Olivia Layne - 24 weeks

Laynie bug! I can't believe how fast you are growing. I mean, everyone SAID it would all happen so fast, and I believed them, but I still can't quite believe the truth of the matter. You fooled me one night this week and slept for 7 hours! The very next night you woke up 4 times, though. Hmmm. You also had two nights in a row where you woke up around 10:00 and started crying inconsolably. A very different cry than we have heard before, too. I'm hoping you weren't having a nightmare or a headache. I'm also hoping it won't happen again, poor thing. We sure hate to see you so sad. It breaks our hearts. We had a fun adventure to Old Colorado City this week. Daddy and Brother Cade were troopers to come along. I'm sure it was quite boring for them. I, on the other hand, could watch people and walk around with you all day. As a treat we got ice-cream. And when I say "we" I mean ALL of us! Daddy gave you a taste of his strawberry cheesecake ice-cream. I was a bit worried, disappointed, surprised, and also I laughed at your priceless face. You didn't quite know what to do with that once it was on your tongue. But you sure did try to grab for more. I guess I had it in my mind that your very first taste of "real food" should probably not be ice-cream, but oh well, it was fun and sure made a memory! Hopefully your next taste of food will be rice cereal, but with Daddy and Grandpa Smalberger around, I can't make any promises ;) You're learning to sit up! You can sit for several seconds all by yourself, but then you get wobbly and someone had better be there to catch you. It won't be long now until you are sitting contentedly for minutes on end. I think you really enjoy the perspective you have when you're sitting up. You still do NOT like tummy time, poor thing. We don't really even bother with it anymore. You are plenty strong and you will crawl when you are ready, regardless of whether we force you to be on your tummy. And maybe you won't even crawl-maybe you'll go straight to walking! Nowadays when we do put you on your tummy you pretty much roll right over on to your back. Big girl! We also bought you a baby pool. I think you are too little to enjoy it yet. When you first got in your cried, so we pulled you right back out. The cold water must have been a bit of a shock, and that's even after Daddy carried plenty of buckets of hot water out to mix with the cold hose water. You ended up sitting in the water just fine, but it's a bit hard for you to play when we have to be holding you and can't get in with you. Maybe by the end of the summer it will be a bit more fun. You are used to Cade now, at least so that when he looks at you you don't cry. YAY! He is a good big brother. I wish with all my heart you could get to know him beyond this summer full time, but we cherish all the times we have him here and I know you will, too. You have been pretty consistent with your naps. You wake up around 6:30 when I have to go to work, but sometimes you sleep until 7:30 on weekends! THen about 1-2 hours later you are ready for your long morning nap, which lasts for 1-2 hours. Then 1-2 hours after than you are ready for another 1-2 hour nap! The afternoons entail fewer and shorter naps, and you have given up your latest evening nap. I love to take you for walks in the evenings. It's so nice to spend time with you after being at work and you seem to really prefer the outdoors! I can't wait to see what the next several weeks bring. You sure do grow and change quickly right before our eyes. Almost 6 months old! You are so special, Livi. We love you so much! xoxo