90 DAYS

Dear Grace,

Ninety days ago, I was given the most precious joy in the world, YOU. I got to see you and hold you for the first time. I cannot believe how quickly these 3 months have gone by.
You have gotten so big and grown so much in these past months. You can hold your own head up and love to be on your belly so you can show off. When Daddy and I put you on your belly you giggle and coo. You talk in almost any position though. But your belly is a favorite. You like to be independent and get irritated when Daddy holds you too much. You want to be free to kick and throw your arms around.
There is really not anything that I would not do for you, and I enjoy each and every minute of the day that I get to spend with you. I look forward to your smile that spreads across your face when I wake you up or before I pick you up from your crib. And the smile that comes right before you drift off to sleep. It is one of the best parts of my day.
My precious little girl, I love you very much, more than I ever thought I would or even could. I am so very deeply in love with you!

Yours Truly,
Mom

Sleepy BABY!

It has been a quick 10 weeks! Miss Gracie is finally packing on some weight and we are starting to see those adorable baby fat rolls that are ONLY cute on babies! In fact she has gotten so long we had to transition her out of the pack n play and into her crib! I think the transition was more for Mom and Dad rather than her, it didn't seem to phase her one bit.

We are so grateful for her sleeping habits! She is sleeping through the night and takes multiple naps each day. In fact, I just snuck in and took this picture of her! This is usually how she ends up sleeping. But she will sleep anywhere! She slept through Uncle Josh's entire wedding! And most of the reception.

But sometimes the little stinker does not want to sleep and when Mommy goes into check on her, Grace's eyes POP open and the smile instantly shines. . It is amazing how quickly she is growing. The first and last pictures in this post are only 10 days apart!

Growing Big

Grace spent 8 days with Mom and Gi-Gi in Florida. She loved to watch the palm trees sway in the wind and listen to the bird chirp. As a traveler is is fabulous, she likes to watch people and when the plane gets too noisy she shuts her eyes and falls fast asleep.

She has FINALLY begun to grow and at 9 weeks she weighed 9.5 pounds. She put on a pound and a half in one week after we began to give her formula after each feeding. So this means she is finally beginning to grow out of her newborn sized clothes and we can try out lots of other new outfits and looks!

Getting the poo off her back! Yuck!

Today was Grace's first bath! Michael had asked me a few days ago when we should start bathing her. I calmly responded that there was no rush, she's not really getting dirty. That was until, I went upstairs this evening to change her diaper before a feeding and WOWZER! The poor baby had poop up to her bubbies and all the way up her back!

Oddly enough Michael and I celebrated this as she have been worried about her lack of poo! And Michael was VERY happy I was changing her as he has gotten almost all of the poo diapers.


All clean, getting dried off Wide awake and not quite ready for her diaper

Grace was a champ and seemed to enjoy her bath, until I washed her hair, she didn't like getting her head wet. She seemed to like the sense of freedom of being without clothes and diapers. I have noticed that she loves for me to leave her diaper off for a while when I change her, I think her love of "freedom" must come from her Daddy.

All warm, snuggly and clean!

Spring has Sprung!

With the windows open and the sun shining! Today is a great day! We took a family walk around the block to get some fresh air! Grace did such a wonderful job, she slept the entire time! Oscar works hard to ensure that he is in front of the stroller, as he needs to be first in line! Can't wait to get more endurance to go farther and farther! My goal is to try and start running with the hopes of doing a 1/2 marathon in July with friends. Another goal of mine was to lose 30 lbs before I went back to work in August. I'm almost there, I went the the DR the other day and I am 16 pounds less than I was when I got pregnant! That still doesn't mean I am back in my jeans, though I have worn "regualr" pants a few times! Slowly but surely!

"All right Gracie, what did we win?"

This is Michael talking to Grace as he changes her diaper, Grace responds with a lovely scream. Oh how the conversation has changed in this house. Just three weeks ago it was of house projects, work and plans...now it is of poop, pee and mostly feedings.

Feedings have not been a source of enjoyment this past week but I am praying that today we have turned the corner. A lovely piece of silicon to help with feedings and hopefully Miss Grace will begin to put on the ounces and continue to eat.

I'm not sure what I would have done without the support system of my husband. my parents, and our friends. I don't think I have discussed my ta-tas with so many people in my life. Nor have so many people seen or manhandled them. Michael and I have lost count the number of nurses and consultants that have grabbed and moved the girls around. The poor things need a vacation, I'm sure!

EAT, PEE, POOP

It is so amazing how much your life changes the day you hold that little one in your arms. I am still realizing the full effects of the impact it has on our life from how we talk to one another, when we "void" (the hospital term for pee pee) and what we talk about. Our life right now is titled by the chart I made "EAT,PEE, POOP" to track feedings and diaper changes so we could remember what happened when...

Grace is a blessing like no other. Friday we had a friend drop off dinner to us and he prayed with our little family. It is a blessing to have friends that are there for us in so many ways.