Christmas 2010

Exhausted...that pretty much sums up how Bryan and I feel after Christmas this year. Christmas Eve began with church and Grace did well. She slept a bit and then woke up and I just held her while she looked around. After that we went back to my parents for a little to take some pictures and let Grace eat. We then headed to my Aunt Amy's house for the Wons family Christmas Eve. Let's just say Grace missed her naps that day and wasn't the happiest camper while we were there.

Little Miss Gracie posing with some of her gifts.

The yearly photo we take with my grandparents and all the grandkids. Now they have a great grand child!

A nice Wons family photo

Santa did come to our house this year, but he didn't deliver a lot of gifts for Grace. He must have known that she was going to receive A LOT of gifts from family this year! After opening gifts from Santa we went over to my parents house, where we opened many more gifts. My parents hosted the Maher side for Christmas Day, which was nice because we didn't have to travel anymore. Grace did better Christmas Day, but still had her moments because of being off schedule.

She loved her toys and books. Her face would just light up when the toys made music and flashed lights.

Of course she got a White Sox shirt...Pauly, Pauly, Pauly!

And here is our tree this morning after I went through all the gifts. Everything under this tree belongs to Grace...what a lucky lucky girl she is!

We feel so lucky to have such wonderful family. Grace received so many gifts, it is overwhelming! I didn't really know what to expect this Christmas, but I quickly learned that it wouldn't be a relaxing one. For now we have a couple days to recover and then it is off to Glen Carbon to celebrate with Bryan's mom's side of the family and then we come back and Grace is being Baptized. Thank goodness I am not going back to work yet!

HaPpY GiRl...

While I ran out to the store today for some last minute things (bad idea) Bryan was able to get some pictures of Grace smiling in her swing. She should have still been napping...that's why her eyes are red, but nonetheless she was a happy girl! We just can't wait for the Christmas Extravaganza to begin tomorrow! Merry Christmas to all our family and friends!

BUMBO!

Yesterday I went down to the basement and just stared at the pile of 'things' that we got at our baby shower that can't be used by Grace yet. The Bumbo seat caught my eye and I figured that since Grace is pretty good with holding her head up we could give it a try. She kind of leans to one side, but she did pretty well in it! I couldn't get her to look at me for a picture...she just wanted to stare at her daddy. Now we have one more baby accessory to add to our cramped family room :)

Grace at 2 months old...

Today Grace turned 2 months old...my how time flies! She also had her 2 month appt. today, which required some shots. Bryan and I both couldn't watch the shots getting done, but were definitely there to hug and love her when the shots were done. Gracie is still a little peanut. The nurses and doctor were commenting on how tiny she was. I guess I didn't realize how small she was because we see her everyday and she is the only baby we really see. But she is healthy and growing like she should be.
Here are her stats...
Weight 9lbs 5oz (15%)
Length 22 1/4 in. (50%)

Annual Christmas Cookie Bake...

This morning Grace and I headed over to my Aunt Amy's house for our annual Christmas Cookie Bake. Some of the girl cousins have been getting together for a few years now before Christmas to bake Christmas cookies and this year Grace joined in on the fun! This year we made cut-outs, Oreo balls, and Hershey Kiss cookies. We also had lunch together and Grandma made her yummy Chicken Salad. Grace was awake for a little bit to join in on the action. I am sure next year she will be very involved!

Christmas in Danville

This weekend we headed down to Danville to celebrate Christmas with Bryan's family. This was our first long car ride and overnight trip with Grace. She did pretty well, but we realized how important it is for Grace to have her naps in a bed. Saturday she was pretty cranky from the traveling and being off schedule, but we made due. Anne cooked a wonderful meal and we had a nice family dinner. We then opened up gifts. Grace was first and then I put her down to bed. She got her mobile, fun crib things to look at, outfits, and a special ornament and snow globe from Grandma and Grandpa. Aunt Sarah and Uncle Nick got Grace some pretty hats and adorable leopard shoes. Bryan is in many of the pictures(posing with Grace's gifts) because I missed the gift opening due to feeding Grace and putting her to bed. I didn't care... I just wanted to get pictures to document Gracie's first Christmas. Today was a much better day and Grace was back on schedule. She was able to get in a good visit with her Grandma and Grandpa and showed them how she smiles and coos. Thank you for your hospitality Anne and Cliff!

Two Accomplishments!

Accomplishment 1: Gracie slept through the night last night! (9pm-5am)
Accomplishment 2: I tried on my pre-pregnancy jeans and they fit! (a little snug at the waist, but the important thing is that I can button them)...Merry Christmas to me!
Sorry there are no pictures for this post, BUT we are celebrating Christmas with Bryan's family this weekend so there will be new pictures soon :)

Miss Smiley...

Gracie has been smiling since about 5 weeks, but at 8 weeks her smiles are now a lot more social. Her favorite time to smile is when she wakes up in the morning or when she wakes up from a nap. It is hard to be grumpy in the morning when you have this smile greeting you. Accompaning her smiles are the cute baby coos. It seriously almost makes me cry when she smiles and coos at the same time. She is also filling out (as you can see from her 'chins'). She is still a little peanut though, wearing mostly newborn clothes and just today going into size 1 diapers. I am interested to see where she is in terms of weight and length when we go for her 2 month appt. next week.

A visit with Santa

Today Bryan took the day off of work so we thought it would be a great day to take Grace to visit Santa and actually start our Christmas shopping. She managed to stay awake long enough for a picture with Santa and was a great shopper while we strolled around the mall.

What a great smile with Daddy :)

Getting ready to go!

She doesn't seem to thrilled, but at least there are no tears!

Grace's first read aloud

You would have thought that with me being a teacher I would have read aloud to Grace by now! Well it only took me 7 weeks, but today was the day :) I have quite a love for picture books and have a collection going of Christmas picture books, so I chose to read Frosty the Snowman. Grace paid attention the entire time and looked at the pages as I was reading. She even did some smiling (I take it those are the parts she liked best). Stayed tuned for tomorrow...we are planning on taking Grace to see Santa!

Putting a tradition on hold...

Since Bryan and I have been married we have gone to a tree farm to chop down our Christmas tree. We look forward to this tradition each year and we were looking forward to taking Grace to the tree farm this year. Well...things sure do change with a baby! We were planning on going Saturday, but with the snowstorm, Grace's schedule, and Bryan's work Christmas party in the afternoon we didn't make it there. Saturday night we decided it might be a better decision this year to not go to the tree farm. Dragging a 6 week old baby out into the cold was our main decision breaker! So Sunday afternoon after the Bears game and Grace's nap we bundled up and headed to the Jewel parking lot. We were focused...find a good tree, but make it quick! So within a half hour we found our tree and made it home. During Grace's 'witching hour' we decided to decorate the tree. I haven't used the Baby Bjorn yet, but I figured if Grace wanted to be held and I wanted to help decorate the tree this would have to work. And it did! She really liked being in the Baby Bjorn and eventually fell asleep while Bryan and I decorated our tree. So this year our tradition was altered a little bit, but we still made some great family memories. A Jewel parking lot didn't provide too many great picture opportunities for my scrapbook, but these will have to do for this year! And for those of you wondering...No, Bryan didn't become allergic to our Christmas Tree this year. Phew!

Gracie and Jeffrey finally meet!

Well it took 6 weeks, but my friend Kim and I were finally able to get together! For those of you that may remember from a post a while back, Kim and I were comparing our baby bumps. She was due November 3rd and I was due October 30th. Kim wound up having Jeffrey the day before I had Grace. We both went before our due dates and within one day of each other...very strange! Our little ones were both in good moods today(at least long enough to take some pictures) so we acted quick. Can't wait for our babies to grow up together. Who knows...maybe someday they will even date :)

Dad's Corner

So when Matt visited he had mentioned that it may be cool if I created an entry where I could share my take on all that has happened in the last 6 weeks since Gracie arrived. Melissa and I agreed. So....here it goes.

First off....THANK YOU to everyone that reads this blog on a regular basis. Melissa does a great job keeping it updated with the latest information. Also thank you to everyone that has helped us out over the last several weeks by visiting, bringing food, or just asked how we are doing. It means a lot to us to have such great friends and family.

Okay....where do I begin? I have been absolutely amazed at the strength of Melissa throughout the entire process (from carrying Grace to delivery to now motherhood). I always knew that she was destined to be a great mother, but she amazes me often with her patience and instincts. The day that Grace was born was a day that I will always remember as the day that Melissa showed me what kind of strength she really has.....I loved seeing that.

Since Grace has arrived, she has had me wrapped around her finger. I'm not sure if I would feel the same way if we were to have a baby boy, but having a girl has brought out protective instincts that I never knew I had. Melissa has to constantly tell me to take it one day at a time because I get so wrapped up in the future and how things are going to be (protecting her from boys, what I can teach her, etc.) I find myself starring at her all of the time thinking about what kind of person she will grow up to be....she is already showing us bits of her personality, which is very sweet.

Most people ask me about sleep deprivation and where I stand on that....well, I can tell you that it has been a work in progress. The first couple of weeks were not so bad because I think Melissa and I were riding on the adrenaline of being new parents. Lately though, we have desperately been seeking sleep anytime we can get it! With me being back at work Melissa has let me sleep a little more at night, but I still like to get up and help with a feeding here and there. Grace has actually been pretty good considering some of the horror stories I have heard about babies.

What an absolute joy Grace has been in my/our life....I never thought I could love someone so much! I look forward to the upcoming Christmas season with our new family and starting new traditions with our little girl!! It is a nice feeling to know that we have been blessed with such a beautiful and special baby. Melissa and I could not be happier. I look forward to posting again, but just wanted to say hello!! Hope everyone has a great Christmas. We will see you soon!!

Uncle Matt!

Bryan's brother Matt came in from New Hampshire for Thanksgiving. He stayed with us for the weekend and was our first overnight house guest since Grace was born. She did have some middle of the night crying episodes, but apparently Matt didn't hear her (he must be a deep sleeper.) His baby gift for Grace was 2 huge boxes of diapers, which is probably one of the best gifts ever! Matt even cooked us a yummy dinner last night. See you around Christmas time Matt!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well our first Thanksgiving with a little one kept us very busy! The day started off by heading to Bryan's Aunt Judy's house in Morris. We visited, ate, and Gracie was able to meet a lot of the Goodwin Family. Later in the afternoon we headed over to my Aunt Kim's house in Geneva where we did more visiting, eating, and introducing Grace to more family. Grace of course was a wonderful baby for her first Thanksgiving. She ate, slept, and had quite a bit of awake time. Gracie even managed to 'dirty' her Thanksgiving outfit, but luckily she saved that for the end of the day! In the craziness of everything I forgot to get a family picture of the three of us, which doesn't make me happy. We might have to reinact Thanksgiving! Bryan and I were exhausted by the end of the night, but we were happy to be able to introduce Grace to her family that loves her so much. We feel very thankful and blessed this year for our healthy baby girl and wonderful family. Now onto Christmas...my favorite time of the year!!

The Goodwin Crew...

Grace is 1 month old!

Our little Gracie turns 1 month old today! And whether the books say its possible or not, she greeted us with a big smile this morning ( I know its probably gas, but her smile seemed so real!) Grace got a bath and then we got her ready for her little photo shoot. Along with a picture each month, I plan on also writing what Grace has done or likes to do. This month I guess I had too much to say because as you can see from the pictures, the words are a little hard to read. I will try harder in the coming months to not write as much. My parents bought us a video camera, so we also took some video of Grace's 1 month milestone today. She was pretty cooperative as long as she had her binky in her month. We did get some pictures of her without it though. I can't believe our little peanut is already a month old.

The Miracle of the Blowdryer...

This morning I wanted to get a quick shower in before my mom came over. Grace had just eaten, so I put her in her bouncy seat right outside the bathroom so I could see her. She did fine while I was showering but when I started getting ready she began crying. Somewhere in the back of my mind I remember hearing that babies like the sounds of a blowdryer. Within 30 seconds of turning on the blowdryer Grace stopped crying and went right to sleep. I felt bad because she looked quite uncomfortable, but apparently she was comfortable enough to sleep. Even though I was done blowdrying my hair I left it on and proceeded to finish getting ready and pick up the upstairs. Good thing because once I turned the blowdryer off she started crying again. Whatever works...

A day of firsts...

Bryan went back to work this week and with that Grace has had a couple rough nights (although I am happy to report that Grace had her best night ever last night!) Luckily my mom has come over each day to help out and let me nap. Yesterday was a day of firsts for Gracie. Since her cord fell off she can now have a complete bath. Even though we have a nice infant bath tub, my mom decided to do it old school style...in the kitchen sink. Gracie still didn't like it too much. We followed the bath by taking our first trip to Jewel to pick up a couple groceries. The weather has been unseasonably warm this week so when we came back from the store Gracie went on her first walk. She loved her walk and slept the entire time. We have been noticing that Grace is now tracking objects and voices so after our walk my mom put together the Play Yard that she bought for Grace. Once again, Grace seemed to enjoy it and fell asleep. Her day of firsts was followed by a wonderful night of sleeping for the first time in her own room! She is a very noisy sleeper, which means Bryan and I wake at her every move. My mom suggested putting her in her own room and with a little hesitation we gave it a try. It was an easy transition last night and hopefully we have more good nights that follow (fingers crossed!)

Not enjoying bath time so much...

Going for a walk...

Laying in her boppy...

Playing in her play yard...

2 weeks old...

I was trying to post this yesterday evening when Grace was exactly 2 weeks old, but our daughter had plans of her own. Technically I have about a half hour until she is 2 weeks and 1 day old, so I am okay! Yesterday was Grace's 2 week doctor appt. Everything went very well and Grace was very cooperative. Bryan and I once again came with a page full of questions, but the doctor very willingly sat down with us and answered each one. This week has taught us that each day (and night) is completely different from the one before! Some days she has her days and nights confused and other days she sleeps really well at night. When Gracie is awake she is more alert and able to follow our voices. She definitely knows her mommy and daddy's voices, which is very sweet.
Here is Grace's 2 week stats.
Weight: 6lbs 13oz (10th percentile) Even though her percentile is low we are told that she is absolutly fine and healthy, just a little peanut still
Length: 201/2 in. (60th percentile) She clearly doesn't get this from me!