We're on a ROLL!

She DID it!

Today, for the very first time, Lillian rolled over! Ohh how we've waited for this milestone, knowing for the last week and a half she was SO close. We watched intently, reaching for the camera everytime we thought it was coming.

Well today, it happened!  From her back to her belly she went. And we were able to get her very first roll recorded.

Disclaimer: It just so happened, at the very moment that she rolled, big sister walked right in front of the camera! I think she was feeling a little left out. ;)

Sleeping babies.

Tonight, as I counted my blessings, I peeked in on my sleeping babies. So sweet and peaceful...

I'm in love.

sleep: noun 1. to rest

2. sometimes accompanied by tender little sounds and faces

3. an opportunity for parents to watch with wonder and remember that this won't last forever.

SYN.-to nap, to dream

Physical Therapy.

At Lillian's 6 month check, I expressed concern that she wasn't rolling over or lifting her head up when laying on her tummy.  Her doctor also noticed she wasn't really using her arms at all to push up off the floor, but rather just letting them flop to the side, face into the floor.

So on Tuesday, we had her first physical therapy evaluation. When we left the NICU back in February, we knew physical therapy was likely in our future--A small hurdle, I thought, compared to the 6 weeks she had spent in the hospital. And though I knew this in my mind, it still didn't stop me from worrying about what was to come. The unknown is a scary thing, and it's a mother's natural instinct to worry about her children. But the truth is--it's JUST physical therapy. And after meeting with the physical therapist on Tuesday, I'm feeling much more comfortable with the idea.

So I'm excited for this. I know this is really going to benefit her, and I'm anxious to see the progress she's going to make with it.

My little magician.

Yesterday afternoon I got the urge to start organizing closets and cabinets. It doesn't happen very often, so when it does I go with it. Sweeping through the house doing as much as I can before the fire in me burns out, knowing full well if something else catches my attention, it'll be all over with.

Lillian was sleeping in her swing as I made my way through the house. Adelynn followed closely behind, picking up everything I pulled from behind closed doors and asking questions like "what's that" and making remarks like "that's mine's", or my favorite, "that's me's".

As I started organizing one of the cabinets above our kitchen counter, Adelynn stood on her tip toes and pointed up to her gummy-vites. "I want those", she said. "No, you already had your vitamins today", I said as finished putting things back in their place. So she settled for a few jellybeans. As I walked into the laundry room to throw some trash away, she followed behind and on into the family room. Noticing the trash was full, I changed the bag and carried it out to the garage.

When I walked back through the back door, I caught Adelynn standing on her small chair. It's not the first time she has stood on her chair from her little table--She often gets scolded for it and both chairs taken away for a short time. But this time, my heart sank. As she turned toward me from the counter, an empty vitamin bottle in her hand. "I ate them!", she exclaimed. You what!? YOU ATE THEM!?, I shrieked. Stunned, she slowly shook her head and pointed to her lips. "Yeah, in my mouth.."

My mind started racing as I reached for the phone--"how did she get them open?", "how harmful can this be to her?", "how many did she eat?",  "it couldn't have been that many, right?, "the bottle was almost empty..", "about 10? ..yeah, it had to be no more than 10"..

While I spoke on the phone to woman with poison control, Adelynn jumped in circles around me giggling, completely unfazed by what had just occurred. The sweet lady on the other end assured me she would be just fine. The children's gummy vitamins did not contain iron, which would have been a cause for concern if they had. She also said Adelynn probably hadn't consumed enough to make her sick.

And as breathed a sigh of relief, I began to feel embarrassed.

"I'm not quite sure how she got them open", I said as my shoulders sank. I thought to myself,  "This lady surely has to be thinking 'if she would have just been watching her kid'.."

"They can be little magician's", she sweetly replied.

Yes. Yes they can...

And so Adelynn and I had a nice talk about how vitamins are NOT candy. And while, yes, they can be good for you, they can also hurt you if you eat too many. Not to mention listening to mommy when she says "no". A conversation which seemed eerily familiar..

Perhaps we both needed to be reminded.

Recovering.

I've been neglecting this little space. Not intentionally-- I've been meaning to revisit for quite some time, but my foggy, tired state has kept me from doing so. And any moment that I've had to get away, it was usually spent sleeping.  We've spent the last couple of weeks recovering from sickness in our house, laying low and not doing much of anything.

It started with a fever from Adelynn...

 6 days of a fever that ended with a cold.

She was miserable, and my heart broke as I wanted so desperately to make her feel better.

The cold was then passed to me, and then to Brian.

 My nerves ran high and I kept a watchful eye, praying we wouldn't share with Lillian. And surprisingly, she was the only one who escaped it..

Thankfully, We're all on the mend now and enjoying the beautiful summer.

We spent our weekend at home, but after 2 weeks of being stuck inside we were happy to be able to get out and enjoy the warm weather the weekend brought.

We're back in the outside world, and thankful for a new week.

Happy Monday!

6 months.

Lillian Faith, at 6 months old you are developing quite a personality. You love your little blanket and you need it to get to sleep. It is the one thing that can settle you down when you are upset. As soon as it's handed to you, you grab onto it and pull it up to you face. We make sure to take it everywhere with us.

At just a little over 9 pounds, you are still mostly in your newborn clothes. But I have a feeling it won't be long before you are able to move up. Your face is becoming more round as your tiny body is starting to fill out more, and your skinny little legs are starting to form little rolls. I love this.

We have started giving you a little bit of rice cereal. You don't seem to mind it, but haven't necessarily shown an interest either. It really depends on the kind of mood you are in that day. That's ok, though. When you don't want it we just wait a few days and try it again!

Just this past week you have started to reach for things that look appealing to you. Ironically, the first time I saw you do it you were going for your sister's hair as she leaned over you. I couldn't believe it! I was so excited to see you intentionally reaching for something, although your sister was a little less than thrilled. I knew you'd get her back when you had the chance! Just to be sure it wasn't accidental, I continued to put toys in front of you until I saw you do it again. Such a big girl you are!

You love to be talked to and you talk back to anyone who will listen. You have lots of stories to tell. And if someone isn't paying attention, you are quick to let them know. You also have the biggest, most beautiful smile. It doesn't matter who it is, if they give you a smile then you'll be sure to return one back.

You are a very observant baby, watching everything intently and soaking it in. I'm quite surprised by your attention span. This is seen the most as you watch your sisters every move. You love when she plays with you. Sometimes I think it's a little too rough, but you never seem to mind. It scares mommy, but it seems like the more rough she is with you, the harder you laugh. She's silly that's for sure, but boy does she love you!

(Not laughing in this picture, though :)

For awhile you were pretty much sleeping through the night, going down for bed around 8pm and sleeping until 5am or 6am. You would wake to eat and then usually go down again for an hour or two. More recently you have been going down between 6pm and 7pm and usually waking up about 1am or 2am, and then again about 5am or 6am to eat! It leaves mommy a little tired sometimes, but I don't mind. I love the quiet time I get to spend with you in the middle of the night. And you only wake to eat and go right back to sleep, so it's not so bad.

It's hard to believe 6 months has come and gone already, yet I can hardly remember what it was like without you in our lives. It's like you've always been a part of us. I can only pray these next 6 months go much slower than the first.

Happy half year, Lillian! We loves you bunches!