We had to say good bye to Austin...or at least, "see you later". Here are a few photos of our visit with Dina, Michael and baby Athina the weekend before we left. We will miss them dearly. Dina was one of the first people that welcomed me to Austin when I moved here and we have been great friends ever since. We will miss ya'll!
Sweet Athina and Miss Haley are going to be the best of friends!
BIG changes are happening for the Schmitt Family. Brian got a promotion at work which requires up to relocate to Houston, TX. This brought mixed emotions for us all, but we are super excited for the move and of course the promotion!!! This January would have marked 10 years since I moved to Texas and Austin. I absolutely love it in Austin and pictured us raising our kids here. I have spent the last 2 years dreaming about where we were going to buy our next home and where our kids were going to go to school. So the idea of picking up and starting all over in an unfamiliar town brought about anxieties but excitement at the same time.
We found out about the promotion the first week of June and the following weekend we were in Houston looking for a home. We were a bit anxious about our house hunting trip since we would have both kids in tow for a jam packed weekend, in and out of a hot car and homes, in 100+ degree heat. It could not have gone any better! It was such a blessing. We saw 13 houses the first day and were absolutely exhausted!!! We had narrowed it down to 2 homes by the end of the day - one I loved and one Brian loved. The next day we toured both homes again and ended up signing a contract on the one Brian loved in Katy, TX, a western suburb of Houston. I ended up loving it too. It was just perfect for our family. Less then 7 days after learning of this big life change, we were under contract on a new home - something we had both been waiting for for almost 2 years!!!
The next few weeks were super busy. We purchased a brand new home and the builder was wanting to close by June 30th to allow for the sale to hit the books by the end of the quarter. Although extremely hectic, the process could not have gone smoother. It was certainly a sign this was all in God's plan. We closed on our new home on June 30th and planned our moving day for July 15th.
You seem to have grown up over night! Where did my newborn baby go?!?! Although I miss those times, I just love interacting with you and watching you grown. You are so much fun and you are a very happy baby. You constantly have a smile on your face. Everyone comments on what a good baby you are!
Measurements
You weighed 16 lbs 6 ounces and were in the 55th percentile for weight. You measured 25 inchesand were in the 25th percentile for height (down from 30th percentile at 4 months).Your head measured 43.5 cm and was in the 80th percentile. So far, you certainly look like you are going to take after your Mommy :-) And you for sure are not following in Carson's footsteps. Here are Carson's 6 Months stats. He was in the 97th percentile for his weight...weighing in at a whopping 21 lbs 13 ounces! He was in the 85th percentile for his height at 27.5 inches. And he was in the 97th percentile for his head at 47 cm.
Sleep
You are have taken a set back on your sleep patterns but it wasn’t your fault! Mommy got a little too comfortable with the night feedings when she decided to lay you down next to her to nurse instead of nursing you and putting you right back to bed. Now Mommy falls asleep with you when you nurse and you stay in bed with Mommy and Daddy for the rest of the night. Since you are right next to me, you tend to want to nurse a little more frequently for shorter periods of time and have been waking up more than once a night. Hopefully we will break that habit soon. You should be sleeping all the way through the night now. I am sure you can, lets just see if Mommy can hold you to it!
Temperament
I sound like a broken record but it is so true to say you are such an EASY baby. You have pretty much been like this since birth. You are happy almost all the time. You love to be on a schedule. You still only fuss when you are hungry or tired. And even then, its not much of a fuss and its an easy fix. You entertain yourself really well. You don't mind being in the car at all. You love your baths. I am trying to think of things that are common to upset a baby of your age and I can't think of a one that bothers you. We love it!!!
Health
If there is one thing we have struggled with it is your health. Unfortunately you are still prone to colds and ear infections although you have had the tubes put in your ears. You are on and off antibiotics, which I hate. You had yet another ear infection this month. The good news is the tubes allow for decreased discomfort so, like your brother, you seem to be use to being sick and it doesn't seem to phase you much. I guess there is a little good with the bad.
Happy Baby!
Trying baby food for the first time! Squash! This went over a lot better then the cereal went last month.
"Why must you ALWAYS have that camera in my face." Get used to it sweet heart!
Haley really took to eating her vegetables. And she enjoyed trying to feed herself. Ha! I say, the messier the better!
We went to Chic-fil-A to celebrate the end of Carson's Spring Soccer Session with Soccer Shots. He is showing off his medal here. Of which he insists on calling his "necklace". Ha!
A rare treat, play time in the in door play area and ice cream cone from McDonalds! Anything to beat the heat!
I could not resist purchasing their school pictures this spring. Although I certainly would have dressed them differently had I remembered picture day and I would not have slicked Carson's hair to the side as they did....but they sure do look cute!!!
If only I could get them to pose and smile like this.
Carson's "blue donut". Brian and Carson started this tradition this summer. There is a bakery not far from our house in Austin and Brian and Carson enjoy going to the bakery on Saturday mornings for "blue donuts". I love the idea since I not only get a "blue donut" myself, but I also get to sleep in!
Another blue donut morning :-)
Carson loves to shop at Randalls. He loves their car shopping carts!
I had to post a pic of our furry son, Luke. This is where you can find Luke in the 5 o'clock hour at our house as he waits for Daddy to get home from work. He paces between the back door and the kitchen window that provides a view of the garage door. Its amazing how he knows what time of day it is....
Carson dusted off his Gator chants this spring as we cheered the Gators on in the College World Series.
Our lives have settled quite nicely since your arrival 5 short months ago. We absolutely love being a family of 4! This month has been full of fun events – a visit from the Russ family, Mother’s Day and Mommy and Daddy’s first vacation since you were born!
Health
Your ears have been doing pretty good since your ear tubes were placed in April, however, this month you surprised us with two eye infections – 10 days a part!!! It was the weirdest thing ever. You went to sleep the night of May 20th and woke at 3am on the 21st a little fussy and cranky. I hadn’t noticed your eye as it was dark. After I changed you and you would not stop fussing, I turned the lights and to investigate and saw that your eye was swollen completely shut! Of course I immediately woke your Daddy and we called the after hours nurse. We took you in to see the doctor first thing on Saturday morning and you were diagnosed with pink eye and also had an infection in the tissues around the eye. After 10 days of antibiotics, the day you stopped taking them, you got the same thing in your other eye on May 31st!!! It was so crazy.
Sleep
You are still a very good sleeper. Mommy and Daddy took a vacation to the Bahamas this month and your Aunt Rara (Tara) flew in from Florida to watch you and your brother. She had you sleeping through the night without a feeding. I was so impressed!
New Tricks/Favorite Activities
You love blowing bubbles with your mouth
You love, love, love getting raspberries on your belly. Especially from your brother! Carson just loves to give you raspberries and you both belly laugh!
You love your feet! You have started to grab your feet and more recently have started to suck on your toes! Mamma (my mom) tells me I used to do this at your age as well. Like mother like daughter :-)
You napped in your crib for the first time this month at home. You have napped in your crib at daycare a couple of times, but you still prefer to nap in your swing.
You can sit with the assistance of you boppy.
You can roll from front to back and back to front.
You had cereal for the first time this month! You weren’t extremely excited about it but you did eat it.
You still love your exercauser and any toy that rattles and makes noise.
How cute is this western outfit Pepaw and Memaw got Haley?!?!
Check out those boots!
Haley tuckered out after her photo shoot.
Just wondering what is going through Miss Riley and Haley's minds right now...ready to go shopping?? That is just what we did!
Carson introducing Haley to the world of Angry Birds...not so sure how I feel about this one. Ha!
Haley just loves to play with her feet!!!
Carson tickling Haley. I just love how she looks at and adores her big brother.
Carson reading to Haley
I just love this intense look on her face.
Sweet as pie!
Haley's first food, baby cereal.
She's thinking its not what its cracked up to be.
Getting a decent picture of the two of them is difficult. But I think this one is cute.
Mommy is hardly ever in front of the camera.
Here is a cute video of Miss Haley blowing bubbles.
I am still catching up on my posts (it's mid August and I am just now posting May, ha!). Here are a few photos from May.
I had a wonderful Mother's Day this year. Chris, Megan and Riley Russ were in town for a baseball tournament and they were here to share Mother's Day with us. It was great! The kiddos surprised me with wonderful gifts that they made at school. I will treasure these forever! And yes, I have already started a bin that is filling up of all of Carson's art work. Its so hard not to save it ALL!!!
How cute is this!?!?!
Precious!
They even made pots and potted flowers for us. I actually kept this alive for 2.5 months!!!
This is one cool kid!
Ok, I debated posting this, but its too funny not too! Needless to say, I DID NOT TEACH HIM THIS. I am sure you can figure out who did. I certainly hope he doesn't show this new skill to his teachers.
Brian and I have been married for 6 years. We welcomed our son, Carson, in March of 2008 and our daughter, Haley, in December of 2010. We are enjoying parenthood tremendously and can't wait for each new day with them. They bring us so much joy.
