Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Kindergarten... here we come!

Dear Madison,

Today you began a new chapter in life, you started kindergarten!
You were so excited, your dad, brother and I not so much. I don't know how you are this big. I still remember the day we brought you home from the hospital, laid you down asleep in your bed and your dad and I looked at each other and said, "Now what do we do??" At that moment we didn't know just how much joy and happiness you would bring into our lives. I am so lucky to have been able to stay home with you these past few months and now as I sit here writing this letter I feel like a piece of me is missing. The house isn't as loud and my little helper is no where to be found. But I know you are having fun without me. You have been ready for this day for MONTHS. Every time we would drive past your new school, you would remind me you would be going there soon. I would try to ignore it, but since I haven't figured out how to stop time, I wasn't able to ignore it forever. A few weeks ago we picked out a backpack and ordered it online. You would count the number of days until it was supposed to arrive every morning. And when it came you were so excited.
 
We went shopping for your school supplies and you needed 16 glue sticks, this you found hilarious. You would say, can you believe I need SIXTEEN glue sticks?!?! and just laugh and laugh. We went to meet the teacher night, and I think you are going to love her. She is a hugger and you are a hugger so you two were supposed to meet :). She had also left everyone some laffy taffy and a balloon. That's the way straight to your heart, candy! Last night we read a few books about going to kindergarten and I gave you a small gift. Two bracelets, one for me and one for you. So if we ever get lonely we can look at the bracelet and think of each other. There was a little poem that came with it, and you insisted of putting it in your back pack so you would have it with you today. MELT MY HEART.
 
This morning you flew out of bed before 7 which you never do and said take me to school!! So after we had some breakfast and got dressed off we went.
 
Daddy and I both took you into school to drop you off. You were skipping and we were dragging our feet. Before we walked into your class you squeezed both our hands three times, which is our secret code for "I love you". You then gave your teacher a hug and put your bag in the cubby and took a seat with the girls at the end of the table. You told us bye and never looked back. The walk to the car was a little sad, and not going to lie, your dad cried! Madison Faye, we are both so incredibly proud of you. You have the sweetest heart, and bring nothing but happiness to everyone around you. I know this chapter of your life will be a great one and I am forever grateful I get to be your mommy. I love you too the moon and back!
Love
Mommy









This was the longest day in a while, I waited what felt like an eternity until it was time to pick you up! When I got there the line was insanely long. But when I finally made it to the front there you were, ready to go! You said, what took so long mom!! But you told me all about your day, what you did, who you played with and you acted genuinely excited about your first experience of school! You were ready to go back the next day!

Seven months: a letter

Dear Morgan,

You are growing too fast! I cannot believe how quickly time is flying! You are becoming less baby and more and more moving into looking like a toddler. I DON'T like it, I wish you could stay little forever! You had a BIG7th month. SO many new things!

Growth:
- You weigh approximately 18 or 19 pounds. You are really starting to "fill" out. Ie you are getting lots and lots of rolls!
- You are in size three diapers and filling out 9 month clothes
- Your personality is really starting to shine through. You are so so so happy and most everything makes you smile. You particularly like when your sister jumps up and down in front of you. You for some reason find this HILARIOUS. She loves to make you laugh.
- Your biggest accomplish this past month was rolling over! The first time only Gaga witnessed, and I will be honest, I didn't believe her. Well, I didn't want to believe her. You are with me 99.9999% of the time and the few seconds you were out of might sight over you went! But the next day you showed us your trick, several times from back to front. You were so proud. About a week later we were all discussing when you would go from your belly to your back and there you went. You must have known we were talking about you!


Food:
- Another big accomplishment this month was eating food! From the first time you ate like a pro! And we haven't found a food you don't like yet! After every bite you say mmmmmmm. You have had avacados, sweet potatoes, carrots and oatmeal.
- You still nurse about 5 times a day. I feel like you are eating two hours, which explains why you are filling out so nicely.

Sleeping:
- You are still a sleeping rockstar. You take 2 naps a day, morning and afternoon. And go to bed about 8 every night and sleep until 8-830 in the morning. Sometimes I wake you up at 9! You need to teach your brother your ways.
- You are still sleeping in your swing. We need to break this habit, but you do so well its hard to end a good thing!
- You don't really like to be rocked and snuggled, this makes me so sad. I am not ready for this to be over. But sometimes I get a few snuggles in :)


Activities:
- Mommy officially quit her job this month in order to stay home. This was hard. I had been at the same place for 10 years so it was hard to say goodbye, but I am so happy and lucky I get to spend my days with you! We have so much fun together and I just want to cherish every moment.
- We did lots of swimming. You love to sit in the water and splash.
- We celebrated your brothers 3rd birthday. You were a cute little pirate.





- We also celebrated fathers day, your dads first fathers day with three kids! And since it was Landon's birthday too we went to Ichiban! Family fav!


- We celebrated your first fourth of July, you were in bed before the fireworks started.


 



I cannot believe you are growing so fast! You are still the best baby ever and have made our family complete. I love you to the moon and back.

Love
Mommy

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Six months: a letter

Dear Morgan,

You are 6 months old!
Half a year. HOW IS THIS possible. Time is flying. You are growing so much and are developing the cutest personality. You are the happiest baby around and you just make everyone smile. I wouldn't say we have fully adjusted to being a family of 5 but we are getting closer. You make it easy!



Here are some highlights from your six months:

Growth -
- You weigh  16lbs and  are 27.5 inches tall, and your head is still in the 99%! I will give that credit to your dad.
- You are still in 6 month clothes, but your feet in your jammies are a bit squished, I will need to go and get you the next size soon!
- You have been wearing size 3 diapers for a while now, found out the hard way you needed to move up, can we say explosion!!!
- You have some rolls but are pretty evenly proportioned. again perfect :)
- Over the last month you have learned to sit up a little better, not great and I must always be close by. Still no turning over. You are getting close!


- You love jumping in your jumper toy, you make so much noise and just laugh and laugh.

Eating-
- You are still eating about every three hours, six times a day. You have a dream feeding between 9-10 at night and sometimes I have to wake you up at 9 am. I think its time to drop the dream feeding but hey, why mess with a good thing!
- I have been holding off on giving you food, after the terrible experience we had with your brother I am scared! Plus, we were headed to the beach and I didn't want to throw another variable into the mix. Traveling was going to be rough enough!

Sleeping-
- You sleep through the night no problem.
- Some days you take lots of little naps and some days you take two huge ones. Just depends on what we are doing that day.
- You take naps in your swing, probably should work on transitioning you to your bed .... one step at a time.
- About an hour after you get up (sometimes 45 min) you want to go back to sleep, and if we have time you will sleep for two hours, after sleeping 12 hours at night!

Activities-
- We got to visit our favorite family ENT and he confirmed you would need tubes and two days later we were at the hospital. You were a trooper. I heard you crying when they were done but as soon as I got to pick you up and nurse you, you were back to your joyful self. And the crying in the car stopped almost immediately after the tubes...... Maybe it was the tubes, maybe you grew up, I don't care I was glad it stopped!



- I got to celebrate mothers day being a mom of 5!
- Your brother and sister insisted we play dress-up and for you to be included. They love you so much!

- We went to your first outdoor concert with your GaGa's favorite band :)
- Then we loaded up and headed to the beach! I was soooo scared for the car ride, but you were a trooper! There was minimal crying and you just seemed happy to be along for the trip.
- You were not so sure about the beach at first, or the hotel or the pool. But after the first two days we got into a routine and you had lots of fun! You even got to go crab hunting. Which apparently is very soothing and knocked you right out!


 

- I think I might have a problem buying baby swimming suits because you had one for every day! OH well they are too cute! I cant wait to see what the beach brings next year!



















Morgan - you are growing too fast! You are starting to develop the cutest personality and you make everyone around you smile. I love you to the moon and back!
Love always,
Mommy