Annaliese’s 44th Day (May 9, 2010) – Happy Birthday, Daddy & Happy Mother’s Day

Today we celebrate two special events; Eric’s 31st birthday and my 1st Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day has never been a special day for me and this one was especially “bitter sweet.” I was not only emotional (in a happy way) because it was my first Mother’s Day but also emotional (in a very sad way) because my mother is not here with me to share in the joys of my beautiful daughter. I tried to be as happy as I could though because it is a happy day for other people and also it was Eric’s special day. Annaliese stayed with her daddy for a few hours while I went to the movies with the mothers in my family along with Eric’s mom and grandmother. We had a nice time. When I got back home, Eric had Annaliese in the Bjorn to keep her calm.

Eric then drove Annaliese and I to the cemetery where my mother is buried so that I could spend some time there. It was the first time I had taken Annaliese with me. It was a very hard thing for me. The missing spot in my heart that has always been my mother has only gotten bigger since the pregnancy and birth of my daughter. Going through these time without your mom is a very hard thing to do.

Annaliese gave a little smile to her Grandmother above.

Annaliese wore her Mommy Loves Me hat (for Mother's Day) and Daddy Loves Me outfit (for Daddy's birthday.)

After that we went to Eric's parents' house to celebrate his birthday. We took pictures there too!

Annaliese’s 43rd Day (May 8, 2010) – Family birthday

Today we celebrated my cousin Troy’s birthday. The whole family went out to dinner. Annaliese loves seeing her cousins!

Annaliese’s 42nd Day (May 7, 2010) – Smerk Time

Annaliese is starting to make “smile like” faces. I would not consider them full smiles yet but they seem to be the start of a smile.

Annaliese’s 41st Day (May 6, 2010) – Strawberry Picking Time

Today Annaliese went with Grammy and I in her strawberry outfit to Pungo to go Strawberry picking for the first time. We put her in a Longaberger basket and carried her around the fields (Strawberry & Daffodill). My mom used to love to pick strawberries and she would put me in a basket when I was small and take me to the fields with her too. We met the nicest lady at the strawberry field that thought Annaliese was so cute. She told me that I needed to tend to the baby so she picked my entire basket of strawberries for me. That was so nice of her and so I had time to concentrate on taking lots of pictures! I guess all the picture taking interfered with her eyes (not really I’m just kidding) because today was the first time she went cross eyed. I’ve been told that babies often do this when they are learning to use their eyes and begin to focus.

Annaliese’s 40th Day (May 5, 2010) – Pungo Bound

Today Annaliese went with Baba and I to the country for the first time. We went to visit family and friends in Pungo (Princess Anne County; Virginia Beach). Eric’s mom grew up in Pungo and Eric spent every weekend there with his grandparents when he was younger. Annaliese’s great grandfather was born in a house in Pungo and we still have family that lives and farms there.

Here is Annaliese with Ms. Mabel. There is a 9 decade difference in their ages! Doesn't Ms. Mable look great!

Annaliese’s 39th Day (May 4, 2010) – “I voted!”

Well since of course she is a “US citizen” I took her to the polls to exercise her rights. We went to vote for City Council and School Board and of course she voted Republican! All the old ladies volunteering thought she was so cute and gave her a sticker!

Next she went to the vet for the first time so that we could take Quila to get her “pedicure.” Really it’s a nail trim but I tell Quila she’s getting her “pedicure!”

Then she went to the bank for the first time to see the ladies that Grammy used to work with. They enjoyed seeing her.

Last she went on another stroll through the neighborhood so that Quila could “file” her nails down on the street (they’re always so sharp when she first gets them cut).

After a long day she laid on the bed with Daddy for a quick doze.

Annaliese’s 38th Day (May 3, 2010) – I’m starting to hold my head up!

Annaliese is starting to be able to hold her head up more and more. She can turn it from left to right when she is up on someone’s shoulder. She also enjoys when I sing to her. If she is nursing or enjoying some “pacifying” time she will stop sucking when I start singing the song. This is my simple, little test for her hearing. Today Annaliese, Quila, and I enjoyed another walk around the neighborhood.

Annaliese’s 37th Day (May 2, 2010) – Relaxing Time

Today we stayed around the house and relaxed with our baby. Since we had stayed out late the night before we took it easy today. As you can tell we took it so easy we didn’t even pull the camera out for a picture.

Annaliese’s 36th Day (May 1, 2010) – First Dinner Date

Today Annaliese had her first dinner date with Ian at his house. We went to Russ and Michelle’s for dinner and then watched a movie. Ian is such a sweet boy to share all of his things with Annaliese including his lounger seat that she slept in! Ian and Annaliese never seem to be on the same schedule...she is asleep when he is awake and he is asleep when she is awake. One day they will enjoy each other's company!

Annaliese’s 35th Day (April 30, 2010) – Hair Time & Stroller Time

Today Annaliese went with Mommy for the first time to the hair salon (Sallie’s Hairstyling!) I went to get my hair cut and she went with me. But, as you can see she slept most of the time. I did have to feed her and hold her in the chair while I was there. And yes, Sallie will be the first one to cut Annaliese’s hair when the time comes. Sallie is a very close friend of the family who was also in my wedding. She has been doing my hair since I was a young.

Later that day, Annaliese went on her first walk around the neighborhood with Grammy, Mommy, and Quila. We went and visited old neighbors. Quila got tired half way home, as she usually does, so she rode in the basket at the bottom!

Annaliese’s 34th Day (April 29, 2010) – Eyebrows & Eyelashes

I have stared at Annaliese so much over the course of one month that I practically saw all of her eyelashes and eyebrows grow in! People called me crazy when I told them that I “watched them grow” because I think I literally did! Here’s a close up of her face in the sling. She’s getting more and more each day.

Annaliese’s 33rd Day (April 28, 2010) – I’m a newborn now!

We started out by dressing her in her new outfit that Grammy gave her. It’s also a Newborn sized outfit. Annaliese still wears preemie sized clothes but today we are starting her in her first newborn sized outfit. As far as weight Annaliese is not quite ready for the newborn size but length wise she is. Everyone says she is going to be tall like her Daddy because she seems to be long and skinny with long feet! Baba came over to hold Annaliese (and Quila) today!

1 Month Old

Annaliese’s 32nd Day (April 27, 2010) – Happy 1 Month Birthday, Annaliese & Happy 57th Birthday, Granddaddy Nedera

Wow, people were so right when they say, “They grow up fast!” Annaliese is 1 month old today! She had a busy 1 month birthday.

Today Granddaddy Nedera came over so that we could wish him a happy birthday.

Next I took Annaliese’s 1 month pictures with her monthly sign of all the things she has accomplished! Keep up each month with how Annaliese is developing!

Tonight Eric and I went to the Chesapeake Reading Council Banquet so that I could be recognized and receive my award for being the Reading Teacher of the Year at my school this year. Grammy and Baba babysat while we went.

Family picture before we left.

Receiving my award

Annaliese’s 31st Day (April 26, 2010) – Sling Time & Rhyme Time

Annaliese loves to be close to people so I have found this sling very help. The Moby Wrap is awesome because the baby can ride in it many different ways.

Annaliese has a curl in the front of her hair. Even when we brush her hair her curl always seems to find its way “back home.” We think that Annaliese has Eric’s hair because it will curl up when it’s wet. Eric doesn’t exactly have curly hair but rather wavy. When I was young my Grandmother used to tell me a nursery rhyme about a little girl with a curl. Perhaps some of you remember this rhyme:

There was a little girl who had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead and when she was good she was very, very good but when she was bad she was horrid.

I sing and tell Annaliese nursery rhymes all day long. I have always enjoyed nursery rhymes and looked forward to the day I could say them to my children. My grandmother told me that my mom used to sing nursery rhymes to me as I cried (I had colic so I cried all of the time!) My grandmother would tell her that she didn’t understand why she told them to me because I couldn’t hear her anyway through all of the crying. My mom’s response was that she said them to keep her sanity! I guess I could hear some of the ones she said because to this day I know most of the words to all of them!

Eric tells his version of nursery rhymes too. It’s funny how one rhyme can be told in different ways by different families. One day I heard Lynn (Eric’s mom) telling a rhyme to Annaliese and it was the exact version that I had heard Eric say. I guess that’s where he got it from. I’d like to think that Annaliese will not exactly be like this nursery rhyme. She is such a sweet baby and I think she’ll continue to be that way. But, I must say she sure has a cute little curl.

Here's another "sleep grin" captured tonight!

Annaliese’s 30th Day (April 25, 2010) – Bottle Time

Annaliese is 4 weeks old now so we decided to introduce the bottle to her. She won’t really need it unless I have to leave her with someone but we didn’t want to wait until then to introduce it because she might not have wanted to take it at all. As suggested from our Breastfeeding Class Daddy gave her the bottle. She did fantastic! She took to it right away. We were so proud of her!

Later on a family friend came over to give Annaliese her first little beach bag, sunglasses, bathing suit, sun hat, and sun dress. They are all so cute!

Granddaddy Nedera came over to visit too!

Here are some head shots before bed! Just can’t get enough of that face!

Annaliese’s 29th Day (April 24, 2010) – First of many

Today we went as a family to MacArthur Mall. Annaliese did a great job strolling around as Daddy pushed her. Many people stopped to tell us how cute and small she was. She slept for mostly the entire time until I had to change her diaper. It was the first time I had to change her in a public restroom. I didn’t know until I got her on the changing mat that she had messed up her outfit. Right at the time I discovered the mess a nice lady came out of the stall and starting talking to us. She wanted to comment about how small Annaliese was and then tell me all about the large weights of her sons and how they were never as small as her. The whole time I am trying to conceal the BIG mess that I have on my hands (literally). Finally the lady finished her life story and left. I had to change not only the diaper but the outfit too. Luckily I had brought a sleeper outfit with me. So…she wasn’t the fashion queen for the rest of the mall trip but at least she was clean! Annaliese had her first dinner out too as Daddy and Mommy stopped in to eat at California Pizza Kitchen before heading home. The mall trip was not complete without buying something for Annaliese. She got a new pacifier! She really doesn’t need any clothes right now and plus she is still in preemie things and they are not sold at too many places. I was so excited though when I went into this cute little baby boutique and found newborn pacifiers for sale the same as the ones from the hospital. That is the only kind of pacifier that Annaliese likes and you only get 1 from the hospital. I thought I was going to have to order it online from Hawaii but luckily I found one right here in Downtown Norfolk!

Firt time on a public changing table. Luckily I picked Dillards which has a nice, clean bathroom.

This is her original pacifier from the hospital. Also here she is in her 2nd outfit of the night!

Annaliese’s 28th Day (April 23, 2010) – Visiting Great, Great Aunt Bobby

Today Annaliese and I went to visit her Great, Great Aunt Bobby for the first time. Mom-Mom came with us as well. We really enjoyed the visit.

Today was the first day that Annaliese grabbed my hair and my necklace. Watch out…she’s a “grasper” now!

Annaliese’s 27th Day (April 22, 2010) – Messy Times

Today I had to pick up Chase from school. Instead of taking Annaliese with me Grammy came over to watch her. Boy did they have an eventful time. Annaliese messed through her first outfit. It was all up her back and everything. Grammy had to put a whole new outfit on!

Here’s a picture of her in her new, clean outfit!

We also received Annaliese’s Birth Certificate in the mail today! It’s official…she is a US citizen!