Pumpkin Hollow and Pumpkin Carving

Okay, so here's a "Cindy" post. This is probably how they'll be from now on. (By Cindy post, I mean that you get to see ALL the pictures taken, not just the ones I select). If I do this, then at least you'll get to see pictures, cause I just can't find the time to go through them and pick out only the good ones, anymore. Enjoy!

On Sunday (Oct. 25th), Keith and I took Layla to her first pumpkin patch (it was also both of our first too). The pumpkin patch we went to is called Pumpkin Hollow, and we couldn't have asked for better weather (which was a nice treat since it's been raining SOO much for the last two months)! Layla is so observant, so she really enjoyed all the stuff to look at, and she loved the hayride! She would just smile and laugh and bounce (she bounces up and down when she's excited)! Here's the pictures from the trip:

Pumpkin Hollow

Here are some other pictures that have been taken this month. We visited my Great Uncle James (excuse the lack of pants on my child-she had just blown up a diaper so I didn't put the adorable matching skort back on her). There's also some pictures of Daddy and his little girl, and several pictures of her with a bow (this is still a new and exciting thing for Momma).

Visiting Uncle James and Misc.

And finally, here's pictures of us carving our first Jack-o-lantern! It was our first time to ever carve a pumpkin, and we had fun doing it! Layla even joined in on the fun (but not with the knife)! Finally, I love dressing in holiday clothes, so I took some pictures of some of her outfits. I wish I had remembered to capture them all, but at least I got some of them. The jack-o-lantern shirt is an age-appropriate shirt we bought for her last year before we knew she was going to be such a petite little girl - it's 6-9 month size so it comes down to her knees...literally. Who knows, we might get to wear it next year too (haha!) Yes, my almost 8-month old wears 0-3 month clothing!

Pumpkin Carving

Thanks for looking and reading! I hope you enjoyed!

What a Busy Life We Live!

I now understand why most of the blogs I read that are frequently updated belong to women that don't have young children at home or women who are fortunate enough to be stay-at-home moms. Wow...now that I'm a working mom again :P I find myself having so much to blog about but not getting it done because I can't stay awake to do it. When I was staying home with Layla for those 5 wonderful months, I didn't blog much because there was so much adjusting to a newborn and working on our house (it was not in baby-friendly condition). Now, I'm just always so exhausted, sleepy, and overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done, both at home and at work. Even if I choose to neglect chores and blog instead, I find myself unable to concentrate and stay awake.

Here's my daily schedule: I get up and get me ready, get everything packed and ready for the day and the sitter, and then wake her just in time to nurse her, change her diaper and clothes, and run out the door. Then I've got a 20 minute drive to the sitter's house, it usually takes about 3-4 minutes to drop her off, and a 15 minute drive to the middle school. I teach one 6th grade Music class and drive about 10 minutes to an elementary school where I pump, teach 2 kindergarten classes, eat lunch, pump again, teach three 1st and 2nd grade classes, pump once more, and leave to go get Layla. On Monday and Friday, that is a 30 minute drive to the sitters house; on Tuesday and Thursday, we meet the sitter at Sam's Club at 5:00; and on Wednesdays we meet her at the mall play area at 4:00. Some days Layla wants a short nap soon after we get home, but this isn't an every day thing. Further, on Monday nights I still teach my Kindermusik class so I have to leave the house by 5:45 and usually don't return until 8 or a little after. And on Thursdays, Layla and I participate in her KM class, leaving at 5:45 and returning around 7ish; then it's supper, bath, and bed for her. And then there's school activities at nights - concerts, PT conferences, etc. Further, right now is football season so Keith is gone every Friday until waay late. So when Saturday and Sunday roll around, I don't want to sit at the computer and blog. I just want to play with My Girl as much as possible and catch up on what I miss out on Monday through Friday. I know, I know, welcome to life in the real world...the real, cruel, working world. :(

So, here's what Layla's up to now:
*She sat up on her own for the first time on Keith's birthday, Septemtber 8th.
*Her six month check-up weight: 12 lbs, 14.5 oz (a little below the 5%)
*Her six month check-up height: 25.25 in. (25%)
*Is trying to figure out how to crawl (she's got the legs but still has no idea how to do her arms yet).
*Eats at the table with Mommy and Daddy now in her Graco Tot-Loc Chair.
*Likes Multi-Grain Cheerios
*Really likes Gerber sweet potato puffs
*Drinks apple juice from a sippy cup (if you help her tilt it back)
*Still puts everything in her mouth
*Gets teething fussies and fevers, but they still haven't broken the skin yet. (Although you can definitely see them through her gums in the front now. This has been a long, slow painful process so far.)
*Has started throwing fits (screaming) when she doesn't get her way (and Keith and I try not to laugh at them because that's all they are...fits - there's nothing wrong with her).

I have so many pictures and videos to share, but that takes even more time...at least I'm posting something today. :) Keith says I'm probably wasting my time because no one probably checks this anymore since I haven't been doing it very often...haha! Maybe so, but at least I feel better about myself for having put something up here. So if you're out there and you do read this, please leave a comment of some sort so I'll know I didn't waste my time. Even if it's just "Hi!" Please, just let me know I didn't waste good nap time today to do this.

Until next time, I hope you enjoy!

Layla's Five Month Pictures

These pictures were taken on August 7th. There were so many good pictures, but these are the only three we bought. When you look at the collage, be sure to notice the center picture on the side. This is the look she kept giving us for the entire session. We just lucked out and snapped a few other looks.

Layla's Five Month Pictures

I can't believe how fast she's growing and growing up.

She now:
*holds on to you when you are walking
*has a very strong grip, especially on hair
*rolls all the way from front to back
*rolls 7/8 of the way from back to front before giving up and rolling back to her back
*eats rice cereal well, most days
*has tried all the vegetables (loved green beans and sweet potatoes most, like carrots least)
*is working on trying all the fruits (loves pears)
*laughs, coos, and chatters a lot
*turns her head around to look at you when you sit her in your lap
*enjoys playing with Madi and Abby at the sitter's (and Madi loves Layla)
*still drools constantly
*blows bubbles all the time, and will shower you if you're facing her and close enough.

After 5 amazing months at home with my sweet baby girl, I had to return to work on August 11th. We were fortunate to find an in-home sitter, and Layla started with her that day. Of course, Mommy was heart-broken and cried like a baby and Layla was just fine. She enjoys her time with Mrs. Denise, and she gets to play with Madi (3 yrs) and Abby (1 yr) every day and they love playing with her. They both get so excited when I walk in the door with her every morning, and they hug/kiss her goodbye every day when I pick her up. All this helps make it much easier on me to leave her there 5 days a week. I've always wanted to be a Stay-at-Home Mom, but since My Love is also a teacher, that just isn't an option. But, our God is so awesome and He has helped me through this way better than I thought it would go. Thank you Lord for Your peace and comfort! :)

Again, sorry it's been so long since I posted. And again, I'll try to post more often but I won't promise. Since the last post, Layla has swam in Greer's Ferry Lake, the Big Piney River, and the Atlantic Ocean. And, she's flown to Florida and back. She was quite the traveler this summer and did great! To see pictures from our trip to Florida to visit Dallas, Cindy, and Presley, click on "Gipsons on the Rocks" and you'll find them on Cindy's blog.

I love her so much and can't imagine life without her. :) Til later...

Layla's 4 Month Check-up

First of all, let me say "Happy 4-Month Birthday today Layla Scout!" My how time flies! She is such an amazing gift from God and blesses our lives every day! "Thank you God for entrusting this sweet angel of yours to us! Please help us raise her in Your ways! Amen!"

Next, Layla's 4 month check-up was last Thursday, July 2nd. She got her four month shots, and here are her stats:

She weighed 11 lbs 4.8 oz. (10%)

She measured 23.25 inches long (b/t 10 & 25 %).

And her head circumference was 16.54 inches (almost 40% - she's got a Westbrook head).

He also told us to go ahead and start her on rice cereal, fruits, and veggies. So, we began rice cereal on Sunday night. She didn't much care for the taste of it. She would let me give it to her with the spoon just great. But once she tasted it, she would spit it out. Then she began just leaving her mouth open so it would just roll right on out of there. :) And, she was crying the whole time. She was very thankful when we stopped giving her the rice cereal and I nursed her.

And, we can say that the first time we gave her "food" she kicked the bowl over. We were feeding her in her Bumbo and I set the bowl down on the table...a little too close to her foot. She was mad and kicking and kicked that bowl right over. Oops! It just made us laugh harder. Don't call us cruel...I guess you just had to be there. :)

When I get the video loaded on the computer, I'll post it b/c we were cracking up at her. Soo funny!

She's up and hungry. I'll post more later.

Layla's Two Month Pictures

These pictures were taken on May 16th (technically, she was 2 1/3 months old). Again, there were many good pictures, but these are the only four we bought:

Layla's Two Month Pictures

Layla's One Month Pictures

On April 7th, we had Layla's One Month pictures taken. These pictures were taken by Mandy Miller, whom I work with at one of my schools. She came to our house to take the pictures, which was nice and convenient. She did an excellent job and we loved them all! I recommend her to everyone and we will definitely use her again! I just wanted to share with you the six we bought:

Layla's One Month Pictures

Layla at 3 months

Okay, so time to do anything with two hands is very limited these days, and there's so much that needs to be done, so blogging gets pushed waayy back on the burner. Also, there's so much to share that I always think 'I don't have time to post it all.' So I don't post anything and then that list of things to post gets even longer. So here's a few things I can think of in these few moments:

At her two-month check-up she got her first shots (and, yes, I cried with her for these); she weighed 9 lbs 9 oz (25%) and was 21.5 in. long (5%). But her doctor isn't worried about her weight anymore, he says "they can't all be giants." Her head is growing like it should and he says that's what matters most. So it seems as though she's (thankfully) finally done with all her weight issues (she lost all the weigh down to 6 lbs 10 oz before finally putting weight on, although at a very slow rate). We are very glad to not have to worry with that anymore.

She sleeps through the night and has since about 3 wks old (probably would have been sooner if we wouldn't have been waking her to feed her).

When she's awake, she wants you to engage her. She doesn't like to be laid under her activity gym, or anywhere else, and left alone to entertain herself. If you're not there playing with her, she's crying, and usually within 10 minutes. But, she is very happy as long as you play with her (or take her with you around the house while you try to get something productive done).

She rolls from side to back and occasionally from back to side.

She does such a good job holding her head up and steady for long periods of time now.

She can stand on your lap for increasing lengths of time (with you helping her balance, of course).

She smiles, coos, and talks back to you if you do it to her.

She doesn't like baths, but loves to shower with you.

The changing pad is magic - she will talk, smile, and coo at you for as long as she's laying on it.

She still loves to be swaddled when she sleeps. If you lay her down unswaddled, she is very restless and wakes up often, but if you swaddle her tight first, she sleeps great.


May 3rd - May 9th, Dallas, Cindy, and Presley flew into town to meet Layla. She was 8 weeks old. It was so good to see them again. And it was really cool for me to see my brother holding and playing with my baby...so cool.

Keith and I had our first night away from her on Friday, June 5th. It was our 5-year anniversary and my parents called us and volunteered to keep her for us so we could have a date night. The date night was great (honestly don't remember the last time we had one of those) and I did enjoy the (mostly) uninterrupted sleep. But, I sure was glad to see her again on Saturday!


Click the picture below to see 44 pictures of our little girl from 1 to 3 1/2 months old:

Layla 1 to 3.5 months