4 Months!

• Growth & Development
  • Head Circumference: 16 in
  • Length: 23 in
  • Weight: 12 lbs 2 oz
  • 16th percentile  
  • Size 2 diapers now; Outfits 0-3mo
  • Cannot lift chest off ground yet (working on that; right now she screams with her face down on the ground)
  • Reaches and grabs, attempts to grabs, or unintentionally grabs for things (toys on play mat, blanket)
  • Following us with her eyes, engaging more, smiling, cooing :)
• Schedule
  • Sleeps from 9pm to around 6am (in rock n play)
  • Still eating every 3 hours 
  • Bath time at 6pm
• Few Firsts/Favorites/More about this stage
• First laugh! Forrest and I both were there to hear it the evening of Father's Day.
• Speaking of, first Father's Day
• More obvious, frequent and louder cooing
• Smiles all the time!
• Sucking on fingers/fist
• Seems to enjoy car rides
• Mornings... long naps and porch time with Lala
• Will always love bath time
• Goes down at night easily 
• Milestones
• Sleeping through night!

All is well with our little family. Hadison is bringing us so much joy as I know other parents can relate. She is growing up and really developing her own little personality. I love that she can engage with us so much more now. 

I am so grateful that she is just a happy baby. She just doesn't seem to get bothered too easily. Even the other night as our electricity was out for a dreadful four hours (yes I am that boring that I am going to talk about our electricity going out!) I was trying to put her down with no AC and in the nude, no fan, no noise maker, no warm bottle to give her after nursing, no blanket to wrap her in (since it was so hot), and I discovered how much more this momma was easily bothered than she. She went to bed around 945 after I put her in her room and laid next to her around 915, taking only a little longer to go down. I was thinking great, now how am I going to sleep in this sauna! Then she slept just fine that way. I woke up when it came back on, just to cover her up and all. I was so impressed the next morning that she had so easily adjusted to different circumstances. 

Anyways she is my little monkey on my back during the days, allowing me to drag her all over the house. Family time in the evenings is nice and then once she is asleep, Forrest and I get to talk/hang out. We have settled into a nice little routine I guess you could say.

27th Birthday!

Celebrated with lots of cake! Forrest makes me a birthday cake every year. It is my favorite cake. He was inspired by his dad who has made the same cake for his mom's birthday every year for the last 35 years. Then the night before my birthday we went out to a nice dinner with friends.

3 Months

• Growth & Development
  • Will get measurements at next doctor appt (4 month follow up)
  • Grew out of newborn diapers and clothes; size 1 diapers now; Outfits 0-3mo
• Schedule
  • No changes in schedule. Still getting up once in night but occasionally having nights when she sleeps through
• Few Firsts
• Trip to Nonna and Paw Paws!
• Kid birthday party (Canton’s 1st)
• Night alone with Daddy
• Trip outside to see the rain
• Mother’s Day
• Favorites
• Sitting up! (on Daddy’s lap as he props her up on boppy)
• Kicking and pushing off feet
• Being carried around house to look around
• Milestones
• Transitioned from sleeping in swing during night to sleeping in rock & play (no swinging motion)
• Sleeping in her own bedroom

Something else new for us is that I have gone back to work but am working part-time now. This means I schedule myself one and a half shifts a week. Working at night allows for us to not have to use childcare which is great and it allows for me to be at home with Hadie during the days. I am glad and feel fortunate that I do not have to give that time up with her. It really is the ideal schedule for us for now which I am really grateful for.

Since I have been back, being there less, I feel I appreciate it so much more. It is a great thing to love your job, especially as a nurse because it just makes you that much better. I want my patients to have the best experience possible in the hospital so I know my attitude is important. I also feel more compassion for my patients now that I have been through what they have been through and am a mom too. I have realized there is an instant bond you develop with other moms, whether in the hospital or anywhere. Like people you may not have connected with before, now you can relate with them and share stories.
Anyways, Hadie is a happy girl!

And we love her so much. Here are some pictures over the last 3 months that were taken on mine or Forrest’s phones. We can’t get enough!

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My Heart is Full: First Mother's Day

Before I talk about Mother's Day...

I have been so lucky to have spent these last almost 3 treasured months with my sweet Hadie. This time in my life I will cherish forever because we have bonded so greatly, and I have learned so much about being a Mommy. To see her little face everyday brings me joy only a mother would understand and to watch her grow makes me proud beyond words. I hope that when she is with me she feels as safe as can be. I hope she feels like she is the center of my world because she is. She must know just how much I love her and that I would do anything for her.

I cannot talk about motherhood without mentioning my other half. It brings a smile to my face to see the love Forrest has for Hadison and to know he is the only one who loves her like I do. It makes me love him more and feel even more connected to him. I am grateful to have a husband who is  has become a team player in this whole parenthood journey. He has been a natural with Hadie from day one, but we have certainly had to adjust to being a family of three. I have never used the words, "sacrifices, freedom, and inconvenient," so much as I have in the last 3 months! I know we have a long way to go but I am proud at how far we have come.

Anyways, speaking of loving my husband and baby girl. I will remember forever the card Forrest gave me on behalf of Hadison for my first Mother's Day this year. It is stamped with Hadison's footprint which explains the Hobby Lobby plastic bag I came across.....I didn't know Forrest even knew a place like Hobby Lobby existed! It says the words every new mom dreams of hearing. All I can say is, my heart is full.

A Mother's Day blog would not be a good blog without mentioning my wonderful Momma and Mother in law. I was not able to see my Momma yesterday but that is okay because we are going to get to hang out in about a week when Sister comes home, and we will all be together then. Momma will have a full house which she will love. Here is a link to her book from me and Sister. She was long overdue for a good photo book and she got it just in time. :)
Momma's Book

I did get to share the special holiday with my special mother in law, Cheri. I am grateful to be so close with her and am looking forward to the summer when we hopefully will get to have our girl days like we did last year. And for when she will be able to see her other baby, Amberly. I know she was missing her yesterday!

Anyways, wonderful first Mother's Day and wonderful memories made. Happy Mother's Day to any mothers reading!
Including you, Sister, so proud of you! Love you, thinking about you, and hope yall enjoyed the beach! ;)