The First Halloween

Despite the fact that we had literally just moved in the house and everything was still a little chaotic with me going back to work, I was super excited to be in our own home for our first Halloween together. I once bought a bag of candy for our third floor apartment just in case trick or treaters would be coming around - how silly of me. Perhaps in actuality, it was a ploy to buy candy for me and daddy with a rational explanation as to why we needed it. This year though I was certain that we would have costumed little ones stopping by since we were in a house so I stocked up on candy. You and I were dressed for passing out candy in our Longhorn gear. The first group came and it was a struggle to figure out how to give the candy out while also holding you to show you off. I mastered it mid-way through the endeavor. After closing the door, I readjusted and prepared for the next kids. Unfortunately, there were no next kids. That first group happened to also be the last group. So much for our first Halloween with a house - no trick or treaters any way. At least, we looked cute!

The Big Day Back

One of the hardest days of my life little one! I had the chance to feed you before I left. You weren’t quite awake yet – just your typical morning feeding – half asleep and half awake. You were so hard to put down. I wanted to stay and cuddle with you longer. I was almost late lingering. I did it though. I left you with daddy and headed to work. All day long I thought about you guys. Do you have enough milk, will daddy know what to do, or will you forget who I am? We had three months uninterrupted together but I was convinced I was just the lady who fed you and you weren’t going to recognize me when I came home after a 12 hour shift. It was a miserable shift. I came home though and you seemed perfectly content with daddy. I felt sad at first because it did seem like you didn’t need me, but ultimately, it made me so happy to know that I had a husband who I knew loved you so much that he could do just as good a job with you as me. You guys made it unscathed and I got my cuddling in that night. 

The Blessing and The Leaving

Boy was this a busy day. We knew that we were moving back this day but it wasn’t until last week that we knew where we were moving and where to for sure. We kept trying to initiate packing but we both thought it was going to be much easier than it turned out to be. We left most of our stuff in Austin in storage but we far underestimated the amount of stuff you had in Houston – lots of presents from all of the showers. We started packing Thursday but were interrupted by your Aunt Kristin’s wedding festivities. On Friday night we had the rehearsal dinner and then most of Saturday I was busy with her wedding. So here comes Sunday morning. We start to finish packing. It’s going but slowly – very slowly. Daddy and I also wanted to get your blessing done. This obviously was the last possible weekend to accomplish this in Houston. It was important to us to have your blessing with family especially since we knew we would be coming back to Austin to a new ward where we did not know anyone yet. Therefore, we had your blessing at 1PM in Houston. It was great. Your daddy was so nervous. He stayed up planning as he always does at the last minute. He put a lot of thought into what he said. He wanted it to be perfect and he was definitely nervous about the public speaking aspect. Your Taylor family was there including Zach and Maggie in from College Station and your GiGi came too. Your daddy did an amazing job. It was really special and you looked beautiful. You wore my christening gown. It may have been your Aunt Taryn’s but it makes a better story if it’s mine. 

Then we rushed home to pack up completely which ended up taking the rest of the night. We finally set sail and we got to Austin by midnight. We were finally at our first house – your third home. It was too late to see anything or really settle in at all. We pulled in the mattress in the living room and put on the sheets. We tried to turn on the air and one very chilly night later we realized that the gas had not been turned on yet and therefore no matter how much we wanted the heat on it wasn’t going to happen. We all snuggled up on the bed and I left really early in the morning for work. Our first night in our new home with our little bundled up bundle of joy. 

Discussions with Daddy

While mommy is busy reading parenting books and learning about your milestones from the pages of these books and the words of doctors, your daddy is getting firsthand experience observing your daily miracles. Daddy is telling me about your cute little cooing. Daddy told me that you were “talking” to him. He said that you looked at him and you started to make noises. Instead of doing what the books say about not using baby talk and articulating with you to encourage speech development, he mimics you and guess what? It worked! You talked to him for 20 minutes back and forth. You never cease to amaze us. Super cute and of course you are turning into a little genius that has us wrapped around your little fingers. This picture isn’t from until after we moved but it’s a cute representation of you and daddy’s time together.  

Back to Austin

Since our insurance is through mommy’s job, even when we lived in Houston for a while our plan was only good for Austin doctors. We knew this ahead of time, but it was still an adventure to get your prepped and ready to come to Austin for your follow up check up and first shots (scary!). I had been trying to come up to Austin with you several times before this because my bestie in Austin, Kelsey, had just given birth to your new buddy, Maverick, but this was the soonest that I could get to town. Daddy was also able to take off to come with us which was great because we ended up really needing the help! We started the morning off slowly and just barely left Houston in time to make it to Austin for your appointment. You were awesome for your second long drive. You slept all the way until the last five minutes then you were a bit fussy. We managed until we pulled up and I fed you while daddy ran ahead to let them know we were coming up. You were a rock star at the appointment too. You had aced all of your milestones and showed up all the other babies with sleeping through the night and being super chill and easy. The lady with the immunizations was hardcore and knocked out the shots real quick. I got a bit teary eyed when they first injected you but it was so quick and you cried so briefly. You were so strong and such a trooper. Next we grabbed some Torchy’s and headed to Kelsey’s to visit and meet Maverick. 

Not that we didn’t think you were an angel before, but daddy and I were really counting our blessings after meeting Maverick. Maverick is a crier and seemed like a handful. You looked at him like you were wondering what on earth he was doing with all of his crying. It was great to visit though. I missed my Austin friends and the opportunity to vent about parenting challenges with someone who understood and was experiencing it too. But again, more than anything, we learned how luck y we were to have such a great baby like you. You seemed so chill after having your shots we really thought we were lucking out with that too. We waited until Tim came home so you could see him again too. Both of them had come to the hospital to meet you when you were first born, but it was fun to see them see you again and get to meet their little one. You seemed to still be doing well so we decided to head back to Houston. About 30 minutes into the ride nearly three and a half hours after your appointment, you started bawling. I had never heard you cry – definitely not cry like this. My heart was aching for you and I started crying too. I made your daddy pull over and we got baby Tylenol at the nearest CVS. I cradled you in my arms and tried to soothe you by letting you eat but you were so uncomfortable. We broke more safety rules tonight. I’m such a hypocrite with all my safety education lessons at work! I held you in the ergobaby in the back seat for the rest of the ride to ease you to sleep and keep you comfortable. You went to sleep but I was giving you baby Tylenol as often as we were allowed to ensure that you were comfortable. We will have that ready to go for your next appointment don’t you worry!

Other highlights this month: 

5) We have spent your second month in Houston

4) We started get a lot more smiles out of your pretty face

3) You still sleep quite a bit of the day

2) You still definitely hate the laundry basket I make you take pictures in - I'm sorry!

1) You are really starting to show your adorable, chill personality - we love the little person you are becoming