27 Weeks Old

July 10th: 27 Weeks Old

Best Week Ever!! We had the most AMAZING family vacation ever this past week in Edisto. We were lazy all week long, we played board games, we slept in, we swam in the pool, we had DELICIOUS food.... and the STAR of it all Blakely!! Blakely was a super star... she got to hang out with her Gigi and PopPop, her Auntie and Uncle Matt (ie Her Favorite!!), and Mommy and Daddy ALL WEEK LONG!! SO AWESOME!!

This picture is evidence of Blakely's new nickname "Princess Crazy Hair." Humidity found Blakely this past week and her hair got out of control. At what age is it appropriate to introduce a flat iron

Highlights from the Week:
-Vacation in Edisto
-Loves to Look at the Outside
-Puts self to sleep
-"Princess Crazy Hair"
-Clown Killer
-Roars
-Just like Daddy... Blakely takes a nap in the pool
Picture Highlights from the Week:

One afternoon at the pool, I placed Blakely in her pool float with her Auntie, and then went to grab her sun hat out of the beach bag. I wasn't gone more than 60 seconds, and in that time period she fell asleep.... IN THE POOL!! If it was ever in question (which it never should have been), this is Richard's Baby!! HA! It was a lot cooler and more comfortable in the pool, so Rich, me, Auntie and Uncle Matt created a protective blockade for the girl and let her nap. This is NOT pediatrician recommended just FYI, do not try this at home!

Happy Fourth of July!! We had an amazing cookout outside our condo in Edisto!!

I HATE pictures of food on a blog, but this meal was too delcious to be left out. These are my mom's top secret ribs, and they are beyond words. YUM!!

This is Blakely having the time of her life! Uncle Matt likes to pretend Blakely is a rocket ship and launch her into outspace! She absolutely loves this and goes totally crazy for Uncle Matt.

Gigi may be Blakely's BFF, but currently Uncle Matt is favorite person. It's unbelievable. She'll be in the middle of global-world-war-3 meltdown, and then she sees Uncle Matt and she is instantly happy and giggling!! He is definately her favorite person currently. He is just so much fun!

The BFF Club

Blakely in her Travel bed at the Pool

Impromptu Photo shoot one night at the condo.... I LOVE these Tea jammies, she is too stinking cute!! Literally, this photo shoot is done on a bedsheet with PopPop holding a lap pad behind her! HA!

This week has been so much fun for Blakely.... so much to look at. She loves looking outside. There was a HUGE picture window out the back of the condo with a view of this marsh with alligators, herons, turtles and other water fowl. If she was fussy, all you would have to do is prop her up standing on the back of the couch and she would stare transfixed at the "outside." We have a little "tree hugger" on our hands!

26 weeks Old

July 3rd: 26 Week Picture

Who can believe that Blakely is 1/2 way to her first birthday!?!?

This was an amazing week!! First off, I finished residency!! Hallelujah!! Second, one of my very bestest friends in the whole world, Ms. Kayla "Ann" Foster, got married and became Mrs. Black!! Third, my ENTIRE family left for our vacation in Edisto Beach!! Finally, Baby Girl turned 6 months old and celebrated her very first half birthday (also, her Grand-Poppy's real birthday)!! I wish every week was as good as this week!!

Highlights from the Week:
-Blakely turns 1/2 year old
-Mommy FINALLY finishes residency
-Blakely loves to put her feet in her mouth
-Blakely sits up unassisted for the first time (still some major over corrections!! HA!)
-Wildcat and T-Rex
-Heading to Edisto for vacation with the Tober family

Picture Highlights from the Week:

We spent the week running between the pool and the air conditioning. This past week was record highs everyday, and I was on "Melanoma High Alert." My husband is the self proclaimed "King of Caucasia" and Blakely has pale, soft baby skin... I had Coppertone Sunblock spray in both hands!! HA!

We attempted to go to the beach one day.... and once was plenty!! Such a production. You have to take SOOO much stuff to make the beach even remotely enjoyable for a baby. We went long enough for Blakely to swim and play, but then had to run back to the air conditioning.

Hanging with Daddy

If Blakely could talk, she would say "I LOVE AIR CONDITIONING!!"

Blakely with her half birthday cake!! Unfortunately, she couldn't have any, because she is only up to stage 2 baby foods.

Gigi and Auntie got Blakely this ADORABLE Mudpie monkey bib for her 1/2 birthday!! 

Blakely and her PopPop

Totally T-Rexing for PopPop!! PopPop loves his girl!

Blakely loves her Gigi and her PopPop!! Even when she sees a picture of them, she goes crazy. Picture of her mommy.... nope. Picture of Auntie..... nope. Picture of Gigi....Wildcat goes crazy!! She loves them, and I think the feeling is mutual!! :)

We had an amazing week in Edisto. We swam, we relaxed, we played tons of games, we ate beach food and over all, just had a perfect vacation!! Thank you so much Gigi and PopPop for taking us on an awesome adventure!! Can't wait for our next family trip!!

25 Weeks Old

June 26th: 25 Weeks Old

Racing to the finish... not many pictures this week, we have gone into survival mode. Mom officially has 3 days left of work until the end!! YEAH!!

Highlight from the Week:
-Fake coughing.... especially for Auntie. Weird.
-Giggles at everything
-Reaches for mommy and auntie when she wants picked up... totally shocked Auntie when she did this for the first time at their weekly lunch date at Bruegger's.
-Wildcat vs. T-Rex
    -Blakely is the noisiest baby you will ever meet. She makes these really loud, wild sounds when she is happy, and we call her Wildcat. She also has learned how to make deep, growly sounds, and then we call her T-Rex. She is so funny.
- Uncle Matt's Rocket
    -Blakely LOVES her Uncle Matt. He likes to pretend she is a rocket, and she giggles and kicks her legs like crazy!!
-Fish face... Blakely puckers her lips, sucks in her cheeks and the "pops"!! A picture will be better.

Picture Highlights from the Week:

 

 
This is Blakely at a cookout at her Uncle Matt and Auntie's house. She was T-rexing all night long. She is such an active, crazy baby!! These pictures were shot in sequence.

Fish face baby!! This is the strangest thing ever. Blakely likes to suck her cheeks in, pucker her lips and then.... "POP!" It is hysterical. I have no idea how she learned how to make this. Crazy baby!

Beautiful, blue-eyed baby!!

24 Weeks Old

June 19th: 24 Weeks Old

This week Blakely got to spend a lot of time with her Daddy. I had to work pretty much ALL THE TIME, so Blakely and her Daddy got some quality time. The two of them did everything together, including a trip to a local estate auction!! Blakely absolutely loves her Daddy.... she laughs more for him, than for ANYONE else. Rich has always had a very intellectualized/intelligent humor, and I take it as evidence of Blakely's brilliance that she already gets his jokes! Ha!

With me finishing residency and Rich still being a fellow, we have not had the best schedule. This has resulted in us being apart for both Mother's Day and now Father's Day. Sad. Hopefully, things will be different in years to come. But for now, we will have to be happy with the best gift ....BLAKELY!!

Highlights from the Week:
-Loves the Kitty!! Can't eat, can't play.... when the Kitty is around, Blakely is mesmerized!!
-Pets the Kitty (with ALOT of supervision)
-Plays with Daddy
-Giggles at books.... favorite is "Miss Spider's Surprise."
-Can Tri-Pod sit when propped up... so close to sitting up on her own.
-First Father's Day
-Sings herself to sleep

Tri-pod!! Totally had to be propped up in this position, and if left to her own she face plants. This girl keeps forgetting that her hands are what hold her up. She tries to continue to "sit up," and put her hands in her mouth. This is amazing!! Go baby girl, GO!!

Blakely is finally able to focus on the pages and listen to a whole story. She is learning to love books!! Her favorite book currently is "Miss Spider's Surprise"....she is a sucker for alliteration.

Daddy and Blakely hanging out. Daddy is a master of effeciency!! HA!

My two favorite people!! Cuddle time with Daddy is the best!

23 Weeks Old

June 12th: 23 Week Old Picture

Blakely is changing so much everyday!! She turned 5 months old last week, and I can hardly believe how quickly time is flying by. I am excited that time is passing quickly, because that means that I am one step closer to being done with residency... YEAH!! On the other hand, that means that Blakely is growing up!! My baby is becoming a big girl! She loves doing big girl stuff.... like standing up (with A LOT of assistance), sitting up (with A LOT of assistance) and she is burning through all the jar vegetable foods. Such a pumpkin!

This week, she discovered that she can roll over both front to back, and now back to front!! This gives Blakely A LOT of mobility. She loves to roll onto her tummy, hold her head high in the air, and smile really big! She is sooooo proud of herself. After she rolls over, she looks around for Richard or I and then smile so big!! Her pride is so addicting... we smile and clap and cheer like fools every time she does it. So much fun!

Highlights from the Week:
-Blakely fully rolls over back to front
-Head held high when she is on her belly... loving tummy time!!
-Blakely is proud of herself!! She looks for approval now when she rolls over, and she smiles and goes crazy when you clap and praise her.
-Blakely visits Mommy and Daddy at work at MUSC

Picture Highlights from the Week:

I don't know if you can tell in this picture, but Blakely is the drooliest baby ever!! Her shirt is SOAKED in this picture all the way down to the belly button... this was the work of about 30 minutes. This girl MUST wear a bib at all times! HA!

Standing up with a "little" assistance.

Blakely riding the "bucking bronco"!!! She loves this!! It makes her laugh and go crazy!!

Love these!!! And best of all, so does Blakely!! These are chewbeads... Mommy fashion jewelry that are soft and safe for baby gums. Such a great idea.

Hang on tight baby girl!!

Bathing beauty

This past Sunday, Rich and I got a special surprise while we were at work. Richard was on call, and I was stuck in Level 2 nursery for a 12 hour shift. It was amazing!! I got to hang out with Blakely, and we all got to have lunch in the glamorous MUSC cafeteria. This was the best 2 hours of work....EVER!!

Future MUSC Student

Blake-A-Bear