We are FA-MI-LY!

Yesterday, Amity attended her first Bounds family reunion at Uncle John and Aunt Linda's house in Bullard (Tyler), Texas. In between her naps in Aunt Linda's closet, she enjoyed being held by lots of cousins and especially enjoyed "playing" with her littlest cousin.
After a long day of visiting and overeating, we were all tired but happy during the drive home.

Girls, Girls, Girls!

Amity is so excited about all her friends that are on the way!

• Cousin Eiley is due anytime.
• Twin Baby Girls will be joining the Newsome home in the next few months (and they are about Amity's age!).
• The Funderburks just glimpsed their 8 month old baby girl for the first time two days ago!

May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace...Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD! Psalm 144: 12, 15

First Taste of Rice Cereal

Eating time at the Grover house is serious business and requires full concentration.

Today, we embarked on a new adventure requiring a 5 point harness...eating with a spoon!
As is typical of her personality, she gave us several interesting expressions...

The "I-thought-you-loved-me, Mom-but-what-IS-this?" look:

The "Hmmm...-I-wonder-why-Dad-keeps-taking-pictures-and-Mom-is-talking-in-that-funny-voice" look:

The "I-think-Mom-needs-to-let-the-velcro-out-a-little-on-my-diaper" look:

Besides her expressions, she had a few things to "say" about the whole experience.

4 months old!

Amity actually turned 4 months old a little over a week ago on August 7th but, today, Dr. Moore declared it official at her 4 month appointment. Apparently, everyone is curious about her stats, so here they are:
Weight: 16 pounds, 4 ounces (95th percentile)
Length: 25 1/4 inches (80th percentile)
Head: 16 (45th percentile)
I have promised Amity that I will refrain from reporting her weight as soon as she tells me to stop! Until then, I will make it fair by reporting my weight at her age! At four months of age, I weighed 17 pounds, 14 ounces and measured 26 inches in length. Yikes!

We are often asked if Amity looks more like Dennis or like me. We are going to have to get some baby pictures of him when he was a wee one but here is one comparison of Amity and me.

Candis at 2 1/2 months

Amity at 4 months

It looks like our biggest similarity is our big mouths! :)

Our homework for the next two months is to learn how to roll, work on sitting up with less assistance, and begin eating some cereal and solid foods. Dr. Moore also gave us some neck stretching exercises and massages to help Amity loosen up a little bit. I think I heard him mention that it will also help her if her dad gives her mom some of those same massages!

(Wo)man plans...God (and baby) laugh!

Today, I was in Amity's room packing up some things she has outgrown and getting some boxes ready to store in the attic. She was observing my work from her seat in the Bumbo. From the back corner of her closet, I pulled out the Medela pump that has been stored there since Amity turned 3 weeks old. As I put the bag in its original box, Amity broke out in peals of laughter and just wouldn't stop. I finally found the camera after about three minutes and she was still going!

Herein lies the irony! I got to learn very early on in my days of being a mother that things don't always go the way we want them to or plan them to be. I will spare the details but will say that nursing was turning out harder and more painful than it is intended to be. After quitting nursing and planning to pump exclusively, I got sick and went into the hospital and the medication and dehydration was causing Amity to not gain the weight she needed. Ultimately, we decided that it was for the best that we allow Amity to be a formula fed baby. As silly as it sounds now, it was a blow to my pride to give up. I was so worried what everyone else would think! However, after doing so, I began to enjoy our little girl SO much more! Apparently, she, too, is happy to put this thing in storage! Who knows, maybe we'll try again with Grover #2 someday!

First time in a wading pool (sort of!)

While it is still in the 90s today, it is not above 100 like it has been the past two weeks. Amity and I spent some time looking at the trees in the front yard and watering the plants. Afterwards, I thought it would be nice for her to take a dip to cool off. Amity thought it was pretty cool and especially liked her hat (thanks Miss Katie G.!).
We did play it on the conservative side as Amity has not yet taken swim lessons. No cryptosporidium here!

Just wanted to say "Hi!"

First Friend

My friend Rebecca and her daughter Ella joined us for lunch and playtime today. Ella was born 8 days after Amity.

At first, the two little ladies didn't appear to notice each other.

After a while, they checked each other out from a distance.Then, Ella showed off one of her tricks and rolled over to Amity to get a better view.
Later, they both posed for a picture.
Sweet friends! We really didn't make them do this! :)