Traveling like crazy!

We did a DC visit so dad could nerd out a Neuroscience convention.....you and I moved into Mandy, Julius and Marens basement.  They are the best hosts!  Thanks WacDonalds!  We also got to visit with JG and Maria and meet Chloe, visit with Shea,  meet Mick and Gina, and see Cornelia and sweet baby James.....we are so lucky to have so many wonderful souls in our life!  What a rockin' community (although spread out) you were born into.

Kisses from sweet Chloe at the DC zoo.

Hanging with beautiful Shea.

Shoo-shoo and Mimi exercausing!  Maren is practicing her big sister skills.  She's gonna do great! 

Watching a little Sesame Street with the girls before bed.

Lucky enough to get Mick's hat and lucky enough to get to hang with Mick and Gina!

Meeting with Bames and Cornelia!  Bames was showing Siler his mad crawling skills!

Overalls UNITE!

Whew!  Thats a lot of friends to meet in just a few days!  Makes me realize how lucky we are but how I wished we all lived in the same place!

6 Months Old!

Holy Tamoly!  You are 6 months old!  I know I say this every month, but really,  where does the time go??    This month you have learned to sit up.  You went from very wobbly and bent over then falling over to pretty strong and able to lean forward and then back up.  You have really been working the abs.  Not quite a 6 pack yet, but close!  This past week we spent a bit of time in DC with Julius and Mandy and Maren.  I think watching the 2 1/2 year old really gave you inspiration.  You hadn't really showed much interest in rolling until we got to DC and now you roll back and forth, you aren't using it as a way to get places but it in the skill set now.

You contiue to be a fatty with the biggest cheeks ever.  I love it!  I'm guessing your still in the high 90's in percentile.  You grow girl!  We'll find out the monday after thanksgiving when you have your 6mo. appt. and the doctor says "get that girl on some real food!"  I have this funny feeling you are gonna make the 5-hole fat kids proud! I'm looking forward to the new foods funny faces.

You are such a super sweet kid I still can't imagine you throwing a tantrum.  I know that you will, but really, so sweet.  You did actually do a little protest yesterday when I took the water bottle from you and gave you a toy instead.  It was a weak protest.  You just moved on.  That seems like a good life skill to have....

You really are loving the exersaucers.  You sat in one at Mandy and Julius' for about an hour or more.  Content.  So laid back it's silly.  I can still lay you in the middle of the bed and you stay there.  We can still have mornings where we all just stay in bed until 9 or so.  If you are not tired you will just lay with us and play with our faces or a toy.  I imagine by next months letter that will not be the case so I'm trying to live it up.

Things are going to be a bit crazy the next few months as we get ready to move to Berlin, Germany. It will be an adventure for sure.  I'm excited that you will be bilingual, at least for a few years.  I doubt that we'll be speaking German to you when we get back to the US.  At least that part of your brain will get used for a while....

You are sort of starting to hug and kiss.  I say sort of because what I call a hug is you pushing your body into mine and gumming my shoulder and your kiss is just an open mouth slobber on my face, but you are getting the idea, right?

I know this is just sappy mamma, but I love you so much, more and more every day.  I love every phase of your life so far and look forward to every bit of your life.  I know that some people believe that babies choose their mammas and if that is true, thank you.
I love you to pieces!
Mama

Visits....

Both of my parents visited recently so here are some photos from that.  We are getting ready to do a big trip to DC, Raleigh and the beach.  More after Thanksgiving.....I would also like to note that a few days ago I laid Siler down on a quilt on the floor like I always do and turned around to the computer to send and email and then looked back and she had scootched off the quilt onto floor and was reaching for a basket full of toys.  My life is about to get more interesting!

I have no idea what Parrish said to my dad but apparently only my dad heard and it was REALLY funny! He was probably complaining about me calling for a group photo...

First time in the high chair at the table.

Hanging with Colonel

Alternative halloween costume.....

Hanging out with Grandmom in the Lowcountry.

first day!

I'm learning how to upload videos....YAY! Here's an oldie but goodie.

Laughter!

5 Months!

Dear Siler,

WOW!  Today you are five months old.  I can't believe it.  You are currently in the ergo carrier on my chest fussing on and off because you are tired but fighting sleep.  That is about the only time you fuss.  Sometimes when the dogs bark and scare you, but mostly, when you are tired.  Once you find your thumb or finger you will stop crying until you jerk it out of your mouth.  This will go on for a few minutes then you are out.....why don't you just keep sucking your thumb?  Most days I have been putting you in the crib and you cry for a minute or two then fall asleep but today I have you in the ergo carrier because we have to go hang out laundry in just a minute and then walk the dogs.

You are still a smiley, happy baby.  You smile at everyone who talks to you and you smile with your whole body!  In the morning we will hear you "talking" and playing with rattles in your crib.  You often do that for 30 minutes or so.  I used to get you up as soon as I heard you but now I wait until you fuss a little then either you dad or I will come to your bed to get you.  If you are awake when we get up we have to  tiptoe around so you don't see us.  Sometimes I can get a shower in before you get up!  You smile as soon as you see us and wiggle and it's the best way to start a day.  It's amazing to have someone so happy to see you first thing in the morning, I love it!

We lay you down on blankets on the floor a lot now.  You love to play with toys on the floor and you are pretty content on your back or your belly.  If Calvin or Jahnimous comes into the room you love to watch them.  And even though we fuss when they lick you too much, you don't seem to mind.  You are so strong now.  When you play on your belly you can reach toys and put them in your mouth and when you are in your play gym you reach for and pull the toys that hang.  The goal is always to get the toy in your mouth.  Or your toes, or your fingers.....

You can roll from your belly to you back and you are really working on rolling from your back to your belly.  The other day you tried so hard.  You got the idea of using the momentum of your leg and would get almost over.....it will be soon.

I feel like the luckiest mama in the world.  You are so sweet and loving and happy.  You have made this not so hard for us and you make us laugh every day.  We are so lucky that you chose us to be your parents.  We joke that your serious, contemplative face is me and your smiley laid-back face is your dad.  We love you so much and love having you on all of our adventures now.  You make them so much more fun!

Love you so much, 

Mama

Last leg.....

of the trip we took a few weeks ago....After Kat and Chris' wedding in Heber, Utah we drove to Moab, Utah where our friends Mat and Mel live.  We met them in Green River, on the Green River because they had been at a hippie festival there all weekend and didn't want to leave - I don't blame them.  They gave us directions back into this canyon - driving around this area of Utah is always mind-blowing ....the photos never do it justice, but we try.....

 

In Moab we spent the two days there going to National Parks (Arches and Canyonlands) so we could get Siler's National Park passport stamped and so we could see some beautiful scenery with her before she is old enough to complain about how boring it is......We did not do a whole lot of walking, more viewing from the car - the sun in the desert is intense folks.....I was also still a little sick and we kept waking Siler up to wander around and after a little while she got annoyed with that.  It was still so fun to go to the parks.  I don't think I had ever been to Canyonlands and it had been a long time since either Parrish or I had been to Arches so that was really cool. Mat and Mel both had to work during the day so we'd catch up with them at night.  Wish that happened more often.

We have really got to work on our family portraits, so far most of them look like they should be on the bad family photos website......they mostly just make me laugh and then I laugh harder when I think of Siler looking back on these one day.

View of the La Sals in Arches National Park

Balance Rock!

If you look closely you can see Parrish and Siler being risky and standing under balance rock.

How to walk in the desert with a baby....

Double arch

On to Canyonlands National Park

We only went to the "Island in the Sky" section of Canyonlands but its like a mini Grand Canyon.  Who knew? Amazing.

Just hanging out in a tree - she's already a climber!

Getting better....

You can see a dirt road that goes about 100 miles.  It's a two day trip through the desert in a jeep.  Sounds pretty cool.  We didn't see any jeeps on the road while we were there....

 This is where I start getting tired of photos.....

"Woman, beer and a baby by the Green River at sunset"

 Siler and Finnegan, Mel and Mats dog.

 Got to the airport in plenty of time to make the flight home....it was a little nerve racking since we left from Moab at 7 am, returned the car in Salt Lake City then went to the airport, but we did it!