Girls Day at the Mall

Hello Evie! 

It's been a busy few days, and even though I really need to do laundry, clean up the kitchen, straighten up the living room, put up dishes, etc., I thought it'd be fun instead to hang out at the mall and just have a girls day! I love pushing you in your stroller around the Galleria. When you were not even two weeks old, it was one of the first things we ever did just you and me. I was on a mad hunt for something for you to wear on St. Patrick's Day! So I guess there is something nostalgic for me about being here with you! 

Shopping at Baby Gap, needed something for your 6 month photo session! 

Your mommy being silly in the elevator...

Oh but this! Completely tuckered out in my arms. You've been asleep for a solid half hour, you didn't even finish your bottle! My chair is wobbly and the seat is hard, but I don't care. You are so sweet and I love this. 

Fun fact: the last time I puked when I was pregnant with you, I had just left the mall to pick up a sugar cookie double doozie and a cherry coke. Guess what I sat here in the food court and are? Ha! 

(After I published this post and woke you up to leave, I thought it'd be fun to stop by the photo booth. It's true, I do totally framing love you!) 

xox-mommy

Selfies.

One of the recent trending stories is that the word "selfie" just officially made its way into the dictionary.

Me and you take a lot of selfies. Here are some of my faves! 

Last week while we were having a lazy afternoon and watching old episodes of The Amazing Race.

Yesterday evening while we were playing on the bed. That smile you gave the camera! Can't get over it.

This morning at the Starbucks in Target, special occasion because it was the return of the much-loved Pumpkin Spice Latte! I didn't like coffee a whole lot while I was pregnant with you, and I remember I even tried to force these down a couple mornings last fall, just for the sake of the season, but I couldn't really get them down! I also got a free one this morning because while I was trying to take this pic, you knocked over the cup! A little bit spilled, and the nice barista gave me a whole new one for free! 

Taken Sunday afternoon after Daddy and I had been in Atlanta all weekend. We missed you so much!! 

At your first Gymboree class a couple weeks ago. You loved that maraca! 

Snuggling with me while you were sick last month.

Snoozing at Kamin's pool last month. Didn't know it yet, but this was when you started getting sick. :( 

Being a bad mom and letting you gnaw on a Popsicle when you were not even 5 months old! It was a Sweet Tea Pop from Steele City Pops, I really couldn't deny you the deliciousness, then I'd REALLY be a bad mom!

Playing on your nursery floor while you enjoyed one of your frozen fruit-sicles!

About to head out for an afternoon on the town. I think we are pretty cool duo, kid!! 

The day the future King George of England was born! I drank my coffee from my royal wedding mug while we watched the coverage on the Today Show. 

One of my favorites from earlier this summer. It's true, I love you very much!! 

Snuggling after a loooong week of freelance photo shoots! It was the same week I turned 29, and I sent you off with Nan a lot during that week so I could get some work done :( I really missed you! Felt so good to be on the other side of that assignment and spend some quality time with my favorite little lady!

We have so much fun together. I cherish all of these little moments with you so much my sweet girl!!

xox-mommy 

Zzzzzz

Hello Evie! 

This is where you just fell asleep. 

On the living room floor, while I'm just sitting here drinking my coffee. I need to finish getting both of us ready for our Gymboree class we have a couple hours from now. But dare I move? How is this even comfortable? You are so silly. 

xox-mommy 

Sitter Upper!

Hello Evie! 

Today, I officially deem you able to sit on your own! We still have some work to do with getting you into sitting position by yourself, but today you sat by yourself for several minutes without my help. You've been working so hard on it for weeks, and tonight Daddy put on a Baby Einstein video for you, and you sat there completely transfixed. Between that and reaching out and holding onto my house shoe (and propping herself up with that arm), it was like you stopped trying so hard and just did it!

Great job baby girl! Your daddy and I are so proud of you, and we love watching you learn and grow! 

Your First Trip!

Hello Evie!

Another really fun first happened this weekend sweet girl! Your dad and I went down to Lake Tuscaloosa with our youth group and spent a couple days away from the city. We all had so much fun, but I don't think anyone loved the lake as much as you!

I bought a little floaty for you, not sure of what you'd think of it. We've played around in the pool before and you were always perfectly happy and content (surprise surprise), but putting you in your own float, well, we weren't sure how that would go. So why tiptoe around the issue? Kid, we popped you into a lake in a full 30+ feet of water. And guess what?

Best $14 we will probably ever spend on you. 

Love this photo of us and you. We couldn't get one of you looking anywhere but at your daddy!

 

The students loved hanging out with you all weekend. Abbi especially held you a lot, and I love this picture of you on the pontoon boat, perfectly happy and snoozing away in her arms. Every time you were in the lake they all swam around you, giving you high fives and fist bumps and seeing how tight you'd squeeze their fingers.

Just a few more cute random pics from our fun weekend...

Playing with my sunglasses Sunday morning:

Back porch sittin':

 

I tried to get you to nap Saturday afternoon, but you sat right up in your bassinet and laughed at me:

 

 

That Saturday night, you went down with a little bit of a fever (extension of the fever virus you had been fighting all week). But you also barely had a chance to nap that day, so slept for 12 hours that night, the entire 2 hour drive home, and another couple hours after we got home, and even still a little more than afternoon! Just love this picture of you zonked out in your crib after we got you home. Your teething gets you all out of sorts, but we had an Open House that afternoon and I had to get you to sleep, so I turned on the vacuum cleaner and you wriggled around in the crib until you fell asleep like this. How did you even get the blanket over your head? You silly girl.

It was such a fun weekend. We made so many sweet memories, and what's really exciting is that this is just the beginning! We have so many adventures ahead of us!

xox-mommy

(PS: Another little video)

Your First Solid Foods!

Hello Evie!

At your 4 month check up, Dr. McCollum gave us the go-ahead to start you on solids! We tried rice cereal for the first time on July 12, and daddy and I had a good laugh at your expense!

(video)

A week later, we all went out to dinner

 

First Time Sick :(

Hello Evie! 

My sweet girl! It's after 4 in the afternoon and you're finally taking a good nap. We've spent a good part of the afternoon at the pediatrician. After spending most of yesterday at the pool, after we got home Dad noticed you felt a little warm. So we took your temp and you had a 101.8 fever! I immediately left a message with the answering service, gave you some Tylenol, and they told me to just watch you and make sure nothing got worse. 

I had to wake you up at 9 this morning, which is very late for you! Well you fussed all day long. It was obvious you just didn't feel good, but you were so cuddly! We snuggled up and watched the Today Show together and had a low key morning. 

All 3 of our thermometers gave me different readings. On top of that, you had a heat rash that not only wasn't going away, but was getting worse. 

Off to the pediatrician we went! 

Your rash got pretty bad and is all over you! 

(Please don't kill me one day for posting these pics!)

Dr. McCollum wasn't in today, so we saw Dr. Stone. He ordered some blood work to make sure your levels weren't too high. 

But after all that fuss, you just have a fever virus. Should clear up in a few days, but it just broke my heart to see you not being your happy smiley self! 

I know there will be many times in your life that I will be taking you to the doctor, but today was the first! I will always be by your side when you don't feel good, and will make you grilled cheese sandwiches and do whatever I have to do to make sure you get better. I love you so much baby girl!! 

xox - mommy

(You woke up as I was finishing up writing this. I brought you back here with me and after some more pitiful fussing, you fell asleep on me and have been like this for almost an hour. You are in such a deep sleep, I really think it's the first time you've been comfortable all day. I'll lay here perfectly still as long as I need to. I love this :)