2 Months

Happy 2 month Birthday Millie! This little lady started smiling a few weeks ago and just hasn't stopped! She's long and lean and just about out of those newborn clothes... She is gaining weight nicely though, per the lactation consultant. We'll get the full set of stats at our doc. appt. Thursday. We are loving this sweet, smiley, contented little girl whose eyelashes are starting to pop out around those shiny blue-grey eyes.

Babywearing

It may sound silly, but one of my favorite things about having babies has been being able "wear" them around with me. The house, the store, the office, for a walk, etc. It all started with the Moby Wrap. A little complicated to put on, but not too bad once you get the hang of it, and totally worth it once baby is in. I also have a Snugli that someone gave me, similar to the Bjorn, but these things kill my shoulders, even though they are quicker and easier to put on than the Moby. Now with #2, babywearing is essential to get through my day. Don't know how esle I'd get Asher (or myself) some lunch, change his diaper, yada yada. I mean, I could do it without holding the baby if the timing is right and she's napping. Or if I don't mind listeneing to screaming in the background. Don't get my wrong, Mills does have some great quiet, alert time when she just hangs out, but babies like to and need to be held! And not to mention that mommies (and daddies) need to get things done sometimes. Insert babywearing.

My love for babywearing grew this Monday when my dear friend Kelli offered me her sling. I've seen them in magazines and read about them (and their recalls), but I'd never seen anyone wear one. I was surprised how easy it was to put on and get baby into. And the comfort- for her and me! Both arms were free, but my right arm had complete freedom as there was not a strap or anything wrapped to it at all. I've been in love ever since. I did read up on slings and the big recall that happened this past summer. Babies have suffocated in them apparently. But really I think it's just one of those things that was used improperly in those cases or the parents wasn't as aware as they should have been. On the plus side, one study I read said slings were the best type of carriers because they put the least amount of stress on a baby's spine and lower back. Carriers in which baby's legs hang out tend to not support the baby's lower back and spine very well. At least that's what they say. At any rate, I think baby carrying in any fashion is an awesome and convenient way to stay connected to your child and practial for everyday life. Mama's who stared this movement thousands of years ago had the right idea! Love it. Love it. Love it.

Here we are now:




Super cute isn't it? She's pretty zonked cuz it's bedtime, but she does spend some awake time in here too, taking it all in from a front row seat. Millie even got to walk up to Panera today tucked under Mama's coat while Amy pulled Robby and Asher in a wagon through the snowy streets. What an adventure girl!

Got Christmas Cards?

I hate the idea of hundreds of thousands of Christmas cards just being tossed in the trash. And while most of them can be recycled, I came up with an even better thing to do with those greetings that are just too beautiful to be read and forgotten about. For a while now I've been a greeting card "pirate" if you will. I save them and file them under different categories: Congratulations, Baby, Wedding, Birthday, etc. Many of them can be cut or torn apart and pieced together to make a perfectly new and adorable card. Here are a couple of Christmas cards that I gave new life to this year:



Nothing fancy or too complex, but they work! I found the cards and envelops at Hollo's for CHEAP. When we bought card stock for our wedding invites it was $1 a pound. Granted, that was 5 years ago, but this place is a scrapbooker's/cardmaker's dream. Definitely worth the trip out there to stock up every now and again.

This year I used some old cards to make ornaments. I got the idea from a women's Christmas gathering we had for church last year, only we used scrapbook paper. So I found a bucket of cookie cutters (at none other than the famous, incredible, never-know-what-you're-gonna-find, Aldi). Then I sorted through some old Christmas cards and traced whatever cutter looked best on the front of the card. Using clear glue, I outlined the cutter with the glue and stuck on the cut-out shape. I did leave just a little cut in the top of the shape for room to stick the ribbon or string through. And here's what I got:

A Christmas Song

Here's a Christmas Song that pierces my soul each time I hear it. Thought I'd share with you. Check it out on iTunes so you can hear its beauty in full.

Eternal Gifts
-Leigh Nash

Santa knows what I want for Christmas
but Jesus knows what I need
it can't be purchased wrapped up and placed
under an eight foot tree

I need patience, kindness - virtues like these
to bend on my knee at the manger

Santa may bring things that last for a year
but eternal gifts come from the Savior

Some days come where I'm just plain selfish
I can't think of no one but me
then I think of all that I'm blessed with
and that's always best to give than to receive

I need faithfulness, love, generosity
to open my home to a stranger

Santa may bring things that last for a year
but eternal gifts come from the Savior

I need patience, kindness, generosity
to bend on my knee at the manger

Santa may bring things that last for a year
but eternal gifts come from the Savior

Santa knows what I want for Christmas
but Jesus knows what I need

1 Month

Yes, we are back to our monthly stickers. (Thanks Marisa!) There's lots I could say about this wonderful baby girl, but I can only type so much with one hand and her brother in between my legs. TTFN!

3 Weeks

Mills turned 3 weeks new on Wednesday. It's taken me some getting used to the newborn scene again. I forgot how much they need to be held. This requires some creative maneuvering in order to be able to play with Asher or eat. Or do anything. But I do appreciate how babies force you to slow down. Their need to be touched and fed says, Hey, why don't cha take it easy? Enjoy me and my tininess. I won't be utterly dependent on you forever! You might even miss that some day... It's the art of letting go. Hard for a "doer" such as myself, but a lesson I want to learn well and carry with me throughout life. Particularly during the Christmas season I want to let go of the needless distractions and think of the birth of Jesus himself. Emmanuel. God with us. What a concept.

Mama Time

Asher had it pretty rough once we got back from the hospital. A combination of a cold and low-grade fever, getting molars and experiencing emotions that he's never had and very few ways to express them can make for one unhappy little guy. Thanksgiving Day and the few days before it were the worst. But once all of the out-of-town family left and we got back to our normal routine, we started to get our sweet little man back. And he's back to giving open mouth kisses to his sissy.

Here's Asher getting some much deserved cuddle time when he was feeling sick. (I enjoyed every minute of that little, drippy-nosed head glued to my chest)



Then after his 15 month check-up, while Grammy stayed with Millie, I took him to BG's one and only "small" for a train ride. Boy did we get our $3 worth, but that's a whole other story... :)