Happy FIRST Birthday, Rossleigh!!!!

Oh my goodness!! I honestly can't believe it's been a YEAR since my beautiful baby was born. While I knew that becoming a mother was going to be an amazing, life-changing experience, I never dreamed that this little girl of mine would bring this much JOY to my life and every life she touches.  

Her life started out pretty scary for all of us, and part of me actually worried that being poked, prodded, stuck, and cut open might affect what her personality would be like.  I thought she might be a fussy baby or not feel like she had much to smile about.  It sounds silly to me now, but it was something I was legitimately concerned about.  Silly mama!!  I don't think you could find a happier child.

Look at how much she's changed!!  

The first time she smiled, it changed our lives and she's been smiling ever since.  I have honestly never seen a baby that is SO HAPPY!!  The child is always smiling or giggling and even has her laugh out loud moments!!!  Sure, when she's tired or hungry, she's a little sassy, but the majority of the time, she just oozes sweetness.  

I'm babbling, but just wanted to say that she is a BLESSING and an absolute GIFT from God.  We can't wait until her party on Saturday!  

Happy Rossleigh's Birthday!!!

Bedhead

Look who has a MAJOR case of bedhead this morning!   :)

You know you have a teething baby when...

...you have your very own little termite.  At least she's a CUTE termite!!   :)

Bath Trouble

A month or so ago, we moved the baby tub from the kitchen sink to inside a regular tub, but now our big girl is STANDING UP in the tub.   There's a little place on the baby tub that she can grab a hold of and pull herself up (see in picture)  Yikes!   I think it may be time to get out of the baby tub!  LOL

A Mover and a Shaker!

Rossleigh is ALL OVER THE PLACE!!!  This child went from sitting one week to crawling the next!!  There was no gradual scooting period or anything.  On top of it, while she knew HOW to, she never even rolled over much either.  Big time culture shock for all of us!  LOL

See the video below for her in action.  She starts out playing with some fabric scraps then decides she wants something on the OTHER side of Bean.  No matter!  She just crawls over him!!  LOL  

P.S. - notice how stoic Bean is in the beginning of the video.  Statue!!  :)

Helmet recheck

We received some fantastic news today!   Rossleigh had her first helmet recheck today and the physical therapist was astounded at how quickly the treatment is working.   The flat spot on the back of her head has already "filled in" a couple of millimeters (which is apparently almost unheard of for that to happen so quickly) PLUS her skull is already shifting to where it should be.   The therapist had never seen such evidence of that in less than a week.   Rossleigh may only have to wear it for about a month if she continues to respond to the treatment so well.   Yay!

Two little sweeties

Anytime that Rossleigh is playing on the floor, previously Bean's domain, he is right by her side (and sometimes licking her sweet little face).  

Since Rossleigh came home from the hospital, we've been working with Beanie on how to be "gentle" with the baby/puppy.   Now that Rossleigh is upright and grabbing everything in sight, "gentle" is being said quite a bit in our house lately.   LOL

They're on their way to being the best of friends.   This mama and daddy couldn't be happier!  

Happiness

We couldn't have asked for a happier baby!   :-)

Smarty britches

You know how when a baby is on their tummy, you can put something just slightly out of their reach so that it motivates them to roll/move/crawl?   Yeah well... When I do that with Rossleigh, she just pulls the blanket towards her so that the object comes to her!   LOL What a Smarty Britches!  

Big day for big girl stuff

Today was a big day for Miss Rossleigh.   In one day, she stood with no (human) assistance AND sat all by herself! 
I've been a little worried that I haven't been doing something right because everything I've read says that most babies are sitting unassisted by 6 months.   Rossleigh always ends up listing to one side if you let go of her while sitting.   A friend of mine suggested today that we try the "tripod" position (spread the legs and prop her weight on her arms in the center).  Oh my gosh!  It works so great!   Thanks Zee!
I still can't believe my baby girl is getting so BIG... TOO big too fast!  

Look at our little Ginger!

Check out how RED her hair is getting!   Even her little eyebrows are looking more and more red.  

Swinging

Rossleigh loves to swing in her downstairs swing.  She gets to look out the window!  Happy girl!  I just can't believe how big she looks in this swing now.  She used to look so tiny in it!  Somebody tell her to  STOP GROWING!!  :)

So happy together...

When Rossleigh is available to lay next to, guess where I find Bean?   LOL. Lately, she's been scanning the room until she finds him.   Once she sees him, her little face lights up!  

Can I help you?

She's so busy playing and learning, she barely has time for taking pictures...

A baby and a dog

I have a hard time getting Bean to leave Rossleigh alone.   He is always wanting to kiss her or love on her.   Any time she makes a sound he's not so sure about, he's got to come check on her.   LOL
Recently, as she looks around, she spots him and just smiles.   It's pretty cute, I must admit.   :)  
I love watching them discover each other.  Now if I can only keep Beanie away from her face! 

Too busy for pictures

It's started.   She's just wiggly enough that it's hard to capture photos.   I wave shiny things and noisy things to get her attention and it normally works.   Today, her outfit was far more interesting than my box of tricks.   LOL
My mom got Rossleigh this adorable owl outfit and I was so excited to put it on her today.   Of course I had to take a picture!   Here were the results:

Silly girl

She fell asleep while burping tonight!   Ha ha.   Poor, sweet, tired baby.  
P.S. - I know that I am WAY overdue in posts.   Much has happened and I have to catch everyone up very soon (no worries though - it won't happen in one super long post).   :-)

Shots and more shots

My poor, sweet baby!   On Thursday, she had to go to the pulmonary doctor to get her Synagis shot (it prevents a lung disease/virus called RSV).   She has received once a month since birth and only has one left now, thank goodness.
On Friday, she saw her pediatrician and received her 4 month vaccinations - 1 oral and 2 shots.   She's been a little bipolar baby lately - going from fussy, fussy, fussy to happy and smiling.  
Other updates... Rossleigh is now 12 pounds, 1 oz (she's nearly doubled her birth weight) and she's now 24 3/4 inches long (she's grown 5 inches in just 4 months)!   She's growing like a little weed!!!  

First Stroller Walk

Today we had such beautiful weather, so I thought it was a perfect day for Rossleigh's first stroller walk.   We walked all around our neighborhood, chatted with a nice, older man about halfway through, and enjoyed all the sights and sounds!   She enjoyed it so much, she conked out sometime after the chat with the older man.  

I'm not a huge walker, but this just may get me out walking more!   What is it about pushing a stroller that makes it feel easier?   Ha ha!

I love this face!

Can you blame me?

Marcy's birthday party

Mom/Nana decided that since last year was full of worry and doubt for our family (Megan's transplant, my pregnancy, and Rossleigh's heart surgery), this year would be the year of the party!!
So, we celebrated Marcy's birthday (my sister) a couple of weeks early with a princess party.   My mom made the cake and cupcakes (isn't it adorable?) and Megan did all the killer decorations!  
During the party, Jakey was suddenly fascinated with Rossleigh.   He kept holding up his little arms to Rossleigh as if he wanted to hold her or hug her.   I let him hug her, but that didn't seem good enough - he really wanted to hold her!   I sat him on a chair and then put her on his lap.   Too cute!   :)

Music Lover

This child LOVES music!!  Any time she hears music, she instantly becomes happy and responsive - eyes widen, a smile appears, legs begin to kick, and hands start flailing.  The majority of the time, she'll throw in a coo or two.  :)

Conversations

Lately, Rossleigh is making more and more sounds.  It appears we are going to have a talker on our hands!  LOL  I can't imagine where she gets that from...  ;)  She and I frequently have these "conversations" where she makes a sound and I mimic it, which then motivates her to make more sounds.  You get the idea!  It's so much fun watching her take in the world and now she's beginning to interact with it more and more.  What a fun age!  :)

Little wild child

I am normally not a fan of animal print.   I don't personally wear it and I don't decorate my home in it. Boy, have things changed when my child is brought into the world! 
Rossleigh has a couple of animal print outfits that other people have given her, so I put her in them.  Doesn't she look adorable?  
I took the second picture with her propped in the corner of a chair.   She was so happy to be sitting up "by herself".   Later in the day, I went in to get her up from her nap, and I found her smiling.   I HAD to get a pic (hence the first picture).  

Mohawk child

Yep!   You're seeing the pictures right - we gave her a "faux-hawk".  I know that it's probably perceived as cruel to some, but for us it's just good, clean fun!   Our child had the sad misfortune if inheriting my fine hair.   Fine hair is great for having naturally stick-straight hair.   In the winter, it sticks up in all directions due to static electricity.   Last, but not least, you get these stubborn sections of hair that just won't lay right... Yep!   She's got all that going for her, and on top of that, she's still got that baby peach fuzz texture!

When you can't tackle crazy hair, just make it look crazier!   Her daddy had great fun with this.  I'm not so sure about the Einstein 'do.   I think she rocks the mohawk though!   ;)

Brotherly Love

Bean loves to kiss on Rossleigh!   I used to think that he just did it to get attention.   He's pretty smart, you know... Baby's getting attention? Be sweet to the baby and he gets attention too!   LOL Anyway, that's what I used to think, but several times I've caught him in the act of being sweet to her when he doesn't think anyone's watching - little kisses on the cheek, drive-by foot kisses when she's in her swing, and checking on her in her crib.   He's really a good big brother.   For a dog that used to be the center of attention, he has handled this change so well.   :)

Cuddly girl

I love cuddling with this sweet little punkin'.  

All Wrapped Up

I was a little nervous to brave the Moby Wrap when Rossleigh was still a "newborn"  because of the whole bobble head thing.   I kind of forgot about it as an option after that until this evening.  

We figured out the logistics of it (not a quick process for the first time by myself) and we like it a lot!   We'll definitely be getting lots of use out of our Moby Wrap!   The best part?   It doesn't kill the back of the wearer.  :)

Look who can hold her head up!

I can't believe how big our little girl is getting!!  Since she HATES tummy time (seriously, she cries through it), the only way we're able to motivate her to get some tummy time is to lay her on her stomach on top of one of us.  I did this today and this was the result.  While I couldn't really capture it well on film, she was SO proud of herself!!  LOL