Thursday, March 28, 2013

My Baby is 6 Months Old!

Do I start every blog about my daughter with, "Where has the time gone?!" Cause I'm absolutely amazed that these last 6 months have flown by the way they have. Every single parent I talk to about her gives me the exact same advice: treasure every moment because it's gone in the blink of an eye. No kidding! I think I'll take that advice! (Especially when I see friends posting about the terrible two's or the troubled teens, I know my days are coming, so I'm going to treasure the moments she WANTS mommy, and cuddles with mommy, and needs mommy for everything, because I know the day is going to come all too soon, where she won't want mommy anymore. *Tear*)

She's so beautiful. I know I'm biased, but seriously, how can you not look into these beautiful blue eyes, or see this adorable toothless smile, and not fall helplessly, hopelessly, in love? I love her so much my heart aches.


She started sitting up on her own. Now she prefers standing or sitting. Laying down, scooting, and rolling over is soooo yesterday.

"Who's that pretty lady?"
Her reflection intrigued her for quite some time.

This toy makes all kinds of noise and plays such -wonderful- music. She's enjoyed it since month one, but now that she can make it make noise, it's that much better!

I had been trying and trying to get her to smile for me, daddy walks into the room and says, "Hi Bean!" this is what happens. Yup, Daddy's girl.

She's always watching the puppies!
Did I mention that she's a daddy's girl?
Heart melting expressions right there... :)
 If she is laying down she's constantly in motion, or eating her feet, or obsessing over her hands.




In fact, it's hilariously difficult to change her diaper anymore!
I lay her clothes out on the changing table and she insists on eating them!

Even asleep she's a mover...
Where's Brielle?
There she is! (Yeah, I have no idea how this happened...)

We bundle her up and go outside quite frequently. We were exploring one afternoon and I was pointing things out to her that caught her eye, like the birds or a car driving by, but what amazed her most was the screens on the windows! She'd scratch and scratch at it, with a deep furrow. She was trying so hard to figure that stuff out! I kept scratching at it just like she was, repeating "Brielle, this is a screen!" and that amused her for a long time.

She loves to go on walks. She'll coo and look around, usually on the way back home - she's out.
All bundled up in a coat from Uncle Bohm!

I just love this outfit from Aunt Sam and Uncle Matt. My little Minnie Mouse.



We've tried avocado, banana's and apples. She's not a fan of any of them. She threw up all three times. Does this mean she's a picky eater, or does this mean she needs to acquire the taste? I guess only time will tell...    
Apples...

Gagging.
 She does love her feet, however...

This little chunky monkey is fitting into 6-9 month clothing, but only fits into size 0 (or newborn) shoes! I predict that she's going to have tiny feet.

At her doctor's appointment she weighed in at nearly 17 pounds and grew to 24 inches. She's more round than long! (Like her mommy... sorry Bean...)

I can't imagine what the next 6 months are going to bring. Brielle has brought so much joy and happiness into our home. Having a child helps me understand the depth of love God must feel for His children, except my depth of love is a fraction of His. I can't imagine how much His heart aches for us! She has also brought a totally new perspective on life, love and pure joy! God's up there smiling, being the ever patient teacher, as I slowly learn what it means to love. I'm 100% positive that this growth, this understanding, has only hit the beginning stages.
"He who teaches man knowledge - the Lord - knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath" (side note says they are futile) - Psalm 94:11
So I know that through Brielle God will continue to teach me the meaning of love, despite her not wanting mommy anymore, despite the terrible disobedient two's, despite the troubled rebellious teen years, I will love her with a steadfast, enduring love, just as God loves me even when I'm disobedient and rebellious.
"O my strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love." - Psalm 60:17
My prayer is this: Lord, help me to be like you: patient, loving, and steadfast. Help me to teach my daughter about Your love so that she grows up knowing and loving You too.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

"Pretty in Purple" Baby Shower

I am blessed with an iPhone. That means that I use it to play music, take pictures, surf the net, and much, much more. However, it's also a curse because I had this brilliant idea to play music during the "Make Baby E Pretty in Purple" activity, which also meant that I forgot to take pictures. I realized this fact as I climbed into bed that night, and then I couldn't sleep because it bugged me so much. So the pictures I do have are the ones I took at home. I have zero pictures to show how it all turned out. Sorry. Mostly I'm sorry to the mother-to-be because I try to take pictures and give them to her later. Dang. IT!
So I failed there, but believe me when I say, that it will probably never happen again!
"Pretty in Purple" Baby Shower
Decorations
  • Everything was purple! Purple table cloths, purple streamers, purple balloons, purple tissue paper "poofs" (Yeah, that's what I called them, that's probably not their "official" name.)...
  • Scattered on each table was purple paint chips.
  • I found a silver giraffe (piggy) bank that was super cute, tied a purple ribbon around its neck and put it on display. (The mother-to-be specifically mentioned an interest in giraffe's.)
  • I cut out each letter and created paper onsies to hang as a "Pretty in Purple" clothes line banner. In fact, the mother-to-be loved the little onsies and wanted to take them home. This was the most time consuming piece that I really, really wish I took a picture of, because it turned out super cute.
  • I found this poem about the color purple and decided to frame it, cause it was so adorable!
What Is Purple?
Time is purple
Just before night
When most people
Turn on the light--
But if you don’t it’s
A beautiful sight.
Asters are purple,
There’s purple ink.
Purple’s more popular
Thank you think…
It’s sort of a great
Grandmother to pink.
There are purple shadows
And purple veils,
Some ladies purple
Their fingernails.
There’s purple jam
And purple jell
And a purple bruise
Next day will tell
Where you landed
When you fell.
The purple feeling
Is rather put-out
The purple look is a
Definite pout.
But the purple sound
Is the loveliest thing
It’s a violet opening
In the spring.
by Mary O'Neill

Food
  • Blueberry Crumble Bars
  • Almond Bark and M&M popcorn
  • Dark Chocolate Kisses
  • Good & Plenty Licorice
Activity
  • The Guest Book was a special activity in and of itself. I didn't realize that thinking of a favorite verse would be so difficult. Still, the guests seemed to enjoy it.
I found a purple Bible, where the guests highlighted their favorite verse and signed their name next to it. This is also where the gifts were recorded as a memorandum for mommy and baby.
  • I found onsies, bibs, headbands, and little hats to decorate - making Baby E "pretty in purple". Each guest was encouraged to make one item that Baby E could wear and the the majority of the decorations provided were purple. I had purple lace, tulle, flowers, ribbon, felt, hearts, and buttons. During this time we chatted, ate, and created! 
    The sign on the table adorned with all the stuff to create headbands, onsies, bibs and hats. 
The example I made, (hoping) attempting to inspire creativity.
Devotions
Due to the fact that her baby shower fell right around Easter season (and that her nursery is adorned in the color purple - which is deemed the color of royalty), it seemed appropriate to talk about our AMAZING King, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our King was crucified, buried and rose again for His glory! Because of this, we are forgiven for our sins! What an amazing gift! I read from John 18:33-40, 19:1-11, and 19:17-22 because this is where Jesus was flogged, crucified, and where He was mocked as "King of the Jews" with a crown of thorns, a purple robe, and a sign in Aramaic, Latin and Greek that stated simply, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." I could think of nothing better to discuss: the Gospel, where we are forgiven of our sins, because of our amazing, LIVING King and what He accomplished on the cross!