Little Swimmer

Molly Grace hates baths! She cries the whole time. I wasn't sure how she'd feel about a swimming pool, but we decided to give it a try since she loves doing anything outside! Today was the day! We put her cutie-patutie swimsuit on her and filled up her pool. She had a blast! She sat and splashed. Then she leaned all the way over so her face was almost in the water! I put her on her belly and she got a lick! Then we layed her on her back and she laughed and kicked her legs and had a blast! We decided to strip her down and give her a bath out there since she wasn't screaming and she had a great time! I'm not sure how she'll feel about a big pool, but the kiddie pool is definitely a winner!

5 Months

Molly Grace, you are 5 months old today and I can hardly believe it! It's so crazy to think that before we know it you'll be a year old!




*You weigh 14 lbs, 10 oz
*You are wearing size 2 diapers and size 3-6 month clothes
*You are sleeping about 11 hours at night and still take several naps a day! You are your momma's child!
*You eat between 27-30 oz a day, usually 5 times a day and 5-6 oz at a time. You are now drinking 2 oz of soy formula at each feeding. You love it - we call it your desert!
*You no longer take Zantac! I think you've finally outgrown the reflux!
*You have started holding your bottle while you eat. Your little hands are strong enough to hold it up on your own, but you don't let go!
*You LOVE LOVE LOVE your fingers! They are always in your mouth and you could care less about your paci these days - as long as you can find those fingers!
*You are a pro at rolling from your tummy to back! You are starting to try to roll from back to belly. You arch your back and kick your legs around - you'll do it soon, I know!
*You are scooting and pulling yourself all over the place! I think you'll crawl very soon!
*You 'talk' up a storm to anyone who will listen.
*You are the funniest and most pleasant baby I've ever seen! You have the best little personality!
*You are a social butterfly. You love attention and will talk to anyone!
*You love your mommy and daddy! Your eyes follow us wherever we go! Of course we love that!
*You can sit up as long as we help you. You love to reach down and grab your feet!
*You love being read to at night!
*You're crazy about tv - your favorite is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Cardinal baseball!

21 Weeks

Happy 21 weeks Molly Grace! As I type, you're jumping and playing away in your jumperoo! You're having such a great time. You're the happiest baby I know (minus your little dramatic side!) and we love you so much!

Wow!

Tomorrow Molly Grace will be 21 weeks. Every week, every month and every milestone is a bittersweet moment! I'm so beyond grateful that MG is doing so well, but I'm so sad at how fast time is going by. Sometimes I wish there were a pause button! I try to rock her and hold her and kiss her as much as I possibly can because I know there will come a day (all too soon) when she doesn't let me! So for now I just love on her until she can't take it anymore!

I'm just in awe of how much Molly Grace has grown and changed in what seems like the blink of an eye! One day she was just laying on her pallet in the floor, the next she was rolling over. One day all she could do was smile, the next she was talking and giving a big belly laugh. Now she's well on her way to crawling. I don't know if I'm happy or sad about this! It's already impossible to keep her on her blanket when she's on her belly. She does the funniest 'crawl'. It's kind of like the 'worm dance'! She kind of rolls her whole body up and down until she's where she wants to be! Sometimes her little body will be in a U shape with her head and legs up in the air! She's so funny! Yesterday for the first time she got her booty up in the air! It won't be long before I'm chasing her down!

She's started this hilarious belly laugh! It's so deep and just a "he he he" sound. I love it!

Today MG made an appearance at my school for the first time. A co-worker was having a baby shower so she joined us. She loves attention, so of course she had a ball!

Tonight we went to watch her cousins play ball. It was HOT!! But Molly Grace loves being outside no matter how hot. I let her lick on an ice cube and she loved it. She looked like a dog licking it! Then she got a little lazy and just held her tongue out!

I'm a terrible mommy because the batteries in my camera are dead and I cannot remember to get new ones - so I have no new pictures!

20 Weeks

Molly Grace, you are 20 weeks old! You are developing such a cute little personality and are a really funny little kid! Your daddy and I laugh at you (in a nice way!) all the time!

You have given me a really good belly laugh twice now. Last Monday and yesterday. Yesterday was the first time you were amused by Pat-a-Cake. You just laughed and smiled! It's so fun.

You say "hi" and "hey" (or a version of it anyway!) all the time! It's the cutest thing.

You are never quiet...ever! Not even when you're sleeping. You talk, coo, sing, giggle and squeal all the time. Even at night when we think you're asleep and leave the room, we hear you talking to yourself a few minutes later!

You are a big fan of you hand and fingers right now. They are always in your mouth - even when there's a bottle in there!

We love, love, love you Molly Grace! Next week you will be 5 months old and I absolutely can't believe it!

Wubbanub giveaway

Molly Grace LOVES her wubbanub pacifier. She has a frog we bought her as a coming home gift at the hospital and later we ordered her a monkey after we saw how much she loved her frog! These pacis are awesome. MG loves to hold on to the it and cuddle it while she's falling asleep. When she was smaller, these were the only pacis she could keep in her mouth.

Over at one of my favorite blogs, Lil' Tulips, they are giving away a wubbanub! Go on over and check it out!

My 1st Mother's Day

I'm a day late as usual! I meant to post last night, but after such a wonderful day, MG had a terrible night!

Yesterday was my very first Mother's Day as a Mom! I can vividly remember the feelings of sadness, emptiness and frustration that I felt the past few years on Mother's Day. I waited 5 years to be able to celebrate Mother's Day as a mom! To me, it's the greatest day of the year. I worked so very hard, prayed so very long, and waited so very (im)patiently to have a child that there is nothing better than celebrating for an entire day! I have never been anything more important, hard, fulfilling, tiring, rewarding than being a mom! It is my very greatest accomplishment and blessing in life! There is no sweeter gift than Molly Grace. Her beauty, her innocence, her laughter and smile, they are all worth every tear and every disappointment that we went through for 3 years! I thank God for making me a mother every day!

I actually got a whole weekend instead of just a day thanks to my wonderful husband! Saturday morning he surprised me with the swing I had been wanting in the backyard. It was such a beautiful morning so we all sat outside for a long time. Sitting in that swing holding my precious baby girl, next to the love of my life was the most perfect moment! We spent the whole day together doing nothing - just like I wanted!

Sunday morning our church had their baby dedication. For 3 years, I cried every Mother's Day because people were up there dedicating their babies and I wanted a baby of my own more than anything. Well I finally got my moment! And what a moment it was! He blessed us so greatly when he gave us Molly Grace, it was a special moment to stand up there and dedicate her back to Him. I hope we can guide her and bring her up in a way that glorifies Him. Afterall, she is a miracle!




After church we went to my mom's for lunch. My mother-in-law was also in town so they joined us for lunch along with my sister and her family. It was nice to be with 3 such wonderful mother's! I love them all so much!

I'm still just amazed as I sit here and look at my child. Sometimes I can't believe she's really mine, she's really real! She's just so amazing!

Baby Names

I'm always a day late! :-) Yesterday's "Show Us Your Life" topic over at Kelly's Korner was Baby Names. I loved thinking of names before we even starting thinking about babies!

We had such an easy time coming up with boy names. We were down to 2 boy names the day we went in for our ultrasound and about 100 girl names! I had so many girl names I loved, but couldn't talk Jamey into! Being a teacher, I had to rule out so many names because they brought back bad memories! ha!

MOLLY GRACE
I really wanted a little girl named Molly. It has no significance, I just love it. I think it's old and classic. I didn't want a trendy name at all. Jamey hated the name Molly, but I just kept with it! I guess he finally heard it enough that it sunk in! I also knew I wanted a double name. Maybe it's a southern thing, I don't know, but I love double names! We chose the name Grace because it was God's Grace that saw us through our struggles and brough us our miracle! So Molly Grace it was! And the minute I saw her, I knew the name fit her to a tee!

IF (and that's a big if!) we ever have another child, we are set on boy names. We have 2 we really love: Noah Edward or Jameson Edward. Edward is for my dad. He has 2 daughters so there's no one to carry on our last name. So this is our tribute! I love the name Noah, I think it's just precious. When I taught preschool I had a little boy with Down's Syndrome who's name was Noah. I loved that little boy! He was the sweetest thing and was very attached to me. I've loved that name ever since. I can picture a chubby, blonde-headed little boy named Noah! Jameson is another name I stole from a child at the preschool! My husband's name is Jamey, so it sounds like "Jamey's son"! I picture Jameson as a dark-headed, tall little boy like Jamey. So I guess we'll just see what he looks like and then decide!

If we have another girl, Lord help us! Maybe we should start thinking of names now!

Mom

Last night Jamey called me in to the living room where he and MG were hanging out. He said "I swear she just said mom, plain as could be". I was super excited, but we couldn't get her to say it again so I just figured it was a fluke! Today after I picked her up we were 'talking' and sure enough she said it again! "Mom" just as plain as could be. I couldn't believe it!! I know she has no idea what she's saying and didn't say it on purpose, but that doesn't matter, it still came out...and it came out before "da"!

On a different note, today was my first day back at work. It was tough getting up and getting ready so early. MG and I are used to our lazy mornings. I usually feed her between 6 and 7 then we lay back down together for a good 2-3 hour nap! Needless to say, I'm worn out! I did get to lay down and cuddle with her for a little bit this afternoon. I missed her so much, but it was really good to be back. My kids were excellent and it made me feel so good that they were so happy to see me. I've said it before, I LOVE the girls I work with. I'm truly blessed to work with some of my greatest friends. It was nice to be back with them and catch up. I've felt so out of the loop!

So all-in-all, a great day!

Back to Life...Back to Reality...

Tomorrow is my first day back at work in 20 weeks! I don't know if I'll remember what to do! I've had mixed emotions all week and especially today. I go back and forth between being really excited and then crying! lol I've really missed my kiddos at school, then wonderful girls I work with and that routine. I'm looking forward to lunch with adults and visiting with my co-workers. But I will definitely miss my morning naps with MG, our cuddle time in the afternoon and our daily outings! These past 18 weeks with her have been amazing! I am so truly blessed to have been able to be at home that long.

And...I only have 4 weeks until Summer Break!! I can do anything for 4 weeks!

4 Month Stats

Yesterday was MG's 4 month check-up. Her pedicatrician was so impressed with her growth. She's gaining weight pretty steadily. For the longest time her head measurement wasn't changing and neither was her height, which concerned us all a little. But in the past 2 months she had a spike in both areas! Yay!

Weight: 14 lbs, 5 oz = 75% percentile (pretty darn good for a preemie!!)

Height: 23 1/2" = 20th percentile

Head Circumference: 16 = 25th percentile

She got a really good check-up overall. She's meeting most of her milestones for her actual age and has met them all for her adjusted age! She's getting so big and sociable. When we got there, the waiting room was packed (thank goodness for the 'well child' waiting room!) with kiddos. She was fascinated with them. She just stared and smiled at them.

Her shots were awful. Our appt. fell during her afternoon naptime. Missing that afternoon nap is a huge no-no! She cried when he was checking her out, then while we were waiting for the nurse to come back with her shots she fell fast asleep! She screamed bloody murder when she got her shots - screamed like I've never heard before! Her face turned blood red and she broke out in a sweat! She continued screaming the whole time we tried to dress her! Then she puked all over us both! What a day! Today she's been extra clingy and fussy. We spent most of the day hanging out in the recliner together. She ran her first fever - 100.5, but Tylenol took that right down! She's asleep now and getting ready for her first day away from me! :-(