Lately

We've been trying to enjoy the weather before it gets too hot by going on walks. It also helps calm Sadie down when she gets a little fussy. She loves being outdoors. I'm not sure what we're going to do once the temperature hits 100°.

Sadie has been busy trying to get moving. She scoots to the side a little and can push herself back, but is still working hard to move forward. I call this her walrus impersonation. 

Our library has an infant play group that meets the second and fourth Friday of each month. We checked it out this week and had so much fun. Sadie was the youngest baby there by a few months, but we were able to participate. It's a really awesome program that stresses the importance of early childhood development. We did a sensory activity involving noodles that had been colored with food coloring. Since Sadie can't fully sit on her own I put her in the tub and let her go to town. She was interested, but didn't dive right in. She was so serious playing with the noodles and checking them out. We ended with a couple songs and headed home.

On Saturday we had a family barbecue. Reed's Aunt was in town so we had a little get together at his cousin's house. Sadie gets a little nervous around big, loud groups of people. She would be fine if I held her, but if anyone else tried she would start crying. We were able to stay for a few hours and visit. Reed worked so I took Sadie baby home and he stayed for a few more hours.

Speaking of the weather, we've been sitting on the patio the past few Sundays. The only time Sadie will let us sit down is if we're outside. She's becoming quite the character. It's so much fun to watch her. She starts talking and then bursts into giggles at something she said. Apparently, she's a comedian like her mama!

And who doesn't love a sleeping baby?

Five Months

Dear Sadie,

This month has flown by. It felt like a week ago you were four months. I'm trying to wrap my head around how a whole month snuck past me! The rest of the year better slow down.

You've been doing really good at night in your crib. For the most part you sleep from 6:30 P.M. to 6:30 A.M. Every now and then you'll change things up, but you're pretty consistent. Naps are getting so much better! Yay! Dad installed some curtains to block out the light and they HELP! You don't get as distracted when falling asleep.

We took our first road trip to Tucson. Your whole world was turned upside down. There was a lot of crying. You spent the last hour and a half before falling asleep hysterically crying. It was awful! We left the next morning at 4 A.M. in hopes you would sleep the whole way home. You did and you were so happy when we made it home. You smiled and talked for a whole hour and a half. Hopefully our next trip goes better, it's further and longer!!

You roll from back to stomach with no problem and roll from your stomach to you back, but not as much. You can push yourself up with your arms, you look like a walrus! You want to be moving. You get frustrated because you kick your little feet, but don't go anywhere.

You are a smiley baby when you wake up. It warms my heart to see your big grin.

We're still dealing with some stranger anxiety, but we're getting better.

You love these little baby Einstein boardbooks. And by love, I mean they will stop you dead in your tracks during a meltdown. We can't figure out what it is about them that fascinates you.

You recently found your tongue and stick it out all the time.

We took you to lunch at Olive Garden and you did fabulous! We were worried because you don't like being in your carseat if we're not in the car. You even giggled for 10 minutes straight.

You're starting to giggle more and more. Sometimes it sounds like a giggle, other times it's a weird, forced noise. For the most part you have stopped making a high pitch noise, music to my ears!

You pretty much always have something in your mouth. You use your index and middle finger to soothe, but will shove anything in there.

The plan is to start solids next month. You don't show too much interest in food yet which is surprising considering who your father is.

You're starting to get attached to whatever toy you have in your hand. If the toy falls to the ground, you scream!

No teeth yet, but I check your mouth daily. You have all the signs of teething!

You love being outside. We go on two to three walks a day.

I have SO many pictures of your feet!

I love you! Not a day goes by that I don't thank God for you. You are so special and my beautiful rainbow.

Love, Mom

18 Weeks

Four Months

Dear Sadie, 

We meet again... The doctor said you are one healthy baby. You weigh 12 pounds 5 ounces and are 24.5 inches long. You're in the 13th percentile for weight and 50th for height. You've grown four inches since you were born. You pretty much wear all 3 month clothes. I put some 6 month outfits on you because we're tired of your old clothes! We need new stuff, right Dad?

You had an exciting month! You started sleeping in your crib. I thought it would be a hard transition, but you seem to like it in there at night. Taking naps in your crib is a little harder. We're working on it. You'll get there!

We started a schedule of Eat, play, eat, sleep that seems to be working really well. You take two, one to two hour naps each day. For most of the month you would sleep for about 11 hours, wake up for a feeding, and sleep for another hour or two. The middle of the night feeding is starting to jump around a little, but you still sleep to about the same time every morning.

You rolled over from your back to your stomach and haven't stopped! You're my little rolly pollie. I'll leave you for a minute on your back and the next thing I know you're on your stomach. You haven't mastered rolling onto your back yet. You're getting pretty close.

You went from having zero interest in toys, to swatting at them, to grabbing them and putting them in your mouth. Speaking of your mouth, you drool EVERYWHERE! You always have your hands in your mouth.

We're still exclusively breastfeeding. My goal was to make it to a year and as we get closer to six months I feel proud that we've been able to make it so far. Breastfeeding is hard!

You won't take a bottle. We try and try, but we're making baby steps.

You are incredibly happy in the morning. We took these pictures at 6:00 A.M. because we were heading to Tucson. 

You like taking baths with me. You're starting to hit the water with your hands and make water splash everywhere.

We don't let you watch TV, but if you catch a glimpse, your eyes are glued! You use all your strength to keep watching!

You're starting to like shopping. Yay! I'll hold an outfit up and if you smile we get it! If you don't smile and I like it, we still get it.

You're attracted to the color green.

You are mesmerized by this wood abacus you received for Christmas. You used to lay on your side and play with it with one hand, now I have to hold you in my lap so you can use both hands! Your face is so determined while you make the letters spin.

You make a really weird noise when you giggle. You give me a mini heart attack because I think you're choking. Every now and then we'll get a real giggle out of you!

You talk in a normal sounding voice and a really loud squeaky voice. I'm a little worried that's how I sound to you and you're trying to mimic me!

My favorite moments are when I look at you and you smile at me without any prompting. You're still pretty serious, but we get smiles out of you.

You're starting to have some stranger anxiety. 

I love you beautiful. These months are starting to fly by. You are my sweet girl and I cannot imagine life without you. 

Love, Mom

Thankful

My sweet, little baby is taking a nap on me and I keep thinking I couldn't be more thankful for her. The last couple of days have been a little rough. She's been fighting sleep during the day so she gets really upset because she's so tired, but won't fall asleep. There's been a few times when we've cried together. Even though she's been a little bipolar, going from smiling to screaming in 1.2 seconds, it is the most amazing thing I've ever done, being a mom. I love her so much. Sometimes my heart can't take it when she smiles, it's the cutest thing I've ever seen. There's also been a few times when I cry looking at her because she's our little miracle. She's been pretty expressive since birth so when this happens she'll raise one eyebrow and give me a "what the heck is your problem lady" look. This often causes me to tear up a little more because while she looks like Reed, she's definitely all me inside.

Three Months

Dear Sadie,

Another month has passed. You don't go to the doctor this month so I don't know how much you weigh, but you're definitely growing! I love your little cheeks. You wear 3 months clothes, but you'll be out of them pretty soon.

You rolled over from your front to your back three times the beginning of this month, but you haven't done it since. You've gotten pretty close though!

You kick your legs and wave your arms all the time. You try and kick us in the face while we're changing your diaper.

You are so alert and always looking around. When we're out and about people always comment how alert you are. They also say you're pretty cute, but I already know that! :)

You love being naked and that makes your dad a little nervous.

We celebrated our first Christmas with you. It was very special. You had no idea what was going on, but it was special to me. We had family over on Christmas Eve for a brunch and went to a service at church in the afternoon. On Christmas day we opened our presents and spent some more time with family. You did such a good job with all the commotion.

I love hearing your little voice.

You don't like your head being messed with so that means I have to sneak headbands on you or otherwise you start crying.

You like taking baths with your mama.

You met your Uncle Kai this month.

You eat every two hours during the day and go 9 to 10 hours at night and another 3 hours after that.

You had a growth spurt last week and you were a little crazy! You ate for half an hour every hour and a half. You were a fussy, hungry baby!

I tried giving you a couple bottles, you won't take to them. I'm going to keep trying and hoping you'll eat from one. It would be nice to leave you with dad for a few hours. Whenever I leave you alone I worry the whole time you're going to get hungry and I won't be there to feed you.

You are starting to realize you have control of your hands. It's pretty cute watching you try to grab stuff. You have your hands in your mouth all the time and you're starting to drool all over the place!

You're a good little baby and I love you so much. I can't imagine life without you and I thank God daily for you. You have been such a blessing.

Love, Mom

Sadie's Future

Reed took a few extra days off last week and we were busy. We opened a savings account for Sadie. My grandfather opened a savings account for me when I was 5 years old. I still have it open! Saving has always been important to me. Reed and I want to teach Sadie good habits when it comes to money. If we don't do it, who will? She obviously has no idea what's going on now, but when she's older we'll teach how fun saving can be! Well, if she's anything like me she'll think saving is fun...