18 month check-up...

Weighing in at 25 lbs 6 oz and measuring 31 1/2 inches tall, Sophia sure has grown!! She is in the 75 percentile for weight (nooo surprise there) and she's just about average for height. The doctor says everything looks great and she even suggested beginning the potty training process!! My little girlie is growing up so fast, but I'm excited for her to be older and for us to be able to develop our relationship. The message this past Sunday was so challenging and encouraging at the same time. It was about raising our children to be the best possible version of themselves by committing to love them, discipline them, train them and have them spend as much time with us (in the company of the wise) as possible. It's work that's for sure but even at 18 months we are beginning to see the fruits of our labor. Sophia loves to pray and worship. She folds her hands and bows her head at every meal and every nap/bed time without even being prompted!! God is so good. Our babies are such blessings and we are so grateful.

Spitty Update...

Alas, I believe we may have truly discovered the secret behind my little Autumn's fussy demeanor.  At her five week check up the doctor mentioned that her tongue looked a bit white and she thought she had mild thrush (which is a yeast infection in the mouth).  She said to watch and see if it gets thicker or spreads and if so than she would call in an RX to treat it for her.  Well, I hadn't noticed any significant change (so I thought) as the days went on.  But the fussier she became the more worried I became.  So one day I happened to tilt her head back and take a good look in her mouth.  WELL let me tell you...she had white patches EVERYWHERE!!  On the inside of her cheeks, the roof of her mouth, on the inside of her lips and her tongue was a solid block of whiteness.  Needless to say I got the RX right away and started her on it.  It's kind of nasty stuff but already less than 24 hours later she seems soooo much happier.  I looked up thrush online and found that it can cause great fussiness and irritability. I mean think about it, its a yeast infection!!!  Ohhh my poor lovey.  But thank the Lord for treatment.  Keep praying with me that she will get better in a week's time or less and that she will transform into a more content child :)

Oooooh Autumn...

Precious Teeny Tiny One...

Wow, so that myth about second babies being easier than firsts??? WRONG in my case...haha. My new little girl has already proven to be quite the handful and she is only 7 weeks old!! Talk about a high maintenance kid. She fusses and spits up more than any baby I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. She fusses even when her eyes are closed!! We switched her formula to soy after about 5 1/2 weeks because she just seemed so unhappy. That worked for about a week and now I feel that we are back on the same boat again. She stays awake from about 9 p.m.-12 a.m. EVERY night and when she finally falls asleep it is a sweet thing!! haha Now I don't mean that she is just awake. This child will squirm and wiggle and grunt and fuss and want her pacifier than suddenly launch it across the room and cry for it again...sigh. Lately she has been sleeping until about 7 in the morning (which is great!!) but going to bed so late is taking its toll on me. She does much better during the day so I am figuring she just has a touch of night time colic. In short, pray for us!! These past 7 weeks have been tough on Brian and I. Trust in the Lord has taken central focus as we slowly remember what it was like to have a newborn. We also have moments that we stare at our big girl in disbelief that she got so big so fast!! We are filled with mixed emotions of both wishing we could skip past all the hardship of early baby life and desperately trying to savor every moment for as long as we can, knowing it will end all too soon. Luckily Sophia has been a champion sleeper in the mornings (not waking up until 8:30 sometimes 9!!) On that note, I hear her now!! Anyways, a plea to my little AJ to end this post...please don't grow too fast but just fast enough to keep mommy sane!!! xoxox Any suggestions for help are welcome :)

Sophia Funnies...

Recently Sophia is becoming a bit more vocal and definitely more entertaining. Her favorite thing to do is watch Blue's Clues after her nap. She happily pulls up her little bean bag chair and prepares for the TV to be turned on by clapping her hands and pointing up at the TV while proclaiming "Oh Woooow!!". During the show there are multiple little jingles to which she dances by spinning around in circles and bobbing from side to side. She also sings select words from each song (yelling them out at random...well more like babbling them out in some slightly discernible way...haha) And at the end of the show she throw her hands up in the air and exclaims "Taaa Daaaa!!" It is quite the site and one I have grown to love observing everyday. Hopefully I will capture it on video soon and you can enjoy it with me!! In addition to this, she has also suddenly become fond of mimicking daddy (sometimes good and sometimes bad...haha). Every night at dinner Brian says "Hey Bambi" (his nickname for her) and when she looks over this is what ensues...he raises and lowers his eyebrows (she copies)...he smiles and then frowns (she copies)...he blows her a kiss (and she copies). This continues until she can't contain her laughter anymore and ends the charade with a "Daaaaady!!". Gotta love the father-daughter bonding :) More Sophia funnies to come so check back!!...

Changes...

To my dear friends and family...
As I had some time to sit and ponder yesterday (for the first time in 7 weeks!!) I came to a realization. I have officially decided that I am not dedicating enough time and energy to this blog!! So from here on out I promise to update my blog every other day with stories, girlie girl updates and fun filled pictures!! Lord willing, my husband will be getting me a lovely new camera for my birthday that will upload pictures MUCH faster. Than I can keep up with all this. There is so much to show and tell about my beautiful family so I commit to doing so. Today will mark day one of the transformation so stay tuned for a post when Sophia takes her nap!!