Week 33: Sitting up!

Our lil' cupcake is still doing amazing - growing big and strong and keeping us smiling as parents.   We still have our nights when she sleeps less than we'd want.  But on the whole - she's doing much better now.  She is able to roll over and sleep on her tummy, and that helps quite a bit! 

Her 'Back to School' photo!

She is teething - but we don't have any teeth yet!  She is chewing on lots of things - rattles, bibs, shoving large portions of her blankets in her mouth.  A few folks suggested large carrots - but she hasn't as yet gone for those.  She also isn't really into the cold chew toys.  She does her own thing! 

"Sitting up!"

In the "Cozy Corner"

She is sitting up now on her own without much support - and its exciting for both her parents and her daycare teachers.  They took a picture to show us how proud they are! She's able, in general, to entertain herself more.  It makes it a bit easier at home also when we need to make her bottles, clean her bottles at the end of the day, or just have a couple mins to get something done. 

We are enjoying reading a bit more - she seems to be settling a bit more to focus on books and the images.  She is enamored by the books themselves, picking up to chew (drool!) on the corners.  She loves to touch the  pages - and gets into the books that are the 'touch and feel' kind.  I'm still wanting to get a bookshelf for her bedroom so the books are more accessible to us.  I try to keep them scattered around the house so they're within an arm's reach.  I'm not as good about reading to her as I wish I could be.  Sometimes we're all so tired at the end of the day!

She and I did a 5K the other day!  She slept through most of it - but I was proud of us!  She was a fun companion.  It was a beautiful day - and though it was a hilly course, we made our way.  Unfortunately my glasses popped out of my bag along the route - and I had no idea where they were.  I was very lucky to find them quickly at the beginning of the route rather than having to scour the whole thing. 

I suppose since my last post I also had my first trip away from Kylie.  It wasn't fun to leave her - but I know it afforded Kylie and her dad some time to bond.  They'd developed a good routine in the few days I was gone.  I tried to enjoy the things being away afforded me - such as longer to get ready in the mornings, not having to wake up in the middle of the night, and a bit of respite from working her into my daily routine.  But I was so excited to come home and see her.  I of course didn't wake her up when I got home about 11pM at night - but was glad to see her when she woke herself up to eat around 1AM. 

I've been making her some foods.  I got good there right before my Chicago trip.  I've not felt as well since getting a cold, and we got some ants in our kitchen.  But I hope to catch up this weekend.  I puree fruits and veggies and put them in ice cube trays made for baby food.  It's super convenient to throw into her lunch bag before we take her to school. 

Excited for the next few weeks.  We love our Kylie <3

Doing well in her Bumbo seat!

Here are my feet!

Loving to chew!

Great visit with Grams!

My new coat!

Week 29: Trip to Chicago!

Kylie took her first airplane ride on Tuesday, September 13th up to Chicago!  She (and me and Mike) went to meet her great-Grandmother, Gerry, who lives in Carol Stream, IL - a suburb of Chicago.  It was a beautiful and short trip up and back, and Kylie did so well. 

I wasn't quite sure what to pack - so I surely OVERpacked.  Mike, Kylie and me all shared one large suitcase - and he and I packed very minimally.  We tucked her diapers, food, clothes, blankets, etc. all in that and checked the bag for our direct flight from RDU to Midway.  We flew Southwest, and fortunately were able to use family boarding and not worry about being seated apart from one another. 

Initially we weren't sure whether to bring the stroller - or the car seat base.  I think we were glad to have had both - though we didn't like having to carry the base through the airport and decided to check it.  The stroller was super helpful to have as we could set her in the carseat and wheel everything around.  Again - it was wise not to plan to bring much ourselves.  I had a magazine and an iPad - and both were enough entertainment for the trip! We made her a few bottles while on the plane - and it helped her keep her ears from popping while up in the air.  She slept some - and by the time we arrived she was a bit more fussy and ready to deplane!

My mom picked us up and my grandmother was so excited that she came along also.  We drove back out to Carol Stream and had lunch at Portillos, which is a Chicago tradition.  We had salads and Mike and a couple famous hot dogs.  But mostly my grandmother enjoyed watching Kylie play while the food was prepared.  We went to her room afterwards and had some time for her to watch Kylie play around.  Eventually both Kylie and my grandmother seemed tired - so we left and headed west.  My aunt and uncle live in Rockford, so we went to spend the evening with them.  

It was SO nice to have time out on the back porch in the cool low-70's weather and have some wine and good conversation.  Kylie was in the BEST mood and excited to play a bit.  She did fine with the time change and really just wanted to be around everyone.  We tried putting her to bed in the pack-n-play they borrowed from friends - but she wasn't ready to sleep.  Kylie sat quietly in her car seat while we had a delicious dinner of Roman Chicken.  It was such a wonderful treat to have a home-cooked meal in a home with peace, quiet, and good conversation.  And there was the most incredible dessert - a cherry peach cobbler with fresh cherries - SO divine.   Couldn't get enough of the crumb topping. 

The next day was just amazing also.  We had time at the Japanese Garden in Rockford for breakfast overlooking the gardens.  Afterwards we strolled through the gardens and enjoyed the views.  My mom carried Kylie most of the way.  We took lots of great pictures.  It was fabulous weather.  Afterwards we headed to Edwards Orchard for shopping and apple cider donuts.  Mike had not been there and I loved it the last time.  I mostly love the amazing samples spread throughout the store to nosh on.  Mmmmm. 

From there we drove back to Carol Stream to see grandmother again.  By then my cousins and aunt were there from Indiana.  We shared some time together and enjoyed catching up. They bought Kylie the most beautiful fall dress with a bright orange tutu.  You could tell Kylie thought she looked pretty!!  We took a picture of Kylie, me, my mom and grandmother - four generations! 

We all went to Fuddruckers for dinner.  Again - Kylie was so well behaved this entire day.  She has really grown up and good about being flexible.  We just kept her warm and fed!  By the end of the evening everyone was ready for bed.  We slept well in a nearby hotel - and my mom graciously offered to drive us to the airport.  I'm not sure what we would have done otherwise!!  We made it home in no time at all. 

I am so thankful we were able to make the trip and make memories for everyone of Kylie meeting her great-grandmother.  I am sorry she wasn't able to meet Grandad - I know he would have loved her.  And I know he's smiling down on all of us today!

Week 28: Catching Up!

Oh my - life got a bit crazy there for a while.  I felt like I was in a good rhythm with posting - and then it all got crazy!  In a good way - baby girl is growing so big and we are loving every minute. 
Over the summer, we were blessed to have my family come and visit (except Ben wasn't able to make it because his dog got sick).  But my grandmother flew down from D.C. and got to meet her great-granddaughter!  It was beautiful and I captured video of the moment.  We also had a bout with bronchitis (Mike) and colds (Amie and Kylie).  And then another round of colds. 
I am in a new job, and that also kept me quite full with hands and mind.  
Its been wonderful to see Kylie growing so big.  She is now 6 months old and getting strong.  She smiles often.  She is rolling over and back again like a pro.  She rolls often as a means of transportation - she isn't quite to the crawl stage yet.  But she can put her hands down and hold herself quite well.  Just last night I was holding her on my lap while her dad was upstairs.  It was amazing to watch her head turn from left to right quite rapidly and then upstairs when she saw him waving. 
She is LOVING daycare.  I am loving daycare also.  Another change we made was to shift from 3/4 time (6 hours in the day) to full time.  Though it obviously costs more- it is such a huge gift of time.  I wasn't able to make it work to come home from the office and work from home.  She was wanting attention and baby wins every time!  So now I can drop her off and pick her up whenever I want/need.  And she's always so happy when I come and get her.  She does often start crying if she sees me and I don't get to her in a short period of time. They keep us informed on the days events with a (nearly) daily info sheet on what books they're reading, songs singing, sign language learning, stroller riding.  There was a summer ending party out back - and we popped in to see the children running around and the lovely dinner they prepared. It was quite hot so we didn't stay long - but we just love the company and its kind workers and being in the atmosphere. 
Kylie attended her first baby shower - driving up to Richmond to celebrate a friend expecting her first baby soon.  She was so good on the drive up and back - and a dream while there.  She was held by some friends and never once fussed.  Amazing!  She loves parties and people. 
She also witnessed her first notary session as Mike and I served as witnesses.  She's gone to the nursery at church for the first time - and they said she did quite well.  She was the only child when we dropped her off - and a couple new ones after that.  It was OK to have her in there - though I missed her in worship.  Maybe we'll transition slowly...for mom's sake!
Toward the end of July - she hit a 4 month sleep regression and started having real trouble sleeping through the night.  It was SO hard.  In speaking with a friend, she shared a new swaddle with me called a "Zippadee Zip" - it is a star shaped swaddle that allows baby motion in legs and arms but keeps her contained and feeling secure.  It certainly helped a lot.   Now she only wakes up a couple of times.  We've also started feeding her solids - beginning first with sweet potatoes, but will get to bananas soon!  We received a Bumbo seat at a shower - and that is strapped to one of our chairs in the kitchen.  She does great in there and has a little tray to bang on while she eats!  I want to learn how to make baby food as it doesn't seem too complicated to cook fruits and veggies and then puree them. 
We have some favorite shows these days - Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood (inspired by Mr. Rogers), Tillie the Duck and Stick with Mick on BabyFirst TV on Hulu.  These capture her attention and make her excited when she starts to get fussy in the evenings.  Though its NOTHING like it was in the 6-10 week range.  She gently slows down as we get her to bed.  I recently attended a sleep workshop and got lots of new information and was pointed to a new book - "Good Night Sleep Tight".  I am learning how to get her to sleep so she learns to self-soothe. 
We are doing a bit better with bath time.  We bought a little contraption to put in the tub that is a bit easier to set her in.  I was having to hold her while washing in the other one - and it was really challenging and not restful for her.  She loves to sit there and play with her cup full of water.  At first she seemed more stunned by the experience of being in water.  Now she's a bit more at home in it - and loves the concept of play.  I am not as with it when it comes to bathing her regularly - so I certainly need to get that in order.
I also bought a car-seat adapter for my BOB jogging stroller.  It is awesome to be able to pop her in and go running or walking for as long as I want because she often falls asleep.  It's still a bit hot outside to go after the first of the morning.  I know fall will be a dream.  I just signed us up for a 10K so I hope she is ready!  We were going to La Farm bakery every day and enjoying hot coffee and samples of bread and pound cake.  So this feels like a healthier option.  I'm still trying to shed a few pounds of baby weight - and I definitely feel stronger after using the jogger for a few weeks.  I did about 4.5 miles the other morning on some big hills and surprised myself!
Kylie just had her 6 month check up at Western Wake Pediatrics and she loves Dr. Tabrizi.  She is measuring in the 0.3% for height (eep!) but doing well in the height to weight ratio.  She will be petite like her mom!  Preparing myself for years of shortening pants and sleeves like my mom did for me.  She is healthy and active and loving life and making faces.  She went to town on the exam table paper - loving the sound it makes when it crinkles. 
I am working to organize her nursery a bit so that its like a play room at day care.  It is harder with her room being upstairs - but would love to have a place she feels at home in.  I know it'll be a bit easier when she can sit up on her own to be able to use some of her new toys.  But it is great to still feel as though she's young and small.  I'm in no rush for her to grow up and hit new milestones before she's ready!  She's just sized out of most of her 3m clothes - especially the adorable sleepers she had.  But we got some new 6M ones and they are just as cute - one terrycloth outfit with bunny rabbits, and another with dinosaurs.  I also bought a fleece one just because she's so cozy to hold when she's wearing it. 
Love our little girl and love her dad, too!

Week 19: Precious Moments

Our little baby is still cute and tiny - and I know these moments are fleeting.  It is so wonderful to be able to share in her days and enjoy her as we do.  She's quite the miracle in our eyes. 

My guilty pleasure of La Farm daily coffee continues...

Getting into these "loveys" lately :)

She is so eager to sit up these days. As she reclines on a boppy pillow, she flares her nostrils and opens her mouth - looking as though she's trying to do a sit-up.  When she is held in the upright seated position - she almost continues trying to lean forward.  Not quite as eager to figure out crawling yet.  Tummy time is still just a laying on the floor venture.  She does have strong head and neck mobility these days.  She likes being in the Lille baby carrier and looking around as we shop.  

Got a bath one morning

At school today!

Fell asleep in my car seat

The daycare workers love Kylie - and especially when she dresses up.  The other day I put her in a cute pink dress and they just swooned over it.  Today she wore her "Future Miss America" onesie and they thought that was a trip also.  It is fun how they engage with her and that she connects with so many different women.  I am thankful to have several individuals already helping to raise her. 

We are excited for some trips coming up - to see friends in Virginia, and to visit family up in Chicago.  Kylie is going to meet both of her great-grandmothers in the next couple months. What an incredible experience for both.  It is fun that Kylie is a bit more settled in her personality as well.  She is generally more alert, more easy going, and less fussy in the evenings.  She still will have a hard time going down when she gets too tired - but its way easier to get her to sleep than it used to be.  I'd have to hold her tight as she screamed -  not usually for too long - but its been a while since that was necessary. 

Along for the ride!

The other night was "Cow Appreciation Night" at Chick Fil A - and I was able to quickly fashion together a cow costume using some felt I bought at Joanne Fabrics on a very lucky whim.  Kylie even got a free kids meal!  It was fun to participate. 

Moo!

Kylie is still doing well in her crib these days.  She generally gets up about midnight and again around 3AM - which Mike takes that feeding.  More often than not she finishes her bottle and goes back to sleep.  I generally pass out like a rock and have these intense dreams - even if I only sleep for an hour before she wakes me up. 

Today I received the set of pictures I ordered of her very first days in the hospital, and the few months afterwards.  I look at them often on my phone, and I've wanted to have them tangibly sitting on our coffee table to look at as the mood strikes.  It was fun to put them into the album and recall the memories that go with them.  I still cherish those first four days in the hospital as the best moments together - bonding as mother and child.  And its amazing all she is becoming as each day progresses. What a gift she is that I cherish deep in my heart.

Daycare boppy chilling.

I love my "lovey"

"I wear my sunglasses at night."

Tonight was such a fun and mundane evening.  I picked her up from daycare - and we went to buy chips and cheese for dad's nacho fix on the weekends.  We also got mom's honey roasted peanut butter TUB! (must quit that bad habit!!)

When we got home, we all piled back in the car and headed to Target.  There was a terrible thunderstorm that passed through - and you could hear the rain pelting the roof.  We stayed longer to shop - me in the housewares department, Mike in the electronics department with Kylie.  When we were done, the rain had passed and we got home.   After a bottle, Kylie was happy and content on the couch.  She smiled and was making gurgling noises with her throat.  Mike went upstairs while she and I watched Chopped on TV.  She smiled and watched the fan and wiggled around, and eventually she fell asleep.  I carried her up and laid her in her crib - and asleep she stayed.

It occurred to me that when people say "enjoy every minute, it goes so fast," that these are the moments they are referring to. Even sitting together and enjoying a Friday evening date is the most special of times we'll ever share.  I'm so thankful for our little Kylie bear - more than words can say!

That face <3

Week 18: Smiley, smiley these days

Kylie is still coming into her own these days and offering up lots of coos and smiles.  She seems to have such a positive attitude most of the time - its a true joy to be around her.  She is also much more self-sustaining -- we can leave her for a time in her pack-n-play and she'll just lay there and coo at the sky.  She is, however, starting to roll more to her side - and it may not be long before she's rolling over and really needing us to stay on our toes. 

For the 4th of July we took it easy.  Kylie and I went shopping at Charming Charlie's where I got a new top and some shoes for work.  I thought it may not be long before I'm out helping her pick out some clothes.  She did well and actually slept through the whole event.  We had a fun time at our friends Brian and Meredith's annual 4th of July fiesta. When we went for Brian's birthday a few weeks before Kylie was very fussy and we only stayed a little while.  This time she was in a happy mood and just sat and enjoyed the view for most of the time.  Brian grilled some pretty awesome slider burgers - and a friend made a taco salad.  It was SO good.  I inhaled my food as always and threw back a few brownies.  Its amazing my appetite these days.  She did get fussy a couple hours into the party - so we headed home and missed the fireworks.  

For some reason - this was the first time Kylie was up nearly every hour.  Mike and I couldn't believe it each time she started crying and downing bottles.  The next day was the first of my new job - and while I was excited - I hit a wall about 2PM where I could no longer think! This past week Mike had time to be at home, which worked great as I was heading to work.  I was envious of his time to rest - but also excited to be starting a new role.  I still got to pick Kylie up, which is one of my favorite times of the day.  Sadly I picked her up on Tuesday afternoon and one of the women in her room said "today's my last day!"  Apparently there was an email we didn't receive. I was SO disappointed. She bonded with Kylie right away and was so sweet.  She gave Mike and I lots of tips to help us - both to help Kylie acclimate - and things at home. She was very gentle and reassuring for Kylie, and I know she worked to help her get to sleep there at daycare.  While the partner is still there in the room - I am sad that the one woman left.  It is still a great place and there are so many sweet folks who work there. They were especially enjoying her the other day as she was laughing and laughing.  Even across the room on the other side the workers there could hear her.  She does have a very sweet little laugh!

Friday Kylie had her four month check up.  We met with one of the doctors who first checked on Kylie when she was born.  It was a great visit and she sat and spoke with us for about 45 minutes - asking lots of questions and listening attentively.  I observed that as we spoke - she was entering notes into Kylie's record.  I felt glad that we had such a good visit.  Kylie is now up to 11 lbs 5.4 oz - and still relatively low on the height/length/weight charts.  But she's growing proportionately for her size.  Her physical exam went smoothly, as did her vaccinations.  Unfortunately Mike and I forgot to give her tylenol before the visit - and didn't think of it until around 8PM when she woke up crying and sick.  When we gave her medicine then, she knocked out and sleep until 3AM.  The weekend we couldn't tell how she felt - she was a little off her game.  But she takes the shots quite well as they happen - she must have her dad's high pain tolerance. 

Saturday was a day of mostly hanging around and enjoying not having any plans.  We went grocery shopping and got errands done, and we went to church on Saturday evening.  Sunday was another free day - which turns out the baby still needs lots of attention.  I had the pleasure of taking her around to different stores and simply enjoying time together.  I tried out her baby carriers again - and she's more inclined to enjoy them than she has previously - I think because she has greater neck control now. She likes to be up and able to see what's going on around her.  Everyone always comments how observant she is. 

Midday Sunday, Mike and I took Kylie to the pool.  At first we sat on the edge and just splashed water on her.  Mike took her more in and slowly dipped her in and out.  She had her watermelon suit on - which has long sleeves and a little baby bottom.  I didn't have a diaper suit that fit her so we tried just a regular one :(  But after we left I ordered a reusable cloth swim diaper for her on Amazon (what isn't on amazon?!)  All in all she seemed unphased by the experience.  She neither cried nor seemed to super enjoy being in the water.  More than anything she was very curious about the entire adventure.  She had a serious stare on her face and even as we were leaving kept the same contemplative gaze.  I hope we can go again soon - Mike and I hadn't been for so long.  The doc said that sunscreen would be OK as its topical and doesn't sink into her skin.  

Last night was another of constantly awake and wanting food/to be held.  I'm super tired - but glad to know we can hand her off to daycare today.  We're always thankful for Mondays to come around again!!

Week 17: Lots of lasts and firsts

This week began with the last Sunday for us at Sunrise UMC.  Unfortunately Mike got sick and wasn't able to come, but Kylie and I were there for the warm reception held between services with cake and a sweet card.

Before we left

I thought "wow I look old"

Slept through 8:30AM service!

We will miss the loving congregation of Sunrise - especially all the young families and moms to show me the ropes.  I am hopeful we'll get to visit often and still share in some great meals together as there are some top chefs there in Holly Springs. I'm still blown away by the generosity and hospitality of the congregation with the large shower they held for us in February and the amazing care we received while away on maternity leave.

The next day, Kylie came down with a cold.  We decided to keep her home from daycare, even though children can go as long as there's no fever.  We didn't actually take her temp, but she didn't feel too warm. She probably would have been fine, but we thought it best to let her rest at home.  She was coughing and sneezing, and it got worse throughout the day.  She didn't sleep too well that night, and Tuesday morning she actually looked sick.  It was a rainy day, so I embraced it and enjoyed some time at home with her to just do laundry and sit on the couch together.  Because she couldn't breathe too well, I was up a lot at night helping her to eat and clear her head.  We had her sleep on her boppy - though its strictly verboten - and that helped some.  I had a hard time sleeping making sure she was OK. 

I love fans!

We decided later in the week that - because she's really outgrowing her bassinet - that we'd shift her to the crib upstairs and have her start sleeping in the nursery.  Though it seemed it'd be difficult sentimentally - its actually worked well for all of us.  She has more room in the crib to sleep - and we don't feel quite so nervous to slip into bed while she's in there with us.  I like being able to rock her while feeding in the nursery - and then popping her back down.  We're getting the hang of the baby monitor - especially enjoying how you can turn the viewfinder and see where Kylie happens to be at any point in time. 

Resting well - mom, not so much...

She did eventually get over the cold - it wasn't too bad.  I got it some as well - but by Friday we were all doing much better.  

So adorable

Kylie is still growing - and I'm sorting through her clothes to make sure she's not too tight in the little onesies. I'm finding adorable outfits while rummaging - and fortunately she still fits some of them.  Kylie is loving toys these days - she likes to grasp them and find a connection btw her hands and her mouth.  She is even louder than she's been with the cooing- we feel she's already trying to express herself verbally.  We've been lax on tummy time lately - and need to do better.  But she's trying to sit up more - and seems to have better neck control than she has before. 

Love this toy!

I popped her into the onesie we bought to take her home from the hospital in - and were impressed how well she's growing as compared with March.

Big girl!

I'm still ever so thankful for our day care friends who watch Kylie so diligently each week.  It's great to know she gets held and some intentional loving while Mike and I are off doing different things. She always seems so relaxed when I set her down on a boppy before leaving - and when I pick her up, she's always smiling (well most of the time).  Friday Kylie wanted to get fixed up, so we put her in a lemon outfit.  The girls really liked that and they took extra pictures of how cute she looked. This weekend Kylie went to her first birthday party - and attended her first baptismal service - in the same day!  She was so well behaved for both.

What a princess

"Pucker Up"

Kylie still has the "cradle cap" gunk on her scalp, so I've been trying to rub it off using oil and a bristle brush. It is helping some.  I know she doesn't have much hair still, but it makes her head look all yellow.

Always so snuggly after a bath

Today I did not go to Sunrise, and in fact stayed home all together.  I've been SO wiped from who knows when - and it was nice to have a day just to be at home and be.  Got some cleaning done, but mostly just rested.  Mike and I went out to get groceries and such - even did a samples run to Costco - Mmmmm.  I am excited for this new chapter and how we'll get to bond as a family :)

Trader Joe's

Week 16: Fathers' Day and Vacation Bible School

Coming back from Annual Conference, we prepared to celebrate Mike's first Father's Day.  Fortunately I helped Kylie pick out some presents the week before - including a personalized coffee mug with lots of pictures of her, a onesie that says "Happy First Father's Day Daddy", and a book called "I Love You Daddy" about a bear and his bear cub. 

It was a hectic morning/day as I had church in the morning, and then VBS set-up was that afternoon.  Mike spent the day with Kylie, who was a little fussy from being at AC the week before.  But they hung in there.  We got to have Biscuitville breakfast together - Mike got a sausage and egg sandwich - and then I picked him up a smoothie for lunch. 

After the VBS set-up, I came home and we had steaks on the grill.  The meal miraculously came together quite well.  I picked up some filets with Kylie the week before and kept em in the freezer.  We had "surf and turf" as I also had shrimp, and rounded out the plate with corn on the cob (not pictured because we were SO hungry!)  I was thankful to get to have the dinner with him, and Kylie cooperated and let us eat in quiet!

Mike is obviously the best dad a girl could ask for.  She LOVES him and often will hang out in his "mancave" with him watching the Mets play baseball. He is selfless with his time and energy, especially when mom needs a nap and disappears in the bed room. I know next year we'll have an even more special Father's day celebration for him.

As for VBS, no, Kylie wasn't old enough to participate this year.  But - it was quite the week! Fortunately with our daycare we were able to shift the time a bit.  I dropped Kylie off around 11/11:30AM, and then Mike was able to pick her up around 5/5:30PM when done with work.  It is so great they are flexible and willing to work with us.  She seemed to do well with him also - going to bed right as he'd bring her home.  I would miss seeing her before then, obviously, but would get to do the 10:30PM feeding.  Sometimes I would have just drifted off when I'd hear her stirring... :)  I was glad when Friday rolled around and we were able to relax some on Saturday morning!

I'd rather be home than at Annual Conference

Kylie continues to grow and is making new discoveries each day.  She's currently keeping her hands in her mouth fairly regularly, and the drool down her arms is soaking her outfits.  She doesn't seem to be teething yet, but that may not be far off.  She is also cooing a lot - it is so cute to hear her humming her own little tune.  I'm enjoying singing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" as it always makes her smile and giggle. 

Still capturing these precious moments
- she is the best baby :)

Week 15: Kylie Does Annual Conference

We had fun trekking out to Greenville for Annual Conference this year. Last summer I saw all the young moms with babies in their Moby wraps and thought it looked adorable and easy. Boy who was I kidding!  For one, Kylie doesn't like any baby carriers and it was either hold her or have her in the car seat/stroller. Packing was a unique experience as well. Last year was a big year as I was to be ordained!  I spent a while shopping for dresses for both the clergy session (where you are formally voted forward after recommendation from the board) and the actual ordination service. 

Love that look!

This year- I could hardly think of anything but Kylie's needs- mainly the pack and play! I took one suitcase, knowing it'd be tricky to get in and out of the hotel already. With her multiple onesies, diapers, a small fan (ha!) I had exactly one-third of the suitcase left for me. I decided on dresses for each day!  Easy to throw on in the dark and would immediately look nice. Shoes- "hmm I need a bigger summer shoe selection". 

The drive out went fine- Kylie sleeps like a rock on road trips. And with a baby- no snacks needed or fussing about music choices. We had a little Red Robin date right at 5 to avoid any crowds. She did start crying when my food arrived- when I realized (again!) how much help Mike is!  That night we had a group meeting at 7, when she is generally asleep, but she was quiet the whole time and went right to bed after. I neglected to bring a sheet for the pack and play mat- so I heard a lot of swooshing all night. 

I had not been in a hotel room with a baby before. Once she went down and the lights were off- there was no noise or light allowed. I could not find my cell phone- and the alarm clock was the dimmest I'd ever had. So feeling around I eventually found it!  Fortunately I was so tired I konked right out myself. 

The week was a fun blend of one-on-one time with Kylie and seeing friends, many of whom held her while she was asleep, fussing, you name it!  At one point I forgot I was supposed to be on stage with the other deacons, so she came up with me- bottle and all!

Thursday she was terrific and hardly cried at all. Friday was a different story- and thru lunch she screamed and screamed. I had a part in the afternoon session, so I couldn't just go back to the hotel. A friend miraculously got her to sleep and she ended up being fine. But I was stressed!  Admittedly Annual Conference is super tiring- so her screams were certainly warranted- but it was still stressful to try and keep her calm. 

We made it home Saturday afternoon- and I think the week finally sunk in. She was extra fussy that evening and eventually we got her to sleep. It took a few days for her to finally catch up on her rest. 

All in all, I loved having Kylie with me for AC and am so thankful to have the memories of being together with her. I also think she'd do better next year to stay home or with grandparents as its really not a kid-oriented event. I will have a bigger hand in the ordination activities next year, so I also wouldn't be able to give her my full attention anyhow. But for this year- she was my cute little arm candy and definitely brightened the spirits of everyone who saw her.

Week 14: Like a Duck to Water!

This week Kylie participated in her first "Water Play" day at daycare.  It was very cute - they attached a little notice to our take home paper and asked that parents provide a bathing suit and towel.  We went to Target and picked out the cutest suits we could find.  One had long sleeves and a cute bottom part - which I thought would help with the sun.  

Not sure how she feels about it... 

The other was a simple one-piece - both "watermelon" designs.  So adorable!  We called and checked with the pediatrician and its not recommended to use sunscreen for a baby any younger than 4 months old.  So we will wait.  It is still crazy to me I have a person so young in my house...14 weeks old!

Picking out sunhats at Target

The cutest one :)

We also picked out sunhats this week. The daycare workers like to take her in a little buggy and ride around to help break up the day and get them some fresh air.  Kylie reclines in the back under a canopy - so she isn't really exposed to sun.  I'm glad she enjoys it.  She's been doing much better lately with sleeping at daycare also.  We brought in a sleep sack that doesn't wrap up her arms - and she seems more relaxed wearing that.  She is still adjusting to the noise - and the setting I'm sure - and so we brought in a noise machine.  (Go figure - my baby would need ambient noise to rest)  It is a little sheep that has a sound machine you pop inside.  It hangs on the outside of the crib for her - and they turn the volume up.  I wonder if it drives them crazy to have that noise going... but it helps her!

Kylie, her swaddle, and her Sleep Sheep!

We are getting the hang of the "daycare" experience.  I like having a choice as to which six-hour block she can go.  Some days - like last week - I take her later so she can stay longer into the day.  Today I'll need to drop her off first thing so I can scoot up to Garner for a meeting.  I don't know if it affects her much one way or the other, but we can see.  I just love knowing she's safe and being well-cared for. 

Life is so busy getting ready for Vacation Bible School these days that I haven't done much to attend to the home life - at least until I contracted hand, foot, and mouth disease!!  I didn't know adults could get that.  All week it was hard to grip her bottles, and it felt all blistery on the bottom of my feet - presumably from a run.  But it turned out to be HFM!  Friday afternoon I went to the doctor's office and received confirmation.  There isn't much that can be done as it is a viral infection.  So I rested and stayed home from church so as to avoid giving it to others.  It was such a nice weekend to have time to be home - get laundry done, clean the fridge, and rest.  I feel well suited to head into this week with Annual Conference starting on Wednesday. It also coincided with our 5 year anniversary - so we were able to celebrate for a couple of days.  Kylie joined us out for our steak dinner and was very well behaved.  It helped that we went at the 4:00 hour!  Lately we've been eating at 4 and going to bed at 7!

Time with dad!

It is fun to see Kylie continuing to grow and change.  She is very eager these days to sit up, and is often making a face and straining to lift her torso upwards.  Her boppy helps with that.  I can hold her up and she enjoys that more - getting even stronger with her neck to keep her head from flopping.  She is smiling all the time - and even started giggling yesterday some.  I love to see her happy - its hard now to remember the times she wasn't smiling.  Her fingers are always moving and gripping things - especially when she's being held.  When we pick her up out of her bassinet - she often grabs on and knows she's being carried. 

Those feet!

Sweet gift from Brad and Bobbie!

She is singing more now - to herself mostly.  She's way more verbal in general.  I am trying to read to her more - mostly whatever book is nearby.  Though her books are upstairs, I'm trying to be better about bringing them down.  We like "I Love You More" - a cute story about the love between Big Nutbrown Hare and Little Nutbrown Hare.... "I love you all the way to the moon and back!"

That smile!

Hanging out on the poppy

Last night she had trouble going down.  I turned on some music, and it was relaxing for us both to sit and listen to the tunes.  I found some baby relaxing music - a blend of classical.  I would love to know how it helps her calm and rest.  Having done yoga the past couple of days - I'm all about things that center and bring restoration.