Seven Weeks Old...

Hallie Bug,

This is my favorite age so far!! You are the perfect baby.. you have gone back to sleeping until noon (if I'll let you), you make the most adorable sounds, and you are so much fun. I cannot tell you how much I love you! You still sleep like a rock in your swing and take 1 good nap a day. Also, you still wear size 1 diapers and eat about 4 ounces every 3-4 hours. Sometimes you will go 4.5 hours without me realizing it. At night you sleep from about 9:30 - 6 but sometimes you will sleep until 8. It won't be long until you are sleeping until 8 every morning, but I will have to wake you up to go see Nona when summer is over. The idea of going back to work breaks my heart, but I know you will be WELL taken care of when you are with Nona. You are the light of Nona and DaddyBoy's life, but you are the love by SO many.

I love you, Angel!!

Six Weeks Old...

Baby Girl,

You are such a joy! I love you more and more everyday. I am working on your Shutterfly Book for your First Year, and I am already at awe at how fast you are growing. I want to talk to you and hear your voice and opinions, but I want you to always be my baby. I cannot imagine life without you!

You go to bed about 10 PM and sleep until about 9 AM. You have become a little traveler the past week. We went on youth campaign in Hattiesburg, MS for a few days and then came to the beach with Nonny and Poppy. You are such a trooper and just go with the flow. You only cry if something is wrong. However, you usually get fussy about 2 PM and want help going to sleep. This just usually means swaddling you and holding your paci in your mouth cause you tend to spit it out. I started swaddling you last Thursday (5 weeks old), and you started sleeping from 10 PM to 5:30 AM. Mommy loves the extra sleep. You still sleep in your bassinet, wear 0-3 month clothes mostly, but you did move up to size 1 diapers today. They give you a little extra room.

I can rub the bottle against your top gum and you smile! I also got my first 'series' of smiles yesterday from talking to you! So, I counted that as your first smile from knowing who I was because I could get you to do it again by talking to you! You also smile when I sing "Hard Fighting Soldier" to you! Your smile absolutely makes my heart melt!

You have outgrown getting the hiccups all the time, but we do get them sometimes. I usually have to let you cry to get rid of them or they just come back later in the day. I hate to hear you cry, but it just keeps you from getting frustrated all day with them!

I swaddled you in your car seat on the way to Hattiesburg, and you slept until 4 that afternoon and still slept that night. You love to be swaddled in your car seat! I just have to make sure you don't get too hot and keep the air on high. This means I freeze in the car, but I don't mind at all! When we get home you will have gone a week without seeing Daddy. He misses you so much! I know he won't be able to believe how much you've grown in a short week. A week use to seem like such a long time, but now it goes by so fast!

You eat 3-4 ounces every 2-3 hours during the day. Sometimes you'll eat 5 ounces but at night you only eat 2-3. I think you are so sleepy you just want enough food to get you by- you'd rather sleep! You tend to cat nap during the day, but you do take one good nap for about 2 hours usually. I let you go with the flow during the day but try my hardest to stick to a bedtime.

You are so loved Baby Girl! I can't wait to see you turn into a wonderful Christian lady, but in the meantime I'll enjoy every second of your adorableness!

Love always,

Mommy

First Beach Trip

Father's Day 2011

We left for youth campaign the Friday before Father's Day, so Hallie gave Daddy his present Thursday night! He is getting an Xbox (his broke) but hasn't ordered it yet! Here he is opening his card!!

One Month...

Hallie Kate,

I cannot believe it has been a month since you were born! We have both learned a lot!

Here's what you are up to:

• You eat about 3-5 oz about every 3 hours. At night you will go four to five hours before you wake up the first time. You seem to eat more when you are awake, but that makes sense. I do too!
• You sleep a lot! Bedtime/bathtime is about 9. Mommy is usually in the bed by 11 because somebody has to do the dishes!
• You will wake up to eat but keep sleeping until 11 or 11:30 AM. You cannot deny your parents. Our family LOVES to sleep late. I think this is my favorite quality about you. I can't wait to sleep in on Saturday mornings with you as you get older!
• You sleep in your portable bassinet, but we did let you sleep in your crib during the day last week. You stayed asleep for about 2 hours. I was excited.
• We still don't go to church on Sunday ornings. (That many people in one place near you makes Mommy nervous.) However, we go just about anywhere else we would normally go. Mornings are hard on both of us though so most of our outings tend to be after lunch. Like I said we like to sleep late!
• You can hold your head up and often exercise this ability when we are burping you. I keep waiting on the day you head butt me.
• You can stink up a room with a dirty diaper. I had my first gag-worthy diaper this week
• You love the water to be poured over your face during bath time.
• Your feet are so stinkin' long and skinny. You are hard to put socks on. We currently have 2 pair that fit- they are exactly alike!
• Daddy says you grow up everyday. I agree! You seem to change so much everyday.
• You only take the cheapo Gerber bottles. I registered for Dr. Brown's Pediatrician recommended bottles; you wanted nothing to do with them. They apparently take effort to get the milk out of. You are a lazy eater!
• You have bumps on your face, and I can't figure out what's causing it. Hopefully, they will go away soon. I feel so bad for you because they have to itch or hurt.
• You have learned to tolerate your car seat much better now. Mommy's nerves really like this!
• You still wear Newborn diapers but could probably wear size 1 as well.
• Daddy always calls you his 'girlfriend!' I think it is adorable!
• You love to lay on DaddyBoy's chest and talk to Nona!

Your 1 month stats:

Length: 22 inches - 90 percentile

Weight: 9 lbs 5 inches - 50 percentile

Head circumference: 15 inches - 90 percentile

You have your Daddy's head!

We love so much and are so proud to call you our daughter. You are such a joy!

Love always,

Mommy

Four weeks old!

Three weeks old...

Lunch with "The Noodles" at Flip Burger

Dinner (and play dates) with friends at the Gray's House

Nona's Retirement Party

Lots of playtime with Mommy and Daddy

Tons of feedings with Mommy and Daddy

Several "photo shoots"

Nap times

Kisses

Meeting Important and Special People like Mama Jan

Little bit of whining here and there

First Bath

Visits from all the grandparents

Tons of time with Poppy on his shoulder

Sweet Baby,

You have been here (outside of my tummy) for three weeks and two days! You have already grown so much. I tried to weigh you on your third week birthday to see how much you weighed.. 8.3 lbs is what my scale said. Who knows if it is correct but as much as you eat, I believe it! You are a champ eater and sleep between 3.5 and 4 hours at night. You go to bed about 9 PM and wake up about 6, but you go back to bed about 8 and sleep till 11. We only feed you once from 9 to 6! This means every other night Mommy gets a full nights rest- Daddy gets up with you every other night. You love Mommy and Daddy's voices and will follow us with your head if we are walking through the room while talking. You have spent the night with Nona and Poppy four times now. This helps Mommy stay sane and makes me an even better Mommy when you get back. You had your first Courington Family Gathering on Memorial Day this week! You were the hit of the show. You are SO very loved, sweet angel. I hope you always know how much joy you bring to everyone's life. However, Poppy takes the cake for being infatuated with you. He always asks me, "Is this what heaven is going to be like?" when he's holding you! Here are a few highlights since we came home from the hospital.

Love you always,

Mommy

Hallie's Birth Announcement

Spring Branch Girl Baby Announcements

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