Sippy Cup Queen

I just introduced this to you yesterday. You didn't exactly use it appropriately but it was not aversive to you at all. I just put it on your tray during meal times in hopes you would want to drink some water. You fumbled around with it a little but you really didn't drink from it. Today....totally different story!

Not only did you pick it up the right way and put the spout directly in your mouth but you were so proud of yourself. I cheered so loud and clapped my hands when you did it right which caused you to get so excited. You would then put the cup down and open your mouth real wide as if you wanted me to put the cup back into your mouth. Once I helped a little and was able to tilt it the right way you began to suck!! I was so shocked....but not as much as you were when you realized water came out.

This is just another testament to how fast you are growing up. I am so proud of you and I love you so much. Nothing was better then seeing your eyes light up when you made the connection that you were using the cup correctly. You are such a good little baby and pretty soon you are going to be crawling, walking, and talking!

Our bond.

This past week or so you have been doing something that is so out of character for you. I have been trying so hard to implement some sort of schedule for you and it has been working out really well. Each night I have planned out your naps, bottles, and baths so perfectly that you are ready for bed at your perfectly suited bedtime. Each night...after your bath and after you get dressed I give you a nice warm bottle. While drinking that bottle you can hardly keep your eyes open. As soon as you have finished I throw you over my shoulder in an attempt to get a burp out of you and with that the miracle happens. You fall asleep on my shoulder. Your pudgy little blue eyed face just passes out right next to mine. I can feel your breath on my neck and you are so close that I feel the need to kiss you over and over. You have never been the calmest of babies and certainly never at ease enough to just fall asleep like this. You take your puny little left arm and wrap it so tight around my neck. The first time you did this I had absolutely no desire to put you in your cribby. I just wanted to hold you like this and absorb this moment for fear I would never again know this feeling. I have never felt so close to you and so in love. I remember thinking "No wonder the other moms I know talk about their babies in such a way that made me jealous". I wished that I had that sort of bond with you. But when you laid your perfect little beautiful head down on my shoulder and wrapped your arm around me and just fell asleep it all just fell into place for me. The feeling that I had been longing for had suddenly taken over me. I love you so much. You have done this several nights now and I am at a loss for words. When telling the story to Daddy I tear up and tell him that he should be jealous too. It is a feeling unlike any other and I just can not get enough. Despite your crazy little crab attitude you really and truly are the most amazing little woman and I could not imagine my life with out you. Although I know it's better when I lay you down in your cribby awake I still secretly cross my fingers each day that your chubby little cheeks will lay themselves down on my shoulder and just pass out. Your limp little body in my arms and your hand in my hair is the most amazing and irreplaceable feeling in the whole world! I love you Reese.

Going to The O'Hara's

On January 23, 2010 I took you on your first outing to Mom Mom and Pop Pop O'Hara's house. You were about 4 weeks old and at that point I was starting to go mad being trapped in this house. It was winter, and probably one of the worst winters we had in a LOOOONG time. For this reason I was always apprehensive to take you out for I was afraid of you getting sick. After some serious consideration I finally decided it was better for both of us to branch out. I bundled you up in your car seat and gathered everything I could think of...including Jack and Toby, and we headed off.

Look how tiny you were. Sometimes I forget just what a little peanut you really were. It makes me sad to think how fast you are growing. Mom Mom was happy that we were there and Mommy had to capture every moment on film!

Everyone loves you so much and is always so excited to see you. Even the Reilly's came over! Your cousin Morgan loves you more then anything and she always makes you laugh!

Here you are with your body guard. Now I know I haven't written much about the boys, but Toby truly does love you. He is so respectful of you and knows his boundaries 100%. Jack is another story!

Pop Pop always made sure you were bundled nice and warm. You look like a little cacoon!

This was one of my favorite pictures of you when you were that small. Your eyes look so big and you are just beautiful. It's bitter sweet to me that you are growing so fast. I can hardly remember this day and it was only 5 months ago. I feel as though this should be a vivid and unforgettable moment that has just slipped from my mind. This is a reminder to me just how precious these moments are and how desperate I am to try and savor every single second! I love you so stinkin much woman!

This is another one of my most favorite photos. You two are going to grow up to be so close and I am sure that you love her just as much as she already loves you.

The day went much better than I had anticipated. It was a learning experience for me in regards to driving with you and what to pack when I leave and what time is best to head home and much more. This was the start of our many journeys away from home!

Sweet Potatos

Tonight was an especially fun night at the Barber house. For the very first time Daddy and I gave you sweet potatoes for dinner! Today you had your sixth month check up and the Dr. told us that we were clear to start you on foods other than cereal and formula. It was a great check up! You are 16.5 pounds and 26 inches long.You behaved yourself for the most part but got upset when he looked in your ears and your mouth. He said that all of Daddy's bazaar food allergies were related to the pesticides, not the food themselves and that we were free to give you whatever we wanted (with some exceptions of course). I ran right to the grocery store and bought one Organic sweet potato. I came home...boiled it in some water, and threw it into the food processor. As soon as it was nice and smooth Daddy propped you in your high chair and you were immediately served fresh hot homemade organic sweet potato!

This was your very first taste. By the look of this shot you don't seem to sure...but you came around.

See what I mean! Look at that adorable grin!

This really is one of the most exciting times for Daddy and I. Most of the people we know (including all of your Aunts) have given their babies food well before six months. Because of Daddy having so many allergies we were extremely apprehensive to give you anything without having a conversation with the doctor. It is so amazing to me that you are now able to explore the world around you with food. To think of all the fun and tasty things your will be trying is just crazy! I cant wait to see your face each time a new flavor hits your tiny palate. Not only are you entering a new phase of your young life, but Mommy is trying something new also; Making my own baby food! So far so good! I just hope and pray that you continue to enjoy extraordinary foods and remain as allergy free as your Momma!

Sitter-upper

On June 11. 2010 you sat up by yourself for the very first time.

Granted...you needed the support of the boppy but you did such a good job. You only lasted about a second or two before you fell over, but I was so proud of you! Not only was I proud of you, but you were so proud of yourself. From that point on I was determined to practice every day with you, and you were determined to do it on your own.

That week we continued to sit in front of the boppy, and each day your trunk grew stronger and stronger...

Again...these cruddy old IPhone pictures are of the worst quality, but I am grateful that I was able to capture these precious moments all together!

This is just a preview to what the upcoming weeks had in store for us. Daddy and I could not believe how strong you were getting and how fast you were meeting your developmental milestones.

Snuggling and Cartoons

When you were about three months old you started to sleep in your own crib. Once we reached that point you and I started a tradition completely by accident. Once you were fully awake each morning I would come and get you out of your cribby and bring you into bed with me. You would lie on Daddy's pillow with your monkey and your Binky and I would turn on PBS.

I took these stellar images myself with my IPhone so please try to appreciate them for what they are.

Although you are the cutest baby in the whole world...I apologize for your momma being the worst looking morning person ever!

Once your tiny little hiney was all snuggled up in bed with Toby and Jack we would turn on the television to your most favorite cartoons. Even as a little bitty six month old baby you undeniably love your shows. When you see them come on you get so excited! You smile from ear to ear and you even squeal a bit. Your legs get real tense and you start kicking like a fish out of water. You stare at the television so intensely that you can even see the reflection in your eyes. Daddy and I think it is so stinkin funny that you already have favorite characters!

This is Sid the Science Kid. He is a bi-racial little boy who loves to explore and discover the world around him while at pre-school. He does all this with the help of his three friends May, Gabriella, and Gerald. They sing some of the most catchy tunes that we sing as a family all the time! I hope one day you can look back at this and feel about Sid the way I feel about Jem and the Holograms.

This guy needs no introduction. He has been around since forever and his name is Curious George. He is a mischievous little monkey and Daddy loves to sing his theme song to you! One day at Mom mom and Pop pop Barber's house this came on while we were changing your diaper and they could not believe how excited you got! You practically broke your neck trying to look at the TV and you laughed the entire time! Who doesn't love that monkey!

This is by far your most highly preferred show....SUPER WHYY!!! Here he is with the rest of the super readers. There is nothing I would rather see then your tiny little face light up when Whyy and his letters pop up on the screen. He reads books and spells words and the alphabet is by far your most favorite part of the program. One afternoon I was walking you upstairs to take a nap and Super Whyy was just starting. You were wiggling your bald head from left to right as fast as you could when I realized your were simply trying to catch a glimpse of the television. You had heard his theme song and that was enough to make you connect the dots.

It is so precious to me....not cause I want you to sit in front of a TV set all day, but because as a 29 year old woman I still get nostalgic thinking of some of my favorite childhood shows. I am sure that this list will change several times each month as you grow and become more aware, but I think it is such and adorable and memorable part of your first six months of life <3

Car Rides

Geez little girl....it has been an eternity since Mamma last blogged. I really do love the idea of blogging events in chronological order, but at this point I am fairly certain that I will be unable. I am constantly trying to think of things that would be great to write about (not that every moment isn't) and things that I am afraid I will one day forget. One very important detail of your young life was your hatred for riding in the car. Everyone always told me that babies love the car and that they always fall asleep. Well, not you! You screamed and screamed and screamed! I would dread having to drive you somewhere. What was worse than driving you ask????? RED LIGHTS! You would pour real tears and scream till your little tonsils shook! It was a nightmare. This was probably one of the most serious cases of a little girl who hated the car! The only time you ever really fell asleep was when we drove up to Aunt Michelle and Uncle Al's house for Abigails 1st birthday. It was early March and you slept the whole way there and back! I guess around four months of age you finally started to adapt to being in your car seat and moving swiftly around the road. Then when you were just about five months old you gave up your fear of red lights and traffic and became a pleasure to travel with :)

No matter how crabby you were you were still the cutest little meany in the while wide world! I love you so so much!!!

February 8, 2010

Mommy...The Wanna be Photographer

From the very second we brought you home I knew that I did not want to miss one second of your life. Mommom and Poppop O'Hara bought Daddy and I a really cool camera for Christmas and I couldn't wait to try it out on your beautiful little face. Within four weeks I had two photo albums filled and I knew that i had to slow down on the snapping. I captured you sleeping...in the bassinet, the cradle, the swing, and the floor. I waited for you to smile and laugh and anything else that seemed worthy of a photo. Here are just a few of the priceless pictures of the beginning of your life...

December 30, 2009

New Year's Eve 2009

New Year's Day 2010

First bottle Daddy fed you.

You were such a little sweetie.

This is just a small taste of all the pictures Mommy took of you. I look so forward to the day when you are old enough to sit on my lap and flip through all the  many albums we have created for you. For now...we continue to enjoy capturing the memories.

Tubby Time!

On January 17, 2010 Daddy and I gave you your very first "real" bath. That was the day that your cord fell off completely. Looking at your face you don't look so happy, but truthfully you really enjoyed it. We had that adorable little whale tub which I picked out just for Daddy but it ended up not being my favorite.

We placed it on the kitchen sink which was not the warmest place in the house. For that reason bath-time was always cut pretty short. We used Johnson and Johnson baby wash on you in the very beginning and continued to use it mixed with some really cool Mustela. I still cant believe just how tiny you were.

As I write this you are almost 4 1/2 months old and so many times I tell Daddy that I cant remember you being any smaller then you are today. Looking back at these pictures it seems like a lifetime ago. Now...you fill that tub up with your pasty little body and love splashing around while inside of the real bath tub.

Daddy was never the best photographer, but I am so grateful that we were able to capture these precious moments. They are something that we will never be able to get back. You were and always will be our crazy little crab and we love you to the ends of the Earth. Tubby time is now a regular part of life for our family, but back when you were 4 weeks old it was a milestone. One day when you are a mommy yourself you will understand and hopefully you will appreciate looking back at these blessed moments.

Play Date!

You were only a couple of days old when you had your very first play date...

Your girlfriends Michaela Maria and Maya Grace came over to visit. The three of you are all so young but with the grace of God and the guidance from your Mommy's will grow up to be the very best of friends. This visit was the first of many shared moments and set the tone for how our future would look. Jen, Danielle, and I are all so lucky to have not only shared pregnancy, but the joy of having three beautiful and healthy little girls. Little did we know that there was about to be another little girl to join your pack.

Nicknames

Something that Mommy was always good at was assigning nicknames to people. Whether it be friends, family, or co-workers it was something that came naturally to me. I would meet someone and instantly have a new name picked out. Perhaps because I had so many nicknames as a kid. Some have stuck and others are ancient, none the less, they were me. The most popular of course is JR (Jeanette Ryan). Aunt Shannon always refers to me as "Bear" and your Great Aunt Kelly called me "Bee-Lee". As a young girl my friends called me "Jet" which was then changed into "Net" or "Nettie". As I got older and started to work at the restaurant I was instantly known as "Net Spag" which was then shortened to simply "Spag". After time my new name became "Jeanie" or as Larry would call me "Juice". Which ever name I was called, I always knew people were talking to me. Meeting you was no different. The second the doctor placed you on my belly and I looked down at you I (with out thinking) looked at you and said "Hi Peanut". It just came out and rolled off my tongue with ease. While staying in the hospital I even made up 2 songs for you. One was called "it's ok peanut" and the other "She's my little peanut". Since then it has totally stuck, you will forever be my little peanut. As time passed and we started to get to know you a little better everyone started to call you "Crab", because that is what you were. A little crab! You are so temperamental and so easily disturbed. If things aren't going your way you get real crabby! It was a cute nickname and Daddy and I started looking every where for clothes with crabs on them. It was not easy to find in the girl section, but we did locate one dress and you looked so cute!

Being named Reese also comes with the ever so cute name "Reesey Cup". The Reilly's started calling you that right from the beginning and your Godfather (Uncle Ron) shortened it to simply "Cuppy". Just like your Momma, you already have so many adorable pet names and I know that are already getting used to each and every one!

No matter what we call you, you will always be our little peanut and we love you so very much! I am confident that this is only the beginning of the many nicknames that are coming your way!

First Nights...

Mommy was required to stay in the hospital for the next two nights and Daddy stayed there with us the entire time. He slept on a hard leather chair for both nights and was in no way comfortable. It was so surreal to both of us that you were now here. The responsibility that came along with you was overwhelming. Right from the very beginning you just wanted to be cuddled. You were not a huge fan of just laying around in the little plastic crib and cried quite a bit. You were your happiest when Mommy or Daddy was holding you.

Because we were in the hospital and you were so new to the world, it was standard procedure to keep you swaddled tight in two receiving blankets at all times. Little did we know at the time how much you loved it! You were so cute and tiny and had the cutest little button nose. You made the cutest little faces right from the start, especially when you were nursing. It was easy to fall in love with you. Abington Hospital had such a wonderful nursing staff in their nursery so Daddy and I tried to take advantage of them during the late hours. We would send in around 11 and they nurses would bring you back when it was time for you to eat again. On the second night they brought you back and told Daddy and I that you would not stop crying and that it was because you really just wanted to be snuggled. The nurse told me that she held you for about an hour but that she couldn't anymore. We knew right then and there that you were high maintenance. We took turns holding and rocking you and we were flooded with visitors who all wanted a turn to hold our little crab.

Mommom and Moppy

After two days in the hospital they finally cleared both me and you to go home and we were so so excited. We could not wait to start our lives and introduce you Jack and Toby. Mommy had a special outfit ready for your first day home and your first car ride.

Clearly it was a little too big!

Mommy sat in the back seat with you and on that beautiful and sunny, yet freezing cold day, we drove you home. It was all finally happening. We could not wait to get you home!

Once we got there we were only home a short while before we were once again bombarded with visitors. All of Mommy's sisters and their husbands came over along with all of your cousins with the exception of Jackson because he was real sick. They brought over all of our Christmas gifts and we had our own little Christmas morning. Everyone loved you and wanted to hold you and you were soooo good. You never cried and went for about 5 hours before you even wanted to eat.

Uncle Chris

The Browns

You have such a huge family already and it is growing more and more. You have no idea yet how lucky you are, but one day you will have so many great friends in your cousins and you will know just how blessed you are. This was just the beginning.