Beach 2014 Oak Island

We had SUCH a fantastic week at Oak Island this year!  We go every year with my family and this year was EXTRA special because Lexi was actually able to enjoy playing out on the beach! We were there from Saturday to Saturday and it was amazing.  I wasn't sure how Lexi would do with the sand but she did GREAT!  She loved running around on the beach and playing in the water.  Every time she would fall or get wet sand on her hands she'd want to go and wash them off in the water.  We had so much fun with her.  She was such a joy to be around all week! Be warned: LOTS OF PICTURES! 

Logan and Hailey did a great job playing with Lexi and reading to her. 

Being outside on the porch was one of Lexi's favorite places! She loved pushing the swing and swinging and rocking in the rocking chair.  Every time she would get in the rocking chair she would say "BABY!" and want us to sing "Rock-a-bye Baby".

Dad and Karen got Lexi this super cute bathing suit (and the black and white hat) for her birthday and it fit her PERFECTLY this summer! She was adorable in it! 

We had Lexi hold our hands when she was standing in the water because she's so petite (but so brave!).  She kept wanting to go further and not hold our hands.  Seems like she has her Daddy's no-fear! 

Logan and Hailey had a good time digging little pools for her too.  She didn't really know what to think! 

And can I just take a minute to mention how adorbs this ponytail is?!?!

Lexi and Grandma taking a walk and looking for shells! 

She loved taking these buckets and collecting shells.  She mainly liked collecting the rocks.  Who knows why! 

We tried to get some pictures after dinner a couple nights.  Lexi was clearly not interested in taking a family photo. 

She just wanted to push the swing.

Here are the pictures from my iphone from the week also...

Another family tradition is playing games each night.  We played Tenzi with the whole family (kids included) and played A Book and a Run card game pretty much every night also.  My aunt took the record for the highest AND lowest score for that game.   We always have a blast together! Too bad I'm awful at documenting game nights and just time when we hang out! 

Loved some late walks on the beach.  Although Lexi always wanted to go into the water or toward the dunes.  She's independent! 

This last picture I threw in there even though I took it once we got back.  This was a new face that my sister Jess taught Lexi this week and it's so precious!

Just to reminisce... here are some beach pictures from last year! Crazy the difference a year makes!

Last year and this year 2013:2014

18 months

Wow. 1 and a half years old!

Stats:
I have no idea really.  When she was sick a couple of weeks ago she was around 18 1/2 pounds, but she has felt heavier to me recently- but who knows!  She has definitely grown taller because I put a dress on her on Sunday and it was WAY too short for her and it wasn't that short about a month or 2 ago- so maybe she's gone through a growth spurt recently.

Eating:
Nothing new really here.  Although going through a little bit of sickness this past month slowed down her appetite some but she's back to normal now.  Even my family at the beach was really surprised at how she ate most anything and the volume of the food she ate.  Although they also commented on how she never stops and is constantly "on the go" so she needs to eat a lot.

Sleeping:
Still on a 2 nap a day schedule.  Around 10:30 and 3:30 each day.

This month she's loving:
-Giving lots and lots of kisses. To anyone and anything (couch, feet, etc)
-The song "happy" along with the video.  She asks to watch it multiple times a day.
-Singing.  Making up songs about "Dada" and "Mama", "Happy" and "Rock-a-bye Baby"

Little Extras:
-I can put her hair in a ponytail finally this month!! And it is the cutest.thing.ever.
-I feel like her vocabulary and understanding has exploded this month.  She knows everything I'm saying and she has started saying words like "knee" and "elbow".  It amazes me how I can tell her something once and come back several hours later and she still remembers it (like when I taught her eyebrow).  She is a very quick learner!
-She's becoming attached to Lammy (her lamb she sleeps with) this month.  She calls him "Mammy" and she has a little pound puppy (y'all remember those?! It belonged to Marshall) that she also sleeps with that she calls "Puppy"

Firsts:
-I taught her how to do a "mad face" on the 21st and it makes us laugh every time.  She leans forward and has a straight face.  I'll try to get a picture of it.
-She now also has a surprised face with an open mouth that she does that my sister Jess taught her at the beach.
-Really being able to enjoy the beach this year.  Last year she was only 6 months old and didn't really stay out long under her tent so this year she had a BLAST.  She absolutely loved being out on the beach, toes in the water, collecting shells in the bucket and being out on the porch.  She would fuss when we went up and the only way to get her up or in the house peacefully was telling her we'd watch "Happy" when we got up.  Distraction is the name of the game for a little one, right?!

Here are a few favorite beach pictures to document her at "18 months"

17 Months!

Our sweet Lexi Kate is 17 months old!

Stats:
Around 18 1/2 lbs I'm guessing.  We go back to the doctor in August.  Although her feet have gotten a TON bigger recently! She can finally wear her "3 Tiny" Toms! They're still a little big on her but her 2 Tiny's no longer fit.  That's progress, people!

Eating:
She's a great eater!  The only time we notice a big change in eating is when she's teething and she has gotten all her 1 year molars in officially.  When she's teething she doesn't have much of an appetite, understandably.  Her favorites seem to be chicken, blueberries, watermelon, grapes, yogurt, peas, broccoli and cauliflower.

Napping/Sleeping:
She is still on a 2 nap a day schedule but again there's been a couple days she's skipped her 2nd one.  I'll keep on this schedule until she refuses her 2nd nap for like a week straight.  She is just so tired when she takes her first one and naps great and she's EXHAUSTED by like 6 if she doesn't take her 2nd one, so I still think she needs 2 but we'll see.

Clothing:
Still 9-12 months which makes sense based on her weight and size 2 diapers until we're through with the packs.  We're using 3's at night because we've had a little leakage overnight.  So far the 3's have worked great.

This month she's loving:
-Hiding!  In her closet, more specifically.  She will go get in her closet and we'll say "where's Lexi???" and she'll eventually poke her head out and say "HI!!!!" Or we find her in the closet and she laughs like we had no clue.
-She learned to blow on her food when it was hot.  That now translates to blowing when anything is hot or when we say the word "hot".  Even when she gets in the car she starts blowing because it's hot outside- hahaha
-The song "This is how we roll" by Florida Georgia Line.  One day I had it in my head and was singing it when she was having lunch.  She started saying "Roll Roll" so I played it on my phone and now if she sees us on our phones she comes up to us saying "Roll Roll! Roll Roll!!!" and wants us to play it
-Dancing- Say "Shake your booty" and she will wiggle her hips, "drop it like it's hot" and she'll bounce up and down and "happy feet" and she'll stomp her feet.  She's well trained :)
-Saying "GOAL!!!!" courtesy of Dada and the World Cup- she LOVES yelling it!
-Going outside and *listening* to the birds.  If she's upset that will calm her down

Little Extras:
-Our baby is a little OCD when it comes to dirt, lint, crumbs, etc. on the floor.  If she sees something she will point and whine until it is picked up.  Needless to say I keep a pretty clean house already and this is a DAILY occurrence.  Anyone else's baby do this?! I'm hoping this just means she'll be clean and tidy ;)
-She's doing GREAT with repeating words and trying to say everything although sometimes she gets frustrated with not being able to fully communicate.  There have been a couple times recently when she's been wanting me to do something and I'll try several things that I think she wants and she starts flailing her arms in frustration and fusses that I can't get it right.
-She is obsessed with purses and carrying bags.  I gave her one of my purses from when I was little that's her size and she puts little books, plastic "coins", bows etc. in it.  It's made trips to the grocery store and Starbucks with us.  What can I say she's all girl ;)
-We've started asking her if she can be our little baby and she will climb in our arms and be held like a "little baby"- then she says "all done" and moves on!

Firsts this month:
-As of today all her 1 year molars are in!  Her bottom right is the last to come in and its poked through but not fully up yet.
-She has started what we call a "stink face" this month.  It's really hard to explain and I'll put a picture to try to show what it looks like.  It's freakin' adorable and although she means it to be "upset" we just laugh.
-Shaking her head "no" if we ask her a question.  Ex. Do you want to give mama a kiss? -No head shake. :( haha
-Saying "Are you surprised?" and her holding her hands in front of her eyes and putting her head down
-She's acknowledging that we go to the bathroom when we have to pee- all moms know you never go to the bathroom alone- and I've always narrated this for her.  "Mama has to pee c'mon".  So now when I say this she heads to the bathroom and she says "peepee" and she always wants to look in the toilet (gross, I know) but I feel like it's good she knows these things when we start to potty train later on.
-We've got some new books that really show colors and animals.  They are lift the flap books and she knows where the animals are and is recognizing colors.

Here are some pictures from Marshall's cousin Ashley's wedding (our weekend in VA): 

This is what Lexi's hair usually looks like when I come to get her up from a nap... oh goodness.

Her "stink face"

16 Months

Stats:
Lexi weighs around 18lbs now I'm guessing.

Eating:
Lexi is eating great! She isn't picky at all right now...and if we're eating she wants to taste what we are eating.

Napping/Sleeping:
She is back to taking 2 good naps a day and I am enjoying that.  I know some people are ready to move to 1 nap but I really like having 2 times a day that I can have some down time to get things done around the house or relax.

Clothing:
9-12 months mostly and still in size 2 diapers but I think when we finish these packs we will be moving to 3's.

Things she's loving:
-Being independent and B.U.S.Y.
-Finding her belly button
-Waving at birds and squirrels
-Saying "HI" and waving

Little Extras:
-She's been very attached to items lately.  If she has something she thinks is really important (that moment) and you try to take it away she acts like it's the end of the world and throws a fit.
-She's been doing this for a while but I don't want to forget the fact that when she cries she holds her breath until she's purple then takes another breath.  I've never seen any other baby do this!
-She has to have 2 paci's in the crib with her for naps and bedtime.
-We have just recently started putting toys in the crib with her (little minnie mouse, Ellie-an elephant blankie, and a little lamb stuffed animal.
-She does this cute thing where if Marshall and I are standing together and one of us is holding her and ask for a kiss she will go back and forth and kiss us and say MUAH MUAH.  It's so adorable!

Firsts this month:
-Being away from Mommy and Daddy overnight.  My mom was awesome and came to stay with Lexi for a couple days so that we could take an early anniversary trip to Charleston.  It was wonderful and relaxing.  Being able to go and do and not be on any time schedule is a life we don't know anymore! What a treat-thanks Mom!
-1 Year molars coming in and another tooth on the bottom coming through.  She always seems to have multiple at once come in.

Here's some pictures of her (photo shoots) from this month.