More November Goodness

Well, I believe my mom was right (they almost always are, true?) She told me at the very beginning, " as soon as you think you have them figured out, they change." Just last week I was feeling so proud that after 4 months I finally had a grip on Claire's schedule and things seemed to be going so so well. This week she decided to change her schedule, or lack thereof. Her 45 minute morning naps have turned into 30 minutes or less (she is in her crib making noise right now while I'm hoping she falls back asleep.) Her eating schedule seems thrown off and it has us both frustrated and confused. I know now though to just take it day by day, sometimes hour by hour and to not expect the same things, good or bad, to happen every day.

She is so strong now. She can support herself so well on her stomach and she is remembering that she can roll back to her back after some time fussing on her stomach. She is doing a great job holding onto toys. It's crazy to think that just a few weeks ago she didn't even know that she could hold things on purpose. Her skinny little bottom even fits into size 2 diapers now. She still loves to kick like crazy. This morning her sleeper was completely undone on the bottom half and both of her legs were freed. The morning before I went in to get her up and both her sleeper and sleep sack were on backwards, with all limbs in the proper slots. I am perplexed by this. I almost wonder if Jon or I did it on our sleep.


As Claire is growing and changing we love her more each day, I can only imagine what this love will look like in time. Some days she is easier to love than others, but I guess that is how it goes with all of us.

We have had a lot going on with the holidays starting and Lauren's wedding. It has all been wonderful so far. We are here in Asheville for only a few more weeks until our move to Greenville then to Winston Salem. I have so many mixed feelings about all of it. It breaks my heart to think our home and life here will soon only be a memory to us.


Claire was finally able to meet my Aunt Merle and cousin Andrew!



Five month beauty





Family portrait at Thanksgiving. We were thankful for the sun in our faces.
ps: like Jon's shirt???



My dear and beautiful (inside and out!) friend Lauren on her wedding day.



Love the eyes here.

Cousins at Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving in Greenville with GramE, Gramps, Aunt Carol, Crystal, James, Jake and Bradley. We ate a lot and laughed a lot. Claire seemed to enjoy watching her cousins play around her. It won't be long until she can join them! Gramps and Uncle James worked hard building an awesome tree house for the grand kids to play in!


Bradley prefers leaves over turkey



Claire admiring Bradley's ability to crawl







It was impossible to get them to smile at the same time.



Bradley is thinking about giving Claire a new hairdo

Lots of Pictures

We put a bow in her hair and laughed a lot.



She loves to explore faces!



Twins!


Playtime on the floor


She is doing a great job rolling to her stomach.
If only she would do as good of a job rolling back over.





Meeting her new friend James!


She likes her babydoll!



With friends Jacq and Benjamin



Sweet squishy face


Good morning!

Claire had her four month check up yesterday. She weighs 11lbs. 11oz. and is 25 inches long now. She is in the tenth percentile for weight and the seventy-fifth for height. She's still a small squirt but she seems so much bigger to us.


Just being a sweetie.


Reading with Grandy.
She seems to be enjoying being read to lately!


Claire tried rice cereal for the first time today.
She did well, much better than I expected.


Hmmmm... what is this stuff?


Tastes kinda funny, but I think I will learn to like it!

So Far...WOW!

Just born



One month


Two months


Three months


Four months

A Few Pictures

Jon and I are shocked at how quickly she is growing and developing.

Smiles, giggles and sometime cackles are coming quite often these days. She has started to grab at and pick things up. Her taggie, bunny and bear lovie are her favorite toys so far. Usually they go in her mouth, a constant and overflowing fountain of drool.

We are sleeping sooo much more. PRAISE THE LORD! It seemed as though this time would never come, now it all seems like a sweet memory. She has completely dropped her nighttime feedings but we still have to get up multiple times a night to put her pacifier back in her mouth. We are awakened in the morning by sweet coos and excited shrieks.

I am coming to terms with the fact that she is not an award winning napper. a 45 min nap a few times a day is about all we get.

I am so proud of her. We are so encouraged and excited by her new tricks but it also breaks our hearts to see how quickly she is changing. Everyone has been so right about that already.

I find it so beautiful that I am already looking back on those incredibly hard first weeks(that I thought would never end) with fond memories and a little aching in my heart.








Our house was freezing last weekend. We out Claire in a warm bundle.
It reminded us of when she was a tiny baby.



SMILING!

Claire's First Hike

Max Patch


Family Hike










Flower child

3 Months Old!

Three has been the magic number!
Our Claire has really started to light up with personality. It seems like it happened overnight. She smiles, giggles, coos and squeals. She rolls over (front to back), sucks on her hands and is having a hard time learning to nap. We think she forgot that she knew how to sleep through the night. She must just always want to be up with us since we are so much fun. Sometimes when we go check on her while she is crying in her crib, she will give us the biggest grin as soon as she sees our face peek over . What a stinker. Sometimes I still can't believe that she is ours.
We are so so blessed.


Excited to eat some breakfast!


Her most favorite hobby, chewing on her hands.
It keeps her from napping because she gets so wound up doing it.


I love her position in this picture and the next.

Tiny daughter hand, big Daddy hand.

Grandy came for a quick visit!

He was surprised and glad to see how responsive she is now!

Lately

Little bath bunny.


Gramps and GramE came to visit last week.
We were so happy to be able to spend some good time with them!

Holding her head up so well!

My two sweeties.