1st BIG Road Trip

FL --> NC --> FL ... We left Palm Bay, Fl Friday AM early (6:30), met Dru in Ridgeland, SC and had lunch. We drove to High Point, NC to Carrie's house with just enough time to change clothes and stretch our legs before getting back in the car headed to Winston-Salem for Daniel & Melissa's rehearsal dinner at 7:30pm. (13 hrs!)
Once that was over, we finished up our trip in Greensboro at Nana & Guga's house.
Guga got to feed his little birdy...
On Saturday, CiCi & PopPop came up to Greensboro and we went to the wedding...
We all enjoyed watching Ali...Dru & I just at Daniel & Melissa's wedding in Winston-Salem, NC
I love my little brother! I'm so proud of him!
Daniel & Melissa tied the knot!
Daniel is a good friend of mine from Wadesboro back in our high school days...
On Sunday, we got up and drove to Wadesboro to visit CiCi & PopPop.
We really enjoyed looking at all the trees starting to change colors.
We had very nice weather while we were in NC.
It was a little cool & windy on our walk around the pond...
Ali loves watching all the doggies!
Daddy's little girl!
Our little family picture!
Ali's 6 1/2 months old here
CiCi had fixed a nice blanket with lots of toys on the floor for Ali...
Monday morning, we had a wonderful breakfast, packed up, and got on the road. We took Monday off work so we could maximize our time in NC and to drive back to Florida.

PopPop helping Ali go get where she wants to go...Uncle Dru gave Ali a little snack on our way back to Florida.
Stretching our legs at a rest stop, Ali is trying out the front seat ;)
We dropped Dru back off in Ridgeland and kept on truckin'...
Ali did great with the whole trip - she was truly AMAZING!
... she didn't ask
"Are we there yet?"
or
"How much longer?"
not even ONCE!

Uncle Dru's back for another visit!

Every time Uncle Dru comes to visit, he teaches me another cool trick!!!
I'm trying hard to crawl...
sometimes I go backwards, sometimes I fall flat,
sometimes I just rock back and forth.
She loves her Uncle Dru... and he surely does love her!
Ali's rockin' & crawlin'

Ali is 6 months old!

We have had SOOOO much fun with Ali!
It is crazy to think that she is already 6 months old...
Time really does fly when you are having fun!

These are a few of the pictures that Caroline took for us to capture this precious stage!

Not sure that sand taste so good...
Beautiful day at the beach!
Flying high w/ Daddy...
My sweet girl...
This is one of my favorites...

The Pumpkin Patch!

Today we took Ali to the Pumpkin Patch!
1st stop... the pile of hay!
Ali liked feeling the texture - it was soft hay (not stiff straw)
Then we were on a mission, to find the PERFECT PUMPKIN!
We found it... our very own little pumpkin!
We put her in the wagon, then she helped us pick out a few more to take home.
We got 3 - a Daddy pumpkin, a Mama pumpkin, and a Baby pumpkin...
SO CUTE!
Mama & her little pumpkin'
Just had to capture those precious little hands and feet!She looks like a little Charlie Brown...
This is a good growing up reference for Ali at 6 3/4 months old.

Quack, quack, quack.... Sippy Cup!

Ali has graduated from the deep end of the baby bathtub to the new ducky bath tub! This one has much softer sides to recline back in and a much softer inflatable bottom. Lots of fun to splash around in!
This week, we introduced Ali to the sippy cup...
she's doing amazingly well with it. She can hold it with two hands
and get it to her mouth. The next trick is getting the liquids in her tummy
as opposed to down her chin!Beatrix Potter jean jumper... so cute! Mama... this one is for you!

My little birdy...

Ali is doing so well eating! She opens her mouth like a little bird and let's you know she's ready for the next bite...

This is a little video of Guga feeding our little birdy...

6 months old today!

Where did the time go? Ali is 6 months old today!!!
Every time I hold Ali, it seems like she has grown another inch!

At her 6mo well visit, she weighed 15 lbs, 15.75 oz...
(so you can just round up to 16 lbs) and 25.5" tall.
That puts her right at the 50th percentile on the growth charts.

This is Ali's new adventure... a bicycle trailer. I was so excited when I found this at a neighborhood sale for $15.00!
Dru and I went for a long ride around the neighborhood to test it out...
I think Ali will really enjoy this!
At 6 months old, Ali has lots of tricks and is learning something new every day!
Ali is sitting up, rolling over, rocking back and forth on all 4's...
almost ready to crawl!
She is smiling, laughing, making lots of sounds, and finding her voice...
She likes grabbing for things, holding the flash cards , shaking her rattle, sucking her thumb...
She is eating baby food now: oatmeal, fruits, and vegetables. so cute!
She loves when family comes to visit and playing with her little friends too!

She is game for pretty much anything... when we are doing something for the 1st time, she just looks at me with these big blue eyes that say "Mama, am I going to be ok?" She's been swimming, gone for lots of walks, a couple bicycle rides now, out on the boat, to the beach, to NC, to Jamaica, flying w/ Uncle Dru, and lots more...

Ali seems to really like playing with her friends at Ms. Shelia's while I'm at work Tues-Thurs. She loves all of Miss Amy's special attention!

Eddie & I have had so much fun with Ali and could not imagine our lives without her! We just look at each other and can't believe we are parents... of a 6 month old baby girl! We want to cherish every second with Ali; this is such a wonderful time in our lives.

God has blessed us in so many ways, and we are forever greatfull!