Parenthood: Bring it!

It has been 25 amazing, exhausting, glorious, hilarious days since we welcomed our sweet girl into the world.  My heart is bigger, my stomach is (kinda) smaller, & the number of funny stories in the LG household is growing exponentially!!
Here are a few highlights from our first few weeks of parenthood:

• Brotherly Love - Many people were worried about Cookie Monster (our 6 lb Chihuahua) adjusting to Adalyn.  Some would say that Cook is a little spoiled and maybe he is.  I can't help that he likes to play dress up, snuggle constantly, and go for rides in the car.  Well, lets just say that he LOVES Ady.  He doesn't let her out of his sight!  No, seriously. 
• If you hold her, he is two feet away. 
• If she whimpers at night, he hops out of the bed and sits next to her crib signalling for me to get her. 
• If I am feeding her, he is right next me.  Adam is an amazing husband, but Cook is the only "person" who has got up with me for every single feeding!  I even have a nursing pillow on the couch for Cook to sit on while "we" feed :)
• I really was startled when I heard barking over the baby monitor.  Of course, he squeezes in his nap when she naps.

• Best Advice We Received - My stepsisters sent a very sweet card and inside we received some very valuable advice inspired by football season.  They said to remember to HOLD Adalyn like a football, but don't THROW her like a football!  Excellent advice :)  Thanks!
• The Power of a Smile - In the past year, I can count the number of times on one hand that I have been awake at 1am.   I'm more of a 10pm bedtime-type-of-girl.  So, getting up every night at 1am and 4am has been...an adjustment!  I think God wired babies beautifully to keep tired parents sane.  After every feeding, our sweet girl sighs, leans back, and SMILES (usually with her eyes closed!).  I can just hear her saying, "Good meal, Mom.  Good meal!" 
• Poop Shoot - In our house the word POOP SHOOT has a whole new meaning now....a very literal meaning in fact.  Just ask Adam.  I guess he was using his softball skills to CATCH a handful of...yes, really!  Who knew that poo can actually fly out of a little hinny.  Love her, but ewww.
• Birthday Girl - Birthdays have always been a BIG deal in our family.  I, in fact, celebrate a birthday month :)  So, thinking about an ACTUAL birth day made me want to celebrate!  Thanks to our friend Kate Taylor for providing the cake and Kim for providing the birthday hat, we had a little party at the hospital.  I have a feeling Adalyn will kill me for this picture down the road, but it is one of my favorites.  Ba ha ha.

• Meeting Baby's Needs - Ady really is a low maintenance girlfriend (good sleeper, doesn't cry much, healthy eater), but when she does cry it kind of rips a little piece of my heart out and then her voice will do this little quiver and I just want to cry myself.  Ahh....awful!  :(  You don't know how many times I have said, "Please remember...I am on YOUR team!"   People say that you can differentiate the baby's cries.  One means hungry, one means dirty diaper, etc.  I dont know if my mommy-senses haven't kicked in totally yet, but I can't tell then difference.  They all sounds like, "AHHHHHH!  Do something, woman!"  BUT I do know one distinct clue she gives.  We call it the "focus face."  She gets real still, her face turns a little red, and she pierces her lips together.  You can guess what happens next.  Refer to previous bullet on Poop Shoot :)
• Soothing Baby - Many, many books say that singing to the baby is soothing.  If you have ever heard me sing, you will know that soothing is NOT the word to describe what you hear.  I'm not sure if Adalyn is tone deaf or is just used to my singing after listening to be belt out a note in the car for the last 9 months, but for whatever reason she likes hearing me sing.  Poor girl.  The thing is, I don't really know that many songs and I really don't know baby songs.  The other day, I was rocking her and singing:
• Hush little baby don't say a word,
  Mama's gonna buy you a mocking bird.
  
  If that mocking bird don't sing,
  Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring.
  
  If that diamond ring don't shine
  Mama's gonna buy you a...porcupine?!?!

        Adam just looked at me like, "Seriously? A porcupine?" 
        I dont know.  I didnt take a baby lullaby class!

• So Thankful - I could go on and on with stories like the 700+ pics we have taken (sorry, if I am blowing up your facebook.  I promise to stop posting everyday!) or Adam's first night up with Ady, but one of the best things about having a baby is the overwhelming sense of grattitude that comes with it.  We are so thankful for our sweet girl and for the many, many hands and hearts who have stopped by to visit, prepare meals, clean our house, and love on us.  We are starting to figure out what this whole "it takes a village" thing means.  THANK YOU!  Here are a few pictures of sweet friends and, of course, baby Adalyn :)