6 Months!

Happy Half Birthday!
It's hard to believe that N is now 6 months old!  This age is just SO much fun...so much interaction!  We've worked really hard over the past six months to establish good habits and schedules, so now the's more time to spend really enjoying having her around.  We've settled in to our little routine of naps, the foods she eats, and the perfect way to fold her diaper.  We've learned the songs to sing to calm her down, her perfect sleeping temperature (yes it's true!), and that the sun will always wake her if not properly blocked out. We've discovered that she giggles non-stop when she's sleepy, that her belly doesn't like bananas and avocados, and that she's really good at feeding herself.  She's learned that she can now sit up by herself and that her most prized possessions are are books and one of her plaid shoes (can't explain it!), her 3' round blow-up pool (ends up being a make-shift "bath" most days, bubbles, sweet potatoes, her toes and her high-chair.  Happy half birthday sweet girl!  Excited for the next six months and all that they will bring.

Weaning
 So the MD's have informed me that I need to back off the nursing a bit.  Apparently, Norah is REALLY big (the size of an average 1 year old) and I, well, not so large, so it's really taking a toll on my body.  I've started sensing that she was needing more than I was producing anyways, so after many days of deliberation, I have finally come to terms with this whole idea of weaning with still nursing at night.  Why is this such a hard thing to wrap my brain around?  It seems like only yesterday that I was in tears while nursing, praying that it would be over soon, and asking for reminders daily of why "breast is best." Maybe it's because milk is the last thing Norah truly needs from me to grow, after 37.5 weeks safe in my belly.  Perhaps it's because of the way she looks up at me and plays with my hair that I'm afraid I'll miss.  The fact that we realized just how expensive formula was (approx. $30 every 5 days!) makes it a bit more discouraging.  Or maybe it's the guilt I feel thinking about how God blessed me with enough milk to feed a small daycare and then giving that up...who knows, but I know it's time.  Maybe I could have made it to my goal of a year if she wasn't such a porker, but I'm glad she is and I'm glad I did for the past 6 months.  When Josh gave her the bottle yesterday with half milk/half formula, she cried and refused it.  It took me still snuggling her in my arms to convince her to chug it. I'm not going to lie, a small part of me appreciated that response!  But with a few more tries, she's now used to the variety and I've started to focus on the fact that now Josh can experience the joy of feeding our sweet girl, I'm free to be out longer than two hours max, and I do get to see her sweet face while she drinks up.  So maybe weaning isn't just all about getting baby off boob; maybe it's also the first steps of weaning mommy to the idea of baby growing up!  Either way, it's a process.

Mothers' Day

Happy Mother's Day!!!

  "Men become daddy's upon birth, mommies are born upon conception"

Last year we told our families we were pregnant for Mothers' Day...I could have never imagined how different life would be by this year's holiday.  It's funny, I don't sit back and think of myself as a mother, but reflecting on today, I do realize how much the experience has taught me.  

Becoming a mommy has taught me true, true unconditional love, that (despite what I thought to be true) I actually can function on little or no sleep, and that motherly instincts are freakishly accurate if you'll just learn to trust them.  I've learned to change a diaper in under 30 seconds flat, to be completely refreshed just from a single "Norah smile", that sitting and "playing" is more important than the load of laundry needing to be folded, and the sense of being truly needed.  I finally "get" how much and how complete my mother loves me and most importantly, I've caught just a glimpse of just how much my Savior must care for me.  I can't fathom the thought of sending my sweet girl to die for the sins of others. WOW!  

Thank you to my grandmothers for the legacy you left, to my mother-in-law for the amazing man you raised, to my mom for the mom you are and the example you gave me, and thank you to Norah for making me feel that a beautiful piece of my life just began the day you were born.  I am so honored to be your mommy!

Happy mothers day to all!  

Easter!

Easter!
 It is one of my absolute favorite holidays!  I have realized that Easter is a day of traditions.  Growing up, I loved going shopping every year for that perfect Easter dress, dying eggs with my grandmother, the hunts, the candy, a visit from Peter Cotton Tail himself, and all of the decorations Mom would put up around the house.  Now, the "holiday" has a whole new meaning.  I am grateful for the time with family, a Savior that died and rose for ME, and a daughter to start all of those traditions over again with.  What traditions does your family have for Easter? 
  For the past five years, Mom and I have attended the spectacular Goddess Tea thrown by our dear friend (and my old boss) Sharon.  It's an amazing event filled with yummy food, beautiful decor, lovely ladies in big bonnets, and little G.I.T's (goddesses in training of course:) skipping around with their empty baskets just waiting for the big hunt to begin!  Last year, I was pregnant at the tea but had NO IDEA that this year I would have my own little G.I.T to dress up and hunt for eggs with!  It was SO much fun!

 Hunting for Eggs

 Then there was church....
I was looking SO forward to taking Norah to church for Easter!  Not only was it her first Easter Sunday, but her first time in church period!  

 Asleep on Daddy!

All in all, it was such a great weekend!  Next year at this time, Norah will have her own opinion about which dress she wears, hunt for her own eggs, and just the thought of it all makes me giddy!:)

Happy Happy Easter, Love The Dixons

3 months young

3 Months Already!
Ok NOW this is getting SO fun!  Norah seems so happy these days, is so much more interactive, and is getting more and more beautiful by the minute (I know I'm her mother, but seriously!).  Here are the latest happenings:
-In 9 month clothes!  What a porker:)
-She just found her hands the other day! Hysterical to watch
-Napping is going MUCH better, thank you Jesus!

-Teething has started- nothing popping through, but gums hurting and slobbering up a storm!

-The biggest change of all...Norah now sleeps in her own room in her crib!  

Sleeping through our afternoon walk

 3 month bday outfit

 Happy St. Patrick's Day!

 Finding her hands!

 Uh-oh! Tongue like daddy:)

We had our first official date night!

 

Lazy Sunday

Lazy Sunday

"Easy like a Sunday morning....."

-Lionel Richie               

 Blogging...finally!

 Bonding

 Catching Up

 Petting Weezie

Tummy Time

 Getting Sleepy

Hippie Chick

Reunited and it feels so good!

Road Trip!
It's been a while since my last post! Things have been super busy and we've been out of town. Josh had to go (torture I know!:) to Las Vegas for a week for work, so Norah and I hit the road to the big city of Mebane to stay with the fam. The last time we were home there was a turkey on the table and a bun in the oven! Let me just tell you that traveling with a newborn takes two days to pack and I began to understand why once hip adults turn in to minivan drivers quite often. There's the diaper pale, the 50 diapers, bathtub, floor gym, 20 outfits, pack-n-play, the car seat, bottles, etc. etc. Add to that the dog and a few things for yourself and you end up driving down the road looking like a hoarder. It was awesome though to bring my baby girl to my hometown to see where mommy grew up, where her grandparents live, and to show her off to "the locals." Norah went shopping, met friends and family, and spent some invaluable time with Mimi, Poppy, Nana, Papa, G.G. and Uncle Eric.

Morning with Mimi

Shopping spree @ Carters!

Morning Skype with Josh/Daddy

We had such a great time, but it was nice to get home and back together again. Picking up Josh at the airport, I had that same giddy feeling I used to get every time I'd get within 10 miles of Boone in college and had flashbacks of those amazing times together. Seeing Josh light up at the sight of finally seeing his little girl again, I then had visions of our future with many sweet times between the two of them. Past, present, and future..I am one blessed woman.