5 Month Update!

Dear Lauren,

If life had a pause button that you could hit so that you could spend as much time as you wanted soaking up the moment, I would so use it right now. You're growing and changing so fast. Watching you grow and discover your world makes me happier than anything. And discovering new things is something you've been doing a lot of lately. Here's a little bit about wonderful, 5 month old you!

Learning and playing: you've been discovering and learning so many new things lately, mostly about your little self! You've discovered your toes, and they are by far your very favorite toys. When you're laying on your back your feet are either in your hands or in your mouth. Like so...



It's definitely made diaper changes a little difficult, lol. Especially when combined with the wiggles! You love to move, and I really do think crawling is just around the corner! Right now you move around mostly by rolling over. Daddy or I will set you down, and a few minutes later you're at least a couple feet away from where you were! And guess what else you're doing! You are officially sitting up all by yourself!! You're such a big girl! :) You're also learning about all the fun noises you can make, and when daddy or I show you new noises you can make you get super giggly and happy. The other thing you're learning more about are faces. Faces are one of your favorites right now too. You love to grab noses or ears or mouths... Or eyes (ouch).and right now I'm happy I have any hair left at all... I'm pulling clumps of my hair out of your hands all day, lol.

Sleeping: With the huge steps forward in your mobility, we have encountered a problem. For the last two months you have slept in your swing (and slept very well, I might add!!) But now when you get the wiggles you can practically wiggle yourself right out of your swing. More than once I've checked on you and found you sleeping on your TUMMY in your swing... How did you manage to roll over in your swing my love? needless to say, your swing isn't the safest place for you anymore. We buckle you in, but you don't love being strapped down. So we're working on transitioning to the crib. You're not exactly a fan. And with so many things in your life changing right now (new home, and with my work schedule and daddy's school schedule, you don't exactly have a a strict daily routine anymore), I can't force this on you too. So we're taking it slow. You've been learning to sleep on a flat surface by taking naps on mine and daddy's bed, and have even fallen asleep on your own a couple times in your crib! You're such a big girl :) One thing you do when you're tired is rub your eyes. Cutest. Thing. Ever.

Eating: Oh sweet girl. You're not loving your bottle anymore. If daddy or I are eating something and we try to, heaven forbid, give you a bottle... You get MAD. You're reaching for our plates and start licking your lips! So cute! I know your doctor says absolutely no solid food until 6 months old, and you don't seem overtly hungry to me... But I think we may start introducing solids in the next couple weeks anyway. You just clearly would rather eat food than drink a bottle :) I love you, Miss Opinionated!

Stats: I didn't think I would know this because you don't have an official check up until next month, but you are 15 lbs 2 oz!! (The reason we know this... I was sure you had an ear infection because you keep grabbing your right ear and are um, a little fussy lately, so I took you to the doctor today. The verdict- no ear infection, you just really love to play with your ears). Silly girl!

Oh an one more thing that I have to add because it is just SO adorable... anytime you're super grumpy or your teeth are hurting you, we turn out the lights and Daddy gets out his LIGHT SABER, and you are in AWE. When I say in awe I mena you are utterly silent, mouth open, and darling little hands outstretched trying to reach the pretty red light. Seriously baby, I adore you. Every single thing about you!

New

It feels like so much is changing right now. It's really not, but it feels that way. We're in the process of moving, and we are so excited about it! Honestly though, it feels a little bittersweet. This was Lauren's first home. Her first bedroom. It's where I learned how amazing a newborn is and watched my husband become this incredible dad. And even though we've outgrown it (by A LOT...), I'm going to miss it. It was so good to us.

I am so excited though about our new home! NEW being the key word there. Brand spankin new. This is where Lauren will learn to crawl. And walk! It's where she'll start eating solid foods and talking to us. And seriously, I am SO excited!

I'll put pictures up as soon as there aren't boxes EVERYWHERE :) Wish me luck...

I wish I had known how much I was going to miss Lauren sleeping on me every night. I know I'm going to need to teach her to fall asleep on her own soon, but I'm just not ready to give up cuddling her to sleep yet.

4 months old

Dear Lauren,

You're 4 months old, baby! 4 months! You're getting so big! You have your 4 month checkup in a few days and we'll know just how much you've grown. But you keep growing into and then out of new clothes, so I'm excited to find out just how big you are! You've been learning so much and so quickly lately, and you just astound your father and me with how smart you are. Watching you discover new things makes us so happy.

Learning and playing: You are so smart, baby love! It seems like you learn something new every few days. And you get so excited when you discover something new! You love the tummy time toys we got you for Christmas, and as a result you actually enjoy tummy time now! You rolled over again on December 20, and when you saw how excited I got, you got the biggest smile on your face and let out the cutest giggle! You're kind of sitting up on your own now too! I say kind of because you can sit up without me holding onto you if you're on my lap, but if you're sitting on the floor you lean waaaaay forward for awhile, and then tip over. Seriously, you are so cute! Your favorite toys are your play gym- especially the butterfly, your pink giraffe, your bunny, and a little fish rattle. Your eyes light up when you see them and you get the biggest smile on your face! Speaking of things that make you smile... you've become great friends with both your aunts lately. You adore Emily and Jana, and it makes me so happy to know you love them so much. But you save your biggest smiles for your Daddy. I know you love me- I'm the one you want when you want to cuddle and I can still tell what you need better than anyone- but you are such a Daddy's girl. It makes me so happy to see how happy your daddy makes you. You just adore him!

Sleep: Well my love, you are finally CONSISTENTLY sleeping on your own! You sleep in your swing, and you sleep for about 10-12 hours every night, and generally take about 2 naps during the day. You usually fall asleep in my arms, but occasionally if you're really tired you'll fall asleep in your swing on your own. You're so grown up! :)

Eating: You are so strong willed and independent (well... as independent as you can be, right now, lol) You love to hold your own bottle! But if you get too excited about it, you start smacking your bottle right out of your mouth. It's made feeding you rather challenging. lol.

Teething: If I had any doubts before that you were teething, I don't anymore. You haven't had any teethe cut through yet, but the drool has reached a new level. You go through so many outfits every day because they're soaked through from drool. You have some teething toys that we keep in the fridge that you seem to like, but mostly you chew on your hands, or my hand, or my shoulder, or whatever is closest. You've had a few rough nights where I can tell you're in pain and it just breaks my heart. Tylenol and Orajel help, but they can only do so much.

Your Favorites:

1. Being nekkid! It's not that you dislike clothes, its that you love to be naked!

2. Baths. You are either super wiggly and playing, or you get so relaxed that you fall asleep! It's so sweet :)

3. The TV and the computer screen. Oh boy.

4. Kisses

Family Time!

A few days ago we got home from a super fun week with Robbie's family! It was so fun to have EVERYONE together. Lauren had so much fun playing with her cousins and soaking up some love from Grandma and Papa. She was so happy and just adored playing with Haylee and Rylee. I really do think Lauren and Rylee have some kind of special "hey, I remember you!" bond. They just adore each other and it is so much fun to watch.

Playing pat-a-cake with Grandma!


Throwing it in the oven!


Lauren and Grandma Mary


Me, Lauren, and Rylee


Lauren loves her new exersaucer!


LoLo and YaYa!


LoLo and Hayls!


Mommy and Lauren. I love this girl so much!


One night while we were there Grandma Mary watched Lauren so Robbie and I could go on a date! We had so much fun!!! Thank you so much!

2011 in Review

2011 has been the most eventful and exciting year of my entire life thus far. My experiences this year have changed me forever, and I have never been happier than I am now. Such a truly awesome year deserves a recap.

In January we found out we were pregnant (miracles do happen!)



In February I became licensed as a registered nurse. yay!

sorry, no pics of that....

In March I had a subchorionic hemorrhage and spent a week on bed rest.

.....yeah.... I don't have any pictures of that, either, lol

In April we found out our little miracle was a GIRL!



In May I worked on all the baby projects I had been planning for years and loved every minute of it!



In June Robbie took a trip to California with a few of his friends. They had so much fun! I quit my job as a rehab nurse so I could focus on my other job as a psych nurse. It is my dream job and I LOVE it.



In July Robbie and I took a trip to Washington to see his best friend from high school get married. We had a blast!


In August I started my last semester of school ever and got seriously spoiled at two awesome baby showers!



In September our amazing daughter Lauren was born and showed us just what pure joy actually feels like.


In October we cuddled our brand new baby and Lauren rolled over for the first time- quite the accomplishment for her 16 day old, barely 6 pound little self!( to tell you how tiny she is, thats a burp cloth she's covered with)

In November we took a trip to visit Robbie's parents, I worked liked a crazy woman to finish up school, and we loved every minute of cuddling our beautiful girl.

In December I graduated from college for good and we celebrated our first Christmas together as a family of three. I've never felt so blessed and so completely happy in my entire life.

Merry Lauren's First Christmas!

(pics coming soon)
I love firsts. Her first cry, her first smile, the first time she rolled over, and now her first Christmas! I think it's pretty safe to say Lauren loved Christmas! All the pretty lights have captured her attention all month long and it has been so much fun to see the excitement in her eyes when we turn the Christmas tree on. And she may not have cared as much about the opening presents part, but she sure is loving the playing with what she got part!
Christmas Eve: I worked all day Christmas Eve, but as soon as I got off we headed to my parents for a nice relaxing evening together. I love traditions, and one of my very favorites is opening new Christmas jammies on Christmas eve. Lauren got her first Christmas pajamas... I may cry.
Christmas Day: when I got off work at noon, I came home and Robbie, Lauren and I opened presents for the first time as the three of us :) Santa brought Lauren a crib soother that plays music and has pretty lights, and she absolutely adores it. From Mommy and Daddy she got some tummy time toys and a princess wand rattle. Loving it! After we opened presents we went to my parents where, as Robbie says, Lauren made out like a bandit! By far her favorite present that day- a baby play gym. So many baby giggles. So. Much. Fun!
Christmas continues!: after Christmas we were able to go to Robbie's parents house where, once again, Lauren made out like a bandit!she opened another favorite- her baby exersaucer! She's a bit tiny and needs a pillow under her feet and a blanket behind her back, but she is adoring it! I will do a whole post about this super fun trip soon!

Last Christmas I could only dream about what it would be like to hold my baby in my arms. It's so wonderful to know that dreams really can come true, and it can be even better than you imagined it.