Baker Henley | 5 & 6 Months

FIVE MONTHS

whats new...

Her little personality is shining through more and more everyday.  I adore watching her grow.  It's hard to be sad when she is becoming so fun!  

LOVES

smiling.  cooing.  she could listen to herself "talk" all day-especially when it's quiet (like at church).  She loves car rides -it is the only way we can get her to sleep😂)

her crib for naps (she has a mobile she loves to look at until she dozes off).  

HATES

being laid down😬

naps

She's a very happy baby!  There isn't much she doesn't like.

play & cognitive development

Seriously, so close to sitting up.  She is so strong!

Starting to enjoy tummy time more b/c she can push up with her arms.

I know she could roll over, but she won't tolerate being laid down long enough to do it😂. I've seen her roll side to side-but her flip outs are so intense -we just pick her up!  #thirdchildprobs

She is becoming so much more aware of her surroundings!

eat

Nurses 24/7 and has began trying stage 1 baby foods.  So far, green beans, apples, and prunes.

To my surprise, she loved green beans and prunes most...future veggie queen?  🤣

sleep

she is becoming a big sleep fighter.  She doesn't want to miss a n y t h i n g!

sibling love

The boys adore her.  They literally fight and keep time on how long it's been since they held her last.  It amazes me how they want to "squeeze her head off" in their own words but they are so gentle and careful with her in real life.  After she had her shots, they were both doting on her every move.

I hope they are always such sweet big bros!

FIVE MONTH PHOTO DUMP:

We had to unexpectedly go to Hawaii the end of February/beginning of March.

It sounds nice...but I assure you, it was anything BUT nice.  Cade's dad was very sick and had an extremely scary surgery.  We were all very worried.  We spent everyday at the hospital, but on our last evening, we ate by the ocean & Baker got to stick her feet in the ocean & sand for the first time💕  Thankfully, Cade's dad is doing better!  He is still in Hawaii, but is getting closer & closer to coming home a healed man!🙌🏻. We are very thankful God has heard our prayers.

 Cade and the boys like to make her ninja turtle Bakie.

 When you have two older brothers...

 Cam is my water temp tester😊

 It's good, mom!

 Check up with Dr. Perry!

 After the long long flight to Hawaii

She's a trooper!

 Story of my life every day.

Blow out.

 Red eye flight home.

This was actually my birthday...she was an angel🥰

 Souvenir from Bebe.

---

SIX MONTHS

Happy Half Birthday, B!

whats new...

A LOT has changed since her last milestone month.  We are living in a different world watching a new history unfold.  Who would have ever dreamed this up?  I hope my kids remember this as a fun time, not for the uncertainty & fear we adults have come to associate it with.  

In other happy news, this month Baker is sitting up!  

LOVES

looking at herself in the mirror

being held & toted around

going for walks

being outside

her brothers

BABY FOOD!

love/hate with bouncer 

tries to stick her face in the bath water (I'm not sure what that's about!)

All of her toys...she's very curious

pulling hair

swinging

HATES

being laid down😬

naps (just like big brothers)

the play mat unless we are changing her diaper

the mamaroo

sleep

play & cognitive development

She is finally sitting up all alone!  As mentioned at 5 months, she wants to be held so much she never allows herself the opportunity to show off her skills.  Totally my fault, too!  But she IS my last baby.  so, I'm mostly concerned with enjoying the snuggles.  She is rolling over every way possible and basically trying to stand and trying to crawl.  All at once-BAM!  She's trying to grow up on me!

eat

Again, relevant to say she's still nursing a lot.  Eating a variety of stage 1 & 2 foods.  Loving Beechnut pouches (but who am I kidding-we get what grocery pick up gives us!  We can't be picky which ones we get-apparently baby food is as selected over as toilet paper🙄). When we were still going places, I remember these were so convenient with Conley.   We are also loving Ryan + Rose utensils.  She wants to be so independent and feed herself.  SO, the pouches allow that with supervision (if not she loses them & dumps everywhere) or I give her a spoon & I keep one to use for the food.  It doubles as a teether!

sleep

Sleep warrior Queen, Bakie.  She used to lay, kick, and play and put herself to sleep early on- but that time is over!  I've had a lot of trouble with her at nap & bedtime lately.  She is totally on a schedule if she'll let herself be.  Always a morning nap, cat nap in the evening if we go anywhere in car (used to be to pick Cam up at school-now quarantine has thrown us a loop!) and sleep around 8/9.

sibling love

At this point in time we have distinctive nicknames for the brothers.  I was calling them both "bubba" and Conley clearly states he is NOT bubba.  Cam is.  So Cam is "bubba" and Conley became "Scouty."  We often call him by his middle name so it just works!  I think he is enjoying that name.  But it IS Conley...so you never know.😂. With this social distancing stuff, they OF COURSE, HAVE to be in her face 24/7.  They love playing with her & putting their hand on her head (?). I don't really know why her head is so magnetic, but it is.  Cam begs to hold her & wants so badly to try while he is standing up.

SIX MONTH PHOTO DUMP

 Just reading Carrie's fitness tips like every other girl in America...

How'd she get those legs, mom?😂

Also: see the state of our house in quarantine

 Prunes are life.

Love her so.  

All of them so...

I am so looking forward to easter baskets this week.  It is almost as fun to put these together as it is to do Christmas stockings.  Maybe I'll be extra ambitious & try to share those this week!  I'm loving the therapy that is writing ❤️

Until next month!

Project Simplify

WARNING: LATE NIGHT RAMBLES AHEAD.

It's 1:46 am on this Saturday night, and though I am exhausted from staying up late to complete an evaluation for work, I just had to pay my little space on the web a visit.  I needed to write!

Life has changed so much since I last wrote.  All of our world is basically standing still with the new pandemic that is COVID-19.  We are all self-quarantining and staying home with questions and unknowns swirling in our brains.  Even before all of that happened, my own little world changed when my father in law became sick.  Thankfully, he is doing better every day, but for awhile, it was really scary.  If I've learned anything lately, it's that we can't plan for anything.  Tomorrow is not promised, & appreciate every second God gives us to live without cares or worries.  

But, that last part happens to be my biggest struggle.

I feel guilty for writing about my self today with everything that is going on, but I have all these thoughts that I just want to get out.

As a mom, I've been struggling a lot lately with getting everything done.  Don't get me started on how guilty I feel for complaining over ANYTHING when the world is in the shape it's in.  And so many others have *real* problems.  I acknowledge that.  And many times I shame myself for these thoughts.  BUT, it doesn't change the fact that this is weighing heavy on my heart + mind. 

And this is my space...it's not Facebook-so, if I'm not exercising the stress away, I'm writing it away.  Those two things are my medicine.  

It's just how I deal.❤️

I won't sugar coat it. I feel like a failure most of the time.   While you probably wouldn't know it from knowing me, I am somewhat of a perfectionist.  I strive after it, anyway.  

I swear I think at the time I took this picture to create a visual for myself to CHILL.

This was an "I'm about to lose my mind everything is crazy moment."

I want a clean, organized house.  I want to be present with my kids.  I want to be in the best shape I can be physically and mentally.  I want to be the best wife, make time to always grow our relationship & make sure he has a warm meal when he comes home from work.  I want to help contribute financially and be the best speech therapist I can be (And, if I do my job right, let's be realistic-this basically takes up all of my productive hours).  I want to be spiritually fed and wake up early to squeeze in my workout, prayer, and reading my bible.  "Quiet time" as I like to call it.  Oh, and I basically breastfeed Baker 23 hours a day and she has decided she c a n n o t be laid down for a second.  Give the kids a bath.  And then there is the dog.  And my sister (whom is my right hand, and I don't know what I'd do without her).  And my friends.  And our family and making sure I stay in touch with them.  And...feeding the boys 34,232 snacks.  Get groceries, plan all the meals.  I want to at least look presentable and put together.  And that is not an easy task y'all!  (Hello frizzy hair, dark eye circles, and legs that need shaved every 10 minutes😂).  Yikes.

I've found my anxiety over perfection has gotten worse as I age.  And I think my list of things I want perfect keeps growing and changing.  New things are becoming evident to me that never have before.  I'm finding new things to worry about that I really have no control over.

I want to scream sometimes because I feel like I'm letting everyone down & I literally can't do ONE thing to change it.  I'm powerless.  Is it everyone though, or just me?  And let's take that even further-what does God think about all of this?

In spite of stressing myself out and you (if you're still reading-bless your soul) -I've come to hear God saying...Cassidy, you have to think of what is most important.  Focus on that.  There will be a time in your life when you can do more, but right now, in this season, find rest in the important things you'll never get back.

I kind of want to ignore him, because, I'm over here thinking:

God, do you know what people will think of me if they walk into a messy house?  Or see me without makeup and my hair fixed?  Do you know how crazy I feel if I don't have things organized or see clutter collecting?  

In the midst of all of this, I want to forgive myself if everything isn't perfect.  I need that lady that comes to help Khloe Kardashian just let go of her cleaning obsession.  Now, I'm not one to watch KUWTK, but my sister has been lately, and the episode where she is crawling around on her hands and knees cleaning?  That's me when I have one second to be "productive."  I'm that nuts, y'all.  But, who am I kidding-I can't afford help like that.  SO.  I'm working on training myself.  😂

I shared all that to say, I feel like God has laid it on my heart to try simplifying my life in order to enjoy it again.  I'll never be perfect. And I have to quit trying or else, I am always going to be in a bad, stressful mood.  And I definitely don't want my family to think of me that way.  I don't have to buy all the things I think I need to buy or do all the things I think I need to do in order to have a good life.  Project simplify.  Here's to that new journey in spite of all that's going on in the world today.  

Maybe someday over the next week, I'll do a post more relevant to everything else...but for tonight, it was lifting that heavy weight off my heart and pouring it out on this screen.

Come to me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28