Summer Play Days

We have finally settled down for a few weeks and are enjoying some time at home! We have been gone so much this summer and while I have loved our visits with family it is so great to be home playing with my girl all day long! It is crazy how much she is growing and learning each new day. On July 9th just 6 days after her four month birthday she rolled over. Luckily, we were expecting it to happen any day now so we caught it on video! She was so proud of herself that she decided to roll over about 50 more times that day. Now every time I lay her on her back whether it be in her crib, on her rug, or on her activity mat, she immediately rolls over. So funny! She hasn't mastered rolling back from her stomach to her back but I'm sure she will figure it out real soon. She could stay in her jumper forever and loves to "talk" to her toys. This age is the sweetest.  I could sit all day watching her little mind work hard to figure something out. 

Here are a few pictures of our lazy play days at home. 

Caroline Cate LOVED hitting the summer sales! Already loves to shop with Momma. I have a sneaking suspicion that we are going to get in lots of trouble over the years. But I think this face will get us off the hook easily! 

We had a super fun play date with Dana's sweet twins, Eliza and Hughes! They are eight months old and so stinkin' cute. These faces crack me up. It was way past nap time and the delirium had set in.

We also enjoyed getting some fresh air outside while staying cool in this Mississippi heat. Momma got creative and bought a glorified bathtub pool. Baby girl loves it plus it is super easy to give the dog a bath in. Win-win :) I asked Alan if I was a redneck or a genius for buying a hot pink plastic pool, filling it up with water and putting our baby in it in our driveway. His response: A redneck genius. I'll take that as a compliment! 

I hope you are filling your summer days up with laugher, love and long naps. I know we are! 

4th of July

We spent the 4th of July at beautiful Lake Martin with Alan's family.  We had so much fun and baby girl loved the boat rides! She fell asleep every time the motor started running.  She didn't love being "in" the the water near as much as she loved being "on" the water. There's always next year. I know that her Daddy will make sure that she is a lake baby in no time! 

Grown-ups can play too! 

Sun bathing in her bonnet.

Relaxing on the pontoon.  Love those baby blues. 

sun + water = snoozes 

Our little family 7/4/2015 

After the weekend was over, Alan had to head back home to work so Caroline Cate and I went to Birmingham for a few days to visit.  We had more fun in the sun, and as always, loved staying with my sister and her babies! 

Happy FOUR Months!

Your personality has really started to blossom these past few weeks.  On July 9 you rolled over! After you did it once, you couldn't stop. You probably roll over at least 25 times a day. You will NOT stay on your back when I put you down and it's the cutest thing. Your feet finally touch when you are in your bouncer and you LOVE it. I think you would stay in there all day if I let you.  You have really started reaching and grasping objects and then putting them straight in your mouth. Mommy and Daddy are going to have to watch you like a hawk! We can tell that you love to be on the go and are hardly still for a second, unless you are sleeping. Speaking of sleeping, we finally transitioned you to your crib. We only had one rough night and then you decided it wasn't so bad. The past two nights you have slept 12 hours straight in your crib and we couldn't be more proud of you! You are napping for about 2 hours every afternoon and taking a few cat naps in the morning.  We switched to a hypoallergenic formula because of your consistent fussiness during the day and you are a TOTALLY different baby. You have gone three straight days without crying unless you were hungry or dirty. We think that Mommy's milk was making your tummy hurt. While it is sad to see all my hard work go to waste (i.e 2,000+ ounces of breastmilk in our freezer) I am so so happy that you are not fussing and hurting anymore. You are growing so fast and Momma's heart may burst from thankfulness. 

We love you Caroline Cate! 

100 days old on June 12, 2015...Cousin Will's birthday! 

We stopped by Mommy's work for a visit. Got some sweet lovin' from Dr. Smith! 

Such a big helper in the kitchen 

What's Up Doc?! 4 Month Check-Up

Caroline Cate had her 4 month check up this week. She doesn't turn 4 months old until this Saturday but due to scheduling conflicts her appointment was earlier this week.  She did not love anything about this appointment, especially the shots but she got extra TLC once we got home.  She weighs 12.4 lbs. Petite and perfect.  She is in the 15th percentile for weight, 20th percentile for height, and 45th percentile for head circumference. 

HC: 40.25 cm

Length: 1ft 11.75in

Waiting to see the doctor.  

(Side note: The bubble she is wearing was mine when I was little)

Never quits playing with those hands

Trying her hardest to roll over. She usually gets "stuck" halfway :) 

Selfie with Momma! 

We are so thankful to have a healthy baby! She passed her exam with flying colors. However, she has been increasingly irritable/fussy as of late and she is continuing to spit up (all the time) so we are trying to figure out what the root of the problem is. We have narrowed it down to either GERD or cow's milk allergy. I'm really hoping that it is GERD because we just bought a deep freezer to store all the excess milk that I have made for her to take once I stop pumping. If it is a milk allergy I will proudly donate my milk to anyone who needs it :) I refuse to pour it down the drain. I have worked way too hard for it to go to waste. We are starting zantac twice a day and going to see if that helps her fussiness.  If not, we will move to plan B. Other than that she is doing great! Her personality has really blossomed the last month and she just gets sweeter everyday.  She has great head control and enjoys sitting in her bumbo (most of the time).  She continues to sleep about ten hours every night, takes about three forty-five minutes cat-naps a day, and has just started taking a long two hour nap in the afternoon. I am SO thankful that she sleeps so well.  She still sleeps in her rock-in-play in her nursery. We will eventually transfer her to the crib but we have been on the go so much that I haven't had several consistent nights at home to make the transition.  She takes about five 6oz bottles a day. She is growing and developing more every day and it just keeps getting better and better. I wish time would slow down and speed up all at the same time! 

She LOVES:

Bath time

Eating her hands

Playing and looking at her hands

Her activity mat

Watching TV

Car rides/Stroller rides

Being outside

Laughing out loud

Kicking her legs

Her wub-a-nub

I can't wait to see what next month holds. I have a feeling that she will become a roly-poly very soon!