My Little Butterball

Yes, this is regarding Autumn. 
She had her 6 month check-up this morning and when the doctor walked into the room and say autumn laying on the exam table wearing nothing but a diaper she gasped and said " wow aren't you nice and healthy" ... then she picked her up to put her on the scale and she weighed in at a whopping 23 lbs !!! She is 27 inches long and very healthy. 
Her eczema isn't a concern. Apparently it can flare up with teething so she has a long road ahead of her since she on has her bottom two teeth at the moment

 They're in better now than they were in this picture. It's about a month old. I love babies when they have just their 2 bottom teeth. Adorable!! 

It's hard to believe she's 6 months old now. Well 6 1/2 months now. Time is flying by faster than I care to admit. She a good baby though. She's mellow and has a good nature. Only cries if she's over tired or has a gas bubble.  She's a little treasure and a complete blessing.

I take her picture on the 30th of every month. Here she is @ 6 months of age:

 

Eczema

Autumn has been diagnosed with eczema. It's only on her face so that's enough to be thankful for. She would be even more miserable if it was covering more of her little body. 
I didn't want to have to fill the Rx for the steroid cream but the OTC and off the shelf creams weren't working so it was my last resort. Tomorrow is the last day of the 10 day application cycle and it's not completely gone and she gets flares off and on through the day so I don't know what's going to happen in the future. It's keeping it well hydrated that's half the battle. 

She's still her pleasant little self though. Bless her heart. Full of laughs and smiles all the time. She is a blessing in my life.

The Thrifty Thrifter

I am passionate about thrift store shopping. It must be my "old age" but I would much rather go there than the mall. Especially for children's clothes since they outgrow them in the blink of an eye. 
We went thrifting last weekend and again this afternoon. It was my escape time from the kids as Jon kept them with him in the  truck while I went through the bins. It was my own personal utopia. As sad as it sounds ... it doesn't take much to make me happy. Give me $20 and drop me off at a thrift store for an hour or so and I'm good to go!

I prefer Frenchy's as far as thrift stores go. I've been shopping at various locations between Cheticamp and Truro for many years. Since moving to Pictou County and living close to New Glasgow I go to Louie's Good Used Clothing on Sundays. Why Sunday? Because there's nothing else to do on that day since a lot of stores are closed. I don't have much luck there finding baby girl stuff there though. It's 90% baby boy items in their one and only baby bin. I'll have to try Frenchy's next time since Autumn is rapidly outgrowing her wardrobe.
I bought Rianne some shirts today. I can always find her something there. Mostly tops since she is so fussy when it comes to pants. She will only wear leggings!
I bought Rianne three tops and bought Autumn 2 pair of sleepers and a bunting bag (since she has already outgrown the one I bought at Frenchy's for her before she was born) and only spent $11. I would have paid more than that for ONE item!!

50 Rules for Dads of Daughters (by: Michael Mitchell)

I happened upon this on a blog and thought it was brilliant and I wanted to add it to mine. I give full credit to the original author Michael Mitchell and you can follow his blog "Life to Her Years" for more great tips.
***********************************************************************************

1. Love her mom. Treat her mother with respect, honor, and a big heaping spoonful of public displays of affection. When she grows up, the odds are good she’ll fall in love with and marry someone who treats her much like you treated her mother. Good or bad, that’s just the way it is. I’d prefer good.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Always be there. Quality time doesn’t happen without quantity time. Hang out together for no other reason than just to be in each other’s presence. Be genuinely interested in the things that interest her. She needs her dad to be involved in her life at every stage. Don’t just sit idly by while she add years to her… add life to her years.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. Save the day. She’ll grow up looking for a hero. It might as well be you. She’ll need you to come through for her over and over again throughout her life. Rise to the occasion. Red cape and blue tights optional.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Savor every moment you have together. Today she’s crawling around the house in diapers, tomorrow you’re handing her the keys to the car, and before you know it, you’re walking her down the aisle. Some day soon, hanging out with her old man won’t be the bees knees anymore. Life happens pretty fast. You better cherish it while you can.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. Pray for her. Regularly. Passionately. Continually.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


6. Buy her a glove and teach her to throw a baseball. Make her proud to throw like a girl… a girl with a wicked slider.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


7. She will fight with her mother. Choose sides wisely.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8. Go ahead. Buy her those pearls.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

9. Of course you look silly playing peek-a-boo. You should play anyway.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

10. Enjoy the wonder of bath time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

11. There will come a day when she asks for a puppy. Don’t over think it. At least one time in her life, just say, “Yes.”
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 12. It’s never too early to start teaching her about money. She will still probably suck you dry as a teenager… and on her wedding day.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


13. Make pancakes in the shape of her age for breakfast on her birthday. In a pinch, donuts with pink sprinkles and a candle will suffice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

14. Buy her a pair of Chucks as soon as she starts walking. She won’t always want to wear matching shoes with her old man.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

15.  Dance with her. Start when she’s a little girl or even when she’s a baby. Don’t wait ‘til her wedding day.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

16.  Take her fishing. She will probably squirm more than the worm on your hook. That’s OK.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


17. Learn to say no. She may pitch a fit today, but someday you’ll both be glad you stuck to your guns.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


18. Tell her she’s beautiful. Say it over and over again. Someday an animated movie or “beauty” magazine will try to convince her otherwise.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

19. Teach her to change a flat. A tire without air need not be a major panic inducing event in her life. She’ll still call you crying the first time it happens.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

20. Take her camping. Immerse her in the great outdoors. Watch her eyes fill with wonder the first time she sees the beauty of wide open spaces. Leave the iPod at home.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


21. Let her hold the wheel. She will always remember when daddy let her drive.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


22. She’s as smart as any boy. Make sure she knows that.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


23. When she learns to give kisses, she will want to plant them all over your face. Encourage this practice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

24.  Knowing how to eat sunflower seeds correctly will not help her get into a good college. Teach her anyway.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

25. Letting her ride on your shoulders is pure magic. Do it now while you have a strong back and she’s still tiny.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


26. It is in her nature to make music. It’s up to you to introduce her to the joy of socks on a wooden floor.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

27. If there’s a splash park near your home, take her there often. She will be drawn to the water like a duck to a puddle.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


28. She will eagerly await your return home from work in the evenings. Don’t be late.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


29.  If her mom enrolls her in swim lessons, make sure you get in the pool too. Don’t be intimidated if there are no other dads there. It’s their loss.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

30. Never miss her birthday. In ten years she won’t remember the present you gave her. She will remember if you weren’t there.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

31. Teach her to roller skate. Watch her confidence soar.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


32. Let her roll around in the grass. It’s good for her soul. It’s not bad for yours either.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

33. Take her swimsuit shopping. Don’t be afraid to veto some of her choices, but resist the urge to buy her full-body beach pajamas.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


34. Somewhere between the time she turns three and her sixth birthday, the odds are good that she will ask you to marry her. Let her down gently.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


35. She’ll probably want to crawl in bed with you after a nightmare. This is a good thing.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


36. Few things in life are more comforting to a crying little girl than her father’s hand. Never forget this.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

37.  Introduce her to the swings at your local park. She’ll squeal for you to push her higher and faster. Her definition of “higher and faster” is probably not the same as yours. Keep that in mind.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


38. When she’s a bit older, your definition of higher and faster will be a lot closer to hers. When that day comes, go ahead… give it all you’ve got.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


39. Holding her upside down by the legs while she giggles and screams uncontrollably is great for your biceps. WARNING: She has no concept of muscle fatigue.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

40. She might ask you to buy her a pony on her birthday. Unless you live on a farm, do not buy her a pony on her birthday. It’s OK to rent one though.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


41. Take it easy on the presents for her birthday and Christmas. Instead, give her the gift of experiences you can share together.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


42. Let her know she can always come home. No matter what.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

43. Remember, just like a butterfly, she too will spread her wings and fly some day. Enjoy her caterpillar years.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

44. Write her a handwritten letter every year on her birthday. Give them to her when she goes off to college, becomes a mother herself, or when you think she needs them most.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


45.  Learn to trust her. Gradually give her more freedom as she gets older. She will rise to the expectations you set for her.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


46. When in doubt, trust your heart. She already does.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


 47. When your teenage daughter is upset, learning when to engage and when to back off will add years to YOUR life. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

48. Ice cream covers over a multitude of sins. Know her favorite flavor.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

49. This day is coming soon. There’s nothing you can do to be ready for it. The sooner you accept this fact, the easier it will be.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


50. Today she’s walking down the driveway to get on the school bus. Tomorrow she’s going off to college. Don’t blink.

I will be coming back to this post at a later date to add pictures :)

Happy New Year!

Well .. it's 2012 and it isn't even a week into the year and the sickies are still hanging around the house but thankfully Rianne is better so I'll deal with what is dealt to me as long as the kids are healthy. I am on antibiotics and on the mend so it's all good. Jon is still battling whatever has invaded his body too so I hope the entire family is better soon!
I am still playing with my blog template and learning my way around so it may change several more times before I am happy with it. I don't think anyone actually reads it anyway so I guess I am telling myself that it may be changing :)

Rianne news: As mentioned above, she's all healthy again .. thankfully! She had one bout with Diarrhea when we were at moms place over Christmas and she was in a pullup for a morning but it was sorted out and she was fine after that. I am blaming her waffle intake for it though. She consumed way too many of Nanny's homemade waffles when she got to the house. She went back to school on Tuesday after a long 3 weeks off. The first week was due to illness and the next 2 weeks was the scheduled Christmas break. She must have played too hard at school yesterday because she went upstairs and got very quiet yesterday afternoon. Turns out she was asleep in bed!! I thought she was getting sick again but no .. she was legitimately tired.


Autumn News: She is perfectly healthy and hasn't caught anyone sickness. A small miracle in itself considering I co-sleep with her. She was in her Jolly Jumper for the first time yesterday evening and she loved it! She looked so cute in it too. Well here ... look for yourself:

She has the musical mat too so she was stepping on it making noise :)

Right now she is in the process of waking up from her morning nap so I might have to cut this blog entry short in order to feed her. She is sucking on her thumb which is a habit she outgrows so I won't have to resort to finding ways to make her stop.

The Three Esses

Sniffle

Sneeze

Sanitize

The story of my life the last week or so! If it's not Rianne, it's me and presently it's the BOTH of us which makes me want to buy stock in Kleenex and Purell. This is going to make for one humdinger of a Christmas!

Thankfully Autumn has escaped the sickies. She had a few sniffles last week but they were from her 2-month shots most likely. I am extra vigilant with the hand washing and sanitizing now .. when it's too late!! Never fails huh? 

So from our family to yours .. Sneezings Greeting :)

'Twas a week before Christmas ...

It's hard to fathom that Christmas is only 6 sleeps away! 

This year all Rianne is really asking for is a purple Doodle Bear yes .. very color specific and the only one at Walmart is pink .. make that WAS pink. When we went looking for it because it was our only option at the time .. it was gone! We checked Superstore and Zellers without luck. Luckily Jon was going to Ontario a few days later and he managed to find one at Sears (after looking at Toys R Us and a few other stores). I am happy she is able to get what she asked "Santa" for this year. She didn't get what she asked for last year because all the stores were sold out of the Barbie Fashion Fairytale horse and carriage. We hunted high and low for that one!

Autumn news: She received her 2 month shots last week and she is tipping the scale at a whopping 13.5 lbs and she is 24 inches long. My little chunky monkey :)

She is such a happy go lucky baby. A complete polar opposite of her sister. 

She's growing like a bad weed! Smiling and laughing already and no it isn't always gas! 

Let me tell you ... the Fisher Price 3 in 1 Swing is a lifesaver. She absolutely loves it which is funny because the previous three babies to experience it absolutely hated the thing. 

Rianne news: She has been suffering with viral gastroenteritis for the last 3 weeks or so. Horrible diarrhea to the point where she's been wearing Goodnites pullups due to her 'accidents' and she's been vomiting and now she is suffering with a bad head cold and a barking seal like cough. It finally looks as though she's on the mend thankfully. It it looming close to Christmas and I didn't want her sickness to ruin it for her because we are traveling to Cape Breton on the 25th to visit with "Nanny" (my mother) where she will be spoiled to the ends of the Earth. 

So it's the week before Christmas. All the gifts are bought but not wrapped and I am in the process of making up the goodie boxes for everyone. They consist of peppermint bark, red velvet cake balls and chocolate chip cookies. I'm not sure if I'll add something else chocolate covered to the box. I was thinking of the chocolate dipped pretzels but I always have a hard time finding the big pretzel sticks so we shall see ... if I find them I'll make them and if not .. well the people will be s.o.l .. :)

If I don't update my blog before the 25th .. I hope everyone reading (not many of you I know) have a wonderful holiday with your family and friends :)