Happy [Day After] Thanksgiving...

from our little blessing, Hannah Beth :)

I am soo thankful that God chose to bless us with a sweet, living, healthy little girl.

It still amazes me when I look at her that she's really here, with us, in our arms.

What an amazing blessing.

Last year at this time I was kinda dreading going through the holiday season without our precious Alethia Joy, who would've been about 10 months.

I still grieve. I still miss her everyday and wonder what this holiday season would've been like, with 2 little girls, one 3 months and one 22 months.

But we see the "beauty from ashes" that God has shown us through the birth and life of Hannah Elizabeth.

Praise be to Him!!

Enjoying time with Aunt Natalie...

and Uncle Nathan!

"Showered" with Love!

2 weeks ago, our "new" church family blessed us and Hannah Beth with a baby shower! It was an unexpected blessing and so sweet of them. Here are a few pictures...

So, so generous! Many adorable outfits (lots for this winter!), wonderful gifts, and we even got a convertible car seat that Hannah Beth can use when she grows her of her current one :)

Sweet girls :)

Beautiful centerpieces--butterflies to go along with our nursery theme

Great-Grandma, Aunt Natalie, Grandma, Hannah Beth (sleeping!), Mom

Selena & Maria, the two lovely ladies who organized the shower

My mom & me

My "little" sis & me

Great-Grandma VK & Hannah Beth

Those hiccups are so frustrating!

2 months!

Happy 2-month birthday (yesterday), Hannah Beth!

At 2 months:

• You weigh 10 lbs, 14 oz, and you're 22 1/4 inches long.
• At about 1 month old, you moved up from newborn diapers to size 1.
• You've grown out of almost all of your newborn clothes by now...it made Mommy kinda sad to put some of her favorite little tiny outfits away (especially the "lovebug" one you wore on the way home from the hospital), but she also is having fun with your "new wardrobe" of 3 months clothes!
• You do a great job of sleeping at night--(starting at about 6 weeks) you usually sleep 5-6 hours for the first stretch of the night.
• You don't really like taking naps in your bed during the day--you love to be held while you sleep!
• You love to be held any time!
• At about 5 weeks, you really started to smile and respond to things around you.
• You've always been great at making eye contact and looking at people.
• Before we moved at 5 weeks old, you slept in a cradle beside our bed (the same cradle that your daddy and his brother and cousins all slept in), but now you sleep in a pack'n'play next to our bed. We use a "crib wedge" to keep you from moving or rolling over.
• You really like your "Ocean Wonders" play-gym, where you can look at yourself in the mirror and look at all the bright colors.
• You don't really like to burp "on command."
• In the past couple weeks, you've started to "coo" and "talk" to us--it's so much fun!
• You don't really cry a whole lot unless you are overtired, hungry, have a dirty diaper, or wanting to be held.
• You love to look at bright colors and shadows.
• You love your "Sassy" black and white book.
• You're a great nurser and really enjoy being close to mommy.
• You started drinking occasional bottles of mommy's milk at about 2 weeks and do a great job at it.
• Your hair is a brownish color that sometimes looks like it has a reddish tint to it.
• Your eyebrows seem to be getting darker and your eyelashes are growing and darkening.
• You're very photogenic :)
• You love to be held "like a football" on your stomach.
• You've recently really started to like sucking on your "Nuk" pacifier--you like it much better than the one they gave us at the hospital.
• The place where we have seen the most smiles is probably on your changing table! You can't stand having a dirty diaper but love being changed!
• You're starting to enjoy bathtime more and more...you just don't like the part where you have to get out of that nice warm water.
• You do not enjoy being put in your car seat, but once you're in there you usually fall asleep after a few minutes.
• You've just started to be able to sit in your Bumbo chair!
• You're starting to like your swing too!
• Since you were less than a month, we've started a bedtime routine with you--change into your jammies and swaddler, nurse, rock, pray with you, sometimes read a story, and sing to you.
• We moved 1,200 miles halfway across the country when you were only 5 weeks old. You were such a trooper and slept the majority of the trip.
• Since you were born, I've met/heard about 3 other Hannah Elizabeths! It's a good name. :)
• Hannah Elizabeth, you love to be held up close to our chests and love to snuggle! We do too!

We love you soo much! You're growing up so fast and it seems like you're changing every day.

We praise the Lord for you, sweet girl!

The many faces of our 2-month-old: