Monday, July 30, 2018

Weekend Scenes from the Lake


Happy Monday! Another summer weekend has come and gone - we just did a quick overnight to the lake house this weekend because late last week the lower area flooded from all the central PA storms. We were surprised the water went down as quick as it did - enough to fix the dock on Saturday evening (just the ramp was under water by then) and a large amount overnight so we could use the dock on Sunday afternoon after doing a little more fixing.


Saturday afternoon with no dock so we took the kids for a walk to check out the other damage done up and down the street.


We are down on the dock and in the sun as much as possible always so it was very relaxing to just lounge in the house - thank goodness for Grandparents right?! Look how happy both "kids" are - I was hooked into Christmas in July on Hallmark chanel and browsing Pinterest - something I haven't had time to do in forever.

We kept it easy and got salads & pizza for dinner and then some other family members stopped over for cocktails.


Yesterday we did another walk, Mom made everyone breakfast and I did some reading on the porch.  The guys finished fixing our dock and my Uncle's dock too.


Finally we were ready to take in some sun! Tatum was napping so Mom stayed up at the house with him while the rest of us got an hour or two to relax down below.


Friday, July 27, 2018

This & That

Our weekdays around here have been pretty boring - pool or playing, the normal daily routine, etc.  We've tried to do summer Friday lunches as a family if we can.


The sun's finally out this weekend but we had a week full of rain - leaving us craving fall slightly and being cozy most days.


Last week we met my family out for dinner - a patio, Mexican food and family makes for the perfect night.


We've been doing many family walks - Tatum loves to "hold" Stella's leash.


Attention for Tatum is never lacking at the office.


Parenting in the rain.  We went out to dinner with our friends while we were in New Jersey over the weekend and had to rush around in the downpours. 

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Weekend Scenes: Bridal Shower

Happy Wednesday! We had a great weekend seeing lots of friends - a birthday party Friday night for one of my friend's daughters (Tatum loved the frosting off his cupcake) and then the rest of the weekend in New Jersey to celebrate another friend's bridal shower.


My best friend is getting married in September and I'm lucky enough to be her Matron of Honor.  Along with her Mom, her sister - the Maid of Honor and the other bridesmaids, we hosted a wine themed shower and everything came together beautifully.


As a gift from the bridesmaids we gifted her some excursions for her honeymoon and her sister and I also did a wine basket of "firsts" for them to enjoy.


After a fun weekend I'm looking forward to the remaining wedding events as well as the big day for this special couple.


It was also great to catch up with old friends & families and spending the day celebrating together.


Tatum stopped by to see everyone at the end and then helped his Aunt Sam open up some of her gifts before we headed home from the weekend.  He was exhausted from all the fun and slept the whole way home.

Friday, July 20, 2018

Tatum Beau: Nine Months


Height/Weight/Health:
We went back to the doctor yesterday for Tatum's 9 month checkup and he did great - wanted to play with the tape measure, crawl all over the table, hold all the doctors "toys" and such.  He weighs 19 pounds and 12 ounces (52nd percentile) and is 2 feet 4 inches tall (48th percentile).   We go back again at 12 months.

Clothes:

Wearing 6-9 month as well as 6-12 month outfits! Still in size 3 diapers... After a few overnight incidents we did start using size 4 baby dry for overnights.

Schedule:

7:30-8: Wakeup
8-8:30: Breakfast (baby food, puffs) then bottle
8:30-9:30ish: Playtime 
9:30/45-11ish: Naptime
Noon: Lunch bottle and puffs
*Misc. activities - play, errands, pool, time at the office, etc.*
2:30/3: Bottle then nap
4/4:30: Up from nap and playtime 
5: Dinner (baby food, puffs) then bottle
6:30: Small bottle 
8ish (sometime before, sometimes after): Bedtime 

We try to get as close to this schedule as we can - sometimes bed is later depending if we're out, sometimes the bottles and meals differ a little if we're doing errands, etc. and there is a ton of playing mixed in there.

Feedings:

He still loves his bottles! We usually do every three hours but that can depend on what "food" he's eaten.  He's been doing much better with baby food lately - always a breakfast and dinner and sometimes some puffs for a lunchtime snack.

He's tried many varieties of pouches/baby food packs and does better being spoon fed now too - he has to be hungry so the doctor suggested doing breakfast first thing and then the bottle after - same for dinner.  He just started loving the baby puffs.

In addition to the baby food he's tried (and liked) avocado and tiny pieces of strawberry, mango, watermelon.

Sleep:

He's done pretty well this month especially with a few travels.  We had a bit of sleep regression (or adjusting to sleeping in other cribs/pack n plays) where he'd wake up once or twice for a quick rocking then go back down.  When we were away we had to co sleep most mornings for about an hour or so but for the most part he makes it from bedtime at 8ish until wake up between 7-8am.

Activities:

Playing with anything, touching anything he can, playing with plastic cups, kicking in the pool

Likes:

Smiling, sucking on a pacifier and holding one at the same time, flirting with anyone who smiles at him, sitting on daddy's shoulders, pulling the dishtowel off the oven hook

Dislikes:

Being over tired, having a toy (or item - hair brush, kitchen spoon, etc.) taken away from him if he's happily playing with it.

Milestones:

He helped his dad celebrate his first Father's Day!

He really notices who Mommy and Daddy are and sometimes reaches for them as opposed to being held by somebody else if he's fussy.

Responds to his name and knows if he's being talked to.

Celebrated his first Fourth of July and celebrated all week with a trip to the lake, two BBQ's at home and then a few days at the beach.  He saw his first fireworks and was very into them.

Started walking pushing his toy walker and holding onto it.

Adventures:

He had his first weekend stay at the lake and did great! We set up a playpen for him on the shore outside in the shade and also a little blow up pool on the dock for him to splash in.  He had a few other lake weekends as well.

Had his seventh and eighth plane rides and went on a week long trip to California staying in Newport Beach and Beverly Hills (and getting LOTS of pool/play time!)  He did great on the plane both ways and did a good job keeping himself entertained and staying quiet... for the most part! 

Other:
Plays well by himself with his toys in the playroom - looks up and gives a lot of smiles!

Has had many pool days and really enjoys floating in his float now in addition to just splashing and playing with his toys.

He had his first meal (just baby food) out at a restaurant in a high chair and did great! Vanilla ice cream as a reward.

Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Avalon


We spent Fourth of July down the shore with friends then checked into the Icona in Avalon for the rest of the long weekend.  After grabbing lunch with friends in town we met up with family for a great beach day.  We did a happy hour at the pool with some friends, grabbed a drink at the beach bar and then all did a late dinner.


The next day we were expecting rain so we got out to the beach before it started.  It clouded over so after some pool playing once we were done on the beach we took Tatum back to the room for his morning nap (something we rarely do on vacation!) and I loved my hour reading out on our patio listening to the ocean.


We grabbed some appetizers for lunch at the beach bar and did some more pool time before getting ready for the night.  We had a babysitter for Tatum and grabbed a quick dinner then met up with friends for drinks.


Saturday we had great weather for our last day - after seeing lots of family/friends we spent this day just the three of us! In the morning we went over to Stone Harbor for a little shopping and lunch and then spent the early part of the afternoon on the beach.  We spent a good while at the pool after that and stayed out in the sun until late in the day.


We got ready and made our way into the little town for dinner at The Sea Grille - delicious and then all got some ice cream after - Tatum's new favorite treat is vanilla ice cream.