Love at First Sight

Today Cora met the newest member of our Sunday School class, Michael Gumpl. Check out his family's blog called The Gumpl Gang. As you can see, it was love at first sight!

Cora's Favorite Family Member

I used to be Cora's favorite. In fact, just last night, I asked John if it bothers him that she likes me best. Then, I smugly announced that she saves her best smiles for me. Inwardly, I pat myself on the back and declare myself "supermom." Obviously God has His hands full keeping my pride in check. Flash forward to today. John has the day off and decided to enjoy his morning coffee in the backyard with Penny. After I dressed Cora, we went outside to join them. It is no secret that Penny is in love with Cora. She constantly wants to be near Cora to give her kisses. Unfortunately, this affection appeared to be unrequited. . .that is, until today.

Keep in mind, Cora has giggled for me before. But, this was practically knee-slapping! It was so much fun to watch. She had shear joy all across her face. Amazing! I can relinquish my crown as favorite family member if I can hear more of that fabulous laughing!

Tiny Fashionista

This past weekend I decided to be really industrious and reorganize Cora's closet. My mom and I did it three months ago when Cora was first born on account of she was so dinky, she didn't fit into any of the clothes I had carefully arranged. This time, I actually had clothes that she had grown out of. May I just say that I felt more than a tiny twinge of sadness looking at the things that she will never wear again. Then, I realized that I may never have another child who wears those teeny clothes again. I had to include this picture of Cora with Mema in those adorable heart pajamas. When I packed them away, I was so sad! Who knew that cleaning and organizing a closet would require so many tissues!

After I tucked away the too small clothes, I got to work organizing Cora's large array of clothes. In addition to the cute little outfits Cora got from friends and family, a mom friend gave me her daughter's entire birth-1 year old wardrobe. I had so much fun getting everything out and hanging it up. I literally get a smile on my face when I see her clothes hanging neatly in her closet. (I am slightly OCD!!) The only problem is that I want her to wear all of her outfits. However, I fear that she will grow out of them or the weather will get cold before she gets to model them all. Maybe we'll have a little fashion parade one day just so I can see them all. Does that make me strange?!

The best part of this is that the sweet heart pajamas are from Carter's (my fave). You can believe that Cora will have another pair of those fleece-y delights come winter!

Three Little Monkeys . . .

But which one is Cora?!

Cora has a strong dislike for her carseat. I thought the strap covers would help (thanks, Mema!). When she falls asleep in it, she kind of nestles her head against one or the other monkey. She still doesn't love the car seat, but I think they definitely help!

Play Time

Cora has become so interactive. She smiles much of the time, now. Yesterday, we had some fun play time in the play gym that Cora has. She's trying very hard to sit up on her own, but usually ends up tipping forward. So, she has to sit in the boppy. If you look closely at the picture, you'll see her trying to pull herself up into a more upright position.
I kept trying to get her to grab for the sunshine rattle, but she really just wanted to grab her pants and show off her cute little gams. Then she would coo, gurgle, and make her signature sound to me. So cute!!

Every Day is a New Day

Well, last night was much better. Cora woke up once, but happily went back to sleep with her pacifier. This afternoon, she took a nice nap after her two o'clock feeding. And, for the first time ever, she had "happy" circled on her daily report from the ladies at school. I felt like I wanted to frame the paper!

To cap off such a great day, I got flowers from my fabulous hubby! I had asked him to stop by HEB to pick up a turkey breast for dinner. (Roasted, pepper-crusted turkey breast from the deli, yum!!) He not only came home with the turkey, but also with the most beautiful bouquet of pink roses! John is such a thoughtful guy. I'm glad Cora has such a strong role model of what a good husband should be. . .I'm pretty sure I'll keep him!

Calling All Moms. . .

Let me throw this query out for all of the experienced moms out there. . . My beautiful sleeper (Believe me, I realize what a blessing it has been to have Cora start sleeping through the night at 10 weeks!) has suddenly started waking up sporadically during the night. By sporadically, I mean, she will wake up and fuss. We put the pacifier back in her mouth. She'll sleep for 20 or so minutes, and then, the process begins again. This could go on for a couple of hours before she really gets to sleep again. Does this sound normal? Is this related to her growth spurt? I'm so tempted to feed her again because I know she'll go back to sleep. However, I've heard you're not supposed to do that once they start sleeping through the night. I've tried letting her cry it out, but she'll cry for over an hour. Poor baby didn't even take a nap this afternoon until I relented to the crying and held her. Then, she fell asleep immediately. Can anyone else relate? Any advice?
**** If you choose to comment, please be constructive. . . Don't forget, I'm still a first time mom. ****

Happy 100th Day!

Today Cora is 100 days old. I can't believe she's been with us that long! She has changed so much over these past months that it's just amazing. She coos and gurgles, blows raspberries, scoots, holds up her head, and tries really hard to roll over and to grasp objects. She's gone from being a dinky 5 pound baby to a (still a little dinky) 11 pound baby. She's had growth spurts, shots, a medical procedure, and her first illness. She has moved from the hospital to our bedroom to a room of her own. She has been to the grandparents' and one set of great-grandparent's houses as well as the beloved (!) beach. She has done all of this in 100 days. I'm just so grateful to God that He shared this beloved child with us. Cora hasn't had it easy with the super intense growth spurts and the ultra uncomfortable acid reflux, but no matter how frustrated I get at the crying, I would rather have the tears and fussing than not have her in my life at all. So, here's to the next 100 days and 100 years and all the surprises to come.

Baby Brunch

These are 7 of the 10 babies who have been born in our Sunday School class since June. Believe it or not, there are still a few babies yet to come! Cora is one of the oldest - just two days younger than Tyler who is in the bottom right corner. You just wouldn't know she's one of the oldest by looking at it! (BTW, Cora is the one with the headband in case all of the girlies are looking a bit alike.) Aidan's (top middle) and Abigail's (bottom middle) moms hosted the brunch, and there was lots of talk of diapers and spit-up and of how another friend, Britney, could carry and birth her 9 pound, 12 ounce boy this past Thursday!

Later in the afternoon, six of us baby-mamas descended upon a cafe in town. I think the people in the cafe got a little scared by the fact that the adults were outnumbered by the babies/kids! Some ladies even asked what kind of group we belong to. . .FLDS, anyone! The array of car seats was quite a sight. Here is a picture of Cora enjoying the outing.

Her head is still just a little small for headbands apparently, but I just had to put something on that sweet little bald head!

Little Miss Sassy Pants

Cora does have some sassy pants, let me say. I am a sucker for pants with ruffles on the toushee! But, I am actually referring to Cora's AT-TI-TUDE. For the past few weeks, her preferred method of communication is through blowing raspberries. It is so cute. She sticks her little tongue slightly out of her mouth and blows. Of course, as doting parents, we have been encouraging this sassy behavior! Lately, I've noticed a bit of a twinkle in her eyes when she's doing it. She'll get a big sassy smile upon her face, stick out that little tongue, and blow! It's the twinkle that worries me. . .I'm predicting lots of spankings in her future!

Why They Call Them "Wienie Dogs"

I Love the Summer Video Baby Monitor!

(Edited to add:  We recently had to switch to a digital monitor.  We  now use the Summer Best View Handheld Digital Monitor.  If you have lots of wireless devices, I recommend getting the digital monitor.  The regular video monitor may not work with all of the wireless interference.)

The video baby monitor is one of the best inventions! Before I had a baby, I thought it seemed a little excessive, but let me just say that I love this thing! Josh and Amy have one, and when they came down to Texas this past January, I came to realize the genius of these fabulous contraptions. I love that you can check on your precious little one without having your child see you (although this did not help me the day of the barking baby. . . see previous post). I am seriously contemplating finding a way to mount the monitor to show the whole room. I have a feeling Cora will need constant supervision. She has a bit of a mischievous smile and a twinkle in her eye. So, I am sure that for the Kemps, it's the Summer Video Baby Monitor!

Dost Mine Ears Deceive Me?

The other morning Cora and I were going through our normal beginning of the day routine. She wakes up at about 7:30 and feeds. Then, she goes back down for her morning nap. On a good day, she'll sleep for almost 3 more hours. (I love Fridays and Saturdays when I get to take that nap, too!) I let Penny out of her kennel and put her outside, then crawled into my nice comfy bed. Just as I get snuggled in and almost asleep, I hear Cora. Up I jump and off I traipse to the nursery to put the pacifier back in her mouth. Hmm. . .pacifier is in mouth; baby appears to be sleeping. I crawl back into bed and get comfortable. Again, I am just about asleep, when I hear the cry. This time, I wait a little while to see if it continues. When it does, I roll over and look at the baby monitor. Baby is stirring. So, again, I jump up and traipse off to the nursery. Hmm. . .pacifier is still in mouth; baby no longer stirring; baby still sleeping. I say a quick prayer over Cora that she will sleep peacefully, and climb back into bed. For the third time I hear her. I run over to the nursery only to find her sleeping peacefully. Now, I have imagined Cora's cries before, but this time, I know that I have been hearing something! I make my way back to my bed thoroughly confused when I hear it again. . .from the backyard. My tired brain has apparently been confusing Penny's bark with Cora's cry. I know that sounds weird, but Cora makes little grunting sounds when she is waking up from her naps. She kind of sounds like a little barking puppy - or at least that is what I will tell myself so that I don't feel as crazy as I apparently am! Can I get an amen from all the mommies out there?!

Check Out My Skills!

This afternoon when I put Cora down for her nap, she decided to squeeze in a quick workout. When I went in to check on her, this is what I saw. . .
Check out her tongue in the second picture. She has her working tongue going! She must have put a lot of effort into her new skill because just a few minutes later, this is what I saw. . .
Doesn't she look sweet! (And a little bald! Good thing winter is coming so she can wear some of those adorable hats that she has!)

Every Dog's Best Friend

Penny believes she is every dog's best friend. A dog could be baring its teeth and growling menacingly, yet Penny will run up, tail a-wagging ready to play. When my brother's family came to visit/escape the hurricane, I was slightly worried at how our dogs would get along. Miles is a rather large dog, and Penny can be overly enthusiastic to put it kindly. However, Miles was so patient with her. Wherever Miles would go, Penny would follow. She was so intent on being near him that she would go so far as to sniff or lick the exact same spot on the ground/tree/(insert random object name here). It was like they were joined at the hip! Penny was absolutely in heaven when they would wrestle. What a sight it was. . . my little 13 pound dog trying to dominate a 60 pound dog! I had to include this picture because my brother and his family look so sweet and fabulous, and then you see Miles with a death grip on Penny. Good times!

Visiting the Great-Grandparents

Not only was this Cora's first trip to Mema and P-pa's house, but also this was her first visit with her great-grandparents, Pa and Gamma. This was a very important visit because Cora is named after Pa's mother, her great-great-grandmother. I never got to meet Ora Bell Lewis as she passed away when my grandfather was a teenager, but I know from Pa that she was a very special woman. (The slight change from Ora to Cora is a nod to Cora's Greek heritage.) My prayer is that Cora can grow to be a Godly woman and live up to the legacy of her name.

We had a lot of fun on our visit to the farm. Pa has promised that when Cora is a little older, she'll get a ride on the tractor. That was always one of the really fun things that Pa would do for us when we were little. He has even rigged a little trailer to haul his great-grandkids. I can't wait to see how much fun Cora has when she is old enough to enjoy the special treats at Pa and Gamma's farm!

Stranded

This weekend, we took Cora on her first trip to Mema and P-pa's house in San Angelo.  We left late on Friday after John got off work and intended to come back on Sunday.  God had other plans. . .  

Here is how a normal brake caliper  should look:  

Here is what our brake caliper looked like:

Notice the gaping hole where the bolt should be.  Yes, that's right!  Somehow, we managed to lose a bolt from the caliper while driving to San Angelo on Friday.  This NEVER happens. . .yet, somehow, there we were with the brake grinding and grabbing on the highway.  Our theory is that when we took our vehicle in for a service recall at the dealership in our town, the mechanics did not properly re-tighten the bolts.  Harumph!  This will be another negative notch in the belt for that dratted place!  (I will not name names, but I assume that if you know where I live and care to figure it out, you will be able to!)

So, we stopped at Auto Zone on the way back from my grandparents only to find out that this part must be ordered.  Ergo, our best bet will be the Toyota dealership.  Is the parts department open on Saturday afternoon?  No.  Will it be open on Sunday?  No.  Can we drive our car any farther?  No! Thank goodness Mema and P-pa let us stay. . .not that they would refuse more time with baby Cora.  And, thank goodness we have a fabulous neighbor who doesn't mind keeping Penny for another day.  I do believe that one day after Linda keeps Penny, we will not get her back.   Penny LOVES Linda, and thankfully, Linda feels the same way about Penny.  

John got up early this morning so that he could go to the Toyota dealership and get the little bolt.  And, drum roll please. . . they do not carry that part.  It must be ordered!  Are ya kiddin' me?!  It's beginning to look like we will need to hitchhike back to our home or catch a ride with Mema when she comes tomorrow.  Our only option appears to be to get a correct size bolt from Home Depot and hope and pray that it does not melt on the drive home.  This is not a great option.  As a last ditch effort, John calls Brake's, Etc.  They have a bolt that is the right grade, just a little shorter.  Bingo!  This should get us back to our town to where my preferred dealership will have the right bolt waiting for us!  

Once we got going, we had an easy drive back.  May I just say that I love Mason!  I had never been there until this weekend.  I will definitely need to go back there to go antiquing.  I'll just make sure I have plenty of tools and bolts available for the trip!

Giggling. . .

Is just about the cutest sound from my child that I have ever heard! (Okay, really all of her sounds are just about the cutest sounds I've ever heard. I'm not kidding!! We've gotten compliments on her cries! Can you believe that?! Random strangers have told me that her cries sound like a little lamb. . . hmm, I guess that's a compliment!?! Whoa, Melissa! All aboard your lost train of thought!)

So tonight Cora and I were playing Pat-a-Cake (thanks, Katherine for the inspiration), and Cora just lit up like a light. Of course, I got more animated as she got happier. Soon enough, we were having not just random laughs, but belly-shaking giggles! It was so exciting! I hope Cora will show off her new skill when we visit P-Pa, Mema, Pa and Gamma this weekend.

Surprise vistors. . .

Or refugees as it may be. Yesterday, my brother and his family got to come up and visit us to escape the hurricane. They were blessed to not have any damage to their property other than downed tree limbs in the yard, but they are without power, an impossible situation in the Houston heat and humidity. So, we get to have special guests for a few days until their power is restored.

It has been so great having them around. Now there are two more eager sets of hands to hold Cora. And, there is also a very precocious 3-year old to keep us all entertained. Hannah has enjoyed playing with all of my jungle stuffed animals. Uncle John even taught her about the elephants "tucks" (tusks).

Celeste and I decided today to visit the outlet malls. (I don't care that I was just there less than 48 hours ago!) We got to visit my favorite place - Carter's! I feel that I showed remarkable restraint because I did not buy anything though there were plenty of tempting possibilities. However, I could not resist this perfect little bib from Gymboree. I'm going to have to find a cute outfit to wear underneath it for school tomorrow!

I love Carters!

For the second installment of the "I Love" series, I would like to comment on how much I love Carter's pajamas. Thank you Carter's for having the sense to make pajamas with a zipper! I do not have the desire to spend the time it takes to snap up a dozen or more individual snaps! Give me a zipper any day! I also love Carter's because they make said pajamas in premie through 12 mos sizes. Know that my child will have a pair of the ADORABLE pink strawberry pajamas until I can no longer find a size to fit her. If it were up to me, she would go to college with a pair of those footed delights! Wouldn't she be cute tromping around the dorm with those cute little strawberries on the bottom of her footed jammies?! Okay, okay, that may be going slightly overboard, but I will say that for footed pajamas this family votes Carter's all the way!