Friday, September 14, 2012

Jaclyn @ 3 months!!

Jaclyn,

I can't believe you are 3 months old!!  You are getting way too big, way too fast!!!  I just look at you and laugh, because everytime I glance your way, you shoot me this HUGE toothless smile, and I just can't even stand it!! You are absolutely the sweetest little girl (besides your sister) that I've ever been around!  You are such a sweet mannered, calm, content baby (and I thank you sooooo  much for that!)- except when you're hungry or tired! You have gone from a newborn, to a full of personality infant.  I love watching you grow into your own.  I can AND can't wait to see more of you!



I look at you and my heart hurts, because it is so full of emotions for you!!  I look at you and I couldn't imagine being able to love you as much as I do.  I look at you and can't wait to see you and your sister playing together, and I imagine the sounds I'll hear in this house when that happens.  I look at you and try to picture what God might have in store for your life. 



Just not even 2 years ago, I figured this family was complete. Had no plans on having another baby. And then out of nowhere- God put this POWERFUL, longing in my heart for you.  He had plans.  You were already being created by God, and he knew he wanted you to be apart of this family, and God placed that need in my heart and your daddy's heart for you!!  I am so overwhelmingly glad he did.  You complete our family (God willing), and we couldn't imagine this family without you now!!  God sure does always prove he's in charge, he knows our needs, and his ways are always good, and he longs to bless us! :)  I am eternally grateful to him everytime I look at you!



At 3 months, life is getting fun! :)  I'm finally figuring out your schedule!! 

*You are now in size 2 diapers!! :)

* You wear 3 month clothes, and even some 3-6  months clothes because of your length!

* We are still breastfeeding, and you take 5-6 oz every 4 hours and a good 6 oz at the bedtime bottle



*You are sleeping through the night!! You have your last bottle between 730 and 8.  We usually have you in your crib asleep by 830.  You occasionally get restless during the night, and i have to go calm down those arms of yours that are flying all over the crib, but you either wake up to eat around 5 to nurse, and go back to sleep, or you wait and wake up for the day around 7 and eat.  Either one, is fine by me!  I'll take it!

* You are reaching for your dangling toys when you're on your playmat, and if I put the rattle in your fingers, you love to keep ahold of it and shake it!! :)

*You have learned to turn on your side.  I love watching you throw those legs in the air to get your body to turn on your side.  It takes every ounce of you to do it!  It cracks me up!



* You are much better in your bumbo seat now.  But I still joke, and say you get lazy, and try to lay your head on the tray.  hahaha. 

*I still haven't gotten the belly giggle out of you yet, but you get so excited and these crazy high pitched noises come out of your mouth!!  It cracks me up



*You have FOUND.YOUR.HANDS.  The bib is now apart of our apparel.  Not b/c of teething, but you drool sooooo much from munching on those fingers ALL.DAY.LONG.  You turn your fingers red from munchin' so long!  You have no interest in the toys that you can chew on yet though.  I've tried.  Even the cold ones....

* You are such a mommy's girl.  So much, that we actually struggle with you allowing your daddy to care for you if I'm here or not.  If I'm not the one getting you to sleep at night, you can peel  the paint off the walls with your screams.  Daddy is trying not to take it personal, but I've found him tearful about it on a few occasions.  I know one day you'll probably always want him, and not me, and so we are just rolling with the punches. But daddy sure would love to cuddle you to sleep, and mommy sure would love a girls night every now and then, if you could do that for us, we'd appreciate it!! :)  hahaha.



I think that's it for month 3! :)  You change everyday!!  Can't wait to see where you are in just another month!! We love you!! Happy 3 months Jaclyn Brooke! :)

Thursday, September 13, 2012

And Jaycee starts Preschool

Preschool.  Even worse- "younger 3's" Preschool.  A preschool that is only twice a week for 2 1/2 hours a day.  The amount of time to go home, do the dishes, run the vaccuum, start a washer, and feed the baby before you're already off to pick them up- preschool.  Yet all they have to do is put the word Preschool into that "title" and this mommy can't handle it. 
Here's the EXCITING, emotional roller coaster and how it's going....

It all started with a letter in the mail addressed to Jaycee.  It was from her teacher introducing herself.  It even had a sentence in it that said, "I was so excited to find out that I was your teacher, that I just had to write you this letter."  (insert- my tears that started flowing).  Along with that letter- her very.first.supply.list!!! Now for all you moms out there that have older kids, yes, I know that the supply list is going to get old after a few years, but let me enjoy our "firsts" for a while, please. So yes, laugh if you want, but the supply list made me cry even harder!!  It was the beginning of school for this house.  A new, exciting chapter was starting.  Thankfully, Jaycee was napping when I got the mail, so my tears were dried up, and when she woke up, I put on my poker face, and acted so excited to her about her letter and her supply list!!  She got pretty excited too!! :)  Here is a pic of her with her teacher's letter to her.




Then first off, was parent orientation.  Kids weren't allowed at this, so unfortunately, Josh stayed home with the girls, and off to parent orientation I went by myself.  A lump in my throat the whole way there, but almost as excited as I used to get for my first day of school.  I walked in, was shown to her classroom, and there it was.  A little bitty table, with all of the kids names assigned to a seat, and we were asked to sit at our child's spot.  I was in this "itty bitty" chair, at this "itty bitty" table, and the room was decorated sooooo adorably...and my lump go so big, it pushed the tears right out of my ducts!!  Thankfully, her teacher began talking, and her teacher was so upbeat, and so excited, and loves children, and couldn't wait to meet them, and I began to feel more at ease.  It was a day I'll never forget. 

Then on Monday- Jaycee got to go for orientation.  This was just 30 minutes for her to meet her teacher, meet her classmates,see her classroom, and let her teacher show them around the room (and the "itty bitty" barely off the ground, potty! :) )  Jaycee responded well.  She was interested, she was curious, and that made me smile.  School started just that next day, so as excited as we both were when we left there, I couldn't believe this was happening. 





First day of school.  I'm such a dork.  I woke up early, fixed a healthy, well rounded breakfast (like she was taking the SAT's or something), and all morning, I was pumping her up! :)  And thankfully SHE DID GREAT!!  The first day was a major success.  She hates leaving my side, but she is such a people person, that once she's around other people, she's fine!!  She's had a couple of meltdowns at school since it's started but her teacher states that it's been on days that other kids have melted down too. (Bless whoever gets a calling to teach "younger 3's"!!)



Jaycee now gets in the car, and literally talks my head off all the way home about what they did that day, who she  played with, what they had for snack, etc. etc.  I am sooooo fortunate that she goes to school with her friends, and with a teacher who loves to teach, who loves to do crafty things with them, and truly invests her time with them in such a short period of time!!  I'm in awe at what she can accomplish with them in such a short time of the day!! :)

 Praying that school is always such a positive place for her to learn and grow into the person that God has designed her to be!!  I'm so proud of her, and this milestone, while it has pulled at my heart, gives me so much joy to watch her become such a well rounded little girl!! :)  Picking her up from school, and hearing her talk about her day the WHOLE way home, are moments I wish I could always remember word for word because it doesn't get much sweeter than that!!