Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Memorial Day Weekend in Photos

Memorial Day weekend has always been one of my favorite holidays of the year.  I think it comes from childhood when the weekend marked the pool opening and the end of the school year!  We had a fun weekend at home (since our original plans to travel to Birmingham for an outdoor concert were foiled due to 98 degree temperatures).  Lots of water, outdoors, and BBQs ! Welcome summer!!

Hank and his best buds Lucia and Abby in his backyard pool

Tank top weather!

Loungin poolside in the new bathing suit and sunhat! (don't worry we're under the sunshade-mama gave up her tanning days years ago)

Picnic by the river in the mountains

Lucy on the picnic--there were tons of butterflies flying around us--she was mesmerized!

Playing in the FREEZING cold stream with Dad-Hank says that the waterfalls are "so soapy"

So much love from my babies!

Splashground--Hank had absolutely no fear this year!  Last year he wouldn't have dreamed of standing under the "big dump bucket".  
 

Swinging with Dad

Picking flower for mom



Looking for fish with Dad-they have become such good buddies lately!

Friday, May 18, 2012

Lucy Jane 2 months old

Lucy had her two month check up this week, and continues to be a perfect, healthy, little peanut.  After working for years in the children's hospital and working everyday with children who have terrible, rare, and life threatening diseases, the fact that I have been lucky enough to have two healthy and thriving children is not lost on me.  I wake up everyday so grateful for my beautiful healthy children.

Unfortunately, the two month check up also marks the beginning of the vaccine schedule; although I do get a feeling of relief knowing that I'm doing something good to protect my child from so many terrible diseases (yes I'm pro vax in a huge way, something else my time in healthcare has taught me).  This certainly doesn't make it any easier when you have to pin your sweet baby on the table as they look into your eyes screaming with the 'what are you letting them do to me, mommy" look.

At two months, our Lulu continues to be the absolute sweetest baby I've ever met (and I've worked with a lot!).  She is so happy and content 99.9% of the time.  She loves so snuggle on your chest, and now she will lift her head up and look at you with her huge eyes and coo at you.  She is one chatty little lady!  She coos and goos at me all the time, and seems to really like hearing herself chatter.  I think she hears her brother talking all day long and is just trying to keep up! She's really getting good at smiling at me and has the most adorable dimple on her cheek.  She still doesn't really cry-she grunts when she's hungry and will yell if she takes a train to the head (which happens quite often).  She understands that little sisters have to toughen up quick!  She certainly has not lost any hair, and it continues to get longer and longer-I can't wait for ponytails.  Lucy continues to sleep well, she's up once a night and sleeps in about two 6 hour stretches which she's been doing since about 2 weeks old.

Height 23 inches 58th percentile
Weight 10 lbs 1 oz 15th percentile
Head 15 inches 52nd percentile

Likes:

  • snuggling
  • talking to anyone who will listen
  • practicing her "kicking" 
  • her pacifier
  • tummy time
  • looking at herself in the mirror
  • listening to mommy sing to her (I have a playlist that I sang to Hank and her--mostly Sound of Music Tunes)
  • "standing" on someone's lap
Dislikes: there really isn't much that upsets this one
  • Being left in her bouncy chair too long
  • kicks in the head from her brother
  • when mommy is trying to work instead of snuggling
What beautiful children I have!







Friday, May 11, 2012

Sweet Smiles

I've told hundreds of parents that developmental "norms" are merely suggested timeframes, and reassured them all that every child is different; however with my own children I am unable to understand this idea.  My sweet little girl kept me waiting 9 long weeks for those first real smiles. Deep down I clearly knew that no  person goes through life never having smiled, and that she would do it when she was good and ready.  In the meantime she has been cooing and gooing at me like crazy which was something that Hank never did  (which of course had me worried with him) and his language is off the charts now--so much for developmental milestones!  I swear the "norms" are created merely to stress out parents.  Either way I'm thrilled to have my little girl show off that gummy grin!  Enjoy--she gets her good looks from her mama :)

P.S. Getting these first smiles with a camera is almost impossible.  Babies smile at faces, not large pieces of electronic equipment.  As soon as that camera pops up, the smile goes away!  


Look at that dimple! and that double chin!  No more tiny preemie baby here

Giggles for mommy!

There it is!  It is so easy to fall in love with this sweet little girl!



Lilypie First Birthday tickers