Four Months!

 

Dear Mary Emma,

You are four months old!  You weigh 14.13 ounces and are 24 inches long.  You are growing so fast and long, we can’t believe how big you are!  You are taking between 25 - 30 ounces of formula a day and for the most part, sleeping through the night. 

You are becoming more and more active every day.  This month you started laughing for the first time and now you are really giggling!  Your favorite things to laugh at are Daddy (of course!), Gabbie, and for some reason whenever we say “Aunt Laura”.

You celebrated your first Thanksgiving with Mommy, Daddy, GrandSandy, Papa, Uncle Matt and Aunt Laura, Great Granny and Great Grandad, Great Aunt Debbie and Great Uncle Robert, and cousins Katie and John.  You were very sweet the entire day and the weather was nice enough for us to take you out in your stroller.  You wore a pillowcase dress that Julie made for you – Emma Grace has a matching one.

 We’ve had so much fun getting you ready for the Christmas season and wearing all of your fun outfits that you got at the baby showers.  You are a really good sport playing dress-up! 

You’ve had lots of “firsts” this month.  You attended your first Holiday party for the Law School and got to meet a lot of Mommy’s coworkers.

You went to your first bridal tea in Haleyville for cousin Katie where you saw your first snow!  You were not so sure about the snow, so we just took a picture from the car of it.

You tried your first bite of “food”, rice cereal.  You were not a fan – spitting every last bit of it back up!  You’ve also tried a bite or two of mashed potatoes and you didn’t like those so much either.

You tried the Johnny Jumper for the first time and LOVED it!  We have to thank Cooper and Sadie for that one!

You are such a happy baby only fussing when you are really tired or don’t feel well.  We love you more and more every day.  It is such a wonderful experience to watch your little mind work as you figure out how to maneuver in this great big world.  You are such a blessing to me and your Daddy.  We can’t wait to see what you do “new” this month.

Hugs and Kisses!

Mommy

Three Months + one week

Dear Mary Emma,

I’ve waited until today to write your three month post, because today was a very special day.  Today mommy and daddy stood before our family, friends and church and had you baptized and promised to raise you knowing about God, and the unconditional love that He offers to each of us.  One day, you’ll go through a confirmation class where you will have the opportunity to confirm the promise that was spoken over you today – that as much as Mommy and Daddy loves you, God loves you even more and wants you to love Him with all your heart, living your life for Him.

But what made today even more special was that your Daddy was baptized too. He felt that in order to be a good example for you of a Christian father, he needed to be baptized before you were.  So moments before Brother Ken sprinkled water on your head, he baptized Daddy.

We were so proud of you! You wore a beautiful dress with a pearl bracelet and necklace that MiMi gave you.  You loved the music and were mesmerized by the choir.  When it came time for you to be baptized you didn’t even flinch.  You stared a Brother Ken like you knew exactly what he was saying to you.

We were also blessed to be surrounded by so many people who love you and came to see your baptism.  Aunt Kelsey and Todd brought Cooper and Sadie, who waved at you while you were getting sprinkled.

 Laura, Amy and August were there along with Tony, Aunt Jill and Uncle Wes.  Frances Ann even made it to see you.

Your MiMi, Paw Paw and Grandma came, along with Papa, GrandSandy, Matt and Laura.  Mommy didn’t communicate well to Great Granny and Great Grandad that it was the early service, but they got there in time to see you in your dress and go to lunch with us.

Sweet girl, we love you more than you can imagine and are so proud of you each day. Our prayer for you is that you grow up to know, that more than anything, you are loved and cared about.  Daddy and I want to be good examples for you, and even though we will make mistakes – we want to be able to show you how to love and forgive like God loves and forgives.

Love, hugs and kisses!

Mommy

Halloween!

For Mary Emma’s first Halloween we decided to go low key.  Since she is only 11 weeks old, there’s not a whole lot she could enjoy about the holiday and to be honest she was quite cranky that we were disturbing her Sunday afternoon nap time (she is definitely MY child!). 

Mary Emma was a black kitty in honor of our cat Cody (although we couldn’t get a picture of them since Cody’s been at the kitty hospital with an upper respiratory infection-yes, only my cat would have allergies!) .  It was the cutest, easiest outfit – just a black velour onesie  with a kitty knit cap and booties.

Here she is arriving at her first house to trick or treat – PaPa’s and GrandSandy’s.

Practicing her Meow!

She fell asleep while we were driving from my parents to MiMi and PawPaw’s house, but it was just a “cat nap” and didn’t last for long once we were out of the car.

Once we got home, she helped Elliott hand out candy until we had a complete melt down and went to bed early!  I look forward to next year where hopefully she can have a little fun with it.

Blessings!

Candice

Pumpkin Patch

For the past few weeks I kept seeing everyone’s cute pictures visiting pumpkin patches and thought what a great idea.  Last year we visited the Grand Ole Pumpkin Patch in Clanton with our Sunday School Class and decided to take Mary Emma this year. We might should have reconsidered since she’s only 10 weeks old and we left at her cranky time of the day.  She didn’t seem to be in to it much and let us know about it on the way home.  We did manage to get a few good pictures.

When we finally got there, we realized pulling into the Pumpkin Patch, we forgot the stroller and weren’t carrying the heavy carseat around the entire time, so we held her while she wore a pair of my sunglasses.

On the wagon going to pick our pumpkins…notice her cute shirt her Mimi made for her

Taking a bottle break

Trying to get a picture with the pumpkins…right before I got my first taste of dirt!

A picture with Daddy right before we left for home

    What I would have rather been doing all day!

Blessings!

Candice

 

Put up your dukes!

 

Last week was a big one for Mary Emma.  After getting her two month shots, we finally took Mary Emma to church.  We had gotten a daygown for a shower present and this was the perfect occasion to wear it.  I was so glad it still fit because it was a newborn size.

When we got out of church we also took her to her first restaurant outing – Iguana Grill.  She was so good, looking at the sparkly lights hanging from the ceiling the entire time.  Then we went to ToysRUs, Daddy’s favorite store.  And finally, to Home Depot where we stayed in the truck while Elliott ran in to get a few things. We ran into some friends of MiMi and Pawpaw’s that we’ve been trying to see for forever!

After all that, when we got home Mary Emma was very tired.  So she took a little nap and after waking up played in her bouncy seat with her puppy dog.  Elliott decided to video a little since she is really learning to focus on things and grasp at toys.  The following is an edited version of that video where Mary Emma “puts up her dukes”.  It made Elliott and I laugh until we cried!  I hope we don’t have a little fighter on our hands!

 

Two Months!

 

Dear Mary Emma,

Today your are two months old!  We went to the doctor today and got your first set of vaccinations.  You did great!  You cried when you got your shots, but Daddy quickly took you outside and you began to settle down.  You slept most of the afternoon, while Mommy and Daddy watched your sweet face. 

You weigh 11.12 ounces and are 22.75” long.  You’ve gained a little over 4 pounds since you were born and almost two inches.  We can tell when we hold you how much you’ve grown.  You’re eating six times a day, 5 – 5.5 ounces.  You are quickly outgrowing your 0 – 3 month clothes and wearing some 3 month clothes.

This month, you’ve really started showing your personality.  You are so happy when you wake up in the morning, giving us the sweetest smile.  You love, love, love your bouncy seat and sit in it for hours on end, you’ve started batting at your dangly toys.

You also have a new best friend!  Gabbie watches over you all day and all night.  You’ve been sleeping in your bed for a few weeks and we hear Gabbie on the monitor in your room keeping you company.  She also lets us know when you are upset.  As soon as you start to cry, Gabbie runs to our room and jumps on the side of the bed to let us know you need us.  Here is a picture MiMi took when she was staying with you of Gabbie keeping guard while you rested on the couch.

You still love to go outside and have started “talking” more to your toys on your playmat.  Your tickle spot is under the side of your chin and you don’t like your feet played with.  You love bath time and like to splash in the water.  You never cry, not even when you get water in your eyes.  Your favorite toy is a pink elephant that you can attach to your playmat or carseat that plays music.  You also like your lamb lovey when we play peek-a-boo or touch him to your face.

Last week you got to meet your Uncle Terry Paul and his girlfriend Leslie from Ohio.  Daddy has always called Uncle Terry Paul “Turtle”.  He bought you a turtle outfit before you were born and it fit perfectly so you could wear it for his visit. 

 

You “talk” a lot to Daddy and like for him to make noises with his mouth. This video is of you singing with Daddy in your swing.

We can’t wait to see how much you grow and change in the next month and what new milestones you will reach!  We love you so much and are enjoying watching your personality develop and how you’ve changed already from a newborn into an active baby!

Mommy

Weight - Wait!

I went in for my six week post-partum check up yesterday where the doctor told me I had lost all my baby weight plus three additional pounds - great, right???  But why don't my old clothes fit if I'm smaller than when I got pregnant???  Apparently this belly and these hips need a little more attention before fitting in those skinny jeans (okay, I never really had skinny jeans - but you get the point). 

She also told me that because I had gestational diabetes and was on insulin I'm at a greater risk for developing Type 2 diabetes.  My doctor was gestational diabetic and on insulin with her last child.  She told me she kept up the diabetic diet for a good year, but then started backsliding having too much pasta here and there, drinking regluar soft drinks, and eating too many sweets.  Her last hemoglobin check found that she was borderline for Type 2 diabetes.  Now, she is no where near over weight, which is why that's so scary and her doctor told her if she couldn't get her numbers down she would be putting her on medication in 3 months.  No thank you, no more needles sticks for me!

So, I put down the regular Dr. Pepper and backed away the Sour Straws to continue following the meal plans set up when I was pregnant.  But there is so much that I deprived myself up because I didn't take the time to try to make my recipes diabetic friendly, thinking I only have to do this for a few more months.  I set out yesterday to find healthy recipes to my favorite meals, Mexican and Pasta namely.  I stumbled across this website and thought I would try a few of her recipes.  The first one I made was Turkey and Black Bean Enchiladas - and it's a keeper!  The recipe calls for you to make homemade Enchilada Sauce, but I had a can handy and used that instead.  It probably only increased the sodium content of the recipe.

Tomorrow we are grilling some Chicken trying Spaghetti Squash Pesto with Tomatoes (which P.S., Lillian you can totally eat because there are no pine nuts!).  Almost every recipe looks fabulous, but the pictures are copyrighted so you'll have to go check them out yourself. 

Wish me luck on keeping up the low carb, low sugar diet - it was much easier when I was concentrating on Mary Emma's health.  Now I just have to make my own health that important.

Blessings,

Candice

Home Sweet Home…well, sorta

 

Today Mary Emma, Elliott and I came home to spend the night for the first time in 11 days.  Granted we’re not quite in our room yet, staying in the extra bedroom until Lowe’s installs the new carpet – but we are home.  Of course the carpet I picked out is special order and will take longer to get here, but it will look great when it is here!

Tonight we’ve decided we’ll let Miss Mary Emma try sleeping in her crib for the first time, before she figures out she’s sleeping in our room in a Pack ‘n Play.  Until this week we were on a streak where she took her last bottle around 9 or 10 and then slept 6 or 7 hours, waking up around 5 AM.  But the last two nights she’s been waking up at 3 AM and not going back to sleep until 4:30 or so.  We think we’re going through a growth spurt – we went to the doctor this week and Miss Priss is weighing in at 9 pounds in 11 ounces. 

Even when she’s waking up at 3:00 it’s worth it when you see this sweet face…

This week she has really started smiling and giggling some.  She was hanging out in her nap nanny looking out the window while I dried my hair one morning.  Then she really started laughing…

We also reached another milestone this week, taking a bath in our bathtub without the infant sling.  She loves the warm water and likes Elliott to splash it on her the entire time. She only cries when we’re getting ready for her bath, but once the water hits her, she is fine.

Until next time…

Blessings to all!

Candice

How long are you a house guest before having to pay rent?

This week Mary Emma, Elliott and I have been "house sitting" for my parents while they are in South Alabama for Dad to work.  Not that they need a housesitter or really even asked us to housesit - it sounds better to be housesitting instead of, Elliott had pull up all the hardwood floor in our bedroom, drill a three foot hole, and repair a busted water line that was making our floor have that "cool but undesirable feature when not intended" heated floor feel.  I mean, if I had wanted heated floors, that's one thing, but having hot water continuously running under my house, that's another. 

So, while Elliott and his step-dad Jim have worked ever so hard to repair the leak and fix the floor - we have been "squatting" at mother's house.  Mary Emma has adjusted to the change of scenery and loves the sunroom.  I do miss my bed and of course the dogs don't know what is going on because one of us comes to feed them, give them water and then leave again.  And apparently Cody has taken up with the new neighbors across the street.  We've seen him wave from his new home on the front porch. 

Since I don't have my camera cord here to upload new pictures, I'll just post some from mother's computer of Mary Emma's birth and day after.

First is the totally awesome sign that Elliott's best friend Wes made for us when we got home - super cute!

Next is my favorite picture of Elliott and Mary Emma.  This was probably one of the first times he held her and she already had him wrapped around her finger.

This last picture tickles me every time I look at because of the story behind it.  On Friday after Mary Emma was born my dad took all the pictures on their camera and not until they got home did he realize he doesn't have his picture with Mary Emma.  The first thing he did when they came back on Saturday was to have his picture made holding her.  Too Sweet PaPa!

That's all for now, hopefully the next post will come from our newly carpeted house.

Blessings,
Candice

Please vote!

This is a quick post to ask you to do me a huge favor.  One of my pledge sisters has battled breast cancer and now is battling brain cancer.  She has an incredible story with miraculous results from her surgeries and treatment.  Please visit the following site and watch the video in the right corner, then vote for Tracy.  Her video is Tracy in Huntsville.

Vote for Tracy!

Also visit her Caring Bridge website to read more of her story.

Tracy's Caring Bridge Site

Blessings,

Candice

One Month

 

Dear Mary Emma,

I can’t believe you are already one month old!  You have brought such joy and happiness already into our lives.  You are growing and changing so much every day. 

You are wearing size 0-3 month clothes, the newborn sizes are already too small and packed up!  You weigh almost 9 pounds.  You love to eat and take 4 ounces of formula every 3 to 4 hours.  You are starting to find your voice and “talk” to your toys on your playmat.  You are very funny and make Mommy and Daddy laugh when you swat at your butterfly and ladybug.  You “saw” Gabbie for the first time this week, following her with your eyes after you heard her bark.  You should be used to that sound!  You are also trying to start making facial expressions and we see a smile now and again.  You’ve recently started touching our faces when we hold you which melts Mommy and Daddy’s heart.

You love to rock and sing with Mommy and walk around the house with Daddy.  You are very alert and focus on people’s faces and things around the house.  You like to go and your room and have us talk to you about your toys and bed.  You kick and wiggle your arms more than any baby I’ve ever seen.  You love to be a squirmy wormy especially when you’re on your back.

When you get fussy, you love to go outside.  We take you outside at least once a day and you seem so happy and content.  You are a good car rider and like your carseat.  You are a very happy baby and you don’t seem to mind when other people hold you.

Mommy and Daddy feel so blessed to have you in our lives and can’t imagine what life was like without you.  Continue to grow big  and strong and we’ll continue to love you with our whole hearts. 

Mommy

Waiting, waiting and more waiting…

 

God must know that patience is something I need to work on, because waiting for me is not very pretty.  Yesterday we found out that mother will have surgery to remove the mass on Monday.  They will not be able to perform the surgery laparoscopic, and she will have to be in the hospital for 3 – 5 days.  Which corresponds with the date I was to be induced, Wednesday, the 18th.   So, since yesterday we have been waiting to talk with my doctor about moving my day to be induced back.  It is slim chances, but we are going in tomorrow with the game plan of convincing her to let us have this baby before Monday.

I’ve talked about the Emmaus Walk a few times in my blog, but one of the key phrases of an Emmaus weekend is “Don’t anticipate.”  Why is this so hard for us to do?  Have you ever heard the term, “Calm Anticipation” – me either, but we’ve all heard “Anxious Anticipation.”  What is it about anticipating something that gives us anxiety? 

In Sunday School we’ve been studying the book of Acts (although we missed the past couple, few, okay a lot of Sundays) but I’ve thought a lot about what Jesus told the Disciples in the first chapter, to go to Jerusalem and wait…wait for what the “Father has promised…the promise of the Holy Spirit,” Acts 1:4.  At this point, that’s all I can do is wait.  There is nothing that is going to make this baby come any faster and nothing is going to make that tumor shrink.  I have to hold onto the promise Jesus made to the disciples in Jerusalem, and here I am…waiting for God to work in miraculous ways.  I know everything is in God’s perfect time and not in Candice’s time (he has revealed this truth to me several times in the past), but it is still so hard to trust that God has both Mary Emma and Mother in his hand and that all will be perfect in His time.

My friend Terri used as her speaker song on a recent Walk, In His Time. It is a wonderful reminder that God makes all things beautiful in His time.  Press play below to hear the song…

 

So I ask you to pray for us – pray for our doctors, pray for our family as they have to deal with two people who are healing, pray for God’s perfect timing, and pray for our peace of mind.

Blessings,

Candice

Catching up…

 

So I totally broke the Blogger poster rule of not posting at least once a week.  Last week was another totally crazy week and I got behind – hopefully I can catch up this week!

To update you on all things baby, we are currently 39 weeks pregnant – which is a big hooray considering gestational diabetes babies usually come early.  It has been answered prayer that the diet and insulin have worked their magic and Miss Mary Emma has evened out to be in the 49th percentile, right where she needs to be (she was measuring in the 70th percentile!). 

We did have a little drama last week and ended up in the hospital on Thursday night, but all is well.  Apparently after my doctor’s appointment on Thursday, I began having some contractions, which M.E. took none so kindly to and would push back every time my stomach would contract.  Yeah – pretty painful!  I finally called the after hours number where a nurse told me to come to labor and delivery.  Because I had not dilated or dropped anymore, they gave me a muscle relaxer and pain cocktail mixture which began to work within 30 minutes.  After an hour I was tremendously better and we were able to go home.  I just felt bad for Elliott who had to get up and go to work the next day after getting home at 2:00 AM!  But – it was good practice in case we have to go to the hospital in the middle of the night.

Now dear friends, I was all excited because we were scheduled to be induced on the 12th.  Due to some surprising and frankly upsetting news, our doctor moved our date to be induced to the 18th.  The news is that a mass the size of a tennis ball was found on my mother’s ovary and she will need surgery to remove it, which will probably be this week.  I didn’t really want us to be in the hospital at the same time.  Our doctor said that we had done so well with the gestational diabetes, that she felt as though we could make it to the 18th.  Tomorrow mother will find out (hopefully) when she will have surgery and we hope it will be well before the 18th so we don’t end up in the hospital at the same time. 

If we do, we do – but there are some things in life when a girl just needs her mother and I’m pretty sure childbirth ranks in the top, oh I don’t know, two. 

I leave you today with a picture…Elliott asked what I wanted for my birthday and my response….noodles, nothing but noodles!  If you know me at all, you know spaghetti is my favorite meal ever and I could eat it every day.  However, when you have diabetes, carbs (particularly those from white pasta) are a no-no and tomato sauce typically has tons of sugar in it.  So until M.E. gets here, I’ll have to settle for pictures of noodles…yum-o!!!

Many blessings,

Candice

So many things I could post today…

 

Today is a whirlwind of emotions – blame it on being 37.5 weeks pregnant or all of the life changes going on.  I could post about my doctor’s appointment yesterday, how work is getting the best of me the last few weeks I’m here, or what I watched on TV last night -  but I decided today was the perfect day to just simply post some picture from the best day of my life – August 1, 2009.

The day started out with blue skies and was absolutely gorgeous!!!  I surprisingly was as cool as a cucumber even when my husband-to-be called to say he left his shirt in Tuscaloosa, 3 hours away.  I was surprisingly calm (thanks to Kelsey on that one!), and at that moment happened to be passing by a J.C. Penney’s.  We wheeled in, full makeup, tiara and all to buy three white shirts, since I didn’t know how J.C. Penney brand would compare to his Jos. A. Bank shirt.  Good thing too because bless his heart, he was trying to rush and cut himself shaving on his neck and bled all over one of them!

Needless to say, we made it through the day and got married just as scheduled at 2:00 PM.  We went to the reception where we had desserts galore – and as Sam has coined, a “chountain” (that would be a chocolate fountain, but he was so excited about it, it came out “chountain”).

This was Elliott’s surprise groom’s cake.  Since he works for his family’s RV business we thought what better groom’s cake could there be?  It was too cute.

Throughout the entire planning process we had used to intertwining “R”s for Reed and Robbins.  Sara, the cake decorator, was able to recreate the symbol on our cake and our wedding surprise from our event coordinator (coworker and friend) Susan was a painting of the insignia. 

As the reception ended, Elliott and hopped in our “chariot” (ahem! golf cart) and drove off to our cottage, which from this picture looks just like the one in front of us, but ours was the second one down the street.

 

Just as we left it began to sprinkle and rained the entire rest of the weekend.  If we had gotten married any later, it would have been a complete wash out.  When we met with the people at Gorham’s Bluff they said they have never had it rain on a wedding – it’s rained before or after, but not during a wedding.  It was such a perfect day, I couldn’t have asked to have anything more or would have changed anything.

If you’ve never visited Gorham’s Bluff, I highly recommend it.  It’s where we got engaged, where we chose to get married and have spent another weekend there.  Don’t go expecting to do anything but relax.  I look forward to our next trip!

Happy Anniversary Elliott!  This has been the best year ever!

Who Moved?

 

Have you ever had those times in life where things are just “clicking,” ...everything is going along well, you’re centered with God and feel the Holy Spirit leading and guiding you, life isn’t perfect but you can see the pieces make sense? 

And then it seems like in one instant everything changes…your life is filled with anxiety and worry, God seems much more distant, problems seem to occur around every corner, and try as you might you can’t conjure up a remnant of the Holy Spirit. 

Who moved?  Did God suddenly move away from you?  Or did we move? 

Too often I find in those times when things are going great and wonderful, I started out dependent on God – praying, studying, and surrounding myself with Christian examples and friends.  The better things get, the less time I find I’m spending in my daily Bible study, or prayer time becomes shorter – before I know it I am pretty full of myself that things are going so well, I can just do it on my own. 

Guess who moved?  I did – I willingly moved myself away from God, putting more importance on my own abilities than on God.  Remember that God is never the one that moves from us.  Remember the foundations of a Christian life– priority, study, piety, and action.  Keep God close by keeping your foundations steady and solid.

Blessings,

Candice

Ridiculous Parenting Products

 

So by know you’ve figured out my life now resolves around all things baby.  I subscribe to several blogs and email lists to keep up with baby information, products and parenting ideas.  This article from Parenting magazine was one of the funniest!  The 20 most ridiculous parenting products.  I will highlight my top 5 below.  You can see the rest here…

Number 5: I present, the cardboard cot

Really, what is this?  Is this supposed to be cute???

Next up at 4: the Zaky Infant Pillow

Creepy is all I have to say…REALLY creepy!

Coming in at Number 3: the Swarovski Crystal Paci

Now I’m all about a little bling – but this is overboard, particularly the price tag!

And at the Number 2 spot: Sonogram Cuff Links

I have a hard enough time deciphering the actual pictures they give us, much less trying to see what it is on a one inch square – completely ridiculous!

And lastly…big drumroll here…for the Number 1 Most Ridiculous Parenting Product, our winner is…Potty Mitts

These oven-like mitts are designed to keep little ones hands from touching the toilet seat.  However, isn’t it hard enough trying to potty train without restricting their hands?  How about good ole fashion Purell wiped down with a wipe and lay some toilet paper over the seat?

Honorable mentions for grossness:

The placenta teddy bear

The tinkle tube

The Pee Pee Teepee

and The plush Pee and Poo Duo

What products have you seen that are completely out there?  Or those touted as Must Have items that were a waste of money?

Blessings,

Candice