Sunday, November 21, 2010

Sweet, snuggly baby. You are getting more mobile! You love to push yourself around with your heels while you are on your back, and you are rolling over more. You also learned how to turn around in your jumparoo. Your feet are working now! I don't think it will be long until you are crawling and walking. We went to Houston last weekend to see your Grandma Ida in the hospital. We stayed with Cowboy and Grandvicki. You were the life of the party. You were smiling, cooing and laughing, everyone was smitten with you. The way home was challenging because you don't always like your car seat. This week we had a great time at Gymboree and Little Gym. You are such a social butterfly and the teachers just love you.

Your daddy was at an Aggie game tonight, so it was just us girls. I watched the videos from when you were first in my tummy. I started to cry a little. I watched the video of our first ultrasound (October 14th, 2009) and I could see your tiny little heart flickering on the screen. Then I watched the video when we found out you were a girl. It took almost 10 minutes to get you to move into position so we could get a peek, just when we were about to give up you moved. I have video of every ultrasound, I am going to consolidate them so you can see. It is hard to believe that just a year ago you were the size of an appleseed and you were all curled up. We have been so happy and felt so blessed to have you from the very beginning.
I love you baby girl!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

C-bear. Just wanted to write a quick note to tell you how much you are loved. I am so thankful to get to stay home with you everyday and snuggle, play, giggle and watch you grow. It is hard for your daddy and me not to spoil you. As your grandjan says, you will never understand how much you were loved until you hold your own child.
When we go out with you, it is like we are with a celebrity. People will cross the room to come and see your beautiful face. Yes, we are biased because you are our baby, but you are also a rare kind of beautiful. You are so full of personality and expression, it is remarkable.
You are also incredibly smart and brave. We just lay here and marvel at how lucky we are to have you with us. We are trying really hard not to make mistakes in raising you. I love you sleepy baby.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Where babies come from.

Just a quick post to tell you how and where you were conceived... You were conceived on September 10th, 2009 at Dallas Presby Hospital. We prayed for many years to find you but we couldn't. So, we went to see Dr. Sam Chantilis and he helped me through Invitrofertilization. We can talk later about what all of that means, but essentially, you are very special because of how you were conceived.
They took a piece of me and a piece of your daddy and placed it in a petri dish. They watched you grow over 5 days while you were in an incubator. They called us and told us how beautiful you were, and we even got to see a picture. On September 15th, with your dad and GrandJan there, they put you very carefully back into my tummy. On September 21st, we found out I was pregnant with you. I promised your daddy I would wait until that Thursday, but I couldn't. I ran to the store to buy a pregnancy test. I called Grandjan while I waited and I started screaming and crying when I saw two of the prettiest pink lines in the world. I called your daddy and told him, I also called Cowboy, Grandvick and Grandmax and your Aunt Kathy.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Happy Fifth Month Charlie!

So much has happened since I last posted:
You tried your first solid food, Rice Cereal on October 17th. You are a really good eater and wanted to grab the spoon to feed yourself. We went to the store to buy a special bowl and spoon for your first feeding. Daddy took pictures and we both wanted to cry. You are growing up so fast!
You also started Little Gym two weeks ago. We sing songs, play with toys, bubbles and tumble. Miss Carla is your teacher and she is wonderful, you just love it when she sings to you. Peter, Taylor, Ezra, and Quarte are also in our class. You love to watch Peter crawl all over the place.
We are going to Gymboree tomorrow to check out their classes. I will update with pictures.
Silly Charlie, it is 1:00am and you won't sleep. I was just about to post how you went to sleep in your pack and play and now you are up... At least you are not crying, you just want to play. Since you came home from the hospital you have slept with us in our bed. You are usually sleep on your side You are kicking your little legs up and grabbing your feet. You found them on October 12th and haven't stopped playing with them since.

I have started to pack more of your baby clothes away. You are growing like a weed. I am dead serious, when I tell you that people stop us every time we take you out to tell us how beautiful you are. Since you were born, you have enchanted people. You smile so much, and when you do, your eyes squint and your mouth opens. I will say that you have suddenly started to cry when people talk to you. It is kind of embarrassing, there are a few waitresses that think they scare babies now. I am not sure why that has started to happen, your dad thinks I need to get you out more.

It is 1:20 am and I just now, got you to go back to sleep. We rocked and I played your sea horse. Rocking typically doesn't do much to soothe you, but tonight it worked. Good thing, I bought two gliders. You are sleeping in your pack and play, fingers crossed that you sleep through the night in it.

You laugh so much now, and love your baby doll "Emily." We keep her in the car and you grab onto her as soon as you are strapped in. I find you asleep holding onto her feet.
You still can take or leave your swing and bouncy seat. You will tolerate it for a few minutes, but it is not the life saver that some mom's find it to be. You also have a Exersaucer that you will play in for few minutes, but you don't love it yet, nor do you love the jumparoo that we bought you when you laughed while we bounced you up and down on our laps. I guess we will keep trying. You still dislike tummy time and I am pretty sure that you refuse to roll over in order to see me begging you to do it. That is what happens to babies that have mothers that refuse to let them down. Keep note of that when you have kids. You are super happy to be held and loved on all the time, but it will keep you from getting as much exercise. We are certain that you will roll, crawl and walk all in one week.

We love you come what may. You have made us so happy! You are such a sweet, loving, fun, easy going baby. Thank you for that. I apologize in advance for all of the times we will embarrass you when we are the loudest cheering parents, when kiss you in front of your friends and and when we are openly crying because we are so proud. We are saving money for your therapy. Our parents humiliated us on a regular basis, we will do it to you, and you to your kids and so on. I can promise that.

I love you sweet baby girl.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

I will write quickly. You are playing in my lap instead of sleeping. This week you started giggling a ton. You found your feet today and now want to touch them constantly. You are still the most beautiful baby in the world.

Friday, September 10, 2010

First Laughs and My Birthday!

Today is my 35th birthday! This day is special for several reasons:
1) I am getting older.
2) Today is the one year anniversary of your conception day. On the morning on my 34th birthday, I had my egg retrieval and you were conceived.
3) You laughed for the first time today! We were getting ready to take a walk in the mall and you were in your stroller. This was the first time you sat upright in your stroller with out the car seat! Your dad went to get the diaper bag and you just started laughing. I was caught of guard and your daddy came running around the car. We hugged, dad gave me a high-five. We started laughing and you were laughing! We were so happy to hear you and see you smile. It was one of the best birthday presents. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In other news:
We are definitely starting the teething process. And you and your daddy gave me a fancy camera and a gift card for my birthday!

As usual, people stop us non-stop to look at you and touch your feet. It is incredible. You are the most beautiful baby, people cross rooms to look at you. Your eyes are the brightest blue and your hair is so soft!

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Growing like a weed and "strong like bull"

A few things from today:
1) you are showing a lot more interest in your toys, I put you in the exersaucer and you played a little bit! We are working on your coordination
2) We had a quick visit with your pedi today and you have grown so much in one month
last month (7/19/10) you were 21.3 inches long and today 9/1/10 you are 24 inches long! You went from the 12% to the 60% You also gained two pounds! You have been working hard baby! I am so happy and so relieved! I called your daddy at work to tell him and he was so excited, when he came home he gave you a big kiss and squeezed your little thighs! Of course, your daddy and I are always kissing your cute little cheeks, but today we celebrated!
3) I am writing this from Cowboys house. You had your first car ride to Houston today. You did great, you slept most of the way! Cowboy, Grandvick and Hayley are so excited to see you. We got in after midnight so everyone is asleep, but I know they will come knocking in the morning. I think this nickname will stick, but just in case: Cowboy is what we call your grandfather Gary, who is also my daddy. I need to write an entry dedicated to telling you all about Cowboy.

You are sleeping, snuggling up to your daddy, both of you have one arm out. You sleep just like your daddy, always with one or both arms up. You are so much like him. I need to get to sleep because it is 3:00am and you will probably be up at 7:00. I am visiting with my old boss to return my work stuff. I quit my job to stay home with you, and I made the best decision! I loved working, but I love watching you grow and being home to teach you everything you need to know. It would kill me to have to take you to day care or to have someone else teaching you how to blow bubbles, or to see you take your first steps. Thank you for being our sweet girl.

Just one last thing: daddy and I had this great conversation about you. You are always the topic of conversation by the way. Anyway, daddy said that he knew you would have a great visit with the pedi today because you are "Strong like bull." Ask him someday to say it with the accent. As you know by now, you were conceived in a very special way: he also said that out of all of our embryos (tiny little babies) you were the toughest. We had 11 and you were my fighter. You grew in my belly and would kick and roll, I loved every movement! It reassured me that you fighting to thrive. Then when we were going to evict you from my belly, you decided to come on your terms. You were so sick in the NICU and you fought hard to show us that you were healthy. Strong like bull, in deed, but you are also our sweet, delicate baby girl. I love you!