We are pretty much constantly amused and enamored by you, our darling apple blossom.
happy seven months, can't wait to see what's next.
xoxo
mommy pants and daddy pants
Friday, June 22, 2012
Seven is heaven
We are pretty much constantly amused and enamored by you, our darling apple blossom.
happy seven months, can't wait to see what's next.
xoxo
mommy pants and daddy pants
Monday, May 21, 2012
Six months later...
Dearest Lyla Jane,
Today you are six months old. SIX MONTHS. It simultaneously feels like the longest and shortest six months of my life. It is so hard to wrap my head around that this time last year I was barely pregnant with you. I believe you were a mango at this point? Maybe a little bigger. And now, my dear, you are a little person. A loving, giggling, grabbing, scooting, little person.
I had some intention to write you these monthly love letters, as I had seen other mother's do. But the truth is that I'm not very good at that sort of thing, so I told myself that a six month love letter would be just as powerful and mean just as much to you (and me) as a monthly one. We've been documenting your life in other ways. Pictures! I literally have no space left on my phone for photos, and they are 98% of you! I even have the pictures from when you first came home, I can't take them off, what if I need to see how tiny you were? I've also been keeping little notes about all the milestones you've been hitting, all the firsts you are experiencing. So while I may not be the greatest archivist out there (we'll leave that for your librarian grandma!) I want you to know that every single little thing you do is celebrated and even if it slips through the cracks of tangible documentation know that they are all inside your father's and my hearts.
It's funny, this feeling of pride we have for you! You are learning so fast, every day is something new that blows us away. The strength and determination you little babies have is amazing, what you all accomplish in the first year is crazy. If your dad or I tried to learn as many new things in one year we would never make it! We would be exhausted, we would be cranky, we would just never be able to do it. And yet, every day something new and you still wake up (mostly) with a smile on your face and the determination to learn something new again! I hope that we can nurture this in you and that your curiosity continues to grow. And that you never outgrow the ability to do this all with a smile on your face.
Speaking of smiles. Holy cow baby girl! You've got one heartmelting smile, and you just recently figured out how to use it. You'll look shyly at strangers, look away, and look back and give them a big fat grin. HEART. MELTING. You've always been pretty smiley, from day one you liked to give a grin whenever you had something stirring in your belly (or bum!). From there it was a smile for me or your dad, and then the grandmas. You started giving big smiles to the grandpas too! Oh boy, those were the most effective ones, those little smiles are going to get you whatever you want from those guys! But now, you smile for everyone who happens to look your way. :)
Our favorite smiles are morning smiles. Sigh. You used to give them to us when you were sleeping in our room, and I was nervous we wouldn't catch them anymore when you moved into your own room. But no! They got bigger! When we walk into your room to get you for breakfast you'll pop your head up and give us the biggest smile EVER. Your little turtle old man smile, you use your whole face and your eyes and you are straining your head as high as you can to see us...oh hey, can you tell we're a little bit in love with you? just a litte bit!
And now my little bean you are laughing. At me. A lot. For no reason! Sometimes for reason, but sometimes none at all. Daddy was the first to make you laugh, and then Papa. For awhile they were the only ones who could make you laugh, and then Meemaw! And then you started giggling for Grandpa and Grandma. And poor me, I was the last to be able to make you laugh! And now...sometimes you just look at me and start laughing! Just like your dad...
Did I just write three paragraphs about your smile?!?! Maybe I should do these monthly. One thing your mother isn't is short winded. Blah blah blah...oh, but then again neither are you!You babble away to anyone who will listen, including panda, strangers, and your stuffed animals. mamammama, babababba, gagagaga...and our favorite wah, wah, wah, said very breathlessly followed by a huge loud squeal!
We love you so much. We love the person you are becoming. We love watching your personality develop and we love that it includes so much happiness. You are our little happy baby. Even when things are hard (which they can be!) you are still a light hearted soul. This is such a relief to me baby girl. I was a little heavy hearted as a child and as a baby, and you appear to be as light as a breeze. So far :) Who knows what the next six months will bring, and the six after that...and on and on. Whoever you become we will love you as much if not more than we do today. And that is a lot my little bean.
Let's see. Some stuff about you:
1. You are funny. You make funny noises, you laugh at us, you squeal when you see panda (she is not so sure about your petting skills yet!).
2. You sleep like your parents. Thank you.
3. You are a tall skinny baby! We have your six month appt tomorrow so we'll see how tall and skinny exactly. But your naked little baby body is sooooo long. Oh! And we love your baby thighs. Smooshy baby thighs! Ham hocks!
4. You are helping, trying to hold the bottle when daddy feeds you, holding the boob when mommy is feeding you, trying to hold the spoon when it's solids time, and lifting your toosh for diaper changes.
5. You are eating solids twice a day! This week is squash and bananas, you love the spoon, you love the food!
6. You are very independent, you love sitting on your blanket and playing by yourself with your empty tupperwares and balls and books. You also love playing in your jumperoo! Sometimes you just hang out, after you wake up, in your crib talking to yourself.
7. Your hair is coming in blonde so far! Sometimes it looks red...sometimes brown. Pretty much we STILL DON'T KNOW what color hair you are going to have.
8. You've been to two weddings, on an airplane, in a taxi, a bus, a boat, a shuttle, a subway. You've been to Chicago, Portland, and Iowa.
9. You LOVE to dance.
10. Your dad is the most doting helpful father ever.
11. Lyla bean, Lima Bean, Lil Bean, Lyla Jane, Beany Pants, Baby pants, little buddy, bean machine, baby girl, smiles, sweets, booger......
Ok beany pants. We love you. Happy six month birthday baby girl, we can't wait to see what the next six months bring...
with more love than all the beans on all the stalks in all the world,
mommy and daddy
Today you are six months old. SIX MONTHS. It simultaneously feels like the longest and shortest six months of my life. It is so hard to wrap my head around that this time last year I was barely pregnant with you. I believe you were a mango at this point? Maybe a little bigger. And now, my dear, you are a little person. A loving, giggling, grabbing, scooting, little person.
I had some intention to write you these monthly love letters, as I had seen other mother's do. But the truth is that I'm not very good at that sort of thing, so I told myself that a six month love letter would be just as powerful and mean just as much to you (and me) as a monthly one. We've been documenting your life in other ways. Pictures! I literally have no space left on my phone for photos, and they are 98% of you! I even have the pictures from when you first came home, I can't take them off, what if I need to see how tiny you were? I've also been keeping little notes about all the milestones you've been hitting, all the firsts you are experiencing. So while I may not be the greatest archivist out there (we'll leave that for your librarian grandma!) I want you to know that every single little thing you do is celebrated and even if it slips through the cracks of tangible documentation know that they are all inside your father's and my hearts.
It's funny, this feeling of pride we have for you! You are learning so fast, every day is something new that blows us away. The strength and determination you little babies have is amazing, what you all accomplish in the first year is crazy. If your dad or I tried to learn as many new things in one year we would never make it! We would be exhausted, we would be cranky, we would just never be able to do it. And yet, every day something new and you still wake up (mostly) with a smile on your face and the determination to learn something new again! I hope that we can nurture this in you and that your curiosity continues to grow. And that you never outgrow the ability to do this all with a smile on your face.
Speaking of smiles. Holy cow baby girl! You've got one heartmelting smile, and you just recently figured out how to use it. You'll look shyly at strangers, look away, and look back and give them a big fat grin. HEART. MELTING. You've always been pretty smiley, from day one you liked to give a grin whenever you had something stirring in your belly (or bum!). From there it was a smile for me or your dad, and then the grandmas. You started giving big smiles to the grandpas too! Oh boy, those were the most effective ones, those little smiles are going to get you whatever you want from those guys! But now, you smile for everyone who happens to look your way. :)
Our favorite smiles are morning smiles. Sigh. You used to give them to us when you were sleeping in our room, and I was nervous we wouldn't catch them anymore when you moved into your own room. But no! They got bigger! When we walk into your room to get you for breakfast you'll pop your head up and give us the biggest smile EVER. Your little turtle old man smile, you use your whole face and your eyes and you are straining your head as high as you can to see us...oh hey, can you tell we're a little bit in love with you? just a litte bit!
And now my little bean you are laughing. At me. A lot. For no reason! Sometimes for reason, but sometimes none at all. Daddy was the first to make you laugh, and then Papa. For awhile they were the only ones who could make you laugh, and then Meemaw! And then you started giggling for Grandpa and Grandma. And poor me, I was the last to be able to make you laugh! And now...sometimes you just look at me and start laughing! Just like your dad...
Did I just write three paragraphs about your smile?!?! Maybe I should do these monthly. One thing your mother isn't is short winded. Blah blah blah...oh, but then again neither are you!You babble away to anyone who will listen, including panda, strangers, and your stuffed animals. mamammama, babababba, gagagaga...and our favorite wah, wah, wah, said very breathlessly followed by a huge loud squeal!
We love you so much. We love the person you are becoming. We love watching your personality develop and we love that it includes so much happiness. You are our little happy baby. Even when things are hard (which they can be!) you are still a light hearted soul. This is such a relief to me baby girl. I was a little heavy hearted as a child and as a baby, and you appear to be as light as a breeze. So far :) Who knows what the next six months will bring, and the six after that...and on and on. Whoever you become we will love you as much if not more than we do today. And that is a lot my little bean.
Let's see. Some stuff about you:
1. You are funny. You make funny noises, you laugh at us, you squeal when you see panda (she is not so sure about your petting skills yet!).
2. You sleep like your parents. Thank you.
3. You are a tall skinny baby! We have your six month appt tomorrow so we'll see how tall and skinny exactly. But your naked little baby body is sooooo long. Oh! And we love your baby thighs. Smooshy baby thighs! Ham hocks!
4. You are helping, trying to hold the bottle when daddy feeds you, holding the boob when mommy is feeding you, trying to hold the spoon when it's solids time, and lifting your toosh for diaper changes.
5. You are eating solids twice a day! This week is squash and bananas, you love the spoon, you love the food!
6. You are very independent, you love sitting on your blanket and playing by yourself with your empty tupperwares and balls and books. You also love playing in your jumperoo! Sometimes you just hang out, after you wake up, in your crib talking to yourself.
7. Your hair is coming in blonde so far! Sometimes it looks red...sometimes brown. Pretty much we STILL DON'T KNOW what color hair you are going to have.
8. You've been to two weddings, on an airplane, in a taxi, a bus, a boat, a shuttle, a subway. You've been to Chicago, Portland, and Iowa.
9. You LOVE to dance.
10. Your dad is the most doting helpful father ever.
11. Lyla bean, Lima Bean, Lil Bean, Lyla Jane, Beany Pants, Baby pants, little buddy, bean machine, baby girl, smiles, sweets, booger......
Ok beany pants. We love you. Happy six month birthday baby girl, we can't wait to see what the next six months bring...
with more love than all the beans on all the stalks in all the world,
mommy and daddy
Monday, February 6, 2012
One and two and...
How is possible to get so much more ridiculously cute in just one month? Slow down baby girl, you are blowing all our minds!We love you more than all the seeds in all the apples in all of time.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
The very first days...
Dear Lyla,
...or Baby Girl, or Lima Bean, or Lyla Bean, or Lyla Bear, Little Bean. Or smoosh face, or lovey pants, or squishy bum, or whatever ridiculous nickname you inspire on any given day. In your first hour I called you so many different things the nurses made fun of me! Speaking of your first hours I thought I would take this brief and rare moment alone to tell you about them. You and your daddy are taking a bath right now. He has to go to work tomorrow so he gets to hang out with you tonight.
I know it's been two months since those first hours but they still feel like yesterday. And I'm sorry I haven't been writing anything on here. I have been keeping track of all the amazing things you have been doing every second of every day. I have a little list. Like the day of your first party, and the first time Meemaw watched you all by yourself, and your first lunch out with Gramma. But I haven't written about the day you were born, until now.
Mommy started feeling you pushing and tugging in there more than usual on Sunday November 20th. I had already had one false start so I wanted to make sure this one was real, so your dad and I just lazed about all day watching football and eating mac and cheese and pbnj's. It was really lovely. I had woken up at 7 that morning and took a shower because my back had hurt so bad, so I had a feeling that something was different and by 4pm I was sure. And so was your dad. At this point I would have to stop whatever I was doing for every contraction so we decided to go to the hospital! Holy crap! We took our time packing up and I took a shower and we slowly made our way...very slowly because I had a contraction on our way to the car, and then from the car to the labor and delivery room. I couldn't believe it was really happening! You were going to actually come out and see us! Omygoodness. The excitement was unreal, the pain was bizarre, and the reality of everything was so nice and comforting. This journey we'd been on had been so crazy and here it was coming to the best part, you!
I should back up for a second and talk about the scheduled C section that was on the calendar for the very next day. I was really stressed about this whole thing because I didn't want to pick your birthday. But the doctors didn't want us to go any longer because you were so big already. Sigh. I cried and cried the week before...I was so grateful, my baby girl, that you decided to make the decision on your own. I really need to thank you for that. What ended up happening was not my ideal birthing situation, but I am forever thankful that you let me know it was ok. And that you picked your birthday.
So! When we got to the hospital they hooked us up to all kinds of things to see how we were doing. And everything was great. Except my water hadn't broken and I wasn't very dilated. Which meant all this pain wasn't doing much. We decided to stay in the hospital anyways as we had the c section scheduled for the next morning. If you decided to make some progress we'd be able to go ahead and birth you the good old fashioned way. And if you didn't, well, the surgeons and doctors would be ready for us. We had the option to just do the c section that night but I wanted to give you a chance. So your dad and I hunkered down for the evening and made some calls. The contractions were steady all night but more and more painful and mostly in my lower back. Your mom totally wimped out at this point, I was tired and possibly delirious by 4 am and after some really great help from the nurses and a good conversation with your dad we decided to get mommy some pain killers. The doctors checked on your progress at this point. If I hadn't been so relieved to have a break from the pain I might have been devastated that there was no progress. Instead I was glad to get some sleep. Even if it was just an hour. That next morning we had to make the final decision to try to go old fashioned or stay with the c section. When we found out that we had barely made any progress (again, sigh, only 2 more inches, 12 hours and 2 inches.) the doctors told us they wanted us to do the c section. At this point the whole family was almost here! So your daddy and I decided we wanted to meet you and for you to join us as healthy and safe as possible. At 9:40 I was wheeled down the the operating room, you and I hung out while they prepped me, I asked for you daddy a million times. Finally, at 9:55 your daddy came in and they started! A very fast 20 minutes went by and I heard you cry, and they all gasped at your size, and your dad started crying and they held you up so I could see and the first words out of my mouth were "she has light hair!" The rest is such a blur. They let daddy hold you and hold you next to me and he was so in love baby girl, it was amazing. And you were here, my little buddy was really here. It was so much emotion all swirling around. Meeting you gave a whole new meaning to overwhelming. Overwhelming love, overwhelming surprise, overwhelming happiness, overwhelming responsibility! They took you away to clean you up and make sure you were as perfect as we thought you were. Your dad was crying and I was telling them to hurry up and stitch me back up and I guess I was yelling because they gave me something to calm me down and the next thing I know I'm being rolled back to see you and daddy. He got to go with you right away, he helped give you your first bath and change your first diaper (his first diaper change, EVER!).
And then I got to hold you, and kiss you, and love all up on you, and feed you, and smell you, and watch you, and touch you, and love you so much. And I didn't ever want to let you go. I still don't ever want to let you go.
Your whole family was there waiting for you. So when we got to our recovery room we let them all in and let them all hold you and love you too. They thanked us. That's how amazing you are. Everyone was just thankful to get to be near you, to hold you, to love you. It's such a fuzzy memory that day. I know that it has to do with the meds they give you for the surgery, but I think a lot of it is just that it's so much love running through you it creates this euphoric state of bliss that makes everything all run together. I remember mostly the way you fit in my arms, like I was built and you were built just to fit together. Like puzzle pieces. My arms and your little body. And I remember how in awe your daddy was. How in love with you he was instantly. And how he kept telling me how proud of me he was. And sometimes he would look at us, you in my arms, and he would start crying. Because of all the happiness.
We got to take you home a few days later, on Thanksgiving. My little butterball came home with us on Thanksgiving evening. You got to meet Panda bear for the first time, and we got to all curl up as one big family in our bed that night. It's so funny to think back to that first night. How strange our house felt, after being gone for only a few days. Like we'd been gone for years. Everything was different, looked different, smelled different, felt different. What had been a house before became a home. Every move we made was with caution and intention. You and I would sleep for hours. Daddy made dinner and took care of Panda bear. It was a quiet lovely time...a time that we will always remember. A time that seems so long ago, but baby girl it's only been two months! And I have so much more to tell you about those two months, but for now you'll have to wait. You are currently asleep in your bouncy chair after your bath and it is just about time for you to have a snack and go to bed.
We love you more than all the apples on all the trees that ever were.
xoxo
...or Baby Girl, or Lima Bean, or Lyla Bean, or Lyla Bear, Little Bean. Or smoosh face, or lovey pants, or squishy bum, or whatever ridiculous nickname you inspire on any given day. In your first hour I called you so many different things the nurses made fun of me! Speaking of your first hours I thought I would take this brief and rare moment alone to tell you about them. You and your daddy are taking a bath right now. He has to go to work tomorrow so he gets to hang out with you tonight.
I know it's been two months since those first hours but they still feel like yesterday. And I'm sorry I haven't been writing anything on here. I have been keeping track of all the amazing things you have been doing every second of every day. I have a little list. Like the day of your first party, and the first time Meemaw watched you all by yourself, and your first lunch out with Gramma. But I haven't written about the day you were born, until now.
Mommy started feeling you pushing and tugging in there more than usual on Sunday November 20th. I had already had one false start so I wanted to make sure this one was real, so your dad and I just lazed about all day watching football and eating mac and cheese and pbnj's. It was really lovely. I had woken up at 7 that morning and took a shower because my back had hurt so bad, so I had a feeling that something was different and by 4pm I was sure. And so was your dad. At this point I would have to stop whatever I was doing for every contraction so we decided to go to the hospital! Holy crap! We took our time packing up and I took a shower and we slowly made our way...very slowly because I had a contraction on our way to the car, and then from the car to the labor and delivery room. I couldn't believe it was really happening! You were going to actually come out and see us! Omygoodness. The excitement was unreal, the pain was bizarre, and the reality of everything was so nice and comforting. This journey we'd been on had been so crazy and here it was coming to the best part, you!
I should back up for a second and talk about the scheduled C section that was on the calendar for the very next day. I was really stressed about this whole thing because I didn't want to pick your birthday. But the doctors didn't want us to go any longer because you were so big already. Sigh. I cried and cried the week before...I was so grateful, my baby girl, that you decided to make the decision on your own. I really need to thank you for that. What ended up happening was not my ideal birthing situation, but I am forever thankful that you let me know it was ok. And that you picked your birthday.
So! When we got to the hospital they hooked us up to all kinds of things to see how we were doing. And everything was great. Except my water hadn't broken and I wasn't very dilated. Which meant all this pain wasn't doing much. We decided to stay in the hospital anyways as we had the c section scheduled for the next morning. If you decided to make some progress we'd be able to go ahead and birth you the good old fashioned way. And if you didn't, well, the surgeons and doctors would be ready for us. We had the option to just do the c section that night but I wanted to give you a chance. So your dad and I hunkered down for the evening and made some calls. The contractions were steady all night but more and more painful and mostly in my lower back. Your mom totally wimped out at this point, I was tired and possibly delirious by 4 am and after some really great help from the nurses and a good conversation with your dad we decided to get mommy some pain killers. The doctors checked on your progress at this point. If I hadn't been so relieved to have a break from the pain I might have been devastated that there was no progress. Instead I was glad to get some sleep. Even if it was just an hour. That next morning we had to make the final decision to try to go old fashioned or stay with the c section. When we found out that we had barely made any progress (again, sigh, only 2 more inches, 12 hours and 2 inches.) the doctors told us they wanted us to do the c section. At this point the whole family was almost here! So your daddy and I decided we wanted to meet you and for you to join us as healthy and safe as possible. At 9:40 I was wheeled down the the operating room, you and I hung out while they prepped me, I asked for you daddy a million times. Finally, at 9:55 your daddy came in and they started! A very fast 20 minutes went by and I heard you cry, and they all gasped at your size, and your dad started crying and they held you up so I could see and the first words out of my mouth were "she has light hair!" The rest is such a blur. They let daddy hold you and hold you next to me and he was so in love baby girl, it was amazing. And you were here, my little buddy was really here. It was so much emotion all swirling around. Meeting you gave a whole new meaning to overwhelming. Overwhelming love, overwhelming surprise, overwhelming happiness, overwhelming responsibility! They took you away to clean you up and make sure you were as perfect as we thought you were. Your dad was crying and I was telling them to hurry up and stitch me back up and I guess I was yelling because they gave me something to calm me down and the next thing I know I'm being rolled back to see you and daddy. He got to go with you right away, he helped give you your first bath and change your first diaper (his first diaper change, EVER!).
And then I got to hold you, and kiss you, and love all up on you, and feed you, and smell you, and watch you, and touch you, and love you so much. And I didn't ever want to let you go. I still don't ever want to let you go.
Your whole family was there waiting for you. So when we got to our recovery room we let them all in and let them all hold you and love you too. They thanked us. That's how amazing you are. Everyone was just thankful to get to be near you, to hold you, to love you. It's such a fuzzy memory that day. I know that it has to do with the meds they give you for the surgery, but I think a lot of it is just that it's so much love running through you it creates this euphoric state of bliss that makes everything all run together. I remember mostly the way you fit in my arms, like I was built and you were built just to fit together. Like puzzle pieces. My arms and your little body. And I remember how in awe your daddy was. How in love with you he was instantly. And how he kept telling me how proud of me he was. And sometimes he would look at us, you in my arms, and he would start crying. Because of all the happiness.
We got to take you home a few days later, on Thanksgiving. My little butterball came home with us on Thanksgiving evening. You got to meet Panda bear for the first time, and we got to all curl up as one big family in our bed that night. It's so funny to think back to that first night. How strange our house felt, after being gone for only a few days. Like we'd been gone for years. Everything was different, looked different, smelled different, felt different. What had been a house before became a home. Every move we made was with caution and intention. You and I would sleep for hours. Daddy made dinner and took care of Panda bear. It was a quiet lovely time...a time that we will always remember. A time that seems so long ago, but baby girl it's only been two months! And I have so much more to tell you about those two months, but for now you'll have to wait. You are currently asleep in your bouncy chair after your bath and it is just about time for you to have a snack and go to bed.
We love you more than all the apples on all the trees that ever were.
xoxo
Thursday, December 1, 2011
The many faces of Lyla Jane
Lyla Jane Ireland was born at 10:17 am on Monday, November 21st. She weighed 10lbs9oz, was 22 inches long, and is perfect. My mom says babies have 100 faces, these are some of hers...
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
41 weeks.
From our room at the childbirth center...
...the last belly shot. You joined us the next morning, in all your magical amazingness. I'll sit down and write out your birth story, and tell you about your first week one of these days. For now I'm too busy falling in love...
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
...the last belly shot. You joined us the next morning, in all your magical amazingness. I'll sit down and write out your birth story, and tell you about your first week one of these days. For now I'm too busy falling in love...
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Just like her momma...
You gave us a false start yesterday apple blossom, just one day shy of 41 weeks. My whole side of the family came rushing up here just in case...turns out you were just practicing (my doctor MADE me go in, for the record). We got to do a test run for the real thing though, and I got a pair of hospital socks! My favorite! Your momma looks pretty good in that gown, huh? Your uncles said you were just taking after me...trying to make your arrival last as long as possible, just as I do with my birthday. Oh yes, apple fritter, November is going to be one long party when you get here. Can't wait. Oh, and it looks like you took after our procrastination tendencies also...oops!
xoxo, if we don't see you today, we'll see you soon...
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