First Thanksgiving

Anastyn's 1st Thanksgiving was very good! A little busy, but well worth it! We were blessed enough to get to see both of our families today and everyone got a little bit of time with Anastyn. Although the actual day of Thanksgiving has come and gone, we still have so much to be very thankful for. First, and most important, we are so thankful that we have God in our lives. We have been so blessed in incredible ways! We are thankful for our beautiful daughter and her health and strength. We prayed and prayed for her and what a wonderful blessing. We are thankful for our wonderful supportive families, who have taught us the importance of faith, love, and family. We are thankful that we get to spend time with them and enjoy one another's company. We are so thankful for our jobs and the ability that God has given us to be able to work and support our family. We are thankful for Anastyn's new babysitter who became available at the perfect time. We are thankful for our home and the warmth that it provides us and our daughter. We are thankful for our church family and the love they have shown us in our move to St. Charles. We are so blessed to have a family away from home that cares for us and encourages us. I really could go on all night, as I am sure most of us could. When we take time to reflect on the things in our lives, I am sure that most of us would say we are far more blessed than we could ever imagine. We have friends, family, faith, freedom ( I am not trying for all f's but it seems to be going that way!), health, jobs, heat, homes, and many more material and spiritual blessings. We hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving and continues to count their blessings daily! Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

On A Roll

Anastyn finally decided to start rolling over (without cheating by keeping one arm underneath her). She could flop herself over if we cheated, but other than that she wasn't doing too much. However, as of last Friday, November 18th, (I am still catching up) she can now roll over with no help at all. She not only is rolling front to back one way, but both ways. And she is rolling from back to front also. I think she is wondering why she wasn't doing this sooner. She can now reach any toy on the floor that she wants by either rolling to it or twisting herself in a little circle on the floor. It is so fun to watch her get excited when she flips herself over. I am still right there cheering every time she does it, too. The first time I actually scared her because I got so excited. I have tried to tone it down, but I still feel the need to say YAY! and clap everytime. Nathan and I just love all of the new accomplishments and love this little girl more and more everyday. She is such a happy little girl and we have lots of fun. It is such a blessing to watch her personality develop more and more every day!

Here I go!

Almost there!

I did it!

Eatin' the Good Stuff

I am falling behind! It seems like we have been so busy lately and Anastyn has been doing so many new things all at once. Last Monday, November 10, Anastyn ate rice cereal for the first time. She did really well with it and seemed to really enjoy it. Of course it was still quite watery, but she liked it just the same. She really wanted to hold the spoon by herself. She has quite the little grip and I kept having to pry it out of her hand to get more cereal on the spoon. We took a few pictures. Coincidentally, about a week later, I took pics again while she was eating and she happened to be wearing the exact same outfit, different bib though. I just thought they were cute, and she looks so big in her high chair!

Trying to take the spoon away from her dad.

I think she is going to be a little independent!

These next pictures are from November 18th. She was cracking me up this time because after every spoonful she just had to stick her thumb in her mouth. I thought maybe she was just tired, but she continues to do this no matter how awake or sleepy she is. It is very cute, but very hard to feed a baby with a thumb stuck in her mouth! Once again, I couldn't decide which pics to put up, so enjoy!

After her first bite, in went the thumb!

She wasn't sleeping!

I just liked the way she looked at this angle. Aren't her little cheeks so cute!

Enjoying a bite of cereal!


Stay tuned for a rolling over post!

Just Couldn't Help Myself!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

4 Month Check-Up

Today, Anastyn went to her 4 month check-up. She woke up in such a good mood and didn't fuss at all this morning, which made me feel really bad about taking her to go get shots. She was the perfect little patient though. She looked around curiously at the fun pictures in her room, she was perfectly still as she was being weighed and having her length measured, and she talked to both the nurse and the doctor. She only cried for a short time after her shots and was calmed back down before it was time to put her back in her car seat. Too bad she is too little for suckers, because she definitely earned one! Anyway, here is her report. She weighed 12 lbs. 11 oz (19th percentile). She measured 23 1/2 inches (12th percentile). She is developing just as she should. The doctor was impressed at how well she can sit with little support. And said she is a very strong little girl, which is what we have been told ever since the first pediatrician saw her in the hospital. She said Anastyn's little fake cough is perfectly normal but she was surprised she is already doing that. She has also been laughing since 2 months, which the milestone for that is generally around 4 months. She is still not rolling over consistently. She can do it with her arm still underneath her, and she can turn herself in a complete circle on the floor, but she has no desire to just roll over! The doctor suggested trying to start feeding her rice cereal and see how she does. I think she will really like it, but we shall see. I can't think of anything else right now. She is happy and healthy and that is all I care about right now! I am apparently a terrible mother and can't seem to take a picture of my daughter on her actual month birthdays, but here is one from November 4th, 2 days after her 4 month birthday. I am pretty sure she looked the same on November 2nd, but you would still think I could remember to get my camera out!

Pictures

I really don't have anything to post, but I was looking at some of my recently uploaded pictures and thought I would share a few. The first three show Anastyn's new favorite way to sit in her bouncy seat. For about a week, every time we would put her in it, she would scoot herself down until she was hanging off the end. Once at this point, she would just continue playing. I guess she likes having the toys directly over her head! I finally lowered them with links so she can grab them and pull them to her mouth. The final two are of her sucking her thumb. I am sure I have said it before, I don't really want her to be a thumb sucker, but it IS pretty stinkin' cute! I realize they are basically the same picture, but who can choose! If you know me at all, you know that I can't!

In the process of scooting down.

"This is more like it!"

She almost always has her free hand resting on her ear, or stretched out above her head. I think it is so cute! And yes, there is a blanket rolled up behind her to keep her on her side, she is swaddled, and another blanket is tucked in around her. It was a little cool inside for a few days!

My Little Ladybug

Anastyn's first Halloween was fairly uneventful. Some friends from church invited us over for dinner and to see all their little trick-or-treaters. We had planned to put Anastyn in her costume for a short time, however, it was definitely nearing naptime when we were leaving to go and we didn't think it was worth making her mad just to see her all zipped up in her ladybug costume. But I still felt the need to get a couple of pictures to show her she did have a costume her first Halloween! So on Saturday, which was so beautiful outside, I snapped a couple quick pics of her in her costume. Unfortunately, my camera was dying and the flash is way too bright, not the greatest pictures. I think she looks pretty cute anyway, if I do say so myself!