4 months today!!! So big. Mom can't believe it! Mira had a great day- we got up early this morning and then took a long morning nap. I ate my cereal after I woke up and had my first bottle of water! We were pretty lazy this morning!

Grandma Lana called, so we went to lunch with Aunt Casey, Reese, Addison, and Grandma at Panera Bread. I was an angel as always. Grandma watched me for about an hour while mom went to Wal-Mart to buy me some things.

After that, mom and I went to Cameron to meet Grandpa Randy and Greatgrandparents Dorothy and Max. We had a pretty good time- they love me :)

When we got home, Grandma, Addison and Reese came over. Grandma made some pizza and the kids played. After dinner Reese and I took a bath together! I'm almost as big as she is, you know. We had a fun time. My tummy kinda hurts tonight- I think I ate too much cereal this morning! It's been a good birthday for the most part!

Birthday Pictures

Tomorrow is my birthday- 4 months old. Here are my pictures. We went outside for some of them because it's easier to catch a smile when you don't have to wait for the flash. However, we didn't get too many good ones today, the sun was really really bright.
Then we finished up the shoot inside. Dad cut the grass yesterday and didn't bag, so there was grass everywhere... I'm really getting quite big as you can see. We went to the doctor today for shots :( (4 of them!!) and measurements. 13 pounds now! I'm the 50th percentile for weight and the 90th for height! Growing so so fast!


Right now my favorite thing is to blow raspberries...it makes a slobbery mess, but it sure is fun. Here's what I look like:

Sometimes I have to stop and take a breath in between:One more picture of my precious face :)

Love you!!!

Our trip...among other things

Well, we went on a trip to Philadelphia, Missouri to see Brooks' family. It was Grandma Della's 80th bday party!! What a party it was!!! I showed off my beauty for everyone.


First we went out to Grandma Scott's farm in Emden, Missouri. We played with cousin Norah who is 7 months old. It was pretty fun! Mira wore her Jeff Gordon 24 shirt for grandpa.








Later on we had a party at cousin Amy's house where we stayed. All the cousins came over- I took a bath with the big kids!!! There sure was a lot of water in there....Reese screamed and scared me so it was time to get out.

Maura Reese Carly and Mira



Oh by the way- I figured out this cereal thing....it's pretty cool. I like it. Grandma says I don't need to eat food because I'm getting too big already, but I think I'll try some new things coming up here in a few weeks. Eating is pretty fun. I go to the doctor tomorrow for shots :( I also get to see how big I am!! I'll keep you posted.

My friend Delaney

Today mom worked 12 hours so she didn't see Mira much. It was kind of a hard day- the first time a baby has coded and died since mom has been back at work. Really hard...It makes my insides shrink to imagine anything happening to the love of my life. I did not take it well. God has blessed me beyond belief and more than I ever deserved. I'm not sure how I got this lucky, but I will cherish every minute of it. One of my friends at work had her baby today- I can't wait to see her tomorrow!!!

Mira had a great day with Pepper and the kids, Sloan and Sawyer. She is always so happy at Pepper's! Sometimes I imagine how awful it would be if I had found a different babysitter. Pepper is unreal---so good to her! I have no doubts that she loves her "nearly" as much as I do.

Dad had uncle Kellen and Mike and Delaney over for tacos. Delaney is very interested in helping with Mira. She played with her and gave her lots of toys and even helped with her bath! Here are a few pictures of the fun they had.And one picture with Daddy.

Cereal

Mira tried cereal last night for the first time- she didn't get it. She lets me put it in her mouth, but then it just comes right back out. Oh well- it's early anyway, I just figured it would be fun to try. It was and we'll try again next week :)






Mom and Mira are just hanging out today- not much happening. She went to Pepper's for awhile this morning and played with the kids. She's all decked out in her turtle neck and khakis. Smiles galore, but not for the camera!

Summarize

My family:

See Me Grow!!

Alright- here we go! I thought it weird to start at nearly four months out of no where, so I thought I would summarize- as best as you can summarize one's life. Mira is the most amazing thing in the world. I always knew I needed and wanted to be a mother, but as far as imagining it, it was nothing like I thought it would be. I have been told I have the most beautiful and wonderful baby, and I do truly believe it. I have zero complaints about motherhood. Sure, we have had ups and downs... I'll tell you a few. We'll start with the downs so you'll remember the ups.

Breastfeeding- ick. It started out great and she grew so fast, and then....thrush. I really don't need to say more if you have yourself experienced it, but I'll tell you- it absolutely ruined everything I had imagined breastfeeding to be. When I finally convinced myself at 6 weeks (after she had stopped growing) to stop, the freeing feeling and the amazing calm that Mira was showing me was amazing. I had been completely delusional that breastfeeding was the endall in infant nutrition. Well, Similac saved both of our lives...YAY SIMILAC! Mira is happy and healthy.
RSV- Yep- we got it. We took our first trip to urgent care at 2 months 10 days. Yay...Fever of 103- RSV with an ear infection. Really, despite the formula, it didn't phase her much.
Screwed up her sleeping schedule for awhile and the antibiotic seemed to eat her diaper area for lunch, but we made it (Most of the normal babies in the PICU with RSV on the vent are breastfed- hmmmm).

Rotavirus- barf. Got that too- we had a baby shower for a coworker and another coworker brought the poops with her kid. Great. Right after we had survived RSV- another fever, only 102.5 now! Well, we've made it through that too and we're all better. Here's what Mira thinks about Rota...
Alright- that's pretty much all the downs I can think of. Mira is a great sleeper (it seems this is the first question everyone has for me). She has slept through the night since 6 weeks, except for the couple of weeks when she was sick. Lately, she wakes up a couple of times a night just to talk to herself. If I don't go in there, she'll go right back to sleep after telling herself a story for about 10 minutes.
She is petite, so pretty. I could stare at her all day. She's starting to roll over- only from tummy to back so far. She chews on everything all the time- I think we're starting to work on teeth. She loves to talk (sometimes it sounds like screaming she gets so into it). She's the happiest baby I've ever come across. So many smiles. She is a true player- she kicks and kicks and grabs at things. She loves lights and music, and most of all tv...(I know I know).


Now for the corny stuff:
Motherhood has changed me in ways I never expected. I knew I would love her, but I never imagined the way it would consume me. She fills my every thought. I would do anything just for a few more minutes with her. Her smile is the most beautiful thing in the world- and she's got lots of them. I am still working- about 30 hrs a week in three days. There's nothing like the feeling of anticipation of getting to see her after a day of work. My personality is such that I need to get out of the house. Well, I know this is long and I'll try not to bore you anymore. I'll pick out some of my fav pics from the early days and we'll start from here.

Jaundiced

My Cousins


I love the bath so so much.

And I love outside!

I pretty much love everything- you're looking at my personality in a nutshell.

Start...

Well, I have decided to start a little posting for Mira- she's worth it. I thought it easier than sending pictures every week or so to a million addresses. So check as often as you wish- I can't say that things will be posted often- we'll see how it goes :)
If you're curious about the time- I'm working a night shift- namely because they needed me to and I am an excellent employee- but mostly because the thought of spending one more day with
Mira was worth the tiredness to me.
When I left her at midnight she was snoring in her crib- both hands behind her head...so precious. Pepper took some really really cute pictures today- I'll try to get them.