Christmas Family

I love this picture. My favorite time of year, my favorite people and just happiness everywhere. Love being a family.

O' Christmas Tree.. Growing Girl and Jolly Ol' St Nick

What an eventful week! We have our first official "Baillie Christmas Tree!" We headed up to Crest Ranch in Bonny Doon with Aimee, Kevin and family and found our little 4 footer. It was Stephens first time searching for, finding and cutting down the perfect tree! (I married a city boy) Though it was freezing cold, it was the first of many years going up there with our family. The tradition we are attempting to start involves a hearty meal of eating biscuits and gravy in the morning then heading up to the mountain, drinking cider and finding our tree!

Grace saw St. Nick for the first time and sat on his lap, though she couldn't ask for any presents, she made sure to tug on his beard!

Just yesterday she sat up all by herself for the first time!!! She is growing so quickly it's crazy! She also has a favorite toy, a stuffed reindeer we got when we were at Knotts Berry Farm. It's the first toy that she holds her arms out for and gets a huge smile on her face. I know my last blog I was kinda overwhelmed with being a mom, but let me tell you that she has been sooo fun this last couple weeks, so happy and just bubbly! God knows right when I need a little help.

Below are some pictures of the last weeks, my friend Amy came down and took a lot of pictures of myself and her God-daughter.

My happy little munchkin...

Grace Elizabeth and Eliana Grace going to take communion together...sooo precious. Eliana is about 2 months older than Gracie... Just feeling each other out

Daddy absolutley in love with his little girl,

Momma in love with her little girl...
One of my favorite pictures ever!!!
Grace and St. Nick
Tugging on his beard

Daddy cutting down our tree

Posing with our new tree

Changes

I am so excited to have my own family this holiday season! My dreams are coming true, from having a wonderful husband, healthy baby that is mine... it still trips me out that I have my own child, who came from my womb...and as her shirt says is"50% Mommy and 50% Daddy."

How things can change in a year!!!! I am now a stay at home mother and wife, have dinner ready every night, husbands lunch packed every morning...going to moms groups, attempting to keep the house clean, cutting coupons and planning meals around the sales at the grocery stores.... If you would have asked me a year ago what my life was going to be like the same time next year... I would have never imagined cutting coupons or the ineffable joy that is in me daily.

Grace is getting bigger and bigger, obviously.... that is her only job right now. She is now 14.1 lbs heavy (my back is feeling the gain) and 25 1/2 inches long (as we are seeing her mow through all her clothes that have feet in them. She is almost out of 6 month clothes, and into the 6-9 months and bigger. She is in the 87th percentile for height and 56th percentile for weight.

Developments

She has a fantastic belly laugh, becoming so alert, noticing everyone that comes in the room, usually with a smile, can hold a toy consistently and keep it in her mouth, rolling over more and more, but still only from back to belly, she gets stuck on her belly often. She is also so close to sitting up... just not yet and loves to talk to us. She will bring everything to her mouth whether it be hands, toys and her favorite toy right now... PAPER!

Not so fun developments

Gone are the days of sleeping through the night! She now regularly wakes up once or twice a night, usually she goes right back to sleep after eating, but lately after our long road trip she wants to stay awake a lot more. She spits up a lot more (literally just seconds ago all over her and myself)

She can scream like the dickens and is for sure getting teeth but they can take months to come in!!! She just seems to be a lot more fussy lately.

Her doctor says that by waking up more, drooling, putting things in her mouth and watching everything that goes in our mouth... she is getting ready for solid foods, and I should start soon!!! I was trying to wait for 6 months, and she is just almost 5 months, I am just very hesitant to start, but if she is ready, she is ready..... I just don't want to rush her into anything.

Hopefully that will help, as much as I am joyful most of the time.... motherhood is getting harder for me. Since she has been such a chill baby, I find myself easily frustrated with her cries because I am not used to the sheer volume of it. I am not used to getting up during the night all the time, or her being fussy a lot throughout the day. I find that I am always second guessing what I am doing, what I am eating, if I should put her down rock her to sleep, if she is sick or is it just her teeth.... I have to put her down and leave the room just to cool myself down and be a loving mom, not a mad, frustrated mom. I feel bad for being so frustrated and feel that I am not loving enough!!! I ask God for more patience... and He just seems to give me more opportunuties to practice rather than peace within.....

At the park for the first time with our FOUR MONTH OLD!!

Can you believe that Grace is now 4 months old? My goodness is time flying by! It is hard to imagine a life without our little bundle of joy. Everyday she is doing something new, and quickly becoming a little person full of personality and attitude. She is turning over regularly now, laughs all the time, can play in her johnny jump seat, and loves it!!! She also can spend a lot more time on her tummy now, lifting her head and playing with toys, and can spend a good 15-30 minutes that way.

We knew that she is too small for the swings at the park, but we wanted to try anyway... put a little blanket infront or behind her... and away we go!!! Here she is! There is a video of her at the end being pushed.

Teething!

AHHHGGGHHHH!!! Teething sucks! Gracie went from never crying or being fussy to an almost constant state of fussiness! Yes, she has moments of cuteness and is all and all a good baby. It just feels like someone swapped out my girl with this new cranky creature! The thing that tops it all off. is that just last week she realized that she has vocal chords and likes to scream in every octave known to man... and the high pitched one is her fave.... So instead of my quiet little angel that loves to smile and laugh, she uses an ear shattering scream to get my attention!

Pam Tovic said it best "Good things babies are cute, otherwise we would throw them out the window."

More than anything, I just want my baby to feel better, I hate to see her in pain. It breaks my heart. Since she is such a good baby, I know she really must be hurting to be this fussy.

I am using the Highlands Teething tablets, and they seem to work somewhat... Anybody have any other tricks that they use to get through this? (for both baby and mama)

Gracies first Halloween

Gracie was a pink dinosaur for her first Halloween. I guess we just dressed her up to show her off, really she is a little to young to go trick or treating.... We went trick or treatin to 3 neighborhood houses, but it is not like she eats candy, it's more like "here look at my cute baby" no candy please, we just wanted to show her off!! Fun nonetheless!

My mom was here for the weekend, and that is always a great treat!
Our neighbors and their kids! That is Stephen as Winnie the Pooh!
Daddy and baby...
Stephen is awesome for dressing up!!! I love him!
This is just cute!

Our laughing girl

She is starting to laugh... and we are attempting to catch it for you all!

Sitting up and sickness!

We just got a "bumbo"seat and Gracie loves it!! It has a high back and low seat so she can sit up all by herself. It helps mommy out a lot, perfect to bring in the bathroom when taking a shower, or putting in the kitchen when I am cooking dinner. She is my audience every night as I go step by step on how I am cooking every meal, I should be good to go on my own cooking show pretty soon!

3 and 1/2 months old. She also loves sitting at the dinner table with us, we are all eye level with each other and it's nice to sit at the table as a family! (picture not included)
This week we have all been visited by the sick bug. Stephen was sick, then I was, then Gracie and now Stephen again!!! I really wish babies knew how to blow their noses! Life would be so much easier, she hates us sucking out her brains with that little buger getter outer... yes that is the official title... not really! It is hard to be sick and have to take care of someone. I just want to sleep and rest and be babied myself, but those days are over! Now I have two babies to take care of at home... Love you honey:)

Gracie has definitely found her vocal chords, the shrieks, both happy and sad, that come out of her can be deafening, but cute nonetheless.

She can roll over from tummy to back pretty well now, and is really close to rolling over from back to tummy, but not yet.

3 months!

She is officially three months old!!! She is still doing great, she just enjoys seeing her mommy more during the night, waking up once or twice now.... I thought they slept more once they got older!

Here are some current pictures of our precious little one.

Her first days of holding her head up! Getting so strong!

Loving being with her daddy!

On the Go!

Wow! We have been busy lately! It seems like every weekend we were on the road or a plane somewhere! Finally we are all back at home, and home for a while. We drove to Bakersfield to see Stephens mom, then went to LA for a funeral and stayed there a couple days with Stephens Aunt's and sister. Grace and I then flew up to Seattle area to see my Grandaddy for his 90th birthday... and then last weekend we headed to the Jackson area to go wine tasting with a couple friends! Whewww.... We figure if we are going to go anywhere with Grace, now is the time, she travels so well, of course she gets cranky after she has been in the car for 8 hours, but don't we all?

Grace has been a champ through it all, she is such a calm baby, we are very blessed. I originally was going to drive up to my parents house which is six hours away, stay there overnight, and then drive 16 hours to Seattle together..... But we soon realized that that was aCRAZY idea, so I was able to find a cheap ticket for us, and we were going to fly.

It then sunk in that I was traveling by myself, with an infant.... I started to have pretty bad anxiety about that subject!!! What the heck was I thinking?!?!?! Just going through security taking her out of the stroller, out of the carseat, folding it up and putting it through the x-ray machine while holding her at the same time.... CRAZY!!! Luckily on the way there, I got an whole row to myself, breastfed her on the way up, and then she slept the whole way. On the way back I LITERALLY GOT STUCK IN AN ELEVATOR FOR 25 MINUTES!!! Had to press the alarm button and everything! I was late to board the plane, and when you have kids, it is so nice to be able to pre-board, but I missed that, my seat was on the last row, on a completely full flight... meanwhile while I was trying to get through the plane, I realized that she pooped!! Ahhhhhhhh... But again, Grace was wonderful, lives up to her name.. She smiled and was so happy that whole ride!! So wonderful, she won the hearts of all the passengers around, and mine of course!

It was so nice to see my grandparents, and they got to meet Grace for the first time, as well as all my uncles on my dad's side, and many of my cousins. It was somewhat of a family reunion, we stayed with my parents at a hotel, but mostly just stayed with them in the house, hearing old stories of when my dad and his brothers were young and just to hear the stories of simply how amazing my grandparents are, truly filled with the Holy Spirit, I am always on a spiritual high after leaving their house!

Developments of Grace this month:

She has learned that she has hands and can touch and play with things that are hanging in the air in-front of her. Thanks Keidi for that play-mat, she loves it!!!

She smiles constantly, especially in the morning!

She goes to bed around 8pm, sleeps either through the night, or gets up between 4-5 feeds, then sleeps to 8.

No longer face-plants when she is on tummy time, she can lift her head-up!!! (we discovered this yesterday)

Eats every 3 hours, not every 2 (other than night)

Recognizes my face!

Starting to talk a lot more, not just coo

SOOO close to laughing!!!

Below are some pictures!

4 generations!

My dad, his brothers, parents, and Gracie
My Grandparents, loving Gracie

Daddy and his love!

Poop and Pictures

I know I am a mom and I am supposed to think that Grace is cute... but OH MY GOSH SHE IS ADORABLE!!! Her smiles are occurring more often and she melts our hearts with every single one of them!! She has always been a very vocal baby, but she is talking a lot more now, and she has this little high squeek that is so fun to listen too. Her legs are also going a mile a minute.. she wants to run out of here, but it will be a while yet.

Funny inncidents this week... My sister Chris and I were visiting our friend Stacy Valory and Grace was on my lap and I heard (and felt) her go poop. Well, I lifted her up immediatley and still felt warmth on my lap... I look down, only to find my legs full of yellow warmth.... yes that right, she pooped all through her pants and all over her mama!!! Totally disgusting, but cute none the less. I can't get mad at her because she is a baby, and because mama had a bean burrito, and 2, yes, 2 chili dogs!! I was not thinking at the time apparently.

This week my sister Chrissy, (she hates being called that, I am the only one that can get away with it....) came to visit for 4 days and it was really nice to have her there spending time with her niece (and to give mama a little help). Chrissy was so happy to see her smile and really could not get enough of her, I really think that Gracie forgot I was her mommy because she sent so much time with Chrissy.

On a sad note, Stephen's uncle died a couple days ago, and though we just got back from Bakersfield on Monday, we are headed to LA now for a couple days for the funeral. Stephen took it hard, he did not have a dad growing up and his Uncle was one of his only male influences in his life... Pray for him! We just give him extra hugs and kisses and some more alone time. Let's hope Gracie does as well on this road trip as the last one.... Then next week Grace and I are headed on the longest road trip yet, we are driving to Washington with my parents to see my Grandaddy on his 90th birthday.... Wow, hope she loves that car seat!

Our friend Wendy Russell called and wanted to come take pictures of Grace, below are some of the pictures she took on Graces 2 month birthday.... SO CUTE!!!

Fast Cars and Freedom!

So, our little one is just about 2 months old now!! Can you believe it?! I can't either. We decided that 2 months was old enough to take her on her first road trip all the way to Bakersfield to meet her Grandma Baillie for the first time!!! What a special time that was, Stephen's sister Alicia also met us there and all the Baillie's were together for the first time since Grace was born!! Grace did great on the ride, she slept all 4 and 1/2 hours that we were driving. We stopped in Paso Robles the half way mark to eat (her and us), and then kept trucking, and she awoke for that, then went right back to sleep. I wish it will always be this easy, but I am not naive, times will change, we are just going to take advantage of how well she travels now.

Alicia brought Grace up one of the coolest presents we've seen, and little red convertible!! It is a little big for her right now, but we put her in it anyway and she looked so darn cute!!!

The first time that Grandma Sue saw Gracie, and I think it is safe to say that her heart was melted. Grandma watched her for 6 hours which was a wonderful treat for Stephen and I to have some alone time for the first time in a long time!

Aunt Alicia holding Gracie and spending some quality time.

When we got home we had a nice BBQ at our house with our friends Juan, Shelly and their baby Olivia (who happen to live across the street) for Labor Day. Our other neighbor bought Grace and Olivia matching red, white and blue outfits for the holiday and below is the attempt of us trying to get a picture of them both together. Olivia is 7 months old and if we let them alone will clobber Grace just out of curiosity.

We are having a great time with our baby girl. She is still a delight, sleeps 7-8 hours at night, smiles a lot and is growing like a weed!! She is pretty much out of her 0-3 month clothes and is only 2 months old!! I try to play dress up with her as much as possible so she has a chance to wear everything!

She also loves, and I mean loves being outside. I take her out on a walk everyday around the forest of Mt. Hermon and she is alert as can be looking everywhere. Aimee, my sister and I go out daily and try to get our exercise in, and if anyone has been to Mt. Hermon before you know it is a lot of hills, so our legs and butts are starting to look good!!! ( the previous sentence is a glimpse into the future...)

Bottom line, all is well at the Baillie house, we are happy, blessed and just enjoying the time we have with her and each other!

Wedding and Baptism!

A whirlwind of a weekend!!! Below is the lovely Mrs. Nicholas... the day after her wedding, looking relaxed... she had to get up early to be the Godmother of Grace!!!

The extended God Family... Amy is Godmother, Chad the Godfather... Josh is now Amy's husband and Jen is now engaged to the Godfather, and Karina is the daughter of Jen.... ahhhhhhh... You will get it somehow. We are blessed which such a loving extended family.... this picture is taken right after her baptism.

Chad taking her to her first communion. She was sleeping, we tried to wake her up before, but she wasn't having it... we had to pry her mouth open.

This is a picture of Gracie that Amy took in her baptismal gown, next to my wedding bouquet. This is the most beautiful picture that I have ever seen. I am going to blow it up and frame it! Thanks Amy!!!!!!!!

After this weekend we all needed a nap!! The wedding was amazing, I am waiting for pictures from it, it was an all out celebration of love!! Since I was the in a nice dress I didn't want to breast feed all the time, so I pumped before and Stephen was able to feed her a bottle all day... She was one of the most popular attractions at the wedding, there was literally a line to hold her all day!!!

The next day at 8:30 we had the baptism, and let me tell you, it was soo hard to get out of bed, but totally worth it, she only cried when she got dunked, and proceeded to pee all over Chad and the floor!!!

Selflessness, hard thing to get used to!

So, I have been a mom for six weeks almost now, and am to the point where I miss being able to do stuff!! Everything from going to the bathroom, making dinner, grocery shopping, taking out the trash, cuddling with my husband and eating has to be perfectly calculated around our beloved daughter. It is a hard transition from being able to do whatever I wanted to do, whenever I wanted to do it for the past 29 years of my life, well at least the last 11.

I love my daughter with all that I have in me, I just miss being able to go to a movie, do errands... eat something other than fast food when I am able to be out and about! I know what you are all saying.... "get used to it Amanda, this is your life from now on" and I know that, and I would much rather have her than not, it is just something that I am getting used to.... this whole selflessness thing....

Today I have to go to San Jose to get a few things, and I am nervous about her feeding. She eats every two hours, so I can feed her right before I go, drive 1/2 hour to get there, and have an hour there before I have to drive back... well I want to stay for longer. Where do I feed her? In a fitting room? In a hot car? Do I take a bottle that I pumped before? We shall see how it unfolds....

It is going to take me a while to get used to this whole mom thing.

5 weeks of love!

Wow, how time flies! Gracie is 5 weeks old already and we are so blessed to have such a wonderful baby. She is just starting to smile a little bit, and boy when she does it just melts our hearts. She is getting to be so much more alert, hopefully the pictures below show how wide her eyes are getting.

This is going to be a big week for Gracie, she is going to be a flower girl at her Godmothers wedding on Saturday and then she is going to be baptized on Sunday!!!! Oh my gosh her baptismal gown is so precious! She is going to wear the same one for the wedding and the baptism and she just looks like a doll. No worries, there will be plenty of pictures next week.

Momma is not having good luck trying to find a dress for the wedding. I am the maid of honor and still do not have a dress and the wedding is in a week!!! My body is just a weird size after giving birth and trying to fit into dresses is really hard!!! Not to mention the fact that I can't just go shopping for a day looking for one, I have this little baby that likes to eat every two hours, and who is hard to fit her stroller in the changing room with me....So, I go to the Internet and order dresses, try them on, get depressed, then send them back!!! I'm getting extremely frustrated, but know that hopefully I will find something.

Our house is almost all unpacked and feeling more and more like home. I can't tell you how nice it is to be close to my sister and her family. Marina likes to go to errands with me to help with the baby which is a total blessing. Zach comes down to help move heavy boxes, and just having somewhere to go hangout is so nice.

Aimee also gave us a chance to go out on a date for the first time since she was born! I just saved some breastmilk so she could feed and gave her to my sister for a couple hours and Stephen and I had a very romantic dinner downtown, something that was sooooo needed. It was nice to feel like a wife again rather than just a milking mother!! I look forward to more dates to come!