My 33rd Birthday

Happy Birthday....mmmm cake!



Being shy.

With Grandma

Haley giving Baby Emily milk while Uncle Ryan gives Alex a bottle.

Getting help opening my gifts.

Great Aunt Mary Beth feeding Hunter his dinner

He wasn't so sure about a stranger feeding him.

Yesterday was my 33rd birthday!  On Sunday we had a family party at our house.  My Aunt Mary Beth and Uncle Paul were in town from Milwaukee, WI so they got to join in on the family fun!  Everyone came over and we had a yummy appetizer and cheese.  My Dad grilled shrimp and steak for a delicious dinner!  I requested a Coconut Cake which was very sweet and very good!  (And a lot of work according to my Mom, Dad, Mary Beth, & Paul.) 

On my actual birthday the kids and I just hung around!  We went for a nice walk and to the playground as it was the first time the sun had been out in 5 days (we got 4+ inches of rain in 5 days.)  We had pizza for dinner and cupcakes from The Cupcakery.  And of course, more presents!

Thanks again everyone!

Little Hokie Fans

Daddy is so proud.  Go Hokies!

Hunter is 5 Months

5 months old

 Hunter was 5 months old yesterday!  I know I say it every month, but boy does time sure fly!  Here are some things about Hunter at 5 months:

• He is such a sweetie!  He is so smiley and just wants to be a part of the "action" now.  For example, he wants to be held especially at dinner time.  He will no longer let us put him in the play gym during dinner.  He wants to see what is going on at all times. 
• Haley is his hero.  He is constantly watching her and if she is not right by him, he is looking for her.  If he is fussing and I need to finish something, I usually tell Haley to go talk to him.  When she goes over, he usually stops fussing and is smiling and laughing at her.  It is the sweetest thing to see them form this bond so young!
• He is a chunk.  I'm guessing he is close to 17lbs now and my back is starting to hurt from carrying him.  He is wearing 6-9 month clothes and some of those are getting a bit small.  He has the cutest rolls on this legs (you can kind of see it in the picture above) and the chubbiest toes and fingers. 
• Takes 3-4 naps a day.  He usually takes 2-3 45 minute ones and 1 2-3 hour nap a day.  He now sleeps in a sleep sack and weaning him from the swaddle was pretty easy.  Took just a couple days.
• Kind of sleeps through the night.  Two weeks ago I cut him off from night feedings.  He only cried 2 nights and that wasn't too bad mostly because Steve got up to calm him and not me!  Now he still wakes anywhere from 3-4 am, talks to himself for a few minutes and goes back to sleep.  Most days he then is up for the day between 5 and 5:30 am.  No, I'm not kidding.  It is exhausting for me.  But today, he woke up at 4:50 and after talking to himself for a few minutes, he fell back asleep until 6:15.  I hope this trend continues although I could do without all the night time conversation.
• Has been eating solids for 2.5 weeks and is sort of catching on.  He does not like the cereal.  I have tried 2 brands of rice cereal and 1 oatmeal and he spits most of it out.  He has had pears and squash too.  He is doing better with both of them and today ate about 1oz of pears.  This is the best he has done to date.  If anyone has any advice on how to get him more interested, please feel free to share. 

Haley had to get in for a picture too

Hunter's laugh is so cute!

Laughing at Haley after dinner



The Gardner

Dig dig dig

Toss that dirt

 At Haley's school she exchanged Valentine's with her classmates.  One girl gave her a Valentine that included a little 2" pink pot, dirt, and a bag of Forget-Me-Not seeds.  Very cute idea!  Must find out where the Mom bought them for next year!  Anyways, Sunday we planted the 6 recommended seeds in the pot and set it on the window to grow.  With the remaining ~25 seeds, Haley planted them around the oak trees in our front yard.  Wonder if they will grow? 

On a funny note, we had several flats of pansies planted when we added the stone around the trees last Thanksgiving.  Well, the local deer have taken a liking to eating the flowers and have done so twice.  Lovely.  Haley told Steve while they were gardening that the deer ate all the beautiful flowers and left the yucky weeds for us.  Too cute!