11 Months

What a crazy month it has been! Sorry that this letter is coming to you a few days late, but it feels like we have been going non-stop for the past few weeks. This month started with a visit from Nana and Grandpa! You were so excited to see them, and you were quick to show-off some of your newly discovered talents. This month you made two trips out to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo with Sheri and your other Grandpa (who we are still debating over what you are going to call); the first night I wore you around on my back until you passed out from sheer exhaustion. The second night, we watched the ranch rodeo, and you had a blast; you were still wide-eyed and talking away until 11:00 that night! This month you went to another Rocket's game, but this time we got tickets to the Devon suite where you had plenty of room to run around and play. Also, this month, you had your first pseudo-camping trip. We set up the tent in the backyard, grilled hotdogs in the fire pit, and made dutch oven apple cobbler in the fire pit as well. The weather was so perfect that we took the rain fly off of the tent and stared at the night sky. It took you forever to fall asleep because you kept getting up to see the moon hovering above us. This month you went on your first big fishing trip. Uncle Bubba took us down to San Luis Pass (on the west end of Galveston island), and we fished from the beach. It was a sunny and beautiful day, and you had a great time (except for the few minutes when you cried hysterically after seeing the giant fish that Mommy had caught.) With spring here, and the weather being so nice we made several trips to parks, took many long walks on the greenbelt, and spent some lovely afternoons at the farmer's market.
This month you have discovered the magic of the kitchen cabinets! You love removing the entire contents of the cabinets onto the kitchen floor! Once you get bored with that, you usually head over to the dog's water bowl to splash around for a few minutes. We always laugh at the way you fling items over your shoulder when you are done playing with them. This month something very exciting happened...you starting walking!! One evening you took your first steps, and you haven't looked back since. You can still only take a max of about 10-15 steps before you reach a piece of furniture to grab onto or you fall over and start crawling. Daddy calls you zombie-baby when you walk because you hold your arms out in front of you just like a zombie.
This month, you have finally decided that food is for eating! You will eat pretty much anything!! You like green eggs for breakfast (egg blended with a handful of spinach then scrambled). You still enjoy sharing my smoothies with me in the morning as well. You LOVE going to our local sushi restaurant; they always make such a fuss over you! The sushi chef always brings you a tiny little roll made with nori, rice, avocado, and toasted sesame seed. I haven't weighed you in a while, but I suspect you are around the 20 pound mark now. It seems like despite all the new food adventures that you are still nursing as much as ever. If you space out your daytime nursing sessions at all, it seems like you just make up for them at night.
Lilah, this month has me preparing for your first birthday party (one of the reasons this post was late). I can't believe you are almost a year old! Daddy and I are planning a date night for when Nana comes to town for your birthday. It seems so hard to believe that even at almost a year old, we still don't feel ready to leave you (even if for only an hour or two.) I think you are more ready than we are!
We love you my dear, and we are having more fun than ever watching you grow. My house has been messier this month than ever before because I am so busy watching you play and keeping you out of trouble. I wouldn't trade it for the cleanest house in the world if it meant not having you here. You bring a smile to my face every.single.day, and I love you for that! I look forward to finishing up your birthday party preparations and celebrating this fantastic year that has passed with our friends and family. We love you Beanie Bean!
Love,
Mom

And she's off...

It is official! As of last Saturday, we now have a walker on our hands!! For the past few weeks she would take a little shuffle step here and there, but would never stream those together into actual steps. We happened to be over at Chris' parents house Saturday night and were able to capture her first real steps on video. Here are Beanie's first steps:

In the last few days, she has really taken off. She will now walk from obstacle to obstacle without us there coaching her along. It is so fun (and exhausting) to watch her learn this new skill!

10 Months

Dear Lilah,
Another month come and gone! I know I say it every month, but I seriously felt like I wrote your 9 months letter hours ago. This month we have seen you make HUGE strides in your development...literally! You are now cruising around the entire house. You can quickly crawl across the room, pull up on the couch, cruise across the couch, reach out for the wall, cruise along the wall and end up on the other side of the house in no time. A couple of weeks ago, you and Daddy surprised me when you guys called me into the living room and I see you standing in the middle of the floor (by yourself! not holding onto anything!); you were grinning at me ear-to-ear. You always get so proud of yourself when you accomplish another task; you smile and look around for us to acknowledge your success. I really feel like it will be any day now before you take your first unassisted steps. You have even started climbing up on things; you can go up small steps and will climb on top of many of your toys. (This scares Mommy..a lot!)
This month we ran the Bridgefest 5k! This is the 2nd year we have run it as a family. Last year you were still in my tummy (I was 30 weeks pregnant), but you were there. This month we made another trip out to Brenham to pick up meat, and we stopped by the Blue Bell factory for a sweet treat. The lady at the ice cream counter gave you a small cup of homemade vanilla, and when Daddy gave you a small bite, you looked horrified! Your expression said "why in the world would you want to eat something this cold?!"

Speaking of eating, you are doing a little more of that these days. You are still more interested in playing with the food, but we can usually get you to eat a few bites of things throughout the day. You LOVE cut-up pieces of pear, peas, blueberries, avocado, black beans, shredded chicken, rice and rice pasta in coconut oil. You start out a meal enthusiastically, but quickly just start playing with your sippy cup and start storing the food in your little chipmunk cheeks instead of swallowing. You are still a chunkster and are gaining weight, so we know you're not starving. You still pretty much nurse very 2-4 hours around the clock; I still love spending this time with you and don't see us giving this up any time soon. You are currently working on getting your 7th and 8th teeth in; I can see them right under the gum, but they don't seem to be bothering you too badly. This month, we all went to our first Rocket's game at the Toyota Center. You had a blast!! Me, you, Daddy, Uncle Matty, and Uncle Josh all went, and we had an entire row to ourselves so you spent the whole game walking up and down the 5 empty seats that were next to us. You were smiling at everyone who would look at you! This month you have really started responding to your name and the word "No!". You hear the latter quite often because you are going through a phase where you pick up EVERY small object from the floor and put it into your mouth. If I say "NO", it stops you for just enough time for me to get to you and remove said object. We always joke that if given the choice between the coolest toy in the world and a box full of dirty hypodermic needles, you would get up and sprint to the needles! You seem to have an affinity for anything that could potentially cause you harm. It has been a fun month Beanie! I have enjoyed watching you crawl away and play with the big kids at our playdates. I am so proud to see you becoming more independent, but also sad when I just want to snuggle you in my lap, but you squirm and grunt until I put you down so that you can play. growing fast and there is no slowing it down! We love you SO much and can't believe that you have been at home with us for nearly a year!!
Love,
Mom

9 Months

Dear Lilah,
Forgive me if I leave anything out in this letter; I am writing it from the comfort of our bed because I am sick with strep throat! Your daddy stayed home today so that he could play with you while I rested. I can see you two outside talking to the painters working on the house. The two of you are such a great pair these days; you are definitely his little girl. You smile like there is no tomorrow when he is around! It makes my heart happy to see the two of you together. This month has felt like the fastest month so far; I felt like I just posted your 8 month letter. I had several different blog post ideas in my head that I have been meaning to write, but the month just flew by before I had a chance to get around to them. At the beginning of the month, you starting cruising around on the furniture. It started out as you pulling yourself up to standing against various items, but it wasn't long before you started making laps around the coffee table in the living room. Since you have begun this cruising adventure, you pretty much abandoned all crawling efforts. You would much rather roll to your destination then pull yourself up and walk around. You have started to get more and more brave lately; you oftentimes will let go of the coffee table with both hands and use your chin to balance yourself. You can also bend down to pick up toys while standing against the furniture.

This month we visited the Museum of Fine Art in Houston where you were quite vocal, especially in the quiet exhibit halls. We find that you like to vocalize loudly in places where you can hear your voice echo. This month you went on a boat ride for the first time. We went out on Gigi and Grump's boat on Lake Conroe with Travis and Heather who came in from San Antonio to visit us. Last week you unfortunately experienced your first bout of illness. You were running fever for about two days and you were quite cranky for a few days, but you were such a trooper! You were fine as long as either Daddy or I was snuggling you while you rested. This month you had two "date nights" with Daddy while I attended quilting class. The classes were two hours long, and it was the longest I had ever been away from you. I never would have imagined it still being so hard to leave you (even for short periods of time) at 9 months old! It makes me realize how lucky I am to be able to stay at home with you everyday.
This month you didn't gain a whole lot of weight, but we're not worried about it. Dr. Injac said that this is totally normal once babies start moving around. You are starting to have more fun playing with different foods; you are putting your 5 little teeth to use! This month you started taking sips of my green smoothie that I drink every morning. You can sip through the straw like an old pro! We sit here together in the morning passing the cup back and forth, each taking our turn to sip.
This month you mastered the wave and "bye bye"; however you are still a little unsure about when to use it and many times I wake up in the morning to you waving your little hand and saying "bye bye" to me.

Lilah, your giggles have become even more infectious! I am convinced that we could end all of the violence and hatred in the world if we could just bottle-up your dorky little laughs. You are growing up too fast for this momma, and I try to remind myself to soak up every little ounce of your "babyness" because it is so fleeting. We love you Bean, and we can't wait to see what you will accomplish next!
Love,
Mom

8 Months

Dear Lilah,
Another month has come and gone as quick as a blink of the eye! This month we have enjoyed my most favorite time of the season…the weeks following Thanksgiving and leading up to Christmas! At the beginning of this month, we picked out and decorated your very first Christmas tree, a beautiful 12-foot tall Noble Fir. You loved staring at the lights and sparkly ornaments day after day. You did an excellent job supervising Daddy as he decorated the outside of the house. This month you enjoyed seeing the Christmas lights on the houses around our neighborhood. This month ended on such a special note…your very first Christmas!! You awoke at 8:45 Christmas morning, and we met your Nana and Grandpa, your Aunt Ashlyn and Uncle Garrett and Aunt Sarah all in the living room where we opened presents. You laughed and played with the toy that Nana gave you for such a long time. You took quite a nap after the mornings festivities. After you were recharged, we headed over to GiGi and Grump’s house where you got to see your other 3 Uncles and Aunt Lauren. You had just as much fun during round two of Christmas.
This month you have become increasingly mobile! You can easily maneuver your way across the living room floor. You also pulled yourself up to standing for the first time this month. You reached over to grab the edge of the toy bin and pulled yourself right up. This month you learned that Daddy will clap for you if you bang your toys on the side of the tub during bath time, so now you do it all.the.time!
I haven’t weighed you in a while, but I believe you are around 18.5 pounds. You are still only eating about a tablespoon of food a day. Some days you eat no solid food; it just depends on where we are and what is available to eat. This month we picked satsumas with Grandpa in Alvin, and you really love these. If Daddy or I hold onto a segment, you will suck all of the pulp out of the skin. You also like blueberries, avocado, banana, and green beans. You nurse around the clock still (every 2-3 hours), but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love having this special time with you. At Christmas, when you got tired of being passed from person to person, a quick nursing session would perk you back up again. I knew that you weren’t nursing because you were hungry, but you were able to block out the noise and bustle of the gatherings by cuddling in close and locking eyes with me.
Lilah, we are still amazed that our hearts are even able to continue to grow with love for you everyday! I am happy that you enjoyed your first Christmas, and I know that you will have even more fun in the years to come. Thank you for making 2009 the best year of our lives!! I can’t wait to ring in the New Year with you and make 2010 an even better year!
Love,
Mom

White (Almost) Christmas!

I can't believe I am writing another post about real snowfall in Houston! Almost a year ago to the day, I was sitting in the car at IAH airport, waiting for Chris' plane to arrive from Oklahoma City, rubbing my blossoming belly, and wishing that our baby could have been here to see the snow really falling in Houston. Well, little did I know, that a short year later, we would see it again, and this time our little munchkin is here to see it for herself. Chris was home today, so we were all able to hang out and enjoy the exciting events together! Lilah made good use of the insulated camouflage suit that Uncle Bubba bought for her! She stayed nice and snuggly warm as the temperatures dropped to the very low 30's. We watched Chris build a little snow man in the backyard, but none of us could stay out too long; it was so dang cold!!! Tonight we are all cuddled-up in front of the fire sipping on hot chocolate and eating homemade cookies! Life is good :)

7 Months

Dear Lilah,
Today is special for two reasons; first off, you are 7 months old today! I can't believe I am even saying that!! Second, you are celebrating your first Thanksgiving today. Your daddy and I are so thankful that we are able to share each and every day with you. We prayed for you for such a long time, and now that you are here we are beyond thankful! You ate small pieces of turkey and sweet potatoes; you played with everyone at the house and then passed out for a 2-hour nap. I am watching you and your daddy now sitting on the couch watching the A&M vs. tu game. You are completely decked out in an Aggies sweatsuit that Mikey gave you before you were born.
Other than celebrating your 1st Thanksgiving, you had a pretty exciting month! This month you dressed up as an adorable bumble bee for Halloween and watched the big kids trick-or-treat around the neighborhood; Daddy and I dressed as beekeepers and Daddy pulled us around the block in the big yellow garden cart. Some first visits included a trip to the museum, and a weekend trip to San Antonio to visit Travis and Heather where we went to the air show at the Air Force base. You wore your first pair of ear muffs to protect your ears from the loud jets. This month we went down to Grandpa's a few times so that Daddy could help to build some cow pens. You had fun watching them work on the tractor. Daddy rode you around on the 4-wheeler and took you to see the cows in the back pasture. You also went to the feed store to buy some chickens and stopped on the way home to visit your favorite little ponies.
This month you starting eating your first bites of food. We have a steady supply of local, organic, yummy produce from a farm in Brenham. We give you pieces of food and have been letting you feed yourself; at this point we offer you a few bites once every day or two depending on what we are eating. Your hand-eye coordination has improved tremendously because of this. You have yet to meet a spoon! You have tried sweet potatoes, butternut squash, corn, avocado, bell pepper, cucumber, peas, carrots, black beans, and most recently turkey! A few months ago we took you down to visit the farm that raised the turkey we enjoyed on Thanksgiving day! To help you out with that food, you got your first two teeth in this month. The first was the week of Halloween and the second followed the first by just a few days. You were such a trooper; we were really surprised to see actual teeth in your mouth! You are still nursing as much as ever, every 2-3 hours during the day and a few times at night.
You enjoy sitting on the floor playing with your toys. Your favorite new trick is to flip backward over the boppy pillow and roll/army crawl a few feet from your toys. You are talking non-stop now! You talk to anyone that will listen. Going to the store has become quite the ordeal now; we have to constantly stop because people are fascinated by your big goofy grin and your wide blue eyes! Beanie, we have had another wonderful month together!! We are so thankful to have the opportunity to be your parents. You are becoming such a cool kiddo, and I am really embracing this time with you. The coming month encompasses my absolute most favorite time of the year, and I can't wait to share all of our family traditions with you. We love you more every day!!
Love,
Mom

A Buzzzin' Good Time

Halloween weekend proved to be a beautiful and fun-filled 2 days of family time! We began Saturday with an early morning trip to our old farmer's market down in Houston. We loaded up with some yummy veggies from our favorite local organic farm; Farmer Donna was so excited to hold Lilah (in full bee costume) for a while. Farmer Donna and her husband grow the food that we are offering to Bean as her first foods! Chris and I shared a delicious banana crepe while listening to some music. After leaving the farmer's market we headed over to Hermann Park for a nice family picnic in the rose garden.The weather was absolutely beautiful!! After our picnic, we walked over to the Houston Museum of Natural Science and walked around for a couple of hours; this was Bean's first trip to the museum, and she really enjoyed it! We look forward to going back soon. She was much more interested in the exhibits than I thought she would be.
After a long nap at home Saturday afternoon, Lilah was ready for Halloween night!! Gigi and Grumps came over and volunteered to hand out candy while Chris escorted Bean and I around the neighborhood. Chris decorated the garden cart with glow sticks and padded the bottom and sides with blankets and pillows. Lilah and I sat in the cart while Chris pulled us around the block; Lilah was able to watch the big kids treat or treating. She is now ready for next year!! As you can see, Chris and I dressed as beekeepers while Bean was a bee!

Overall, our little family had a wonderful Halloween weekend; we are so glad that the weather cleared up just in time for the celebration.

6 Months

Dear Lilah,
Good morning beautiful! We have been together (earthside at least) for ½ of a year now, and I have to say, life is just getting better and better with you around. I feel like I just woke up this month and you were a big girl all of the sudden. I thought I would be envious upon seeing newborn babies, but I’m not! You are so much more fun now than you ever were before.
We started out this month with your first ever horseback ride; for your 5 month birthday, we headed down to Alvin, where Napoleon, the uber-friendly miniature horse, graciously allowed you to sit upon his back. You loved it! You smiled and laughed the whole time. I foresee many more rides in your future!
This month you started sitting up on your own like a champ! You literally went from falling over constantly to sitting up unassisted in one day! You love sitting in the floor of my closet playing with toys while I get dressed in the morning. You have become slightly mobile this month; if I leave you on the floor you can flip over and launch yourself forward a few inches at a time. It isn’t the most graceful movement I have seen, but it seems to work. This month, you can now string together multiple consonants including, “bababa”, “mamama” “gagaga” and “nanana” Your favorite word the other day was “mamababa” you kept repeating it until you were nearly hoarse that evening. This month you went to the park for the first time; you went down the slide with Daddy and got to go on the swing as well. You had so much fun, that you passed out in daddy's arms on the way home.
This month you took your first visit to the Brazoria County fair! It was here that you bought your very first cow in the heifer auction. Daddy helped you with the bidding, but the card had your name on it! Your cow now resides at Grandpa’s in Alvin!
This month you had many visitors; Nana and Grandpa came down from North Carolina to see you, and you also got to meet Grandtom and Emily! You have now officially met all of your great-grandparents!! Despite Nana’s attempts to feed you everything from limes to cinnamon raisin bread, you still haven’t given solids foods a try just yet. Hopefully in the next few weeks, we can start playing around with some new foods. You are still nursing around the clock, but have spread your feedings out to about every 3 hours (sometimes more, sometimes less).
I am not sure what your weight is right now; I believe it is somewhere around 16 pounds. We are delaying your 6-month check up due to the fact that the Dr.’s offices are filled with patients infected with seasonal flu and swine flu. Since, we are all happy and healthy at home, we would like to keep it that way!
We are rounding out this month with Halloween preparations! Nana and I took you to the local pumpkin patch for pictures, and your costume is ready to go; it is so stinkin’ adorable I have to stop myself from dressing you up in it everyday!
As we get closer to the holiday season, I find myself getting more and more excited about having the chance to share these special times with you. You are growing so fast, and I never pass up a chance to squeeze you real tight and nuzzle my nose into that sweet neck of yours. I love you Bean, and I can’t wait to see how you will continue to amaze me this coming month.
Love,
Mom

Pumpkin Patch Kid

I have gotten so lazy about updating the blog! I would love to say that things have been busy and that I have been running around, etc..., but the truth is that I have just been lazy!!
Yesterday, me and Nana took Bean over to the local pumpkin patch for some cute photo opportunities. Let me preface this by saying that pumpkin patches, in my mind, encompass all that is wonderful in the world... cool weather (theoretically..not always a guarantee in South Texas!), babies in cute outfits, earth tone colors, family outings, tradition, hot chocolate, festive vegetables! It is all fabulous!! I seriously love nothing more than plopping a baby down in the middle of a pile of pumpkins and taking a picture. Babies in bluebonnets are a close second, but they lose because of spring shower threats, hotter weather, and fire ant hazards.
Anyway, here are a few pics of the Bean at her first pumpkin patch: