Feeling much better!

I have recovered from my sickness, and I feel SOOO much better! Still have to finish up my antibiotics this week, and I have a raging diaper rash! This is a cakewalk compared to what I have been through!
Mommy took me to the optometrist today. I haven't been having any problems, my pediatrician just wanted me to get my eyes checked. Thankfully, everything looks good!
There are a few new things I am doing since my upper teeth are coming in. I make a chewing motion with my mouth like I am a cow chewing its cud. Also, I have started grinding my upper and lower teeth together. Mommy and Daddy do not like it when I do this. They just cringe and tell me to stop!

Poor baby!

Recent visit with Grandma, Grandpa and oldest cousin Corrine.

Mommy and Daddy often find me like this after I wake from my naps

Notice the Duke apparrel. I am definitely my Daddy's boy! Maybe one day I'll play basketball there!

Concentrating hard playing my piano. Grandma thinks I'll be a pianist one day with my long fingers.

Playing with my blocks.

I am going through my first illness. I have been running a fever since Tuesday night this week ranging from 100.5 to 103.3. Mommy has to give me this yucky medicine which I really do not like. My flu test on Wednesday was negative, but my pediatrician felt I still needed to be treated for the flu since I have flu symptoms. Also, I've had a runny nose for over 2 weeks which has worsened and with the added fever, the doctor said I need to take an antibiotic too. I had to get blood drawn from my arm. My white blood cell count is high, so I am fighting off some kind of infection. I can barely breathe out of my nose which makes eating very difficult, and Mommy and Daddy are constantly wiping my nose. The medicine upsets my tummy so I have been throwing up and have diarrhea. Plus my gums have been bothering me because I am still teething. What a rough week it has been for me plus my mommy and daddy!

I got my 2 upper teeth in and actually I am about to have 4 upper teeth in - the other 2 are about to break through! Now my lower gums are starting to get red and swollen.

I had a "photo shoot" this week before I got sick. The proofs are adorable, I must admit. Can't wait to get the pictures. I have such a BIG smile!

I am pulling up and crawling and climbing on everything! When I wake up from my naps I like to stand up and play in my crib until Mommy comes in and finds me.

I am really starting to enjoy many new foods. My favorite veggie is sweet potatoes; I gobble them up! I like lots of fruits, but my favorite is probably bananas.

Exponential Growth!

Let's see . . . where do I begin? Within the past week, I pulled up for the first time, and I began crawling! It is so much fun being able to get around to things I want to investigate. My favorite item to crawl to is Daddy's remote control - so many colorful buttons to press! I have tried all kinds of new foods - from squash to peas to green beans to carrots to pears to bananas. I haven't turned anything away yet, although I'm not a big eater. On Monday I went to my pediatrician for my 6 month checkup. I had to get FOUR shots! I cried and cried and broke Mommy's heart. I sniffled about half of the way home, then I fell asleep and took a record-breaking 2 hour nap! Of course, we were at the doctor's office over 2 hours, so that wore me out! I had a fever that night, but I was feeling better by the second day. I am now 17lb 8.5 oz and 27 3/4 inches long. Mommy and Daddy tell me I'm growing like a weed! I've had lots of family come to visit me over the past month. My daddy started back to work with a new school year, so I started daycare at my church a few weeks ago. I have fun there. I'm still not sleeping through the night, and my mommy says she is always tired. Maybe one day I will be able to make it through the night and give her a break! We'll plan to post some updated pictures. Too-da-loo.

My new tricks

My how time flies! Yesterday Mommy let me try my very first REAL food - squash! I didn't really know what to think of it. I've never eaten anything with taste. I made some funny faces. Today I had more squash, and I liked it better. In a few days Mommy will let me try some green beans! Also, I just figured out how to sit up from a lying position. Today Mommy saw me do it for the first time, but Daddy saw me do it a few days ago. But now I've really got the hang of it, and I do it all the time. In fact, tonight Mommy put me to bed and I woke up, sat up, and started crying. Mommy came to check on me, and I was sitting up in my crib! I coo and giggle now. I am even starting to teethe again. I am working on my 2 upper front teeth. I got my first cold this week too. I have a little bit of a runny nose and cough, but not too bad. I still feel fine. Daddy will go back to work tomorrow, and I will start daycare next week. Grandma and Grandpa and my cousin Corrine came to visit me today. They will stay and keep me for a few days. More updates to come.

I'm 5 months old!

Can you believe I am already 5 months old? I love to roll around on the floor and play with my toys. I can get up on my hands and knees, but I haven't really put it all together to start crawling yet. However, I can get just about anywhere I want by rolling.

This morning Mommy fed me some rice cereal. I just gobble it up. I only eat a tablespoon or two, but I sure do enjoy it. Sometimes I like to blow it all over the place, but Mommy doesn't like when I do that too much because it makes a BIG mess!

I take some very relaxing naps in my swing. You never know what position you might find me in when I dose off. Here I have my arm propped up on the tray, and other times . . .

I even rest my head on the tray!

It's difficult to see, but I now have 2 teeth! The second tooth just came in within the last couple of days. I had a few really fussy nights, but since the tooth finally broke through I have rested better. Last night I woke up every 3 hours and the night before that every 4 hours. My mommy wants to know what happened to those days when I slept 6-8 hours because I have not done that in months!

As you may have read, we went to Mobile for July 4th. My mouth was hurting on the way home, so I fussed most of the way. Traffic was bad so it took us 6 hours to get home. That night we came home, Mommy decided I was going in my own room. I have been sleeping in my crib ever since.

This morning I woke up around 7:15. Daddy came in to check on me only to find my legs stuck in between the crib rails and poo poo all over the place! He said, "May Day, May Day!!!" Mommy heard him on the monitor and came to check out the situation. Mommy had to give me a bath and wash my sheets and pajamas right away.

Fourth of July

Here I am with Mommy and Daddy on my first Independence Day. We made a surprise trip to Mobile to visit family. Boy were they surprised! My doggies, Buddy and Daisy, even made the trip with us. Yes, we had a car full!

Here I am with Nana and Pops. They were so happy to see me! We had a good time together. They made ribs, hashbrown casserole, creamed corn, and German chocolate cake. Mommy didn't let me have any, but she did let me try some rice cereal for the very first time! I wasn't quite sure what to think of it, but I ate it. It is weird eating from a spoon. Mommy is hoping it will help me sleep better at night by keeping me full, but I am just a little stinker and keep getting up every 2 hours. I am cutting my first teeth, and they just bother me sometimes at night. I have been gnawing on my fists and toes like crazy. I will be glad when these little teethies come in.

I am laying on Daddy's belly. It sure makes a nice pillow!

Cousin Louanna's Birthday Party

While we were in Destin, we had the opportunity to attend my cousin Louanna's birthday party. She loved to lick the icing off the Disney princess decorations. Wish I could have some! Mommy and Daddy wouldn't even let me have some ice cream.

Here is Louanna and her mommy, Wendy. Louanna is opening her presents.

Here is Louanna with her daddy, Wayne. She is eating her cake and ice cream. I am just taking everything in. This was my second birthday party to attend.

CHEESE! Here's the birthday girl . . . Louanna! 3 years old!