Meet Virginia

Cayce received his orders today!  We're heading to Norfolk, VA!!  He will be on the USS Wasp (LHD 1).  We could not be happier.  This is where we want to be.  I can't wait to get there.  I'm ready to move now, but alas we have to wait until around April.  I'm pretty much over SC and all it has to offer, or not offer.  I'm ready for us to be around "our" kind of people, by that I mean, Navy people.  I hope we never end up Greenside again.  It was a fun experiment, but Cayce signed up for ships and blue, not Marines and green.  Norfolk has so much to offer Navy services wise, entertainment wise, and socially.  Is it too soon to start packing?

taking a break

unwillingly.

The connecting point between the laptop the power source has some how malfunctioned so on Monday it was dropped off at Geek Squad.  It will be gone 2 to 4 weeks.  :-(.  So until then this will be the last post.

Cayce learned today he will be going TAD to DC for 3 weeks!  Woo Hoo!  Some how Lily and I will find our way up there to visit for at least a weekend.  He'll be there during September and October.  Anywho that's all for now.  Have a great several weeks! 

*Rise and Shine*

Today Lily turns 5 months old.  She celebrated in the best way ever.  She slept for 12.5 hours last night.  I'm used to her averaging 9 and 10 hours, but this 12 hour thing was a whole new experience for us.  I was completely at a loss for what to do this morning.  I was afraid to do anything because I kept thinking she'd wake up as soon as I got engrossed.  So I was totally lazy and watched CNN and perused the internet for 2 hours.  Quite entertaining.  Once she woke up.....

Look at this happy girl.  Wouldn't you be happy after 12.5 hours of sleep?











We had our monthly photo shoot:

I think she's officially out grown her infant seat for our photos sessions. 

So we'll try a different locale, but she quickly got distracted.

Apparently the photo shoot and lunch exhausted Lily.  While I was working on this blog, she was rolling around on the floor babbling, and the next thing I know:

She's asleep.













I want to cover her up, but I know as soon as I get up Choco will also get up which will wake Lily up.  I'll just hope she's not too chilly.  We have soccer tonight so the more Lily naps this afternoon the better.  We don't want a cranky baby in that hot sticky heat.  Have a great day!

PRUNES!

Just to kind of help keep *things* moving, and just for fun to see if she'd even eat them... verdict in:  She loved them!

They don't look very appetizing when she's wearing them, but we heard no complaints.

Check out Facebook

for a super cute video of Lily.   This is what sitting in the car with the AC running hiding from pterodactyl sized mosquitoes waiting for Cayce to finish up with soccer practice looks like.  Click on the Facebook badge on the left side of the blog.  Then click my name at the top.  For Facebook newbies once on my FB look under my picture and name for a link that says "videos," and click there.  There is only one video.  Enjoy!

Mautinos:1 BRU: 0

     Today was the BEST shopping trip ever, ever, ever.  Cayce and I are totally addicted to Babies R Us.  We are the exact suckers the store markets to.  Oh, an easier way to change a baby and it costs 20% more at BRU than Target, yes please!  Super cute educational toy that makes lots of noise to annoy every adult within a 10 mile radius, AND it costs 30% more than at Wal-Mart, YES PLEASE.  Sale items for "Rewards Members" that actually still cost more than anywhere else, put it on Visa!  However, as over priced, sensory overloading, and overwhelming the amount of *stuff* in the store is, it's a great place to shop for different brands,  hands-on try outs with the copious amounts of must-have baby items (remember the good ol' days when all that was needed for a baby was some cloth diapers and a dresser drawer to sleep in?), AND when you shop there religiously as Cayce and I do the sales can indeed be found.  And amazing they can be.  I'm a girl that loves finding great deals.  I clip coupons with the best of them, search online for the best prices, and shop the Commissary before anywhere else.  Today was an example of my astute skill for finding the deals.

     Lily got to move on up to a big girl car seat today. I have a small car, and the backseat to Cayce's truck is snug therefore, we were in need of a super safe, compact, convertible seat for her. So after plenty of online research we decided on the Britax Roundabout 50.

 I specifically wanted the Cowmooflauge design because, really, what kind of Oklahoma State fan would I be if I turned a blind eye to this Cowboy cuteness?
We headed to BRU knowing we would be purchasing this seat and breathable safety bumpers

since Lily has taken to moving all over her crib at night and waking up crying from hitting the sides and/or getting her little legs stuck between the slats.  We had to purchase the car seat in the store in order to use a 20% off coupon I had, and I also planned on using another 20% off coupon for the bumpers.  Well we get to the store, first things first, bathroom stop.  It's a long drive from Beaufort to Charleston.  So as we cross to the car seat aisle the walkers catch my eye.  Just for fun, because I've read what a danger they are, stairs, tipping, yadda yadda yadda, we look at them.  We picked a super expensive, bulky, and popular, walker and put her in it.  She was still too short for it and was none too pleased.  I spied a smaller walker, a good $70 less than the other one, which might I add, I'd also read negative reviews about, and once again, just for fun, we
put Lily in it.  Oh Good Lord, the smile and giggles that girl gave us!  Immediately she was having fun.  Her little feet could touch, and she was slowly, yet surely, pushing herself down the aisle.  So Cayce and I, suckers that we are, look at her, look at the price, and say her happiness is totally worth $39.  I've got that 20% off coupon right!  So, before we could even get one of the items on our short list, we've already gone $40 over our expected budget.

     Well, now happy and glowing to have been snookered by BRU we head to the car seats with blinders on.  There we see our intended.  We take it and the Britax Marathon, and play with them on the vehicle seat they have conveniently set up for shopping enthusiasts like us.  We snap them in, put Lily in each, recline the seats, let her try them out, and we confirm our choice of the Roundabout.  Now the fun part.  There are boxes and boxes and boxes of Marathons and Boulevards, but not a Roundabout in sight.  Cayce hunts down a friendly salesperson, and after some research we are told they have none in the store, and as a matter of fact, will not be getting anymore in the Cowmooflauge because the pattern is being discontinued.  However, if we want that style we can still order it online or they can sell us the floor model.  Disappointment sets in.  We can't use the 20% off coupon, which makes an expensive purchase, a reasonable purchase, unless we buy in-store.  Amazon, surprisingly, isn't even better priced than BRU, especially with the coupon.  Trust me I looked!  I suppose we could have purchased the Marathon, but it would be a tight fit in my car, and probably would not have worked in Cayce's truck, plus it was $80 more than the Roundabout.  Surely we can't buy the floor model?  Can we?  I know we're not supposed to buy used car seats because you don't know if they've been in an accident, expired, yadda yadda yadda.  But is the floor model the same as "used?"  Hmmm.  Must think about this.  In the meantime I run to get the bumpers.  I know we're getting those regardless of the seat.  In my absence for bumpers and a subsequent diaper change the friendly salesperson returns with news from the manager, if we take the floor model they will take an additional 10% off.  *ding ding ding ding* we have a winner!  In our euphoria we also decide to buy a car mirror  

for our chatty Cathy to have someone to talk to in the back seat, and seat belt strap covers.
I know, I know we're not supposed to add anything to the car seats in order to avoid compromising the intended safety and warranty of the seat, but her little neck just needed some relief from those straps!  Besides, they're minimal and just soften with adding little bulk to the strap.  (Did I ever mention there are too many rules "they" put out about raising children?)  So now that you've taken this shopping journey with me I'd like to add up the original cost of all the above listed items.

Britax Roundabout 50   $199.99
Baby Trend Walker       $39.99
Breathable Bumpers      $29.99
Safety Mirror               $15.99
Car Seat Strap Covers + $ 6.99
                     subtotal   292.95
                    7.5% tax +  21.97
                                  $314.92

Who thinks we spent anywhere near that much??  No, no, no.  Take the 20% off coupon, plus the additional 10% off of the car seat, the 20% off of the walker, and some random "Members Rewards" sales here and there and we spent... drum roll please.... $226.65.  Buying $63 worth of merchandise more than we anticipated we actually only went about $10 over what we had originally budgeted.  It was a GOOD day for us!  The even better news is Lily is much more content in her new seat, and enjoyed talking to her new friend on the drive home.  She slept pretty peacefully once we got out of the city, and had a nice long hour and fifteen minute nap.  She's enjoyed her walker quite a bit this evening.  She'll only be able to use it in the kitchen as it's the only room in the house without carpeting, but that minimizes risks to safety and can keep her entertained while I cook and "coupon clip" online.  The bumpers look nice, and I feel safer knowing she has them.  Even though Cayce and I go a little overboard with Lily it all comes from a place of love.  We want what's best for her, I research the heck out of everything we buy, and we rarely (walker excluded) buy items for her without giving serious consideration first.  If it makes anyone feel better, I know it makes me feel better, we have a wonderful consignment shop in town where we purchase a lot of her clothes, so we do save money there.  I know she's spoiled, and I know at some point we're going to have to employ the word "no" and mean it, but not yet, right?  But who can deny this girl anything?

Who's ready for supper?!

 World's largest teething toy.

I Like the Sound of This Book

Lily has a favorite book.  I love that she has a favorite book, however it's her favorite not because the story is captivating or the pictures are vibrant.  No, it's because the pages are cloth filled with crinkle paper, and she LOVES the sound.  I read a few books to her each day, and I quickly learned no matter which books I read I must wait to read Things I Love last.  Lily will play with the book and focus on it for many baby minutes.  It's so much fun to see how much she has grown and learned in just a short 4.5 months.  She also gets a big kick out of Itsy Bitsy Spider.  She thinks it's hilarious to watch me sing it.  She's not quite crazy about me making her do the motions, but we're working on it.  I'm trying to find other songs with motions, but so far I only know Patty Cake.  She's not as impressed with it.  I don't think the motions are big enough.  Anywho.  Lily's in bed sleeping, and Cayce and I need to do the same.  Enjoy the pictures!

Is there something on my face??

Lily had her first experience with actual food.  Squash.  She enjoyed the heck out of it!  Daddy enjoyed feeding her!  And Choco enjoyed cleaning her face!

Mmmm.... notice the audience we had.  Choco next to Lily and Cosmo behind Lily.  Just patiently waiting for a little taste of their own.

What?  That's it? No more?  Maybe I can eat what's left on my face?

Don't call Child Welfare.  Choco is not Lily's bather normally.  This is Mommy's fault.  I wanted a nice pretty picture of Lily smiling post-squashcapade, but apparently Choco thought Lily's face just looked too yummy and needed to give her kisses.  Good thing Lily's used to Choco's antics!

Biggest Loser

Lily went to the doctor this week for her 4 month check up.  She weighs 14lbs 2 oz, 26 inches long, with a 16 inch head.  For height the girl is in the 95%, weight 50%, and head between 25 and 50%.  However, the weight for length percentile is a paltry 5%.  That seems crazy.  Lily's chubby looking, she has a couple of chins, rolly polly arms, and cellulite in her thighs.  There are times I think she's eating too much, but apparently not.  The doctor didn't seem concerned at all, and gave us a good report. 

Lily handled her shots like a champ, she barely cried this time and was easy to soothe.  Cayce and I had to decide who was going to do the soothing this time.  Cayce won and got to comfort her.  I got the pleasure of holding her head and kissing her while she was getting the shots.  She pretty much slept for the rest of the day again, and when she was awake she was fussy.  She did develop a fever in the evening.  We discovered Lily wouldn't take the cherry flavored acetaminophen this time (Who can blame her?  I can't stand anything cherry flavored).  So at 9:00 PM Cayce was at Walgreens searching for grape flavored medicine.  She slept just fine that night, but continued her needy mood the next day.  Lily's not much of a cuddler, but she was super cuddly those two days... it was actually nice.

We've been feeding Lily rice fairly consistently now for a couple weeks.  Some evenings she likes it, some nights not so much.  She was all about it last night, and for the first time ever she ate the entire serving of rice.  Dr. E told us we could move on to other stage one foods now that she's mastered the spoon.  I think this weekend I might try some yellow squash.

 Lily has taken to her crib like a champ.  She's sleeping through the night each night.  We got 10 hours the other night, but she's averaging 8 and 9 hours each night.  Of course I'm not getting that much sleep.  I've started reading in earnest again.  So I stay up reading for a couple of hours after everyone goes to sleep.  I'm sure I need the sleep, but I feel like I need that *me* time more. *shrug*


Now that we've ended all our traveling I've officially started to work off the remaining baby weight.  Cayce and I have worked out a nice arrangement.  He bathes Lily each night, and while he does that I do my Jillian Michaels' work-out DVD.  So far it's working really well.  I had my last soda yesterday.  I have a headache right now, and I'm trying to decide if it's a caffeine headache or a sinus headache.  Cayce and I have a weight loss competition going on for the next 8 weeks, so no cookies or brownies in this house for a while.  Good thing I keep the freezer stocked with Popsicles, or I may go into high fructose corn-syrup withdrawals.   


Our lives are about to get busy again.  Cayce starts coaching soccer next week, and school starts in a couple of weeks.  We've decided I'm going to work each Friday Cayce has off, just to help bring in some extra cash.  It's only two days a month, but it helps.  I'm sure the first day will be super tough, but Lily will sleep through most of my work day.  Anywho.  Picture time.

Clean baby after bath time with Daddy!

Supper just exhausted her!

I don't know who's more worn out in this picture.