Six Months Old! :)

Happy Half-Birthday, Sweet Girl!

Your Daddy likes to joke with you that you've lived with us for 6 months and haven't spoken not one word to us! :)

 

My Dearest Lucy,

 

This month you weigh 14 lbs. and 13 oz. and are 25 1/2 in. long!

You snuggly wear 3-6 month size clothes (but some of the cute, monogrammed outfits that your Dewberry cousins gave you for Christmas are 6-9 and even 6-12 and while they fit, they're a little more "roomy").

 

You still wear a size 2 diaper

 

You are eating almost all Stage 2 Gerber baby foods (with 1.5 scoops of rice) and still taking Parents Choice formula with rice cereal.

 

Last month, your thing was blowing out your lips. This month, it's sticking out your tongue! You stick out your tongue almost every time you smile and seem to know that it's going to get a rise out of people. It's like you're telling us a joke to make us laugh!

 

Your laugh is the sweetest sound to my ears, but they are few and far between. You never laugh at the same thing twice. And depending on your mood, no matter how silly we're acting or looking trying to get you to laugh, you look at us with the most mature look on your face like "Just stop. You're embarassing yourself."

 

You had your first stomach virus! :( You brought it home from daycare this past Thursday. At first it was just like spit-up (which you very rarely do anymore, so it was weird), but each time you did it, it increased in volume. You eventually threw up all over yourself and me to where we both needed to change clothes and bathe at least 3 different times. We finally wisened up and just set a towel out in front of you and let you throw up into the towel. Poor Christy Sutton was over here visiting that night and you got her too. We didn't know whether it was a virus or something you ate until the next day when I called Learning Safari and learned that it was going around your classroom. We kept you out of daycare that next day (Friday), and your Daddy stayed home with you. You felt all better by Saturday so Memaw & Big Daddy came to visit and spend Saturday night. But poor Daddy & I both caught it in the wee hours of Sunday morning (3 a.m. & 4 a.m., respectively). We took you in to finish sleeping in Memaw & Big Daddy's room and then CiCi came to pick you up the next morning. You spent the day at her house and apparently had a lot of fun! She said that you LOVED strolling outside! That evening your Daddy & I still weren't feeling 100% (he ended up having to go the hospital because he was dehydrated), and so we let you spend the night! I cried big ol' crocodile tears because for your entire life, I have rocked you to sleep every night. Papa called early Monday morning though to let us know we needed to come pick you up right away though because CiCi had gotten it, too! I had no problem doing so and rocked you and rocked you and rocked you all day long!

 

You have become a CHAMPION at sitting up! It's like you learned to do it over night! One day, your Daddy & I were with you in your room and just set you on the floor to play like normal and you sat, but in a tripod stance (you were sort of leaning on your hands out in front of you) and tipped easily. It wasn't 2 weeks before you were sitting up sturdy for a good 30 seconds-1 minute (of course with pillows around you!). Now, we can leave you there for several minutes (at least!) with no support. It won't be long before you're taking off around this house....

 

.... or will it?? You still despise being on your tummy! My Mommy heart has toughened up and I will let you whine on the floor without it breaking, but as soon as you start crying hard, my heart begins to crack and I cave.

 

You are sleeping in your own room now! You have always slept in your own bed (well, always the snuggle nest in the bassinet in our room), but you got too long to fit in the bassinet anymore! :( Daddy & I LOVED having you in our room and hated for you to be all the way across the house (it's not that far, but still) and be in a room all by yourself when you're still so tiny! We debated taking down the crib and moving it to our room, but finally decided that moving you in there was really the smarter move in the long run. You converted like a champ! You still sleep in your snuggle nest, but are at least in your crib! I'm going to work with you this weekend on moving out of the snuggle nest. You're starting to slide out of it at night and it's freaking me out a bit.

 

You love sitting on your Daddy's shoulders and walking around the house.

 

You love smiling at "that baby in the mirror." Every morning after I change your diaper we look at her and I tell her that she is beautiful, she is smart, she is kind, and she is important in this world -- especially mine!

 

You will give me kisses! Wet, sloppy, open mouth, drooly kisses right on my cheek and I LOVE them! I really do think you know what you're doing, too. I will hold you in my lap and say "Give me kisses. Give Mama kisses" and if you're in the mood you'll grab both sides of my face, pull yourself in (or pull me to you) and plant one on me! I taught you this, because at first I would pull you to me, but now you're pulling me in or pulling yourself to me (that's why I think you legitimately know what you're doing!). You won't give your Daddy kisses, but I think it's because his face is scratchy. That's okay. He's more handsome with a scratchy face and we love a handsome Daddy! :)

 

You love playing in your exersaucer still. We were finally able to raise the seat up a little bit because your feet are able to touch so well. We did buy you a walker, but unfortunately your tiny legs still won't reach so you're not that big of a fan.

 

You have graduated from your infant tub to a bathing chair in the big bathtub! You're not crazy about playing with toys yet, but that's okay. They're all fun to look at!

 

Your favorite toys are the teal green elephant that makes crinkly noises and has rubber feet to chew on, your baby doll that coos (you love that it makes baby noises!), and most definitely your Elmo that MaMa & Pop gave you. He squeaks when you squeeze his belly and you smile so big at it every time in the car!

 

You love "driving" home from daycare when Daddy picks you up (because he doesn't have the carseat in his car).

Miss Lucy, these last 6 months have flown by and I know the next six will too. And before I know it, instead of being 6 months, you will be 6 years and then 16... I just hope that you will always know how proud your Daddy & I are of you, how much joy you bring to our lives, and just how much we LOVE you!!! You are definitely the brightest part of both of our days (and the highlight of our middle of the nights sometimes!). We have loved watching you grow and learn these last six months and can't wait to see how much you grow and what all you learn these next six months! We love you to the moon and back, sweet girl!

Five Months Old!!

Today, Lucy, you are FIVE MONTHS OLD!!

... wait, did I just write that??

This month, Miss Lucy:

You weigh about 14 lbs. and are about 25 inches long

You wear a size 2 diaper (Pampers Swaddlers -- and nothing else) and 3-6 month size clothes

Your little personality has erupted!  You smile at EVERYBODY you meet, even if you aren't in a good mood.  You have learned to blow your lips and think it is so much fun when someone plays this game with you and goes back and forth doing it with you.  (You even get upset when you don't win).  You talk all the time and are starting to laugh a lot more.  You never laugh at the same thing twice -- for instance, if I make you laugh by making a certain noise you won't laugh at it later when I try to show someone else.  You laughed at yourself two nights ago (12/16) for the first time.  You were holding this little orange elephant on the exersaucer next to your mouth.  His ears make a crinkling noise and you laughed at him -- it was precious!

You love to stand up and sit up -- both of which you are still needing support with.  Very rarely do you want to just lay down anymore.  You are wearing our arms and shoulders out wanting to stand all the time, so you've learned to love your exersaucer -- you can stand in it and sort of bounce.  You play very well independently.

You have begun eating baby foods -- I cannot believe your Daddy & I have a baby old enough to be eating BABY FOOD already!  So far, you have tried peas, carrots, and bananas.  Your favorite, by far, is the carrots... I couldn't get them in your mouth fast enough!  At one point on day 3 of eating carrots, you literally pulled the bowl out of my hands and put it in your mouth.  It is also pretty frequent during almost any of your meals for you to grab my sleeve and pull the spoon to your mouth as if I'm not doing it fast enough!  Silly girl...  You are such a neat eater, too!  Everytime we begin a meal, especially if it's your first time trying a new food, you will stick your tongue on the spoon first before opening your mouth to eat it, just like you're trying to taste it to see if you're going to like it.  After you tried peas, I wasn't sure whether to give you carrots next or sweet potatoes.  So, your Daddy asked you which one you liked.  He asked you several times "Lucy, do you want Sweet Potatoes?  Or carrots?" and every time you made absolutely zero reaction to sweet potatoes but would give the BIGGEST grin everytime he said "carrots" so that's what we went with.

You've tried:

Peas (12/11 -- 12/13)

Carrots (12/14 -- 12/16)

Bananas (12/17 -- 12/19)

You eat a 6 oz. bottle with rice in the mornings for your breakfast bottle, then throughout the day at daycare you will take at least one more 6 oz. bottle and usually refuse your last bottle.  By the time we get home around 4, you eat another 5-6 oz. and take a good hour nap.  Around 6:30ish, I'll feed you a vegetable and you usually take 3/4 - 1 whole carton of it along with a 5 oz. bottle with rice.  You'll take another good 6 oz. again around 8 before you're down for the night.

Yesterday morning, we tried bananas for breakfast (you ate about 3/4 of it) and you took about 4.5 oz. of a bottle with rice on top of that... growing girl!

We bought a new car!  We traded in our 2010 Barcelona Red Toyota Corolla (15,000 miles) for a 2011 Black Amethyst Nissan Rogue (66 miles).  It is much more roomier and has lots of "perks!"  It has leather a leather interior, with heated front seats, XM Radio, Bose Surround Sound System, Bluetooth, steering wheel controls, GPS Navigation, Keyless entry/start-up, Rearview Back-up camera -- You always do great in the car, falling asleep almost every time you get in, so I'm not sure you even notice the difference (other than we now don't have to drape a blanket over your carseat because we now have tinted windows!!!)

You have gotten heavy enough that I don't even get your carseat out of the car anymore.  I now get you out and put you back in every time.  Much easier!

We had a scary accident happen at our house!  You usually wake up around 6:00 and I let you lay there and talk to yourself for a little bit before it was time for me to get up.  I usually get you ready first, and then sit you in your Bumbo seat on my bathroom counter and let you watch me get ready (it mesmerizes you to watch me put on makeup and do my hair).  Since it's been warm out (75 degrees in December... really, Mother Nature??), I wanted you to wear a dress and thought you'd be uncomfortable sitting in your Bumbo in a dress, so I decided to get me ready first that morning.  However, you had wet through your diaper (something you haven't done in a very long time) so I made a snap decision to change you first instead like normal.  We left your Daddy asleep and went into your room.  I changed your diaper and had you laying on the bed while I was picking out your outfit for the day when I heard a loud rumbling sound and a very loud shattering CRASH!  I immediately picked you up as thoughts of what just happened ran through my head.  I didn't know if someone had broken in, if all my china in my china cabinet had fallen over, etc.  I heard your Daddy yell "BECCA!" and when I yelled back "What???" He didn't answer.  I carried you into the rest of the house to figure out what it was.  Turns out, the HUGE wall-to-wall, counter-to-almost-ceiling mirror had come loose from the wall and fallen shattering into what looked like a million pieces.  Thank GOD we weren't in there!  You and I both had guardian angels looking over us that morning!

You have continued to have a nasty little cough.  We took you to the doctor, yes again, because you have such a rattle in your chest.  He says it's not in your lungs, and that there really is just nothing we can do for a cough until you're TWO!  Bless your heart... :(

You went to see Santa!  You really had no reaction, but took a decent little picture.  I can't wait to see what you think of him next year!

You love to look at Christmas trees -- especially ones with lots of ornaments.  Because we're so busy, we don't have any ornaments on our tree this year other than the one we bought you for your first Christmas (a tradition I want to do with you -- buying you an ornament every year), and the one that your teachers at Learning Safari put on their Christmas tree for you (a red and green plaid bird house with your name on it). 

You still suck your thumb and it really melts my heart each and every time you do -- so sweet!

You turn to look at your Daddy & I if someone else picks you up to hold you, not because you're upset but to make sure we're still there.  Warms my heart! :)

You love sucking on your toes!  Everytime your feet get "free" after being covered up for a while either by socks or by your footed pajamas in the morning, you kick your legs straight up in the air, grab them, and pull your feet in for the kill.  You are so flexible!

You still love to be on your back rather than your tummy, and so your head is a little flat on one side, but we're working on that... oops! :)

Your most favorite place to be in this entire world is on the chest of your Daddy or I and there is just no greater feeling in this whole wide world!

Just a beautiful day in the neighborhood... :)

I have had the PURE JOY of staying home with Lucy this week since we are off from school for Thanksgiving Break!  I really almost stressed that we would get bored of each other, or that I wouldn't be able to get thigns done that I needed to, but she has been an absolute angel and we couldn't be having a better time! 

We usually sleep in until about 7 and we get up and change her diaper and play for a bit.  She's so sweet and snuggly in the mornings, it melts my heart!  Then, we fill up her empty belly and by about 9:30 she's wanting to go back down for a little rest.  I say little, because it doesn't last but about an hour.  I have been eating my breakfast and checking my computer stuff during this time.  Then when she's up and at 'em again, we eat again and play.  I found a Children's Radio station on Pandora the other day, so I'll turn it on (on our BluRay player) and we'll sing songs, read books and have lots of good tummy time.  This morning, she couldn't stop flipping over -- it was so funny! Now, almost everytime I put her on her tummy she would flip to her back.  We just have to work on flipping to our bellies now!  Daddy usually comes home for lunch around 11:30 and so she eats again, and sits and plays with him.  Then around 1:30 she's ready to nap again.  She usually takes a good, long afternoon nap.  So she and I pile up on my bed and take a good hour and a half -- two hour nap.  It's blissful!  She wakes up cranky because, well, her tummy's empty again, but after eating she's back to her sweet, sweet self and spends fun time on the floor until Daddy comes home! 

It's been fun spending these days with you, Lucy, and figuring out your "schedule," your likes and dislikes and watching you learn new things every day!  Mama loves you, sweet girl!

4 Months Old!!!

Lucy, you are FOUR months old!!!

At 4 months, you:

Weigh 13 lbs. 5 oz. and are probably about 23 1/2 inches long

You wear 3-6 month size clothes

And are just about to move up to size 2 diapers

You have figured out how to roll over from your tummy to your back and have almost figured out how to go from your back to your tummy!

LOVE your thumb!  Since finding it, you can now self-soothe yourself back to sleep during the night.

Because of your new-found ability to self-soothe with your thumb, you sleep about 10 hours straight each night -- bliss!

You go down for the night around 7:30 and are usually up around 6:15 the next morning

Have started reacting to us tickling you or blowing rasberries around your neck and belly

Smile all.the.time!

Will smile really big like you're laughing, but have only laughed out loud a couple of times. 

Love to look at yourself in the mirror -- you think you are so funny!  You just smile and smile at yourself, it's so precious!

Will follow your Daddy & I across the room if someone else is holding you -- so sweet!

Still sleep in your Snuggle Nest, but in the bassinet in our room

Still LOVE bathtime -- it is a time of pure relaxation for you!

Ahhh-Chooo!

The last couple of weeks have been quite interesting for our sweet babe.  About a week and a half ago, on a Friday night, we put our Lucy down for bed.  Chris & I went into the living room to watch some t.v. and heard our sweet doll-baby coughing over and over and over again.  I went and picked her up and rocked her against my chest and called Dr. Ivey.  While talking to him, she started coughing and he was able to hear a bark in her cough.  He said to let her sleep inclined and that he would call us in a steroid medicine to give her for the next 3 days starting the next morning.  This medicine would basically open up her larynx which had gotten swollen, making it easier for her to cough and not bark. 

Lucy takes medicine like a champ.  Thanks to one of my co-workers, Chelsea Williams, Lucy is able to take medicine through a teeny-tiny version of a baby bottle.  When she was really little and would have to give her Tylenol through a syringe, it would shoot right back out at us.  But with this, she sucks it right down without a second thought.  Ms. Jackie was so surprised when she saw how well Lucy took it for her Monday morning dose.  She said "I'm gonna let you give it to her, because those babies hate that medicine.  They spit every bit back out at me."

Well, Monday was the last day of taking that steroid medicine, and on Monday night we were woken up during the middle of the night to her coughing and sounding like she was gasping for air.  It scared me so bad!  She ended up being alright and we all went back to sleep.  However, the next day at daycare, Ms. Jackie mentioned to me that she had done the same thing two more times during the day.  So... I called the Doctor.  (Think they're sick of hearing from this "First Time Mom" yet?)

Dr. Ivey was not in the office on Tuesday and wouldn't be back until Wednesday afternoon.  So I opted to speak to Dr. Samper.  After explaining to him what the circumstances were, he requested that I bring her in "right away" making it sound urgent.  So, I left my class and quickly picked her up from her room and headed straight to the doctor's office.  When we finally got to see him, I began to tell him what had been happening.  And after just looking at her, he told me he thought she was fine.  Now, I'm not going to go into all of the details but basically what I was told at the visit was that it's normal for babies to gasp for air (no, it's not okay for MY baby to gasp for air), that cough medicine is stupid (is this real life?) and that she may or may not have Chlamydia (no, not the vaginal kind -- the bronchial kind -- google it. It's a for real thing apparently.) and that he can't prove or disprove that she has it so she may want to take an antibiotic just in case (Really?  You're a DOCTOR and you can't prove or disprove this? Wow.)  Oh, and he must have been in some leftover Halloween spirit, because he yelled "BOOOOOOOOOO!" at my already crying baby really loudly more than once.  Okay. 

Our sweet pharmacy, Rite Aid at the Milledgeville Mall is full of kind-hearted Pharmacists and Pharmacy Techs that genuinely care about each one of their customers.  They seem to always remember who you are and a bit about yourself, personally, so that they can better connect with you.  It really helps me to trust them better. So, I asked them when I picked up Lucy's medicine (which she may or may not need) what it was and what it was for.  They told me it was an antibiotic and asked if she had an infection.  I told them I had no clue, but they assured me I should still give her the medicine either way, because a.) it couldn't hurt her and b.) the antibiotic will only keep her from getting anything else or getting worse.  That was enough for me.  The Pharmacist also recommended that I get some Baby Vick's Vapor Rub to rub on her chest. Oh, and Lucy's sweet Big Daddy suggested we run a humidifier in her room.  Wow, our poor, sweet, baby was all set.  That night she slept inclined with Vick's Rub on her chest, and a humidifier blowing beside her and the wishy-washy medicine in her system.  She slept like a rock. 

Our contagiously smiling baby lost her smile for a few days and even slept for nearly 15 hours straight with only eating 4 oz. during that time. (Yes, this frightened me.  Dr. Ivey said it was fine as long as she was still producing 4-5 wet diapers.  That babies handled being sick one of two ways -- crying about it or sleeping it off.  She was choosing to sleep it off.  And that since her cough was so productive she didn't know to spit it out and so was just swallowing back down all of that mucus, therefore filling up her belly and not registering that she was "hungry."  She bounced back over the next 24 hours.  Oh, and the gasping was because she would cough and cough and cough without breathing in between, and so would just inhale very deeply and loudly to catch her breath.)

Now today, nearly a week later, our sweet baby is all better!  Her Daddy on the other hand, has gotten the same thing.  Lucky him can take a Z-Pack though. :)

3 Months Old!

Lucy, today you are THREE MONTHS OLD!!!

... and lucky you gets to spend this birthday at the beach!   

At three months, Lucy:

You weigh 12 lbs. 6 oz. and are 23 inches long!

You wear size 1 diapers and are in 0-3 month clothes (and are starting to wear 3-6 months, too!)

You had the week off from daycare this week because my Pre-K had Fall Break all week!  Yay!  So, we all went to the beach with your CiCi & Papa and Kacie, Wesley, Macie & Mollie.  You did so great on the way down there -- you slept most of the way until about 2 hours before we were supposed to get there, you asked for a diaper change and went back to sleep shortly after for the rest of the trip.  You really are an awesome baby -- especially in the car!  Your Daddy & I thank our lucky stars every day for such a complacent baby. 

You only spent time down on the beach two different times.  Each time, you napped on me for about 2 hours and then we went up to eat and hang out in the condo for the rest of the day.  You and I did a lot of just hanging out together in the condo -- that's okay, hanging out with you is one of my favorite things to do these days.  Afterall, you're one of my two very best friends! :)

We saw a big school of dolphins the second time we were down at the beach, so your Daddy & I picked up a little stuffed animal dolphin to commemorate your first beach trip just like we got your stuffed animal moose for your first trip to the mountains.

This month you have learned to love spending time on your playgym.  You will lay there for about 30 minutes a lot of times.  At the beginning of the month, you would just look at all of the toys, and then slowly started batting at the heart-shaped rattle, then you started noticing yourself in the little mirror that is attached and then finally were able to purposely pull the little bird to make him sing.  He will sing a different song each time you pull him and sometimes your Daddy & I hear you pull him over and over again, almost like you're trying to find the song you like most.  There are a couple of other toys on there, but you don't pay much attention to them and I don't blame you -- they're boring.

You are on a little schedule.  Not so much time-wise, but procedure-wise.  We practice the E.A.S.Y. method -- you EAT (4 oz.), ACTIVITY (usually your play gym for 30 minutes, playing with your Daddy & I, listening to us read, or just sitting with us as we watch our shows), SLEEP (about 1 1/2 hours at a time), YOU TIME (we try to lay you down so you're not sleeping on us and we can get some "us time").

You are exclusively formula-fed now.  You use the Nuk bottles and eat Similac formula.  You like it pretty warm and we just use warm water out of the faucet (Dr. Ivey said this was fine).  You're taking a good 4 oz. about every 2-3 hours.

You are a regular jet-setter!  You went on your first big vacation (somewhere other than to Newnan) to the mountains with Memaw, Big Daddy, Sara, Jason, Nathan, Sallie, & Kiki to Ellijay, GA.  The very next weekend, we went to the beach with your Daddy's family and the weekend after that, we went back to Newnan to try for your 3 month pictures (they didn't go very well).

You have definitely become more smiley -- and your little smile lights up my world!  You smile mostly when we make a "clicking" noise with our tongues or speak in really high voices.

You can fall asleep in seconds flat to your Daddy singing his own version of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."  I haven't yet figured out how you can find his singing so soothing. What I have figured out though is that he loves you with a huge chunk of his heart and you love him just as much.  It's so sweet to watch the two of you together.  You have your very own special games and songs and my heart just swells as I listen from the other room or watch from across the room to the two of you falling in love with each other.

We can't believe you're getting so big -- a whole quarter of your first year has flown by!  But with each new day, you learn something new and do something all the more sweeter than the day before and I can't wait to see what you do tomorrow.

We love you, Lucy!

Mommy Moments

Lucy, this weekend was your first "big trip" -- meaning somewhere other than the two-hour drive to Newnan.  We went to Ellijay, Georgia to spend time with my family and go to the Apple Festival.  The drive took us right around 5 hours (because of traffic and a bad sense of direction).  Your sweet self stayed awake probably 90% of that time and didn't cry once!  You were so great!  We got there and Memaw, Sara, Kiki, Nathan, & Sallie were already there.  Big Daddy & Jason came later that evening.  You and your Daddy were so tired though, you both fell asleep watching Toy Story with Nathan and then continued your sleeping spell back in bed.  You drooled on him so much it soaked through his sweatshirt, tshirt and onto his skin! :) 

The Apple Festival was an arts and crafts fair that Ellijay hosts every year.  It was the first time we've ever felt like we needed a stroller to carry you in, so we got the one that matches your carseat from Kacie & Wesley.  We couldn't quite figure out how it buckled, but you were more comfortable unbuckled anyways.  We just flapped up the feet part and you were safe and sound!  You stayed awake the entire morning and only cried once you got hot (the weather was warmer than we expected and dressed you for.  You look precious in your sweater dress, though!).  It was hard weaving in and out of the heavy crowds and so we didn't stay longer than about an hour.  We got back to the cabin, fed you and left you with everybody else while your Daddy & I went downtown for some "us" time. 

We went first to a store called Main Street Antiques (your Daddy's into antiquing these days).  We found lots of things we thought were neat, but finally settled on an old theater chair and a parking meter.  We went in a couple of other stores but didn't find anything that struck us.  Except for a little stuffed animal moose that I just had to have for you to commemorate your first trip to Ellijay (hopefully we'll be going back again!).  He has on a little shirt with a picture of a cabin and the words "Ellijay, GA" We call him your "Moosey" and you love to naw on him - poor guy!  We ate lunch at a place downtown called Canterberry and both had sandwiches and I also had a cup of Chicken & Wild Rice soup which was really delicious!

That evening, we played Dice with the family while your Daddy, Jason, & Big Daddy all listened to the ball game on the porch (there's no cable at the cabin).  Your Daddy and I dominated the game rolling over 1,000 points on almost every turn each! :)  You also tried your best that night (and for the first time to my knowledge) to turn over!  You were laying on your back on your playgym and lifted your legs up to your chest and turned them to your right side.  Since then, pulling your legs up to your chest is one of your favorite things to do -- as soon as I unzip your Sleep Sack in the morning, your legs go right up to your chest!  It's so cute!  You'll be turning over before too much longer... as soon as you can figure out how to get over your shoulder.

We left the next morning and it didn't take us quite as long this time with a better sense of direction, and less traffic!  You got hungry about halfway home and we couldn't get the car-adapter to the bottle warmer to work correctly, you didn't fuss to badly, but you definitely weren't happy. 

We've had to start giving you a bottle more lately.  I'm just not able to make enough to keep you full.  The doctor says I can take a pill 3x a day and it might jumpstart my milk supply, but there are side effects such as anxiety and drowsiness -- both of which I can't afford right now with teaching Pre-K.  It was a hard decision to decide to move you to primarily bottle and just nurse you when I'm able (& one your Daddy isn't totally on board with), but you are perfectly content with the bottle.  You don't refuse it, don't spit up your formula, and you're just becoming more of a big girl. 

I was totally at peace with this decision until the other night.  I woke up in tears thinking about how I had decided not to nurse you anymore.  And how neither of us knew the last time was the last time.  So, I woke you up at 1:30 in the morning and took you into the living room and nursed you.  You loved it, and so did I.  I cried silently as I sweetly talked to you about what you were doing and why we were doing it.   I thought to myself that this was one of those "Mommy Moments."  After I put you back to sleep, I laid in bed and thought of all the other Mommy Moments I've had with you.  You smiling at me your first morning of daycare and my first morning back to work; the way you'll just lay and stare at me on the bed; reading books to you; when you coo and I'll respond as if we're having a conversation as I change your diaper after we get home from daycare; the way you snuggle your face against my neck in the mornings when I wake you up; the first time you grabbed your playgym bird and made him sing; watching you try to turn over; and there will be many more to come!

...and while I thought that was the last time, I've still tried to nurse you at some feedings and then give you a bottle if you're still hungry.  I just hate giving it up.  It's something sweet and special between just you and I.  I know that you're becoming bigger though and the most important thing is that you get enough to eat so you can grow even bigger!

I can't wait to watch you grow, Lucy Pearl and experience many more "Mommy Moments" with you!