Gwenny @ 5 Months!

I could lie and say I am going to get these post up on time one day...

I know I say it every month, but I can't believe how fast it goes! This sweet little person, who is developing such a personality has been with us only 5 short months. Yet I can't imagine life without her!

This month had lots of fun stuff in it, and some not so fun sad stuff. Here is the run down....

In your 5th full month of life (Feb 5th-Mar 5th) you:

Got your first balloon, which you quickly fell in love with and did NOT want to give up!

Started rolling over! You roll from your tummy to your back the most, but you can also go from your back to your belly.

Your first Valentine Day. Which of course included a cupcake shaped helium balloon:)

Your very first solid food of any kind! Baby MumMums. You weren't sure about them at first but quickly decided you like them, and will grunt and let us know if you drop it!

Your first family pictures. Which you were NOT very good for. However you had a really good reason. Once we got home from pics, you got really sick for the first time. It was SO sad, and mommy was really upset about it. You kept vomiting, and were so listless, and then you started to dry heave and I thought my mommy heart would break. Thankfully you were only violently ill for about 6 hours, and then you were able to keep some breastmilk down and seem to mend quickly!

The sad part of this month...Daddy deployed to Afghanistan for the next year. It was so bittersweet to see you up next to his assault pack and realize how much more he must want to take you! We skype with Daddy on the computer as much as possible, and mommy tries to take lots of pictures of all the fun things you are doing since he left, but we all know it is not the same...

 Gilly got to give you a bath for the first time all by herself! She was super excited about it, and of course you were happy because you had a washcloth to suck on!;)

SO last month it was the hands. This month DEFINITELY your feet!! You can't get enough of them. If you are fussy sometimes we just pull off your socks and you are instantly distracted:)

My first attempt to post a video. I really wanted to remember your "growling phase". It only lasted about 2 weeks, but it was SO cute, and everyone loved it:) Sorry if you get sea sick watching, hard to video one handed...

And here are so memory worthy photos but not necessarily "firsts" or milestones:

Your beloved "Jumperoo" that I mentioned last month and actually found a picture of!

Daddy teaching you to drive. You already think you are big stuff. ( I know she doesn't have a bow on! It almost killed me to post this pic. I am guessing she pulled it off in her carseat:/)

Oh those eyes...I melt a little just looking at this pic.

You are cozied up and ready for one of our many shopping trips! 

One day I won't remember how small your fingers were, but here is proof that it really is the little things in life.

You look so chubby and goofy in this pic, and I love how you are clasping your hands together.

Ok here are the stats:

• You are weighing in at 13 lbs 4 oz at home this month
• You are finally in a size 2 diaper but have plenty of room to grow.
• Wearing all 3-6 months clothes now.
• Talking, laughing and growling this month!
• Rolling from belly to back mostly but occasionally the opposite direction
• Still a champion nurser, mom is hoping to get you take a bottle occasionally but you won't have anything to do with it:/
• Napping is NOT your thing! You take 3-4 cat naps a day. However most nights you go to bed around 8 and although you nurse in the night, you won't get up for the day till around 8 the next morning.

Such a little person now! I know that you will only get to seem like more of one from here on out. My squishy little newborn is just a memory already. You are so fun though that it is a pretty good trade off:)

Gwen @ 4 months

This post is WAAAAAY over due, but I decided to post it anyway. I figure these are more for me to look back on than anything else...

Oh my baby! You are just getting to big to fast! I can't believe how much you have changed from the little floppy thing I brought home.

Your 4th full month of life brought very few "milestones", but there was still lots of fun stuff!

For starters this months photo shoot was the most challenging so far! You wouldn't stay still! You kept falling over, wouldn't keep your hands out of your mouth, and tried to tear your month sticker off your onesie:/ I am surprised I got any decent shots!

 You discovered your hands this month, and every time we look at you they are in your mouth!!!;/

Gone are the days of your sweet little baby whimper, you now let us know loud and clear when you aren't happy:( You have perfected the pouty lip too, and it is our warning sign that louder things are coming!

You found a new favorite this month...Your wubanub! We call it your "lovey", and you are very happy to hold it, chew it, and just generally love it:) The spoon in the second pic was Mommy's desperate attempt to entertain you for a minute so she could eat:/

You received you first package from Citrus Lane, and I don't know who was more excited, You or Mommy! Lots of fun stuff for you, and a little "happy" for me:) You liked the board book best.

Your siblings are still your favorite thing. You burst into the biggest smile when ever you see either of them, and it makes mommy's heart sing:) They think you are just as great!

Warning! Photo Dump of Random Cuteness:

Love this "Big Girl" Outfit:

This is your "TV" face! You still love Baby Einstein:)

This is Daddy's favorite outfit currently.

Big Ole Button Hat!

Seem SO big to me in this pic for some reason...

I don't know how I could love you more!

Here are the "Stats":

• You weighed in at 12lbs 12oz at your 4 month check up, 24 inches long, exactly in the 50 percentile
• Still managing to fit in a size 1 Pampers!
• Wearing some size 3-6 month clothes, but also still fit in alot of your 0-3 month stuff.
• You are getting used to Tummy Time, but still prefer the Bumbo or to be held.
• If we need to entertain you we stick you in the "Jumparoo" which you seem to really like! No pics of you in it though:(
• Still like to nurse ALOT, but seem to be making somewhat of a schedule and you always go to bed for us really well!

You're getting to be so much more fun to interact with! Can't wait to see what you accomplish by next month:)

Biography Book Boards

I have not posted anything related to homeschooling in FORever! So I am hoping to easing myself back into it with this fun idea I came up with for a "Book Report".

Now my guys are both in 4th grade, and I am not going to sugar coat it...They kinda stink at anything English/Literature related. I also realized they had NO idea what a book report even is (hanging head in shame). So I encouraged them to pick a historical figure of their choice and do a "mini report" on it. My thinking was that I wanted to find out what they read about the book, but at the same time not overwhelm them with a paper book report that they aren't ready for.

I scoured Pinterest for alternatives to book reports and found TONS of fun ideas, and I will be implementing several over the next couple months. However since I had specifically asked the kids to pick a person to read about, I wanted something a little more geared towards a biography. So I kinda meshed a couple ideas together and here is what we ended up with:

Biography Boards!

These turned out SO cute, and I am happy to report that the kids liked doing them as much as I hoped they would!

Yup, School on the floor. 'Cause that's how we roll around here;)

Here is the skinny:

Each child was to put the name of their figure at the top of their board.

Gillyan picked "Leonardo Da Vinci" and Gideyon's choice was "Benjamin Franklin". Cracked me up how much their choices reflected their own personlity traits.


Then we used large index cards (for ease in the case of "redos", and for neater handwriting) to add some facts about that person.

The first card on the left contains "Basic Bio", the figure's Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death, and where the lived/were born. The first card on the right is that child's "Favorite Fact" that they learned while reading their biography.

The next 3 cards on the left contain "Fun Facts". These were to be facts that most people wouldn't know if they had not read a biography on the character. An example from Gideyon's : "Ben Franklin created some of the earliest versions of batteries". The 3 cards in a row on the right are "Famous Facts". These facts were to be facts that most people know with out reading a biography on the person. Example from Gillyan's:
"Leonardo painted the famous "Mona Lisa"".

Finally we completed the boards with big "Paper Dolls" of their figures, that the kids created on my Cricut! They chose all the colors, clothes, and accessories. I simply helped operate the machine.

Their Dad was super pleased with their effort and they proudly hung them on our dining room wall. Hopefully this will get them excited to "report" on their book reading for the future:)