Sweetheart First Birthday

Last weekend, we invited friends and family over to celebrate Caroline's first birthday. While she is not old enough to understand what having a birthday party means, Caroline still had a blast seeing all of her favorite people and tearing up some wrapping paper. This party was really a celebration for all three of us making it a year together as a family. 

All things pink and Valentines Day was the party theme. Perfect since she is our sweetheart through and though. My inspiration was lots of hearts, gold and pink. 

Decorations were a cinch thanks to Target's dollar spot. Including the huge pink tassel balloon that I found one day in the bins. Several of the items I used were repurposed from her bedroom as well. I printed out her monthly photos through Amazon's photo service which was a breeze to use and cost under $2. 

The milestone chalkboard was a labor of love as I am not crafty at all! The smash cake and cupcakes were homemade using this recipe from Courtney. The icing was delicious and beats store-bought 100%.

The weather was unseasonably warm for February so we were able to enjoy the patio and lawn games outside. We also had beer and punch for the adults to enjoy. 

Sweet Caroline was not a fan of the smash cake. She was very timid in picking at the icing at first. Then we we tried to have her get messy, she became upset with the stickiness of her hands. This photo captures her frustration in trying to get the icing off her hands but not knowing what to do. 

Overall, it was a perfect party celebrating our little one. This year has flown by so quickly it is astounding. So many great memories have been made and I am sure there are plenty more to come. 

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Caroline | Twelve Months

Sweet, sweet Caroline you are officially 12 months old. I swear something clicked on your birthday and you decided to become an independent, curious, on the move toddler. You love reading and pointing at faces in books. Enjoy chasing Charlie around the house. Your favorite by far is eating and you love to feed yourself and stuff your little cheeks full of cheese!

Here are a few little things about you from your twelfth month:

Nicknames: Little Bit, Sweet Girl

Height & Weight: As of your one year doctor appointment, you weigh 19 1/2 pounds and are 28 inches long. 

Looks: Your blonde hair is getting full and curlier with every passing week. Those chipmunk cheeks and bright blue eyes are my favorite.

Personality: Getting more independent each day. You are becoming quite vocal about likes and dislikes. You will become upset and ask for help when something you want is a bit out of reach. You are truly a happy and joyful little girl every day.

Eating: We have a little toddler on our hands when it comes to eating. Finger foods are your favorite especially fruit and cheese. Yogurt and cheese are still your two favorite foods. We are working together to eliminate bottles completely. Right now you have one in the morning and one before bed. You still get so excited when you see your bottle and immediately grab for it at bedtime.

Sleeping:  You are consistently sleeping from 6pm- 5ish. Naps are a different story. We try 2 naps a day but you are consistently getting in a morning nap from 9- 11. The afternoon nap sometimes ends up being a playtime in your crib. 

Wearing:  Size 4 diapers. 9 - 12 month clothing depending on the brand. You have been wearing the same pair of gold moccs (size 2) for a year now. We still get tons of compliments on them daily!

Favorite Things: You love your family including the pups. You squeal anytime one of us enters the room. There are extra belly laughs for the pups and their crazy antics. 

Least Favorite Things: Not being able to get things you find interest in and then being reprimanded because they are dangerous. Quite a battle keeping you away from cords, stairs and outlet plugs. You will persist in trying to get things and then begin to grunt/pout when you can't get it.  

Big things happening this month: 

The biggest of all, celebrating your first birthday!!
You can pull to stand on almost anything and can cruise for a few steps.
You visited your great grandmother and helped her celebrate her 100th birthday!!

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Caroline | Eleven Months

January was filled with busy weekends visiting family and celebrating with friends. You are loving all of the toys you received for Christmas and have become quite a busy girl.

Nicknames: Little Bit, Sweet Girl

Height & Weight: Based on the at home scale you are 20 pounds and 28 inches long.

Looks: You remind everyone so much of your mom. It melts my heart and almost feels like you are becoming a little mini me. 

Personality: With you new found love of crawling, you are quite curious and love exploring every new place we visit. When we first enter a new to you room, you will sit for a few minutes and survey the surroundings before heading off to explore. 

Eating: My little toddler in the making, eating 3 meals a day plus a snack. We still offer a bottle 3x a day. You typically will drink most of the bottle especially before bed. 

Sleeping:  Naps 2x a day for anywhere from 1-2 hours. Bedtime is always 6pm and you wake up sometime between 5:30 and 6:30. 

Wearing:  Size 4 diapers. Your 9 month onesies fit but the pants are getting too short. 

Favorite Things: Playing with your favorite Christmas gift which is the busy box. You have mastered crawling on your hands and knees and can get around the house so quickly. You loved, loved, loved the snow we had in January. 

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Caroline | Ten Months

It's the most wonderful time of the year. It is just so amazing to see Christmas through your eyes this year.  

Nicknames: Little Bit, Sweet Girl

Height & Weight: My best guess is around 18 pounds and 28 inches long. 

Looks: Gah, your sweet curly hair is just the best. Those chunky cheeks are a close second though! 

Personality: Getting more independent each day. 

Eating: You are still such a good eater. We are increasing solids and you love pouches and puffs. You enjoy 3-4 4oz bottles of formula. 

Sleeping:  Consistently sleeping from 6pm- 6am. You will nap twice a day for 2 hours. 

Wearing:  Size 3 diapers and  9 month clothing. 

Favorite Things: Love knocking down towers and blocks that daddy builds. You love the see and say grandparents gave to you a bit early for Christmas. 

Least Favorite Things: Your least favorite thing is 100% having your face and hands washed. Guaranteed meltdown each time.

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Caroline | Nine Months

Nine months. I have officially been holding you in our arms just as long as I carried you in my belly. You grow so much each day. I wish time would slow down just a bit. Please stay my baby forever.

Here are a few little things about you from your ninth month:

Nicknames: Little Bit, Sweet Girl

Height & Weight: As of your 9 month doctor appointment, you weigh 17 pounds 12 oz and are 27 inches long. 

Looks: Loving those chipmunk cheeks and sweet curly hair

Personality: You love to laugh and share joy with others. Your favorite game is copy cat and chasing after Charlie's toys. 

Eating: You are such a good eater. You suck down 4-5 5oz bottles of formula. You enjoy a variety of fruits and vegetables including sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots and apples. You love yogurt and eggs but are quite unsure about meat. 

Sleeping:  The time change was a bit rough for all of us but by the end of the month you are back sleeping from 6pm- 5ish. No more dream feeds and very few early morning wakings.  You typically nap twice a day for 2 hours. 

Wearing:  Size 3 diapers. Your 9 month clothing fits perfectly now. 

Favorite Things: You love rubbing your fingers across different textures. It's quite like nails on a chalkboard and I wince every time but you love it so much.  You love banging things together and copying other's actions. 

Least Favorite Things: You are quite unsure of new people these days. 

Big things happening this month: 

You got FOUR teeth all in one month!!
You have figured out how to move and can army crawl toward things you want.

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Caroline | Eight Months

Oh Sweet Caroline, each month is better than the last. When I think I can't love you more sometime my heart swells with love for you even more. 

Here are a few little things about you from your eighth month:

Nicknames: Little Bit

Height & Weight: You weigh just over 17 pounds and are 2 feet long. Gah just look at those chubby cheeks. 

Looks:  Your blonde hair gets a curl to it each evening before bed. Your hands and feet have grown so much and almost look oversized compared to your little body. 

Personality: You are still a very happy baby. Not as social since this month you have developed an awareness of strangers. It breaks my heart to see you so terrified and upset by a new person. However, I know it's a developmental phase and it means your right on track. We are hoping this phase passes soon. 

Eating: You love to eat! Your favorite food by far is yogurt and always eat all of yours and then try to eat mom's as well. 

Sleeping:  You are sleeping from 6pm- 6am each night with a dream feed around 11pm. When it comes to naps, you have dropped the late afternoon nap and now only nap at 9am and 1pm. 

Wearing:  Size 3 diapers. You have outgrown your 6 month clothing and sleepers. Some 9 month clothing is a bit too long but rolling the waistband helps. 

Favorite Things:  You are obsessed with straws and love grabbing them out of other's drinks.  Still love exploring new places and checking out the activity as long as your in mom's arms. You have been quite a mamma's gal and love being held and walked around to explore new places. 

Least Favorite Things: You fuss when laid on your back when getting your diaper changed or changing clothes. Nap times are often a struggle as you don't want to miss a thing. 

Big things happening this month: 

First Trip to the NC Zoo!
Visiting the State Farmer's Market and picking a pumpkin.
Enjoyed first green smoothie.
Had your first sleepover at the grandparent's new house!

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Caroline | Seven Months

My sweet girl, you change so much with every passing day. This month your personality and ability to express your likes and dislikes really have shown through. You barely resemble the tiny newborn we brought home from the hospital just 7 months ago. 

Here are a few little things about you from your sixth month:

Nicknames: Little Bit

Height & Weight: You are growing so much each week far surpassing the 15^th percentile you were at for the first 5 months.  You now weigh 18 lbs and over 2 feet long based on our best measurements taken at home.

Looks:  Friends and family that know both Joe and I swear you look just like your dad. However, if someone only knows me then I get a lot of comparison to you. Your little face and chubby cheeks are getting rounder each day and your blonde hair is growing in and getting curly. You have a tiny curly cue right by your left ear. 

Personality: You are quite the social and happy baby. Every time we go out, I get comments on your sweet social smile and inquisitive blue eyes. You have found your voice and love to yell and squeal when playing or when excited.

Eating: You love to eat! When you see your bottle or spoon a huge grin comes across your face. There has not been a food you don’t like. A favorite right now is yogurt and strawberries. You love to feed yourself and always want to help with the spoon or bottle.

Sleeping:  Sleeping is not your/our strong suit at all. I am still so proud of the progress you have made over the past few months. I have to remind myself that just a few  months ago you were still waking up every few hours. We transitioned from the magic sleep suit to a light sleep sack and you are sleeping 6-7 hours straight. Right now you have a bottle at bedtime around 6:30 and a dream feed bottle at 10:30. You wake up around 5:30 ready to start your day. We have been trying to stretch your wake up time to 6 but have not been successful.

Wearing:  Size 3 diapers and 6-9 months clothes.

Favorite Things: Grandpa is 100% your favorite right now. I know the feeling is mutual and I hope your relationship continues to grow each month. Anytime you hear his voice you crane your neck around to find him then erupt in the biggest smile.  You also love your jumper and love to kick and paddle your arms while on the play mat. It’s the funniest thing to us; you will kick and move your arms at the same time while squealing. The motion propels you backwards and sometimes you do it to get items that are out of reach.   

Least Favorite Things: You are not a fan being on your tummy for too long. Even though you can roll over you often get frustrated when you can reach something while on your tummy and then start to cry into the mat. You get fussy when it’s time to put on or take off clothes, especially over your head. You have a bit of stranger anxiety and have become uncertain when seeing new faces. There is no rhyme or reason to it unfortunately. 

Big things happening this month:

You enjoyed swinging for the first time.

You can now roll over from back to front and front to back with ease.

Sitting up like a champ and can reach for things while still maintaining your balance. 
You mastered drinking from a straw and taking sips from your 360 sippy cup.

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Caroline | Six Months

How have 6 months already passed with you in our lives? When you were first born, time crawled by we felt every hour slowly pass caring and worrying for you in the hospital. Now, you blink and weeks have flown by. With each day, you discover something new. It is amazing seeing the world through your eyes. 

Here are a few little things about you from your sixth month:

Nicknames: Little Bit, Sweet Girl 

Weight: 15 lbs, 12 oz - you have jumped from the 15th to the 42nd percentile for weight now! 

Height: 25 inches- still growing at the15th percentile for length 

Looks:  We get comments everywhere we go on your bright blue shining eyes. Your hair is starting to grow back in a light shade of blonde. 

Personality: You are our happy, easygoing girl. You thing Charlie and Chloe are the funniest and love to watch and laugh at them playing. Very curious about everything going on around you. When we get to a new place you have such a serious face of curiosity. 

Eating: 4 oz of formula every 3.5-4 hours during the day. You take a big bottle before bed and we dream feed at 11pm. Then your up for a bottle around 5-6am. I stopped pumping and have some milk stored in the freezer but saving it for when you get sick. 

Sleeping: I really dug in and worked on sleep training before our trip early this month. You consistently take 2 mid day and afternoon naps a day in your crib. Your early morning nap is typically on the go or while I'm at the gym.  Bedtime is around 6:30 and you will sleep until 5 am with a dream feed at 11pm. 

Wearing:  3-6 month clothes and size three diapers. Size two still fit but I did not want to buy a pack for you to quickly grow out of them!

Favorite Things: Laughing at puppies, playing in your jumper, chewing on anything and everything you can get your hands on. The funniest thing listening to classical music calms you right down when you start to get tired and fussy. 

Least Favorite Things: Naptime and being tired, getting your face wiped 

Big things happening within your sixth month: 
You can sit up independently for several seconds!
Quite aware of the world around you and ca figure out how to scoot to things you can't quite reach. 
You love to imitate sounds and faces.
Enjoyed a few days with grandma and grandpa while mom and dad went on vacation to St. Lucia. 
Can roll over from stomach to back consistently. 
You are constantly sticking your young out and licking everything! 

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