Crawling Beach Baby

Dear Camryn,

We took you to South Padre Island a few weeks ago for some family fun, and you had so much fun! You stood on the sand and felt your very first ocean wave crash against your little piggies. You were a skeptical at first, and the cold water wasn't as nice as bath water, but you had a great time after the initial shock wore off. You also floated around in the pool with me and Daddy, played in the sand with your buckets and shovel, ate every meal on the patio overlooking the ocean, and LEARNED TO CRAWL!!! :-)

You had started trying to move around for the last few months, and you would get on your knees and rock a lot, but you finally took off...we haven't been able to stop you since!! Now you are a baby on a mission. Crawling everywhere, climbing everything, pulling up and chewing on whatever fits in your mouth at face level, and being quite the unstoppable kid. You prefer to be on your knees over standing, and you can "walk" on your knees while holding onto furniture. You can also sit on your knees without any support. You love the sing "E I E I O" when I sing "old macdonald had a farm", and I think we make a pretty cute duet. ;-) You've started "dancing" too, and you play your ABC's on the CD player Nana bought you and smile SO BIG and start rocking and singing.

You haven't cut anymore teeth yet, but you can chew through just about anything with the two teeth you have. It's impressive. You eat pretty much whatever I'm eating these days; fruits, soft vegetables (green beans are your favorite), pasta, most meats, cereals, and then lots and lots of Mama milk.

Your first birthday is coming soon, and I just can't believe that Daddy and I have been so blessed beyond words to have you in our lives for an entire year already!! We are throwing you an "It's SWEET to be ONE!" retro candy shop party. Since you're only going to be one, the party is admittedly going to be for Daddy and I (for having survived year one and keeping you alive and well) as much as it is for you, so we'll be having candy themed drinks for the adults, as well as a full candy bar for both the kids and adults. I can't wait to watch you dig into your big girl cake!! I'm sure there will be tears....aren't I always sobbing for all your firsts?!
Love you, my little green eyed girl!
Mommy

Two Teeth

Dear Camryn,

Your first tooth FINALLY cut through your gums on Feb. 26th after nearly two months of vicious teething and drooling. Yesterday your only tooth gained a friend! You have your 2 bottom (center) teeth now, hooray! You're chewing on everything, and even bit your own thumb hard enough to cut the skin.
We hung out with Auntie & Uncle today and took a trip to Target...you pooped all over the place!! We used your spare outfit the day prior when you exploded downtown (again!), so we had to take you home naked. :-)
Here's a few pics:

Nine Months

Dear Camryn,

Tomorrow we'll celebrate your 9 month birthday!!

I've spent the last few days thinking about the 9 months that I was pregnant with you vs. the past 9 months of your life and how different they were. I wanted to share with you some of those thoughts....

Nine Months

As I stared down at my belly
Unable to see my feet from above
My mind raced with parenting fears
But my heart raced equally with love

Waiting on you was taking forever
And all my clothes were getting tighter
Daddy was afraid I might eat him
As my belly grew wider and wider

Who would my tiny human be?
Would I wrap you in pink or blue?
Our doc said "Your boy's missing parts"
And in that moment I knew....

Your clothes would all be frilly
And I would adorn you with ribbons and bows
Everything in shades of pink
From your head to tiny toes

I began dreaming of what you would look like
And who you would grow up to be
Would you be smart and kind like Daddy?
Or playful and funny like me?

We bought all the baby items
There wasn't a toy we lacked
We were awaiting your arrival
And our hospital bags were packed

I was so eager to see your precious face
I prayed the time would fly
I walked, and lunged, and ate spicy food
But still slowly the minutes ticked by

Finally the day had come
I had to push the extra mile
But it was worth the wait, pain, and tears
When Daddy saw you and he filled with smiles

You were absolutely perfect
We couldn't ask for anything more
Our love for you was overwhelming
And shook us to our core

Nine months had felt like eternity
Waiting on you, little one
But now you're here, and it's like they say
"Time flies when you're having fun!"

Month one with you was such a blur
Being parents was so new
But we smiled and faked it
And luckily, you survived to see month two

By month three we were pros
We even took you on a plane
Up to Washington we flew
And for the first time, you saw rain

I searched high & low during month four
For a costume for your first Halloween
I ordered a custom piggy hat and bloomers
That showed your baby belly in between

When you were five months old we visited Hey Cupcake
And you fought Aunt Reese & I  for some frosting
I caved and shared my carrot cake
Because "keep-away-from-Camryn" was too exhausting

Month six we celebrated your first Christmas
Watching you open your gifts made Mommy shed a tear
Days later, 44 floors above the Austin skyline
Daddy and I rang in the New Year

By month seven you'd been to Seattle and Napa
So you were ready to hit the City of Sin
Daddy & I lost your college fund gambling
But enjoyed our first baby-free date thanks to Aunt Molly & Uncle Bren

Month 8 I realized you were no longer a baby
Who was content sitting still and being sang the ABC's
You're a big girl who wants to stand and crawl
And run from Mommy on your chunky knees

I've asked, but you refuse to stop growing
And I don't know what month nine has in store
But whatever it is, I can promise you one thing
I'll continue to love you more, and more, and more

Nine months of pregnancy passed like molasses
but the past nine months passed in a whirl
I'm so grateful to be your Mommy
Happy 3/4 Birthday to you, my most beautiful girl!

Love,
Mommy

Girls just wanna have fun!

Dear Camryn,

You are such a goofball lately! You're really developing a silly, fun spirited personality. You love hide & seek, and you giggle whenever someone pops out from behind something and makes a funny face at you. You have always been quite the noise maker, and your opera singing has yet to bore you (even though it nearly makes me and Daddy's ears bleed). Auntie and Uncle encourage your high-pitch noise making and sing just about anything to you, and boy do you think that's fun!! You light up when we read to you (and let you chew on your books), and especially enjoy pop-up books and sensory books like the baby Einstein collection. Toys that squeak, crinkle, or can be easily banged against each other are your favorites.
Here's a few pictures of you playing over the last few days:

8 Months & refusing to stop growing!!

Dear Camryn,

How have I allowed nearly 2 months to pass since I last wrote to you? I guess looking at your beautiful face and playing with you trumps this blog. You have grown into such a big girl. You've been sitting all by yourself for the last 2 months, and you roll around like a champ. In fact, we've stopped swaddling you because you would roll from your back to your belly and scare us. You can crawl backwards, but not forwards, and it really makes you mad! You've gotten on your knees and rocked back and forth, but you're not sure what to do next. You LOVE to "jump jump", especially in the mornings when you hang out with Daddy....and Mommy does other important things during that time...like sleep in. :-)
You've been teething on and off, and a tooth finally broke through your gums but it hasn't grown an inch since. You're really drooling a lot this week, so maybe you'll finally get a tooth in.
I'm still nursing you full time, and you get at least one solid a day. Your favorite food is sweet potato puff cereal. You feed yourself everything that can be picked up, and I'm teaching you to hold a spoon and feed yourself everything else. Meal time is VERY messy and usually ends with a bath.
You are a talker lately and we joke that you have an imaginary friend named Deedee because that's your favorite thing to say. You also like "Dada" "doodoo" and "ba"...no "mama" yet, but I know you have zero clue what you're saying, so I'm gonna let you off the hook.
You're learning other ways to communicate with me via sign language and you've mastered the sign for food. You can also wave and "gimme five". We're still trying to teach you the signs for mom and dad.
You are sleeping in your nursery full-time now! You started waking 1-2 times at night to eat, and then you go right back to sleep. Bed time is still 7p-7a.
You are growing WAY TOO FAST and it makes me so sad!! I already started planning your 1st birthday party....my baby isn't a baby anymore. *tear* You wear size 3 diapers and 6-9 month clothes now.
I'll post height and weight info after your pediatrician appointment this week.
I love you monkey!!
Mommy

Instagram Pictures