Onesies

I am lucky enough to still be friends with girls that I have known since kindergarten. This summer I had a shower with some of those girls and we decorated onesies. It was so much fun and now almost every single day Adelyn wears one of those onesies under her outfit. It makes me so happy to put these on her because I think of my girls and hope that one day Addy will have a group of girlfriends that are just as incredible as mine.
As requested, here is Addy in her special unicorn onesie & believe it or not I do even put her in the one that says I love cats, even though she will never be allowed to love cats.

Perfect Day!

Today has been such a perfect day. It started with a great night in which Adelyn slept for almost 5 hours! (must have been all that turkey) That meant mom and dad caught up on some much needed sleep and were feeling great today. After a relaxing morning, Brian stayed home with Adelyn & I braved the crowds and did a little shopping downtown. I quickly remembered why I usually avoid shopping on Black Friday, but it was nice to get a little break and do some shopping that didn't involve going to the maternity section!
Then this afternoon the three of us went for a walk in Seward Park. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon. Now I am listening to Christmas music and am going to put up our little tiny tree & Christmas decorations. I don't know how a day could be any better.

Thankful

Fall has always been my favorite time of year & is a special time for Brian and I. We met in the fall, got engaged & got married in the fall so I think it is very appropriate that Adelyn was born in the fall. It is also the start of the holiday season which brings families together and makes you appreciate all of life's blessings. This year I am thankful for so many things, but mostly the simple things in life. Family, friends and health. Even though Brian and I don't have family in Seattle, we certainly have been blessed with incredible families and we know they are thinking of us today. We are grateful that we have been "adopted" by a wonderful family to spend Thanksgiving with that has become our holiday tradition, (thank you Bennetts). We are also surrounded by incredible friends who have been so wonderful to us, especially this past month. And of course we were blessed with a happy and healthy baby girl who has already brought so much joy to our lives. It really is the little things in life that matter the most. Happy Thanksgiving!

4 weeks

I know I'm probably starting to sound like a broken record, but I can't believe it's already been four weeks since Adelyn was born. So much has changed already & I keep learning new things every day. In the past four weeks these are just some of the things that have changed for me.

I used to need a good 8 hours of sleep a night, now if I can get 2-3 straight hours of sleep at a time I think of that as a success.
I can now eat anything with just one hand & if you thought I was a fast eater before you should see me now.
Laundry went from a once a week chore to a once a day chore.
I find myself rocking and swaying back and forth, even when I'm not holding Adelyn.
I cry at any story about children, whether it's sad or not.
I feel a connection with all other parents.
I've learned there is no such thing as too many burp cloths.
I used to wonder what I would do being home all day, but now I've learned that a cycle of feed, change, sleep & repeat can easily take up your entire day.

And just when I think I can't do something or that I'm too tired for this, Adelyn will give me a look or a smile that makes me realize there is nothing I can't do.

Dress up

This weekend Adelyn received a gift from my friend Kelli. I know she meant for it to be used for Adelyn to play dress up when she's older, but I just couldn't resist showing it off now. Unfortunately, the pictures just don't do it justice, but you get the idea. I swear the whole time I was taking these pictures Addy was looking at me with this look of "what are you making me do now?" and "are we done yet?"
So maybe mom likes the outfit better for now but soon enough she'll be showing off her dance moves in the tutu, I just know it. Thanks Kel, it is priceless!

Diaper Duty

Since he is at work during the day, Brian is very good at doing his share of the diaper duty when he is home. Last night he was upstairs changing Addy's diaper when I heard him in a slightly panicked voice call for me to come help him. I walked into the room and couldn't help but laughing at the scene I was witnessing. Brian was holding Addy's legs which were covered in poop, as were his hands, the changing pad and the wall. Yes, there was poop running down the wall. I stepped in to help & Brian wiped everything down. Just as he picked up Addy to lay her back down on the just cleaned pad, she peed all over him. I couldn't help but run down to get my camera. Here was the aftermath of that particular diaper change. I laughed and laughed and thought it was hilarious, until the same thing happened to me this morning at 2 am. Suddenly I didn't see the same humor in it.
Adelyn definitely has a knack for knowing right when to let it go. We have a cloth diaper service & have run out of diapers every week so far. I've now increased it to 90 diapers a week, we'll see if that's enough to keep up with this girl & her diaper duties.

Grandma Barb

It was seven years ago today that my mom passed away from cancer. I find myself thinking about my mom even more during this time of the year, especially with the holidays. I would say this year I am thinking of her more than ever, but with a new appreciation of who she was. Now that I am a mom, I appreciate all mothers even more & I realize what a truly exceptional woman my mother was. I am very sad that Adelyn will never meet her Grandma Barb, but I know that she will always know what an incredible woman she was. There will never be any question about how much Grandma Barb loves her. I feel lucky that both Adelyn and I have an angel looking down on us & I know that is why my life has been filled with so many wonderful blessings.

When my niece Sydney was born, my mom wrote her a letter & so when Adelyn was born my Dad wrote her a letter. Here is just a piece of that letter.
"Another story I have to tell you is about your grandmother, Barbara. You won't ever meet her but you'll get to know her just the same. Oh, the stories we tell about her! Some are sad, some are funny, but all are loving. She would have loved you very much, so I guess I'll just have to love you twice as much to make up for her not being here."

I think Addy will miss out on some things by not having her Grandma Barb around but I know that love will never be one of them.