1 August 2009

Dear Sweet Girl,

Just a couple days ago you discovered your toes! Now anytime I lay you down on your back you are lifting your legs up in the air and reaching down to grab your feet. I am constantly having to get your hands out of the way when I am changing your diaper or your clothes.

We are on a trip right now. We are visiting family on our way up to New York where we are going to live! Right now we are at Grandma and Papa's house in Maryland. You continue to be such a good baby. You have stuck to your schedule (for the most part) and continue to sleep at night very well. You were up this morning at 4:30, but I think that is very good compared to what all the travel and time change could have done to you.

Today you had a very big first! You rolled over all on your own! I was playing with you on the floor and you were lying on your back. You rolled to your side quite a bit. I moved your arm and gave you a little push and you rolled over, then I rolled you back. Then a few seconds later you did it all by yourself! Good job!

Also today you went swimming for the very first time! We went swimming in Aunt Honey's pool. You, me, and Daddy all swam together and you LOVED it!! At first you weren't too sure about it, but then you decided that it was great and started kicking your legs and smiling. We have pictures but I haven't had time to upload them. I will have to do that later. I love you, sweet girl! Love, Mommy

24 July 2009

Dear Sweet Girl,

All of a sudden in the past few days you have started to try to put EVERYTHING into your mouth! You are really getting a handle on holding things. here are a few of your favorite toys right now. You really like the bright colors on the blocks. The green one is your favorite because it has a frog on it that vibrates when you pull his leg. You laugh and laugh whenever I play with this one with you!

We are getting ready to move! We will say goodbye to Nashville and say hello to Interlaken, NY! Mommy and Daddy are excited to sort of start over and get into a better financial situation. I need to have the house all packed up by the end of next week and there is so much to do yet! You like to be with me, but it is hard to get things done with you on my hip....so I put you in your carrier. You are close to me, and I get things done so we are both happy! =) I am so happy that we will be closer to family so that you will know them more than just a voice on the phone or a package in the mail. Family is so very important. I love you, sweet girl. Love, Mommy

17 July 2009

Dear Sweet Girl,

I haven't noticed you sucking on your thumb much since you first discovered it, but today you were not only sucking on your thumb, but your finger too! I'm wondering if teeth are going to be in your very near future! I love you, sweet girl! Love, Mommy

16 July 2009

Dear Sweet Girl,

It seems like you are discovering your voice more every day. You love it when we talk back to you. Here is a video of you telling stories to Daddy...

13 July 2009

Dear Sweet Girl,

The last couple days Mommy has been wearing you in your carrier! It's the first time I've put you in it facing out. You are getting so strong and can hold your head up very nicely now! You seem to like the carrier. I think you like to be near me and you like to see what everyone is up to. I love you, sweet girl!!

Love,

Mommy

12 July 2009

Dear Sweet Girl,

You are three months old today! I really can't believe how fast the last three months have flown - and you are growing like a weed! Just when I think you can't possibly get any chunkier, I look at pictures like this of your sweet, chunky little face! You are just perfect, sweet girl, PERFECT!!

Mommy and Daddy have decided to move! We are going to be moving up to New York and will be close to your cousins! I am happy that you will get to grow up close to family. I love you, sweet girl!

Love,

Mommy

10 July 2009

Dear Sweet Girl,

Tonight was the first time that Mommy and Daddy left you with a babysitter so that we could go out on a date! We have been married for five years today! Believe it or not I left you without crying. I really didn't know if I would be able to. I have been with you constantly (except for a couple times I left you with Daddy so I could run to the store real quick), so it was a bit of a separation anxiety moment for me, and I think for you too. You were fine when I dropped you off. You stayed with Miss Dee and Mr Daniel so I knew that you were in good hands. When I left you were smiling, but then when we were finishing up dinner we got a call that you would not take your bottle! You cried for a good hour. It made me sad to think of you so distraught! We were going to come home early but then a little later we got a call that you still wouldn't take your bottle but you had settled down and seemed to be doing alright. So we bought our movie tickets and settled in for the movie, my cell phone on my lap so I could get a text if you needed me. As the movie was starting we got a text that you were finally taking your bottle. It then dawned on me that no one else, in your whole little 3 month life had ever fed you. Up to this point I was the only one that had ever given you a bottle, not even Daddy! So I think that you were a little confused when I wasn't on the other end of the bottle. When we got back from our date I practically ran up the stairs because I just couldn't wait to scoop you up and snuggle you! It had only been 5 hours but I missed you so much!!

You are discovering your hands more every day! Yesterday I put your rattle in your hands and you instantly brought it up to your mouth. This is the first time I have seen you put something to your mouth so purposefully.

You are LOVING your colorful rings right now! When I move them over your face you are content watching them forever! You've even fallen asleep a few times watching them. I just love watching you discover things and become more alert! I love you, sweet girl! Love, Mommy

7 July 2009

Dear Sweet Girl,

I love to watch you sleep! I know I've said it before, but you are so sweet and peaceful and my heart is just so full as I watch you. God has truly blessed me beyond what I could have even imagined by giving you to me for a time on this earth.

I finally captured your laugh on video today. It is very contagious! I've watched it again and again and each time I find myself giggling along with you. You are beautiful. I love you, sweet girl!

Love,

Mommy

6 July 2009

Dear Sweet Girl,

You are becoming more aware and alert with each day! The past few days whenever you get tired you get upset and start to cry LOUD!! I don't think you want to go to sleep because you don't want to miss out on anything. You seem to love being awake and interacting with us! After you fuss a bit I usually try to rock you or sing to you. This usually convinces you that it is okay to go to sleep! Sometimes it takes a little work, but you eventually drift off! I love you, sweet girl!

Love, Mommy

4 July 2009

Dear Sweet Girl,

Your first 4th of July! And what did we do? We stayed home and grilled burgers and hotdogs! Woo-hoo! We thought about taking you to see fireworks, but then decided we (or I, rather) didn't want to take you out past your bedtime. I figured you wouldn't remember it anyway. =) We will take you next year, and hopefully you won't be scared of the loud bangs! I love you, sweet girl! Love, Mommy

3 July 2009

Dear Sweet Girl,

The last couple of days you have been giving Daddy and me belly laughs! It's so cute to hear and see you enjoy the fools we make ourselves out to be in front of you! You LOVE your daddy! You give him such big smiles when he talks to you. You like to hear him sing to you. Your daddy loves you, too. He can't wait to get home from work everyday so he can see you. I don't think there's anything that he wouldn't do for you! He is wrapped all around that cute little finger of yours!! I love you, sweet girl!

Love,

Mommy

2 July 2009

Dear Sweet Girl,

You were a little fussy today! You love going for walks in your stroller! I strapped you in, gave you your binky and blanky and off we went.

I also noticed how long your hair is getting! It's already growing past your collar! I love you, sweet girl.

Love,

Mommy

1 July 2009

Dear Sweet Girl,

We went shopping for groceries today. Everyone always asks me if you are always "this good". The truth is, you really are! You are such a good baby! I hear stories of other mommies and about how they are having a hard time adjusting to having a baby, and I feel very blessed! You really only fuss when you need something, or when you have an occasional "fussy time". I won't say it's not hard; you definitely have your moments, but all in all, you really are such a good baby and are making this transition for Mommy and Daddy a relatively easy one! All that to say, I know you were getting hungry at the end of our grocery shopping, but you never fussed once! You just watched my face while we rolled through the aisles, sucking away on your binky! You are such a morning baby! It's when you're the happiest and give up the best smiles.

You are growing so fast! We will have to move you out of your bassinet and into your crib soon! Even though your crib is very close to me, I am having a hard time with it and dragging my feet. I love being able to just roll over and look at you in the bassinet next to me. I love to watch you sleep, to watch your tiny chest move up and down, to stroke your soft cheeks or to put my finger in your little hand so you can squeeze it so tight! I love you, sweet girl!

Love,

Mommy

30 June 2009

Dear Sweet Girl,

Mommy had a rough day today! You woke me up at 4:30 to eat and then didn't want to go back to sleep!

Mommy and Daddy are hitting a financial rough patch right now. When I get especially down I love to just look at your face. Especially when you're sleeping you are so calm and peaceful, like you are completely content without a care in the world! You are such a good baby, my Daisy! I love you, sweet girl.

Love,

Mommy

29 June 2009

Dear Sweet Girl,

You discovered your thumb today!! You have been sucking on your hands for the past week or so. But today you found your thumb instead of sucking on your entire fist! You got so vigorous with it I had to make sure you weren't choking yourself! Luckily I had the camera right there on the coffeetable and captured the moment!

Last night you also broke another record and slept for 8 hours!! You are growing so fast!

I love you, sweet girl.

Love,

Mommy

28 June 2009

Dear Sweet Girl,

You are one tired girl! We had you to a wedding yesterday, and today we took you to a birthday party! It's been a busy weekend for you! Even as I write this you are sound asleep next to me on the couch. You have been discovering your hands more and more even today. I can tell that you are really starting to notice that you can use them to feel things. I am forever moving them out of the way to change your diaper or to feed you, or to make sure you don't yank too hard on that beautiful hair of yours! You make noises when you sleep. Sometimes you let out a little squeak with each breath. You are getting long! You have been sleeping in a bassinet, right next to Mommy's side of the bed since you were born. But I am already thinking that we will need to move you to your crib soon. You are running out of room to stretch! And you LOVE to stretch!! I can't believe I didn't talk about this in the last post. Sometimes you are in such a deep sleep that I can't wake you, but you will wake up enough to S T R E T C H!

I love being your mommy, Daisy! I love you, sweet girl.
Love,
Mommy

getting started

28 June 2009

Dear Sweet Girl,

You are 11 weeks old today. I would have started this journal sooner had the idea popped into my brain. I have been meaning to start a journal that I write in each night, making note of the cute little things you'd done that day, the milestones you are crossing as you cross them. BUT it's just not something that I am easily remembering to do. So, in this digital age that we are in I thought it would be better/easier to keep an online journal. Now let's just hope the WWW doesn't ever crash. =)

I guess I should back up a little since I am just getting this started 11 weeks into your life. You were born on April 12, 2009. It was Easter Sunday and your arrival brought about so many emotions. You were a great comfort to us in a rough time, and you continue to be a presence that keeps me smiling and laughing from day to day!

I had you with a completely natural birth, no medication, no interventions. Some people thought I was crazy to try, but it was very important to me that it happen this way. Many many women before me have had natural births, so despite all the apprehensive vibes I got, I knew it was completely possible. I did a lot of reading on natural childbirth, and Mommy and Daddy attended a class together. We learned all about the process and what would happen as well as possible problems and interventions. Most importantly they taught me how to manage pain. I am so glad that we went to the class; I think it really helped me a lot for the day you arrived! I wasn't opposed to interventions if things went wrong, but I felt that it was the absolute best and healthiest way for you to enter the world. And did you ever make an entrance! You were 9 lbs, 3 oz, and 21 1/4 inches long! It wasn't but a few seconds after that last push that you let the world know you had arrived! Grandma Tubbs was waiting anxiously out in the hall and was so happy to hear you scream! Mommy and Daddy were so happy. Words really can't do justice to explain how fulfilled I felt right at that moment that I held you in my arms.

The next couple days in the hospital were filled with cuddling, snuggling, and talking to excited family that called to see how you were.

Breast feeding turned out to be a lot harder than I had anticipated. We stuck it out together, you and me, and we figured it out! It wasn't long before you were eating like you hadn't eaten in days! Just like your momma - hee hee!

We came home Tuesday afternoon, the 14th. Grandma Tubbs was a life-saver, making sure that we had good meals every day. Granddad Tubbs drove down to Nashville on Wednesday to see you. Him and Grandma left the next Sunday.

Then Papa, Grandma, Aunt Honey and cousins Eden and Zeke came on Saturday. Everyone couldn't wait to get their hands on you and love on you!

At four weeks old you attended your first wedding. Daddy's cousin got married in Kansas and we drove the 9+ hours to be with family. It was a LONG trip since we had to stop every three hours to feed you, but it was worth it!

Also in May Aunt Pam and cousin Sean drove up from Georgia to visit. We had a nice time visiting and watching you. You're like our centerpiece now.

There are still many more family members who are dying to see you and hold you! We don't have the money to travel right now, but hopefully soon you will meet the rest of the crazy bunch!

There are so many things that have happened with you in the past 11 weeks but I will try to remember most of them. You take your baths in your baby bath tub. Your belly button cord fell off pretty early, around 2-3 weeks. You like your baths for the most part. Sometimes you scream bloody murder when I take you out. I don't think you like feeling cold when the air hits you! You smile a lot! You like to talk to me and Daddy a lot. Sometimes it's like you're having a real conversation with us! You are such a good sleeper! You now sleep about 7 to 7.5 hours a night! On your first night in the hospital you slept so soundly I couldn't wake you up to feed you! The morning nursery nurse wasn't too happy about that. But you were a little chunk and I knew you would be fine. You were tired! You had a big day!

Here is your one month picture:

Here are your two month pictures:

You have recently started to laugh. Just the other day I was tickling your feet and you were giggling up a storm. I am forever making up silly songs and acting goofy with you. You let me know that you like it by lighting up your whole face with your smiles! Your smiles are a little hard to catch on camera, though. I think you are just so fascinated by whatever I hold in your face that you're too interested to smile.

You are discovering your hands more and more. You are starting to bat at toys that I hold in front of you. You like to cuddle when you're sleepy.

These posts will be much shorter in the future. I just had some catching up to do. Most of all, my sweet girl, I just want you to know that you are loved. I love you more than life itself and will do everything in my power to make sure that you have a happy and healthy life. Daddy and I can't imagine our lives without you, and we feel so very blessed that God has chosen to give you to us for a time. I love you, sweet girl.

Love,

Mommy