Two Months | A Letter to My Daughter

Adalyn,

I know eventually we will begin to measure your birthdays in years instead of months, but I can see now why each month is a milestone in the life of babies….they change so much. YOU have changed so much. I have SO loved this newborn stage, and I understand totally how people say it flies by. You are my first newborn (I married your dad and adopted your brother when he was two) and probably my last, and I just want to freeze time and enjoy this a little bit longer! No amount of lost sleep can compare to getting to experience this with you. Your sweet smell and warm cuddles and wide eyes just bring me so much joy. I often look at you and marvel at how God used me to create something so perfect.

During your second month...

• you started to wear clothes everyday! Feeding you was such a struggle at first because your on again-off again jaundice made you so sleepy, and being warm only compounded it! So when you would be snuggled up next to me you would almost immediately fall asleep. We kept you unclothed most of the time, and even had to wake you with cool washcloths often! Now that you are wearing all these cute outfits you've been given, I am trying to photograph you in each one because I know you won't be able to fit in them very long (you've already grown out of some of your newborn clothes!).
• You wore socks for the first time (same reason as above) and I just thought it was the cutest thing ever.
• Grandma came back for a couple days to help/see you/do a thousand loads of laundry 
• you started to be more expressive, and it is so fun. Your first smile-one where I really felt like you were doing it intentionally-came right on your 2 mo. birthday….followed by many many more

This is pretty much how you look at all times when you are being held by your dad. He's really good at waking you up and you always look so wide-eyed and aware.

Baby gowns and tiny ankle bows...

Bedhead like your mom...

And you've really started liking baths!

This was on your 2 mo. birthday; the day after your first round of shots…5 total. You don't cry too often; at least not loudly (you are more of a squealer/grunter) so hearing you wail during the shots was pretty heartbreaking, to say the least. And you were knocked out for most of the next 24 hours.

So the next group of pictures is from my iPhone. While I wish I remembered to take more photos with my good camera, I am immensely grateful for camera phones, for they let me document little moments that I wouldn't have otherwise.

Playing around with FaceTime…who would've thought, as anti-electronics as I am, that I would be holding a phone up to my infants face. But you seem to really like looking at people, and your grandparents REALLY like seeing you!

For the whole last trimester that I carried you, we lived near the university campus and took walks just about every day. We made great memories as a family, and it has been fun to take you on your first few walks there while we still live nearby.

Your Aunt Donna came to visit and got to meet you for the first time. This was my favorite picture because you are making such a silly face. You love that tongue.

My mom told me that many first time mommies cut their hair, and I can see why. You love to grab a fistful and hold on tight.

Back to the no clothing thing…for this same reason we never put you in pajamas. We would just swaddle you at bed time. But we got our first taste of cooler weather this month so I got to dress you in your sweet little baby gowns.  You seem to really like them once they're on, but you HATE getting them pulled over your head.

More expressiveness...

The second picture here is my doctors checkup, and it was so surreal having you there, when every other visit in the past you had been in my belly and we had been waiting to meet you!

I love having you meet friends and family (even if you are asleep through most of it). I've realized through all this what an amazing support group of friends and family we have surrounding us.

Grandpa came to visit again to see you. Next we'll take you to see him and you can visit my hometown!

Your first football game! You slept through every bit of it, but you sure did look cute.

And again, more expressiveness...

Those last two pictures are of your very first road trip. We went to Houston for your soon to be aunt Rachel's bridal shower. If you're awake, you pretty much despise being in a carseat, so I am so grateful that you slept most of the way! You were such a trooper, and it was so fun having you there. Everything is better with you around :)

I love you sweet girl. Happy 2 months.

Love, your mom.

Two Months | A Letter to My Daughter

Adalyn,

I know eventually we will begin to measure your birthdays in years instead of months, but I can see now why each month is a milestone in the life of babies….they change so much. YOU have changed so much. I have SO loved this newborn stage, and I understand totally how people say it flies by. You are my first newborn (I married your dad and adopted your brother when he was two) and probably my last, and I just want to freeze time and enjoy this a little bit longer! No amount of lost sleep can compare to getting to experience this with you. Your sweet smell and warm cuddles and wide eyes just bring me so much joy. I often look at you and marvel at how God used me to create something so perfect.

During your second month...

• you started to wear clothes everyday! Feeding you was such a struggle at first because your on again-off again jaundice made you so sleepy, and being warm only compounded it! So when you would be snuggled up next to me you would almost immediately fall asleep. We kept you unclothed most of the time, and even had to wake you with cool washcloths often! Now that you are wearing all these cute outfits you've been given, I am trying to photograph you in each one because I know you won't be able to fit in them very long (you've already grown out of some of your newborn clothes!).
• You wore socks for the first time (same reason as above) and I just thought it was the cutest thing ever.
• Grandma came back for a couple days to help/see you/do a thousand loads of laundry 
• you started to be more expressive, and it is so fun. Your first smile-one where I really felt like you were doing it intentionally-came right on your 2 mo. birthday….followed by many many more

This is pretty much how you look at all times when you are being held by your dad. He's really good at waking you up and you always look so wide-eyed and aware.

Baby gowns and tiny ankle bows...

Bedhead like your mom...

And you've really started liking baths!

This was on your 2 mo. birthday; the day after your first round of shots…5 total. You don't cry too often; at least not loudly (you are more of a squealer/grunter) so hearing you wail during the shots was pretty heartbreaking, to say the least. And you were knocked out for most of the next 24 hours.

So the next group of pictures is from my iPhone. While I wish I remembered to take more photos with my good camera, I am immensely grateful for camera phones, for they let me document little moments that I wouldn't have otherwise.

Playing around with FaceTime…who would've thought, as anti-electronics as I am, that I would be holding a phone up to my infants face. But you seem to really like looking at people, and your grandparents REALLY like seeing you!

For the whole last trimester that I carried you, we lived near the university campus and took walks just about every day. We made great memories as a family, and it has been fun to take you on your first few walks there while we still live nearby.

Your Aunt Donna came to visit and got to meet you for the first time. This was my favorite picture because you are making such a silly face. You love that tongue.

My mom told me that many first time mommies cut their hair, and I can see why. You love to grab a fistful and hold on tight.

Back to the no clothing thing…for this same reason we never put you in pajamas. We would just swaddle you at bed time. But we got our first taste of cooler weather this month so I got to dress you in your sweet little baby gowns.  You seem to really like them once they're on, but you HATE getting them pulled over your head.

More expressiveness...

The second picture here is my doctors checkup, and it was so surreal having you there, when every other visit in the past you had been in my belly and we had been waiting to meet you!

I love having you meet friends and family (even if you are asleep through most of it). I've realized through all this what an amazing support group of friends and family we have surrounding us.

Grandpa came to visit again to see you. Next we'll take you to see him and you can visit my hometown!

Your first football game! You slept through every bit of it, but you sure did look cute.

And again, more expressiveness...

Those last two pictures are of your very first road trip. We went to Houston for your soon to be aunt Rachel's bridal shower. If you're awake, you pretty much despise being in a carseat, so I am so grateful that you slept most of the way! You were such a trooper, and it was so fun having you there. Everything is better with you around :)

I love you sweet girl. Happy 2 months.

Love, your mom.

Adalyn's Newborn Shoot

I have so many things I want to document and share on here. But like the laundry, and my makeup, it just doesn't get done often enough these days. I have so many photos I took this summer to document Ian's last days as an only child and our last couple of months as a family of three, and I have Adalyn's 2 month birthday post to finish…and her 2 month birthday was yesterday. Sorry sweet girl…just always know if I'm behind on here, it's because I don't ever want to say no to you when you want to be held or nap on my chest. This journal here is important to me, but those times with you are even more so. So, since I don't have any of those things done, I am sharing another photographers work. Whitney, of Whitney Bennett Photography, took us on as clients after I frantically emailed her looking for a photographer to do a newborn shoot for us in like, five days (and newborn shoots are typically scheduled months out). I had planned on taking pictures of Adalyn myself, and then realized once we got home with this tiny precious thing that needed every bit of our attention (and was happily given it) that that was never going to happen. And yet, I knew I would probably not have another newborn, and I did NOT want to let these first several sweet days go by without documenting them. And I also knew, with my preference of being behind the camera and not in front of it, that weeks would probably pass before I actually had any pictures of me with my little girl. So I bit the bullet and hired someone, and wow. I found her through a google search…which we all know can be hit or miss…and she was such a blessing. It seemed like it was meant to be. :) She is attending my alma mater working on a social work degree, and volunteers as a photographer at the local children's hospital…something I have always wanted to do and have never had the guts or gumption to do it. But I will. Soon.

Whitney did a beautiful job, and I'm so incredibly thankful for this time she captured for us that already seems so long ago...

This is the cradle my dad made for me when I was born. He got it out of his attic and had all new cushions and blankets made for it. :) 

A sweet little tiny leg, and big brother trying unsuccessfully to hold his new sister.

Thank you Whitney. I am forever grateful.