A Weekend of Firsts

First of my firsts... Lyla! As of this weekend, my pookie monster can now sit on her own. She's been sitting unsupported since the week before she turned 6 months old, but now she has mastered the art of sitting up from a lying position. "Wow," you might think. "That's great." I agree. It's amazing to watch her grow and learn. However, one thing I can tell you is nap time just became much more difficult.

Second of my firsts also is another of Lyla's firsts. Also within this short weekend, my baby girl now sleeps from 7pm - 8:30ish am! Major accomplishment for both her and I! She has always been an excellent sleeper and typically slept from 7pm-9pm, woke for a bottle, then was back down from 10pm - 9am. You wouldn't believe the drastic difference now that she's skipping her last bottle and the last cuddle-sesh I miss. After working all day, then racing home to see her for a little less than a hour before putting her down for bed, I'm left a little sad, missing the extra hour to spend holding my baby girl! But I know this is the best for both of us.

As for me, I also have a couple accomplished firsts. Last week I tried my hand at being a domesticated wife. Meaning I planned, couponed, shopped, cooked, and cleaned dinner AND dessert each night. Some attempts were epic fails such as Melissa d'Arabian's (last season's Food Network Star) Sesame Chicken, but others were surprisingly enjoyable (i.e. Giada's Balsamic Glazed Salmon with edamame and snap peas). Can you tell I spent the morning watching Food Network?

Lastly to round out my collection of firsts, I also attempted my hand at crafting. Etsy provided the inspiration, I provided the woman-power! I'm quite pleased to showcase my first couple crafty projects!

Pinwheel mobile

Crayon wreath

A Heart for the Hurting

Read this article today that blew my mind and melted my heart:

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Then, in early 2010, Dan and I learned about a facility in the East African country of Uganda, called “M.”

M is a prison for children.

Yes, you read that correctly. A prison for children.

Fewer than 5% of all children in the main M facility are true delinquents. For the most part, their crime is this- they’re  simply unwanted. They’re street beggars who have been rounded up by the police– because they “make the city unsightly with all their begging”. They’re handicapped and mentally disabled orphans who no one wants and no orphanage will accept. They’re step-children who have been dropped off by a new step-parent, eager to rid their home of “ old blood.” They’re refugees who have fled war-torn countries in Africa.

Read more here.
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If you're even remotely moved by the injustice and desperation happening to children in Uganda, please visit the Sixty Feet organization. Read their blog, find out more about their organization, and help if you can! I know I will!

Gone Too Long

So sorry for my blogging absence. I miss the extra time I used to have to sit for a few moments and check out everyone else's blog, then work on one of my own. Here's my first stab at getting back in the habit.

Enjoy a few pictures of our growing girl

 

My 1st Mother's Day

I remember last year on Mother's Day sitting among the crowd at church while the pastor asked all the mothers to stand for a round of applause and appreciation. I remember hanging my head and tears filling my eyes as I remained seated while the room exploded with cheers for the many mothers surrounding me. I remember feeling like the only childless woman in the room. I remember feeling a deep longing for a child of my own for months and months preceeding this day, reaching its emotional peak as the purpose of this day was bought so vividly to my attention. I remember sobbing in prayer for God to grant me a child several times a day. I remember thinking, hoping that maybe I was pregnant right then as I sat in my lonely seat at church...

This year, I remember smiling down at my precious little baby in my arms and thinking, "We prayed for this child and the Lord has granted us what we asked of Him." (1 Sam. 1:27) This year, I remember feeling overcome with thankfulness for the fullness of new life in my life.

No gifts needed on my first Mother's Day; she is all the gift I need! It is such a joy to be a mother. I'm the luckiest woman in the world to have this precious little girl!

17 Weeks & Counting

Lyla is now 17 weeks old and doing wonderfully. She's an absolute joy every.single.day. We feel so incredibly blessed and thankful for her sweetness in our lives.

Ly visited the doctor today for her 4 month checkup, so we've got fresh stats -
Weight: 13 lbs, 7 oz
Length: 24 1/4 in


{Here are just some of the new things our Ly is up to these days:}

• Holding her head and neck up well
• Sitting up very well when supported and getting closer and closer to being able to sit on her own
• Rolled over twice last week, although she hasn't again since
• Laughed for the first time on Thursday - it was so precious... hasn't again since, but her Daddy and I are both working hard to change that!
• Grasping toys with a firm grip. She especially loves a blue monkey with long, skinny arms and legs that the Hills gave us
• Finds her tongue endlessly amusing
• Thoroughly enjoys a warm bath with bubbles. She's even started splashing during bath, so I suppose we'll be moving her from the kitchen sink to the bathroom tub very soon
• Finally moved from newborn sized clothes into 3 month sizes!
• No longer wants to be held like a baby
• Has mastered the art of breaking out of any swaddle, no matter how tightly wound or velcro'ed
• Now has plenty of rolls on adorable chubby lil thighs
• Loves sucking her hands, especially loves squeezing her whole fist in her mouth
• Sleeping through the night, usually 9pm - 9am. Still needs a little help finding her pacy and staying asleep through the night, but we're working on that
• Starting to reach out towards us to be held
• Loves to "talk" and equally loves being talked to
• Finds having her feet kissed hilarious
• Grins from ear to ear when she's sleepy
• Enjoys going out to lunch, still not very fond of the mall
• Spends Tues & Thurs with the James' and has adjusted seemlessly. She enjoys the endless attention of those 2 sweet boys
• Completely seems to have her Daddy's personality - reserved, even-tempered, goes-with-the-flow, loves to be at home in a tshirt

For your viewing pleasure, here's our sweet girl
(all from my phone, so they're slightly grainy... sorry)

Lyla's Latest

After many attempts, I was finally able to get my favorite Lyla videos off my phone, and onto the web so all could enjoy her adorable cute-ness as much as I do! Enjoy! :)

Go to my YouTube Channel - http://www.youtube.com/user/kizelley?feature=mhsn#g/u to watch all four Lyla videos.

Reflection

My precious little baby will be 12 weeks old on Thursday! Three months already! The time has flown by and I just cant believe how far she and I both have come. It's been a crazy, wild, emotional, extremely challenging ride, but I wouldn't change it for the world! I love spending every second with her.

As I count down the last few days of being a stay-at-home mom, I'm realizing just how much I'll miss while at work... helping her learn to sit up, grasp toys, try her first foods, crawl and eventually take her first steps - and more importantly, just the quality time I'll forego for a paycheck. I know that returning to work for any mom must be difficult, but at this point, I simply cannot fathom the pain I will feel being separated all day from my little one. How do you working moms do it? I'm agonizing over this impending change daily. I wish there was some magic wand I could wave to make all the circumstances right for me to stay with my baby.