8 Months

Dear Lilah,
Another month has come and gone as quick as a blink of the eye! This month we have enjoyed my most favorite time of the season…the weeks following Thanksgiving and leading up to Christmas! At the beginning of this month, we picked out and decorated your very first Christmas tree, a beautiful 12-foot tall Noble Fir. You loved staring at the lights and sparkly ornaments day after day. You did an excellent job supervising Daddy as he decorated the outside of the house. This month you enjoyed seeing the Christmas lights on the houses around our neighborhood. This month ended on such a special note…your very first Christmas!! You awoke at 8:45 Christmas morning, and we met your Nana and Grandpa, your Aunt Ashlyn and Uncle Garrett and Aunt Sarah all in the living room where we opened presents. You laughed and played with the toy that Nana gave you for such a long time. You took quite a nap after the mornings festivities. After you were recharged, we headed over to GiGi and Grump’s house where you got to see your other 3 Uncles and Aunt Lauren. You had just as much fun during round two of Christmas.
This month you have become increasingly mobile! You can easily maneuver your way across the living room floor. You also pulled yourself up to standing for the first time this month. You reached over to grab the edge of the toy bin and pulled yourself right up. This month you learned that Daddy will clap for you if you bang your toys on the side of the tub during bath time, so now you do it all.the.time!
I haven’t weighed you in a while, but I believe you are around 18.5 pounds. You are still only eating about a tablespoon of food a day. Some days you eat no solid food; it just depends on where we are and what is available to eat. This month we picked satsumas with Grandpa in Alvin, and you really love these. If Daddy or I hold onto a segment, you will suck all of the pulp out of the skin. You also like blueberries, avocado, banana, and green beans. You nurse around the clock still (every 2-3 hours), but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love having this special time with you. At Christmas, when you got tired of being passed from person to person, a quick nursing session would perk you back up again. I knew that you weren’t nursing because you were hungry, but you were able to block out the noise and bustle of the gatherings by cuddling in close and locking eyes with me.
Lilah, we are still amazed that our hearts are even able to continue to grow with love for you everyday! I am happy that you enjoyed your first Christmas, and I know that you will have even more fun in the years to come. Thank you for making 2009 the best year of our lives!! I can’t wait to ring in the New Year with you and make 2010 an even better year!
Love,
Mom

White (Almost) Christmas!

I can't believe I am writing another post about real snowfall in Houston! Almost a year ago to the day, I was sitting in the car at IAH airport, waiting for Chris' plane to arrive from Oklahoma City, rubbing my blossoming belly, and wishing that our baby could have been here to see the snow really falling in Houston. Well, little did I know, that a short year later, we would see it again, and this time our little munchkin is here to see it for herself. Chris was home today, so we were all able to hang out and enjoy the exciting events together! Lilah made good use of the insulated camouflage suit that Uncle Bubba bought for her! She stayed nice and snuggly warm as the temperatures dropped to the very low 30's. We watched Chris build a little snow man in the backyard, but none of us could stay out too long; it was so dang cold!!! Tonight we are all cuddled-up in front of the fire sipping on hot chocolate and eating homemade cookies! Life is good :)

7 Months

Dear Lilah,
Today is special for two reasons; first off, you are 7 months old today! I can't believe I am even saying that!! Second, you are celebrating your first Thanksgiving today. Your daddy and I are so thankful that we are able to share each and every day with you. We prayed for you for such a long time, and now that you are here we are beyond thankful! You ate small pieces of turkey and sweet potatoes; you played with everyone at the house and then passed out for a 2-hour nap. I am watching you and your daddy now sitting on the couch watching the A&M vs. tu game. You are completely decked out in an Aggies sweatsuit that Mikey gave you before you were born.
Other than celebrating your 1st Thanksgiving, you had a pretty exciting month! This month you dressed up as an adorable bumble bee for Halloween and watched the big kids trick-or-treat around the neighborhood; Daddy and I dressed as beekeepers and Daddy pulled us around the block in the big yellow garden cart. Some first visits included a trip to the museum, and a weekend trip to San Antonio to visit Travis and Heather where we went to the air show at the Air Force base. You wore your first pair of ear muffs to protect your ears from the loud jets. This month we went down to Grandpa's a few times so that Daddy could help to build some cow pens. You had fun watching them work on the tractor. Daddy rode you around on the 4-wheeler and took you to see the cows in the back pasture. You also went to the feed store to buy some chickens and stopped on the way home to visit your favorite little ponies.
This month you starting eating your first bites of food. We have a steady supply of local, organic, yummy produce from a farm in Brenham. We give you pieces of food and have been letting you feed yourself; at this point we offer you a few bites once every day or two depending on what we are eating. Your hand-eye coordination has improved tremendously because of this. You have yet to meet a spoon! You have tried sweet potatoes, butternut squash, corn, avocado, bell pepper, cucumber, peas, carrots, black beans, and most recently turkey! A few months ago we took you down to visit the farm that raised the turkey we enjoyed on Thanksgiving day! To help you out with that food, you got your first two teeth in this month. The first was the week of Halloween and the second followed the first by just a few days. You were such a trooper; we were really surprised to see actual teeth in your mouth! You are still nursing as much as ever, every 2-3 hours during the day and a few times at night.
You enjoy sitting on the floor playing with your toys. Your favorite new trick is to flip backward over the boppy pillow and roll/army crawl a few feet from your toys. You are talking non-stop now! You talk to anyone that will listen. Going to the store has become quite the ordeal now; we have to constantly stop because people are fascinated by your big goofy grin and your wide blue eyes! Beanie, we have had another wonderful month together!! We are so thankful to have the opportunity to be your parents. You are becoming such a cool kiddo, and I am really embracing this time with you. The coming month encompasses my absolute most favorite time of the year, and I can't wait to share all of our family traditions with you. We love you more every day!!
Love,
Mom

A Buzzzin' Good Time

Halloween weekend proved to be a beautiful and fun-filled 2 days of family time! We began Saturday with an early morning trip to our old farmer's market down in Houston. We loaded up with some yummy veggies from our favorite local organic farm; Farmer Donna was so excited to hold Lilah (in full bee costume) for a while. Farmer Donna and her husband grow the food that we are offering to Bean as her first foods! Chris and I shared a delicious banana crepe while listening to some music. After leaving the farmer's market we headed over to Hermann Park for a nice family picnic in the rose garden.The weather was absolutely beautiful!! After our picnic, we walked over to the Houston Museum of Natural Science and walked around for a couple of hours; this was Bean's first trip to the museum, and she really enjoyed it! We look forward to going back soon. She was much more interested in the exhibits than I thought she would be.
After a long nap at home Saturday afternoon, Lilah was ready for Halloween night!! Gigi and Grumps came over and volunteered to hand out candy while Chris escorted Bean and I around the neighborhood. Chris decorated the garden cart with glow sticks and padded the bottom and sides with blankets and pillows. Lilah and I sat in the cart while Chris pulled us around the block; Lilah was able to watch the big kids treat or treating. She is now ready for next year!! As you can see, Chris and I dressed as beekeepers while Bean was a bee!

Overall, our little family had a wonderful Halloween weekend; we are so glad that the weather cleared up just in time for the celebration.

6 Months

Dear Lilah,
Good morning beautiful! We have been together (earthside at least) for ½ of a year now, and I have to say, life is just getting better and better with you around. I feel like I just woke up this month and you were a big girl all of the sudden. I thought I would be envious upon seeing newborn babies, but I’m not! You are so much more fun now than you ever were before.
We started out this month with your first ever horseback ride; for your 5 month birthday, we headed down to Alvin, where Napoleon, the uber-friendly miniature horse, graciously allowed you to sit upon his back. You loved it! You smiled and laughed the whole time. I foresee many more rides in your future!
This month you started sitting up on your own like a champ! You literally went from falling over constantly to sitting up unassisted in one day! You love sitting in the floor of my closet playing with toys while I get dressed in the morning. You have become slightly mobile this month; if I leave you on the floor you can flip over and launch yourself forward a few inches at a time. It isn’t the most graceful movement I have seen, but it seems to work. This month, you can now string together multiple consonants including, “bababa”, “mamama” “gagaga” and “nanana” Your favorite word the other day was “mamababa” you kept repeating it until you were nearly hoarse that evening. This month you went to the park for the first time; you went down the slide with Daddy and got to go on the swing as well. You had so much fun, that you passed out in daddy's arms on the way home.
This month you took your first visit to the Brazoria County fair! It was here that you bought your very first cow in the heifer auction. Daddy helped you with the bidding, but the card had your name on it! Your cow now resides at Grandpa’s in Alvin!
This month you had many visitors; Nana and Grandpa came down from North Carolina to see you, and you also got to meet Grandtom and Emily! You have now officially met all of your great-grandparents!! Despite Nana’s attempts to feed you everything from limes to cinnamon raisin bread, you still haven’t given solids foods a try just yet. Hopefully in the next few weeks, we can start playing around with some new foods. You are still nursing around the clock, but have spread your feedings out to about every 3 hours (sometimes more, sometimes less).
I am not sure what your weight is right now; I believe it is somewhere around 16 pounds. We are delaying your 6-month check up due to the fact that the Dr.’s offices are filled with patients infected with seasonal flu and swine flu. Since, we are all happy and healthy at home, we would like to keep it that way!
We are rounding out this month with Halloween preparations! Nana and I took you to the local pumpkin patch for pictures, and your costume is ready to go; it is so stinkin’ adorable I have to stop myself from dressing you up in it everyday!
As we get closer to the holiday season, I find myself getting more and more excited about having the chance to share these special times with you. You are growing so fast, and I never pass up a chance to squeeze you real tight and nuzzle my nose into that sweet neck of yours. I love you Bean, and I can’t wait to see how you will continue to amaze me this coming month.
Love,
Mom

Pumpkin Patch Kid

I have gotten so lazy about updating the blog! I would love to say that things have been busy and that I have been running around, etc..., but the truth is that I have just been lazy!!
Yesterday, me and Nana took Bean over to the local pumpkin patch for some cute photo opportunities. Let me preface this by saying that pumpkin patches, in my mind, encompass all that is wonderful in the world... cool weather (theoretically..not always a guarantee in South Texas!), babies in cute outfits, earth tone colors, family outings, tradition, hot chocolate, festive vegetables! It is all fabulous!! I seriously love nothing more than plopping a baby down in the middle of a pile of pumpkins and taking a picture. Babies in bluebonnets are a close second, but they lose because of spring shower threats, hotter weather, and fire ant hazards.
Anyway, here are a few pics of the Bean at her first pumpkin patch:

5 Months

Lilah,
Another month crept up on us again! I have to say that this past month has been the most fun month of your life so far. In the past 30 days, you have made the transition from hungry, sleepy newborn into a laughing, talking, mobile, interactive baby! Here are some things that you did this month:
We drove to Lafayette, Louisiana (your parents’ hometown) to see our friends Travis and Heather get married. Heather tried to steal you all weekend! You enjoyed dancing the night away with everyone at the reception (including the bride and the groom). It was a special night for us because Heather, Travis, your Father, and I all grew up together, and it was neat to see all of the high school sweethearts finally married! I hope that you and your siblings will have the chance to hang out with the future Coleman children! While in Lafayette, you met another set of great-grandparents. You had a great time laughing and smiling with Maw and Paw!
This month you went in for your 4-month check-up where the Dr. confirmed what we already knew (that you were growing perfectly!) You rounded out this month weighing in around 14 pounds, 12 ounces. You have become quite the talker this month. You have mastered the art of the “mama” babble and are quickly leaving the newborn cooing behind you. This month you have also decided that you can grab anything and everything within your reach! While cutting coupons one day I had you sitting in your bumbo seat watching me. This is the same routine that we have every Monday morning, except this time when I looked up from an ad I found you stuffing an entire page of the newspaper into your mouth!!
Nana and Grandpa drove down from North Carolina to visit you this month. You and Nana played peekaboo until I thought you would pass out from laughter!
This month we also drove to Dallas to visit Uncle Dave and Aunt Lauren. You attended your very first themed birthday party! You were the cutest little pirate I have ever seen! Your outfit was complete with a sword, an earring, a bandana, and several skull and crossbones patches.
You still love bath time (and water in general)! You are spreading out your nursing sessions to every 2-3 hours during the day and have recently picked up a snack time session in the middle of the night. Luckily, neither of us seems to fully wake up for the nighttime feeding so no sleep is lost. You and Daddy are still enjoying your weekly date night while I go to yoga. You and your father are two peas in a pod! As soon as he gets home in the evening, you two are outside feeding chickens, watering plants, harvesting veggies, or just hanging out on the back porch. Anytime we go out to dinner, you sit on his lap the whole time! You guys are inseparable (I’m only there as a food source ☺)
Lilah, this month has been a fun one! You have been a joy and a blessing! I am still finding it hard to believe that we are worthy of such an awesome gift! We love you more and more everyday and hold you a little closer every night. Seeing you grow so quickly has made us realize more than ever that these nights of cuddling will end sooner than we can imagine!
Hug and kisses forever,
Mom

Road Trips & Weddings & Doctors, Oh My!

Busy! Busy! We have been busy the last week or so! Last weekend we drove to Lafayette, LA to see our long-time BFF's Travis and Heather get hitched!! We had a blast seeing everyone; Bean was an absolute angel, of course ;) She was passed around by everyone! I barely even got to see her at the reception. Here is a picture of Chris (groomsman) and Lilah at the wedding:

She, of course, had a cute dress for every occasion. She wore a white dress to the rehearsal dinner (couldn't be rude and wear white on the wedding day!), a big frilly pink dress to the ceremony, and a more casual coral dress (better suited for dancing) to the reception. We were also able to visit with all of our family in Lafayette; it was great to see everyone again!
Today she had her 4-month check-up with the pediatrician; he said what he has always said: "She is perfect!" We LOVE our pediatrician!! He always has to steal a hug from her at the end of every appointment and say that he is going to steal her! She weighs 13lbs. 7oz. (lighter than I thought she'd be but still 55th percentile); she is 24.5 inches long (51%) and her head is 43cm in circumference (91% Still has a huge noggin!) We are still waiting for her to start receiving her vaccines. When we got home from the Dr. today, Lilah was playing on the floor while I worked on dinner. I didn't hear her playing for a few minutes, and when I looked over the bar into the living room, I saw this...

Apparently, she wore herself playing so much! And yes, she is still gripping the hanging toy as she is sleeping!!

4 Months

Dear Lilah,
Today you are 1/3 of a year old! We have had many fun times together this month. At the beginning of this month, you were finishing up our trip in Florida. You spent your first night in New Orleans where Daddy carried you around in the sling all day. You were intrigued by the many interesting sights (and smells) of that city! You took a carriage ride around the French Quarter and got sprinkled with powdered sugar while napping at Café Du Monde.
You are right at the 14-pound mark now! This month you have discovered the glory of your own toes! You love to pull your legs up and grab onto your toes. It makes changing your diaper quite difficult. You started rolling over just one day shy of your 4-month birthday! You can now successfully roll from your back to your tummy! Once on your tummy you look around for a few minutes and then start fussing until I roll you back over. You have become increasingly vocal this month; you seem to discover a new sound that you are capable of making, and you repeat that sound over and over again until you come up with something new. Your laugh is starting to sound more like a grown-up laugh this month; you are especially giggly when Daddy blows raspberries on your neck! You are grabbing at everything including hair, noses, glasses, etc… You kept pushing Daddy’s menu off of the table the other night at dinner. You have fun laughing and watching the toddlers play at our weekly breastfeeding support group and cloth diaper playgroup.
You are still nursing around every 2 hours during the day; you still mostly sleep through the night, but you sometimes wake-up once at night for a quick nibble. You now get to hang out with Daddy every Thursday from 7:00-9:00pm because I am finally getting back into the yoga studio! I was nervous the first time, but you and Daddy have a great time going shopping and walking around local stores. I have to make sure to fill you up before I leave because we recently discovered that you absolutely refuse bottles!! You have no idea how to eat from a bottle at all; it is pretty funny!
This month you also had fun at the farmer’s market on Saturday mornings, you silently take all of the sights in from the safety of your sling. You also went to your first Astro’s game! Daddy scored dugout tickets from work; you slept through the majority of the game, but you will have plenty of opportunity to enjoy the games in the future. You also took your first trip to Aggieland where you got to sit in Mommy and Daddy’s old booth at Fitzwilly’s. Perhaps you will spend Friday nights with your friends in that same booth one day! ☺
It has been a fast and fun month BG (now pronounced as beege); I can’t wait to see what happens next!
Love,
Mom

525,600 Minutes...

August 18, 2008: One year ago today, I woke up after Chris had already gone to work, peed on a stick, and three minutes later was greeted by this:

August 18, 2009: Today, I woke up after Chris went to work, rolled over and was greeted by this:

Amazing how much your life can change in just one short year!!

Think Globally, Eat Locally!

Sorry again for the lack of posts lately! I sat down to write 100 times and never got to actually post anything!
So to catch up first; we had a fabulous time in Florida! We rounded out the trip with a quick overnight trip in New Orleans.
While on vacation, I finally got around to reading Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. . It documents a family's mission to live on locally produced foods only for a year! I highly recommend it to anyone involved in agriculture (HINT: If you eat, you are involved in agriculture!!) I also recommend reading The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. I can't wait to see Food, Inc., a new documentary with a similar message. Over the last two years, Chris and I have really made strong efforts to become better stewards of our environment. We have made a conscious effort to eliminate any material that we feel is not a safe option for ourselves or our environments. Everything from soap, shampoo, household cleaners, laundry detergents, medications, diapers, wipes, sunscreen, etc... to food options, food packaging, recycling, etc... It was been an exciting journey and this past weekend we were ready to take it to the next step. I finally decided that I was done paying a premium for commercially produced organic meat in the grocery store because 1) it is wildly expensive and 2) I still have major issues with the questionable farming practices and insane transport of said meat. I found a family in Brenham that raises their own grass-fed cows, pastured pigs, and free range chickens! Saturday, we drove out to beautiful Brenham, TX where we were graciously greeted by Jason Kramer of Yonder Way Farm. We spent an hour or so chitchatting with Jason about sustainable farming practices before loading up our coolers with over 40 pounds of meat and heading home.
There is something special about sitting down for a meal at home and knowing exactly where this meat came from. I know for a fact that the chicken we eat tonight lived a happy and healthy life at Yonder Way. If I ever needed to know anything about our meat, I can pick up the phone and call the Kramers (at their home!) and ask any question! Can you say the same about the food you buy at the grocery store?
We have now completed a major step in our plans to eat as locally as possible! Our local organic produce co-op provides us with a mystery box of fresh veggies and fruit every Wednesday! Now that we get our meat, produce, and eggs from local sources, we need very little from the grocery store (rice, olive oil, flour, pasta, etc...) It makes you feel good inside to know that you are doing what is best for your family and that you are supporting other local families!!
To finish up this post, I leave you with a picture of the Bean at Fitzwilly's in College Station next to our initials (written in 2006, I believe, in the booth we sat at EVERY Friday night while at A&M)

Three Months

Dear Lilah,
Today, you are three months old! I cannot believe how fast the time is passing. At this very moment I am sitting on the bed staring down next to me at the most beautiful sight a mother can see. You and your Daddy are snuggled up next to one another! This is our most favorite part of the day! Everyday you wake up around 6:30am for your first meal of the day. You always fall right back asleep when you are done, and I bring you in under my arm while we roll over for a nap. On the weekends your Daddy gets to have you for this special naptime.
We are celebrating your 3 months this week in Florida at an amazing beach house with all of your crazy family! Today, you will experience the ocean and the sand for the first time.
This month we have seen so many changes; you are holding your head up so well now; you love “standing” on people’s legs while they hold you up. It has become a game to get you into the sling; you always lock your knees and stand in the sling until you get tired and collapse. Daddy always jokes about “karate-chopping” the back of your knees to get you to sit down. This month you started really playing and interacting with your toys for the first time! I can lay you on the playmat and you will talk to your toucan for quite a while. Your hands have become much more tactile; you will grab my fingers and bring them to your mouth. You like to reach for my hair and rub the strands together while you are nursing. You are so expressive now; it is so much fun making you laugh! I tell everyone that you are an aggressive smiler; you literally use every muscle in your face to produce the biggest smiles I have ever seen. The last few days you have also started to roll from your back to your side and vice versa. The first time you did this you were on the play mat; I placed you on your back and when I returned a few minutes later you were on your right side laughing at the koala bear hanging above your head!
This month you were quite the traveler! You flew to North Carolina to visit Nana and Grandpa for the 4th of July; you were such a pleasure to bring on a plane. You also took your first long road trip. We make the 9.5 hour trek to Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. We stopped for the night in Pascagoula, MS on the way here and you had your very first hotel experience.
Lilah, thank you for the last three months! We are starting to look back through all of your pictures and see that our baby girl is really starting to grow up. The love that our family shares for one another grows stronger and stronger as the days pass. Thank you for teaching us the true meaning of unconditional love!
Love,
Mom

On the Road Again...

In just three short days, we are departing for our week-long stay in Florida. We are staying in the same amazing beach house that we had last year in Santa Rosa Beach (just outside of Destin). I am currently in the middle of my "go crazy making lists of lists" phase that I go through before any vacation. Chris' dad booked this vacation right after we found out I was pregnant; we reserved a week at the end of the summer because traveling with a 3-month old sounded much less scary than traveling with a 1-2 month old. The North Carolina trip was a good practice run! We discovered that we really didn't need a whole lot more than when it was just the 2 of us! She has a little bag with her clothes and another bag with her cloth diapers and wipes, her soap, and a few other items. Other than that, we are only bringing a little playmat and some small toys for the car! She sleeps with us and still only needs the boobies for food, so she is good to go!
I have been couponing for the last month and collecting food that I could bring with me because the only store near the house is an overpriced crowded Publix in an expensive beach community! We are trying to only have to buy milk, bread, eggs, etc.. there.
I am so ready to relax at the house for a week and soak up some rays! It is going to be great to have grandparents, aunts, and uncles around to see Lilah Bean. She probably won't be put down the entire week!
I will definitely be posting some pictures to the blog while we are there so be sure to check it out!!
For now, here is my little helper this week...she can't carry luggage very well, but she sure is cute!

Dr. Dr. Gimme the News...

(I have this thing with song lyrics and post titles :)
Today Lilah had her 2 month check-up with Dr. Injac, a.k.a. the most awesome pediatrician ever!!! She is still perfect :) She weighs 11lbs 2oz (50th percentile), is 23 inches long (75th percentile), and her head is 16 inches around (90th percentile). Not sure where she got that big ol' noggin from? We discussed her vaccine schedule again...
Before I was even pregnant I started reading all of the scientific literature regarding vaccines and decided that we would probably not follow the standard AAP vaccine guidelines when we had kids. I continued my research while I was pregnant and decided on a delayed vaccine schedule. We spoke with our pediatrician at length when I was pregnant about the matter; we discussed our home life, daycare options (or lack thereof), and exclusive/extended breastfeeding, etc... Basically we decided, for our family, it was best for us to delay the start of Lilah's vaccinations until she is 6 months old. So as of now, she has yet to receive any immunizations. I couldn't in good conscience willingly expose her to known toxic components during such a critical developmental time period (especially since I worked so hard to limit her exposure before, during, and after my pregnancy). I find something fundamentally wrong with giving a 1-hour old baby a vaccine for Hep B, a virus transmitted through bodily fluids (IV drug users, sexual transmission, or exposed healthcare workers). Seeing as I know, for a fact, that I do not have Hep B, I knew that my child was safe during delivery, and I don't see Lilah becoming a drug addict or having unprotected sex in the next 4 months ;)
Anyway, I could go on all day about that debate, but back to happy stuff...
We are getting settled back in at home after the NC trip just in time to start getting ready for Florida!!! B.G. is super stoked about her 1st long road trip!

Later Gators!!!

Leavin' on a Jet Plane

This past Wednesday, Lilah took her very first ride on a plane! We left for Raleigh, NC to visit Nana and Grandpa after Chris got off of work on Wednesday; we took an early flight home on Monday morning. We had a lovely time visiting my mom over the 4th of July weekend, and we got to see some beautiful areas around the Raleigh/Durham area.
Lilah was an excellent little flier! She nursed during both take-off and landing (nursing helps their ears adjust to the changing pressure), and during the flights she either napped or played with Chris! We cruised through security with her in the pouch sling; we checked one bag and her car seat, and had only her diaper bag as a carry-on. We couldn't get over seeing other parents with babies in the airport with strollers, carseats, suitcases, bags, etc... They all looked miserable trying to navigate the busy terminals.

While in North Carolina, we went to a Durham Bulls baseball game (Lilah's 1st baseball game); that was really fun! It started to rain towards the end of the game, but we were able to quickly seek shelter until it stopped. Grandpa got Lilah her 1st baseball and case so that she can remember the game! We pigged-out on obligatory baseball junk food!

We enjoyed the break from the oppressive Houston heat and humidity! In Raleigh it was dry and relatively cool! Just down the road from my Mom's is a huge farmer's market; I am so jealous and would love to have something like that near us! We also had the chance to drive around the Yaw River Valley and visit three different wineries. It was so neat to visit small family-owned and operated vineyards. We tasted some very tummy wines! Here we are in front of some grapevines:

On Sunday, we visited a really neat old grist mill. It was raining so we didn't get to walk down to the actual mill, but the visitor center was beautiful and had some really neat stuff to see. We had a great time visiting with family and taking Lilah on her first of many vacations to come!!

2 Months

Dear Lilah,
Happy two months B.G.!! While you were still in my belly we affectionately referred to you as Baby-Girl; once you arrived we shortened it to B.G.! Your father also calls you Lilah-Bean, Bean, or sometimes Beano ☺
You have grown so much this month. You are quickly approaching the 11 pound mark! I officially put away the remaining newborn clothes and you are quickly filling the 0-3 month clothing! You have grown so strong as well; you can hold your head up for quite a while before you get tired. You can also easily follow our faces and the sounds of our voices.
Mornings are still your favorite time of the day! You greet us with your laughter and big goofy grins! This month you started sleeping through the night a full 6-8 hours before waking up to nurse. Even swaddled, you manage to wiggle your way out of your little snuggle nest and wind up cuddling next to me all night. I sleep with my nose nestled in your little head full of hair. I can’t seem to get my fill of that sweet smell.
This month Gam and Grandpa Ron flew in from Florida to meet you. You were such a ham the whole weekend; you kept the entire family entertained. This month you got to meet all of the animals at Grandpa’s house; you pet the horses for the first time! You also took your first road trip this month. We drove to Dallas for Meme’s family reunion. You rode in the backseat with Nana and never fussed the whole way. You didn’t mind being passed around and toted by every old granny on the block at the reunion. Nana called you a superbaby because you were so good! Daddy even made you a cape (but after flying around the living room, you spit up on it!) This month we decided that you are exactly like your Uncle Garrett; you two are peas in a pod! You both love sleeping and eating! You two are good napping partners as well. Last week, Daddy and I took you to your first movie (The Hangover; when you are 18 you can look it up) You didn’t make a peep; you pretty much took turns between napping and nursing the whole time. This month we drove downtown to have lunch with Daddy and his friend Roy; we went to Ruggles, our favorite lunch spot, in Rice Village. I can't wait until we can spend the day shopping together then talk about it over sweet potato fries and pastries at Ruggles!
You and I are finally getting our routine down at home. The house isn’t always as clean as it was before you were born, but I am perfectly fine with that. Sometimes when you fall asleep during the day I have to decide between dishes and laundry or cuddling up with you and the majority of the time I choose the nap! I have the rest of my life to clean the house, but the days where I can nap with you on the couch are limited.
B.G., it is so rewarding to watch you become your own little person! Everyday I feel more and more blessed to be your mom!! I can’t wait to see what the next month will bring us!
Love,
Mom

A Little Snack...

I have totally been slacking on the blog front lately :(
I am working on Lilah's 2 month letter that I will post on the 26th...
Here is a little "snack" to hold you over until I make a real post!

Celebrate Good Times, Come on!!

This weekend we had many reasons to celebrate!
1) Lilah got to meet her Great-Grandpa Ron and Great-Gam! They flew in Thursday and left today.
2) Saturday was Chris' 24th Birthday!
3) Dave and Lauren were in from Dallas, so the whole family was together!
We had a really great time visiting with everyone; the weather was beautiful so we got to hang out by the pool all day on Saturday. Saturday evening we went to dinner for Chris' birthday and had a really fun time. Little Lilah bean was a total ham all weekend, and had a really great time being passed around from person to person for a few days.
Also, this weekend, I tackled perhaps my most challenging cake to date; here is a picture of Chris' birthday cake that I made. It is a 2-tiered lemon layer cake frosted with lemon buttercream and filled with raspberry preserves. I covered and decorated it with homemade marshmallow fondant that was flavored with lemon. It took FOREVER to make, but was really fun! It was quite yummy as well!!

It's a Sip of Wine, It's Summertime!

It's finally here! That time of year that Houstonians have such a love/hate relationship with...SUMMER! Things I love about these few precious months: the laid-back attitude that everyone shares (seriously...I don't think anyone really works during the summer), the smell of fresh-cut grass, wildflowers, and BBQ that waft endlessly through the air, laying out by the pool soaking up those toxic UV rays, ice cold beer, and vacationing and/or road trips! Things I hate: The ridiculously and insanely humid heat here in the Bayou City! The kind of heat that melts you when you walk outside; the kind of heat that glues the skin on the back of your legs to the leather seats in your car! It's unbearable!! But somehow we survive it year after year; we even find ourselves looking forward to it during those dark drizzly winter days! It's wonderful!!
Today, little Lilah bean had her first introduction to Houston summer; she took a dip in the pool!! We didn't bring her swimsuit, so we had to improvise. She wore the next best thing...her birthday suit! She absolutely loved the water (not surprising because she loves bathtime!) We had a wonderful time relaxing by the pool all day!

 

1 Month

Dear Lilah,
One month ago today, you entered the world, forever changing our lives! In the short second that it took for your father and I to reach down and guide you onto my chest, our identities, as we knew them, changed forever. In that single second in time, we became a father and a mother; titles that can never be taken away! We discovered a new level of love that night; we felt the love that only a parent can feel for his child. You were such a peaceful soul; you looked up at both of us with wondering eyes. Your big blue eyes were alert and interested in everything going on around us. That night we all cuddled together in that tiny hospital bed. Your father and I didn’t sleep for nearly two days because we couldn’t take our eyes off of you.
These past few weeks at home have gone by so fast! You have been such a tranquil and understanding baby; you continually teach your father and I how to be better parents. You’ve grown so much in so many different ways. You hit the 9 pound mark just before your 1 month birthday! You are still nursing about every 2 hours, except at night when you graciously let us sleep for 5-6 hours at a time! I love the time that we spend together while you are nursing. I never get tired of watching your little hand pet my chest as your eyes get heavy and you drift off to sleep. Sometimes you reach back with your free hand while you are nursing and twirl your own hair; it is the cutest thing I have ever seen. Your father is completely and totally in love; you enjoy going outside with him everyday to water the gardens. Your favorite place to nap is across his chest! I often wake up in the morning to see you and him cuddling together. You have started smiling on a regular basis now especially when you first wake up in the morning. It makes my day when I roll over and see you staring at me with that big toothless grin.
This month I spent my first few days in my new career…stay at home mom! I was so nervous for that 1st day at home with just the two of us ☺ I wasn’t sure if I could handle everything by myself, but we did just fine! We even had dinner ready for Daddy everyday when he got home. This is by far the hardest job out there, but it is definitely worth it.
These first few weeks haven’t been the easiest, but they have been the most fulfilling weeks of my life! Lilah, my daughter, thank you for the best month of my life!
I love you,
Mom

Settlin' In

It has been just over 2 weeks since we brought Lilah home, and I have to tell you it has flown by far faster than I could have imagined! It is amazing to look back at her first pictures and see how much she has changed already. She is already weighing in at over 8.5 pounds (being a first time mom that is exclusively breastfeeding, I am quite proud of this). It is overwhelming to know that I am able to provide her with all of the nourishment that she needs! Her little cheeks are getting chubbier by the day :)
She is becoming more and more vocal everyday! We laugh so hard at her little grunts and groans; Chris calls them her dinosaur noises. She nurses about every 2.5 hours during the day and about every 3-4 hours at night. We are co-sleeping, so this makes night feedings much easier. Overall, we are getting plenty of sleep; we've just gotten used to many short "naps" rather than one long sleep at night. Her favorite place to nap is on Chris' chest...I know he will miss lounging around with her all day once he goes back to work. The pups have been amazing with her; they are mostly disinterested, and only rarely will they get close enough to investigate the little creature that we brought into their home! It has been SO nice having Chris home for 3 weeks, and I will miss having his help around the house. Here are some pictures of her first 2 weeks at home.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

The Making of Lilah Ann

Here is a link to a movie that Chris made in iMovie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjpvDLxVH48

It documents the entire pregnancy, labor, delivery, and coming home! It is really cute; check it out!!

Here is a picture...just because she's cute :)

She's Here!

Lilah Ann Allison decided to finally grace us with her presence on Sunday April 26th, 2009 at 11:32pm! Last weekend Chris, Mom, and I set out with a busy schedule. We went all over town and walked miles around Costco, the Mall, and other various stores. Saturday evening we had a nice BBQ at Mike and Mary's and shortly after arriving back home I noticed my water had started leaking (This was around 10:15pm). We called Nadia, our doula, and she advised that we try to get some rest. We laid down and rested for a few hours. I was easily able to sleep between contractions at this point. Nadia came over around 3:00am and had us walk around the neighborhood for a while. Things were moving slowly at this point so Nadia went back home and gave us instructions to rest, walk, eat, and drink. We could tell things were progressing some early Sunday afternoon, so Nadia came back to the house around 3:00pm on Sunday and had me walk around the neighborhood a few more times. At this point, I was definitely feeling more discomfort and I was 'in the zone'. Chris and Nadia filled our bathtub and had me stay in there for almost 2 hours, although I don't recall most of that time. My contractions were getting more and more intense. Once I got out of the tub, Nadia checked me and I was about 5cm dilated and the baby was already very low. She said to take one more walk around the block and then we would leave for the hospital. Mom loaded the car and shut down the house while we got ready.
We left for the hospital around 7:00pm; I was laying in the backseat and was actually quite calm. I remember taking one contraction at a time; I didn't say anything to anyone the whole way there. We arrived at the hospital around 7:35pm and got checked into our room in L&D around 8:00pm. Our midwife met us in our room and checked me again; I was about 5-6cm and the baby was even lower. I was able to stay in my own clothes and labor standing against the side of the bed and then on the birth ball for the next 2.5 hours. I had no monitors, no IV's, no pain meds, or anything else to tie me down to the bed. This was wonderful! At about 10:45pm, I was starting to get the urge to push, but my midwife had me resist it because I was only 7.5cm dilated. This was the most difficult part of the whole labor. Within 15 minutes, I was ready to really start pushing. This part went so quickly for me! Chris was the best labor coach I could have asked for!! Once I started pushing, there was no stopping me. We had a mirror set up so that I could see the baby, and I was able to hold my own legs back. Once her head was out, my midwife had Chris and I reach down and guide the rest of her body up onto my chest! I had been pushing for less than 30 minutes when she was finally born. It was such a rush to finally see our little baby! She was so awake and alert when she was born. Her little eyes just kept looking around the room trying to take it all in. She was so pretty and pink :) She had a tiny little scratch on her cheek because she had her hand up by her face when she was born. When we were ready, Chris carried her over to the warmer and told us that she weighed 7lbs. 6oz. and was 19 inches long!
We spent the next 36 hours in the hospital recuperating and cuddling in the tiny hospital bed. She is doing perfectly...nursing like a champ and creating plenty of dirty diapers for Daddy to deal with!
Her birth was such an amazing experience! It was something that I will never forget!!

What's in a date?

I sit here today trying to figure out why we, as human beings, feel the need to set arbitrary deadlines on everything we do...including having babies!
Tis true, today is our official due date; however, for whatever reason, this little girl isn't quite ready to take on the world, and I am perfectly okay with that. I am trying to set aside my selfish reasons for wanting her to be here, including not being pregnant anymore, and just trust that she will arrive when she is really ready. So for now, we are going along with life as usual; mom and I are still conquering household projects. We get bored and go shopping all day some days, but we continue to stay busy. Yesterday we pampered ourselves with pedicures. My pedicurist even painted pretty little flowers on my big toes so that I would have something pretty to look at while I am in labor!!

So despite the fact that we don't have any news to share, we can confidently say that our little girl is one day closer to being here!!!! :)

It's Skedaddle Time Kiddo!!

Despite my intense hope that I would be blogging about our beautiful little baby by this time, here we are...still playing the waiting game!
I know, I still have 6 days until my actual due date, but I am definitely ready to meet this squirmy little girl. We had an appointment with the midwife on Tuesday and everything is looking great; we are just waiting now!
Mom and I have been running all over the place this week getting things in order. I have Mom chained-up in the sewing room upstairs :) She has been making some really beautiful baby carriers/slings, pack-n-play sheets, bassinet sheets, and other various baby accessories! We went a little crazy at Jo-Ann's Fabric the other day!
We have been cleaning, organizing, packing, and reorganizing non-stop. I have been going to yoga 4x/week, the chiropractor 1x/week, and went for a prenatal massage Wednesday (Thank you Mary!) In addition, Chris and I have been going for 30-45 minute nightly speed walks. Chris is convinced that we can walk this baby out!
Here is a belly picture taken last week at 38 weeks:

Tick, tock, tick, tock...

Well folks, here we are at the 37 week mark! Essentially, this baby is full-baked! She is ready to make her appearance any time now. Despite the fact that I would love to meet her a little early, I have a feeling that she is going to be in there for the long-haul! I would be very surprised if she arrives before her due date (April 23rd).
We are pretty much ready. We are meeting with the midwife every week now; last week we had our final ultrasound to check the position of the placenta, and we got some very good news! The placenta has migrated up enough to be out of the way for a natural birth. Our birth plan is complete, hospital tour/registration complete, we finished our 12-week childbirth-prep class, and we have our breastfeeding class with our Doula next Monday. I still have a few small things to finish up around the house, but overall we're ready!
I am still feeling pretty energetic; sleeping is becoming a little more difficult, but I am still walking regularly and going to yoga 3-4 times/week. Although not miserable, I do long for the days when I could easily roll over and jump out of bed in the morning!
I have been meaning to post some pictures of the baby's room but kept forgetting, so here they are:

BBQ for Baby!

So much happening around the Allison house the last few weeks! Chris and Garrett worked very hard to build me the most beautiful pergola over the back patio two weekends ago. It is seriously more than anything I could have imagined! Here is the finished product:

In other news, we had our Baby BBQ this past weekend. My mom wanted to host a big baby shower, but I convinced her to exchange the silly showers games and finger sandwiches for BBQ and beer! It was a total blast; our house was packed with family and friends, and they generously helped us to prepare for the impending arrival of the wee baby. Here is a quick slide show of the good times:

Make a Smilebox photobook

Finally, here is the newest picture of the belly taken tonight at 35 weeks...It is starting to look a little comical :)