What are you going to do next?

Kennedy has changed so much!  She is growing so long, losing all her hair, and learning new tricks everyday.  At week 4 she started cooing and it is so sweet to hear her talking.  The funny thing is that when you are talking to her she opens her mouth a lot as if she is talking and nothing comes out.  I think this girl might be a talker like her momma.

Week 5 she really found her hands.  She has always had her hands by her face or in her mouth (even in the womb) but this week she really started to notice those hands and started to notice that she could grab things.  She also found her thumb.  When she finds it she sucks like there has never been a better thing in her mouth and then when she pulls her thumb out she gets so mad when she can’t find it again.  This week she also started kicking like crazy!  And she also started sticking her tongue out.

I love my hands!

I was getting after that ball

Week 6 was the best week because she started smiling volitionally!  At first we had to work so hard for those beautiful smiles but by week 8 we get them all the time and I don’t think I have ever seen anything better.  This week she also started grabbing objects and reaching for them.  Before, she would grab if the object was there but this week she started reaching and grabbing for objects and holding on for dear life.  Gran and Grandad were able to get one of your very first smiles!

Week 7- the week momma had to go back to work.  This was by far the hardest thing I ever had to do.  It just did not feel natural to leave my angel when I hadn’t been away from her for more than an hour or so since she was born.  But, knowing that Grammy was with her was the greatest blessing.  I did not worry once about her safety or well-being, just ached because I missed her so much.  I knew that Grammy and Pa were making a huge sacrifice by my mom quitting early to take care of Kennedy.  I knew that I couldn’t imagine Kennedy having to go to day care and was so relieved when my mom came up with the idea to keep her.  But nothing could have prepared me for the day when I actually did have to leave my child and got to leave her with my mom.  I have never appreciated my parents more, never appreciated a sacrifice more.  now that I understand the unconditional love a parent has for a child, I was absolutely overwhelmed with gratitude that words seriously do not express my emotion adequately.  I don’t think I could have handled leaving her at a daycare.  It was hard enough without having to worry about her.  Day 1 was so busy and so hard, I cried all the way to work and would get choked up just thinking about the appreciation for my mom.  Day 2- worse because Kennedy was waking up while I was leaving for work and I made the mistake to go say good morning and the moment I saw her I just started crying.

My mom and I were talking about what it would be like with Kennedy in a daycare.  Kennedy still has tummy issues and still has some hard days where she just cries and can’t really be consoled.  I can’t even think about leaving her at a daycare where they are understaffed for my daughter to just sit in a swing or crib and cry all day.  You can’t ever pay back your parents for their sacrifices and I have never felt more loved in my life.  Thank you Lord for the gift of amazing servant-hearted parents.  Create in me a heart like yours to love my children the way you love all of us and the way my parents have shown me.

Wow, didn’t really expect to go off on that tangent.

Week 8- 2 months old!  How can that be?  Your daddy weighed you and you were 10 lbs. 7 oz. and 24 inches long!  Your weight put you in the 46-50th percentile but your length put you in the 96th percentile.  You are a “long tall sally” as Gran calls you. 

Currently, you love to smile and you still love singing.  In church last week during the singing you were just cooing and singing too!  You hate tummy time now, you use to love it.  Now you just cry and throw a tantrum if we leave you on your tummy too long.  You love being on your back and playing.  Your favorite place is up on your changing table where you can look outside and have a close-up of faces to smile at.  You don’t like your glider anymore when it is turned on either.  you love running water and the sound of the vacuum still.  Your favorite things are to go on a walk and to listen to someone singing to you.

You have started clicking your tongue and get so impressed with yourself when you can do it more than one time in a row.  You are starting to imitate some facial expressions.