The Dallas Arboretum, Take 2

I haven't had much time to post recently.  As I mentioned, my roommate (from college) Amanda and her boyfriend Hieu came to visit last week.  They were here from Monday afternoon until Saturday afternoon.  It was packed with lots of food and fun. 

On Tuesday we took them to the Dallas Arboretum.  I didn't mention it in my last post about the Arboretum, but you can get free tickets if you stop by a Dallas Rec Center.  Totally worth it!  It covers parking too.

Olivia in her castle

Hieu riding the armadillo

Ok, so this isn't the most flattering picture, but it's funny.  It was super hot the day we went. It got up into the 90's and we walked around the place for a couple of hours.  (I changed Olivia into a sun dress soon after getting her pumpkin shots.)  We stopped at a water feature for a bit.  Hieu was taking pictures and Amanda was dipping her feet in the water.  Olivia had just woken up from her nap.  We decided to dip her feet into the water.  Even though it was hot outside, the water was cold.  She screamed bloody murder the minute her feet grazed the water.  I pulled her away so fast that Michael didn't even get the picture.  He did, however, get the reaction! :)

I'll try to get Halloween pictures up tomorrow and then more pictures of our fun week to come.

Wordless Wednesday--Chill

(Breaking the wordless rule--Yes, that's spit up on her pants/shirt...despite the bib. What can we do.)

4 Month Loves

Yes.  I changed the title.  I felt guilty calling these lists "must haves".  They aren't must haves.  They are just things we are blessed to have and are loving.

I don't have quite as many items this time around.  We haven't moved into the next phase yet.  We are just getting there.  She doesn't use teethers (as much as I'd like her to try).  She doesn't grab things yet or play with any toys.  We are still using the swing, the bouncer, and the play mat.  I think there will be lots of fun things next month! :)

Bottle Labels

I loved these when I saw them on a blog--long before I was even pregnant.  Right now we are only using them for the church nursery.  I don't think they'd mix up a bottle at this point, but you never know.  Plus, since Olivia takes special formula it makes me feel better.  I like that it can grow with her.

Bumbo Baby Sitter

We've been using the bumbo for a little while now.  Olivia did not love it at first.  She would sit for a few minutes and then would just be done.  I kept at it though.  It has been really good for her head and neck support.  Plus, she loves to sit up in general, so it works.  I hope to use this more and for longer periods of time soon.

Munchkin Stroller Hooks

We have two of these.  I would probably never have bought them or registered for them or whatever, but Michael wanted them.  We have yet to use them on the stroller, but we carry our groceries in with them.  It makes it so nice and easy.  We can usually get everything in one trip this way.  Every time we use them Michael says something about how he loves them or how they were worth the money or how he's so glad we got them. :)

Bibs

 I know I said this in my 1 month post, but we are back at it.  We originally just got a ten pack of cheap ones at Babies R Us for the puke.  We are now using them for drool.  We just had to go out and get a bunch more.  She is soaking about 4 a day.  I made sure to get cute ones this time.  It's so sad that her cute little outfits have to be covered by bibs. :)

White Noise Machine

We already had this.  Michael needed it.  We now use it for Olivia too.  We use it at night and for naps.  I think it really helps.  I've read multiple places that you should use a white noise machine for a baby because it sounds like the womb.  I also like that it drowns out the noise of the rest of the house.  We will be (attempting to) moving her to her own room/crib this next week.  I plan on using music as background noise then.  If that doesn't work, we may be purchasing another one of these guys. :)

You can check out months 1, 2, and 3 here if you missed them.

Four Months!

Olivia Grace, you are four months old!

(NOTE:Once again, my child was not interested in getting her picture taken.)
 

What have you been up to?

*You are in size 2 diapers.

*You are wearing size 3 to 6 month clothes.  I moved you up because your 0 to 3 month clothes were summer clothes.  The 3 to 6 are a little big on you, but they work alright.

*You are taking 6 to 7 bottles a day.  Most of them are 6 to 6 1/2 ounces.  I was hoping to drop a bottle when I upped the ounces, but that didn't happen.

*I don't know how much you weigh.  We will go for your 4 month appointment on November 1st.  Daddy tried weighing you on our scale (weighing himself first, then holding you) and it says you are 17 pounds.  I'm not sure if I trust it. I think you might be a little more.

(Bored with this photo shoot!)

*I'm also anxious to find out how long you are.  People are making comments all the time on your length and size.  I don't think you are going to make it until Christmas in your current car seat. 

*You continue to drool all over, shove your hands in your mouth, and try to gnaw on your bib.  I've checked for teeth.  None yet.

 (You can see--she's almost outgrowing her swing, even though she hasn't met the weight limit yet.)

*You gag yourself often when trying to jam your fingers in your mouth.  Silly girl.

*You have very strong legs and kick often.  You like to stand as well.

*You don't use your hands yet for grasping things, but you are getting close.

*You are still not on a schedule.  After mommy's friend leaves we are working on this!

*If I let you nap on me, you will sleep anywhere from 1 and 1/2 to 3 hours.  If I put you in your bed for nap, it is 45 minutes like clock work.

*You still wake up in the middle of the night to eat.  You can stop that at any time. ;)

(Someone got an early Christmas present from Grandma!  Love the chair!)

*Your hair is getting lighter and lighter.  It has a red tone to it.  Enough so that strangers sometimes comment on it.

*Your eyes seem to be getting bluer and bluer.

*You rolled over from your tummy to your back for the first time on October 3rd.  You did it again the next day, but haven't done it since.

*You will stay on your tummy for quite some time during tummy time, but you still don't lift your head up very high.  You like to just lay and suck on your hands instead.

*You have started hating bath time.  We don't know what changed.  You use to love it.  Now you spend half the time screaming.

*You've started arching your back when you don't want to sit in things--your car seat, your bouncer, your swing.  I'm not a fan.

*Daddy's nickname for you is squiggle bug because you are always squirming around.

*You are "talking" more and more and we love it.

*You LOVE music.  (I'm sure all babies do.)  My new favorite thing that you do is "sing".  I sing "This is the day that the Lord has made" to you every morning.  You can be as quiet as quiet can be, and when I start singing you join it.  It's softer and more drawn out that your talking.  You do this most times I sing to you, but you seem to like some songs more than others.  You sing in the car too.  Once, the radio was on and it was commercial after commercial.  I switched to your Praise Baby C.D. and you immediately started singing.  When I turned it down, you stopped.  You started again when I turned it back up.  So cute.

*You also love to watch the TV.  I don't really want you watching TV, but daddy lets you sometimes.  You are fascinated by it.  You'll even crane your neck around to try to see it.

*Daddy carried you around in the Baby K'tan and you really enjoyed it.  He enjoyed it too and will probably be doing it more often.

*You are generally a pretty happy and content baby.  However, when you get mad--you. get. MAD.

*Your favorite things right now are: singing with mommy, your fisher price rainforest bouncer, reading books with daddy, and toys that light up or play music.

HAPPY FOUR MONTHS BABY GIRL!

WE LOVE YOU!!

Library Story Time

We took Olivia to her first library story time this last week.  I wasn't planning on going so soon, but I read all sorts of reviews from people who took their 4 month old to Gymboree classes and they loved it.  Classes aren't currently in the budget.  Plus, since we aren't on a set schedule, I didn't want to pay for something and have her sleep through it.  Hence, story time was the next best option.

There were songs, hand motions, a puppet, sign language, toys, and a story.  We think she really enjoyed it.  She spent the whole time checking everyone and everything out.

Typical...

This look pretty much sums it up! :)

It was daddy's first story time too.

We will definitely be returning!

Friday Flashback--Friendship

13 years ago I traveled across a few states to start the grand adventure known as college.  I didn't know what to expect, but I was pretty sure of two things: 1) I was going to get a degree in Elementary Education and 2) I was going to make some new friends.  I had no idea how amazing those friends would be!  Going to Evangel University was one of the best decisions I have made.  Even though I am still paying for it to this day, I wouldn't change a thing.  I loved my time there.  One thing that made my time there so great was my roommate Amanda.

We didn't live together at first.  We did, however, live on the same floor.  For whatever reason, we didn't even like each other at first.  Then through a weird turn of events we bonded over getting our cartilage pierced at the mall.  We both had CUH-razy roommates.  That also bonded us.  Moving mid year was rare, but when her roommate moved out at the end of the semester, we jumped at the chance for me to move in with her.  We spent the next three and a half years as besties and roommates.

It's odd how well we get along.  We are sooooo different.

She...is a brunnette

I...am a blonde (yes, naturally)

She...admittedly crushed on geeky guys

I...thought they were geeks

 

She...says "wooder"

I... say water

 She...came to college never having had a job

I...started working at age 13

She...is a city girl--and will call out anyone who says they live in Philadelphia, but really grew up in the fancy pants suburbs

I...(while growing up in the city limits) am a suburbs type

She...is a fan of art

I...don't get it

 We grew up very differently.  Not that one was right and one was wrong--just different.

She...salts her food before even trying it

I...never salt food.  Never.

She...knows everything there is to know about pop culture, movies, music, current slang

I...am clueless

She...is passionate about social work and helping the homeless.

I...could never

I...am passionate about teaching and working with kids

She...could never

We have a very different sense of humor.

She...is unbelievably generous.  She gets it from her parents.

I... am not so much. :(  I'll leave it at that.

Her accent is east coast.  My accent is midwest.  When we get together, I start talking like her and she starts talking like me and it turns into our own Beth-anda accent.

She...is a democrat.

I...am a republican.

(We have a rule not to discuss politics!:)

She...went to a college class once wearing: boxers with red and orange tomatoes on them, a men's navy blue plaid shirt over a t-shirt, and brown fuzzy socks with white "shell tops".

I...wouldn't be caught dead in that outfit, or any other that didn't match! :)

(This is how she picked me up at the airport when I went to visit.  Yep.  Even with her pajama pants peeking out the bottom.)

 

She...grew up taking public transportation any and everywhere, including school.

I...wasn't allowed to take public transportation.

She...is a rule breaker.

I...am a fierce follower of the rules.

 

But even with all our differences, we remain the best of friends.  We use to say we were "two bodies, one mind".  We can go forever and not talk and then call and pick up right where we left off.  We get along so well because we have the same basic values.  We are loyal to the core.  We appreciate social etiquette and are baffled by those who do not follow it.  We can agree to disagree and appreciate our differences.  We will always have each other's back.  We are best friends.

She's coming to visit next week and I can't wait.  I love you Amanda!