100 Days of Summer, Week 9

It's been an exciting week! We took our longest road trip as a family of 3. Since it wasn't hot enough in Virginia :), we decided to go south, finding ourselves in Charleston and then Hilton Head for the next week. Stay tuned for an exciting first beach experience! 

{Day 57:July 25}

First pair of shoes...it's a love/hate relationship

{Day 58:July26}

I love our crepe myrtle, and I'm sad that I think we are missing it in full bloom this week. 

{Day 59:July 27}

Pack and ready to go...all this stuff for 3 people...or mostly one person.

{Day 60:July 28}

On the road...a highlight for our car seat hater...this was right before the most massive meltdown.

{Day 61:July 29}

Fort Sumter, South Carolina

{Day 62:July 30}

Our view for the week, Galleon Golf Course, Hole #1

{Day 63:July 31}

Matt's Birthday Dinner!!! 

100 Days of Summer, Week 8

Oh Week 8, really? We had quite an eventful week. We spent the early part of the week in Pittsburgh where Quinn decided sleeping was for the bird and I had all kinds of car drama. It's always something. Now we are back in HOT Virginia, getting back in the swing of things just in time to travel south later this week. Slow down, summer!

{Day 50:July 18}

Crawling in the grass in Pittsburgh.

{Day 51:July19}

When someone backs into your brand new car. At a red light. Whyyyy?

{Day 52:July 20}

And the very next day you lock your keys inside. I was ready to see Virginia again.

{Day 53:July 21}

She's a reader!

{Day 54:July 22}

What the 9 month photo shoot really looks like.

{Day 55:July 23}

Of course Q gets mail from Paris.

{Day 56:July 24}

When it's 'feels like 100+' you wear your pants on your head and you look like Laura Ingalls 

Nine Months

Nine Months! Nine. I really can't believe it, it seems like just yesterday I was a slave to around the clock feedings and cleaning lots of spit up. I was feeling very grateful this morning for where we are. Nine months is so fun! Quinn has so much personality and we love her more and more each day. She has always been so happy, content, and curious. Now we are starting to see a little daredevil and stubborn side come out as well. I would also qualify her as quite persistent and determined. I am looking forward to her well check next week to find out her official stats, but my estimate is 18.5 pounds and 29ish inches.

We have fallen into such a great routine this summer. I am so lucky to have this time with her each day. She usually wakes up between 5:45 and 6:45 and goes to bed by 8. She takes a shorter morning nap and usually a pretty nice, long afternoon nap. In between is lots of playing and eating. She has milk 4 times a day in addition to 3 solid meals. We also take walks, run errands, and find kid things to do. I will write more in a future "Day in the Life" post before I have to go back to work next month. Her favorite things to play with are her stacking cups, blocks, and board books. She LOVES her books! They are the first things she crawls for each morning. Which brings me to my next point. The girl LOVES to be on the move. Much to my surprise she figured out crawling 2 weeks ago and has only become faster since. This doesn't mean her will to walk on her own has faded, though. She would still rather us assist her in walking around the house. She also loves to pull up and "cruise" along all the furniture. She is quite confident in her abilities too. She tries to stand on her own in the middle of crawling, which makes me very nervous. She has been successful a handful of times and has stood independently for a few seconds those times. Quinn also likes to turn from the couch and try to walk on her own. This doesn't really work in her favor yet.

A very common Q face, accompanied by blowing air and screeching. 

The official crawling method. One leg up, one leg down. 

In addition to her new found mobility she has started to point at things that interest her. And she is also able to mimic things you show her. She loves watching people and reading books with real people in them. Quinn especially loves other kids. She squeals and laughs and makes lots of noise when she sees new friends at the grocery store, library, etc. I think she is pretty vocal in general either laughing, squealing, screaming, making what I call the monster noise (sort of like a growl), or lots of babbling (mama, dada, baba, nana, gaga, goooo, etc.). Though she loves seeing new friends, she has developed a strong case of "mama's girl." I worry about this come end of August. Other current challenges include being confined to places like the high chair and car seat. The high chair situation is ever evolving, some days are better than others. She seems to be happier when she is feeding herself and we have taken the chair off the base and we are now using it as a booster which has helped. We switched her from the infant carrier to the convertible seat last night and I am hoping that helps us to see an improvement in the car.

Texting. Flash forward 15 years.

Quinn is now working with eight teeth, and I was hoping we would get a break from teething, but I'm not entirely sure that will happen. She still seems to be chewing EVERYTHING. I think this is why she prefers to eat what we are eating versus typically pureed food. She does let us feed her her oatmeal or yogurt if those are on the menu for the day.

Love reading!

These nine months have been like the blink of an eye. We are so lucky to have baby Q and enjoy her each day. We are looking forward to her first trip to the beach next week. Say a prayer for our travels as it involves quite a bit of car seat time!

100 Days of Summer, Week 7

It's been an exciting week! We had a special brunch, went to story time, traveled, and even caught a pokemon. Quinn has been a serious trooper the past couple of days as we are visiting Pittsburgh to celebrate the impending arrival of her baby cousin. I can't believe our hundred days are halfway through. I get sad just thinking about the end of August! Here's to more adventures until then.

{Day 43:July 11}

Capturing the Pokemon in our living room. Obviously.

{Day 44:July 12}

Being a lady who brunches.

{Day 45:July 13}

First library story time.

{Day 46:July 14}

Girls Roadtrip! Don't worry the car was stopped.

{Day 47:July 15}

Visiting Aunt Caitlin at work then investigating the rumored amazing Greek food from a gas station...

{Day 48:July 16}

Playing with cousins!

{Day 49:July 17}

Caitlin's baby shower...more to follow

100 days of Summer, Week 6

This week the pictures are a little Quinn heavy...I guess that's what happens when it's summer and we get to spend all day every day together. In other exciting news, this is my 500th post! That really blows my mind a little bit. Even though my blog has gone a little downhill since Q came along, it's still up and running 5.5 years later.

{Day 36:July 4}

Best smile on the 4th of July!

{Day 37: July 5}

My new training partner...I think she heard all my whining on the miles and started whining herself.

{Day 38:July 6}

Happy in the high chair. We were going through major hard times with the high chair...but I finally figured it out. She just wants real food and to feed herself...no purees for this chick! 

{Day 39:July 7}

Total creeper...always climbing all over me. She loves to pull up and go between me and the couch.

{Day 40:July 8}

Meeting Matt for lunch on the hottest day EVER! 

{Day 41:July 9}

Watching a movie on Netflix...first time in a long time. Spotlight...recommend it!

{Day 42:July 10}

Q loves the pool, she's definitely a fish! I love her tongue in this picture.

100 Days of Summer, Week 5

{Day 29:June 27}

I love summer dinners from the grill!

{Day 30:June 28}

Taking a class at The Little Gym.

{Day 31:June 29}

Iced coffee in a glass with lots of memories.

{Day 32:June 30}

The end of an era. Matt says goodbye to the Yaris.

{Day 33:July 1}

And then we became very suburban and very parental.

{Day 34:July 2}

She's not allergic, they said. Feed her eggs, they said. Wrong. Allergic reaction, round two.  

{Day 35:July3}

Starting somewhere. 83 days until my next half marathon. This was a 3 mile slow death.