10,000 Reasons

This month our church is focusing on thanksgiving and using the song 10,000 reasons as a theme. Gaines is obsessed with the song and walks around singing it, humming it, and whistling it!

We caught this on video and their performance was featured in the church service. Gaines likes to add some country twang when he sings and as usual will just looks at his big bro on what to do next.

My prayer for these boys is that we can teach them what true gratitude and thanksgiving really means.

8 months

Ella Jo Odom, you are the light of all of our worlds! You forget how exhausting but happy a baby makes the world. 

At 8 months, YOU:

Weigh 19lbs 4oz 

Wear 12 month footie pajamas and size 3 diapers

Roll your little wrists and hands around and around when you want something.

Say the sounds that mimic "momma, momma or mmmmmm,dada, and ba,ba"

Still wake up around 3a or 4a and we try to let you cry it out. The earliest mommy will get up is 4am then you go back to sleep after nursing until 7:30 or 8am. 

Nurse every 3 hours during daytime

Eat baby food 3 times a day

Seem to love everything except peas

Love to be given a whole banana to knaw on

Have TWO bottom teeth and the top are trying to push through

Are up on all 4 in the crawl position, rocking back and forth

Try to pull up but have not succeeded yet.

Cry every time you are laid down for a nap and eventually you fall asleep. This can be for 30 minutes or 2 hours.

Celebrated your first Thanksgiving

Met your great-grandmother Nanny and your bestie Begona

Are still sitting with mommy and daddy in church- no nursery.

Wave your sweet hand like a pageant girl. We keep saying "bye,bye" but have no idea if you know what you are doing.

Have figured out that your little pink car gets you places and you scoot in it until your destination. Mommy is plotting out the baby proofing situation.

Ghouls at Grassmere

We packed up our Ninja Turtle crew and headed to Halloween at the Zoo tonight. We have always talked about doing this and it never worked out but tonight's fall weather was perfect for it. We were all pretty excited except maybe daddy to wear our Halloween costumes. Poor Ella Jo her first Halloween costume and she is a ninja turtle! 

The boys loved the carnival games and Gaines loved the special shows. I think this is because he loves any opportunity to get picked to come on stage. He appeared in the animal show and the magic show!

Will nailed the strongest man on earth game. He also took TWO pictures with a character. This is so huge for him. Now you will notice his brother is still in between the character and him but he still willingly took the picture. He said seeing Luke and Peppe Pig was his favorite. 

First two teeth

This pretty girl officially has two bottom teeth! Mamaw was the first to discover a few days after her 7 month birthday. Daddy noticed the second one last night. Let the teething commence.

7 months old

Ella Jo Odom,

You are closer to a year now that a teeny baby and it is so sad. I want to cuddle you forever. I look at how quickly your big brothers have grown up and I just want to hold you tight forever. I keep trying to hold them tight and they will let me sometimes. 

At 7 months, YOU:

Are eating food, supposed to be eating 3 meals a day. That is still hit or miss. 

Could take or leave cereal. 

Threw up and were sick for the first time, no fever. So sad and scary but despite no rhyme or reason for it I think it is oatmeal cereal. You have not had it since.

Sit up so well. You still cannot get in that position alone but you can stay there and play.

Keep trying to pull up but not there yet- thank goodness.

Sleep ok. You are ready for bed around 8pm and then you might wake up at 5a or at 1a, 3a, and 5a! We try to let you cry it out but sometimes you win with your screaming and I nurse you.