is this really our yard?!?

Our landscaping project is complete and we are so excited! We have waited a long time for this project and finally decided to take the plunge so that we could enjoy it some before moving! We added a stone patio (think relaxing on a summer evening with a beer and food smelling yummy on the grill!! yay!), a fence, a magnolia tree, a weeping willow tree, 3 crate myrtles, and flowering plant beds everywhere!! We should have color all year round and the landscaper promised me that everything was low maintenance! If you have been to our yard before, you will be shocked at the transformation. Trust me!

new friends, new skills, and a bottle crisis...

Olivia met Grace, Grant, and Molly Paige!

They were all interested in the Dora book while Olivia was only interested in sleeping! I am sure they will all be fast friends as we spend a lot of time with their parents.

This week, Olivia discovered the animals and mirror above her on her swing. She loves to watch the animals move about and admire herself in the mirror!

She has also discovered her hands! She has been sucking on her fingers since week one, but she now put her fists up to her mouth and sucks away when feeding time just isn't coming soon enough! She is tolerant of tummy time and can hold her head up for longer periods every day. However, I think her legs are the strongest part of her body as she is a master at kicking them and pushing them into your body as you are holding her. When she has on a nightgown it always ends up around her knees because she never stops kicking and raising her legs.

She has also started tracking objects from side to side and looks around to identify where noises and voices are coming from. It is amazing the changes she makes each day!

The bottle crisis is still in full swing despite the peaceful scenario that this picture portrays (it was taken pre-meltdown). Olivia does not like any bottle/nipple combination we present to her! She screams, cries, and pushes the nipple out with force. Andy has been very patient with her and tries diligently each day and has gotten her to take 1 oz on two different occasions. I, to my frustration, cannot help because it is widely known that a baby will have even more reason to refuse a bottle if the mother is nearby (because the baby can sense and smell her presence). We desperately want/need her to accept the bottle (filled with breast milk, of course) so that I can have some time away from her and to prepare her for my return to work. Also, Andy and I would LOVE a night out to ourselves, but that is hard to do when your baby won't drink out of a bottle! However, we are confident that she will eventually take to it......she just has to!!

Come on......Do you really think a face this cute would cause her mommy & daddy any more stress?!?!

Happy Weekend!! Andy is flying today and I am preparing the house for a little cook-out we are having to celebrate our newly landscaped yard! More to come on that......

making faces...

NOT ME Monday...

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Baby Girl is snoozing in her swing and I lack the motivation to load her up and go for our daily walk, so for now I am sitting on the couch with my feet up and decided that I would confess some of the things that I did not do in the last week.......it is always best to start a Monday off with something lighthearted and fun anyway, right?!

I did not eat ice cream in some form every single day last week, and I certainly did not justify it by quoting Olivia's pediatrician when he told me that breastfeeding mothers need about 500 extra calories a day.

It was certainly not me who asked my mother/father/sister/anyone who was around to change Olivia's diaper while in Indiana when I was perfectly capable of handling it myself!

I did not sanitize my daughter from head to toe with baby wipes (more times that I can count) while toting her about in the airport because of my huge fear of compromising her young immune system.

It was definitely not me who took a meal that a gracious church member had made out of the freezer, unthawed and cooked it, and then not correct my husband when he praised ME for making it......haha.

I did not drink milk directly from the carton.

It was not me who purposely avoided watching any of the Michael Jackson memorial service.

I did not cry every single time Andy called me while on my trip to Indiana.....darn hormones!

I am definitely not wishing the swing would magically change Baby Girl's cry to a state of blissful sleep so that I could sit here on my computer just a little bit longer......

traveling girls...

Olivia and I traveled to Indiana this past week. It was a sudden trip that Andy & I thought was a good idea when he got word that he was going on a trip overseas. I had been wanting to go to Indiana in this time frame anyhow (because Cathy's family was going to be there from Oklahoma), but I was hesitant to plan it with Olivia being so little. However, when we heard that Andy was going to be gone, we thought it was a perfect plan for me to go ahead and visit up there. The plan seemed perfect for a few hours and I booked my ticket. But, in true military fashion, the plan fell apart and Andy was pulled from the trip and I was committed to going even though he was going to be here at home the entire time. In my warped postpartum mind (imagine tearing up at any moment), the plan was only an option if he was going to be gone because the thought of leaving him here and us traveling was very unsettling to me.

However, Andy convinced me that the trip was worth it no matter what the circumstances were, and Olivia and I packed up and got on the airplane at the crack of dawn Sunday morning. I had a great time being with my family, which I knew I would, and I was able to be present for Brady's burial which was very special. Olivia traveled like a champ and slept through all 4 flights (it is impossible to get to Indy without a layover...grrrrr.) She had a few moments, but I was always able to calm her and get her to sleep by putting her in my sling. I got many comments about traveling alone across the country with a 3 week old, but I feel good that I was able to tackle that challenge. Life must go on even if you do have a newborn! (but I was SOOOO excited to get back to Charleston and see Andy waiting for us at the airport!!)

Olivia, Drew, & Jordan in their matching outfits. Drew's was too small and we couldn't get it snapped, but we put it on him anyhow! He has already started having to do things just to make the girls happy....=)Papa and his grandchildren show off their Purdue gear! Boiler Up!

Aunt Kelly loves on her newest nieces and nephew (baby order...Drew, Olivia, Jordan)

Olivia & Jordan hang out on a lazy morning.

Yet again, we subject the babies to matching clothing!!

On Monday we celebrated the life of Brady Thomas and buried his ashes next to Grandma & Grandpa Jordan. It was a service of many emotions, but mostly I felt sadness as I reflected on the short life he lived and how great it would be if he were still here with us. However, I believe Brady gave life to Jordan and Drew and we can celebrate that. I think of him daily and can still remember his baptism and passing like it was yesterday. It is hard to believe that something so small (1 lb 11 0z) could leave such a footprint in my heart, but he did.

Everyone was together at Mom & Dad's except Andy, and we missed him terribly! Getting everyone home at the same time is difficult in our family because we have 2 military lifestyles to try and plan around. However, we make the most of any time we do get together and are usually making plans for the "next time" before that visit is even over! We captured this picture in Mom & Dad's front yard the day of Brady's burial. I am still trying to figure out how to photoshop Andy into the picture!!

we get by with a little help from our friends...

Olivia has met so many friends over the past few weeks and I snapped some pictures along the way! There are lots of friends still to meet our precious little one, but distance is keeping those reunions from happening just yet. We feel very blessed to have such loving friends that have been supporting us as we adjust to life with a new little one.

Auntie Emily couldn't wait to get home from vacation and get some snuggles in!

Molly Paige & Olivia became fast friends!
Auntie Christina hurried over after getting home from her vacation too!! She needed some baby lovin'=)

Kacey and Olivia snuggled up for an afternoon visit. Justin & Olivia met at a "low-key place" a few days later, but we forgot to get a picture!!

Liz spent the evening with Olivia just days before moving to Boston (which makes us all VERY sad). Olivia loved sleeping on Auntie Liz's chest!!

The Pinkerton's got some practice for what their life will soon become when their newest one arrives!

Olivia loved meeting and snuggling with Blaine & Jen (even if Blaine was afraid to hold her;)

Audrey snuck by after work to get some lovin' time in!

Kim & Addison have visited Olivia many times and get along marvelously!

Olivia meets Erin (affectionately known as E-Hud) at Chili's in Indianapolis.

Cousin Kaylynn was SO excited to meet her newest cousin!
Cousin Garrett held her immediately upon arriving at his Nana & Papa's house!
Cousin Trisha loved on Olivia while we were in Indiana.

Sunday recap...

Yesterday was an easy day. We relaxed at home, met friends out to cheer on the USA soccer team, and tested out Olivia's new stroller!

Olivia snoozes as her daddy catches up on the world news.

While watching the game, I had my celebratory first beer!! Ahhh, it had been a long nine months!

Buckled in and ready for our first walk!
Andy is doing a wheelie in this picture - and he says I am a dangerous driver!