Birthdays and Football

I can't believe it's already Wednesday, and I haven't written a short post about the weekend yet. Here's my recap in fast forward...

First of all, happy belated birthday to my mom! (I know she reads the blog). Glad you had a fun time in Nola. Sibley can't wait to see you next weekend! 

Now on to the weekend... I started the weekend out with a massage Friday night, which was just lovely. We took it easy Saturday and watched football ALL day long. Not a good day for my Eagles, but those Rebels sure played a good one! We watched the game over at our friends Claire and Jeremy's new house. Of course we dressed the girl up in her Hotty Toddy attire. The weather was perfect for some football-watching!

Sunday we spent the majority of the day in Vicksburg visiting with family for Derek's dad's birthday. Sibley was exhausted from all the cousin time once we finally got home, but we had fun.

We watched some Sunday night tv (Saints won, Miss Mississippi didn't) before bedtime at 9. I am a proud old person these days who is happy to go to bed before the hour hits double digits. No shame here.

I love football weekends! Only four more days until the official start of autumn. Happy fall, y'all! Now bring on the cool temps!

Three Months

Sweet Sibley,

You are almost 14 weeks old! I'm clearly a little late in posting your three month update, but better late than never.

What a busy month we've had! You've been in "school" for almost two full weeks now, and you really seem to love it! I knew you would enjoy being around other babies because people-watching is one of your favorite pastimes (mama's too). You've adjusted so well, and Ms. Mary and Ms. Carolyn love you!

I can't tell you how much your dad and I love the school you're attending. It's called the Privette School, and it's very small. It was our first choice of daycares for you, and we've been on their waiting list since right when we told family and friends we were expecting you. They called last month to let us know they had a spot saved just for you, and you would have thought your dad and I won the lottery we were so excited. :)

It's a wonderful place, and you're making new friends already! You also made your first piece of artwork on your second day of school. We were very proud.

At home, you now sleep about 10 hours a night in your CRIB! I think I was more nervous about the transition to your own room than you were, but we put you in your room overnight for the first time at 10 weeks, and you had no problems at all. I think you enjoy having the space to stretch out, and you enjoy the peace and quiet of being by yourself. We put you down about 8 and get you up about 6:15, and it works out wonderfully. You are a GREAT sleeper, and we can't thank you enough for that, especially now that I'm back at work. :)

You smile at us all the time now, and you're really starting to laugh and talk. It's really cute. You just talk to yourself all morning long while we're getting ready for work, and you laugh at yourself. You're in a great mood in the mornings, and I LOVE waking you up. It's the sweetest part of the day.

You're wearing all your 3-month clothes, and I'm so glad you're finally getting good use out of all those cute play clothes your cousin Frances passed down to you! 

We brought you to church for the first time a few weeks ago, and you looked so pretty in your sweet little dress. You did just fine in the nursery. You LOVE being around other babies.

You're at a really fun stage right now where you're not mobile, but you want to be so badly! You love to stand up on our laps while we hold your hands, and you get so proud of yourself when you do. 

I know I say this every month, but you are so sweet and so funny, and we enjoy every minute with you. That being said, I'm also happy to share you with others sometimes because I know you brighten their days as much as you brighten ours. You're a special gift.

We love you so very much, munch.

Long Days

Well, we survived our first week back in the real world. Even though it was only a four-day work week, it felt like it lasted 10 days straight.

We have our little morning routine pretty well orchestrated, but in the evenings I feel like we're running a marathon. From getting her fed immediately when we get home and trying to feed ourselves something other than cereal for dinner to bathing her and bathing ourselves then getting her ready for bed and getting everything ready for the next day, we are on GO from sunrise to sunset.

I know all you other moms are thinking, "Welcome to the club, sister." It's exhausting. Of course, before I started back at work I thought staying home with her or running errands with her was exhausting. I think being a mom is just exhausting in general, but definitely so worth it!

I couldn't wait until Friday at 5:00 when I got to go pick up the munch and settle in for a mostly lazy weekend in our pajamas. It was wonderful. Sometime during those four days while I was at work, she learned how to laugh and how to perfect that sweet little chubby-cheeked smile just for me.

I really have an entirely new appreciation for the weekends now. They are to be completely cherished, and we shall do just that at our house, especially in our pj's.

End of Summer

Summer at the Grey house is coming to a close. Sibley is now 12 weeks old, which means I go back to work next week. Tear... :(

What a wonderful summer it has been! I have been so lucky to spend the past few months at home with this sweet girl, and while I'm sad our weekdays won't be spent side by side anymore, I am ready to return to the working world and get in some sort of normal routine.

Sibley will be going to the Privette School in Fondren, and we couldn't be happier. It's very close to home and work, and I just know her teachers will love her as much as we do. I'm excited for her to make some new friends!

In other news, I actually got a promotion a few weeks ago while still on maternity leave. My new position is Division Director of Emergency Preparedness Communications (a mouthful, I know). It's still in my same office (although I do get a bigger cube by the window - whoop!), and it's a lot of what I'm doing now with some grant management and a little travel thrown in.  I'm excited to start fresh and learn some new things! Hopefully my brain will readjust accordingly. ;)

That's really about all that's new with us. Now it's back to the real world... Let's do this.

Good Ole Lake Days

On Saturday Sibley stayed with Derek's dad (Pawpaw) and Miss Lynne while we spent the day and night at the lake hosting a couples' wedding shower for Derek's younger brother, Ryan, and his fiancé, Beth Ann.

The shower was hosted by all the Grey kids and a few other couples, and we had a great time!

It's been a loooong time since we've all been out there without the kiddos, and we certainly made the most of it with a fun day on the boat and even a night out at the Chotard Landing Resort! Watch out, world! 

It really was a fun like the good ole days, which clearly none of us can handle as often now in our older and wiser years. Fun in the sun with a lot of cold beer. :)

Congrats, Ryan and BA! Can't wait for the wedding.

Two Months

Sweet Sibley, you are almost 10 weeks old! I wanted to wait to write your two-month update until after your doctor's appointment last Friday. You are now 12 pounds, 8 ounces and have grown two whole inches since your one-month visit!

You're measuring in the 90th percentile for weight and the 30th for length. That big ole noggin of yours is in the 95th percentile, which Dr. Storey said means you have big brains. 

You did so well at the doctor and took your vaccinations like a big girl only crying for a few seconds. It was hard to watch, but I think you handled them better than I did!

You've changed so much in a month. You're really holding your head up pretty well now, you LOVE your activity mat, and after a few weeks of sleeping soundly in your Rock and Play (yay for no more sleeping on the love seat for mama!) you've graduated to your Pack and Play. That means your crib is next!

You have blessed us with a straight EIGHT hours of sleep every night for the past few weeks. We can't thank you enough. You're a great sleeper, and you are like clockwork with a 10:00 bedtime right now. You like it dark and quiet, and you'll snooze soundly til about 6 a.m. 

You've really developed a routine these past few weeks, and I'm amazed at how closely you stick to it every day. You still take your two big naps each day and are up to 5 ounces of formula every 2-3 hours. And again, like clockwork, you cluster feed about once each hour and a half from 6-9 p.m. before bedtime. I think it's your way of "carb-loading" before your big night of sleep. You're so smart! 

You smile at us now and are really cooing and making all sorts of funny noises. You're discovering your voice for sure.

One of our new favorite activity is a grocery trip to Kroger. We went twice last week, and you would have thought you were at Disney World. You LOVED looking at everything. 

You are growing SO much each week, and I'm enjoying watching it firsthand while I'm still at home. Three more weeks, and it's back to the real world. :(

What a great summer it has been with you! We love you so much, my little munch!

NOLA

Sibley turned 8 weeks on Friday, and Derek turned 31 on Saturday, so we felt like the time was right to leave her overnight with my parents and have a grown-up weekend away in New Orleans.

It was a record-breaking HOT weekend down there, but we really had a great time. Friday afternoon we wandered the Quarter and stopped in at one of our favorite bars, Tonique, for a Mint Julep slushee to beat the heat. 

After dinner Friday night, our friends Katherine and Paul went back to the condo while Derek and I wandered back out in the Quarter for a little date night. 

We first stopped in Jackson Square for sunset and did a little people-watching while listening to a little street band and catching a cool breeze. It was so nice!

We then decided to keep wandering and do a little "classy" bar-hopping like gown-ups do. ;)

We checked out Sylvain, the Carousel Bar at Hotel Monteleone, 801 Royal, then back to Tonique on the walk home. I had never been to most of these places before, and I really had a lot of fun!

Saturday was all about the food: breakfast at Ruby Slipper, po-boys for lunch at Katie's, then the big birthday dinner at Restaurant R'evolution.

Before I talk about dinner (which was fabulous), I wanted to mention that we stopped by The Columns Hotel Saturday afternoon for a drink while a little afternoon shower rolled in. We sat on the big front porch overlooking St. Charles and watched the streetcars. Very cool place where I also had never been!

The night started with cocktails before dinner at SoBou, then Derek's old friend Kevin and his wife, Sarah, met us at R'evolution for dinner. I had heard great things about this place, and it did not disappoint! The service was absolutely impeccable, and food just kept on coming. It was pretty amazing and a wonderful dining experience. Our reservations were at 8, and we didn't leave until almost 11.

After dinner Derek, Kevin, Sarah and I finished celebrating the big birthday at 801 Royal, the Gold Mine (don't ask - ha!), and Tonique before calling it a night.

It really was a wonderful weekend, and I didn't even realize how much we needed that little getaway. We hit the road early Sunday morning to get back to Hattiesburg to pick up the munchkin.

We missed her BIG time (I only cried twice), but she had fun visiting with BB and Popi. I would say our first weekend away was a success.

Happy Happy Birthday, Derek!