Spelling Tuesday

Loralie is five weeks old today. Some days I think I am really getting the hang of this! I can change a diaper in seconds flat WITHOUT baby sticking her sock feet in poop. I am sleeping a little bit at night. I can get the darn car seat in and out of the car without brain damaging her. And then other days I feel like a complete disaster. Baby is crying, we are all off schedule, and I don't have a clue how to fix it. Overall though, motherhood has been fun so far. She is really smiling now (not just gas grimaces). Today when I heard the garage door opening, I told her Daddy was home, and she got the hugest grin on her face! She is getting pretty good at holding her head up and today we successfully sat in our bumpo chair, which she seemed to like. She likes to look at books (okay, she doesn't really look at them much, but I think she listens). She can follow toys with her eyes, and I have gotten her to hold a small rattle in her hand. Every day she seems a little cut...

So last year my friends and I were sharing our favorite Christmas traditions, and one girl said that everyone in her family always got new pajamas for Christmas and wore them on Christmas eve. I thought that was a really fun idea, so now that Loralie has come along, it got me thinking about that. The plan was to sew matching Christmas PJ's for me, Caleb and Loralie. I scoured the frigging city for Christmas flannel, and could only find cotton. Finally, at Hancock fabrics they had a measley selection of Christmas flannel to choose from. But when I got it up to the cutting table I noticed the tag that said "Warning, does not meet flame retardant standars for children's sleepware!" So I was picturing my little girl going up in flames... not very merry. So, plan B is that I bought us all Christmas PJ that don't match- look for awesome pictures to come!

Loralie is finally big enough to fit into her cloth diapers! We started them this week. We are still using sposies at night, not because they leak less (I have had just as many leaks in the sposies as the cloth), but because I don't want to have to rinse poop into the toilet in the middle of the night. I bought three brands to try and the Happy Heinies are the clear winners. I will be ordering some more of those. The diapers are so tiny that they barely make a dent in the laundry (I just wash them with the rest of her clothes). Poopy diapers get a rinse in the toilet with a sprayer hose. It take about ten seconds. And the sposies definately stink up the nursery more! So, all in all I am really happy with them! I guess this makes me an official breast feeding, cloth diapering, baby sling wearing hippy mom!

A question for all my friends who used the "baby wise" method-- were you always able to wake baby up after each feeding during the day? Sometimes Loralie wakes right up and stays awake for 15-30 minutes- other times it is impossible to wake her up! I try everything, including stripping her down, changing her diaper, putting wet wash cloths on her, tickling her, going up and down the stairs...etc, etc, etc. She just sleeps right through it. Also, when you put them down to sleep, do you wait until they are mostly asleep/sleepy to lay them down, or do you lay them down when they are wide awake? How long did you let them cry? Do you ever go and get them out of their bed early? I find this whole process really irritating, but I do think it is what is best for her. I want her to be able to fall asleep on her own, in her own bed! But I am not really digging this "cry it out" part. Last night she cried from 8pm-2am!!! She wasn't hungry, wet, or cold. She ju...

Yesterday was Loralie's baby dedication at church. That is basically when parents get up in front of the church and promise to help their children live Godly lives by teaching them God's word, bringing them to church, and leading by example. The pastor also prayed a special blessing over the babies and parents. Look how cute!

Despite the fact that I am bleary with no sleep, weepy with hormones, and lumpy around the middle, I can honestly say I have never been happier in my whole life. I feel so blessed. Every time I look at my amazing husband, and my beautiful daughter, I just thank God for them both. I couldn't have picked out a more perfect family! This morning I was just staring at Loralie and wishing that she would never get any bigger! I want her to stay my little baby forever! Caleb is doing such a great job. He is a really great dad, and an awesome partner. I know I would be folding under the crying that come with "getting baby on a shedule" if it weren't for him. He just calmly reminds me that this is just the first of many hard lessons we have to teach our daughter, and she will be a happier, better adjusted person when she learns to sleep on her own! Always the voice of reason!

Loralie's first Halloween was pretty uneventful. We just stayed home and passed out candy. I think she really enjoyed herself though....