Loungin'

Cow really wanted in!

She's a happy baby!
Napping on Dad!

We all had a great big nap on the couch today...ahh, loungin' Saturday afternoons....

Also, another pic of Miss Stella sucking her thumb...our little self-soother at work. She was lovin' on it while we noshed at Burger Up tonight!

Soaking up End of Maternity Leave

Our nanny, Rachel, started part time this week and I go back to work next week. Although we are bummin' maternity leave is almost over, we are also soaking it in and praising the Lord for this healthy, happy time together. What a fun almost 10 weeks!

Sleepless in Nashville

After Dr. Godfrey, our pediatrician, advised us that we needed to put Stella down awake (drowsy but not asleep from our rocking as we had been doing) we are in full fledged "sleep training." This basically makes us feel sad because she is crying and wanting us to rock her to sleep but we are having glimpses of hope when she goes down and only cries for 20 or 30 minutes and then snoozes off. We had our best night yet last night - only 45 minutes of crying going down at 730, finally asleep by 815 and then no crying after middle of the night feedings when she was put back down - awake but drowsy. Yay! We'll see - naps this morning have been tough....please, pray for us. It may seem like a small problem (she's healthy and we feel so blessed for that) but sleep deprivation starts to magnify....

"The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride." Ecc 7:8

Pictures above are of Stella in her orange trimmed sleep sack (she's out of the swaddle folks to suck on those fingers and thumb she loves!) and tummy time on her mat.

Happy to be Home

The fam is settling back in to the homestead...see pics from Monday. Today, Stella turned 2 months old and we rang it in with shots - ouch! She was not a happy camper (surprise, surprise.) However, we are home now and she's asleep on my chest after a little infant Tylenol dose.

"Let It Ride"

We love Ryan Adams, and he dubs North Carolina and Tennessee sisters, so it was only fitting that would be Stella's first state crossing. We enjoyed the Highlands...lunches and shopping, hiking and water and mountain views...a great time at all the wedding festivities...

Roll Over Beethoven

Stella rolled over on her mat yesterday! Started on her stomach and I peered around the corner and, voila, she was on her side and a few seconds later watched her push to her back. So fun (and scary) when they start to move around! Check out G's collage of July-Stella pics on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4918681&id=634997683&fbid=416723082683#!/photo.php?pid=30958295&id=1155312024

Stella on 8/3

She's moving all around!

G & Gigi Babysit, Mommy & Daddy vaca in Maine

It was a fun trip for us in Maine for Kelly and Darrel's wedding! We stayed in the James Place Inn in Freeport - close to the action but just a bit off Main St. The owners, Tori and Robin were so helpful and FANTASTIC cooks. We ate their homemade sausage (sage from their garden), all their from scratch raspberry muffins, waffles, quiches and granola. The weather was mid 70's by day and upper 50's by night - perfect relief from the 100's of Nashville. Yancy and I hiked Branbury Mountain Saturday morning and did lots of shopping in the Freeport outlets (how can you resist 75% off Cole Haan?)

Kelly and Darrel's wedding was off the charts. Started off with a hike and lobster roll luncheon for the bridal gathering while the guys grabbed local brew at Gritty's. Lobster boil for the rehearsal dinner at her Aunt and Uncle's on Wolfe's Neck peninsula....gorgeous bay views. Incredible wedding on Wolfe's Neck Farm -- breathtaking views at high tide...the tide rolling out as the afternoon and evening progressed. Ball jar chandeliers, stone-ground mustard gifts, homemade rhubarb and blueberry pies, cheeses from New England, local seafood, a local bluegrass band, the artful vows, children climbing on haystacks, ospreys flying over, the sun beaming and the evening breeze all contributed to a magical event. The 2 lovebirds tying the knot helped, too!

We returned to a happy baby who is now turning her head and holding it up a lot more! She is growing and lots of those 0-3 months outfits are fitting her (or better) now. She's much more playful, alert and active. Sunday night she slept 7 hours straight and last night we had a 5 & 1/2 hour stretch - not bad for 7 weeks old! We can't wait to head to Highlands, NC in the next few days to see Addie, Papa, The Nagels, Elise, Isabelle, Chips, Harrison and the rest of the fam!