6 Month Report Card

Yesterday, Anderson had his 6 month check-up and here are his report card results:

Weight: 15lb, 13oz--10 to 25%

Height: 26 inches--25%

Head Circumference: 17 1/2--50 to 75% (must have a large brain!)

Everything is on track and there was no weight talk so I was very glad about that! It seems that he is just fine now and has caught up with himself. I do not know what I would do, I mean this kid eats like crazy. He gets bottles 4 times a day and solids with 3 of his bottles! I do not know where he puts it all :) And, he has not had something in his mouth that he did not like (except for the jarred prunes I tried to give him). I have made him (yes, I am still making his food--impressed??) peas, green beans, squash, broccoli, zucchini, pears, peaches, apples, bananas, prunes (ate the ones I made him), cauliflower, carrots, sweet potatoes, and we are going to try butter beans soon! It is still unbelievable to me that it has been half of a year. Sweet baby showed off and performed all of his newly mastered motor skills, talked up a storm, and laughed/cooed at anyone who would pay him any attention!

Here are some of Anderson's new 6 month tricks!

What are these? They look good enough to eat...

Great party trick!

For my next trick....

He was doing the "worm" here trying to scoot--I did not capture it very well! He gets his knees under his belly and inches forward.

Getting good at the sippy cup--it is nearly the size of his head! And he is starting to do up and down chewing with his solids!

I can prop on my hands to sit up!

Then I slowly fall to the side!

I can bear weight on my legs for over 15 seconds!

Please...not again!

Don't Miss the Boat!

Embarkation begins at 12:30 and you better believe that we might actually be the first ones in line to get on the Carnival Sensation come March 12! This boat is going to take us to the Bahamas on a 3 night/2 day cruise for Paige's bachelorette party! Only 3 short weeks left until the bon voyage party :)

In the meantime, I have got to find a bathing suit that I will actually put on without cringing!

My Poor Baby.

I tried and tried to prevent this from happening, but unfortunately he caught a cold. He started acting funny on Tuesday, and on Thursday I took him in for his first (of many I am sure) sick child visit. I know this sounds dramatic, but I was devastated. I just knew he felt horrible and there was nothing I could do to make it better. The MD confirmed that he has a little cold and things should clear up in 7 to 10 days. That seems like an eternity. We have been laying low at home trying to get him well giving him his prescription medicine, saline spray in his nose, using that bulb snot sucker like crazy, refilling the vaporizer, and putting him in the steam shower like 3 times a day so he can at least breathe easy for 5 seconds. Brad and I never used the steam shower until Anderson got sick, and it really has provided him some relief! Brad and I had some obligations this weekend so we have been tag teaming. Brad had a rotary fundraiser most of the day Saturday and then I had volunteered to watch the 2,3 & 4 year old class at church during the 11:11 service Sunday morning. He woke up feeling better this morning, all smiles (thank you lord!), and appeared to feel better but he was still coughing some. We did not want to risk him passing his cold to the other babies in the nursery so Brad stayed home with him. Overall, he has been a fairly easygoing sick baby and I am grateful b/c I know things could have been a whole lot worse!

I AM READY FOR HIM TO GO FROM THIS ANDERSON:

not so happy in the exersaucer--actually not so happy anywhere this day

TO THIS ANDERSON:

Happy, Healthy Boy!

SATURDAY, not Sunday!

How did I mess this up, I do not know. Charlie's promotion was late afternoon on Saturday, not Sunday as the previous post said (I changed it). As the old saying goes....Sorry Charlie!

The Major!

Late afternoon Saturday was Charlie's promotion from Captain to Major! We are all very proud of Charlie for this honor and, of course, all that he does serving our country. For those of you who do not know, Charlie is a pilot in the United States Marine Corps and is stationed in Beaufort. Charlie most recently flew F18 Hornets and just a few weeks ago received orders to remain in Beaufort, but now he will fly the C12 Huron.

F18 Hornet

C12 Huron

The ceremony was a bit unconventional b/c Charlie really wanted Paige to be involved in the process and take part in the promotion. Since she is in Columbia and during the week she has classes, the only option was to hold it on the weekend. Evidently, it is usually held at the Officer's Club and the tradition is for the newly promoted to have an open bar tab! Charlie's wallet is probably thanking him that it was a bit more low key and held in his living room instead!

Paige puts on one of Charlie's Major pins

Hal, Charlie, and Pete (Lt. Colonels who performed the ceremony)

Brad, Me, Major Charlie, and Paige

We joke with Charlie and say he is going to be the ultimate uncle. Now, let it be known that I have only one sister and Brad is an only child! When Anderson is old enough, he can take him on the planes, on the airfield, and let him play with all the gear that pilots use--little boy paradise!

Again, we are very proud of Charlie! Support our Troops!

What a Whirlwind Weekend!

We were busy, busy this weekend but had a great time! I stayed out too late on Friday night--I actually think that I got home (well, to my parents house!) Saturday early morning--as the date on the camera says so??!! I tell you, I just cannot do it anymore. I know I have said this before! It seems like such a good idea at the time, but then I am exhausted for the next week. Many say this feeling actually never goes away once you have children, but that you just get used to it! We packed up and headed to Beaufort late afternoon on Friday to attend the rehearsal dinner, that was an oyster roast, for an old childhood friend of mine--Don Sanders. It was held at the Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club. That place is really a great venue to have a party of any type, but with the large deck they have out back and huge yard area there is plenty of room for oyster roasting, shucking tables, fire pits, picnic tables, etc.. with room to spare. Brad and I ate our fair share of oysters! How lucky that my pal Jodie who lives in Baltimore came to town after taking Murphy to visit her grandmother in Clemson! That, of course, calls for an after party. So after the party it was off to downtown Beaufort we went...

Me, Christie, and Jodie at WREN

Saturday morning, we had to drive back to HHI to bring Anderson back home for the babysitter, get ready, and be back in Beaufort for the 2pm wedding. Regrettably, I do not have any pictures of the wedding for the blog! It was a nice wedding and Don married such a genuine person, Ashley, who is a Presbyterian minister in the church that I grew up in!

There are other events in this weekend that deserve individual posts including Charlie's promotion ceremony on Saturday evening, Anderson is 6 months old today and I have some fun pictures to post, and a Valentine's Day gift! Check back soon :)

Anderson's Big Day!

Sunday (February 8) was Anderson's baby dedication at church! We are so blessed to have such a sweet boy and he did better than we could have ever expected! I, of course, had the normal anxiety about him crying through the whole dedication, him spitting up on his nice outfit, having a dirty diaper right before we are to stand in front of the entire congregation---things that do not matter at all in the grand scheme but I still could not help but think about. I am happy to report that none of that happened and it all went flawlessly. Unfortunately for me, I woke up early Sunday morning with a sore throat and I felt as if I had been hit by a bus. This came on so sudden and I felt just terrible. What was worse, was that I could not be 100% as much as I tried for Anderson's special time. Brad and the rest of our family made up for my shortcoming and all turned out great. My momma and daddy, my sister, and my grandmother Meme all came for the service. Brad's parents were unable to make it down due to Brad's grandmother's health. We were sad about that and they were missed. Charlie is in Alabama for training--he was missed as well!


We did not know Pastor Keller was going to have the whole family join us up front! From left to right: Daddy, Momma, Meme, Paige, Me, Brad w/ Anderson, and Pastor Keller.

Anderson w/ Pastor Keller. He took Anderson up and down the aisle allow the congregation to get a close look.

After church, we came back to our house and had BBQ from Jim and Nick's and a delicious cake from Signe's Heaven Bound Bakery!

Poor little guy was worn out! I put him down for a few minutes after we took some pictures and this is what I came back to! He did not get a morning nap and was so tired. I thought he would be cranky, but he held it together to stay up a couple of more hours to visit with everyone.

Paige came on Saturday from Columbia and babysat Anderson while Brad and I went to the American Heart Association Heart Ball at the Crowne Plaza Resort Saturday night. Thanks so much Paige! That was the last ball for us for the season and we can retire Brad's tuxedo until Paige and Charlie's wedding!