Olivia 5 Months

So, since Liv is almost 6 months, it's probably time to put up her 5 month photos.  Summer is too fun, time just keeps getting away from me.

At five months, Livvy is a mover! She wants to be moving and jabbering all the time.

She's still up twice a night, but I'm pretty sure she doesn't need to be.  A little CIO might be in her future.  She started taking longer naps in the morning around 4 and a half months, but had a major regression with all of our travel lately.

She is SUPER smiley! And a mostly happy girl.  She makes me laugh and smile too, which is such a joy.

Kate and Olivia are starting to interact more, and it's pretty sweet (as long as Kate gives Liv space when she needs it).

Liv is picking up lots of little toys and seems to show a preference for certain ones.  She's getting good at switching them between hands and keeping them in her mouth.  Speaking of things in her mouth, she's turning into a thumb sucker (right thumb).

She is chewing on everything, but no teeth.

She's still got some stranger danger, but I think it's getting better.

She has the cutest cheeks and dimples I've ever seen.  I just love this little girl!

Kate-isms

She seriously says the funniest things ever...

"Mommy, I'm going to wear your shoes so I can go to Hobby Lobby.  But I can't drive my car, I can just drive the cart."

We got a card in the mail, and after I looked at it, Kate wanted to read it.
Front of card: "the greatest mom and dad"
Inside of card: "the most precious"

Talking to Olivia: "You don't need to cry, I'm just your big sister."

I was singing a song we had just listened to and Kate asked me what I was singing.  I told her it was stuck in my head.  She said, "No, Mom, it's stuck in your ears!"

While I was feeding Olivia in the living room, Kate was rummaging around in the kitchen cupboard.  I asked her three times what she was doing, and she finally answered, "Mom, did you know if I dip my fingers in here it tastes like hot chocolate?" Yep, she opened the hot chocolate container and was sticking her fingers in and licking them.

Kate: "I just want to go to sleep in Lincoln's bed."
Me: "Honey, you're going to sleep in your own bed."
Kate: "But, I'm wearing Lincoln's jammies."
In all fairness, she was wearing Lincoln's jammies

"Mom, the lettuce is growing! And after it grow, grow, grows, we can put it on my tacos because I love it now"

"I ate all of my energy, now I'm going to go poops." (I told her she needed to eat all her cereal so she would have energy to play with our friends all morning)

Matt: "Kate, do you know how much I love you?"
Kate: "Yeah, two and a half!"

Me: "Kate, can you please finish your edamame?"
Kate: "No, I just want to look around at everyone."
At least she's honest.

Since Matt has started fellowship, he takes home call in the evenings.  After a few nights of him being on the phone a lot, Kate started copying him when we're playing in the morning.  It's super cute:

"I need to make phone calls for work.  I'm gonna call Dr. Smith and then Daddy.  Hello, Dr. Smith, I just got a check up for you.  So, um, we can do it."

"Hi Dr. Smith, we just have a plan for you.  We need some temperatures and stay here, and so, um you can just stay here.  We did it.  See ya, Bye."

Liv's first trip to the beach:)

Sunday night of the holiday weekend, we packed up the girls and headed to Holland State Park for a picnic dinner and fun on the beach! We love the beach.  Kate had fun running around in the sand, digging, and even put her toes in the water with daddy.  Liv slept on the trip out and the trip home, so she was mostly a happy camper.

Girls!

big cheeks and big smiles:) 

Thanks, Pure Michigan, for a great end to our weekend!

4th of July 2014

Matt worked on the holiday this year, but just a regular day, so he was able to join us for dinner and the evening.  After a quick morning nap for Liv, we packed up and headed to Grandville for the Annual 4th of July Parade.  It was a beautiful morning and we had a lot of fun with grandma, grandpa, and Uncle Adam.  Kate pretty much only wanted to sit on grandpa's lap and grandma held Olivia for the whole parade.  Afterwards, we went to my parent's house for lunch and Kate's nap.  After naps, my mom's side of the family came over for a cookout.  Kate had a blast running around with Benjamin and splashing in the pool.

they probably ran 20 laps around the pool

"we're just splashing our feet, mom"

morning outside

Just hanging out outside while Liv takes a nap.  Kate wanted her own parking lot so she could put everything in a spot.  Then she made daddy his own special spot:) It was very sweet.

Molly puppy went for lots of walks

I love this girl:)

Post-nap, we all took a walk around the pond.  Kate took a pretty good spill, but kept right on trucking. She was rewarded with a great view of the ducks.  The duck babies are getting pretty big, and we got to see them go for swim:)

Olivia - 4 Months

This little sweetheart is four months old already! Somehow time seems to go even faster with the second one! She is all smiles these days and even giggles now and then.  She prefers to sit up or stand most of the time.  She has some major stranger anxiety lately, and really only wants to be with mom, dad, or grandma.  Oh, and everything is going into her mouth, but I'm pretty sure it's too early for teeth.  She is the queen of the 30 minute nap.  Still waking up twice a night.  She's looking less and less like Kate and more and more like daddy.  And she is getting more interactive and fun all the time.  I think it's been a little easier to enjoy the stages of baby-ness with Liv because I'm not rushing to each next milestone and worrying as much about a schedule as I did with Kate.

`

these smiles cover a multitude of sins:)

4 Month Stats

Weight: 12 lb, 11 oz (11%)
Height: 24 1/4 inches (23%)
Head: 40.2 cm (25%)

Olivia's baptism and Father's Day 2014

Olivia was baptized at our church on June 15.  She wore the same dress Kate wore for her baptism (which is the same one I was baptized in).  She had some major stranger anxiety going on and cried for Pastor Tim, but settled right down for daddy:) Kate stayed in the service with us until after the baptism and singing, which was very special.  Also in attendance: Grandma & Grandpa Pridgeon, Grandma & Grandpa Kadzban, Uncle Brian, Uncle Adam and almost Uncle Justin.

happy girl! look at those cheeks!

Everyone stuck around for the afternoon and we took a trip to Costco and Cabela's after naps.  Kate loves both places, so she was in Heaven.  We had to commemorate with a picture at Cabela's.

It was also Father's Day, so daddy got lots of extra snuggles, a few gifts, and much love from all of us.  Here's how we started and ended the day: