Snow Day!

5 Months

Dear Lierre Elizabeth,

Yesterday you turned 5 months old. Your personality is really starting to peek out and it is so fun to experience. You are going to be so much fun and such a great pal to have as you get older. Can we be best friends? Even when you are 8 years old, or 13, or 27?? I think I could be a good friend to you if you will let me.

In honor of you turning 5 months old yesterday, the world (or our city at least) is celebrating by having its first snow of the year (and probably only snow). Daddy is at work keeping our town safe... We have both missed him tonight. I tried to give you a peek of the snow through the window and you could not have cared less. I opened our sliding door and tried to let you see that way. That got your attention--you hate the cold (just like me) and started thrashing and whining almost immediately. Into your warm bed you went. Maybe, hopefully the snow will be there in the morning and we can go out together as a family.... thankfully your Uncle Clayton & Aunt Lindsey got you a pink snowsuit when you were born! Hopefully it will fit.

You are reaching for everything.

Anndddd..... start roll, now.

"Ta-da!"

Your development this month has kind of blown my mind. You can consistently roll from your tummy to your back, your back to your tummy, started saying "Ma ma" (kind of), and GASP, have started pushing up and rocking like you want to crawl. I'm not kidding when I say this stunned me the first time I saw it. I had just put you down in your crib... and then as if you had done it every day of your life, you just pushed up onto all fours and started rocking. My mouth dropped open. You still topple over after a handful of seconds when you rocking gets too hard. Are you going to be an early crawler? The thought of that stops my heart. Our house is so very not baby proofed yet. Glass top coffee table? Uncovered outlets? Dog toys and food on the floor? Yes, we still have them. HOW can you be so big that you are even contemplating moving like that? While I am so excited to see you grown, knowing that I will no longer be your main form of movement one day (and probably soon--in the next month or two) is kind of a revelation and a bittersweet one at that. 

You have been working on sitting up, too!

You have delved into the world of solids. Your response? Carrots: meh. Sweet potatoes: Ehhh kind of yes, kind of no, why is this mushy, why is this sweet? What is this? No thanks. Peas: Absolutely, let me open my mouth wider. I hope you continue to like peas and other veggies... I grew up as a picky eater and I sincerely hope that you are a "good" eater. It has been hard feeding you solids with all of our wacky schedules. Combine my working with daddy's, your nap schedules + bottles, and staying with Paas & grandma and the time to consistently feed you solids has been hard. We have to keep working at it because you have been waking up earlier and earlier. We hope this passes soon.

Using your thumb as a "chaser"/refusal to sweet potatoes.

Your love for Jack, and his love for you, continues to grow every day. I think if I could strap a baby carrier to him, you would both be in heaven. 

Jack keeping watch.

Nose to nose. He is smiling.

Always looking around and playing near you.

How happy you make him (just kiddin...he's yawning).

You love all of your toys that make crinkly sounds. It is coming in so handy that they can now distract you a little bit when you start to get fussy. Who knew you couldn't "distract" newborns before a certain point really? I put together (with a little assistance from dad) an exersaucer type thing for you to play in. You love the music that it plays and the lights that light up. Surprisingly, one of your favorite parts of it is a sunshine face that just sits there. You love to look at it and reach for it. I told you that maybe we would paint your room yellow one day or add sunshines to it. You smiled at that. 

I love our sweet "conversations" and marvel at the tiny human you are becoming. I got teary eyed when you were eating solids with daddy one night. He poked fun at me and asked me "Aren't you happy she's getting to be a big girl?" and went on to talk about how happy he was and that he can't wait to get to know you better. I feel the same way, but time with you is so precious. I have said it before and I will many times in the future. Time is so precious. We never know what we are promised and I soak up every second, every smile, every snuggle, & every cry from you. 

That being said--I can't wait to have conversations with you one day. I'd love to know what goes on in your brain. What do you dream about? What foods do you actually like? Are you bored? 

You are a sweet girl and we are absolutely smitten with every bit of you, head to toes.

Rare "laying down" snuggles.

We love you and are here for you. Keep trusting us to take care of you, my love. We've got you covered!

Love, 

Mommy

2012 Is Over?

I've got to be honest---I was so busy this week with Tim's dad and girlfriend visiting and trying to finish up some online training while juggling time with Lierre and Tim that I did not even realize yesterday was New Year's Eve night until about lunch time. I had lost a day somewhere. It hit me and I felt so laughably, completely out of step.

Before I add any thoughts about New Years Eve, I need to add a few updates on our lives and Lierre! While Lierre has been able to roll from her tummy to her back for a few weeks now, the day after Christmas she finally rolled from her back to her stomach! Way to go strong little lady! It was hilarious.... when she first rolled from her tummy to her back, she always just looked confused or worried when she would realize she was facing a different direction. Now, however, when she rolls from her back to her stomach, she pushes herself up on her hands and grins soo big like she is the proudest she has ever been. She still has a little trouble doing this consistently, but I have no doubt she will have it down completely very soon. Her ability to roll and scoot and roll some more have allowed us to find her in some very new and interesting positions in her crib. When you are used to finding your little one in the top right corner of the crib, it is amusing (and sometimes alarming when they disappear out of sight on the monitor) when you go in and they are on a different side (front/back) than how you put them in a completely different corner. Goodness, she is getting so big.

While Ron (Tim's Dad) and Linda (his girlfriend) were here in town, I decided to try to feed Lierre some solids again. We had attempted oatmeal a few weeks back in desperate hopes it would help her reflux issues. She wasn't interested in the slightest. This time around, I made my own carrots to feed her. This may seem really small to you all, but I am not a cook, and I have never made baby food. Given, it's about the easiest thing ever to make, but still I was so excited and so proud of myself. Lierre was a little hesitant at first, but eventually decided she semi-liked it! She leaned in towards the spoon after awhile and took a handful of really good bites..... she then decided ehhh maybe the carrots were not exactly what she wanted and she started making the funniest faces and spit it out.  We are going to keep working with this just a little bit at a time. I am excited for the day where she starts to enjoy solids.

I don't know whose facial expressions are funnier in these pictures, Lierre's or mine.

Before the first bite!

Here we go!

Yeah, I made that.

I don't think I will ever be able to feed her without making a face.

Neither of us are quite so sure about this.

You did it!

"Okay, mom.... that's enough."

Back to New Year's Eve. Let me just say.... and don't flame me for this .... that I have never really liked New Year's Eve. It has never lived up to the big expectation that television always makes it out to be. When I was a child, I was always exhausted, albeit excited, when I was allowed to stay up,...but the most excited thing to happen was some Sparklers and juice out of a wine or champagne glass. When I was a teenager, there was always a pesky curfew or something to deal with, no new years kiss to be had, and generally just ended up being a movie night with friends or something. Now as an adult, it still just seems like a night where people drink too much and dress too fancy and act too comfortable while inevitably I know they are (at least some small part) reflecting on the year. I have never really made resolutions, because who honestly sticks to them? I just try to do the best I can all the time, every day. That doesn't mean it always works out, but I try.

Last night with having a little baby girl, it was probably the most bland night yet (to the untrained eye). Lierre went to sleep around 8:00. Tim was asleep on the couch when I came out from putting her down and proceeded to sleep until about 9:30 when I woke him and said "Lierre is asleep. You are asleep. I hate everything on television. I have a headache. I'm going to bed." We both got into bed around 10:00 and semi watched the cheesy new years specials while I started to doze off.

Lierre is a party animal, apparently, because she woke up at 11:45 (very unlike her) and had to bed held and rocked and given a bottle. In the darkness of her room, smelling her sweet baby smell, holding onto her with one arm, and holding Tim's hand with the other, we entered into the New Year. 2013. Lierre dropped back off to sleep around 12:10. I think she just wanted to be with us to celebrate. Although there was no crazy music or hoards of people or bubbly champagne to be had.... To me, I will always remember last night. To me, it may be one of the only New Year's Eves that was really worthwhile. I seriously love my little family. They mean everything to me.


I head back to work tomorrow. This break has been so soothing to my soul and I have enjoyed every millisecond with Lierre and Timothy. Lierre has been napping the best ever and can actually stay awake for a little while without crying. It has been incredible. I am hoping that the break will have bolstered me so much that maybe I won't have quite such a hard time returning to work. I will keep you posted.... I am keeping my hopes high.

To all of you beautiful people who visit us here on our little blog, thanks again for reading. I wish all of you the best as you enter 2013. Hold on tight to those you love, go after what you want, keep your faith strong.