A Magical Time of Year

Caitlyn wearing her Santa hat. 

There has been a lot of talk around here about the magic that is Christmas. While I look forward to starting new traditions with Caitlyn,  there are quite a few that I am looking forward to including her in.
To name a few:
- picking out and trimming the tree
- singing Christmas carols in the car, in the store, at home...ok, pretty much anywhere
- taking her to The Nutcracker Ballet. My Mommom first started taking me when I was very young. I have a dream that Caitlyn's first time will also be with my Mommom in attendance.
- The Candle Tea and Moravian Love Feast are two of my favorite holiday traditions. They are both low key and remind me that the season is about cherishing and appreciating your family and friends. As a kid, I loved the sugar cake, Moravian coffee and beeswax candle that I would get. As an adult, I love all the same things plus carols accompanied by an incredibly old organ, dressing up for the Christmas Eve service, and the familiarity of it all.

I hope during this time of hustle and bustle that you and yours find a tradition that helps you savor the season. What are some traditions that you have?

Recentlty

We've been doing a little of this: 

1 & 2) Adding some finishing touches to baby girl's room

3) Pinning Adam at his Airborne School graduation. He now jumps out of perfectly good airplanes as part of his job. Oh my! 4) Adam kissing his girl for the first time in three weeks.

5) Someone might have been watching TV 6) This is Bailey's "I'm a neglected dog" face. Don't let her fool you, she is still quite spoiled.  

Sweetheart

On Monday while I was taking pictures, Caitlyn was

doing a little of this,

made a new friend,

and (finally) took a nap! 

Seriously could not have asked for her to behave better than she did on Monday. 

A homecoming, a beach trip, and a godfather

The last several weeks have been quite busy. 

1) The Hubs came home! Him and Caitlyn are buddies! 

2 & 3) We went to the beach for the first time with the baby. She didn't hate it! 

4) Caitlyn got to meet her godfather (aka Adam's brother-by-another mother) for the first time. It was love at first sight for both of them. 

things i love

baby smiles

Bailey

brothers

This post brought to you by the letter "b."

It's Crazy Around Here

Here are just a few things that have been going on around here:
~ New flowers on the porch
~ Hawaii wall finished (pictures and story to come)
~ Sick baby
~ Picked up a freelance job which is turning into multiple jobs.
~ Celebrated Father's Day with my Dad and my younger brother Tyler. It's a LONG story, but it was our first one all together. Fun day!
~ Getting the house ready for Adam to come home! I can now say that he is on his way HOME! Woohoo! Please keep your fingers crossed for no delays. Last time he flew home it took 48 hours, we aren't trying to duplicate that trip.

AND...

You can now call me Aunt Jess. I would like to introduce Logan. He was two weeks early, but is a big boy (8lb 12oz and 21 3/4" long). He weighed exactly 2lbs more than Caitlyn when she was born. Isn't he adorable? I haven't been able to meet him yet, but I'm already quite smitten.


Things have been BUSY but exciting!

Baby Shower

While I was pregnant, we had a lot of crazy stuff going on with our families. On top of that, we weren't sure if Adam was actually leaving, and if so, when. With all that said, my family baby shower was held the Saturday before Mother's Day. In hindsight, we was a great time to have it. I mean, a baby shower is really about the baby. I loved introducing Caitlyn to her all the crazy, wonderful women in our family. Since I am the unofficial family photographer, I only have a couple pictures from that day. 

One of the cutest baby shower cakes I've ever seen. It was as delicious as it was cute. 

Meeting BB. She is one of my 2nd Mommas. So special! 

Poor C, she was so overwhelmed by all the people.

My aunt got C this hat. So cute even though it probably won't fit her until next summer. 

Have you or someone you know had a non-traditional baby shower? What did you think about it?

Mother's Day

Oh what a day it was! I woke up to gifts "from" Caitlyn. Chocolate, a candle and a top! My Dad made a delicious breakfast for my Mom and I. There were also flowers waiting for me when we got back in town on Monday. Somehow she knew roses are my favorite. Smart kid! 

However, I think the best moment of the day for me was watching C make my Dad's day so much better. Since losing his Mom last Easter, Mother's Day is terribly rough on him. C gave her Grandpa a few extra smiles and cuddles that day. Sweet girl! 

I hope all you Mom's out there had a great Mother's Day. 

Meeting Aunt Liz

After much anticipation, Caitlyn got to meet her Aunt Liz this weekend. Two of Liz's friends planned a girl's weekend/baby shower at the beach. We stayed in an incredible bed and breakfast, had yummy food (must find the recipe for the lemon ricotta pancakes that the B&B served), and several walks on the beach. C slept through every trip to the beach. Oh well next time! Caitlyn enjoyed all the oohing, ahhing, and love that was passed her way. I enjoyed some face-to-face with other adults. The change of scenery and some time with other adults was very needed. Oh and how good does Aunt Liz look for only 31 weeks preggo! Can't wait to meet Logan!

A Weekend

Caitlyn and I spent the weekend with my parents, brothers and Mommom. Since my Grandmother passed away on Easter morning last year, we kept the festivities low key. A few highlights: 

~ Dad and I baking our first torte. Chocolate raspberry to be specific. It has become tradition that Dad and I do most of the cooking/baking for all holidays. Love it!  

~ Sharing secrets with my Mommom

~ Watching Caitlyn with her uncles

~ Bonding over salads with my father-in-law

~ Caitlyn's first kiss from a boy. (Her Daddy was not as amused as I was. )

~ Sushi, sushi, and more sushi! 

What were the highlights of your weekend?

Four Generations

Hope you had a Happy Easter. 

Trying Times

I have to admit that the last several days have been rather trying. From the potential government shutdown (umm not getting paid, what?) to baby issues, the last several days have been exhausting. I've learned several things in the last couple days:
~ It's time to get better educated about politics. My voice may be small, but it's not silent.
~ A proactive doctor is a blessing.  Caitlyn has a cough that doesn't have to do with any sinus or chest congestion. The Dr. is taking a proactive stance to make sure that it isn't anything serious.
~ Baby Tylenol is the shizs! Caitlyn had her shots today and has been pretty sleepy/grumpy since then. I can't imagine how she bad she would be feeling if we didn't have the Tylenol.
~ A long walk with Caitlyn and Bailey on a beautiful day does wonders for my attitude.
~ A woman is never too old to need her parents.
~ Pictures of Maui still take me back to the island. If I close my eyes, I can still smell the pineapple, feel the warm sun on my face, and hear the waves rolling in.
So with that said, I leave you with an image of my happy place.

Bittersweet

Dear Caitlyn, 

Today you are two months old. I can't believe how fast the last two months have gone. They have been filled with so much joy. As I reflect today on all that you have brought to our lives, I can no longer imagine life without you. 

One day when you are old enough to understand, I will explain to you how bittersweet today is. Last year, my Grandma passed away on this day. She is the one that named me Snick and would have called you Baby Snick. She would have been so in love with you. Last year this day was Easter Sunday. Easter will forever be a hard day for our family no matter what date it falls on. 

I woke up this morning wanting to put you in a bubble so that you would always be protected from pain. I quickly realized this was impossible. I cannot protect you from loss anymore than I can turn the tide. While this will be hard to understand for a long time, the hardships in life are what make each day beautiful. Every hard thing that I have been through has made me a stronger person who appreciates each day that I am given. What I can do is promise is that I will be there for you as long as I can. When life gets hard, Daddy and I will be there for you. We will never be able to make it all better, but we will do all that we can to be there for you. 

(pic taken a couple days before Adam went back overseas)

While you will not understand for a long time, I want you to know that even when your Daddy is overseas he is still here for you. You are his world. When he has to go, it is never anything we have done. His job is takes him away from us, but you need to know that he does this job to make the world a safer place for us. You are the most important thing in his life. He constantly asks about you, wants pictures of you and talks about what all you guys will do when he gets home. 

I'm not sure that we will ever be able to explain what you have done to our lives. I can tell you that life has never been better than it is now. Each day is new and exciting. Our lives have never been more filled  with joy than they are now. 

We love you, little girl! 

Mommy and Daddy

Happy Thought

She is my happy thought!

Life Changes

Don't get me wrong, I'm still in Mommy bliss mode. But let's get "real" for a few minutes. My ottoman is now decorated with baby gear (see above photo). Never mind that my living room now has a swing, a baby papasan chair and a play mat decorating it. MAJOR change! 

 Caitlyn can't tolerate dairy right now which means I can't have a few of my favorites things like cheese, chocolate and ice cream. Oh and don't forget no butter on anything. Paula Deen would die!  

Other changes? Cleaning the house when I can. Not getting the dishes done every day. For those that know me well, this is a HUGE difference. I'm a clean everyday kind of girl especially if I'm home. What I didn't do everyday was laundry. Umm change - Caitlyn gives me a load almost EVERY day. How can something so small make so much laundry? 

Bailey has had to deal with a major change as well. She doesn't get all the mommy attention that she used to. Luckily, she loves Baby C so we haven't had to deal with jealousy issues. Plus she gets to go on lots of walks these days! 

These are just a few of the major changes that we are dealing with over here. The biggest change is that life is no longer just about me and Adam. It's now all about this precious little girl. That change I love! 

Sleeping Beauty

I don't know about you, but I sure wish I could sleep that soundly.

Playing dress up

Back in the fall,  my mother-in-law bought a beautiful antique dress for Caitlyn. We played dress up the other day and took some pictures. So much fun! 

Lessons Learned

I find each new day brings new lessons learned.

~Grandpa's are made useless by the presence of their granddaughters

~ Advice from the Grandma's has been invaluable

~ Babies need mommy cuddles. Likewise sometimes, mommy needs baby cuddles

~ People love giving baby gifts especially if they are pink, frilly or fuzzy

~ I no longer have a choice but to slow down and take each day as it comes. 

One Month

Ms. Caitlyn was a month old on Friday. Where did the past month go? We spent the weekend meeting lots of "greats." As in great-grandpa's, a great-great aunt, and a great aunt. She also got to meet one of her uncles and some of my friends. It was a fun weekend! 

Things I Love

Waking up to a love note from the Hubs
Caitlyn's smiles, cuddles, noises, expressions, and just everything that she does
Sunny skies
Skyping with the Hubs
Bailey's acceptance of the big change in her life!

But more than anything, I love how loved this my little girl is. Her grandparents, aunt, uncles and everyone that meets her just can't get enough of her!