Because I love you

Kate. You are so very loved. 
You make my heart swell with so much love.
I sing to you a lot.  It's what calms you down.
I usually sing right before your eyelids close, so I know you can still hear me.
Tonight you were you.
Sweet,  loving Kate.
You heard my voice and looked up at me with the biggest tired, smiley eyes.
Then you snuggled your face back down and closed your eyes.
You did this multiple times until tears started to fall from my eyes. 
Love was leaking out of my face ;)

In the last two weeks you've grown so much and learned so many new things.   All those wakeful nights must have been leading to this.

You love to pick up cherrios from your high chair.
That's right you sit in high chairs like a pro.
You never really liked your bumbo,
Kept wanting to get out of it.
You can feed yourself cherrios too.
You are loving the sippy and think water is the greatest thing on earth.  (Just like your mom who drinks 90 ounces a day)

You started sleeping on your belly face down.
Gave me a scare the first few nights.  I checked on you countless times before finally giving into sleep.
But that's now the only way you sleep.
Except when you nap in mom & dads bed then you sprawl out on your back and take up so much room.

You love your blankies (gaze type) and hold part of them in your hand so you can stick it in your mouth and hold your thumb in your mouth.

You dont suck your thumb its just comforting to have in your mouth.

You still find the dog hilarious and laugh when he licks your toes.

You had your first hair cut this month. .. bye bye mohawk
You are trying to figure out crawling and it will probably happen in no time.

But you just drifted back to sleep again.
If only you knew how much I missed you at night,  and how much I'd love to snuggle you every night.  

Sleep sweet little one.

6 months

I can't believe it's already been six months.

Kate is so happy. She's fun.  She's giggly.
She loves sippy cups and cherrioes.
She is a mommas girl,  and can't stand to see me leave.
She enjoys playing pretend plane with dad.
She loves the song "if all the rain drops"
She falls asleep on her own
And loves to sleep on her tummy despite me turning her over to her back.
She loves textures and dog fur.
She's recently learned how to sit pretty well.
She loves being read to
And sung too.
She loves bananas,  apples and cucumbers.

At 6 months
Weight 14# 14 oz
Height 26.25
Head 16.5

She's tall and skinny.   She doesn't look little until she is next to her cousins.
She only cries if she's tired and even then it's rare.

4 months

She's such a happy kid.
We are lucky.
Aside from puking and attending church
She's content.
We spend church walking the hallway singing songs.

So here is an update

K loves:
Her toes and sucking on them
Biting her blankets
Blowing bubbles
Having her legs tickled
Sleeping at night
Bath time
And farting in the tub
She likes her Daddy's weird noises
And moms goofy faces
She loves the dog and smiles and laughs at him all day long
The church couches
Pulling on her clothes
People singing to her
People talking to her

She dislikes:
sitting in church
Standing in church
Sleeping in church
Being in the chapel

She can:
Roll almost from back to tummy
Hold up her head well
Touch her toes
Find her thumb
Suck on her toes
Grab toys you hold in front of her

She weighs 13 pounds 10 ounces
Is 25.25 inches tall
And has a 16 inch head!

She sleeps 10-12 hours a night
And has gone back to 1-2 hour naps!
No more 20 minute naps-

Fleeting

I love her little hand.
Her fingers.
Her wrinkles.
Gosh.
I love it all.
The great days far out weigh the hard days.
Everyday I watch her eyes,
She's learning.
It's one of those truly beautiful things.
I think we often forget how amazing that is.
How amazing it is to watch someone discover this beautiful world we live in.

She's 3 months tomorrow.

She just discovered her hands this week. 
She will sit and move her fingers and watch.
Intertwining her fingers.
She tries to roll,  not quite there.
She chuckles.  It melts me.
She's starting to get bashful when you smile at her.
She will pull her shoulders up near her face and turn her head...
Almost like... oh you're looking at me.

She talks your ear off and is making so many new sounds.
She loves mirrors and seeing herself.
She loves being talked to.
She's such a happy baby it's ridiculous. 

Fun facts

Diaper size: 2

Clothes: 3-6, some 6-9 

Still loves bath time!

Has slept through the night for 2 nights in a row

Two months

Girl Friend.
Where did the time go?
9 weeks already.
2 months.
Time slow down.

Fun facts
Diapers: size 1
Clothes: 3-6 months (she is tall)
Has found: her voice she loves to coo.
Her big old smile! She loves when you sing to her. Her fist! She loves to chew on her fist!
Can almost sleep through the night.

She is just happy. Strong and stubborn like her parents. She loves bath time and being talked to.  She gets mad if you suck her boogers out. Has the longest eye lashes (like her dad).  Has a mix of Dads sky blue eyes and Moms dark blue grey eyes.  She gets scared when the dog barks in her ears... to the point she cried for an hour last night because of it.

She likes noise and the tv on and loves to eat food.

We love you so much.

Moments

There are perfect moments.
The moments when I'm holding you
That make it worth it.

Being a mom is hard work.
It's exhausting most days.
And the short breaks I get
Are usually occupied by dishes
Or laundry...
Or grocery shopping.

Slowly but surely I'm getting the hang.
I feel confident in my parenting.
I love watching you smile.
I crave your warmth.
I feel like I have known you all my life.

A few years ago I was depressed. 
Depressed enough I didn't want to live anymore.
I prayed, oh how I prayed for a purpose.
I have very vivid dreams. 
Almost every night.
After months of longing to be gone from this world I had a dream.
I felt happy.
I was smiling.
I was sitting in a grassy field
Crossed legged
And this sweet little girl was sitting in my lap
She was only 3 or 4
Giggling as I tickled her toes.
She had curly blonde hair and deep blue eyes
I was peaceful and calm
All was right in this world.
She was perfect.
My reason to live.

I've known since then I was going to have a little girl first.
You brighten up our lives;
Make us better people.
Better parents.
Better teammates.

You have my heart forever.

He told me I wouldn't regret it.

On Sunday we say in our normal spot on the bench at church.
The dad next to me asked how old she was.
I replied "8 weeks this Tuesday"

We chatted about how quick they grow,
And how in a b blink they will be grown up.

Then he turned to me and said "take as many photos as you can a day,  you will never regret it."

He was right.  No photo of mine would ever be regretted.
I want to remember it all.

I have seen far too many friends lose husband's... children.
They don't regret the sneaky photo the wife took if the husband changing a diaper.
Or the funny face their son pulled just before he pooped.
Its those every day little moments that are so perfect.
So for now I will be so grateful that cell phones have good cameras,
And that modern day technologies allow me remember it all with photos.