Fun in the Sun

Family Day!!!


Yay – it’s finally summer in Seattle, at least for a few more days J, and Garrett didn’t have to work!!!  We dug the shorts out of our closets and slathered on the sunscreen to enjoy a much needed family day in the warm weather. 

Breakfast at Starbucks

Hanging out at Silver Lake





Sun Hat - check; Sunglass - check

And done! 

FREEDOM!!!

Graycen HAS been an excellent sleeper – waking just once a night to eat – until 4 weeks ago.  Since her first night in the hospital, Graycen has been swaddled at night.  She is quite the mover and flailer and needed to be “contained” in order to sleep….until, a month ago when she started to break free from her swaddle.  (She is quite the little Houdini).  As soon as she broke free, she would wake herself up and begin the nighttime fussiness.  I would quietly go to her room to re-swaddle her and shush her back to sleep.  Although, she’d quickly fall back to sleep, she would break free again a few hours later.  I decided that she wasn’t ready to sleep un-swaddled just needed a larger swaddle.  So, I went out and purchased a new/larger swaddle blanket.  No luck…

Many sleepless nights later, Garrett and I decided to start weaning her from the swaddle, starting with just one arm.  The frequent wakes up continued, but we chalked it up to adjustment.  After a week of the “one arm swaddle” and frequent wake ups, we decided to just leave both arms out.  Apparently, this is what she wanted along – FREEDOM!!!  She woke just once to eat J  Fingers crossed that we have another sleep-filled night!

One a day...

Graycen has been spending more time in her activity bouncer these days.  Today, Garrett and I were watching her “play” and realized that she is actually rolling/spinning one of the toys – as in, she was intentionally doing this.  We were shocked – yesterday she just stared at the toys and drooled.  Today, she is really playing with them.  I am so amazed at the little changes that are occurring daily.

I am lucky enough to have the summer off and will be able to enjoy the daily changes that are taking place.  But, summer will soon come to an end and I will be going back to work.  To help me cherish each day, I’ve decided to keep a daily photo journal.  My goal is to take at least one photo a day.  Stay tuned for my first “photo dump.”

My project begins...

19 weeks

One year...

 …ago, Garrett and I received the most amazing phone call from our nurse at Overlake Reproductive Clinic – we were pregnant!!!!  What an amazing year we’ve had J

We have truly been blessed and I cannot wait to see what this next year has in store for our family. 

Special Day

Oops...forgot to post

Happy Father’s Day

4 months old

It's so much fun to be 4 months old...

Graycen’s 4 month check up went great – here are her 4 month stats:

·         Weight – 12 lbs 5 oz (25^th percentile)

·         Height – 23 ¾  inches (25^th percentile)

·         Head circumference – 15 inches (11^th percentile)

She is holding strong in the 25^th percentile for weight, where she has been for the last 2 months.  Looks like we have a long and lean baby for awhile J 

Her 4 month check up came with another round of vaccinations.  Thankfully, she only had 2 shots this time and the nurse went very quickly.  Graycen was quite brave and only whimpered for a few seconds. 

Graycen is now:

·         sleeping 8+ hours a night

·         holding her head with great control – no wobbling J

·         drooling and making bubbles

·         laughing, cooing, “talking” back

·         attempting to suck her thumb and fist

·         looking for mom and dad when we enter the room

·         spending lots of time on her tummy trying to figure out how to roll over

It wasn't so dreadful after all....

We did it!!!!  We all survived my first week back at work.  Reflecting back, the return to work was much more difficult for me than for Graycen.  She was excited to spend her days with her daddy and her grandma.

It was an emotional car ride to work, but once I stepped into the classroom I was glad to be back….well, sort of.  I had forgotten what 8th graders are like in June and I was quickly reminded that students have “checked out” and are ready for summer vacation. 

Graycen has had a wonderful time hanging out with her daddy – they have been going on lots of walks, watching movies and TV together - Graycen’s new favorite show, “Ultimate Cage Fighting”  - she can’t take her eyes off of it J  I may need to set up a parental password for both Graycen and Garrett.

Time with grandma has also been great for Graycen.  Grandma SPOILS her with long naps in Grandma’s lap, walks and playtime.  She LOVES it!

Only 11 more days before summer break J