6 weeks and dedication!

So many things to tell about this week! Grace got to meet her Grandma and Grandpa Mac. They thought she was perfect! Which of course we already knew!

We were so glad that Grandma and Grandpa Mac could come down for Grace's baby dedication! We know it is a long drive from Ohio, where they live, but it means so much to us that they made the trip. The baby dedication was wonderful. We got to the church at 4:40pm. We had pictures taken, listened to a talk on parenting, and got to share our hopes and dreams for Grace as she grows and matures. We invited both sets of grandparents, uncle Taylor, and our dear friend Jen and her boyfriend Seth. After the dedication we came back to the house for football and subs! Here are some pictures from the night. Of course to start off we have Uncle Taylor loving on his favorite niece!
Daddy and J-Pa after the dedication waiting to go home for dinner! =)
Mommy and her Grace before the dedication started.
The centerpiece on the table when we got there. Love how they used real pictures of Grace to fill the pot. =)
The big screen as they introduced the different families.
A shot of the room. About 13 families participated in the dedication. Each family had a table.
All the grandparents: Mimi, J-pa, Grandma Mac, Grandpa Mac
Grace and her Caleb. =) Best friends before Grace was even born. (We used to tell Caleb that I was cooking him a girlfriend and she'd be here soon!) hehe Caleb was also being dedicated.

Jen, Seth, Gabe, and Me. Grace is so lucky to have so many people in her life who love her and want the best for her. Auntie Jen has seen Grace every week since she was born! We love you Jen!

Our family.
Other exciting things that happened this week. Grace is starting to look at smaller details. At first only large bright strips interested her. This week she spent some time looking at the details in the book Hand, Hand, Finger, Thumb. It is fun to watch her eyes really study the pages. =)
She still loves a good stretch after a nap. She always seems to lift up her right arm/hand way high in the air. Also note her adorable scrunched up face which seems to say, I think I may have to poop! hehe
Here are some of those big strips I mentioned earlier. She could stare forever at those lines! The other side of this toy has a mirror on it, but the lines are way more interesting at this point. =)
Mommy loves her baby girl! We spend lots of time on the boppy like this. Grace loves snuggling right between Mommy's tummy and the boppy. Must be warm in there.
Of course Daddy doesn't need a boppy to help produce heat - Grace and Daddy make all the heat they need! It is like a heater blanket in there. Often when Mommy takes Grace off Daddy there are sweat marks left! These two are like peas in a pod.
We went to the doctors this week and got another weight/height check. Grace is now weighing in at 9lb 3oz with clothes on! Can you believe our little 5lb 14oz tiny is now over 9 lbs! She also measured 21 inches long! This means she has grown an inch and a quarter in just a week and a half! Just imagine if you were growing at that rate! It is unbelievable. We love you Grace Jacklyn. Can't wait to see how you grow in the next 6 weeks!

5 weeks!

Grace is 5 weeks old today and how the time is flying! She is so much more confident and sure of herself. We still occasionally see the newborn curl up into a tight ball, but more often she is kicking and reaching out. She is starting to have definite awake periods of the day, usually for an hour or so in the morning, then again in the afternoon for another hour or two. Then in the evenings after her dinner she is usually up for two or three hours. I am glad her most awake time is when her Daddy is home too! She is probably more awake then because it is so exciting to look at someone besides Mommy! hehe.



Athens is licking her toes in the next one. She has decided she does NOT like being licked!
Hanging out with Daddy and Mommy during her night time awake period!


I love her precious little toes! She did have socks on but she stuck them in her diaper while I was changing it! So... they had to go. Luckily it gave me a chance to get her tiny feet on film. =)


Uncle Taylor brought over a toy and diapers (YAY!!!) for her 1 month birthday (Friday during this week). Grace loves to be nuzzled by her uncle!
Our precious angel is still in newborn clothes. We did try on a 0-3 month to see if it would fit, but she was still swimming in it. So newborn clothes it is! For the first time this week we did have someone ask how old she was and when I said almost 5 weeks the response was "Wow she is tiny still!" I guess up to 5 weeks they expect you to be little, but when there are babies born at 8 lbs people guess she is younger!

Grace is also doing a lot more cooing and talking this week. We love hearing her little voice! This is from earlier this week, some of her first sounds! =)

As you can see, she is growing up a storm. We love you sweet girl! Keep growing healthy and strong.

1 month on 11-11-11

Here is Grace at 1 month. We can't believe how lucky we are to keep this treasure! We love you Grace!

PS - Happy Birthday Great-Grandmommy Knapp! You were born just 1 month after Grace! Well and a couple years before. =)

4 weeks =)

Wow 4 weeks old and the time is flying by! I look at Grace now and wonder, where did my tiny newborn go??? We are officially finishing up the last of the newborn diapers, and then we will be switching over to size 1. We went to the doctors office today just to get Grace's weight. With her clothes on she was 8lbs 6oz. The nurse said she guessed without clothes she would be about 8lbs even. WOW! Can you believe how much bigger she already looks in her boppy??This is Mommy and Grace having fun playing during some middle of the day tummy time on the boppy. Grace loves to look at the world on her stomach. She is starting to recognize and track faces, but she would still prefer to look at bright strips! hehe

Bean is wondering what this tiny bundle is doing.... why does it squirm so much? haha. Soon we will have pictures of Grace towering over Bean. =)

We love this girl! And especially her spikey hair! It will not lay flat! We think its her "punk rock star" look. =) We do brush it down after baths, but up it goes despite our efforts!

3 generations of girls! Thanks so much for helping us out Mimi. It was sad to see her go this week. Grace and Mommy are making it on their own (yesterday was our first day) but we sure did love having Mimi around!
Gator socks! Willing the gators to win, and they did!! They must be lucky socks!

Mommy left Grace for the first time... EVER! The three men and a baby did a great job. Grace was in one piece when Mommy got back from her pedicure with Mimi! However, I have to say I was never worried one bit, but I did miss her the ENTIRE time. I will never be able to handle her leaving for college! She will have to stay with me forever. =)

Mommy turned 26 this week. And Grace - you are the best gift that Mommy has ever gotten! Thanks Daddy.... we did good. =)

Grace's 3 weeks

I can't believe Grace has already been with us for over 3 weeks! It is the strangest feeling because I can't really remember a time she wasn't there, it feels like forever and also I feel like it was just yesterday that we were at the hospital waiting for her to come! She is definitely the best birthday gift I have ever gotten!

Highlights from the last week

Grace:

She is weighing in at almost 8lbs! We can't believe how big she is getting. Everyone who sees her comments on her length and size. I know some babies come out at 8lbs and more, but when I look at her compared to the tiny 6lb baby we brought home from the hospital, she seems enormous! Grace is spending more time awake and alert, she has decided that she likes tummy time and spends a few minutes every day exercising her neck and back muscles! She has done several stretches of 4 hours at night between feedings, which is great for Mommy and Daddy! Overall she is a very peaceful and happy baby. She only gets fussy when she gets hungry, or she is pooping. =) We are starting to hear coo's, which is really cool! Before this she only grunted or cried. We are still reading to her every night. She loves listening to Mommy and Daddy read her books with different voices. We love you Grace Jacklyn!

Daddy:

Daddy had another great week at Mills Park Middle School. He is getting adjusted to the lack of sleep, and he even comes home from work and still helps out around the house! He loves spending time with his little girl! Every night after Mommy feeds Grace, Daddy takes her and burps her (he is an awesome burper!) then Daddy puts her to sleep in the bassinet. The bassinet is actually on Daddy's side of the bed. =)

Mommy:

This week was a busy one for Mommy. It was the last week Mimi is staying to help out. Next week Mommy is on her own! Just Grace and Mommy! Mommy also turned in her notice of resignation this week. No more Bethesda - just staying home with the sweetest baby in the history of the world! I am excited about my new roll as a stay at home Mom. We will continue to find ways to bring in a little extra money, so that Mommy can stay at home for a long time! There is no place I would rather be then holding my sweet girl.

Athens & Bean:

Athens absolutely adores Grace. When she cries, he always goes over to check on her. One day this week Mommy was vacuuming the carpet, Athens HATES the vacuum, but he was concerned about Grace. So he stood between the vacuum and Grace to make sure it wouldn't hurt her! hehe What a good dog! Bean gives Grace lots of kisses, but Grace is not so sure she likes them. We will continue to get the 2 of them to work on their relationship! =) Bean is having to except that there is a new baby, but she is figuring out her new space. Soon they will be fast friends. =)

All in all it was another great week. We love our little girl and can't believe how much life has already changed in 3 weeks, and how normal it feels. Wish us good luck on our first week without help next week! Grace is such a good baby, I'm sure we will not need much luck! =) Love you Grace!

**This is our super genius baby!! =) Doesn't she look adorable wearing Uncle Taylor's glasses!