Road Trip to Dallas

Cole and I made our first long car journey together this past week.  We drove from San Antonio to north Dallas...by ourselves...with Tom's truck! What a task! It took us about 7 hours after all the stops. Cole had a fever from his shots the previous day.  It was rainy and gross outside. We did it.  It was somewhat fun, but I really missed Tom and was super glad to arrive in Plano. 

First we stopped in south Austin between Cole's naps to play around at my Aunts' house. Cole loved the goldfish, but wasn't crazy about the hammock.  Maybe next time. 

     

Our next stop was in Temple for lunch.  I was planning to go through the drive thru but Cole was getting antsy and I wanted to wear him out a little more! He sat in the high chair for the first time! And loved the place mat.

 

I also got Starbucks in Hillsboro, and then we stopped south of Dallas to change a stinky diaper.  What a journey!!!!!!!! We made it eventually.

We went to Plano to introduce Cole to Tom's grandparents, Mammaw and Pappaw.  They had a great time! Cole gave them plenty of great smiles.  We also had lots of time to play with Cole's cousin Grant.  They are so precious to watch together.  Grant only got jealous for his mama a couple times :) 

Two little turtles

I went too.  G-Pegs isn't THAT awesome...

Grant plays on iPad and lets his mom feed Cole

 

Cole admires Ikea

Cole: 6 Months Old!

ahhhh... he is really half a year old? Already? Makes me so sad, but he is learning so much lately, which makes me proud and less sad.  :)

Our little Cole Henry is 16 lbs 9 oz (50th percentile) and 27.5 inches (85%).  He has been healthy and happy, and we are so thankful.

This month, Cole has made a few major changes. He stays awake for up to 3 hours without getting angry... but sometimes only 1.5 hours.  He is now down to 2-3 naps a day and sleeping for about 11 hours at night, eating once around 4 am and sometimes waking up for the pacifier before that.  I never know what to expect at night now, so I have just been praying that I would be filled with joy, gentleness, thankfulness and love in the midnight hours! And that I would fall right back asleep.  God has been so faithful in that prayer.  It is tough not to put hope in a good night of sleep, but I have learned to depend fully on the Lord on the days that follow.  You have to when you are that tired!

Cole has been eating like a little champion these days! He nurses every 3-4 hours and is having fruit for lunch and cereal + vegetable for dinner. He has had rice cereal, now oatmeal.  Loves both.  He enjoys carrots, sweet potatoes and squash.  Apples and pears are so-so, and avocado was hilariously horrible.  So entertaining.  He opens his mouth so wide and leans toward the spoon...can't get enough!

Cole's bag of tricks continues to grow. He is better at sitting up.  It's more of a balancing game right now, but he can sit for a while, if the toy in front of him is interesting enough! Cole can now roll from his tummy to his back...but not quite the other way around.  In time, my sweet boy! haha! He also survived his first (of many) youth group retreat at Alto Frio in Leakey... such a fun time.  The leaders and kids really love him, and he didn't seem to mind being passed around like a hot potato all weekend. 

No teeth yet!
 
It keeps getting easier to make him laugh.  Best sound ever. Cole loves peek a boo and any singing.  He loves toys that aren't toys (of course) tupperware and measuring cups are his favorites.

Love this boy! Enjoy some of my favorite pics from this month

These eyebrows! So much expression! 

Enjoying a nice book in our backyard

REALLY trying to roll over....!

 

First retreat!

Best Sound Ever

Cole started to laugh a little bit around Christmas.  We had to completely act a fool, for a long time, and we might get a few giggles.  Now we know what makes him laugh, and he doesn't make us work quite as hard.  It is THE best sound.  So so so sweet to my mommy ears.  Enjoy!

House Projects!

We have been in our house for one month! It has been so fun.  We love spending time working on it, especially outside.  We have a long list of things we want to update and work on, but here is what we've done so far and plan to do:

 We love the big lot our house is on! Can't wait to see Tom and Cole running around and playing soccer all over this yard. 

Planning to:
- Paint stair banister
- Plant floors in big pots by front door
- Plant something (??) along garage/walkway
- Trim Dr. Suess-ish oak trees

 Backyard! We love it! I have so much fun sitting and reading with Cole outside. So thankful for this fun space.

This weekend we removed the vegetable beds.  Figured we ought to learn how to take care of grass first... But the peach and plum trees are staying! They are already blooming, crazy Texas weather.

Tom wants to restain the deck and fence, and eventually add a bench around the right side.  We would also like some patio furniture.  In time.  :)

 Our bedroom! Love that its downstairs.  I thought it would be a pain with Cole upstairs, but if you are up at 3am anyway, a few stairs doesn't really make that any worse.  haha!!

Planning to:
-Hang some curtains and more pictures
-Paint...maybe a darker tan or grey
-Restain and update our furniture (eventually...)

 Living Room! We have already painted and decorated most of it.  And we replaced that terrible white fan this weekend.

But there are some major changes coming soon......

- Putting hardwoods in probably within the next couple weeks!
- Adding the matching loveseat
- Our $100 Ikea table has endured quite a bit.  I still love it, but we will eventually upgrade that too.

 Dining Room! We don't use this room too much, but we've painted and just need to hang a few things.  Hardwoods are also going to be installed there.

 Kitchen!

All done.  Tom put the knobs and handles in.  I am still working on cleaning the stove top and oven.  Yuck.  But we are pleased :)

 Playroom/Office: Our favorite room in the house! A big fat mess, but that is how it is supposed to be.  :) We still need to hang things, but no plans to make this any fancier.

Guest Bedroom! We will add curtains so our guests can sleep past 6 am.  The sun is quite intense with those windows! But you can see the sunrise too, so its pretty awesome, if you are awake :)

Cole's Room! Might paint, but it's finished!

To be continued...!

We bought a house!

Heinemanns are no longer renting! Wahoo! We no longer live by a railroad crossing.  Or a lumbar yard.  I really did enjoy our last place, but we are PUMPED to have a backyard, to not be moving in 12 months (hopefully) and to have a fireplace!

It was a long journey... the first house we were ready to put an offer on sold the day we saw it.  The next house we loved backed up to some land that was commercial property for sale.  The third house we actually did make an offer on, but it was listed wayyy to high and they weren't budging at all! And finally..... we found our house! We made an offer the day we saw it, and they took our first offer!!! What a fun day.

Cole plays on the floor during closing

Cole helps Dad sign the important stuff

We have a house!

Started painting right away!

Tom's parents helped us with the living room, kitchen and dining room.

 

My mom putting shelving paper in the pantry haha

Celebrating with Team Sanders and a little Wits and Wagers!

We closed on December 27 and moved in January 4th. We have painted a couple rooms and are still in the process of hanging pictures and curtains.  Tom put handles and knobs on our kitchen cabinets.  We hope to put hardwoods in soon.  It is so fun!!!

Pictures to come of our house and finished projects. 

5 Months Old!

 

This post is late as usual.  Cole is 5 months old! This was a HUGE month for Cole.  I think he grew so much.  We will have to wait until his 6 month appointment for exact numbers, but I estimate 27 inches long and maybe 16-17 lbs. 

Cole endured quite a bit this month.  His first Christmas.  A new home. He can (kind of) sit up and (kind of) put his pacifier in his mouth.  He is eating rice cereal at night, and now falls asleep on his own for naps.  Cole still loves to stand and march when you hold him.  It's hilarious!

The supposed "Four Month Sleep Regression" is real.  I rolled my eyes hearing friends talk about it before...secretly thinking that Cole is a great sleeper... it won't happen for us.  HAHAHA.  Good joke, Mom. Cole went from sleeping 11 hours, eating once in between to sleeping 11 hours, but waking up hourly for the the pacifier and would eat once, sometimes twice.  Yikes! Maybe he was sensing my stress from trying to pack and move, but we have been quite settled for a few weeks.  Parenting continues to refine my character and trust in the Lord's provision for energy, rest, joy, contentment and most of all, flexibility! What a rigid planner I was pre-Cole.  

Love this baby so much.  Can't imagine life without him.  Here are the milestones and best memories from Cole's 5th month.

What are these things??

Loves that mirror.

Time with buddy Jack!

First taste of rice cereal. (nasty btw)

So close to rolling over...... Cole still loves the jungle.

Overstimulation Station/ADD Machine.  Cole loves it!

Such a gangster in the bumbo.

Watching football with my Dad!

These faces are HILARIOUS.  Love this boy!!!

I can sit! For a brief moment...

This time reading and praying with Dad every night melts my heart.