Washington, DC

We've taken so many pictures since Sophia was born that my computer wouldn't allow me to upload one more.  I finally backed up some old pictures and took them off the computer to free up space so I could upload our trip pictures so these posts come a little late.

The last week of August Trey and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary.  I noticed the week before that our anniversary fell close to the Labor Day weekend so in a spontaneous last minute decision we decided to hit the road and planned a fun trip to a place Trey had been saying he wanted to visit.  Little did we know that we would be visiting DC on one their hottest weekends this year and Sophia would cut another tooth while we were there - yea that was fun... not!  But all in all despite the heat, our poor baby's melt down in the National Archives from her little tooth, and the Dawgs loosing to those little cats in South Carolina that weekend, we had such a good time!

We flew up Friday afternoon and were non stop for two and half days straight.  It makes me laugh to look at some of the pictures we took because Sophia was asleep a lot of the time in front of some of our nation's most famous landmarks.  She obviously won't remember the trip but at least we have proof we took her ;)  We'll definitely have to go back one day because there is just so much history there and so much to do.  It's such a fun city and it's neat how you can get into every place for free!  Guess our tax dollars finally paid off.

The US Capitol 

impressive from every angle

waiting for our Capitol Tour - she had the best seat in the House

such an impressive dome in the Capitol Rotunda

From the Capitol it was off to the Library of Congress

Library of Congress

Trey imagining himself as a Senator

Future President at the White House

Sophia, must you melt down right at the Changing of the Guard at Arlington National Cemetery?...
Yes Mom I'm Hungry!

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington Tour

Lincoln Memorial

View of the National Mall from the Lincoln Memorial

Little Cutie Teething and Drooling away

Trey imagining himself as Nixon

Future President - everyone in line got a laugh out of this one

First Tooth, First Boat Ride, & Crawling attempt

This phase with our little girl is so much fun!  She's become so animated and is really developing quite the personality.  She's so happy most of the time but when she's annoyed she lets you know.  I can't believe how fast the time is flying by and she'll be 6 months old in a week!

This past weekend we had the chance to go up to Carrie Beth and Robby's lake house for the day and she got to ride on the boat for the first time.  I'd say she loved it because she didn't cry once and had a smile on her face when the wind was blowing.  She was dancing in my lap to Uncle Robby's fun music, napped when she got tired and even got a chance to putter along in my lap for a short little tubing ride.  I'd say it was successful first trip.

Our friends Jen and Justen were there with Parker and Jen commented how Sophia never cries - but I reminded her that she does in certain instances - for example like she was here on the ride home when we were 10 minutes from home.  She was so tired and hungry and let us have it - poor thing!  She looked so pitiful like "mommy help me!"  I posted this to show her little tooth though.  You can see it on the bottom.

And the latest update is that Sophia is really holding herself up well and she's getting the butt rock going like she's about to start crawling.  I snuck up on her today while she was waking up from a nap and attempting to reach her Wubbanub.  She's almost there!

Anne Cary's Wedding

We had such a fun weekend in Charlottesville, Va for my friend Anne Cary's wedding!  It was such a whirlwind from beginning to end that it's hard to believe it's already come and gone and I'm so sad now because we really did have such a blast.

Trey and I flew up with Sophia Thursday night after work and I had been anxious about flying up to Virginia because it was Sophia's first plane ride but I was worried for nothing.  Little stinker did so well and was smiling and giggling and napping the whole time (which was only an hour 15 min flight)... but still!  I was so glad she stayed happy the whole flight.

ready for her first flight!

nothing but smiles the whole hour

and a little cat nap - "Oh don't mind me mom, I'll just lay my legs over your arm rest."

Then it was non stop fun once we got to Virginia.  Friday morning I met the girls for a bridal brunch while Trey had a daddy daughter day with Sophia.  He was making us all laugh when he dropped me off because he told all the bridesmaids there that he was going to check out some local vineyards with Sophia.  I thought he was joking but later that day when he picked me up sure enough - that's just what he did.  Ha!  The pictures of him dragging her along with him as he sipped on wine alone at the tasting just crack me up.

Friday night we all headed to the Boar's Head Inn for the rehearsal dinner and it was beautiful - but boy was it hot!  Two things I didn't really know- Virginia is one beautiful state and gosh it is hot!  I don't know if that was typical or not but I swear it was hotter there than in the summer in Atlanta.

Olivia, Bree, Anne Cary and and a 9 month pregnant Terrie

Saturday Trey rode solo with Sophia from 10 am until the wedding and what do you know, he wasn't going to be slowed down one minute.  He hit up another vineyard solo and took Sophia to check out Thomas Jefferson's home at Monticello.  Those two sure did have fun together this weekend.

But while daddy and baby were having fun so was mama.  All the girls went to a local salon to get dolled up and have our hair done.  It started pouring while were were there which scared the bride but it was bright sunny day by the time we were done and we were all so ready to see the beautiful bride get dressed and get the party started.

Anne Cary was such a beautiful bride and everything about the wedding was just perfect.  We truly had  such a great time and Sophia did so well hanging in there each night.  I just couldn't get over how well she did each night and she stayed the whole time at the reception!  Trey and I were able to dance around with her and then put her down for the night in the car seat by our table while we continued to dance next to her by the table.  She slept through it all!

Thankful Trey got this picture -I left my camera at home so all we had was our iphones.  What a great couple!

What a beautiful bride!  Love this girl!

I was so sad to leave this morning because we just never seem to have enough time to see my girlfriends from college.  My friends Terrie and Bree were also in the wedding and we had a great time hanging out with them and their husbands and sweet Olivia all weekend.  

But all good things must come to end and we're just so thrilled for Anne Cary and Steve and can't wait until we can plan another trip to NYC to see them again!

And just to add - Sophia did awesome on the ride home too.  Little princess even got upgraded to first class Lucky dog!  She didn't mind the extra space to kick those little feet to hers to her heart's content and she sure was hamming it up with all the other passengers who couldn't get enough of her sweet smiles.  Thank God for happy babies when traveling (and for the Baby K-tan carrier - that sure came in handy)!

Spoiled little girl - First class on her second flight  - and she's only 5 months old!  She can thank Daddy's elite status for that one.

you should've seen all the bags we had for 3 nights.  Just ain't as easy to travel light with a kiddo 

5 Months Old

I feel like a broken record but I really can't believe how fast these five months have flown by.  I posted a picture of Sophia on Facebook last week and someone commented how these months must have been the best of my life and I couldn't agree more.  I couldn't love that little girl any more and I feel so blessed and lucky to be her mom.  She is the best part of every day and I can't get enough of her.

Funny how as I write this from my lonely hotel room in Columbia, SC - my first overnight work trip without my baby -sigh- she hasn't been far from my mind all day.  I smile when I think about her and I can't wait to get home tomorrow to see her smiley little face and give her a big hug and kiss.  Tonight before her bedtime, Trey and I called each other on FaceTime and it melted my heart to see her face light up when she heard my voice and saw me on the camera phone.

At 5 months Sophia...

• is starting to teethe and constantly chews on her little hands
• takes 2-3 naps a day
• is eating oatmeal cereal and rice cereal twice a day (and really gaining some weight in her chubby little legs)
• talks all the time ... only wish I could understand
• is so alert and looks up (most of the time) when you say her name
• giggles and laughs out loud often... but especially when you tickle her and make kissy sounds in her direction
• loves her activity saucer and has gotten really good a griping things
• has really strong upper body and can push up on her hands for a second
• is trying to sit up on her own but can't quite hold the pose yet
• sleeps most nights from 7:30/8ish until 6/7 am (with a typical mid-night wake up cry for her wubbanub paci -yea, we need to work on that)

Curious Georgette

 I can't believe our Little Miss is almost 5 months old!  I found myself looking at pictures from her birth the other night and I couldn't get over just how different she is now.  She's still so teeny tiny to me that it's all relative but she sure has grown.

Middle of Month

Today - little chunky

 Lately with the addition of rice cereal to her diet she's turning into a little chunky monkey - at least in her cheeks and legs.  It's the cutest thing to watch her eat and see her wiggle her little legs.  She's just precious if I say so myself and I'm loving this phase of hers.  She's all smiles and giggles and coos and oohs and ahhs.  It's all music to my ears and I can't get enough her most days.

And she sure is a Curious Georgette.  She observes everything! and you can tell she wants to get her hands on most things too... but since she can't she settles on eating her hands all day.  I bet she'll have a little tooth here soon enough.

She loves all her toys now and is getting better at griping everything

She also loves the pool and we try to make it at least once a week up there on the weekends.  I know soon enough she'll be a little fishy swimming with all the neighborhood kids... and there are sure are a lot these days.  Like they say around here our neighborhood should be called "Fertile Estates."  Seems like there's a new baby born every week.  There have been 6 since she was born.

Little Miss in her cute new bathing suit

 

all tuckered out after a rough day at the pool

Love waking up to this little smiley face

Life Returning to Normal and Sophia's First Solid Taste

Not gonna lie.  These past few weeks have been intense since I fired the nanny.  It seems like when it rains it pours and the storm coincided with what has seemed like the busiest weeks at work for me.  I finally have crawled out of the fire and it seems like it'll be smooth sailing now... hopefully :)

We hired a new nanny that started this past Monday and like they say, when it's right you just know.  She has made my life so much better these past few days and I don't feel like I've had any of the anxiety I had with the first one.  It helps that I already knew her since she had been working with my grandmother and taking care of her after my grandfather passed away last year.  She's older than the last one, has kids and grandkids of her own, is trustworthy, hardworking, and she speaks Spanish!  In short, she's wonderful! I'm so glad to have the nanny situation squared away.

The last few weeks I've been lucky enough to have family pitching in to help me and I've been so thankful for that but last week I finally caved and packed a bag to stay with my parents from Tuesday to Friday so I wouldn't have to scramble and find someone everyday.

While we were there we experimented with Sophia's first taste of solid food.  She got a little bit of rice cereal and my mom and I had quite a laugh as she took her first mouthfuls.  I'm pretty sure most of it got on her bib or on her nose or foot but she's learning :)  Here's a video I took from my phone.  Not the best quality but hey you get the picture.
Sophia's First Attempt at Rice Cereal

Sophia - 4 Months Old

I can't believe it's only Tuesday.  These past two days have been so stressful that I feel like they've totally cancelled out the high I was on coming home after a few days of rest and relaxation at the beach.  Long story short, we let our nanny go today and while I know it's for the best it's just been such a headache that I don't quite feel relief yet and I think I won't until we find another one and settle in.

But, in an effort to focus on what really matters I thought I'd blog tonight and give an update on our little girl who truly is the best part of every day and the thing that keeps me smiling morning, noon and night.  She hit 4 months last Monday and I just can't get over how fast time is flying by.  I just wish I could bottle up every minute.

At 4 months Sophia...

• is sleeping in her crib without her swaddle
• still wakes up once or twice a night but will go back to bed without a feeding if we give her the Wubbanub paci back
• takes 3 naps a day (typically one or two in her swing)
• loves to roll over onto her tummy
• has such a strong neck and sits up really well in her bumbo
• smiles and giggles all the time
• is so curious about her surroundings and pulls and tugs on toys from her playmat
• LOVES her hands and puts them in her mouth all the time
• is such a slobberpuss and drools all the time
• has become fascinated with rattle toys/dolls
• really recognizes faces and smiles when she sees her mommy and daddy - love this one ;)

                                 Yummy hands                                                 Happy girl

Daddy you're funny!

little roly poly loving her hands