9 Month Milestone

Siena is a super active little girl who is into everything. I don't know if we can still call her a baby. She loves getting into every place that we prefer her not to be; in the refrigerator, around the toilet, close to the one step we have in the house. She enjoys playing with Milo and his cow, and he can always bring a smile to her face, even first thing in the morning.

She has been swimming three times this season and she loves the water and splashing the top of the water. I think we have another fish in the family.

She is a petite little girl and she has gotten some great use out of her clothes because of it. She is growing but at her own rate. Enjoy the pictures!

A New Baby

Since Siena started crawling on May 26th, we have had a new baby on our hands. She is not content to sit in her exersaucer or her Johnny Jumper. She enjoys playing on the floor with anything and everything from paper to Milo. Nothing is safe and my work load has been cut in half. Her last weigh in had her at 15 lbs although she is still wearing 3-6 months clothes. She is growing but at the "Knoll" rate.

Siena got to travel to Kansas to see her grandparents over Memorial Day weekend. I think she enjoyed herself; I know they enjoyed her. Then we took a weekend trip to the Smoky Mountains and enjoyed some downtime with just the family and a few friends. She has also learned to pull up so she was showing off for the other babies on our trip. She is still a VERY happy baby and sleeps through the night. We couldn't ask for a better little girl and we consider ourselves very blessed to have a healthy, happy, beautiful girl.

Our First Vacation

With Siena of course. The Knolls like to travel so we weren't about to sit this year out just because we have a new addition to the family. So off we went to Savannah, GA where we explored the city in a trolley car and took a haunted history walking tour, a must since this is the most haunted city in the US. We strolled along the River Street and through the city squares, stuffing ourselves full of good food, including Paula Deen's cuisine. Our mini companion rarely complained and was happy to sit in her stroller, until dinner came to the table.

Then on to Charleston, named for King Charles II. So many exquisite houses throughout the years and shops to see and Siena wasn't the one to keep us from seeing them all but time and money. We visited the Citadel, Ft. Sumter and the aircraft carrier Yorktown with Grandma Knoll and her family from the south. Of course, no trip to the South is complete without some beach time. Siena got her first taste of the ocean but we may have to wait for warmer days for swim lessons.

Our last stop was to introduce Siena to her oldest living relative on Angela's side of the family, her great, great aunt in western South Carolina. We returned home to a dry home, unlike so many people in the middle Tennessee area after history making rainfall on our drive home. We were so blessed to have a week together, a safe trip and our warm home to return to.

Siena at 6 months

Our little girl brings us so much joy every day. She is such a content baby and travels with us everywhere including dinners, meetings and she sometimes sits through Daddy's bible studies. She is quite the roller and jumper. I feel she will take on some athletic talents. She may turn orange soon if she doesn't learn to accept some of those green colored vegetables we are attempting to serve her. She has found Milo and is very interested in watching him move and petting him. And yes, she is teething but a pacifier keeps her satisfied. Enjoy the pictures by our good friend, Kelsey Bufkin, taken just before her 6 month birthday.

March Madness

Siena is doing great and advancing as all the books foretold. She will be 6 months this week. She rolls over frequently and has taken on baby food. She is a big fan of carrots and always offers a smile to anyone who will pay attention. Grandpa & Grandma Gashaw came for a visit and we lost Uncle Dave this month. He moved into a historical house downtown but we are confident he will be back often to check on his niece.

February

This has been a productive month for Siena. She was 13 lbs and 23 inches earlier in the month, still growing at her own rate. She started cereal and has conquered rolling over both on the floor and in her crib. Her hand coordination has improved as she tries to help hold her bottle from time to time, and she loves to hold onto her pacifier. Siena enjoyed watching the Olympics with us this month and outside of a few days, we hibernated indoors to avoid the cold winter weather. Siena was dedicated by Pastor Allen Jackson in our church Sunday Feb. 28th along with 30 other babies. She has belonged to God from the minute she was born but now it's official. :)

First month of 2010

Our little girl turned 4 months old, and she continues to be a joy in our house. Siena's smiles are more frequent as is her laughter. She has discovered her fingers and especially her thumb. She doesn't cry when she wakes up but starts chatting away. She is such a happy baby!

We set up her jumper which is a special car and she truly enjoys her time in there. She rolled over from her stomach to her back Jan. 26th but hasn't repeated it since. We have introduced cereal into her diet, but she hasn't gotten the hang of it yet. Siena will sit still for her Dad whenever he puts her on his lap whether he is eating or reading. We are amazed at how that tiny newborn who could sleep anywhere and rarely opened her eyes is now learning something new every time she wakes up.