You are so beautiful...

to me!

can't you see?

You're everything I've hoped for!

Everything I dreamed!

You are so beautiful to me!

Just a Swingin'

hey, pretty lady!

We’ve had a busy, but wonderful Monday!

Mondays are Daddy’s day off since he is busy at the church on Saturdays so we love our time together! We did some cleaning this morning then we went for a walk, mailed a letter at the post office and had lunch at a sandwich shop in town. We hurried home just in time to head to Dr. Schlachter’s office for Londyn Grace’s six month well check!

In the doctor’s words, she “got an A+!” He was pleased with her growth and said that she is doing great! She gained two pounds (still a peanut at around 14 pounds), grew an inch and half in length (26 inches) and her noggin grew another inch as well (this explains why some of our favorite headbands are getting a little snug) since her last appointment. Thank You, Lord, for a healthy, growing baby!

I was reminded again of how much I love our sweet pediatrician! I know the Lord picked him especially for this anxious first time Mama! He is a real life Doc Baker from Little House on the Prairie! His laid back, caring and gentle nature is such a blessing!

swinging for the first time

After some grocery shopping, we decided to check out the playground just down the street from our house! 

I know we'll be spending lots of time there once the weather warms up for good! It has walking paths (so I can get some much needed exercise!) and lots of fun equipment for littles!

Londyn Grace loved swinging for the first time, and Mama loved snapping pictures of this milestone while Daddy pushed her. Daddy also showed her the slide and how to ride the horsey! 

daddy and his girl

pretty baby

weeeee!!!

push me higher,  Daddy!

I may or may not have gotten a little teary eyed while watching her enjoy herself! She is seeming so big to be these days now that she's sitting independently! I can't handle this growing up stuff! :) 

                              

                           ride a little horsey, up and down!

so much fun!

not too sure about the slide
 

It was a bit chilly so we didn't stay long, but she seemed to enjoy it! Daddy made us breakfast food for dinner when we got home, waffles, eggs, and canadian bacon! So yummy! 

I'm so thankful for our little family and for the precious gift that life is! The tragedy in Boston grieves my heart, and I pray that it will only make us realize our need for Jesus in a greater way. 

I have so much to blog including Easter, pictures of her first taste of solids, etc., etc. I hope to do that sometime this week, but should probably tackle the laundry first! :) 

Side note: Blogger is frustrating. I worked with picture placement way too long and it's still not cooperating! Ugh!

Six Months!!!

Happy half birthday, Londyn Grace!

Our teeny tiny newborn is six months old! She has grown so much this past month! Her little thighs are getting chunkier and she's even getting a little belly, but she is still long and lean weighing in at just 13 pounds 4 ounces and measuring 26 inches long! She is wearing mostly 3-6 month clothing, but can still wear her 3 month skirts since she has a small waist.

We did it! We've been nursing for six months!! After the challenges of the first 3-4 months, things have gotten so much easier! She is now eating every three hours and is only taking about 20 minutes at the most to eat. Most days she's finished in just 10-15 which seems so strange after months of hour long nursing sessions! I am so grateful for Daniel's support because without it I would have given up in those early days.  He knew how important it was to me and has been so patient and understanding when it came to the time and energy exclusive nursing has taken. I love the opportunities  nursing has given me to just sit and hold my baby girl! I cherish the moments when she wraps her little fingers around mine and looks up at me so content and satisfied! I am looking forward to the next six months and planning to continuing nursing until her first birthday! We've worked too hard to stop now!

Her major developmental milestones for the month include finding her feet and sitting unassisted!! Just within the past few days she has been sitting alone for longer periods of time! She can also pull herself to a seated position using just our fingers for leverage! She has yet to roll back to belly, so I'm starting to wonder if she's going to skip it all together?! She has started to grasp objects using both hands and is now playing with the toys on her exersaucer as opposed to just looking at them.

This month she has become even more vocal. She still has moments where she will talk" and "talk" and others where she hardly makes a sound! It all depends on her mood, I guess! When she is tired, she is will crack up laughing at just about anything!

She spent most of this month teething something fierce, but that tooth has yet to make its appearance! Hyland's teething tablets have been a lifesaver! 

Along with her feet, our sweet baby girl has also found her sassy side! If she doesn't want to sit in her carseat she will stiffen up and fuss! So we are working on that! She often gets frustrated when she can't get a toy in her mouth just so.

Things are much better napping wise! Londyn Grace is taking 3-4 naps a day fairly consistently! Her morning nap is usually only a half hour while her afternoon typically lasts 45 minutes to an hour. She usually takes an evening nap as well. She is still a super light sleeper so she has to really be in a deep sleep if a nap is going to last for any length of time. We have graduated from nursing to sleep for naps though! We now walk and bounce! After a little fussing, she usually drifts off pretty quickly!

This month, Londyn girl has slept about 3-4 hours  in her crib in her own room several times! After her 1:30 feeding, I have been keeping her in our room, but will probably make the full transition soon.

Her favorite toys include the rattle Uncle Ben gave her for Christmas, Sophie the giraffe and most recently a teether bead bracelet that was in her Easter basket.

Londyn Grace loves to be held and is starting to reach for Mama when she wants me! (Be still my heart!) She is very attached to me, but her Daddy can make her smile like no one else! She doesn't like to be left alone and will start to cry if we leave the room.

Overall, she is a happy smiley girl! She is so quick to smile and lights up a room when she does! A lady at church calls her the Princess of First Baptist because everyone is always gathering around her before and after every service!

This month, we celebrated Londyn Grace's first Easter (blog post coming soon) and her great great grandmother's 93rd birthday! She also went along for our church teen activity and had a great time watching them bowl! 

Every month, I am amazed at how much more I fall in love with this little girl. The Lord has blessed us beyond measure!

Lovey Lou,

You are half a year old! What did we ever do without you? You bring us so much joy! After the adjustments and learning of your first few months, I think we are finally figuring each other out and getting used to being a family of three! 
Having you has changed us for the better and only strengthened Mama and Daddy's love for each other and for the Lord!
 Having you has made time seem to fly even faster than before! Wasn't it just yesterday that you were wearing preemie clothes? As I type this (with one hand!) you are napping in my arms. The house is messy and there are dishes in the sink, but I'm okay with that because you will only be little once!We are so looking forward to all you will do in the month ahead! We love you, Sweet Pea!
LOVE,
 Daddy & Mama

If you haven't yet be sure to check out her six month portraits here!

Pretty as a Picture..{Six Month Portraits}

Londyn Grace had her six month portraits taken yesterday by our sweet and talented friend, Miss Lindsey! (Lindsey also took our maternity photos which you can see here!)

I am dying over how precious they are and will cherish these images for years to come! LG did so well and never fussed at all! Since we live in the North East, it has been bitter and cold pretty chilly for most of Londyn's six months so she has never really been outside unless she was covered in her carseat, but yesterday was a beautiful spring day! We were able to do the shoot outside and watching her react to the sunlight and breeze for the first time was so adorable!

We have several more poses that she is her wearing a sweet smocked dress in that I will share with her six month post tomorrow! (How is she half a year old already?!!!!)

Hippity Hoppity...

Easter's on it's way!

 

We took a few fun Easter pictures with my cousin's bunny today!

 

It was quite the feat trying to get a baby and a rabbit to cooperate at the same time, but we managed to get a few pictures!

 

Londyn Grace looked so precious in her dress and matching rosette headband!

{We have also have a bonnet that matches for Easter Sunday!}

 

happy girl

silly baby carrots are for rabbits!

the bunny was not thrilled!

 

{Special thanks to Mimi, Becki, Elijah, Isaac, & especially, Bounty Hunter the bunny!}

 

5 Months...

Londyn Grace at 5 months old

Five months. I'm not sure why I am having such a hard time with this one?! Maybe because its so close to six? And six means we are closer to one than newborn?!

Anyway, sad mama vent over... Londyn Grace is five months old!

This month has been so much fun as we've watched her little personality start to blossom!

She has found her voice that's for sure! She "talks" so much when we are at home or in the car, but doesn't seem to be as chattery when we are around other people. She isn't shy by any means though. She is quick to smile at anyone who talks to her and especially loves interacting with people at church on Sundays. She and Mama always make our rounds greeting every one before service begins! Everyone makes over her dresses and bows!

Speaking of dresses and bows, we have been busy adding to her collection this! We've or rather Mama has had so much fun putting outfits together and having daily photo shoots! She is growing out of 0-3 month clothes but still a little small for 3-6 so we mix and match depending on what it is. 3 month dresses are too short, but 6 months are too big body wise. We need an in between size! 3 month skirts still fit well though and some are even too big in the waist! We haven't had to move the snaps on her cloth diapers yet, but it won't be long! If she does wear a disposable, she is wearing size two!

At five months, she weighs 11 pounds 13 ounces and is 25 inches long! We are so thankful for her growth and for how much better nursing is going! She is nursing so much faster only taking about 20-25 minutes to eat! This is a huge improvement! It still seems strange though after months of hour long sessions! Most days she eats every three hours.
She is now taking three naps a day pretty consistently! She takes a morning, afternoon and early evening nap.  Within the last week or so she is usually staying asleep when I put her down to nap as opposed to only napping in my arms! This is quite an accomplishment!

happy girl

At night, Londyn Grace is sleeping from around 10:00 to around 4:00 in the morning. At four, she eats and then goes back to sleep until Daddy gets up to go to the church at 7:00. She eats again around 7:00 and usually goes back to sleep until 8:30 or 9. She is still with Daddy and Mama in their room though. We like having her close and she is sleeping so well, but we will probably start to transition her to her own room soon.
She has mastered rolling from belly to back, rolls from her back to her side constantly but has yet to roll back to belly.

She is recognizing her name now! It's so sweet to watch her look around for whoever is calling her name! Daddy will call her name and she'll look until she finds him and give him a huge smile! She is so aware of her surroundings now and will fuss if Mama leaves her sight! She is learning to sit in her swing in the kitchen while Mama washes dishes and cooks dinner. She will also sit in her bouncy seat in the bathroom while I shower. She is generally a very smiley, happy baby but is starting to grunt when she is impatient or wants to do something different/move on to a new activity!

Londyn Grace has a new found love of peekaboo. She also loves playing with a receiving blanket (don't worry...she is NEVER left alone with a blanket) She will roll around and wrestle it and chew on it. She'd rather have a blanket than a toy! Mama has found her tickle spot and she will crack up when tickled under her chin! She still loves playing with hands and feeling faces. We are working hard at teaching her not touch and grab glasses, hair, etc.

so beautiful

We fall more in love with her everyday and wonder where the time is going!

Londyn Grace,

         You are our sunshine and bring such joy to every day! What a privilege it is to be your parents! It's hard to believe that around this time last year, we saw you for the first time on that ultrasound screen and now you are five months old! 

       You have taught us so much in your short little life and we pray that we will be able to teach you as you grow (with the Lord's help, of course!)

        We can't wait to see what the next month holds as you learn and grow, but at the same time we are searching for the pause button because we'd love to keep you a baby forever!

       We love you, ALWAYS and ALWAYS, FOREVER and EVER, NO MATTER WHAT!

        ~ Mama and Daddy

Growing Girl

Londyn Grace had her well visit with Dr. Schlachter last Monday. He is pleased with her growth and development! She gained over 2 pounds and grew 2 inches in six weeks. 

Due to her growth and from his experience, he predicts that she will be tall (probably between 5'8" and 5' 10")

 

He also said that her motor skills are advanced (a few weeks ahead!) and her core muscles are well developed in that she holds herself up very well when sitting supported. 

After his exam, we talked about starting solids! He recommends that we start with yellow and orange veggies! I am excited to see how she responds to these new tastes and textures, but we will wait until the six month mark to introduce them. In the meantime, I will work on preparing and freezing  different options for our Sweet Pea! 

We are praising the Lord for our growing girl! It is so hard to believe that our tiny six pound newborn has now doubled her birth weight! It seems like she is learning something new everyday!

We can't get enough of her sweet smile!