Happy Halloween from our Little Punkin'

More Pictures

I also took my "good" camera with me to Fossil Rim since there would be a variety of new subjects there. Here are my favorites!
*Hint - you can click on the slideshow to see a bigger version of the pictures!*

Brave in my head

Frank's birthday was last month, and we decided that we wanted to celebrate by going to Fossil Rim, but we couldn't fit it on our schedule until yesterday. His mom came with us, and my mom stayed and watched Allison all day. It was about a two hour drive to Glen Rose, and we spent about three hours in the park feeding and petting the wildlife.

Frank and Jackie (Frank's mom) were very brave with the animals. They were fine with feeding them out of their hands and petting them. I, on the other hand, was not. I was very afraid of the animals touching me - specifically with their teeth - but I very badly wanted to get as much out of the experience as possible. The first animal we encountered was a single ostrich that was aggressive about getting his food and I ended up squealing in panic and yelling at Frank to floor it. The rest of the animals were much nicer about getting their share and I was pretty comfortable with feeding them after a while.



But then as we were about to leave the park I saw the chance to redeem myself from the embarrassing display earlier. Just ahead was a pack of ostriches. We barely had any food left for them but I decided I would just let them peck the food out of the bag - even though there are signs everywhere warning that that is not the proper way to feed the animals. I was brave in my head. I had convinced myself that I could be close to these towering birds and manage to feed them without freaking out.

I rolled down my window and offered the bag to the approaching ostrich. He wasted no time sticking his head in the bag and I was shocked at the force with which he attacked the food. Of course, I immediately freaked out, but he was about to peck for more. I quickly decided to abort, and tried to throw the bag out the window to avoid being pecked at again. Unfortunately, I was in such a state of panic that I couldn't even accomplish that small task. Like a spaz, I ended up throwing the food all over the car and a good portion of it landed in my lap. Survival mode kicked in, but since I was too afraid to roll up my window I instead lunged for Frank's lap. He saved me by rolling up my window, and the ostrich stood there pecking at my window in his attempt to further intimidate me. I was having flashbacks from the movie Jurassic Park. lol.

After I again humiliated myself I tried to convince Frank that he thought my "spazziness" was cute. I'm still going to count this as an accomplishment. Fake confidence is better than none, right? Enjoy the slideshow!

Rant or Rave?

I just got home from shopping at Target, and I had originally planned to blog about my baby girl, but instead I feel like I need to rant about my shopping experience - so you will have to wait until tomorrow to see darling pictures of Allison eating her first solid foods. Sorry! You can leave your complaints in the comment section. :)

I first have to preface this rant by saying that I have never found an ounce of enjoyment in doing grocery shopping, so me finding it unpleasant is not new. I also have an extreme aversion to Wal-mart, which is where Frank likes to shop. When I took over making the grocery runs I told him I could only do it if I was allowed to go to Target, because I love Target! I could spend hours wandering the isles just looking at the cute things. Unfortunately, though, even that has been tainted for me now.

There is a big difference between shopping for pleasure, and shopping with a baby - the two don't mix. The whole time I'm out with Allison all I can focus on is how long we have left until she needs to be at home for a nap. Don't get me wrong - she's a great happy baby, but even her limits can be pushed too far. I did that today.

My list was long, and while I'm grateful that I can shop for everything in one store, I found it difficult to find everything I needed without retracing my steps to find an item I'm missing. I still haven't found my groove there yet. I have a general idea where to find the bread, canned goods, and dairy products, but past that I'm strictly wandering. I find myself walking down the same isles over and over - passing the same stocker who I'm sure would ask me if I needed help if I didn't have such a mad/frustrated look on my face. Ok, so that part isn't so bad. I'll eventually get the lay of the land, right?

Enter: The hoverers. I don't mind sharing the isle with other people, but today I felt like I was being stalked. Have you ever been at the the grocery store and realize that you and a fellow shopper are on the same path? You find yourself bumping into them on every row until you eventually have to acknowledge them at least with a polite smile as if to say "oh, you again!". That happened to me today, but the lady stalking me would inevitably want to be standing in the exact spot that I had occupied. See, when this happens to me, I pretend to be looking at stuff on the shelf a little ways down to give the other shopper a chance to retreive whatever it is they are looking for. Then, once they are gone I swoop in and get my items. That sounds stupid when I write it out, but I really don't like to rush other people, or make them feel like they are in the way. Not this lady. She had no problem standing RIGHT NEXT TO ME. So I'd move over and mutter an apology for being in the way, and she'd move closer to me again! How about 'excuse me, I just need to reach for ___'?! I can handle that happening once, but this lady was everywhere.

I ran around the store for over and hour and I was still missing 4 items on my list because I was too busy running from the crazy lady with no personal space, but I gave up because at that point Allison had taken up fussing every time the shopping cart stopped moving. So I make my way to the check out lanes, and there are only 3 open. I choose the one with what appears to be the shortest line and wait patiently while rolling the cart back and forth to keep Ali from disturbing everyone. Just then I thought my luck was about to change - a new checker walks up and offers to take me first! But then she says this: "You're welcome to put your things on this check out lane, but I have to run to the bathroom to pee first, so if you don't mind waiting I'll help you when I get back. I promise I can pee really fast!" What??? When did Target start hiring people that I would have expected at Wal-Mart? Really, I didn't need an update on her personal 'business'. Needless to say I opted to stay in my previously chosen line since I didn't think it would be polite to ask her if she planned to wash her hands afterward.

The checker I got wasn't much more refined either. She was an older lady who was only enthusiastic about the gum she was chewing. She scanned my items at a snails pace while commenting on each thing I had chosen. I'm grateful that I didn't need any personal items on this trip, because that would have been very awkward small talk. By the end of the transaction Allison is really winding up for a big scene, but the checker has still not picked up on my sense of urgency and offers to let me save 10% on my purchase by applying for a credit card! I know it's part of their job, but come on!

Anyway, that is my rant for the day. Petty, yes - but I felt the need to say it anyway.

Wild One

I mentioned in a recent post that Allison has started rolling over, so I wanted to update you on her progress. She is now much more confident rolling her hips, so instead of the timid movements she displayed last week, she is now throwing her hips back and forth. She still hasn't figured out how to get over her left shoulder, so when she is on her stomach, she is also laying on her left arm. Yesterday I was watching her try to alleviate the problem by putting weight on her head so she could lift her shoulders - that was quite funny! She has the strength to use her arms, but she hasn't gotten the coordination down yet.

I've decided that personality comes with mobility, because Allison has been displaying some new behaviors since learning to roll. The most obvious one is that she will no longer sit still on her changing table. She used to lay there sweetly and talk to me while I fitted her with a new diaper, but now she has better things to do. The second her head hits the changing pad she throws her neck back, arches her back, and rolls her hips towards the wall! The first time she did this, I figured I could just realign her and go about my task, but NO. She was determined to be on her stomach. This kid has an iron will. The whole time I was working on her I had to hold her feet in the air with one hand, which is nothing new - but now she is kicking and squriming. Oh, but she's not just kicking and squirming...no, she is arching and pulling. If I could clone myself I'd take a picture and you'd see her on her table with only her head touching the pad, flailing in mid air while I hold her feet up! I lost my grip at one point and she stuck her foot right in to the poopy diaper - that was fun.

I have to admit that in the past I have left her on her changing table for a second because I had to run get the phone, or pick out her clothes, etc. Bad mom, I know. Those days are long gone, though. She's gaining her freedom, and I'm losing mine!

*(Sorry for the random picture - I didn't have a related one!)

Allison Reading

Believe it or not, our budding genius is already reading. She may not be able to form the words herself, but if you watch the progression below you'll notice the expressions that make it obvious that she understands what is in front of her. I'll even narrate for you so you can follow along.

"Oh, good! - a new three page cloth book with tags!"



"Ok, page one. 'The beautiful princess...'"



"What is this word? Sound it out..."



"Wait a minute - does this say what I think it does?"



"Can you believe this?"



"Hey, Mom!!!"


"That's enough pictures. I'll never get to page two at this rate."

I just liked this picture

Greetings!

Monday night Allison got to meet Frank's grandparents for the first time. Frank was named after his Granddad, so when he was growing up they were known as big Frank and little Frank. It was really a treat to get to spend some time with them. We had dinner at Dickies BBQ and enjoyed catching up with them. Allison always turns into the center of attention, but who's surprised? We were supposed to meet up with them again the following night for dessert and coffee but little Frank came down with the bad stomach bug that I had the week before. I have always been good at sharing. :)


Allison with her Great-Grandmother


Here are a few more cute pictures from the week. The one below is proof that Allison is now trying to hold her bottle on her own - that is when she isn't trying to squeeze her thumb in in mouth with the bottle or busy covering her eyes. I love her little quirks!



I like this picture because I think she looks like me here. Someone tell me I'm right!! I'm dying for my child to resemble me in some way other than through her stubbornness, because Frank could be blamed for that too!


It is time again for the big bow! ...and an even bigger smile! That's my baby...


...the jeans are also back for an encore...


More after the weekend!

Tags

Fish? What fish?


Oooo! Tags!


....tags...my favorite...


Mmmmmm! Tags!

The last week

Sorry it's been a while since I've updated everyone on Punkin and the goings on of the Barnetts. Every day I think of more things I want to share about Allison because she is getting to the age where her personality is really showing through. I've made a mental list so lets see if I can get them all in here.

For the last five weeks I've been taking a photography class at "Quad-C" every Wednesday. Jackie, my mother-in-law, has been nice enough to watch Allison while I attempt to master the art of photography. This past Wednesday there was some oddly cool weather, and I MAY have gone a bit overboard trying to make sure that punkin stayed warm. I just couldn't help myself. How cute is she in those jeans and her sweatshirt?? Doesn't she just look thrilled? I love this picture!


Allison also had her 4 month well-visit this week. Of course, that means shots and an unhappy baby. I made Frank go with me because I can't stand the shots. I have cried every time so far. As expected, she cried right along with me. But the good news is they only had to prick her twice instead of four times because two of the shots had just been combined! Where was that little advancement two months ago??? Oh well, I'm grateful that it's here now! We had a lot of time to kill while we waited for the doctor so I whipped out the point-and-shoot that I usually have in my purse. We were also updated on her stats. She weighs 14.5lbs and is 24.5 inches tall!



Allison has also finally rolled over! Jackie told me two weeks ago that she found her in her crib laying on her stomach, but it hadn't happened since so I figured it was just a fluke. However, since Thursday she has done it twice! The timing was hilarious too... right before we noticed her on her tummy we were discussing how we thought she would roll over when she was 6 weeks old b/c she always got SO CLOSE - then nothing. We were also busy comparing her to another baby we know who is a rolling-over-pro and is a month younger than her. She must have overheard us and whipped out her competitive side, because when we turned around we saw this... !!! She seemed pretty content so I ran for the camera before turning her back to look at her fish.

Allison is also quite the talker. She babbles constantly - mostly "g" sounds that she makes in the back of her throat. We left her in the church nursery for the first time last Sunday because the Sunday before that she was singing along quite loudly during praise and worship, but then wanted to keep singing during the announcements as well. It's always an embarrassing exit, so we opted for the nursery the following week. The nice lady that watched her informed us that she sang the whole time she was there, too.

I've also recently noticed a budding little attitude from my baby. Contrary to popular patterns of thought, I actually do wake Allison up from her naps so that she eats on time and therefore stays on schedule. Most days that goes great, but some days I feel like a have a teenager on my hands. I try to wake her up slowly - first by talking to her, then I take her blanket off, I pat her tummy, and finally I pick her up. However, despite my gentle ways, if she is cranky she will thrash her head from side to side while keeping both hands in front of her face as if to tell me to "go away". When I pick her up I give her a hug and ask her how she slept. Most days, I get a smile, but on the cranky days she responds with a powerful "EHH!" followed by a very dramatic throwing of her head onto my shoulder. Of course, once she sees that milk is in the deal she's over it, but still! Talking back at 4 months? Who would have thought?

By the way - the hands in front of her face is definitely a trend with her. She sleeps on her left side with her left thumb in her mouth, and her right arm over her face. We know when she does this that she is serious about sleeping. She will actually try to accomplish this position when she's in her carrier, which is sad because it just doesn't work.


Here she is again with her hands in front of her face. This pose showed up about a week ago, but she has been doing it ever since. I simply can't keep her hands off of her face while she eats. If they aren't over her eyes, she is fighting to get her thumb in her mouth along with the bottle. She doesn't give up either. The whole time she eats she is focused on her thumb!


For a final update, Allison is now eating mostly formula - which I don't like. Ever since she started sleeping through the night my milk supply has steadily decreased. I started by supplementing just one bottle of formula every day, and now she's up to 3 or 4. To make matters worse, I got VERY sick yesterday so I didn't nurse her at all. I found the energy to pump once, but only got 5oz after 13 hours!! I found that shocking since I used to get closer to 7oz after only 3 hours. Anyway, someone told me about an herbal pill to take that has Fenugreek in it, so I'm giving that a shot. We'll see how it goes. My two main complaints about formula is that 1) it's expensive, 2) it stinks! I think it smells like bird food. Not to be gross, and I never thought I would be the type to blog about poop, but I have to tell you that it smells WAY worse now! The first time her diaper reflected the change in food it left both me AND Allison gagging. I'm not kidding when I say that she looked very uncomfortable on the changing table that day. Just to thoroughly get my point across - HOURS after I changed that diaper I picked up the pants she had been wearing and caught a whiff of something foul. I examined them to make sure that her diaper hadn't leaked, and I discovered that they were clean minus the disgusting smell that had permeated the fabric.


I'm very proud of you if you made it this far. I'll try to break it down into smaller chunks next time.

She's got Jeans!

Today is a milestone. Probably not the kind you are thinking of, but a more subtle one that I've been patiently waiting on. My baby is now big enough to wear jeans!! I found a pair in the bottom drawer of her dresser today that were marked 3-6 months. When I held them up they looked like they would never fit, but alas! (yes I just said 'alas') they fit like a glove (or the right sized jeans - lol)! I don't know why, but with that one article of clothing she seems so much older to me. It's really fun watching her grow up. Here are my favorite pictures of her from today.



















Maggie: "Why does she get all the attention??"

No explanation needed

Thanks Grandma for the TOO cute hot pink flower accessory!

Chicken Love

Yesterday Allison, my mom and I visited Amy at school. Yes, we really like Amy, but the main reason we stopped by was to have a look at the baby chicks that hatched in her class on Monday. There were 20 of them huddled together under a heat lamp, and they were hilarious pushing their way through the crowd, stepping on one another, and falling asleep standing up just to be pushed over moments later. I knew Allison would enjoy the chickens, but she thought they were fabulous. She stared at them for a long time at first, but then she busted out with the smile you see to your left. Here are some pictures from our visit...







In the week since I last blogged, it seems like a lot has happened. I need to be a little better about keeping up on here so that I wont have to string together a bunch of random pictures like I'm about to do now. :) My mom got Allison a new floor mat toy. She was convinced that Allison was bored of looking at her other toys. We set it up for her last weekend and she LOVES it! It has two fish, a mirror, and a ball at her feet for her to kick. I think what makes this one so fun for her is that the toys are right in her reach. So this week she has started to slowy reach for them!! A lot of the time she can grab the toy and pull on it!

Here we are with our baby girl before church on Sunday. We visited First Baptist McKinney, and loved it! I have to throw in the disclaimer that it was a guest band, and a guest speaker, but we left feeling refreshed like we hadn't in a long time. We were meant to be there that day. Allison was looking particularly cute in her blue bubble outfit, so we had to take some pictures before running out the door.





Here are some more cute pictures of Punkin' for all her fans. We actually answer the phone "Allison's fan club" now because she's all people are interested in.







Last, but not least, we celebrated Amy's 28th birthday on Monday. She now shares a birthday with the chickens! Happy birthday, Aimes!