Monday, January 10, 2011

Happy 1st Birthday, Reese and Elle!!

One year ago today our beautiful nieces, Reese and Elle, officially joined our family!  Every child is a miracle, but Reese and Elle have a very special story and we are so incredibly blessed to be celebrating their first birthday as happy and healthy little girls!  Because of a team of amazingly talented doctors, lots and lots of prayers from people all over the world, and God's good grace, the girls are here today against all odds.  My sister, Renee, put together this beautiful video in honor of the girls' first birthday, and it gives me chills every time I watch it.  Reese and Elle, we love you so very much and we thank God every day for the miracles that you are!

 
We had the opportunity to celebrate their birthday yesterday evening with good family and friends.  Renee and Tim know how to throw a good party :) :)

Loving their stuffed owls from Uncle Jim and Aunt Kelli - owners of the "Owl's Nest!"

Birthday Girls! They love their jumpers :) Nana and Papaw Schmith got them one, and Noah is lending the other to them!




One big happy family!

Cupcakes?! Hmm...What is this, Mom?


Now they're getting into the birthday spirit!


Noah had fun, too :)


All the grandkids love spending time with Mamaw Great!
 
Ben and I with our beautiful nieces! We love you, girls :)
 
Elle is picking on Noah

Now it's Reese's turn to poke him in the eye! Miss Lydia joined in the baby fun :)
 
We are so blessed!

 

Sunday, January 9, 2011

He's Off the Charts!!

Literally - Noah is off the charts in height and in the 97th percentile for weight! At his 4 month appointment last week he weighed in at 18 lbs and was a very long 27.5 inches! He recently graduated to 12 month clothes and size 4 diapers! I haven't updated the blog in quite a while - and boy does time fly!  Our newborn baby has become such an active and entertaining part of our lives!  He began rolling from his belly to his back at 3 months, and he has rolled from his back to belly a couple of times (but I think it's really just a fluke)!  He is always smiling and laughing, and now that he is finally letting us all sleep through the night, Mom and Dad are smiling right back at him ;) 

At 8 weeks old, he stopped eating at night, but he usually needed a "pacifier fix" at least once or twice at night.  Just before Christmas he got his first cold, and it seemed like he totally regressed and was up ALL THE TIME at night!  Now that he is feeling better, Ben and I made the decision to turn off the monitor at night and let him fuss! I wouldn't say we are letting him "cry it out," but instead we are only going in his room at night when he actually gets worked up enough that we can hear him (and his room is right next to ours - no worries)!  It has been WONDERFUL!! I wish I would have taken my sister's advice and turned the darn thing off a long time ago! The amazing part is, he is an even happier baby now that he is self-soothing more, and he is taking much better naps during the day as well! Crazy how things start to fall into place :) :)

I headed back to work just before Thanksgiving, and it was definitely bittersweet.  I love my job and the people I work with, but it was very hard to leave Noah for 14 hours!!  I had a nice transition period, though, because my manager allowed me to work a Saturday, Sunday, Monday schedule for almost 2 months so that my parents and my sister could watch him while I worked.  His pulmonologist had suggested that it would be best for him not to be in daycare until he was at least 4 months old, so this was a perfect solution for both of us! Last week, Noah spent his first two days with his babysitter, Beth!  Momma is still struggling with the transition, but Noah is taking it just fine!  I could not have asked for a more loving environment for him to be in when he can't be with me, so I am incredibly thankful that my family led us to Beth!  Noah's cousins, Bryce (2 yrs) and Lydia (8 months), go to the same babysitter - which Bryce is very excited about, however Lydia is a little disappointed that a younger baby has joined the household and she has been "dethroned!"  But I know that Beth has enough love to pass around to all of her little ones!!

Here are a few pictures from the last few months:


First meeting with Santa! I swear the overalls fit him when we left home that morning...Must be the way he's sitting ;)


Super Chunky

I think I'll read a book while I'm just sitting here...


Partying with some cute chicks :) Katelyn, Emmy, and Abby are all a little older than Noah, but he seems to like older women :)


Uncle Dave was home for the holidays!!


Getting some love from Grandpa and Grandma Havens


Colts game with good friends!


Aunt Erica is so fun!! Are Erica and Paul practicing with the babies?!?! Hmmm...


Noah is checking out his favorite soldier! We love Donk :) :)


We took our nephews to a Pacer game, so Noah had to sport some Pacer gear while he stayed with Aunt Jacki!

NYE! We went to a wedding while Noah stayed home with Aunt Mary babysitting!


Such a cute chunky butt!

I swear he is such a happy baby - but if you whip out that camera the smiles will disappear and he becomes very serious!


Trying out rice cereal...

Not really digging it...

That's so gross, Mommy. Why would you do this to me?!

I'll just spit it out then...

Go Colts!!

Lovin' some QT with Nana :)

LOVES the exersaucer!

There's my happy boy!

Woah! I think I'm all done exersaucing (as daddy would say)!


Not a great picture, but playing with his feet and pulling off his socks is his favorite game!
 We found out on New Year's day last year that we were pregnant, and we have been so incredibly blessed! We cannot wait to see what is in store for us in 2011!! Happy New Year everyone!