Happy First Birthday, Madeline Grace

I'm not quite sure how my baby went from this

to this practically overnight!   

Madeline Grace,
You help make our family complete.  You are such a sweet baby who loves momma, daddy and big sister Emmie.  You love Dax and the kitty, too.  Your big blue eyes can light up a room and brighten any bad day.  Your precious smile can and silly faces and bring joy to the gloomiest times.  You are simply a little ray of sunshine and you are treasured more than you'll ever understand.

You're walking everywhere and always on the go; you never seem to sit still.  You eat almost anything too, except carrots and avocado - you are not a fan of either.  You go to bed around 7:30 every night and sleep until 6 or 6:30 in the morning.  You go to Ms. Donna's during the day while momma & daddy work, then we have lots of fun and play time when we get home.  You love playing in big sister's room.  You love books, baths, your bunny, and watching Mickey Mouse Club House. 

You wear 9-12 mth or 12-18 mth clothes, and are in a size 3 diaper (although I think you'll be moving up a size soon).  We have your one-year well check on Friday, so I'm excited to see how much you weigh. In October we go back to see Dr. Pinto to monitor your reflux and see if your kidneys are still growing and developing.  Daddy and I continue to pray that the Lord will heal your little body so you don't need surgery; but not matter what we know that you are His child and in His hands.

My prayer for your sweet girl is that you will grow up know how loved and cherished you are, not just by me and daddy and Emmalee, but by the Lord.  You, my sweet child, are a daughter of the King and I pray that you will learn to know Him and fall in love with the One who first loved you.

Happy first birthday sweet baby girl!

Love,
Momma

Life Lately

Most of you know that I love to scrapbook, but I have been so bad about keeping up with it.  But for some reason, the past two weeks I have been on a scrappin' craze!!!!!  Here are a few of my favorite pages that I've been working on.









 

 





 

This face...

Is more than I can handle!

The amount of joy & laughter she brings into our home cannot be measured.

Her big sister absolutely adores her.

Her momma cant get enough of her kisses.

Her daddy is wrapped around her little finger.

She is loved!

These Two Have Stolen My Heart

There are some days when raising two girls makes me feel run down and exhausted, and then there are days when it blesses my heart beyond imagination.  Saturday was one of those days when they did both.

Daddy was working a double header at the ballpark, and I was at home trying to take care of both girls, do the laundry, pick up the house, clean the kitchen, plan the weekly dinner menu, oh, and give my kids the attention they craved. It absolutely wore me out. 

But then this happened, and the joy in my heart outweighed any exhaustion.  Seeing the two of these angels together is the sweetest thing, especially when Emmalee has Madeline laughing.  

Madeline's Birth Announcement

I have to say that making Madeline's birth announcement was so much fun, and so was the newborn photo shoot to get the pictures.  I know I've said it 100 times, but I'll say it again - there is nothing greater than having a sister who is an AMAZING photographer!  She knows how to capture just how small and fragile they are, and how precious and sweet.  I love it.

So without further ado, here is the birth announcement for our sweet and precious Madeline Grace.

front

 

back

We are beyond blessed by our two sweet girls.  Its funny because I never imagined my heart could be so full.  I'm reminded everyday how lucky I am to have my girls.  I still can't believe Madeline is 2 months old already, and I promise to do that post soon. 

If you're a mom struggling with infertility, know that I am praying for you.  I've been down that road; I've traveled that journey; I understand that heartache.  But know that the Lord's plan is always greater than our own...this baby girl is proof of that! 

5 on Friday

Emmalee was incredibly laid back and only cried when she was hungry.  She was one of the easiest babies I have ever known.  Madeline is different.  Madeline is a momma's girl and loves to be held by her momma.  She fusses quite a bit in the evenings and loves nursing, so it can make life and mothering a little more different than it was when Emmalee, not to mention the fact that I'm still trying to be a "hands-on" mom to Emmalee.  Having 2 is completely different than having 1, that is for sure! 

So today my 5 on Friday is all about the things that is making my life a little easier and manageable.

{ONE}

The Swing

I have the Sung-A-Bug Craddle and Swing and I LOVE it.  One of my favorite things about this swing is that it has a power cord that allows you to plug it into the wall so if you use it for hours at a time (as i do) then you're not constantly worried about having to buy stock in Energizer!  The swing also has several speed settings and can swing side to side, or you can switch it to a backward/forward motion setting.  Emmalee and Madeline both are "swing-babies" so this is one of my ultimate must-haves for baby.  I can sit Madeline in her swing just to "play" and look at the birds, or she'll nap here, so for me, this is one way that allows me some hands-free time.

{TWO}

SwaddleMe Blanet

  The swaddle blanket is my new BFF, y'all.  Emmalee was an incredible sleeper and I just swaddled, or tightly wrapped, her in a receiving blanket.  But Madeline is a wild-hands sleeper - she flails, like many babies do.  So I tried the swaddle blanket.  At first, she hated it and would scream.  Well, come to find out I was doing it wrong.  Once I watched a few videos and learned to tuck her hands down under her bottom, things improved - literally over night!  Now, Madeline loves being swaddled and sleeps GREAT!  She has consistantly (for almost 2 weeks now) slept for one 6 hour stretch, wakes and eats, then goes back to bed for another 4-5 hours.  So, I love the SwaddleMe blanket and it has greatly improved our quality of sleep! 

{THREE}

Moby Wrap

My personal choice for an infant carrier is the Moby Wrap. I was given a Boppy (sling style) carrier before Emmalee was born and she hated it, so I got the Moby.  Emmalee and I both loved it, so I've continued using it with Madeline. Since Madeline loves being held, especially in the evenings, I've been able to put her in the Moby and make dinner, fold clothes, play with Emmalee, etc.  It is definitely on my Favorites List! 

{FOUR}

Although Madeline doesn't have colic, I love Gripe Water.  It seems like Madeline ALWAYS has the hiccups - she had them 3 or 4 times a day while I was pregnant with her and she still has then a few times a day.  So, I always have a small bottle with equal parts tap water & Gripe Water that help so much when she has the hiccups, and can be a life saver when she is gassy. 

{FIVE}

My Crockpot!!

I LOVE my Crockpot, and if you have ever read any of my recipes, then you know I will cook just about anything in it.  This thing has been incredibly helpful in getting meals on the table.  I can put dinner on to cook in the morning (when Madeline naps the best), but can still have a reasonable dinner on my table with little effort by 6ish during her fussy period.  Its great, and I've been discovering so many great new recipes while I've been at home!  

So, what are some of the tricks or things you have up your sleeve to keep your life manageable with a new baby at home? 

Fabulous First Month

My sweet Madeline Grace,
I can't believe that I am typing the words that you are already one month old.  It seems like only a week has passed by since the day you were born.  All of my friends said that time seems to go by even faster when its baby #2, and its sad to say that they were correct.  Time seems to be flying by. 

You certainly are a sweet little baby.  Your two favorite things are your pacifier and your momma.  You are very much a momma's girl, which makes your daddy a little sad sometimes, but I promise him you'll be a daddy's girl faster than he realizes.

We are working on getting on a schedule, but you routinely go to bed around 9:30, wake up at 2:30-3 to eat, then again around 6:30. Some days you sleep a lot, but other days you like to be awake and play.  You are definitely a snuggler and your best naps are snuggled up next to your momma.  You eat about 3 oz. every 3 hours, and are finally over your birth weight.  At 18 days old, you were 8lbs .05 oz, and 20" long.  

Your big sister is your biggest fan.  Emmalee loves and adores you more than you can imagine.  You are the first thing she asks about in the morning, and the last thing she kisses before she goes to sleep.  I love having two sweet girls.  My prayer is that you and Emmalee grow up to be as close as me and your Aunt Cookie are.  

You are definitely an amazing addition to our family and we couldn't imagine life without you, sweet baby.

I love you,
Momma

Welcome to the World

On Monday, September 16, 2013d at 6:48 pm, we welcomed Madeline Grace Williams into the world!  Our hearts could not be more full. She weighed 7 lbs, 15 oz and was 19 3/4" long. 

 

Birth story coming tomorrow...