Day 35

WOW 5 weeks already!

Last Wednesday Miss thing turned 5 weeks old!!

As if I didn't need to bring out my camera before....Stella

reached a BIG milestone and started to smile and coo

for REAL!

The more I talked to her the more the smiles came =)

It just melts my heart to look down and see her toothless

grin, grinning from ear to ear! I can be sleep-deprived to

the fullest and seeing her smile at me just makes it all

worth it!

Stella is still nursing every 3-4 hours. In the middle of the

night it's 3 hrs on the DOT! It's like she has a little alarm

clock going off! I'm looking forward to the long stretches

between feedings =)

We have been enjoying all of our days home together!

Hunter has been at school durning the week, but Alli Jo,

Stella and I have have been having a blast. If we're not

doing photo shoots (haha) we are reading or listening to music,

and recently "school" with Alli Jo. I have started to teach her

how to write her letters. She can already write her name, CAT,

and MOM. Along with the letters A,B,C,D,E so far =) It's so

amazing how fast she learns!

I will leave you with a few pics of Alli Jo...that is if you even

recognize her LOL

More than one photographer in the house???

With my oldest two girls, I regret not having enough

pictures of us together when they were babies. So

I begged Joe to take a few pics with me and Stella. He

was really nervous...I have no idea why LOL

Although if I were taking pictures for a photographer

I'd be a little anxious too! haha

But check them out...with a little bit of my photoshop

skilz, he did great!! We might just have another

photographer in the house!

Wouldn't you love........

To wake up to this every morning =)

Thank you God for my 3 blessings!!!

4 weeks

Gosh I hate to say it, but it's been 4 weeks =( Why am

I sad?? Well my baby is getting bigger and time is just

flying by! Before I know it my girls are going to be

out of the house, getting married =( I really want

to enjoy my time off work, but it's so hard just

thinking about leaving my babies again. Any tips on

not thinking about it??? lol

I am dreaming we hit the lottery and I can just be a

stay at home mommy =) But I guess I have to play

the lotto to win, right?? haha Any tips from SAHM,

on ways to live off one income feel free to leave a

comment!!!

Now on to the good stuff =)

Stella is growing, yes! She is starting to get a double chin!

haha So darn cute! She has moved out of NB clothes and

is now wearing 0-3mos. She has also moved up to size 1

diapers. She is becoming more alert, more often. She still

gets her days and nights mixed up a little, but we're workin

on it!

During belly time, Miss S does so well lifting her head!
Smiles are coming more and more now; especially when I talk

"baby talk" to her =) I could just eat her up! When she hears

her sisters, she turns her head right away to find them! She

absolutely loves their voices! She could be screaming and

then hears one of them talking and will stop right away!

We went to our first chiropractor appointment yesterday. I

am working with the chiro to help the reflux Stella has.

She slept great last night! I can tell she was feeling a lot better.

We go back next week to see how she's done.

The girls and I have been working on their V-day cards for

school. Alli thinks it's the coolest thing! I'm hoping the

reschedule their party for next week, b/c this week's class

got cancelled due to snow =( We all can't wait to celebrate

the day of "LOVE" with Stella for her very 1st holiday!!

21 days

So time definitely isn’t slowing down and my baby
is now 21 days old =(

I have enjoyed every second, minute, hour, and day
with this sweet angel. Just when you think your life
can’t get any better, God sends you a princess like
Stella =)

We’re still not on a set schedule and it doesn’t really
bother me, surprisingly. Those of you that know me
well, know that I am a planner and have to have things
go the way I want plan, or all heck breaks loose. But
for some reason Stella has allowed me to “let go” and
just let things happen. I don’t mind one bit that me,
Alli, and Stella just hang around in our PJs all day long!
In fact, Alli can’t stand to be in anything now except her
night gown or jamies! This would be the life, let me
tell ya!

The girls are still in awe and adore their baby sister.
Everyone in the house has to beg mommy to hold her b/c
I don’t let go of her often =)

Stella has a bit of acid reflux. So I don’t lay her down
flat or by herself often. She is always within sight. I
noticed “something” wrong the night we brought her
home from the hospital….she was regurgitating and
repeatedly swallowing after she ate, so it makes me
really nervous to leave her alone. I just purchased a ring
sling online and I can’t wait to get it! That way I can
keep her close and still go on with my every day chores

and life! I even got a child sling for Alli Jo to wear….so I
will have to post pics when they come in the mail.

Other than that she is doing great! Such a good baby =)

2 weeks already =(

Tell me it isn't so, my baby is 2 weeks already =( Goodness where

does the time go??? I seriously couldn't speed time up enough

while preggo, and now the days fly by like crazy!! I just want to

stop time and keep my babies young!!

It's been two weeks, and our lives have changed so much. I

am constantly feeling like I'm forgetting "something" now

that I have 3 kiddos. I'm hoping I don't forget a kiddo somewhere!

I'm slowly (with the help of my wonderful mom) getting to where

I can be a mom and pick up Hunter and Alli Jo from school. It is

not easy getting Stella fed in time to make it to the schools in time!

But I'll get the hang of it soon enough and it will come like 2nd

nature I'm sure.

The girls are still doing WONDERFUL with Stella. I hate to keep

bragging, but it's seriously wonderful! Alli Jo has only shown

jealousy only once during a time a guest was visiting...I can't

blame her for wanting attention.

I still haven't got Stella on a schedule yet....she's a lot harder to

figure out than my older two. Since I'm nursing her, she's eating

every two-three hours. I don't think I ever get into a deep sleep,

but it's ok...she is sooo worth it!

Stella had her 2 week check up on Wednesday and here are

her stats:

Height -19.5 in

Weight - 7.1lbs

Head Circumference - 34 1/4cm

Dr. says she's doing great! The only issue I wanted to

talk to the dr. about was a possible intolerance to milk;

cow's milk that I'm drinking. She seems to get colic-like

symptoms when I drink it. Dr. says it could be an allergy

to cow's milk and just try to cut it out of my diet while

nursing. She said that sometimes formula can have the

cow's milk as well...so try to breast feed as long as I can.

Here are pictures of Miss thing at 1 week and 2 weeks....

I can really tell that she's grown =(

And here are pictures from days 5-14 showing the first

two weeks of her life =)

Dear Stella,

Goodness, where do I even begin? You have come into our

family and fit perfectly into our lives. I will never forget

the day you were born. You were so tiny and had such a

tiny cry (squeal Daddy calls it) that you made us smile.

Your sisters couldn’t get into the hospital room fast

enough to meet you! The smiles on their face showed it all.

The doctor laid you on my chest and I thought you looked

a little like both of your sisters and your daddy. You

are small and petite like Hunter was; you have your sister

Alli’s lips; and your daddy’s nose. Not sure if you will

look like mommy at all, but that’s ok =)

Each day you and I have bonded so much. You know

when I walk into the room...maybe it’s because I’m

your bottle, ha ha! You love to lay on my chest and

squeeze my finger while you’re nursing. I even catch

you curling your tiny little toes when you’re eating.

Speaking of toes...I love how your 2nd toe is just as

big as your big toe...just like your daddy’s.

You love to lift your head to try to find your sisters.

They are often loud, and you love it! If it’s quite

in the house, then you wonder why!
Your biggest sister Hunter loves you hold you when

she gets home from school. She is very good at checking

on you to make sure you’re ok. Alli Jo read to you

the other day and you just stared at her in awe.

You love hearing their voices.

It has been 10 days, but some of the happiest 10 days

we’ve ever had. We thank our heavenly Father for you,
our little miracle baby. Mommy didn’t think I’d ever be

able to have a baby again, and then God gave us you.

"I prayed for this child, and the lord has granted me

what I asked of him." 1 Samuel 1:27

Love you for eternity,

Your mommy