Sadie is 5 Months old!

Sadie turned five months last week and I have been meaning to take the time to write what she has been up to. This month Sadie has been getting a lot stronger and showing more of her little personality. She laughs harder and loves getting tickled. It's very cute!

- Tummy time is longer now and you can tell her back strength is getting stronger. She hasn't yet rolled over. Soon I hope (but not really;). She is sleeping more, but waiting for our nights to stay consistent! We had a good routine 8:30p.m. up at 4:45a.m. feeding and up again at 8ish. The last two weeks have been rough (like every 2hrs, she'll call for us). The days we take her to daycare really mess her up with naps. She has so much social interaction there and I don't think she calms down.
- She took her second big airplane ride to CA for a week! She did great in the plane and smiled and looked around at all the people. At four weeks she slept most of the flights and this trip she didn't sleep that much. I nursed a lot due to so many takeoffs. My first Mother's Day was spent in Santa Cruz and it was fun dipping her little toes in the Pacific Ocean! Our week was jammed packed. We spent most of the time at my sisters with her family and with my friends. It was so nice to have Sadie get close with everyone on my side again. Her attachment issues that she had with me really stopped, since she was with so many people! We did get a date night and spent our second wedding anniversary in South Lake Tahoe. We dropped off Sadie with her Papa and Nonni and had a great time just the two of us. It was a great week, but needed to chill for a week after!
Some other new things:
- Size 2 diapers, fitting into 6month clothes and 16.4lbs already!!
- Nursing more and pumping less this month. Loves scooting across the floors in her play saucer. She totally walks in it. Grabs more toys in her hand, pets the cat and dog and loves trying to eat the corner of books.
- 4.5wks we tried rice cereal! She didn't know what to do at first, but she has gotten the hang of it. She grabs the spoon to direct for more now.
- She got her third cold/cough again from daycare last week. Boo and now she has an ear infection this week. She was really fussy and crying hard this past Sunday night, which she never does. We took her to the doctors Monday morning because she had a 103 fever, ah! She is on her first antibiotics, ugh!
- Sadie had her first singing performance! Yep, she was on stage with her other baby friends at the daycares/preschool graduation. It was adorable!

Mommy notes:
- The last two months my hair has really changed probably due to the hormones. Not liking the thick, kinky, textured curls on the crown of my head!! Hopefully after I stop nursing it will go back?!?
- The humidity lately has reminded me of my pregnancy and a few times have made me get a little anxious. It's just brought back memories because I was so sick last summer. So WEIRD to have those thoughts?? Oh and I still can't use my hairspray, perfume and chocolate frozen yogurt. So, I guess humidity isn't so weird? well kinda...
- 2.5lbs more and I'll be at pre-preggo weight!! Very surprised it hasn't taken too long to lose it, since I really haven't tried to sweat it off. A few Zumba classes and stroller walks, but nursing has helped a lot. Now if I can get my hips to shrink, so I can fit in my old pants, ha! 

First scoop of rice cereal!

Mmm goood! New feeding seat thanks to my Aunt/Uncle!

First beach dip!

Mother's Day in Santa Cruz

Cousin Lauren taking sweet care of Sadie

Morgan and Emerson teaching Sadie piano;)

2nd Anniversary spent in South Lake Tahoe

First pool dip at Papa and Nonni's new house

Memorial Day

Pebbles

It's been a year already?!

This past weekend marked the one year anniversary since I move to Virginia. I can't believe it has already been a YEAR since I packed up, left my job, and said goodbye to my family and friends in California.  I was ready for a big change and two years of doing a long-distance relationship was enough. Darrin and I needed to be together and I made the move. 
I remember that morning saying goodbye to my Mom at the San Jose airport so well. I was so numb. I still feel a bit numb, but I never thought I would do so well with being so far away. I really do love it here and I've experienced so many different things that I would have never imagined. I'm learning everyday about Southwest Virginia and still anxious to visit more places. Before this past year, I had never been to Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia. It's so cool, that we can drive into another state and visit for the weekend. Just two weeks ago, Darrin asked me when we were on a ski lift at Snowshoe, "Would have you ever guessed, that you would be skiing in West Virginia?" It was a weird feeling to think... No! 

I do miss a lot about my home in the Bay Area, but I'm so happy Darrin and I made the decision for me to move. We've done a lot this year and can't wait to see what another year will bring. 

Moved super bowl weekend.
My mother-in-law got me this welcome cake.

Unloading my life 

Our first townhouse together

Mini pre-honeymoon getaway to Savannah, GA

My Bach's

Tied the knot in May!

Playa Del Carmen-Honeymoon

Miss Maddie changed our life in July.

All the bf's at Laura's wedding in Sept. in CA.

My Mom and sis visited me for the first time in October.
Blue Ridge Mountains in the back.

We both went back to CA for Christmas.
My nieces and nephew have grown so much.

Maddie's loves her new backyard--Feb.

Officially homeowners!

After a long five month process, we signed our life away last night! We got to unlock that red door to our first home and it felt soooo good! It was a very stressful week. We never expected the hassle and drama in the last stages of getting a loan. We have some people that will probably never work with each other again, but they made it happen for us and we are so grateful. Christmas came a week early for us and we are very proud that we did it!

Bubbly and pizza to celebrate!

Darrin's two items he had to put up on our first night

First Post-Six Month Anniversary

I never thought about doing a blog, since I've never considered myself a writer. Since buying a house and thinking about ideas for our new space, I've been reading a lot of diy (do-it-yourself) blogs run by talented women.  I have been inspired and thought this would be a great way to share and journal my new life in Virginia. 

So here I go... 

I'm starting my first post on our six month wedding Anniversary! 

This past six months went so fast! I can't believe that we have done so much since our wedding, but it's been amazing, unexpected, but very memorable... In July, we brought home a seven-week old precious Springer Spaniel named Maddie Duke, from Hazard County, KY. She's our wedding present to each other and she is ALL dog! We now know what to expect when we have our own baby, ha! Then in August, we put an offer on an adorable farmhouse and all of a sudden we are experiencing being first-time home buyers. We really weren't looking to buy. This was the second house we went through and we didn't have to convince each other that this was our house. We just knew. Can't wait to get the keys in December!

We had a nice, relaxing weekend celebrating with our girl Maddie. We took her on a long walk along Claytor Lake. Something I love about the New River Valley is the abundance of hiking trails that are here. Darrin is always taking me to the most beautiful trails and I'm always in awe. The leaves have been absolutely stunning, but it's gotten really cold lately and it feels like January to me if I were in CA. I'm used to wearing my flip flops in the winter! I need to get myself prepared to live in these cold temps and snow!

On Saturday night, we were looking forward to trying the new and only "authentic" Thai food that just opened in Blacksburg. We went in and looked at each other and turned right around. The bright lights and packed lines felt as if we were in McDonalds. The owners were from Fremont, CA and I was anxious to try it. Boo! So, we went to a really nice wine bar that we have been wanting to try for sometime (622 North). I think it's one of my favorite places here now. Maybe it's because it reminded me of Santa Cruz? I was raving after every bite of my pilaf!  

Now, what will the next six months bring to our new marriage? How about relaxing from the first six months and enjoying putting together our first home;) 

-Megan