Lainey Lou ~ Months 6 and 7

Uhm for real, I don't know how I have a 7 month old. I'm sure after these repetitive posts you're probably like Katie, a month went by and she got older ... that's pretty obvious. But for realsies. How?!

You can check out Lainey's growth in these previous posts:

Lainey Lou ~ A Birth Story
Lainey Lou ~ Month 1
Lainey Lou ~ Month 2
Lainey Lou ~ Month 3
Lainey Lou ~ Month 4

Lainey Lou ~ Month 5

I *ahem, coughs* had a little bit going on last month and didn't do a 6 month write up ... or pictures ... RATS! So I'm combing months 6 (5.1.16)and 7 (6.1.16) for a collective post to make sure I bring you up to date on all things little Lousie (that's our current favorite nickname btw). 

This is your current signature Lainey face. Tongue pointed and curled up onto your upper lip. I think you get this from you PaPaw because he does this face too .. mostly while writing or thinking really hard.

You're rolling everywhere! And so determined to get anything that is near you. You haven't figured out how to crawl just yet, but it's certainly on the horizon.

 You most definitely know your name and look up immediately when someone talks to you.

 And your big blue eyed brother is one of your favorite people, and was my assistant photog while we snapped some pics. Bennett will be 3 at the end of this month.

You are teething out the wazoo and at the "I put absolutely EVERYTHING in my mouth" stage.

 And your smiley personality continues to be a part of our everyday shenanigans.

 You're sitting up all by yourself and it has brought a whole new world of fun for you!

 Your giggle is too much to handle. The sweetest.

 And your chunky thighs are my favorite.

 And at the end of the day, we love you even more than we did in the morning. Every time.

Here's what else is happening in your world lady ...

How Big Are You?
Your 6 month well visit, with shots, was 5.3.16 - your daddy took you to your checkup for the first time because I was a little laid up ... and you're growing little miss! You've got some adorable little chunky monkey thigh rolls and your cheeks are the squishiest! You are certainly bigger than your brother was at this age :) and that makes me smile.

• Weight: 16 pounds 3 oz ~ 55%
• Height: 27.25 inches ~ 95%
• Head: 17.25 ~ 90%

You've officially grown out of all of your 6 month sleepers and thankfully while GoGo was here she bought you tons of 6-9 month clothes so you're not wearing all of your brother's hand-me-downs. Someone remind me again why I decided not to find out Lainey was a girl?! Why did I not realize how nice it was to get clothes as gifts when they are growing so fast?! At least she doesn't mind being nakey baby :)

What's Your Temperament?

Girlfriend I have no doubt you are going to make waves as you get older. You are the brightest happiest little nugget as long as you are fed and moving 24/7. You come by it honestly so I can't say much about that.  You currently are cutting your first teeth, and trying SO HARD to crawl - so you are a bit frustrated because you just want to move! But your walker and bouncy help a little bit. Plus, since you've graduated to the high chair and puffs and mum mums are in order that seems to ease your gums a little and makes you a happy camper.

You have yet to meet a stranger and smile at just about everyone. You will let just about anyone hold you too. To say you are a social butterfly is putting it lightly. You do not miss a beat and make sure to insert yourself in every conversation. When you start to get sleepy you get so vocal and you love to be heard! Your giggle is here and here to stay! And that brother of yours keeps you laughing all day. Sometimes it's hard for adults to get a rise out of you, but if your brother or Maggie enter the room you are locked in.

You continue to LOVE your hands. You like to suck your thumb and you like to put your hands in your mouth constantly. Feeding you can still be a bit of a challenge because your hands and your bib make it to your mouth before we can finagle the spoon in there. But your pincher grasp is further developing and you're enjoying learning to feed yourself too by picking up small bites from the tray.

What Are You Eating?

This department has TOTALLY changed. You're eating 2-3 bottles a day (always a morning and nighttime bottle and an occasionally midday bottle) and 3 meals a day plus snacks. You're a piggy and we love it. We've introduced you to almost everything and you're doing great. You are such a good eater and really there aren't many foods you don't like. The only one we've noticed a little problem (allergy we think) is mangoes. But other than that you're doing great. 

Food schedule is currently:

• You eat an 8oz bottle when you wake up in the morning
• breakfast - usually a scrambled egg and yogurt, 
• lunch - a mashed up banana with peanut butter and a pouch of food, 
• a midday bottle, and often small fruits, 
• table food or 1-2 pouches of food for dinner, 
• and then you have a nighttime bottle before bed and sometimes only eat a couple of ounces before snoozing off to dreamland.

What Are you Sporting?

You've graduated to #3 diapers and still Pamper's people. We also had to start adding in baby dry diapers for nighttime because you were soaking through your diaper and your clothes and sleep sack mid-way through the night. Those have kept things much better!

You've certainly grown out of all of your clothes and you're rocking some 6 month items, but mostly 6-9 or 9 month clothes. You still rarely wear shoes, but mainly because I'm too lazy to add another item to what we need before we hustle out the door. You've got so many cute pair though that we need to start adding them in before you grow out of them.

How Are You Sleeping?

You're still rocking sleep, but we've dealt with some sleep-regression and battle lots of early mornings with you. I think your brain is just developing so quickly that you're starting to dream and wake yourself up. But you're often up well before 6 am and eager to start the day!

You're wearing a sleep slack at night and you are a belly sleeper through and through.  We lay you down on your back in hopes you'll stay that way but within minutes you roll over and you're knocked on your belly. 

Your routine goes a little something like this (it can vary plus or minus an hour depending on the day ... but this is pretty close):
6:00am wake up - so happy and smiley - 8 oz bottle
8:00am - nap in crib 1.5 hours
9:30am - breakfast (yogurt, scrambled egg, banana, etc)
12:00pm - nap (in crib if at home or often in pack and play, car, etc) about 45 min - 1.5 hours
1:00pm - lunch (baby food, banana and peanut butter, small cut up berries/veggies, etc)

3:00pm - 4 oz bottle (if needed, or puff snack)
4:00pm - cat nap while hanging out with everyone
5:30-6pm - dinner - 1-2 pouches of baby food or table food if possible
7:30pm - bath time, pj's, sleep sack
8pm - bedtime - 8 oz bottle - sleep in your crib

Lainey Likes + Dislikes:

Dislikes:

• When the food is all gone :(
• Being in one spot for too long
• Not being part of the action
• Post bath/pre-bedtime bottle - she is hungry and sleepy

Likes:

• Your devices :) walker, jumperoo, etc
• Your thumb when you are tired. Bah I need to break that habit.
• Food! Oh my does this girl like her food. 
• Bath time/the pool
• Being talked to and played with
• Your hands!
• Your play gym!
• Your big brother, you think he is so funny
• Rolling all over the place
• your princess mirror

Fun Moments, Favorite Notes, Lainey Quirks + Milestones:

Your current official nicknames are Lou, Snowball, Monkey, Lainey Lou, Lousie and Wittle

You are sitting up by yourself

You are eating all of your meals in your highchair and ate at your first restaurant highchair meal

You rode in the grocery cart without your car-seat and thought it was the best thing ever

 And then in true big brother fashion, he made fun of you for chewing on your chew toys :)

You survived your first parent's out of town vacay.

You swam in the pool (and loved it)!!!

You are without a doubt a daddy's girl (or as we call you, per Bennett, "a daddy's grill") and you're just the sweetest little to have around!

And that's a little update of what's been going on these past two months with our sweet Lainey Gal! Being your mommy is the greatest! Love ya monkey.

Updated Spaces

Two months on bed rest will make a girl crazy I tell you. And even more crazy when you're a gal like me that is not necessarily in love with new things, but updated things. I'm forever wanting to rearrange furniture, update pictures in frames, remove or add shelving to a space, etc. Like while I'm all laid up on the couch I'm thinking, that dust bunny just doesn't look good there ... maybe it would look better under the other couch or something? Haha. But seriously, I do not need or want new things per say, but I love the challenge of taking things you already have or adding small pieces to a room and giving them new life. Like my old chest I refurbed for Lainey's nursery, that type of stuff.

Now don't get me wrong, I like new things too and ironically the two items in this post are both new (or new to us), but usually flea market type settings and refinishing things are my jam. It gives me a creative outlet and it's just something I've really grown to love. That being said, being at home and seeing my furniture and everything in my house stay in the same place, or staring at the table I'd been wanting to replace day in and day out ... made the 10% wanting to maybe do it, turn into 95% wanting to do it. Because there wasn't much to distract me from thinking about it. So, while I'm still working on a few projects to complete. Two are checked off the list entirely and I want to share them with you!

First, and guys, I'm not even sure I'm physically capable of saying it out loud yet, in fear I may burst into tears, but we're about to a three year old living under our roof <insert "how in the world did that happen comment" here>. That being said, three year old boys are their own breed. And they are very different than one year old and even two year old boys. And furthermore, so are their wants and needs. Our little almost three year old would FLIP out every time he saw bunk beds and wanted his very own "just like peppa pig!"

Hubs and I went back and forth constantly, if we were going to pull the trigger and get him a big boy bed or just let it be. And furthermore did we really want to spend the money on a bed?! Why is furniture so expensive?!?! Whyyyy. So, when I was perusing on a local resale group here in Nashville I am a part of and saw a set of nice bunk beds for a good price, I was able to petition for the beds with a pretty good argument in my pocket. AND, when the lady selling the beds agreed she would pay to have a delivery service disassemble the beds at her house, load them up, deliver them to mine, and reassemble them we were sold. And just like that we said goodbye to Bennett's crib (it seems like it was yesterday I was typing this post about making a decision on his furniture) that had been converted to a toddler bed. A final farewell one of BUB's last "baby" items ... (sniffle, tear...)

Before the movers arrived later that day we loaded up the car and headed to the local mattress store and bought some updated mattresses for King Bennett. We let him think he picked out his own bed, but in reality he chose one of the priciest mattresses in the store and that wasn't gonna happen - so that'll be our little secret.

And we came home to replace that crib with our boy's bunk bed dream. His smile lets me know it was a good call. And it makes it a little easier to stomach the fact that he's growing up regardless of the fact that I constantly tell him to stop. But he's proud, and has made the transition like a champ. So we carry on and keep climbing up ... literally, every night we climb up!

 He was so excited ... THANK YOU DADDY, THANK YOU! Bless his little heart, I love him so.

 Lainey was into it too :)

 All tucked in for his first night! (Hi, I'm the mom that swore my child wouldn't have a paci passed age two. Welp, at least he's in a big boy bed? HA!)

 These boys ya'll. Bedtime is their time. They read, they giggle, they tickle, they play boy games. All the things. And it warms my heart.

 And I often help with nighttime prayers, lots of kisses and THE BIGGEST kiss. That's mine and B's thing and it's special to me. Having a "thing" with your kids is fun. It's like being a part of a secret club and that was cool when I was 10 and it's still cool now. So there he is, our big boy in his big boy bed!

The second item due for an update took place outside the house.  While my parents were still here helping man the fort while hubs and I spent a lot of time at the hospital or in recovery - we all agreed patio furniture was a necessity. Bennett is FOREVER playing outside, and I need to be sitting a good amount of time for a while and our patio is overrun with toys because there is nothing else in their place. We'd gone four seasons without it and it was time to pull the trigger.

Long story short, I fell in love with a set but couldn't rationalize the dollar amount (again with the furniture prices, grrrr) so we continued to wait while I internally struggled with whether or not I could justify the purchase. When low and behold my parents came back down for the weekend and showed up with a truck bed full of patio furniture. SCORE! Problem solved. Mom and Dad to the rescue, again. Which left me faced with an even bigger problem, what color should the throw pillows be?!!!? (gasp! kidding. kind of.) So here's a little looksie at the new space.

Moreover, those toys that were taking over the backyard also needed a new space to live, so my dad also loaded up this awesome new shed he has his builder make me and I love it. We had some of Shane's buddies come over and haul it from the front the back yard (holy heavy) and then my dad set me up a nice little spot in the backyard so I could help him paint it ... I was technically still following bed-rest orders :) I sat mostly the entire time and only used my arms. (hehe, wink wink)

And the last little lovely addition to the outside was hanging my Mother's Day swing on our Magnolia tree and letting little man break it in. Small updated space make me happy.

And, the nearly three year old's birthday party guests will actually have a place to sit when they come to celebrate the little guy and that makes me happy too!

There was a time...

There was a time ... when I had so much free time I would come to this little space to simply tell you about all of the things I wanted (that link is a good example of what I'm talking about, ha). Things like jewelry, vacations, wine, etc. to name a few.  I would even embellish said posts with fancy polyvore picture boards and tons of links. I would write those posts while I was taking a lunch break at work and had some time to myself (after having all day to myself at work, ha! to think back on that now...).

Two weeks ago I had all the time in the world to sit and blog if I wanted to and yet the words simply wouldn't come. And the thought of making those little boards and finding things I wanted more than MORE time with my family, sounded nothing short of daunting and foolish. So instead I spent that time trying to determine what movie on Netflix was actually worth spending my 100th hour of TV watching, while hanging with my family, it was the best win/win I could justify since I couldn't move. Life's funny in that way.

However, today I'm here because I'm getting back at it y'all. Day by day. Everyday I'm getting stronger. Everyday I am getting back on my feet and putting more effort into doing the normal things that make me who I am and bring me and my family joy. Everyday I'm finding my time, and making my time. And one of those things I enjoy spending time on is this little space. I LOVE it. I don't even care if no one but me reads it. I love having a small little nook all of my own to decorate, embellish and share as much or as little as I want and I can always have it. It's me. Everything from my marriage, to my kiddos, to my style, to my food, to my struggles, and to the ridiculousness that is my life.

I have SO MUCH I want to share on this blog. So much to document for my own memories. Tons of pictures I'm bursting at the seams to upload. Designs that have been swirling in my mind for weeks. A little business that as taken such a backseat to everything. Projects I have been putting off. So much to catch up on and here's the ironic thing ... for two months I've played the patient card. And not patient in the sense of having patience, because we all know that ain't my thing. But the actual "patient" card. And the idea that things aren't constantly changing but remaining exactly the same is something I struggle with.  "The help me get this, help me do that, I need you to do this for me. Etc" all of those mindlessly easy tasks of asking someone else to do it, was crushing me. It's not who I am. I wasn't raised that way. It's legitimately not a part of my DNA.  And today that stops. I'm back.

There is A LOT ahead. This is far from over. I will still need help and I'm learning to get better at asking. But the bottom line is, it's time for me to get back to me. I've said it in a few posts before, but today I mean it. I mean it. I mean it. I mean it. I am devoting myself to make the time. And I'm saying it to all of you to help me remind me in case I start to fall off the wagon. I realize I need to still take it slow. I can't jump back in the water doing a cannon ball just yet, but I can get my toes wet and there is no reason to continue to sit in the lounge chair.

We spent the weekend in Hilton Head Island, SC with college friends for a little adult getaway, while one of our best friends got married and often we found ourselves saying, "there was a time when we could have done that" "there was a time we did that" "there was a time I was that kid over there"  Well guess what gang, wake up call. You still are that kid. I'm that kid too ... and I proved it to myself Friday night (*chuckles to self* woah, hey Katie circa 2006 glad to see you again). And you still can do that if you want to. 

So today, all that heaviness and deepness (sorry, blame the post-college friend nostalgia) to tell you I plan to do it. And that means I'm getting back in the blogging saddle too. No more "things are a little too hectic" or "there was a time I would have done that" because I want to do it. And by golly I'm going too. Is your blogger feed ready for this post overload that's headed your way in the next couple of weeks? Because Shane is home for a few days before heading out of town and this momma is handing over the reigns for a little bit and spending some time to share about all of 'the things'. Because it's what I do. It's who I am. And I want to take advantage of that time now ... in all things. Including this silly little online space. We've got lots of Popsicles to be had this summer and lots of baby giggles to soak up ... and I want to make sure I document them all for goodness sakes! It's important to me. 

Plus, let's be honest with ourselves ... there's a two night bachelorette screening coming our way this week ... so, I'd be lying if I said I didn't have the time.