Country Roads...

We spent spring break this year in The Smoky Mountains. 

We were in Gatlinburg, Tennessee (not West Virginia) most of the week, but the entire time I could not get John Denver's singing out of my head.

The weather couldn't have been more perfect and we did so many fun things in such a short period of time that it is hard to remember everything! So, here is an attempt to show some of what we did:



This was taken in the parking lot of our hotel.  Pretty nice view, for a hotel parking lot, huh?!
We stayed at the Park Vista in Gatlinburg, and it was great!



Most of the time in the car I was banished to the backseat...to avoid kid car-sickness and fighting. 
Actually, it is a pretty nice ride back there.

Dylan did really great.  It seems that she will be a good travel buddy, based on these first couple trips with her.  She did well in the car and hung out in the stroller or baby carrier (with no care in the world) while we were doing activities/hiking.

Walking around downtown Gatlinburg (Didn't take many pictures down there, because really its mostly just a bunch of shops full of junk.)

Waiting at the horse stables for a turn to ride.

David, Dawson and Jamie rode horses up and down a mountain.
(I stayed back with Dylan). 
We could hardly believe that Jamie was big enough to do it on her own, but she was, and did great!

We did a few of the trails in the National Park, or stopped at different places off the side of the road.  The Laurel Falls trail was about the maximum (or maybe too much) for the kids because of the incline and length of it. (Also, if you ever go to it with a baby...do NOT take a stroller on the "paved" trail!  Bad idea!) However, it was worth the hike when we got to the falls, because they had a lot of fun climbing around.  (Plus the views on the way up were great!)

Laurel Falls - Smoky Mountain National Park

On our way back down from Laurel Falls.

 

Somewhere in the park a bunch of people were pulled over on the side of the road looking in the woods...we figured it had to be something good, so we stopped too.  It was a black bear.  The picture I took of it just looks like a black ball of fur in the trees, but I think this one of all the crazy tourists is funny.






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 One of the days we took a Gondola ride up to Ober Gatlinburg (a ski resort / amusement park).

 There were a ton of things to do up there, so we ended up staying most of the day. 
There was a wildlife exhibit, with a black bear that wasn't hidden in the woods.

Tons of different rides, mini golf, ice skating, food, and shopping. 

 Plus, one of the really fun things to do up there is ride the ski lifts up to the top and take the alpine slides back down the mountain (little carts that go down the ski runs).

We had to spend a little time everyday at the hotel pool...because there is no way we would get away with not letting those two swim in a pool like this, as much as they could.  The slide/pool was Jamie's favorite thing all week.

 

 This girl was just content to watch the pool action.



Bedtime story.

In Gatlinburg there is a really cool aquarium.  Probably the best one we have ever been too.  Sharks and Stingrays and all kinds of crazy fish we have never seen. 
Dawson said it was his favorite part of the trip (it was also David's favorite).

Just to prove everyone isn't always smiles all the time...it wouldn't be vacation without some meltdowns in true Jamie style.

Stopped at a few spots on our way up to the highest point in Tennessee.

Ran into the Appalachian trail a few times.



Top of Clingmans Dome.  6,643 feet.  This was also a bit of a climb for kids (and two somewhat out-of-shape adults!), but wow, what a view!



This was probably my favorite part of the trip
(with a close second being people watching and listening i.e: "I'm fixin' ta get som-in to eat, how 'bout ya'll?...")

 


Five Months

Happy 5 months to Dylan!

• She is just barely over 13 lbs, wearing size 2 diapers and some 3-6 month clothes (but is still able to wear a lot of 0-3 month stuff!)
• Night time is still a maximum stretch of 5 hours.  She sleeps for 4-5 hours to start off the night, then eats, and sleeps again, and up every 2-3 after that.
• Nap times during the day still 30 minute cat-naps all day long.
• Still nursing (and having pumped bottles while I'm at work), but she is starting to get nosey which makes it a little difficult to keep her concentrated!
• We started giving her cereal a few weeks ago, and she does pretty well with it, once or twice a day.  Probably will introduce her to some fruits or veg after we get back from spring break in a week.
• She is a super loud, talkative and happy baby! Lately she has been starting to get upset if you leave her alone or don't pay attention to her.
• She still loves sitting in the excersaucer and plays a little in the jump-up too.
• Putting a pacifier in and out of her mouth, if she is holding it already, is a new found skill.
• Dawson & Jamie are doing really well with her.  They are great entertainers!

*sorry if all the stats bore you...I'm keeping track this way for now, because I haven't been on top of a baby book.

Look Aunt Shontel and Uncle Joel...the dress you gave me finally fits! 

Almost Five Months Already...

Just a few photos before Dylan isn't four months old anymore.

Those eyelashes!

House Update



Projects have resumed...there is an update on the remodel blog.

1st Cereal Attempts

Dylan's first attempt to eat cereal was a couple weeks ago.  She has been doing great with it ever since the first runny bite!
(Plus, sleeping a little longer...5-6 hrs...after having some in the evening.)

4 Months



4 Months Old.
Here are some things going on in Dylan's life...

• She is weighing in at just about 12 pounds now, which means she is finally starting to grow out of her 0-3 month clothes.
• She has graduated to size 2 diapers.
• Night time has had a little progress...but progress for her means that she is now doing a maximum stretch of 5 hours, but usually more like 4.  She sleeps for 4-5 hours to start off the night, then eats, and sleeps again, and up every two after that.
• Nap times during the day are 30 minute-ish cat-naps all day long. Once a week, or so, she might surprise us and take a long two hour nap.
• She is talking and squealing and laughing a lot!  Her fussy periods have seemed to go away. (3 months and 10 lbs really is magic in that aspect!)  Most of the time she is nothing but smiles when someone is paying attention to her (unless she is tired or hungry).
• She is loving sitting in the excersaucer (she has been holding her head up very well from early on).
• Recently, she has been grabbing at toys, especially the ones on the excersaucer, and chewing on her blankets or hands.
• She rolls over from front to back very easily and likes playing on her tummy.
• She still loves baths, and we try to give her one every night as part of her bedtime routine.
• Our nanny, Paula, watches Dylan while we are at work and the kids are at school.  She does great for Paula, who is one of the best nannys you could ask for!

Sisters

Most of you see our videos on facebook, but for all the non-facebookers...here are some recent ones:

Just Another Sunday Afternoon...

Three Months Of Growing - In Numbers:

3:  This girl is 3 months old now!  She has been doing some eating, some sleeping, some pooping and some growing.

10:  She is weighing in at 10 pounds currently...still just a tiny peanut.  (Both Dawson and Jamie were well over 13+ pounds by 3 months.)  This means she is barely even out of newborn clothes and just now wearing some small 0-3 months things.

25: She is in the 25th percentile for weight, height and head size.  Who would have thought we would have such a little mig, especially after Dawson (who was 99th percentile for everything, as an infant).

1: She is still sporting the size 1 diapers, which is great because all of my friends keep giving us packages of diapers that their kids have outgrown!

4:  She is a stinker at night, not sleeping more than a max of 4 hours at a time. (And that is even rare. It is usually more like 2-3 hours.)  She nurses well, but I guess with a tummy that little - she doesn't have much room to fill up and stay full for very long.

Which means she has...
1: One very tired (and most of the time - crabby) mommy! (Especially since I am back at work now.)

12: The number of pacifiers that I think we have all over the house.  She has officially taken to using a Nuk to fall asleep, which makes life a little easier.  Now...if she would just stay asleep a little longer!

6: The number of different brands of paci's I tried until finding one that she likes.  Should have just gone with the good old fashioned Nuk in the first place.

2: We have almost 2 of everything baby related in this house...2 swings, 2 highchairs, 2 pack and plays, 2 bouncy seats, 2 strollers, 2 breastpumps, 2 mobile/activity gyms, 2 changing pad tables etc..  They take up a lot of room but, it makes life much easier, because one thing is upstairs and one downstairs. (Thanks friends and family for all the borrowed stuff!)

5: Number of people in our house now, which is still a little weird to all of us, I think.  We are still adjusting and every so often I wake up very groggy and think "Why is there a baby in here crying?!"  We think Dylan was a pretty good addition though. 

Happy 3 Month Birthday Dylan Johanna!

Happy 8th Birthday Dawson!

Can you believe Dawson turns 8 today!?

Half way to 16...oh boy!

He celebrated his birthday all weekend long...

It started off with a couple friends (Jack and Ty) and a day filled with fun stuff, that he picked, to do with them.
This plan was WAY more fun and less stressful than a big birthday party with a bunch of kids! Plus, they had a blast. Yay!) 
They saw a movie, went to a McDonalds play place, and went bowling.  The movie was The Adventures of Tin Tin...which is an absolutely perfect boy adventure movie...so if you have boys around the age of 8, let them see that movie...they will love it!

Then, we had a little birthday celebration on Sunday (after Dylan's Baptism) with Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins...

Happy Birthday to the smartest, most curious, kindest, most gentle hearted, loving, thoughtful, athletic and fun 8 year old ever!
 It is hard to believe how big you are all of the sudden!

Dylan's Baptism

Dylan wore the dress/coat/hat/booties that Jamie wore for her Baptism, which was made by my mom, for my Baptism 31 years ago.