Just Pics

My favorite peeps

Still looking for her thumb

Papa and Nana at the cabin

Daddy and Leah at the cabin: 1st Father's Day!

Snuggly with Nana!

4 generations!  Grandpa (Jay), Lady Leah, Gramps (John) and Daddy

The Fam.  Little Miss Leah did not want to wake up.

STILL looking for her thumb

She LOVES her bath tub!

Nothing like the sight of a sleeping baby!

All About Daddy

This post is dedicated strictly to Daddy.  I've been wanting to write one in honor of Sam and the amazing Daddy he has become.  So, this is in honor of Father's Day coming up.
Sam wasn't sure he had even held a baby before Leah came along.  He wasn't sure he knew the first thing about taking care of a baby.  He has been doing a great job and I can already see the special relationship him and Leah are going to have.  Sure, she knows me and my voice but the way she locks her eyes on Daddy is just unexplainable.  It just melts my heart to see the two of them together-big blue eyes to big blue eyes, staring, laughing, and talking to each other. 
Right from the moment we found out we were pregnant it seemed that Sam took on this new role of responsibility.  I don't want to say that he "stepped up to the plate" because he has always taken great care of me and all of our responsibilities.  I think I just saw a shift in attitude and it was very admirable.  He was always aware of my needs during pregnancy and took great care of me.  From the moment my water broke Sam completely took charge and got on the phone, taking care of all phone calls so I didn't have to do it.  He never once left my side at the hospital and it felt great knowing he was there for me and he was going to be there just as much for Leah. 
Sam is an amazing father to this little girl.  She is lucky to be able to grow up with such a fun, smart and talented man.  He is excited for the day to come that she will follow him around and ask him questions because he's so excited to teach her things. 
Sam has never once lost his patience even in the frustration of sleep deprivation and the weariness of the early hours of the morning.
We have been having a great time in our new roles as parents.  We have always done a great job working together to take care of things but we are now a new, different kind of team.  We do a great job of picking up right where the other one left off.  I am overjoyed with the involvement and the dedication Sam has to his family. 


Cheers! to the new Daddy.

The Before:

The After: A very proud papa

He had a hard time when he was the one not holding her in the hospital :)

Sam & Gramps 

She loves to lay in Daddy's arms!

It's like a drug...she gets in his arms and she's just plain out!

Again...like a tranquilizer!

Me and my best friend :)



Uncle Ben & Leah

Auntie Karla & Leah

 Peek!

Grammie 

Great Grandpa John

Bath time!

Little Miss Leah is 1 month old!

Leah is doing great! We are having so much fun with her since she has started to smile and coo...actually its more of a gurgle.  We are enjoying seeing her grow, and she seems to grow everday!  She is lifting and holding her head up quite well as she does a lot of looking around.  She likes to look out the window and at lights in the house.  She can now turn her head towards our voices and can follow objects well with her eyes.  She likes to go for walks/stroller rides and sit outside with us.  She has been sleeping strictly in her crib in her bedroom for a couple of weeks now.  She has graduated from the bassinet in Mommy & Daddy's room.  We are working on good sleep habits but she still gets up every two or so hours to eat. 

She's a growing girl!

We are all doing well and enjoying every minute with our little gal.  She is growing so fast and it won't be long until I go back to work :(  Not that this isn't work...props, by the way, to all you SAHM's.  I think Jaxon is going to take it the hardest when I have to go back to work.  He does nothing but follow me around ALL DAY LONG.  He actually steps on my heels ALL DAY LONG.  Love the guy but geez...

Oh...and I have to tell you that there was another mention of Sophie the Giraffe on TV.  This time on The Soup.  It is funny to see this thing all over the place. 

Here are some pictures of Leah at 3 weeks.  Her little black dress is a little too big for her right now but I just couldn't wait any longer to put it on her.  Our little photo shoot really made me want to paint her toenails but I held myself back and decided to wait. :)

I caught him playing with what apparently is his AND Leah's activity mat. 

He got busted and tried to sneak out.  Dork.

This is the second time so far that she's found her thumb. 

I've never been a fan of thumb sucking but maybe it won't become a habit.  Her ultrasound pictures even show her mouth making a sucking motion with her fist next to it.

 

Leah's bag all packed and ready to go!  Nana gave this bag at my shower packed full of stuff.  It was a great gift and it seemed like the gifts inside were never ending!  We love it all!  Thanks Mom!

Stuff...

Sometimes you just have to take pictures of inanimate objects.



This is our anniversary cake.  The bakery we chose for our wedding makes a new cake so you don't have to save the top of the cake from the wedding.  Well, we got it...it may be like a whole year late...but we got it.  So, we celebrated our  2 year anniversary coming up and the arrival of Leah...Cheers!

The plant that Mom and Dad brought with them to the hospital to welcome Leah.

I wanted to bring something to the hospital to recognize our Grandparents who are no longer with us.  I thought about flowers and angel figurines, etc. and then I came across this poem and thought it was perfect.  It says everything I was thinking and I just wanted something simple to make it feel like they were with us on

this super special day.  We love you!

This is my new favorite necklace from Auntie Karla and Uncle Ben.  Simple, yet beautiful.  

Apparently, the Who's Who of kids now a days owns a Sophie, the Giraffe.  Sam and I were part of a conversation about a new mom and how she HAD to have this giraffe because all of the other new moms had it for their babies and all of the babies absolutely love it.  It was a big joke becase it is a $22 squeeky toy.  Sam, like all of the other husbands I'm sure, said we would not be buying a $22 squeeky toy for our baby so sure enough, we got it as a gift at the hospital.  :)  I was pretty happy we got it because it is all the rage among the new moms.  Thanks guys!  It turns out that Grammie (Terry) got two of them as gifts.  During my first week at home with the baby, I had the tv on in the background and caught the end of a show on Bravo.  They showed an update of a family with a new baby and the baby was holding a Sophie, the Giraffe.  She's famous!  Leah does not yet know how lucky she is to be the proud owner of a

Sophie, the Giraffe. 

I love getting cards and I loved all of my Mother's Day cards, but this one was probably my favorite.  

As for an update, we are all doing very well.  I am so happy to be home to spend this time with the new baby.  Although, I could use more showers and adult conversation.  But, I am loving every minute with my new baby girl and wish the time wasn't flying by so fast!  Every day when Sam comes home from work he says that she's grown.  She looks different and does something new everyday! 

I will continue to try to blog and post pictures.  I have to keep reminding myself to take pictures because she is growing so fast!

First Day Photo

The hospital offers a service in which you can have professional photos taken of your baby while in the hospital.  You can then order a cd and prints of your photos.  The photos of Leah are available to view as a slideshow online at this link: 

http://www.myfirstdayphotogallery.com/gallery/mgh050511aleah-872095

Passcode:  MGH050511aLeah

Enjoy!

It's official...she's perfect!

Hello All,
We're doing great!  We are very happy to be home and settling into our routine.  Sort of.  I know it's a little bit unrealistic to establish a routine this early but we are all just getting used to each other.  Her eat/sleep/poop pattern has been pretty consistent since we came home so that's good.  (knock on wood)  We are so in love with our little bundle of joy and are noticing different things about her every day.  I am so happy to have my husband home with me for a few more days.  My parents were here for a few days last week and they were a huge help around the house.  They helped with a lot of cooking, cleaning, and other loose ends around the house.  It was great to come home to such an unstressful situation.  Thanks so much guys! 

I will write a post another time about Leah's birth story.  All I can say is we had a great experience at the hospital we chose to go to.  Everything about this experience has been one of a kind and we are truly lucky to have this opportunity. 

Leah had her first doctor's appointment today and everything went very well!  It's official...she's perfect...the doctor even said so.  :)  She's almost back to her birth weight already and she is measuring right on, in the 50th percentile.  So, we don't have to go to a 2 week appointment, unless something comes up in the mean time. 

Oh yah, and I am back to drinking coffee.  Yay me!

Leah!

Auntie Jenny and Cousin Clare

Cousins Carson, Cole and Clare

Grandpa John (Gramps) and his 1st Great-Grandchild



Our Little Doll

1st bath at home

chill-axin

You'll often find us in our rocking chair.