Such a big girl!

Charlotte is getting so big! It is amazing how much a baby can change in just 11 weeks.  She looks so different - her face is filling out, her eyes are getting lighter, her fingers are so long!  She is now smiling, such a big toothless smile :) She is noticing so much more: the fan, lights, faces - and noticing her fist with her mouth too!  she hasn't quite gotten the thumb in there, but she loves the side of her fist! Charlotte is much stronger now too now - she is holding her head up completely and has great tummy time.  She is spending a few minutes a day in her Bumbo which hopefully will help her build her tummy and back muscles and she'll be sitting up in no time.  I love playing airplane with her too :) 

The best sounds I hear right now are the cooing!! She just talks and talks to us, I wish I knew what she was saying.  I'll mimic her sounds and we'll go back and forth just chatting together. The funniest sounds come out right after she sneezes, she does this little throaty ooo sound, so funny. With her cooing and smiling so big I keep thinking that anytime now she is going to start laughing at me, its just right there at the tip of her tongue I know it!  I cannot WAIT for that first giggle! 

Another big achievement... she slept from 9pm to 4am!  Jeff and I woke up at 4 to her cries both wondering if the other had gotten up and fed her earlier - but nope!  Big girl slept for 7 hours between feedings. Here is to hoping we'll have many many more nights like this! 

I think that is all the updates I have for now.  I have posted new photos on my mobile me and facebook pages, so visit gallery.me.com/jordan.lyons to take a peek at this sweet little girl. 

The many faces of Charlotte Bug..

 

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Bridge Women's Overnight

Last weekend I was able to go on the Bridge Women's Overnight trip at Cindy Kinnards cabin up near Lebanon. We had a great group of women: Cindy, Audrey Goodwin, Emily Powis, Marianne Shoopman, Susan Howerton, me and the Charlotte bug.  The cabin is located on 150 acres of beautiful countryside with a winding creek, small pond, and quaint little cabin.  We fit perfectly in the cabin and had a great pot luck dinner with a toasty fire in the background.  After dinner we played a rousing game of Catch Phrase - we had a blast!  It was so cozy hanging around the cabin in our PJs and just talking. All the sudden it was after midnight so we all decided to turn in for the night.  

Saturday we slept in and woke to a breakfast of french toast, egg casserole, bacon and more.  We took a wonderful hike around the property - it was a little chilly but the sun warmed us up nicely.  We relaxed after the hike and then had a great devotional that Cindy had prepared.  After lunch we all packed up and headed up.  We had a great weekend and I got to know this group of great women even better!  I feel so blessed to have a church family that can have fun together :) Enjoy a few photos here and on my website gallery.me.com/jordan.lyons  you can download or upload photos there too!

 

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Busy Weekend and it's only Saturday night!

*I just found this post in the drafts folder that never got posted! oops! It was meant to be posted March 8th... little late...*

Yesterday started with MY 6 week check up at my OB.  I am excited to say that I have gotten a clean bill of health :)  I am so excited - I get to do my 2 favorite things now: long baths and the hot tub!  But seriously, I am healing right along schedule and just have a bit of pain when my stomach muscles really contract - like sneezing or coughing.  I have to say that the C-section was not nearly as bad as all the stories you hear, so if you are reading this and may have to have one yourself don't worry!  I think there are pros and cons, ups and downs for either type of birth and they each come with their own types of pain and healing and experiences.  It was great taking Charlotte to the office and have every one ooo and ahhh over her - of course they all said she was the most beautiful baby ever and all I can do is agree of course!

2 months old!!

Charlotte Anne Lyons is 2 months old today! I can't believe we are already to this point, it seems like just yesterday we were bringing her home. It has been an amazing two months and she has grown and changed so much already. Part of me wants her to stay tiny and part of me is ready to see her move and talk and giggle and grow.

One big milestone: she is out of preemie clothes! She is now fully in her 0-3 months clothes. While we are more than grateful for having the preemie clothes passed to us from Seanna, I am having fun dressing her in the clothes we bought for her and all the beautiful presents we were given. We have so many cute dresses and summer clothes and even a bathing suit for her to wear in the nest few months, I can't wait to see my cute bug :)

Onto the big event...

The House of Lyons Plague

This past week a plague fell upon our house!  Sunday evening Jeff and I were both feeling a little tickle in the throats... a tell tell sign of what was to come.  Monday we woke up to full blown icky-ness.  Jeff had to call in to work with a really sore throat, upset stomach, and some congestion. I had full head congestion and a little sore throat as well.  We laid around the house watching some tv and getting some naps in.  All in all, it was not too bad of a day - thank goodness Charlotte had a good day!

Owensboro Trip

Its a week late, but I wanted to share Charlottes first visit to her Rudy family in Owensboro. My mom's family all still lives in Owensboro KY and we try to make it up there as much as we can. Charlotte took her first trip up there at 7 weeks old. It was just us girls going up there (it was a thursday and friday so our men were working) and Charlotte did wonderful on the 3 hour trip - she slept the whole time! She woke up in the middle of the trip for enough time to eat and then was back down til we got to Nanas house.

It was wonderful seeing Nana. She has so many grandchildren and even great-grandchildren, but it was her first coming from mom's daughters and of course my first. My grandmother is 80+ and is suffering from dementia so she while she remembers everyone fine (unlike Alzheimers) she has trouble remember recent events, conversations, or to dos. She knew exactly who Charlotte was and was so excited to be able to hold this little angel. Nana held her as much as possible, fed her, burped her, and cuddled her while she slept. It was very special to both Mom and I that Charlotte was able to spend some time with her Nana. We know that Nana probably won't be here in years to come, and Charlotte probably won't be able to remember her time shared with Nana, but we will have those memories and photos to pass on to her about her great-grandmother.

Visit to Nana and Poppas

We are riding home with my mom and dad after a great visit with my nana and poppa - charlottes great grandparents. We picked up applebees for lunch and then of course had some charlotte-holding time!
It is so sweet seeing my grandparents holding and loving our sweet girl. Their other great grand baby lives in Atlanta and is now 4 with a brother or sister on the way. I know it is hard for them to not be able to visit as much as they'd like and so they are really enjoying having charlotte so close.
I think my grandfather tears up at least a few times every visit seeing how tiny and precious she is. You can see how filles with love they are for her. We know she is a blessing in our lives and it makes my heart full to see how much she blesses their lives too. I thank God everyday for letting us watch over this little one.
Now the rest of my day will be spent figuring out the many many doctor and hospital bills responsible for getting her here! Don't get me wrong - any amount of money and any headache is totally worth her being here - it is just amazing how complicated it all can be.