Week 11! She is just growing and growing! She puts her hands in her mouth all the time, and whatever may be in her hands! She is also a drool machine all of a sudden. She is staying awake longer periods of time, and she is grabbing at her toys. She is in constant motion! She also loves to be outside and the hammock on the back porch is where we spend a lot of our time.
Also known as Garrett's favorite day of the year and get the kids as wet as possible day! Garrett had a blast, and Carolina slept the whole day at the first aid tent! Fun times!
Week 10, really - week 10 already??? These are not the best, but it was field day so we are tired! OK, she slept at the first aid station all day so I am the one that is tired. OK, I sat and watched her sleep and took a few pictures so really I don't know why I am tired! Anyway. She had her 2 month check up this last week. She is 13lbs and 8 oz. (95 percentile) and 23 inches long (75th percentile). She is a chubbs!! She is loving her swing (which she was in when these pictures were taken). She also is starting to play with the toys that hang from her car seat. When I say play, she looks at them, talks to them, and grabs them. She loves to lay on her changing table and talk to the ceiling. I don't know why it makes her so happy, but I really need to film her doing this. She loves the Baby Bjorn carrier facing outward. Sean walks around with her like that all the time. She is not much of a snuggler. She still eats on demand, and there is no real schedule there. We did take our hooter hider and nurse while sitting in a chair watching the softball game the other night. She was so much happier although she kept looking up like why is the thing over my head while I am eating. She then had a major blow out diaper and there were other people around to help me with it. If I had been in my car by myself, it would have been so much harder to clean up. Her hair is as red as ever! It melts my heart when I pick her up and she smiles and talks to me! It is going by way too fast!
I will just go ahead and ask you to forgive me now, this is going to be one of those rambling posts. My head is all over the place right now. I was basically pregnant for 2 years, so my body is just done. I decided to start slow and just walk again. After Evan, walking was my therapy. I would put my ipod in and just walk and talk to God while listening to praise and worship songs. I would also cry a lot while walking and I was probably that crazy lady who cried on the walking track! I figured so much out on these walks and talks with God. Anyway. The other day when I turned into the parking lot of the park, I started crying. I just did not even think it would be emotional. I had been to the park several times, just not to walk. I held it together somewhat. I just kept looking at Carolina asleep in her stroller while I was walking and listening to a lot of the same songs on my ipod and just was overcome by so many emotions. Then the song Unredeemed by Selah came on and I lost it. I was that crazy crying lady walking the track again. It makes me uncomfortable when people look at Carolina and say God is good and faithful. God is good and faithful, but I think He was good and faithful through everything we went through with Evan, when we needed Him the most. I feel comfortable with redeemed. When I was crying I cannot describe the emotions overwhelming me. They were tears of hope They were tears of sorrow They were tears of Joy They were the tears of someone redeemed.
The cruelest world The coldest heart The deepest wound The endless dark The lonely ache The burning tears The bitter nights The wasted years
Life breaks and falls apart But we know these are Places where grace is soon to be so amazing It may be unfulfilled It may be unrestored But when anything that's shattered is laid before the Lord Just watch and see It will not be unredeemed
For every choice that led to shame And all the love that never came For every vow that someone broke And every lie that gave up hope We live in the shadow of the fall But the cross says these are all Places where grace is soon to be so amazing It may be unfulfilled It may be unrestored But when anything that's shattered is laid before the Lord Just watch and see It will not be unredeemed
Places where grace is soon to be so amazing It may be unfulfilled It may be unrestored But you never know the miracle the Father has in store Just watch and see It will not be Just watch and see It will not be unredeemed
OK, the pictures are not that great. I thought they would be outside, but rain sent them to the indoor courts. She has been taking lessons for about a year now so we signed her up for team tennis. She is having a blast and learning a lot very quickly! She played mixed doubles and they won!
Week 9. Look at this chunky monkey!! We go to the doc on Tues. for her 2 month check up. She was 2 months old on Wednesday! It is going by way too fast! Anyway, I am looking forward to seeing how much she weighs and how long she is! She is wearing an outfit that my sister, her Aunt Cindy, gave her. Cindy was afraid it would be too big! It fits. I will figure out lighting one of these days! I don't know if it is because the past several friday's have been cloudy and it is just not bright enough or if I am not using the right window, but half of her face has a shadow half the time. My house is pretty much windows so there has to be a right combination.
I love my oldest daughter. I took my handy little flip video camera to the game last night so I could record the fact that it takes her for.ev.er. to bat. She has so many little things, like crossing the batters box to mark her spot, hitting the base with the bat, wiping the sweat off her forhead, ect... Anyway. Last night I got her home run. What I did not get was the fact that is was a pop up to the pitcher that should have been an out. Through a series of unfortunate events for the other team, it turned into a home run. I also got her friend sliding into home and because the dirt was so wet, she did not slide that well and stopped short of the base! Fun stuff!
(The first pitch she was practicing her left handed bunt)
Carolina was dedicated today. What that basically means is that we are promising to raise her in church and share our faith with her, and in turn our church body will be there to help us. The gown Carolina was dedicated in was Sean's grandmother's gown. Her Aunt made it for her 90 years ago. Sean's Mother and Sean were also baptized in it. It is a beautiful gown and I am so thankful she was able to wear it! Part of the dedication was for us to pick a verse for our child. I have had this verse since before she was conceived. I had it in mind for Evan, but change it to a Psalms after he was born. I believe it fits Carolina. Grace and Carolina Faith can look at their names together and see how God gives us salvation. Sean's name also means "gift from God" so it just seems like this verse was meant for her.
For by Grace you have been saved through Faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God..." Ephisians 2:8
Carolina can get away with slapping Garrett for now! ha! I just wanted to say Happy Mothers Day! Please say a prayer for the mom's with empty arms, and the people whose mom's are not here. My arms are not empty, but there is someone missing.
Week 8. I have discovered it is hard to take a pic of yourself with your baby. "Show us your life" posts today are about baby names so I thought I would share how my babies got their names. Madison Grace. Her name is a bit complicated. I just liked Madison and Grace is after my Nanny who was extremely special to me. She started out as Maddi or Maddi Grace and I called her Gracie Girl a lot. When she got old enough to tell people her name she told them Gracie. There was a long period of her life (age 3-about5) when no one was really sure what to call her! ha! Since there are like 5 other Madison's in her class we went with Grace. That makes me happy because I love that name. Garrett Walter. I just liked Garrett and wanted another "G" name to go with Grace. Walter is my dad's middle name and my dad is an amazing man so it just fit. Evan Andrew. We had a hard time with Evan's name. I liked Gaige, Sean liked Bryson, and we both liked Evan. We called several family members and gave them all three and they all picked Evan. Andrew is Sean's middle name. Carolina Faith. Sean was born in North Carolina and his grandmothers grandmothers name was Carolina. (I love for my children to have family names!). He has always wanted to name a little girl Carolina. Faith is because Grace and Faith just go together.
We have been running with softball, soccer, and basketball. Carolina is a great traveler. We have nursed in the car behind a restaurant and in bathrooms. Fun stuff. I am going to say she is officially sleeping through the night. Most nights she sleeps from 10:30/11:00 till 6:00ish. I am going to try to add going to the park and walking every day as part of our schedule. I did this after Evan to help clear my head, and I did not have the trouble with back pain as long as I have this time. So anyway, here are a few picture, enjoy!
