Our First Road Trip!

You never realize how much stuff a tiny little person needs until you pack up the car for a short road trip. Formula, diapers, bottles, wipes, clothes, travel bed, blankets, pacifiers, medicine, stroller, playmat...you get the idea!

I tried to time it so that we would get on the road right after she ate so she would fall asleep. She had a bottle, fell asleep and off we went. I loaded up the car and Birdie and I headed to Fort Worth this morning to see Scott at the NCHA Derby. We got to about Navasota (which is only 15 minutes from home) before she had a meltdown. I had to pull over and give her a bottle again! And then had to pull her out of her car seat and burp her and let her get a little settled before we got back on the road. She slept the rest of the trip.

We arrived safely a few hours later. Birdie was sooooo happy to see her Daddy (and her Daddy was equally happy to see her too!). Here are two photos from the hotel room today.

16 Weeks and Counting...

Yesterday was Birdie’s 16-week birthday, which if you go by the notion that 4 weeks = 1 month, then that would be her 4-month birthday. But, if you do that, you get all out of whack in relation to her ‘monthly birthday”, so I am going to start going by the 8th of every month as her monthly birthday. So on August 8th we will celebrate her 4-month birthday! I’m big on celebrating birthdays – or milestones of any kind. Life is too short not to celebrate everything – big and small. Growing up, my parents always made a big deal out of our birthdays and we loved it. I want Birdie to have all the great birthday party memories that I have from growing up!

We’ve hit a few milestones in the last weeks. She’s outgrown a bunch of her 0 – 3 month clothes so now we’re getting to move into some of the cuter outfits – yea! She’s gotten pretty good at getting her thumb and fingers in her mouth (and keeping them there) for sucking on them. She can grab her feet and pull them up to her mouth (but she can’t quite get those tiny toes IN her mouth, but boy does she try!). She can totally hold her head up on her own now and when she lies on her tummy she can hold her head up and look around.

We got out the bouncer thingy that you hang in the doorway and let her jump by pushing off the ground, but our door frames are weird and it didn’t fit right so Scott nailed some pegs into the door frame so we could hang it. She really likes it for about 10 minutes and then she’s had enough and wants OUT. So I got her a floor-based “jumperoo” that she can stand/sit in and bounce herself. She really likes it… for about 15 minutes before she wants out! She got to pet a kitty for the first time at my Mom’s house (she’s been petting dogs for weeks now since we have a heard of them at our house). Sophie (the cat) didn’t seem to mind until Birdie got more of a “grip” on the fur rather than an “pet” of it. Sophie politely moved just out of reach of the child!

I will try to post more photos soon.

Graduating to "Real" Clothes

Birdie has finally outgrown some of the basic onsies and can now fit into some of her cute outfits! She has also become attached to a little blue stuffed animal bunny. She slobers on her bunny all day and constantly tries to shove its face, ears, hands and feet in her mouth. Poor bunny has been in the washing machine several times already.

Here is an adorable green searsucker jumper.


Montgomery and her cousin Mackenzie catching up on some cartoons.

Montgomery really likes the new bouncy chair her grandmother has at her house!

What To Do About the Hair

One advantage of having a baby who was born with lots of hair is being able to play with it in all sorts of silly ways. Here are a few photos of her experimental hair styles.


This is our 50s greaser hair do, or perhaps West Side Story?


This is our mad scientist or Einstein hair do.


This was our attemtp at a punk rock do (supposed to be a mohawk).


This looks like someone tried to gift wrap her.

Thumb Sucking

So, what is your opinion on thumb sucking? Good? Bad? No big deal? Discourage it? I am asking because Birdie has been making some valiant efforts to get her thumb into her mouth to suck on it. Up until yesterday, she hadn’t been coordinated enough yet to accomplish the mission but it’s been very entertaining watching her try so hard! She’d get her hand pressed into her mouth but could never get the thumb in there.

Last night I watched her take both hands and finally use one hand to shove the other hand in her mouth (yes, her whole hand). From this process, she starts sucking like crazy and slowly pulls out her fingers so that only her thumb is remaining! She uses her unsucked hand to hold the other hand pressed up against her face. She sucks on the thumb like crazy for as long as she can – so far about a minute or so – before her hand flies out and she has to start the process over. It’s pretty darn funny to watch! I give her a definite A+ for effort. I will try to get it on video.

So, back to my thumb-sucking question. Is it bad? Is it any better or worse than a pacifier? She isn’t terribly keen on pacis, she’ll take one every once and awhile but she seems to prefer to suck on a burp cloth or a plush toy or her thumb. I can’t recall if I ever sucked my thumb. I hate to undo all her hard efforts of getting her thumb into her mouth. Should I be happy that she has found a way to soothe herself or will this lead to years of thumb-sucking and an inevitable trip to the orthodontist?

Just Photos

Not much new to report with Birdie this week! She's been pretty well behaved. No major meltdowns - just the usual frowny face and some crying here and there. I dont know how sleeping can look so darn cute!

She really likes it when Scott "dances" with her, which entails holding her out in front of him (head and body supported by his hand and arm) and dances around. She squeals with delight! I'll try to get a video of it.

Here are a few photos from this week.

Horse Show #2

Birdie and I went to Brenham on Friday for the horse show to watch Daddy ride. It was much better than the last time we attempted to go (she had major meltdown in the heat and we had to leave after five minutes). Birdie was wonderfully behaved and charmed everyone. Scott was quite proud - showing her off to all his friends. He even took the time to take her in to the horse show office and change her stinky diaper - what a great Dad!

Here are the photos from her 12-weeks/3-month birthday on Tuesday.

12 Weeks Old!

Birdie turned 12 weeks old yesterday! I took her monthly birthday photos but I haven’t downloaded them yet so you’ll have to wait.

Here are some random photos from the last few weeks.


She looks very uncertain - like she's not quite sure if she really likes being in the cradle!


Happy baby!

More happy baby!


OK, she's not really holding up her bottle. She happened to put her hands on it like that so we snapped a picture of it!


Sleep is good....


This is our neighbor holding Montgomery over her shoulder. She looked so content and cute with her face all smushed up like that!