Shelby is FOUR Months Old

4 Month Old Shelby June

After bath time at Memommy's house

With Aunt Lauren- matching outfits! 
(Aunt Lauren is technically holding 3 babies because she is pregnant with twins)

In her very own custom diapers

Talking and laughing with G-Pa

My sweet Shelbs.  You are four months old!  I can't believe it.  It feels like yesterday you popped into our lives.  As I am typing this post, you are sitting in my lap kicking your teeny tiny feet.  And chewing your little fingers drooling all over yourself.  You are teething and it makes mommy sad.  Here are your stats, big girl:

• You started to hold on to me while I hold you.  You love to walk around and look at everything.
• You laughed at your puppies for the first time!  You love to pet their soft coats.
• You love to hold your toys (ball, Sophie, teething ring) and put them in your mouth!
• You slept through the night for the first time.  (9pm-7am).  This is definitely not an every night occurance, though.  It's actually the exception.  Not the norm.  But we love when it happens!
• I love how you inch your hand up my chest while I feed you.  So.  Sweet. 
• You found your feet!  You love to hold your toes.
• As we mentioned above, you started teething.  So sad.  You HATE orajel so we use teething tablets.
• You love to go for walks in your harness.
• You get really excited when we go outside.  You squirm up and down and coo!
• You love to jump in your jumperoo!

Love you, sweet girl!

 

My First Mother's Day As a Mommy

Mommy, Daddy, and Shelby at PV Brunch

Mommy and sweet sweet Shelby baby

This year was my first Mother's Day as a mommy.  Last year on Mother's Day, we had been trying for a year.  I remember praying so hard that 2013 would be my first time to celebrate as a mommy.  10 days later, we found out that would be the case.  God answers prayers in His way and in His timing.  His omniscient, perfect timing. 

I never expected to love being a mommy so much.  Sure, there are really hard moments.  Sometimes Shelby cries and screams and I have no idea what to do.  I worry that she isn't doing what other babies her age are doing or that she doesn't do things exactly the way "the books" say she should.  I worry if she spits up or screams during tummy time.  I worry about leaving her with a sitter because she may scream at them the whole time.  But I love EVERY worrying moment.  I am so very thankful to be this sweet girl's mommy.  I love to rock her to sleep even though "the books" tell me not to do it.  I love reading to her and watching her little hands grab and touch the pictures.  I love to make her laugh.  I've always thought that making her daddy laugh was my favorite thing to do... until I made her laugh for the first time.  I will do anything to hear that sound!  I love that I am her food source.  I love that I have a little extra tummy fat still hanging around and eating just a little bit more than I should and knowing that I'm making food for my sweet baby.  I know that I will be sad at 6 months when she starts eating solids!  I love that we don't have to have a schedule.  We wake up when she wants to wake up and I let her set the pace of our day.  I worried about this too and then decided that I was worrying way too much.  We fly by the seat of our pants now.  And it's fabulous.

I am so grateful that God answered our prayers.  I know that so many people are hurting and trying to get pregnant and finding only disappointment month after month.  I remember those feelings.  I am immensely blessed and thankful every single minute of every day that God has given me this adventure of being Shelby's mommy.

Thank you, Lord!  May Shelby's life bring praise to Your name!