No More

I think that the time has come that Grace is done nursing.  She has started to bite me.  She bit me for the first time a few days ago and I didn't anticipate it continuing.  I thought at that point that it was by accident.  Then yesterday, Thursday June 21, when she bit so hard that it cut me, I knew at that point that the time was very near for her to stop nursing.  I just didn't want to be bit every time she ate.  I tried mutiple times since then and she continues to bite me.  It makes me really sad that all of the sudden, I think, that we are going to be done with it.  I have come to realize that it isn't good for her or I to put us through the stress of it.  I have been very fortunate thus far to have been able to nurse her to almost 8 months.  I realize that there are many moms who can't or don't make it this far.  I should be more thankful and stop being sad.  I guess it makes me sad because it means that Grace is growing up and that special time that we share (just her and I) is probably no more, it will just come in different forms/times.  In my head I imagined that I would be weaning her gradually this summer so that by fall she would be more comfortable with the whole process.  It will take some patience and time for us all to adjust to this new part of her life.  We will make it and it will all soon be forgotten.  I will just keep reminding myself that.

7 months!

                                                                   cousins!

                                                             Look mom, no hands!

Happy Father's Day Dad!

Lounging in the pool!

7 months

playing in the grass

playing with Madison, we're going to be the best of friends!

Where has the time gone?!?!  It seems like just yesterday we were on our way to the hospital in the downpour in the wee hours of the morning only to have our daughter born a few hours later.  What an adventure it has been so far and I am sure that in the days to come it will only continue to be an adventure.  I have enjoyed every minute (even in the tough times) and feel blessed to have been given our precious daughter.  She never ceases to amaze me at the things she figures out at such a young age.  She figures out things that we don't even teach her such as drinking from my water bottle.  Grace knew right away to put it to her mouth and stick her tounge in it to get the water.  She is developing quite a little personality.  She talks/screeches/blows bubbles all the time.  Some say that she sounds like a peacock!  I have compared her to a screeching cat.  It is cute no matter what she sounds like!

TEETH!!!

Grace has two bottom front teeth!  I am so excited about this!  I texted Cody to tell him (he was teaching) and he called when he was done and I said "Grace has a tooth!"  He said "You are really exctied about it, aren't you?"  I said "Yes, I am!!"  I know that it means that she is getting older and I would love to keep her little a while longer, I am happy to have met this milestone.  She hasn't had any symptoms other than being extra fussy.  Little did I know, until today, that the fussiness was due to actually having the teeth come through.  I (we) had been suspecting it would happen soon, I just thought that I would feel a bump on her gum to give me some fair warning.

When I first discovered her teeth, I only saw one, it wasn't until later (while she was screaming) that I found the other.  Grace will be 7 months old on Saturday.  We had her 6 month check up last week and she is 16 pounds 14 ounces, just right and I don't remember the exact height measurement but it puts her in the 15%.  I don't think that that measurement will every be very high!  Grace continues to move all over by rolling.  She is working on sitting up and I am sure that it won't be long before she does that on her own.  Grace "talks" all the time too, lots of noises/sounds.  She enjoys eating food too (when her gums aren't hurting), all fruits and veggies (even those disgusting green peas!).  Today I gave her a "mum-mum" (dissolveable rice stick thing) and she loved eating that.  We also have been helping her learn how to drink from a sippy cup.  She doesn't quite have the hang of that yet, but it too will happen when she is ready.

During the Memorial Day weekend, we visited Jesse and Maria.  She has become a good little traveler.  For the most part, she is so laid back and just goes with the flow.  We did several things that weekend and she was so good.  We also visited Aunt Cindy and family and got to try swimming for the first time.  She loved that too!

Last weekend we met up with my college roommates and families for a reunion.  She was such a good trooper that day too.  Next year, she will be running right along with all the others!

SUMMER!!!

       Yay!  It's summer break!  I am not sure that Grace and Cody are as excited about it being summer as I am but I am super excited!  I have been waiting for 3 1/2 months for break so that I can be home everyday with our daughter.  In a perfect world I think that I would be a full time stay at home mom.  I couldn't have imagined saying that before having Grace, I love teaching, but now that I have been a mom for almost 7 months I so wish that I could be home.  We have been blessed and not have had to take Grace to a stranger's day care.  She got to spend every day with her Grandma.  She was oblivious to me leaving her everyday but I think that might change when I go back to school in the fall but until then I am going to enjoy every minute I get to spend with her.

        Grace hasn't really changed too much since I last posted.  She contiues to roll all over the place.  I think that she wishes she could move a different way.  Sometimes she will get in what looks like a superman pose and grunt like she wants to move but doesn't know how.  Grace makes all sorts of sounds/noises, sometimes it sounds like she is yelling at me!  Grace loves her baby food and willingly eats it now which wasn't the case a few weeks ago.  She has even tried little bits of table food (mashed potatos, sweet potatos, mashed pear, and applesauce) and loved it!  Grace is also very close to sitting up on her own which makes me happy becuase when she learns to do that, maybe her hair in the back will start to grow back.  She has rubbed it all off, not the cutest hair style but I guess that is what you get when you have a mobile baby.

6 months and Mothers Day

During this past week we celebrated Grace's half birthday, 6 months on May 9.  Time is just flying with her.  She is developing the cutest personality and makes us laugh all the time.  Grace is now a professional roller.  She can be in one spot one second and then the next she is across the room.  She hasn't quite figured out that it has a purpose.  I am sure that she will figure that out soon enough.  Grace also while playing reaches for toys and does well manipulating them (turing them and studying each that she picks up).  She contiues to go to day care, Grandma's house, every day.  It is great that she can be there and it helps me tremendously knowing that she is in such good hands.  I am counting down the days though until summer when I can spend every day with her again.

We celebrated Mother's Day this past weekend, my first one as a mom!  I am so blessed to be a mom.  I wouldn't trade it for anything!  I love every minute, the late night feedings, crying episodes that take a while to resolve, smiles, getting food spit all over you, dirty diapers, splashing in the bath tub, watching daddy and Grace play and be silly, cuddling, the list could go on for forever.  I am looking forward to the many years that we have ahead of us.  I pray that I can guide Grace to be a strong, loving, independent, caring, friendly, polite, goal-oriented, responsible, and most of all love God.

Trying food ( a post that wouldn't load before)

So two weeks ago, we started feeding Grade cereal.  The first couple of times it was a lot of trying to get something to stay in her mouth.  She wasn't so sure what was happening.  However it isn't that way anymore.  She knows what I am trying to do and she doesn't enjoy it too much.  Why, I am not sure.  She is getting food, who wouldn't love being fed?  Anyway, I think that the problem is that she isn't too sure how to swallow.  So it is a scream fest.  I have tried giving her a drink in between bites to help with swallowing.  Friends have suggested that I try mixing it with a little bit of fruit.  I might try that.  I am sure that she will get used to eating and like other things this is a learning experience.
She is always changing and growing of course.  Rolling over has become much easier.  She doesn't continuly roll to get places but rolling from her tummy to back is quickly accomplished most times.  She also is lifting her head up pretty far while laying on her tummy.  Her newest favorite thing to do it blow bubbles.  It is quite cute!

It has been way too long!

Oh my goodness!  I can't believe that I have failed to write a post since March!!  Wow, I guess that is what happens when you have a full time job outside of the home in which you are a mom and a wife.  Before I update on Grace, I have to say that I love being a mom and feel so blessed to be Grace's mom.  How awesome is our God for giving us this precious child!

Where do I start with updates on Grace?  She has changed so much and continues to every day.  I can't believe that in a week she will be 6 months old.  Since I last posted, she has perfected rolling from her tummy to her back, she can do it quite quickly.  She has rolled from her back to her tummy but not as well as the other way.  Grace can scoot off of her blanket or playmat by pushing with her feet or rolling.  She hasn't however figured out that by doing those things that it has a purpose.  Grace can hold and play with her toys.  Sometimes she even can pick one up to play with on her own.

Grace has also taught herself how to "yell", some have compared it to a screeching cat!  I think that she has discovered her voice and that is why she does it.  She loves to blow bubbles and spit which makes for quite a mess and wet clothes.  But it is super cute (except for when she is eating)!  Speaking of eating, Grace now eats rice cereal  and a fruit daily as well as a vegetable in the evening.  She loves the vegetables but the cereal is still a challenge. 

                                                                hanging out with her uncles

                                                           Grandma, Madison and Grace

                                                           my first Easter

Grace loves her family and is an overall happy baby. What I can't put into words, maybe the pictures will tell.....