Baby Girl: Grabbing for all kinds of toys, smiling and laughing all the time, trying to sit up, and loves playing in her exersaucer, she is also really liking daycare and always smiles at the ladies when I drop her off in the mornings. It’s still tough to leave her and I miss her every second that I’m away from her, but she is doing ok! She is going to be 4 months in about a week!

My Corporate job: Super busy — which is good! While I was on maternity leave I was anxious that I would return to work and they wouldn’t need me which really worried me. But, when I returned they were thankful to see me and had a long list of projects they had been stockpiling and were happy to hand them over. Ofcourse, I was happy to take them on! This new role is perfect for me and it’s great opportunity for development.

My photobiz: Doing great too! Lots of bookings, but not too many to overload myself I love expressing my creative side! I’ve made sure this year set aside time to spend as a family and time to go Christmas shopping!

With everything in my life, I strive to learn. I’ve always been a learner, I quest for knowledge and I put a huge emphasis on education. I want Lillian to love to learn new things too… as she grows older she may not always like the subject (math for me) but it’s better to push through it and keep trying until you get it.  I’ve always been the annoying one that asks “Why” instead of just doing it. I always think there’s a better way to do something and I want to find the most efficient process possible.  It seems like over the past few weeks Lillian and I have both learned something new everyday… she’s learned to reach out for things and use her head to help her sit up, she’s learned how to use her legs to help her stand up… I’ve learned new spreadsheet formulas, new resources, new photography techniques… all kinds of cool things.  It’s the little things that add up to big milestones!

All in all – things are good. And we have a lot to be thankful for: We had a wedding in the family last weekend! We had a beautiful baby girl join our extended family 2 days ago! The Rangers are AL West Champs (they haven’t done that since 1999) - we already have our playoff tickets because we have to be there in person to cheer them on!  Fall is here and I love this season!

Share on Facebook

I hosted a little mini fall photo session (www.lindseyspragginsphotography.com ) this morning and took lots of photos of some cute little kiddo’s! When it was all over I had to sneak a picture of our little baby girl with the pumpkins!

Fall is my favorite season of the year so I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to take some fall pictures… although I’m sure MANY more will come!

Look at these cute little chubby cheeks

Share on Facebook

While we enjoyed desserts Lillian kept looking at me with these big blue eyes. She was just so sweet!

We sat down on the bench outside to take a quick break and I couldn’t help but steal a little kissy from our little girl with those cabbage patch cheeks.

We came home about mid afternoon to stay inside from the heat and took a family afternoon nap (those are always nice). Then later that evening we went and had hibachi…. I had my camera in the diaper bag so I figured I would try and capture the volcano which is always the star of the hibachi show.

Sunday we WORKED all day in the yard and got a lot accomplished! Then enjoyed the Rangers game (exciting!) and the Cowboys game (dissapointing!). It was a great weekend that went by too fast!

Share on Facebook

I’ve been using my spare time when Lillian is in daycare to crank up the speakers outside and go outside and workout on the back patio. It would really be nice if fall would decide to hurry up and get here because it can get a little hot out there when I’m dancing around like a crazy woman. Soon I’m going to perfect my technique so that I can garden and plant while I’m dancing around to Lady Gaga. That would be a sight to see!

I’m slowly adjusting to baby girl in daycare…. it’s hard though. I miss her so much everyday and I just have to keep telling myself that she will be ok. Everyday when I pick her up she seems happy (except for yesterday when she had really bad gas).

We celebrated Lillian’s 3rd month birthday on Wednesday! I’ll post pictures and an update later this week.

This was Lillian Thursday after daycare — this smile meant the world to me. I couldn’t grab my camera fast enough so the phone picture will have to work.  Even though it’s blurry, you can still see the joy in her eyes

And, then yesterday when I picked up baby girl she was a little fussy because of gas but finally just went to sleep in my lap and I cherished every second cuddling with her in my lap.  I love this sweet angel!

Today, we are going to get out and enjoy this beautiful weather (and maybe dance around the backyard)!

Share on Facebook

This morning went great – we woke up and Gary fed her at 7am while I got ready. Gary and I decided we would both go to drop her off at her first day so we left here a little later than expected and got to the daycare around 8:30. Lillian was alert and looking around the room like “whoa – how cool! Look at all these colors Mom!” She just looked so curious and excited. We talked with the wonderful ladies in the infant room for a little while and explained Lillian’s routine and then kissed her goodbye. I took Gary home and then started the commute to the office. I couldn’t help but shed tears in the car…  it’s tough leaving your baby in daycare. I have a huge appreciation and better understanding of the stay at home mom and I can also appreciate the working moms now too.  We all work toward the same goal which is to be the best mommy possible.  

I found comfort talking to all of my (work) friends that I have missed the past few months – it was nice to talk about everything and get caught up on the news at work. Even though I normally work from home now I used to always work in the office and I must admit it was comforting to smell the corporate building, hear the click-clack of heels on the granite floor and the hum of office phones ringing, see familiar faces, and talk to other women who have put their babies in daycare and hear their advice.

I called the daycare around 11 to check on Lillian and  they said that she was great! She had catnapped and was taking her bottle. I left work around 1:30 and got to grab a quick bite to eat with Gary before we went to pick her up. She’ll normally stay longer but since it was her first day I was anxious to pick her up and see her! We went in and she was doing just fine, just sleeping like a little baby! They had just finished the 3:00 feeding and her medicine and she was full and happy! The ladies said she was wonderful, a very happy baby! She only fussed a little bit when she was tired (and that’s usual).  They said that the first week or so will be a tough transition as she gets used to sleeping with the noise and figuring things out. I hated to wake her up but we went ahead and put her in her car seat — it took her a second to open her eyes but she finally looked at us, realized who we were and gave us a big smile before drifting back into dreamland! That smile made the whole day worth it!

All in all it was a good day – a transitional day – but a good day! It’s raining now (which I love) and she’s sleeping again so I better get in a quick nap in this amazing rainy weather!

Here’s a photo to make you smile….

Photo taken by my amazing friend – Amy Barry

Share on Facebook

• Garage cleaned out and organized so we can park both cars inside, Gary’s autograph room cleaned and organized, Closet organized and purged – I FINALLY got rid of some clothes that have been haunting me since college – it was time to move on, all laundry done and put up, kitchen totally organized, shed organized, Lillian’s daycare bag packed, my work bag packed, all photos on the computers backed up and saved, and a few other random things.
• Next on my list of things to do around the house: install an outside light on the backside of the house (I bought everything we needed at Lowe’s and almost did it today but need to do a little more research so that I don’t get electrocuted), install a garden hose reel in the backyard, clean all the house windows outside so that we are ready when it’s time for Christmas lights!, and a few other things that are on my wish list for the house

It’s now 5:00 and I’m going to spend the rest of the evening loving on Lillian because tomorrow will be her first day in daycare and my first day back at work. Tomorrow is  going to be a BIG day.  I have had a wonderful maternity leave at home with her and thank God for my company and their very generous 3 month’s of time off. I have enjoyed every single second!

As any Mom would be, I’m obviously nervous about Lillian in daycare… I could name a million reasons why but I think the best way to sum it up is that I don’t think anybody can “mommy” my baby like me. I read a quote a while back that really stuck with me – it was something like ”having a child is like having your heart walking outside your body all the time.”  This is so true – she is our most important asset, our entire world! I can distinguish her cry in a room full of babies, I usually know exactly what she needs to calm down and I think about her every second. She is our baby girl and even though I’ve only known her about a year (3 months outside my body) I couldn’t imagine our life without her now.

Even with a million reasons to be nervous about her in daycare I’m going to try and not worry and know that she is in God’s hands and that He loves her more than I could ever know, which is incredible because I love her with everything I have…. Every single, itty bitty tiny cell and breath in my body.

With all the nervousness I can’t help but be a little excited too…. going back to work is something that I knew I would always do. I really enjoy working, I picked a career where I could do what I love. This summer I’ve missed viewing/editing spreadsheets and collaborating with my work peeps about big projects and the happenings in the HR and mortgage industry. I’ve worked since I was 14 and this is my first summer “off” since high school. Even though I worked during the summers I still had fun! I had plenty of time to go swimming and enjoy lazy days at the lake. I worked full time during most of my college and still had plenty of time to have some fun then too (maybe a little too much!). I’ve always just enjoyed working and feeling personal satisfaction of being an asset. To have this entire summer off has been such a blessing because I got to enjoy every single moment of her first 3 months of life… and as I’m winding down today and getting prepared for tomorrow I can’t help but feel like it’s the first day of school or something. I’m packing my bag, her bag, getting my weekly plans in order and getting a little excited about having a set routine again. Don’t get me wrong – I am going to miss her every second! It is NOT going to be easy to leave her tomorrow and I’m sure I will be a nervous wreck with my cell phone in my hand all day long but in the long run I think it will make me a better mother. I love what I do – 1) being a wife and mom, 2) my corporate career and 3) my photography career.

So, if you get a chance, think of Gary and I and say a little prayer for peace for us on Tuesday as we experience our first day of daycare. We are so thankful for all of our friends and family and love you all very much!

Share on Facebook

- smiling at familiar faces everyday

- making more sounds — oo’s and coo’s

 - using her hands to grab (my hair, blanket, pacifier out of her mouth)

- sleeping through the night consistently (for the most part)

- she still fights going to sleep — she is a busy girl and doesn’t want to miss a thing!

- wearing size 0-3 months clothes, and a size 1 diaper

- sitting in her bumbo all by herself for about 20 minutes at a time

- taking 26 ounces everyday, weight: 11.5 lbs

Schedule:

7 am – up and drink 5 ounces, then we have our morning talk time (she just makes all kinds of fun noises and smiles!) and play until about 9 when she goes down for her morning nap

11 am - drink 5 ounces, then we have tummy time and back time, exercises and an afternoon chat until about 1 when she goes down for her afternoon nap

3 pm – drink 5 ounces, more development and talking until about 5 when she goes down for her second afternoon nap

7 pm – drink 5 ounces, play time with mommy and daddy, cuddle time until about 8 when we put her down for her evening nap… sometimes she skips this nap completely if there’s too much excitement

10 pm – bathtime and story time

11pm – drink 6 ounces, cuddletime, lullaby, and rocking until she goes to sleep (she likes to be gently rocked cradled in our arms, held snuggly with her head on the chest so that she can hear a heartbeat, with a pacifier in her mouth). She’ll normally fuss a few times while she’s trying to fall asleep but once she’s tired she will drift to sleep pretty quickly.

She’s sleeping through the night from about 11-7 every night consistently… there are some nights when she’ll start stirring around 5 but she usually just wants her pacifier and then will go back to sleep. We have also found that she really likes sleeping in her boppy — we fastened the 2 “wings” together so that it makes a little donut and she sleeps real good all cuddled up like that as opposed to stretched out on her back in the bassinet.

We are trying to use her bassinet mostly but I co-sleep with her in the bed when hubby is out of town.

Next week is my last week of maternity leave so I am going to enjoy every little second of it and do nothing but spend time with our little angel. I’m going to miss her alot during the days when I go back to work but I am also excited to get back to working as well. I thank God everyday for my career and for the generous maternity leave that I had – I enjoyed every precious moment and am so thankful for the time that we got to spend together bonding! It’s amazing how much she’s grown in just these first few quick months!

Here is our favorite family portrait from a recent session with one of my best friends Amy Barry Photography – I will cherish this portrait forever!

Thank you Lord for my wonderful husband and our sweet baby girl!

Share on Facebook

It sure was nice to hear from other momma’s and to compare stories and tips.

Here are some picture of our little playdate!

This is the group – Halayna (another baby girl) was there too but she arrived after we  took this picture.

3 other babies from our class weren’t able to make it but hopefully they can make the next one!

L to R: Carson, Lillian, Skylar, Noah

Me and Lillian

Share on Facebook

Share on Facebook

She stretches, makes a groan and appears to be asleep… I slowly back up and walk towards the door (holding my breath) hoping that I can finally finish my dinner. I get to the living room, take 2 bites and hear her crying from the bedroom.

I went and got her and brought her into the living room and we are currently trying the bouncer again… I’ve  got the laptop in my lap, the bouncer on the coffee table and I’m rocking it with my foot…. talk about multi-tasking, right?! My foot is almost asleep from the lack of blood flow. I’m only good at rocking her bouncer with my right foot, the left foot is all kinds of awkward. I guess the silver lining is that I should have a very toned calf muscle in my right leg in a few years She wants/needs to go to sleep so bad but just won’t close her eyes. I’m sure pretty soon she will be so exhausted that she will drift asleep again.

This ”fight the sleep” scenario has happened to me twice today. Baby girl really wants to be awake, but what she doesn’t realize is that when she misses her nap time she’s awfully fussy… just like me.

Anyway — I know I’ve been away from the blog for a while… it just didn’t feel right blogging with all that was going on, but things are finally getting a little bit back to normal so I will be posting more updates soon. Can’t believe sweet Lillian is already 2 months old… time is flying by!

Share on Facebook