Allison: 5 Months

How is this little lady 5 months old already... I say it every month but please time SLOW DOWN!

The holiday season always brings with it a little bit of crazy... a lot of love... and a whole bunch of family and friend time.  Thank goodness that Allison continues to be a pretty go with the flow kind of baby... because she tags along for all of our adventures!

Daddy insisted on easier and warmer clothes for Allison... so she was all cozy in this new little fleece all in one outfit from Carters.... daddy doesn't find it as fun to dress Allison in a million different clothing pieces (we will leave that up to mama!)

TOES!!!!  It has been the month of the toes.... she found them and she loves them and now I can't keep socks or shoes on her!

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS!!!!  Allison is in LOVE!

Allison's 1st Christmas Tree!

Playtime:

* Toys... she likes them, she wants them and she actually can play with them now!  

Chewing on them is her favorite! 

* Favorites include anything that she can chew on!  Sophie, her keys and her grey mommy bracelet!

* Loves her mirror and her floor piano

* Sitting in her Bumbo lets her be part of the action!

Learning her ABCs

A tubby for 3!  Daddy is getting brave in his old age!

Sleeping:

Allison Usually goes to bed when her brothers do between 7 and 8pm.  She is usually awake between 7 and 730 in the am. Over Thanksgiving we were up at G &G Utechs and Allie sleeps in our room there... so she wake up each of the 3 nights we were there... augh! Luckily she went back to sleeping through the night when we got home... however there have been a few nights recently that she has "requested a midnight snack!"   She usually picks the nights when I either haven't slept at all or have to get up early in the am for work (how do they know thinks like that?)  She would prefer to take two naps in her crib during the day...at least one of them usually gets interrupted by preschool pick up!  She sleeps in a sleep sack.... and her hands are always FREEZING in the morning after a long night of sucking her thumb/ sucking on her fingers. 

Allison is ALL ABOUT FOOD!  She reaches, grabs, and bats at everything that we put near our mouths.  She slobbers, sucks and smacks her lips as she watches us eat! St. Nicholas even brought her some new bibs, spoons and rice cereal.... mama wants to wait a bit longer to introduce her to food though!

"I wonder if Nathan will notice if I break into his lunch?"

Allison celebrated her 1st Thanksgiving at Grandma and Grandpa Utech's.... she celebrated by sleeping through dinner!

"What is the cold white stuff?  and why am I sitting in it?"

Allison now reaches out towards mama when she wants to be picked up!

Rolling OVER!!!! She did it a couple of times.... however she is pretty darn content to play with toys and watch her brothers.... she feels no real need to roll all the time.  Mommy and daddy are enjoying this happy content baby (who is somewhat stationary for the moment!).

That being said.... she was sitting in her Boppy.... the next thing I look she is out of her boppy and rolling over... so much for stationary:)

The Little Things:

* snuggles in for a swing ride next to the Christmas tree

* She likes to play with mama's hair while she eats... and often scratches me with her "little claws"

* Is all snugly and warm in her bundle me car seat (she likes her pink blanket, keys and Sophie with her too!)

* watching her brothers is the best form of entertainment
* Babble, Screech and giggle!
* Loves to play airplane!
* Went swimming for the first time during our College Friends Christmas Party
* Loves baths
* Kisses her brothers goodnight
*is so smiley in the morning when we get her from her crib
* Still poops through her diapers all the time!
*Nicknames: Little Squeaker, Lovey Girl, Allie Boo
*Mastered pulling down the little pink elephant that vibrates on her car seat

Feeding:

* Usually eats 10-15 minutes or takes 5 ounces from a bottle.

* We just upgraded to medium flow nipple and she still likes the mama milk WARM

* Benjamin was soooo excited to finally get to feed Allison a bottle!  He has been waiting 5 long months!

The Firsts for the Month:

* playing in the Jumparoo

* two bottom front teeth

* rolled from front to back and back to front

* met Santa

* "Played" in the snow

* Went swimming

* Sat in her Pink umbrella stroller like a big girl

* Spent the night in a hotel

Allison's life with two BIG brothers who LOVE her oh so much!!!  They are always by her!  My favorite is still when the boys say... "how's my sweet LOVEY girl!"  Melts my heart!  They also love to make her smile, giggle and roll for toys!

Sprinkles .... or a rattle for Allie????

PJs and Story time with Santa!  Adorable!

Dressed and ready for Gingerbread House making day at Preschool!

Santa Baby!

O' Christmas Tree

 Our annual trip to cut down a Christmas tree lead us back to Kruger's Tree Farm in Lake Elmo.  Such a cute little spot!  The boys remember everything from last year.... they knew just where to find Santa, the sleds and the saws!  They were excited to see Santa... when asked what they wanted.... Nathan said a Care Bear and Benjamin didn't know! Allie was just content to be held!

Allison's 1st time sitting on Santa's lap!

The cute little sleigh.

Loving his sled ride from Grumpy!

Helping "cut" down the tree. The truth is after we walked all around the tree farm we didn't really see any trees that we liked so we walked back to the front where the "already cut" lot was... and found the PERFECT tree.  But the boys had their heart set on cutting .... so they "cut" the bottom of our tree!

Utech Family Christmas Tree 2014... 

I actually love this tree more then any tree we have had in the last few years!

Allison's 1st Christmas Tree

Allison was done with her snowsuit!  Thanks Gramma and Grumpy for helping pull sleds and wrangle children!  The boys loved that they could go sledding on the hills between the trees.... only bummer was that there was only about an inch of snow.

Santa came in for some warm apple cider too... I think he just wanted to hold the baby (he was soooo cute with Allison) and she was enthralled with him!

Setting up the tree in the base.... the boys are old enough to actually help hold and to help decorate!

Ben thought it was hilarious to tangle himself in the lights!

And this year it was Nathan's turn to put the star on top of the tree!

We also set up Nathan and Benjamin's baby tree that Auntie Hannah bought for us while I was in the hospital on bedrest! The ornaments are all gifts from our family and friends.... I still remember who each ornament came from.... and this year the boys were interested to know the details of each ornament.  They also were telling us all the numbers on each of the weekly ornaments... (23...24...25...etc)  If only I had had a crystal ball 5 years ago to show myself what amazing, smart, creative, active, capable little fellows I would have!

Allie's First Thanksgiving!

We spent Thanksgiving weekend at Grandma and Grandpa Utech's.  It was a cold weekend so we spent most of the weekend in the house working on "projects"!  Grandma was a trooper... she made all of the Thanksgiving Dinner with the help of Nathan and Benjamin.... I'm sure it only took her twice as long:)

Nathan 1st job was the deviled eggs!

Both boys helped with the peeling of the carrots and potatoes!

Allie hung out with mommy!

Baking Pies!  Nathan was in charge of the pumpkin pie and Benjamin was in charge of the blueberry pie!

Dinner Time!

Allison slept through dinner! She is so intrigued by food, and reaches for it, moves her mouth and sticks out her tongue!

The fearsome four sum!

Grandma's Favorites!

Helping to decorate grandma's tree!

Allie liked this crazy snowman ornament!

Making Allie's Snowman/footprint ornament!  Thanks Kim!

"These people are all crazy... why are they painting my feet!"

Gingerbread House Time!

Allison thinks that Christmas lights are pretty much the best thing EVER!

This and That: November

SNOW is here!  The boys wanted to play in it the minute they saw it.  They don't care if its cold... as long as they can be outside!  Shovels and sleds are their favorite!  Allison made her snow debute.... she isn't a fan of her huge snowsuit!

Lunch date with friends!

Voting with Mommy!

Garth Brooks.... Fabulous and so much fun!

bedtime stories with Gramma!

Mexico week at preschool!

Swimming with Kendall!

Butterflies at the Science Museum!