05/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013."

Margaret: Hanging out with us with the front door open, letting the warm breeze in.

Penelope Olive: She's started reaching for her pigs and it's our favorite thing to watch.

Very, very late. It's been a long week for us, for no good reason. But with the weekend coming I'm sure we'll be back to normal with a few extra cuddles and crossing things off our to-do list.

Inspired by Jodi.

04/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Margaret: She hasn't been very photogenic this week, despite getting a much needed bath.

Penelope: Daddy time in the late afternoon with the early setting sun.

Inspired by Jodi.

03/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Margaret: I can't seem to pick up all the tinsel from the tree (taken down weeks ago) she dragged out into the yard. Good thing it blends in with the dead grass.

Penelope: Our new adventures are mostly in the high chair these days. Kale and a half a tomato for the first time- loved it.

Linking up with the wonderful Jodi.

MERMAID+NARWHAL.

I am on a mission to catch up with this space and make it prettier. So here it goes.

Kevin and I took a pregnancy test in the midst of making our Halloween costumes last year. I will never forget our butterflies and giddiness over a maybe baby. We had been discussing when we would finally feel ready to stop preventing a baby for months. I was so ready and Kevin was mostly ready but still felt like a bit more in our savings would make the transition from two full times jobs to one easier. We had decided (the weekend before) that the next summer would be perfect timing: we would be celebrating our three year anniversary and would have almost enough savings for a cute little "Georgia house" as we loved to call it. Even though it seemed far off we were so excited for our little baby it was all we seemed to talk about. And then I was late. After three days, Kevin mentioned taking a test, but I brushed it off. The thought of taking a test that I knew would tell me we weren't having a baby yet seemed like a sad thing to do. But then I was five days late and was so anxious and excited and I needed to just put the idea of a baby to rest. So, while we were hot gluing cotton balls all over a sweat shirt and pants for Kevin's ridiculous sheep costume, we took the test. And then two more, and then Kevin took one, for good measure. I was so happy I jumped, yelled, and then cried. WE WERE HAVING A BABY. And we didn't even have to wait! 

Later that night, still hot gluing cotton balls, we talked about what our little boy or girl would be for Halloween the next year because oh my gosh we'll have a real live baby in just one year. We never really decided on a boy costume but I knew right away we would have a little mermaid on our hands if we were lucky enough to have a girl. All that to say, this costume has been a little dream of mine ever since the night we found out we were having a tiny baby.

So, the weekend before Halloween I got to work with some fabric I already had in my stash that I knew would be perfect and put this little outfit together. Most satisfying sewing project yet.

THREE MONTHS.

I am on a mission to catch up with this space and make it prettier. We kept up with a monthly picture and I even wrote a draft for most months, if not just kept notes so I wouldn't get too confused. So here it goes.

Little baby, you are three months! You are turning into be such a little goofy girl. We thought we were getting to know you last month but you seem to be getting more personality than we ever expected. You went from a little lump of sleepy sweetness to a hilarious face-making little person. Everyone loves you where ever we go because you're so expressive.

You've kept up with sleeping through most of the day and are still a bit cranky in the evenings. We think you may be teething, as you LOVE to bite, bite, bite. Thankfully you don't seem interested in biting down while nursing. Your favorite is our fingers. We even have to turn our fingers sideways because you bite so hard when you bite down on our nails it makes us yelp! You simply aren't interested in any type of teether than we've offered yet. You had a crying fit one late afternoon, before your daddy was home,  and for the first time ever I wasn't able to soothe you. I always offer a boob when you seem to get bothered and walking, rocking, or a diaper change don't help. But you cried for fifteen minutes and by the time you calmed down I was a sobbing mess and your dad had gotten home (responding to my "HELP" text) and you just suddenly stopped. Your daddy is so good at soothing you without any help (boobs), and I simply haven't needed to work out what exactly calms you down, because, well, boobs. Thank goodness that was the first and last over whelming bit we've had so far. I am so thankful you love nursing so much- it solves all your problems, and therefore mine.

You don't have much interest in toys of any kind yet, either. You check them out when we hand you one or prop it up around you, but you haven't gotten the hang of holding onto anything. You pretty much just get held or carried around most of the time. 

You LOVE when daddy wears you in the ergo. Almost every night, when you start to get cranky and I'm a bit over nursing for comfort your daddy pops you in the ergo and you promptly smile and watch a bit of tv with us and then take a nice long nap. It never fails. We usually take turns wearing you when we're out because we both love it. If I'm being totally honest, though  you do prefer daddy's ergo to mama's sling. But you enjoy it in smaller doses, through out the day while we pat around the house.

You had your first nap crib this month. But it didn't seem to be something you are too keen on so after trying a few more times we've gone back to just cuddle naps. You take one after every nurse, which is every two hours. Your naps still last anywhere between thirty minutes to two or three hours (if I don't move). You wake up right away as soon I get out of the bed.

Your big accomplishment of the month was a roll over! You had been working on it for about two weeks before you finally got all the way over. And as soon as you did I clapped and cheered for you and you had such a look of accomplishment you didn't even smile. "Oh, what this? No big deal." is what you seemed to be saying. 

You are turning into such a funny, funny, baby. 

02/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in   2013."

Margaret: resting outside
Penelope: a rare bit of napping alone on an unmade bed

A bit late, but I am loving this project.

TWO MONTHS.

I am on a mission to catch up with this space and make it prettier. We kept up with a monthly picture and I even wrote a draft for most months, if not just kept notes so I wouldn't get too confused. So here it goes.

Two months! You're two months little baby! We have enjoyed you so so much this past month. You're personality exploded all over us. You are one goofy little girl. You make all kinds of faces and all sorts of sweet coos. You love to say "eye" over and over and we have heard a few combinations, your first being "agoo". You are so sweet and have started smiling like the happiest baby in the world. You don't just smile, either. You wiggle and move your arms around and smile so big that it looks like you're laughing without any sound. Our first pictures of you smiling were taken with our phones (got to keep the real camera closer!) and so they are all blurry from your happiness going every where! You're our little full-body smiler. At first, you were just super smiley in in morning, right after you woke. Your daddy and I just sat and stared at you in amazement during what we called "happy time". Slowly, happy time has become whenever you're awake. We love it.

You've started making significant eye contact with us. It is so fantastic to talk to you and see you studying our faces.
 Your new favorite trick is to make enormous spit bubbles. It's quite impressive. You also had your first giggle (while awake)! It was the sweetest thing we've ever heard. Oddly enough, it was while we were in line at goodwill (your first thrifting day!) and you were even a bit of a cranky pants. Daddy was holding you and you just let out a short giggle. It was so adorable- we talked about it the whole way home. You have gotten one little curl in the middle of your head. It's the prettiest curl we've ever seen.

You've finally started fitting into some of your 0-3 month outfits. At least half are still loose and even some are too big for you to wear properly. You are still sleeping pretty well. You have starting waking up ever four hours or so. The pediatrician said you may be waking up sooner because you smell me, sleeping so close to me at night. We're going to give it some more time before we try and change anything about our routine, or lack there of. You have started to take a nap or two in your swing during the day. What a difference it makes in our days! I have been taking showers, working out, and even sewing a bit. I am always so happy when you wake up because I miss holding you. It feels so good to be productive and still hold and play with you most of the day. 

We took our first trip as a family this month. And where else other than Florida! It wasn't our ideal first trip but we spontaneously decided to drive down there in lieu of your Aunt Keri, Uncle Nate, and cousin Alice driving up to spend the weekend with us. You were literally the perfect traveling baby. We left around 1 a.m., slept at a rest stop around 3 and slept for two or three hours, and then got to Florida around 9. You slept all through the night (only stirring at the rest stop) and happily woke up at 7:30. You were a happy, talkative baby and you didn't fuss other than when you were hungry or tired, despite how crazy our schedule was the whole time we were there. Everyone adored you. By the end of the first day I missed you so much I had to steal you away just to spend some face time with you!

 Oh Penelope we couldn't love you anymore.