Barely Hanging In!

Yes! That's a bow you see in Baker's hair! Lacy was determined to see what a bow looked like in her "head of hair". It is literally hanging on by a hair! If she's anything like her mom, bows will have to be taped in her hair until she's a year old. (I have no plans on using tape on her head!) Maybe she'll hit a hair growth spurt soon! I can't wait to see what she'll look like with hair and teeth! :)

Cozy Cousins!

Wednesday, Baker and I enjoyed a day of shopping in Greenville and visiting her cousins Madison and Gracen. We enjoyed a nice lunch and I was all ears for any parenting advice my step-sister, Laura, could give me. Oh the fun these girls are going to have growing up together. Madison turns 3 on January 31st and Gracen is 10 months old.

Bedtime Boot Camp Update

Well.....it's going ok. Every night is a little different. Sometimes she cries for 40 minutes, sometimes just 5 minutes. I'm starting to think I'm putting her to bed too early. She barely cries when I put her down at 9 instead of 7. After our 1st night of boot camp my motherly instinct did kick in. I gave her back her pacifier and music. What was I thinking taking those things from her! I know from teaching that you have to ease a child into a new situation! I also comfort her in some way when I check in on her, patting her or picking her up. She just needs that comfort from me or Lacy. Oh the things I still have to learn!

Fairy Godmother!

Baker and I both enjoyed a visit from her Godmother Nicole! She came down from Charlotte just to see Little Miss Baker. We enjoyed a day of shopping and just catching up. It was wonderful to have some adult conversation and Baker loved having Nicole's undivided attention. Bedtime Boot Camp didn't scare Nicole away! Nicole thinks Baker is doing very well at going to bed!

Cooking With Baker

Sometimes all Baker needs is a little snuggle time. It might not be perfect timing for me, but with this Huggle Bunny I can multi task. My step-mother let me borrow this "classic". I say this because it's from 1978 and is still in perfect condition! She used it with my step-sister and brother. It's much small than the other pouches I have and is a perfect fit for Baker's little body. (I'm learing how to use a traditional sling, Colin's girlfriend, Mary, gave me. It's going to take some practice on my part. You can do a lot with 1 piece of cloth!) The other ones swallow her. It was great to use when taking her to her doctor's appointment because after her shots, all I wanted to do was snuggle with her! I cherish every moment with my sweet little girl! Soon she'll be helping me cook dinner instead of snuggling with me while I cook!

Bed Time Boot Camp- Night 1

Well, we did survive last night. It was the worst feeling to hear my baby cry for so long and hard and not doing anything about it. We put her down at 8:40, she cried until 9:30, slept til 10, woke up and cried until 10:45!! By this time, I figured she was hunger and she was. (She is still eating every 2.5 or 3 hours.) When I picked her up after 2 hours of crying her eyes were almost swollen shut because she had been crying so hard! Lacy and I think she is very stubborn! At one point, Lacy went into her room to tell her "Night, night, love you" and he thinks he now has suffered hearing lose from Baker's screams! After her 10:45 feeding, she went right to sleep! What a relief! She had a full tummy and I believe was exhausted from crying. I sure hope the worst night is behind us and tonight will be easier. We'll keep you posted!

Bed Time Boot Camp!

Wish us luck! Bed Time Boot Camp starts tonight! After Baker's 2 month check-up yesterday (she is now 10.6 lbs, 21 3/4 inches long and I survived watching her get 3 shots), her pediatrician offered us some advice on getting Baker to go to bed like a good little girl. It has been a struggle for us the past two weeks. Each time we place her in her crib for bed, she screams for over an hour! It's so hard to listen to her cry that long, especially in such close quarters of the apartment. After an hour, we end up giving in and bringing her in our room. Here is our new plan of action! Most importantly, Lacy and I make a pack that we are going to stick to this plan and not give in, knowing that it could take 2 or more nights. We place her in her crib after her last feeding and set the timer for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes of crying we go into her room and say these words and only these words, "Night, night, love you". We cannot touch her, give her her pacifier, turn on her music..nothing at all except those words. We will then set the timer for 10 minutes, then 20 minutes. After that...NOTHING else will be done except listening to her cry! OH MY!! Can we handle this? I might need a glass of wine to get through this! We have to get this fixed before I go back to work.

Grandpa and Grandma Visit

Baker had some special guest this weekend. Grandpa and Grandma called and said their Grandparent flags were on the car and they were on their way from Gainsville to visit Little Miss Baker. We enjoyed a Sunday afternoon of football and a delicious meal.

We Can't Leave Kota Out!

Kota likes to "get away" when Baker starts to cry!

Kota and his Posse of Cousins, Sammy and Ozzy!

The Many Moods of Baker!

Baker enjoyed some quality "lovin" with her Gi-Gi and Popi! I think she was curious about Popi's mustache.

Baker Has an Ear for Music!

Baker is all ears when Grand Dan plays his harmonica for her. She becomes mesmerized when he starts to play. We think that Gospel tunes are her favorite.

Baker is a Traveling Girl!

We made a trip to Williston last week for one last visit with the grandparents before I return to work. She does such a great job of adjusting to all the places I take her. She loves to rub her bunny! The bunny is a must have when we travel. I did promise her we'd stay home my last 2 weeks before I return to school.

Baker Has Discovered Her Hands!

Baker has been working so hard to find her thumb to suck on. It's amazing to see the awareness she's showing about her body. I've been cheering her on because it's a lot easier for her to find her thumb at night while she's sleeping instead of mommy and daddy getting up 6 or 7 times a night to give her her pacifier! Go Baker! Go! You can suck your thumb!

Learning to Let Go

Today we met and visited with Ms. Trisha. She has offered to keep Baker in her home when I go back to work. Lacy and I got a really good feeling about leaving Baker in her care. She gave us both that feeling that we were leaving Baker with her "Nana". We still have the option of taking her to Clemson First Baptist and have not made a decision. There are so many pros and cons to an in home childcare and a daycare environment. I wish I didn't know so much about early childhood development and maybe it would be easier to make a decision. I'm continuing to pray about it and hope we make the right choice for our little one.

While I was visiting with Ms. Trisha it really hit me that my endless days of snuggling with Little Miss Baker are coming to an end very soon. I return to work on February 2nd. It's amazing that something so little and helpless can melt your heart at any moment. I plan on spending every moment holding her until I have to face reality and go back to work.

Daddy's Girl!

At eight weeks, Baker is already a Daddy's Girl! From the moment Lacy walks into the room or holds her she is mesmerized.

Party!

Landon and Baker enjoy some time together! Love at first sight? Who knows what's going on in those little brains.

Tracey and Jason invited Baker to her 1st birthday party. Blake turned 5 years old today! I remember the day he was born! Tracey went into labor at school! Blake always makes us laugh (he takes after his dad). He asked Tracey if we were going to sing Happy Birthday for the blessing!

Baker's Smiling!

Baker will be 7 weeks old tomorrow! Wow! She is growing up so fast. At 6 weeks she started smiling for the 1st time. No it's not gas! I find myself staring at her. What a love and blessing to wake up to, no matter what time of day or night.

Christmas with Gi-Gi and Popie

Santa visits Baker at Gi-Gi's and Popie's. It won't be long before Baker will be sitting up and playing with her new toy!

Gi-Gi (my mom) enjoyed stuffing Baker's 1st stocking. She got her 1st toothbrush! Lacy's such a good sport!

We enjoyed a night of Christmas lights at Hopeland Gardens in Aiken with Uncle Colin, T, and Nick. It was an adventure for Miss Baker, her 1st big outing!

Baker Visits Grandparents and meeets Great-Grandparents

In Williston visiting Great-Grandmother Granny! We enjoyed a nice visit and as always a delicious meal!

In Pinopolis, meeting Great-Grandmother Gin-Gin and visiting Grandmother Be-Be

In Williston visiting Grandpa Andy, Lacy's dad

Baker Has Snuggle Time With Uncle Colin

Over the Christmas Holidays Baker enjoyed some much needed snuggle time with her Uncle Colin. Now that Uncle Colin lives in Tempe, Arizona we don't' get to see him as often. We all miss him and look forward to seeing him in June for Uncle Nick's high school graduation. We love you Uncle Colin!