breakthrough!

This week, Khloe has been a whole new lady! I think there's been a breakthrough, and she's finally started that downhill swing to 12 weeks. For a few weeks, she had been cranky, difficult to have awake, difficult to put to sleep, difficult to feed ... what good was there, you ask? Bath time. Other than that, it was a constant battle to do anything. I know she had her 6 week growth spurt ... and she had days where she would feed and feed ... 6 oz. sometimes in one feeding! But then she would give me days where she would eat 2 oz. at one feeding. I was getting so frustrated with her feeding habits. Colton was my MEGA-eater. He ate every bottle I placed in his mouth ... and sometimes begged for more. Khloe will stop eating bottles, eat 2 oz. one time and 4 oz. another time ... followed by 6 oz. another time and back to 2 oz.! I hate the inconsistency! Then again ... she's different than Colton--she's a girl, for one! She probably doesn't need to eat the exact same amount every time ... or as much as he did at this age, but I have a hard time separating the two of them. I try to tell myself that she's different ... but I find myself frustrated with her when she decides she's done eating 1 oz. from finishing the bottle. Oh, well ... in the past week, her sleeping has drastically improved! She has always been a great sleeper at night, but her naps were terrible to say the least. This past week, she has napped wonderfully! She takes about 3 naps a day along with one small catnap at the end of the evening before bed. Her first two naps are always, by far, the best. She has started going down drowsy and falling asleep on her own--which I love! At night, it has been a breeze to get her to sleep (drowsy, so she falls asleep on her own in her crib). I have been very pleased. Then twice this week, she has only woken up once during the night! I have really, really enjoyed that--and I hope for that trend to continue. I guess if I had to choose between her eating really well or sleeping really well ... I would choose sleeping! I really can't complain. She's a good baby. I am looking forward to her wake time being longer and happier. I get about an hour at a time ... one evening, she gave me an hour and a half! It was so nice to hang out with her happy as a clam and awake.

Colton still loves her so much, and he gives her so much love and attention. He says, "It's okay, Baby Khloe!" all of the time. He loves to tell her, "Shhhh ... Baby Khloe, it's okay." Or he'll say, "Hi, Baby Khloe, how are you today?" And of course, he is tickling her all of the time. He always wants to hang out with her in her gym. He wants to lay down with her in there. One evening, I was making dinner, and he was in the gym with her giving her kisses. It was very cute. I just have to make sure he's gentle with her. If he's not, it's not on purpose. He isn't trying to hurt her ... he just really, really wants to love on her and be around her. I'm glad he loves her so much.I don't know why these uploaded this way. I tried and tried to change it, but I couldn't get them to rotate on here. They're normal on the computer. Oh, well ... just turn your head.

I took pictures of Colton this week for his second birthday. I am SO sad that he's almost TWO!!!! I can't believe it. These past two years have gone way too fast! Where did the time go? I was watching a video of Colton from when he was just learning to crawl ... then another video of him eating baby food and laughing ... and yet another video of him saying his first words. He was SO little and cute ... now he's big and cute, but when I look into his crib at night and see a big boy in there ... I wonder where my little buddy went! The pictures I took turned out pretty good. He looks so adorable and grown up. He has really made me proud these past two years, and I know that will continue. He's so smart and sweet. I am very lucky to have him as my son.

Khloe is growing and growing. Billy weighed her this week, and she was 12 lbs. 8 oz. She's getting so big ... and has chubby cheeks! I love them. I, also, love that she has started cooing. It's so cute to hear her little voice! I am anxious to see how she grows and what her personality is like ... but then I look at Colton and how fast it all went, and I don't want Khloe to grow that fast! Though I know she will. Here are a few pictures of her this past week.
She's cooing here.Look at those chubby cheeks!

This past week, we went to Wiregrass Wednesdays at the mall by our house. It's a kids themed morning where a guy named Mr. Tommy comes to sing kids' songs. They have fun things every Wednesday morning, and some restaurants have free kids' meals on Wednesdays, too. I think the train is free for parents on that morning. Here's Colton dancing and having fun with Mr. Tommy! Also, this week, I have been working in the front yard clearing dead plants from our flower beds. There were a lot of overgrown and dead plants in there ... and there are still a few that we want to take out, but we'll wait for those until spring when we plant new ones. So, one afternoon, I went out of the house to confront a huge turtle! He was just strolling along the driveway ... at a break neck turtle speed. Billy said I should have captured him and put him in our lanai. I didn't want to do that, but he was pretty neat. Colton was napping, so he didn't get to see the turtle in person. It's too bad, because I think he really would have liked the turtle.>In the midst of picking all of the dead and overgrown flowers.After I pulled out all of the overgrown flowers.All of the bags I filled.

This weekend, we are going to head to the zoo again. Last week, we went to the zoo, but we could only stay for 20 minutes, because they were closing early. This week, we will be able to look around for a little while. On Sunday, I am going to go dress shopping. We are going to a hospital gala, and I need a dress. Not an ideal time to find a dress--I wouldn't mind losing some more baby weight, but it is what it is ... I have to get a dress, because the gala is only a week away! I'm excited to have a family weekend before we have guests for nearly an entire week starting at the end of next week. Billy's parents are coming to visit for next weekend ... then his family from Orlando will come down for Thanksgiving and stay the night ... and finally, on that Sunday, we have his cousins from Tampa coming to hang out and watch the game. We will be pretty busy! But I like having guests.

Last blog, I forgot to post one picture! The one of the little guys with the Bucs cheerleaders. They were so nice, and the boys liked taking pictures with them! How cute are they!?!

I guess I'm going to get going and enjoy the evening with Billy. Adios! I'll leave you with a peek at this year's Firemen Calendar 2011--Starring Colton Heinrich!