Our Sweet Little Family (but mostly just Annalyn)

So - Amazingly enough - more than a month has passed us by and I'm left wondering where the time has gone. It seems like only a few days ago I felt like my pregnancy would never end and now our little girl is 5 weeks old.

Annalyn is such a joy! I know she is SOOOO CUTE!! But on top of that she has been such a good easy baby for her "first-time, new-at-this-whole-baby-thing" parents. Starting at 2 weeks she would eat once every four hours. That means I was only getting up with her once during the night!! She loves nursing and sleeping. She enjoys tummy time each day and is getting so strong! She can pretty easily hold her head up now and can roll almost completely onto her side. I mentioned that she loves nursing - well the proof is that she is growing at an alarming rate. I thought I'd have my little newborn for a couple months. Boy was I wrong! She's already gained 3 pounds and 4 inches! The 3 month clothes that I put aside for "later" yeah, she's already starting to wear them! I mentioned how good she is to her mommy. Well, further proof, she hardly ever spits up! She usually burps once after each feeding and then is happy as a clam!

Starting on the 29th of April she decided to sleep through the night! About 10pm to 6am! Here's my favorite part - she will go to sleep on her own! All we do is read scriptures, say prayers, wrap her in a waffle blanket, give her a binkie, and lay her in the crib. She lays there until she falls asleep! Wow!! (I guess sometimes she cries because she spits her binkie out and can't get it back in by herself. In those cases I have to go back to her bedroom once or twice before she actually falls asleep, but hey - I'm not complaining!)

She loves time with her daddy when he gets home each night. She's figuring out how to smile back to us when we're playing with her. Her beautiful dark blue eyes can follow us around and stare at whatever she wishes - usually she stares out the windows of the living room or at the lights in the ceiling fan. She loves LIGHT (maybe it reminds her of where she came from only one month ago)! She's starting to enjoy her baths now (which makes it way easier to give her one!) and she LOVES being outside! When she is upset a short walk out in the wind and sunshine always calms her down. She loves walking with mommy a block down the road to get the mail! She enjoys being in her front pack and snuggling with mom while she does dishes or makes dinner. (I like it because I have my hands free to work, but I'm still holding her close). Obviously life is wonderful!

Thanks to all the family who have traveled to come see us and meet Annalyn. My mother came for a week after Annalyn was born - what a LIFESAVER! My cousin Amanda flew in from Oklahoma City and spent a long weekend with us. She was such a help and it was soooo good to see her and spend some time together. My brother Jed drove several hundred miles out of his way to spend a couple days with us. He was on his way from Idaho to Florida for summer work, but stopped in Katy, TX to see his new niece! She formed a special bond with her Uncle Jed! Then a bunch of family came for her blessing last weekend, but that's the next post. First here are some pics from her first month on earth! Enjoy!

Center of Attention!

Family Picture April 19, 2009 - 2 1/2 weeks old

Her Favorite Uncle Jed!
Picture with Aunt Amanda (technically not her "Aunt" but who cares about technicality)
Beautiful Bright Eyes!

Taking a nap - we do that a lot these days!

Daddy's new favorite past time!
Family Scripture Study - she's so precious!

Tummy Time! Working those muscles!

During her nap one afternoon (1 week old) she pulled her headband down over her eyes ;-) How funny! We all laughed and had to take a picture!

Little Baby Burrito!

Daddy and me with our gloves on - but I'm ticked off cuz my binkie fell out!

Awwww - that's better! (Love the pink 3 month pants - way too big! We had to roll the waistband up for her to wear them!)

Our precious baby girl - one month old!