7 Goucher Woods Court

we turned over the keys to our old house this morning. it was like saying goodbye to an old friend. we have already in just two short months started to make our new house a home. our three sweet little girls will create childhood memories of sleepovers and tea parties, drew & i will catch up over countless cups of coffee & enjoy the company of loved ones for years to come. but for now, it feels a little bittersweet. it was after all, where we started our lives together, brought home all three of our babies and shared so many memories with friends and family. thanks, 7 goucher woods court for all the wonderful memories!

Happy Seven Months Finley

finley,
is it really already 7 months? we are well on our way to getting ready to start planning your first birthday party in a few months. how can that be?

7 months ago today, you were only 30 minutes old. i was already in the recovery room and i asked the nurse to not let anyone back yet. i wanted a chance to have my first moments with you, just the two of us. it had been that way for the last nine months and i knew that any second, the beginning of having to share you with everyone else was going to start. yes, your mommy is a little selfish when it comes to her girls, but i am sure you can forgive me of that. i already knew you were perfect, but i remember unwrapping you and looking at every square inch of your sweet little body. how did i get so lucky? first your sisters and now you. you looked up at me and curled your tiny little fingers around my thumb. that's when i knew that we had a special bond and you trusted me to take care of you always.

now, 7 months later, you are the one grabbing my face, my hands, my hair, anything that you can reach.
i have started already to see the independent little girl that you will one day become. being the third child has not caused you to sit back and watch. you are a go-getter. i warn your sisters everyday that once you are on the move, they better watch out. all their toys are fair game. you are still a little roly-poly, moving clear across the room. you have been "scooting" for awhile now, but just this last week, you have started pushing up on all fours and rocking. you can sit, but just choose not to most of the time. you would rather be standing (with my help) or up on all fours looking around. i have a feeling that it won't be long before you are completely mobile.

last month, we FINALLY put you in your own crib and after a few rocky nights, you are doing great. i can always tell when you are tired because you rub your face with your little fists or my shoulder if i am holding you. you take two naps a day and sleep at night in your crib. i feed you before i go to bed around 10pm and you will sleep all the way through until around 6am most days and then back down until 8 or 9. you still don't love baby food, can't say that i blame you. you will eat a little and then cry to nurse. you absolutely choose nursing over anything. it's a lot of work, but i love that. especially that last feeding before bedtime. it melts my heart when you reach out and touch my face and then curl your fingers around mine to hold on. i will miss these moments the most when you decide you don't need me for food anymore.

you are still a talker, i think you get that from your mommy and your mamaw. we are starting to hear more distinct sounds that could be the beginning of words. you don't stay mama yet, but i hear "ma" a lot. you know who i am. you also, just today started growling. yes, growling. preslee thinks you are a lion. you love your little toes and i often find you first thing in the morning with them in your mouth. you definitely don't have the beynon, long skinny toes. they are short and chubby like mine.

this month, you went to the beach for the first time. you weren't a big fan of getting in the ocean, but the sound of the waves crashing seemed to lull you right to sleep.
you loved the pool and just squealed when we put you in the float.
you ate watemelon for the first time and devoured it.
everybody couldn't believe how much you had grown and just how beautiful you are. your daddy and i really are so lucky, we have three beautiful little girls!

you are still a mommy's girl. you have started to let others hold you for a few minutes, but are always scanning the room to make sure i am there. don't you worry honey, i am not going anywhere. you still have the sweetest smile i have ever seen. everything, even the wind blowing brings a smile to your face. i don't think i have ever been around a happier baby.
your sisters love when they talk to you and you grin at them (no teeth yet). they get so excited every morning when i bring you downstairs and can't wait to play with you. i know the three of you are going to be best friends.



happy seven months finley! try to slow down a little bit. i just want to hold onto these months forever and you aren't letting me do that. i love you!

mommy
UPDATE: as of today, finley has her first tooth! it's just creeping out above the gums.

Conversations with Two 2 1/2 year olds

you know, girls. i really haven't gotten mad at you up to this point. of course, i've been upset, stressed out and frustrated over your terrible two temper tantrums. and sure, i've wanted to jump off a bridge more than a few times. but, i've always blamed it on your "toddler hormones" flaring up.

you've gotten a get out of jail free card because, even though it feels like you are trying to kill me by throwing yourself on the floor, screaming, crying, whining, and making messes non-stop throughout the day, it's really not you. you are just frustrated by what you aren't able to do. it's not your fault that you don't understand that when you try to climb onto your chair to get the TV remote, you are going to fall. why shouldn't that little chair hold you? but, you are just 2 1/2 years old. you haven't yet grasped the fact that you are not all powerful.

and you also don't understand the purpose of boundaries and limits. i mean, i really can empathize. how are you to understand why you can't do what you want, when you want, and how you want? you were born doing exactly that from day one.

but, okay, girls. you are now 2 1/2 and you can talk. i mean, you are so good at speaking, that you negotiate with daddy and me every day, several times a day - whether it's about eating, sleeping, napping, playing, snacks, tv, bedtime stories, bath time.. the list never ends. i know that you know what you are doing!

so, today, when i told you specifically not to go into my bathroom and get into my make-up and you did anyway, i started getting mad. only because i had already told you three times and three times you went in anyway. but when i saw you painting your toe nails with my lipstick and most of an entire bottle of lotion on your legs, i was in shock as to what i was really watching. who are these babies? why don't they listen?

but today, you were adamantly challenging me. i heard the two of you, when you thought i wasn't listening, discussing how to get into "mommy's room."
i decided to flash you my "you better not touch that or else you are gonna get SSSSOO in trouble!" look.

as i gave you my best "evil eye", a really confused expression came over your face.

"mommy," you began to ask, eyes full of concern, "what happened to your face?! why does it look so bad?"

i couldn't help, but bust out laughing. you really haven't a clue, do you? it didn't matter. your face brightened and broke out in a happy smile. with some forced chuckles, you attempt to fake laughter, just to join me in the moment.

"what so funny, mommy?" you ask, wanting in on the joke.

"oh, nothing, girls. you're just too funny." i smile, as I pick you up and move you safely out of the room and away from my make-up.

gosh, how i love you two!

Happy 6 months Finley!

sweet finley,

it is absolutely unbelievable to me that you are already 6 months old! i remember with preslee and mason that first 6 months going so fast, but with you, it has just flown. i saw a mommy at the mall this weekend with a brand new 6 week old baby. he was all curled up in a little ball in a sling, so warm and soft against her chest. nostalgia swept over me as i remembered those first days with you. i remember you being so small, but not what you felt like in my arms, so tiny and fragile. i hope i am not starting to forget all the sights, smells and sounds of caring for you as a newborn. as i look back and reflect on our wonderful life over the last 6 months, i am so immensely grateful, but i do look forward to what the coming months will bring; more love, laugher and even greater thrills as we get closer to your one year birthday!


there are so many things that i love about you. everyday, i think of just one more thing.

-i love the night feedings when it is just the two of us and how warm and cuddly you are
-i love how you hold my hand while i am feeding you
-i love how you stop crying right when i pick you up
-i really love how you search the room for me when someone else is holding you

-i love the second right before you fall asleep where you smile
-i love how your daddy coming in the door from work makes you light up
-and oh, those beautiful open mouth grins!
you have the most beautiful smile i have ever seen
-i love hearing your giggles as you watch your sisters play or how you just light up with joy when they tickle you
-i love that you love bath time (just like mommy)

-i love the way you aren't quite sure yet how to reach out for me to hold you, but you flap your arms and kick your legs
-i love the way you fall asleep with every single car ride
-i love that you are a talker, you squeal at everything!

-i love watching you at not even 6 months old yet, sitting up, wobbly, but you were up there, looking all around
-i love the way you drag yourself in circles to get what you want off the floor
-i love how no matter how greasy my hair is, how many days it has been since i have showered or maybe not even brushed my teeth that day, you still think i am the coolest and will still give me the sweetest kisses.
happy sweet 6 months beautiful girl!


i love you fin,
mommy

UPDATE: finley had her 6 month pedi appt today. she is healthy as can be and doing everything developmentally right on target. she even sat up on the exam table, little show off! she weighed 13 pounds 5 ozs (10th%) and is 25 1/2 inches long (50th%). her pedi said she is going to be long and lean. say a little prayer for us tonight. tonight will be the first night that she has slept away from me and in her crib all by herself. the pedi insisted that it is time, but i never imagined how hard it would be to hear her cry it out. so far it has been 30 minutes of non stop tears, hers and mine.....

June recap

june was so busy! mom and dad came to visit/help us move, we had a bucknell reunion at our house the weekend after we moved and my sister and nephew gavin spent the weekend of the 4th with us. it has been so quiet as we are starting to get settled in and get everyone adjusted to life in our new house. i promise, i will be better about posting in july!

So cute!

and just because they are so stinking cute, here is the blessing that we sing before meals (courtesy of their cousin Gavin and Mamaw)

"Pie Pie Song"

one of the things that i love most about preslee and mason is that they are 99% of the time, so happy. don't get me wrong, they have melt downs and temper tantrums, but most of the time, they are squealing and singing. here is their rendition of the cuppy cake song from strawberry shortcake. it's on the request list for bedtime EVERY night.