6 weeks, what?!

Our little girl just turned 6 weeks old and it is crazy.  Crazy good, but still crazy.  She is barely 8lbs but we can definitely tell how big she is getting and how much she has changed since we first met her.  It is still so weird to me that she grew inside of me for so many months and all the anticipation of waiting to see her, meet her, and get to know her.  She has started smiling and holds eye contact better and better every day.  She has started "talking" and I loveeee it.  I can already tell that at each new phase there will be great excitement and a little heartache at realizing how fast time really does fly and how quickly our child will be growing closer to independence.  That is the point though right?  To raise them with love and try to fill their memories with smarts and as many sweet moments as possible and then to let them go do their thing. 

Matt took this photo of me at 2:00 a.m. about an hour after Brynn joined us and I was calling my mom to tell her the good news.  I can vividly remember the i.v. in one arm (which was only used to give me an anti-nausea medicine towards the end of labor after I threw up twice) and that damn blood pressure thing on my right arm and was so relieved when I had full use of my arms back.

And then to have this little girl in our arms it was just so surreal to me.  I am amazed at how we have grown in to our family and even in the hard moments where we haven't slept much, we still figure it out.  We make the best choices for our family and always strive to do better. 

The first time I drove alone with Brynn in the back seat I was nervous.  Now I still get a little stressed if she starts crying and I can't soothe her right away but I know she will be okay.  Today we were about five minutes from home when she started to bug out.  At each stop light I reached back to try and give her the pacifier and talk to her, touch her face and let her hold my finger.  She actually seemed to calm down when she got to squeeze my finger and I sang to her... so I did that until we got home and laughed at myself all the way home.  I will look like an idiot and strain my back and arm any day if it helps calm my sweet little girl. 

Now I get to see this precious sight down the hall in my very own home.  I love that we can start our own family traditions and as excited as I am for the future I am trying to be very present with each new stage or event (even her first blow out of the diapers was gross but still her first! :)

This is my view most days... how sweet is that?!  Most of the time Brynn falls asleep pretty easily but about once a day she fights sleep and then finally passes out.  I love when she is just out, she looks so comfy and cozy.  I am just so thrilled to be Brynn's mom and look forward to each new day (especially after I get a few hours of sleep).

Baby life...

We have welcomed an amazing little girl into our lives and she has been with us for almost three weeks!  Sleeping two to four hours in a row is a big adjustment, but totally worth it.  This child is beautiful beyond belief, sweet as can be, makes the funniest facial expressions and the cutest squeaky noises kind of like a bird/goose.  We get to see her be more alert and awake every day and love all the cuddle time we get with her. 

Being a mom to my little girl is more than I could have ever imagined.  I am so grateful.

Photo update

We went to Powell Gardens today and had a nice time enjoying nature and taking pictures.  I got lots of walking in too which I am trying to do every day from now until baby's delivery.  Everything else is going well.  I have one more week of work until I start my maternity leave and that is oh so nice.  We went grocery shopping tonight and I just love having such good food in the house.  I have loved my breakfast meals the most and tonight we had brinner (breakfast for dinner) a delicious omelet with fresh basil, onions, hashbrowns.  So good!

Feeling good

Hey ya'll.  We had our baby shower a week ago and it was oh so lovely.  We are feeling very blessed and excited by all the extra support we have around us.  We got some great things for our little one to get to use when she joins us and she is set on the cutest clothes and hats!  Oh the hats....

The pink and black one were given to us by my mother-in-law.  I gave Matt the "I heart daddy" one because it was too cute to pass up.  And the other four were made by a friend of mine and one of my mom's friends. 
Our little one's bedroom has been put together nicely and most everything is in it's proper place just waiting to be used.

We got this cute wall hanging from my aunt and cousins, it made a sweet addition to her room.

I made this metal wall hanging a few nights ago and borrowed the phrase "Hope, Grow and Love" from one of my new favorite pregnancy t-shirts.  We are almost finished with her birthing class and already feel more prepared for labor and delivery.  I have a few more weeks of work and many more nights of dreaming about meeting this little one!

There's a baby in there...

A few weeks ago we went to visit our friends Dale and Jamee and we explained to their little girl Lili that there is a baby inside my belly.  Now if I make a funny noise because of a new cramp or elbow to my belly button we will say "there's a baby in there".  Pretty cute, really.  We were walking to our car after leaving the grocery store a few nights ago and this nice couple walked past us, looked at my belly and then said "Congratulations!"  I quickly said thank you and smiled the rest of the way to the car.  We went bowling a few nights ago and it was funny to hold a ten pound bowling ball next to my baby belly.

 Things are starting to get busy around here and although everything is going well it is still nice to take a few moments to stop and breathe.  To just stare at my stomach and watch parts of my belly raise and lower because of an active little one moving around.

We went swimming for the first time this summer! I can't believe we have waited this long, but oh did that cool pool feel nice after the temperature in my car on the way over read 108!  Stay cool, ya'll.

The three of us

We spent a few hours at the very place we took our wedding day photos to take our maternity photos.  We then went to a nearby park to get some more beautiful outdoor shots.  I love having these photos. And after a very busy week it was nice to just spend time standing next to my very cute, very sweet husband.

It was a little toasty outside taking these photos, but totally worth the sweat of course.

                                                                     LOVE this guy.

I just have to say...

Isn't it interesting when you talk to someone who always has something negative to say?  They always pick out the one thing that isn't working out for them or that everything would be great if it weren't for that one thing?  I find this irritating and confusing and I hope I never do it (I'm not saying I've never done it, but I hope I don't any more...)  All you can think about is getting pregnant and now that you are, you are so quick to complain about it?  You are dying to go on vacation and once you are there, you don't think the weather is nice enough?  You are so busy with work and the one day you are not as busy you feel bored?

Don't worry this post won't last long, I just have to say how important it is to be grateful for where you are at and to be able to acknowledge all the good in your life.  I know nothing and no one is perfect but now that we know that, let's move on!  Let's not expect everything to always work out no matter what.  Let's not expect everything to be perfect therefore you are less likely to be disappointed.

I just think we need to spend more time being grateful.  Finding the good in every day.  Finding the good in the people we come in contact with.  And this is a good reminder to us all and to myself.  We took some photos of Matt and I and my baby bump and it was so fun to just revel in my pregnancy a little bit more.  Yes it's hot out and yes I am moving slower than I ever have but it's for a bigger purpose and I am grateful for the time to slow down.  I wish a better perspective and a little more gratitude for us all.