite but I've come around to the thought of 'who the heck cares'!? I mean really, there's no keeping it clean while feeding this busy baby food. I figure if 90% of it makes it into her tummy, she's happy and I just have a small mess to clean afterwards then it was a successful meal. Who am I!? ;)

Very first taste of food, not sure about it!

Like I said, the peaches ended in tears...

Sweet Potato, she really loved it...

This is serious business, back off Oliver!

Poor Oliver, he has no chance at the moment. I'm sure once she starts dropping her food he'll grow to appreciate meal time...and Lilly will have found herself a new best friend!

Mother's Day {celebratory weekend}

This weekend we celebrated our moms, Billy and I have wonderful mothers. Today, we celebrated my first Mother's Day. I'm ever so grateful for the blessing God gave us in our sweet Lilly Rose. Last Mother's Day just one year ago we shared the news with our parents that we were expecting. Today, I was able to hold and love on that baby girl. I would travel that difficult road again if I knew it would lead me to the honor of mothering my Lilly.

Saturday evening after dinner out...my choice (Cracker Barrel. I'm SO fancy!), we headed to GA to spend a little time with each of our mamma's. I'm so appreciative of my mom and thankful for who she is. Lilly Rose was spoiled with sugar from BOTH grandparents in one day.  

This morning I woke up to my Mother's Day gifts, cards from my favorite people (even one from Oliver!) and lots of hugs. Billy asked me the night before what I wanted to do today, I said, "relax". So, after church we picked up lunch and did just that...relaxed! Lilly is still napping, what a great gift! ;) I'm looking forward to planting my beautiful flowers sometime this week.

Family Dates {20 weeks}

Lately, we decided it was just necessary to have a family date at least once a week. I think it's good for the 3 of us to get out and about (doing things we did pre-Lilly). The first few months was just hard, not going to lie, hard. Lilly Rose is an excellent night sleeper but aside from that beautiful gift of sleeping through the night since 5 weeks old...the days were rough. Once we made it to the 4 month mark she is just more pleasant and much easier to pick up and go with...so that's what we do. It's cute to see her little personality begin to develop. Lilly is so entertained and curious when we are on our little dates...until she falls asleep from strolling. I really think she is going to keep me on my toes and be a busy child.  Here's a few pictures from two of our favorite spots: Fernandina (local and friendly) and the Town Center (shopping!).

Last night we went out but I totally forgot to take pictures. Here's one of us after I had already removed the shoes and hair bow...

Lilly had a 'day with daddy' while I was out shopping with my mom and the girls yesterday... I think she missed me because I received lots of these big smiles last night. Love, love, love this baby!

The Roll Over {19 weeks}

Lilly Rose just rolled over for her first time (back to front). She was so proud looking when I asked her what she did. I was sitting next to her without a camera so I ran to the next room to grab my phone...

New Best Friend {18.5 weeks}

Lilly's latest favorite pastime, Sophie the Giraffe, who joined our family a couple weeks ago during a shopping trip. However, I'm still debating a name change. Our sweet Sophie Mae that lives with Papa & Yaya has the same name and it's added confusion to the conversation when 'Sophie' is mentioned. Mainly the confusion is an issue for Oliver... Poor guy loves both Sophies and neither one want anything to do with him. :) Lilly enjoys playing with her giraffe and giving it tons of that sweet sugar.