Lolo - 7 mths

Lolo,

You are 7 months old!  Can you believe it?!  I can't!  Pretty soon we are going to be celebrating your one year birthday, unbelievable!  You are so so sweet!  Such a happy little girl.  You hardly ever cry.  You just love life!  How did we get so lucky to have such a great baby? :)

Your little personality continues to blossom.  This month we started doing baby led weaning instead of feeding you pureed baby foods.  You love this so much more.  I really thought you just hated food until I let you feed yourself.  One of the main reasons we did this was because your daddy found an article online that showed what was really was in baby food! No way was I feeding you that!  You love bananas, pears, apples,  and sweet potatoes.  You also love your sippy cup and drinking water from it.  You get so excited everytime I hand you your cup.  If you see mommy or daddy with a cup of water you immediately think it is your water and grab it and put it to your mouth.  It's pretty funny the look of determination you get in your face. 

You are sitting up so good on your own.  You are still talking/babbling away and squealing at times.  You have started reaching for us when we pick you up after work.  It's the sweetest thing.  You recently found your tongue and love sticking it out.  You started mocking your daddy the other night by blowing your tongue at him after he did it to you. 

You went on your first vacation this month to Branson and did so well! 

You have started playing by yourself some in the mornings while we are getting ready.  You love your stackable bowls and sophie. 

You have two bottom teeth coming in at the same time.  You handled them so well and was only fussy one day. 

You have become a little attached to your little blankie.  Recently you started falling asleep on your own for naps in the swing if you are given your lovey.  Now we just have to transition you out of that swing into your pack-n-play for naps...You sleep so well in the pack-n-play at night, but we just aren't quite ready to get out of the swing for naps yet. 

Your cousin Lexi just adores you.  When Aunt Shannon watches you and I come to pick you up, Lexi makes sure to tell me that you are "her mama's wowo" and "no no coco."  She even went so far as to cry so hard because I came to get you.  It was pretty cute.  I hope you guys become best buddies!

The amount of joy you bring to our lives is just unbelievable sweet girl.  We love you so so much!  I don't know how I can grow to love you more everyday, but I do.  I thank God for you every single day and for letting me be your mama :)

Lo - 4 Months

Lolo Bear,

I can't believe you are 4 months old already (February 5).  I feel like I say that every month.  But time is just flying by.  I wish it would please slow down.  You are giggling out loud so much now.  Its the cutest sound ever.  Your nana makes you laugh harder than anyone.  You are such a happy little girl!  Your fourth month brought about some big changes since I had to go back to work.  It was tough, but we are surviving!  I think it is harder on mommy than it is on you sweet girl.  One thing is for sure, you HATE taking a bottle.  Such a stubborn little girl you are.  Your daddy stayed home with you one week, your nana stayed with you one week, your granny stayed with you two weeks, and then we got a nanny to stay with you for the last week of January to help take care of you while I was at work.  You seemed to have fun with them and do well, but you also seemed to love the moment when I got home.  Going back to work made me treasure the time that I have with you even more, if that is even possible.  You are getting so big sweet girl and just have the sweetest personality.  You have started to grab at things a lot and just recently refused taking a binky.  You were sleeping through the night so well before I went back to work, but I think you must miss me now, so you like to wake up more in the middle of the night and cuddle with me ;)

I haven't taken you for you 4 month check up yet, but you weigh around 13-14 pounds.  You are our little chunky monkey and we couldn't adore you more!  This has been the best 4 months of our life.  We love you so much!

Lo - Two Months Old!

Lolo,

How are you already two months old (December 5)?!?  Where does the time go?  sigh...

You are the sweetest baby.  We just adore you.  You are starting to smile, especially in the morning.  You have the cutest gummy grin around.  You have also started cooing at us and it is just the most adorable sound I've ever heard.  You love music and love to kick your legs and move your arms, "dance."  Your changing table is still your happy place.  I think you could lay there for hours.  You are still a great sleeper, sleeping around 6 hours a night, eating, then going back to sleep for 4 more hours.  You still love to eat and you have got the chubbiest cheeks and legs because of it.  You are my chunky little monkey.  You love your daddy and always give him lots of smiles when he comes home from work.  You are such a cuddle bug in the early hours of the morning after you get done eating and I think I could hold you on my chest forever.  I just love you to pieces little girl and thank God so much for you everyday.

You weigh 11 pounds now and are around 21 inches long.  You love your daily naps and take 3 of them during the day.  And you still hate tummy time.  Your little cousin Lexi just adores you and always wants to lay beside you on the activity mat.

I still sit around while you are sleeping and just stare at you. I think you are the most beautiful little girl in the whole world.  You have become a little chunk!  I call you my chunky monkey.  I finally got the courage to take you to your 2 month well child check up.  I was only a week and a day late.  At your check up you weighed 12 lbs 3 ounces and were 22 inches long.  You were in the 50-75% for weight and head circumference and in the 25-50% for length.  You did not like getting your immunizations, neither did I.  It stressed me out.  You actually cried real tears and made mommy and daddy so sad. And the day after was not any fun! 

I can't believe how fast 2 months have gone by...

Daddy & I love you soo soo much little girl!  More than you will ever be able to imagine. 

Lo's First Thanksgiving

You will experience a lot of your first holidays right away pretty girl!  First you had your first Halloween and now you have your first Thanksgiving!  We didn't do much.  You Great Aunt Susan, Uncle Richie, and Cousin Sean flew in from NY to see you!  We had a great time visiting with them.  Since you were still so little and young we didn't want you around too many people.  You didn't seem to mind :)

Lo's First Halloween

Lo was Minnie Mouse for Halloween!  She was the cutest little mouse I've ever seen.  Andrew and I took her out to eat for the occasion.  I was a little paranoid of course, but it was nice to get out of the house for a bit.  She of course slept the entire time and was an angel.  

We attempted to get the cute baby in a pumpkin picture, but we didn't have the best of luck...  I think the big bow was weighing her head down :)

Memories :)

Three Weeks Old

Dear Lo,

How are you already three weeks old (October 26)?  I wish I could push pause.  We just love you so very much sweet girl!  You now weigh 7 pounds!  You also are enjoying bath time a little more.  This week, we spent our first days alone at home together!  And we did great :)  We got into a routine of, as your daddy would say, ESP (eat, sleep, poop).  You eat every three hours, then we play, then you sleep, then we repeat.  Your daddy took some really cute pictures of you this week.  You are just the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

We bought you a new car today!  Something more comfortable and safer for you to ride in.  It has lots of room and even a DVD player for you when you get bigger!  Your daddy calls it, "a glorified mini van."  You love it!  It puts you right to sleep every single time.

You are sleeping so good!  Around 4-5 hours at night.

You like laying on your activity mat, and looking up, but you are not a fan of tummy time. 

It seems that you are starting to focus more and more. And boy have you got some hair!

We love you sweet girl!  And I sure do wish time would slow down.

Two weeks old

I can't believe my baby girl is two weeks old already (October 19)!  How has that much time already passed?  My mom came up and stayed with me this week, since Andrew had to go back to work.  It was great!  So nice to have help and meals prepared for us.  I'm so thankful for my mom.  There is no one else like you mother during times like this.  Having a daughter now, makes me realize why my mom was the way she was with me.  It ALL makes sense.  Finally! :)  I get it.  All of it.  And I fear her crazy protective ways, were mild compared to how I will be.  My poor baby ;)  The thought of leaving her gives me anxiety.  I even get anxiety when people are wanting to hold her for more than a few minutes.  I have a feeling I am going to need to be medicated...kidding..kinda.

Baby Lo enjoyed her second OU football game this week.  She also started grunting this week.  It's so funny!  Andrew and I just stare at her and laugh.  She also watched her first movie upstairs.  She slept peacefully through the whole thing.

On her 2 week birthday, we drove my mom back home and I had a doctors appointment.  It was HARD leaving my family again.  It's hard being so far away now that we have a baby.  It's way harder than I ever imagined it would be.  Maybe it's the hormones, but I just think that there is something so calming about having your mom there with you at a time like this.  Having her there with my during labor and then with me for a week was something I will never forget and forever appreciate.  Like I said, there is no one else like your mother.

Happy 2 weeks old Lolo bear!  We love you more everyday!

Thank you God for a beautiful healthy baby!

I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 1 Samuel 1:27

*please pray for those still yearning to start their family, may God bless them with a child when His time is perfect. 

One week old

October 12

We stayed in the hospital for 3 days due to my c-section.  The rest of the days following Lo's birthday were filled with sleepless nights and lots of visitors.  I can't even begin to count the amount of people who came to see us.  We are very blessed with lots of people who love and care about us and our new baby.

Day 2 was a little stressful.  We were trying to get the hang of breast feeding and Lo and I were both stressed out about the whole thing!  My awesome husband jumped right in and did whatever he could to help.  He called the lactation nurse, got me a pump, cleaned all the supplies, sterilized everything for me, etc.  He was awesome!    

On night number 2, Baby Lo was so fussy.  Probably because she was frustrated that I had no milk to give her...She was probably starving, wouldn't you be?  I finally asked for a binky that night.  I was desperate.  I also let her sleep in bed with me.  I couldn't help it.  I was desperate to do whatever worked so that we could both get a little sleep.  And I will tell you that there is nothing more precious than a sleeping baby on your chest.

The following day, Lo seemed to latch on better and eat more frequently.  I don't know if it was the binky or what but I was so very thankful!  There is nothing more frustrating than feeling like you can't help/satisfy your baby.  

The following day we finally got to go home!  Andrew was ready, but I was a little nervous about going home.  I was still so so sore and worried about getting around and we had quite the drive to make.  But I was excited for a little peace and quiet and down time with just my husband and my baby.  Lo did great in the car!  She slept the entire way home.  I got to rest a little too.

We made it home around 4 pm.  It sure was nice to be home and sleep in my own bed!  Lo did great that first night home.  I woke her every 2-3 hours to eat.  The second night home however was a different story...

We gave Lo her first bath at home that night.  She HATED it.  She screamed the entire time.  Poor baby.  Then around 8pm that night, she got really really fussy and cried for hours.  She refused to eat, sleep, etc.  All she did was fuss and act like she was in pain.  It was heartbreaking.  I sat in the rocker with her until 4 am and rocked her and prayed for her to eat and get some relief.  Finally around 4 am, she ate!  Thank God!  I put her to sleep around 5 am and finally got some rest.  That night was rough...

Thankfully, my milk finally came in the following day and we haven't had a night like that since.  Andrew learned how to use my breast pump and cleaned, organized, and stored everything for me, I'm telling you, he has been so great!  We got into a little routine and had a great first week at home together as a family.

On October 11, we took Lo to her first doctor appointment.  She loves her doctor :)  She weighed in at a big 5 pounds 13 ounces.  She had gotten down to 5 pounds 12 ounces in the hospital, so I was happy to see she was at least gaining weight now, even if it was just an ounce.  Besides being a tad bit yellow...ok a lot yellow, she was doing great!  Thank God for a healthy baby!

Lo's first week of life was the most incredible week of our life.  What an amazing blessing we were given with this beautiful healthy baby girl.  It's so crazy how this tiny human being comes into your life and this indescribable over-the-top consuming love just immediately happens.  We love this little girl more than we can put words too.  I just sit with her and rock her and the tears just start streaming down my face.  God has blessed us so much with her and I am forever grateful for this wonderful gift.     

I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 1 Samuel 1:27

*please pray for those still yearning to start their family, may God bless them with a child when His time is perfect.