Nine Months

Dear Gracie,

It's hard to believe that nine months ago you were still just a crazy alien baby in my tummy.  You make me laugh and smile more than anything on this earth.  Some days when we just sit and play together, my cheeks hurt from all the smiling!

You are such a little lover!  This month you started kissing things.  Yes, things, not just people.  You love kissing Daddy and I, and even Daisy, but you also love kissing the mirror (vain, much?), your dolls, and pretty much anything that you hold in your hands.  Of course, that has nothing to do with us constantly saying, "awww, give it a kiss!"  Isn't that why people have kids?  So they can tell them to do funny things? 

The first few weeks of this month, I was busy finishing up my student teaching, and you were busy causing havoc at our apartment while Daddy was trying to work.  So, to help us out, we brought in the Grandmas.  Each Grandma stayed with you during the day for a week so that we could wrap this crazy chapter of our life up and remain sane.  During one of these weeks, while I was at school, you decided to pull yourself up for the first time on our footstool.  Again, I missed a milestone, but again, I was so happy and excited that you had Daddy and Grandma there to cheer you on, I didn't mind much.  Besides, I was the one who walked into your room a few days later to find a smiling baby standing up inside her crib begging for me to pick her up.  That might've been one of my favorite moments with you ever.  You were soooo proud of yourself standing there all wobbly and slobbery.  You were all like, look out world - here I come....once Mommy gets me out of here.  Now, you pull yourself up on everything, but it's more like look out Daisy - here I come.  Poor Daisy.

Not only did you start pulling yourself up, but you started walking behind push toys without any help from us old people.  While visiting the farm for Thanksgiving, you even created your own push toy by standing behind an overturned laundry basket and pushing it across the floor.  Who needs fancy toys when you're got an old household item and a big imagination.  It's so fun watching your brain work.  Sometimes it looks like maybe you are sitting there solving quadratic equations or finding the square root of pi before you make a move.  While visiting your little buddy Austin, somehow between the two of you, you unscrewed two door stoppers and were having a little sword fight with them.  While crawling at the speed of light across the wood floors of our apartment, you will stop suddenly and become lost in the pattern or irregularities of our old wood floors.  I'm just waiting for the day for you to sit up and tell me it's time that I do a little better job dusting.

Thanksgiving was probably the favorite day of your life so far.  You got dressed in a lovely fall ensemble, played with other kids, and ate a lot of yummy food.  Those are probably your three favorite things to do.  You are just in absolute awe when you see other kids.  Maybe it's because you're not around them often, or maybe you're just going to be a social butterfly like me.  Whatever the reason, you just totally light up when you see other human beings close to your size.  You even love the creepy toddler sized doll, Crystal, that lives on the farm.  You guys have some sort of connection because whenever she's in the room you just can't keep your eyes off her.  After playing for an hour in a toy tugboat, you sat down to eat a Thanksgiving feast of sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, turkey, and rolls.  You were in heaven.  Somehow a piece of watermelon made it onto your plate which led to a complete meltdown midbite (so dramatic), but other than that, it was a good day.  It was so strange for me to sit at the adult table with you and Daddy after sitting at the "kids" table for so many years.  I guess you finally made me grow up...a little.

Not every meal this month was so pleasant though.  You're started to recognize food by color or smell or some other keen baby sense and have learned to intercept any spoon carrying unpleasing bites on it.  Your put your hands out and grunt like "no way - no how, mister!"  You mean serious business.  Your eyebrows get all frowny and you scrunch your nose up.  I know I sometimes throw you curve balls by serving up strange things like kiwi and whole grain pasta, but why after three months of loving green beans are you suddenly denying them entrance to your mouth?  I wish you could just tell me that you're in the mood for Mexican and that's why you tossed the green beans to Daisy.  I would be on board with that because 99.9% of the time I'm also in the mood for Mexican.  Also, you were with me at the animal clinic when the vet told Daisy she had to lose some lbs.  Quit feeding her so much or you will have to get up and take her on those extra long morning exercise walks in the nice cold January mornings.  I don't think you were really paying attention to anything other than how much the other dogs perked up when you squeaked Sophie the Giraffe in the waiting room.  Remind me to never bring that toy within twenty feet of an animal clinic again.

Sometimes I watch you sleeping and search your face for the tiny infant we brought home from the hospital so many weeks ago.  You may not need me every 20 minutes like back then to feed you or change you or swaddle you tightly, but I realize now that I need you every minute of every day.  I love you, sweetie.

xoxo,
Momma

p.s.  Obviously, I am not a world class photographer, but these outtakes from your photo session make my heart happy.  So much sunshine - so many smiles.  You are my sunshine, Gracie!

 

 

 

Eight Months

Dear Gracie,

You are eight months old!  I feel like one night this month I put a little baby to sleep, and in the morning, I walked into your room to find a little girl.  You are growing so fast!

 

 

This month you perfected your army crawl, and girl, you are fast!  Before we realized we can't leave you alone (even for a few minutes) in a room anymore, you got into a few funny places.  You washed your hands in Daisy's water bowl, played in the fireplace, and crawled up on the bottom shelf of our tv stand.  No matter how many toys we place in front of you, you would rather crawl over to the edge of the living room and play with the crown molding.  Living in an apartment with all hardwood floors and a dog, you are often covered with dog hair and dustbunnies that escaped our daily swiffer runs.  We need to attach a mop to your stomach and knees and let you do the cleaning!  Your favorite thing to do is crawl through the tiny space between the couch and the footstool in the living room.  You think it is hilarious crawling through that little tunnel, and probably make the trip twenty times a day.  If someone's feet happen to be in the space, you just keep pushing through until they move.  Get outta Gracie's way!

This was a month full of traditions.  Daddy grew up going to apple orchards every Fall in Michigan, and this is a tradition we are going to pass on to you.  On a warm sunny Fall day in October, we made the hour and a half trip outside of the city to an apple orchard.  With you snugly strapped to Daddy's chest in your Baby Bjorn, we walked through the orchard, selecting several apples from their bins (the trees were empty due to a bad growing season).  You loved the apples!  We would takes bites and let you suck on the juice that ran out and gnaw a little bit on the inside.  You looked like a little vampire with apple juice dripping out of your mouth.  We also visited all of the animals at the orchard.  Your favorite was a little goat that stuck its' head through the fence and begged to be petted.  You were more than happy to help him out!  We took a small break for coffee and apple cider doughnuts (milk and mum mums for you!), and finished the day at the pumpkin patch.  You picked out a little pumpkin which Daddy helped you paint your name and handprints on that night.  I can't wait to go back next year and watch you toddle around by yourself!

The last weekend in October, our family all gathered in Chicago to celebrate your baptism.  It was a wonderful weekend, and you loved all of the attention.  You started off the weekend by dressing up in your first Halloween costume, a cute little elephant, and showing off your favorite neighborhood park for Boopalooza!  There was bobbing for apples, corn mazes, and a costume parade for kids and dogs.  You mainly smiled for a million pictures and checked out the other kids' costumes - we even saw another little girl elephant (you looked cuter!).  The next day was the main event, your baptism.  We dressed you in a beautiful long white dress and met all of your proud relatives at the church.  This was only your second time ever attending church, and the experience really moved you.  It moved you so much, that you had the biggest diaper blowout EVER two seconds before you were called to the altar for your starring role.  I was absolutely frozen in horror and quickly wrapped your lower body in a blanket hoping nothing would leak through.  The next ten minutes were the longest of my life as we handed you over to the pastor.  I don't think I heard a word of the blessing because I was just praying that you wouldn't leave anything on the pastor's all white robe.  Luckily, he was all clean when he handed you back to us, and I rushed to the bathroom to clean you up.  If anyone would've have walked in on us, they probably would have had a big laugh.  I had you stripped down and soaking in one sink and your dress in another.  We finally got out of there in time to hear the last song of the service and take some pictures which strategically hid the large brown stain on the back of your dress and your bare feet.  I can't wait to embarrass you with this story for the rest of your life!

You finally said mama, and in typical Gracie fashion, with a smile on your face, it came out in a devil voice.  You are just the most silly amazing little girl, and you make my cheeks hurt from laughing at you so much!  We've started having dance parties in your room everynight when it time for pajamas, and you love to be dipped and thrown up in the air to "You'll Accompany Me" by Bob Seger.  You always want to turn the lightswitch off, but haven't mastered turning it back on yet.  You get so absolutely excited at times that your arms and legs move at the speed of light and you just giggle and smile (and occasionally growl).  After a month of sleepless teething nights, you are back to your usual sleepy self and nap twice a day for two hours.  I'm so jealous of your life!

You've been extremely lucky to spend lots of time with your grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins.  We've had lots of visitors, and we even made the trip to Michigan for Auntie Ses' baby shower.  You're going to be a big cousin in about a month!  I can't wait to see you show their little one the ropes, and I can only imagine the trouble you two are going to get into.  You have so much love in that little heart to share.  We  love you, Gracie girl!

xoxo
Momma

p.s. I couldn't resist posting these outtakes from your photo shoot.  I just love to sit back and watch you get into trouble!

 



 



 



Seven Months

Dear Gracie,

You are seven months old!  So, you probably noticed that this month's letter is late again.  Remind me to tell you someday about how this time in our young family's lives is the omghardesttimeever.  Spoiler alert, we make it through ok!

 

 

Look at those chubby little legs!  At your doctor's appointment around the beginning of this month, we found out that you were not gaining weight as quickly as doctor would like, so we put you on a milkshake diet.  No, really we just started you on formula, and cut back on my breastfeeding.  This was tough on me, but you seem to love the formula even though it is gross looking and foul smelling (not to mention what it has done to the presents you leave for us in your diaper!)  After just a week on formula and all of the solids we could get down your throat, you gained an entire pound and were right back on track.  Whew.  In Daddy and I's defense, you weren't complaining when you weren't gaining weight.  We weren't trying to starve you on purpose or anything.  Promise.

 

In month seven, the growling took a backseat to your new favorite pasttime....screaming.  You weren't screaming because something was wrong or because you needed something, you screamed just for fun with a huge smile on your face.  Just like growling, you started screaming everywhere.  You screamed in your highchair when I was feeding you breakfast, you screamed in your jumparoo when Daddy was on a conference call, you screamed in restaurants and coffee shops.  Your grandparents all refered to this high pitched noise as "singing".  If that is the extent of your singing talent, then we don't need to worry about having to sit through choir concerts or school musicals.  You favorite thing to do while screaming is bang your feet on the ground as hard as you can.  We've already established how much of a morning person you are, so I'm sure that the twenty something guys that live below us really love your 5:30 AM vocal and percussion performances.

 

Screaming is not the only thing you were doing with your mouth this month, you also started constantly babbling things like dadadadadada or blablablablabla and you sprouted two teeth!  So many new and exciting things coming out of that tiny little mouth!  I have to say that I thought I would be sad when you inevitably (like a majority of kids) said dada before mama.  I was completely wrong though.  Watching you say that over and over again with a huge drooly smile on your face makes my heart so happy.  You are Daddy's mini-me (we've nicknamed you Brace), so it's only fair that you uttered his name first.  I'm sure mama is not far behind. 

 

The two teeth that made themselves at home in your mouth were not as happy of an occasion.  It took several long weeks for the little guys to make their appearance through your gums, and you were not a happy camper.  You started waking up several times a night, and there was nothing we could really do to help you other than feed your Tylenot every four hours and provide lots of cold chew toys.  I've never felt so helpless in my life....oh wait, yes I have...just a week later, you got your first cold.  Not only were your teeth hurting, you also couldn't breathe.  You learned really quickly that you hates having your nose wiped and that the bulb syringe was the worst thing in the world.  Now, if you would just learn to blow your own nose already things would be fine!  The first night of your cold was the worst.  I sat with you in the bathroom with the shower running for a long time rocking you back and forth praying that it would help your congestion.  You just kept looking up at me like "help me, please!"  Luckily, we all made it through the teething and the cold, although I'm pretty sure there are like twenty more teeth to go.  Is it too much to ask that they all magically come in at the same time?

 

Your have started to overcome your awful stranger danger anxiety and let people other than myself and Daddy hold you for extended periods of time.  You even let Uncle Bri Bri look at you for a few minutes.  Last month the sight of his face sent you into a total meltdown.  It's nice for people to finally meet the sweet and smily girl that I post all of the pictures of.  We spent a weekend at Grandma and Pop-Pop H's house and you finally met the last of your cousins and Aunts and Uncles.  As usual, you were the main attraction, and you defintely put on a show.  Your Great Grandma loved holding you, and I've never seen her smile so big before.  While we were there, you took your first bath in a big tub sitting up all by yourself.  You loved splashing the water with your hands and giggling.  You looked so grown up in there!

 

You started waving goodbye, and Daddy has been working so hard on getting you to do the signal for touchdown.  You are a pretty good student even though Daddy tickles you a lot during your lessons.  You and Daddy are getting along pretty good at home during the day.  I love walking in the door each night to see what you are wearing.  If I forget to lay out clothes for you, Daddy dresses you himself, and he makes some bold choices.  That man is not afraid of color and does not shy away from mixing prints!  He is such a good daddy!  He took a week off from work, and you two did so many things together.  You went for long walks, rode in a taxi for your first time, and did some home improvement tasks around the apartment.  You're a pretty good team.  Being away from you during the day is still hard, but that huge smile you greet me with when I walk in the door every single night is pretty much the most awesome thing ever.

 

I'm sitting here writing this letter with your monitor propped up next to my computer.  You just rolled over halfway and snuggled up to your favorite stuffed animal, Ducky.  I wonder what you are dreaming about.  I hope it's something wonderful!

 

xoxo

Momma

 

p.s.  You love shoes and feet.  Here you are in action after setting your sights on my Chucks.  Pretty much nothing gets in your way!

 

 

 

 

 



Six Months

Dear Gracie,

Kitten, you were six months old last week!  Due to my computer catching a virus, your letter is a little bit late this month.  Sorry about that, but if you're old enough to read this, you already know that things in our house always get done....just not always exactly on time.  You being born the day before your due date was one of the only times I've ever been early for anything!

 

 

There you are, already bored with the task at hand and looking towards your next adventure.  You started out your sixth month with a growl.  One day while happily jumping up and down in your jumparoo trying out new sounds, a low "grrrrrrrrrrrrr" came out of your mouth amidst the usual squeals and shrieks.  It sounded just like a dog, and I couldn't believe that noise came out of you.  You smiled that adorable toothless grin at me and did it again, "grrrrrrrrrr."  I couldn't stop laughing.  Then, later that night, you kept doing it for Daddy and I, and we were on the floor cracking up.  The more we laughed, the more you growled.  Then, you started growling while nursing, and in the bathtub, and in bed at night, and in your highchair, and so on and so on, and it was no longer that cute.  In fact, in Target an older woman stopped in the aisle to say hello to you, and you growled at her, quite loudly.  She took a step back as if she'd been bitten.  I think you were offended that she didn't find you amusing, and the growling (thank goodness) came to an end some days later.

 

You want to be a big girl helper.  During the same trip to Target that you acted like a possessed child towards an old lady, you also decided you wanted to start pushing the cart for me.  Strapped onto my chest in your Baby Bjorn, you clamped your hands down on the shopping cart.  I can take my hands off, keep walking, and you do all the work!  I knew I'd be putting you to work someday making me hot dogs and filing my nails, but you're already pulling your own weight around here!  Other things you enjoy helping me do include:  holding (and chewing on) the grocery list at the store, holding my keys or Daisy's leash during morning walks,   taking off my glasses and pulling my hair out of my ponytail (ok, that one is not exactly helpful and actually hurts a little), and taking your own socks off any chance you get.  Hopefully this doesn't mean you're going to start asking for an allowance soon.

 

Not only do you help Momma out, but without even knowing it, you help Daisy too.  Something about being around you just makes Daisy feel safe.  Anytime there is a storm or fireworks or any other loud noises at night, she wants in your room with you.  She will sit outside of your door and whine until we let her in there.  Then, she trots right over to your crib to make sure you're ok, and then curls up next to you.  One night we let her in there and then forgot all about her until we went to bed and checked the monitor and saw her blinking eyes in the dark.  Your face lights up when she runs into the room, and she loves covering your face and toes with wet kisses.  It just warms my heart to see you two laying together on the floor.  My two girls!

 

Just like I predicted last month, you are the valedictorian of eating solids!  You have mastered whole grain cereal, bananas, sweet potatoes, avocados, pears, and green beans.  Once you decided you were ready to eat, girl, were you ever ready to eat!  If Daddy and I don't shovel the food into your  mouth fast enough, you grunt and get red in the face.  So impatient, but I understand.  Daddy gets like that when he's hungry too.  The snacks in the diaper bag are for him - not you.

 

You tried so many new things this month.  You went to the park for the first time and Daddy pushed you in the swing and went down the slide with you.  It was a sunny day, and your wide brimmed hat was about the only thing peeking up over the edge of the swing, and Daddy kissed your toes every time you swung towards him.  It must have been exhausting for you because it wasn't long before you were falling asleep on my shoulder, all tuckered out.  You took your first trip to Wrigley Field to watch a baseball game.  You started sleeping in child's pose with your booty up in the air, and I love seeing you like that in the morning.  You look so peaceful and warm cuddled up to your blanket, that I want to climb into that crib with you and curl up.  You started scootching across the floor like an inchworm using your head.  I can't even explain this - it sort of looks like break dancing.  I'm sure we'll embarrass you with a video of it someday - probably in front of your boyfriend right before you go to Prom.  You are sitting up on your own and like to stand up holding on to the coffee table by yourself.  You play peekaboo, grab your feet and put them in your mouth, and love to be tickled under the chin.  You want to do it all, and you giggle the entire time.

 

In the midst of all of these changes, I went back to work.  For ten weeks I will be student teaching at a nearby elementary school, and you will be staying home with Daddy.  I'm sure someday the topic of whether your Mom stays home with you or not will come up with you and your friends.  When it does, I want you to know that I am doing this so that you will be proud of me.  I want you to know that you should never settle for something in your life that makes you unhappy.  There is always another option, and when it doesn't feel like there is, I will be there to help you find it.  What felt like an earth shattering change to me was barely a tiny blip on your radar.  You were still the same beautiful, adventurous, happy girl when I got home at night.  I smothered you with one million kisses, and you were like "moooooooommmmmmm".

 

You have changed all of our lives - mine, Daddy's and Daisy's, and I'm not sure what we would do without you now.  Daisy in particular is looking forward to you starting to drop some food on the floor.  Daddy is looking forward to having someone else to have political debates with, and I am looking forward to long walks through the fall leaves.  I predict that month seven will be the best yet!

 

xoxo

Momma

 

p.s.  Here are a few outtakes from your photo session with your best friend.  The last one is my favorite.  I love you and your big heart!



Five Months

Dear Gracie,

My little girl, you are a beautiful and joyous five months old!  You've become so curious in the past few weeks.  That little grin on your face says, "uh, huh, sure, mom - turn your back so I can roll over into that fireplace now."

Yes, you have mastered rolling over.  Stomach to back, back to stomach, up over your shoulder, some mysterious way that has you waking up in really weird positions in bed - girl, you are on the go.  I was in line at a movie theatre to see "The Hunger Games" when Daddy called to tell me you'd done it.  I burst out in tears I was so proud of you.  You'd been determined for weeks (never crying when you'd get stuck halfway over), and you'd finally done it.  I hung up the phone and turned to the woman behind me and said, "My kid rolled over - awesome!"  She sort of rolled her eyes at me and took another puff of her cigarette.  I wanted to stick my tongue out at her.

Everything you do now has a purpose.  You never just do something to do it, there is some end result you are reaching for.  You roll over to grab that toy you'd been eyeing all morning.  You jump in your jumperoo to hear it play the sound effect "boooiiinnngg" over and over (and over and over) again.  You do pilates v-ups to see what's going on when you're lying on your back.  You're working out more than me!  The world is just so interesting to you.  Your hands are constantly working.  Grabbing and feeling the carpet, your blanket, the couch, some one's shirt, my face - you want to know what everything is and what it feels like (and usually if it will fit in your mouth).  Sometimes I just sit back and watch you think.  Entire hours go by where the sounds of your squeels and some background music of either "Call Me Maybe" or "What Makes Your Beautiful" (c'mon those are our summer jams!) are the only sounds in the room, and I watch you like my favorite reality show ever. 

There have been so many firsts this month - some successful and some not so successful.  Hey, that's life, honey!  You successfully made it through your first 5K in the jogging stroller.  You and I did great - your Dad, finished without dying, so that was good.  You giggled and babbled the whole time, and technically, you beat us both by crossing the finish line before us.  You also had your first taste of solids.  This started out pretty well, but quickly took a bad turn, and you are currently back on a liquid diet.  Don't worry, you wanted to eat the multi-grain rice cereal, but your tongue and stomach had other ideas.  I'm sure that in your six month letter that I will be praising your love of solids, and how you had learned to love sitting in your highchair again without screaming and grunting.

For a few extremely warm days, we spent some time with your Grandma and Grandpa H on their farm.  Your Grandpa H and Daddy swung a baby swing for you in the tree that I used to climb as a little girl.  Grandpa pushed you, and the look on your face was pure joy.  With the wind in your hair and the sun on your face, I have never seen you look more beautiful and content.  I wonder what was going through your mind.  You went on plenty of nature walks during those few days, and each time you came inside from looking at the hummingbirds or from touching the leaves on the trees, you smelled like the outdoors, and I just couldn't smell your head and kiss your cheeks enough.  I know, totally embarrassing, but totally necessary. 

This was a month that I wish I could have froze in time for just a little bit longer.  Except for that whole fake coughing thing you started.  Like you need more attention. 

xoxo
Momma

p.s.  Here are a few outtakes from your photo session this month.  Gracie on the go.

Four Months

Dear Gracie,

Last week, you turned four months old.  With the way you took a hold of your schedule and life and said, "this is how it's gonna be, Momma", I felt like you turned 18 years old. 

I know, you're crying in this picture, but I don't want you to get the idea that you are rainbows and sunshine all of the time.  So, yeah, sometimes you cry.  This picture is pure four month old Gracie.  You did not want to wear those silly sandals, and you let me know it.  You did not want to lay down on the floor and smile, and you let me know it.  In the fourth month of your life, you have marched to the top of the mountain and shouted out "I'm Grace, and I'll do what I want!"  I love it.  I don't want you to be a kid who just lays back and lets Daddy and I make all the decisions without your input.  I want to have discussions and debates with you and find our common and uncommon ground.  Well, we definitely found our uncommon ground the day of this photo, and it was those sandals.



Suddenly, in the middle of this month, you decided to start taking naps.  I'm not talking 15 minute naps in the swing that give me time to catch my breath.  These are 45 minute - 1 1/2 hour naps, twice a day!  Suddenly, I have time to drink my cup of coffee without reheating it three times, and I read most of the front page of the Chicago Tribune.  I can take showers without taking you into the bathroom in your bouncer with me and showering with the curtain halfway open.  I actually did a whole 20 minute yoga video the other morning.  You know what though?  I miss you during that time.  I find myself checking the monitor a ridiculous amount of times, and popping my head in your nursery just to watch you sleep.  I'm just a little jealous of your blanket you snuggle up to and wish it was my shoulder.  I'm also jealous that you made this little nap schedule up on your own.  You didn't want or need my help.  You did it on your own time.  You're already so grown up.

Soon after you started napping, other big milestones started happening.  You no longer wanted to be swaddled, you would start the night in one place in your crib and end up in a completely different position by morning, and then you started rolling over on your side from you back.  Suddenly, you were a baby on the move.  You kick your feet in the bathtub now, and throw your head back and laugh, like really LAUGH, when you think something is funny.  Sometimes this thing is Daisy, and she is licking your feet while you gurgle your appreciation.  You're learning to pet her gently, and she is extremely patient and loving with you, even when you pulled out an entire handful of her hair.

You ended your fourth month with your very first vacation at Grandma and Grandpa F's lake cottage.  I was a wreck leading up to the trip worrying about the car ride and how well you would sleep at night and other various things.  I should have spent all that time worrying doing something else because you were just perfect.  I'll never forget the look on your face when the water rushed up over your toes for the first time on the beach, or how sweet you looked napping in just your diaper after a long morning of playing.  One night, as Daddy and I were toweling you off after taking a bath, you looked up at us and touched my face with your hand.  It was the absolute perfect moment.

You are keeping us on our toes, Gracie, and we love it.  I think it's safe to say that you have us in the palm of your tiny little dimpled hand.

xoxo
Momma

Three Months

Dear Gracie,

You are now three months old, and I had to bribe you to keep that headband on.  It's like your hands still sometimes have a mind of their own and punch you in the face or pull things off your head or out of your mouth.  I really hope that goes away or middle school is going to be really rough.

Right now you are playing on your activity mat just laughing and talking to this little monkey hanging down.  I think he is currently your best friend, and I wish I could understand the long conversations you have with him, although they are mostly one-sided.  You also have your paci, a blanket, and a toy all clutched to your chest in a choke hold.  As soon as you learned how to hold on to things, you started toy hoarding.  You can relax, Daisy has no interest in your spit up covered toys.  I promise.

At the beginning of your third month, we moved to a new apartment in a new neighborhood, and at first, I thought you hated it.  You slept awful the first few nights and screamed during the day anytime I tried to unpack a box.  I guess you missed the constant Lady Gaga and Katy Perry music or Drag Queen Bingo Mondays of our old place.  Then, you started to warm up to it a bit.  We started taking long morning walks to the park and had play dates with your friend Connor.  You grew to love the trees and birds outside of the front windows and we still spend time everyday looking out at them with Daisy.  The best part of our move, Aunt Ses and Uncle Bri Bri live just across the alley from us.  Unfortunately, their new apartment seems to bring out the worst in you, but I'm sure you'll adjust.

The most amazing part of this month has been watching your growing relationship with Daddy.  Anytime he comes into the room, you smile and giggle like he is your most favorite thing in the world.  You hold two sided conversations together (a step up from monkey) which consist mostly of goooooos and ahhhhhhhs.  At night, he gives you a bottle and puts you to bed never forgetting to read you a story (your favorite is Goodnight Stinkypants) or to say your prayers.  Sometimes I creep into our bedroom and turn on the monitor so I can hear him talking to you. 

There are still things that we probably do wrong.  Last week because I am absolutely petrified of using the nail clippers on you, I bit your nails while you were sleeping.  Gross, I know, but at this point in our relationship, very necessary.  During a visit to see Grandma and Grandpa H, I had you stay up way past your nap and bedtime so that you could see everyone, and you responded by throwing a fit for a few hours.  Lesson learned!  You have a bald spot on the back of your head that we try to cover up with hats as much as possible, and I can't figure out a way to make you enjoy tummy time.  For every possible mistake though, there are the triumphs, like going shopping for the first time with you facing forward in your Baby Bjorn.  You cooed and smiled at everyone that passed you, and laughed at yourself in the huge mirrors.  At your first street festival, in the middle of the crowds and loud music, you snuggled up and took a long nap, and at Connor's first birthday party, you spit up on command when someone touched the flower on your shirt. 

Ok, that last one might not have been a triumph, but it was hilarious, and we laugh with you so much every single day.  Your fourth month will probably bring even more amazing changes in you, and your IQ is going to skyrocket because I'm reading to you out of my US History textbook during story time.  Maybe you can take my midterm for me?

xoxo

Momma

Mother's Day

Dear Gracie,

Sunday I celebrated my first Mother's Day as your Momma.  I still can't believe that I have my own holiday!  All day I just felt like I should be thanking you and Daddy for MAKING me a mother! 

Just because I'm sure by the time you're able to read this, you'll have forgotten what wonderful presents you got me (or maybe because you weren't actually on the shopping trip at all), I'll fill you in.  You are so thoughtful.  You got me a book that I can read to you at bedtime and a book to keep track of all of our little family's milestones.  And, my favorite, was a little necklace with a "G" on it that I'll wear all the time so you'll always be with me, Lil' G (that's your rap name by the way). 

When I was rocking you to sleep after a long day of gift giving, brunch eating, and park walking, you looked right up at me and stretched really big and shook your pompoms (it's this really cute thing where you stretch your arms over your head so big that you little fists shake) at me and smiled.  That was the best thanks I could've asked for.

Gracie, thank YOU for being my daughter.  I'm the lucky one :)

xoxo

Momma

Two Months

Dear Gracie,

On Thursday, you turned two months old.

You are growing in so many ways.  Your toes are at the very end of your 3 month old sleepers, your legs stick through the sides of the rocking chair when I rock you to sleep at night, and your head no longer fits in the hat that was so big on your way home from the hospital that it covered your eyes and nose.  You also spend hours a day staring at yourself in mirrors and smiling .  I often sing "You're So Vain" to you, even though I'm pretty sure there's no way you know you're staring at yourself.

Mornings are my absolute favorite time of day to spend with you.  After your morning feeding, we snuggle up on the couch for a nice nap with Daisy curled up at our feet.  Then we wake up and you do your Jazzercise routine on your activity mat.  I'm not kidding, you move your arms and legs so fast that your breathe sounds like you are running a marathon.  Your hands occasionally get stuck in the rings hanging down, and I usually yell "Yes!  She's going to be a gymnast" really loud until your dad knocks on the wall and tells me to calm down. 

At six weeks, we had to take you to the Children's Memorial Hospital to have ultrasound pictures taken of your hips and spine.  (Just so you don't worry, you were just fine!)  You were such a brave little baby.  While I was using every single bit of  strength I had to keep it together seeing you lay in that huge hospital bed, you were being the perfect patient sleeping through most of the procedure and barely crying at all.  When the doctor called with your clean bill of health, I broke down in tears and you just grinned up at me the cutest little toothless, gummy, slobbery grin ever.  You'll never know how much that little smile meant to me.

You recently started sleeping through the night a majority of the time pretty much all on your own.  The first time you did it, your daddy and I both woke up to the light streaming through the windows and both said "is she alive?!"  You were.  Whew.  Seven hours of uninterrupted sleep was amaaaazing let me tell you, but, I think it was just a peach offering because at the same exact time, you decided to just up and stop taking naps during the day.  Obviously, there are more important things for you to be doing during the day like checking the Dow and writing poems in your diary about how unfair it is that your parents won't let you get a mohawk.  Life is tough, right?

We are all just finding our way through this together, the three of us, and I think we're doing a pretty good job. 

xoxo
Momma

One Month

Dear Gracie,
Yesterday you turned one month old.

This picture of you is quite deceiving since you spent most of yesterday screaming at the top of your cute little lungs.  In fact, you held this pose for precisely .2 seconds - long enough to basically wink at me as if you were just screaming for fun and could stop at any time if you wanted to.  It only took those .2 seconds for me to forget that I hadn't taken a shower and was wearing a seriously breast milk stained shirt and fall in love with you all over again.  I do that probably around 50 times every single day.

I didn't realize that within just one month you would already be changing from a sack of flour that I loved to snuggle on my chest to your own little person.  You recognize Daddy and I's voices and faces over anyone else's (something that brings tears to my eyes almost every time), you have different cries for different things you want, and you smile several times a day in a social way and not in a I have gas or involuntary facial muscle spasm way.  I think you like us!

So far, you seem to love the following things: being swaddled, listening to The Randy Rogers Band, falling asleep with Daddy on the couch, watching Daisy with a concerned look on your face, saving all your blow out diapers for Daddy, being covered in kisses by your Grandpas, and sleeping in your car seat for hours after we actually take you out of the car.

Big events in your life this month:  being born (duh), taking your first stroller trip to the lake, meeting lots and lots of family members, holding your head up for ten seconds during tummy time, your first road trip to Indiana, and your first glimpse of your future boyfriend, Austin.

I can't even explain how much joy you have brought to us, Gracie girl.  It's only been a month and I can't remember what our lives were like before you. 

xoxo

Momma

Photograph...All I've got is a photograph

I'm so sad that when I just googled the lyrics to Photograph by Def Leppard that the lyrics for Photograph by Nickleback came up first.  Ugh.  Nickleback makes my skin crawl.

Dimple Dee Do!

Anyways, for anyone looking for an update, I've got a little something for you!  Here is a link to our Grace Elizabeth photo collection on Flickr:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/77836552@N04/collections/.  We're trying to separate pictures out by week and update them every few days so that you can watch Gracie grow.  It's amazing how much she has already grown and changed.  This morning when I went in to get her out of her crib and wipe the crusty spit up off her face and the back of her head (seriously, there is nothing better to ruin your breakfast appetite than cleaning spit up out of your newborns ear in the morning!), I just stood and stared at her.  She grew two inches and put on 1 pound overnight - I'm sure of it!  How did that beautiful little human being ever fit inside of me?  The stretch marks on my stomach are yelling at me "We know how she fit in there!" right now.

I'm going to continue to write in this blog now that things have settled down a little bit.  I'm not sure at what frequency I'll be updating, but there will be something new to check out at least once a month.  I love setting low expectations!!

xoxo
AK

You're here, and you're perfect!

Welcome to the world, Grace Elizabeth Fleming. 

Mommy and Daddy love you so much.  You have made our lives brighter in mere seconds.  I can't write anymore right now because the screen is swimming through my tears. More later - I'm going to go stare at my beautiful daughter for a while.

xoxo

AK

p.s.  Grace, here is the song that inspired your name.  Ben Folds is one of my most favorite musical geniuses, and your Daddy and I spent one of our favorite nights in Austin ever at one of his concerts.  Gracie girl - you will always have a part of me! 

Oversharing

Last night we went to the hospital to have a baby (we thought).  Three hours later we were on our way home.  Apparently, when I thought my water broke, I actually just wet my pants.  Nothing embarrassing about that...nothing at all....

xoxo
AK

p.s.  Baby, last night I dreamt you were a boy and you were playing in the sandbox on my parent's farm.  I'll just pretend the dream ended right there and that there weren't also giant grasshoppers playing violins walking down the road.  I've completely lost it.

Operation Baby Get Out!

So, here are a few things we have tried tonight to get watermelon to evacuate the premises:

1.  Yell "get out" at my stomach.
2.  Have B talk in his annoying robot voice trying to annoy it out.
3.  Sing "Send Me On My Way" by Rusted Root to my stomach.
4.  Eating ravioli with hot sauce on it with a side of pineapple.
5.  Trying to reason with it by telling it my paper was finished, my sister has a new phone that can receive pictures, and B's sister is back from her work trip.  I think those were all the requests we had for me to cross my legs until they were accomplished.

Surprisingly enough, none of these worked.  So, if you're planning on texting or emailing me to ask if I'm still pregnant, why, yes, yes I am!  Believe me, you will know when I'm not.

xoxo
AK

p.s.  Baby, you keep sticking your foot out on the right side of my stomach, and when Daddy or I touch it, you move it.  I really think if you are reacting to our touch that you are ready to come out.  Seriously.  Because it's actually a little (A LOT) creepy, and we keep sitting on the couch doing it and saying "EWWWWWW".

Welcoming a new planet to our solar system!

I think my belly has moons orbiting it.  Seriously.


xoxo
AK

p.s.  Baby, I'm almost done with my final paper.  Just wanted to give you an update so you could start packing your bags.  I'm setting a deadline of 2 PM, so if you could just start making your way sometime after that, Momma would be so happy.  Thanks, dress warm, and see you soon!

Home is wherever I'm with you!

After a long search, a few turned down offers, and quite a few slightly unreasonable tears on my part we finally found a new apartment!  We put money down for the security deposit on Monday, and have a move-in date of May 1.  This means watermelon will be coming home to stay for a little longer than expected at our current place, so we did our best to set up a temporary nursery that I wouldn't feel guilty about.  I know, I know, watermelon will have absolutely no recollection of this apartment, but I will, and I want it to be as special as it can be.  There is so little I have control over in my life right now - just give me this!

So, there is some random furniture in here (huge mirror and dresser on the right) that we just don't have anywhere else to put right now, but you can get the gist of what we did.  My Granny hand made the quilt, and passed it down to me several years ago.  It is so special to us.  Here's a little close up of the artwork above the crib:

I started collecting original prints off Etsy and from local art stores as soon as I found out I was pregnant.  There are three of my favorites.  Below is watermelon's dresser and diaper changing station.  I know these picture angles are kind of weird, but I was trying to cut out the extra office junk that is still hanging out in this room until we decide where B is going to work from for the final 1 1/2 months here.

I mostly DIYed the artwork above the dresser from cute little note cards I found at Michael's a few years ago.  See, B, there's a reason I carry around those huge totes of random craft supplies every time we move - there are millions of projects in there just waiting to be born!

Over the past two years, B and I have lived in two states, three apartments (including his sister and brother-in-laws) and have spent several months apart.  We've learned that it doesn't matter if we're in a huge house in Cedar Park, or a tiny one bedroom apartment in Boystown, if we're together, we're home.  Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes said it best in their song Home, " Home is wherever I'm with you!"  No matter where this little family of four lays our heads, we'll be together!

xoxo
AK

p.s.  Baby, you are going to be a video star!  We set up Skype on our computer, and both sets of grandparents are also set up so they won't miss our on anything.  Anyone else out there want to get their chat on with us once watermelon is here, just let me know!  I just can't promise that I will be showered or dressed in real clothes.

39 Weeks (tomorrow) Y'all!

Check me out!  39 weeks pregnant and busting out of the largest outfit I own, but also using our sweet new camera, or attempting to use it since the lighting in all of these pics is just a little off.

You'd think from that smile on my face that I'd have good news to share from my doctor's appointment this afternoon, but that's not the case.  It wasn't actually bad news (I know I'm extremely lucky to be healthy and to have had a healthy pregnancy), but I haven't progressed any since last week.  Cervix is softer and thinner but I'm not dilated any further.  After all those contraction on Wednesday, this really came as a shock to me.  The doctor is still optimistic that I'm going to do it on my own without having to be induced, but it could still be weeks.  So, what did I do after finding out this news?  Did I cry?  Did I eat the kitchen again?  Did I punch my doctor?  Well, I wanted to do all of the above, but instead, I came home and did this:

Sorry if that's too much pregnant belly for any of you, but that shirt was seriously cutting off my circulation.  I laid like this, watched 8 episodes of Property Brothers and ate a can of pineapple while it alternated between thunderstorms and snow outside.  Not a bad afternoon after all.  I'm actually pretty proud of myself.  I'm sure B was prepared for a complete and total meltdown, but I've decided there has to be a reason that watermelon is still in there, and I'm going to just trust in that.  And, no, I'm not drunk.

I have one paper left to write for my class, so B has convinced me that watermelon knows this and is waiting for me to finish up before he/she arrives and complicates my life.  Guess what I'm going to spend my Saturday doing tomorrow?!  My Philosophy of Assessment, you're going down!

xoxo
AK

p.s.  Baby, guess what?

But, you really do need to get here before St. Patrick's Day because we bought you a really cute outfit, and I already took the tags off.  So, please take that into consideration when hatching your escape plan.

Psych!

Yesterday afternoon through early morning today, I really thought we had reached the end of our journey.  Contractions were coming in strong and regular at about 15-20 minutes apart.  I thought for sure this was it and tried my best to get a good nights sleep.  Instead I laid awake a majority of the night watching the clock and trying to decide if that contraction was stronger than the one before it.  Sometime after 4 AM, I actually fell asleep and woke up to Daisy licking my hand around 8:30 AM.  Wait, how did I fall asleep - what happened to those contractions?  Why are they getting weaker and farther apart?  In desperation, I went for a long walk, but that did nothing.  Ugh.  They completely stopped.

Then, I ate the kitchen.  Seriously. 

Also, I decided to not take a shower.  For the past few weeks, I've been extremely crazy about making sure I take a shower/wash my hair/shave my legs every single morning just in case that's the day that I head to the hospital.  So, trying some reverse psychology (and really just wanting to pout), I stayed in my sweats and ponytail with no makeup on alllll day.

And that didn't work, plus B told me twice that I didn't look very good.  I'm sure it had nothing to do with the fact that my face now looks like the Stay Puffed Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters.  Looks like it will be more pineapple with hot sauce for dinner tonight eaten bouncing on an exercise ball!

xoxo
AK

p.s.  Baby, look who went to the beauty parlor yesterday!

Daisy went in for a haircut, and when the groomer found out she was about to become a big sister, they tied a little bow on her collar!  In this picture she is sitting right next to your crib, and this is where she spends a lot of her time.  I'm not sure why we even got a baby monitor because lord knows at your first whimper, Daisy is going to be all up in our faces telling us to take care of that baby.  I'm still hoping we can somehow teach her to change diapers.  She needs to start carrying her weight around the house.

Kids Say the Darndest Things!

My in laws are hilariously going crazy trying to guess the names that we have picked out for watermelon.  They tried to get some hints out of B last night, but he sent them down the wrong path of famous sports names.  I don't think there is anyone famous by our names unless you check polo or cricket rosters, perhaps.  Maybe, field hockey for the girls name?  Anyway, my mother in law (the original Mrs. F!) teaches third grade and decided to take a poll in class to see what names her students thought we picked.  Oh man, I can't stop laughing at what they came up with. 

Top boy names:  Larry, Fred, or Draco
Top girl names:  Rosemary or Carrie

These sound more like names the senior citizen community center would pick.  Also, Draco?  Not sure if that is a Harry Potter or a hockey reference.  Oh man, I love kids!

xoxo
AK

p.s.  Baby, I practiced swaddling a doll today.  It didn't go well, and the doll wasn't even moving around or crying like I'm sure you will be.  I think you're going to have to be patient with me on this one.  At least the swaddlers are all made out of really stylish prints.  You'll look great while easily breaking out of them with one little arm punch.  That counts for something, right?

February 29th

I do not want to have this baby tomorrow.  I love birthdays, and how cruel would it be for watermelon to be born on Leap Day which totally screws up the whole birthday situation.  After praying for him/her to get here already for the past week, I'm going to lay off that prayer tonight and instead pray for Kid Rock to realize that endorsing Mitt Romney in Michigan was stupid.  Really, Kid?  All the man can say about Michigan is that "the trees are the right height."  Brilliant.  Sorry for talking politics for a hot minute.  You can't hate me readers, I'm pregnant!  So nanna nanna boo boo.  I digress.

B, on the other hand, would love for watermelon to be born tomorrow.  His reasoning?  "We could save so much money only celebrating his/her birthday every four years!"

I win tonight, B.  Again.

xoxo
AK

p.s.  Baby, your Momma's Indiana Hoosiers beat your Aunt S and Uncle B's Michigan State Spartans tonight in basketball.  I can't wait for your first word to be Hoo-Hoo-Hoo-HOOSIERS cause we Spanked Green, Smoked White!

First, I'd like to thank my fans!

It surprised me to find out this week that people (other than my parents and B) not only read this blog, but that they actually look forward to my posts.  In fact, I got a request from one of these "fans" this week to post more pics.  I have to admit that I really have been slacking in this department.  Remember earlier in my pregnancy when I had those cute birds on the wall that told what week I was and I wore the same shirt to show how much I'd grown?  That project went by the wayside just like B's attempt to give up swearing for Lent.  To make up for that, here are a few pics of Free Willy (that would be me) and just to up the cuteness factor, a little bit of B and Big Sister Daisy.

38 weeks and looking like a weeble wobble that might just topple over forward.

So glad i could provide that headrest for you, Daisy!

31st birthday - Black is so slimming.  You can barely tell I'm pregnant!

B getting some baby holding practice in.  Daisy being completely unladylike.

xoxo

AK

p.s.  Baby, we were apartment hunting all day today looking for the place we will live together as a family for the first few years of your life.  Of course you'll be in our current apartment for a few weeks after you are born, but unless you really love drag queens, glitter, and hearing the same Lady Gaga songs night after night all summer long, I think you'll appreciate this move.  We have two finalists and Daddy and I showed our total nerdy sides by making a weighted chart where we rated each property to decide which one we would sign the lease for....and Daddy was totally giggling with delight over his creation.  I can't wait for our nerdiness to embarrass the crap out of you! 







This is your brain on pregnancy!

Ok, my brain turned into the fried egg from the "this is your brain on drugs" commerical yesterday, and I committed one of the worst pregnancy errors ever.  I made a decision about my appearance.  More than 15 women with children, and several of those pregnancy books I gobbled up last summer, stressed to not make any decisions regarding hair, skin, or anything beauty related when you are pregnant...especially in those last desperate weeks before the baby comes when you are feeling the most unattractive and uncomfortable you have ever felt in your life.  Ooops.

So, it all started with a very sane beauty ritual that I've been doing since the tender age of 18 (when my best friend, J, told me my eyebrows looked like caterpillars) - getting my eyebrows waxed.  I went into my appointment only to find my normal waxer lady was not there, and a girl with eyebrows larger than mine (yes, hard to believe I know) and a neck tattoo that said "Daddy" sat me down at her station to do the job.  She actually was a very sweet girl, and noticing that I was extremely pregnant, suggested that maybe I should upgrade my wax to a wax and tint job.  "That way, once the baby is here you don't have to worry about doing your eyebrows when you run errands or entertain guests.  It's like permanent makeup!"  she perkily explained.  Hmmm...that sounded like such a great idea and timesaver, that I completely forgot that #1  I don't "do" my eyebrows other than running a small comb through them to tame them a bit.  I don't use an eyebrow pencil or shawdow to fill them in or anything.  #2  I have never in my life cared about looking pulled together when running errands or even entertaining guests.  Even less so since I've been hugely pregnant, and probably even less than that once I have a newborn.  But since my fried egg brain couldn't bring any of these reasons to the front of my conciousness, AND I get easily talked into extra purchases/services at this particular store (Benefit you are like crack to me), I said "YES!  THAT SOUNDS GREAT AND MAKES PERFECT SENSE!"

We've all met pregnant women who in the last weeks of pregnancy, chopped all of their hair off into a "manageable mom bob" or started wearing slippers as outside shoes.  We all laughed at them.  Well, now I'm one of them.  Without going into too many boring details, I now am the proud owner of two eyebrows that look like they were drawn on and colored in with a black magic marker or like this magnetic drawing thing I used to have when I was little.

Or kind of like the evil queen in Snow White...



Once again, oops.  I'm sure it will fade...right?  Hopefully before I see my mom and she tells me I look goth like that one time in college I died my hair black. 

xoxo
AK

p.s.  Baby, I had my 38 week appt yesterday and am dilated the size of a fingertip.  That might not sound like much, but it's a whole fingertip more than last week and a whole fingertip closer to meeting you!  C'mon out - you know you want to!!!!