Newsletter-- 7 months

Dear Lylah,

What a crazy month! We moved. Eek. We made it, though. We lived with Memaw for a bit in Ponca City and then we finally settled into Stillwater, OK. Aka Podunk. Where there is a lot of orange. Which is very hard on this Sooner-lovin' Momma. But you don't care. You're too cute for it to matter right now.

As I say every month, how can you be 7 months? Every morning, as I make coffee, I look up and see this beautiful little girl wanting to eat oatmeal....How did you get so big? And how are you ours? We love you so deeply. We spend the evenings watching you army crawl and laughing at you.

You are such a good girl! Cashiers always comment on how good you are. We just started putting you in the cart instead of your carrier, and you think it is a ride at Disneyworld! You just smile and laugh and wave at people. That's one of your new things...waving. I can't wait till you can say Hi! with your wave. It's coming, I can tell. 

You are always up for a photoshoot. You don't mind it at all. You love being outside, so it's perfect for us both. I snap pictures with you look around, grab rocks and just smile. You are so fun! 

You still love baths and love to talk. You have a new love...HATS!
My Mom, your Mimi took a picture of you in a hat and.... it's so weird...This picture could be from my babybook! CRAZY.

You got your first tooth at the end of March...18th? And your next tooth promptly followed. See below. You haven't bit us yet. But you love to eat, so these teeth help!

Right now you eat three times a day. In the morning you have oatmeal and apple sauce. For lunch you have your veggies. You eat some oatmeal and usually some avocado. Today you are trying winter squash! If I can figure out how to use the food processor. For dinner you have Sweet potatoes, and some barley. You also eat bananas, but just every few days. 

You are definitely a Harms! You sleep 12-14 hours a night! Whoa! The Kellys do not sleep. So you are definitely sleeping like a Harms, which I am very thankful for. You are such a sweet girl. We love you so so so so so much! I have lots of cute Easter pictures, that I will post soon!

Your favorite things: 

1. Hippo squeeky toy

2. watching the puppies or Daddy in the backyard

3. eating

4. being outside

5. meeting people

6. riding in the car

We love you!!

Mom and Dad

Yup, we're outta here.

We moved! We are in Ponca City, OK right now waiting on our house in Stillwater to be ready. We are living with Ryan's Grandma, who has graciously let us take over her house for three weeks. We had planned to stay in Dallas until March 23rd, but we sold our house quicker than we thought we would. And the buyer wanted it quicker than possible...so March 3rd was our compromise. I am sad about this because there are many people that I didn't get to say goodbye to. I didn't get to hang out one last time with some people I really care about! It was not how we would have planned to leave, but we have already planned to come back to Dallas April 28-29. 

Ryan and Lylah right before we left our house for the last time.....

 Ryan locking up....

The moving day went very smoothly... The movers were ridiculously fast! I'd have to recommend Condor moving company if you are moving anytime soon. I guess it's a little early because we don't have our stuff moved in yet, but I have to say I was impressed with their efficiency. 

Goodbye to Dallas.....until April. I will miss you. 

Newsletter: 6 months

Dear Lylah,

We moved right after your turned 6 months, so this post is a little late. We are living in Ponca City with Memaw right now until our house in Stillwater is ready. You were such a trooper during the move. You have adjusted to sleeping in the pack'n play, and you are loving it at Memaw's house. We can't wait till she gets home from Australia so we can play!

You are getting so big! We think your cheeks grow by the day. People always comment on your chubby cheeks and thighs. And we have been told a few times you could be a Gerber baby! We completely agree. I don't think there has ever been a cuter baby.

This month you went on your first plane ride! You did so well. I was super nervous. We used our awesome Beco Gemini carrier and it was a life saver. They didn't make me take you out to go through security. It was so much easier than I thought. On the way there Gigi was on our flight and the nice man next to us switched her seats so she could sit with us. You were so good on the plane! You slept or ate during most of the flight. Aside from a code brown situation, you were a good girl. On the way home the lady in front of us said you were very good and quiet! This was a nice little warm up for our 16 hour flight to Australia in May. :) 

We had so much fun on our trip! Here you are with Daddy before he hit the slopes. Your ski suit from Gramps and Gigi was just about the cutest thing I have ever seen. And the sunglasses....AHH! Love it. You were too cute. 

With Gigi in the snow!

Such a fun trip! First time in the snow. You were a little too young to fully appreciate it, but we loved it! It was so gorgeous in Steamboat. We're so glad we went! Thanks, Gramps and Gigi!

You are getting more active and mobile day by day. You can sit unsupported pretty well, but you wobble a little. You have started pushing up to a push-up position, and are slowly getting to your knees. It's so crazy watching you learn and figure out these things.

 

We started solids on February 4th. You have been eating well! You like oatmeal a lot. Bananas are another favorite. You like rice cereal okay, but you seem to make a face like you keep hoping it will taste better with each bite, but it doesn't. This week we are trying avacado, and next week is sweet potatoes. 

You still love bathtime. Last week when Daddy was gone on business I gave you your first bath without Daddy. You swallowed a little water, but other than that, it went well. Since we don't have your tub with us in Ponca, we use a foam bath cradle, which actually works better. You were getting hard to bathe in the tub because you arch your back and would slide down into the water. You haven't gone under yet!

You are such a cuddle bug. You love to sit in our laps and just chill. You also love a good book. You love patting the books, turning the pages (especially before we are done reading that page) and chewing on the corners. 

You have also started shaking toys a lot. I think it is the cutest thing! You are also very interested in our phones. We don't let you play with them, but you sure try to get them. You make this adorable face with an open mouth and reach to try to get them. And the remotes. You are such a child of the digital age. Right now you are staring at me typing this! :) 

With Coach and Mimi

You have been sleeping pretty well. You are just not too consistent. One night you will sleep 11 hours, and the next you will sleep 5, eat and then go back to sleep for 5. I prefer the 11 hour nights, so if you could keep those coming, that would be awesome. 

With Gramps. You love his beard!

 You are still not a great napper. You will take one hour naps, but you wake up super happy, so I don't mind. I am trying to transition you to a four hour schedule so that you can transition to three naps instead of four. I'm hoping your naps will be a little over an hour if there are fewer naps, but so far you are still taking one hour naps. That's okay though. You go down for your naps so well! I zip you in your woombie, give you your paci and you are out. Sometimes you give a few cries or fusses, but you usually just turn your head and go to sleep. To go down for the night though, you are really funny. You just play in your bed for a bit. You just raspberry, roll over, sing and talk until you conk out. You sleep with your arms out (in a sleep sack) at night, and you love being able to chew your hands and roll around. The other day I came in to find you trying to eat the netting on the side of the pack'n play. You are such a funny girl.

We love you, Peanut Butter!

Mom

5 Month Newsletter

Dear Lylah,

I can not fathom how you are 5 months old. How? You are so big. It's crazy how much you have changed and developed over one month! Not crawling yet, but definitely scooting and "army crawling".

One of my favorite of your new tricks this month is SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT. Whooohoo! I am still dreamfeeding you after you go to bed, but I will drop that in a few weeks. At the earliest you wake up at 5:30, and at the latest 7:30. The longest you have ever been between feedings is 10 hours. I am so proud of you, and even when you wake up a little earlier than planned, I am so thankful for 7 hours of sleep. You have also started talking to yourself when you wake up in the morning, which is super cute. When I come in to get you, I lean over your crib, and you give me the biggest smile. Even if you were crying! I love that smile in the morning.

Your cheeks have definitely rounded out. People comment on how adorably chunky you are all the time. You have adorable, kissable cheeks and precious chunky baby thighs. SO cute!

You love your new exersaucer from Gramps and Gigi. You especially love the lion, and spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to get him off of the exersaucer. You are putting everything in your mouth. No teeth yet, but I have a feeling we are getting close. 

You are so proud of yourself when you roll over front to back. You did it by yourself for the first time this month. I then tried to catch it on video and after several attempts, succeeded. Now I can't keep you on your back! You love rolling. Even in bed, which your Daddy thinks is hilarious. When we put you to bed at night, it's like a game. You will not sleep on your tummy. As soon as you roll over in bed, your head pops up and it's play time. You know if you roll over I will come in and flip you. Daddy just laughs and laughs. I've flipped you over as many as 4 times before you finally conk out. I think you are just testing me. Sometimes I swear you are looking right at the monitor before you do it. As if you are saying "watch this, Mom. You think you are free to watch TV and spend time with Dad, but just wait."

We think you are getting ticklish! On your ribs and tummy especially. And when Daddy kisses your cheeks because of his beard. It is so wonderful to hear your sweet laugh. It just makes our hearts melt. Once you get laughing, you can't seem to stop! Then you promptly get the hiccups. 

Here's a little video of some giggling and talking...

You have also started sitting at the table in your high chair from Coach and Mimi. You look so big, and we can't believe we have a baby sitting at the table! You haven't started solids yet, but we plan to do so this weekend. You are ready. When we eat you mimic our chewing, and reach for our food. 

Loving your new high chair

Helping Daddy Study

You are so much fun! You are definitely a talker. Just like your Mommy. We love you!

Love, 

Mom

Newsletter: 4 months

Dear Lylah,

Better post this before you turn 5 months! :)

You really are a very happy baby. You are getting more and more talkative, and are starting to squeal with joy. It's super cute! You still love your toy piano, and you love your pink giraffe and Jeffrey the Giraffe. You love to lay on your play mat, and you are getting really good at grabbing the toys that hang. You don't mind laying on your mat by yourself, and you don't mind entertaining yourself. 

We got a baby carrier for Christmas and you love it. I love it too, because I can shop, clean house and do whatever without putting you down. 

You have started eyeing our food. The doctor said to give you your first taste of solids (rice cereal and breastmilk) some time before 6 months. She said we would know you are ready when you start reaching for our food and opening your mouth towards our food. I am super nervous to give you solids just because of the diaper situation....and the fact that it means you are getting older!

You met Santa for the first time and didn't seem to mind him. We went to a party that our Financial Advisor gave for his clients, and had a great time. There was so much candy, which I loved!

You celebrated your first Christmas! You had no clue what was going on, but it was really fun to see you in your PJs with presents around you. Your grandparents gave you lots of goodies!

Life is going by so fast! You are such a joy. We love you!

 

Love, 

Mom