Our Favorite Time of Day!

Kate and I love when Robby comes home and joins us for lunch!! We are both so happy to see him. Below is a picture of Kate "dancing" with Robby while we were cooking lunch. She loves her dad! :)

The Sleep Lady

This week we embarked on sleep training. For those of you who have spent very much time with us in the last few months, you probably know that our days consisted of me holding Kate all day and almost all night long. Lately, she would not allow me to put her down, and if I tried she would wake up and cry immediately. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE to hold her, but I didn't know how much longer we could go on like this. My arms were about to fall off (Kate is over 16 pounds now), and my back was feeling the love too... Plus, I could not get anything (and I repeat ANYTHING) done around the house.

When we took Kate in for her four month check-up, our pediatrician said that she was old enough to let her cry some. Since most sleep training methods include crying, I wanted to get his approval before we began. Well, let's just say that Kate did not agree with our pediatrician's assessment of her ability to" cry it out" and did not handle the crying well at all--not even for 5 minutes. She was hysterical, and as a result so was I! What were we to do? Robby was about to have two crying girls on his hands!!

Then I started doing some research on "no cry" sleep training methods, and I came across "Good Night Sleep Tight" by Kim West, who calls herself the Sleep Lady. Well, her method sounded hoakie to me, but I was willing to try anything. Basically it involves sitting next to the baby's bed and letting them learn to fall asleep with you right there next to them to soothe and comfort them. After a few days, you start moving the chair away from the crib and eventually into the hallway. This is called the "Sleep Lady Shuffle."

The first few times it took almost an hour for Kate to fall asleep and more "sh sh shing," patting, etc. than I care to admit. But now Kate is falling asleep for naps and at 7pm for bedtime in her crib, and it only takes about 5-20 minutes for her to go to sleep. The best part is that she has shed very few tears in the process. I feel like we have had a miracle in our home, and I thank my lucky stars for the Sleep Lady!

First Solids

We tried giving Kate her first solids last week. She did not so much enjoy eating the rice cereal, but she absolutely LOVED eating her bib! :) Guess we will be trying this one again...

Kate was not too excited about the rice cereal until...

She discovered her delicious bib!

What a funny little girl!

Let's go Tar Heels!

In this house, we LOVE Carolina basketball. Well okay, I love Carolina basketball, and Robby plays along. One day Kate will also LOVE Carolina basketball (as long as the Hoos in C'ville don't indoctrinate her!). Anyway, none of us like watching the Heels lose! It puts me in a bad mood, and you know what they say, "When Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." So, Carolina we are ALL wishing you good luck. May Larry Drew II have a good game (if that is possible), and may you beat Wake tomorrow!

Below is a picture of Robby and Kate after losing to Georgia Tech (not as bad as losing to College of Charleston!). Please turn our frowns upside down!

Play time

Kate LOVES her Exersaucer! She is learning to use her hands, and it is so much fun to watch her grab at the toys. Each time she successfully grabs or hits something, she looks shocked and then very excited!

Thank you for finding such a great toy, Gigi, and thank you for buying it for us, Great Granddaddy Jack!!

In her Sunday best

Before Church on Sunday, I took a few pictures of Kate in the dress and hat that our dear friend, Dottie, smocked for her. Kate was so excited when I put the little hat on her. What a silly girl! Thank you, Dottie, for the beautiful dress!

Four Months Old

Today marks Kate's four month "birthday," and a year ago today Robby and I found out that we were expecting! What a difference a year can make!

Below is a picture of Kate a few hours after she was born.

Kate at four months--sporting her hospital hat.

And a Happy New Year!

To ring in the new year, Robby, Kate and I went to the beach with Robby's family. We had so much fun relaxing and enjoying time together. Kate got to see the ocean for the first time. It was pretty cold, so we stayed pretty bundled up. A few pictures from the week are below.

Our little family on New Year's Eve

Emily and I came upstairs, and we had the exact same dress on for New Years!

Kate wishes Ivy a Happy New Year.

Kate loved spending time with Aunt Veronica and Uncle Rudy

Okay, I admit it...I coordinated my shirt to match the butterfly on Kate's dress...but it does make a pretty picture! :)

Kate loved hanging out with Lisee

The whole Wood clan on the beach

Kate in her first fleece coat

Skip is dominating Robby on the beach--payback for all the years that Robby picked on Skip!

Ivy and Maizey love the beach!

Kate and Adelyn post bath