Sunday, February 24, 2013

My Feet Don't Touch!



Someone else was wanting some attention too!

          
          Even though RLT is not quite tall enough to touch the bottom, she was introduced to the exersaucer this week at daycare.  She loved it, so we broke our's out at home.  This is one of the many hand-me-downs from Laura and Jeremy.  That girl is so content!  I sure hope she's this easy to please in 2 years!!!


          Since I have gone back to work, Chad is in charge of getting our bugaboo up in the morning and off to see Dodi.  He has come to know the very special time in the morning before she realizes she is hungry.  RLT is the happiest in the mornings.  Her smile stretches from ear to ear.  I am so glad that Chad gets to be a part of that now.  He's also so glad that I accept that role on the weekends so he can get a bit more sleep!





          And, with just a few more days before the Bar Exam, Chad and RLT take a minute to rest together.  We are so proud of him!  You've got this, Babe!  


Saturday, February 16, 2013

Bittersweet


       
           It was a bittersweet week for our family.  We started off by celebrating RLT's Baby Dedication at Park CC.  This church family is just that: family.  Some of the nicest, most welcoming people are there and have opened their arms to the three of us.          

          The next day was not so great.  I, the mommy of a precious angel who spent the last 13 weeks knowing every move and sound our baby made, went back to work.  It is so strange not knowing what she is doing at any given moment.  Is she smiling?  Is she kicking her legs?  Jerking from side to side as if she is about to roll over?  Nodding off to sleep?
          I know most mothers these days go to work at some point.  I know every single one of them feels that bowling ball in their stomach as they drive to work with tears running down their face.  I know they get very little accomplished at their occupational job that first day or maybe that first week because they can't quite turn their "I'm starting to get the hang of it" mommy brain on pause.  I know they each, like me, felt feel like they are the only ones who have ever gone through this because no one can love anyone more than I love my baby.  I, being a reasonable person, know this.  But still!
          People keep telling me that it will get easier.  At this point, I'm not sure easier is the word that would describe how my week progressed.  Maybe familiar.  The sick feeling in my stomach is now familiar.  The tears as I back out of my driveway in the morning are now familiar.  The constant feeling of only wanting to be with my daughter is now familiar.
          I'm not writing this to get sympathy or so someone will throw me a pity party.  I'm writing this because it is the honest truth.  My hope is that one day RLT will read this.  I want her to know that when she backs out of her driveway on that first morning back to work that her mommy felt the same way.  I want her to know that the love she will be feeling for her precious little one is the same love that I feel for her.  I want her to know that it might get easier or more familiar.  I want her to know.
       
       

Sunday, February 10, 2013

RLT is 3 Months Old!



Our little girl is three months old today!



Our precious baby is not an infant anymore!  More often times than not, RLT will sleep until 5am!  This is so incredibly wonderful!!!  She still eats every 2.5-3 hours or so during the day, but we're totally fine with that if it means we all get a full night's sleep. 

Our little girl has developed quite the personality this month.  While she doesn't giggle yet, her mouth and body sure look like she is.  Her smile continues to light up a room as well as her singing.  Yep, RLT likes to sing duets with Mommy and Daddy.  Her favorite, of course, is You Are My Sunshine.  It truly melts our hearts.  

RLT found her hands and hasn't taken them out of her mouth since!  She can hold her head and chest up during tummy time.  And, while sitting on our laps, she can hold her head steady for several seconds.  She loves to face out when being held, and we can't blame her.  Who doesn't want to know what's going on!

Some of RLT's favorite things include her Sophie giraffe, her ball that's easy to grab, the black fan in the kitchen, and her Mirror Me! book.  She loves listening to books that rhyme, and she even looks at the pictures for a good while.  We find it funny that she is quite delightful while on the changing table.  She loves the mirror and, I guess, the cool breeze!

RLT's 13th Week

       
          It was a special week at the Turner's because Grammy and Grandpa came in town.  We spent time house hunting, eating, cuddling with the sweet baby, eating, catching up with friends.  Did I mention eating?
          We can't wait for them to find the house and land of their dreams in or around Louisville!  That perfect property is out there, and we know that goats will definitely fit on it!  





          RLT has also graduated from swaddles and now uses sleep sacks!



          And finally, she grabbed the ball for the camera!






Snapshots













Sunday, February 3, 2013

Who Cried More, Mommy or Baby?




          This week started with a wonderful dinner at Daniel and Catherine's.  They had their little girl nine days after RLT.  It was so nice to be able to spend the evening eating delicious food and sharing stories of the past three months.  Not to mention, our daughters were able to spend some time playing, I mean just laying next to each other!

          Later that week, RLT went to daycare for the first time.  While I don't have to go back to work for one more week, I did go to an important meeting with some of my colleagues.  
          Who cried more?  Definitely mommy!  The morning started as usual with breakfast and then a some playing.  We even snapped a nice picture to document what a great day we were having!
          Then came the waterworks!  I don't know how Chad did it two weeks after RLT was born.  Being a good daddy, he spared me from having to actually take our precious little girl to church where she would spend the day.  He's such a wonderful husband!  (Later he admitted that leaving her there was harder than he anticipated.)  I gave her a million kisses and out the door they went.  It felt so different than just having someone babysit like our parents or Aunt Laura.  This was actual daycare!!!  
          Needless to say, I cried all the way to my meeting, thought of nothing but our sweet baby during it, and drove as fast as I could afterward to pick her up.  I thought for sure when I walked into church that I would hear her crying.  Nope.  Instead, it was me!  I couldn't help it.  I was just so happy to see her!  With that, I thought for sure when she saw me she would feel the same and smile with delight like she always does.  Nope!  As mom says, "Babies are fickle."  Boy she's right!
          While mommy and daddy were both worried about her during the day, RLT apparently had a great one.  According to some people at church, RLT was quite delightful!  She showed off her smile, took a good nap, and drank her bottle just like she had been practicing.  What a relief!  

          With that day behind us, the rest of the week was spent playing at home.  It was so cool to see her grab something purposefully for the first time and begin singing with us!

Get the Ball


And, of course, this is what happened shortly after...

Our Little Songbird



          During our trip to visit April, Shawn Thomas, and MCS in Richmond we used a changing table that had a mirror.  RLT had such a blast that we had to put one up next to her changing pad too!  She loves it!  The best is when she finds me in the mirror and then looks at me in person.  She has a look that's a cross between being completely confused and ecstatic that there are two mommies!  It's great!



          Chad and I also decided to start weening RLT from her swaddle.  We have listened to many different theories and parents regarding the best time to do this and have decided that now is the time for us.  We feel more comfortable with the idea that her arms and hands will be free once she starts rolling over.    So, with one arm out, the weening has begun!



This is the happy face that we come up to after nap time-everytime!

 Snapshots





RLT loves bath time!