Last year when I was pregnant I was lucky enough to share the experience with several friends…4 of which lived close by. We all had our babies within 12 weeks of one another and it’s been so fun to watch them all grow together!

Susan (front and center) had Caden first.  Then Catherine (bottom right) had Leia about 10 days later, I had Garrett 13 days after that, Allison (bottom left) had Luke Alexander about 6 weeks later, and Brittany (not pictured…she left right before) had her sweetie Hailey about 5 weeks after that!

A few of us live North of the city so we set up playdates as often as we can, but our good friends Ryan and Catherine are still in the city so it’s great when we can get together!  We met at Latta Park and had a picnic outside to enjoy the beautiful day

Here are Catherine and I with the babies when G was only 6 days old

                           and 9+ month’s later

      It’s amazing how much they’ve grown and changed, and it was so fun to watch them play together.

Dan and Ryan (Leia’s Dad) grew up together and I think it’s pretty neat that our kids will get to follow in their footsteps

We had perfect weather….not too hot and not too sunny so we were able to hang out for a while and enjoy each other’s company and the beautiful day!

I’m planning on enjoying the comfortable temperatures as much as possible….I have a feeling it’s going to be a very hot summer!

What’s your favorite springtime activity??

I am 4 months old and Mommy has decided she wants to continue to blog about me but she wants to try blogging about baking too.  You see she has always had a HUGE sweet tooth and she likes to play in the kitchen with new recipes that make our house smell yummy (when she has time : ) so she’s going to give it a shot

If you want to read more about me, check out my 4 month post HERE

Such a Happy Little Guy!

I know I say this all the time, but I seriously cannot believe Garrett is over 3 months old already! Time is going so fast and he is getting SO big!!  He’s still the coolest person in the whole world and I am so proud of all he’s able to do already! The beginning of our month was pretty busy with traveling and everything, but thankfully everything slowed down quite a bit and we were able to get some time at home for the majority of it. A few weeks ago we started the dreaded 3 month growth spurt, and it lasted for about a week and a half. It was a tough one, especially because Garrett all of a sudden started refusing a bottle so it felt like he was permanently attached to me, but I did some research and tried a new bottle and nipple, and it’s starting to get better as long as the bottle is as warm as it can be without burning him and I am nowhere near him when he takes the bottle. Smart little cookie : ) So, we made it through and hopefully we won’t have to deal with another big one until he’s about 6 months. However, I’m sure he’ll start teething somewhere in between now and then but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, for now I’m just going to go back to enjoying my easy baby and my 6-8 hour stretch of sleep!

It seems like since he went through his little growth spurt he is all of a sudden able to do so much more!  He rolled over for the first time last week and did it several times in one day, but now doesn’t really care to try anymore and gets frustrated, this is what he looks like just before he’s had it : ) but we’re going to keep on tryig and hopefully will get it on video soon : )

Here’s a happier one of him showing off how strong he’s getting.

• Holding our head up for longer periods every day
• Falling more consistently into a daily schedule
• Rolling over from tummy to back (when he feels like it)
• Loves seeing the world from his Baby Bjorn!
• Smiles ALL the time
• Loves to talk to anyone who will listen
• Laughs when you make funny noises
• Is ticklish on his belly, feet and under his arms (his giggles will make sure you know that : )
• Sleeping roughly 7 hours in a row per night then eats and sleeps for another few hours
• Takes one short nap in the a.m….one long afternoon nap, and another short one in the p.m.
• Grasps things with his hands
• Looks like he is constantly trying to figure everything out (Dan’s child for sure : )
• Wearing mostly 6 month clothes, but can still wear a few 3 month onesies

Two years ago, I married my best friend. 

 I will forever remember the day.  It was Saturday, September 5th 2009, and I had been staying with my parents for the 2 weeks before.    My Mom and I ran around like crazy people getting all of the last minute details in order and it was rainy and cool, the majority of the time.   But on that magical day, it was 75 degrees and Sunny with clear blue skies.  Someone was smiling down on me : )  About two hundred and twenty five of our closest family and friends gathered to help us celebrate and we exchanged our vows promising to love one another in good times and in bad, for the rest of our lives.  It was my fairytale wedding come true and I wouldn’t change a thing about it.  We toasted, ate,danced, and laughed all night long.  And the next day, I got to wake up next to my husband for the very first time : )

I know this picture was on an earlier post but unfortunately we didn’t get a single family picture together on the beach!  Next time for sure : )

Our actual anniversary was celebrated by Dan cooking an amazing paella dish, and drinking some wine (which he ordered and had shipped to our beach house from a winery we really enjoyed on our Napa trip last year)  The celebration continued on Tuesday night when we hired a babysitter to watch our Little Man and headed into downtown Charleston for a delicious dinner at a restaurant called Tristan.  It was a very modern restaurant, which was very quiet (since we waited until after the Labor Day Holiday to go) and we indulged in a delicious wine paring menu.  We chose a la carte dishes from their menu that stood out to us and asked if the General Manager along with the chef could pair the wines that they felt would go best with the dished.  I’m pretty sure a wine pairing menu is one of my favorite things in this world, and if I had the money, I would do it with every meal at a fine dining establishment.  It was a wonderful night spent with Dan, and we got to go home to our beautiful son! 

It was a perfect anniversary celebration and I wouldn’t have wanted  it any other way : )

So…A lot can change in a year…..and even more can change in two.  But change in this case was for the better, and I feel like the luckiest girl in the world!  I have the most amazing husband and the sweetest little boy to ever walk the face of the earth : )

Getting so Long!

 I realize it’s been waaaay too long since my last post, but we have been super busy over the last month and a half, with lot’s of new experiences!!  We got our first fever : ( Received our first round of vaccinations : ( : ( We’ve had some visitors, and we’ve been traveling quite a bit, but our travels seem to be finished for now, and we are very grateful for that.  I’ve taken lots of pictures since the last post so I’ll do my best to limit what I’ve got or else this post will go on forever!  So as busy as we’ve been, we are all doing very well, and Garrett is getting more and more personality every day!  Here are his stats from his 2 month well check (which was actually taken at 9 weeks and he is now 11 weeks so I know he’s even bigger!

*Weight: 13lb 7oz (90th %)
*Height:  24 1/4″ (90th %)
*Head Circumference: 40 cm (50th %)
*Dr. says he is a VERY healthy boy!



Smiles all the time!


He was due to receive his first round of vaccinations at 8 weeks, but he woke up the week before with a fever of 102.9 so we had to reschedule.  Wetook him in to the Dr. and since he’s so young they did a full work-up which included taking a urine sample and drawing blood (poor guy) but everything came back very normal, and it turned out he just had a little stomach bug that he most likely picked up on our first plane ride/trip to Chicago.  His fever dropped by the evening and the next day he was my smiley happy baby once again : ) 
We took a trip to Chicago because our friends Nelson and Kelly got married and Dan was in the wedding, so we packed up and hopped on the plane and Garrett was perfect the entire time!  He only fussed when he got hungry and as soon as we fed him he played a little then fell asleep and was quiet the rest of the flight.  While we were there he went into the pool for the first time, and since he loves bath time so much we figured he wouldn’t mind the water, and we were right! It was much cooler there than it had been in NC so he was a little chilly, but he didn’t seem to mind the water at all!

Garrett’s first time in the pool!

Grandpa Rich, Gramma Lynn, Mommy, and Garrett

Gramma Pam is teaching me how to hold my head up like a big boy!

Our Family ❤

Ms. Erin, Mommy, and Garrett at the Winery : )

My Uncle Randy thinks I’m pretty cool!

When we returned from Ohio, we unpacked, unwinded (a little bit), watched Daddy play softball, and re-packed for our first official family vacation (and an Anniversary trip) to the beach! One of our favorite places is Charleston, it’s a short drive, and there are beaches all around, so we stayed in Folly, which was fun, but next time I think we’d like to try a more “family friendly” beach like Isle of Palms or Sullivans Island. But Dan and I hired a babysitter from SitterCity (which I highly recommend if you need a sitter while on vacation) and had a fabulous anniversary dinner at a great restaurant in Downtown Charleston! During the days we hung out on the beach and Garrett enjoyed his first time in the ocean!

First time in the Ocean!

Just like Mommy, the beach is his happy place!

Strengthening his neck muscles with Daddy

My Handsome Little Man : )

Had a great vacation but worn out!

So…I know it’s no excuse, but we have been super busy, but I will do my best to stay on top of the blog from here on out.  Now that we’re back home for a while we can get back into our routine, and I should have more time to post! 

Until then….here are some of the things Garrett is doing now…

• Smiles, and Coos, ALL the time, Mornings on his changing table are his happiest time, We think he’s going to giggle soon and can’t wait for that sweet sound!



Loving my Changing Table in the Morning!

• Loves to kick and splash during bath time
• Still doesn’t love Tummy Time, but is getting better at holding his head up each day!

Silly little Monkey : )

• Is wearing mostly 3 month onesies, but can fit into some 6 month….has to wear 6 month sleepers or else he can’t straighten his legs : )
• Sleeps mainly 6 hours at night before waking for a feeding, but has slept 7.5 and 8 as well
• Nurses like a champ!
• Likes to face out in his Baby Bjorn
• Starting to enjoy his swing
• Likes to watch TV in his bouncy seat
• Loves his toy/rattle from his Baby Einstein Mat (Ozzie the Octopus)  He will just look at him and smile and coo for several minutes!
• Recognizes Mommy and Daddy’s voices
• Turns his head towards sounds
• Can hold onto things momentarily if you place them in his hand

He’s growing up so fast, but we are so in Love with our Little Man.  He’s brought more joy to us then we ever thought possible and we are so proud of him! 

Sweetest. Thing. Ever.

If this isn’t one of the sweetest pictures you’ve ever seen than I don’t know what is : )  A little biased I know, but still…He sure is a handsome little man!  And already 1 month old to boot!  Where has the time gone!!!  It feels like just yesterday I was swollen and pregnant and waddling into the hospital so excited and sooo anxious to meet our little man, and now it’s been a month, it’s gone super fast and at the same time it feels like we’ve had him forever!  I can’t imagine life without him : )  It’s been quite the adventure and Dan and I couldn’t be happier!!

I am down 30 lbs so about 5 more to go, and it feels great to have lost so much weight already!!!…but my body isn’t even close to what it used to be.  Even though the majority of the weight is gone I have this pooch where I used to have abs, and it’s the most stubborn pooch in the world.  I’m so anxious to go to the Dr. for my 6 week post partum appointment to hopefully get the go ahead to really start workin it and getting my muscle tone back : )

Garrett has been quite the busy little man the last couple of weeks with all of the company we’ve had.   He’s now met all of his Aunt’s and Uncles, and one of his Great Grandmother’s as well!  It’s was so nice to have family in town and even better to get to show him off and just to see the interactions between the siblings and Garrett.  I think I can safely say he has completely stolen the heart of every family member who he has come into contact with.  Unfortunately I wasn’t as great with my camera as I had hoped to be and didn’t get pictures of him with all of his Uncles, but I do have a couple.

Aunt Amanda is smitten : )



 

Uncle Randy doesn’t want to leave!





Grandma Pam and Great Grandma Ruth

Handsome just like Daddy : )

 

4 Generations!

 So yes, it’s been a busy couple of weeks, but we are so happy to have had so many people meet him already!  Gramma Lynn is coming back in a few weeks : ) and we’re hoping to introduce Garrett to more of the extended family in the next few months!

It feels kind of funny to say this, because I used to always update you on my growing progress, but now I get to update you on Garrett’s! 
We had our 1 month check up last Monday, and Garrett is a growing machine!  Just to give you a point of reference, When he was born he weighed 7lbs 8oz and was 20 in long.  At his 2 week check up, he weighed 8lbs 2 oz (they didn’t give me his height) and at his 1 month check up he weighed in at a whopping 10 lbs 15.5 oz (75th percentile)!!!!!!  And 22 3/4 in (85th percentile)!  I was shocked, and I’m still not sure that the weight was right, I swear my hand was touching him : ) but regardless, he’s no longer a skinny little thing, he’s getting to be a Big Boy! 
I’m not sure if you realize, but 2lbs and 13.5oz is a LOT of weight to gain in only 2 weeks (The average weight a baby gains is 1 oz per day….Garrett is on the 2oz a day train!!!) so of courseI was immediately worried and asked the Dr if he was ok.  He asked a couple of questions, like is he a happy baby or is he miserable, is he spitting up a lot, etc.  He’s generally a happy baby.  He fusses when he’s tired, hungry wet, or cold, and that’s usually it.  And he spits up occasionally, but all babies do at this age, so the Dr. said he’s fine and we’re doing great, but because I have an overabundant supply of milk that I should cut back to only letting him nurse from one side per feeding.  We’re hoping his rapid weight gain slows down here before his 2 month check up or he’ll be wearing 6 month clothes!  He’s a growing boy, and he likes to eat…..what can I say.  So, we’re doing really well and we’re very happy.

Here are some of the things Garrett likes to do now:

*Smile : )
*Coo
*Kick his legs like crazy!
*Lay on his Baby Einstein Mat (This is one of the only toys we have that he will lay contently and happily on
  for an extended period of time
*Flirt (he’s got a killer smirk and a dimple to go along with it : )
*He’ll lay on his tummy for a few minutes at a time, and is able to hold his head up for short periods as well, but tummy time is not his favorite
*Take walks with Mommy
*Be outside in the warmth (although he doesn’t like to open his eyes when it’s really sunny)
*Fans (if there’s one in the room he’ll find it and just stare at it)
*Eat (as if you didn’t gather that one ; )
*And be held, although he doesn’t demand to be held to fall asleep, and he’s been sleeping in his crib like a big boy (it was harder on me than it was on him, and he’s literally in the room next to us : )

Developmentally I think he’s right on track…

                                                                                                         
                                                           …aside from his massive feet : )

and I love watching him from day to day to experience the new things he’s beginning to do!

Sorry this post is a little late, I’m actually going to post another soon for weeks 5/6 with some pictures of Garrett’s first time on the boat! 

This sunflower was almost bigger than him!

It’s funny because 3 weeks ago if you’d have told me to enjoy each moment because time goes by so quickly, I probably would have laughed and said yeah right.  I was 39 weeks pregnant and so anxious to meet our son that I couldn’t stand it.  Time felt like it was standing still, for me, but moving forward for everyone else around me.  Now, here we are almost 3 weeks later and I can’t believe how quickly the time is going by.  It’s crazy to me that on Friday, it will be 3 weeks since we welcomed our sweet baby into the world, honestly, it’s almost hard to remember what it was like without him.  He is the sweetest, cutest most precious little person I have ever seen, and although it doesn’t seem possible to fall more and more in love with him every single day….I do.

We took a little family outing to a Sunflower patch last weekend so we could attempt to get some family pictures and so I could practice my photography skills : ) It was super hot, and the baby slept the whole time, but we did manage to get a few pictures of our family and some of the landscape as well.

After we finished our outing, we grabbed a milkshake, came home and had some friends up to the house to meet Garrett and have a little dinner.  Surprisingly Garrett was wide awake for a good period of time while they were here so we had some photo opps and I love how different each picture of him looks. 

Just waking up

Contemplative

Curious

Just plain sweet

A little annoyed maybe?

The Thinker : )

Really??

 I know….lots of pictures but I can’t help it, he’s just so handsome : ) I sometimes feel like I could stare at him for hours and still be amazed.


❤ My little Angel ❤

This weekend Garrett gets to meet his Uncle Randy and Uncle Jace and his Aunt Mandy, and next week he gets to meet Uncle Tim!  I’m really excited for our siblings to visit and to get to meet him!  I’m sure I’ll have more to update you on next week!