The pictures don't do her laugh justice- here is the audio to give you the full effect.Friday, March 19, 2010
laughter is the best medicine
This little pumpkin cracks me up! I could sit and listen to her little laugh all day long. Lately she has been entertaining herself in the back of the car with her mirror and I catch her giggling quietly to herself all the time.
The pictures don't do her laugh justice- here is the audio to give you the full effect.
The pictures don't do her laugh justice- here is the audio to give you the full effect.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Patience
I struggle with patience. It's a major character flaw, but I have dealt with it all my life. When people (read: husband) say things to me like, "Patience is a virtue" I tell them "Silence is golden," roll my eyes, and charge forward. I am just not known for waiting well.
Maybe this wouldn't be such a problem if God didn't count patience as one of the fruits of the spirit, but alas, he does, and therein lies my problem. I desire so much to posess the qualities of a disciplined, dedicated Christian, but this area leaves me with much to be desired. Especially as it pertains to waiting on God's timing.
Many of you know that we have been trying to have another baby since Grace was about ten months old. While I realize that means we haven't been trying long, you other mothers know that when your heart is ready to be a mommy, whether it is for the first time or the fifth time, you are ready now and it is difficult to wait. I hate cliche' answers to life's big problems, but in this case I know the cliche' is true: God's timing is perfect. Trying to reconcile this with my patience deficiency (or complete lack thereof) has proven to be difficult, especially when I thought I was pregnant last month. For three weeks I held out hope that just maybe we were, but five negative tests later, I laid it to rest. Now we are waiting until May to try again (it's a long explanation that has to do with the store and Christmas help) and I can feel the impatience creeping up in my heart again. I want to be patient, I want to rest in the comfort of knowing that God knows what is best for our family, God's timing is perfect, and when it is time again, He will bless us with another baby. These are all things I believe but find hard to hold onto in my impatient moments.
On top of all that, I feel selfish. I have a beautiful, perfect, healthy baby girl who absolutely lights up my world.
Why then am I so impatient with a heart that seems unwilling to wait on God's timing?
I am praying for patience right now, which most of you know can be an incredibly scary thing because that may actually mean God will give it to me and teach me other difficult lessons in the meantime. Like how to fully rest in Him. How to walk by faith and not by sight. How to say "God is good all the time," and mean it. How to watch friends lose babies or try for years unsuccessfully to get pregnant and still know deep in my heart that God is in control even when things don't make sense. These are the things God is teaching me right now and while I can admit (a bit embarrassed) that I am not enjoying it, I know I will come through on the other side deeper in Christ and hopefully with a measure more of patience.
Maybe this wouldn't be such a problem if God didn't count patience as one of the fruits of the spirit, but alas, he does, and therein lies my problem. I desire so much to posess the qualities of a disciplined, dedicated Christian, but this area leaves me with much to be desired. Especially as it pertains to waiting on God's timing.
Many of you know that we have been trying to have another baby since Grace was about ten months old. While I realize that means we haven't been trying long, you other mothers know that when your heart is ready to be a mommy, whether it is for the first time or the fifth time, you are ready now and it is difficult to wait. I hate cliche' answers to life's big problems, but in this case I know the cliche' is true: God's timing is perfect. Trying to reconcile this with my patience deficiency (or complete lack thereof) has proven to be difficult, especially when I thought I was pregnant last month. For three weeks I held out hope that just maybe we were, but five negative tests later, I laid it to rest. Now we are waiting until May to try again (it's a long explanation that has to do with the store and Christmas help) and I can feel the impatience creeping up in my heart again. I want to be patient, I want to rest in the comfort of knowing that God knows what is best for our family, God's timing is perfect, and when it is time again, He will bless us with another baby. These are all things I believe but find hard to hold onto in my impatient moments.
On top of all that, I feel selfish. I have a beautiful, perfect, healthy baby girl who absolutely lights up my world.
Why then am I so impatient with a heart that seems unwilling to wait on God's timing?
I am praying for patience right now, which most of you know can be an incredibly scary thing because that may actually mean God will give it to me and teach me other difficult lessons in the meantime. Like how to fully rest in Him. How to walk by faith and not by sight. How to say "God is good all the time," and mean it. How to watch friends lose babies or try for years unsuccessfully to get pregnant and still know deep in my heart that God is in control even when things don't make sense. These are the things God is teaching me right now and while I can admit (a bit embarrassed) that I am not enjoying it, I know I will come through on the other side deeper in Christ and hopefully with a measure more of patience.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
15 month checkup
Grace is seeing a new pediatrician and we went for her first visit and 15 month shots. Nothing says "nice to meet you" like two shots in the arm and two in the leg. Grace had a rough time during the appointment but did the best she has ever done after shots this time. No fever, slept great, not fussy.
A few new updates:
She weighed 21.9 (25th percentile) and was 31.75 inches (75th percentile). She gained three pounds since her one year appointment which is good considering she gained five ounces from 9-12 months. She also grew an inch and a quarter.
She loves blowing kisses and giving high fives.
She has started picking up her stuffed animals and when she hugs them, she pats their bottom like a little mama. So cute.
The doctor thinks Grace is about to cut her molars. It is very white back there and we have all the teething symptoms only worse than before. I put no faith in teething symptoms though. Remember months four thru nine? I do. Nary a tooth for five long teething symptom ridden months.
She has a new dancing thing she likes to do where she shakes her head from side to side while she bends her knees.
She likes to brush her own teeth, which really means she sticks her tongue out and chews on the toothbrush but it is pretty darn cute to watch. This is something we started doing recently. Not sure where that mom memo went, but I didn't know you were supposed to start brushing when they get their first tooth.
She has added big bird (be-bur), boy, and bob dole to her words. You read it right. Bob Dole.
She absolutely hates being in her high chair for longer than five minutes. Last night she would take a lap around the table, stop for a bite of my food, then make another lap and repeated the process until she was full enough to go play in the living room.
She is also completely disinterested in milk. I got a stern talking to from the Dr. who said she should have 16 ounces a day. WHAT? I am lucky if I get her to drink 3 or 4 ounces. This is my new goal for the month.
She has an inflatable car full of those plastic balls you find at fast food playgrounds that she absolutely loves. She climbs in and out of it from the side and it always makes her hair full of static! Too funny.
Here she is dancing in the kitchen the other night. It was before she started her new moves, but it is pretty cute nonetheless. Please pretend I wasn't doing a crazy mama dance in the corner.
A few new updates:
She weighed 21.9 (25th percentile) and was 31.75 inches (75th percentile). She gained three pounds since her one year appointment which is good considering she gained five ounces from 9-12 months. She also grew an inch and a quarter.
She loves blowing kisses and giving high fives.
She has started picking up her stuffed animals and when she hugs them, she pats their bottom like a little mama. So cute.
The doctor thinks Grace is about to cut her molars. It is very white back there and we have all the teething symptoms only worse than before. I put no faith in teething symptoms though. Remember months four thru nine? I do. Nary a tooth for five long teething symptom ridden months.
She has a new dancing thing she likes to do where she shakes her head from side to side while she bends her knees.
She likes to brush her own teeth, which really means she sticks her tongue out and chews on the toothbrush but it is pretty darn cute to watch. This is something we started doing recently. Not sure where that mom memo went, but I didn't know you were supposed to start brushing when they get their first tooth.
She has added big bird (be-bur), boy, and bob dole to her words. You read it right. Bob Dole.
She absolutely hates being in her high chair for longer than five minutes. Last night she would take a lap around the table, stop for a bite of my food, then make another lap and repeated the process until she was full enough to go play in the living room.
She is also completely disinterested in milk. I got a stern talking to from the Dr. who said she should have 16 ounces a day. WHAT? I am lucky if I get her to drink 3 or 4 ounces. This is my new goal for the month.
She has an inflatable car full of those plastic balls you find at fast food playgrounds that she absolutely loves. She climbs in and out of it from the side and it always makes her hair full of static! Too funny.
Here she is dancing in the kitchen the other night. It was before she started her new moves, but it is pretty cute nonetheless. Please pretend I wasn't doing a crazy mama dance in the corner.
Monday, February 15, 2010
15 month update
Happy 15 months baby girl. You are a little raging ball of personality these days and are learning so many new things.
This month:
You are so B-U-S-Y! Gone are the days of long cuddles and holding you close. You want to be running across the floor or dancing whenever we put you down.
You have grown especially fond of your papa. You have always loved him, but this month you started asking for him, looking for him, and saying his name with an Italian accent. When we tell you "no" you start crying and say "papa" between sobs.
On that note, you hate to be told no. Some days you test us with raised eyebrows and do what we told you not to anyway, but most of the time you start crying quite dramatically as if we just cut your arm off or something. I think you inherited the drama trait from your father. We have to turn our heads to the side and try not to laugh because it is so over the top.
And on that same note, you started saying "no" the other day.
Does every parent experience this guilt when their child learns to say no? It makes me worry that is all she ever hears from us. Why not "I love you?" Geez.
You love Dave Matthews Band and love dancing and running in place to them in the kitchen while you load and unload your tupperware drawer. I admire your fine taste in music at such a young age.
You drink TONS of water and would rather drink it than milk. I actually have a hard time getting you to drink milk. You still don't drink juice.
You seem to have forgotten where your nose is, but you can point to your belly, hair, and ear when we ask you.
When we say touchdown you throw your arms up over your head. You can be in the middle of throwing a little fit and when we say the word you pause and put your hands over your head. Then you resume crying.
I am quite impressed with your comprehension lately. If we ask you, "go find the," or "can you bring me the," you do it! And you aren't just repeating words anymore, you are pointing to things as you say them. It is so cute!
New words: Duck is pretty official now. I thought you were saying this for awhile but couldn't be sure. Also, Mimi, Mel-mo (instead of just Mo for Elmo) puppy, bye-bye (you don't say dye-dye anymore and I kind of miss it!), hi, rog (frog) da-do (for thank you), bah-r (bear) and no-no. You also say Moo when we ask you what the cow says.
You cut another tooth on the bottom about a month ago. You have four on top and three on bottom now.
You absolutely love books. You would rather read a book with us more than anything else. You will bring me a book and try to crawl in my lap or sit down by my feet and wait until I sit beside you and read.
Enjoy the pics if you made it this far!
laughing and playing on the bed with daddy
after naptime it takes her a bit before she is ready to get out. she likes to run back and forth, roll around, show us all of her stuffed animals and put on a little show for us before we can get her out. she will actually cry and start pointing back to her crib if we take her out before she is ready.
pointing to your ear
dancing in your crib
I love this look!
touchdown!
Monday, February 8, 2010
What could be better...
Than a papa who will wear a sunflower hat and a UFC shirt simultaneously just to make his grandbaby smile?
Than a cute purple dress from Mimi?
That you can wear while completely enthralled with Sesame Street?
Than a box of Girl Scout thin mint cookies?
That tastes so good it makes you want to chew straight thru the box?
What could be better than spending a morning like this...
when it looks like this outside?
And what could be better than a sweet smelling baby wrapped up tight after bath time?
Not much, I tell you. Not much at all.
Than a cute purple dress from Mimi?
That you can wear while completely enthralled with Sesame Street?
Than a box of Girl Scout thin mint cookies?
That tastes so good it makes you want to chew straight thru the box?
What could be better than spending a morning like this...
when it looks like this outside?
And what could be better than a sweet smelling baby wrapped up tight after bath time?
Not much, I tell you. Not much at all.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Surely
Surely other moms...
Slip under the covers at night and find a defrosted teething ring and wet rag between the sheets?
Have said the sentence: "Grace, please quit pulling mommy's panties off the racks. Now I have to pick them up!"
Forget to label their child's diapers for PDO, even though the teacher pulls out a sharpie and begins labeling them while the mother is in plain sight... sigh.
Let their child dump out the entire box of monthly accessories under the sink if it keeps them occupied while they take a shower because they slept too late to take a shower while their child was still asleep.
Catch themselves asking, "where did the time go?" every other day.
Worry about cell phone radiation poisoning but let their child chew on an old cell phone just for funsies?
Have a love/hate relationship with Sesame Street.
Feel so full of love and pride when they look at their child that they think their heart may actually burst? (These feelings usually follow a good night's sleep and/or a positive nap experience on the part of the child, or trips to the grocery store when the child acts like a halo has sprouted from the top of their head).
Contemplate whether or not they weaned too early and secretly miss it at night when they put their baby to bed (but then posts it on a blog, making it entirely not a secret)
Stop two blocks from their house and get out of the car to check and make sure they buckled their child in the carseat. Because maybe one time, they might have forgotten.
Open drawers in their kitchen and find a dirty sock, a baby Einstein book, four spoons, a scentsy candle package, five goldfish crackers, two teddy grahams, and a partridge in a pear tree.
Hum the theme song to "Elmo's World" while they pick up toys. Six times a day.
Have spent more on their child's shoe collection than they have their own in the last year.
Think to themselves, "Oh heavens, I have officially become my mother," but then smile, because maybe that's not such a bad thing.
Think their child is the cutest thing walking.
Slip under the covers at night and find a defrosted teething ring and wet rag between the sheets?
Have said the sentence: "Grace, please quit pulling mommy's panties off the racks. Now I have to pick them up!"
Forget to label their child's diapers for PDO, even though the teacher pulls out a sharpie and begins labeling them while the mother is in plain sight... sigh.
Let their child dump out the entire box of monthly accessories under the sink if it keeps them occupied while they take a shower because they slept too late to take a shower while their child was still asleep.
Catch themselves asking, "where did the time go?" every other day.
Worry about cell phone radiation poisoning but let their child chew on an old cell phone just for funsies?
Have a love/hate relationship with Sesame Street.
Feel so full of love and pride when they look at their child that they think their heart may actually burst? (These feelings usually follow a good night's sleep and/or a positive nap experience on the part of the child, or trips to the grocery store when the child acts like a halo has sprouted from the top of their head).
Contemplate whether or not they weaned too early and secretly miss it at night when they put their baby to bed (but then posts it on a blog, making it entirely not a secret)
Stop two blocks from their house and get out of the car to check and make sure they buckled their child in the carseat. Because maybe one time, they might have forgotten.
Open drawers in their kitchen and find a dirty sock, a baby Einstein book, four spoons, a scentsy candle package, five goldfish crackers, two teddy grahams, and a partridge in a pear tree.
Hum the theme song to "Elmo's World" while they pick up toys. Six times a day.
Have spent more on their child's shoe collection than they have their own in the last year.
Think to themselves, "Oh heavens, I have officially become my mother," but then smile, because maybe that's not such a bad thing.
Think their child is the cutest thing walking.
Monday, January 25, 2010
100th post- the year in review
In honor of my 100th post, I have decided to post my top 100 photos of Grace. I jest, I jest. Instead, I posted a review of the year. How quickly time does fly. I can't wait for the next 100 posts of your life, sweet girl.
January: 2 months old
You started sleeping from 11-6, which did my heart and mental stability good, started cooing and giggling, and I finally captured you smiling at your daddy on camera. I started back to work begrudgingly.
February: 3 months
Still hated tummy time, but fell in love with mirrors and Mr. Octopus, loved bouncing in the baby bjorn, and you began a six month teething process with pools of drool on your mouth at all times.
March: 4 months
You started grinning from ear to ear with the sweetest, drooliest smile I have ever seen, we all three survived pacifier bootcamp since you went on sleeping haitus from weeks 15-18, and you weighed 15 lbs, 15 oz. at your checkup.
April: 5 months
You fell in love with your stroller and would laugh and giggle every time we put you in it, you were dedicated at church on Easter Sunday, spent your first Sunday in the nursery, and you finally rolled over right before you turned five months. We started rice cereal for a week or so, but I was in denial that you were old enough to try solids so I took you back to solely nursing until your six month check-up.
May: 6 months
You had carrots and green beans for the first time, said "da-da", weighed 17.6 pounds and were 27 inches long at your checkup, started sucking on your toes and learning how to give "kisses", started sitting up on your own two weeks before you turned six months, and I had my first Mother's Day with you.
June: 7 months
We went swimming for the first time, daddy had his first Father's day, you took your first plane ride with me to Dallas and did beautifully, fell off the bed onto the hard floor and my heart nearly collapsed from the guilt, and started sitting in your high chair.
July: 8 months
You started leaning over the rail of your crib and daddy had to lower it, started crawling and pulling up on everything, went through a "hold-me-hold-me-don't-put-me-down-or-walk-out-of-the-room-or-I'll-start-screaming" phase that was a bit stressful, and I bought you a little pool that you absolutely loved.
August: 9 months
You weighed 18.2 pounds and were 30 inches at your nine month well check, started cruising along the furniture, you were a flower girl in Auntie Am's wedding, and your first tooth broke through.
September: 10 months
You got sick for the first time with a virus, finally said "mama", took your first long plane ride and met your cousins in Cleveland, started your first day of PDO, cut your second tooth, started clapping when we said "good girl!" and began feeding yourself.
October: 11 months
You started standing up on your own, found your rhythm and learned how to dance, fell in love with drinking from a straw, started sleeping 12 hours at night, and began developing quite a sassy personality.
November: one year!
You had your one year birthday on November 11th, enjoyed a fabulous party and first trip to the Science Spectrum, started walking, cut your third tooth, started speaking French, and weighed 18.14 and were 30.5 inches at your year check-up.
December: 13 months
You gave up on bottles completely, cut three more teeth, developed a love relationship with anything in the house you could open and close, started saying "uh-oh", "baby" and "dye-dye", enjoyed your second Christmas with presents o'plenty, and fell in love with Sesame Street and Elmo.
January: 2 months old
You started sleeping from 11-6, which did my heart and mental stability good, started cooing and giggling, and I finally captured you smiling at your daddy on camera. I started back to work begrudgingly.
February: 3 months
Still hated tummy time, but fell in love with mirrors and Mr. Octopus, loved bouncing in the baby bjorn, and you began a six month teething process with pools of drool on your mouth at all times.
March: 4 months
You started grinning from ear to ear with the sweetest, drooliest smile I have ever seen, we all three survived pacifier bootcamp since you went on sleeping haitus from weeks 15-18, and you weighed 15 lbs, 15 oz. at your checkup.
April: 5 months
You fell in love with your stroller and would laugh and giggle every time we put you in it, you were dedicated at church on Easter Sunday, spent your first Sunday in the nursery, and you finally rolled over right before you turned five months. We started rice cereal for a week or so, but I was in denial that you were old enough to try solids so I took you back to solely nursing until your six month check-up.
May: 6 months
You had carrots and green beans for the first time, said "da-da", weighed 17.6 pounds and were 27 inches long at your checkup, started sucking on your toes and learning how to give "kisses", started sitting up on your own two weeks before you turned six months, and I had my first Mother's Day with you.
June: 7 months
We went swimming for the first time, daddy had his first Father's day, you took your first plane ride with me to Dallas and did beautifully, fell off the bed onto the hard floor and my heart nearly collapsed from the guilt, and started sitting in your high chair.
July: 8 months
You started leaning over the rail of your crib and daddy had to lower it, started crawling and pulling up on everything, went through a "hold-me-hold-me-don't-put-me-down-or-walk-out-of-the-room-or-I'll-start-screaming" phase that was a bit stressful, and I bought you a little pool that you absolutely loved.
August: 9 months
You weighed 18.2 pounds and were 30 inches at your nine month well check, started cruising along the furniture, you were a flower girl in Auntie Am's wedding, and your first tooth broke through.
September: 10 months
You got sick for the first time with a virus, finally said "mama", took your first long plane ride and met your cousins in Cleveland, started your first day of PDO, cut your second tooth, started clapping when we said "good girl!" and began feeding yourself.
October: 11 months
You started standing up on your own, found your rhythm and learned how to dance, fell in love with drinking from a straw, started sleeping 12 hours at night, and began developing quite a sassy personality.
November: one year!
You had your one year birthday on November 11th, enjoyed a fabulous party and first trip to the Science Spectrum, started walking, cut your third tooth, started speaking French, and weighed 18.14 and were 30.5 inches at your year check-up.
December: 13 months
You gave up on bottles completely, cut three more teeth, developed a love relationship with anything in the house you could open and close, started saying "uh-oh", "baby" and "dye-dye", enjoyed your second Christmas with presents o'plenty, and fell in love with Sesame Street and Elmo.
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