Lily - 4 Months!

Lily Noelle!  We all absolutely adore you!!  You're such a precious gift to our family!

I've loved that this month you've been giggling more.  I noticed you giggling when you got really excited because you were about to eat, and you'd often do it when I was giving you a kiss.  Speaking of kisses, your siblings have now all learned that when they lean over you and you open your mouth that it's because you’re waiting to get kisses.  It's such a blessing to see how much you all love each other.

Like your brothers and sister, you love to dance!  In fact, you can be fussing, and if we start singing and having you dance to it, you'll instantly stop fussing and start smiling, regardless of how upset you were.   

I love how when you smile big (like if someone says "hi" to you), you make a happy cooing sound as you do it.  I don't think I'll ever get over how much the dimple on your right cheek melts my heart!  You're such an incredibly joyful baby!

As with all our babies around this time, you've been drooling quite a bit and chewing on your hands more.  Caleb, Evie and Silas didn't get teeth until 7 months or later, but we'll see what happens with you.

I dropped your fifth feeding on June 26, which means you now eat at 8 a.m., 12 p.m., 4 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., though those times definitely vary depending on what we have going on that day.  You also take a 2 hour nap between each feeding. Though you're a great little eater, we've never tried giving you a bottle.

Due to old velcro on your SwaddleMe blankets, you fairly regularly come at least partially unswaddled during the night but don't seem to be bothered much (if at all) when it happens.  You still sleep in your bassinet in my closet.
 

You're still very much a Mommy’s girl and seem to have finished the end of your "I only want Mommy to hold me!" phase.  There were a few times when it was inconvenient, but I've tried to soak it up because I know that one day all too soon you'll be too big and maybe not want me to hold you.

You’ve learned to growl, which is something Evie often did too.  At times you’ll be sitting there making sweet cooing noises and then will instantly shift to these deep growls.  It’s so funny because you can do it while smiling and it’s a bit baffling that these sounds can come from your cute, tiny body.  Daddy will sometimes call you "Gizmo" or "Giz" because you sound a bit like a (cute) gremlin.  It's so sweet and endearing but can be a bit embarrassing when you do it during Wednesday night Bible study.  Later in the month you weren’t growling as much but had moved on to blowing bubbles.

You're very strong and can move around some while lying on your back by digging your heels into the ground and pushing off with your legs.

This month had some more firsts including your first Fourth of July parade and your first time to swim.  You were so laid back about swimming and even took a nap in the pool.  In an effort to figure out a way for you to float safely on your own, we combined 2 different floaties.  Neither an infant life jacket nor your infant ring were secure enough on their own, but putting you in both at the same time worked perfectly!  You also got to meet your Grandpa and Grandma Bliss, Uncle Josh, Grandpa Baker, Boompa and Nana.

You'll often sit in your Bumbo seat on the table during our meals or sometimes on the island while we cook (supervised, of course).  It’s fun being able to have you more involved in our daily life, and I'm excited that you can now be a part of the many precious memories that have been made with our babies helping us cook while sitting on that island.

There was one day this month that you took a pacifier, but for the most part you refuse them.  However, when I sing your brothers' or sister’s songs to you, I can usually get you to do whatever I want you to do, whether that’s to stop crying, start eating or settle down and go to sleep.  I still need to pick a song for you. 

At this point, you're wearing Size 1 diapers, and mostly 3 Month clothes, though some are 3-6 Month.

Your 4 Month checkup was 2.5 weeks late, so your stats are a little off in comparison with Caleb, Evie and Silas, but you were 15lbs 2oz (around 68%), 26.5” long (100%) and had a head circumference of 16.339” (52%).  Though you started out the smallest, you are now longer than your brothers and sister were at this age.  They were: 

     Caleb:  14lbs 14oz (50%), 25.75" (75%)
     Evie:  14lbs 13oz (75.75%), 25.5" (89.61%)
     Silas:  16lb 4.2oz (76.47%), 26" (84.93%)

We love you, precious Lily, and are blessed beyond measure to be your parents!

(Click here to see more pictures of Lily.)

Lily - 3 Months!

Happy 3 month birthday, sweet Lily!  Time with you keeps flying by, and this month was a fun one.  You're smiling so much now!  Man, that smile of yours with those joyful, big blue eyes and that precious dimple on your right cheek just melts my heart.  Any time I make eye contact with you, you smile instantly, even when you're extremely tired. 

You LOVE to give kisses and will smile and open your mouth wide when you think you're about to get one.  I get so many kisses from you each day, and yet it's never enough!

You've let out some of your first giggles when being tickled or while getting kisses on your neck.  It's typically just one giggle and then silence like you're trying to fight it back and then another one.  It's been just a couple short giggles here and there, but you haven't yet fully laughed yet.

Little one, you are a Mommy’s girl!  You often fuss now whenever anyone else tries to hold you.  And if you’re really upset while someone else is holding you, as soon as I take you back, you’ll immediately stop crying.  You’re typically very laid back, though, and I’m thankful that you're able to be patient and wait for me to feed you whenever I can, which can at times be 1-2 hours late.

If you’re sad, I can usually click my tongue, and you’ll stop fussing.  Or, I’ll use it to get your attention, then smile at you and you'll smile back.  Giving you kisses on your mouth will often cheer you up as well.

For a few days while you were eating, you started doing this thing that Evie used to do a lot.  You would lay the back of your hand on the bridge of your nose, then pull your hand back across your eye, temple and then back to your ear. You would then stretch that arm out a bit over your head, back onto your nose and then will repeat the process over and over.  You didn't do it nearly as much as your big sister, but it seemed like such an odd thing when she did it that I was surprised to see you do it some too.

I dropped your sixth feeding the day after your 2 Month birthday, so you now eat around 7:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 3 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Those times vary, though, depending on what we have going on that day/night.  You nap on your tummy for about 1.5 hours between feedings during the day and then sleep swaddled on your back at night.  It's pretty sweet because you'll often wake up around 7 a.m. but will put yourself back to sleep until 7:30.  You still sleep in your bassinet--in my closet at night and then by my side of the bed during the day.

You still wear Size 1 diapers and mostly either 0-3 or 3 Month clothes.

You are a really talkative baby and like to coo, gurgle, talk and squeal with joy.  Some of your other baby friends are so quiet in comparison—I don’t know if your happy little noises are a result of there usually being so much noise in our house, but it’s sweet to hear your precious voice.   I love, too, how you will often furrow your eyebrows a bit while talking as if you're saying something really serious. 

You tried your Bumbo seat for the first time this month.  Your brothers and sister were so proud of you!  You look so grown up in it, like you're reclining in an arm chair.  You don't mind it for the first several minutes, but you seem to get tired and are then ready to get out of it.  You've also learned how to scootch your way down your bouncer if not buckled in and have even ended up with your feet on the floor a couple of times.  You've started touching the toys that hang down from your bouncer some too. 

On June 2, you rolled from your tummy to your back during tummy time.  I got up to get the video camera because I had a feeling you were about to do it.  I kept my eye on you as I walked to get it, and as I glanced over to look at what I was grabbing, you rolled over.  Silly girl!

We hear all the time that all of our babies resemble one another, but it's been especially fun to see how much you continue to look like Caleb.

Caleb, Evie and Silas all adore you!  They all want to be near you as soon as they wake up in the mornings and will run into my closet if you're not already up just to get to see you.  They love talking to you, giving you kisses and holding you.  Evie still usually announces her presence with, "Lily!  It's your big sister!"

Lily, we absolutely adore you!  You add so much joy to our family, and I pray that your joy will one day soon be rooted in the Lord!!

(Click here to see more pictures of Lily.)

Lily - 2 Months!

Oh, sweet Lily!  I love you!!  You're such a perfect addition to our family, and we're all so smitten with you!

You've started cooing and smiling more and are a very happy baby like your brothers and sister were. I don't have to work hard to get you to smile--I can usually just say, "Hi, Lily," and a huge grin comes across your face.  I often intentionally try not to look at you when I'm feeding you because sometimes when I do look down at you, you'll stop eating just so you can smile at me.  You seem to really like when I rub my face against yours, and when I coo against your cheek, you’ll do the same.  Oh, how that big smile and little voice of yours warm my heart!  What a precious girl you are, Lily! 

You now usually eat at 8, 11, 2, 5, 8 and 11 again, with a 1-1.5 hour nap in between each feeding.  You either burp right away or I really have to work for it.  You won't eat at all if you need to burp, which is a blessing but can also be inconvenient.  You still don't like pacifiers and will often act like you’re gagging if I try and put one in your mouth. 

How thankful and blessed I am that you have proven to be an even better sleeper than your brothers and sister were, which I didn't think was possible!

I wondered throughout your first month if you were going to have blue eyes like Caleb, Evie and Silas do, and as your newborn-ness fades, it's clear that your eyes are definitely a dark blue.  

This month you had your first real bath!  Caleb, Evie and Silas all really enjoyed helping and took their jobs very seriously.  You were so laid back and didn't fuss at all during any of it.

You discovered your tongue this month, which has been so cute. You've started rolling it and twisting it in your mouth (turning it upside down). Lily, you have such a precious, tiny tongue!

You went on your first little road trip (to Mansfield) this month and got to meet your Uncle Chris, Aunt Jenna, Uncle Rob and cousin, Meredith.

You're wearing some Newborn clothing still, but mostly 0-3 Month, and you're in a Size 1 diaper.  It's both exciting and a little sad that you're already starting to grow out of some of your clothes.  We love you in this stage--so sweet, cuddly and small. 

At your 2 Month checkup (which was a little more than 3 weeks late), you weighed 13lb. (77%), were 24" long (82%) and your head circumference was 15.75 in. (60%).  You have a small hemangioma on your upper left thigh. (It's actually 2 separate red spots—one a little larger on top and a very small one right below it.)  I’m not exactly sure when it appeared because it wasn't there when you were born but is now.

You like your bouncer, and Caleb, Evie and Silas often hover around you when you're in it.  Speaking of, they are still so crazy about you.  They often want to see and hold you but are also content when I ask them to go play while I feed you.  Evie tells you multiple times a day how beautiful you are, and Caleb said at one point this month that he wants to marry you.

Lily, you are such a gift, and God couldn't have possibly given us a better baby to be our fourth!  You're joyful, content and super laid back.  Thank you for your love and your smiles, sweet Lily--they brighten each one of my days!

(Click here to see more pictures of Lily.)
 

Lily - 1 Month!

Lily Noelle!  We've loved your name for so long.  In fact, your big brother, Silas, would have had your name if he'd been a girl, so when we found out we were pregnant, we immediately knew what our "girl" name was.  Though you are our fourth precious child, this was the first time we chose to wait until you were born to find out whether you were a boy or a girl.

Unlike your brothers and sister, you didn't show any signs of coming out of my tummy.  We waited and waited.  I tried everything I could think of to try and encourage you to come out--family dance parties, up to 200 jumping jacks per day, walking, running and still nothing.  Dr. Cawley decided we were going to induce and so I went in Monday, March 9 to start the process.  The plan, was to come in at 5:15 the next morning, but given how quickly Evie and Silas came, Dr. Cawley wanted me to come in sooner if my contractions were 5 minutes apart.

My labor started around 2 a.m., and my contractions progressed fairly quickly to 5 minutes apart, so your daddy and I came into the hospital around 3 a.m.  The nurses were able to get 2 bags of Beta strep antibiotic in, which was a blessing, and they first checked me at 4:20, at which time I was 4cm dilated.  Dr. Cawley was hoping I'd be dilated 2 cm in the morning, so we were excited about the progress.  I stayed at a 4, though, until after Dr. Cawley broke my water at 7:23 a.m. at which point he saw that there was meconium.  He started Pitocin at 7:40 a.m.  (Contractions prior to Pitocin were every 2-5 minutes, and he wanted them to be every 2-3 minutes).  My contractions started getting really rapid and intense at 7:50, and I had 7 really bad contractions in 14 minutes.  During that time, I was checked by Amanda and was a 6 and then an 8.  She called Dr. Cawley for delivery but couldn’t get him, called the anesthesiologist (when we were considering an epidural in case I was still at a 4 after those 14 min of contractions) and had been paging the nurses station.  No one was coming, so she said she would deliver the baby and it was ok and to just let the baby come.  She asked Daddy to poke his head out in the hall to see if he saw anyone to come help.  He saw a nurse and the doctor for meconium talking at the nurse’s station and told them we were about to deliver.  I started pushing, and according to what Dr. Cawley had been told, within 15 min, I had gone from a 4 to delivery.  Perhaps because Amanda was essentially delivering you alone, no one said, “It’s a…” when you came out, so your daddy leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Girl.”  Oh, Lily!  I think that's been the sweetest single word I've ever heard and still nearly brings me to tears when I think about it.  We finally had our Lily Noelle!!  You were 7lbs. 15oz., 20.5" long, and at 8:22 a.m., we finally got to meet you. You came out crying (which removed most of the concerns about meconium and respiratory problems) and your APGAR scores were both 9s.  They also said because you came out so fast that most of the meconium would have been squeezed out in the delivery process.  You were beautiful and perfect!  In looks, your daddy and I thought you most resembled Caleb.  You had dark blonde hair (though not much of it) and big grayish-blue eyes.

Caleb, Evie and Silas are all smitten with you and constantly want to see and hold you.  Evie was especially excited about you because she'd been hoping you would be a girl so she would finally get to have a sister.  Evie at this point tends to be a bit loud, so when she would come up to you and (loudly) say, "Hi, Lily!  It's your big sister!", it would sometimes make you cry.  We've now at least partly trained her not to be so loud around you so she doesn't scare you.  

For the first week or so after you were born, Evie couldn’t remember your name.  She kept having to ask what your name was, and if we asked her what she thought it was, she would guess “Aurelia”, which is the name of a baby girl at church who was born 2 months before you were.

We stayed in the hospital one night and during our first night at home, you only got up twice to eat!  Then, the next night, when you were 2.5 days old, you only got up (I had to wake you up at 4:15) once to eat.  From that night on, you never got up more than once at night to eat.  At your 2 week checkup, you weighed 9 lb 1 oz!  No wonder you were able to start going 8 hours between feedings at just 3 weeks old!!  Like your brothers and sister, you typically nap on your tummy and sleep swaddled on your back at night.

When you were 4 days old, I first noticed the dimple on your right cheek.  Oh, that sweet dimple melts my heart!!  You gave me your first beautiful smile on your 1 month birthday, which I loved, and you went to church for the first time when you were 5 days old--you did so well during the service.

You don't have much hair and so when I didn't see any hair in certain areas on your head, I just assumed you hadn't grown any there.  It took me a little bit to notice (with the right lighting) that there was in fact hair in those areas, but I couldn't see it because it was bleach blonde.  It will be fun to see what your hair color is like as you get older.
 

You LOVE when I give you kisses on your mouth.  You’ll just give me open mouth kisses back.  It’s sometimes a good way to get you to stop fussing if I can’t feed you right away or can’t get you to let out a painful burp.

The ladies at our church were so kind to throw you a sip-n-see this month.  You were showered with many precious outfits, diapers and wipes!  You also got to meet both your Grandma and Gamgy this month.

Lily Noelle, you are AMAZING!!  I marvel as I reflect on the prayers I prayed for you throughout my pregnancy--that you would be healthy, a good eater, a good sleeper and most importantly, that you would cherish the Lord soon.  May the Lord answer the latter request soon!!

(Click here to see more pictures of Lily.)
 

Silas - 1 Year!

Goodness, Silas!  I can't wrap my mind around the fact that we've already been blessed with you for a whole year now!  It seems like just yesterday that your daddy was scurrying to give Caleb and Evie a last minute bath before we dropped them off and headed to the hospital.  It was a good thing we left when we did because about 45 minutes after we got back into a hospital room, you were out!  Dr. Simonian (Dr. Cawley's fill-in doctor) had considered leaving the hospital to run back to her hotel and change into her scrubs, but thankfully she didn't because she wouldn't have made it back in time.  You were born 8 days early (after just 2 pushes) at 3:24 p.m. and were 8lb. 2oz. and 20" of pure blessing!!  It took us about an hour after you were born to settle on the name Silas James, but it suits you perfectly!

This month you've been waving more, standing up more and still only have 2 teeth.  Though you've never had any sweets, you have accidentally had peanut butter (off the floor).

I started weaning you at 11 months 3 weeks, and at 1 year, you're still nursing twice a day.  So far, you seem to like every table food you’ve been given but especially seemed to enjoy this ear of corn.

At this point, you just say, “Muh muh” and “Da da”.  Oh, how I love the inflection in your voice when you say my name!  It's this mixture of joy and almost relief that I'm there with you.

When you're really happy or are just being silly, you’ll lean your head back/look up at the ceiling and scrunch up your nose and squint your eyes.  While doing this, you’ll often put your hands just below your chin.

While nursing you one day, you were falling asleep and were moving your hand around.  You discovered your side, which was exposed because your shirt was raised up a little bit.  Though you kept your eyes closed, you would move your hand along your side, laugh a little bit, do it again, laugh a little more, etc.  You’ve also started tickling yourself while saying, “Tick a tick a tick a tick..."

When you give kisses, you’ll now often say, “mmmm”.  You love to kiss Caleb and Evie and will willingly kiss anyone who is laying on the floor on their back by leaning over their face and planting an open mouth kiss on their forehead/nose/mouth.  Your daddy and I usually have to “steal” kisses other than that, though.

You LOVE music and will dance whenever you hear it.  Speaking of, you got to go to your first house concert this month when one of our favorite bands, The Gray Havens, came to visit.  You loved it!  You will also clap anytime you hear someone else clapping or if someone says, “YEA!”

You really love playing at the park and swinging, in particular.

New this month is the chapstick game.  You’ll put it in your mouth, then lean toward me until I take it out of your mouth with my teeth.  Then you’ll take the chapstick out of my mouth with your hand, put it back in your mouth and we'll repeat the cycle.

You also got to go to your second wedding this month--for Aunt Jenna and Uncle Rob.  (Your first wedding was when you were just 5 weeks old--for Uncle Chris and Aunt Mattie.)  I was the Matron of Honor, which meant Daddy was holding you during the wedding.  When I walked down the aisle, you spotted me and started frantically calling out, "Muh muh!  Muh muh!!", so you and your daddy spent the majority of the ceremony standing in the hall.

At your 12 Month checkup, you weighed 22lb. 1oz. (38.32%), were 29.5” long (40.34%) and had a head circumference of 18” (30.34%). Caleb was 21.04lb. (23%), 30” long, (57%) and had a head circumference of 18.25" (48%), while Evie was 20lb. 13oz. (45.02%), 29.75" long (71.15%) and had a head circumference of 17.5" (30.97%).

Silas, you exude so much joy!  You have a huge grin on your face most of the time and seem to regularly elicit the same response out of everyone you see.  It's hard not to be joyful when you're around! 

There's so much I love about you, little one, but as I've mentioned, some of my favorite things are the sound of you saying "Muh Muh" and "Da Da", how much you love me, how much you love giving kisses--especially to Caleb and Evie, how easygoing you are, how you still remind me of a spider monkey in the way that you cling on to me, how funny you are, your 2 bottom teeth (that's all you have!), how you scrunch your nose, squint your eyes and tilt your head back when you're really happy/being silly, how much you delight in Caleb and Evie, how you start dancing any time you hear music, how you start clapping any time someone says, "YEA!" or when you hear others clapping and how super cuddly you are.  I love you, sweet boy, and am so very blessed to be your mommy!

We love you more than words could ever express, precious Silas, and we pray that one day you will feel the same way about your Creator.  May a life of pursuing and seeking to glorify Jesus Christ be your ultimate goal and desire!  Happy birthday, little Silas! 

(Click here to see more pictures of Silas.)

Silas - 11 Months!

What a fun month this was with you, Silas!  Disney World, eating actual food and standing up!
 

You continue to be such a funny little boy.  This month you decided to just skip baby foods all together and went straight to table food.  On 1/17, you ate your first green bean (your first time eating table food) and also climbed all the way up Grandma’s stairs by yourself!  Both were huge, but especially the eating thing since thus far you've not wanted much of anything besides milk.  Aside from green beans (at any temperature), you also tried and liked turkey, lime, scrambled eggs and shredded chicken.  

Surprisingly you are less distracted while you nurse now, and while you used to prefer to have something to play with while you ate, now you’re content just to eat.

When you’re really happy, one of my favorite things you say now is, “took-a-took-a-took-a-took”.  You say it really quickly with a huge grin on your face…I love it!  I also remember Caleb doing the same thing, which is pretty cute.  It took me awhile, but I've since realized that this is what you say when you are tickling yourself--like "tickle tickle tickle", and you'll often say it while you rub your tummy gently during a diaper change.

We had so much fun going to Disney World this month!  It was almost an entire day's drive to get there, but we broke it up into two days.  You did such a great job traveling and loved being there.  You were pretty much perfect in terms of napping whenever you needed to--in the stroller, in your Baby Bjorn or in my arms.  You also really enjoyed the rides as you rode around on me in your Baby Bjorn.  You were, however, really scared of the characters and seemed to feel especially betrayed when they came up behind you during our character breakfast at Chef Mickey's.  There was often the look of uncertainty, which was quickly followed by tears of terror.

You went through a spell of 2-3 weeks during and after Disney World that you didn’t nap very well.  You basically didn’t want me to leave the room so would be fine as long as I was in there but then would start crying as soon as I tried to leave.  I’m not sure if it was the change in environment or simply getting used to sleeping on me at the parks, but I’m thankful you've gotten back into a normal napping routine!  We also eliminated your third nap this month, which I'm sure affected things to some extent.  Like clockwork, you wake up regularly at 7:30 a.m.  You'll usually just sit in your crib quietly for quite awhile, though, and we often wouldn't even know you were awake if it weren't for looking at your video monitor.

When you want someone to love on you or give you kisses, you'll lean forward and tip the top of your head forward until you get to them.  At this point, you expect us to kiss your head.  Then you’ll sit back up and smile, wait a second and do it again.  Some fun things you learned to do this month were to wave, and you also stood up by yourself for the first time on 2/12.

You're pretty content to play with anything, but you really LOVE your fire truck and balls (like a beach ball or large bouncy ball).  You also LOVED playing with the lightsaber that we got from our hotel at DisneyWorld, though all of them broke fairly quickly.

You wear 6-12 Month clothes, a Size 3 diaper and still only have 2 teeth.  You also still adore your brother and sister and even seem to love them more each day!  It's such a blessing to see how much the three of you love each other, and I pray that love continues to deepen over time!

Oh, Silas!  The time with you is going by so fast, but what a joyous gift from the Lord you are!  May you one day soon truly know His joy by trusting in Jesus!

(Click here to see more pictures of Silas.)