6 Months Old!

I know I say this every month but I really can't believe its been half a year since little Charli was born! 6 Months.. really! Its like she's a grown up now.

Loves:
Bottles, food, teething crackers
Playing with her toys mainly Oball's, wubbanub and her activity mat
She is getting to the stage of loving to put everything in her mouth
Bath time is now fun because she realizes she can kick and get water everywhere
Thumb sucking. Binkies are a thing of the past unless she uses the side of one to teeth on. Thumbs are where its at. Sometimes if she's fussy we will grab her thumb and then we are saved by the thumb.
Music. Music. Music. I really am so thankful for music and our little white noise lamb. It makes all the difference. Car rides are easier with Taylor Swift or the new Pitch Perfect 2 soundtrack. The white noise helps when she just is wide awake at bedtime. I am so glad that she has the benefit of loving music. She definitely got it from her mom.

I can't really think of anything she doesn't like. She is an easy going baby.

On mothers day we tried Sweet Potatoes for the first time. We got a funny face and the first time she wouldn't eat anything. She loves her bananas and peaches, rice cereal and of course formula.

This little bean is so loved by every one around her. She doesn't love always being put in the carseat but the second we get out of the car and into a stroller or shopping cart you wouldn't think she was just crying and screaming in the car. She loves to be a social butterfly in public.

Charli is still sleeping in our room.. I have a camera and I use it during nap times when she is in her actual crib.. but for some reason its me who can't put her in her own room yet. Although I hate the pack and play in our room.. I still can't do it. #momprobs

Charli is wearing 6 months clothes and has been for the last month or so. They look a little long or big on her but they fit over her head so... nothing wrong with baggy clothes. I am loving the summer springtime clothes on her. Baby clothes are just so adorable and its so nice to be able to see her cute legs in shorts and flip flops.

This past weekend Charli went to her first movie.. okay she went to the same movie 3 times. Pitch Perfect 2! Ahhh... She slept through the whole thing each night it probably helps that it was bedtime and that she was milk drunk. But it was so fun for me to do something that I could just sit back and watch. Kelly took me on opening night (thursday). I went on Friday night with a few of my friends and then I went again on Saturday night with Alexa and her coworker. I can't get over that movie! Obviously.. going three times in a row!

First off aren't those flamingo pajamas adorable? (nod your head)! We decided it was time to take off the diaper changer on the pack n play once we kept noticing that she likes to hide under it. But of course one morning I had to snap this picture of her hiding. She thought she was funny when we had to pull her out from underneath it! :)

My guess is that she weighs about 16-18 pounds. I really should just buy a scale and weigh her at home ya know!?

We didn't have a 6 month appointment since we had to reschedule but she is such a doll and I can't wait for more development and sass in this little miss nelson!

1st Mothers Day

I had Kelly take a picture of us after church and I was trying to get Charli to look at him and he snapped that picture. I couldn't be more in love with it! It was the best one he took! I love it because it shows true happiness! I love looking at this little girl as she explores everything around her. 

It makes me wonder what I ever did when I didn't have her! She makes our life complete, busy and happy! Thank you Charli for making me such a happy mom!

I am so excited for many more Mothers Day to come because it was the best day!

I wouldn't be a mother if it wasn't for that guy on the left!

I have so much to be grateful for. I am really in love with Mother's Day. I definitely am lucky to be a mom to such a happy baby. I am lucky to be able to stay home with her everyday! I am so happy that I get to be there for everything she does. 

I am thankful for Kelly and the funny card and gift he gave me. Just when you don't think your husband listens or pays any attention to the things you do they tend to amaze you! 

What a fabulous day it was! 

Where I Begin.

I can't believe that at 23 years old I am getting to celebrate this day for the first time as being a mother. It is a odd feeling but its also comforting to know that I am doing something that is bigger than myself and that I can look to many people in my life who have helped me get to where I am now and where I want to go. After thinking about moms for the last couple of weeks I realized I had the best examples right beside me!

I have been lucky enough to have been raised by such an outstanding mother. Even though I am now raising my own daughter I still view that my mother is still raising me. She teaches me things daily, weekly, monthly. I am so lucky to have someone to continually look up too. I am lucky to have someone who cares for me more than she cares about herself. I was lucky enough to have someone sit through dance practice, recitals, competitions. My mother is truly the best because she has raised 3 girls to be the best they can be. I am positive there were days she wanted to throw in the towel. Maybe like that one time I threw florescent paint at my sister Kelsey right before church and got it everywhere in our bedroom and on my mom. I am sure there were days when she just wanted to go and do something by herself but let us tag along with her. I am positive there were days where she didn't think she had what it took to raise us. But she survived.

Now the other mother that I am so grateful for is my mother in law! I am so lucky to have a woman in my life that not only helps me out but raised such a great son. I am grateful for the sacrifices that she had as a mother to raise Kelly. I am glad that she wanted a red headed son & that she could last raising seven kids. I am grateful that she taught Kelly the importance of work, play and the church. I am glad she raised him to be something that not only I am proud of but that I know she is so proud of him and the things he has accomplished in his life. There is nothing wrong with a momma's boy!! I am grateful for the things she does on a daily basis for us. I am grateful for the companionship that I get to have with her. Its like I have known her for my whole life. I love her welcoming spirit and the way she laughs. I love the positivity she has even on the days that have been bad, hard and terrible. I am lucky enough to be able to work with her, watch her and learn so much about giving and patience even with kids who weren't hers but students. She is always looking for a way to serve someone weather or not she's known them for 5 minutes or 50 years. I hope you realize that my mother in law is someone that I not only look up to but someone that I can never say thank you to enough. She is the bees knees.

In short, I hope that if I can be half of anything that those two ladies up there have been for Little Miss Charli than I have done enough. There are so many things that they have done for me that maybe have gone unnoticed to them but they have impacted me to try and be the best I can be. There are a million more things I could say about how these two ladies have been awesome role models but I think I have painted the picture that they are two of the greatest people on Earth. These are the two people that need to be recognized on a day like today because they are rare gems and I feel bad that none of you get to call them Mom like I do! 

There is no way to be a perfect mother.. but a million ways to be a good one.

Because of these moms of mine and their stories, trials, triumphs and happiness is why I get to create my own story as a mother. 

Luckily for me I can look to them for the confidence, advice and courage along the way. 

Cheers to mothers everywhere and for the daily job, struggles, emotions & who knows what else... Because we truly have the best job in the world.

"...Behind all your stories is your mother's story 

for hers is where yours begins."

-Mitch Albom

Charli & Me {Mothers Day Shoot}

In April we won a contest for a free mini session for Mother's Day with Vanessa Brown Photography.

I don't think I have to write much about this because these pictures can tell you how everything! 

I am such a lucky mom to have such Charli as my daughter. I will always cherish these pictures of us! 

A big shout out to Vanessa for her awesome work and capturing such great pictures of us!