Video Addendum

I just finished a super long photo post but I decided to add a couple of videos too.  The first one is Nellie laughing and smiling (can you name the theme song playing in the background?) The second one is her talking and you can tell she gets excited at the end.  And then watch for her signature slow motion closing of the hands.  It's all very dramatic.  

Just a few pics...

Okay, avid blog readers get ready for a RIDICULOUS amount of photos from the last few weeks.  Here's what happens when I don't blog every week, a lot to make up.  Here are Nellie and I getting ready to go on first trip with just the two of us.  Cody dropped us off at the airport and I had her stroller, sling and Ergo (the carrier you seen in the pics) and one carry-on that we shared.  Everyone was pretty helpful.  Nellie slept all but one leg of the flights.  I nursed her on take offs and landings just in case it would hurt her ears.  
We were visiting my brother Jason and his wife Sarah.  It was so fun for Nellie to get to play with them.  My parents came for a couple a days too!  
Eating out.  
Nellie thought her Uncle Jason was sooo funny!  
New shirt from my mom.  She looks good in yellow.  
Getting kisses and playing with Aunt Sarah at a coffee shop downtown.  Sarah was a great tour guide!  
Here is Nellie's St Patty's day outfit.  She looked so cute cause the shirt was tight and you could see her little pot belly!  
I made sure to add the pink headband so people was sure she was girl. 
So sweet!  
This is a famous cupcake stand that we stopped at right before they took us to the airport.  Thanks Jason and Sarah for a great visit to Austin!  
Here is Nellie ready for church on Sunday.  It's so weird how all the sudden she is wearing 3-6 month clothing.  It seemed to happen all at once and so fast (well she is almost 5 months).  Some of her 0-3 stuff still fits but it's fun to get to have a whole new wardrobe every few months.  
Our friends Bren and Andy came through Sunday to stay the night.  That is their baby, Macey, whom you may remember from previous posts.  Macey is two months older than Nellie.  
Bren and I were discussing how weird it is that all of the sudden we are pushing 30 (hey 27 is pretty close) and driving around with babies.  When did we become grown-ups?!  I have known Bren since elementary so it's so strange that we are so old but I still feel the same!    
Nellie is not sure about Macey yet.  I learned a lot about Nellie's personality this week.  Macey is loud and hyper and constantly moving.  Nellie is super chill and calm and I think pretty sensitive (all like her father).  Macey would squeal and reach out for Nellie and Nellie would get overwhelmed and cry.  She started to get use to her and they were talking by the end.  I forget that not all babies are like Nellie so it was insightful to see their different personalities.  
They happen to have matching pj's.  You can imagine how difficult it was to get two babies to sit still and both look at the camera the same time.  Macey kept reaching for Nellie and Nellie kept falling over.  
Macey:  Hello friend!  Let's play!

Nellie:  What the heck is this crazy baby doing!?

Bren says Nellie is just snobby!  :)
Hi cute babies!  
Here are some fun random pics from late.  I think she looks like such a big girl in this pic.  
Sweet smile.  
Pouty lips and big blue eyes.  
Nellie's new shades.  The crazy thing is she doesn't seem to mind or even know that she's wearing them.  She never tries to pull them off or anything.  
Chillin'.  
Nellie sporting her rain boots.  Hey, you never know when she is going to want to go splash in some puddles.  
Taking a little snooze on Daddy's shoulder.  Her lips look so funny, like a little fish.   
I thought her expression in this pic was priceless!  

So Friday is Nellie's 5 month birthday.  I think I might introduce rice cereal mixed with breast milk on this day.  Just so we have a month to get use to eating before we have to start vegetables and stuff.  She is still sleeping through the night so I don't think she necessarily "needs" it but I'll just try it once a day so she can start practicing eating from a spoon.  

Cody is trudging along in tax season.  Sometimes working 7 days a week and 10 hour days.  I am excited for April 15th to hurry up and get here!  

See ya next time!   

Nellie Jayne's busy days

So, Nellie has been quite busy the past few weeks.  She has been to Clovis to party, the aquarium in Albuquerque and the zoo!  Here we are getting ready for the party.  Basically it was a come and meet Nellie shin-dig for all the Clovis-ites.  
Here's the food and decor.  
Nellie is wearing a very large bow, because that is what babies in Clovis and west Texas wear...so I have been told.  :)  Doesn't she look so pretty! 

Nellie was passed around by 30 or so people for three hours.  She did pretty well the first couple of hours.  By the end she looked like this...
As soon as the last guest walked out the door I let her pass out and she fell asleep immediately in my arms.  Poor tired baby!  
Here is Nellie meeting her great great Aunt Bo.  She is 94 years old.  When Nellie starting fussing Aunt Bo turned her on her belly over her knee and starting bouncing up her and down. FYI: Not Nellie's favorite position.  
Nellie smiles and talks constantly.  Even when no one is looking.  
Happy girl.  Everyone at the party says she looks like Cody did when he was baby.  
These are Cody's overalls he wore when he was baby. I am going to do a photo-shoot in these pretty soon.  

How adorable is this outfit!  

Nellie chillin in her tutu for Joanna's birthday.  If you know Joanna Moore she had surgery this week on her stomach and you can follow her progress at their blog at cjmoore@blogspot.com.  We are praying for you girl!  
Nellie went to the zoo for the first time in Clovis.  You can see she didn't last that long.  This is Bodee, the little boy Auntie Lauren babysits for.  We all went together and it was super fun!

Here is Nellie's first time at the aquarium.  I think as she gets bigger she will appreciate it more and more.  
Little North African Nellie.

And her Arab buddies!  

Nellie had her 4 month checkup yesterday.  She weighed 12 pounds 6 ounces and was 24.5 inches.  She is still in the %25 for weight and %50 for height.  Normally I nurse or rock Nellie to sleep but today we had a breakthrough.  For her morning nap I put her down in the crib (swaddled) and rubbed her belly and stood over until she fell asleep.  It took about 10 minutes but she never falls asleep on her own in her crib so it was big step.  Her afternoon nap is usually in her carseat, stroller, or my sling as we are running errands.  So what I am going to do is keep lessening the time I stand over her until she will fall asleep on her own.  

Nellie almost always sleeps 10-12 hours without eating at night.  But while we were in Clovis she kept waking up.  The second night only once but the third night several times.  I just kept her in bed with me so I could feed and comfort her easier.  I think it was the new surroundings because when we returned home she slept 12 straight hours that night.  It's funny how she knew we were in a different place!  

So I have reached my goal weight of 105 pounds.  The problem is I still have a pooch.  I haven't starting working out yet but with swimsuit season right around the corner I've to get some serious motivation.   Why don't I just plop my booty on the ground and do some crunchies?  I don't know I have been asking myself that for weeks.  I need DISCIPLINE in my life!  In other news...

My Madre has been named Broker/Owner of the Year for her region!  She is in Las Vegas right now for a nationwide RE/MAX convention.  This a huge honor and I am so proud of her.  Congrats Mom!!!

Tune in next time when I demonstrate how to use my new Ergo backpack I just got in the mail.  It's much different than my sling but better for when Nellie gets heavier.  I'll show you the pros of cons of each!