5.28.2013

Just a Spectacular Weekend

We were blessed to have my mom and her husband come down Friday through Sunday. They're promising to move here in 3 years (quit playing games with my heart, Mom. Nothing's stopping you from moving sooner! Well maybe my brother graduating in 3 years, but that's just a minor detail.) Anna loved spending time with her Mami and Paul-Paul and I loved seeing them love on our little girl. There's something special about your own Mom loving on your daughter. It reminded me that the love I have for Anna is the same love my mom has for me. I can't even imagine the love I'll have for this girl when she's my age now. Wow! That's a lot of love going around! And then a grandma's love is just something else, there's nothing like it. Three years can't come soon enough!

not the best quality but it'll do :)
We had Monday to just the three of us and it was glorious! While we LOVE having guests, especially family, it was nice to just have a day to ourselves. We decided to spend Memorial Day hiking at Crowders Mountain State Park. This was my third time to Crowders (first and second) and Anna's second hiking experience. We knew it'd be better than my second time considering I'm not 5+ months pregnant but with Anna not sleeping like she was at 8 weeks old hiking in Yosemite, we weren't sure how the day was going to pane out. We should've had an idea what kind of day it was going to look like knowing Anna hates being in her ergo carrier. I guess I was hoping for just one day she'd have a change of heart and enjoy being strapped onto me or her father. Nope.

This is how it started. She didn't seem to mind hanging on Daddy's back.
Yeah, that lasted about 2.5 seconds. Five minutes in and she was not having it. Travis even said, "it's not too late to turn back now." Seriously? No, we are making it to the top of this mountain even if we have a screaming baby! So a screaming baby in an ergo turned into this:



We made it to the top with Travis either carrying Anna on his shoulders or on her stomach in his arms, but most importantly she was smiling and not crying! Mommy and Daddy were happy too (relieved is more like it!)
At one point on the way down I had to put Anna back in the ergo because Travis and I both needed our hands free to climb off of some pretty big rocks. She fussed at first but then it turned into a hum--not a get me out of here hum, more like an I want to hear myself hum. I started quietly singing "she'll be coming around the mountain when she comes"; not sure why, it just seemed fitting being up on a mountain and all. And wouldn't you know it, this happened:

Break out the Hallelujah chorus!!! But only in a whisper because we've got a light sleeper on our hands (or in the carrier, rather).  

Would you just look at those eyelashes? Just look at them! 
She stayed like this for most of the way down before she awoke and then didn't want to have anything to do with the ergo once again. With about a half a mile to spare Travis took her on his shoulders or in his arms after his shoulders started throbbing until we finally reached our car. Phew, what a day! A spectacular day really. It's our life now, to tote around a child. We're not as free as we used to be--not that it's taken me 8 months to realize, I realized it much sooner. I'm constantly reminded of how our lives have changed whenever we do anything that seemed so easy before Anna came. But it's a good GREAT life, and I wouldn't want it any other way. Hiking as a family of three beats hiking just the two of us any day!

5.21.2013

8 Months of Joy

Remember when I was a basket case and cried everyday because I wasn't ready for Anna to grow up? Well I've moved on to bigger and better things. My tears have turned to laughter. I LOVE the age Anna's at right now. Eight months--wow! I'm still reluctant for her to grow up but she's learning new things everyday and it's amazing to see. All I can do it laugh. She's (kind of) crawling--more like pulling but the girl gets around. She's found her voice and has a piercing scream that can be heard throughout any supermarket. Oh, and she's a little monster--she literally growls, like a little monster! We have no idea where she got this from but whenever we bring her close to our hair she grabs it and then growls like she's going to eat it! She's an absolute goofball, and it's no wonder with the parents she has! She looks to her Daddy when she wants to have fun and wants her Mama when she needs a little TLC. This girl has got our hearts and I have a feeling she's not going to let go anytime soon.


You can almost hear her growling here!
She loves spitting and playing with her tongue.
 Those eyes, those piercing "green/blue/brown/whatcolorarethey?" eyes!

5.15.2013

Thank You, Hallmark!

For creating a holiday designed to honor mothers because, let me tell you, Sunday was glorious! Sleeping in until 8 am (yes, 8 am is sleeping in for me now), napping in the afternoon, not having to lift a finger to do anything, and being told all day long what an amazing mother I am (said by Travis for Anna, of course) was the perfect way to celebrate motherhood. Not to mention, it was a beautiful day--exactly the kind of weather you'd want on a mothers day--so we enjoyed an hour or so in the park as well.

Anna's learning how to give kisses. What a great mothers day gift!
One of my favorite pictures from the day but look closely! Anna's nose has been running for 3 weeks now. When does the runny nose phase end?

Thank you, Anna, for making me a mommy! I've loved every minute--even waking up every morning at 6 am (not a morning person), being spit up and snotted on, and the incessant crying when all you want is to be held. It's all worth it! It is all worth it especially when I walk into the room you're in and your face lights up and your hands move in circles because you just can't contain your excitement or when I go to get you in the morning from your crib and you greet me with the biggest hug or when all I say is "Anna" and you look at me with a huge smile or when you look into my eyes while you're nursing and I know you're telling me that you love me. 

Agh, I just can't get over this little babe! I never knew my heart could love so much and yet it continues to grow bigger and bigger as she gets older. I've told Travis several times I hope Anna never doubts my love for her. I hope she always knows, I hope she can always feel it, I hope I always do a good job of showing it. Becoming a mommy has been the best thing in the world... and having a day devoted just to me makes it that much grander!  


5.01.2013

Brusha, Brusha, Brusha!

The tooth that we thought would never come and has been teasing us for the past 2 months, amid the drool, has finally popped through! Along with it came a runny nose (I am convinced that teething and a runny nose coincide) and the chance to buy Anna's first toothbrush...YAY!!! The runny nose made for a few sleepless nights and a few doses of Tylenol yet brought even more cuddle time, so who's complaining? But the fun part was experimenting with brushing our teeth!



Trying to start Anna off right, no cavities here, please!

Family of three toothbrushes!