Mimi and Diddy!!

Mimi and Diddy watch the kids for us last weekend while we went to a shower, can you tell they had lots of fun!?!?!

The Hooch!

Last weekend on of my best friends Ashley and I met up at a Chattahoochee Park in Roswell. I used to go there as a kid and I found out that John did too. Jackson and Bailey had one of the best days ever, they were so good for us. I am really looking forward to going back there again, we had such an AWESOME time...next time we will bring a lunch and eat it there instead of going out, it was so beautiful!

Elliot's B-day and more!

Russ and Debbie (Jessi's parents) helped me out so much at Elliot's 2nd birthday party. Here is a pic of Russ holding Bailey while Debbie is making her laugh :)

Tomi, Jessi, and me :) **Jessi is due in 4 weeks!!! I can't believe how fast time has gone!!

Yep, this was the best picture I could get of the 3 boys together, it's getting harder these days!

At the park a few weeks ago :)

My Aunt Mary made Bailey some REALLY cute hats and here is a picture of her in one!

Bailey LOVES her new toy!! It's so fun to watch her in it, she is so little!

Jackson is such a protective big brother. He really does enjoy having Bailey around. Lately when anyone even so much as touches her stroller or car seat he freaks out! He doesn't want basically anyone but me holding her too. Wonder where he gets his nervous nature from?!?!

Happy Valentine's Day

Bailey's 4 month check-up

Bailey has really started getting the hang of playing with little toys.

She played for about 20 min. with this one while I was cooking and then was out! :) So sweet!

Bailey got to start her solids when she turned 4 months. We were in Auburn, so the whole Ballard family got to watch :) It was Janet's, Dan's, and Em's birthdays.

A certain someone got jealous and said he wanted some too! He thought it was ice cream and he acted like he enjoyed it, but I think he just enjoyed everyone laughing and having the center of attention :) This morning when I was feeding Bailey Jackson said, "Dats Baiy-yee's happy to you". He calls birthday cake and ice cream "happy to you" from the birthday song :)

What she looked like after the first bite!

She can hold her self up pretty good...but not for very long!

Weight: 13lbs 14oz (70th %ile)

Height: 28 inches (75th %ile)

I was shocked when the Dr. told me her %ile's b/c I think she is so tiny! I guess I can't compare her to Jackson b/c boy's charts are completely different. I think it's also b/c of how big Jackson is now, it makes her seem EXTRA small! Bailey has a wonderful little personality. She smiles ALL the time! In fact, she won't eat sometimes b/c she is looking at me and smiling! It's hilarious! She still loves the high chair~it's her favorite place to be besides being held! Here is what is going on with her this month...

~she wakes up 3 times a night like clockwork! 11 or 11:30pm ; 2 or 2:30am ; 4 or 5am.

~she ROLLED OVER a few times from her belly to her back

~She wakes up between 8-8:30am every morning like clockwork too

~she could watch Jackson ALL day, she loves to look at him and Cooper too actually :)

~she does not like to eat when she gets up, she has to have a conversation and hang out first anywhere from 30min-1 hr (seriously...she won't eat...she just smiles and talks! Is she a girl or what! I have NO idea where she gets that ;)

~she definitely likes the T.V and could watch Up and Pixar movies for quite a while

~she is very jumpy and is easily scared, John laughs b/c I am EXACTLY like that

~she has gotten better about riding in the car and doesn't hate it so much anymore

~she chews on her hands constantly and loves to look at them and her feet too

~I LOVE to hear her playing with her toys while I am driving...melts my heart!

It is all happing so fast. I am not in a hurry like I was last time. I have my moments of feeling overwhelmed (in fact I did yesterday!), but for the most part...I am much more calm about everything this time around. I don't watch the clock on feedings, I REALLY wanted to know if she was gaining the correct amount of weight because of breastfeeding...but I let it go and trusted my instint and I was right :) She is on a schedule, mainly b/c her brother is...so she just goes with that. She has basically been on one for at least a month now.

Cousins and more!

This is a picture from Jessi's baby shower for Olivia! She is due in March~I can't believe how fast time has past!

The pics above and below are from a visit in January (you can see the snow in the background)

I found Jackson like this when I was trying to clean (that is our broom). I told him he could have that toy he is reaching for as incentive after he went to the potty like a big boy (still working on understanding # 2). Well, he obviously was thinking, "Mom I don't need to potty, all I need is something long enough to knock this off!" Is he like his Dad or what?!?!

The pictures above and below are from the day John got home from an 11 day work trip. Can you tell Jackson needed some "man time"?!?! And Bailey sure did miss Daddy's hugs!

**I wish their was a picture I could post of me hugging John. I missed him more than words can describe. I don't know how I managed without him, he is my rock. He is an amazingly hands on father. I was just telling someone the other day that until John had gone out of town, I think I had only given Jackson a bath and put him to bed 2 or 3 times since Bailey was born~he always does it. He also takes him outside almost everyday when he gets home and I am truly blessed to have him as a husband.

This is from this weekend and it is the 1st picture of all 5 Ballard grandchildren together. I have to say this was difficult to get and I know they don't like to sit still for it, but they will be VERY happy that they have this picture when they are my age :)

Aunt Amy!!

Avery was soooo excited to hold Bailey and she did a great job! Bailey is a lucky girl to have such a loving older cousin, I know Bailey will follow her around everywhere once she can walk ;)

Mischievous Jackson!

watching movies in his "Buzz Boat" (actually a space ship that Aunt Emmie gave him)

"Eng-ni-neer"

Cooking all Dad's tools

"ooooooh TREAT!" (strawberry smoothie)

and he takes a sip....

Approval!!! hahahaha

Jackson is doing great with potty training, we are almost at two weeks and he has a pretty good grasp on it. He definitely does not get #2, but we are working on that ;) He has been really testing our limits lately. He has had some VERY BAD terrible two moments. The one with the smoothie was from New Years when he acted terrible at dinner with friends. He actually didn't get the smoothie until he behaved better, but I was desperate and would have given it to him anyways! ha! He just screams and yells and throws fits. John and I never thought we would have a child who behaved like that~I think if you asked our parents they would tell you that we are just getting what we gave to them! He wines and cries constantly. He sits in time out a good bit and has had some bad (but some funny) moments. Here are a few:

~We caught him with the fish food in his hand and he had emptied out the entire thing into the fish tank (can't BELIEVE the fish made it!) It was sooooo gross and yucky smelling!

~He then dumped the temporary fish bowl on to the floor and I caught him just as the little fishy was flipping and flopping on the floor as Jackson was laughing and trying to catch him saying "fishy, fishy!!!" UGH! Yes, the fish made it, although our rug did not. (needless to say after all this there is now a safety lock on the outside of the office door and John has even threatened to put an alarm up too! hahahaha love my engineer!)

~Jackson dumped the ENTIRE salt shaker on the couch while I was changing Bailey's diaper that she had just pooped out of (which by the way I was literally right there with our pack-n-play in the living room, just didn't look up until the deed was done! of course!)

I really shouldn't talk like he is always bad, but it does feel like that sometimes ;) Yesterday I asked him what he wanted for lunch and he said "How about...chips!" hahahaha...love what kids catch onto. Later that night John asked him what book he wanted to read for bed and he said "how about...Gingerbread Baby!"

3 months old!

Bailey with Payton and Sloane on New Years

Jackson was actually "sawing Frosty"

We let Bailey come outside for a few minutes too :)

Her 1st time playing with a toy :) And she LOVES her highchair!

Bailey with Grandpa!

As you can see Bailey is doing great! It is super easy to get her to smile...she will take one look at us and smile :) She is napping pretty well too. She takes one 1 1/2 hour nap about an hour after she wakes up, cat naps a little all day here and there, and then takes a 2-3 hour nap when her brother goes down at 2 (I hope that lasts for a little while!!). She loves to watch Jackson, she could watch him all day! He is starting to realize she is taking up my time and says "Bailey take nap! Bailey take nap!" hahaha! She has also started laughing this month! It is sooo cute and I will post the video we took on here soon. We are doing great with breastfeeding, I count my blessings with every month that goes by! I feel so lucky to be able to do it, but it can be scary! Unlike with a bottle, you have no idea how much they are eating and are constantly questioning yourself if they are getting enough. I really think it's very hard, one of the hardest things I have ever done. We don't go to the Dr. for 3 months, so you will have to check back at 4 to see how much she weighs and such. I can tell you it's not much! She is so tiny! She is my little angel. I could watch her and Jackson all day long~I love to watch them sleep, eat, laugh, talk, and even cry...there really is nothing better than loving your children. Every stage is so wonderful and fun!