Five Months

Grace is 5 months now and we are loving it! She is quite skilled at rolling from front to back – it makes it hard to have tummy time! But, she is more comfortable on her front now and can play with toys that are within reach. She can go from back to front in her crib when she pulls on the mirror on the side, but has yet to do it on the floor. She also is starting to sit up for seconds on end. Tim and I are getting better at catching her before she face-plants! She has also discovered her feet! She is cute when she is all curled up and playing with them!
She and I met Monica in Indy for the AFC championship – Monica went to the game and we stayed in the hotel. I was the quietest fan in Indy that night! It was very exciting to be there and then for the Colts to go on to win the Super Bowl! And of course to see Aunt Monica! Also Grace got to go swimming for the first time. The water was too cold for me, but Grace didn’t seem to mind! She didn’t seem to enjoy it, but she didn’t object either! Aunt Monica got her that swimsuit for Christmas, so it was fitting that she take her swimming in it for the first time.
We started cereal today – she is such a big girl! She has started staring at us and drooling when we eat, so I figured it was time. She wore most of it and, having just discovered her tongue, spit much of it out, but it was fun to watch!
We stayed in most of the last week, so I am ready for the warm up! I’m looking forward to taking Grace for walks! Bring on spring! ~Shelby

Rolling around.

Go Colts!
Swimming with Aunt Monica.

It took three people to light all 25 candles on Ben's birthday cake!

That crafty wife of his, Laura, made a great Colt's cake for him!

And Ben had some trouble blowing them all out!

(If he is 25, that makes Monica and I ... oh my...)

Grace and Weeb at 5 months.

Grace likes to help Daddy with the crossword puzzle.

She's a genius!

Grace and her Valentine from Great Aunt Sue and Uncle Lee!

Tim finished the shower recently and we are very close

to finishing the rest of the bathroom!

Go Colts!

Four Months

Happy New Year! I can’t believe it is 2007 already! My baby was born last year! That seems weird! The last two months have been great for us. (Sorry to not have updated last month.) Christmas was fun with Grace – we loved sharing her with everyone and she was a trooper! She does like to people watch and we recovered from all the parties rather smoothly. She amazes me every day by doing something new. She has found her voice and isn’t afraid to use it! She is quite the drooler as we go through at least 4 bibs a day. Over Christmas break Tim “helped” her to learn to roll from front to back. (To me it sounded more like torture and I was ready for him to go back to school, but whatever…) She is healthy and now sleeps through the night, and she is really getting good at grabbing things with her hands. It is so fun to watch her grow! She also is outgrowing everything! She now weighs 14 pounds and is 25 ½ inches long – that’s the 90th percentile! We’re grooming her to be a big middle hitter! Here are some pictures – It’s getting harder to get her to smile for the camera as she just stares at it with her cute scowl!

Grace and Weeb - 4 months

Christmas was a huge success!

Great Grandpa Gene reading The Night Before Chirstmas

to his Great Grandkids.

(Hopefully Baby Alice will make it next Christmas!)

I know I said I'd never put those garter-things on her head, but look how cute she is!!!!

Two Months

Grace is now two months old and doing very well! She is now 10 lbs 11 oz, 23 in. long, and starting to outgrow onesies and socks. She again got a “perfect!” from the doctor. We feel very blessed to say that we have a great baby! She cries only to be fed, changed, or put to bed. And, she is sleeping from midnight to 6 AM pretty regularly. She is growing daily and we are getting to know her personality. She’s does have a bit of a temper when you don’t get the bottle back to her fast enough after a burp – I don’t know where she would have gotten that! She still loves her baths and is starting to make more “happy” noises when she plays on her play mat or in her bouncy seat. And the smiles! We love to see her smile! Well, you can see below how fabulous they are! We spend our days eating, pooping, playing, and sleeping. Naps with dad are especially nice.
We also work hard to get out and see all of the family we can. Great-Grandma Jackie and Great-Grandpa Gene have helped us out so I can exercise and get some errands done. And Great-Aunt Skeeter loves to help out when she comes to Somerset. And of course Grandma Patty, Grandpa Tim, and Grandma Margaret love every minute they can get with her! Cousins David and Joseph are loving time after school with her too! They don’t much care for her crying, but are getting used to it. You can’t have too many family and friends to shower her with love! Thank you! It’s been a great two months…oh how the time does fly!
In other Drake news, we wished Grandpa Gene a happy birthday by accompanying him to the Wabash County Historical Museum, where he has donated a civil war uniform from the family. It is rather an impressive museum for such a small community! And on a sad note, we had to give Max the cat away. L We finally had our pool finished with a new liner and winter cover and couldn’t risk Max clawing at the cover. So he has moved to a new family on the other side of the county. We hear he may have adopted 3 families and is living the high life! I miss him, but Grace will be safe from the pool in the winter and fall when it is closed. We can walk out on the cover if we need to… though none of us are brave enough to try! ~shelby

Grace and Weeb two months.

Rubber Duckie... You make bathtime so much fun!

"I'm going to have to get used to this camera in my face, aren't I?"

Happy Halloween!

Two months (Cont.)

Cousins David, Joseph, Anna, and Allison.

Naptimes with Dad ROCK!

Happy Birthday to Grandpa Gene!

One Month

One Month! I’ve been a mom for ONE MONTH! That just seems crazy! Grace and I are learning how to do this mother-daughter thing one day at a time and with lots of help from Tim. He is amazing with her, and in the beginning came home almost every day at lunch to help out. Grace and I are figuring out a routine and don’t need him as much during the day. But, he goes straight for her after volleyball each night and lets me rest before he is off to bed! Grace and I also are venturing out a bit more, too. We’ve done lunch at White’s and have visited Grandmas Margaret and Patty. Grandpa Tim is on our list, too, but he is a bit farther away so we are working up to that trip!
Grace got hooked on the bottle early on because she was not gaining weight, and with the help of our lactation consultant, Nurse Cindy, we are trying to get her off of it, but other than that, she is wonderful! She sleeps about 6-7 hours each night and is pretty predictable throughout the day for feedings. She loves her baths, her nursery, and riding the in the van. She watches the Colts play on Sundays with Tim and did very well at her first volleyball game. We also finally made it to church last Sunday! We love getting to know her and realize she’ll be all grown up before we know it! She is changing daily!
The last thing I asked before they released us from the hospital was if they were really going to let us take this baby home?! And they did! I can’t believe how time has flown, and we could have never had made it this far without all the help from family and friends. Thank you to all for everything from thoughts a prayers, to meals and help at home. Enjoy the pictures… I love taking them! ~shelby

Bath time is great! I love the warm watter and my warm towel from Aunt Toby!

I did well at my first SHS volleyball game... the team, not so much!

Go Colts! Dad is happier when they play well!

Grace and Weeb - One month birthday

My church outfit. (Mommy loaned me her shoes!)