Hill Ridge Farms

We waited for a nice, cool day to go out to Hill Ridge Farms for some Fall fun. Gabriel had a great time!! There is so much to do there!! I'll let the pictures tell the story...

Feeding the farm animals

Running through the colorful maze... he would have done this all day if we let him!

Indian Teepee (didn't interest Gabe at all) and Fort Arrowhead (he loved running around this)

Almost 3 and almost 3 feet tall! (2 yrs, 9 mos)

Heading up the hill to the giant slide! I don't know that either of them really wanted to do it...

Nonny & Boo watching 

Wee!!! I filmed so many strangers because you couldn't tell who was coming next. Awkward.

Next up: train ride! The kids' first. Gabriel was so excited!

♥ ♥ Four Whitakers ♥ ♥

Daddy's girl! I think she got his hair color.

All of us on the hayride, also the kids' first

Picking out our free* pumpkins (*included in the admission cost) and attempting to get some cute pictures of G & G!

He Does His Own Stunts

Yesterday evening we experienced our scariest moment as parents yet!! Gabriel hit his head, we think on the couch while he was trying to belly-flop. It's all upholstered but has a hard edge. There was so much blood we couldn't even tell where it was coming from. Amazingly no blood got on the carpet. It all pooled on his eyes and in his hair as I cradled him and rushed into the kitchen. I grabbed the first thing I could (paper towels) to apply pressure until Perry could lay Georgia down and help me with him.

After several minutes I sat Gabe on the counter and lifted up the towel and saw there was a big chunk missing... We shuttered. And realized it was so deep, he would definitely needed stitches! Poor boy was so scared and wanted me to hold him but I couldn't do that and keep pressure on his head! Perry got Georgia and the diaper bag in the car and came back for us. He held Gabe as I climbed in the back between the car seats, never taking my hand off his head. We sped like crazy people to the Emergency Department!! {I wore socks with flip flops and had blood on my face and Perry couldn't remember how to get there, then left the emergency flashers on when he parked}

We are praising God that:
-It happened with both of us at home.
   How would one person manage loading up Georgia 
   with him bleeding profusely?
-Gabriel couldn't see it.
   If he looks at his boo-boo (i.e. a skinned knee), he cries even harder.
-They took us right back at the E.D.
   We didn't even have to wait one minute.
-It wasn't as bad as it could have been.
   He didn't show any symptoms of an internal head injury 
   and his laceration only needed 3 stitches.
-The PA who stitched him up was really good with kids.
   It wasn't the Pediatric E.D.
-His pain seemed to be short-lived in the big scheme of things.
   Kids are so resilient!

As a nurse, I can handle open wounds, blood, and people in pain. But it was whole different feeling being Mommy. I was terrified and squeamish! It was hard to look at Gabe's sweet little face with a big gash in it, and even harder to see him in pain & crying out "Help me Mommy!" while they held him still.

Home from the hospital, snuggled under the blanket with Daddy

This morning he intertwined his fingers with mine ♥ 

Gabriel's boo-boo must-have: Cars band-aids (trimmed to fit between his eyebrows!)

We are SO glad he's okay now!! We will be watching movies, playing board games, and coloring a lot over the next few days. On Friday, he'll have to get his stitches taken out. He was such a brave boy, though, I think he'll be tough for that too. Needless to say, standing/jumping on the couch will no longer be allowed.

Georgia's Nursery Reveal!

I finally finished Georgia's mobile and took pictures of her nursery to share with everyone!!

View from the "doorway"

The 3rd bedroom is downstairs so we decided to use the loft as the nursery. Initially we were worried about it being so open but it's been okay so far!

Perry's awesome painting! Do you see her name?

Thanks Allison for sharing how you made your little girl's mobile with me!

A close-up of the crib bedding
Bumper: one side is elephants, the other side polka-dots like the ties
Sheets: polka-dots (shown), grey & white chevron, and grey with little white elephants

Happy girl ♥

Paint: since we're renting and will only be here a year & a half, we didn't paint (or hang curtains... blinds will suffice)

Crib: was Gabriel's, Walmart.com, Baby Mod Modena 3-in-1 in Cool Grey

Dresser & Changing Table: flea market

Glider & Ottoman: was Gabriel's, TJ Maxx-Home Goods

Couch: from our living room at our old house

Pillows: Ross, TJ Maxx

Side Table: yard sale, painted by Perry

Crib Bumper & Changing Pad Cover: Etsy, custom made by RockyTopDesign 
Crib Skirt & Sheets: Target
Mobile: DIY by me!
Daughter of A King Print: Etsy, custom made by ThePrintsCess
"W Is For Whitaker": DIY by me!
White Picture Frames: Michael's
Abstract Painting: made just for Georgia by Perry!!
Elephant Canvases: Home Goods
Floor Lamp: Target
Table Lamp: consignment sale
Hamper: Wal-Mart
Elephant Humidifier: Target.com, gift
Elephant & piggy banks: gifts

Swimming!

We met Mom & Dad W at their neighborhood pool last week for our first time swimming this summer... and had the whole place to ourselves!! It was during the week before 11am, but it has never been crowded. Once Gabe warmed up, he had a blast! He didn't want to leave the stairs at first...

We finally got him out of the shallow end and jumping into the water & "swimming" around, but he only wanted me or Perry!

My kids give my arms a good workout!

Georgia was there, too! She slept in the shade the whole time... I can't wait to go again!

4th of July

Since I was sick and Gabriel was just getting over being sick for 2 days, we had a very low-key Independence Day. It really was just like any other day, with the exception of fortuitously seeing fireworks!! I love fireworks but since Georgia is so young, we didn't plan to go out to see any. 

I dressed the kids in red, white & blue. We went to Nonny & Boo's house in the afternoon for ribs, corn-on-the-cob, potato salad, and baked beans- yum! On our way home we were surprised to see tons of traffic... apparently there was a fireworks show just a few miles down from where we live that we didn't know would be there (and still don't know who put it on). We happened to turn into our neighborhood as a fireworks show was starting... from the cul-de-sac of the first street!! It was pretty impressive for just one man! I'm guessing it was this guy who lives in that cul-de-sac that goes all out decorating his house for holidays. There were so many people in the street, plus cars passing by pulled over. We stopped the car in a great spot to watch them!! Gabe was so tired but loved it!! It was surprisingly long so we headed home and finished watching the show from our kitchen window! 

He'll let me take pictures of his cars without a fuss...

My patriotic cuties!!!!

^I bet she's wondering "where did he go?"

♥♥♥

Happy Father-of-Two's Day!

Our TWO kids!

Making Daddy a t-shirt (I found this idea on Pinterest) and helping me unwrap- and eat- candy! I think the shirt turned out pretty cool, just wish I bought a heavier-weight one but I liked this color I found at Target. It was an inexpensive thing that Gabe could make that hopefully Perry would wear! I did have to entice him with a "pop pop" to get him to focus on coloring though; he's not interested in arts & crafts lately.

Presents & cards for the incredible father of my children!!! We made Rolo Pretzels with peanut M&Ms from his "little peanut" (Georgia's room is elephant-themed!) and Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers, or owl food, from Gabriel (his nursery was owl-themed!). Gabe picked out a Finding Nemo card. 

We invited Mom & Dad W to Red Hot & Blue for dinner {but they ended up picking up the check... thank you!!} See Perry's shirt? He wore it in public!! I call that a win.

Happy Father's Day Perry!!! Happy Father's Day Dad W, aka "Boo"!!!

And Happy Father's Day to my Dad, aka "Papa", too!!! Look at this dapper young man! I love & miss you!!

Georgia Jane is 1 Month Old!

2 Week Stats
Weight: 7 pounds, 13 ounces (35%)
Length: 20 inches (39%)
Head circumference: 35cm (27%)

Matchy-matchy at her doctor's appt. We ♥ our little lady!!

Likes:
-Being held on your chest (greatly prefers this to the cradle position)

-Patting her back
-Listening to her big brother talk/play
-Looking at Perry's abstract painting in our living room & bright things, especially daylight coming in the windows
-Baths
-Tummy time

Dislikes:
-When the car stops
-Having to burp or pass gas
-Wiping her eyes and face

Clothes/Diapers:
We only had a few newborn size things so Georgia is wearing mostly 0-3 month clothes. The newborn diapers lasted until she was 1 month & 1 day old (4 1/2 weeks). We used up the Huggies from the hospital first, then Pampers Swaddlers- we received 1 big box as a gift and bought another ourselves. They were getting a little snug around her thigh rolls! Now she's in size 1 diapers. 

Eating:
I'm thankful for another good eater. She is a noisy one! I have been a lot more laid back when it comes to breastfeeding; I'm not recording anything (which side, what time, etc) and I trust she is getting enough plenty! The only problem I had was a blister I got in the hospital but I think it's because I was letting her latch slip off as she (and I!) drifted off. She eats every ~2 hours during the day, sometimes more frequently in the evenings when she is a little fussy. She does this weird thing almost every night: alternates between nursing & swallows a few times then pulls back and wails! No idea what that's about. Overnight she nurses around 9pm, 12am, 2:30-3am, 5am, then Gabriel is up around 6am... 

Perry gave Georgia her first bottle at 3 1/2 weeks old. It hadn't been long since she nursed, but she still seemed hungry; I think she got just enough from me to be sleepy, but didn't fill her belly! It was the perfect time- since I had already started pumping, she had fresh milk! She drank 1 oz. (of the 2 oz. I put in the bottle) and did fair. We're reusing Gabriel's bottles, Tommee Tippee Closer To Nature for Sensitive Tummies.

Sleeping:
At night, Baby Girl sleeps in a cradle in our room for 2 1/2-3 hours at a time. An incredible tip I received from my brother's girlfriend's mom {thank you, Terry!!} is to use a heating pad to warm her cradle while I'm feeding/rocking her so the cold sheet doesn't wake her right back up when I lay her down! It works great!! Georgia is cold-natured, so get her nice & toasty and she's out! During the day, she sleeps a lot in the morning and midday, and seems to be more alert in the evenings. I started putting her in her crib for "naps" around 3 1/2 weeks. I try to at least once a day- soon we'll move her out of our room at night and into her crib. Otherwise she is in her bouncy seat or in our arms! I play relaxing rain sounds with an app on my phone. In her crib or the cradle, we swaddle her with Summer Infant's SwaddleMe wraps- my favorite!! They didn't fit her for the first two weeks so I used blankets; she would only stay sleep on my chest, and since I was so tired, I just let her... She sleeps so much better snugly swaddled- hard for me to do with a blanket!

Top L: first time in a SwaddleMe Wrap... it swallowed her 2-day old body!
Top center: blanket-swaddled in her cradle beside our bed
Top R: on my chest 

Hair & Eyes:
Georgia's hair is brown and her eyes are a medium blue! Maybe she'll end up with colored eyes! She has drainage from both eyes, crusty in the morning, watery during the day; likely the cause is blocked tear ducts. Gabe had this, too, and we gave him antibiotic eye ointment, probably unnecessarily. 

Randoms:
-My friend Jennifer who has a part-time photography business took Georgia's newborn pictures at 1 week old. They turned out fantastic!!! Post coming soon!
-Her umbilical stump fell off on day 15. Our Pediatrician informed us that the recommendation for stump-care had changed in the 2 short years since Gabe was born. We no longer were advised to swab with rubbing alcohol at each diaper change. I think that made her's stay on longer (Gabe's fell off on day 9).
-We let her try a pacifier ("bobbi") at 4 weeks old. It did help soothe her some but Perry had to hold it in, otherwise she just pushed it out with her tongue.
-Very mild baby acne showed up at 4 weeks old.
-She has gas, but unlike her brother who's seemed to be painful upper/mid-GI and was hard to get rid of, her's is lower-GI... we are shocked at the sounds that come from her tiny little girl body!! Gabriel will subtly announce, "She tooted!! 'Scuse me, Baby Georgia!"
-Georgia is a pretty mellow baby!! She cries when she is hungry or is uncomfortable and/or wants to be held. Once her need is taken care of, she's quiet, content and wide-eyed!

I LOVE my sweet girly girl!!!