Training for a 5K

October 6th Caroline and I are running our first 5K together.  Running used to be my outlet for stress but lately we haven't been very good friends.  After Caroline was born it was just uncomfortable to run.    I was still able to exercise but running require more mental toughness that was not ready for.

Last year I ran the Race for a Cure 5K with The Heights and had a great time with friends.  This year I plan on doing this race with Caroline.  She finally reached the weight limit for the BOB running stroller so now we are running together.

It has been in the upper 80's when I get home from work.  Caroline & I play for an hour then about the time she wants to take a small nap I strap her in and begin our run.  She falls asleep within the first 5 mins of running every time.

We started out with 1 mile then have gradually increased over the month. I'm really excited to have a running partner. 

This is what we saw this morning.  After I saw the dead snake everything in the road looked like a  disgusting serpent....The black rope, piece of tire, a McDonalds cup all scared me enough to move to the other side of the road. 

Play All Day

This weekend was really fun.  I really needed to come up for air after working non-stop since I started my new job.  On Friday after Caroline was asleep I worked till midnight but it was worth not worrying this whole weekend. Saturday morning Caroline decided she didn't want to waste any of the day so she woke up at 6:00am.  We went on a long walk, played with the dogs, drove around in the walker, scooted around on the blanket, & ate our first step 2 food.

After lunch and nap Another counselor & I were invited by Elizabeth to the Hillcrest Country Club's swimming pool. The country club pool was really fancy.  I am so sad I didn't get any pictures with Kristen's kids.  Caroline was wild splashing and swimming in the baby pool.  She had a great time and thought Evyn was really cool swimming in her Dora life vest. After swimming I  put her in the car and she feel right to sleep.

 Chris & I had a State Farm party to go to so Nana, Papaw & Kelley watched Caroline

These are the pictures they sent me during the party. Nana said she behaved herself.

Pip is not amused and is a little ticked I am taking her picture but she enjoyed hanging out all weekend.

On Sunday morning we took Caroline to swing. She looks like she is sporting a pair of skinny jeans.  The tag says 6 months but they are fitting little tight.  Caroline LOVES being outside.  If she is cranky or crying & we are having a hard time calming her down we take her outside.  There was another baby swinging next to us & she "talked" to her the whole time.

6 Month Well Check

Caroline endured her 6 month immunizations today with Dr. Karen Soriano. We always get the earliest appointment so we can get in and out without waiting to long. While we waited Caroline had a fun time playing with the white paper the doctor put on the table.  She scratched, crunched & tore it to bits.  

The nurse took her measurements:

14 lbs

27 in

She seems big to us but compared to other 6 month babies she is still in the 17% percentile. All her mile stones are right on track so as long as she continues to grow along her track we are good to go.

Chris had to hold her down for the shots. In no way am I mentally ready for this.  My poor baby got scooby doo band-aides for the 3 places the shots went in. As soon as it was over Chris held her close with her pacifier until she stopped crying. We took her to daycare afterward.

Daycare said she was a little more sleepy but wasn't too bad. At home tonight she begged us to put her to bed tonight at 7:30. She usually talks to herself for a little bit but tonight she went right to sleep.  Poor baby.  The good news is the next shots are not for another 6 months!

A Few Weekend Pics

Nana & Papaw came and spent time at the Prather house Sunday. Kelley  is getting ready to start her 2nd year at Tech and is moving to her first apartment. Nana brought Caroline the cutest PJ's that have her name on her bottom & some socks that fit . {That poor kid ALWAYS has cold feet and can't keep socks on to save her life}  She laughed and played with Nana & Papaw.  Papaw is trying to get her to say "Pa Pa Pa"so that "Papaw" will be her first word. 

"Pa Pa Pa Papaw"

She is starting to sleep on her side.  We had to put the bumper around the crib because she is such a crazy sleeper and is trying to escape by rolling around and slipping through the slats

Hanging out with her daddy.  I love this pictures. It's my two sweeties enjoying the weekend together.

Squirmy Six Month Old

Caroline made me work for the 6th month picture.  She was all over the place & with the 20 pictures I took 10 had a foot in her mouth. To say she has become more active is an understatement. 

• She is rolling & scooting.  She doesn't enjoy being on her tummy so I haven't seen her go from her back to her stomach except once in the baby monitor and she screamed for me to make the world right again.
• She is wearing size 2 pampers.  I have one box left from my diaper shower so I have been saving up my coupons in preparation to start buying them.
• She eats banana oatmeal in the morning before school, a fruit or vegetable at daycare & oatmeal at dinner.

Foods She Likes            Foods She Hates

squash                   peas

carrots                 apples 

             pears             sweet potatoes

                                                  peaches                

                                                           

                                                 bananas                    

• She is drinking 5 to 6 oz {except at daycare- everyday is different}
• She wakes up one time at night around 2 am.  Her daddy has been taking this feeding. During the summer we were both staying up until she woke up and then going to bed afterward.  Now since I have gone back to work I really appreciate him taking this feeding.
• I will not have to teach Caroline about stranger danger.  She does not readily go to people she does not know.  Day care I think will help her adjust to other people.  She has to warm up first before she will let  anyone hold her. This has just starting happening so I hope it isn't permeant. 
• With that said she is happy and laughs all the time. She "talks"- the sounds she is making is "ba"& "da".  I am afraid her first words are going to be "Shut up Lexi!" or "No Pip!" because she hears it all the time.
• All her 3 month clothes have been put away.  She is in a couple of 3-6 months, mostly 6 month, & a few 6-9 month.

She still loves the bath, sucking on wash rags, and getting her gums brushed.

The head nursery worker Debbie thinks she may be teething but we still haven't seen anything yet.

I can't believe it has been 6 months.  She has added so much to our lives & we love her so much!

30 Years

My parents celebrated their 30 year wedding anniversary on the 7th. I'm so proud of their accomplishment! My mom does not like flowers & can't eat chocolate so my dad always takes her two-step dancing. They are both great dancers & like to celebrate all major events this way.

Another way they celebrate their anniversary is come to Lubbock to eat with their children. Last year at this time we told them they were going to be grandparents.  My mom yelled "I knew it!" & my dad stood there with his mouth open. They were both very excited! This year we added Caroline to our celebration even though technically she was there last year.

She did o.k. during the meal. The last 15 minutes she started to get restless but over all did good at the restaurant.  

Thanks mom & dad from showing me what a solid & Godly marriage should look like. 

2 quick pics: Top pic: Caroline is scooting around.  We put her on the blanket her Nana made her because it has good traction. 

Bottom pic: Caroline drinking from a sippy cup.  She likes to hold it with her right hand but has little interest in helping with her left. Crazy kid!

The Elusive Yellow Parriot

Caroline has many cute quarks. One of her new funny things she does is she tries to eat the yellow parriot on her baby Einstine. She has figured out how to spin herself  so immediately when she is placed in her toy she spins to try to find the bird.

She is at the stage where everything goes in her mouth & she badly wants to eat the little blue feathers off the the top of its head. She opens her mouth wide as she grabs for it.  I didn't get a clear picture of it but it makes me smile to watch her play.

Chris calls this her global command center. I found I can get at least 15 minutes of mommy time while she plays in it.

Side note: Thursday was a little better at daycare  but she is refusing to take her bottle while she is there. She will eat cereal and the fruits and vegetables I send but not her bottle. As soon as we get home she drinks 6 to 7 oz. The daycare said to bring a sippy cup to try on Monday. She isn't fussy at least but it is weird. 

Little Owl

 Caroline started at the Learning Tree this morning.  This photo was taken right before we left.  It was a very different story once we got there.

I keep thinking of that new Sonic commercial where the passenger drinking his milkshake says, "For a guy with a face tattoo he turned out to be dangerous." You think he is going to say "he was nice", or "he wasn't that bad" but he doesn't.  It was exactly as he thought it was going to be.

I thought today was going to be really hard on myself and Caroline and it was. It was exactly how I thought it was going to be - Awful.

 Everyone at the Learning Tree was sweet and wonderful.  The nursery workers were loving on all the babies, talking & playing with them when we got there.  I knew she was in good hands.  Caroline wasn't so sure.

The head lady took Caroline out of her car seat and placed her in a near by bouncy while I explained her feeding schedule. At first she laid there content ,then she saw me leave and started bawling.  Not good on momma. I practically sprinted to my car. All the way to school I cried.  The good news is I only had 6 minutes to get it out {very nice my school is so close} I called Chris- he made me feel so much better.

I finished my meeting around 1-ish and didn't stick around long. I know it is so irrational feeling the way I did but I wanted to see my baby as fast as I could. Tomorrow all the counselors and administers officially start 8-4 but today we were able to leave early.

I got to The Learning Tree & went straight to her classroom.  Her teachers reported she didn't have a good day.  Her nap was interrupted by her next door neighbor crying.  She wouldn't go back to sleep. Her teacher said all babies have a hard first week. I thought "WEEK... great I was hoping it would be hard today only." They got her from a floor mat and she had major tear stains on her face.  She was sucking hard core on her pacifier.  

When she saw me she gave a big smile dropping the pacifier on the floor -I was just as glad to see her! She hung on to me tight when we were leaving. I really need tomorrow to be better.