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