Friday, August 29, 2014

The night before your First Birthday.

Tomorrow morning I will wake up and be a mommy to the sweetest little one year old. 


I have no idea how that happened. I still think of you (and call you) my tiny little newborn baby.


On this day last year, at around 3 o'clock, I found out that you would be making your grand entrance tomorrow, August 30th. I was experiencing high blood pressure and the doctor told us to be at the hospital at 4:30 am to be induced.

I was excited, nervous, scared, panicky, and in complete shock! I thought I still had 15 or so days to prepare for your arrival. We left the doctors appointment and couldn't believe that we would be meeting you the very next day. On Labor Day weekend. Your daddy couldn't get over the fact that we had to be there at 4:30! I couldn't get over the fact that I would be delivering a baby the next day!!

We called all of our family. They all couldn't believe it and were so excited. Your Aunt Sis freaked out. She was in Charleston and immediately came home! 
We set up your bassinet, made sure everything was in our hospital bag, and tried to stay calm and focus on how happy we were to finally meet you. 

We barely slept at all that night. I slept for a little bit but I don't think your daddy got any sleep. The next morning, we had a light breakfast and headed off to the hospital. 


It's amazing how fast our lives changed that day. So many things happened before we finally got to meet you. But seeing you and holding you (no matter how brief) made all of the craziness of the day melt away. 



You have changed my life in more ways than I thought possible. You have made me the happiest and luckiest person in the world. Your daddy loves you with his whole heart and is always trying to make our lives the best it can be. You have changed us. Forever. You have made us parents. And that is our greatest and most important job. 


You have grown from this tiny, sleepy baby to a sweet little girl who loves to explore, climb and cuddle. You have learned so many things in this last year it's hard to comprehend what all you will learn in the next.



This past year has been the hardest, most rewarding, sleepless, greatest year of my life. This year has taught me patience, understanding, compassion, and so much more. I have learned so much about friendships and relationships. Your daddy and I have grown in our relationship in this past year.  We have learned how to forgive each other better and love on a deeper level. This is all because of you. You have already changed so many people lives in your short little 12 months with us. 



As I'm rocking you to sleep on the night before your first birthday, I can't help but think of how I felt holding you when you were so tiny. I loved you so much then, more than I thought I could love anyone. But as I hold you now, I love you so much more and my heart is so full it could literally burst. I know as you start talking more and showing your sweet little personality, my heart will continue to grow and I will continue to love you more and more. It's so amazing what our hearts are capable of. 



I hope you have the sweetest of dreams tonight as you sleep. And even though you pretty much sleep through the night now, I won't mind it if you wake up so I can come rock my tiny little newborn again before you wake up in the morning and turn One.


I love you my sweet baby and look forward to what this next year holds for our little family. 

Friday, August 15, 2014

11 Months Old!!

On July 30th, you turned 11 months old!!


I cannot believe we are closing in on the one year mark. You have grown into the most beautiful, sweetest little baby. It's crazy to look back at this year and think how much has changed!


This month we spent Fourth of July at the Lakehouse and had so much fun with all of our family. They couldn't believe how big you were and they all love you so much. 


You have learned how to stand all by yourself this month! You don't do it often or for long, but when you do, mommy claps like crazy and gets soo excited. It probably scares you and makes you want to sit back down!!


You love to show off all your tricks. You will through your arms up in the air, "roll em up", give kisses and wave like crazy! 
It's soo cute! You love everyone and don't really know a stranger (as long as you are in mommy or daddy's arms!). You wave at EVERYONE everywhere we go!!



We have also been taking you to the beach and pool often. You love the sand and playing in the tide pools. We are so lucky to get to live right by the beach where we can visit whenever we want!


You weigh 19 pounds and are 27 inches long. You are still in size 3 diapers and where any where  from 9-12 month clothes. 


You are still breastfeeding about 4 times (sometimes more) a day. I don't really plan on stopping until you are ready to wean. But will cut back on the feedings at one year. 

You are eating three solid food meals a day and LOVE grapes, speggheti squash and turkey breast! You also love your water!



You are sleeping pretty consistently through the night. Recently you have decided that 5:45 is the time to wake up for the day......... I'm not sure how I feel about that!!

You have 4 teeth and they are soooo cute!! But we have to be very careful when we go to retrieve something you have eaten that you weren't supposed to!


This month has been so much fun and I love every single second of being your mommy. You are my greatest gift and my greatest adventure. I look so forward to all of the fun summers we will have on the beach, at the pool and at the lake. Your daddy and I are so thankful God chose us to be your parents because you have made our lives pretty amazing. We love you with our whole hearts and can't wait to see what this month has in store. (But maybe time can slow down just a little bit??? I'm not ready for you to be 1! You are my tiny newborn baby still!!)



Ohh, and you also gave me my first black eye by flinging your Paci!