da Lali Mama

Ben's Four Month Checkup

2012-01-24T18:45:00.000-08:00

Four months old. To me, the birth date means that he is an infant but no longer a "newborn". Its just going by SO fast.

Weight = 15lbs 7oz (75%)

Height = 26.25" (90%)

Head C = 42.2cm (50%)

While he was loving the mirror at the doctor's office, he did not so much enjoy the shots or the examination on his left ear. Ben had his first ear infection two weeks ago. I did not enjoy giving him the antibiotics anymore than he liked taking them. Hopefully we can steer clear from anymore, but we do have to use some ear drops for a week until some leftover inflammation goes down.

Giving it a try

2012-01-24T18:38:00.000-08:00

Ben wants to straighten out is legs and stand in our lap all the time, so we reassembled the bouncer so he could give it a shot. He likes it, but only for a short while.

My, What Big Eyes You Have

2012-01-14T11:05:00.001-08:00

What people are saying:

"His eyes are getting so big and blue."

"Look at those hands!"

"He is so smiley."

"Such a laid back baby, I've never heard him cry."

I wonder where she heard that?

2012-01-14T11:05:00.000-08:00

She yuvs it! - He loves it! Referring to Baby Ben as she is giving him a toy or paci.

Careful Carlyle, don't fall out. You might hurt your someping. - Don't fall down, you might hurt yourself.

Mommy, kiss it. Make it feel better.

Tell me what you want! - Carlyle, use your words. Tell me what you want. - I heard her telling this to her Jesse doll.

Have a hug? Awwww. - as she leans in for a hug

No, mine. Dats Carlyle's.

It's OK, Mommy, I gotch you.

Of course you can! - Her own response to herself if she asks for something.

No, Mommy, pweese don't do that. Pweese! - Well at least she is saying "please"

No, Daddy, stop dat. Don't do dat. - If Daddy tries to sing to Carlyle in the car, ha!
Oh my goodness... It's so bootiful! - She declares as she opens a gift, usually marveling at the tissue paper.

Our Christmas Card

2012-01-14T11:04:00.000-08:00

Tah Dah! This was the result of our DIY Christmas card photo session in the backyard.

And this is how we got there . . . . .

Christmas Wrap-up

2012-01-07T11:06:00.001-08:00

Christmas in Dallas

Carlyle happened to be playing dressup when we decided to open a few gifts early. A present from Mommy & Daddy that we decided to wash and wear before Christmas morning.

She was awfully enthusiastic about the tissue paper this year, "Oh my goodness, its so bootiful!"

Because the Barnes' decided to spend Christmas in Dallas this year, we had a pre-Christmas Christmas with Chad, Shauna, & Emmet at my Mom's condo.

Carlyle won the priviledge of opening almost all the gifts for the kids since she was the only one able to do so. She was more than enthusiastic and polite about every single one of them. And as you can see, she insisted on wearing all her gifts at once: new slippers, a new knit dress, a chef's hat and apron, and new cooking tools.

She spent a lot of time admiring herself in Zuzu's mirror using my old wooden stool.

Christmas in the city!

The Garrity's and the Barnes

It's hard to get a good picture of everyone, but check out the Barnes' link to more photos http://raisingabarnes.blogspot.com/2012/01/cousins.html

Christmas Eve and Christmas morning in Natchez

My words exactly, "We are all dressed at the same time... we need a family photo!"

Our best attempt.

Zuzu and Ben headed to the McCullough's Christmas Eve party!

Ben meets the Smith family (Ben & Paw Paw John)

This is only half of the Smith crew at the annual Christmas Eve gift exchange.

Carlyle found her favorite friend and cousin, Lane. He was so sweet to her, and they chatted all night.

Zuzu helped Carlyle paint some Christmas cookies. We think that she thought they were dirty after she painted them because she wasn't interested in eating them. Don't worry, she rediscovered them later that day!

We skyped our traditional story-reading with Chad and Shauna. Carlyle loved reading with Uncle Alex!

A new bike!

Smiles and coos with Aunt Mamie.

Christmas with the Garrity cousins

Jay, Claire, Susanna Grace, Ben & Carlyle

Sweet Claire loved her crown

And Jay loved holding Ben!

Two peas in a pod.
These two were moving so fast that is was hard to get a photo that wasn't blurry!

Uncle Brandon trying to make Ben laugh

We enjoyed being home for almost 10 days, spending time with family and walking around Natchez. It was a mini-vacation, and we needed the time away from "our stuff" here in Dallas.

Our attempt to try out the new nature trails on the bluff. Carlyle walked the entire trail leading us by several hundred feet. We told her it was a nature trail like Dora's, so she spent the whole time looking for Dora. She was slightly disappointed when we got to the end, and no Dora.

We didn't realize that it ended with a huge flight of stairs!

Dancing & Singing in the Car

2011-12-22T19:07:00.001-08:00

Taking it Slow to Pumped up Kicks, trying to sing along. She so badly wants to sing along to almost every song she hears.

Kicking it up a notch, hopped up on a Christmas cookie. Notice the grass stained knee... she is a girl on the move, no doubt.

To the Zoo

2011-12-22T19:02:00.000-08:00

We went to the Zoo last Monday when Justin had the day off. We were only the third car to park in the parking lot when we arrived and literally had the place to ourselves. We did not see another person until we had been there an hour and a half!

Which means we had the African Safari ALL to ourselves.

Eye level with the Giraffes... one of the coolest things I've done.

We fed them lettuce!

I'm not sure who was more excited, me or Carlyle?

Don't worry, its just a statue.

"Give the fish a hug?"

Daddy took Carlyle on her first Carousel ride, and they had the whole thing to themselves. C chose to ride the Ostrich. Since we were the only ones at the zoo, the controller let them ride more than once. Let's just say that she was not ready to leave when it was time to go.

Babies and Birthdays

2011-12-18T08:35:00.000-08:00

Christmas has been especially exciting this year because it combines two of Carlyle's favorite things: Birthdays AND Babies. We've been talking a lot about Jesus' birthday, and she seems to really like that. I didn't anticipate that this would be her favorite part about Christmas, but I know next year she will probably "get" the whole Santa thing. She sings "Happy Birthday to Jesus" and plays with our nativity quite a lot, making sure Jesus, Mommy Mary and Daddy Joseph are all there. As for the presents under the tree, we told her she had to wait until Jesus' Birthday to open them... and she seems to be ok with waiting.

One on One

2011-12-18T08:30:00.003-08:00

I'm really trying to make separate special time for Carlyle. Its hard, but with Justin home on the weekends, we have time to play... just the two of us.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

2011-12-18T08:30:00.001-08:00

Twinkies!

Moments on the Go

2011-12-18T08:29:00.001-08:00

Some random moments from my Iphone...

I'm trying to soak up these sweet naps.

Carlyle was very upset to see her Daddy drive away.

(she put together this outfit complete with a sticky fever cooling strip on her forehead that she wouldn't take off the entire morning)

So upset, that she proceeded to walk down the sidewalk in the direction that his car went. She wasn't crying or talking, but she was quietly determined to go get him.

Carlyle and Azza (Alexandra) still love to pose on this curb ever since their first day of school when her mother and I asked them to sit there for a photo, ha!

Carlyle and Alexandra were entertaining the staff at Barneys with their excitement and giggles. They were pretending this was a little house just for them at the entrance to the store.

An after school visit to see the Trains at Northpark with Alexandra.

A bus pulls up next to our car at the stoplight.

C: "Who's Dat?"

M: "I don't know Carlyle, who is that?"

C: "OH, its Mommy!"

I didn't argue with her.

What's yours is mine.

"Where's my blanket?" asks Carlyle as I cover up Ben on our way to the car on the way to school. You can see by her expression, she means business.

If he is awake, he is smiling!

Santa Baby

2011-12-05T09:56:00.001-08:00

We were invited to our friend Marissa's house on Saturday to meet Santa! I thought with Carlyle's enthusiasm leading up to our visit, that she would be excited this year. We've been reading books about Santa and Rudolph, and she's been requesting that I sing "Santa Claus come to town, Mommy?"
It didn't help.

It must be the twinkling eyes and rosey cheeks that set her off every year?

While visions of Sugarplums. . .

. . . danced in his head!

Who do I Look Like?

2011-12-03T19:42:00.002-08:00

I was almost ready to say, "Carlyle is starting to look so much more like me at 2 years old!"

Lauren at 2 years

Justin and Brandon
But then, I found this picture, and I think she still has a lot of "Daddy".

....................................................................
Then, there's Ben. . . I think I got one that looks like me!

Lauren

Alex
He actually looks almost identical to his Uncle Alex. They have matching single dimples, just on opposite cheeks!

First Full Family Outing

2011-12-03T18:55:00.003-08:00

Over Thanksgiving break, we drove the family up to the Sealife aquarium when we realized a morning at the Zoo might be too cold for baby Ben. It was really interactive and perfect for Carlyle's age. Plus, we had the whole place to ourselves on a Monday morning!

Reach!

Stingray got a little too close for Carlyle.

and yes, we bought the souvenir photo!

Ben's 2 Month Checkup

2011-12-03T18:55:00.001-08:00

At Ben's 2 month checkup last week, he:

weighs = 12 lbs 11 oz (80%)

measures 24.5" in length (95%)

and 40cm in head circumference (50%)

Hello there!

(this will be his first and last time to wear Carlyle's baby Christmas PJ's, but I had to give it a try before he literally blew out the seams)

He's getting so strong!

Thanksgiving

2011-12-03T18:54:00.003-08:00

Zuzu with only 2/3 of her grandchildren

Meanwhile, Carlyle was too busy jumping in her new early Christmas present from Meme

Wearing her new Belle dress and favorite penguin Erik, both from her date with Zuzu to see Happy Feet Two

Justin grilled an amazing turkey on the green egg!

Its my "Birthday Party" Party

2011-12-03T18:54:00.001-08:00

Carlyle has been singing and talking about "Birthday Party" since we went to our first one in July. If she sees a "birthday party" hat, or a "birthday party" cupcake, or a "birthday party" juice, she sings Happy Birthday. I wanted her to have all those things that make up the classic birthday party! When we finally decided to have Carlyle's birthday at Gymboree, I still questioned if I was just "phoning it in" by not doing the at-home celebration with homemade decorations, cake, etc. And now... I KNOW we couldn't have had a better party. The best part was we got to leave the mess behind for someone else to clean up. Carlyle soaked up every ounce of that party... the singing, the dancing, the playing. She seriously could not have had a better time! I am sharing a lot of photos, and it was hard to find a photo where Carlyle wasn't blurry running around the room or jumping.

Enjoying the first song and dance of the party

Ellis and Carlyle

A train of some of our favorite 2 and 3 year olds

Anything Mercer does, I can do too! -her enthusiastic attitude for a majority of the party

Baby Ben enjoying his first birthday party with Zuzu by his side

Bubbles. That's all they need to be happy!

Daddy rescuing Carlyle from the parachute. We were supposed to be under, not running circles on top of.

And the finale, the best part.... the "birthday party" cupcake.

Mercer

Azza (Alexandra)

The girl LOVES her a cupcake.

Smile!

2011-11-20T19:03:00.001-08:00

He started smiling at week 6, and he has been flashing me this precious look more and more each day. Once he catches my eye, he lights up! Its so much fun.

6 hours at 7 weeks

2011-11-12T19:39:00.001-08:00

For his 7 week birthday, Ben decided to give me the gift of 6 hours of sleep (in a row). Thank you, Ben!

It happened to coincide with our first date night out, which was even better timing. It took Justin and I a bit longer to get out of the house this time around, as opposed to with Carlyle when we were out at week one having dinner and a glass of wine at Terellis (even if it was only for an hour). This time around has been an all-consuming experience, but I am confidant we will find our balance.

"He seemed like he was sleepy." - said the babysitter

(I took this photo in the dark, so it has an eerie shade of red to it for some reason)

The sight of him all sprawled out in his crib without a blanket on made us laugh when we got home from our night out. He woke up shortly after this photo, and we fed him, tucked him in, and he slept til 4am again... yay!

Swinging and Slinging

2011-11-10T10:20:00.003-08:00

Mom caught on camera trying her hand at multitasking. I hope I make it look easy in this photo because it certainly is not. But I hope I am getting the hang of it!

Taking it one day at a time.

Just a SWINGIN'. . .

(it was 70 degrees outside, but she was so excited to find her hat and mittens from last winter)

Just a SLINGIN'. . .

Cinda-yeya

2011-11-10T10:20:00.001-08:00

6 weeks

2011-11-10T10:19:00.001-08:00

Happy HallowBirthSary!

2011-11-07T11:31:00.000-08:00

Although it was buried beneath Halloween and Carlyle's 2nd Birthday, Happy 6th Anniversary to us! I have a feeling it will take the backseat for a couple of years while we are raising babies. An event filled weekend for the Garitty's nonetheless... 2 Halloween Parties, Halloween night trick-or-treating, and an at-home birthday celebration complete with homemade cupcakes and a cake from Meme and PawPaw Clovis!

"Trinkerbell"

On our way to Halloween party #1, the Palamars street party

Feeding Mercer

Her first time to actual enter and enjoy a bounce house. We had to lure her away with a cookie so we could go home.

Baking pumpkin "birthday party cupcakes" with Mommy and Meme.

Happy Birthday morning surprise!

Learning to cook with Daddy on her birthday morning.

A birthday Tinkerbell card that lights up and plays music. Carlyle dove into the bag of costumes that Meme brought and wouldn't take of Cinderella's dress even when we went out to dinner that night.

Thank you Meme and Paw Paw for my beautiful white chocolate cake!

Tinkerbell tinkering with the lawnmower.

Two-year olds in a bounce house at Halloween party #2, our playgroup party.

Carlyle came away with a busted lip, but she powered through it so she could keep jumping.

An armful

Dach, Nana, and Emmet joined us for a trick-or-treat stroll in the neighborhood on the 31st.

Give two, take one. At one house she said "trick or treat" and tried to dump out her entire pumpkin into their basket. She hasn't quite grasped the concept, but we enjoyed watching her do it her own way!

The day the girl moved into our house

2011-10-27T11:21:00.000-07:00

I'm surprised I haven't made this point yet. But, a strange thing happens when you have your second baby... your baby at home turns into a grown child, or in my case a miniature teenage size girl. A very important fact, but a hard thing to remember mid-tantrum, is that she is not really a 5 year old. She is only (not quite) 2, and we have to keep our cool when reacting to the standard irrational 2-year-old fit. But SIZE alone, I could not believe how big Carlyle was when I brought Ben home. The difference in their size difference really becomes evident when changing their diapers. In fact, my brother said that after seeing me with a newborn, "it looked like I was wrestling a grown woman on the changing table" when I was changing Carlyle's diaper, ha!

Newborn vs. Size 4

Carlyle-isms

2011-10-27T11:13:00.000-07:00

Some Carlyle-isms:

Das Nice to share or Carlyle share Azza, Dats nice = She loves to brag about how nice it is to share, even when she doesn't always do it correctly

Trinkerbell = Tinkerbell is one of her new favorites and also her Halloween costume this year!

Baby Ben is sweeping, cose his eyes

Mommy, mommy = unfortunately also means "I want" or "I'm hurt" or any kind of whining

Za loud noise = any noise or sound

I hear someping

Bairnair = the word Carlyle uses for things she doesn't have a word for. I am trying to capture her pronunciation in my spelling, but its really funny!

Way de go? Day is!!!

I hear Daddy in the shower = Justin usually tries to shower, dress, and leave for work before Carlyle can hear him. But she busted him one morning when she heard the distant sound of water running in the shower.

Zuzu weck her car, da loud noise = I'll let Zuzu explain this one

Shoes on! = She is getting very particular about her shoe choices

No baseball, watch music = Her request to her Daddy to not watch football and watch Little Einsteins

Two Ones = When she sees two of the same thing
Whoa, Whats Dat = saying this a lot lately when pointing out new things or noises, and she expects an answer from me
Dare, Das Better = Her new response to everything that requires fixing or moving or if we kiss a bobo

The Carlyle Mash-up (ref. Glee): Carlyle's singing has really picked up the pace this past month. She sings all the time, making up songs or singing the classics. She has a knack for combining the songs with the same tune, like Twinkle, Twinkle, the ABC's, and Baa Baa Black Sheep... with the occasional change of lyrics to be about Mommy, Daddy, Buzz Lightyear, etc. She is amazingly pitch-perfect most of the time with the tune of a song, so we can usually easily guess what she is singing. Like the other day, we guessed the Hokey Pokey and Frere Jaques correctly, and she was so pleased that we picked up on it.

This is another list that is mostly for me, in my attempt to record some of her funnier moments. These are some of my highlights of her speech, but she will repeat pretty much anything at this point and form her own multiple word sentances. Its remarkable to see how her brain works.

Tummy Time with Baby Ben

2011-10-27T11:02:00.000-07:00

I promise I did not prompt this moment, but of course, I encouraged it. It was all Carlyle's idea to snuggle with baby brother.

She likes to point out his nose, ears, hands, toes, and eyes (with us reminding her not to stick her fingers directly in them)

I got it!

2011-10-27T10:59:00.000-07:00

I came in from running errands with the both of them, and I put Ben (in his carrier) on the floor by the door. And since I never leave the two of them alone, I had an eye on them from two rooms away. Carlyle was going about her business, singing a song about Buzz Lightyear (that she made up I assume) and gathering some odds and ends (a book, a pen, a sqeeze toy, etc) with what seemed like great purpose. But Ben started crying, and I hear Carlyle from the other room, "I got it!".... her footsteps make their way over to his carrier, and she leans down to pat him, rock him, and try to give him is paci. What a funny, but sweet big sister moment!

I was trying to capture how excited Carlyle is to see "Baby Ben" as she leans over to clasp her hands together smiling.

Pat "soft"

The Cousins

2011-10-20T09:32:00.000-07:00

We managed to get all three of the cousins in the same room for the first time at Zuzu's house yesterday. My attempt at a group photo was a little more difficult than I expected, but we captured a few classic moments!

Carlyle was thrilled to play with Emmet!

But Carlyle may have been a little TOO much high energy for Emmet.

The laid back boys. Emmet looked angelic in every photo I took. Carlyle looked like a pink tornado in most every photo I took. And Ben... well, he's only 3 weeks old.

And finally, a photo of the three of them together!

(Can you see the reflection of Dora on the TV in Carlyle's eyes?)

Zuzu Turn!

2011-10-11T12:03:00.001-07:00

If I could only count how many times I have heard, "Zuzu turn" or "Zuzu do it" in the past two weeks! Carlyle has put Zuzu to the test while she has been here helping out. She makes sure to include her in every activity. . . I captured a few of the many moments here.

2 Week Checkup

2011-10-11T12:03:00.000-07:00

Ben is a healthy growing boy:

weight = 8lb 12.5oz (73%)

height = 21.5" (90%)

head c = 36cm (25%)

Sleeping a lot . . .

Fortunately for Mom and Dad, he has had a few nights where he has gone 4 hours between feedings!

First bath.

He had a hard time waking up for this one.

Week 1

2011-09-30T13:35:00.000-07:00

A few more pics Ben.

Check out his dimple,

wrinkles

and little yawn.

Distracting Carlyle

2011-09-28T17:27:00.001-07:00

"Baby Ben . . . Where are you?" as Carlyle walks in the door from school today.

Overall, Carlyle is adjusting well to Ben's arrival. She had somewhat of a bumpy start getting back to her routine after spending the weekend away with Zuzu and Meme. But we accredited those fits to having more to do with Mommy & Daddy being gone and preoccupied.

When it comes to her baby brother, she is always excited to see him, talk about him, announce when he enters the room, share her toys with him and notify us where he is or when she hears him crying. If he is taking a nap, "Ben is sweeping. Close his eyes." And like any two-year old would be, she gets a little jealous if one of us is holding him too long... so we take shifts or hide in the other room. So far, week one has been manageable, especially with the juggling act between Mommy, Daddy, and Zuzu.

And with the help of some distractions, she is having a blast...

Discovering the fun of "dress-up"!

She loved rediscovering this tutu.

Caped Crusader
(Zuzu made Carlyle a cape out of Baby Ben's blanket, and C walked the house admiring herself for an hour!)

With her very own baby. (Thank you for Bitty Baby, Meme!)

Milk... It does a body good.

2011-09-28T17:19:00.001-07:00

Weighing in at 7lbs 13oz, a whopping 9 oz gain in the two days since we left the hospital.

Hello World

2011-09-27T09:50:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the world,

John Benoit Garrity

"Ben"

Born September 23, 2011

2:38 am

7lbs. 8 oz.

20 1/4 inches

Capture the Moment

2011-09-11T18:34:00.001-07:00

Carlyle and Mommy in the backyard this morning.

As we anxiously await meeting our sweet baby boy and little brother, we are capturing the moment as a family of three. Before Carlyle was born, I remember Justin and I trying to capture the moment as it was just the two of us. We would spend time in the hammock or go see a movie. Now, its hard to remember exactly what that felt like. I know its just a matter of time before I will not know any other life than our family of four. Lately, my friends have been telling me how precious these moments are with Carlyle. I have tried to soak up my time with her from day one, cherishing the little things. All the while, I knew that our ultimate gift to her would be to give her a brother or sister... hopefully the best thing for her ultimately.

Out with the purple and in with the BLUE

2011-09-11T18:29:00.001-07:00

I have officially packed my bag for the hospital, the carseat is in the trunk of the car, and we have put most of the final touches on Baby Boy's new nursery.

New bedding for baby boy that we bought at an adorable baby store in Austin when we visited Jan, Zach, and Zoe.

Justin and I almost bought this mobile in NYC when we spotted it at a store in SoHo. We found it online when we got home.

I painted these with watercolor from a Walter Anderson alphabet coloring book we bought in Oxford last Fall.

Jen gave us these alphabet cards for Carlyle's nursery when we framed the L, C, & J. We decided to use all the letters on the wall for Baby Boy.

His going home outfit, ironed and ready.

First Day of School

2011-09-11T18:26:00.001-07:00

I can't believe Carlyle has been going to Mother's Day Out for a year now. I like to call it "school" now, but last year I was a little less enthusiastic to be dropping her off the first day. She was only 11 months old! Now, a year later, I have to admit that she and I both had a hard time with with drop-ff on Tuesday. She spent the last two weeks exclusively with me during their school break. Some tears were shed by Mommy and daughter as I left her crying for "Mommy" when I dropped her off. Did she not realize that I am far too hormonal and emotional to handle that right now?

The photo below is from Thursday. Tuesday and Wednesday did not go as smoothly; therefore, no photos were taken. But Thursday, her friend Alexandra (Azza) fortunately joined her. These two are like two peas in a pod... made the day SO much better, no tears involved.

pardon the blurry iPhone photos

Sweet Relief

2011-09-11T12:38:00.000-07:00

The only word to describe it: Giddy

Our long overdue break from the Summer heat arrived Monday morning. We woke up to 60 degree weather, and it was just what we needed... a glimpse of what is to come! Luckily, it was Labor Day, and we could thoroughly enjoy the weather with Daddy home. Our neighborhood was packed with families walking and riding bikes. It was so refreshing to see everyone come to life!

We had a few friends and family over to break in the Green Egg for Fall and enjoy the weather. Carlyle and Mercer played together like I'd never seen them play before. It was so fun to watch! Carlyle absolutely adores Mercer.

Happiness! She played so hard ALL day, she almost fell asleep in the bathtub. BTW, the bath was necessary because she was covered in dirt from a long day outside.

Alleluia! Mercer and Carlyle dined together on our back patio while we enjoyed Justin's plentiful spread of BBQ ribs, mashed potatoes and corn.

And according to Carlyle, Mercer just might be the funniest person she knows. We could not get enough of this belly laughing.

Don't feel obligated to watch the whole video... its long, but I laugh just listening to her laugh.

Yes, those are long sleeves. The family walk to the playground early Monday morning was so nice. Justin did most all of the running around with Carlyle, and I hopped in for a photo on the swings to capture my 37 week belly in action.

Bilingual Bragging

2011-08-28T11:28:00.001-07:00

Just when we finally capture her counting to 10 (in English) on video, she decides to raise the bar. She's always chatting to her self and/or singing to her self around the house, but I heard her repeating "ocho, nueve, diez" to herself over and over. I finally caught on to what I thought she was doing, so I started with "uno" and she took off through the numbers... And as much as I want to take credit for this one, I have to either credit her school or Dora the Explorer.

Carlyle Counting to 10

Carlyle Counting in Spanish

Carlyle's BIG day

2011-08-26T20:38:00.000-07:00

Our 4th day and 4th night in the big girl nigh-night bed!

#1 Big Girl nigh-night-Bed

I was SO (so, so, so) nervous about this transition. Tuesday afternoon, I decided it was time to go for it. I am home with Carlyle during her 2-week break between Summer and Fall school and figured this could be our one-on-one time to work this out. We started talking to her about it and being very enthusiastic about "Carlyle's new nigh-night bed" (called nigh-night so as not to think it is a bouncy bed like Mom and Dad's bed) a couple of weeks ago when we started putting her new room together.

I laid her down on Tuesday around 12, she talked and sang to herself off and on for an hour. I walked back in quietly at 1 to resettle her, pat her back, and tell her night-night. She then napped/rested until 3:30! Since we were on a roll, we tried it again for bedtime, and she settled right down! What a relief! We have had the nursery door closed ever since then, trying to avoid the crib for a couple of days until we can explain that it is for "baby".

So far, so good.... however, I am counting on her reverting at some point.

#2 Big Girl Potty

On the same day that she started sleeping in her big bed, she decided to use her big girl potty. We just bought it last Saturday and set it up in the bathroom. We introduced her to it, but we didn't say much more than "this is Carlyle's potty" and told her what happens on the potty. She seemed interested at bath time on Tuesday to have a seat. Next thing I know she tinkled in the potty all on her own! Now, I realize we may have just had impeccable timing, but the fact that she connected the two things is a big step. I cheered and called Justin in to help cheer with me. We were both laughing as we were so surprised she did it. I'm not pushing potty training right now with the baby on the way... too many transitions for everyone. BUT, Carlyle and the potty have been formally introduced.

35 Weeks Down, 35 Days to Go

2011-08-26T20:37:00.000-07:00

We can hardly believe it! 35 weeks pregnant, and 35 days to go. After entirely too many weekends on the road (all in fun, I must say), we are home until baby boy's arrival... until Christmas most likely. I can say I am officially nesting now, and it is so calming to my hyperactive pregnancy nerves and anxiety. Its so nice to settle in and wait for baby boy. The next 4-5 weeks, we will prepare as much as possible including one of my favorite things... washing his baby clothes in Dreft and folding the tiny little outfits. (inhaling the sweet baby smell as I go)

A Real Texas Shiner

2011-08-11T11:01:00.003-07:00

We encountered several injuries, all in one week: a black eye (pictured here), a purple toenail, a busted lip, and carpet burn on our face. As hard as it is to admit it, we know the source of ALL the mishaps except for the black eye. I've been told I should just make something up, but what can I say... the girl plays hard!

Garrity Family Reunion at the Beach

2011-08-05T13:04:00.000-07:00

July 28-31

Our first family trip together, and it was a blast! All the Garrity brothers (with families in tow) under one roof for the first time in a while! All the cousins had so much fun together.

Thank you Meme (Momo) for a fabulous weekend in Watersound. The scenery, resort and house were beautiful!

Clair and Carlyle giving each other a hug. They entertained themselves for hours running up and down this porch and giggling.

Susanna and Carlyle... two peas in a pod.

She refused to let me put her down in the sand. Maybe next year?!

And who would have thought she'd be jumping off the side of the pool before she puts a toe in the sand? Our little fish at it again!

And of course, the girls enjoying Meme's cooking.

Summertime... And the Livin' is HOT!

2011-07-28T08:57:00.000-07:00

Heat-induced insanity?

Think Chevy Chase in Vacation when he is walking through the desert?

I could do without setting any records for heat, without the irony that my Mom went through this with me as a newborn in 1980, and without the clostraphobia that is setting in as we are confined to the indoors. Something like 50 days over 100, and there is still plenty of Summer left. The unfortunate coincidence is that my pregnancy is peaking during the peak of the heat.... wonderful.

125 degrees? I realize this isn't completely accurate, but the high was about 115 that day!

I am desperate for indoor activities to entertain Carlyle (and myself... however, I could do with a nice nap these days).

Our outings consist of:

Going to Northpark to visit the Disney Store, Bookmarks, and roam the halls exploring in the A/C

Indoor playground at our church

Errands that involve garage parking, like Whole Foods

Our at home games:

Coloring on our new Aquamat

Watercolor painting in Mommy's bathtub preceeding a bath to wash all the paint off

Sliding on the new slide that Daddy brought home (its staying indoors until this heat is gone)

And of course the occassional movie (Toy Story, Nemo, Cars) and playtime with the iPad

31 weeks and counting

2011-07-27T18:55:00.000-07:00

Baby boy is head down, growing like a weed, weighs about 4 lbs, and definitely a boy! Hard to believe that we are about 60 days (at most) from his arrival. When we aren't traveling, we are busy cleaning out, creating Carlyle's big girl room, and making room for baby boy in the nursery. Just doesn't seem like there is enough time to prepare for all the changes coming our way, but I know we will all adapt to our soon-to-be family of four!

David Family Reunion at the Lakehouse

2011-07-26T08:40:00.003-07:00

July 21-24

Thank you to the Cosse's for another fun lake weekend and reunion!

We managed to capture a photo of the whole group with several new additions since last year! We missed you Stephanie!

We had a blast on the boat, and Carlyle loved the big girl life jacket that matched Carley's.

Cade in his swim bucket on the pier.

Emmet's first trip to the lake!

All the 2nd cousins piled on the couch. Carlyle, Cole, Emmet, Cade, and Carley

Carley LOVES to play dress-up and she brought an entire bag devoted to princess dresses. She was eager to share with Carlyle... I think this was within the first 15 minutes of arriving!

Enjoying a boat ride with Aune Mamie!

And a video of the dance-off... however this year it was between the kiddos, not the grown-ups.

New York, New York

2011-07-26T08:40:00.001-07:00

July 14-17

Justin and I took our first trip together, alone, since Carlyle was born. We went to NYC for essentially three nights while Carlyle spent the weekend at Zuzu camp in Dallas.

Justin and I took advantage of the freedom and really had a blast! We walked and walked and explored and ATE!

Within our first couple of hours, we walked around Soho and had a fabulous lunch at Balthazar. We were pretty giddy to have so much time to ourselves!

We visited Bow Bridge in Central Park, for the first time since Justin proposed to me there in 2004! This time, Justin got me a pedi-taxi as opposed to our epic walk from the engagement day. Afterall, I am 7 months pregnant!

After our Central Park visit, we strolled over to The Carlyle for a drink.

Megan and Mike's engagement party was so much fun. On a rooftop at Sunset with these views... who could complain?!

The soon-to-be Malone, Punches, and Garrity clan

Meanwhile in Dallas . . .

Zuzu and Aunt Mamie took Carlyle to see her first movie on the big screen, Winnie the Pooh. She LOVED it! As you can see in this pic, she is a big fan of Cars too. Not sure she is ready for Cars II with the theater surround sound.

I love this photo that Aunt Mamie took on her phone.

Dallas Aquarium.

Just one of many activities Zuzu, Carlyle, and Aunt Mamie did in Dallas while we were gone. They stayed very busy and had a great time together!

Happy 4th!

2011-07-04T19:25:00.001-07:00

The girls show their patriotism at the Lakewood Fourth of July Parade.

Ryan Marie, Carlyle, Kena, and Elise had front row seating for the parade. Too bad it wasn't air-conditioned!

Jara Hill Photography

2011-07-01T12:32:00.001-07:00

I am so behind, once again, at posting these photos. For Carlyle's 18 month portraits (and for the first time), we had an amazing professional photo session with Jara Hill, a sitting we won at the TRGF Crown Ball Silent Auction (where Justin won the miniature wingback for Carlyle). Jara was so easy to work with and produced some beautiful shots of Carlyle and family. She posted some of them on her Jara Hill Photography blog, http://jarahill.com/blog/?p=456.

Here are some of our family favorites . . .

Parakeet

2011-06-30T11:13:00.000-07:00

Tricks and Tunes:

Counting to 10
Happy Birthday to you (Happy Birthday to Bond)
Baa Baa Black Sheep
ABC's
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

What we realized is that Baa Baa Black Sheep, ABC's, and Twinkle Twinkle all have the same tune. She sometimes mixes it up and puts her own words to the same tune... "No, no, no, no...", "Da, da, da, da..."

I have tried numerous times for the past couple of months to capture any of this on camera, and she always seems to know what I'm up to. One time, she was on a roll, but saw me and pronounced "no, mama". Most of the time, she spies the camera, stops, and says cheese ("teese").

Also, the majority of the time she sings Happy Birthday, she is singing it to Bond. If she sees cake or a cupcake or anything birthday related, she dedicates her song to Bond.

I did manage to capture a little singing and chatter on video last week!

Phrases:

They seem to be endless these days, as our little parakeet repeats anything we say or she hears. BUT, I thought I'd record some of my favorites.

Thank you Mama - "danku mama"

Nasty Agua - "nassy awa" (when referring to a mud puddle or Daddy's beer)

Diego, Where are you - "Go-go, way ah you" (name is usually, Daddy, Jesse, Woody, or Diego)

oooh, its cold - "oooh, es code" (and pulls her arms in and shivers)

Oh, hot - "oh, Ot" (and blows on it)

Baby eat - "Bebe Eat" (she's really interested in feeding her cousin Emmet, baby doll, and stuffed animals)

Bless You - "Bess you" (after she or anyone sneezes, coughs, or chokes)

Ooh, Sorry - "Ooh, Sah Eeh" (kind of been obsessive about saying this the past week, used for everything from dropping something, bumping something, or instead of excuse me)

Carlyle's Turn - "Cah Loll Tun" (keeps track of whose turn it is... Jesse's Turn, Zuzu's Turn, etc)

Up There, Over There, In There - "In Deer"

I got you! - "Gotchu [mama]"

Ooh, Heavy - "ooh, Havee" (when picking up something larger or heavy)

Bye Mama, Bye! - Says this when leaving the room, any room, when carrying anything that resembles a bag or purse (or a tiny miniature padlock by the handle)

Pigtails

2011-06-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

First successful pigtails! With some practice, I know we can get the hang of it. I realize she looks a little sad, but she's watching Toy Story Storytime on the iPad... the only way she'd stay still that long without swatting at my hands!

Carlyle and Emmet meet again

2011-06-28T09:34:00.001-07:00

Emmet was 3 weeks old at this visit, and we are all continually curious to see how Carlyle reacts to him. On this visit, she was very interested in feeding him. "Baby Ettit eat" as she helped hold his bottle. We can only hope she remains this helpful and interested come September!

C hearts yogurt

2011-06-27T12:34:00.001-07:00

She rarely turns down yogurt, so it has become a staple in our fridge.

And she insists on feeding herself these days!

Check out those Farrah Fawcett wings and curls.

Woody's Roundup

2011-06-27T12:32:00.001-07:00

Dessy, Woody, Me-Mouse, Buzz, & Mercer's Car

We came home from the beach with a light fever. Carlyle continuously had her hand in her mouth for two days, and we discovered about 4 teeth breaking through the gums. Once we got back to Dallas, we went to the doctor and she was diagnosed with strep throat. Makes me wonder if the Peru Crew should all take a week off after our trip just to recooperate. Jane came home with a severe staph infection.

Carlyle came back with strep throat, but she also came back

with a new love for Woody & Jesse after playing with Elle and Liam,

for Lightening McQueen from watching Cars on the iPad on the road, and for Mickey

from watching TV with the other kids at the beach. Justin went to the Disney Store and got Carlyle a sampling of all her favorite friends after we went to our doctor's appointment. I took this photo when I found her giving each of them their medicine after I gave her her antibiotics.

And since she adopted this new posse, she calls roll every morning... "Woody, way ah you?", etc.

Cheese

2011-06-27T12:23:00.001-07:00

Carlyle has a new facsination with seeing herself in the camera, and

it started with this little photo session. She started saying

"tease" (cheese) when we get out the camera. I love it, but I don't

recall teaching her that! Maybe she learned it at school?

Dach's hat

2011-06-27T11:51:00.001-07:00

Carlyle wearing Dach's hat.

This little girl LOVES her Uncle Dach! Chad and Shauna put these photos together for us to show how much she has grown in a year.

Our Little Fish

2011-06-27T11:18:00.001-07:00

I know I've mentioned how Carlyle has been taking swim lessons, but we have now been at it for a whole year (since she was 6 months old). This summer, she has taken off! And she can't get enough of the water.

She repeats, "Mo, mo... weese, weese" (More, More Swim, Swim)

And when she is ready to take the plunge, she says, "Weddy?" and dives in the water. She learned this from her class where we say, "Carlyle, Ready? Go!"

17 Day Roadtrip

2011-06-15T11:21:00.000-07:00

The Garrity family embarked on a 17 day roadtrip starting Memorial Day weekend, complete with two weddings, time spent in Natchez, a couple of stops in New Orleans, and a trip to the beach.

Dallas to Natchez, Natchez to New Orleans, New Orleans to Gulf Shores, Gulf Shores to Destin, Destin to New Orleans, New Oreleans to Natchez, Natchez to Dallas (and some where in there, Justin managed to fly back to Dallas for 4 days of work). . . . whew!

Natchez

We started out with a fabulous wedding in Natchez. Chris and Annie were married on a Saturday afternoon out on the Natchez Trace. Carlyle spent the day and night with her Meme (momo) and visited with her cousins. She had a blast!

Carlyle visits with cousins Lida and Presley at Aunt Gail's house.

Carlyle and I spent then spent a week in Natchez. We stayed at Zuzu's house, but Zuzu was in Dallas waiting on our baby nephew's arrival. We managed to fill the days with walks to the coffee shop, picking blueberries in Momo's garden (I wish I had photos to share), swimming in Zuzu's pool, and playing on our indoor playground.

Peru Crew Beach trip

The Jenkins, The Carby's, The Garrity's, The Rountrees

Captures a little bit of everyone's love of the beach. As you can see, Carlyle was not a fan of the sand.

Carlyle and Jane on the beach. More photos coming soon. . .

Emmet Arrives

Welcome to the world, Conrad Clement Barnes IV! The news of Emmet's arrival came on Saturday while we were at the beach. Far away from all the excitement and upset that we couldn't be there to welcome him to the world, we were so happy to hear that everyone was happy and healthy!

For more on Emmet's arrival, click HERE.

Mama's Spa & Beach trip

Laurel and I took an extra couple of days and treated ourselves to a getaway at the beach. Dinners out, shopping, pedicures, and a spa day were just what we needed! Meanwhile, Justin and Phillips entertained the girls in New Orleans. . .

Daddies & Daughters in New Orleans

With trips to the Aquarium and the Audubon Insectarium, they stayed busy and had a great time!

Carlyle has evolved into quite the little parakeet during our travels... more to come on her funny new phrases.

Bathtime Bubbles

2011-06-01T12:14:00.001-07:00

Not afraid of water in her face, for sure.

What? All done?

I was so tempted to share her bathtime chatter video, but I'm afraid it may reveal too much baby. I don't want someone to report me.

Around the House

2011-06-01T12:13:00.003-07:00

Carlyle enjoys "working" in the kitchen whenever we are working in the kitchen. As I unload the dishwasher, she unloads her favorite drawers. The more mess, the more fun, right?

Impromptu naptime.

She likes to pretend "night night" at any given moment... usually when she can lay down a blanket or pillow or towel. She says, "nigh nigh".

I am hoping this is naturally preparing her for school this summer. She graduates from a crib to a MAT! I am nervous.

Saturday at the Mall

2011-06-01T12:13:00.001-07:00

Funny how Carlyle won't hold anyone's hand willingly, but she will hold Avery's hand. They walked the Mall together for a nice long stroll. She ADORES Avery!

Our non-meat-eater decided to devour half a chicken sandwich from Chick-Fil-A. I'm not sure whether is was Momo's influence OR the butter & salt. I was so proud, I snapped some pictures!

My Grandmothers

2011-06-01T12:11:00.001-07:00

Carlyle was lucky enough to have time with both grandmothers last weekend in Dallas. Momo came for a weekend visit, and Zuzu has been moving into to her new condo AND waiting for Baby Barnes to arrive!

A welcome snuggle for Momo. Jeannie swept her up to steal some sugar, and Carlyle gave into the rocking motion.

Several minutes later, and Carlyle almost fell asleep. (she only had a 45 minute nap earlier)

Reading a favorite book, "hat" with Aunt Mamey and Zuzu.

Careful... She will let you read all 56 pages to her.

Kick Me Baby One More Time

2011-05-10T08:08:00.001-07:00

First kicks! My favorite part of pregnancy!

I thought I felt a couple when I woke up this morning, but he made sure I knew they were kicks once I got to work. I was so excited to feel the jabs, I immediately announced it to my friends next to me!

He's just reminding me that he's here.

Baby boy is about the size of a banana!

20 weeks

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-04T15:09:00.000-07:00

I subscribe to a blog called Simple Kids. Its an excellent source for parenting inspiration and advice. The Mothers Day Reminders hit home and I wanted to share them with all my favorite Mothers. The appreciation I have for the selflessness, the commitment, the overwhelming never-ceasing love and sacrifice has only just begun. And I know I have SO much more to learn.

Click here Mother's Day Reminders

Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails . . .

2011-04-29T11:43:00.000-07:00

That's what little BOYS are made of!

well, and they are made of these too

Side profile, upside down

I had my sonogram this morning, and we packed the house. Justin and Carlyle were there to watch baby boy in action. He is pretty chill in there, comfy and compact as you can see. We were so excited to find out the news! Besides having a feeling from the beginning, our doctor had given us a 98% guess at our 13 week appointment, and it looks like he was correct!

Carlyle behaved and chatted with the technicians. She even got her very own photo of baby brother!

Easter

2011-04-27T08:35:00.000-07:00

Our first official Easter Egg Hunt was Saturday. Rebecca invited us to come along to a neighborhood hunt in the park.

Meme (Momo, as Carlyle has fondly renamed her) and Paw Paw Clovis drove to Dallas to spend the weekend with us. We had a great time!

Avery helping Carlyle pick up eggs, and Rebecca & Barron in the background.

I was pretty sure Carlyle would not catch on to the idea of gathering eggs in her basket, but Avery assured me when we arrived, "I am going to show Carlyle how to hunt for Easter Eggs." And she did...!

However, she was more interested in quality, not quantity. She was happy with her two bunny straws and a bottle of bubbles. I rounded a few extra eggs up for her as we went along.

Complete with a bunny pinata, and we were seated front and center for the bashing. Probably not the smartest location as the kids were only as old as 4/5 and were swinging a miniature golf club only a few feet away. Maybe next year, Carlyle.

Looks like the Easter Bunny came!

Its a beautiful morning!

2011-04-18T19:11:00.001-07:00

Having fun with the camera AND fun with the sweet girl... who could ask for a better morning at the Arboretum. She had a blast exploring the grounds, and the weather was a perfect 65/70. The place was packed with kids in their Easter best getting their photos taken, brides with their entourage and photographers, teenage girls decked in their colorful Barbie-like Quinceanera gowns, and high school seniors leaning on trees (TG McCarey style) for their portraits. We just happened to pick a popular photography day in the park. That being said, we swore we were there for FUN and not a photo shoot, but she gave us a lot of good material to work with . . .

Baby Barnes coming in June!

2011-04-18T11:06:00.000-07:00

We are awaiting the arrival of Carlyle's first cousin, Conrad Clement Barnes IV (Emmet), in early June! We are so lucky to have them here in Dallas, and it will be amazing raising our children together. So far, the cousins will be spaced apart so perfectly in age.

Chad and Shauna are getting ready for parenthood, and we are doing our best to help out! Check out some photos from Shauna's shower at our house, click here.

French Quarter Festival

2011-04-15T11:18:00.000-07:00

Laurel already summed up what an amazing weekend we had with them here on their family blog. I wanted to post some additional photos and add that we had an amazing weekend with the Jenkins. Thank you for having us and going through Carlyle's ups and downs all weekend!

One more high to add to Laurel's: After a trying walk back to the car with a very defiant toddler named Carlyle, Laurel and I stopped in the lobby of The Iberville Suites to let the girls out of the stroller while the Justin and Phillips walked the rest of the way to get the car. Carlyle and Isabel ran wild, squealing after each other, climbing the stairs and chasing each other in circles, hyper and happy. Their sweet little girl screams were filled with so much excitement and energy, I wish I had it on a recording. Laurel and I singing over the top of them only added to the ambiance of the hotel lobby.

mmmm, beignets at Cafe Du Monde.

These two girls ran through this tunnel over and over again. The thrill of the day!

The mommies, Laurel and Lauren.

Carlyle loves to give purposeful kisses.

She is doing so well in the water! We've been in swim classes since last summer, and Carlyle is up to 10 seconds swimming under water. She loves it!

Associations

2011-04-12T10:42:00.001-07:00

This post is more for me, as a way to jot down and remember some of Carlyle's daily wow-moments. We are currently in a stage where my jaw drops at least once a day in disbelief of something new she is doing. Her most notable and entertaining development is her speech and associations.

Upon meeting someone, she will know their name and point to them. She will then followup the conversation by taking roll of everyone in the room. I feel like its her way of making sure we are all there.

Azza - Her new friend Alexandra. She says "Azza" from her carseat when we pull up to school, the arboretum, and Whole Foods. We have been to all of those places with Azza in the past, and she remembers!

Go Go - Go Diego Go runs a close second to her favorite show, Dora the Explorer. She literally can't contain herself when it comes on. She's so involved in the show, that she is beginning to participate by singing along and answering questions.

Zuzu - After a week visit from Zuzu, Carlyle remembered and pointed out everything that was Zuzu's... her room, her seat in the car, and a Diet Dr Pepper. This past weekend, we went to New Orleans. As soon as we pulled up to visit Aunt Gammy and Uncle Big Bird, without prompting, she started saying "Zuzu?". She continued to search the inside of the house for Zuzu during our visit. The last time we were there was February!

Dach - Uncle Chad is one of her favorite people. She talks about him all the time and fondly remembers the things they do together. She points at certain toys and games like Coco, Winnie the Pooh, her Firetruck blocks, and the outside gate and says "Dach" repeatedly.

Suze - Shoes are a new obsession as well. She likes to bring everyone their shoes and have them put them on.

Monsieur - She is fascinated with Mercer. She can't stop saying his name when we talk about him or we are around him. After his birthday party, if she sees a present, she says his name. He is also in the swim class before ours, and as we pull up to the swim school, she says his name as well as Momo's name (there is a fish on the building).

Classmates - Not only does she know everyone's name in her class, she has also started associating the coordinating parent with their child.

Bilingual - I can't take credit for this one either, but she has started referring to water as "wawa, agua"

Just a phase?

2011-04-07T11:25:00.000-07:00

I really debated on whether to post this or not. Do I REALLY want to remember this moment? Well, I thought it may give the other mommies a peace of mind knowing that its not all smiles and dancing....

How many excuses have I come up with as to why she is doing this?

oh, she's teething
she didn't get enough to eat
she didn't get enough sleep
well this is just a phase she is going through, very age appropriate
she really didn't want to be in the carseat
she can't be confined because she likes to explore
we have been weening from the daytime paci, and she saw it and was told she couldn't have it
she's hard-headed
she's strong-willed
she's independent

A tantrum captured via iphone in the car on the way to school. It lasted 20 minutes, and I had to hold back my own tears.

Everyone goes through this, RIGHT............?

(just say yes)

Springtime

2011-03-31T08:06:00.003-07:00

We have had a busy Spring so far, hence the blog hiatus. Packed with festivals, fun outdoors, and new discoveries everyday, here is a recap of some of our favorite moments (most of these photos are from my IPhone).

We purchased a year membership to the Arboretum and have been taking advantage of it with our new friends Louise and Alexandra (Azza, as she is fondly referred to by Carlyle)

We have spent many mornings and afternoons at the park the past few months. Carlyle and I were invited to join an awesome playgroup through some of the friends we've met.

Dancin' in the streets at the St Patrick's Day Greenville Street festival.

Enjoying all the attention, of course.

We had the best spot on the strip, camped out in the front yard of Sarah and Neil's house.

Catching up with her friend Mercer (or Monsieur, as Carlyle says over and over again)

btw, Happy Birthday Mercer! We enjoyed our first official birthday party!

http://palamarfamily.blogspot.com/2011/04/somebody-turned-3.html

Bubbles? Bubbles? Bubbles? One of Carlyle's new words and obsessions.

We enjoyed Daddy's impromptu crawfish boil in the backyard, Carlyle wearing her festive crawfish bow.

We've had several play dates with our friend Charles Patrick (Pat-chu says Carlyle). How priceless is this moment in the hammock?!

And now a glimpse into our Springtime indoors... "Dorah"

Sunset on the river with Zuzu and dinner at Magnolia Grill in Natchez. If only I'd had my real camera, this IPhone pic will have to do.

Mesmerized by "Momo"

And it all started with a little Mardi Gras in Natchez. She got the hang of how to put the beads on until she couldn't (shouldn't) put anymore on.

Garrity, party of FOUR?

2011-03-31T08:06:00.001-07:00

Coming soon . . .

Profile of face and chest (see the ribcage) at 13 weeks pregnant

We are so excited to announce our new addition coming (approximately) on September 26, 2011! I made it through the first trimester with fairly minimum discomfort. I had a migraine or two per week and overwhelming sleepiness throughout (more than the last time). Overall, I can't complain. We have had only good reports at all my appointments with the OB. Our sonogram at 13 weeks was fascinating . . . I had forgotten just how exhilarating it feels to see your baby in its early stages but also be able to see movement and all the tiny human like features.

Carlyle and new baby brother/sister will be about 23 months apart. Any advice anyone has on converting over to a "big girl bed" VS "staying in the crib", I am all ears! Several things to work out in the months to come, but we are so excited and thankful for our growing family!

Let Your Light Shine

2011-03-24T11:11:00.001-07:00

I hope I can teach this to my children.

Funny Phrases

2011-03-21T10:52:00.001-07:00

Is there anything this girl won't say? Justin and I are convinced she might be smarter than the both of us together.

She has been repeating most everything we ask her to say for a while now, but everyday she amazes us with more words and short sentences!

Day Doo Aah - "There you are!" I love when I finally realized what she was saying. While she repeatedly says a lot of "phrases", this is one of the first that I have decoded!

Beau and Mac - She shocked us all the other day when I dropped her off at school. We were waiting in the doorway for the teacher to carry her over the door, and Carlyle points to the 8-month-old boy waiting behind us and says, "Bow". I thought, silly girl he doesn't have a bow. But his mother confirmed laughing, "Yes, this is Beau!" We all started laughing, a little in shock. She then points to the other boy waiting with his Dad and says, "Mac". Yes, his name is Mac!

Momo -(Nemo) immediately followed by the sign language sign for "fish". Every fish is Momo, also known as Nemo. She really loves the movie, Finding Nemo.

Dora - If I only counted how many times she talked about Dora in a day! She can spot her from across a room. She says this when she wants to watch Dora or brush her teeth (Dora is on her toothbrush).

Backpack, Backpack (singing) - She picked this up from Dora, but she sings it when she sees a backpack.

Cah Cah - (cracker) immediately followed by the sign language sign for cracker, which is knocking your elbow with a fist.

Yay! - paired with enthusiastic clapping. She applauds at the finish of EVERY song.

Tooo Tooo - high pitched and used appropriately when she spots a train.

Mah Oww - (meow) still my favorite animal noise she does. What does the kitty-cat say? She says "Mah Oww" sort of jumping an octave between syllables, hi to low.

Toot Toot Dah Dah - She starts singing #2 on her Kindermusik CD before it even starts. I guess she has already memorized the order of the songs. You can imagine JUST how much I am enjoying this CD on repeat?

Work Hard Play Hard

2011-03-09T07:28:00.001-08:00

Doing a little spring cleaning with Daddy

Taking a break to dance with the paddle.

To the left,

and now, to the right

Yes, I documented her first skinned knee.

(since this photo, there have been multiples)

Dancin' Queen at 16 months

2011-03-04T12:45:00.000-08:00

Carlyle is known for her dance moves at her school. Sometimes when I show up to pick her up, the other teachers down the hallway tell me to peek in the window to spy on her before I walk in. She's usually groovin' to the Wiggles or something similar.

Drawing a crowd with her dance moves . . . Now, where would she have gotten that from?

Notes from School:

"Carlyle had a good day, she spent most of the day dancing!!!"
"She is our little dancer, always smiling."

She'll dance to almost any music, but some of her favorites at home are by Vampire Weekend (especially Horchata).

This is Carlyle dancing to the Avett Brothers:

My YouTube Faves

2011-02-22T20:25:00.000-08:00

I realize I might be the last one to find out about these videos, but I LOVE them. They both make me smile and tear up a little, but in entirely different ways. ENJOY!

Home is Wherever I'm With You - Our recent family "quote" and favorite song, a huge reason why I love this video... so sweet!

Double Dream Hands - If only Justin and I could master this for the dancefloor in time for the next wedding we attend!

Silent Auction

2011-02-22T17:13:00.001-08:00

Neil, Sarah, me, Justin

Headed out for a night out to support our friends Adriane and Hook who put so much work into their annual Crown Ball supporting The Ryan Gibson Foundation for Leukemia. www.trgf.org

He won!

Did I mention that it was a Silent Auction, and Justin was stalking his bid on this tiny wingback chair ALL night!

He carried it out of the party victoriously over his head like a big trophy (or like a miniature chair).

And he did it all for Carlyle, of course.

Laissez Le Bon Ton Roulet

2011-02-19T10:56:00.000-08:00

What a fun weekend in New Orleans! Zuzu was there waiting for us and ready to spend some girl time with Carlyle. We left early Friday morning and spent the first two nights at Aunt Gammy and Big Bird's house in the Garden District. Its pretty much the PERFECT mini-vacation... amazing location, food, family, and the weather was perfect for walking to Magazine. Its hard to complain when the daily menu consists of po-boys, king cake, and Uncle Steve's boiled shrimp!

Check out sweet blue eyes enjoying some local flavor.

Happy with a face full of French Bread

Or a lemmon. She loves to suck on lemons and sometimes eats the rhine.

And still, she's a picky eater?

We spent Sunday night with our dear friends (family), the Jenkins. We took the girls to the French Quarter, walked around, and danced in the street. As if we hadn't already had enough, we topped the night off with beignets at Cafe du Monde... yum! Carlyle approved.

The girls put on quite a show on Royal. It was so fun to watch them draw a crowd. We debated putting down a hat to collect tips.

Nightime Chat with Daddy

2011-02-09T11:15:00.000-08:00

Carlyle loves to chat. She has a lot to say and will mimic almost anything we ask her to say at this point! My list of new words is hard to keep up with, so I guess I'm waiting for her first full sentence?

This is her talk with Daddy before bedtime the other night:

Carlyle - 15 months

Snow Days

2011-02-04T09:59:00.000-08:00

A full week of isolation will make you do crazy things! We had to be VERY creative with our indoor activities, as you can see. Tuesday through Saturday is a long time to be in a house with a toddler, but we made the best of it. Thursday night (before the heavy snow fell again on Friday), we took a very slow and safe drive to the mall for Baby Bounce music class at Bookmarks (a Dallas Public Library store in the mall). The mall was full of parents with toddlers ready to run off some energy!

She did not particularly like the sledding . . .

and she definitely did NOT like the snow . . .

but she LOVED the swing!

(as usual)

click to enlarge

Some of our indoor activities consisted of:

boxcar racing (custom-built by Daddy, complete with extension cord pull)
dancing to music
building sofa cushion forts and mountains
rocking on the giraffe

15 months

2011-02-02T14:13:00.000-08:00

Stats:

Height = 31.25" (75%)

Weight = 21lbs. 2 oz. (25%)

Head C = 46.3 (50%)

Teeth = 6 (4 upper, 2 lower)

New words:

Apple = Ap Pa

Down = Daaa

Up = Puh

Goodnight = Nih Nih

What does the ___ say?

Frog = raaaah (deep voice)

Kitty Cat = Ma ow

Cow = Mmmmaaa

Bear = Gahhh

Favorite Books:

Piggy Pie Poe by Audrey Wood

Nursery Rhymes by Kate Toms

Goodnight Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann

There's a Wocket in My Pocket by Dr. Suess

Favorite Item: Toothbrush - If she gets a hold of one, she almost won't let go of it. She brought it to the park the other day and held it the entire time. Needless to say, we won't be doing much brushing with it.

At the park with Daddy

She loves going down (and up) the slide.

Weeeeeee!

Running more and more

Playing with Mercer (will be 3 yrs old in April!). She thinks he's hilarious!

Dolce Far Niente

2011-01-19T20:46:00.000-08:00

It means the Sweetness of Doing Nothing.

I didn't read the book Eat Pray Love, but I did see the movie recently. I am now infatuated with the thought of finding Dolce Far Niente.

In our busy lives, full of To Do lists and other trivial things, isn't life supposed to be about the "now"? I am personally in the habit of being busy, as I know most of you are. And being a Mom who works (and plays), I am constantly striving to be as efficient as possible with my time. Its exhausting to be THAT efficient ALL the time. I know my other Mommy-friends can agree.

I mean, HOW many of those things on the list HAVE to get done TODAY? "What is the worst that will happen if they don't get done", I have started asking myself.

So, needless to say, one of my New Year's Resolutions is to find Dolce Far Niente.

One way: Borrow some of the joy that Carlyle finds in the littlest things. Her new discoveries, new words, and laughter.

Happy New Year!

I found the clip from the movie:

The Holidays - a recap

2011-01-13T09:12:00.001-08:00

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas . . .

Carlyle and Mommy went to the Tree Lighting at the Dallas Arts Center downtown.

Loved the Bell Choir.

Weather was "seasonably" warm for Texas, so we went to the Arboretum to enjoy it! One of the few places I have discovered that Carlyle can roam and explore without getting into trouble.

Garrity household attempting to be the Griswolds.

Christmas in Natchez begins . . .

Exploring Christmas on the River. Carlyle loved the snowmen and Santa's reindeer.

LOVES the horse & carriages at Zuzu's. She almost leaped out of Zuzu's arms trying to get to them. Eh-eh-eh-eh-eh says the Horsey.

And what would Christmas be without toys,

bedhead and Christmas PJs,

and cookies!

Garrity Family Christmas at Kathy's. Carlyle loved the rocking horse,

and piano playing with her cousins!

Three peas in a pod.

Thank you for the pretty dress, Zuzu!

Our traditional story-time on Christmas Eve.

Santa brought me a tunnel!

Ready for Christmas at Meme's. (thanks for the pretty dress, Meme!)

Who's your Daddy?

2011-01-03T10:54:00.000-08:00

So, if you weren't QUITE convinced that Carlyle looks like Justin . . . you are now.

Brothers Byron, Brandon, & Justin

What does Santa Say?

2010-12-25T19:45:00.000-08:00

She has been Ho-ho-ho-ing her way through the week, spotting Santa everywhere!

Say What?!

2010-12-13T08:29:00.000-08:00

Carlyle jabbers and chatters her way through the house these days. I can't wait to find out what all she is trying to tell us, but here are a few things we know for sure:

(at 13 months old)

Ba = Ball

Da Da = Daddy, Mama, and Baby

Ma Ma = I want food or drink

Na Na = Snack (as she stands by the pantry door waiting)

Buh-yee = Bunny

B-wee = Pretty or Bird (not completely sure what it means, but she says it a lot)

Dat-dah = Thank you

Uh Oh

Du-ckh = Duck

Ooh Ooh (high pitched) = Doggie

Wow

Whoa

Mmmm = When she sees water or something is tasty.

Aahhh = Eye

Wah Wah = Water

Tzees = Cheese

Eph = Step

Daaah = Down

Doh Coh = Coco the monkey

Carlyle with her rediscovered pal "Doh Coh"

She gets a running start to tackle him on the floor... sometimes, she just stays for a cuddle.

What does the Doggie say? Ooh Ooh

What does the Horsey say? Eheheheh (kind of sounds like a machine-gun laugh)

What does the Chicken say? Bok Bok

What does Santa say? Oh Oh Oh

Where is your belly button? pulls up her dress and points to it

Where is Mommy's eye? says "aahh" and points to it

Where is your mouth? sticks her finger in her mouth

Loves Hide & Seek

Likes to give soggy open mouth kisses on your chin

Will run and give you a hug if you are waiting for it

Naughty or Nice?

2010-12-10T07:05:00.000-08:00

T.B.D......

Who is this? And why am I sitting on his lap?

Bless her heart, who can blame her? She was a perfectly happy angel before we went into Santa's house (Santa traveled to Northpark Mall this year with his own cozy house and roaring fire in the fireplace). She was OK until I plopped her on his knee. Santa knew what was coming, and he had bells in hand to entertain her. It didn't work, obviously.

There's always next year!

Blog? What Blog?

2010-12-06T06:40:00.000-08:00

I at least have to acknowledge the fact that I haven't updated the blog in a MONTH, but we have been chasing a toddler. By the way, I wasn't aware that my baby would technically become a "toddler" when she turned one! Life is busy, but we must like it that way. Any downtime we get, we seem to fill it up with something new and exciting. We did have a nice weekend in Dallas at home, bought and decorated a tree, and put some Griswald-esqe lights on the house. If life is this crazy with one, how do you do it with two?!

Justin looked at me last night while we were brushing our teeth and said, "You know no one in this family showered today?"
That pretty much sums it up, ha!

Year One

2010-11-08T08:15:00.000-08:00

Carlyle's 12 Month Appointment:

Weight: 18 8.5 (15%)

Height: 29.75" (75%)

Head: 44 (24%)

Teeth: one

She is a petite but long little thing, right?

I have been looking back fondly over where we were a year ago, mentally and physically. Carlyle's birth day was truly a moment of PURE JOY. (Thank you Jan, for putting it in those words).

I wanted to share what my Mother read to me at my bedside in the hospital, when I was about to meet my own daughter for the first time and not knowing what the coming year was going to bring me and my family.

It means more to me now than it did then, but I know that is what she intended.

They’ll Be There

In a few hours you're gonna meet the best friend that you'll ever have...........your daughter.

She could be the next leader of the free world.

but she could also work at a car wash.

I'm just a little sad though.

Whatever she is, my family that have passed on won't be here to see her.

...............................

That's where you're wrong. When Carlyle comes into the world tonight, they'll be there.

Everyone in your family that's gone on before you -- everyone you've loved -- you'll see them in her eyes, and her smile, and in the way she walks.

And when she takes her first step and says her first words, they'll be there.

When she has a fever at three o'clock in the morning, when she gets caught in the rain walking home from school, when she hits her first baseball, they'll be there.

And when she's afraid of the dark, when she forgets to say her prayers, when the wind catches her voice on a warm summer day, they'll be there.

Just remember that today, when you meet your daughter, on the first day of the rest of her life, you'll be meeting the person that'll be holding your hand when it's your time to go.

And even then , she won't be alone. They'll be there.

With apologies to the writers of Designing Women.

Love and happy birth day to Lali and Carlyle,

Zuzu

October 30, 2009

letter

Carlyle's First Soiree

2010-11-08T08:14:00.000-08:00

Carlyle's first baby doll who was given the name Baby Biscuit that day. Carlyle was quite adamant on having a biscuit in her hand or in her mouth throughout the party.

Thanks to Zuzu for the doll and to Meme for the yummy homemade biscuits!

click to enlarge

Bock Bock Baby

2010-11-08T08:02:00.005-08:00

Happy Halloween

Homemade chicken!

Getting some pointers from Daddy.

Seriously, I had more fun watching Justin escort escort his little Chicken through the crowd. He was so proud! (as he should be)

I think she is getting the hang of this.

She saw pumpkins everywhere as we walked; therefore she repeatedly said "Ba Ba Ba" (she calls pumpkins "balls"). Everyone thought we taught her to say "Bock Bock Bock".

By the end of the night, a pro trick-or-treater!

The Trifecta

2010-11-08T08:02:00.003-08:00

Auburn wasn't the only thing that was Number One in the Grove on Saturday...

October 30, 2010

Auburn @ Ole Miss

Happy Birthday Carlyle!

A monumental weekend for the Garrity's, I have been calling it the Trifecta:

The weekend that Justin and I met (11 years ago)
Our 5 year wedding anniversary
Carlyle's first birthday

click to enlarge

My Favorite Words

2010-11-08T08:02:00.001-08:00

She watches for her Daddy from the window and says "Da-da" when she sees him or when she hears the door open when he gets home from work. Justin has said that it is his favorite part of the day... who can blame him?

Sidenote: Da-da seems to mean a lot of things to Carlyle. She KNOWS who the real Daddy is, but she calls me "Da-da" too. She uses it for "baby" also.

"Ma-ma" is used quite frequently too, but it means "give me food", "drink", or "I want, I want".

Also, in this photo are pumpkins, or as Carlyle likes to say "Ball" (Bah). She has been talking about them a lot over the past month!

Chatty Carlyle

2010-11-08T08:01:00.002-08:00

One day after school, I filmed Carlyle telling me ALL about her day. She is quite the talker these days and walking everywhere.

10.21.10 - Carlyle @ 11.5 months

Pumpkin in the Patch

2010-11-08T08:01:00.001-08:00

Where's our little pumpkin?

"Bah. Bah." and then throws it like a ball.

I know you are admiring my mix of a Summer bubble suit and Winter hat, but it was 75 degrees that day! The pumpkin hat Katita made is too adorable.

Family Photo, ha!

Tu-Too Cute

2010-10-22T06:46:00.000-07:00

After bathtime the other night, I couldn't resist trying on her tutu as she roamed the house.

She was hard to catch! Getting faster every day.

How excited does she look with her tutu and her nasal spray in hand?!

She seems determined to try to walk everywhere now. We are not seeing as much crawling this week.

Month Eleven

2010-10-16T19:31:00.000-07:00

So far the month of eleven has been full of constant change. She walked and got her first tooth within the same week, and we renovated our kitchen in a record 12 days. (more on that to come) Obvious reasons why I have been too busy to update the blog.

I could not resist buying this for her [birthday].

Some of Carlyle's developments worth noting:

Thinks belly buttons are hilarious... likes to point, touch, then tries to bite it.
"uh oh, uh oh" about everything... sometimes the first thing we hear from her nursery in the morning. Usually says it about things falling on the ground, already on the ground, or loud noises
Plays chase up and down the hallway - "Where's Carlyle?" and she comes crawling
"Ball, Ball, Ball" Can throw the ball back and forth with you. Yes, throw, with purpose and really good aim!
Starting to laugh when you say, play, or do pattycake with her (still kind of hates to have her arms manipulated though)
Dislikes getting dressed
Really dislikes diaper changes (a lot of distractions are necessary to get through it)
In her second month of school now, and she has missed about 50% because of fever and cold
Peekaboo is still a favorite
High pitched "woof, oof" when she hears or sees a dog or we say "doggie"
Laughs when I play Beyonce's Single Ladies
She can dance (bounce to the music)
Watches your mouth intently trying to figure out what and how you are saying words.
Said "Duh-cch" when the Wonder Pets duck was on TV
Tries to share her finger foods with you and laughs when you partake
She has developed a fake laugh that is hilarious... not sure if she is imitating the creepy baby doll laugh, but its pretty similar