Lucky Number Seven

I don't know if it has been a lucky month or not.  We began the month with an assumed stomach bug, but it ended up being her two front teeth--just in time for Christmas!

Presley Ann celebrated Thanksgiving out at the Bennett family farm and was even allowed to have a little bit of mashed potatoes--YUM!  On Thanksgiving day she began this whole snorting thing whenever she laughedor smiles at someone.  It is absolutely hilarious and her cousin Chris can make her do it best.

We ventured out the day after Thanksgiving to pick up a video camera, best purchase ever.  I love pretending like we are part of a TLC film crew documenting all the small moments in Presley's life.  We have caught her crawling a few times, she will go about three to five crawls and the sprawls out on her belly to army crawl.  Nonetheless, if you put her down and walk away she's coming after you!

We had our family photos taken at the first part of December by a friend of mine Meg White (Matrone).  She recently moved back to Springfield from Alabama and has a small photography business.  We loved our experience with her and the way the photos turned out, I cry just about every time I look at them because they captured the essence of the whole day---a cuddly family (it was freezing outside that day).

 

Christmas was extremely special for Todd and I this year.  We celebrated for three whole days with family, but it was the best early Saturday morning with just the three of us.  Presley of course didn't know too much about what was going on, all she really knew was that there was lots of paper and string to play with.  I tried my best to soak it all up, I didn't want to forget the funny things that her and Max did at Nana's house, her adorable little Christmas outfits, and the way my heart sank just watching her with Todd.  I also got one of the greatest presents ever, a little blue box!  Yep a Tiffany's bracelet to commemorate my first Christmas as a momma.

After all the celebration we woke up on Monday with a 102* fever, oh my word!  She has never had a fever before and it has been horrible.  I feel so sad for her, she's uncomfortable, she is plugged up, and just wants to be held (which I am more than willing to get in extra cuddle time).  The doctor said the words that I hate to hear even for myself, "It's just a virus and it will have to run it course for 3-5 days."  That means no quick fixes.  Thank goodness I have this week off from work so that I can just be here with her, this would be even harder if I was trying to go to work. 

 

I am so emotional these days when I think about her and how amazing it is that she is even here, we are truly blessed to have such a spirited and healthy little girl.  I think a little bit of the emotion also stems from the fact that in four months my baby is going to be 1! How does that happen? 

Here she is fresh out of the bath with a dose of Motrin!  Doesn't act like she is sick at all, does she?

Six One Way Half a Dozen the Other

One way or the other our lil' girl is growing up.  We've made it to six months and she has really blossomed!  We began our month with Halloween, Presley attended her first of many Spooktaculars with our good friends the Willmeth's.  We also took her with the family to trick-or-treat with her cousin Max, Aunt Jennifer, Uncle Culley and Aunt Amy, and Nana Crocker.  Presley tried to dig deep into the candy bowl, but I had to tell her not this year.

We didn't make up to Columbia to celebrate Homecoming, but Presley was rooting the Tigers on to victory against OU.  MIZ-ZOU!

Presley is really on the move these days.  Some of her favorite days are spent jumping in her Baby Einstein jumper--she goes nuts!  Strolling around the house in her walker to see what's cookin'.  Or--drumroll please---getting up on her hands and knees and rocking.  We are inching closer and closer to her crawling, therefore Todd and I are going to brave the shopaholics holiday to get a camcorder so that we are able to document her first scoots across the floor.  She's also has the best friend and girl could ask for, Peyton James.  They are buddies and spend dinner time licking dinner off of eachother and squealing loudly (PJ from getting his ears pulled and Presley with delight!)

This Thanksgiving Todd and I are thankful for the blessing called Presley Ann.  She has brought so much joy and laughter to our lives and we are thankful each day for happy, healthy, rosy cheeked lil' girl.

5 Golden Months

Presley Ann is 5 months old! and she is doing it in true Crocker-Bennett fashion.  She started off with a small cold that took an emotional toll on me.  I hated her not being herself and feeling bad, it wasn't that bad it was just a runny nose with no fever, but she was waking up three times a night and that is so unlike her.  I melted in tears for about a week straight at work---needless to say it was a devastating.  But there was a catalyst for the runny nose and cranky behavior----TEETH and two of them at that!  She started to cut one and about five days later we noticed there was another right there beside it on the bottom.  Therefore, she has been chewing and chewing and slobbering and slobbering on everything.  It's pretty cute in my opinion.

She has also discovered her voice---lots of yelping with bubbles and sputtering that follows.  She really is quite the charming lil' girl.

We also had a little falling out with our photographer this month.  I signed up for a photo package from Lamb portrait before Presley was even born.  The deal was to get her photos taken at birth and every three months there after that.  I told that we would take the pictures, view them within a week or so, order, and receive the photos about 3-4 weeks after the session.  WELL...each session we did not receive the pictures until she was almost the next trimester old.  Needless to say Presley will not being fulfilling her contractual agreement because I am just sick that it takes so long to get her pictures and that I can't share them with our family and friends in a timely fashion.  Lamb portrait takes great photos, but what is the point when I am looking at a picture of my baby at 3 months old when she is nearly 6 months now?

The search begins for a new photographer to photograph our family for a Christmas card---yes we will be that family that sends a card with us happily strolling through the leaves.  We've earned it and I want nothing more than to share my lovely family with our friends and family.

Keep posted and be looking for your Christmas card in the mail!

Four!

Just had to put a play on words in this month's post.  So what has been happening lately?  Well everything of course.  Presley is still on the ball with this rolling thing and we have found a new toy, they are called toes and they taste mmmmm mm good!  Todd and I both attempted this feat and it didn't work out in our favor, wonder why?

Presley Ann has also begun to enjoy some time in her bouncer.  At first she didn't know what to think of it, her feet wouldn't reach, and I think that frustrated her (I know how you feel lil' lady).  Look at her now! She loves the piano that lights up.  Speaking of, how much do piano lessons cost? She might just turn out to be the next Mozart.  We also had to invest in a playyard because she began rolling over, over, and over again and pumped her head--several times.

My friend and roommate from college just welcomed their first into the world August 30th.  Trevor Burk White was 7 lbs. 11 oz. and healthy as a horse.  Michelle had a difficult pregnancy, she was on bedrest for 13 weeks and battled diabetes the entire time.  As soon and Trevor was born her blood sugar returned to normal and she was an extremely happy camper once she had a Mountain Dew and hot dog.

Presley also had  her baby welleness check up with more SHOTS!  Boo, but I will let you all know her stats later.

Growing like a weed, but as beautiful as a flower.  This is my lil' girl Presley Ann:

Apples, Books, and Crayons

         

Yes, it has finally arrived...SCHOOL!  That also means that it is time for Presley to go to "school".  Presley started going to the sitters'  house this past Monday and has done really well each day.  Miss Terri does all the things that Presley loves like riding in the car and talking.  She talks to all the kids in the van on their way to and from morning practices and then takes a cat nap or two in Miss Terri's arms.  It really does make Todd and I feel so much better about leaving her knowing that she is happy and safe.

As for her three month milestones she is beginning to really roll around, this is proving to be difficult when it comes to putting a diaper on.  She is also grabbing anything and everything and it all goes straight to her mouth.  So if you come to visit her just know that whatever is on you is fair game and will probably get drool on it.  Oh the drool is new too and there is lots of it.  She loves to stand, push with her legs, army crawl (without actually making any progress), and attempt to put her entire fist in her mouth--comical to watch.  The biggest advancement this month would have to be that we started cereal and she loves it--most of the time.  She was a hungry girl and eating 9 times a day so I pleaded with her pediatrician and they said "She's hungry, let her eat!" and so we did.

We wrapped up our summer time together by visiting a friend of mine that I made in yoga and her little girl.  Presley and Kenley were born about two months apart, but were strikingly similar at birth---sista' from another mother maybe?  When we arrived to see the new baby Kenley reached out to hold hands with Presley and they just smiled and cooed at another.  It was the sweetest thing and I swear that these girls have known each other since they were in the belly.

We also attended our first Slip and Slide party at our friends house.  Though Presley didn't slip nor slide, she did enjoy a nice dip in the shallow pool at the end to cool off.  She loves water and looks too cute in a swimmysuit (that's what I call it).  It makes me really excited for next summer when we can actually go to the pool.

I am really going to miss spending the entire day with Presley, she is tons of fun to be with and watching her explore her world and discover it makes me tear up.  No one ever told me or I just wasn't listening when they said you will be amazed and swell with pride when it comes to your child.  I suppose it is now time to share this wonderful little bundle with the rest of the world.

I can't help but count the days until Thanksgiving Break when I get to be with her for more than just the weekend.

Three Years and a Lil' Lady

Though this maybe a play on words from the hit 1990's movie staring Ted Danson it couldn't be more fitting for our lives these days.  Three years ago Todd and I met under a white gazebo in Jamaica and exchanged vows with the ocean as our backdrop.  It was a beautiful despite the 100 degree weather at ten in the morning.  I remember not being nervous at all just in a hurry to get there so that I could marry Todd--this was a hard feat considering most Jamaicans are on Jamaican time.  I remember arriving for my hair appointment about ten minutes early (standard here in the states) and tapping my foot impatiently for twenty-five minutes.  Regardless of how the day began it ended with Todd and I lying next to each other on the beach, a cold drink in our hand, and a shiny wedding band on the other.

                                           

Three years later we are no longer just two, but three---a family.  Presley couldn't be more of a lil' lady these days. She laces her fingers together and gently lays them across her her chest while she eats, followed by and extremely loud belch and a polite little smile.  She has brought more joy and laughter to our marriage and makes me feel complete. 

Three years ago it began with a smile and a kiss and ended like this

Happy Anniversary!

Two Months....

It has felt like a horse race this month and Presley is in the lead!  We ended last month with a short trip to Kansas City to visit Aunt Jennifer and Cousin Max before we jogged over to Cameron for Todd's family reunion.  There, Presley got to meet her new cousin Alex that is 5 months old and she kindly shared her play mat with him after lunch.

Carolynn (Lee's Sister) hosted the event and was all about Presley.  The two shared secrets in the bedroom and had girl talk for about 5 minutes straight.  Presley did EXTREMELY well on the long car rides, she slept the entire way up and back. I don't know how much longer she will be able to hold out however, we might be buying our time on quiet car rides to northern Missouri (please make through MU football season?!)

As for the developmental milestones this month Presley has made new friends..yes a monkey, fish, and frog.  Todd's good friend from college (Chad Jansen) sent us an item that was not on our registry, but he swore by it.  He was right! She loves this lit up sound machine.  She garbles and coos at the animals and really gets excited when I sing along with the melody.

Presley has been working out too.  Reaching and grabbing for rings, doing baby push-ups, mountain climbing (or just on the floor and our stomachs), swimming (watch out Michael Phelps)as well as---drum roll please---rolling!  She has done it both ways now on her own.  It is still not a common occurrence in our home, nonetheless we are extremely proud of her.
We also had to endure something I have dreaded since the day she was born....SHOTS! I swear it, I even had it in my birth plan to wait to give her the Vitamin K shot till after she met me because didn't want her first thoughts about me to be literally painful. Presley went to her two month check up and I am happy to report she is as healthy as a horse.  Here's her stats:

• 11 lbs. 7 oz.
• 23 1/4 in.
• 75% tile for height and weight
• Meeting all milestones

The shot part you ask?  I did more crying leading up to the appointment than I actually did that day.  Todd was there for moral support and he really thought that he was going to be the one that would have to hold her hand and embrace me afterwards, but I did really well.  I held Presley and loved on her so much after she got poked THREE times :(  Shots are the necessary evil in my book and with as much research and reading that I did leading up to the day all my fears and anxiety dissolved after she made it through the weekend fever free and happy.

SHOOOOOOOO! What a month it has been.  I am a glutton for chaos can't wait for next month!

Being Mom and Dad

Thanks to my wonderful mom (Nana) Todd and I were able to get out of town for 24 hours to St. Louis.
Months ago I bought tickets to the St. Louis vs. A's game for his birthday/Father's Day.  It was hard work getting out of town, but once we were on the road it all came back to me---that is how to just be a wife.

I have read in several of my magazines and doctor books that it is hard work getting back into the groove of being with just your spouse sometimes and I always thought---ahh not us!?  It really is tough.  It took 45 minutes for Todd and I to get the conversation rolling in the car, never mind just sitting next to each other in the front seat seemed foreign.  Typically one of us is in the back on binky patrol.

Once we arrived in St. Louis we were well on our way to an enjoyable weekend filled with hot dogs, nachos, and a few Bud Lights. It took me back to about a year ago when Todd and I were talking about starting a family and "living up" our last summer "together."  I am so glad to know that after this weekend we can still "live it up together" as husband and wife and mom and dad.  It's a different kind of fun and it takes a lot more work to clear your mind and focus on just the two of us, but I feel it is well worth the effort.

I love Todd dearly as a husband and now as a father to Presley.  What a wonderful man for Presley to have in her life; the perfect model of how a man should treat her and believe in her, just the way Todd has me. 

I am glad that we were able to celebrate his first Father's Day together just the way he would have wanted it:

The Cardinals and Presley!

Love you Big Papa!

It's only been a month...

Presley is growing so fast, weighing in at a little over 10 lbs. and 22 in. she is our "lil' butterball."
Todd describes this past month as evolving.  Presley grows so fast and learns new things everyday and just when her daddy and I think we've got her figured out she goes and changes on us again.

I would have to say that one of the most special milestones this month was the morning that she smiled at me when I said good morning to her.  It absolutely melted my heart and the more and more she smiles and coos the more reassuring motherhood becomes.

You go so long with little to no repsonse from your child:
* I massaged you after a bath, do you like it? No response
* Yum lunch...is it good? No response
* Good morning! Straight face

Now she and I can chat all day long! I love it!

I also go these stickers called Picky Sticky, you put one of these decals on a onsies once a month and ta da! Watch your baby grow!

I am looking forward to all the next major milestones like rolling over and a small attempt at crawling maybe by the end of the summer!

Our First Week

We have had a wonderful and tearful first few weeks with Presley Ann.  The first night was all that we expected, up every hour to eat and cry a little, before she would nuzzle down into our arms.  I knew that babies slept a lot, but this girl would have slept all day if I would have let her.  We went to Presley's pediatrician Dr. Steele about 5 days later and she had gain 4 ounces already, what a chunk!  I dread the two month check up because they informed us this is when they will get their first round of shots--ouch!

Todd went to Minneapolis this week and was gone for three nights, when he came home on Wednesday after midnight I was so glad to see him, I kissed him, and then looked him square in the eye and said, "Don't ever leave me with a two week old that long again."

We have realized that being a parent is hard work, it's not like we weren't aware of what would happen, but living it out is a different story.  The bad days have been greatly out numbered by the good days and watching her grow and change each day makes it all worth it.

It still strikes us when we look at her or put her down at night that she is all ours! We get to keep her forever!

First day: Bath, clean diaper, nap--not too bad

Momma and Presley trying on hair bows

Our friends the Gredell's---first visitors with dinner.

Introducing PJ to Presley---he is adjusting well

First doctors appointment--she had gain 4 ounces and was told she was extremely healthy

Visiting El Taco our favorite, but after a battle of soiled diapers and throwing up I don't think I will eat it again and nurse.

Presley LOVES bath time, I think it is because I took a bath every night when I was pregnant.

She looks so small in our big bed, but still takes up so much room.

Nana and Presley on Mother's Day

The new Bennett Family on Mother's Day

Momma and Presley. My first Mother's Day

Mom and me on Mother's Day

Green Grandma, me and Presley, and Brown Grandma on Mother's Day
Ma Bennett and Presley