I have been so busy balancing work, motherhood, and being a wife. Its so CRAZY. I know it just takes time, but I feel like nothing is being done. My house is no longer in perfect order, the laundry is overflowing, and everything seems so unorganized. I guess my little Gracie is trying to help cure my ocd!!!!! My last post was months ago! So I have a lot of catching up to do.
4 Months old
Grace turned four months two days after Christmas. She is not a little baby anymore. Everyday she seems to do something different. She has started holding her bottle, becoming very interested in what is going on around her, she loves Mickey Mouse, and loves to play with her toys. She has also started laughing and babbling. She is a lot of fun! Here are some recent photos of her.
Holding her own bottle!
Chunky Baby!!
Playtime with Grandpa
Activity Time!!!
Merry Christmas
Our first Christmas as a family of three was very busy! First, we spent Christmas Eve with my Grandma Maryann. We have been going over there for a long time and its always a ton of fun. Gracie was spoiled with gifts of course! She was given her first snow globe from her Aunt Ashley and the cutest little security blanket (pink with a little bear and ladybug). Her GG (great-grandma Maryann) gave her a savings bond and her first ornament with her name on it! She was also given a train puzzle set from her great grandpa Bill who is in heaven. He and Rusty (Gracie's grandpa) love trains and they hope she has the same love for them! It was a bitter-sweet moment when we opened that gift. After dinner and presents we had one more place to go. Blake's dad's side always celebrates on Christmas Eve as well. So we had to hurry there! Once again Grace was spoiled with gifts. She got some cool toys and really cute outfits. Her cousin Allegra is 4 and really enjoys having another kid around. She says they are best friends, its so adorable. I will post a pic of the two of them when i get it from my in-laws. After a late night, we headed home to get some rest before starting it all over again. Christmas Morning we woke up early and headed over to Blake's parents house. We opened gifts and ate breakfast. Gracie opened more gifts and received more toys and outfits! After that, we headed over to my parents house and opened more gifts. Santa made two stops this year, our house and Grandma Nikki's. Gracie must of been a VERY good girl. Grace was really getting the hang of this whole present thing. She would get really excited as we opened more and more gifts. She played with her toys and then crashed for a few hours. After spending time with at my mom's we headed over to Blake's Aunt Cindy's house for more Christmas fun! Once again, she opened more and more gifts. She has way too many toys now, but they keep her busy!!!
wearing her Grinch pj's!!!!
First overnight trip without Mommy and Daddy...
Blake and I have been going shopping on Black Friday before we were married! We LOVE it. I know some of you may think we are crazy, but we really enjoy it. Now that we are parents, we knew it wasn't any place for a baby. So, the little lady stayed with her Papa Pancho and Grandma Kristie. She did great and only woke up once during the night.
All ready to go!!! She is so cute!
Trying to comfort herself...
Grace started sucking her thumb towards the end of November. It has really helped her to comfort herself when she is tired or when she wakes up in the middle of the night it helps her go back to sleep. I was a thumb sucker when I was little until age 5 and NEVER wanted my children to suck their thumb. Its a hard habit to break, but I think every kid has a habit they have to break as the get older. Besides, it helps her sleep through the night and Blake and I love that!!!
Friday's spent with Daddy...
Blake is now working four ten hour shifts Monday-Thursday. It makes for really long days for him plus he drives home from Phoenix. But he has Fridays off, which he LOVES. He really enjoys being a dad and spending time with Grace. Here are a few photos he took one Friday he was off. She's definitely a daddy's girl.
