1 YeaR! WaiT....wHAt???

It's hard to believe you're ONE!!! The last year of our lives was nothing short of absolutely amazing. The year began with you and you were a perfect start to the next chapter in our lives. It's crazy to me how fast babies grow in a year, from being completely helpless and dependent to very independent and taking on the world. It's a beautiful thing sitting back and watching your curiosity take control, I sit and wonder what you blab about when you're off in your own little world, talking to toys, putting your hands up in the air like you're preaching and why you chose things that are not toys to play with instead of your super fun toys we buy. Your personality is starting to show though and it's also another one of my favorite things about you. You love people, you love kids, your smile lights up everyone's day and it's intensely contagious. You're fun to have around and your entertainment to us is endless, you're silly, smart and loud and always so proud of yourself when you do something new. You are exactly how we pictured life would be with a kid, you're the coolest, friendliest, happiest, easy going kid ever. We can already see you'll love adventures in life and will be living it to the fullest.....I mean, how can you not with that zest for life we can see in you at just ONE year old!?

You love to get in the way of the fridge, play with shoes (eating them) and following us to the bathroom. You love the show Pocoyo, Zack & Quack, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse....or do I love all those shows....you FREAK when Zack & Quack comes on, when the intro song you comes on you come crawling or walk (whatever you feel like that day) from wherever you are to the tv and break out into dance and yell with excitement (how I probably do when I see Taylor Swift on Ellen). You also dance on command if we say "dance" or "twerk" lol, it's pretty funny. You say uh-oh when you drop things, say bye bye when someone leaves, put your hands in the air if we say how big is Gemma, so big!! If there's music on anywhere you dance, no matter what, you dance and you love every second of it, you love the stroller and going for walks (usually to watch dad surf or see the sunset on the ocean at Freights Bay). You give (open mouth) kisses and also blow kisses. You're an amazing napper and night sleeper (thank you Lord!), you love peek a boo when you're the peek a boo'er, you're smile lights up the room and your oh such gorgeous eyes get all squinty, I love it! You love the beach, oh my gosh you love the beach!! You crawl all around and the sand doesn't phase you, you eat the sand, roll in the sand and get it all up in your hair, you crawl into the water and back out to get toys, you float for hours with us and sometimes even pass-out in your float. You look completely adorable in your bikinis with your sun hat, it's hard to resist squeezing all that cuteness! You love your own space, your own crib, your blanket and Honda bear (from Opa).

You've adjusted into every stage so smooth and made all those horror stories i've heard never become real with me and i'm so glad they never did. I'd be a bad advice giver to people who have kids that don't transition well. You pick up on things so quick and changes don't seem to phase you much (hence you're super "go with the flow, easy going" personality). You do have a spark in you're easy going personality....you're LOUD and passionate when you speak and i'm pretty sure one day it won't be so cute.

I don't think we could of been more lucky, you make being a mom more fun than anything else in this insane world, daddy and I look forward to so many more amazing years with you....LYTTMAB my love! 

xoxo,
mommie & daddy

TiME fLiES

We've just passed the 3 month mark with G. In the last 2 weeks we've had a great Easter weekend with friends, been to the beach a few times in the last 2 weeks because we've had probably 4 holidays (haha, we have a lot of those here), and she continues to smile big and be happy 90% of the time :) We got her a little rash guard for the beach to help protect her from the sun (see pic below), it's so cute on her! I got a swim bottom for her also a few weeks ago that a friend brought but it's already to small and tight on her legs....she's a chunk! 

It's so fun being home with her all day, yea sometimes i'd like to leave but for the most part I love being home, I can't imagine missing all the things I see all day if I had to work....the moms that work must have a hard time leaving every day then every minute they're gone they can't wait to get back. Babies don't do much till 2-3 months and then maternity leave is over and mom has to go back to work when all the fun begins, to those moms....you're amazing in every way! I'm very thankful for this life i've been given and all these great opportunities that are so amazing, there's nothing better than being able to watch her grow and change day in and day out....one day she's on her back and the next she can roll over and the next she can grab toys and put them right in her mouth!! She's also laughed a couple of times but Darin can really get her going and it's so funny listening to how she laughs and watching her stare at Darin waiting for the next funny thing to happen.

G had her first birthday party to attend (Liam's 5th) and as it was her first, it was also our first...with a kid lol...we're usually in the adult side group with no kids and a beer or wine in hand watching all the crazy happen around us and not having to do anything about it, haha, not anymore! She had a great time watching all the kids run around screaming and playing with all sorts of toys, she just sat there and grunted a few times as she kicked her legs and arms while the kids ran by her. She'll be amongst them soon enough :) 

I can't help but be jealous of how my daughter gets to grow up, the older she gets the easier it is to bring her around places so we go everywhere. She's been to the beach more times than some people go in an entire year and not just a beach but the most bluest, turquoise beaches. I'm not sure how old I was when I saw a beach for the first time, but the first time it was a blue, turquoise, clear water beach, I was 18 years old. I moved to Florida when I was 11, but the beaches there don't count as they are brown :( I hope G appreciates all this one day and I hope she continues to love the water as much as her mum and dad do.

Craig and Kaitlyn come in 2 weeks and we're so excited!! Gemma and I also go back to Florida the end of June for 2 weeks and we can't wait!!

Gemma Loves:
-her play mat
-watching daddy make her laugh
-holding a blanket when she sleeps and likes it on her face too (that's my girl :))
-her BIM (barbados) cousins, aunties and uncles 
-sitting holding mommy's hands and standing, she likes to see what's going on around her
-the beach

Gemma Hates:
-again, STILL hates tummy time, a part of me doesn't think she'll ever like it

Gemma Stats
-next apt is @ 4 months and is the end of May....we think she's 12 + lbs so we'll see, maybe 13 by the time we go to her apt.

BeAch TiME

We're approaching the 3 month mark and so much has change in the last week and some. Gem has become quite the smiley little baby, she's always happy, just chatting away and she loves when we listen to music. My favorite smile is the one in the morning when I get to her crib and she sees me, she's all swaddled up and just gives me the biggest smile, I need to get that on video soon!! She's gone from 4 hrs at night to 6 hrs the last 3 nights, lets hope it stays that way!

Last week our friends had a house for a few days on the East coast so we went up for 2 days to play at the beach with them. Gem has put her toes in the water a few weeks ago but it was cold that day and a little rough, so while on the East coast at low tide the rocks make these little pools that all the kids play in so Darin brought Gem in and she LOVED IT!! She smiled and her legs were going a mile a min under the water jumping on the sand and we learned she is SUPER buoyant! So glad she loved it because if she didn't then we aren't sure what we're gonna do with her, all we do here are things that involve water.

We had some sticky eye boogies last week and went to the Dr but it wasn't pink eye (PHEW!!), just a little irritation maybe a small start to an infection so we got some eye drops and those have helped SO much, plus Gem is a super star and the drops don't bother her one bit :)

I've started doing crossfit with 2 of my friends last week and ouch!!!! I could barely walk for about 4 days lol, feels good to get back to working out though. I have 6lbs till my pre baby weight which is great for not working out or breastfeeding which helps loose the lbs. Happy to get back to that weight where I felt right, I felt like me :) Plus I have to wear a Kadooment costume in 4 months.....so I must look fab!

Last Sunday Darin and I went out with our friends to Harbour Lights because they launched their costumes for Kadooment which is always one of the biggest parties of the year. Since all of our friends were going, we had to get a sitter for Gem! Tanya helped us and referred a friend, so when she (the sitter) came over a little early to meet us and meet Gem we instantly felt at ease. Never having to give instructions to take care of a baby before, I tried the best I could lol. We'd left at 5:30 and a few hours later, she texted us when Gem ate and was down in bed just fine :) We got home around 10:30pm and all was good in the Doty house. Our sitter said Gem was so good, such a happy baby and she'd love to come watch her again if we needed another date night!

This weekend is Easter and though i'd love to be home and go to church and spend time with our families we'll be spending time here with our island families and having a big big lunch! Candice came in town and rented a house on the East coast in Bathsheba and since Friday and Monday are holiday's, Darin has 4 days off and we're headed up to stay with Candice!! Last Easter we only had ourselves to pack, this year should be interesting because we have to pack Gem for the long weekend also. Can't wait to get up there and lay in the hammock and enjoy the nice breeze on my face :)

    First time in the ocean April 13, 2014

Gemma Loves:
-bath time
-watching mommy in the kitchen
-snugs in mom and dad's bed in the morning
-having her first baby sitter so mom and dad can go out

Gemma Hates:
-STILL hates tummy time and licks the fabric the whole time, if this is the only thing she    doesn't like, I can handle it :)

Gemma Stats @ 3 months: 
11lbs, 21.50 inches               

AdJUsTiNG to G

Keeping up with this is going to be trickier than I thought. My goal will be to post something every week, but i'm thinking it's going to be more like every 2....we'll see!

Since my last post, even a couple weeks before that G has had this "bewitching hour" from about 7-8pm and it SUCKS!! I guess it's a type of Colic, not the full force all day all night kind, thank God! For about a week now she's been pretty good at that time of night so we're hoping it's over. Darin gets home from work at about 7pm and that's when it all starts.....poor dad, he only sees her when she's crying and angry. We had her 2 month appointment which she had to get shots, one in both leg and she did great! We were feeding her during the shots and she'd let out a big cry then go right back to eating. She had Tylenol prior to the appointment and then some a little while after and pretty much slept the rest of the day. She didn't run a fever or anything so that was nice :) She's still a pretty good napper during the day, goes down about an hour after eating every time and is out for about an hour or more. Since we got our barrels of stuff and her room is all together, we just starting putting her in her room this week, out of the pack n play and into the crib! She's done really well in there giving us about a 5hr stretch then a 3 or 4 hr stretch before she's up for the morning, schedule is KEY, so is the baby monitor!! She is smiling a lot of BIG smiles and making some noises trying to find her voice, I love it!! We've been to the beach for the first time with Gemma and we've also been to watch Darin surf a lot the last 2 weeks. She seems to love being outside either at the beach or on our daily walks around the neighborhood, she likes to watch the trees as we pass and when the birds make noise she looks towards them. Gotta keep this little one loving the outdoors!

I finally start working out again next week, signed up for crossfit! I had a hard time giving up the gym but I think this will give me better results than the gym, although i'll miss spin class :( Two of my friends do crossfit already so it will be nice to have the support already there :) It's 4 nights a week starting at 7:30pm so Darin is all alone in the kid department....hope he survives.

My brother and his girlfriend come next month!! They just booked their tickets and they'll be here for 9 whole days!! Top Gear is filming a show here so we all bought VIP tickets and can't wait to go! It's pretty much Craig's favorite show :) so of course he'd be here for the filming! Can't wait to show Kaitlyn around Barbados and all of our fun spots we love, she'll get to surf and paddle board and see some amazing beaches....plus spend quality time with us :)

Gemma Loves:
-car rides, these bumpy roads seem to soothe her :)
-her play yard and looking at all the colorful hanging animals
-the bumbo seat only for a few mins
-sleeping, day or night
-being swaddled to sleep
-the breeze at the beach
-stretching after she eats so the burp cloth covers her face

Gemma Hates:
-tummy time and licks the fabric the whole time

Gemma Stats @ 2 months: 
10lbs, 21.25 inches