11 Months

It's almost here! Planning is underway for Brayla's 1st birthday and I still can't really believe it. Looking forward to the fun that awaits us when we have a 3 year old and a 1 year old! Here's what you've been up to in the last month:

-You are still a sleeping champ. We dropped your nighttime bottle a few weeks ago, and even without it, you get rocked by Daddy for a few minutes at night and then are off to dreamland for nearly 12 hours. You are getting better at napping too. You're just such a happy girl all the time, though, that if we didn't force you to take naps, you'd never know you needed one.

-You are still wearing a size 3 diaper. We have a leftover stack of size 4s in the closet that I might try out soon, but you're still pretty comfortable in a size 3.

-I'd guess you weigh between 17-18 pounds. I feel like you have had a growth spurt recently, but I realize it more in length than in weight. You're still pretty lean and petite.

-You have officially outgrown all 3-6 month clothes. Now we are trying to get use out of the few warm-weather 6-9 month outfits we have before warm weather arrives and we can break out your new clothes.

-You take 3 6-ounce bottles a day. Since we dropped your nighttime feeding, you seem to drink your other bottles easier. You've also started to actually show signs of hunger, usually getting fussy at about 4:45 every day and shrieking with anticipation when you see your bottle.

-You eat 3 meals a day. You are liking yogurt for breakfast now more than you did in the past. You are also getting better at eating all of your meals. It used to be a battle to get you to eat, but now (unless you're teething) you eat just about anything we give you. You don't eat a lot, but at least we don't have to try to force-feed you anymore. !

-Your hair is still getting longer. It's definitely darker than your sister's and looks as though it might have some curl. We're just hoping for some defined, pretty curls and not the wavy frizz that your mom and sister have :)

-You have 6 teeth, getting two in the last month. You have your front four top teeth and you bottom two teeth. It looks like you'll end up with a little gap between your front teeth, but at least we don't have to worry about the vampire look.
-You are so so so so close to walking. You took your first two steps by yourself last Friday (April 6) and took three steps for me yesterday. Your steps are still more of a fall than a walk, but you're getting there. I just think you're so content with your current methods that you're not in a real hurry to change it up.

-This month you've started to say "momma" and it seems like you actually know what it means. You've also said "dadda" and Grandma W. thinks she heard you say "mamaw" and something like "dog."

-You still do not love your carseat. You've also started to be pretty feisty when I try to get you dressed. As soon as a shirt is over your head, you're ripping it right back off. Apparently you have your limits when it comes to your patience and overall calm demeanor.

-Things you love: clapping, playing patty cake, playing peek a boo, "talking" with Brynlee, bouncing up and down, trying to eat Turner's dog food, carrying around your burp rag, trying to steal snacks, playing with the fridge toys, climbing, opening the entertainment center and eating the DVDs :)

We can't wait to celebrate next month in God's gift of this precious girl to us. Happy 11 months, Brayla!

10 Months

I can't believe that we are only two months away from Brayla's 1st birthday. It's time for somebody to get planning (ahem...me)! Here's what you've been up to in the last month:

"Oh, I'm 10 months old? Great!"

-You still go to sleep about 7:30-7:45 every night. You generally sleep until we wake you up at about 6:15, but occasionally you are ready to party earlier than that. This weekend's time change made your Sunday wake-up time a little later and it was much appreciated.


-You are still wearing a size 3 diaper.


-At your 9 month check-up you weighed 16 pounds 10 ounces. I'm guessing you are somewhere around 17 pounds now.


-You are still wearing 6-9 month or 12 month clothes. There are the occasional 3-6 month pants, though, that we are still holding onto and getting great use of for a very extended amount of time.


-You take 4 6-ounce bottles a day. You are not nearly as addicted to milk/formula as your older sister. You normally don't get all excited to drink your bottle and getting you to drink even 6 ounces is sometimes a challenge. I have a feeling you will be an easy one to wean from the bottle, but getting you to continue to drink milk as part of your diet may not be so easy.

They kind of like each other

-You eat 3 meals a day. You just tried a cereal bar for the first time last week and loved it. We are experimenting with yogurt for breakfast as well. You love the squeeze baby food. If you refuse all other food, I can count on you eating something so long as I get out the squeezable baby food. Modern conveniences sure are nice sometimes!

-You have enough hair that you occasionally wake up with bed head! This is a new concept to us and I am so excited that hair is visible on that cute little head of yours :)


-You now have 4 teeth. You got two top teeth this month. Unfortunately, they are not your front teeth. I'm hoping those come in soon or you will be sporting the vampire look. I don't think too many babies can pull this look off well, and I'm hoping we don't even have to find out.


-You are crawly almost always off of your belly. If you need to go somewhere in a hurry, you'll drop to your belly and move that way. You are still cruising along furniture and last week you stood by yourself for the first time! Once you realize you're standing, you inevitably fall down, but you're making progress.

Always on the move

-We are still waiting on that first word. I try daily to get you to say "momma" and daddy tries to get you to say "dadda" but so far all we hear is "babababababa" and shrieks that are traded back and forth while you "talk" with your sister.


-You do not like your car seat much at all. Once you're in it and the car is moving, things are fine. But you put up quite the fight when you know you're headed there.

-Things you love: clapping, playing patty cake, playing peek a boo, "talking" with Brynlee, bouncing up and down, trying to eat Turner's dog food, playing with the fridge toys, climbing, opening the entertainment center and eating the DVDs :)

Praying the next two months slow down a little and I can enjoy my "baby" for a little longer. We love you, Brayla!

9 Month Love

Though this post is a little belated, the pictures were actually taken close to Brayla's 9 month birthday. We've been passing around a cold/sinus infection in our house so poor thing was just not up for pictures on her big day. Nevertheless, lots of big things going on for our littlest princess in this past month:


-You go to sleep about 7:30 every night. You are getting to be a little more difficult to put to sleep for some reason. But once you are asleep, you're out for quite a while. If you're left to wake up on your own, it's usually between 7 and 7:30 when you get up. Yesterday, it was 8:30 before you got up...hallelujah!

-You are wearing a size 3 diaper.

-We had your 9 month checkup last week and you weighed 16 pounds 10 ounces (15th percentile), 26.25 inches long (10th percentile), and a 17 inch head circumference (25th percentile). That length sure explains how you fit into 3-6 month clothes still!

-You are finally wearing more 6-9 month and 6-12 month clothes. There are still some 3-6 month pants that will fit your short little legs :)

-You are taking 4 bottles a day along with 3 meals. You are still a picky eater. One day you'll love something and the next day hate it. I have to be creative about the way I feed you in order to get you to eat much. But you're growing and that's all that matters.

-You got your second bottom tooth this month. Your teeth come in so slow and make you so miserable. I'm hoping we can take a little break from teething and get you back to your happy little self again.

-Your hair is really starting to grow. It's coming in pretty dark and you've got a little baby chick fluff on the top that usually sticks up :)

-You are still crawling like a wild woman. You mainly army crawl, but will occasionally get off your belly and on to all fours. You are "cruising" everywhere. I don't think it'll take much more time for you to be off and walking (though I'm not really ready for you to be this big yet!)

-You just started signing "all done" when you don't want to eat anymore. It.is.adorable.

-You are starting to be a little more possessive of your belongings. Brynlee pretty much thinks all of your toys are hers, and when she takes one you throw a minor fit. It's short-lived, but you definitely show us how you feel.

-Things you love: chewing on cords, playing and reading with Brynlee, clapping, crawling up the stairs as fast as possible, and giving open mouthed kisses.


Can't believe it's about time to start thinking of and planning your 1st birthday. Slow down, little one! We love watching you grow up and seeing everything you're capable of, but we'd still like you to stay our "baby" for a little while longer!

8 Months

Brayla, you are 8 months (and 1 week) old! This has been a busy month developmentally for you and you are definitely keeping us on our toes.

-I have no idea how much you weigh right now. I think you've definitely started to gain a little more, even with all your moving around. My guess would be about 15-16 pounds.

-Though you are gaining weight, I don't think you're getting much taller.

-Food has not been your friend lately. I can get you to eat a decent amount of food about one time every 3-4 days. You don't seem starving at all, I think you just don't have a huge appetite.

-You still wear a lot of 3-6 months clothes, which is just crazy to me. You can wear some 6-9 or 6-12 month clothes, but they don't make up the majority of what you wear.

-You still sleep great at night, usually about 11-12 hours. Given the chance, you will gladly sleep in until 7:30 or 8:00 some days. Heaven!

-You balance out your awesome night sleeping by not taking such great naps lately. I think part of this is teething (yuck) and I'm hoping it remedies itself soon. Most days your older sister sleeps more in her one nap a day than you do in two. Ugh.

-You finally got your first tooth this month! Last Monday (January 8), the day before you turned 8 months old, your lower right tooth made an appearance. You weren't grouchy leading up to that, but you have been not such a happy camper since then which makes me think tooth #2 might not be far behind.

-You are still an army crawling machine, but you've recently started to pull yourself up on EVERYTHING. It's much harder to get you to sleep since you can now stand up and entertain yourself that way. I anticipate you will be walking early just like your big sister.

-This month you have started to notice Turner a little more and think he's great. Every time you see him, you smile and giggle like crazy. I'm sure Turner will be thrilled to soon have two girls chasing after him :)

-You adore playing with your sister. You are both enjoying having someone else to entertain with all your tricks. Your favorite toys are your Sophie the Giraffe and your grape vibrating teether. Most of these toys get ignored, though, in favor of computer cords.

Two peas in a pod

During our photo shoot, Brynlee said "Take my picture."

Definitely still likes being the center of attention.

Smiley girl

Brayla, you are growing so fast and we are enjoying watching everything that you are accomplishing. You are the perfect baby to balance our family and we just love you to pieces!

7 Months!

Thanks to the craziness of the month of December, I'm a little behind on Brayla's 7 month post. This has been a busy month for our littlest lady, so without further ado, the update:

-You are still sleeping pretty great at night. You usually go down at about 7:30 and then I get to wake you up bright and early at 6am.

-Napping has not been going so well. Of course you nap a ton while you're at the sitter's in the morning, but most afternoon naps this week have been 45 minutes. You've been a little under the weather, so I hope that's the cause because your mommy could use a break!

-Still wearing a size 2 diaper. You are different from Brynlee in that you can still wear a normal diaper at night and not soak through it. Hallelujah!

-Thanks to your first "sick" doctor's visit today (it was just a cold), I know you weigh 14 pounds 12 ounces. You've gained almost a pound in the last month alone.

-You're still wearing mainly 3-6 month clothes. I think 6-9 month outfits will be coming out of storage soon, but we're not quite there yet.

-You eat 3 (food) meals a day. Cereal and a fruit in the morning, with cereal and a veggie in the afternoon and evening. You are somewhat of a picky eater. One day you like something, the next day you spit it out at me. One of these days I will figure you out!

-Still a bald beauty. I'm preparing myself for at least another year of baldness and bows.

-I have been expecting and anticipating the arrival of your first tooth for weeks. You have been in full-on drool mode. But, alas, we are still waiting. I'll take that gummy grin any day though!

-Within the last few weeks, you've started army crawling. You do this just.like.your.sister. Funny how different and alike you are all at the same time. You do get up on your hands and knees and rock quite a bit, so I think you'll start crawling "normal" pretty soon.

-You are such an easy going baby. Unless you are tired or want held (which is mainly after you've been playing a lot) you are so relaxed. You absolutely LOVE to watch Brynlee. I don't think anybody can entertain you or make you laugh as much as she can. You two are becoming fast friends and it melts my heart. You still enjoy playing in the exersaucer and though you can crawl, you really still like to roll. A lot.

We are so blessed to have not just one, but two sweet little girls in our life. We just love you to pieces, Brayla!

Half Birthday Girl

Last Thursday, our sweet Brayla turned 6 months old. After seeing how fast time flew with Brynlee, I try to cherish these long days, but short months with our girls. An update on what you've been up to, Brayla, in your first 6 months:

- Sleeping about 9-10 hours a night. You go down at about 8:30 and wake up at 6:00. Within the last month, you've really settled in to a good night-sleeping routine and we are so thankful that you and your sister are great at letting your parents get a full night's sleep.
-Naps are getting better and better. You consistently nap for about 1.5-2 hours in the afternoon and sleep for about 3 hours in the morning.

- You wear a size 2 diaper and I don't foresee you growing out of those anytime soon.

- You have a doctor's appointment this Thursday, but I'm guessing you'll weigh about 14 pounds. (You were 12 pounds 9 ounces at your 4 month check-up). You are much shorter than your sister at this age. Brynlee outgrew clothes because of length and you just don't do that.

- You are wearing mostly 3-6 month clothes, but some of your 0-3 month clothes still fit. You are just one petite little princess!

- You are eating every 3.5-4 hours (5 feedings per day). You are still great at/enjoying nursing and this gives your mama so much joy! Just this past weekend, we started feeding you two servings of cereal a day and adding peas at dinner. You were not a huge fan, but did great with them tonight. Here's hoping you'll continue liking those green veggies!

- You are still bald as can be. You have little wisps of hair here and there, but not much. God just knows we can handle bald babies so he gave us two of them :)

-Things you love: rolling ALL over, watching your big sister and laughing at her (see video below), playing in the exersaucer, sucking on your feet

- You aren't sitting up yet and really don't show a whole lot of interest, but we're still trying. I know it will come with time.

- Changing your diaper is an extreme sport, since you roll and flip like crazy the entire time

- You are still toothless and it doesn't appear you've got any on the way. Looks like you'll be a little slower to grow those pearly whites than your big sister.

- You are definitely a belly sleeper. When I lay you down at night, you cry just long enough until you can flip yourself on to your belly. Then, it's a little burrowing of your head and you're sound asleep.

God celebrated Brayla's half birthday with our first snow

Brynlee just can't let her sister have all the spotlight :)

Brayla, you are the most perfect baby to complete our family. We are so thankful for your sweet, easygoing spirit and have loved these 6 months with you!Love those blue eyes!