In case you couldn't tell from the front page we are happily expecting our 2nd child this August :) We had our monthly Dr's appointment on Wednesday 2/25/09 and were lucky enough to get an ultrasound. Dr. R did the ultrasound himself and though we were thrilled to see the baby we couldn't help but ask if he could tell what sex the baby is. He took a guess, but wasn't 100% sure, so were're going to hold off on making an annoucement. We want to know for sure when we tell people!
Friday, February 27, 2009
Friday, August 22, 2008
Pretty Baby
G is now 5 months old and growing like a weed! We still think she is the sweetest baby ever and can't imagine ever loving anyone more. G has been sitting up without support for several weeks now. She has also started her fall Kindermusic classes which she loves!
Earlier in the month we got a post card from the hospital G was born at. They are redecorating and were having a contest to decorate the new area. We sent in a picture of G and got a call today that she was one of the winners! She will have photographs taken and her picture will grace the Labor, Deliver & Maternity area of the hospital she was born at!!!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
The Chemistry of Attachment
From Dr. Sears Newsletter:
Good things happen to the hormones of mothers and babies who are attached. Hormones regulate the body's systems and help them react to the environment. One of these hormones is cortisol. Produced by the adrenal glands, one of its jobs is to help a person cope with stress and make sudden adjustments in threatening situations. For the body to function optimally, it must have the right balance of cortisol – too little and it shuts down, too much and it becomes distressed. Cortisol is one of the hormones that plays a major part in a person's emotional responses. In reviewing attachment-chemistry studies , we conclude that a secure mother-infant attachment keeps the baby in hormonal balance. Insecurely attached infants may either get used to a low hormonal level, and so they become apathetic, or they may constantly have high stress hormones, and so they become chronically anxious. The securely attached infant seems to be in a state of hormonal well- being, and because the infant is used to that feeling, he strives to maintain it. Scientists are confirming what mothers have always known: Mother's presence is important for keeping baby's behavioral chemistry in balance.
Besides attachment parenting helping the baby's hormones, it also helps the mother's body chemistry. Maternal behaviors, especially breastfeeding, result in an outpouring of the hormones prolactin and oxytocin. These "mothering hormones" act as biological helpers, giving moms motherly feelings. They may, in fact, be the biological basis of the concept of mother's intuition. Prolactin levels increase ten-to twenty-fold within thirty minutes after mother begins breastfeeding. Most of it is gone again within an hour. Prolactin is a short-acting substance, so to get the best response a mother must breastfeed frequently – which is what babies want anyway. Hormones are biological helpers that improve the behavior of the baby and the caregiving of the mother. Your choice in parenting style can make them work for you.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Time Flies
G turns 4 months old today!!! How did that happen? It really seems like we just had her last week. She is growing and growing and seems to develop new talents every day. I am so in awe of her and truly do fall more in love with her each day.
As many of you know I am part of an online community of women who are either trying to conceive, are pregnant or have recently become Mom's, and though it's been hard for me to keep up with the boards since G was born I still follow their journey's. I was recently catching up on my girls and found myself crying learning of people had either just gotton their BFP (big, fat, positive) HPT (home pregnancy test) and of those who had just had their babies. My tears weren't really because I was sad so much, but were bittersweet because I remember those times and they were so meaningful and so life changing and those moments have passed by so quickly. When G was born one of my friends had a 3 1/2 month old, who I thought was so big and so old, and now G is older than that and, of course, to me is still a baby.
The following quote describes how I feel every moment of my life. I fall more in love with both D and G as each day passes, and sometimes it feels like as each second, minute and hour pass. Though there are many moments of the day I want to pull my hair out or wish I had someone else with me to give me an extra hand, the moments where my heart & body literally feel like I can't love anyone or anything more far outnumber the stresses of daily life.

Thursday, July 3, 2008
Road Trip
Our road trip up north is half way over!!! G is doing great! We left R on Saturday June 28th at 7am and drove to the VA area to bunk down with David's Aunt and Uncle. Though that was the farthest distance we traveled at once, it went by the quickest! We stopped every 3 hours so I could feed G, though at one time I tried to pump and give her a bottle! That didn't work out so well...G has only had a bottle a few times and she doesn't like it, especially from her Mommy!!!
While in the VA area G got to meet serveral extended family members. Fun times!
On June 30th we took off for , NY to see G's Great Grammy (my father's mother), and the Northern N's. On the way we stopped in Hershey, PA and went to Chocolate World! G and Daddy LOVED Chocolate World and almost moved in! But alas we had to leave Chocolate World and get back on the road. We coasted in to NY around 6:30 and were sooo excited to be off the road. While in NY G meet her Great Aunt Ellie, Great Uncle Norm, First Cousin once removed Aaron and Great Grandmother Grammy! While there I was able to see my childhood friend Heather who I hadn't seen in over 10 years!!!
On July 2nd we headed out for ME to see G's Great Aunt Pat and 1st cousins once removed Kenny & Annie. That was our shortest drive so far, but took the longest....UGH.
We're getting ready to take G to the beach for the first time...stay tuned for updates!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
3 Months!!!
Our little girl is 3 months old today!!! How time flies! It feels like she was just born and now she's almost grown up! LOL, not really, but that is how it seems! I love every day with her, but it is bittersweet to watch her grow and develop.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Shot through the heart

G had her 2 month appointment today. She is actually 9 weeks and 5 days, but who's counting
She weighs 11lbs and 8 oz and is 23 inches! That's 4lbs and 3 inches more than when she was born! She is in the 50th percentile for both height and weight and ahead of the curve in all her developmental milestones (of course David and I already thought that, we just got confirmation from the ped)
Today was a day I had been dreading because she was getting her first immunizations. We are doing a delayed vaccine schedule, so she only had 1 needle and 1 oral, but it was still VERY traumatic for Mom and Dad! G did pretty well. She made a face while taking the oral medicine and then promptly threw it all up! While I went to wash her dress off, (of course this was the one time I didn't have an extra outfit), she got the shot while Daddy held her and was VERY brave. She cried for a minute then snuggled up to me when I got back. She got tylenol once she was home and slept in my arms most of the day.
My brave girl!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Honey I think I have a stomach bug...
July 21, 2007:
Mom calls and tells me our friend J is pregnant. I cry because I want to be preg, and I know I'm not.
David throws me a surprise birthday party! It was a wonderful night--dinner at Outback then drinks at the Moon Roof. We get to the moon roof and I run to the bathroom and throw up and throw up and throw up. (((Little did I know that the bathroom I was using was a coed bathroom and as I'm throwing up a man went into the other stall!!!))) I enjoy the rest of the night and blame my upset stomach on over indulging.
July 22, 2007
My 29th birthday!!! We eat Mexican after church. On the way home I feel that funny gurgle in my stomach, and when we get home I throw up just as much as the night before. I tell David I think I have a stomach bug. He asks me if I think I might be pregnant. I tell him no way.
July 23, 2007 (Monday)

I wake up around 6am and feel very nauseated. David is still sleeping. I've got a home pregnancy test (HPT) and decide to try it out, expecting a BFN (Big Fat Negative), instead I get a very faint positive! I call David into the bathroom and make him promise not to get too excited as I don't want to get our hopes up. At lunch that day we buy 3 more HPT's and I take them at random times through out the rest of the day and the next morning. After 5 BFP's (BIG FAT POSITIVE's) I'm convinced and we start to celebrate!!!

Friday, March 21, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Fun Facts: G
G
Birth Weight: 7 lbs 7 oz
Birth Length: 20 in
Birth Date : 03/20/2008
Birth Time: 03:32 pm
Birth Place:
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G's first hair cut was on 08/08/2009
Mommy wasn't ready for it to happend, but it was time. She went to Miss Rhonda and sat in a chair all by herself. She didn't cry at all (Mommy almost did though). We just got the back trimmed and the ends trimmed a bit.
--08/07/2009------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mommy painted G's finger nails and toe nails pink today! It was the first time she's had her nails painted! She held very still and loved every second of it.
--08/03/2009 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G started nursing on the left side today! She's never nursed on that side before!
--07/21/2009 -------------------------------------------------
G spent her first night away from Mommy & Daddy. She stayed at Grammy & Grampy's tonight for the very first time! Mommy & Daddy were at the hospital to have sister!
G spent 4 night at Grammy & Grampy's while Mommy & Daddy were at the hospital having sister! She did great and Mommy & Daddy were worried she wouldn't want to come home!
--07/04/2009 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G saw fireworks for the first time tonight! She pointed and said "Oooo," and then was ready to go to sleep!
--06/17/2009------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G fell over and onto her little tikes drum and got her first bloody lip :( She calmed down after nursing, but it took Mommy a lot longer to feel better!
--06/17/2009------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G is now climbing on everything! We've had to re-baby proof our house, including all the kitchen counters (G has been climbing on a stool to explore and came back with a butcher knife once)
--04/19/2009------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G brushed her (2) teeth for the very first time tonight. She loved it and cried when we took the toothbrush away from her.
--04/17/2009------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G skinned her knee for the very first time. She didn't even cry!
--04/12/2009------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G let Daddy put her to sleep tonight!!! For the past 3 nights she's cried while he tried to get her down and tonight after 20 minutes she was out! She's sleeping in her bed right now. Yea! (Mommy's a little sad though--I like putting her down)
--04/08/2009------------------------------------------------------------------------------
now says "No", "Mama", "Dada", "Dog", "Cody" She also "talks" almost all the time when she is awake. I can't wait until we know what she is saying!
--03/31/2009------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G knows how to "blow" her food off when it is too hot. She is even blowing off pretend food, Mommy's food and food she gives to Cody!
----03/31/2009----------------------------------------------------------------------------
G can climb off the bed and couches all by herself now. She's been doing it for about a week now.
-03/20/2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Today is G's 1st Birthday! Wow!
----03/11/2009----------------------------------------------------------------------------
G has a 2nd tooth!!! It started coming in today! We can see a little white tip and feel it with our fingers!
--03/10/2009 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G flew on a plane for the first time today! She flew to Massachusetts to see her Great Grandparents with Mommy & Daddy. She did great (even with her double ear infection!)!!!
--02/23/2009 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G kissed her Daddy for the first time today!
--02/14/2009------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G's bottom 2 teeth are coming in! We can see the slits in her gums and feel the top of one!
--02/01/2009------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Did You Know...G has had fewer than 10 bottles her entire life!
--02/01/2009------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Did You Know...G has only had 2 baths alone her entire life! She likes to play in the tub with Mommy!
--01/31/2009------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G went to the GA Aquarium today! She was in awe of all the fish and couldn't stop pointing and looking.
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G's first steps were on 01/10/2009
Uncle Drew, Aunt Camila and Cousin Brandon came down to Grammy & Grampy's to celebrate Drew's upcoming 27th b-day. After her bath while in her jammies G took 2 small steps to Mommy!!! She was standing by the coffee table in the middle of the room byherself and just took off! It was amazing. My little baby is growing up!!!
--12/29/2008------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G started standing alone today!
--12/03/2008 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G started waving at everyone today!
--11/01/2008 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G started feeding herself this month!
She now eats cherrios, puffs, pizza crust, bagles, and anything else she can get her hands on. Daddy and Grampy give her lots of new things to try out!
--10/21/2008------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Did you know???Poll Information:
62% of people who took our poll thought Cody would be ready for G.
29% hoped Cody would be ready for G, but had their doubts.
10% thought Cody would have to go live with Gramy & Grandpy!
--10/19/2008 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G ate chicken for the first time today!
G doesn't like the texture of baby food. Although I spent many hours making her babyfood from scratch she now eats a little of what we eat at each meal. She loves that! So far her favorites seem to be potatoes. She really likes sweet potatoes.
--10/12/2008 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G crawled today!
She has been moving all over the floor, but tonight at Grammy & Grampy's she took off with the "typical" baby crawl!!!
--10/01/2008------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G started pulling herself up this month. She pulls up on anything she can now. Walking seems to be in her near future.
--09/29/2008------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G started Waterbabies today!!! She LOVES the water! Just like Mommy!
--09/24/2008 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G ate Green Beans today! She liked them and ate them all up!
--09/19/2008------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G had a chest X-Ray today and was diagnosed with Pneunomnia :(
--09/11/2008------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G ate carrots for the first time today! She liked them right away :)
--09/08/2008------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G started rice cereal today! Her first try at solid food! She spit it out and made a horrible face!
--09/05/2008------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G was told "I Love You" by a boy!!!
Her friend Carson who is 1 and 1/2 leaned his head in close to hers and said "I Love You". It was soooo sweet!!!
--09/04/2008 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G went on her first trip to Panama City Beach!
--08/22/2008 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G has had her first cold this week. Poor G
Daddy caught it from G :(
--08/04/2008 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G stayed in the nursery for the first time today!
While Mommy was at MOPS Bible study G stayed in the nursery at First Presbyterian. Thanks Ms Nell and Ms Nancy!
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G's first time sitting up unassisted was 08/03/2008
Gracie loves to sit up all by herself!
--07/21/2008 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
86% of people who took our poll think Gracie looks more like her Daddy.
--07/09/2008 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G rolled from her tummy to her back today!
--07/03/2008 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G took her first shower today!!!
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G's first time playing on the beach was 07/03/2008
--05/18/2008 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G was Baptised today!
G's baptism was very special~she was Baptised by her Grampy on his birthday!
--05/09/2008 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G started blowing bubbles today!
--05/08/2008 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G now wears a size 1 diaper!!!!
--05/08/2008 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G is 7 weeks old today!
--04/29/2008 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G was born on the first day of spring, which was also Holy Thursday and D's Grandmother's birthday!!!
--04/23/2008------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G's eye color is Blue
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G's Growth
Date: Weight: Length
08/03/2009 20 lbs.
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06/23/2009 19 lbs. 10 oz. 30 in.
50% for height, down to 1st% for weight!
--03/23/2009------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18 lbs. 14 oz. 28 1/4 in.
Between the 5th and 10th % in weight and 10th and 25th for height :) Our little peanut.
--01/09/2009 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18 lbs. 02 oz. 26.75 in.
Going down in percentiles, but Dr. Yap says not to worry! Under 25% for height and weight!
--11/21/2008------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18 lbs.
--10/31/2008------------------------------------------------------------------------------
17 lbs. 5 oz.
--10/08/2008------------------------------------------------------------------------------
16 lbs. 8 oz.
--09/26/2008------------------------------------------------------------------------------
16 lbs. 28 oz.
--08/25/2008------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15 lbs. 6 oz.
--07/29/2008------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14 lbs. 7 oz. 25 1/2 in.
Still in the 50 percentile for weight...in the 90th percentile for height though!!! Where did that come from???
--05/27/2008------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 lbs. 8 oz. 23 in.
--05/22/2008------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 lbs. 11 oz.
--05/08/2008------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 lbs. 2 oz.
--04/30/2008------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 lbs. 12 oz.
--04/23/2008------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 lbs. 8 oz. 21 in.
--04/10/2008------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8 lbs. 11 oz.
--03/20/2008------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7 lbs. 7 oz. 20 in.









