Bananas, Carrotts and Peaches - Oh My

I haven't done an update about our 6 month well check, except to let you know our height and weight. So basically this is the jest of it. We have to start getting her to eat from a spoon. No excuses. The pedi said there is this time frame in which a baby can properly learn to eat & swallow using a spoon and between 6-9 months is that time. If we give in and not accomplish this, we will have a minor problem on our hands as she gets older. The good news is that we can start eating stage 2 foods and forget about cereal. Carli despised cereal. So - I went to the store and got some foods for her. We started with bananas last week. She did really well - probably ate about 1/2 Tbsp per sitting and did much better when her Daddy fed her than when I did. She gets pretty frustrated with me. We attempted peaches next and between me dropping 3/4 of the jar on the kitchen floor (much to my dogs' delight) and someone telling us we should try vegi's first, that didn't last long. She wasn't a big fan, but in all fairness we only got to try them three times. So we moved from the fruit family to the vegi's and we tried carrots. At first, not so much of a fan - but tonite I put two heaping baby food spoon fulls of bananas and carrots in her bowl and she ate them!



Actually took bites! Woohoo!! What a relief. I'm sure more bumps will come in the road of this new solid food eating stage (she is stubborn - I'm not sure where she gets that from) but this is a small victory for us!

Hold on to your hats!

We've gotten in the good habit of skyping with Naggy & Pappy at least once a week. When Carli was less mobile, we could put her in her bouncer and stick the camera on her and all was well. Life is not so easy now. She has discovered that little black thing with a blue light aimed at her and she wants it! This is what Naggy and Pappy get to look at now - who needs roller coasters when you have Carli Lynn and a camera!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Daddy's Girl

This weekend turned out to be Daddy's weekend. Resa spent all day Saturday working in the backyard, which left me on baby duty. We hung out, laughed, played, and took a couple short naps (Carli, that is). We discovered how fun it is to sit in the pack-n-play and play with our bears...

And we learned how to eat bananas from a spoon! Bananas are better than peaches and carrots.

In between bites, we had to stop and play a little bit. Slamming the bowl on the tray is way more fun than eating from a spoon.

And bathtime is a family event...even Chuy gets in on the action...

And finally...if this doesn't make you smile, then you probably need therapy.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The Innocence of a Child

Carli still supports her Cowboys...even in the off season! :)

A Special Tuesday Tribute

Who better than to do a tribute to than the reason for this blog? I'm sure there will be many many more tributes to this special little angel in the weeks to come but today I wanted to do one for her, just for Carli Lynn.

To a special little angel-

I want to thank you:

Thank you for the 2 am feedings and needing me - for reaching for me and telling me that you love me - I'll wake up at 2 am and smile because you are so grateful for me!

Thank you for that HUGE grin every time I change your diaper. Who knew a poopy diaper would be such a happy event? I never would have thought that it would make me smile to think of changing your diaper!

Thank you for being stubborn - for rolling over one week and refusing to do it since. Thank you for proving at a very early age that you will not follow the rules and that you will be who you are and do it at your own time. Thank you for being stubborn - one day I'm sure I will regret this thanks, but at least I know this is something you got from me and I think being stubborn isn't a bad thing! :)

Thank you for being a Daddy's girl. For giving your Daddy that grin when he comes home, for squealing in delight with a shine in your eye. You make your Daddy so proud and I love watching you both.

Thank you for snuggling up to Uncle Andy's neck and just givin' him that special love...you have a special place in his heart.

Thank you for not taking those naps, because when you do finally give in to the exhaustion it was well worth the wait and so much more appreciated! ha!

Thank you for looking so serious when we sing "This Little Light of Mine" and bursting into laughter when we sing the part about not letting the devil "puh" it out - ironic that you find that part funny.

Thank you for being you - for smiling at your Grammy, Pa, Naggy and Pappy - they are so proud of you and love you so much. You are so lucky.

Thank you for the days when you refuse to let me out of your sight and cry at being put down for a nap and simply want to be held - b/c I will cherish these times when you simply just need to be with me when you grow up and are Ms. Independent. I will remember that you needed me and still will...thank you!

Thank you for waking up in the morning with a smile on your face and feet sticking straight up in the air - priceless.

You are a priceless gift from God - and I hope that I never, never forget just what you have given me.

Love you Sweet Cheeks! (One day she'll resent me for that!)

P.S. Today we had our 6 month check up - we were 25.75 inches long (51st percentile) and 15 lbs 10 oz (60th percentile).

New Discoveries

Carli's newest discovery is that she can control her feet - kind of. She kicks them constantly. Sometimes she has the look of pure determination and other times frustration. It's really funny in the car seat when she thinks that by kicking her feet and grunting really loudly she will succeed in freeing herself. Anyway - here is some video from tonite. We started with a full tub of water and had very little to drain out when she was done!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Spring is Here!

Carli has really enjoyed the warm weather! She spent most of her time outside this wkd. Today we went to our friend Lizzy's Diaper Shower and the flowers were in full bloom, so we couldn't resist some pictures!

Happy Birthday to Pa!

Keep watching the cute baby!! Love you Pa!!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

What Happened?

What happened to the Tuesday Tribute you ask? Well, it went to Bible Study last night! So we will try again next week...hopefully more pics or video later today!

Copy Cat

Carli has really started picking up on things these last few days. And if her Daddy is in a bad mood, you can guarantee that Carli can get him to smile! The video below we took on our regular camera at Walgreens. Daddy was in charge of entertaining Carli while I picked up a few things - this is what they were doing when I caught up with them. Carli gets a little camera shy these days...

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

INTRODUCING...

The New Green M&M

From Grandma's Darlings...

Growing up I was very lucky to have known two of my Great Grandparents. I have fond memories of driving to Kilgore, counting oil rigs and searching for turtles at my Great Grandmother Smith's. She was so much fun. I still remember the song she made up to play with us when we would come to visit. Then I had my MeMaw - who was awesome! MeMaw lived with Grandma and would always sit on the front porch to watch us play.


Carli is one lucky little girl because she has three great grandparents to get to know. There is Grandpa Herb, Pawpaw (whom she is named after) and then there is Grandma. Today's tribute is to our Grandma.




I could go on and on about all that my Grandma is to me. I know that I am lucky to have her in my life. I would say that she is one my best friends. She got me through some pretty rough times in high school, and never failed to be there with a hug and a listening ear. I think all my cousins can relate to what an awesome Grandma we have. But what makes my Grandma so very special is that she makes each and every one of her "darlings" feel like they were her very favorite!

I love to watch my Grandma with Carli. She makes me so proud of them both. Her eyes just light up when we go to visit! My Grandma has a lot to deal with, but she seems to always put those worries aside when she is holding Carli. I love my Grandma so very much and I pray that Carli will know and love her just as I do! Grandma - today's tribute is to you - because I think you are one awesome, Godly woman and I am so very proud to call you ours!

With all our love -

Carli & Resa

Spoon Meet Carli - Carli Meet Spoon...

It is hard work, this eating from a spoon business....

Summer Girl!!

Today was a hard workin' day. We spent most of the day outside, it was cloudy and a little windy, but it was warm, which was a nice change. I won't bore you with the details of what all we did, but I will say we got the house primed (will be painted on Monday), boards on the chimney replaced, and two trees cut down (one already dead, the other on it's way). So it was really busy. Carli had hard workin' day too. She bounced outside for a long time today, and really seemed to enjoy it...she definitely likes to be outside.

And since it was so warm, she got to wear a summer outfit, which she loved because it doesn't have pants.

And this was the result of all of our endeavors...couldn't even finish our dinner!


To the showers...
Keith

To Work Do We Go!

This past weekend, we had our annual meeting with our counterparts in Arizona. They also flew in some of the people from Japan. It was a crazy busy wkd and Carli got to spend some quality time with her Naggy and Pappy while her Momma and Daddy attended meetings all day. It was a really good trip and we had a good time catching up with everyone. This was the first time Carli got to meet our friends from Tucson, Eric, Yuri & Shuichi - as well as Jeremy and Machiko from California. She was a big hit and it was fun to get to finally have her meet everyone!

Carli with Shuichi

Yuri and Carli


Carli with all her grandparents - it was kind of cold so we were hurrying!

It was a good wkd and Carli did really well being away from home for two nights. She was happy to get home though - she played and played on her floor gym! That was more important to her than eating!

And we call her Naggy...

You know - when we told our parents we were expecting and the talks started about who would be called what, I totally was not expecting Tessie to want to be called Naggy. Her boys insisted and she smiled and kept informing me that is what she would be called. I have discovered the longer I am in the Hays family, that they named her Naggy because of coarse they think she "nags," but to her defense, she was one woman, living with three men...come on, how else would she get them to do anything?! :)

Our Naggy has been a HUGE blessing to us. We love her dearly and Carli is one lucky little girl. Naggy will definitely not mean "nag" to Carli - Carli will know that her Naggy would do anything for her and I'm sure the same is true for Carli will do anything for her Naggy. I think that Tessie was so excited to have a granddaughter that spoiling her is just what is meant to be!

Tessie has done nothing but help us. She spent a week with us after Carli was born, has helped in getting the nursery set up, writing thank you notes, pictures and tons and tons of things I cannot even begin to name. It is amazing to see our parents transform from parent mode to grandparent mode and Tessie is no exception! She is one awesome "Naggy," in an unconditional loving kind of way, not the wrong kind of nagging way! We love her dearly and are so thankful for the sacrifice of time and money that she has made for us and Carli. If it weren't so late at night and my brain would work better, I could keep going. But in an effort to keep this tribute from rambling, we would like to dedicate this Tuesday's Tribute to our Naggy and thank her with all our hearts for her and all she does for us!