Merry Christmas!

I hope that everyone has had a very Merry Christmas. Addie had a whirlwind Christmas. The only thing that was missing was Daddy (okay, so that's kind of a big thing), but everyone helped us have a wonderful Christmas despite Nathan not being here.

On Christmas Eve the whole family went to the annual Farley Family dinner. We all had a really wonderful time.

On Christmas morning Addie opened her stocking and got her presents from Santa at Nanna and Baba's house. Santa left really wonderful Haba and Selecta toys in her stocking, but her favorite item was her new toothbrush.

Then we went straight to Grandma and Grandpa's house. She was showered with gifts by everyone there. She loved all the shiny paper and boxes. What a lucky little girl.

Then we came back to Nanna and Baba's and napped for awhile. We then went to see Marley and Me at the theater. Addie has been to two movies when she was teeny tiny, and slept all the way through them. I wasn't sure how she'd do now that she is older, but she was really wonderful. The last 20 minutes of the movie I had to get up and stand in the back because she always prefers standing to sitting. All in all, she did wonderful. When we went back to Nanna and Baba's we opened all of the family gifts with Amber, Curry and Ryn Ryn. At this point Addie had had enough and I put her to bed around 7:00. It was a big few days for a little girl.

Who could resist a shot of Fancy Nancy doing the Marilyn Monroe?

Santa at Work

Addie got to got to the annual Christmas party at Midwesco. She loved visiting Baba.... I mean Santa at work. It was great fun seeing Baba interact with all the other children. Many of the youngsters were quiet scared of Santa, but not Addie.

One of the nice ladies at Midwesco....I mean elves from the North Pole brought gifts for all of the children. This was Addie's first experience opening a wrapped gift and she caught on rather quickly. Once the gift was open she was frantic to get at the little turtle in the package. Unfortunately it took us a few minutes to free him from all that plastic, but once liberated Addie sucked on him for a long time.

Santa Clause

Addie is so fortunate to be the granddaughter of Santa Clause. No yucky germy mall Santa for us (and no lines to wait in!) Here is a little taste of the photo shoot we did last night.

All I Want For Christmas...

Is my two front teeth.

Guess what? Addie got both of her bottom front teeth this weekend! Saturday afternoon her front left finally popped. We could feel it through the gums for quite a while. This morning when I stuck my finger in to feel it I found another tooth! It was quiet a surprise because I never felt the second one coming.

Hair Today, Gone Tommorow

Addie's hair has been getting kind of unruly, so I decided it was finally time for her first haircut. I swore I'd never cut her hair, but if you look at the pictures below you will see that it needed some straightening out.

Before:

After:

Note to Self: It is really hard to cut a 6 month old's hair, especially when said child wants the scissors.

Picture of the Day

6 Months

As you may already know, Addie had her 6 month birthday a little over a week ago. I truly cannot believe that she is half a year old already. She has developed quiet a personality.

Likes:

• People - Addie loves people. I don't what else to say, but that she is the epitome of a people person. She enjoys making "friends" with people in any public place by singing to strangers. She is an equal opportunity people person, as she especially loves elderly people and African Americans. These two groups of individuals get leg kicks and squeals from Addie no matter what.
• Jake - I said it before, but Addie truly adores Jake. She really lights up when Jake walks into the room. She is enamored by all of his odd behaviors (scratching, licking, rolling around, etc.) Jake on the other hand is occasionally warm to Addie.
• Bath time - I think this is Addie's favorite part of the day. Since bath time is at the end of the day I am usually tired and ready to get her to bed, but Addie could probably play in the tub for hours.
• Long car rides - She had a month or so in which she wasn't so sure about her car seat. These days though, she loves to go on trips, and ALWAYS falls asleep.
• Hazel - There is a baby in one of our playgroups named Hazel. She is 12 days older than Addie. This summer we were walking to the farmer's market and found out that Hazel lives two blocks down from us. Anyways, at first Addie was indifferent to Hazel. Well, everything changed the other day we saw Hazel at the store. They grabbed each other's hands, kicked their legs, and squealed in delight. A couple of days later at playgroup they rolled around together, and were so excited at the sight of the other one. I didn't know this could happen at 6 months.
• Jumping - Nathan got Addie a jump-a-roo for their Christmas together. Now she tries to jump whether she is in the jump-a-roo or not. It is quiet amusing to watch.
• Mirrors - She absolutely loves her reflection. This is normal for babies her age, but it is so funny to see her light up at her own reflection.
• Being naked - This really doesn't need further explaining.
• Ittsy Bitsy Spider - This song can stop tears in their tracks, and always brings out a smile.

Dislikes:

• Coats - Addie hates her coats. I think she hates them because they restrict her movement, but I am not a 100% sure. She often cries at the sight of a coat.
• Hats - The same goes for hats. She absolutely hates them (unless she is looking at herself in the mirror with a hat on, and then its hilarious). I finally got her a hat that buckles under her chin so she can't take it off. We haven't tried it yet, but it might make her really mad.
• Solid food - We had a couple of good experiences with solids before Addie started having bad reactions. Now she turns her head if you even come near her with a spoon. The pediatrician told me to hold off a bit due to her sensitive stomach.
• Cameras - Have you noticed that Addie is rarely smiling in pictures? we have taken over 1000 pictures since her birth, and there are smiles in maybe 2% of the pictures. This is odd to me considering what a happy baby she is.
• Naps - Don't even wanna talk about it.

I am just happy that her likes far outweigh her dislikes. I love wondering what kind of curve ball Addie will throw at me every month with her developing personality. Watch out world...

Itty Bitty Snow Angels

I took this video on Thanksgiving, which is the day Nathan left for Afghanistan. The two of them are too cute!

My Oh My...

What a difference 5 months makes. This picture was taken last week.



This was taken about 5 months ago. Off the top of my head I will say Addie is 3 weeks, and about 7 pounds here.

Teething Troubles

We've had a really rough week due to teething. I use the collective pronoun "we" because the teething process has truly affected the whole family. Of course I know that the turmoil that has been inflicted on Nathan and I is nothing compared to what Addie is experiencing. I would gladly take her pain as my own, but unfortunately that is not how things work.

Addie has had the classic teething symptoms (e.g., drooling, gnawing on everything) for a while now. At the beginning of last week she started having major sleep issues. This was odd because Addie has been a pretty decent sleeper since birth. A few days later she wouldn't allow me to put her down, so I just carried her everywhere. Then her gums were super inflamed. At this point I realized that teething must be the cause of all the problems. Parenting books and the Internet confirmed that teething can cause major sleep disruptions in some babies.

We have found very little relief in "normal" teething remedies such as teething rings and Tylenol. We did find homeopathic teething tablets at the drugstore which have really done wonders for us. The first night she took them she slept 6 straight hours! She is also nursing about double what she was a week ago. I think nursing provides her the most comfort. I am thankful that she is not a baby who quits nursing during teething because she is so small.

After all this we have no teeth to show for the pain. We keep hoping that one has popped up every time she wakes up, but no such luck for her. Keep your fingers crossed that she gets a tooth out soon for everyone's sake. Also, Nathan really wants to see one before he leaves on Thursday.   

The Bailout

The word bailout has recently become a fixture in the vernacular of the American people. This past weekend we got to experience a bailout firsthand. Hopefully the Farley Bailout, as we will call it, will make you laugh. Anyways, here goes...

Friday 3:30 p.m. 

Nathan lets Jake out back to do his "business" in the fenced (see pictures below) in backyard. In the meantime Nate goes inside to check on something he is downloading.

3:37 p.m.

Nate goes to bring Jake back in , and realizes that he is no longer in the backyard. Nathan walks up and down the streets in our neighborhood looking for Jake. 

5:00 p.m.

Nathan gets in the Xterra, and drives around for 30 minutes looking for Jake. We have at this point realized that Jake doesn't have his collar on with his address and phone number.  He even went so far to ask the guy in the wheelchair that goes up and down the street (whom he almost hit a few months back on accident) if he had seen a crazy lab causing trouble on the streets.

7:00 p.m.

We lament Jake's crazy antics, but we're actually really worried about him. In the past when he's run off he was usually gone for about 3 hours. We hope he will find his way home soon.

10:22 p.m.

Lauren gets in the Xterra to look for Jake. I drove all around the neighborhood, and I even stopped 2 teenage boys playing football in the street to ask if they had seen a yellow lab. Once again, no luck.

11:45 p.m.

Nathan and I go to bed worried sick about Jake. Needless to say we really don't sleep all that well.

Saturday 8:00 a.m.

We look up the number for the SPCA, which we find out is still closed. Then we find the number for Animal Control, and they are open! They have Jake in custody! We are SOOOO relieved. Jake's running off was such a negative experience until the animal control officer said, "It will be $17.50 to bail him out, oh and you need proof of his rabies shot." Once the officer said the word bailout, Nathan and I laughed uncontrollably. I mean, how many people have to bail their dog out of "jail"?. Well....now you know someone who has!

Here's what we've been up to...

Well, it has been a really long time since we've updated the blog. As I probably mentioned earlier, I hate blogging without photographs. It does seem quite elementary to have to have pictures to illustrate my words. I guess that's what happens when a majority of the books I read have illustrations. Just don't get too upset if I also start rhyming (just kidding...I will abstain from rhyming)

Anyway, many of these pictures are from our trip to Virginia in September without Nathan. We have A LOT of pictures, so it might take me a few days to catch up on all of the blogs. I've decided to work my way from the oldest pictures to the most recent, so please be patient.

We celebrated when Addie was finally big enough for her exersaucer. Believe me she really is more happy about it than she looks. She is all smiles until Mom breaks out the camera.

Unfortunately Addie loves Jake a lot more than Jake loves Addie. This is a bit odd because Jake has always desired constant undying attention, which I am sure Addie will give him. Who knew Jake would be so selective with his desire for affection? Hopefully he will grow out of his snobbish behavior soon.

Addie and Daddy at the Burville Cider Mill. The Burville Cider Mill definitely has the best apple cider in Northern New York. Nathan and I frequent the mill quite a bit in the Fall. I'm fairly certain that Addie will grow to love the place too.

Addie was lucky enough to be in Virginia for Aunt Heather's confirmation. After the service she went back to Grandma and Grandpa's and got to meet several family members for the first time. She was a trooper even though she didn't take a single nap. This is Addie with her great grandparents.

Addie in church with Grandma

Addie can't decide if she wants her shirt in her mouth or the toy. Oh the dilemmas of a 4 month old

Addie loves spending time with her Nana

They wanted to go on tour with the Dead. Addie cried when I told her she was a little too late for that one.

Halloween

We had a wonderful Halloween! Nathan went hunting with some of his family in West Virginia. Addie and I joined him after her nap to eat lunch and hang out for a while. Addie got to meet some new family members (as did I), which is always fun for her.

Addie loved the new kittens, and she was surprisingly gentle with them.

We couldn't resist this backdrop, black cat and all.

Late in the afternoon I actually headed back to Virginia so that Addie and Ryn could be together on Halloween. Addie was originally going to be a monkey, but Nathan wasn't all that happy with her costume. So I went out and bought her a dalmatian outfit last minute. She was SOO cute. Later that night I was regretting not dressing up. I really wanted to be Cruella De Ville with my little dalmatian, but it was already too late.

Addie and cousin Ryn

She didn't particularly like her hood.

Ryn, Baba, Addie, and Good Witch Amber (whom I must say had the best costume of the whole night!)

Silly Girl

These are two pictures taken recently that I couldn't resist taking, and subsequently posting. After coming home one night I was about to carry Addie in the house in her car seat when I found her clutching her bib and her cow. She isn't one for comfort items, so this was particularly amusing.


This next picture was taken one morning before she had awaken. The bumper was only put on her crib when I would come in the nursery and find various body parts sticking out from the slats. Bumpers are SIDS hazards, so I was hesitant to put one on. As it turns out, when Addie wants to stick her limbs out of the crib she will stick them out.

Lake Placid

We recently took a trip to Lake Placid in the Adirondaks. We had so much fun viewing the fall foliage, and taking in the quaint little town. I must say that the fresh mountian air was one of the best parts. Lake Placid is about 2 1/2 hours from our house, and we were gone all day. Needless to say Addie was an angel the whole day!

Daddy and Addie

Now with Mom

The mountain views were absolutely beautiful

Nathan and Addison standing in front of Mirror Lake

This is the 1980 Olympic Stadium. We just had to go inside seeing that this was the site of the famous hockey game in which U.S. beat U.S.S.R. We were really surprised to find that the stadium was hosting a log cabin expo for the weekend. I think it took away a little bit of the awe factor for us, but we were still very excited to be there.

A Few Updates

I have been delaying any blogging due to the fact that I have no new pictures to post. Well, actually I have taken a lot of pictures recently, but my camera cord is somewhere in Virginia. Once it is retrieved I will post more pictures than you can imagine. But for now my words will have to do as far as updates go.

Nathan
As many of you know, Nathan has had a very strenuous work schedule lately. For a while he was logging over 80 hours a week. Luckily we found out a week ago that he is being moved up to brigade. For all of you non-military people, a brigade consists of a few thousand soldiers (as opposed to his platoon, which is 20-30 soldiers). He will officially be the Satellite Communications NCO for the whole brigade during their tour in Afghanistan. This is a very positive advancement for him because he has demonstrated superior knowledge of the satellite over all other soldiers in his brigade. Also this move involves considerably less stress than leading a platoon of young soldiers. The only downside to this move is that Nathan is now scheduled to deploy a month sooner than we expected. We are expecting him to leave sometime around November 20th. As most of you already know, everything with the Army is tentative, so this date is definitely subject to change. We have decided that we will just celebrate both Thanksgiving and Christmas early. This was an important decision for Nathan so that he will not technically miss Addie's first holiday season.

Addie
Addie is such a wonderful, happy baby. Nathan and I always comment on how lucky we are to have such a bubbly baby. She recently had her 4 month checkup, and we are being referred to a Pediatric Orthopedic Specialist in Syracuse for a problem with Addie's hip. We have a lot of questions, but our pediatrician will not answer anything, as he wants us only to talk to the specialist. Addie weighed in at 11 lbs 3.5 oz (20th percentile) and was 24.5 inches (50th percentile). The pediatrician wasn't pleased with her weight gain over the past month, and suggested we supplement her feeding with formula. After much contemplation and a second (and third) opinion we have decided to go against his advice. I truly believe that human milk is the absolute best option for her. Not to mention formula usually exacerbates GERD symptoms, which is the reason she had slow weight gain last month. Needless to say we are in the market for a new pediatrician, as our parenting style/philosophy doesn't quite mesh with the current group we are with. Addie is also rolling over in succession. She log rolled halfway across our living room last week. She really wants to crawl and can get up on her legs, but she lacks the upper body strength to push up. I am willing to bet the farm that she will be crawling in a couple months.

Lauren
I am still working hard to lose this last bit of baby weight. I am getting there slowly but surely. I absolutely love spending my days with Addie. I really feel that I am able to enrich her environment, and provide lots of love for her by staying at home with her. Unfortunately I have struggled with balancing caring for her, and being able to do things for myself. Luckily, Nathan has the day off tomorrow and I am getting my haircut for the first time in 4 months. It's a much needed haircut, and a start to being able to finally do things for myself!

Week in Pictures

Addie and I have a wonderful week in Virginia visiting family. We really miss Nathan, who is working a ton of hours back at Ft. Drum. We can't wait to see him soon. Addie was fortunate to meet many new family members, and she loved hanging out with both sets of grandparents again. Anyways here are some recent pictures.

Addie's goal is to have all 8 fingers in here mouth at once. She didn't quite get them all in in this picture, but she sure was trying. We believe that she is in the process of teething. Of course Nathan said she does everything well before the suggested age markers, and why would this be any different.

Nana insisted that Addie get her picture taken in the begonia bed. Unfortunately Addie wanted to eat the begonias.

Addie's favorite new toy

She loves Aunt Heather and Grandma
Sporting the "Pebbles" look