And Then There Were Three...: 2 Months Already?!

Time is flying. Absolutely flying. I don't like it. I love our time with her, but I really need time to slow down. I'm afraid I'm going to open my eyes and she's going to be 18, graduating from college, and moving away. The thought of this makes my hyperventilate. [End vent.]

It has been a pretty incredible month. She has already changed so much. Things change every day. We learn something new every day. Parenting has been a wild ride--a ride I never want to get off of. She has taught us so much. So much about unconditional love, the importance of time, and to trust our instincts.

Harper Grace,

We've had two months with you and couldn't be more in love. I don't know what we ever did before you. We are completely consumed by you. That's one thing that I suppose will never change...and I love that. :)

Growin’ Like A Weed!

One Month:

Weight – 8 pounds, 11.5 ounces (34th percentile)

Lengh – 21.25 inches (50th percentile)

Two Months:

Weight – 10 pounds, 11.5 ounces (45th percentile)

Lengh – 22.375 inches (47th percentile)

Keepin’ That Tummy Full

You're still loving your formula. You still eat about every three hours, but now you're eating about 3 ounces. Sometimes you're still hungry, and sometime you don't finish it. Most of the time, you are pretty stingy with your burps. You are much better about burping for your dad than your mom. When you do burp, we never know if we should expect spit up or not. Every once in a while, you surprise us with a little mess in your mouth.

You're now in size 1 diapers, and you are absolutely plowing through them. We weren't sure if it was time to move you up to size 1s...until we could barely fasten the diaper around your little tummy. You definitely aren't concerned about wasting any diapers, you go through SO many. We find ourselves laughing a lot because second after we change you, you go again. I tell myself you're not doing it on purpose...but sometimes you smile right then and I start to think you're smarter than I give you credit for. :)

What’s New?

-We're learning that you are pretty picky with your pacifier. You definitely know if you want it or not. When you don't want it, you stick your tongue out a lot and make a face like you smelled something bad...it always makes us laugh. However, sometimes, you love your pacifier. You don't ever sleep with it. If you find yourself falling asleep with it, you almost always spit it out. You like it sometimes when you get fussy, it calms you down.

I think we're glad that you don't want your pacifier all the time. I hope that means it won't be hard to break that habit when you're older.

-You have really started enjoying time on your play mat, especially in the morning. Shortly after you eat every morning, you lay on your mat and stare at the lights. Each day you're able to lay there a little longer than the day before. We have figured out how to position you to where your hands can hit the hanging rattles and your feet can kick the dangling hippo. I'm sure it not intentional, but you sure do look like you're playing and having a grand ol' time. You are normally full of smile when you're on your mat. It's so fun to watch. [Thank you, Mimi & Pop, for her playmat. She loves it!]

-You're not a huge fan of tummy time, but you're getting better and better! You've started lifted your head and turning it from side to side when you're on your tummy. Some of Daddy's favorite pictures of you are when you are on your tummy. You often start kicking really hard and then you get frustrated. Sometimes you get so tired of kicking, you fall asleep. I normally wake you up...after I take a few pictures. :)

Tummy Time

Yay Cowboys!

I'm not sure whose play mat it is...

In a trance.

All smiles!

Go Donkeys!

Daddy loves this picture.

You wore yourself out.

-Lolli got you a dragon fly that hangs from your car seat, and I think you really like the noise. Sometimes you aren't happy about getting buckled in to your seat, but once we're moving and you hear the jingling, you quite down and listen. At least that's what it seems like you're doing. There have been times where you have fallen asleep in the car and when I go to take you out, the darn dragon fly wakes you up...mommy doesn't like it too much when that happens. :)

-In the past, Mommy has been the one to wake up and talk in her sleep. She has done that since she was little. Whenever that happens, Daddy plays along and talks back to her until she realizes what's going on, then she gets embarrassed and buries her head in her pillow. Well, the tables have turned! Daddy has been the one waking up and talking. It's pretty strange, but Mommy has gotten a kick out of it every time. The first time, he woke up and poked me in the arm until I woke up. Then he asked me why I bought new curtains. Note: We have had the same curtains since we moved in three years ago...He then kept telling me that he knew I bought new curtains. No new curtains. But now that he thinks I already bought some, I might as well go and get some new ones, right?

This next part makes me laugh. He has woken up out of a deep sleep and really carefully and slowly pulled the covers off and moved really cautiously because he thinks you are in the bed with us. He takes the covers off as if there is something delicate on top that will break with sudden movement. What's funny is that you have never slept in bed with us. We have wanted you to sleep in our bed SO badly, but we know it's not a good idea--we've stayed strong! One time when he woke up and moving around really carefully, I tried waking him up and telling him to go back to sleep, but he was sure you were in bed and that I needed to be quite and careful so I didn't hurt you. This has happened 4 or 5 times...and I laugh every time.

-Here's the big news for this month...Mommy has been visiting the gym and dieting like crazy! She was cleared by the doctor to work out, so she made her return at the gym. It had been so long, she was afraid she might forget how to get there...but she managed to find her way. She has worked out before and she has attempting dieting before, but she's never actually stuck to both at the same time. This is big!

When your Daddy is on his way home, he meets you and Mommy at the gym and takes you home with him while Mommy goes to shed some pounds. She's determined to get these pesky pounds off--there were a lot of them. She's so thankful your dad is so willing to help and support her with all of this. It's a lot of work.

-You took your first little road trip. We went to Oklahoma to visit your great grandparents, Mimi and Pop, as well as your grandparents and cousins. It had been a while since we had been up there, so we were thrilled for them to finally meet you. You were able to meet your new little cousins, Kaitlin and Carson too! We're so excited for you guys to grow up together. There are lots of cousins on that side of the family, we are so thankful for that.

You really enjoyed spending time with Grandma and Grandpa. They couldn't believe how much you had changed since you were born. They thought you were pretty cute too. :) It wasn't a long trip, but we had a great time and took lots of pictures. You have so many people who love you.

Don't worry, they will start trying to brainwash yOU soon. I'm not too concerned because I know you'll get just as much or more from Mommy's side--they're all Longhorns. Either way, you look pretty in both crimson and burnt orange. :)

Great-Grand-Mimi

Great-Grand-Pop

You loved when he sang to you.

Grandpa feeding you.

Meeting your cousin Kaitlyn.

Grandma

Lovin' on Daddy.

Snoozin' on Mimi.

You LOVED this bouncy seat!

-Every night before you go to bed, we say your prayers. It's the same prayer Mommy used to say when she was little. "Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die, before I wake. I pray the Lord my soul to take." Cousin Preston says it too, but I think he changed the words a little. Maybe he'll teach you his version.

I love this time with you. I look forward to it every day. I'm not rushing it, but I will love when you are able to say your prayers on your own.

-Your nose gets stuffy just like your mom's. Yuck. It has already started to get better, but it was yucky for a few weeks. You sounded so terrible. It seemed like it was so hard for you to breath. Your face didn't show it, but it just sounded yucky. We've always had a humidifier in your room, but I'm not convinced it's doing its job.

Whenever you get congested, mostly at night, we've been using saline drops and the brain sucker (aspirator) when it gets bad. Sometimes you aren't a fan of the brain sucker, but most of the time, you just look at us, wide-eyed with a smile. We've been praying that the congestion will go away, we're sure it will.

This Month We Learned…

-Sometimes, you just want you Mama. I hate to hear you cry, but I'm not going to lie...I love the feeling I get when you've been crying, I take you in my arms, and you immediately calm down. I've always heard people say that sometimes, it just takes Mommy to calm the baby down. I never really understood that until now. I suppose we do have a pretty special bond. I love to think about the fact that you're the only person who has ever heard my heart beat from the inside. That's pretty special.

Sometimes, I think that it makes Daddy a little sad because he wants to calm you down, but it makes Mommy feel pretty special. I always just remind your Dad that it's only a matter of time before you are Daddy's Little Girl and only want to be with Daddy. When that does happen, please don't forget about Mommy! Remember how happy you were when I held you and loved on you. :)

-Your vibrating chair makes you poop. Almost every single time we put your in your chair--while Mommy is getting ready, we're cooking dinner, etc.--you poop. I'm not sure why, but it always makes us laugh. Your face says it all. You stick your tongue out, your face turns bright red, and you hold your breath. You're not shy about pooping and letting people know. You are loud. We might start calling you Thunder Pants.

Mommy learned a very gross lesson with your cousin Preston. Never change a dirty diaper immediately after you're done. Chances are...you aren't done. I learned that the hard way. Gross.

-The "Rumbly in your Tumbly" I mentioned last month seems like it's starting to go away. Yahoo! We have still been giving you the drops before you eat, but I think we might start weening you off of them and see how it goes. Your tummy hasn't seemed to be too upset after you eat--this is wonderful!

-Your hair is slowly disappearing. You still have a ton (thank you, Lord), but you don't seem to have as much as you did when you were born. I'm hoping it will come in thicker. :) You are losing a little bit of hair on the top/front part of your head. You look like you have a receding hair line. You're also losing a little bit on the back of your head...there's a little horizontal strip that's thinning. However, your rat tail is still strong! It's actually getting longer. :) There's a chance that you have a little mullet. I've never thought mullets were cute, but somehow, you can pull it off. Here's to hoping you get some more hair...maybe even with curls!

-You are getting really good at holding your sweet head up. You still sometimes resemble a bobble head, but you make a darn cute one. :) We have really started noticing how you can not only hold it up, but you like to look around. We're watching for you to start tracking noises, I have a feeling this is coming soon.

-Since you have been around, Mommy has realized how much respect she has for single parents. I don't know how they do it. You/all babies are a lot of work. I suppose we take for granted having an extra pair of hands most of the time at home. I admire parents who are able to raise a child on their own. That's a full time job in and of itself. I am so thankful to have your dad. ~~I don't think~~ I couldn't do it without him. I am blessed.

-You make so many sweet little noises. Some make us smile, some make us laugh, and some make us turn to you and wonder, "That just came out of her?" You're like a little machine. I love the noises you make. I love when you're sleeping and you exhale and sound just exasperated. So precious. One of my favorite noises is when you are getting dried off from your bath and you're shivering. You sound like a squeaky ol' car. I love it. I need to record it in case you stop doing it.

Sometimes when you are tired, you can't decide if you want to stop crying or not. So it comes out as a loud grunt. I can't describe it, but it always makes us laugh. Hopefully I can get that sound recorded too. Although it's not necessarily a "sweet" sound, it is definitely one of my favorites.

You/We Love It When…

-Your Mommy or Daddy scoop your up out of your bed when you're crying. I know I mentioned this last month...but it still stands. It is one of our favorite things. You normally stop immediately and just look at us with those big beautiful blue eyes. When we hear your stirring/crying, we tend to race up the stairs to see who can scoop you first. It also makes waking up in the middle of the night much more enjoyable. We both really love this time with you.

-Mommy doesn't have to work and she gets to stay home with you. :) She only has a few more weeks off, so she's trying to make the best of every second with you. She cherishes every moment with you, but truly loves the mornings. You are always so happy and smiley. That smile melts Mommy's heart like you wouldn't believe.

-You enjoy getting a clean diaper. If your diaper is dirty, you tend to get a little fussy--I don't blame you. I like having clean pants too. However, the second we lay you down and start to change you, you just smile and all is well in the world. You are so easy going and such a happy baby. You must have gotten that from your dad...I am so thankful.

Looking Forward To…

-As I've said many times before...I'm not rushing it. I can wait. However, I can't tell you how happy my heart will be when I hear you say "Mama" for the first time. Whenever I see a child embrace their parents after being apart, my heart just melts. I will love when I am able to pick you up from daycare, and you can run and jump in my arms. As much a I will love that, please take your time.

-You learning to say your bedtime prayers. Now, Mommy and Daddy have been saying them with you every night. But we know it's only a matter of time before you are saying them to us. I am so anxious (but not rushing) to hear how sweet your little voice sounds.

-So, so much more. For now, we're enjoying every minute we can with you.

Monthly Pictures

We are happy to say that your Two Month picture went so much smoother than the last. You were in a much more cooperative mood...and you even shot us a few smiles. Have I mentioned how my heart melts at the sight of your smile?