3 Months TODAY!!!!!!

3 months old!!!!!!

It has been 3 months since the day Jae was born. She was born on Christmas day and with all the complications of l&d recovery--family coming and going-and going back to work--it's all been a blur--UNTIL today. Today I felt like it was important be silent and remember all that the Lord has done for us. I didn't answer phones/respond to personal emails/ or turn on the TV--I soaked up everything moment of this time. We are truly blessed. As I sit back and think about how much has changed since meeting this little girl I can't help but remember each and every moment so clearly. The past three months have been some of the most precious and beautiful moments of my life. I cherish each and every moment I have with my daughter--even during the tough and yucky times---because I know she is a priceless gift from the Lord and I want to invest my best into her! I look at her and wonder if she'll be a big sister one day, an athlete, or a scholar (all 3 wouldn't be bad--I would be thankful for a college scholarship!!). I wonder if she'll be messy like me or organized like her daddy. I can't wait to start seeing her personality. But really what we pray for is that she will come to know the Lord as her savior at a young age so that she may experience eternal life and lead others to Him.

progress and development for our sweet family far far away:

When I say my baby girl is a good baby--yes maybe I am biased--but she is--I promise!!! Jae has really had a great sleep pattern since week 5.

She smiles a lot --at everything--and giggles at Dan almost every night.

She LOVES when you sing "itsy bitsy spider" after she rolls over.

She will reach for her toys-but isn't fully able to grasp them yet.

We take a stroll at least once a week to the west village for dinner---Jae just sleeps while eat good tex-mex!! (see Dan pictured for this stroll) We have also enjoyed strolling her down the Katy Trail in Uptown. She has become an urban Baby!!

She really loves having some alone time looking at her fan--you can actually lay her on her back in her crib and she will giggle with the fan.

Her schedule is eating every 3/4 hours. Eats/plays/sleeps. Just like that alllllllllll day long.

She sleeps around 8-9 hours every night-which I hear is great for a breastfed baby.
She has been smiling since week 5 as well. She also started rolling over at week 8. And now she lays in her little crib and watching her baby Einstein ocean life box and rolls over everyday.

She is in the 95% for both weight and height. She is around 15 lbs at 12 weeks--and has been in size 2 diapers for a few weeks---she is like her mama-she gains in her belly!!!

She LOVES talking with her daddy and enjoys talking with me. We get the best "girl talk" in on the changing table. She just stares at me--cocks her little head to the side--and squeals about something. I like to pretend she is telling me that my hair looks fabulous but I could use a bit more lip gloss or I imagine that she is telling me how horrible it is that she can't change her own diaper and can't wait until the day she is potty trained for her and for ME! Either way we have fun.

Yes her hair naturally stands straight up---this is from her daddy. I was told yesterday "at least she will have body in her hair and won't need a bump-it"! Ha-ha!

I pinch her cheeks every 2-3 seconds. I also kiss her ALL the time---she is so use to it now she puts her little mouth against my cheek. I LOVE IT!!

And Yes--I had her announcements done at 6 weeks and STILL--STILL have yet to actually send them out! Wow--I will at some point get my act together!



Jae also has really bonded with my sisters. They come to the apartment to watch her -Jami keeps her 2 days a week and Jill does the same. I feel better going back to work knowing that our family was caring for her. However Jami and Jill are polar opposites. So it's nice that Jae Beth gets to experience different personalities. Their are only two similarities with how they care for my baby---they LOVE HER TO DEATH and they keep her on our schedule which is awesome! Jami is super aggressive when it comes to her affection for Jae Beth. She literally attacks her--and for some reason Jae is ok with it. Jami is concerned and very excited about her development and works with her all day while she is here. Whether it is grabbing or responding to sounds--Jami is going to work with this girl. She even takes the time to study with her--Jami reads to her about whatever is in that MCAT book. Jill on the other hand is just very "sweet" with her. Jill gives her more attention that you can imagine---and when she rocks Jae to sleep it only takes a few moments. Jae really trusts Jill to care for her in a soothing sort of way. She also loves the sound of Jills voice--it paralyzes her--it's oh so cute! And Jae can't get enough of my Grandmother and Granddad! Grandmother had 6 so she knows how to care for this baby---and Granddad will sing and rock with her--oh so sweet to watch! My Grandmother and her even have the same feet--both have their 2nd toe longer than their 1st. Bev may also have this-I need to ask! I think I read somewhere that is the sign of a "strong" woman--I believe it! The 4th day of "child care" is what I call a "wild card" day. Right now my sweet Grandmother has agreed to watch her on this day. We do have a "plan". I say plan loosely because I have learned with my family and Dan's family---plans need to be held loosely--I like to think of it has allowing God to control things--and not Me! Anyway--our plan is for Grandmother to help on Thursdays until my mom gets out of school for the summer. She has offered to watch Jae 2 or 3 days a week in the summer time. So Jami would have her 3---Mom would have her 2---and Jill will be graduating from college in May and hopefully get her career in motion. So this Plan will be in affect until August 15th----then we will have to see. Our church childcare is on a 1 year waiting list! It's unbelievable--but I will just put this date in Gods' hands for now!

Happy 12 weeks baby girl---we love you and can't wait to see what the next 12 weeks bring!!!! I am in love!

All pictures below are from today 3.25.10

Happy 5 Year Anniversary

Well Friday was a big day for us. 1) We celebrated 5 years of married bliss! 2) It was my Grandmother's birthday--and Thursday was my mom's birthday 3) I started back to work 4) my mom's house flooded! 5) Our Honda --2007 barely driven Honda--didn't start 6)I found out I have to go overnight on business in April and either take or leave my baby for one night. However crazy our little life is--I still thinks it's more beautiful to live in this chaos than to be bored wishing something new would happen to us ;). My mom came in last week to help prepare me to go back to work--and to watch Jae with my sisters Friday night so Dan and I could have a long date night. However at around 5:30 or so we found out that Mom's house was flooding --mom and Jill took off to Paris--Dan came home to hear the news. I told him we weren't going on a date---just then my grandparents walked in and discovered their stay would be short considering all that was happening. We all decided to go in to help mom around 8pm--then had to turn around realizing taking an 11 week old baby to help wouldn't be an option. So Dan turned around --dropped us off--and he and Jami headed to Paris to help salvage what they could. I spent a fun filled evening with my precious baby--and we celebrated my 5 year wedding anniversary. OH did I mention Dan gave me the sweetest card/letter and beautiful flowers! We had decided to get new couches and for go individual gifts this year. Anyway--I heard the door opening at 4am and Dan was home from the adventure. So we were able to celebrate our anniversary on Saturday--THANK YOU JILL!!! We had planned on going to SundaySchool/Church/and a Young Marrieds Lunch meeting today--however--Dan allowed me to sleep after I woke at 7:30 to feed Jae. So next weekend we will try all of this again. And to top it all--we woke up to SNOW?? What on earth is Spring doing producing SNOW???!!


ENJOY these random pictures from that past 5 years of marriage! We have had fun!!!

6 weeks and counting.....

What a week! My sister-in-law Leslie came to visit us. Leslie is so calm in every situation so it was wonderful to have her here---she cleaned a bit/organized my kitchen and helped explain a few baby books so I didn't have to take the time to read them all. But most of all---was a fun friend to have join me. Dan even watched Jae Beth so she and I could go to a dinner with Dan's other amazing sister Sarah. We had such fun girl time!! Jae had her bronchoscopy this past Thursday. It was a very difficult thing for us to do--putting our baby under anesthesia and a doctors care without us standing over her. But we gave it to the Lord--and the results were that she would grow out of her stridor. Praise the Lord!!! We had to stay the night because of her age--and wow--were we glad to come home! 30+ hours in a hospital with a baby is NOT a fun thing. Our sweet pastors from FBCD came to visit at 6:30am before the surgery--and as we were checking out. We also had a sweet co-worker of mine stop by. She also threw Jae a shower back in December--we love Dianna! And my Granddad came by to see us--he has made hospital visits for over 50 maybe 60 years--I just wish it hadn't been his own family this time--but his presence always calms me. We left with the great news and with a happy little baby girl. Before the surgery she weighed in at 11.4lbs and 24 inches long at 5 weeks old. I think we have a big girl-- and she was so upset after the procedure that we had to hold her for 3 hours straight. Holding an almost 12 pounder with cords and oxygen is NOT easy! So thankful to be out of there! This past weekend we had my mom come in and my g-parents came over to play with Jae Beth so Dan and I could get away on a date. My mom is so selfless when she comes in--she just wants to do whatever we need for her to do--and that is to just love Jae Beth! She bathes her and rocks her, feeds her, rocks her, and allows Dan and myself to get away!! This gives me much needed relief from being tied to a nursing baby. She literally kicked us out of bed on Saturday to go to the Original Pancake House --then after my first hair cut in almost 4 months- and Dan's trip to Bass Pro-- after lunch at La Mad we went to NP to see that movie with Mel Gibson--the name escapes me a the moment. Anyway--had language but a good story line. We also had two visitors stop by this weekend--one of my best friends from DBU Liz and Brianna (a fellow Christian mother I met at work). Sunday we had Jae's baby pictures taken by a friend from DBU--we shot them in our apartment--we were thankful to have family there to help. It was a little chaotic but fun. Our life always seems so busy but so beautiful at the same time! And by the way-at 6 weeks old-this little girl smiles and laughs at her daddy every time they are together now! It's so fun to see this relationship they have-I can't wait to see who is going to try to date her one day--haha--no chance with Dan as her dad!


On our way to the hospital--poor thing-she had NO idea where we were taking her ;(