Samantha - 5 months

Samantha is 5 months (well as of November 9th)!!  Time is flying...and so is Samantha!  She had her first flight this month, and did awesome!  We flew to Florida and she slept the entire way down. We've had a busy month going to Florida and then my parents for Halloween, then to Virginia for my grandmother's funeral, and Samantha did so well traveling considering she slept at home only three nights over the course of a month.  On the way home she was awake for most of the flight, but she was happy, so that's all that matters!  We have also made great strides riding in the car, Samantha can finally fall asleep on her own in the car - although not often, it's much better than it was!

Stranger anxiety has set in, and Samantha wants mommy all the time.  She knows Elizabeth and Daddy, and greets them with big smiles, but if Mommy is in the room, that's who she wants.  The girl can move!  No crawling yet, but Samantha can roll across a room in record time.  She loves being on her tummy, and has started to sleep on her tummy - just as I did with Elizabeth, I stressed out about that, but the doctor assured me as long as she rolls there on her own it's completely safe.Samantha has become very tolerant of her big sister, who can't wait until she is old enough to play with her.  Elizabeth is always giving her (no so gentle) hugs and kisses, and shoving toys in her face any time she cries.  When Samantha wakes up in the morning, Elizabeth gets so excited and has to kiss "mantha" right away!

Any time we are out in public, people comment on Samantha's chubby cheeks, they are so adorable and you just want to squeeze them!!  Her toothless smile is so cute, and her chunky legs are the best!!  We don't have any "formal" measurements this month because she didn't have a 5 month appointment, but the girl is quickly growing out of her 6 month clothing already.  We LOVE LOVE LOVE our Samantha Grace!

Samantha - 4 months

This month has been a turning point for Samantha.  She has started to smile more, and is so much better in the stroller, she has even started napping in the stroller, which makes it so much easier for us to get out!  In addition to rolling over, Samantha is trying so hard to sit up.  Any time she's in the stroller or flat on her back, she tries with all her might to sit up and her little abs look adorable!  According to the doctor, Samantha has started teething, she is drooling constantly and her fist is always in her mouth!

Here are her measurements from her 4 month appointment:

Weight: 13lbs 15oz
Length: 25 inches
Head: 41.5cm

Samantha is wearing 3-6 month clothing, and growing quickly!!  Her chubby cheeks are adorable and her hairline is so cute.  Elizabeth loves "reading" to her, and gives her hugs and kisses all the time.  She can't wait for Samantha to be old enough to play with her.

 

 

I'm slowly catching up on my monthly updates, better late than never!!  :)

Samantha - 3 months

Samantha is already 3 months old!!!!  We don't have her measurements because there is no 3 month doctor visit.  The big news is that Samantha is rolling over!  I thought it was a fluke, but she kept doing it.  Long gone are the days of putting her on the couch and turning my back, the girl can move!  She rocks at tummy time and moves her arms and legs like crazy when she's on her tummy.  Samantha still loves the bath.  She isn't a fan of the car, unless I am sitting in the back with her.  Samantha definitely gets the most sleep in our house, she takes 3 naps a day, and by 6:30pm Samantha is exhausted!  She usually sleeps until 7am or until Elizabeth wakes her up:)  Samantha loves to be held and cries when I leave her sight.  She is getting really good at grabbing toys, and is super strong.  She has a grip like no other!  For some reason, Samantha loves loud noises, any time we are out walking and the lightrail goes by, she immediately stops crying and becomes calm.  Unfortunately, the sound machine doesn't have the same affect.  She eats every 3 hours, and her spitting up has gotten much better since going on the acid reflux medicine.  Elizabeth lights up whenever she sees Samantha, and Samantha just gives her the biggest smiles, it's so great to watch the two of them together.

What a quick 3 months this has been!  I'm beginning to think Samantha is going to be as big as Elizabeth sooner rather than later!  We have a 4 month appointment, so we will have exact measurements for the next update.  As Samantha gets older, she is beginning to look more like Elizabeth.

Samantha - 2 months

It's hard to believe Samantha is over 2 months old!  This month brought a lot of changes for Samantha!   Around 6 weeks we started getting real smiles- the best thing EVER!!!  Samantha also started taking medicine for acid reflux, which has made such a difference.  After she would eat, she was never happy, and spit up a ton.  But, since she started her medicine, she has been so much happier.  Samantha is still not a fan of the stroller or carseat, and is most happy when she's being held facing out.  She looks very curious and she takes everything in with her big eyes.  Samantha still loves her sleep (thankfully!), she will occasionally wake up for a feeding at 4am, but usually sleeps straight from about 7pm-7am.  It's not easy getting Samantha to sleep, but once she's alseep, it's all good.This girl also loves her naps, although it can be hard to nap for a long time when you have a two year old sister constantly grabbing at your toes or putting toys in your face.  Samantha eats about every 3 hours, and still LOVES bathtime.

Here are Samantha's two month measurements:
Weight - 13.5 lbs.
Height - 22.5 inches
Head - 40 cm

Samantha met lots of family this month.  Auntie Kara and Uncle Kevin came to visit.  This month was also Samantha's first road trip!  We went to Pennsylvania to my parent's house, and then took a quick day trip down to Virginia.  She met her Auntie Jill, and her great grandmother!

When I originally wrote this post, my grandmother was still alive.  She passed away on September 12, 2015.  I am so glad that I took the girls down to see her when I did.  Even though they won't remember, we will have  the pictures forever. My grandmother loved seeing them and holding them, and Elizabeth still talks about "going to visit grandma".

    Having two kids so close in age is exhausting, but so much fun!  Elizabeth absolutely loves being a big sister and it's hard to imagine our life before Samantha!

Elizabeth - 2 years old!!!!

On August 4th, 2015 Elizabeth turned 2 years old!  The quote, "the days are long, but the years are short", couldn't be more true!  On Elizabeth's actual birthday, she went to camp in the morning, and when she came home we had everything decorated and she opened her presents.  Elizabeth spent the afternoon playing with her toys and then we went out to dinner.  It was the perfect day!

Elizabeth has changed so much this past year.  She became a big sister, talks non stop, sleeps in a "big girl" bed, and is becoming so independent.  Elizabeth has so much personality and it's so much fun to watch her grow, she is always singing and dancing. She is very social, I like to joke at the playground that she is the welcoming committee, Elizabeth says hello to everyone that walks in, and is constantly talking to people we pass on the streets.  Elizabeth loves playing with her friends and absolutely loves Samantha.  Fear is not something Elizabeth is familiar with, she loves the dark and often goes into our closet and shuts the door, and at the playground she is absolutely fearless.  And of course, she is interested in all things girly - she is rarely without a necklace and purse (even in bed)!  Elizabeth is still a SUPER picky eater, but put dessert in front of her that she's never seen before and she will dig right in! Elizabeth knows her ABCs, many other songs, and her vocabulary is great.  She speaks in full sentences all the time - Mommy, what are you doing?  Daddy is your phone charging?  Samantha it's ok, don't cry, we will be home soon.  I want to go to the playground to play with my friends).  Elizabeth always uses her "please" and "thank yous".  A favorite is "thank you so much" when someone does something for her.

Samantha was very impressed with the day;)

Elizabeth, we love you so very much!! You are a little girl now, definitely not a baby anymore, and are so much fun to be around!  We love how sweet you are with your little sister, you are always giving her kisses and telling her you love her.  You have so much personality and are always smiling (most of the time;))!  We are so blessed to have such a sweet little girl!

Samantha - 1 Month!!

I am way behind!  Along with being super busy, my computer bit the dust so I haven't had an easy way to update my blog.  Ipads are great, but not for everything!  Lucky for me, my parents were visiting last week and my dad forgot to take home his laptop, so expect lots of updates until he takes it back:)

We had Samantha's one month appointment last month, and she's doing great!  Her weight is up there, the girl can eat!

Weight: 12lbs. 5.5 oz.
Height: 22.5 inches
Head: 39 cm

Our first month with her was a great one.  Lucky for us, she started sleeping through the night around 2 or 3 weeks old!  Samantha was going to bed around 10pm and sleeping later than anyone else, until 7am! During the day, she is awake for about an hour and a half before she needs to sleep again. Samantha loves to be held.  She HATES the car seat (hates is actually an understatement), but likes the ergo, so luckily I can wear her a lot when we are out.  It is especially helpful when we are somewhere like the playground, I can wear her as I chase around Elizabeth.  Samantha loves taking a bath, she kicks and kicks when she's in there, and would probably be content in there for hours.  Sometimes she doesn't mind tummy time, sometimes she hates it.

Elizabeth LOVES her little sister.  If Samantha is crying, she tries to find a toy to give her, and she is constantly giving Samantha lots of kisses.  It takes us a little longer to get out of the door most days, but we are loving our two girls!

Samantha Grace

On Tuesday, June 9, 2015 we welcomed Samantha Grace!!  She was born at 10:21am, weighing 9lbs 14oz and 21 inches long.  I don't want to forget the day, so here is what happened!  We waited and waited, the doctors told me she would be early, probably born at the end of May, and she came on her own time - 5 days late.  I had a doctors appointment on Monday morning, I was already 4cm dilated and the doctor swept my membranes (ouch and sorry if TMI!).  Monday night I had mild contractions, but nothing too bad, so we went to bed.  At 4am I woke up and knew it was time, my contractions were awful. I woke up David, called the doctor, and we headed to the hospital.  When we got to the hospital I was 7cm dilated, so obviously they admitted me.  All I cared about was the epidural, and the nurse assured me that she was quickly taking care of things so that I would have time to get one.  Finally around 7am I got the epidural (after sending David out to the hall many times asking about the anesthesiologist).  My blood pressure went down to the 70s and I thought for sure I was going to pass out, but once they gave me oxygen, I felt much better.

Around 10am my back started to hurt, and it was time to push.  After only about 20 minutes, out popped Samantha!  I once again thought I was having a boy, but David said all along we were having another girl.  He cut the umbilical and I fed her right away.  After that they weighed her, cleaned her, did footprints and handprints, and the nurse made footprints on David's t-shirt for him to keep.

Later that day, my parents, along with Elizabeth, came to the hospital to meet Samantha.  Elizabeth wanted nothing to do with Samantha or me, she only wanted David to hold her.  Eventually though, she warmed up and was pointing out Samantha's head, feet, and toes.

The next day my best friend, Sarah, and her sister came over to visit me in the hospital.  They were in NYC with family, so it was perfect timing!  David went for a run and decided to run from the hospital to our house (about 9 miles).  He spent the day at home with Elizabeth and my parents came to keep me company.  Of course I don't have any pics of them at the hospital...oops!  That night David came back and spent the night with me again at the hospital.  

On Tuesday, Samantha had to go into the "sunbed" because her bilirubin was a little high.  Luckily, she didn't have to stay the night and we were able to head home by 5:30 that night.

 When we got home that night, Elizabeth was SO excited to see Samantha.  She didn't leave her side.  When I said it was time for Samantha to eat, she went to the kitchen and grabbed her a snack, it was adorable.  Elizabeth grabbed Samantha's toes and started doing "this little piggy went to the market".  It is so much fun to see Elizabeth interact with Samantha.

We feel so blessed that we have two beautiful, healthy daughters!  Life is super busy and a little stressful right now, but so much fun!  Samantha Grace is a great baby and the perfect addition to our family.