Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Month Four?!

Amberly Faith Ditto,
Are you seriously 4 months old? Stop that.

 
 
Your immunizations were about a thousand times easier the second time around.
I know it's because Daddy gave you a Priesthood blessing beforehand this time! (And it helps that you now have some excellent cushioning on those beefy little legs..)
 

Your Stats:
Weight: 15 lbs. 2.5 oz. (71%)
Length 26 inches (98%) You're tall Lady Lou!
Head: 16 inches (53%)
 

 Mommy and Daddy's Recent Favorites:
Slow blinks when you're concentrating on someone
Analyzing people and situations
Your thunder thighs! Mommy is too proud.
Hearing you coo and babble to yourself or to your flower in your play gym.
The raised eyebrow/quizzical brow
(Showcased here)
 
 
Your Recent Favorites:
Blowing bubbles
Laughing at Mommy and Daddy when we stick our tongue out at you
Standing and strengthening those legs
Holding on to your rattle!
Sucking on your fists/hands
The sound of your own voice
Playing and laughing at Daddy
Having Daddy soothe you (we have much in common, Lady Lou)
Looking in the mirror, Ms. vanity
 
Your Dislikes:
Setting you down to swaddle you when you're tired - you get pretty offended by that
Tummy time - only a few minutes is tolerable
Neck stretches - still tilting down to the left you little goose!
Going down for naps - you are catching on so you tend to fight naptime.
 
You still only smile and really interact when you are in your own element, or an environment you are familiar with. Reminds me of your Daddy, who was pretty shy growing up. I always thought it would be pretty cute to have a shy child, I guess we'll see!
 
 
We finally took you to your first sporting event! Unfortunately it was right during your bedtime so needless to say, you didn't last too long. Our hoping you'd fall asleep there was all in vain, even with your stylish headphones! (which are still too big for you)
We spent most of the first half in the ticket office where it was less crazy and then Daddy drove us home during half time managing somehow not to crash the car he was in such a hurry. You were pretty fussy at the game, but we'll try again when you're a bit older, Little Miss.
 
Melt my heart

Aunty Brittany's birthday party. (She's like a sister to me so we call her Aunty)

Sleep:
We are still full of gratitude that you sleep anywhere from 8 to 11 hours per night. Most nights it's around 10.5 hours! We put you to bed around 9pm, and I normally do a dream fed about 10:30 right before my bedtime. Then you are a happy happy girl in the morning, all smiles and normally waking up about 7:30 or a little after 8am. Unless it's one of Mommy's work mornings, in which case I try to feed you a little earlier before I leave.
 
On rare occasions you'll wake up earlier, like 6:30 or 7am. These are some of my favorite mornings because I just feed you laying down in bed next to me and Daddy. I love to snuggle you right before I leave for the gym.
 
Like Father like Daughter. These little twinners love their sleep!
 
 
Oh and one time I caught you doing Michael Jackson's Thriller in your sleep...
 
My girl was born to dance.
 
 
But your favorite position to sleep is still like this!
Spread eagle
 
Sometimes I just feel like we are kindred spirits, you and I.
 
But goodness me are you crazy about your Daddy!
 
 
He is savoring every moment he has to be with you while I'm at work. We both know his long days with you are limited, as I finish up my job at the hospital next month. And he'll be studying like a mad man for the bar after he graduates.
 
He always gets his girl to laugh.
 
 
It is so fun to see you with your little girlfriends! Like your good friend Cora Jayne who came to visit all the way from NYC 
 
Little Besties for Life

And your girlfriend Ms. Hannah at church. Love love love!

 
You are just so loved by so many!
 
Grandma Ditto time

Both Grammies. We are so lucky to have these amazing women in our lives, Sweetheart!
 

 
 Seriously though Little Lady Lou, you are one special gal.
 
We all need comfy grand daddy's to take Sunday naps with, especially after daylight savings!
 


 
 Happy 4 months my beautiful, spirited girl.
 

Thursday, March 6, 2014

A Time and a Season

Exactly one year ago today, we did our first round of Intrauterine Insemination.
I couldn't allow myself to count on it working for the very first try (20% chance) -
But it did.

It was finally time.
8 months later to the day, Amberly Faith was born.
Eight months!
Life can change so quickly and drastically.

And today marks her precious life of four months.
I have a four month old baby! It still feels like a dream sometimes.
Indeed, these past four months feel like a blur.
Wasn't Halloween just a few weeks ago? When I dressed my prego belly up like Humpty Dumpty?

I keep thinking of this scripture lately, as it seems to be my theme in life.
Happy 4 months to my precious daughter. Crossing my fingers that her immunizations go much better the second time around...


Monday, March 3, 2014

10 Years

Life has slowed down immensely as I have become a mother -
In a really really good way.

I have so much more time to just think
and self reflect
and thank my Father in Heaven each day for my miracles.
For my daughter
And my husband who is still my best friend.

When Baby Girl and I walk with Jonathan to school,
I get to take the long route home
And just enjoy this gorgeous immerging spring. Spring and fall taste and feel so very different from each other, don't they. It is almost tangible.

The smell of the grass,
and that familiar feeling of change and rebirth in the air.

And today as I walked around the park I reflected on these past ten years.
Ten years that Provo has been my home, and suddenly that is all about to change. I have learned to truly appreciate this little town.

It is time to gather the moving boxes and begin that lengthy process that I love and dread at the same time. I love throwing things away and starting afresh in a new place. But I hate feeling overwhelmed with all the work that awaits me. Maybe our last move to Ohio and back again just left a bad taste in my mouth.

I know my real home is wherever Jonathan and Amberly are. So begins a new fork along the road of our lives as a family of three.

Let the new adventures begin.