Smile time!

Over the past few months, Isla has gone through a lot of changes and I've enjoyed watching her smiles change and develop the most. From hardly smiling at all due to her gas pains, to smiling almost all the time even through the pains. She smiles the most in the mornings or when she first wakes up. She is so happy in the mornings. I'm so thankful to be able to wake up beside her every day and see that sweet smile. It gets sweeter and sweeter every week! Here are some photos and smiles through the weeks from week 1 to 7.

Baby Milestones: 8 Weeks

Isla Rae 8 weeks today!

My sweet little baby is 8 weeks today! Wow, how much you have grown and filled out! When I first held you in my arms the only thing that was chubby was your cheeks, now you have roles galore.

You are making all kinds of noises, both happy and sad. You love it when I sing to you and fall asleep when I read to you. You are sleeping better and riding better in the car. You still have a big appetite, which keeps me busy.

No matter how long the day is, there still never seems to be enough time. I take tons of pictures and videos so we can look back and remember all these precious weeks. At least this will be a little way for me to relive these moments.

My names for you so far are, sugar, peanut, cutie pie and sometimes... little stinker. :)

I love you!
Momma

Here you are today at 8 weeks!

Baby Milestones: Week 7

Letters to Isla Rae

Dear Isla,

You have changed and growed so much this week! You feel like such a big girl when I hold you in my arms now. Every week I'm seeing new little rolls on your sweet body and hearing new precious little sounds from your sweet voice. I love your voice... it is the sweetest thing I have ever heard. I can already tell you are going to be a talker like your momma.

You are sleeping better this week, smiling more and oh so snuggly! I love snuggling with you of the mornings. You wrap your little legs and arms around me and it makes me never want to get out of bed. I'm so glad we chose to co-sleep. I couldnt't imagine doing it any other way. I love to be able to snuggle with you, console you, hold you through the night and watch you as you close your eyes at night and open them in the morning. 

I can tell your hair is growing and your eyelashes have gotten so long! I'm still hoping you will end up having eyes like your dad's. He has beautiful eyelashes :)

We can both see ourselves in you... in some moments you look a lot like your dad, and then other times you look like me. You are a beautiful blend and whom ever you resemble the most, you are unique, special and wonderfully crafted by God. There is no one else like you Isla Rae!

Love,

Momma

God's heart for you...

If you follow me on pinterest you may have seen my wish list board.  My sister-in-law got me a book from my wish list called, "God's Heart for You," by Holley Gerth for my birthday and I've been dying to read it, but just haven't had time until now.

I found a free moment in my day as I was nursing Isla and sat down to start reading. Once I started, I couldn't stop and before I knew it I was already on chapter 11. The caption of the book reads "Embracing your true worth as a woman", and the words inside the book are so powerful. Each chapter has a profound revelation... teachings that are so simple to understand, and some are even common sense, but somehow in our daily lives we forget. So I have decided I want to start sharing some of these learnings and reflections with my readers.

One chapter that really stood out to me today was chapter 2 titled, "Wonderfully Made" Psalms 139:14. This scripture has been on my mind a lot lately as I have become a mother. The scripture reads, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that fully well."

What really stood out to me about this lesson is one sentence "God made one version of you." This is so simple and true, but I feel like we easily forget it and feel like we're not worthy or not good enough. God perfectly made us in his image. He uniquely crafted each one of us. This statement made me want to embrace who I am more than ever. I also want to live by example for Isla so she can see her momma proud of who she is, living in God's grace and accepting herself as God accepts her.

The chapter sums up with this reflection....

"You are formed by God's hands,

dreamed up in his heart,

and placed in this world for a purpose.

There's no one else like you...
You're one of a kind, irreplaceable.
God has given you everything you need

and created you just as you need to be

 to make a difference

 in your own wonderful way.
So go for it...

the world is waiting and

heaven is cheering you on."

Wow, this is so powerful! I encourage you all to buy this book and read along with me.

Songs for Children

I had no idea there were so many choices for children's music until we had Isla. I've always known the classic lullabies like "Rock-a-bye Baby" of course and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", but I had no idea there were so many other great tunes out there.

I absolutely love Elizabeth Mitchell and her album for children. We actually listen to her almost everyday now and I love my Elizabeth Mitchell Pandora station. Some of my favorites by Mitchell are, You Are My Flower, You Are My Sunshine, Little Sack of Sugar, Little Liza Jane (also love that name), Peace Like a River and Lovely Day.

I especially love, Lovely Day. I feel like the lyrics really hit home and are so true for me... no matter what I'm faced with... all it takes is one look from Isla and I feel so blessed and glad to be on this earth another day.

 Here is Elizabeth Mitchell's version (best one I could fine...):

I also love listening to the Guess Who's song, Black Bird and the Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles. Jack Johnson and Ingrid Michaelson have some great songs out for children too. Isla loves the upbeat songs when she is awake and we listen to more of the lullaby tunes when we are getting ready for a nap or to sleep at night. Jewel also has some beautiful lullabies for babies.

I love listening to the lullabies, holding Isla close to my chest and slow dancing with her at night. It's funny that Joel and I slow danced in the hospital during labor to ease the pain and now I'm slow dancing with our baby to ease her pains. Every day with her truly is a lovely day.