Happy Halloween

Caroline was a ladybug for Halloween.  She wore her costume to the Razorback watch party on Saturday and again on Halloween.  We had a few people over to the house to hand out candy in the front yard.  Caroline was too excited about Halloween to nap that day so she was a little grumpy for the trick or treaters.  She also didn't really cooperate for pictures, but here are some attempts at a good picture in her costume.

Nana's Visit

My Mom came to visit in mid-October.  We had a great visit and managed to get in a trip to a pumpkin patch and the zoo.  We also attempted to get Caroline's picture made in a dress that both my Mom and I wore, but the photo shoot did not go well - the pictures are pretty funny with lots of crying and really mad faces.  Since the nana-paparazzi was in town, I have tons of pictures.  Here are just a few:

Note the "I Love Nana" outfit:

Super cute pumpkin outfit borrowed from her friend, Emmy:

 



At the pumpkin patch:

 

In the dress that I wore home from the hospital:

 



 

At the zoo (the trees were so pretty):

 



And here's one with Grandad.  He has been able to visit every month thanks to work trips and I finally remembered to take a picture.  We're so glad that he's able to visit!

8 months

Some notables from the past month:

- Sits well without support
- Can wave bye-bye (more like a straight arm salute)
- Shakes her head "no"
- Talking away - lots of "dadada" and "bababa"
- Sleeps through the night (about 10 - 11 hours) - yay!!!!!!! (although she is still a terrible napper)
- Attended her 10th Nationals game
- Attended first MLB playoff game and witnessed a walk-off homerun
- Getting in one more tooth - just breaking through (top right)
- Still finicky with solids
- Wearing 6 month clothes

She had a new tooth coming in on her birthday so didn't get any big smiles, but here are a few with the birthday cupcake outfit:

 

Here are two from two days later - I think that the headband and flower are a bit much - looks a bit like an old lady trying to keep her hair rollers in...

Messy

So, in one picture, I fed her peas and in the other picture, Spanky fed her peas.  Can you guess which is which?

Like Father, Like Daughter

Uh oh, she's taking after Spanky in a few areas:

Loves the remote:

 

Enjoying a cold one at the baseball game:

 

Cheering on the Razorbacks at Trusty's:

 

7 months

I left for a week in El Salvador on the morning that she turned 7 months - yes, that's right, Spanky and Caroline were home alone for an entire week and both survived - so I didn't get any pictures from the actual date that she turned 7 months, but here's some from a few days before as well as some notables for the month:

- Got her 3rd and 4th teeth in - top two!
- Went to her 7th, 8th and 9th Nationals Baseball Game
- First trip to the zoo (though I don't think she realized that there were any animals)
- First Razorback Watch Party at Trusty's - she's been every week except for one game
- Eating a few more solid foods, but still not loving it
- Mostly in 6 months clothing, but still wearing some 3 - 6 months

"Solids"

Caroline has started on some "solid" foods.  All was going along pretty well for about a week or two and then she learned to combine her bubble blowing skills with her new food eating skills (see video).

The first two pictures are her first taste of solids - rice cereal - but it was so runny that it really just fell right back out of her mouth:

Added a bit more cereal to the mix and much better results:

 



 

Have tried a few fruits and vegetables - so far, sweet potatoes seem to be her favorite:

Then she started to get in two new tooth and decided that these solids were really no fun and that all food should be expelled from her mouth, sometimes with force: https://vimeo.com/48622141

 

We'll keep trying and I am now getting her to get in at least a few bites of food, but she's pretty determined when she doesn't want to eat...maybe she's just holding out for the good stuff.