Tennessee Part 2

The second half of our time in Nashville we spent with Uncle Tom, Aunt Sherri, and the girls.   By this point in the trip I felt like I was in survival mode.  Did I mention she decided to start cutting 4 teeth during this trip?  Yeah, BRUTAL for this mommy!  Single parents, I have no idea how you do it!  Having to share a room with Annabelle was virtually impossible.  Poor baby just wanted me to hold her the whole time.  Sleep got more and more scarce as the days went on.  My picture taking diminished at this point.  Here are some fun pics...

Danielle LOVED Annabelle, and was such a great buddy for her all week!

Miss Bethany (aka social butterfly) was so great with her!

Annabelle loved Allie!  

Chewing on EVERYTHING!

Meeting old friends...

I got to meet up with an old dear friend from college while in Nashville.  It seriously had been almost 10 years since we had seen each other!  Sara has 2 beautiful boys, and it was SO great catching up with her, and can't wait til next time!

Tennesse Part 1

 Annabelle had yet to meet all of our wonderful family in Tennessee, so we decided to drive up early with my mom and step dad.  My Pepaw was getting married at the end of the month and Leah, who has become the little sister I never had, was getting married the next weekend.  Travis was going to work, and fly up the Friday before the wedding.  For those of you that caught that, yes, that is an almost 12 hour car ride.  I know...12 hours in a car with an almost 10 month old.  Happy to report the little one did great!  We decided that best (safest) bet was to drive through the night with her.  So so SO glad it went well!

Instead of typing out everything we did, I figured I would let the pics do the talking....enjoy!

On our way!!

Helping mommy unpack

Meeting Miss Sadie

It took a couple days, but we loved Andy!  

Took some walks outside

We LOOOOVE Nancy!

We got to help Leah with her beautiful bridals

Beautiful Leah

9 (1/2) months

You turned 9 months while we were in Tennessee.  It was your first really long trip.  We left on a Wednesday night, drove through the night to arrive in Nashville the next day.  You did awesome!  Especially since you decided to start cutting 2 teeth right before we left! You slept pretty much the whole way.  We drove up with Grammy and Papa.  I know they had to have been just a little nervous about the 12 hours in the car with an almost 8 month old.  BUT you were perfect.  

You are still in the 90th percentile in weight, about 65th percentile in height.  You weigh about 22 lbs, and are 28 inches long.  We finally figured out why your face would never clear up.  You've had eczema on your face for several months.  We had tried several doctors, but couldn't figure it out.  We finally went to a dermatologist and discovered you had a staph infection on your face!  Could not believe it.  We felt HORRIBLE!  Thankfully, 10 days of antibiotics later you were all clear!  Just thankful we caught it before it got too bad.  

Our new toy all the way from Prague!

Could just hold you all day!!  Sweet baby

You are growing and changing WAY too fast.  You sit up by yourself now.  You mostly army crawl everywhere, but are toying with the idea of crawling on your hands and knees. You love pulling up and standing whenever you get the chance.  You do this cute thing where you bounce up and down all the time.  Whether on your bottom bouncing or standing up bouncing.  You get the biggest grin while you're doing this!

Your schedule is pretty set, and you're finally napping now!  WOOHOO!!!  It's hard to keep you up at night until your 6:00 bedtime.  You're really ready to go down by 5:30.  Gotta work to keep you up!  You wake up around 4:00 or 5:00 for a quick feed, then usually wake up around 6:00 or 6:30.  Naps are getting better.  You nap about 3 times a day.  Morning nap around 8:00, afternoon around 11:00, and then again around 2:00.  I don't know what to do with all my "free" time!

You are eating a bit more food.  You're obsessed with mangos and bananas.  You like pears, apples, and are coming around to squash and carrots.  You still love nursing, and nurse about 4 or 5 times a day.  Thankful you figured out your sippy cups!  Considering you never took bottles, we were a bit nervous!  You love spending time in your high chair.

You make the funniest faces.  Your personality is really starting to show!  You love to smile and giggle.  You're mimicking Daddy and me more and more.   I know I say this every month, but you are just so fun!

Visiting Daddy at work

We LOVE pulling up to play!

Uncle Ryan graduates!

Bath time fun!

All Grown Up

My youngest brother, Ryan, was born when I was in jr high.  It was the coolest thing having a little "baby" brother.  I loved it!  He was just the cutest little baby!  Well, that cute little baby is graduating high school.  I can hardly believe it!  This past Sunday was graduation Sunday for him, so we all went to celebrate.  So proud of you Ryan Chase!

Mother's Day

It was a great Mother's Day this year.  Travis and Annabelle showered me with lots of fun gifts.  Since I still have all my food limitations, we cooked out at my Mom and Joe's house.  My Aunt Brenda came over to celebrate with us.  It was such a great day.  I am so blessed to be the sweet baby's momma!

Starbucks Outing

8 Months

Where to begin!?!?!  You are growing and changing by leaps and bounds.  Everyday we wake up wondering what new and fun thing you're going to start doing.  I'm pretty sure I was jotting down so many different "firsts" the entire month!  It's fun, but sad at the same time.  I just need you to slow down!

Some of the big "firsts" this month:

~ your first word...MaMa  (sweetest word ever!)

~ crawling! 

~ waving motion 

~ holding 2 things at once

~ pulling yourself up in your crib

~ we're using a sippy

You love bouncing up and down while standing.  You are making more and more new sounds.  Just the cutest thing ever.  You learned you can shake your head "no."  You don't realize you're actually saying no, and I'm trying to make sure you don't realize what that means!

You're still in size 12-18 month clothing.  Randomly some 9 month stuff will actually fit, but it's a little snug.  You are trying more foods.  We're getting this whole allergy/eczema thing under control.  We found out you actually got a staph infection.  It' was a secondary infection to your eczema.  We felt horrible, but it was so nice to finally have a diagnosis to why your face was constantly a mess!  10 days of antibiotics later, and you were clear!  

Double Take

Found one of my old baby pictures, and did a double take...Looked exactly like little Annabelle!  What an amazing thing having a precious baby look so much like you.  God is pretty amazing!

And we're moving!