Annie-7 Months Old

Miss Annie girl is 7 months old today! She is growing and changing so much each day. I love watching her sweet (and sometimes dramatic!) personality shine!

Annie is weighing in at 13 pounds-ish. We won't go back to the doctor until September so until then...we shall guess. I know one thing... she is gaining!

She is now in 6 month clothing. I took out her preemie diaper from the hospital the other day. Just seeing the difference is amazing. 

She tried peas for the first time this week! She did really well. She opened her mouth like a little baby bird for each bite! We are working on the swallowing part. Right now we just make a mess...but oh what a fun mess it is!

She is really close to sitting up. She wants to, but just doesn't have the strength yet. The Bumbo seat helps with this and we will continue to do her baby exercises. 

Nighttime is...well it is going. I am tired... but I wouldn't trade it. She is my girl. And though she HATES sleep some days...we are getting there. 

She laughed out loud for the first time! Of course the ONLY person that she will laugh at is Owen. Owen jumping on the bed is hilarious to her! She has the deepest sounding laugh...precious!

She is starting to play with toys. They interest her and you can see her little brain working when she has one in her hands. 

Overall it has been a great month! We have a lot planned for the upcoming month...a beach trip, starting daycare...so stay tuned!!

Annie- 6 Months Old

Half a year...Six months...182 days... How much love and emotion has been packed into them. I periodically stop and reflect on how blessed we are. The routine of the passing days keeps me from this on occasion, but I try to make an effort. I feel like the time is flying by (doesn't every mom say this!?). Knowing this is my last one, my last infant to cuddle, I want to soak up every moment. When Owen was a baby, I was so caught up in what the NEXT milestone was that I never truly stopped to just enjoy the moment we were in. However, Annie continues to grow and change (Praise the Lord!) each day. She amazes me.



Annie is tipping the scales at ???? ( I will fill this in on June 1st- our next dr. appointment-my guess is close to 11 pounds?) UPDATE- Annie weighed 11 pounds 9 ounces at her 6 month appointment!!! Great weight gain!


She is easily filling out her 3 month clothes and is beginning to wear some 3-6 months. Her arms and legs are still so short but girl has a belly on her. And don't get me started on those cheeks! She will be moving to size 2 diapers as soon as we finish our last pack of 1s.

She still loves to eat. She is taking 4 ounces every 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Don't go over three hours...trust me. She will scream!

She refuses to be laid down for any reason while she is awake. She gives you two options...hold her upright or put her in her sit-me-up chair. She demands to be a part of all things. This can be exhausting at times, but it just shows how alert and observant she is. She wants to be a part of the party!

Nighttime is going pretty well. We had about 2 consecutive weeks of sleeping 8 hours straight. We've regressed just a bit but I can't complain. She goes down for the night at 7:30ish (her choice!) and sleeps until 2-3am. After that feeding she goes back down until 6am or so.

She isn't the best napper. Most are about 30 minutes long and sporadic. Occasionally she'll give me a good long one but it's not a guarantee. We are working on this.

She is learning to like her baths now. The bath itself is not the issue, it's the getting out part that she doesn't care for. I warm her towel in the drier for goodness sake! She's just a little dramatic. Haha.

She is beginning to reach for toys but hasn't quite figured out those hands yet. It won't be long.

She is a mama's girl. I love to just stare at her. My miracle baby.

She grins the sweetest grin you've ever seen. Melts my heart. How far she has come!!

To My Owen...

I wrote this letter to Owen during Annie's NICU stay. There was so much guilt associated with leaving him so much. Though times are much better now, I can still feel that residual pain deep down. I wanted to share this before it was lost. Owen never missed a beat during those 78 days, he may not remember how much I was gone or the incredible challenge our family endured, however, I will never forget...


To My Owen,

I want you to know that you are important to me. I still see you even though you may notice my distraction. I'm sorry if I lose my patience easily or I say I'm too tired to play. I'm sorry that when you ask me to come sit with you, I often tell you "just a minute".

I cry for you. My heart aches for you. I know I fail you daily, but I want you to know that I'm trying. I pray you don't remember my absence during this time in our lives. I miss seeing your face in the morning. Instead I wake up early to sneak out to the hospital so I don't have to say goodbye to you- well, because it hurts too much.

I hope you know that you are surrounded by love. You have amazing grandparents and a wonderful daddy that are with you every step of the way when I'm not. Please know this situation is only temporary- even though it seems like an eternity.

I hope you know how happy you make me (even when the skies are gray). I'll be with you soon. Please remember that I am your biggest fan. I hope one day you will read this letter know how important you are and always will be to me. You have my heart.

Love,
Your Mama

Annie- 5 Months Old

So it's been a month… I know how much you've missed us. I kid. I kid. Really though, it's amazing how fast a month flies by these days. Thinking back to our NICU days, a month felt like an eternity. Now I blink and poof there it goes. Our Annie girl is 5 months old. Holy moly! She's as perfect and wonderful as ever!

Here are some things about our sweet girl at 5 months ( 2 months adjusted):

-We go to the doctor this week but my guess is at least 9.5 pounds. I'll update for sure when I find out.

-Girl.Can.Eat. Wowza… she is an endless pit that no amount of milk can fill. Well really about 24 ounces a day fills her but it seems like she is constantly wanting a snack. This is a good thing though! I am so used to dealing with her brother (who, I swear, eats only enough to keep himself from passing out) so it is nice to see her so worked up about food.

-Speaking of getting worked up… Annie can be slightly dramatic. She lets you know if something does not please her- including:
-bath time
-diaper changes
-dress-up sessions
-her car seat
-car rides
-not being held
-wanting a bottle/paci

-Even though she has a list of things that irritate her, she can be the sweetest baby with the biggest smile. A smile that leaves my heart in a big puddle of love.

-She rolled over from her front to back. This is not a consistent skill yet but we are still practicing!

-She is officially in 3 month clothing.

-She has developed a relationship with her brother. Annie loves to watch him play. She focuses on everything he does. Owen has begun to include her as well. He gives her toys (although she doesn't know what to do with it) and plays peek-a-boo with her. Just the other day he tried to carry her. It was a shock to me as well as Annie! I can see the bond forming…SLOWLY but surely.

-She has now been home from the NICU for as long as she was there. Insanity. The time we spent there felt like an eternity. However, it feels like we just brought her home. 78 glorious days this Friday.

Happy 5 months Annie-cakes!

Annie- 4 Months Old

Happy 4 months to our Annie girl! We celebrated by meeting with our premature/developmental lady that will be coming to work with Annie in the near future. She did say that Annie was right on track for her adjusted age which is 1 month.

Here are a few things about Annie at 4 months actual (1 month adjusted):
-She is taking about 18-20 ounces of breast milk per day. I would like to say we are still on that strict NICU schedule, but that would be a big fat lie. I let Annie schedule herself. If she is hungry she tells me. She eats every 2-4 hours averaging about 2-3 ounces each feed.

-She goes to sleep for the night around 8:30-9:00 and wakes around 2am and 4:30am to eat. She gets up for the day around 7am and takes her first nap around 9am. Her naps are usually very short (45 minutes or so). Overall I can't complain about her sleeping schedule. I know it gets better with time.

-She weighs around 8 1/2 pounds. I am not certain what her weight is but she goes back to the doctor on Monday so we should know then.

-She is beginning to outgrow some of her newborn clothing. I am packing those sweet outfits away with her preemie clothes. Dear heavens I need to hold myself together!

-She has been a little fussy for the past week. This girl can turn some heads with her cry! I am not sure if it is a growth spurt or just her way of getting lots of attention, either way, I hope this sweet screaming goes away soon.

-She smiled at me for the first time today. OK, it MIGHT have been gas but the timing was pretty coincidental if you ask me. I will talk to her in my high pitched goofy baby voice for the unforeseen future in hopes of getting her to do it again…please ignore.

-We are almost off of house arrest. RSV and Flu season decline starting in April. We will still be cautious and will hold off on taking her into big crowds, but maybe we can do a quick restaurant visit soon.

-Annie absolutely loves her "pouch" as Owen calls it. It is a wrap/sling that I wear that holds her to my chest. She does some heavy snoozing in that thing and spends most of her days being toted around as I chase after big brother...who by the way is becoming a bit of a dare devil here lately.

-She absolutely hates to be laid down. We invested quite the chunk of change into places to lay her…(the swing, her bouncy seat, her boppy lounger, the nap nanny…) all of those things make her incredibly mad. She wants to be in someones arms!! So thats what she gets…for now.

-She is still battling reflux. She spits up more than the average baby. For now this is resulting in a lot of laundry, but hey, it gives me a reason to dress her up multiple times a day.

-Speaking of clothes.. she wore her first piece of Matilda Jane clothing this week. There are several more pieces waiting in her closet. We just have to put on a few more pounds!

-She is our sunshine, our pride and joy, our little girl.

Bless you!!

That sneeze made her fall over on her bunny…

So she thought she'd just hang out and relax.

Naps with her daddy

Owen helps feed her…on RARE occasions

Morning snuggles…I might have played a role in this.

Matilda Jane dress up!

Hanging in the shade with my girl while brother played. 

Welcome March!

All is well in our little world. I am so glad it is March (my birthday month…what?!?). Hopefully this cold, snowy weather will be a thing of the past and happy, sunny days are in store! I am flying on cloud nine most of the time… well between the exhaustion, pumping around the clock, and the constant need to clean my house and do laundry. But seriously, everything is going very well.

We had some doctors appointments for both of the kiddos this past week. Annie had a frenulectomy procedure which is basically an upper lip tie. We had it clipped per doctors advice. This will help with nursing and will prevent dental issues later in her life. She is recuperating just fine. She was very fussy for about 48 hours after the clip, but she is back to her sweet little self now, all 7 pounds of her!

Owen went to the ENT for an ear tube check. Owen had tubes placed in both ears when he was 7 months old, which was right at 3 years ago. Well the tubes are supposed to come out on their own within those 3 years and Owen's haven't. His are lodged in his ear canals causing irritation and a little bleeding. The doctor gave us an ear drop that is intended to loosen the tubes and hopefully they will fall out on their own. If they do not come out on their own by March 20th (his next appointment) we will have to schedule a removal procedure with requires general anesthesia. Yuck.

Owen is warming up to his sister slowly but surely. He went to a birthday party (his very best friend "Peanut") this weekend and someone asked if I had a little girl now. Owen chimed in immediately and said, "Yes! Annie!". It was the first time that I felt like he was proud of having her in his life. It definitely put a smile on my face. He ASKED to hold her last night. Mind you… the contact lasted less that 10 seconds, but nonetheless a step in the right direction. I am sure they will be best of friends before I know it.

Doctor selfie with my Annie girl!

Stuck in the house…we don't care! Well, apparently Annie does. 

If these expressions are a foreshadow of her teenage years…then heaven help us. 

Happy big brother. 

Could she be any cuter?

Yes…this looks awkward…it was.

Snoozing with mommy

Having a blast at "Peanut's" party!

Playing hard to get...

Owen isn't a fan of group pictures...

They love each other. 

 

Practicing her cheerleader moves. Go Team!

This next picture may not interest some…but let me tell you how much effort has gone into it. When Annie was in the NICU I felt like I had no control over anything. I couldn't change the situation and I felt helpless most of the time. I put all of my efforts into pumping and providing milk for my tiny girl. It was the one thing I could give her that no one else could…no doctor or nurse could give her the nutrition like I could. I made a pact with myself that no matter how hard or time consuming this was…I wouldn't stop. So today I decided to count my "Milk Stash" I have accumulated so far…1,204 ounces! Right now I have enough in the freezer to get her to 6 months. However, I don't plan on quitting anytime soon. The moments that I do think about it, Brandon encourages me and tells me how important what I am doing really is. I can't thank him enough for that. PUMP ON!!

Annie- 3 Months Old

Our sweet Annie girl is 3 months old today (0 months adjusted). I did monthly photos with Owen and loved seeing him grow those first 12 months. They develop so quickly! I will be doing monthly photos with Annie too. However, her actual monthly age and adjusted age will both be included. She is actually 3 months old. Her adjusted age (how old she is developmentally) is 0 months. That's right… Brand New!

6 pounds 10 ounces 19 inches long

Happy 3 Months in the world Annie!

Happy Due Date Annie!

February 25- The day that was deemed my due date back in early June. The day that I anticipated and planned for. The day that meant my little girl was ready to arrive. The day that has a whole new meaning to me now. Annie will be 3 months tomorrow- the day after her due date. Boy did God have some different timing than I expected. Our 78 day NICU stay is already becoming a distant memory for me now. I remember thinking as I was in the midst of that turmoil that we would never get to come home. Now here we are, almost 2 weeks in. I am soaking up every moment of having her home. The late night and early morning feedings are tiring but I love watching her eat. The sweet little noises and grunts that she makes melt my heart. She has completed our family more than she will ever know. Her early debut will absolutely be an experience that no one will ever forget, but that doesn't even begin to define how important she is to us. She has a purpose in life that I can't predict. God has big plans for our girl.

Annie is really a perfect baby. She rarely cries. She eats well and is on a great schedule. She is waking around 2-3 times a night to eat and she wakes happy in the mornings. Owen is my late sleeper so Annie and I have a couple of hours to ourselves before he wakes to entertain us. She is usually alert at this time so we talk over the morning cup of coffee. Owen is still getting used to the fact that she is always around. He doesn't mind her being here, but he isn't overly excited either. He enjoys watching her get a bath or having her diaper changed. He thinks it is funny when she has a "stinky" (typical 3 year old boy). We are forming a routine already. The routine that I longed for not even 2 weeks ago. My heart is so full. I want to say thank you to those that prayed and supported us through this whole experience. We finally made it to the other side. Oh happy day! Here are some pictures I have taken since we've been home. Enjoy!

He loves her…he says, "She is so cute!" in his little voice.

Watching over Annie

Checking to see why she was fussing

A little out of order- but here he is waiting to meet his sister for the first time. 

And here she is waiting to meet her brother- all dolled up. 

Our first "Family of 4" picture. 

Her first night at home. 

Annie wasn't so sure about her first doctors appointment. 

"What's that you say?"

Early morning snuggles. 

Watching her brother run around like a wild man.

Her daddy is pretty smitten. 

Hanging with my babes.

Snow fun!

Nap time…One of my favorite moments of the day!

I love her expressions.

She is the one thats tired??

Oh this child...