28 weeks

Another week has come and gone and so much has happened!
Aidie and Daddy have been having much better days at home and Aidie and Caina are spending much more quality time together. They even played the other day which was so cute! Aidie kept trying to take Caina's toy. Caina walked away with it and then brought it back to her. So funny!
We had lots of family in this past weekend. Rachel and Ella came from Colorado for a visit. We had brunch at Dan's parents and Ella and Aidie got some play time in. I think it was fantastic for Aidie. She doesn't spend much time with other babies and I feel like her play style has really stepped up a notch since seeing Ella. It was hysterical the next morning. She has never really shown much interest in multiple toys before, but on Sunday she did. One more thing to show me that she is a genius baby. She wanted the bin of little stuffed animals. So I got them down and she takes all of them out and puts them in one pile. Then she separates out all of the dogs. Then she puts them in alphabetical order (now I'm sure that was a complete fluke but that's what happened- Chicken, dogs, rat- in that order). Then when she was done she started putting them all away. It was the craziest thing I've seen since the full sentence first words. No doubt about it- She is amazingly smart!
We also got to see my cousin Jim and his wife Betul who came to visit from Turkey. We haven't seen them since before their wedding and it was a super wonderful surprise! They just loved Aidie (of course!) but Aidie was a bit fussy at first. Poor thing has been going through a "shy of strangers" phase. She even gets fussy with my parents occasionally. It's been interesting. Well, poor Betul wanted to see her so bad and all Aidie did was cry and cry when Betul carried her upstairs. I had to take her outside for 10min just to calm her down. Well, she finally warmed up and turned back into her regular charming self! I guess when she realizes mama won't disappear, things are a bit more okay. Jim even got her to start crawling! Yay Jimmy! We love you and your tormenting ways! Aidie is now well on her way to being the crawling terror we knew was dying to come out. Tiny troublemaker, here we come!

Six months old and then some!

Oh how the time does fly! I feel like I am just now settling and it's still taking me three weeks to get a blog written! Ahh! I think my brains are still scattered from pregnancy. They may call it placenta brain, but the placenta is gone and my brains still haven't returned... where did they go?
Student teaching is finally in the swing. I feel like I am getting my feet underneath me and I am starting to get the hang of things. It's true what they say "Kindergarten is it's own breed". I feel like I am learning so much, which I love. It is really pushing me, unlike the sixth grade. 6th grade came so easy that I don't feel I learned enough. This is pushing me to every limit I have and I think I'm going to come out feeling a lot more confident and well rounded as a teacher. I'm kind of excited about it. Fall unit next week! Should be fun. Birthday party and Pajama day- What could be better?
Well, we have been busy busy bees. Aidie is growing so much that I feel I need three blogs just to fit it all in, but you will just have to suffer through a really long one!
She said her first word (sentence rather) this past Saturday! She said "Bye Bye J.J." to my aunt as she was leaving my Mima's house. This totally freaked Aunt J.J. out and got the rest of us so excited that I'm not even sure pigeons could have competed in the sqwakiness of it. My mother likes to relive the anecdote of me talking early. She always said that I talked early and plain and never did any of the "baby talk", but even I had a first word. Her first word was a sentence!?! Well, Einstein, watch out. You may have competition...
She has also started crawling! Yippee! We aren't doing much forward yet, but we sure are trying! Poor thing is getting so frustrated when she goes backward, as that's not what she is meaning to do! She is starting to get the hang of it and it's keeping me and daddy on our toes. She really gets around. Where before we could leave her on a blanket and go get something, now we can't let her out of our sight. She either rolls away or crawls back into something. Talk about Danger Zone! I feel like that song should just play in the background at our house 24/7 now.
Her hair is getting super long. I can almost braid it or put it in a pony tail. I clip it a lot, as I can't bare to cut it. She is so pretty, it's ridiculous. I may be her mother, but I have an amazingly beautiful child. Not only is she pretty, but she is charming, which would make up for it even if she wasn't pretty as can be! I'm not sure what we will do with her when she gets bigger. If she keeps this up we may have ever parent's dream child on our hands! She already is (with momentary crying fit exceptions). But we're cutting teeth. It's to be expected!
Speaking of cutting teeth, still none yet. Poor thing has been trying for a month anyway. Still nothing. I'm hoping soon. She has had some horrible congestion thing. It was so bad the other night she woke up choking on her own mucus (sorry if TMI). It was awful. I took that day off of school to take her to the doctor. Dan was home, but after that episode I was in a complete panic. Of course they told us that they couldn't do anything, to just give her benedryl and keep an eye on things. She is doing much better since we have been giving her regular doses of benedryl. Yeah!!! Much better. She is sleeping horrible still, but hoping it will change. Steady sleep is a necessity these days!
These rest of the blog is full of wonderful pictures. I will narrate as they go. ENJOY AFTER THE LONG ABSENCE!

Going out or for a hike. Great times! The hat just makes the whole thing! The hiking pack was such a great investment.


I L-O-V-E this picture. Perfect little smile. She is much more content now that she is sitting up.


She loves sitting on our shoulders. It bounces. It's new. It's a whole new world up high!


Oh, Uncle Johnny! The faces I have when I play with you! Priceless


Those beautiful baby blues...


Crawling/ rolling. However we can get around, we do it!


Daddy and Aidie having some cuddle time


My beautiful cousin had her baby shower a couple of weeks ago. The place so cool (restaurant/church where Jared works). Nice time with the fam! Jessie and Jared got lots of great goodies for Baby boy Rust!



Just love this picture of Aidie with my mamaw!


Aidie and me playing with the camera one day!


And of course we can never forget the faithful pup who, regardless of the trials (and t-shirts) each day brings, loves us all unconditionally and teaches us many of the best lessons of life.

It's been a busy two weeks!

My, my, how time does fly!
Two weeks have passed and I haven't had a single moment to write. I am full time teaching now and Kindergarten is A LOT of work. They should get paid more. More than anyone else. I'm not sure doctors do this much work. I'm sure I work close to 70hrs a week. So the time spent is also comparable. $30,000 a year? To start? I am laughing. I applaud you people who stick with it. As for me, I am quickly realizing that I don't think I'm cut out for this age group. I just don't get them. I try very hard, but I just stink at teaching kindergarten. Sixth grade, I was awesome! Kids loved and respected me. Kindergarten? I'm either making them cry or they're running all over me. Argh! But I will do my best. I may be an awful kindergarten teacher, but they still deserve to learn something...
Anyway. Enough of my pouting and onto the baby!
Daddy was sick this past Monday. So I was home with the two of them all day. Daddy is still recovering but doing better and Aidie hasn't caught what it is/was. Thank GOD!
We have been having lots of fun. We have recently been doing lots more "big girl" things. We had applesauce the other day (home made from orchard apples!). Aidie ate SO MUCH! We probably pureed a third of an apple and she ate the whole thing! And they were BIG apples. Dan has apparently been sneaking her tastes of things. such as orange juice and pear juice... She is really wanting food food. I believe it is time!
She has also been showing quite the aptitude for music over the past couple of weeks. Which we are SUPER excited about. She loves listening to anything with strings as compared to horns (we are NOT a fan) and we are still loving to dance to loud music. She had a dance party with Grammy and Grampy King the other day. I got over to pick her up and the music was blaring and she was happy as a clam :-) She is also super interested in the keyboard. I don't have a piano. So when I want to play, I use my keyboard and she has been playing with me. We sing a song every night before bed and the funniest thing happened today: I was singing and playing and she was "playing" too. Well, I stopped to let her play by herself, but then she stopped too. So I started back up again and so did she. We did this a couple of times until I decided I would stop playing and just sing. Well, as long as I kept singing, she kept playing! It was hysterical! I wish I'd had a video camera recording!
Other big thing is that she is now book obsessive. She loves to hold books and turn the pages for me when we have story time. She is particularly fond of texture books and is REALLY enjoying A Giraffe and a Half by Shel Silverstein. Guess all that reading when I was pregnant paid off!
I just pulled out all of her 6-9 month clothes today. She is getting so big! I can't believe she is fitting into them. I have to stop myself from crying every time I look at an outfit she can't fit into anymore. It's not that I'm sad she's getting bigger, I don't know what it is... Just the realization that she is growing up already! Part of it too is that my milk supply is quickly on its way out the door. I have enough for maybe a couple snacks a day and that's about it. That has also been making me super emotional (as I always had a rough time). So I think it is all just coming together at once.
We have Aidie signed up for daycare too. She is probably going to start here within a few weeks we think. Poor Daddy has had more than he could handle for a while. This will give him a bit of a break to move onto a new job possibly!
Anyway. Pretty good couple of weeks. We are growing, teething (still none yet!), and charming.

5 MONTHS!!!

Wow! How time flies! Five months ago from this very moment, I was in labor and had just received my epidural (after dilating 3cm in two hours!) not very long ago. In fact, I think my friend Lilly had shown up at about this time and we were chatting and watching a movie. LOL. And people said I wouldn't watch it. HA! Aidie would be born six hours from now. Wow!
Now she is rolling, scooting, sitting supported, attempting to push out teeth, growing like a weed, chattering, squealing, laughing, and charming the socks off every person she comes in contact with. So much in so little time. I can't believe it! She is so big already.
She is in six month clothes now and can finally wear her size two shoes. So we have her in full outfits now.
We had my friend Bridget over last night to visit, who just loved her. But she refused to be photographed (typical). She claimed it was due to her "grease fest" as she called it. Oh well... she promised photo ops for October meeting. I'm holding her to it!
Aidie and Daddy have been having busy days while I've been at school for my 12hr. days. They took Grandpa Wisley to physical therapy. The nurses were apparently in LOVE with her. She is quite the distraction and gave Mark a bit of break so they could play and chat with little Aidie Ryelle. So funny.
Daddy, Aidie and Cainy all took a hike one day. They explored some back area of McCormick's Creek. This pictures are pretty and Aidie loves her stroller and Caina loves to go for walks too :-) Daddy got photo time. Everyone was happy!
We also got to introduce Aidie to cousin Patrick this past Sunday and visit with auntie Pam and the Rust bunch. Lots of fun pictures! We had a fun time and can't wait to hear the news about little fetus Rust :-)
We took Aidie to the zoo after daddy's birthday on Sunday for a family togetherness day. First day we've had together in a while. Memorial day was a great day. The zoo was more packed then I've ever seen it, but we still had fun. Plus it was way easier using the stroller than putting her in the sling. She is getting so heavy these days and it's too hot for that much contact!
Other than that. She is growing SO fast. I can't believe that in a month she will be half a year old. Ahhhh! Where does the time go?

Week 20

Aidie always has this super intense look on her face of: "Yes. Can I help you with something? Oh... these? They are toes and are quite fascinating. Now if you wouldn't mind, I would like to return to my previous dilemma of attempting to fit them in my mouth. Thank you." She's quite the little proper lady in my head. LOL.

I think that at some point in every blog I have exciting news, but Aidie's little life has just been one excitement after another. So, surprise, surprise, we have another exciting news flash: Aidie is now rolling over back to front AND front to back! Yippee! So exciting. She rolled over back to front for the first time yesterday evening. She was playing under her play gym rolling side to side and just went over. I think it kind of surprised her, and no wonder as she got stuck on the side of the play gym. When I moved it, she went all the way on her tummy and she had this look on her face:

I feel like it says "What the heck just happened!?!" Super exciting!

On other news. We are happy and healthy. She and daddy are still having some issues getting used to one another. I think it may be better when we send her to daycare and there aren't mommy smells about all the time. She is just particularly fussy for daddy and super excited and happy for me, which makes daddy feel bad... I just keep telling him that while she may want me more now, his time is coming. Most girls are daddy's girls at some point ;-)

Week 19

Well, we finally had our four month appointment and we have been given the go ahead to start Aidie on "solids". Which is great news as she has been obsessed with eating for some time now. We got her on video the first go around and she cried. This time she was much more interested and ate quite a bit for the first times. About an ounce! Although alot of it went on her face. So funny! At her appointment Daddy found out that she is in the 50% for height and weight, but her poor little head is still at the 25%. Maybe she'll just have a small head, but it doesn't look small to me!
Daddy has been having a great time with Aidie while I've been at school. He is apparently teaching her to love Star Wars, Guns and videogames... what am I going to do?
Look at those beautiful blue eyes! This little girl has been cracking me up. She is apparently a fan of Achmed the Dead Terrorist... but only when mommy tells his jokes. She thinks it is the funniest thing in the world when I lean in and "I kill you". She laughs and laughs. I just love it. We showed her the actually video and she kept looking at us like- why are you making me watch this? This is dumb...
This was Aidie's first day in a jacket. This was taken the morning of her doctor appointment. It was at 8am. So I got to see them off, which made my morning! I just love that her hair is long enough to put into pigtails. It is so curly that it is all over the place unless put up. It is going to be so beautiful when it finally grows out. I can just see the beautiful long, loose ringlets. But right now it is just a mass of craziness :-)

Last little tidbit of excitement. I think Aidie is going to crawl early. Today we were doing tummy time and she pushed up onto her knees. Belly off the ground and ALL!!! It was only for a second, but she did it like three or four times. It was amazing. Daddy and I were so proud!!!

Week 18

Well, we have had a very interesting week. With my student teaching started, I am finding out what normal people experience during the work week... and I HATE IT! I don't see how people go through the week seeing their family so little. I didn't think I saw my husband enough before. Now (excluding Tuesdays and Wednesdays) I see him for half an hour at the most every day. It is horrible. Poor Aidie isn't hardly going to see her parents together for the next three and a half months. After this, I am not sure what I will do. But whatever it is, will allow me more time to spend with my family than what I have right now. I need to stay at school until about five or six just to get enough school work done to keep moving. Argh! I can't wait until Dec. 3rd!!!
On the baby front, Aidie is super active. She is officially loving the idea of walking some day. She will "walk" when you hold her hands. Way unstable, but she loves to do it. She will stand in her crib if you put her hands on the railing for about 30seconds. She is just too big! She wants to grow up ahead of schedule. I think this is just a taste of what's to come. She has also started a new trick of blowing raspberries. SO CUTE! I just love it. Granted that means she is drooling even more, but oh well. Babies are supposed to do that!
Any other updates: We love to be outside! All the time! All day! We want to be constantly moving. And we are eating up to six ounces at a feeding. And she and Caina have become best friends! So fun!
We had a super fun day yesterday. First we went to the farmers market and then out to lunch with a our friends Tifo and Dane and their little girl Evie. Aidie had her first eat out experience and did a super job! No fuss! Excellent! We also had a visit (albeit a short one) from cousins Jessie, Jared, Bonty, and fetus Rust. Much too short and makes me realize how much I miss seeing them. We shipped off some of Aidie's more neutral items that no longer fit with them (more room. Yay!). So we know Aidie's old stuff is going to a good place. I can't wait to meet little baby Rust. January's not too far away! Yippee!