Daddy's Day

Jason recently mentioned that I haven't referenced him enough on this blog... Ooops! So I am dedicating this entire post to your daddy! We had a wonderful First Father's Day last weekend. We went to church, then enjoyed a yummy brunch at Murphy's in Virginia Highlands, then dinner with Grandma and Grandpa Nail. Before you were born, we sometimes drank bloody marys and mimosas at Murphy's on Sunday afternoons! We dubbed those days "Funday Sundays", but those will be few and far between now that we have you in our life :) You are very blessed to have such a great daddy! I love watching you and your father interact. He is such a natural when it comes to fatherhood, and we are both lucky ladies to have him in our lives!




Oh and we can't forget... He is a great Doggy Daddy as well!

Playdates and Tummy Time!

Your 11th week of life was quite eventful! You had your first official playdate with Baby Gianna, as well as a dinner date with Baby Brayden! You and Gianna loved sharing the activity gym and watching the lights and animals together. You even had matching outfits and headbands. You were very well behaved and we were able to also get pedicures and enjoy a yummy lunch at Seasons 52. Gianna is the baby girl of one of my old co workers, Karen from Allergan. I think we will be having more fun times ahead with Gianna. You are beginning to actually enjoy tummy time, and are gaining alot of strength in your head and neck!

Strength

Strength and resilience, something I've been thinking about alot the past couple of days. I often wonder what your personality will be like, and if you will posses the great deal of strength that I think you will. You don't realize it yet, but you overcame quite a few obstacles before you were even born! Your daddy and I weren't trying to conceive when I became pregnant with you, and I went almost 2 months having no idea I was expecting. During that time, I ran 10ks, traveled to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and drank my fair share of Don Julio, ate and drank things that I shouldn't have, and basically broke most of the rules surrounding pregnancy! When we first went in to confirm that I was pregnant, your heartbeat was very low. We went an entire week not knowing if you were viable. That was the longest week of our lives, and required alot of strength on our end. When the dr spoke the words "the heartbeat is 150, we have a baby!", they were some of the sweetest words we've heard. A few weeks later, I experienced very heavy bleeding while alone in Chicago at a sales meeting. I thought for sure I was miscarrying... We were over the moon with the idea of having a baby, yet once again my hopes were dashed for those few days where I was stuck in a strange city, alone, praying for you. The day I returned home, went to the dr, and heard your heartbeat we thanked God. I knew I would fight and do whatever it took to keep you safe and healthy from that day forward. Your delivery is another example of your strength. When you were born, you were blue and had been through alot of trauma. Your APGAR score was a 5 at 1 min post partum; not good. But by 5 mins you were at 9, which shows how quickly you bounced back and fought.

We all have circumstances and situations that test our strength... it is how we deal with them that shows our character and what type of person we are. Life is a series of lessons, trial and error. We never stop learning, no matter what age we are. Yet it seems that the older we get, the harder our lessons are and the stronger we have to be. I guess that is why 'the older the wiser' is such a true statement. It is how we handle hard times and obstacles that determines our character and grit. We pray that you are a strong, independent, kind hearted woman, and that we can teach you how to be that person :)

Memorial Day Weekend In Hilton Head

We had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend with you! We went to Hilton Head Island, where your daddy and I got married 3 years ago. It is our favorite vacation spot, and we were so excited to share it with you! Thanks to Courtney and Wally, we had a beautiful house to stay in at HH Plantation. We visited the Marriott Barony Beach Club during the days, and you loved the baby pool and the big mushroom umbrellas that protected you from the sunshine! There were 2 other babies just a few weeks older than you at the pool! We also enjoyed 2 waterfront seafood meals at The Boathouse and Charthouse. The food was amazing, and you were such a good girl while we enjoyed our dinner.

While the boys went deep sea fishing, Courtney and I took you to see Sex and the City 2! I figured you would sleep the whole time, but you wanted in on the action! You were very good, and interjected your commentary with your little coos and gurgles. I don't think anyone minded though:) I guess you officially had your first GNO (girls night out) at 8 weeks of age!!

Here are some snapshots from the weekend...

2 Months Old

Lovebug,

I can't believe you are 2 months old! It seems like just yesterday I was as big as a house, wishing away the minutes until I could finally meet you. Now I am wishing I could add more minutes to the day so I can spend them marveling over you. Funny how things change... I had no idea what you would bring to my life... that I would feel happier and more fulfilled than ever before... that the love I would feel for you would be indescribable.

You have come so far in the past 9 weeks of your life. In your 2nd month of life, you learned to smile, laugh, sit and hold your head up, and grasp onto things. The doctor comments on how strong and advanced you are, and says you will be rolling over and crawling before we know it! At your 2 month dr visit, you weighed 11 lbs, 7oz and 22.5 in. You are still wearing mostly 0-3 month clothing, and some 3-6 month clothing. You technically sleep through the night (9:30-4:30, eat, then go back down till 8). The dr says that because I exclusively breastfeed you, it may be awhile before you sleep a straight 9:30-7 stretch, but that is okay and I sort of look forward to spending those precious minutes with you in the middle of the night.

I have fallen more in love with your daddy as I witness what an amazing, loving father he is. He loves you so much and is incredible with you. You already have him wrapped around your tiny little finger. There is nothing like the bond between a daddy and his daughter. A strong, loving father is essential to a little girl.

I feel as if I never get enough pictures or videos, and worry that I am going to forget... forget what you look like at each stage of your life, forget each little quirk and expression... But I know you will only become more and more fun and interactive as time goes on, and that I will store away each special moment and memory in my mind.

Letter To You...

I've been brainstorming ways to make my blog unique, and thanks to a friend of mine I have decided to restructure this blog as more of an continuous letter to Leighton. The whole concept behind this blog is to create a memoir or journal of Leighton's life from birth on. Moving forward I will be writing this as a letter, and I hope you all enjoy reading it to stay updated on the in's and out's of our lives...