This Unfamiliar Road

We recently celebrated Ben's birthday...it was the big one: 30! (Although if you know Ben, you've heard him claim he's "almost 30" for about 6 years....now he says he's "pushing 40).

I really wanted to have a big celebration for this milestone year, but Ben's wish was to put the party on hold until the spring so we can have a giant pig-pickin'. Since he's really enjoyed barbecuing, he would rather wait for nice weather and celebrate with a whole hog :) Everyone is invited!

So, I settled on a surprise birthday lunch and brewery tour with our closest friends. He had no idea, which made it all even better!

We started our afternoon at Wildflour and enjoyed The. Best. Sandwiches. Seriously, if you're in Alpharetta you must try!
Afterwards, we headed to Jekyll Brewery for some beer and bonding :) This brewery has been operating for just a few years, but they've grown quickly! The tour was funny and informative, the beer was tasty, but the companionship was the best part!






It was a nice way to celebrate Ben's 30th, and I am really looking forward to an even bigger party in the spring!

Another month of milestones! Here's what our little Liza has been up to!

Terrible lighting this month :(

Eating: Still about every 3 hours, with longer stretches at night. Although not on a 'clock' schedule, we have a very nice routine of eat, play, sleep and she's becoming a little more predictable!

Sleeping: Little Bean typically goes to bed around 8:30-9:00, wakes up at 3:30am to eat, then sleeps in until 9:00am. We had 4 nights in a row of 8-12 hours straight, so I'm hoping consistent sleeping through the night is around the corner!


Skills: She is great at manipulating toys (to make them rattle, play music, etc) and has really started to enjoy tummy time! Eliza rolled from tummy to back twice in a row this week :)
Her core strength continues to amaze me as she always seems to be doing crunches!

Happy Times: Most of her day! Bean's new favorite is to "sing-along"...especially 'Let it Go'. I have decided that she's an old man trapped in a baby's body. She loves to eat, is perfectly content just sitting in her chair, and LOVES watching football!

Unhappy Times: We have definitely discovered that overtired Eliza is no fun. She really only stays awake comfortably for 2 hours MAX, and often less. If she doesn't get adequate sleep, she's kind of a bear.


Stats: No doctor visit this month, but according to our home scale, she weighs 14.6 lbs. Quickly outgrowing those 3 month outfits and spends most of the time in 6 month clothing!


Liza Bean,

Time is so strange as a parent. Part of me feels like you've been in our world forever, but the other part cannot believe you are already 3 months old! I love that with good rest and a full belly, you are pretty much on auto-pilot. I'm learning so much from you about being content in this world :)
We love you sweet girl!

Every year, Christmas becomes more and more fun as Peyton gets older. I really think she "got it" this year as she had many conversations with us about how fun it is to give (and receive) gifts and the important birthday we were celebrating :)
For me, the best gift ever was being at home with my family. (My maternity leave time barely made it!)

On Christmas Eve, the kiddos and I decorated cookies with my BFF. This tradition has been ongoing for 19 years! Then we went to my parents house to enjoy a delicious dinner and gift exchange.



On Christmas morning, we broke tradition a little and got up at 7:00am (instead of 4:00am) so the minis would be well rested and in good moods! Oh the excitement as Peyton came down the stairs...y'all, there is nothing more precious than a little one on Christmas morning!





After some breakfast, we made it to GiGi's house for dinner and more family time!





Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas spent with family and friends :)

Wow y'all...it's been a busy month! December is always crazy with holiday gatherings, decorating, crafts, baking, shopping, and wrapping gifts!
I feel fortunate that most of our time has been spent with family and friends...that's what the season is all about :)

We kicked off the Christmas season by attending an annual Christmas PJ party at the Chiodo's home! Pee Wee's Christmas Special and peppermint mochas were the highlights of the evening :)



We ventured to Kinsey Family Farms to get our Christmas tree. I love this beautiful nursery, and the family-friendly atmosphere and activities!




After a short nap for all, we got to decorating the tree! Peyton was super excited to put the ornaments on, but chickened out when it came to the tree topper!





The annual "Ciwcle Party" was lots of fun! We all agreed that the tone of this party has drastically changed since the first one...maybe the 5 kiddos in attendance has something to do with it!



Of course, we couldn't get through the season without a visit to see Santa! This guy is the real deal, y'all (and the same one that I visited when I was a child...and he hasn't aged AT ALL)!

Peyton was super excited, and her normal social, bubbly self. Eliza slept through it all. Overall, no complaints here :)


I hope you are all enjoying your season as much as we are!

Recently, Ben participated in his first BBQ competition! He has become more involved in competition grilling over the past year (yes, this is something you can compete in!) and has really grown to love it.

After months of preparation and practice, competition weekend finally arrived! It was very hectic, and I don't think any of us realized just how much was involved. Ben and his team spent days setting up, and pulled an all-nighter to be ready for a 9:00am turn in on Saturday.




 The team entered wings, ribs, chicken, pork, and sauce. Ben repeatedly said that for his very first competition, he would be thrilled to place in the top 10 of any category.
So imagine our surprise when his team won FIRST place for sauce!
Keep in mind that in this category, the team was competing against both backyard and professional grillers, including folks who have bottled sauces that are sold in stores!


 


I am so proud of my husband for working hard to prepare for competition. I think this win just fueled the fire (so to speak....) to prepare for the next one and figure out a way to bottle and sell that award-winning sauce!



Happy Grillin' :)

It's hard to believe, but it's time for another Bean update. This little babe is growing fast!


Eating: Every 3 hours on average. Of course, at this age, the growth spurts are pretty frequent!

Sleeping: Things have definitely improved in this area! Eliza typically goes 4 1/2 hours between feeds at night, and settles right back down after eating. We've moved her to her own room and her habits have become a bit more routine now. Last night, she slept from 8pm-5:30am!

 Stats: 24 inches long (97% ile) and 12lb, 12oz (80% ile). Eliza is wearing 3 and 6 month clothing.


Little Liza Cate,

I am just loving your easygoing nature! This age is so fun because something as simple as blowing a raspberry can produce a BIG grin and giggle (unless, of course, I have the camera out!).
It is precious how enamored you are with your big sister, and I hope I can continue to foster a good relationship between you two. We love you sweet girl :)