Oldies but Goodies

I am so excited Mary Ellen just emailed these pictures from her surprise 30th birthday party from the beginning of March.  Her brother in law was taking them, and we didn't want to be those girls that hand him 10 cameras to take more pictures...  we must really like him, because we do that to everyone else!

We missed Shauna and her family, but had a great time with everyone else!  I think I have this right, the babies ages at that time were...  Aubrey (almost 3), Liddie (2y2m), Halle (11m), Hardin (4m2w), Olivia (3m,3w), Lucas (3m,2w).

Mimi is in town for Cawley's THIRD birthday.  Can't wait for the festivities this weekend!

Mini Bedroom

It's the end of the month, and I'm tired.  22 closings in 5 days, all of which have been trouble files.  I am extremely grateful to be as busy as I am, but boy I'm tired.

The storms last night, or threat there of, did not help.  About 6:45 last night, team Hardin decided we all thought it would be best if H went home with my mom.  There were tornadoes touching down in Alabama, and headed our way.  Our house has no basement and the only room without windows is the downstairs bathroom.  Mom's house has less trees, is more brick, and Hardin sleeps in the empty closet in her master downstairs.  It made me so sad, but I would have felt terrible if I had to wake him up in the middle of the night to go sleep in the bathroom with mommy and daddy. 

The storms ended up missing us, but we are saying lots of prayers for those it hit.  The damage was devastating. 

He did great, and slept until 9:15.  Jason and I considered remodeling our house to accommodate a non-window room upon hearing that.  When I went to pick him up today I saw his mini bedroom for the first time.  I had to laugh.  I can see why he loves it in there.  I was tempted to curl right up in that pack-n-play and pull those sliding doors shut! 

Half Birthday!

I have NO idea how it happened, but Jason and I woke up this morning with a SIX month old!  That was by far the fastest six months of all time.

Hardin, at six months, you are absolutely the joy of my life.  You are quite the ham, and know it.  It is crazy how much you have matured in the last few weeks.  One day you were laying around kicking at things, the next day you were sitting up and trying to get into everything!  I know it's just a matter of weeks (hopefully months) before you are mobile, and the real fun will start.  We don't have your six month check up until next week, so for now, here are some unofficial stats.

• According to the pass-daddy-the-baby-while-he-stands-on-the-scale method, you are 18.4 lbs.
• According to your mommy made growth chart, you are somewhere around 25-26 inches.
• You still eat 5 bottles a day, every three hours.  We offer 6 ounces, you rarely eat that much.  This is well under the amount the formula charts say you should eat, but you are growing just fine.  We have tried more ounces less often a few times now, but it just doesn't work for you. 
• You still spit up a lot.  You'll go days and days without the first little bit, and then it comes back full force.  Doc says as long as it's not bothering you and you are growing, she recommends not putting you on medication and letting your body develop on its own. 
• You eat one stage 1 jar of fruit or veggies during the day, and a bowl of cereal made with formula, mixed with 1/2 jar of prunes for dinner.  You just finished your box of rice cereal, so tomorrow we will start mixed grain.  You'd eat prunes all day if I'd let you.  
• The only things you haven't loved are bananas and peas.  You'll tolerate about 1/2 jar of either, but are not wiggling your head with your mouth wide open like a little bird as you do with squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, apples, pears and prunes. 
• You have yet to roll over 100% on your own.  You absolutely hate being on your tummy, so you are in no hurry to roll there.  
• You still sing while we rock you.  I'll try and video it again soon, it is just so sweet, but much louder these days.
• You have one tooth that is literally showing, but still not through.  I had no idea teething took this long, I sure hope the little thing gets on its way and leaves you alone.  Unfortunately, the one next to it has started to come in also. 
• Your nighttime sleep is amazing, 7:30ish to 7:30ish.  We rock you and sing a couple of songs, and put you down awake.  You play for a little bit and nod right off, normally without a bit of fuss.   
• Your daytime sleep is okay.  You still take 4 naps a day and we rock you to sleep for most of them.  This is mostly because Gigi puts you down for naps and is not crazy about the slightest little bit of fussing.  With everything that woman does for you, I wouldn't dare insist otherwise.  We've tried less naps, but that doesn't work for you either.  You get so grumpy if you are up for more than two hours.  You go down about an hour and a half after eating, and nap about 45 minutes to a hour.  You wake up for 30 minutes, and then are ready to eat again.  Your longest awake stretch is before bed.  We don't try and keep you on this schedule, we just watch for sleepy cues, and put you down.  We realize we are insanely lucky with your nighttime sleep, so we are perfectly content with 4 shorter naps as long as you need it. 
• You are fine when daddy and I leave to go to work, but the second we walk in the door, you want both of our undivided attention until bed time.  When I say undivided, I mean there have been many nights where one of us feeds you in the glider and the other sits on the ottoman holding your hand.  You just squeal and cry if either of us leave the room, and watch out when Jason goes to the gym.  I think it's half that you love us so much right now, and half that you are tired and clingy by the end of the day.   
• There are few things that make me happier than your chubby little legs in knee socks.  Smile ear to ear!

You are Simply the Best, as daddy would sing in his best Tina Turner voice, and we love you SO MUCH!  

When I get you up from your nap the ears on that bunny are soaked.  Poor little gums. 

Your half-birthday present (a shower gift I've been stashing until I thought it wouldn't scare you).

This was about 7:30am, still looking a little sleepy!

I loved this weekend!

This weekend was jam packed full of family fun.  Short of my bro and Mimi, we got to see almost all of our Thornberry and McWhorter families. 

Saturday we hosted a shower for my cousin Sean and his soon-to-be-bride Leah.  They were in town from Steamboat Springs as well as Sean's sister Cheryl, and her husband Damon.  I normally spend hours and hours cooking in preparation for a shower.  I spent 20 minutes at Costco Friday, and ten minutes Saturday morning ordering some "Southern Favorites" as requested by the guests of honor.  I sent Jason and Hardin out with a list and mapped out itinerary...  BBQ here, Pimento Cheese here, wine here, etc.  I cleaned.

They got home, unloaded the goodies, and quickly turned around and headed to the club for the annual Easter Egg hung and pictures with the Easter Bunny.  I can not wait to see the pictures!  Jason said they just dressed up a cart guy and hired a photographer and it was hysterical. 

The shower was a wonderful night full visiting with my Thornberry family.  Neither of my cousins had met Hardin and needless to say they just loved him.  Other than being totally confused as to why there were 33 people in his house, Hardin was a charmer.  We are looking forward to the wedding this July in Steamboat.

Next up was by far one of the most emotional church services of all time.  I've been telling Jason ever since we had the baby, that my feelings toward my Christian faith have been so much stronger.  I've been waiting for this morning's sermon for a while, I needed to hear the story of Easter again, and let me just tell you he told it well this morning.  There was not a dry mama eye in the building.  I know this because we were running extremely late and had to sit in the second row from the back...  of the balcony.

The boys napped when we got home, and then we headed to Jason's cousin Brittany's house for an egg hunt and dinner.  His cousins hadn't met Hardin either, so it was great to see all of them.  Hardin was great until it was time to take pictures, as soon as I sat him in the grass he lost it.  He's NOT a fan of grass.

As always, it was so fun to have H and Lillian together.  Look out folks, in about 3 months those two are going to be nuttin' but trouble!  As you can see, I could not narrow down the pictures from this weekend. 

Perfectly boring afternoon.

I had a doctor appointment at 1:45 and came home right after that.  Nothing much to report, but we sure had fun.  Mom gave Hardin an Easter basket with all kinds of goodies, including the ears and Braves Pez dispenser he enjoyed playing with while watching baseball with daddy.

Oh, and yesterday daddy day care surprised me with an Olive Garden lunch date.  It was so much fun!  Hardin was a total ham the entire time we were there.  Making faces and smiling at all the folks at tables around us.   The waitress asked us if he was always that good...  I hadn't even let her finish the question before I laughed out loud with a big NO.  Then I think she thought I was crazy!  Smart woman. 

Phillip Hardin Thornberry, Jr. in this one!

Like a sweet sunset in Georgia, let it go.

Keep your heart above your head, and your eyes wide open, 

so this world can't find a way to leave you cold.

You know you're not the only ship out on the ocean, 

save your strength for things that you can change, 

forgive the ones you can't, you gotta let it go. -Zac Brown

This has been my anthem over the past three weeks at work.  If I've listened to it once, I've listened to it 100 times.  I love the song, and the reminder to spend my precious time on the things I can change, but I love the fact that my brother loves it even more.  I've been trying to send him Georgia stuff every once in a while, just because.  When I fell in love with the new ZBB album, I sent a copy.  This song is B's favorite.  It is very LAME American Tail of me, but it's comforting to know even though he's a half-a-world away, we could very well be jamming to the same song in our cars.  Both of us probably equally stressed about work as well. 

Lucky for B, he gets to go home to his beautiful view in Hawaii.  Lucky for me, I get to come home to this cutie!  I keep thinking that I don't ever want him to change a bit.  Then he gets older and his little personality just shines through more.  Then I really don't want him to grow up anymore, and so goes the cycle, but it's a cycle I love.  He's a busy boy these days, and it's so fun to watch him soaking it all in.  He's also getting more affectionate.  He nuzzles his little head on your shoulder and reaches his little arms around your arms and neck.  Melts my heart!

Super Sweet Sunday

Well we did it.  We took Hardin to church this morning for Palm Sunday, and we all made it out just fine.  We went a little early to check out the nursery and make sure H was comfortable.  Let's just say Jason would have rather stayed in the nursery with super sweet, very pretty, but very teenage, Victoria.  The lady that runs the nursery was already holding another baby, so I passed H man off to the youngin.  He just loved her. 

While I held on to that little pager for dear life waiting for it to vibrate, I managed to thoroughly enjoy the service.  There were 13 sixth graders being confirmed, and one of them happened to be my friend Jill's nephew.  It was great to see her and her amazing mama.  A hand full of them spoke about what they had learned in their confirmation class, and what being a Christian means to them.  One boy got to me.  He said the most important thing he learned was that it should be obvious to the world that he is a Christian through his actions.  Truer words have never been spoken, and it is always nice to have a reminder.  

Hardin hung out with daddy this afternoon while I went to Katie's bridal shower.  I just love how much that girl loves being a bride.  Then we sat in his floor and went through all of his clothes, again.  I'm starting to think I'm not going to like doing that as often as it is necessary, but I can't stand reaching into his drawer and pulling out three things that are too small before finding a good one! 

Yes, I chopped my hair off this week.  No, I haven't learned how to style it by myself yet.

A couple of first I'm not fond of.

First, I just put my baby to sleep* in NINE MONTH pajamas.  Not 6-9.  Just plain 9.  Tomorrow I'm going through his clothes again because so many of his sleepers are just too short.  I'm telling you the boy grew two inches this week.  Add that to the fact that I got my "your baby at 5 months, week 4" email today, and I just about cried.  He's sure getting way to big in a hurry.

The other first of the day was much more disturbing.  I promised myself I wouldn't blog about poos, but this was more like a mile stone.  I put him in the bath today and he splashed around for a minute or two...  and then came the face.  The red one.  The one that means it's coming.

I froze, I had no idea what to do, so I just sat there and watched it happen.  When he was done with his business I yelled down stairs for Jason to come hold him up while I washed and rinsed him.  Then I bleached everything in sight.  I love the little stinker, but I'll be a happy camper if that particular first is also a LAST! 

*I can't believe I caved and started using a comfort object as early as I did, about three weeks ago.  I know all the books say at least 6 months, but he LOVES holding on to things while he sleeps.  When I was swaddling him he was fine, but now that those arms are both out he needs something to snuggle with.  Last night it stormed bad.  Every time thunder would clap, he squeezed that little lamb.  I was so happy he had something to make him feel better.  I sure hope he doesn't end up hating storms as much as I do!

He's officially a sitter-upper.

LOVE those thunder thighs.

I love this one because his eyelids look so McWhorter.

Maw Maw

Since Elise has been on maternity leave, I haven't had to take Hardin to mom's house every other Friday.  Come to find out, this was making my poor Maw Maw sad.  She had grown very fond of having him around.  That just about broke my heart, and I decided that I'd take him to mom's once a week even though I didn't have to.  I think that will be good for everyone.  I remember how much I looked forward to going to both of my grandmother's houses.  I'm sure H will follow suit. 

As usual, Maw Maw heard me pull in the driveway, which is very difficult because I drive an almost silent Toyota Matrix.  So you know she's waiting by the door.  I hung out a while to visit, and it is just so sweet to see him with her.  He is quite intrigued by her glasses, and if given the opportunity would rip them right off her sweet face.

Dinner tonight had me in tears laughing.  Every time I'd take the spoon to Hardin's face, he'd stick out his tongue.  Every. Time.  He's such a mess.  Figuratively and literally.  That's why I was feeding him in his Bumbo.  It's easier to clean than the straps on his high chair he likes to chew on when I dilly dally in between spoon fulls.