Hollyn Monroe: 16 Months

*You started walking really good right before Christmas! Best Christmas present ever!!!  And now that you're walking, you're practically running!!! 

*You are 23 lbs, and 32.25 inches tall.  You are 50% in weight and 87% in height.  You wear a size 4 diaper and 18-24 month or 2T clothing.  You don't have quite the belly that your sister's always had at this age.  You seem to be a little skinnier in that area and about the same everywhere else.  

*You're always trying to do a somersault.  It's so funny.  For months, you've been trying to roll over and you finally did it! You always bend over and try....with your head tucked down and your arms on the ground, ready to roll....but it's turned into one of those funny things you always do.  Now, you actually roll.  Yay!!  Once you start, you keep going until you're dizzy! :)

*You are still a heavy breather and a smacker right before bed.  It's seriously so funny and just your little "thing" that you do to settle in.  Even the church nursery workers have commented on it....to the point that they actually worried about the heavy sighs you let out when they laid you down.  I've assured them that it's your sleep ritual.   

*You say only a few words clearly, other than mommy and daddy.  "Dank you" is one that we can usually make out, but if it's something other than that....you will sign or point to help us out.  

*You are still taking a bottle because I can't let go of that one thing that still makes you an official "baby".  This month is it though.  Onto a sippy cup and lids/straws only. Tear.....

*You've been sick for several weeks recently with a runny nose and a pretty cruddy cough.  It's been so hard on you.  You have felt pretty miserable lately and you just love to be held.  I can't wait to get my happy and healthy baby back.  

*You're still a stinker when it comes to eating!  You cannot be bought, bribed, or coerced in any way.  No meat, no cheese...."not much of anything" is the name of your game.  Thankfully, you've started eating some mac 'n cheese and peanut butter/jelly sandwiches.  Thank you Jesus we've had a small break thru!!

*You smack your lips together when we ask for a kiss.  It's the sweetest thing ever.  

*We have a new zippidy zip (a less constricting swaddle) that you love.  We zip you up and you can move your hands and feet, but you stay warm and snuggly inside.  It's got a cute little pattern of peacock feathers in turquoise, green, and purple.  It's so cute on you and you love the coziness of it.  

*You LOVE to play peek a boo behind the dining room curtains and hide from me under the table!  It's become a fun little game for you and Charli.

*You love to play with all kinds of bouncy balls.  Ansley is usually playing with either a basketball or soccer ball and you love to join in!

*We can finally get your hair in a top ponytail!  It's your little water spout.  :)  

Hollyn Monroe: 14 Months

*You love everything that is soft and snuggly. The minute you realize that there's a possibility that is may feel cozy in some way....you bury your face into it and lie very still for several seconds to snuggle. It doesn't matter if we're here at home or in the middle of Walgreens....you'll plop right on to it and bury your face. :)

*You love to take your socks and shoes off in the car. It's a game to see how many times you can do this during multiple stops in the car.  You think it's so funny and then you say...."uh oh!!" Thanks turkey!

*You are quite the cantankerous eater. You don't eat meat of any sort or many vegetables either. You love carrots, green beans-that have been doctored, oatmeal, crackers and bread, and any fruit. That's about it. Feeding a child has never been so stressful for momma.  I know you're getting enough, but I don't want to resort to letting you eat junk just to get something in you.  Hoping this little battle that we have ends soon.
  

*Your personality is coming out in so many sweet ways. You love to snuggle up to us all of the time, maybe even more than Charli and Ansley combined (both girls love to snuggle). You have also started nodding "no" to us. You're really good at that! I'm really starting to see the smiling baby that you once were. For a bit, we were only seeing a more serious girly.

*A "momma clinger" is not even the best way to describe you. Ha! Some days I think I've created a cling-on monster. I mean that in the nicest way possible! 

*My favorite time of the day with you is at bedtime. You are the most loving little thing and we have a sweet bond that happens every night before lying you down.  You nuzzle your head into my shoulder and piled high with all your blankets....I sing Winter Snow to you (a song that I have been practicing for church).  This became your favorite and after I'd start this tune, you'd put your head on me even if you weren't ready for bed yet.

*You have lots of teeth now and you love to brush them (10 that I've counted)!  You are quite the teeth brushing champ. Neither Ansley or Charli liked for us to brush their teeth, but not you...you enjoy it!!  It's one of your favorite things to do.....find your toothbrush in the drawer and brush your teeth.  You even get the toothpaste out and carry them both around the house pretending that you are squeezing toothpaste out.  It's so cute.   

*You and daddy love to play chase. You giggle uncontrollably and it's the cutest thing ever. You also love daddy's animal sounds. Once he starts, he's not allowed to stop!

*You are a busy little bee, Hollyn! You are into everything, love to play with your sisters (when they share), and you make us laugh all the time!

*We dedicated you to the Lord in front of our church family on October 18th.  You were a squirmy little thing on stage as I held you and made a few little cries/grunts, but you looked like an angel.  You are precious in His sight and ours, Hollyn Monroe. We love you so.   

Ansley Harper: 6 Year Old Update

As I type that, I can't even believe it myself.  I don't feel adequately prepared to continue to grow and teach a 6 year old, but that's not up to me I guess!

This girl is such a joy.  She is so compassionate, sensitive, loves to please, loves Beatrice, roadtrips, and fairytales.  We couldn't have asked for a sweeter daughter and big sister.

Here's what Ansley is up to these days:

*She's seriously so grown up.  She used the word "intruder" the other day in a properly formed sentence and I thought, wow....aren't you still like 3?!

*She has no front teeth.  Her little mouth is so cute with her missing teeth right now and she knows it.  I'll find her smiling and primping in the mirror before school.  It has begun.  :)

*When this girl wakes up she needs about 5 minutes to stretch and wake up and then she's singing!  It's really a phenomenon.  She performs full-on musicals every day, usually morning and night to songs she just randomly makes up.  It sometimes comes in the form of your favorite Disney tune or a Christian song.  The girl remembers lyrics and tunes like no other.  I love that she always has a song on her heart.

*She's such a great big sister.  I don't say this flippantly.  She amazes me with her mothering skills at 6 (she really amazed me when Hollyn entered the world last year).  She's responsible and she usually obeys.  I feel like I can trust her already with watching Hollyn while I grab a quick shower or run to the car for something.  I hope I never forget what it looks like to see her prop Hollyn on her hip and go.  Her and Charli are a little different.  Their relationship comes in waves....some days it's wonderful and others, well....trying.  They love to play with the same things and some days....that's just hard.  :)

*Her favorite song: Beyonce's Halo.  There's a little story behind this.  It's downloaded to an old phone we had.  It was actually Jason's phone while we were delivering Ansley.  He had put together a list of songs to listen to while I was in labor and that was one of them.  It was one of my favorites at the time...she was my angel and I hadn't even met her yet.  Now that we don't use that phone anymore.....Ansley has made it her own and she listens to it all the time because of the story behind it. She knows every word and every run that she does in that song.  It's unbelievable to hear her sing it.

*Right now, she's playing soccer, gymnastics, and does dance.  She stays busy!

*She's still got to have her after school nap!!  She can go without one and some days she has to, but she could always use one.

*She's recently learned how to do a cartwheel (for the most part-she's still working on straightening one leg).

*She's reading and doing great!

*She LOVES her American girl dolls, Disney princesses, Barbies, and Palace Pets

*She currently is in love with her AG doll, Grace, but has Saige and Kit also.

*She loves sushi.  Like loves it.  She begs for it all the time!! Her favorite is crab and cream cheese and shrimp tempura roll.

*She whistles when she's excited...only she sucks air in instead of out.  :)

*Hates to wash her hair.  I should say....hates to brush it to.

*Loves to camp.

*Talks about Heaven and Jesus often.  She always remembers Adler and often times wonders what he's doing in Heaven.

*She loves to pack for trips and enjoys making plans for our mini vacations. She usually doesn't leave the house without her purse and sunglasses.  She also brings her wallet and money (from the tooth fairy) with her too.

*She's 48 inches tall and she's stout.  She is strong!

*She's still a little clumsy at times, but I think she's getting used to her feet. ?? :)

*She loves to swim and is like a little fish. No fear.  She holds her breath under water longer than I do.

Charli Suttyn: 3 Year Old Update

We have a live one here!  :)  She's a mess.  A totally fun mess that is so different from our first child, Ansley and we love it.  She keeps things lively!  You can see it in her eyes, facial expressions, and the personality that comes out daily.

Here's what Charli is up to these days:

*She is writing her name pretty well!  She of course, needs some help, but she really does a great job if you help remind her which letters come next.  When she does it by herself, the letters are there, but usually a little out of order. :)

*She still has beautiful blonde curls.  Her hair is to die for! When we're out and about we get stopped almost daily with comments about her locks.

*She is full of sass and sometimes an eye roll.  She gets in trouble almost daily for her defiance, but she's so darn cute and it makes it painful sometimes to get onto her!

*She loves Disney princesses, her blankie, and her mouse camper she got for her birthday.

*She adores her sisters and sometimes loves on Hollyn a little too much (Hollyn's standard) and loves to play Barbie's and school with Ansley.

*Her favorite song right now is Kari Jobe's "I Am Not Alone" (something I sang in church), "Watch me whip, watch me Nae Nae", and any Psalty song!  :)  

*She loves to tell me that Jesus died on the cross for us.  She is wise beyond her years.

*She loves to make pictures for us and they are usually beautiful in their own unique way.

*She is actually a pretty decent little artist! She likes to draw butterflies, people, and flowers and they all are pretty good!  Then she says.....flower starts with an F and butterfly starts with a B.  She's a smart cookie.

*She still eats ALL THE TIME! Nothing food related gets past this girl.  If she so happens to hear unwrapping of any food, she'll say...."whatcha eating?" or "whatcha got, Mommy?!".  I always get busted!

*She loves to swim, but is a little more timid than Ansley.  She did great in swim lessons, but we're still using water wings.

*She always mentions that she wants to go back to Disney.  I can't believe she still remembers it!

*She loves to play a little game where we all pick a place to go and we pretend we're actually going there.  It could be Discovery Playhouse, the beach, the movies....the list goes on!  She imagines we're going there and then everything is related to our destination.  It's the cutest thing and I hope she never gets tired of doing this!

*Watching her do her Psalty motions and songs in the car is a highlight of my days.

*She's got one volume.....loud! :)

*She spends the most time in time-out (between her and Ansley)!

*She loves Anna and especially Elsa!

*She loves spending time at the cabin and on the farm.  She another little farmgirl!

*She occasionally slips into our bed at night from time to time.  I think it's mostly her sleep walking or when she starts coughing that causes her to come in.  If I'm awake enough, I put her back in bed but some mornings I am surprised that she's snuggled in next to us.

*Her bed still looks like a crib, but she climbs in and out of it all the time.  She refuses our help and likes to do it herself.  Even in the dead of night, she climbs out (thankfully with no injuries) by herself.  Sometimes we find her sleep walking too.  It's probably about time we take the side off of her bed, but we're afraid where we may find her! :)

*Ansley is affectionately called "Answay" and Hollyn is "Howyn"

Hollyn Monroe: 12 Months!

 

*You are standing up and squatting all the time by yourself and you're so proud!  You just smile from ear to ear when we catch you standing.

*You do pretty well at cruising around things, but no walking yet!  You like to take steps holding a hand or two and sometimes will take a step without a hand. You are not quite confident enough to go it alone. :)

*You weigh 20 lbs and are in the 88% in height, 36% in weight, and 50% in head circumference. You are wearing a size 3 diaper and 12-18 months in clothing.

*You are still a momma's girl....no doubt about it.

*You are loving green beans, carrots, and peas these days!  You aren't eating that much baby food either.  When you want more of something you usually squeeze your hands together like you're waving "it" close to you.

*You are still a speed crawler.

*As soon as you walk a few steps, you can go to school!

*You are really starting to understand what we are saying lately and we are getting lots of smiles and excitement when we mention something you want! I'm praying our communication excelerates quickly because there are lots of grunts and squeals when we don't get it right!

*You are about to get another tooth on the bottom!

*Your hair is growing and growing in the back! I see a few curls forming just like your sisters!

*You love the Tupperware drawer. :)

*You really don't want me to leave your side right now and you scream/squeal until I pick you up. It depends on the day how long I let you go on without giving in! As soon as you're picked up though......no tears! Let's just say, you've got us all wrapped around your finger.

*I love our bonding time during nursing and I'm not sure that I'll be giving that up anytime soon.  I love our time together with few distractions and I'm not sure that you're ready either.

*We are so thankful for your sweet little life, Hollyn. You brought us joy after our hearts had been broken and we are beyond grateful to the Lord for His faithfulness. We are looking forward to watching you as you go through growing spurts and reach milestones in the coming months. We love watching your personality shine through more and more each day and we can't wait to see how God uses you. We love you precious girl.

Hollyn Monroe: 11 Months

Twelve months is so close we can almost taste it!  I can't believe how fast the past couple of months have gone.  I feel like we're really in a good groove these days and I love every second I get to spend with this little cupcake.

*She's all of a sudden found a few binkies around the house and loves to suck on them.  She used to kind of take one, but it's been awhile since we've tried.  This picture proves it.  She's apparently a fan. 

*She's a smacker.  Loves to smack her little lips before a meal and it cracks me up.

*She loves to find mini legos, tiny squinkies, and any other little microscopic toy and put it in her mouth.  She hasn't swallowed anything yet (that I'm aware of), but we've got to keep a real good eye on this girl.  She shoves stuff in and then puts a deadlock on her lips.  She'll try to talk and jabber with her mouth closed, which is always our first sign.  She's got a toy!!!!

*She will also find things on the floor (usually larger in size) that she knows she can't have and in the sweetest way she'll offer them up to us.  Like....here you go, mom....I'm not supposed to have this.

*She squints her eyes and wrinkles her nose when she smiles.  Presh.  

*She's a good little shopper.  Give her a little item to tinker with and she's good to go!

*I'm not sure that I've ever mentioned this, but she LOVES to hold on to things for comfort while she's nursing.  It may be my shirt, neck, the blanket we're covered in, or my necklace.  She just rubs and rubs and rubs.  LOVE it and I'm going to miss it terribly.    

*We're still nursing and going strong!  I've never been home this much with any of the other girls, so usually at this point we're really winding things down in the nursing department (using a lot of my stored milk), but with Hollyn I'm not so sure.  She's not a big fan of formula these days, so I'm not sure what we'll do at this point. 

*New food love....grapes and blueberries.   

*Your hair is growing so fast and it's starting to curl up in the back.  It is adorable and we can't wait to see if you'll have curly hair like you're big sisters.

*You are standing by yourself more and more!  Cruising has become easier for you too. We're hoping that you start to take a few steps soon!

Hollyn Monroe: 10 Months

You are at such a fun age!  I could snuggle you ALL DAY!

*You are still always smiling, grinning, and cheesing from ear to ear! The only difference is that you have a mouth full of teeth now.  It changes your smile so much! You have the sweetest little gap in between your front teeth and it's so adorable.

*You are quite the fast crawler.  You follow us from room to room....always trying to keep up and stay in the middle of what's going on.  If any of us leave the room for any reason, we get a big "AHHHH" from you to let us know that you don't approve.

*You are the queen of "AHHHH" (that's your word) when you need something or aren't happy with the situation....you let us know, just like Charli did.

*You love to jabber momma, dada, and sometimes baba.

*You are always blowing bubbles with your mouth. Lots and lots of raspberries!  However, it's with more vigor than any other kid!  You, with full force, spit wads of slobber all over us and think it's hilarious.

*I can barely keep you on the changing table these days. The struggle is real.

*You have been standing up and pulling up to everything!  It feels like it started happening overnight.

*You love chewing on our flipflops.  You're like our resident puppy around here.  At any given time of day, it's not a rarity to hear one of us say..."Yucky, Hollyn!  Drop it!"

*You like to keep your pointer finger in your mouth and on occasion you might be caught sucking your thumb or toe!

*You have become quite protective of your stuff lately.  You definitely don't let your sister's get away with taking toys away from you anymore.

*My favorite time with you is still our nightly nose nuggles. :)

*You went camping with Mimi and BB by yourself for a whole weekend while we were out of town.  We missed you so much!

*You have a happy growl that we all love, except Charli.  It's pretty loud and she always tells you that you hurt her ears. She obviously doesn't realize that she has only one volume herself. :/

*You've been waving on occasion.  You like the open and close your hand type of wave.  It's so cute.

Hollyn Monroe: 9 Months!

You are such a little peach, Hollyn!

*You are getting to be such a big girl!  You are growing lots and lots of teeth in that little mouth of yours!  You have your two fangs and a bottom tooth (front-right) poking through along with two top, front teeth that are also peaking through!  I can't believe how a few months can change your appearance so much!

*You survived a trip to Perdido Key, Florida and you did amazing!

*You love your puffs!

*We have started 2nd foods with you! You love garden vegetables, chicken and rice, and all your fruits mixed.  Doing good with the food!

*You have started griding your teeth.  Ahhhh!!!!  It's one of those sounds that grinds my gears, so I am always squishing your cheeks together in the hopes that you will stop.  Your new found teeth are apparently fun to play with!

*You are in the 42% in weight and 82% in height.  You are growing so fast and looking more and more like Charli these days (in my opinion).  When I look at you I see your uncle Kyle, but so many people say you look like your daddy.  I feel like it changes every week!

*Your crawling has taken off!  You are getting pretty quick and we put the baby gate up just in time.  You follow me from room to room most days and when I'm not in your line of sight you tend to panic.  Have I mentioned you're a momma's girl?!

*You are saying "Momma" now!!! I'm officially not upset with you anymore. :)

*You are clapping all the time, waving on occasion, and you have the cutest Indian yodel. You also will immediately start to clap when we sing the paddycake song.

Hollyn Monroe: 8 Months

*When you jabber, it's usually....dada!  All day, everyday.  Thanks, Hollyn! ;)

*You are the biggest panter!  If you're AT ALL excited, you bring out the pant! (It's like momma and her snorting!)

*You love kisses on your cheeks.  Your favorite time is before nap or bedtime right as we're getting ready to lay you down.  They are my most treasured times of the day with you.  It puts you in a trance and we get a few minutes of uninterrupted snuggles in.

*You love sticking your fingers in our mouths and scratching us with your fingernails.  You have some sharp little talons most of the time. :)

*You wear a size 3 diaper and 12-18 month clothes.  You are so tall and most 12 months are a little too short on you.   

*We call you Dracula.  You got your 2 fangs (eye teeth) in first, just like Charli.  It's quite a sight!

*You've started crawling big girl!! Slow but sure....usually crying all the way, looking for momma!  You're just a touch on the spoiled side!

*You go from sitting up to lying down and back up to the sitting position before I even realize it.  You are pretty mobile!

*Your bald spot finally has a thick coat of hair over it!  Yay!

*You are such a busy and curious thing!  I would venture to say, even more than Charli was!

*We've started you on some different baby foods and you are doing great.  Green beans and squash are your favorites and you pucker up your face with some fruits. :)

*Your big sister's are absolutely in love with you still.  Ansley has been such a great help with you when I need it the most.  She carries you from room to room and "mothers" you in the sweetest way.  Charli loves to sing "Hush little baby" to you whenever you are crying.  She never misses a beat and makes up her own versions!  If you start crying, she starts singing....loudly!

You are such a joy, Hollyn!  We can't imagine life without you in it!

Hollyn Monroe: 7 Months!

*You love to pant like a little puppy with excitement.  It's your newest thing and we can't help but laugh at the cuteness.

*You are getting BOTH your top canine teeth (just like Charli did)!  It's so crazy rare and to have 2 children with this rarity is even crazier!

*You are sitting up so well!  I feel like you're in the stable stage now (I'm not as cautious about the possibility of you toppling over and hitting your head).  It's so great that you will sit and play and be content for a little bit.    

*You are reaching and grabbing for things all the time.  Your hand and mouth coordination is getting better and better!  You are becoming quite the little expert at picking up your Cheerios all by yourself and it usually keeps you busy for quite a bit before you want to move on to the next thing.  

*You are pulling up on things and really trying to be mobile.  No actual crawling really, but somehow you manage to get around everywhere!

*You are still sleeping in a swaddle, but I feel like those days are coming to an end soon....

*You are a momma's girl for sure!  You are usually really content with others, until you see momma and then it's game over.  You start to fuss and reach for me to hold you.  :)

*Right now you are mostly eating baby food (green beans, peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, avocados, and squash) and lots of oatmeal/rice cereal.  We haven't introduced fruit yet, but I'm sure it won't be long.

*You love pulling on hair and earrings! :/

*You like to pat with excitement!  I don't remember either of the girls doing this, but you seem to do it ALL the time.  It is so adorable how excited you get when you wake up or when you're interacting with the girls.  

Hollyn Monroe: 6 Months!

Whew!  I almost missed this one and it's your 1/2 birthday!  Shame on me and poor, sweet 3rd baby.:)

*You are a LITTLE on the spoiled side.  When I say little.....I mean a LOT!  You are a momma's girl through and through and you give the best fuss you can in order to be in my arms.  I'm going to blame it on my new found love for my wrap. ;/

*You are babbling more and more.  "Dada dada" and "baba baba" are your typical coos.

*You weighed 16.5 lbs, 27 inches, and 42.2 for head circumference at your 6 month appointment. You are in anywhere from 9-12 month clothes comfortably.  You are just a BIG baby girl!

*You are the hardest thing to keep still!  Diapers are a major challenge right now because you want to see and touch EVERYTHING!  Some days, I've got to be honest.....I avoid changing your diaper because of the muscle it takes to keep you still.  You are a beast.  One day, you were literally in a handstand position on the changing table with poop all up your back and I had no moves.  It was game over for me.  There was poop everywhere.

*That brings me to the next thing....poop up your back.  You have this mastered.   You wear a size 3 diaper and Pampers are the only thing remotely close to keeping seepage locked up.  It's unbelievable.  We ruin outfits daily.  ;(

*Your smile is contagious and I can't get enough of it.

*You still have a little strawberry blonde tint to your hair and rosy red cheeks.

*You have 2 sweet little birthmarks on the top of your hiney/lower back and I'm not sure that I've mentioned them.  I have one in almost the exact place....we are twinsies.

*We started food!  You have been eating rice cereal, oatmeal, and a little bit of avocado and carrots.  You do really well with them all.

*You love to twist and twirl your tongue!

Hollyn, we love you cupcake.

Hollyn Monroe: 5 Months

Sweet, smiling, Hollyn....we LOVE you so!

*You are eating your toes now!

*You like to chew and suck on everything!  You HAVE to be teething and there's always lots of drooling going on.

*You love to coo and Ansley seems to think your coos are words, which is really funny.  She's always saying, Mom, I'm pretty sure she said "yes" or I think that was "mom".  Did you hear her?!  :)

*You are a jumping bean fein.  It doesn't matter if you're on someone's lap, in the jumperoo, or being held....you are always trying to jump!

*When I get you out of bed, you are usually so excited....you head butt me several times with excitement.  I seriously need a helmet. You are just beyond excited to get milk and it's one of the best times of the day to see how thrilled you are....other than the pain part.  ;/

*You love your tongue. Since birth, you usually have it sticking out.  It's even there when you smile most of the time.  It's so cute.

*Your sister's adore you and LOVE to give you lots of kisses and hugs.  You are twisted, smooshed, and bumped constantly by them, but you are such a good sport about it. 

*I absolutely love this 5 month stage that you're in.  You are really acknowledging the people and things around you and it's so fun to watch your little personality come alive.  You are such a gem.  

Hollyn Monroe: 4 Months Old!

*Our little baby is getting so big.  You weigh 14 lbs. You are in the 98% in height, 79% head circumference, and 56% weight.  You've gone down by 20% in weight since your last checkup, but it's all because you have the wiggles and you're WORKING it off. :) 

*You are such a good snuggler.  You love to be held and you are always so content with just hanging out in someone's arms.  

*You are a biter and I'm not talking about with your toys.  You bite momma!  It is NOT fun, but you smile like a little stinker and I can't even get mad for more than a minute.  Ouch.  

*When you're a little fussy, the only way to calm you is by holding you upright on my left shoulder, holding my hand over your right ear, and shushing in your left ear.  Does the trick EVERY time!

*Your smile.  It's like you sparkle all the time and it's contagious. 

*You are a roly poly!  We can't keep you in one spot ever.  You somehow flip from one end of your crib to the other every night in a swaddle blanket, none the less, and it doesn't phase you one bit.

*It is seriously soooo easy to make you smile and laugh.  It's absurd. :)

*Your little bald spot in the back is hilarious.  

*You are chewing on everything....including your fingers and drooling like it's your job!  You've always got you little fingers in your mouth and you go to town on them! 

*When you're excited you do the funniest inhaled squeal! It's your....I'm more excited than laughing squeal. :)

*You love attention from your sister's and they give you that attention all the time!  They love you so much and their favorite thing by far, is strolling you in their baby buggy.  You love it and they love being little mommas to you!     

I can't say it enough.....you are the sweetest baby, Hollyn.  We are CRAZY about you and every second I can, I want to soak up your sweet little personality.  God is so good!

Hollyn Monroe: 3 Months!

 

Whoa....3 months!  Time flies when you're having fun and don't have time to look at your watch.  Ha! 

 

*You are still smiling all the time!  What a joy you are with your lovely little personality.

 

*You love to talk back when you're spoken to and it's always a happy little jabber.  You have the sweetest little cooing.  We all just melt!

 

*You've started a laugh that just cracks us up.  You love laughing at both of your sisters and they get the biggest hoot out of you laughing with them.  It's precious! 

 

*You are still NOT loving your swaddle these days and you tend to give out a big fuss when you know it's time for a nap.  I don't think you like to miss out on all the action with your big sisters.

 

*You are still taking a paci, which is so great for mom and dad!  We love that it soothes you still. 

 

*You've had some congestion these past couple of weeks and it kills us to see you like this.  It's usually just when you wake up, but we know it's been hindering your sleep. :(

 

*You're rocking the size 2 diapers already and still in 3-6 month clothes.  You are a chunky monkey still!

 

*Most of the time, the first thing people mention is your chunky cheeks.  It is so hard not to smooch them all the time!

 

*You've rolled over a few more times in the past month and when you do....you aren't happy.  It's definitely no fun for you!

*You LOVE bath time.  It's one of your favorite play times!

*We took a LONG trip to Pennsylvania to visit Grammy Booth in December and you were so good!  We couldn't believe how well it went.  You were just along for the ride and loved every second of it. 

 

 We are loving life with you, Hollyn.  You are a precious addition to our family and we can't wait to see how God grows you into a little lady.  :)

 

Charli's potty training adventures!

Well, I think we officially have one less child in diapers.  Woo hoo! A few weeks ago (November 12th to be exact) Charli started going on the big girl potty!  I started the whole process a little earlier than I did with Ansley.  I knew at this point (almost 2.5 years old) that they both understood it, however with Ansley I didn't push it.  She didn't want to go and I didn't really want the hassle of running to the bathroom all the time.  With Charli I felt the same way, but she started telling me that I needed to change her diaper and that she had just gone potty, so I knew it was time.  Plus, we're going on a Disney cruise in April and she needs to be fully potty trained to swim in the pool.  That alone was motivation enough for both of us to get things moving and now she's so proud to tell everyone that she could go to Disney (as if we'd leave her if she wasn't :) ).  She really hasn't had that many accidents, other than a few poops, so I think we're on a roll!  We even made it to Pennsylvania and back without any accidents.  Of course I should mention, we whipped out the potty chair several different times and put it in the front seat for her to go right there on the side of the interstate.  We all stood outside of the truck in the blistering cold and watched her from the windows (as if we needed to give her privacy....?  I still don't know why we did that).  Regardless, she was a rockstar on our road trip for sure!  One of the things that cracks me up is that she is always still so proud of herself when she goes.  The excitement is still fresh for her. 

While we were training her, we bribed her with treats. :) She could either pick 2 M&Ms or 2 Skittles if she successfully went and most of the time she chose the Skittles.

Here's a snippet from one of her first times going. I'm the weirdo that videos that sort of thing. :)



On our way to PA....during one of our many pit stops.

              

Hollyn Monroe: 2 Months!

*She's a little squirmer!  She squirms like a worm in hot ashes to be exact.  Her legs and arms flail when she’s on her back like she’s doing the backstroke. 

*She coos and laughs all the time.  I would say at this point she is our happiest baby of all 3 girls.  She even makes sounds like she’s talking!  Yes, there are some occasional crying fits, but most of the time she is smiling and happy.   

*She has the cutest little crease on the top of her nose.

*She rolled over!  Now, I’m sure this was a total fluke, but the girl wiggles so much when she’s on her back that it didn’t surprise me one bit when I found her on her tummy one morning while she was lying on her activity mat.  The first two weeks of her life, I felt like she could roll off the changing table because of how strong she was.  Not kidding….NONE of my kids have ever seemed like they were even close to rolling over until it was time. 

*She’s in the 97% in height, 88% in weight, and 41% in head circumference.  My tiny little baby is suddenly covered in squishy rolls all over and we haven’t had a baby as high in the height department this early that I can recall.  She’s growing like a weed!

*She was a pea in the pod for Halloween just like Ansley and Charli.  That costume has gotten some good wear!

*She is sleeping anywhere from 6-9 hours a night.  It’s usually around the 7 or 8 hour mark, which at this point I’m happy with.  This momma is tired and those long stretches feel amazing!

*She loves her binky and I’m down to 1 that works.  Yikes!

*The swaddle blanket is NOT her favorite thing in the world.  She’d rather sleep with her arms out and stretched above her head.  She usually gets her left arm free during her naps and is usually sucking away on her fingers by the time I get in there. 

Hollyn, we never imagined we'd have another precious little girl to add to our crazy bunch, but now that we do....we can't imagine life without your sweet face.  We love you so much and can't wait to watch you grow!    

 

For the love of soccer.....

Ansley wanted to play fall soccer again this year, so we signed her up.  We were a little reluctant about this decision, knowing that Hollyn would be arriving in the middle of it all, but we're pretty much a bunch of push overs....so we did it. :)  Little did we know, our little soccer player would be asked to be on the All-Star team.  Don't get me wrong....she is a good little player, but All-Stars?!  We were just a touch confused, but we went with it!  So a 4 week recreational soccer schedule turned into another 4 week soccer adventure.  The tournaments were in Jackson, Perryville, Sikeston, and Cape.  Apparently....none of us wanted to get off the soccer train.  :/ After it is now all said and done, I'm glad we did it!  Ansley had fun and we met a lot of new parents that are lots of fun and just about as competitive as Jason and I are.  Ha!  

These are some of my favorites from rec soccer and All-Stars

   

Ansley usually played goalie for half of the game and then either forward or fullback for the rest

This was one of her spider monkey moves.  Ouch!

Ansley's friend, Lynlee after rec

Macy is Ansley's friend from school.  This is who we all called Grace for the first week of school....Ansley was a little confused. Ha!

Look at that form!

I want the ball please!

Our next soccer star :)

Ansley waiting to play and Daddy there to "cheer" her on.  The Sikeston folks called Jason a goal coach. Ha!

One perk....trophies at every All-Star tournament

That tongue!

I loved their little huddles

The tiny fan club!

And part of the big fan club....Pam was in the car taking care of Hollyn (so she didn't freeze!), so unfortunately she didn't make the picture. 

Hollyn pooped through several outfits during the tournaments.....and it would always be RIGHT after I changed her diaper!  Unbelievable.

Sweet friends

And cookies afterwards!  Ansley's favorite part of soccer. :)

End of the season team pictures.  It was such a fun time!

Hollyn Monroe:1 Month!

Look at that double chin! ;)  I can't even explain what it took to wake this girl for this picture!

It doesn't matter how many times you do it....when it comes to your babies....time always goes too fast!  It hasn't changed with our newest addition, Hollyn either.  She's so adorable, squishy, and perfect, but she keeps growing, darn it.  So it's time to start her monthly updates!

*She is quite the sleeper!  When we first brought her home, I'm not sure that we saw her eyes for a full week!  If we did, it was usually at 10 o'clock at night when we were trying to head to bed.  No bedtime for Miss Hollyn though....she was ready to party!  She would stare off into the dark when I layed her down (I would watch her on the monitor)....it broke my heart to see her awake and no one around. :(  Shortly after week 2, she started to sleep from 11:30 to 4 or sometimes 5.  Score. 

*She weighs about 10 lbs and is about 23 inches long. Growing fast!

*She's got lots of sweet peach fuzz all over her little body, especially around her shoulders and little back (and more dark in color than the other girls).  She may be the dark haired girl of the bunch.  I love it.

*She is a smiley thing.  I feel like Ansley didn't smile for the first 3 months and Charli did a little more, but Hollyn....she smiles ALL the time!  It is so precious.  I don't care what anyone says....they aren't gas smiles!

*She has dark hair on the back of her head (and a lot of it) and lighter in the front.  We joke that she got some beautiful ombre highlights for the fall season!  She also came out with lots of curl on her wet head, so she's probably going to be like the other two in that regard.

*She spits up occasionally, but only when we don't get out a good burp.  And she has hiccups about 3 times a day....just like in my belly.

*When she cries she lets out one big screech and then she's done for the most part (unless she's REALLY hungry).  She sounds like another little pterodactyl.

*She makes the funniest faces.  We call them her old man looks.  She scrunches and twists her mouth and face around in some crazy ways!

*She has the LONGEST fingers and toes of all the girls (and Charli has some long ones)!  Before long she'll be playing the piano with her feet.

*She's a pooper!  Her favorite time is right when her diaper is off (lots of laundry for momma)!  During her newborn photoshoot she peed and pooped on Ansley and Sheri.  Both of them were dancing around trying to get clean.  It was hilarious.

*Her eyes are a beautiful blue color right now and I'm sure they will stick around.  Sometimes they like to cross, but she's still a beauty!  Before long they will track together hopefully. Ha!  :)

We are so thankful for Hollyn's healthy arrival and we treasure our little biscuit (name given by Ansley) so much! Praise God for the blessing of another sweet girl!

Our little surprise.....Hollyn Monroe!

We had our THIRD little blessing on September 24th.  We didn't know what we were having so imagine our surprise when our girl, Hollyn Monroe came out at 8:18 am healthy and beautiful at 8 lbs. 7 oz. and 20 inches long (the same as Ansley and 1/2 an ounce bigger than Charli).  She immediately looked like a clone of Ansley when Dr. Carns pulled her out, yet as the day went on....we saw a duplicate of Charli.  We are just beyond thrilled.  After miscarrying our sweet boy, Adler one year ago on October 13th, you don't take for granted the miracle of life.  We are so blessed. 

My friend, Sheri was able to be next to the operating room and captured the most amazing images for us.  I CANNOT stop looking at them and reliving the moments.  These images are one of my favorite treasures ever.  Prepare yourself....image overload.

 

It's a girl!  The whole room rejoiced.    

The look on Daddy's face is priceless.

She gave out the most wonderful cry.  I can remember hearing her while lying there on the operating table and then I was instantly crying uncontrollably.  She was here and she was healthy.  Praise the Lord.

I was immediately smitten

Oh my dear Lord....that first glimpse of her and the very first squeeze.  What a moment. 

This is one of my favorite images.  Jason has been so incredible, knowing exactly what I needed to hear at the very moment I needed to hear it.  He sweetly attended to me and also loved on our newest girl.  I will never forget it. 

I wanted to kiss her one more time before he told our family

Jason was in love all over again.

And then the family found out we would be 3 girls poor and 3 girls blessed. Ha!  I love seeing these images because I would have missed the whole moment if I didn't have these.

I was so worried about Ansley and Charli's little hearts.  They wanted a boy so bad.  Thankfully, Ansley went from a moment of disappointment to a glance of Hollyn that immediately won her over.  They are both head over heels to have their new baby sister.

A moment of giddiness.

There's not enough kisses in the world to show my love.

It doesn't get any better than this

Oh, Hollyn....we LOVE you so.

Welcome to the world sweet baby girl!