The Adventures of Flat Stanley

Our niece, Lexi, sent Flat Stanley to live with us a few weeks ago for a project she's doing at school.

When Flat Stanley arrived, he was in dire need of a wardrobe, but the man was starving! He enjoyed a bratwurst (or two!) before dressing up for his new family.

After the guy had food in his belly, he was excited to change into something a bit more decent. He was a pretty good sport while I fretted over what he should wear.

After he was dressed, he begged us to let him put Sophia to sleep. He really enjoyed singing to her while they were in her swing. She must have liked him, too, because she was asleep in no time!

After he got Sophia asleep, he wanted to make breakfast for the next morning with Andrew. He did a great job making the omlets! He was a pretty big help the entire time he was in our home.

Each day, Flat Stanley would help me make my lunch. I was so glad he was here to help since I normally have my hands full with Sophia. He made sure that I had enough nutrition each day... but, he'd also let me sneak a treat or two.

Flat Stanley also got to be with me when I spotted our first "friend" of the season. In our household, we call wild woodchucks "friends". We have several that live under our shed, and they ventured out on an unseasonably warm day! We were both very excited to see him! He's gotten much fatter since last year.

Flat Stanley also helped me do dishes throughout the week. He would dry them as I washed them. I tried to get him to put them away, but they were too heavy for his frail body. I didn't want to crush him (again!), so I told him that Andrew could put them away when he got home. Flat Stanley was very thankful for this.

We let Flat Stanley drive us to church on Sundays. He really enjoyed the worship music while he was there, and he thought the sermons were excellent. The last few weeks at church have focused on Jesus' teachings, and Flat Stanley was captivated by the messages.

Flat Stanley was really happy to be here during really nice weather. He thought the waterfalls in the area were really pretty. He liked Montour Falls a lot.

Flat Stanley got to go with us on Sophia's first outdoor walk. He was pretty proud that he got to share this moment with us. He didn't want to push the stroller though. He said that he would rather just ride and enjoy the time with Sophia. He went on several walks with us at the mall on the weekends, but he asked me to only share a picture of his outdoor walk.

Flat Stanley also got to go with me and Sophia on our first (and second!) mother-daughter outing. Each time, we visited my co-workers and Sophia's daycare. He really liked the rehab setting, and he approves of the daycare we have chosen for Sophia. He says he feels comfortable with her going there- and that says a lot. He's pretty protective over our little girl.

Flat Stanley is feeling rather blue today. I told him that he will be returning to Missouri this week. He is very excited to be reunited with Lexi, but he says he is really going to miss his New York family. It has been a lot of fun to have him tag along in the diaper bag. We are very honored that we were chosen to host Flat Stanley. It was a lot of fun!



Sugar & SPICE

Our little girl is FULL of sugar... and a whole lot of spice. She's an ornery one... such a character. She has personality EXPLODING from her. For such a little human, she is packed full of life. Well, her newest "thing" is the most adorable, ornery smile you ever did see. It's my favorite. She has found her tongue... and she uses it... alllllll the time.

How much more cuteness could be packed into this little girl? I might be slightly obsessed... and very biased... but, she is just too adorable for words. That being said, I'm going to let the pictures do the talking while I play with my little sweetheart.



Sensory Bottles

I worked in an infant classroom for close to three years while I was in college. During that time, I learned a lot (or so I thought!) about infants. One idea that I took from there is sensory bottles. They are awesome! I hope to have a whole collection for Sophia soon. I started on that collection today with the bottles we already had in our home.

This bottle is short and fat... wonderful for little hands! I filled it with black, white, and red beads that I had leftover from the wine charms I make. It is an quick and easy rattle... and cheap too!

This bottle is tall and skinny... also great for little hands. I filled it with water and beads in hues of blue. This bottle could be put in the fridge or in a pan of warm water for extra sensory input. The beads make a softer sound in this bottle.

Where would you find bottles like these for your own little hands? Aldi. My beef and chicken bouillon cubes came in these. Just make sure to wash and dry them... and glue the lids on tightly! I am so excited to add to this collection. I'm thinking water & oil with food coloring, water and glitter, pinecones (or other nature items), and a whole lot more!



Spring Crafting

I have been working on several orders of ribbon flower bows over the last few weeks. These fun bows have left me itching to create something for ME. I haven't made a wreath for my own home in ages & I've missed it terribly.

So, on Monday, Sophia and I ventured out to Hobby Lobby. If you read my previous post, then you know how well that went. Well, crafting with a newborn in the home goes just as smoothly... haha. It is now Thursday, and I have just now been able to complete it.

That's just fine with me though! I would much rather enjoy my sweet baby. Afterall, who wouldn't prefer to spend time with this sweet face...



Lots of Firsts!

Oh, the weather is beautiful here in New York! Since the weather has been perfect lately, we have gotten to do a lot of "firsts" with Sophia!

On Sunday, we got to hang out on our front porch for the first time. At first, she wasn't sure about the breeze blowing across her face, but she quickly learned to love it! She really enjoyed looking around... the bright sun is her favorite.

We also got to take her on her first outdoor stroller excursion on Sunday. Again, she wasn't too sure of the bumpy sidewalks (they are NOTHING like the smooth mall floor), but it didn't take long for her to fall asleep.

Finally, yesterday, I got to take her on our first mother-daughter date! We visited her daycare, had lunch with my co-workers, and made a quick trip to Hobby Lobby. She was all smiles for the lead teacher at the daycare & she was pretty sweet while we were at work. Hobby Lobby is a different story. Picture this... a wreath draped over my arm, 6 flower stems in my hand, an undersized cart with an oversized carseat being navigated with my flower-filled hand while I fed Sophia with my free hand to keep her from screaming bloody murder. ha! Overall, it was such a fun first date!

Finally...

... the spring flowers are gorgeous! To put it into perspective- the spring flowers hadn't started blooming last year until the week before I moved to New York in the middle of May. Crazy!

Happy first day of Spring, Sophia!!



Sophia: Two Months Old

Happy Two Month Birthday, Sophia Claire!!

Our little girl is now 10 pounds 9 ounces and 22.5 inches long!

She is smiling at us when we talk to us, following us with her eyes as we walk by, and borderline laughing at us (we are pretty funny looking). She is also enjoying her Bumbo, tummy time on her play mat, and talking to the sweet baby in the mirror. She is growing so, so quickly, and I have been packing away her 0-3 outfits slowly but surely. You know, they should really make sleepers a little bit longer. Anyway, Sophia is such a silly little girl. She has so many expressions, and she hardly uses the same one twice. She is an absolute riot, and we are loving every minute of it.

It is still hard to believe that she is two months old today!

Now, one final word from the birthday girl...

... HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!



Eight Weeks Old!

Sophia is 8 weeks old today!!

I will post a blog on Saturday (her two-month birthday) with updates. She has her check-up & immunizations on Thursday, so I'll get weight & length stats then!

Until then...

... I can't believe how much she has grown!!!



Sophia Smiles

Sophia has really begun to interact with the people around her. I can really get her to smile big- and she is starting to smile for other people she meets. Her smile can light up any room & brings so much joy to my life. I thought that I would share some of her sweetness with you!

The above four pictures are what I call her Pixie smile. A whole lot of onery mixed with a whole lot of sweetness. I love this smile so, so much!

These are her crazy smiles. I always know she's up to something (or at least wanting to be up to something) when she smiles at me with this smile. She's a nut!

This smile MELTS.MY.HEART!!! So, so sweet! This is her interactive smile- and I absolutely LOVE it!

This is her sly smile... I am pretty sure you can understand why!

Last but not least. this is her tickled smile. She sticks that cute little tongue out when she's tickled by something we say or do. I am so excited that I finally captured this one- it's my very, very, very favorite. I just wish that I had gotten it on my camera & not my phone!

I love this girl so much! She is a character & she is always doing something to make us smile.



Simply Sophia

It is fairly obvious who has captured our hearts... she's pretty much all we think about. I thought that it may be time to do a mini-update on what she's up to these days.

She enjoys tummy time with Daddy and Mommy. This is how we had to do tummy time prior to her losing her cord. Now we can start practicing tummy time on her boppy and playmat! She has crazy awesome neck strength & is starting to move EVERYWHERE when we hold her. She's a wild lady! You gotta watch her- she's quick!

We tried out the Bumbo seat for the first time this weekend. It's pretty cool for about 60 seconds. We're going to work on that throughout the next few weeks. We can't believe how big she looks sitting up in her Bumbo. Too big, too fast!

She enjoyed weekend snuggles with Mommy. She's still trying to fight of RSV & is spending a lot of time sleeping. The good news is, she is starting to feel, act, and sound better. Her cough is productive, and it's even starting to go away. We can't wait until it's gone for good!

She also enjoys being read to during the day with Mommy. We need to start reading to her more at night. I've decided that she's pretty much the cutest kid I've ever set eyes on. ;-) If you're a parent, please feel free to disagree with me... haha!

Sophia gets to meet her extended family at the end of this week... we are all so excited for that! We can't wait to finally be able to share our silly girl with everyone.

That's all I have time for now... someone woke up stinky & hungry!



Like a Champ

Sophia has acquired her first illness- and is handling it like a champ. Unfortunately, her well-baby visit last week resulted in a RSV diagnosis this week. Our doctor's office has a separate waiting room for healthy infants under 9 months of age, but we still have to walk through the main waiting room to get to it. It's an imperfect system, and sadly the stupid germs decided to set up camp inside our little girl.

For the most part, she is still being super sweet. She still is smiley and good natured for much of the day. Isn't she a cutie-pie?

But, she does get upset a lot easier. When she decides she needs something- she needs it NOW.

And, if she doesn't get it right away, she gets upset a lot more quickly. She very rarely cries a real cry when she's well. Since she's been sick, we've heard REAL cries a lot more often. It is absolutely pitiful. She also takes a lot longer to calm down (like 5 minutes instead of 30 seconds). Even then, she's still such a good baby.

Her cough and labored breathing are absolutely heartbreaking. I am so thankful that she is not running a temperature and that she is acting like her sweet little self for the most part. The doctor told us what to watch for, but right now her symptoms are mild enough that no treatment is warranted. I pray that it stays that way!

Please join us in praying for our little girl to recover quickly. She's far too little to have a cough this big.

The good news? She's now 8 pounds 14 ounces... up from 8 pounds 8 ounces last week. So, she's gaining weight well and staying hydrated. Please also pray that she maintains her appetite.

Thank you!!