Pittsburgh Trip Highlights

Our 10 day trip to Pittsburgh was very eventful.  We were lucky enough to spend time with the Castello side of the family, relax by the "pool" on Fieldstone Beach, meet Max and Charlotte, hang out with cousin Bryan, and end the week in Akron with the Hall side of the family...throw in a holiday, graduation party, and Pirate game and that about sums up our trip.

You are an expert at taking road trips, you travel prepared with all of your favorite toys!

Golfing on the 4th of July...Fore!

Our red, white, and blue cutie

On Saturday we went to cousin Domo's graduation party.  While most of us enjoyed stuffing ourselves with amazing food, you decided to snack on your toes instead!

On Sunday, we cheered on the black and gold!

After our busy weekend, we spent the majority of the week hanging out by the pool with Aunt Kristen, Uncle Jeff, and Pap.

On Wednesday, we went over to the Hendry's house to meet Max and Charlotte.  Charlotte is about a month older than you and Max is 4 months to the day younger than you.  There is so much cuteness in this picture, I can't even handle it!

You love when cousin Byran comes over to Pap's house. 

Your first ponytail!

You turned 5 months old when we were in Pittsburgh, stop growing up so fast!

On Saturday, we drove to Akron for your Great-Grandma's surprise 80th birthday party.  Here you are with all of the great-Grandkids.

Cousin Bryan with the babies...Anna is 11 months, Bryan is almost 6, and you are 5 months.

How cute are these 2?

Uncle Mark, here is your documentation that Addie is the first baby on my side that didn't cry when you held her.  Addie loves her great-Uncle Mark...even if you scared the crap out of me when I was little lol

The whole group!

1st Pirates Game

These shirts were part of your dad's Father's Day gift.  This is one of my favorite pictures of the 2 of you!

We went to the Pirate game when we were in Pittsburgh for the 4th of July.  It was the first game for both you and your dad.  I would say that your dad was much more into it than you were!  You did not like the loud noise, so any time they had a big play and the crowd roared...you cried!  Overall, it was a fun time with family and we look forward to many more Pirate games in the future.

Your dad and I enjoying the game while you were hanging out with Grandma.

View from our seats

Family photo

All smiles for Aunt Kristen

Uncle David had much better seats than we did, so your dad went to sit with him for a little bit.

Hanging out with your cousin Timmy and Maria.

Your Daddy, Grandma, Aunt Kristen, Pap, Maria, Cousin Timmy.  Your Uncle Tim, Aunt Judy, Uncle David, and Uncle Bob were also there with us, but sitting in much better seats!

Daddy trying to protect you from the loud cheering! 

Family photo at the end of the game

All worn out from the game!

Red, White, and Blue

 

The 4th of July is your dad's favorite holiday so it has always been an event for us.  In the past we have spent the 4th on the beach with drinks, followed by fireworks.  This year was a little different, instead of heading south to sun and sand, we headed north to family and friends...and it was one of the most memorable ones yet!

We started our day at the baseball field watching your cousin Bryan's last game of the season.  He did great and you loved watching everything around you.  Baseball is a big deal in this family, your dad spent many, many hours on the field growing up and even played in college.  But, another person who absolutely loved baseball was your great-Grandma, Nanny.  Nanny passed away the summer before you were born, but she knew that I was pregnant with you and I know without a doubt in my mind that she is looking down on you every single day.  Another highlight of our 4th of July was that we got to see the bench dedicated to Nanny overlooking the baseball field at Scott park.

After the baseball game, you spent some quality time with you Grandma while your dad and I went golfing.  Yes, I went golfing and it pretty much made your dad's day.  He has been begging me to go for a while now and I finally gave it.  We went to Bob's golf course, a par 3 course where you pay $5 per person to golf all day long.  It was the perfect beginner course and meeting the owner, Bob, was just icing on the cake.  He was a character!

The 4th of July isn't complete without a cookout and that's just what we did.  We spent the rest of the evening with family and friends...and lots of good food. 

Happy 4th of July Addie girl!!!

Holiday outfits are so much fun!  You looked adorable in your red, white, and blue!

Our first 4th as a family!

Hanging out at the baseball game, cheering on cousin Bryan...and rocking our shades of course!

We love you Nanny!

Team 1:  Uncle Jeff, Shelly, Aunt Kristen, your dad, and myself

Team 2:  Cousin Anne, Dave, Uncle David, and cousin Gina

Team 3:  Pap, Cousin Timmy, Maria, and Uncle Tim

Don't I look like a pro, flip flops and all!

The whole golfing crew

My Favorite Things - Month 5

Here a few of my favorite things from month 5, along with some of my favorite pictures!

We went to the bay to watch the sunset one night and it was  the first time you enjoyed the beach.  You played in the sand and smiled the whole time, it was awesome!

How lucky are we that this is where we live!

-I love that it is summer time and that I get to be home with you again.  Some of my favorite memories so far have been when it is just the 2 of us (while Daddy is out making money of course!) 

-You continue to have the cutest smile in the entire world and you just smile all day long.  Your dad and I can't get enough of your smiles!

Seriously, how cute is that smile?  You light up the whole room when you smile!

Looking cute in your strawberry shorts, you have the most fabulous summer wardrobe!

-You have started touching my face while I nurse you and I love it.  It's like your saying "I love you Mom" with your hands and it melts my heart every time. (This has not been documented for obvious reasons.)

More smiles!

Looking stylish and sassy in Aunt Kristen's sunglasses

-Your dad and I have really enjoyed all of the "firsts" this month.  From playing with your toys to rolling over to eating solids you are getting big so fast...slow down Addie!  It truly is an honor to be your mom and I love watching you learn and grow, I can't wait to see what next month brings (hopefully a laugh!)

Not to sure about sweet potatoes...

-You've found your toes...and they are in your mouth...a lot...and it is hilarious!

-Your hair.  I love your hair, even in it's constant craziness as it grows longer.  I refuse to cut it any time soon.  So instead, you rocked your first pony tail this month and it was adorable!

Addie - Month 5

We did not have a doctor's appointment this month, but I would guess that you are about 16 pounds right now.  We have your 6 month check up next month.

"Wait Mom, How old am I now?"

"I'm 5 months old already, that's a whole 150 days!"

"Aren't I the cutest 5 month old around?"

Clothes:

You are still wearing 6 month clothes - but we will probably have to move up a size in pajamas very soon.

Diapers:

You are still in size 2 - we will probably bump you up to size 3 in the next couple of weeks.

Health:

No news is usually good news in the health report and other than a little constipation when you started eating solids, you were very healthy this month.

"Mom, why are you making all of those silly faces, if you want me to smile just ask!"

"Seriously mom, how many more pictures do we have to take?"

"Time for a break, toes anyone?"

"This is even better!"

Diet:

I originally planned to hold off until 6 months to start you on solids, but your drastic change in sleep habits (which resulted in a very tired/frustrated mommy) opened me up to the idea.  After a phone call to the pediatrician I started paying closer attention to you and you were telling me that you were ready.  You loved watching your dad and I eat and you were already sitting up with us during dinner in your high chair, so we gave it a try.  We started with rice cereal and as expected more of it was on your face/hands and in your hair than there was in your mouth, but we kept at it.  We started a new food every 3-4 days just like the pediatrician told suggested.  Next up was sweet potatoes.  You made the funniest face when you ate sweet potatoes for the first time and it was so cute.  You did not like them (at first) and your face showed it.  Apples, pears, and prune juice followed to help you clear your system and man did it work.  I'm sure your dad will fill you in on that story down the road...and yes he even took a picture as blackmail.  Between that and your hairy newborn butt, you better never break curfew when you're older! 

Even though you are eating solids twice a day (breakfast/dinner), you continue to breastfeed 6-7 times a day.  You have become a very efficient eater and a nursing session only takes about 15 minutes now, which is awesome!

Sleep: 

I'm not sure what happened to our amazing sleeper, but she is no where to be found!  You are not a fan of sleeping these days and that has to change...and fast!  You went from sleeping through the night every single night, to waking up 2-3 times.  I've struggled with deciding whether or not I should be feeding you when you wake up.  Of course the pediatrician says you've made it through the night before, so you should be fine and to let you cry for a little bit.  So we listened.  We've let you cry and cry and cry...and it is NOT fun.  Your dad and I take turns going in to soothe you and after about an hour you give in (sometimes.)  Other nights I think you are hungry, so I do the opposite of what the doctor said and I feed you.  Some nights we go through the whole checklist and you end up with a full belly, clean diaper, free of burps, etc. and you still won't sleep.  So I've concluded that you are just being a baby.  It's what babies do, sometimes they don't like to sleep for no apparent reason.  It's just a phase and this too will pass.  By the end of the month it started getting a little bit better, so I'm hopeful that we will see a full night's sleep sometime in the near future.

We start your bedtime routine (bath, books, feeding) around 8ish.  Most nights you fall asleep by 9.  You usually wake up some time between 1-3 for a snack and then again between 5-6.  You wake up for the day between 8:30-9.  After you eat and we play for a while, you go down for a short nap (about 20-30 min) at 11:30ish.  Then, I get another short nap around 3.  Like I said earlier, you are not a fan of sleep...and I'm hoping this changes...fast!

"Hey mom, do you notice something different?"

"That's right, I took off my head band and you can't find it!"

"Gotcha Mom!"

Likes:

You LOVE attention, you would be happy if your dad or I just played with you all day long!  Right now, you are kind of at that in between stage, where you still need help to sit/stand, but you don't like to just lay by yourself.  You love to see what is going on around you, but you need someone to help you.  Your dad and I predict that you will be an early walker because of how much you love to stand up.  This month you have found your feet and they must taste good because you always have your toes in your mouth!  One of your favorite things to do was to sit in your bumbo and watch me cook dinner, until your thighs got too chubby and you no longer fit.  So yes, the bumbo was very short lived and is already packed away!  Some other favorites are Sophie, your colored links, your excersaucer, lay/sit/stand game, and being held up in the air over our head.

Dislikes:

You are not a happy camper when you aren't the center of attention.  You have learned how to scream, very loudly, to get our attention and the second your dad or I walk over to you, you kick your legs and squeal because you are so excited.  You already know how to get what you want at a very young age!  Naps also aren't your thing - but I'm hoping the more you start to play and move around, the more you start to like napping.

Milestones:
This month you moved back to your crib and you sleep there every night now.  Week 18 was a big week!  You rolled over belly to back for the first time (we are still working on the other way), you sat in your high chair for the first time, and at the end of the week tried rice cereal for the first time.  At 19 weeks you started with other solids.  We have gotten you to chuckle, but we still haven't hear an all out baby giggle and we want to hear that giggle very, very badly!

 

 

Personality:

You are such a smart little lady and you know that you have your dad and I wrapped around your little finger.  You know exactly how to get what you want already, which is a scary thought!  You are also very active, you love to kick, move your arms, roll over, sit/stand (with help)...it is very difficult to get you to sit still these days.  Your arms and/or legs end up blurry in about half of the pictures I take because you are constantly moving!

 

"I can't get enough of these toes mom, they're so good!"

Visitors:
Chris, Abby, and cousin Jake came to visit for the weekend.  We spent 10 days in Pittsburgh and you got to see lots of our family and friends.  You met Uncle Rick, cousins Emma, Eva, and Raymond, Uncle Bob, and cousin Beth for the first time - they were all in town for Domo's graduation party.  We also got to meet Todd and Julie's new baby boy, Max, when we were there and Megan and Charlotte.  When we went to Akron for your Great-Grandma's 80th birthday party you got to meet Uncle Mark, Aunt Roberta, Jason, Jodie, Layla, Caiden, Anna, Kurt, Uncle Dan, Aunt Judy, David, Matthew, and Brian.