5 Months Old!

Our lives were changed and made so much better on January 6, 2013 when Rebekah Joy was born, and each day it just gets better. Like her name, she truly is a joy.

A little bit about Rebekah at 5 months old: she is very sweet and loves to snuggle and be talked to. She likes music, especially mommy singing. Rebekah does NOT like for strangers to hold her. She will tolerate it for a little while, as long as mommy is in view, but after a little while, seeing mommy isn't enough. She gets the saddest, pouty face and cries until she is given back to mommy. I know it's sad for her, but it's one of the best feelings in the world for me. To know that my child recognizes me and wants me over others is amazing. It's something we never really experienced with Leah, so it's very new for us. Rebekah has had some big things happen this month, I'll share them (in no particular order) through pictures:

Rebekah got her first tooth! The other one is on it's way, I can see the white under her gums. (click on the picture for a zoomed in view)

Rebekah is getting a little too big for her cradle! She is getting bigger and bigger and we are about to make the transition to crib so that she can have space to stretch out.

Rebekah really wants to go! When she is on her tummy, she lifts up the lower half of her body and gets her legs going in a crawling motion. If only she could figure out how to get both halves of her body up, she would be gone!

Rebekah is sitting up... kind of! When she is in a reclining position, she curls up into a sitting position and can hold it for a good while. This picture was taken the first time it happened. She was sitting in the bouncy seat on the table while Leah and I were eating dinner one night. One second she was leaning back and the next she was upright watching us eat, wondering where her dinner was!

Rebekah finally found her feet! Sometimes she chews on them, but she still prefers her hands and fingers.

We love our bunny and are excited for the changes to come in the next month!

The Daredevil

I was doing dishes last week, while Leah was playing on the couch. I turned around to look in the living room to check on her and this is what I found...

 

I can't blame her, how else is she going to mess with the blinds that I very inconveniently put up so high, unless she stands on the couch?!

Sister Love

We are so happy to see Leah not only acknowledging Rebekah's presence, but seeking her out. Leah has started saying "Baby Bekah" likes to hold "Baby Bekah hand" (See the video Stephen posted on FB). If Rebekah cries, Leah starts saying her name.  Leah loves to touch Rebekah, to feel her hands, feet, face. And she is very gentle with her (thank goodness). And Rebekah loves Leah. She watches her intently, and as soon as Leah holds Baby Bekah's hand, Rebekah is trying to bring it to her mouth to chew on it. Rebekah also really loves to grab big sister's hair. Poor Leah! I pray that these two girls will truly grow to love each other, to become best friends, always looking out for each other, and that they will be an example to others of accepting others' differences.

Holding "Baby Bekah hand"

Tickle toes!

Mother's Day (a little late!)

I totally forgot to blog about Mother's Day!! And this was an extra special one, too... Not only did I get to spend Mother's Day with my mom, it was also my first as a mom to 2 children. And, Rebekah was dedicated on Mother's Day. Definitely blog-worthy!

First, let me say how much I love my mom. I am so thankful that God gave me to her. She is truly a selfless person, always willing to go, do, give, whatever you need. I always know I can rely on her when I'm in need. She's sweet and fun to be around, too. I don't think there's anyone who doesn't love my mom, and I'm the lucky one who gets to call her mom. Thank you Lord for my mom.

I am doubly blessed because I also have a mother-in-law who I love very much as well. She is also a giving person, with one of the biggest servant's hearts. She is extremely proud of, loyal to, and protective of each member of her family. She is almost always thinking of one of us and how she can help to make our lives a little easier.

I have a lot to learn from my two special moms and I pray that God gives me MANY years to learn from and love them.

This was also my first Mother's Day as a mom to two children and it was a special one. We dedicated Rebekah to the Lord and promised to do our best to provide her with a home where the Gospel is lived out in the hopes that someday she will come to know Jesus as her savior. I know that any other mother's of multiple children already know this truth, but it is amazing how God created our hearts to be so filled with love for our first child and then miraculously our hearts expand to include love for another child. And somehow, the love isn't divided between the two, but rather multiplied. It's amazing to think that you can love more than one person so deeply. I feel so blessed to have these 2 precious girls to call my own.

Fun at the Beach

Nana and Grandpa are here for a visit, so we went to Virginia Beach this morning. We had fun playing at the park on the beach, walking on the boardwalk, and seeing some monster trucks.

Big girl all by herself on the playground equipment

Fun on the curvy slide

Surfer girl

Walking with Grandpa and Nana on the boardwalk

She did it!

She finally rolled over! She was playing on her mat and trying so hard to do it. Stephen and I were on the floor with her, encouraging her, but she just couldn't figure out how to get her arm down so that she could roll over it. We gave up and walked away, and I looked back a second later and there she was. What a big girl!!

4 Months Old!

Rebekah is four months old! Our sweet blue-eyed girl is getting so big! We go for her check up later this week, so I don't have her stats yet. But, look at those chubby cheeks, and you can tell that she's doing just fine!

There are many things to share about our precious Rebekah Joy:
- Rebekah is a VERY content child. She hardly ever cries, usually only when waking up to let us know she is ready to get up. And when we go to get her, we are always greeted with a great big smile. Her cries are hardly even cries, they are more of whines. Anytime people meet Rebekah, they always tell us how good she is. We know we are very fortunate and are just enjoying having such a pleasant little girl.
- Rebekah has started to enjoy playing games. She likes to play Pat-a-cake and How big is baby Bekah?, but her favorite game is peek-a-boo. She just giggles when we play. It's a surefire way to make her happy if she is ever unhappy (which happens, maybe once a day).
- Rebekah almost always has her fingers, fist, or any part of her hand/arm, she can get to her mouth in her mouth. I think she's going to be a finger sucker (not a thumb sucker).
- Rebekah is still not rolling over yet (from back to tummy), but she's pretty close. I don't think she really wants to roll over, though, so I think that's why she hasn't done it yet. As far as rolling from tummy to back, she's not even close. When she's on her tummy, she's really good at holding her head up and looking around. She doesn't want to be on her tummy, but she thinks that she's going to be able to get off her tummy by arching her back and it hasn't worked yet. Honestly, her biggest priority in life is to figure out how to sit up. I am constantly telling her to relax because if she is propped up, she leans forward and falls face first and if she is laying down, she arches her back trying to get herself up. She can't just lay down. She is also a wiggle worm and is really good at using her feet to turn and scoot.
- Rebekah has started to really make noise. She does a happy little yell, testing out her voice. Sometimes it's not so little, but it's always happy! Sometimes we like to have conversations, she's learning about turn-taking!
- Rebekah is really getting into a good routine. She is taking three good naps during the day and most nights is only getting up once around 2:00 to nurse. She gets up around 6:00, but will usually go back to sleep for another hour after nursing, but I don't count that as a time of her "getting up". I just say thank you and go back to sleep too! :)
We love our little bundle and are so thankful that God gave her to us.