Month 6

Dearest Lil' Bit,

Your Daddy has taken to calling you Lil' Bit.  I love it!  He started out calling you cupcake.  I also loved that but I think Lil' Bit may stick.  You are still a little girl.  I can't believe it!  You have been on this earth for half a year! This time last year I was finally feeling good about letting my heart believe I was going to be a Mom!  You scared us a lot at the beginning so I was guarding my heart in case we lost you.  I prayed every night and I still pray for you.  I give thanks every single day that you are not only here but that you are wonderful!  

Half a year old.  Wow. 

This month I have absolutely fallen in love with your little personality.  You are starting to have a little sense of humor.  You "tell jokes" by blowing bubbles, screeching or fake sneeze/coughing. You wait to see how we will react.  It's hysterical.  You are pretty laid back and it takes a lot to get you upset.  The most upset you get is if I leave you with someone you don't care to be with.  You have to be hours past eating, sleeping and changing before you get too upset.  Because you are so laid back there are times I have to stop and remind myself it's eating time.  The best part is that you can really go with the flow which is really handy because both your Daddy and I have jobs that require us to be places past a normal kids bed time!  I love getting compliments about how well you do in a mostly adult setting.  

Just this last week we ate at Cane Rosso in downtown Dallas.  It's a hip little spot in town and there were not any other babies.  A lady stopped me just before we left to tell me that she couldn't believe that you waited so patiently and just hung out at the table with us.  Then a few weeks ago we went to a banquet for BSA Order of the Arrow.  It didn't end until almost 10 PM and you were there in your PJ's (I changed you in the middle of the program) just smiling at everyone.  Several different moms came up to me to tell me they couldn't believe you were still awake, still smiling and so quiet.  I didn't think you were THAT quiet.  In fact when it was time for the most important part of the banquet, and quietest, you heard the drums and thought it was time for you to sing.  We ducked outside before you could get too loud!!!

You can be VERY loud when you sing.  You sing a lot!  You sing in the car.  The.  Whole.  Time.  Until you fall asleep.  It's pretty instant too!  I've never heard a kid "sing" the way you do.  So long and drawn out.  I love it!  You are one special girl!  

I could gush on and on about you and I know I will.  I can't wait to see how your very first Christmas goes!  

Love,

Your Mom

Update:

Weight: 14.8 lbs (22%)
Length: 25 inches (12%)
Head: 17 inches (79%)
Eating: 7AM, 10AM, 1PM, 4PM, 6PM Soids,  8PM
Bedtime: 8:30 (although this varies drastically)
Rise:7-8 AM
Naps: cat napper.  Whenever. Wherever.  However long.
Diapers: You wear your Fuzi Bunz cloth diapers so well!  Size 2 at night but only until we run out of our gifted diapers.
Clothes:We are officially rocking 3-6 month clothes!  Just in time for you to be 6 months!  You are still wearing the occasional 0-3 month pj.  Starting to fit some shoes if we put on socks!  You've worn them once for 30 min. 
Favorites: Fisher Price Little People Nativity from Lolli and Pops!  Nesting Santas and The Christmas Story Dominoes.  The Christmas Tree
Latest tricks: Rolling all over to keep up with Drew and Sarah. Sitting up for a minute at a time (if that).  Eating like a pro.  Running the Dallas Turkey Trot!
Medical Note:  At your 6 month check up Dr. Davis decided to get some labs done to check out the cyst on your head.  We went to the hospital and 1 hr, 4 nurses and 3 stick and digs later you gave up 5 vials of your precious blood.  The nurses remarked what a pretty red it was!  Hopefully that's a good sign!  Dr. Davis did say that you are one of the healthiest kids he's ever seen.  That and he loves your cheeks!  Hopefully you will stay a healthy girl!

Christmas Card Outtakes

We saw Santa at Bass Pro Shop!  It was the only way I could get Carl to go!  Gentry wasn't too impressed.  It was free and we got a free print.  This was the only shot I got.

She was hard to excite.  That's me trying to tickle her thigh.  Nothing.  I think she was overwhelmed by all the rednecks.  By rednecks I mean part of my family.  They were there.

Then we got a picture with the taxidermy polar bear to round out the trip.  Gentry was still unimpressed.  That was until her Dad took her around the store.  When Carl and I met back up he said that she expressed to him her Christmas List.  It is oddly similar to her Dad's list.  We had a good time!

OFFICIAL CHRISTMAS CARD OUTTAKES

Leggings too close to flesh color.

Distracted by ornaments.

Over it.

Shiny.

Look at that head.  

No wonder she can't sit up for more than a few seconds by herself!

\

I love this face!

Wordless Wednesday: 0-5

Month 5

Dearest Gentry, 

I gotta be better about updating sooner because I feel like I've already forgotten a portion of your 5th month.  Let's see,  We ended the month of September by going to the Texas State Forest Festival in Lufkin.  We went with the Kahldens and Cullen.  Fun was had by all.  Even your Daddy joined us!  You did so great!  You didn't even cry when the Lumberjacks started up their chainsaws.  If the Forest Festival wasn't fun enough a weekend later we went to The State Fair of Texas!  We brought the youth and met Lolli and Pops at the fair grounds.  You held a Fletcher's corn dog, saw Big Tex, watched the Birds of Prey show and people watched like crazy!  We had so much fun.

Glad Gentry got to meet him!  We miss you Big Tex!

You have really aced the rolling over bit.  I love putting you on the ground and watching where you will end up.  So far you don't venture much beyond your blanket.  You stay pretty close to your toys!  This month you have decided you are too busy for napping.  I fight to get you to take a nap.  Most days you fall asleep for 15 minutes or so.  I can't complain because you do sleep through the night.  

At the end of the month you were diagnosed with some acid reflux.  Apparently, it's not normal for us to have to change our clothes 6x a day.  You are now medicine and we started you on food earlier than I wanted.  It's been fun.  You have had no problems eating and I can tell a difference in your tummy.  We started with avocado.  You loved it.  I roasted an acorn squash.  You loved it.  I made you some oatmeal cereal  and you loved it!  So far I've made it all.  It's been pretty easy to do and I am happy to do it.  

My love for you has grown exponentially  just when I think I can't love you anymore, you seek me out and smile and my heart is mush.  I love watching your sweet personality peek through.  I can tell you already have a great sense of humor!  You are already laughing at your own jokes.  Your Daddy and I love you so very much!  

Love,

Mom

Update:

Weight: 13 lbs (10th percentile) 
Length: 24 inches 
Head: Didn't measure
Eating: 7AM, 10AM, 1PM, 4PM, 6PM Soids,  8PM (give or take 30 min)  
Bedtime: 8:30 (although this varies drastically)
Rise:7-8 AM
Naps: Morning nap is still iffy.  3-5PM is iffy too.
Diapers: You wear your Fuzi Bunz cloth diapers so well!  Size 1 at night but only until we run out of our gifted diapers.
Clothes: 0-3  Fit well.  You are still in NB shorts and have a few NB outfits you can still fit in.  You don't fit in shoes.  Not even the 6 week old shoes.  You are wearing more and more 3-6 month clothes!
Favorites: Owl taggies made by Lolli, blankies, and activity center.
Latest tricks: Major bubble blowing, loves to laugh at herself, sitting up for seconds at a time.

Gentry and the Pumpkins.

Month 4

My Baby Girl,

This month has been so fun!  You are really starting to show a little personality!  You smile all the time even if I have to wake you up from a nap.  Your eyes open and you give a big smile.  I love getting you from your crib in the morning.  There is nothing more satisfying then you kicking your legs and smiling with joy.  You are a pretty content child when you are with me but you've been giving the girls in the nursery at church a hard time.  You've even been giving your own Daddy a hard time.  You seem to only want Mom!  On one hand I love it!  On the other, it breaks my heart and it made me feel guilty for going to Hobby Lobby for 45 minutes this last Sat!  I only leave you for 2 hrs a week,1 hour on Sunday mornings and 1 hour on Wednesday evenings.  Both times it's at the church nursery!

When we are at home you love to lay on a blanket in the floor and play with your toys.  You are pretty content for up to 45 minutes.  Just enough time for me to get some chores done.  We have really been trying to get a routine down and we don't have a consistent one just yet.  You are pretty flexible with my time changes for your naps and meals.  My goal for this month is to get a good nap routine going.  Right now you take your morning nap in my arms and it's usually no more than 45 minutes.  Your afternoon nap is in your swing after you play for a little bit at your 2PM meal.  Then put you in bed after your last feed and you usually play until you fall asleep.  It's pretty rare if I have to rock you a little to calm your little active body.

This month your Daddy has been gone a ton with work so you've really missed seeing him.  Really, he's missed seeing you.  I am not sure you've noticed much.  I hope he will be coming home in time for you to go to bed this month.  We've started a good night time routine of reading and singing songs.  Hopefully your Daddy will be able to join us more for this.  I know he really wants too!  

At your Dr's appointment this month Dr. Davis said you look great.  He isn't worried about your petite stature.  He did however want to remeasure your head.  Alas, it is THAT big!  You got the Hanke head.  It's pretty impressive how well you hold up that big noggin with your little body!  We are keeping an eye out for the bump on your forehead.  Dr. Davis doesn't think it's anything to worry about, just a cyst, but we will see if it grows in the next few months.  It will be interesting to see if it's still there when you are older.  Your heart murmur that was discovered last month ain't no thing!  You are a healthy little girl!

We love you so very much and can't wait to see you grow even more this month!!!!

Update:

Weight: 12.11 lbs (10th percentile) 
Length: 24 inches (26th percentile)
Head: 17.6 inches (97th percentile)
Eating: 7AM, 10:30AM, 2PM, 5:30PM, 9PM (give or take 30 min)  Only pump 2X a week.
Bedtime: 9:30-10 PM
Rise:7-8 AM
Naps: Morning nap is still iffy.  3-5PM
Diapers: You wear your Fuzi Bunz cloth diapers so well!  Size 1 at night but only until we run out of our gifted diapers.
Clothes: 0-3  Fit well.  You are still in NB shorts and have a few NB outfits you can still fit in.  You don't fit in shoes.  Not even the 6 week old shoes.  You've tried some 3-6 months but they are BIG!
Favorites: Owl taggies made by Lolli, Bumbo, Baby Einstein block with links.
Latest tricks: Belly laugh when I say "BOO", repeat sounds, awesome at tummy time, grabbing toys and putting your paci in and out of your mouth.

Month 3 Update

Dear Gentry,

You are another month older and we had another month of fun adventures.  You, once again, have amazed your parents with how much you've changed in over a short period of time.  My little newborn is fading away and is being replaced by such a smiley, happy baby.  We don't have an EXACT schedule down yet because our day to day routine changes at the drop of a hat but you adjust well.  What was once my biggest stress has become so easy, you eat well and about every 3 and a half hours.  We were going every 4 hours but that put you going to bed at about 11PM.  Now you go to bed at 10 and don't get up until after 7AM!  I am so blessed!  Just this last week we stopped swaddling you because I noticed that at nap time you sprawl out.  See, my little newborn is fading away!  Every night I put you in your bed wide awake with a pacifier and you go right to sleep by yourself with little to no fussing. (thanks Baby Wise)  It is so hard for me to say goodnight because you are so darn precious and you are usually chatting away when I put you in your crib.  I foresee this becoming a problem when you are in a big girl bed and can speak actual words....like Mother like Daughter.  

Our days at home are absolutely wonderful!  The best present your Daddy ever gave your Mommy was the chance to stay at home with you!  He works so hard so I can feed you every meal, see your every smile, change your every diaper and wipe your every tear.  I feel so blessed to be your Mommy but even more blessed to be your Daddy's Wife.  Most days we have a day full of eating, napping, chores and working on tummy and back time.  All day long we talk and sing to each other.  You already enjoy the same music as your parents such as Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews, John Mayer, The Civil Wars, plus many more.  We also play plenty of Elizabeth Mitchell and Caspar Babypants for you!  The louder the music is playing the better.  

On August 26th, you were baptized at Perritte Memorial United Methodist Church by Rev. Josh Hale.  It's the same church your Daddy was baptized in 27 years ago.  You wore the same baptism gown your Mommy wore almost 30 years ago.  Cooler than that, your Pops wore it 57 years ago.  Even Cooler is that your Great Grandfather Papa DeFord, wore it 98 years ago.  The coolest part is that your Great, great Aunt Belle wore it 100 years ago in 1912.  It was made by your Great, Great, Great Aunts.  We were so blessed to have both sets of your grandparents and your Uncle Evan at the baptisim along with our closest friends the Kahldens and Cullen!  After church we had them all over for a nice lady like lunch.  God has blessed us so richly!   

 Your beautiful parents.

 Pops and Lolli

Buddy and Gigi

 Uncle Evan and Gentry in the outfit he got you.  It's monogrammed!

Uncle Evan using the Bumbo seat and Tilly 

Update:

Weight: We are guessing 12 lbs
Length: We guess 23.5 in
Head: No guesses here Our next Dr. apt isn't until 4 mos.
Eating: 7AM, 10:30AM, 2PM, 5:30PM, 9PM (give or take 30 min)  1st feed is a bottle of bmilk.  5oz.
Bedtime: 9:30-10 PM
Rise:7:15-8 AM
Naps: 7:30-8:30, 12-2 and cat nap at 7
Diapers: You wear your Fuzi Bunz cloth diapers so well!  Size 1 at night but only until we run out of our gifted diapers.
Clothes: 0-3  Fit well.  You are still in NB shorts and have a few NB outfits you can still fit in.  You don't fit in shoes.  Not even the 6 week old shoes.
Favorites: Tummy Time Mat and Activity Bar, Pandora, Penguin Mirror
Latest tricks: You can blow bubbles on demand, You say "pooop" and you can "sing" Beyonce's All the Single Ladies (ohohohohohohohohohohohoh)