Cry It Out??

Since Macey will be five months this Friday, I've decided we need to work on her sleeping habits. I feel like she is at the age of soothing herself and putting herself to sleep. If only I could discuss this with her and have her agree to fall asleep without crying...

I guess what pushed me over the edge and brought me to this place of needing a better sleep habit is her inability to take a nap in her crib without me rocking (and bouncing and walking...) her to sleep. I love holding and rocking my little angel, but her five month body is getting a little heavy for mommy to bounce-walk for thirty minutes before each nap. On Saturday I found myself putting her in her car seat and driving around the neighborhood until she fell asleep for her afternoon nap. I know some parents do this with their children but I feel like there has to be a better way for us both.

So we are trying the method of "Cry it Out." I don't like this one single bit. We started with her morning nap yesterday. I put on her mobile, kissed and told her good night. She watched her mobile, rolled around, got stuck in the bars of the crib, rolled around some more until the mobile stopped. Then the crying started. I put her on her stomach, pat/shushed her until she stopped crying and left the room. I repeated this a couple more times until she was fast asleep. whew! Last night, I did the same thing but it took a little more crying and pat/shushing to get her to sleep. Two CIO's down. I've read that this method takes 3 - 7 days to work... We are on day two and so far so good. She woke up at 3:30a last night and I knew she wasn't hungry. So I got up and worked the CIO method for about 30 - 45 minutes. Although she did go to sleep without me taking her out of her crib or feeding her, it was tough on us both. Hoping it gets easier on us both!

Just a few sweet pictures of our baby girl... Sorry there are so many but it's hard to stop taking pictures of that smile!

Music to My Ears

Macey found her voice over the past month and I've really loved hearing her "talk". Now she has found her squeal. It's pretty funny how she squeals just to hear her little voice. Jimmy and I were cracking up listening to her this morning and she didn't give up all day. I tried to get a video of her squealing and listening to herself... so sweet!



I love this laugh. It makes me smile just thinking about it. And Jimmy and I will do anything to hear it. Now that she has discovered the pups, Macey loves to watch them play and it almost always makes her laugh. Thankfully our golden retrievers have been just as calm as we expected them to be with her... although they may be bald by winter.

Now if this doesn't make you smile...



And one more video of her squeal and sweet smile... I'm so addicted to this little girl.

Daddy's Day

Today is Daddy Day with Macey. Man does she love her daddy!! After church we took the pups for a walk and Jimmy got to use the Baby Bjorn for the first time... I can't decide who had more fun, Jimmy or Macey...



Macey loves rolling around on her activity mat but it is much more fun when daddy gets down and plays too!



Macey has become very interested when we eat and tries to pull what we are eating/holding into her mouth. I've been wanting to capture this on video so when Jimmy was eating an ice cream Snickers, I thought it would be good timing... we got a good laugh to watch her follow the ice cream, but when we started videoing it seemed a little cruel... She usually follows what we are eating or holding without "teasing" her.



And finally down for an afternoon nap... the storm outside, Braves on TV and his baby girl sleeping sweetly on his chest... this man is in heaven.

Dinner Giggles

When Macey gets really tired, she gets really giggly. I love it! She had a late nap today so I was keeping her up later than her usual 7:15 - 7:30 bedtime. Praying she sleeps until 8a, with just one feeding in the middle of the night!

Babies, Babies, Babies!

We started meeting once a week to walk and get back in shape after gaining more weight than I care to share during pregnancy. ;) Walking was great but now it is too hot in Atlanta to be outside with the babies so we have changed our walks to pool dates. Also we have added a second day to host our own playgroups each week. We mimic the classes that Gymboree offers and teach new songs/games to play with the babies. It’s nice to have a day to just hang out with all of the other stay at home moms.

Below are lots of pictures from the playgroup! Starting with the most recent to the first walk.

Pool day, Tuesday July 13th
I love this face!! Nicholas "Look, I can grab my foot!"
Macey "Wow, I can just roll to my tummy."Julie, Samantha, Macey and Me

Thursday, July 1st
Mommies and Babies!Now that she rolls, Macey loves to hang out on her tummyI love my happy baby!!

Us with Kerri and MilesSamantha and SpencerSpencer, Isabella and Carter
Thursday, June 10th

Walking in Alpharetta

Our first walk, Tuesday April 20th
Our first play group! Monday, April 12th

Macey's Friends

We started this playgroup back in April with just five babies and five excited mommies. We were all due in March, although Macey decided to make her debut at the end of February, so we affectionately called ourselves the "March Mommies." Over the past few months we have doubled in size and now meet twice a week for play group. I'm so thankful for all of these "new mommy" friends and that Macey can interact with other babies each week. At this point, play group is more for me to socialize with other adults and for Macey to have a change of scenery... I don't know what I would do without this great group of ladies!

It's Cereal Time!

Macey is growing too fast! She is now eating rice cereal and loves it! At her four month appointment, our pediatrician recommended that we start solid foods. I had been planning on waiting until 6 months but decided a little extra food in her belly might help her to sleep longer at night. So we started rice cereal at the lake. I had been told that it is difficult to introduce a spoon and a textured food to babies, so I was dreading the inevitable fight. Although she made a face with the first bite, she swallowed as much, if not more than, she spit out! And she seemed to be enjoying it! I think we may be on to something!!