4 Month Update!

This month has been full of walks, giggles and figuring out our routine! It's so much fun to watch our girl grow and change each month. We are loving this warmer weather, being able to show off her adorable thigh rolls and taking walks with the beautiful spring blossoms all around us.

Stella is 26 inches long and weighs 13.5 lbs. Still tall, in the 97% for her height, and skinny! She has developed quite the bald spot on the back of her head this month. She rubs her head back and forth like a mad woman in her bed as she is waking. Hopefully it grows back soon! We also noticed that she has a birth mark behind her ear! This girl has the oddest birthmarks, tip of her tongue and behind her ear. She got her 4 month shots on Friday. She did better than last time in terms of crying, but was completely thrown off for three days. She wouldn't sleep, all she wanted to do was cry which is very unusual for her. Thankfully she seems to be back to herself this week.

We've been loving all the sunshine this month. Stella is quite warm and sweaty all the time so she sleeps in onsies and has been rocking lots of summer clothes. One funny thing we've noticed about her is that she sneezes when it's bright out, just like her daddy! On Victoria day we went for a nice hike down by the river. Paul wore Stella in the Ergo and it was great, she even fell asleep! We took Stella swimming early this month, she didn't quite know what to think of that.

She started rolling from tummy to back this month! She also does this weird thing where she always arches her back. It can get pretty annoying when you try to sit her in her seat or pick her up but it seems to be stopping in the last week or so. We put her in the jolly jumper this month and she loves it! I love that she is able to do more things now, it is so fun to watch her experience all these new experiences for the first time.

The best part of this month has to be her laughing. She laughs all the time now, especially when you try to put her down for a nap. It's hard to be upset when she laughs at you! One day I was laying down with her trying to get her to sleep and she was just cooing away. I looked at her and said, "Stella it's not time to play, you need to go to sleep!" She just started laughing and laughing. So funny!

I can barely believe in just two short months my girl will be HALF a year old. Crazy!!

Mother's Day

Last weekend I got to celebrate my first mother's day with my girl in this world and not just in the belly! What a beautiful day it was. Paul got me a hand stamped ring with Stella's name on the front, birth date on the back and "my sunshine" on the inside. It's beautiful and I love the thought that went into it.

On Sunday we dedicated Stella at church. It was a great service and a very special moment for me, Paul and all those that have prayed with us since the moment we found out we were expecting our little blessing. We didn't really get to celebrate mother's day that day so we went for a nice walk in the park early this week to celebrate. All the magnolia trees were in bloom, my favourite trees. Some day we will get one, when we are in our forever home, to commemorate our angel babies. It was nice to get some photos of mama and Stella with the beautiful trees.

Mother's day is always emotional whether you so badly want to be a mama, are expecting, have adopted a babe, have many babies, have lost babies, lost your mom or love your momma with all your heart. I can't help but think of the other babies that aren't here with us on this day. That being said, I am so grateful for Stella! Motherhood has been a surprise to me. I always thought I would be a natural, and in ways I am, but for the most part I would say it's hard. Everyday presents new challenges all while being beyond exhausted. It's also more rewarding than I ever could have imagined. All the stress and frustration can melt away with one sweet little smile. It has taught me to have infinite grace for myself. This is the only way to make it through the days, or should I say nights.

 Blogging is hard, my food is either cold, eaten way too quickly or in three attempts, we've had pizza more times then I can even count in the last four months, my living room floor looks like a baby gear maze, I now have perma bags under my eyes, I'm lucky if I wear jeans twice a week, my hair is in a bun 24/7 otherwise it gets ripped out by the handful, I now have stacks of batteries just in case her favourite toy dies (and it takes 3 batteries... what's up with that?), I can't even remember what it feels like to have a purse and I'm currently trying to sleep on the couch with the panicking dog so she won't wake the baby. Life sure is different now but I wouldn't trade it for the world!