First Family Carving

Well it isn't a "scary" pumpkin carving but it was a fun way of capturing our first family pumpkin carving.
We started out by setting Peyton in her bumbo to watch us but as time went on she was more fascinated with her bib than watching us. We decided to do a cut out of each of our hands. For Peyton's we just traced it in pencil on a sheet of paper and then cut it out on the pumpkin.
It was surprising really easy--well the letters were the hardest part. Cade delegated that task to me. I wasn't sure if how they would turn out but when we put the candles in it looked better than I thought.

Peyton's first pumpkin

Peyton wanted to try some pumpkins seeds

Kinda looks like a face

Our family pumpkin with all of our hands!

Peyton will probably kill me when she sees this when she is older but I couldn't resist. How many times can you fit into a pumpkin in your life?

3 months old

Peyton is now officially an "infant"--goodbye newborn phase. There has definitely been a change now that she is three months, it seems like over night.

I'm how old?

-Currently sleeping through the night --> 9/9:30p.m.-7a.m.
-Getting used to taking naps on a regular schedule
-Had her first "real" laugh on Sunday! (it was AMAZING)
-Grabs toys (and hair) and likes to bring them to her mouth
-Entered the drooling phase
-Enjoying tummy time more thanks to Jacque the Peacock
-Likes Tommee Tippee bottles the best

Meet Jacque

We tried out our Bumbo for the first time this week. Peyton seems to like it but we still need to wait to use it with her more often till she has full control of her head.

This thing is called a what?!?

We've been taking walks in the evening down the Woodlands Waterway as a family and we went to the fountains with Peyton for the first time. She had a blast looking at the water change colors and started to move her feet the whole time I was holding her.

Happy Feet

Still looking at the lights

Peyton and I went to our first baby boot camp today and I realized how out of shape I am. She did so well and was awake and smiling the entire time. All the ladies loved her (but how could you not :)). After our workout, we went to look at the ducks in the water and Peyton could not keep her eyes off the ducks. She loved them!

This weekend we have lots going on: another pumpkin patch, wildflower festival and a corn maze. I love this time of year!

Picking Pumpkins

We started a new tradition in the Roper household of having a bucket list for each season (thanks to Pinterest)
Here it is:

This weekend we went to a pumpkin patch for the first time, though the weather wasn't very "fall" like-a high of 90 degrees. We went to Old Time Christmas Tree Farm since it was close by and s. We got to see some of the Christmas tree that will be out this year. Peyton was very interested in looking at the pumpkins. We tried to set her up against some for a picture--3 months is a little too young I guess. We wanted to go on a hayride they had there but with all the dust that was stirred up we knew it wouldn't be the best for Peyton.

Look at that pose!

Propping me up against these pumpkins isn't working..

We each picked out a pumpkin to carve this year so we now have to start thinking of what we want to do! Stay tuned :)

Month Two Favorites

Now that we have approached 3 months, I thought it would be a good idea to start a "favorites" list at each month.

The Nap Nanny is a MUST HAVE! I'm so glad that we got this. The Boppy newborn lounger was great for the first month since she was so small but as she got bigger she didn't like laying down as low as the lounger was. Guess you could say she has"altitude fever". It helps during the day when she is taking a nap because she does not really like laying in her crib.

Swaddle Me-well I guess I can say that this is one of our favorite things. We used to be able to get away with the blankets taken from the hospital but she managed to get out of them all the time. Cade and I were pretty good at swaddling but these swaddle me's are so much better. Velcro is our friend. Her arms are still very active and when they are "free" she likes sucking on her hands. Not necessarily that she is hungry just has a need. When Peyton is swaddled she sleeps so much better.

Wubbanub is a pacifier with an animal on it so its easy to find and something she can hold on it and help pacify herself. This Soothie pacifier she likes more than the other soothie pacifiers. This is also helping her hold onto objects.

"Some Nights" by Fun. This is a miracle song! If Peyton is crying and nothing else is working we play this song and the crying stops or calms her down. Several of our family members have witnessed this so we aren't making it up. This is song is on every device we own.

Sleep Sheep has been great at nighttime. She enjoys having background noise to fall asleep to in particular the Beach sounds. During the first month we used an app called "White Noise" to help sleep during the night. That still works but its a lot easier to have the sheep set.

Puppy on carseat-If you want to get a for-sure smile then play the puppy. It never fails!

Fall is in the air!

These past few weeks we have been enjoying some family time together. Peyton and I have had several lunch dates and trips to the mall (no shopping just walking). She has done great being out for several hours and I'm learning how to do it all while out too. Our longest trip out was this past weekend when we went to the outlet mall and then to the Ropers house. We weren't really sure how everything would go because when we have been house hunting she gets tired of being in the carseat but she surprised us both!

Cade is now permanently home! No more training or trips for awhile. So far we haven't gotten on each others nerves. :) We are getting ready for the fall season around the house with decorations and our bath and body works "Leaves" candle. The past few days the weather has been AMAZING! Perfect for Starbucks pumpkin spice latte and porch swinging which Peyton absolutely loves. She is definitely an outdoorsy girl!

-We are officially in size 2 diapers. We've got 5 gorgeous rolls on our thighs
-Carters 3 month clothes are getting snug
-Last weigh in: 12 lbs, 24 inches
-Can sleep for 7 hours straight (not very often but we enjoy those nights)
-Enjoy our index finger
-Like sleeping in the Nap Nanny
-Favorite toys are the Octopus and Dragonfly
-Smile at ourselves in the mirror
-Learning to wave hi and bye when we are in the mirror and at people
-Favorite lullaby is "Hush Little Baby"
-Smile and "talk" alot
-Grunting at night has decreased to only when we are waking up

Forgot to add this last month

CeeCee feels so comfy

Fun w/ Grams and Grandpa

My favorite position. Look I'm walking!

We are excited to see Nicole, Sam  and baby Rihn this weekend!

Thumbs and poops

Thats what my past week has been. Of course we've been busy with lots of other things but the way the last few days have been I couldn't pass up an opportunity to tell you about thumbs and poops!

We have recently been fascinated with our thumb region. We haven't quite made it to the actual finger but boy does the area around taste good. My natural instinct is to remove the hand from her mouth and give her a pacifier instead....but Peyton will not accept a pacifier. I'm trying to break the habit early because once that thumb comes out from her other tiny fingers grasp we may have a thumb sucker (another trait of her daddy :) )
This is the scenario:
I catch her sucking on her right palm (only this one, apparently the left one isn't as good) and then give her a pacifier but she takes it in her mouth, looks at me, smiles and then spits it out and goes back to the palm.

At night time I put mittens on her hands and when she wakes up to eat I see that the mitten on her right hand has been pulled off. This girl gets what she wants! Its still a work in progress but at least I can say I tried.

Onto the subject we all love-baby bowels. I never knew that I would talk about poop as much as I have having Peyton. The typical conversations between all parents: how many times a day your child has poop and its looks. Well beyond that we get to the fun stories associated with them that can certainly entertain you all day long.

This past week we've had:
-The exploding poop that makes its way up the back and conveniently on the sheets of our bed. Only to be smiling afterward.
-The sneeze and poop on mommy's hand. (keyword mommy)
-The poop that hurt so much you needed to cry afterwards. I felt Peyton's pain on this one, literally--I was holding her when it happened.

Cade has yet to experience any of these himself..hmm.

A small video of Peyton and I "talking" and her fascination with her palm. PLEASE excuse my voice/talking.

"I did what to the bed?"

  

Love her smiles

Shots...are not fun!

Today has been a busy day for the Ropers! We had Peyton's 2 month visit. She woke up in the morning smiling and talking while Cade and I were saying to ourselves how she is not going to enjoy the rest of the day. She weighs 11 lbs and is 22 3/4 in. long which puts her right on track! She got her first round of immunizations and was smiling during the oral one but as soon as they stuck her little legs, she cried like I've never heard and turned beet red. People told me theres a delayed reaction for kids but not my child as soon as the needle went in she cried. Needless to say, mommy was a wreck, I had more tears then she did! She got better once I held her and stopped crying but the problem was that she still wanted to be held and of course we had to drive home! She has been a little fussy and sleeping today since she's been through so much. We are getting lots of snuggle time in.

At the doctors before her shots

I also went into work today to let my boss know I was not returning. Everyone was understanding which made me feel better. 

This past weekend we went out as a family for the first time. Sunday we went and ate at Cafe Express and then we walked around market street for a little bit. Peyton did so well and was so interested in watching everyone and everything around her--definitely beat the same old scenery around the house. We also had our first date night thanks to CeeCee for watching her. We went to our favorite place The Taco Stand, it was nice but most of our conversation was about her. 

Peyton enjoying the ride

We had a low key Labor Day and just had lunch with my parents.

PawPaw talking to Peyton

Just a few things over the past few weeks:

-We can put her in the swing and we eat together. 

-LOVES her playmat

-LOVES her puppy keyboard--we put those wiggly legs to use and play music

-Talks more to us now

-End the nights with our dancing to country music which is helping put her to sleep

-Focusing on objects more now and is starting to hold onto things

-She loves grabbing my hair

-Smiles alot

-Still grunts in her sleep and is not liking to be swaddled anymore

-Will only take the pacifier when she gets hungry

-She is sleeping about 5 hours each night and at 3a.m. she is soo happy!

-Does not like you to wake her up--guess she takes after mommy!

-Has to be held on your shoulders so she can see everything

-Started tummy time and so far she has done great

Here are a few pictures of Peyton:

Storytime

Happy Grandparents Day!