Monday, March 26, 2012

Pause Please.

The other day Adalyn fell asleep on me and she was holding on to my watch and I couldn't help but see the irony.
These past few weeks I've really been wishing I could pause time.
Pause Adalyn growing.
Just for a little.
I just need some extra time to soak everything in a little bit longer.
With vacation and the move I am feeling a little overwhelmed.
Painting, unpacking, redecorating etc is all going on at the same time my little baby is growing up.
I'm with her every day, we play and cuddle every day, but I feel like I can't fully enjoy it with everything that needs to be done.
I just want to pause her growing, finish the house and then we can carry on.
But it doesn't work like that.
So I am trying to find a balance.
I want to get back into cloth diapering.
Back to making dinners every night.
Back to keeping up with the laundry.

The fact that I never got to make a pregnancy photo book, or a 3 month update and now she's 4 months..and I haven't done that post yet either...
it's all overwhelming and flying by!! 
I just want to get caught up, but I don't know if I will because I don't want to miss out on the now while focusing on writing about the past. 
I am so so thankful for pictures and my iPhone- that part of her life is more than documented!
So I am thinking my best bet is to make a daily list of just a few projects to do each day and try and catch up that way. 
Hopefully that will work! 

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

3 Month Recap

Adalyn Faith, 

 It blows my mind that I am writing your 3 month post as you are quickly approaching 6 months.
 Not only because it proves how far behind I am on documenting your life, but also because it is going by so so so so fast. And yes, I will say that every time I do a recap. This time I am writing it late, but posting it at the right time so it at least appears to be in the right order and timeframe of your life. 

You truly bring your dad and I so much joy and an overwhelming sense of love each and every day. 

As each day goes by, you experience many "firsts" and this month was no exception- you were busy!

We brought you to the Dr. the day you turned 3 months to make sure you didn't have an ear infection before we went on a plane and vacation to Colorado. You hadn't really been acting like your normal self, you were a lot fussier than normal and then you would have bouts of screaming for no apparent reason, but it seemed like you were in pain. Most people say colic usually ends around 3 months and for some reason it seemed like yours was just starting. Everyone told me that when the 3 month mark hits it feels like you can breath again and it's a completely different baby. Well, they were right about the different baby part- but it wasn't in a good way! Thankfully this only lasted about two weeks- ended right before we left for CO- who knows what it was, maybe a little acid reflux and a growth spurt. You were totally healthy and weighed in at 13.9 lbs.
Sometimes I think you're in disbelief, but we love your chunky thighs and sweet rolls. 

You're wearing mostly size 2 diapers, you squeeze into a few left over size 1 from time to time. 
We are on a break with cloth diapering because we've been busy with packing up the apartment and getting ready for vacation. 

I've packed away your 3 month clothing and now you're wearing some 3-6 and mostly 6.

02.22.12
This has been a great winter and it had warmed up quite a bit so I decided to put on your little jacket and head on over to the park! It's so convenient living literally right across from the park. 
It was your first time on the swings! You didn't really love it or hate it, you just kind of hung out and enjoyed it. 
Over time you started to get the idea and you enjoyed it! 
You liked watching your shadow while you swung.

Daddy is going back to school for his MBA and sometimes you like to help with his homework

02.23.12
You went on your first airplane. It was a direct flight and 5 hours long. I was a little nervous about how you would be- 3 hours I thought we could handle, 5 hours + a 2 hour time change- I was a little worried. But you did great! You started the trip to the airport sleeping, we made it through security and people watched until our flight, you fell asleep on the runway {after pooping and not being able to be changed, of course!} you slept for a couple hours, watched some baby einstein when you got a little antsy and played on the tray table. 
You were awesome! Even when we landed and sat on the runway for 20 minutes! It wasn't until we were heading to our luggage that you completely lost it, and continued to lose it while we waited, on the 45 minute drive to Grandma Anne's and pretty much all the way til bedtime. You stopped crying a few times for a rest, but you were so done with the day and so overtired. Completely understandable.


The rest of the time in CO you were better than I could've ever expected! You were happy, smiley, let people you didn't know hold you and best of all you slept great! Better than at home! 

You are normally a good sleeper- you typically go to bed around 8:30/9 and only wake a few times for your paci. You wake for a bottle around 6ish and go back to sleep until 9ish. In CO you would go to bed around 7:30 and pretty much sleep through the whole night without needed your paci back in, you would wake around 5:30/6 for your bottle and then go back to sleep until, sometimes, 10! I had to wake you up one morning and you acted like a little teenager! 
You give the sweetest smiles when I kiss you good morning.

02.25.12
You used a high chair for the first time at a restaurant. 
You ended up doing this quite a few times while we were out and you did great! I was bummed I didn't bring our chair cover with us...but oh well! 

At this point you weren't on solid food yet, you usually eat about 6oz of Similac Sensitive every 3-4 hours. 

You still love your tubby time. We do it to keep you clean, but also as a routine before bed. 
You are also obsessed with your hands in your mouth. 
You have been sucking on your thumb a lot lately, but it's more for play rather than for soothing.
You still use your paci for soothing, but if that's not in your mouth than you can pretty much always find your hand or your thumb! 
You're also super drooly so it's possible you could be teething already!

02.27.12
We were so excited to see you in the pool since you love the bath so much.  You went in with daddy and you loved it! I think you could've stayed in much longer! You will have lots of fun this summer at the pool at the farm!
After the pool you were wiped out, though!


You are obsessed with doing "crunches". I tell you over and over again that 1. Everyone loves chunky babies and not to worry about a 6 pack right now and 2. RELAX! 
Seriously, every time we put you on the ground you do this.

You can sit up for a few seconds too.

And you're not really a fan of tummy time.
And you usually just roll back over to your back.

02.29.12
Was your 100th day!
Best 100 days of our lives!

You are full of funny facial expressions


03.02.12
Your first time at the movies. Yes, you're a bit young, but you are a Grace girl and I am sure there will be many more in your future!
We went with Mimi, Uncle CJ and Auntie Ali and we saw the Lorax while on vacation. You did great- you watched about 20 minutes of it and slept the rest of the time!

03.10.12
We moved into our new townhouse and you slept in your big girl crib for the first time!
You slept great!
We stopped swaddling you at night when you were about 2 months and we moved you into the sleep sack and a little after 3.5 months we stopped the sleep sack. It didn't really seem long enough for you and you preferred the freedom without it. 

3.12.12
Was your first nap in your crib. You love sleeping on your right side.
I'm pretty sure it lasted about 20 minutes.
Fail.
Your swing naps were usually 3-4 hours twice a day.
But you're growing too fast and quickly becoming too big for your swing so I started to transition you to your crib for naps times.
I still have you nap in there from time to time just to give mommy a little break to get some things done.
I know our days with the swing are quickly coming to an end though.

You love to be "walked"
It's the cutest thing hearing and seeing your little feet take steps.

You love when we go to the farm, you get to go on the swing and your aunties want to play with you.
Auntie Ali plays with you too, I guess I need to get more pictures with you and her!
They are always on some sort of schedule with who gets to hold you next.

You like the exersaucer at the farm too, but you usually don't like to stay in there for longer than 15 minutes or so

Our new place has great sidewalks and neighborhoods to go on walks- so with the warmer weather we've been doing that quite a bit.
The new playground is like a whole 5 minute walk and by the time we get there you are almost always sleeping!

03.17.12
St. Patricks day and your first time eating cereal. You liked it more than the pictures portray!

It was also your first time in the Jumperoo which you loved!

03.18.12
Was the one year anniversary of when we found out you would be joining our family- Our little miracle!
And you wore the bib we surprised Nana & Papa with when we told them in St. John

I love spending my days with you. Even though you can't talk yet, I always appreciate your company!
My laundry, cuddling, grocery shopping and everything in-between buddy!

We love you so so much! Your smile {and dimples} always brightens our day.
It also looks like your pretty blue eyes are here to stay!


Feel free to slow down whenever.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Two Pink Lines

Sorry I have been absent from blogging the past 2 weeks- we moved and we haven't had internet.

And I am busy shopping, decorating, unpacking, drawing something, and enjoying the gorgeous weather.

But today is an important day...
a year ago today our lives changed forever when we saw the {extremely faint} two pink lines.
We were beyond ecstatic.

After 10 long months we were so thankful to finally see two.

And to be in such a beautiful place {St. John} and to be with Mr. B's parents to share the news. 

Today we put our little miracle in the bib and shirt we bought his parents to tell them.
She is such a blessing to us and we can not imagine our lives without her. 

Thank you, Jesus for our sweet little girl!!                                                                       

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Like Finding a Diamond in the Snow..

This happened over vacation.

I went to show Ben the dry skin I was getting under my ring and 
BAM.

It was gone.

Forever. 

The whole finding a needle in a haystack....kind of like finding a diamond in the snow.

Near impossible.

No loose prongs.

Not caught on anything.

The whole thing.

Popped out.

Gone.

We didn't have insurance on the diamond, Mr. B was only 19 and the ring was expensive enough.

This is actually a new setting I got almost a year to the day. 

I never went to my 6 month inspection.

They wouldn't cover the diamond anyway.

I am so thankful for this face  
She has helped put it all into perspective for me that it is just a "thing".

Of course, a special "thing".

A beautiful "thing".

But it is replaceable. 

It's hard to cry about something like that when you see those sweet eyes, big cheeks and dimples looking into your watery eyes. 

There are much greater and important things in life. 

I am also thankful for the support and kind words from Mr. B, I thought he was going to be really upset and he wasn't!

I am extra thankful it wasn't really my fault. I don't have the best track record of keeping jewelry safe {with the exception of my wedding ring!} so it's a relief that I didn't lose it/misplace it or something. 

There really was nothing I could have done.

I don't even remember hitting my hand hard, or at all, on anything!

Although there far greater things in life, this girl does love diamonds and it's still a 
big bummer. 
period. 

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Never Again


Ignore the stains on the couch.

It's Roxie drool and needs to be cleaned.

Ignore the fact that Rawhide is bad for dogs.

It keeps her busy and quiet.

Let's focus on the mess, shall we?
{never mind the drool stains on the window- that's a free and I am willing to sacrifice}

You see, this clearance 97 cent treat is so not worth it.

If I could go back in time I would say do not do it!!!!!

It's not a good deal.

It's a scam.

What's the point of keeping them busy if you have to clean up after the fact therefore creating more work for yourself??

This 97 cents is not worth the 10 minutes of sanity that it gave.

You are actually spending 97 cents on yourself to vacuum the living room again. 

The rug.

The couch.

Trails through the kitchen.

Our bed.

One treat.

This is obviously not the one she ate.

I bought 4 of these.

Oh yes I did. 

So not only did I pay 97 cents to vacuum again.

I threw away a few dollars, too.

The rest of those darn treats are finding a new home in the trash.

We will be sticking to peanut butter in the Kong.

Who me?

Yeah.

Never. Again.

And here's a better question...

What is so unappetizing about all those little pieces?

Why can't she eat those??

Seriously, never again.