Week 11: 9/9/09 - 9/15/09

We have had a very laid back week. I think we needed to recover from the late night FSU game last Monday. We didn't get back to Panama City until 2 am, so we spent the next few days taking it easy. Some late afternoons, we like to take Lauren to the St. Andrews Marina and stroll around. She likes all the planks and usually falls asleep. The weather has been really nice lately; we can almost feel the Fall breeze off the water. The 3 of us made our debut to Hunt's Oyster Bar. Sorry, no photos but I have a feeling Lauren is going to get used to this place once "real" (ie. cold weather) oyster season starts for mommy...I'll just pull up her stroller next to my bar stool for a dozen or two really soon! For all of you who know my criteria for a "Tricia Oyster Bar", this place qualifies: a dirty bar top with Coke in the bottle! Aaahhh, smiles all across my face :-) and only a 5 minute drive from our house.

We spent ALL day Saturday watching college football games. Very lazy, but very nice to hear the sound of football coming from our TV.

On Sunday, we took Lauren to church here in Panama City. We aren't quite sure when we should start her in the nursery (Flu season kinda scares me and she won't get her shot for another 5 weeks or so). So, we carried her into the service. She lasted through all of the singing, but 10 minutes into the sermon she was done. She and I spent the rest of the service listening from the foyer where she was completely happy laying on the bench, and not sitting in my lap. Oh well, we'll either try again or consider the nursery.

And last but not least...Lauren took her first boat ride in the Bay. We went 6 mph on a calm day at sunset and she loved it. Yes, the life jacket was there.

Milestones: She is chewing on her fingers a lot! Sometimes I can't tell if she is hungry or just enjoying her fingers. She still looks at her hands--front, back, moving fingers slowly--in amazement. She is starting to lift her feet off the ground when she is on her back. I'm sure it won't be too many more weeks until she discovers them as well. She continues to roll over from tummy to back. She doesn't stay on her tummy long before doing it so it's hard to get it on video. (I tried posting a video, but it didn't work; I think it was too long. I'll try again next week.) She continues to smile a lot (which makes us so happy) and coo's more and more.

We are looking forward to a fun trip to Orlando this next long weekend. Can't wait to visit with all of our friends down there...it's been too long!!

Week 10: 9/2/09 - 09/08/09 Labor Day at Crystal Lake

We spent the Labor Day Weekend at Crystal Lake. It was a very relaxing weekend filled with good food and visiting with family. Lauren slept in her Pack n Play for the first time and was a great sleeper and good baby all weekend long. She had TONS of attention from everybody there. We took her on her first boat ride; she didn't love it but she didn't hate it. I'm sure that she will grow to love being on the boat with her daddy.

Lauren's milestones: she has definitely found her hands and likes to suck on her index finger and thumb and will sometimes try to put her entire hand in her mouth. It is really cute. We hope she doesn't progress to her thumb alone. I'm considering trying out different shapes of pacifiers so that she can substitute her fingers for a paci. We'll see. She will look at her hands for the longest time turning them over and over and moving her fingers. Towards the end of the week, she started grabbing at the doll hanging down from play mat and holding on to it. She is continuing to roll over from her tummy to back with ease. We still can't believe that she is rolling over. She is cooing and talking more and more and will sometimes "laugh". Grandma says that when she smiles, she smiles with her mouth AND her eyes. She is so sweet and happy; I can't get enough of her sometimes.

~proud mama

Let the CONFUSION begin!

Football season 2009 has officially begun and so has the big question: "Who should Lauren cheer for?" I have decided to make her a fan of both FSU and UF until she can decide for herself. This is a BIG question, you know! Eric and I would both like for her to follow in our steps and go to UF to school (although we know that she will have to turn down acceptance letters from Princeton and Harvard :-) to do that) but I think she can do what I did and still like the noles. Which colors do you think she looks better in?

We watched the UF game at Crystal Lake on Saturday and Eric and I went to the FSU/Miami game on Monday night while Grandma and Pa babysat Lauren.

Week 9: 8/26/09 - 9/1/09

Lauren had a great week. She is growing and changing weekly and seems to be developing and showing off her personality: a little miss busy body (she is constantly moving her arms and legs) and somewhat independent. She loves to be by herself on the floor or her play mat while someone is sitting and looking at her. Her swing is almost like a new toy because she has discovered herself in the mirror above her. She is smiling more and coo's quite a bit in different tones. We love to hear her "talk to us/herself". As for milestones, she has definitely found her hands and can bring them to midline. She will look at her hand as if she has just found a wonderful new attachment to her body. :-) We will oftentime find her sucking on her index and middle fingers even after she has eaten; we just hope she doesn't find her thumb. She still doesn't take a pacifier well, or at least doesn't coordinate her suck well enough to keep it in her mouth. A pediatric dentist's nightmare...a daughter with a thumb sucking issue! Ha!

The most important milestone this week: LAUREN ROLLED OVER! From belly to back on 9/1/09. Daddy and Lauren were doing some tummy time when I left the room to get the camera to take a picture of her looking at her giraffe. While I was out of the room, Eric called and said "Tricia, come quick...she just rolled over!" We couldn't believe it! I did catch the second roll-over with the video camera. I almost cried; she isn't supposed to grow up this fast!

On Wednesday, Grandaddy and Ganny babysat at our house once in the morning and once in the afternoon while I went to two meetings.

Lauren received another mosquito bite this week...that's 3 bites in 3 days. We know that she is getting them inside our house at night, so we rigged a way to keep the pesky mosquitos away...a piece of pink tulle with a bungee cord. It's working, so we're going to continue to do it. Yes, Lauren is still sleeping in our bedroom in her bassinet. I am really not ready for her to move into her room, although I'm sure she would do just fine. Baby is ready, the mommy is NOT.

On Friday night, we went out with the "baby club" to the back porch at Spinnaker to listen to Mike Grandy's band play for the last time of the summer. Lauren got to visit with her friends Bailey Melzer and Anna McCord. I love sitting with all the babies outside listening to the gulf's waves and good band music and feeling the cool breeze. I think the babies like it too.

Saturday, Daddy's office did some marketing at Fairytale Consignment Sale in Panama City so, of course, our associate Lauren went with us. Cousin Emily was our toothfairy and Lauren seemed to like looking at her while sitting at our booth.

Sunday was Baby Dedication Sunday at First Baptist Church, Chipley. Check out the previous blog to see pictures of this.

Tuesay, we spent the day with Daddy and went to the beach. Lauren laid out in her tent while we relaxed and swam in the water. I've never seen PCB so beautiful! The water and surf were so blue, clear and clean; I almost forgot we were at our new home and not on vacation in the Bahamas.

Dedication Sunday 8/30/09

Lauren was dedicated at First Baptist Church, Chipley on Sunday August 30, 2009. She had many family there to witness this special day. The dress that I was christened in 30 years ago was worn by Lauren. She hasn't been a fan of people holding her for long periods of time (except Grandaddy...), so I was a little nervous about how she would do in front of the entire church. I could just picture her crying the whole time. She did well though, even though I had to "stuff" the pacifier in her mouth for fear that her little wimpering would turn into a scream-fest. It really was a special day for us, as new parents. After church, we went to Gigi and Pop's house to have lunch. Aunt Mel was there to love on Lauren the entire time we ate...Lauren loved Aunt Mel giving her a bottle, rocking her, and telling her stories. We had a great day in Chipley. The entire reason for moving back to The Panhandle: so Lauren could be with and be loved by her family.

(I love this last picture...diaper and pearls...!)

Week 8: 8/19/09 - 8/25/09

Lauren has started her soon-to-be normal life of life on-the-go this past week. And she was such a trooper and good little girl!

We started the week with saying "good-bye" to Daddy as he went on a 5 day fishing trip to Stuart, FL with Pa, Uncle Lance, Uncle Gabe, and Uncle Joey. Lauren and I spent 2 nights at Gigi and Pops' house. While we were there, she met Kendall and Kali, Gigi's co-workers at the County School Board office, Grandma's co-workers at the hospital (don't worry, we just went to her office...no immunizations yet), and had lunch with Mama Lee at her house. She also met all the gentlemen at the coffee shop with Grandaddy. You should have seen all 11 of those men; they just oh'ed and ah'ed over her. It was a really sweet sight!

On Saturday, Lauren and I made our maiden voyage on our first girls trip to Gainesville to watch Joel Ticola be baptized at Queen of Peace church. We visited with the Caroline family, our back door neighbors in Town of Tioga. It was such a weird feeling driving into Town of Tioga with our baby. So many feelings rushed back as I remembered living there and wanting to have a baby. I felt very weird, but very relieved. Like a chapter had ended and a great new big one had just started. It was great to introduce Lauren to the Caroline's. After picking up take-out from Las Margaritas (of course!), we headed to our hotel. Lauren and I made it from the car to our room with our luggage with no problem and started our girl's night in. Saturday night, in Gainesville, in our pajamas, in a hotel room by 8pm...the sweetest Saturday night ever! The next day, we went to church and watched Joel be baptized. He did really great without even a whimper. Lauren got to meet my dear friend Karen Perrin (the best Burn Unit ARNP) while we were at church...I'm so glad we got to see you, Karen! We then had lunch with Matt and Daphne's families at the Ivy House Restaurant in Alachua. Lauren was such a good little traveler...slept all the way to and from Gainesville.

Monday, Lauren had her picture made wearing my christening gown; her first studio pictures. The first of many, I'm sure. :-) They turned out great and can't wait to share them with everybody.

The night before her Doctor's appointment, while Lauren was asleep, a really bad mosquito kissed my baby's face! If I ever catch those mosquitos...!! I don't know which would be worse, bad mosquito bites the night before a doctor's appointment or a photo session?!?!

Tuesday...VACCINATION DAY! Eric and I both took Lauren to Dr. Rachesky's office: I was there for Lauren and Eric was there for me! She got 5 injections and 1 oral vaccination. I won't comment on much except that Lauren and I both cried. She weighed 11 lbs 4 oz (25%) and was 23 1/4 inches long (75%).

We ended Week 8 today with taking our Associate, Lauren, to a meeting at a media company to discuss marketing for Eric's office. I wonder when I can start to teach her to shake hands?

If you have made it this far, thanks for reading. I'm sure that most of my very long narratives each week aren't interesting to most people, but I don't want to forget the details of Lauren's "firsts"...and besides, this has become a crazy hobby for me now! :-)