8 Months

How can it be that my baby girl is 8 months old?  Actually, by now she's just a couple days shy of 9 months old!  I'm still lagging behind big time with my posts, but had to share some of my favorite moments and pictures from this month.

Charlee Noelle on August 23, 2012.  Happy 8 months!

Life has calmed down a tiny bit, and I feel like I'm now back to enjoying the sweet moments with my children rather than just feeling in survival mode. This also means that I'm back to taking pictures again!  :)

 Charlotte continues to be such a laid back baby!  She just goes with the flow and almost always does so with a smile.  Poor thing still isn't really on much of a schedule.  Maybe it's part of being a second child, or maybe it's her personality, but as much as I try to figure a schedule out, it just doesn't happen.  She seems to consistently take a morning nap, but the time just varies.  I wish I could say that we were home each morning for her to nap at the same time as soon as she gets tired, but it just doesn't seem to work that way.  She doesn't seem to sleep on the go much anymore, just like her big brother, but seems to go down for a nap rather easily once we get home from our various morning activities.  Afternoon naps are a whole other story.  I thought I had this ALL figured out that MJ would be going to preschool in the afternoons, and Charlotte would nap during that time and I could finally count on some quiet time for myself to do all my schoolwork and not be stuck doing it late into the evenings.  Apparently Charlee is not on board with that schedule though and would much rather spend some one on one time with mommy.  It's pretty hard to be upset with that, but it continues to make my work load quite challenging.  I'm desperate for a solution!  Anyhow, this baby seems to be just fine with only one nap a day already...a not even a very long one at that.  Man, MJ had us spoiled with 4 hour long naps!!  An hour and half a day makes for a good nap for Charlotte and then she's pretty good to go for the day.  Amazing!  Good thing is though that she seems happy for the remainder of the day.

SO many changes for Miss C this month.  I had begged and pleaded with her to not start crawling until our move, and she listened, good girl!  It was almost like perfect clockwork.  As soon as the boxes were up and the house was starting to come together, she became mobile.  Charlotte is now scooting and dragging (army crawling) herself all over the place!  She officially began crawling just a couple days ago, too.  As of now, she just takes a few crawls and then resorts to her belly and moves much quicker that way.  She's got some upper body strength, that's for sure. She's pulling up to her knees now, too and tries to get a foot under her but can't quite figure out what to do next.  If you prop her up at the ottoman or the couch she'll stand for a minute or two before letting go.  She also started saying "mama' this week.  I'm not so sure it's directed at me, in fact, I'm pretty sure its' not, but it's still cute to hear her babble it.  She says it over and over like "mamamama".  Melt my heart!  She loves to smile, tickle, flirt, and be talked to.  Oh, and she still LOVES to eat!  She prefers finger foods and wants to eat whatever we're eating.  I can try to feed her baby food and she'll just eye my food and make grunting noises, so I usually end up caving in and feeding her little pieces of our food as well. She has four teeth-two on top and two on bottom.  She had a few instances of biting...once on her brother's cheek (left a big mark, poor guy) and a few times on me while nursing (Ouch!!), but seems to be past that now, so I'm guessing the teeth are feeling better for now until some more decide to pop through.  She's still solely nursing, and that is going well at the moment, so I plan to continue for now.  It's some of my favorite moments of the day actually because it forces me to just sit down, be still, and enjoy some cuddling with her.

Here are a few cute moments captured throughout month 8:

 There's not much that's more precious than a peaceful sleeping baby.  I loved how Charlee was snuggled up with her "Cuddle Bunny".  Mema and Papa bought this as a Xmas gift for her last year when she was born and we've put it in her crib every night.  She's become quite attached to and lights up with a huge smile when you hand it to her.  MJ also his "Cuddle Bear" that he's had since a baby and affectionately sleeps with him, too. 

 Charlotte asleep on my lap after nursing.  She looks pretty laid back like she's living the life, doesn't she?

 Out to breakfast with the family.  She tried her first pancakes...mmm!

 Soooo big!  I'd been dying to put her in this dress all summer, but it was too big on her.  She finally fits in it, so I had to take advantage of one of our last hot days. 

 Looking so big and standing for us~  She was even sick here, fighting a bad cold.  Sure looks happy though, doesn't she? 

 My poor baby then woke up screaming in pain for nearly 2 hours in the middle of the night.  I could not figure out what was bothering her, but suspected it might be her ears or tummy.  That morning I took her in to the pediatrician (thankful for a pediatrician open on Saturdays), and sure enough she had her first ear infection.  After some antibiotics and a round of Tylenol, I finally got her to sleep in my arms.  I couldn't bear to put her down, she was so peaceful.  She's not much of a sleeper in my arms, so I must admit I enjoyed this moment.  ;)

My sweet girl all dressed and ready to attend Truck Night, a Parents as Teachers event.  I have been in love with this hand-me-down outfit from Meg (thank you!!) since I received it when I was still pregnant.  I'd been hoping for a cool enough day to dress her in it before she was too big for it.  I finally got my wish.  She looked so stinkin' adorable.  I love having a little girl I can dress up, and I know I must enjoy these times before she's adamant on picking out her own clothes. 

Red, White, and Blue Sign

Since we first began even looking at our new home, MJ referred to it as "red,white,blue sign house".  He's like a little walking advertisement for Remax and readily spots red, white and blue signs all over town now.  Anytime we'd be out and about he'd always want to drive by "red,white, blue sign house".  I think our house will always have that association.  :) 

We closed on the house shortly after returning from our St. Louis trip, and the work began that very same day.  We could see the vision for this house (well, maybe Mat even better than I), but knew it was going to take some work...some major elbow grease and a few projects, but luckily no gutting of any rooms or removing any walls.  We've been in the house almost 3 weeks now and that combined with the couple weeks leading up to it that Mat was here at the new house working mostly while I was at home with the kiddos and packing up our house all myself have lead to one TIRED mama!  Luckily things have calmed down a bit now, but it has definitely been a hard move.  We've moved a lot in our 11 years of marriage, but this one has been the hardest, and I definitely wasn't expecting that to be the case.  Lesson learned:  moving with kids, especially two little ones, and with no family in town, is not for the weak! 

Overall, I'd do it all again, and hopefully I'm still signing that tune in another few months once most of the projects are all complete, but it has definitely kicked my butt, made me feel old, and taken it's toll on all of us!!  So glad the hardest part is behind us.  With that being said, here's a glimpse of the "before" or our new (to us) home and our vision for what it will soon become:

Welcome to our new home!  To come:  new sod, paver sidewalk, and paver flower bed

 It's move in day!  August 18, 2012-So thankful for some friends who loaned us their trailer and 7 college guys who moved us and did an outstanding job!  Not one thing was broken or nicked and they were cheap labor, too.  :)

 

Mat was happy he could sit back a bit and watch the guys do the heavy lifting.  The night before he'd been up until 2AM painting and I'd been up until 2AM packing.  Nothing like pushing it to the very last minute, huh?

 



I've always dreamed of a big front porch and am so excited to now have one.  Can't wait to complete our vision of cleaning and painting the porch and adding some pretty outdoor furniture.  All my pinterest pins for wreaths and decorating will soon becoming in handy!  :)

 



Stairwell leading from the foyer to the upstairs.  Hideous carpet ad pretty bad wallpaper.  All carpet has already been removed and foyer and hallway to be painted this weekend.  "After" pics to come in a couple months when it's all said and done.

 Basement bedroom which will become the guest room.  Vision includes:  removing this awful floor that had water damage (Mat's already removed floor and sub floor, and put in a new sub floor), added carpeting, and new paint

 Basement/guest bath and laundry room.  To be done:  paint

 Basement rec room which is now the playroom.  Vision includes:  new paint (already done) and lots of kid friendly decor

 Backyard AKA lots of weeds:  Vision includes a playground and mulch here

 tearing all of this area out and having a paver patio installed,

 lots of powerwashing, removing this deck, tearing out all sidewalk and weeds, and buidling a paver patio (oh, and that's our garage there in the back...yayyyyy, a garage!!).

 MJ's room-Vision includes:  removing carpet, finishing hardwoods, new paint (all completed)

 Mater bedroom-I know, you're probably gasping at this God awful Oregon trail wallpaper and blue carpet.  Trust me, it was really hard to see past this.  The vision includes:  buh bye wall paper, hello paint, removal of carpet, refinish hardwoods, new window seat cushions, window treatments (paint and floors completed)

 Main bath-Can you tell blue was the popular color in this house?!  Even the mini blinds match the vanities!  Luckily we have two vanities at least and do love all this cabinet space!  The vision includes:  restaining the cabinets a dark espresso color, new granite top vanities and new sinks and fixtures, smaller mirrors ,and new lighting

 Other view of the bathroom-envisioning a new toilet and new window treatments

 Charlotte's room:  Vision includes removing carpet, refinishing hardwoods, removing wallpaper, drywalling in this glass wall area, paint (all complete)

 Kitchen:  Lots and lots of thinking and contemplating has went into this area, but we're pretty confident our new kitchen coming this fall will include:  restained cabinets in a dark espresso color, new stainless steel appliances, granite countertops,new sink, subway style backsplash, new ceramic tile floor, new paint

 Office/family room:  This is an open concept floor plan connecting to the kitchen, therefore we'd like to restain these to match the new kitchen color

 Powder room:  Remove vanity and replace with pedestal sink, new ceramic tile floor, paint

Family Room: Pretty much the one room we're not changing much. We had the carpet cleaned and repainted it.

 

 Dining Room: Refinished wood floors, needs new paint

 Living room:  Remove carpet and refinish hardwoods (done), and new paint

 

Geez, just typing all this makes me realize why I've been so tired lately!  We're making some pretty major transformations in a short amount of time.  I'm thankful for a hubby that doesn't mind painting (lots) and is able to create a vision when I struggle to find the silver lining at times.  We make a pretty good duo when we can muster up enough energy to get things done!  Our goal is to have all major projects complete before the holidays.  Then, I can begin doing some decorating slowly over the next 6 months or so.  Man, do I struggle with patience.  I like to blame Pinterest for making me want to have my home look like it stepped out of Better Homes and Gardens.  I'm coming to terms with the fact that I need to practice patience, budget control, and knowing my own personal limitations.  Over time, this will become the perfect home for our family. 

 

 I can't believe how much it's already changed since we first laid eyes on it!  I can't wait to see our children grow and play in this home.  One of our favorite things is walking right out our front door and taking walks together, and of course stopping by the big playground at our neighborhood school. "After" pics to come later this fall!   

Vacation Wrap Up!

Vacation is starting to seem like a distant memory, so I figured I'd better wrap up the vacation talk before it leaves my mind completely....plus, there's more to update on like our move, Charlotte turning 8 months, MJ starting back to preschool, and mama struggling to keep up with ALL of it!

So, in no particular order, here's some favorite highlights from our wonderful time spend in St. Louis:

 We wrapped up some time at our hotel by Mema and Papa swimming.  This is when MJ discovered that swimming is pretty darn fun!  He started off clinging on to someone for dear life and being a bit whiney.  It didn't take long at all and he was then doing this!  He loved to jump in over and over and over to Mema!  This was the beginning of MJ's love for swimming on our trip. 

Sweet little Charlotte was one tired baby once we made it to Gigi and PopPop's.  She began sleeping on her belly on this trip and would completely konk out!  She started off sleeping in our room in the pack n play, but then we moved it to a spare bedroom and we all slept even better.  She did a good job adjusting to sleeping there!  She is proving to be like her brother in that she won't fall asleep in a stroller or in someone's arms, but put in her in her bed and she's out.  She even got some spoiling on the times when she was challenging to put to sleep, and Gigi was more than happy to rock her...

Gigi must have "the touch" because I don't think Charlotte has fallen asleep like this for me since she was a very tiny baby. 

We'd been in St. Louis only a few days when MJ got his worst "boo boo" yet.  We'd met up with the Grover Family for some playtime at an indoor play center.  When we were leaving, MJ and their little one held hands and started to take off running, but quickly got tangled up and fell.  I didn't see it happen exactly, but I heard MJ's head hit the ground and it was quite hard.  He was pretty upset by it all.  He typically hops up, maybe gets a little cuddle or kiss, and then is right back to playing, but that was definitely not the case this time.  It was obvious that it hurt him and he had a pretty good scratch on his head and cheek.  My mom had actually met us at the play center to pick up the kiddos and take them home for the evening while Mat and I were planning to enjoy a date night.  After some calming and consoling, we thought MJ would be okay and we sent him and Charlee on their way with Gigi.  Unfortunately, we soon learned that MJ was vomiting and falling asleep on the way home, so our date night quickly got nixed and we rushed home to see our boy!  We were so worried about him the whole way home, fearing he had a concussion and thinking we'd be making our first ER trip with him.  Luckily though, he was feeling better, and acting completely fine, even asking for lots of snacks.  After talking to our pediatrician, and a nurse friend, and keeping a close eye on him for awhile, we decided not to take him to the ER.  We kept him up late and then woke him up every few hours to make sure he was doing okay.  By the next morning, we was good as new, with the exception of looking rather battered.  Definitely his first big scare he's given us since birth!

We got to gather at Grandma and Grandpa Immekus' house so they could love on the grandbabies, and Aunt Kris (lover of babies) could meet Charlotte for the first time.  We missed out on seeing them at Easter, so they were the only ones who hadn't got to meet her yet.  MJ loved playing with cousin Samantha!  Can you believe she was the flower girl in our wedding?!?  She wasn't much bigger than MJ at the time and now look at her...soooo beautiful and a sophomore in high school!  She was wonderful with MJ!  If we were in St. Louis, I'd snatch her up as a babysitter any day!

 

 

We visited the Museum of Transportation with my parents.  Right up MJ's alley...nothing but cars and trains!  He was in heaven and didn't even seem to notice the fact that it was 150 degrees!!!  No, seriously there were heat warnings and they closed the place at 1 due to the heat.  I think it was in the low 100's, and of course the majority of stuff you do is outside or in unairconditioned buildings, but we still had a great time!  He loved riding on the train with Gigi and PopPop!  Then, we we walked around and looked at several cars, trucks, and trains.  Then, we had booked an hour play time at their Imagination Station, so he went in there with Gigi and PopPop and was able to play with trains, do an art project, etc.  It's definitely a place we'll be going back to.  Thanks, Groupon for the great deal!  ;) 

 

 



 

 

Of course there was some play time with Grandma and Grandpa Keyes, too!  Grandma made us a wonderful lunch and we were able to visit with them and have them interact with the kids for awhile.  Grandpa Keyes is always sure to have funny little rhymes and what not to do with MJ, and MJ just eats it up!  It usually takes MJ about 2 minutes to warm up to it, and then he asks for more and more the whole time.  It's so cute and a memory I know we'll treasure as he grows older. 

 

 

Just shortly after this, MJ gave us another scare.  Not sure exactly what happened, but somehow as he as rolling around on the floor he cut his head on something...the corner of the chair we think.  Nobody realized he was even hurt until he sat up and there was LOTS of blood dripping down his head!  It was a pretty decent cut, but looked worse than it really was I think.  I thought for sure when I first saw him sit up, it was time for stitches, but it stopped bleeding pretty quickly.  I thought he was bound and determined to visit the ER on this trip, sheesh!! 

 

I was able to get together with all my girlfriends in St. Louis on this trip, which is quite a treat!  I had time with Meg, Mindy, and Stephanie each individually.  Stephanie and I were able to meet up with the little ones.  Since Bennett and Charlotte are just four days apart, it's so neat and special to see them together. We did a little shopping at a Just Between Friends Sale with the babies and then went to lunch, where we also met MJ and my mom who had been seeing a movie.  It will be so special to see our little ones growing up alongside one another!! 

 

 It's not often while in St. Louis that we even have any down time to think about doing something as a family, but this trip was a great balance of time with family, time with friends, and even time on our own.  On one of those days, Mat and I took the kids to the St. Louis Science Center.  We each have memories of going here as kids ourselves, but the last time we'd been together was actually when we were dating, shortly after they'd fixed it up and opened the "new" Science Center.  This place is just awesome, and did I mention free? 

 They have a room for little ones, that does cost a small fee, where you can go in and play for 45 minute increments.  It was amazing!!  Of course MJ was in heaven when he discovered a train table.  We had to encourage him to branch out and try a couple other activities, too.  There were even lots of options for Charlotte to play with, too. 

 One of MJ's fave spots of the whole Science Center was the glass overpass/bridge where you can look at cars.  I remember this overpass as a kid myself, but never did I imagine I'd one day be snapping a pic of my car-loving three year old! 

Always the sign of a great day-knocked out kiddies!  We had such a wonderful time together that day, and it was great to have an indoor activity to do since it was another hot summer day of 100+ temps!

 

 

MJ loved visiting Gigi and Pop Pop's pool!  He gained so much independence in the water during this trip and was swimming around on his own, with the help of his Puddle Jumper!  He also loved playing in the sprinkler in Gigi and PopPop's backyard. 

 

Eventhough it was a month early, I was lucky enough to be able to celebrate my mom's 60th birthday with her.  I planned a surprise luncheon at Hendell's Market for her with some of her closest friends.  She was truly surprised!  It was such a special afternoon spent with some wonderful ladies and celebrating my amazing mom.  Given that she's been through cancer twice, celebrating a healthy mom during this milestone year seemed like quite a HUGE reason to celebrate and be thankful!

The kids also were able to see both grandpas on my side.  It makes me so happy to see them able to love and play with Mat's two grandma's and yet sad that they'll never know my grandmas.  Luckily their grandpas also enjoy loving on them!  We were able to go to Grandpa Fay's for lunch on one of the last days of our trip. 

All in all, this was such a great trip to St. Louis.  We were there long enough to truly enjoy our time and see everyone without it feeling too rushed or overwhelming.  MJ has reached an age where we can get by without a nap a bit more easily and Charlotte can still nap on the go pretty easily, so the day to day running seemed a bit easier this time.  We're so thankful for our many friends and family who make the time to see us and work around our schedule when we come to town.  Dubuque is becoming more and more where we see our family being for the long term, but St. Louis still always feels like "home".