4 Month Appointment

Today was Miss O's 4 month appointment at the doctor's office.  How is it time already for MORE shot?! She did much better for this appointment.  Last time she had a hard time calming down.  This time, however, she was slightly  hungry so after she shots I gave her the bottle and she stopped crying so she could eat.  It also helped her take the oral medication they gave her.. because she was hungry.  The nurse appreciated that Miss O took it without being forced.  Miss O is an even 14 pounds and is measuring 23 3/4 inches.  She is in the 75th percentile for her weight and the 58th percentile for her length.  The doctor also notified me that we do have a teething baby- her bottom left tooth is coming in! We figured as much after a little tantrum last night. The cry was not one we have heard before and she was refusing to eat.   Poor kiddo.  Also, she has clogged tear ducts.  I had them as a baby and so does she.  We just have to massage her eyes (close to her nose) and hope they open up naturally.  By 9 months if it is not better we will be referred to an eye doctor.  So let's hope they open naturally.  She is such a sweet girl.  She is talking so much, rolling over (she rolled over for the doctor twice), giggling, and smiling a ton. She had her first trip away from the Mr and myself over the weekend.  We went to Atlanta and she went to NC to stay with Grandma and Grandpa!  We missed her terribly but I have to admit I enjoyed the rest I was able to get.  Here are some pictures from the doctor's visit and from over the weekend. xo

Rolling from side to side. She likes to hang out on her side.

She had 2 sets of shots today- one in each leg.  She was a trooper!

showing her clogged tear duct goop.  She constantly has eye goop.  People are always telling me ways to clean it because it appears as if I don't but I clean her eyes a billion times a day- promise. 

Twice last night she turned like this and was kicking the monitor.  She has been sleeping on her side a lot more at home.

Waiting for Dr. Brook to come check her out.  14 lbs & Healthy!

She has fun with the crinkle paper at the Dr's office.  She was tearing it up.

Just hanging out

teething baby- waiting on that tooth to come in!

A Birthday Treat

In one week Hils & I will be celebrating another birthday.  A bittersweet blessing.  I love having birthday celebrations because of all the fun that comes along with them.  However, I don't like getting older and all the fun that comes with it... wrinkles, age spots, tendinitis, etc. So this year Hils and I decided not to give each other gifts but she did take family photos for us.  She is a fabulous photographer and I admire her skills.  I have to take over 100 photos to get about 5 good ones and Hils can just take a few shots and it's like gold! Here are some shots she took of us yesterday.  Thanks again to my darling sister!  Enjoy! xo

The Mr adores his daughter

Love kisses! We can't kiss her enough!

she is not quite sitting up on her own yet

nibbling on her hand

This is where she likes to hang.. always looking around at what's going on

May Days

Nothing much to report for Miss O... we are living life to the fullest and we are enjoying these great May days.  May seems so busy just because of everything going on... my graduation, mother's day, my birthday.  We are planning a trip [minus Miss O] to Atlanta for Memorial Day/ Hils & my birthday so that is exciting.  We will see how it goes to have Miss O away from us for an entire weekend... this will be our first time away from her like that.  She is going to Grandma's house and will have a fabulous time for sure.  Miss O is fabulous as always! xo

please ignore the eye gook everywhere.

getting the hang of teething rings. it's like a puzzle

mama & baby at my hodding.

everyday before we go to daycare we send the Mr a picture... this is one of those pictures.

mommy & baby feet.

Mother's Day Weekend

With this being the weekend of Mother's Day I have taken a new perspective on the whole thing, naturally.  I am honored to be Miss O's mother.  I still can't believe the Mr. & I created such a beautiful baby girl.  I really can't get enough of her! I take a million photos in one sitting, I check on her while she is sleeping to just watch her angelic face and I kiss her as much as I can when she's in my arms.  I have been blessed for sure. I just pray that I will always be the kind of mother Miss O needs- for whatever situation she may encounter in her life.  I do not want a big celebration for what I am doing... that is just not how I am.  I like to celebrate things but, believe it or not, it is difficult for all the focus just to be on me. It makes me uncomfortable. I like sharing the spotlight- probably because I am a twin and we shared everything.  Instead of focusing on myself, I am challenging myself to focus on God and the blessings he has given us.  After all, it was God who gave us our mothers and our mothers mothers.  He has given us blessings that we could never repay and hardships that formed us to be the people we are today.  There are many mothers in our family- between the Mr & myself.  We love each of them so much and each one has played a different, yet very important, part in our lives.  We can't wait for Miss O to grow up and really get to KNOW all the mothers in this family. Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mothers in our family. 

Here are some pictures of Miss O taken at 14 weeks old.  This post can't be all words... have to throw in some pictures of our obsession (she is not just our obsession after all).  xoxo

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.  He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.  James 1:17-18

Sweet Dreams

Miss O is now 14 weeks old. It is weird to say that (or write it). On one hand it feels like she has been here forever and on the other hand is has been 14 short and sweet weeks. In pregnancy terms, it isn't even half way of pregnancy (which would be 20 weeks). I was pregnant for 39 weeks with Miss O. We are coming up on a year that we discovered I was pregnant and our lives were changing forever. How sweet that memory is... the moment I discovered I was pregnant and trying to keep the secret from the Mr. I wanted to wait until Fathers Day but that was a whole week away and I was getting sick every morning. Sleeping during pregnancy was AWFUL! When we came home with Miss O it wasn't any better. I was more comfortable sleeping but we were up every 2 hours for feedings. I am amazed to say that she is practically sleeping through the night. She doesn't eat at all during the night. We just pop the paci in her mouth if she starts fussing and she falls right back to sleep. We have a schedule we follow every night. We rotate nights for bath time. She gets a bath, gets in her pajamas, snuggles up in a blanket and we read her a story.  The Mr. likes to make up stories to tell her. One story he made up was about Princess O and all the men of the kingdom (all the men in our families) having to rescue her. Of course he made himself out to be the hero- saving his beautiful princess! I just read her books we get from the library or books we have in our collection at home. We say our prayers and then it's bed time. The best part of bed time is checking on her and finding her in random positions.I love watching her when she is sleeping and wondering what she is dreaming about.  She sighs deep, talks and sometimes cries in her sleep. 

napping in daddy's arms after a bottle.

This was nap time after day care- worn out and napping within 5 minutes of being home.

This is the most common way we find her.  She starts in the middle, placed horizontally and
ends up vertically (the way she is in the picture). The top of her head is always touching the bumper somewhere. 
She pushes until she can't push anymore!

She is obviously comfortable in her crib.
She started in the middle and ended up on the edge by her bumper.

xoxo- The Mrs.

More Adventures

A lot has been going on with our little family lately.  We have had a great many adventures with Miss O.  Last week we enrolled Miss O in daycare.  When I was pregnant, the waiting list for our church daycare was 20+ people for the baby's room.  So we didn't put our names on it because we thought it would be a long shot.  At Wednesday night service last week, Maxine (aka- baby whisperer) told me there was ONE spot open in the baby room.  So we filled out paperwork and got her in!  We went ahead and put her in so that when I do get a job we won't be shuffling around trying to find a place for her so I can start working as soon as possible (once I get hired somewhere!). It will also give me some time to focus on cleaning the house and applying for jobs without feeling like I'm neglecting her.  The ladies at the daycare seem to love her and have told me several times she will be spoiled rotten.  That makes my heart happy- it helps to drop her off when people dote on her the second we walk in.  Last weekend we took a trip to Greensboro to visit Grandma Joanie, Grandpa Jeff & Uncle Kevin. We went to visit for Kevin's confirmation at church. It was great to spend time with them. Trips away seem to get a little more difficult because Miss O does not like to be in her carseat. But that is the only downside of traveling... if she falls asleep in the car she won't be as uncomfortable. This week is my official graduation from USC and I could not be more excited! Miss O will be attending the ceremony so hopefully she will eat and snuggle with daddy until she falls asleep. Nothing worse than a screaming baby at a group function. We'll see how that goes!

Really getting the hang of tummy time.

Headin' out with Grandma & Grandpa!

love her little face.
notice my coffee cup in the background... don't fret! it was empty..

things can get crazy after bathtime! she uses 2 towels for extra warmth!

laughing at Grandpa Jeff

church lunch for the big kids. yummy formula for Miss O
[Mr, Grandma Joanie & Miss O]

daddy's girl

more snuggling with daddy

He can never kiss her enough!

bathtime fun with my little water baby. 

bath time is so fun!