Snuggle Time

This week Lainey has pretty much just wanted to be held. She is teething and is miserable. Three nights this week she didn't sleep longer than an hour and a half without waking up in tears. It was so sad. We are using orajel and tylenol, but hoping the tooth trying to come through will hurry so she won't be in pain for long.  She is getting better about holding teethers, but still not great. We got her a sophie giraffe this week. I've heard they are wonderful for teethers, so we shall see.

When we aren't snuggling she is loving her exersaucer and reading books. I've been working on setting up our front room as a playroom and we love spending time in there. I am loving being home with our precious girl even on days that she fusses most of the day. It can be super tough, but so worth it. We are very ready for Brian to be finished coaching so that he can spend some more time with us. Just one more week! 

One of our happy moments in the exersaucer!

The shirt says it all!

Our precious girl all ready for church.

3 Months Old!

Wow, time has flown by. It seems like just yesterday that we were heading to the hospital to have Lainey. She has brought so much joy to our life and each day gets even more fun.

At three months Lainey is sleeping in her own crib! Finally!! She slept with momma and daddy until about a week ago, but I finally gave in and let her cry. She now cries about 10 minutes and then falls asleep for 5 hours. She still wakes up for a middle of the night snack, but she goes back to sleep in her crib until 6:00 or so. After that she eats once again and then sleeps until around 8:30.

We are still breastfeeding, which I love! It is such a special time for us that I don't think I'll be giving it up any time soon. She is getting harder to control, because she's so active, but I love it.

Lainey weighs about 12 1/2 lbs. and is still in her three month clothes. She has just moved up to 3-6 month PJ's because her legs are too long. She is also still in size one diapers.

Lainey loves her bumbo, her jumper, and is finally pushing up during tummy time. She still doesn't love tummy time, but she is getting better.  She enjoys standing with help much more than laying down. Go figure. :) We also still don't do great when it comes to car rides, but once we arrive somewhere she does great. She loves to be entertained and will go to just about anyone. She is smiling more, which I love and really beginning to play. We love reading books, going for walks, and just hanging our. She also really loves football. I don't know if it is because that is the only TV she really gets to watch, but when football is on TV she just stares and stares.

Lainey is still quite the snuggle bug. She is in the sling or the baby bjorn a lot and loves it! I figure she will be mobile soon enough so I might as well enjoy it.

Today was the first time she went to bible class and she loved it. I knew she would, but didn't want to take her too early because of germs. She sat for 40 minutes and did not cry at all, I was so proud! We are loving the joy that our little girl brings us and thank God for the chance to be her parents. I can't believe how fast she is growing up!

Happy Birthday Brian!!

This weekend was great! It was the first birthday in three years that Brian did not have a tournament on. We spent the weekend just hanging out, enjoying our sweet girl, eating out and then seeing Contraband. My parents kept Lainey for a few hours after church on Sunday and it was nice. I did realize that being away 4 1/2 hours is about the most I can stand so I'm so glad that I decided to stay home. We were both ready to be together after that long. We also enjoyed time with our great friends the Coleman's. Jess made Brian a birthday dinner and we got to go spend some time with them. It was so much fun having Lainey around this year for Brian's birthday, it just somehow made it sweeter. I can't wait to see what God has in store for our guy this year!

God's Provision

When I was pregnant with Lainey I prayed and prayed that God would make a way for me to stay home with our sweet girl. I knew how hard it would be when I looked at the numbers, but I trusted that if it was his will he would provide a way.  He has provided a way with a couple of work from home opportunities, but he has done so many other things as well. I've started a journal about his provision for us since Lainey was born and I have a feeling by the time I decide to go back to work it will be filled with stories of his Love and power. Some things are big and some are little, but it is so neat to see him working in our life.

When friends tell me they can't afford to stay home I want to be able to say, "Me either, but God can!!" He works in such amazing ways when you let him.

I know that God has blessed us with jobs that provide income, but on top of that he has provided in ways that cannot be attributed to working. This month alone God has provided the unexpected blessings of a free oil change, another check from CISD, (I haven't worked since October 14th and am still getting paid. That is GOD!) money from a training that I did, but was not expecting, a credit on my meat for meat day making my total much less than expected, a hand me down extra Britax carseat, $30 worth of formula for $1.20, a refund check from our OBGYN, a $50 check because an order I placed could not be filled, and a free Valentines Day present for my hubby. I won a giveaway!

So many blessings that I can't help but give God credit and be amazed at his works. Everything that we have comes from him, but it is so incredible to see him hard at work in our life. I encourage you to sit back and really look at the unexpected blessings God has given you. I hope you will be encouraged by his Love and by the ways that he provides for you as well. Have a blessed week!

Lainey's first Christmas

We had a wonderful first Christmas with our sweet girl! We started celebrating Thursday with my Nannie, my parents and little brother. We had tons of yummy treats and opened presents at our house so that Lainey wouldn't have to go anywhere in the car. Lainey loved meeting her Uncle Wade and spending time with everyone. That night we drove over to Cypress for the annual Francies Christmas party. We had so much fun at our friends Lyndsay and George's house. We had a gingerbread house decorating contest, ate amazing Christmas goodies once again and then had a very fun gift exchange with everyone. It was a blast!

On Friday we headed over to Mimi and Grandaddy's house in Houston and checked in to our hotel. We got to spend time with the entire Wade side of the family that night. We all went out to a Hibachi grill for dinner, played bunco and enjoyed catching up with everyone. It was wonderful to get to meet Lainey's two baby cousins Joseph and Benjamin, who were just adopted from Ethopia in September. They are 9 months old and so precious.

On Saturday we spent time with my family until about 2:00 and then headed over to Brian's parents for presents, dinner and a candlelight service at church. Lainey got to spend some time with her cousin Ashtyn and we all enjoyed fajitas for dinner. It was nice. After dinner we headed back to my grandparents house to hang out for a little while before the kids went to bed and then the adults enjoyed some time with Lainey.

On Sunday we went to breakfast at Mimi and Grandaddy's and spent time looking at what Santa had brought. We enjoyed some more love from our Wade family and then headed back to Brian's parents for church. Brian's mom has really been wanting to show Lainey off at church so we figured Christmas Day was the perfect time. After church we went back to Mimi and Grandaddy's for lunch and then hung our with everyone the rest of the afternoon. It was exhausting driving back and forth, but both families got to spend time with Lainey on her first Christmas so it was very worth it. We had 23 people at Mimi and Grandaddy's this year and everyone took turns loving on our girl. We are so blessed to have the amazing family that we do and truly enjoyed our first Christmas with Lainey. Hope you all enjoyed yours too!!

Lainey with my sweet Nannie!

Nannie got Lainey a bear that plays peek-a-boo! So much fun!

Mimi and Grandaddy provide lots of entertainment and love for Miss Lainey

Annalee wanted to make an "Oreo" with Lainey and the boys so we did! Too cute!

My precious Aunt Julie with Lainey! She has prayed for Lainey since before she was born.

Lainey's cute Christmas Eve outfit!

She is starting to smile more and more.

Heather, Mike and Ashtyn with Lainey

Jonathon, Jodie, Nathan and Anne came all the way from North Carolina to meet Lainey and the  twins.

Christmas Morning!!

My parents and brother with Lainey Christmas morning.

Lainey and her Joyz!

Brian's mom with her two girls.

Happy 7 Year Anniversary

December 19th we celebrated 7 years of marriage. God knew what he was doing when he put Brian in my life seven years ago. We only dated for three weeks before we were engaged and ended up getting married just 6 months later. People thought we were crazy and would never make it, but seven years later we are still going strong. I loved Brian so much when we got married, but love him so much more today. He is an amazing husband and a wonderful daddy to our sweet girl. His love for kids is what was so attractive about him when we met. That as well as his willingness to carry my pink backpack around while I directed summer camp for inner-city teenagers was what made me know he was a keeper. :)  (He's still carrying around pink backpacks today. However, now they are for Lainey, not for me.) I am so blessed to have him in my life!!

We also celebrated Lainey's two month birthday the 19th. We prayed for God to let us be parents for years before we actually had her, but as always, he had a plan. She has blessed our life in so many ways and brings so much joy to our life.

2 Month Check Up

Lainey had her two month check up today which was very tough for momma. She got her first round of shots and of course screamed which brought me to tears with her. I'm very thankful for vaccinations that keep kids from getting really sick, I just wish there was another way to get them. She was not a fan.

She is now 10 lbs. and 15 ounces, and 22 inches long. She's in the 35th percentile for height and 45th percentile for weight. I'm afraid she may be short like her mom.

I continue to love our doctor more and more. He's very attentive and so good with Lainey. He explains everything very well and makes me feel much more at ease. Today he did find something kind of scary, he noticed that Lainey had developed a heart murmur. He said that he wasn't going to worry too much just yet, but if it was still there or had changed by her next appointment he would have to send her to Texas Children's Hospital to have an echocardiogram to make sure something major was not wrong. That worries me, but I know God will take care of this precious baby girl.  Other than that, all was well. She did so good and looked adorable! She's been fussy this afternoon, but I've given her tylenol and will just keep watching her. Hopefully she won't be too miserable this weekend. We had hoped to enjoy some family time since Brian will finally be off of work. Yeah!!

She did so good letting Dr. Watson listen to her heart.

Home sweet home after shots!