Sunday night thoughts

Ann Guthrie has started an amazing blog about their journey through infertility and it's inspiring. I'd like to take more time to reflect on what's truly important, talk to God and be a kinder, more patient person. Let's add 'be thankful' to that list, as well.

I'm so incredibly thankful for a healthy daughter. I'm so thankful for a husband with incredible work ethic and a gentle heart. We have a beautiful home, food on the table, clothes in the drawers, water flowing from the pipes. My parents are, literally, the best. I'm not sure how "blessings" work (I don't think that God blesses some more than others) but I feel overwhelmingly blessed. If life is a road trip of hills and valleys, we are coasting through some good times right now. Don't let me forget this someday when we blow a tire.

Picture post coming at ya

Almost 7 months... and still awesome.

I'd say that I've been meaning to post for awhile now, but that would be all too stereotypical for a blog. I'll just say, hello!

Ms. Audrey Lou is coming up on 30 weeks, aka 7 months! It's pretty amazing watching her go through all of the developmental milestones. She can now sit up with very little assistance, grab things, suck on things, roll over both ways and, most recently, has 2 precious teeth! The first one showed up a couple weeks ago and the second one soon after. She's a developmental over-achiever.

We introduced solid foods at around 4-5 months and she has loved them from the get-go. She got the hang of it really quickly and even coos when she's really enjoying the meal. There is a fantastic video of her first experience with peas - not a big fan. The poor thing is gagging and I'm laughing so hard that she's smiling through the gagging. She is such a champ.

Childcare is actually going better than I could've expected. It probably helps that she isn't super attached to me(or anyone) quite yet so drop offs are a cinch. The other big factor is that the teachers are amazing. Brenda, Violet and Eric have such a calm about them and genuinely care for the kids. I know they love Audrey - likely because she's pretty easy going and cute as the dickens. No, really. Strangers are always telling us how beautiful she is and I get multiple "ooos" and "ahhs" when I post pictures on facebook. She's seriously cute and has big, brown, gorgeous eyes. Still not sure how Phil plus me equals cutest baby ever.

Little Miss is still a great night sleeper, although her latest trick is waking up around 3am to nurse. She takes short little naps throughout the day, usually around 30 minutes. It would probably be easier to work from home if those naps were extended a bit, but I'll take a good night's sleep any day.

I'll end with a few pics - there are 250+ prints in the mail to me as we speak. Girl is well documented. She's smiling much more for the camera but is still a hard bargain for laughs. The exception being when Harvey is running around on one of his spastic episodes, darting to and fro. Hey, it's hilarious, I don't blame her.

looking back - picture post!

let's catch up a bit, shall we? here are some pictures from her first couple weeks...

Taken at the hospital

Going home!

First week

Thug life.

First walk!

First bath - took it like a champ!

Uncle Andy and Soph are smitten

three months in!

Our little "AL" is now 14 weeks old! She's, pretty much, the coolest baby ever. We hang out at home a lot but usually venture out at least once a day to Starbucks or Target or... well, mainly those two. She does well on errands, especially when she's in the stroller and the stroller is moving. If the stroller is stopped or if she's in the car - no guarantees. I thought all babies loved car rides?

This is my last month home with her and I'm feeling good about going back to work. I feel so incredibly blessed to have had this time with her but I'm also ready to have somewhere to go and tasks to accomplish outside the house. Best part is, I should get the best of both worlds because she'll be in daycare for three days a week and I'll have her for the other two.  Let's hope that Big Fish continues to be so lax about such a schedule. It helps that my boss, Chris, likes me a lot and the work that I do so he'll do what he can to keep me. I have a feeling that dropping her off at daycare every M/W/F will be painful; but let's not talk about that. 

Audrey is continuing to grow... she was about 12lbs. at her 2 month check-up and is outgrowing her 3 month clothes and diapers pretty quickly. I love that she has chubs. Phil's quote: "She has her daddy's thighs." Not a whole lot of hair on her head but I swear that there's a tinge of red when you look at it in the sunlight.

She's very close to holding up her own head at all times and has discovered her hands - not only that they're fantastic to suck on but that they can hold onto each other. 90% of the time she picks her thumb over her binky which is pretty stinkin' cute. I was kinda caught off guard by the thumb sucking thing; I guess because neither Sophie nor Ellie were into it. It's quite convenient in terms of "self soothing" but could prove to be a tough habit to break later on. We'll just deal with it when it comes... and dip her thumb in hot sauce.

Al's also started "cooing" more and even broke out a laugh the other night when Phil blew raspberries on her tummy. We have yet to get another laugh out of her but that hasn't stopped Phil from trying. She is giving smiles out more generously, though, which thrills us, of course.

This week, we're heading to Wenatchee for the first time. My parents are over the moon, inviting everyone over to meet her. I'm looking forward to it and see the trip as a last "hoorah" before I go back to work. The only part that is questionable is the car ride over. She usually makes it about 45 minutes into a ride before releasing the hounds(speaking of hounds, have I mentioned that Harvey howls at the top of his lungs every time Audrey starts really crying?). Mom is actually taking the train over to help me on the drive since Phil will be in Alaska for work and will fly into Wenatchee on Thursday. The idea of doing the trip alone was a bit daunting so I'm glad Mom is going out of her way to help.

That's it for now - about to head out for a pedicure while Daddy watches the little lady.