Lilly is 5 Months Old...

Sweet Lilly,
You are FIVE months old now! I cannot believe you are almost half way to your first birthday! I've had many people tell me how fast these years will fly, and they are so right! Here's what you've been up to this month...

You started eating baby food this month, and Mommy and Daddy have been impressed with how much you love it! You eat apples, pears, bananas, and sweet potatoes.

(this was your first bite of sweet potatoes...your expression is priceless! wonder who you get your sassy attitude from??)

You love to drive your pink Mustang GT convertible. I think your favorite thing is being able to see Chaucer and touch him. He follows you everywhere you drive!

Bath time has gotten A LOT more difficult because you are becoming more mobile. You think its hilarious to roll over in the tub and splash!

We had a little mini photo shoot, and you were SO busy talking and laughing that we didn't get many great pictures. You literally talk non-stop now. Our favorite thing is when you get SO excited and you close your eyes so tight and just squeal. It is absolutely precious!

You got your second set of shots this month, and you did GREAT! You couldn't stop staring at your glittery band-aids on your sweet little legs.

You weigh 15 pounds, and are 25 and 1/2 inches long.

You went for your first swim and HATED it, but you sure looked precious in your swimsuit!

You LOVE going to church, and you are usually SO well behaved, but you had your first meltdown in the church nursery this month. They paged us in church, and Daddy went first to try to calm you down. It wasn't working so he called Mommy to come get you! You were fine. I think they just waited too long to feed you, and you LOST it!

You are still sleeping SO well. You take one 3-4 hour nap during the day, and you sleep about 12-14 hours at night. Mommy and Daddy are SO blessed!
You wear a size 2 diaper now, but when this package runs out, we are upgrading to size 3 because they are starting to look like bikini bottoms on you!
You wear 6-9 month clothes now! Daddy has banned Mommy from buying any more clothes for you!

Who knew you could bring such joy to our lives. You are a true gift from God, Lilly and we are SO thankful that He chose us to be your parents. What a huge responsibility and blessing wrapped into one cute little rolly package! We love you more than you will EVER know! Happy FIVE months!
Love,
Mommy

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2 months...
3 months...
4 months...
5 months...

Lilly is 4 months old...

(you took a tumble during your photo shoot today, and you thought it was HILARIOUS!)

Lilly,

You are FOUR months old today! Here's what you have been up to:

• You started eating rice cereal with a spoon twice a day.
  

• Daddy learned to multitask because he was on call this week while mommy worked 3 nights.
  

• You love to sit in your highchair and watch Chaucer's every move.
  

• You got your first baby doll this month, and you LOVE it!
  

• You are still an excellent sleeper at night, but you have started to not do as well napping during the day. As long as you are still sleeping 12+ hours at night, who cares??
• You've started wanting to go to bed between 7 and 7:15, which is excellent, but Mommy and Daddy have definitely changed how much they go out to dinner these days. We eat A LOT of TV dinners! HA!
  

• You celebrated your first Fourth of July, and you were ridiculously cute in your crab dress!
  

• You eat about 4-5 ounces every 3 hours.
• I'm thinking you weigh about 16 pounds.
• You still wear mostly 3 month and 6 month clothes.
• You talk and laugh NONSTOP now...Mommy and Daddy just LOVE IT!
  
• You CAN roll both ways now, but have only done it a couple of times. Why bother rolling if all you have to do is make the slightest noise and someone gets what you want?!?!
  

• You celebrated Daddy's first Father's Day. He loves you to the moon and back, Lilly. I look forward to seeing you steal his heart more and more!
• Mommy has started working nights again in order to spend more time with you during the week. That means Daddy has to be the one to put you to sleep three nights a week. I think you've taken it easy on him for the most part...expect for the time you threw up on him. From what he tells me, you REALLY got him good!
  

(Chaucer wanted his picture taken while I was taking your's today. He never gets any attention anymore, so I thought I'd let him in on your post!)
We love you so much Lilly! Daddy and I never dreamed you would steal our hearts like you have. You are a true delight.
Love,
Mommy

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2 months...

3 months...
4 months...

Lilly is 3 Months Old...

(you are SO LONG that you have a blown snap in your onsie)

Lilly,

You are THREE months old today. Here's what you are up to...

• You still eat about every 3 to 4 hours during the day, and you sleep 8 to 10 hours at night.
• When you take a bottle, you eat about 5 ounces.
• You eat around 8 or 9 o'clock every night and wake up sometime between 4 and 6 o'clock the next morning.
• Mommy has gone back to work, so we are so thankful that you are sleeping so well.
• You are also officially sleeping in your crib and not in the bassinet in our room.
• You still smile constantly and you are babbling TONS!
• You weigh between 13 and 14 pounds if I had to guess.
• You still love playing on your play mat and listening to music in your room. Mommy is VERY thankful that you will spend some quiet time in your room during the day so I can get some things done.
• You still have LOTS of hair, but you have a big bald spot on the left side of your head from rubbing it while you fall asleep at night. I'm REALLY hoping the rest of your hair will stay put!
• You are getting better at holding you head up, but have made very few attempts to roll over.
• Your reflux is SO much better. You hardly ever spit up anymore, but you drool constantly. I'm hoping that's not a sign of teeth this soon!
• Your BeBe and YaYa came over for lunch one day and played ALL day with you! We discovered your love for books...you are SO much like your daddy!

You are still as precious as you were the day we brought you home. Looking forward to what you'll do next month!

Love,

Mommy

1 month...

2 months...

3 months...

Mother's Day...

What a GREAT day today has been! Not only was it my first Mother's Day, but it was Lilly's baby dedication as well. So many of our family and friends came today to support Lilly. Michael and I are truly grateful for each of them taking time out of their day to show their support not only for Lilly, but for us as her parents. She really is a very loved little girl!
As I thought about the meaning of today, it really weighed on my mind what a HUGE job Michael and I have as parents to raise Lilly to be a godly woman. When I see what children today are faced with, it truly scares me to think about how much more she will face as she grows up. As parents, you want your child to be SO MANY things: well-liked, successful, smart, beautiful, etc. I could even go as far as naming petty things such as keeping her room clean, being homecoming queen or valedictorian, having her daddy's sharpness and her mommy's athleticism...
But as her Mom today, I am honestly just overwhelmed with the huge task that is before us, and all I can do is pray. I think that's the only thing that will get me through the next 20+ years, and I am so glad that God gives us the gift of talking to Him...it brings me such comfort. So today, the day we pledge as parents to raise Lilly as Christian parents, I pray:

• that she will fear God and grasp the sacrifice He made for us by sending Jesus to die for us and truly thirst for Him.
• that she will trust in Him and allow Him to direct her paths in life.
  
• that she will have integrity and hold high standards.
• that she will respect herself, others, and authority.
  
• that she will put on the full armor of God in order to resist the temptations of the world.
• that she will display the Fruits of the Spirit.
• the she will be pure.
  
• that she will be salt and light in this sinful, lost world.
  
• that she will have a servant's heart and strive to make a difference.
• that she will understand what really matters in life.

I am SO thankful and in awe that God chose me to be Lilly's mom. What an awesome gift she is.

Lilly is 2 Months Old...

Lilly,
You are TWO months old today! You are such an easy and sweet baby. I can't even explain how much Daddy and I have enjoyed these past two months. Here's what you are up to...

• You still eat about every 3 to 4 hours during the day, and you have slept as long as 10 hours at night!
• When you take a bottle, you eat about 5 ounces now!! BIG GIRL!!
• You eat around 8 or 9 o'clock every night and wake up sometime between 4 and 6 o'clock the next morning! You are such a great sleeper!

• You still sleep in your Nap Nanny or in your bassinet in our room. We are hoping to move you to your crib in the next couple of weeks, but I wouldn't hold us to it :)
  
• You are starting to be awake for longer periods during the day now, and you LOVE to play, smile, and talk while you're awake!
• You smile all the time now, and you have started to coo in the last 3 days. I know one day I will wish you didn't talk so much, but right now it's the sweetest sound in the world!

• Your play mat is your new favorite thing! You love to hit the toys and smile.

• You weigh 12 pounds!!!
• You wear mostly 3 month clothes and size 2 diapers.
  
• You went to church for the first time Easter Sunday, and you did great!

• The Easter Bunny was VERY good to you!

• You also got your shots this month. You cried SO HARD, but quieted down pretty fast. You ran a low-grade fever and wanted your mommy a lot, but I didn't mind :)

You are the sweetest baby, Lilly! Mommy and Daddy love you TONS! We can't wait tp see what next month brings :)

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2 months...