Courtlynn Marie

Big Change

2008-01-11T20:13:00.000-08:00

OK, So it has been a while since our last posting and that is with good reason. We have been working on a new web page / blog. This change is so that we could have a site that is for the whole family including whatever kids we have in the distant future (not I'm not hinting at anything!). This new web site is also going to be a lot easier to use with our computer's operating platform.

The new site and all Courtlynn's Updates will be accessable at:

http://web.mac.com/steveandshell28

Thanksgiving

2007-12-05T21:28:00.000-08:00

A lot has happened in the last month since we last blogged. This is probably the reason that we have not had the opportunity to update you all. As we told you before, Courtlynn is up and moving. She is a little speed racer of a crawler and pulls herself up on just about everything, including Cooper (the dog). He doesn't like this too much. He tends to try to run away, sometimes with courtlynn still attached.

We were so fortunate to spend Thanksgiving in Hawaii this year. It was Courtlynn's first plane ride and she was loud. For those of you who don't know, Courtlynn is a very vocal baby and even when she is happy she is still very noisy. It didn't seem to bother the other passengers on the plane as there were at least five or six babies on the plane with us going and 3 or 4 returning.

In the last month, Courtlynn has cut the two front lower teeth, and is getting ready to start cutting the top front teeth. You can see them under the gums just sitting there. On her 9 month check-up Courtlynn's stats were as follows: height 28 inches, 60 %; weight 19 lbs, 50%; and head 43 cm, 75%.

Next Post: Happy Hanukkah

And we're up... AND MOVING!!!

2007-10-30T10:38:00.001-07:00

Courtlynn just turned 8 months and she weighs 18 pounds 3 ounces! She also has hit two more milestones. She loves to pull herself to a standing position with whatever she can get her hands on be it a couch, a piano or someone's legs. She will also dance to music while standing which is mostly her just moving and bouncing her body- super cute! As for the other milestone- crawling. She has been on her hands and knees rocking back and forth since her 6 month birthday. Then she figured how to go from her hands and knees to a sitting position, using the yoga pose "down dog" to get there. So for about a month and a half everytime she went to her knees she went straight to sitting. Then, about a week ago she started to take 1 to 3 crawl movements, but didn't get very far. THEN, today, while Steve was home, she did it. She crawled. Her left leg as sort of dragging while the right knee stayed on the floor, but she was going places in a hurry. Depending on her mood, both knees are in the traditional crawling position. It has been a super fun and VERY busy day!

Halloween

2007-10-30T09:24:00.005-07:00

So, we hate Halloween and all that it stands for, but how fun for little kidos to dress up. So, we are dressing up to celebrate Fall. For those of you who don't know, Courtlynn is the one legged wonder. In her jumper she primarily jumps using her right leg. When she is excited, she kicks her right leg. So, we decided she should be a flamingo!

Pumpkins Abound!

2007-10-30T09:24:00.003-07:00

So, we took Courtlynn to her first pumpkin patch. She loved it! She couldn't stop looking all around and handed out smiles to everyone she passed by, even if they weren't looking at her. The patch is located at Strawberry Farms and was so much fun. They had a petting farm with lots of animals. Courtlynn liked the pig the best, but we couldn't get a good picture. They also have a huge area where you can take a hay ride and go and cut your own pumpkin off the vine. We are definietly going back next year for more fun times!

Friends

2007-10-30T09:24:00.001-07:00

Courtlynn still needs 2 to 3 naps every day, and is very particular about being at home in her crib for them. In between naps and eating there is time to play though! Having friends in the same stage of life you're in has been great. We met at Fashion Island for fun by the pond with Emmersyn, Hailey, and Elsie!

Hailey came over to meet Courtlynn for the first time. Jaina and Ryan Klein had her about 6 weeks ago! Courtlynn wasn't sure what to make of her crying, but wanted to touch her and find out what she was all about.

Dakota Chandler is about 5 weeks younger than Courtlynn and all smiles. It is so fun having babies so close in age!!

Side by Side Comparison

2007-09-25T09:56:00.000-07:00

4 months old
6 months old

6 Month Photo Shoot

2007-09-25T09:49:00.000-07:00

2007-09-13T09:51:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know, "Auntie Kristen" is getting married!!! She and Erik came down to visit and Courtlynn got to meet her new uncle for the first time. Courtlynn got lots of attention!Erik was only in town for a couploe of days, but kristenwas able to stay with us for almost 2 weeks. They had so much fun reading books and playing together.

6 Months and Growing

2007-08-28T14:00:00.000-07:00

Over the last six months a lot has happened. I won't go back and tell you everything, but if you would like, you can go back through the blog and read about it yourself. Recently, Courtlynn has started on her veggies and will hopefully start on fruit soon. We started with the ever famous sweet potatoes. She loved them. We then continued on to carrots, peas, green beans, yams, and butternut squash. I think that we are still going to need to work on the green veggies, but the starches she absolutely loved. Yams are by far the favorite. She has gone from us feeding her to her grabing the spoon from us and trying to get it in her mouth. As you can see, she doesn't have very good aim. Everything goes in the mouth except the food ( hands, spoon, bib, etc... ).

Today, for her six month birthday , we took her to her pediatrician to get her 6 month shots. She weighed in at 16 lbs. 11 oz., putting her in the 70%. She has grown to 26 3/4 inches, 75%, and her head is 40 cm, 25%. The veggies must be doing the trick, along with the never-ending supply of milk.

Also, Courtlynn has been trying to crawl. Right now she is in the lerching phase. She will get up on two arms and one leg and then usually ends up going backwards. Our prediction is that before Uncle Matt's birthday (Sept. 12) we will have a crawler on our hands.

Courtlynn has recently impressed us with her balance as well. She is sitting up on her own, but needs to be put in the sitting position. She usually stays there for about 20-30 secs before crashing to the floor. Don't worry these are usually assisted to the floor crashes. I think our little overachiever (sitting, crawling, eating) baby is just a big love.

Till next time.

Cousins

2007-08-28T13:50:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been so long since we posted pics. These pictures are from about 3 weeks ago on Balboa Island. My cousin Jon and his wife Ashley had a little girl too. Emma was born a few weeks after Courtlynn. The girls didn't really interact much, probably due to the fact that we chose the hottest day to go for a walk. Anyway, we had a great time catching up on life after a baby and hope our little girls can see lots more of each other in the years to come.

Courtlynn's Laugh

2007-08-06T21:19:00.000-07:00

We recently found Courtlynn's ticklish spot. As you can see, she loves to laugh.

Making New Friends

2007-08-05T14:59:00.000-07:00

Courtlynn has been meeting and making friends everywhere she goes. This is a picture of Courtlynn with one of her friends Dakota Chandler. Dakota is the daughter of Brett and Lisa who we met through a child birthing class and have since become good friends.
Courtlynn has also become highly entertained with Cooper. She loves to pet him and tries to pull his tongue as he licks her hands. She also cries whenever Cooper doesn't pay attention to her or if he is done with the her pulling his hair.

Courtlynn has also begun to enjoy eating. I was recently talking to a colleague of mine at work discussing how Courtlynn hated rice cereal. She was telling me that her son was the same way, but that he loved oatmeal. So since making the change to oatmeal and barley, Courtlynn has become a little huzzer.
This is Courtlynn's "Mona Lisa" picture.

Hodge Podge

2007-08-05T14:20:00.001-07:00

We recently had a near meltdown in the Davis Household. We had our computer harddrive fail on us. Not only were we out a computer, but we thought that we had lost all of Courtlynn's baby pictures. Luckly we found them on our external harddrive and on a few burned CD's. All but two weeks have been restored, and we aren't sure what even happened in those two weeks if anything. So here we are after a few weeks of disconnect to update you as to the growth of our little girl.

Courtlynn recently had a chance to model the beautiful dress that Shelley's 3rd grade teacher, Mrs. Hannum made for her. It fit perfectly and Courtlynn looked so pretty in it. I personally love the picture with both my girls.

Also Courtlynn has been hanging out with Grandma Pharris. Grandma Pharris usually helps babysit at least once a week so Shelley can run to do earrnds around town and Courtlynn can still stay on her sleeping schedule.
Also, Courtlynn has reached the milestone where she finally found her toes. We thought that she would never do it. This was primarily because her thighs are so chunky that she counldn't lift them, and all the chunks were getting in the way. But look at her now, playing with her toes like the big girls. Until next time.

Likes and Dislikes

2007-07-12T15:33:00.000-07:00

Courtlynn still loves her bath time. She would rather lie down and soak than sit up. Future backstroker?

Our pediatrician wanted us to try rice cereal at 4 months for a couple reasons. First, if she likes it, it would help me feel a little less tied down since Courtlynn won't take a bottle. Second, she loves watching us eat and our Dr. thought this was a sign she might be ready for it. Well, she hates it! She loves opening her mouth and getting the spoon, but when it hits her tongue, there are funny faces and fussiness follows. We try it a couple times a week now and we have yet to see a happy smiling face that lets us know she enjoys it. Oh well!!!

This is a definite like! Courtlynn loves to stand (with assistance) and bounce. So we got her a jumper. Every time she jumps music plays. Her feet don't fully touch the ground so she doesn't go very high, but this toy is a hit!

The skill of grabbing and holding onto objects gets better every day. "Kitty", her cuddle, is being loved, sucked on, and grabbed constantly. This is a major like!

July 3rd

2007-07-12T15:18:00.000-07:00

July 3rd is the day Steve and I met, now 6 years ago. Steve had the day off and we decided to get photos taken of our girl. She wasn't so sure at first, but warmed up quickly with lots of smiles. Enjoy!

4 Months

2007-06-28T12:55:00.001-07:00

Well, our little darling is 4 months old today! It seems hard to believe it has been that long since she came into our lives. She is such a joy and we love seeing her do new things daily. She did her first belly laugh (big and hearty) yesterday when Steve was planting fun smooches on her neck. Sitting up and trying to stand are daily favorites. She still prefers to be outside and to be interacting with people; forget it if you lay her down to entertain herself for a while. She got her 4 month old well baby check with more shots - yuck! Her official stats are as follows: weight- 14 pounds 3 ounces (70%);
length-24 1/4 inches (55%). Much to our dismay Courtlynn still will not take a bottle (yes, we've tried everything). A pacifier is totally out of the question also, but she will suck on her hand, mainly her finger. We don't know what she has against her thumb, but it must be something good. She loves spitting, blowing bubbles and talking (baby noises), but if she's not doing those things then she is sticking her tongue out for all to see. Most babies go tummy to back first, but due to Courtlynn's dislike of her tummy, she practices back to tummy more often. And today, on her 4 month birthday, she went from her back to her tummy!! Like our Dr. said, she is strong willed and knows what she wants.

We took a visit to see Great Grandma Pharris and showed off our chunks and rolls. She affectionately calls Courtlynn "her little fatty". Courtlynn loved seeing her again and gave her lots of smiles before she started getting sleepy and ready to take a nap.

Father's Day

2007-06-19T13:51:00.001-07:00

Happy Father's Day Steve! I have to tell you all that Steve is the best father. From the moment he comes home from work, it is all about Courtlynn. He comes through the door and says where is my girl! And of course, Court loves her daddy and saves some of her best smiles and bubbles for him (she blows bubbles like it is going out of style). We had a great day. Grandma and Grandpa Pharris came over to hang by the pool and then we all went over to Grandma and Grandpa Davis' house for a BBQ with the extended family. It was a fun day for our girl who was held and loved by every member of the family! Happy Father's and Grandfather's Day!!

What's up Doc?

2007-06-19T10:39:00.000-07:00

,
,

As I mentioned before, my sister was in town. One of her best friends, also a Kristin, is a pediatrician. She came for a visit and we loved getting caught up and picking her brain for medical advice for Courtlynn. As we already knew she is teething, so the doc did some much needed gum massaging. As you can see it was a huge hit!!!!
Now that Courtlynn is pushing 4 months old, she would rather sit up than lay down, introducing the Bumbo Chair. She loves sitting in it and watching life go by, especially outside on the grass.

The Girls

2007-06-19T10:26:00.001-07:00

Aunt Kristen was down again from Chicago for a week and we all went to visit Courtlynn's Great Grandma Rodgers! We were so grateful that she was awake and even reached out and was touching Courtlynn's toes. It was wonderful to see my grandma look at her and I loved that we were able to get a picture of my grandma's arms around her! It was a week of the grandmas as Grandma Kay (Nana) got to spend some time with the girl as well as my mom. My mom has been watching her a lot for me and gets to see her wake up from her naps. Courtlynn presents her with the most precious smiles as she wakes up happy to see her.

Our Little Swimmer

2007-06-04T21:00:00.000-07:00

Courtlynn took her first dip in the pool last Sunday. Grandma and Grandpa Pharris heated their pool for the occassion. After 10 min. of putting on the sunscreen and putting on her gear, we were ready. Thanks to my Aunt Patty and cousin Alicia for the suit. Sherrie and Bob Brown provided the head protection. Thanks guys! Well, I think we all enjoyed the swimming experience more than she did; laughing at every little face and video taping the entire event. She didn't seem to mind the water though. She wasn't as playful splashing everywhere as in the tub, but she didn't fuss. She did get cold near the end and was definitely telling us she was finished! We can't wait to take her swimming again! Enjoy the pics.

Nana's B-day

2007-05-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

Courtlynn's Grandma, affectionately known as Nana Kay, just had a birthday and the whole family got together to celebrate. Courtlynn slept half of the time (normally I would have been thrilled), but we still managed to get a few pictures of her. Courtlynn and her cousin Noah were in a picture with Nana and Papa! Noah still isn't to sure of Courtlynn, especially when she cries ( he gets sad and thinks something is wrong; super cute).
Courtlynn is now 3 months and officially out of any newborn clothes. She is a long baby so some 3 month outfits are a little short on her; we just call them capris! She still loves bath time and splashes water everywhere; we have to put towels all around the sink and the floor because she goes wild! She still can't figure out who keeps splashing her in the face! Ha Ha. We plan on taking her swimming for the first time this week-end so we will update you with those pictues as soon as possible.
Cooper- yes he is fine, yes he is a little depressed, no he is not as spoiled as he used to be. Courlynn has within the last week actually focussed on him and then laughed with delight. Cooper wasn't sure about the noise, but was probably so glad for the attention!

Grandma's dresses

2007-05-30T10:21:00.000-07:00

Courtlynn's Grandma Pharris, my mom, had saved some dresses that she wore as an infant. I used to dress my dolls in them when I was a little girl. After learning we were going to have a girl, my mom looked through all my old play things and found these two adorable dresses. We thought it was special to have our girl wearing her grandma's dresses! Now for an update: Courtlynn had been eating terribly and very irritable the last couple weeks so when we saw the Dr. we asked what she thought was going on. She took one look in her mouth and said that she is starting to teeth! Yes, just a few days shy of 3 months the process had begun. Her gums were swollen and she was drooling a ton. We don't see anything yet and it could take a while to see that first tooth, but we are well on our way. Also, as you can see Courtlynn loves to smile. She loves it when people say her name or sing her a song. And, if she is looking at the fan move while someone is singing her a song or saying her name, even better!

Cry Baby

2007-05-19T18:39:00.000-07:00

See she doesn't sleep enough! There are always times during the day when nothing makes her happy. Times when rocking, holding, and or bouncing just aren't cutting it! We think she is still adorable, even when she cries (yes, I really just said that). Courtlynn typically is not content to just be. There has to be movement in order for her to be awake and happy. Grandparents, aunts, and uncles have all perfected the bounce and walk technique that is a must have in their repertoire! Sometimes, as in the case with Papa Davis, you just have to cry right along with her! Enjoy.

Sleepy Girl

2007-05-19T17:23:00.000-07:00

Don't let these photos fool you; she does more than just sleep! However, she is sleeping pretty well at night these days. She goes to bed around 8:15 and will sleep anywhere from 6-8 hours before needing some food and then will go right back to sleep for another 4 to 6. Since she does pretty well at night she doesn't sleep a ton during the day. She probably naps about 4 times all totally 2-3 hours. Her favorite thing is to sleep on someone or in the bijorn, but we still get her to nap at least once in her crib. Sleeping in the swing is a close second! As you can see Grandpa Pharris and Uncle T.J. got to enjoy Courtlynn during her cute sleepy time!!!!

Mother's Day

2007-05-14T20:27:00.001-07:00

We had a great Mother's Day! We went down to Emerald Bay with my parents and walked the beach. It was Courtlynn's first time down on the sand! She loved to be held facing out so she could see all the kids playing and the dogs playing fetch. It was a pretty warm day and there were lots of people out for her to watch. Here are some fun pictures of my moms first Grandma's Day and my first Mother's Day.

Finally

2007-05-14T14:05:00.000-07:00

My sister, who was here for Courtlynn's birth, was able to come out from Chicago for a week! Courtlynn loves her Aunt Kristen and they spent a lot of time playing and shopping in the bijorn. Also, my best friend Brooke and her husband were out from Vermont for our 10 year high school reunion and came to visit! Auntie Brooke loves to bring Courtlynn presents and gave her a beautiful quilt she and her mother-in-law made. It was so fun to see both of them and we wish they didn't live so far away. They both were great with Courtlynn and helped change diapers and everything!

Fun times with Courtlynn

2007-04-14T09:22:00.000-07:00

Bath time is a favorite of Courtlynn's, especially when Daddy cuddles with her to warm her up! We had a wonderful visit with Raylene and Hannah Katz ( wonderful friend and former flower girl)! As you can see Courtlynn loved the visit! She is spending some more awake time these days and enjoys just checking out her new world.

more fun pictures

2007-04-14T09:15:00.000-07:00

Courtlynn is growing bigger everyday. At her six week check yesterday she weighed 10 pounds 14 ounces and measured 22 1/2 in length. That puts her in the 70% for weight and 80% for height. She is beginning to show more of her personality and we see fun changes everyday. She loves being held all the time and mommy's back is starting to feel it! Enjoy the pictures!

5 weeks

2007-04-04T17:10:00.000-07:00

Courtlynn is now five weeks old and we are all in love, including our dog Cooper. She is sleeping a little longer at night and we are settling into a routine. Her newest milestone is smiling. She doesn't just randomly smile anymore, but she has opened her eyes and looked right at Steve and myself and given us the biggest smile and even a little laugh. Cuddling is one of her favorite things to do and Cooper is feeling a little left out as he is used to doing most of this.

Three Weeks

2007-03-21T17:41:00.000-07:00

So now we are three weeks old. We have laughed, and we have cried. Now for Courtlynn. She is continuing to grow and gain weight. We know this because she loves to eat, and my arms are getting tired quicker when holding her. Also, one of our recent visits to the Pediatrician had Courtlynn measuring in the 60% on weight and 80% in length. I say recent visits because we havn't exactly been healthy. Courtlynn has had an upper respiratory infection over the last week which unfortunately turned into croup. Including this visit, we have had six visits in the last two and a half weeks. Now that we have some steroids on board we are doing a ton better and can now breath. Enjoy the new pics.

Visitors

2007-03-21T17:27:00.000-07:00

Over the last few weeks we have had several visitors. Honorary grandparents John and Judy Hawkins stopped by along with long time friends Ben and Marissa Kasdan. Courtlynn has also had time to get to know her aunt and uncle, Matt and Marilee, along with cousin Noah Jakob (noahjakob.blogspot.com). Also hanging out for a little cuddle time was Papa Ron and Nana Kay. Courtlynn has been so excited to visit all these new people in her life.

Getting cuter by the day

2007-03-12T11:25:00.000-07:00

So I've been making the rounds. I have been able to meet both of my Great Grandmothers. It was fun. We just hung out. I asked my daddy to post some recent pictures so you can all watch me grow. Enjoy.

Who said anything about sleep?

2007-03-12T10:58:00.000-07:00

I know hat I am falling behind on the blog updates, but you try to do this, take care of your wife after a major abdominal surgery, and a newborn baby. So, one week down. Has it already been a week? It is astonishing how fast time flies. I know that everyone says that you need to cherish these moments because they come and go so quickly, but is amazing how true that is.
Here is the update that you all wanted. Mom (Shelley) is doing great. She is up and about and slowly adding to her motherly duties each day. I still am changing about 90% of the diapers, but I am sure that that number will soon be inverted. Courtlynn is also doing great. She is still adapting to her new environment and luckily for us sleeping great. I will add that she does have a great pair of lungs on her.
But what about the sleep. They say that you should sleep when the baby sleeps, but that is virtually impossible. There is too much to do. Shelley is trying this and still is tired. I guess that I can wait eighteen years to catch up. Till next time.

And Then She Was--Day One

2007-03-05T15:05:00.000-08:00

Courtlynn finally decided she wanted to meet all of her new friends and family, and she didn't waste any time. These pics were taken during the course of her first day. As you can tell from a few of the pics, she slept better than we did. but my favorite is the bright eyed, smiling picture that she gave for us all. This one was taken while she was being held by Grandma Pharris. I was talking to her last night and she told me that she was planning on staying in hiding for another three to four weeks before the grand reveal. Shelley and I appreciate all the prayers and well wishes during our exceedingly long labor and delivery process.

The New Arrival

2007-03-01T12:14:00.000-08:00

These have been the most exciting and exhausting day(s) of our lives. Shelley went into labor officially at about 12:30 on Wednesday morning after having mild contractions for about 8 hours. 21 hours after labor began we were still waiting for our bundle of joy. She was born on February 28, 2007 at 11:01 pm. weighting 8 pounds 9 ounces and 21 inches long. Courtlynn was born by cesarean section and both Mom and baby are doing well. I for one am waiting for my tiredness to catch up to me as I am so overwhelmed with excitement. I will do my best to keep you all up to date. If anyone is thinking of visiting, we just ask that you call me first to find out an appropriate time. My number is 949-706-9656.

What a belly.

2007-01-12T17:01:00.000-08:00

So this last week we had the most fun. We had some great pictures taken of Shelley to document the growing belly. I personally would have taken the pictures, but I for one would not have taken such nice pictures, and also, I don't have the proper equipment to get the right lighting and lenses. Anyway, hope that you enjoy the pictures. Seven more weeks!!!

An Amazing View

2006-12-24T19:46:00.000-08:00

I can't imagine waiting a full forty weeks to actually see my precious little girl. Shelley and I, along with just about everyone else in the family, went to a little place called "Before the Stork" to take several pictures of Courtlynn. Seeing her pictures makes it seem as though she is already here. She is 29 weeks gestation in this one. I think that she takes after her mother's good looks.

Our First Post

2006-12-23T15:32:00.000-08:00

I would like to start the Blog by introducing you to our daughter. Courtlynn Marie is due to arrive on March 8th, 2007. She is named in part after her Grandmother, who's middle name was Lynn; she would have loved to share this joyous time with us. We will do our best to keep you all up-to-date on the growth, development, and fun times that we will get to experience on a daily basis. This is Courtlynn at 11 weeks old and 1-1/2 inches long.