Giselle is Eight Months Old

Dear Giselle,

Gosh, this month you really turned a page and grew up even faster on me. In one short little month, you became mobile and you began to really communicate with us. My little baby girl is learning, thriving and growing up ever so quickly. With each day that passes, my love for you grows and we become more bonded than ever. You're my sweet little blue-eyed buttercup who I just adore in every way. 

Here's a peek into your world at 8 months old:

You have learned to clap now and you understand when it is appropriate.  You clap for yourself when you do something new, when you are proud of you, when one of us says 'yay' anytime, when your sister does something silly or when Mommy or Daddy do something you like - you clap for it all. That's a lot of clapping in one day!

You are now crawling! After you learned how to crawl, you quickly mastered it. You are so fast especially when you are crawling to something or someone you are excited to see. You are a baby on a mission! This has opened your world up to so many new discoveries as you crawl to touch and experience new things. Mostly your sister's toys. I guess after all, you prefer her big girl toys instead of those silly baby toys I've been placing in front of you. 

I was cleaning your room one day while you were playing in your crib and I look up to your bright beaming face and you were standing! You pulled yourself right up and you were so very proud of your newest accomplishment. Our hearts of course sank because you grew up just a little bit more. I thought this was going to be a new normal, so immediately I made your Daddy pull out the tools and lower the crib for you. And you haven't done it since... You fooled us! But I will never forget the proud look on your face when you did it. Sweetest glimmer in your eyes. 

You are both signing and saying 'more' during feeding time. I even caught it on video! We were all so proud of you and couldn't believe that word popped out of your mouth at such a young age. 

Your third tooth popped in this month and it was your first top tooth. You handled this one like a champ!

You love every food and are now feeding yourself finger foods and drinking from a sippy cup on your own. This independence of both you and your sister is something I'm very proud of. I wish you both needed me a little more, but I'm thankful to have fostered this trait in both of you - one that may lead to you wanting my help over needing my help. 

You take two naps a day now.  A 1 hour nap 2 hours after you wake up and a 1 or 2 hour nap from 1:30-3:30. I'm so happy and feel much more accomplished now that I have time to tend to my mommy/wife duties while you are napping and sometimes I get in a little 'me' time too. It's wonderful to have a bit of a breather while you and sister sleep at the same time. 

You are still eating finger foods 2 times a day and you are eating much more of it.  This last month you dropped 1 nap and 1 bottle - big changes!  3 - 8oz bottles a day for you now and I'm thinking you will start eating food 3 times a day soon.  

You continue to sleep from 8:30 am-7:30 pm.  

You are in size 12-18 months clothes with growing room and you are still in size 4 diapers. 

Baby girl, you are just thriving and growing so fast I can hardly keep up.  Each month I write you these letters, I hope I remember all the important and special moments and milestones to document for me and for you.  I know one day these moments will all be a distant, but cherished memory.  Some Daddy and I may forget and others will feel like yesterday.  Baby, thank you for all of these special moments.  Thank you for making me feel so incredibly loved and admired by you.  I never imagined you would love me so deeply.  

You fill my heart,

Mommy, Daddy and Emeline

(and Oskar and George too)

Emeline is 3 Years Old!

Dear Emeline,

Happy 3rd Birthday baby girl! You are made of pure joy, pure love and an unbreakable spirit. You are so full of life. Your energy and your smile are simply contagious. We've had the best time celebrating your spirit and the 'birbay' you have been anxiously awaiting the last 6 months as you have seen/helped me prepare for everyone else's birthday but yours. I hope all of your birthday wishes come true because you are certainly my wish come true. I love you 'way way more than you know' my 'EMEline' (that's how you say your name). 

When I look back at 3 year old Emeline, what will I want us to remember? The answer is...everything. I want to remember every silly saying, every I love you, every dance move, every squeal, the way you light up the room, they way you make everyone love you. I want to remember everything about you. And I want to learn from you.

This last year was a BIG year for you. It wasn't without it's bumps in the road, because you aren't you without them, but it was an INCREDIBLE year. Before I move into all the ways this year was so amazing, I have to tell you now (and you'll hear me say it) - you have a spitfire personality and I so admire your passion, but that also makes you a bit more difficult child to raise especially at such a young age when you feel so many things, but don't understand why or how to deal with those feelings. We are hopefully raising you in a way that does not squash that passion. I hope we are helping you foster those emotions and use them for good, because we know you are going to make one heck of an adult one day. You will move mountains - we just know it. And I hope you do too.

Back to the year (June 2014 - June 2015) I think we will all look back on as a favorite. Here are all the many amazin' (as you say) things I want us to remember:

• We celebrated your second birthday in Belize and you got your very first passport stamp. It was also Poppa's first trip abroad and we had such a great time. It's a trip I will always look back on with a huge smile on my face. I love nothing more than introducing you to new and exciting things. I guess it's what I live for - moments like that. Trips like that. Making memories with our family. 
• We lived on Winston Falls at the time and your best friend (outside of Mila of course) was Ben. You loved his brother Joe too, but in your words, 'Joe is sleeping'. He was always asleep in your mind. You three had so much fun together and we are thankful to have lived next door to a special family that will always hold a special place in our heart. You sure loved your 'Aunt Jenni'.
• This is the year that your love of books really took off. It was always my favorite time of day with you. Reading in your bed, book after book after book. Your favorite books are Love Ruby Valentine, I Love You So Much, shadow books, any holiday book, A Mother for Choco, I Had a Favorite Dress, The Napping House, A Visitor for Bear and so many more. 
• We visited your birth mom twice this year. One trip to the zoo and to Baskin Robbins where you shared ice cream with her (our favorite - rainbow sherbet). The next day we took you to your first theme park - Six Flags and your love for thrill and adventure started here. We ended our trip to Fort Worth with a trip to Coopers for peach ice cream on the way home. Later that year, we celebrated her sister's marriage. You were the sweetest flower girl, but you got a bit too shy to really perform your duties, so I walked down the aisle with you. You did dance the night away on the dance floor though. We made some memories we will never forget this night. Really, we were blessed to share this special time with your birth family. Most adoptive families don't get these moments. 
• You are a fish! You love the water. It really seems to bring you peace and calmness. Can we bottle that up for you?! You are taking swim lessons and are making progress, but you love the freedom of swimming about on your own in your puddle jumper. 
• We got your first fish 'Little Raine' named after mommy and daddy's fish Raine in college (he was our first pet together. We sufficiently killed Little Raine three weeks later. Still don't know how...
• We got your beloved Lilah (build a bear first bear) for your second birthday and she's the first stuffed animal you really have clung too. That and this bunny with a rattle in it. Daddy and I will never forget the rattle sound coming down our hallway (Lake Gardens house) as you came into our room in the middle of the night. 
• You love milk still. You might just not grow out of your love for milk. Every day starts out with a big glass of whole milk. And some days you get an mid afternoon treat too. 
• I took you to you very first circus with Ben and Joe and you only lasted for 45 minutes. I thought it was a total bust until you started talking about it the very next day and every day after for 6+ months. Every person you met, you simply said, 'circus?' before anything else as if to see if they liked the circus too before figuring out if you wanted to talk to them further. It was hilarious! 
• I also took you to your very first movie - Planes: Fire and Rescue. I thought you would love it since you love watching the planes pass over our house, but then again, you only lasted for half of it. This one you didn't talk about...
• We took you on your second trip to Beaver Creek. You will know that this trip is so special to me. We took you there at 10 weeks old and have gone every year at Labor Day since. Except that one year Daddy's boss made us cancel... There is something so magical and refreshing about being in the mountains with my family. We had our traditional VooDoo Donuts in the park upon arrival and we hiked to truly magical Beaver Lake as always. We also attended the always fun Oktoberfest where Mimi, Poppa, Noni and Pa met us there for a day. You'll know how special this trip is to me. Daddy even purchased a painting for me to always have the memory around. 
• The very next day after we landed at midnight from our Beaver Creek trip, you started your very first day of school. You loved Mrs. Stephanie and Mrs. Tiffany so, but you and Mrs. Stephanie really bonded. I felt at ease leaving you with someone who truly loved you for you. The spunky, spirited, silly you. You really thrived in school. I think I only received one bad report. I think you bit someone. Other than that, you are really truly sweet, caring, loving and kind to other children. I love this about you. Always concerned for their well being if they fall, get hurt, sad, mad, etc. You really thrived in your learning also. By week 2, (you were 2 years and 3 months) you mastered your ABC's. The same ABC's you I had been singing to you at nauseam for years. For almost a year, you sang LMNOPeas and I never had the heart to correct you. I loved it so. You mastered counting to 13, your colors and learning letter and number recognition too. 
• Right after Mommy and Daddy dropped you off on your first day of school, we went and closed on our second home together - Lake Gardens. That night we had a sushi picnic on the floor in our new home to celebrate. We moved to Kingwood just a mere 3 weeks later. This was such a special city to me. We only lived there for 10 months but Kingwood and our gorgeous home with such a peaceful backyard will always be dear to me. I loved our life there and you loved 'Eme's house' as you affectionately called it. We lived a very full life in that wonderful town and home in only 10 months. 
• On October 16th, God blessed us with the greatest gift - Giselle Laine Simpson. With just three days notice, you became a big sister and you fell in love with her instantly. The moment you met her brought me to my knees. It was a dream come true for me on so many levels to give you a sibling, but to be able to give you a sister and best friend for life means everything to me. You've been the sweetest big sister and she has helped you mature so much. She idolizes you and you are completely in love with her. I'm so proud of you both and the strength of your bond. It's been incredible to witness day in and day out. 
• Your sister's nickname was supposed to be 'Elle', but you gave her the name 'Selle' and it stuck. For better or for worse, it's her name in our home. She might not like you for this later, but I love that you named her. 
• Your favorite holiday this year was Halloween. We were a rag doll family and I have to admit, we were pretty darn cute. You were obsessed with all things scary, dressing up, the movies, the books, and the candy too of course. You loved it all! And we celebrated big in true mommy style. You know I love to celebrate holidays! I introduced you to Hocus Pocus and it's been a favorite movie since. 
• Your F's are pronounced as P's and your L's are pronounced as R's and your R's pronounced as W's. I can't correct you because I know one day very soon you can say all of your words correctly. I love when you say 'coppee' and 'goopy' among many others. 
• We celebrated your 3rd Christmas and it's was our best yet. New house, new baby and so many incredible memories. I'll never forget that day and holiday season with you. The magic I saw in your eyes will stay with me forever. It was this Christmas that you became smitten with Kevin McCalister and the movie Home Alone. You started acting out the bathroom scene which you affectionately call, 'shampoo, ahh!!'. We've laughed at this dozens of times and it doesn't get old. 
• We rang in the new year with you and you were fascinated with the 'sparkeys' and confetti filled count down you and I shared. We loved making you a part of our New Year celebrations. 2015 was the start of something special. Might just be our best year yet!
• You are resourceful I tell you. One day soon after we moved into Lake Gardens, you pushed your hamper all the way from your room to the fridge, climbed up, unlocked the lock, broke in and stole your beloved berries and bacon. Only after all this mess plus playing in sister's bottles did you yell for help. We knew then we were really in trouble with you. Plus, a few days later, you broke into sister's teething meds and ate the whole bottle. In came the door lock and the hallway gate. Fixed you right up! You really seemed to appreciate it and sleep better at night too. You were no longer staying up and dreaming of things you could get into while mommy and daddy were sleeping. 
• In 2015 we had the loveliest Valentine's day and sweetest Easter too. Daddy dressed up as the Easter bunny, you saw his arm pop out and the surprise was ruined. You shouted, 'it's daddy in the costume!'. You weren't even three yet and we screwed that one up... Hopefully you will forget... But if not, we've laughed about that day and moment so many times. It was worth it!
• On April 10th, Daddy quit the job he hated and accepted his dream job as CFO for Luxe Energy in Austin. It was the open door we've always dreamed of and the start of many new adventures. The first being able to enjoy Daddy home with us for three whole months as he waited the start of his new career. We found our dream house in Austin during this time, travelled to California, played at home with you two and took many a trip to Austin to plan out our new life there. It was so busy, but so nice to have Daddy home with us to experience it all with him. 
• On April 27th, we finalized your sister's adoption and she became your official sister forever and ever, amen. It was certainly one of the happiest days of our lives. Even for you!
• Shortly after we finalized Giselle's adoption she became your best friend and so did I. You proclaim every single day that, 'Mommy, Mimi and Selle are my best fwiends!'. I just love it. You are my best 'fwiend' too, but I'm still your mommy first. 
• And just like that, the year was over. You are three now. Three has been hard on my mommy's heart. I love watching you grown and experience life, but I down right hate how fast time is moving. I guess that's what motherhood is all about - nostalgia and grace. I've got the nostalgia part down, but grace on the other hand I take day by day. You thankfully give me lots of free passes and you love me no matter what. It's a beautiful thing your love for me. We celebrated you turning three by taking you and your sister to a night away in Galveston. We went to the beach on your last day as a two year old and had the best day. Afterward, we had dinner as a family and then we went to the hotel lounge and let you stay up way past your bedtime while we enjoyed listening to the pianist play Micky Mouse for you and we enjoyed a dessert together - you picked pie (our favorite!). It was the sweetest night. The next day you turned three! We started the morning with donuts, lots of Happy Birthday singing and presents. We then went down to the pool and spent hours there before heading to Mimi and Poppa's to celebrate with them. 
• The very next day, you had the most fun Farmer's Market party (inspired by your love of the farmer's market we went to in California) with all of your friends. We had a bounce house, a clown and lots of sweets and yummy food daddy made for us. It was a blast and I'm not sure how we'll top it next year. But you know me, I gotta try!

And here are some of your very favorite things in your third year of life - baking with me, playing in the sprinkler, movies, books, play dates with our friends, taking Oskar and George on walks, jumping on the trampoline Mimi and Poppa got you for your 2nd birthday, dresses and accessories, playing dress-up, Elmo, footprint art, picnics, nature walks, and your best fwiends - Weston, Ben and Joe, Mila and Luca, Sebastian, and McKinley.

Emeline, I want you to know how very much I love you. You, your sister and your daddy are the first thought I have when I wake up in the morning and the last thought I have before I shut my eyes at night. You three are my everything and I find such great purpose as wife and mother to you two. But you my love, are truly something special. You tell me you love me at least 20 times a day. Maybe more. Probably more. I find my greatest joy in surprising you and your sister and making this childhood of yours as magical as I possibly can. I might be ruining you for your future husband, but you know what, I'm also raising you to be truly grateful for it. You know how hard I work to make this life special for you and honestly, you make me feel so loved and treasured by you. All the ways you tell me 'thank you' and that I'm the, 'best mommy ever' make me feel more loved, more treasured and like you are more grateful for me than anyone else in my life. You have no idea how special you make me feel. Thank you for lifting me up and making me feel so very loved by you. You have the sweetest and kindest heart. I love you 'way way more than you know'. And I always will. 

Forever and always, 

Mommy, Daddy, 'Selle', Oskar and George

Giselle is Seven Months Old

Dear Giselle,

Our littlest love. My are you precious and oh so sweet. You are filled with love and snuggles and boy do you love your mommy time. Every where I go, you want to go to and if you can't, you follow me with your beautiful blue eyes. Your personality is really starting to shine and you are one silly giggly girl!

Here's a peek into your world at 7 months old:

• Once you learned to sit, you worked long and hard to figure out how to go from sitting to your tummy and it wasn't long after a few play sessions on the floor and your desire you reach a toy that you mastered both going from tummy to sitting and sitting to tummy. Just one more way you are able to reach anything you want!
• You are babbling pretty constantly now and your current favorite baby gibberish is 'babababa'. You can also say, 'hi' and 'hey'. One day I said 'hey' to you and you mimicked me perfectly. I though it was just a fluke and turns out you can really say it! Of course never on command, because well, you are you. Nothing happens on command!
• You love standing holding on to something or mommy and daddy supporting you as you do so. I think a new skill is brewing...
• This month, we also decided (or rather you decided), you were ready for a big girl car seat.  You love it and are so much happier riding around in the car.  
• You've really become ticklish these days.  Your current tickle spots are around your collar bone and inside those sweet chunky thighs of yours.  I can't stop tickling you because I just love that deep belly giggle of yours. 
• We are still making our way through all the veggies you can eat.  We have tried sweet potatoes, avocado, cauliflower, peas, carrots, broccoli, butternut squash and squash.  So far, you love them all except those pesky avocados.  You have also eaten bananas, all berries and tried those infamous puffs that every baby loves.  
• You eat solids twice a day now and take 4 - 8 oz bottles. 
• Bath time starts around 7:30 pm and we play for a while, then get you ready for bed, then play some more, read you a story or two and soon after, you are off to dreamland by 8:00 pm.  
• You sleep for a solid 11 hours and are up by 7:00 am -7:30 am. 
• You are finally a good napper! You take a 1.5 hour nap 2 hours after you wake up, a 1 hour nap around 1 pm and a 1 hour nap around 4 pm. 
• This month, you got your first teeth. I'm so glad you got them a bit later in life, but 2 teeth at once - yikes! No teething medicine worked. The only solution was you on my chest. I was happy to forgo sleep just to make you comfortable. At first I was sad to see that gummy smile of yours go, but I have to say, you are even cuter with your two bottom teeth. Smiley, that smile of yours melts me and way I get it. 
• This month, we also went on your very first trip to the beach to celebrate your sister's 3rd birthday. We had tons of fun, but the waves and the heat put you right to sleep and you slept through all the fun! Next year you will be right in the mix!

Gosh Giselle, your babyhood is passing me by like no other time in my life. I want to savor every second I have with squishy kissable little you. You are the sweetest, happiest little baby and I never want to forget anything about this season of my life. It's tough. Oh so tough with two babies 3 and under, but I as your mommy am very blessed to have two amazing little princesses whom I treasure with all my heart. You are perfect to me in every single way and I love you way way more than you will ever know. 

You are our sunshine,

Mommy, Daddy and Emeline

(and Oskar and George too)

Giselle is Six Months Old

Dear Giselle, 

Happy 6 months to our little sunshine! You are the bright shining light in all of our lives. Giselle, your face lights up with just a look in your direction, you have the absolute best belly laugh and who can resist those rolls. You are a momma's girl, you love your food and you love your sister even more. We have one smart, beautiful and full of personality little baby on our hands. We couldn't be more blessed by you our little angel. 

Here's a peek into your world at 6 months old:

• Your biggest milestone this month is that you are able to sit on your own now. When you accomplish something new, your face lights up and you smile the biggest smile. You are so proud of yourself and we as your parents are even more proud of you. 
• You can now hold your own bottle and feed yourself finger foods. You have gone from a little helpless baby to an independent baby in a blink of an eye. Although, you would always rather mommy or daddy's help than to do it yourself. I can live with that. 
• You have started to fuss a bit when your sister takes away a toy from you. She's generally a good sharer, but she's a toddler... Don't blame her just yet.
• You are really discovering your voice this month. It made my heart so happy to hear you say 'ma-ma' the other day when you were fussing a bit. You have done it several times since. You can also say, 'ba-ba', 'da-da', 'ah-goo' and 'ah-boo'. You also love to squeal in excitement to see how loud you can get. 
• You still love to stand and are getting really good at standing with less and less support. 
• You are a bit spoiled my love and still love for mommy to carry you everywhere. We are both happy heart-to-heart when I carry you in the ergo. I think you could stay there for hours on end. 
• Crawling is soon. When we lay you down on the floor, you can scoot around forward and backward and side-side to get whatever toy may be out of your reach. 
• Speaking of reach, your reach must be 3ft. Nothing can be anywhere in the vicinity of little you because you will find a way to reach it. Silly girl. Your hand-eye coordination is sharp!
• You have also started reaching for mommy to pick you up and each time, my heart just melts. 
• Emeline is your absolute best friend. She can do anything for you and you giggle your best deepest giggle. You idolize her and she you. Nothing makes me happier than to see the connection you two have already. 
• You take 3 naps a day and the length always varies (30 min - 1.5 hours), but you seem to take your longest nap in the morning exactly 2 hours from when you wake up.  All your naps are exactly 2 hours after you wake up from the last. 
• Your bath is full of toys and bubbles to make it more fun and more of a sensory experience for you.  You love both, but still just really love to splash about by kicking your feet with your sister.
• Bedtime is at 8:30 sharp these days and our bedtime routine is much the same with family story time in Emeline's bed before we kiss your sweet lips goodnight. 
• Weight - 19 lbs Height - 27 in
• You are in size 12-18 month clothes already! Where did my little baby go?! 
• You have also really started to get hair this month. It is the most beautiful shade of auburn. Giselle my beauty, you are going to be a knockout with those blue eyes and auburn hair. 
• Your personality is the sweetest. You are loving, bubbly, sweet, shy, a bit sensitive, determined and silly. 

6 months ago today, we were blessed with the absolute greatest gift. Everyday, I'm so honored and thankful your birth-mom chose us to raise you baby girl. You are our entire world. Happy 1/2 Birthday my little buttercup.  It's been the best 6 months of my life. 

We love you to the ends of the earth and back,

Mommy, Daddy and Emeline

(and Oskar and George, too!)

Giselle is Five Months Old

Dear Giselle, 

I knew this time would pass quickly, but really I had no idea how truly fast it would fly by with two sweet babies. I'm a busy mommy of two and the days are just passing me by so quickly I can hardly blink.  I have savored each moment we spend together and each stage, but somehow I just can't get enough of you.  You and your sister are my world.  And I am yours. 

Here's a peek into your world at 5 months old:

• You are now either a side sleeper or a tummy sleeper.  When I lay you down in your crib for 'night night time', you immediately roll over and start sucking your wubbanub (you are addicted to that thing!) and soon after, you are fast asleep.  The first time I found you sleeping on your tummy, my heart skipped a beat and I quickly rolled you over onto your back.  Immediately, you rolled right back onto your tummy and I realized that you are alright, you are safe and it's okay for you to roll about in your crib as you please.  You do sleep more soundly this way.  
• You are a little spoiled my dear.  You love to be carried and I carry you around or wear you in the baby carrier everywhere I go.  You are most content with me.   
• When we lay you down on the floor to play with your toys, you have learned to scoot forward or backward and turn side to side.  By scooting, you can get to where you want to go and grab that toy that was just out of reach. 
• Your hand eye coordination has really drastically improved this month.  You are into everything already.  Reaching and grabbing for anything in my hands, anything in close reach and anything you may want to reach for.  I had forgotten how quickly you babies reach this stage. 
• You found your piggies at 4 months and now at 5 months, you just can't stop sucking on those sweet toes of yours.  Changing your diaper is quite the challenge these days when I have to steal your legs to put your diaper back on.  
• You live for your routine.  Mimi has watched you a couple of times now and really there is no need for me to write down your routine for her.  You eat and nap at basically the same time every day.  You are such an easy baby, albeit a little fussy when not being held, but we are truly blessed. 
• You are eating 4-5  8 oz bottles a day.  
• And at 5 1/2 months, we started you on homemade pureed foods. It was time to drop a bottle and the formula was just not cutting it. You were one hungry growing girl! We, along with Dr. S decided it's best if we skip rice or oat cereal (both cause constipation and you don't need them anyway) and we decided to move straight veggies. We started with avocado and got some really great faces out of you when the avocado got stuck at the roof of your month. We all got a good laugh out of it! 
• You take 3 naps a day and the length always varies (30 min - 1.5 hours), but you seem to take your longest nap in the morning exactly 2 hours from when you wake up.  All your naps are exactly 2 hours after you wake up from the last. 
• Our bath routine is much the same except I added toys and bubbles to make it more fun and more of a sensory experience for you.  You love both, but still just really love to splash about!
• Bedtime is at 7:30 sharp these days and our bedtime routine is much the same with family story time before we kiss your sweet lips goodnight. 

My sweet love, I so enjoy our quiet time together when I can soak up your sweet cuddles and breath in your baby scent. Oh how I wish I could bottle that scent up forever - your scent, plus lotion, plus formula and a little tee-tee is heaven sent to any momma. You'll get it someday. 

You are our world,

Mommy, Daddy and Emeline

(and Oskar and George too)

Giselle is Four Months Old

Dear Giselle, 

Each month, we've watched you grow and learn and we've watched that beautiful face of yours just get brighter and brighter. You beam happiness and when that sweet face of yours lights up, it's contagious. Really it brings tears to my eyes as your mommy because I know how truly loved and happy you are. Your sweetness and your giggle was just what the walls of this home needed to hear and what my heart needed to hold on to forever. We love you with out measure Giselle. 

The world is at your finger tips (literally these days!) and you spend your days touching, feeling and taking in the world around you. I think you may be a 'take the bull by the horns' kind of girl when you grown up. 

Here's a peek into your world at 4 months old:

• You are a very social baby - cooing, mimicking our sounds and giggling all the time.  And you have the best deep little giggle!  The sounds you starting making this month are more complex and you are really trying to mimic the sounds we make when talking to you. 
• You are such a smart little baby girl. We introduced your exersaucer to you this month and instead of using it as a jumper, you would rather spin around and discover how all of your toys work. You do so with such intent.
• You've been 'standing' since you were 4 weeks old and you can only imagine how sturdy you are now.  You can also push off of anything and stand up on your own as I grasp your hands for sturdiness. It's pretty amazing how strong your are already.  
• You now have a really good grasp of all your toys and you can even move one towards you or out of your way.  And you can pick and choose which one you want to play with. Of course, you do have favorites - Manhattan Toy Winkel Rattle and Lamaze My Friend Emily (baby that hooks onto your carseat).  We take them everywhere we go!  
• You love to be read to and touch each page as I read to you and your sister. It's actually one of my favorite times of day. 
• These days you reach for everything - especially everything in my hands.  If mommy likes it; Giselle wants it! And everything you do get your hands in, goes straight to your mouth!  Most of the time though, you are sucking on your two fingers, thumb or even both hands when they are grasped together. 
• You are now eating 5 8oz bottles a day.  You can pull my hand closer and push the nipple in your mouth and sometimes, you even hold the bottle on your own as it gets less full and less heavy.  
• Naps are all over the board. You take 3-4 naps a day - a morning, afternoon and early evening nap and every nap is about 30 minutes. I don't think you will ever be a good napper, but I'm thankful you still sleep through the night! You know and rely on your eat, play, sleep routine these days and that makes my job so much easier.  When it is nap time, we go in your room, I read you a story and rock you in our your rocker and you go down without a fuss (usually!). 
• Bath time is still such a special time for you and Emeline. I put you in your seat, Emeline hops in to your bubble filled bath, picks a color for the water (usually pink!) and you two play princesses and splash about. Both of you girls love the bath and it's such a happy time that I treasure. 
• After bath is of course story time.  We get you and Emeline all snugly and fresh and we all go into Emeline's bed.  It's family time, with Emeline, Daddy, me, Oskar and George all snuggled on her bed to read you two a story or two or five before we kiss you goodnight and wish you both sweet sweet dreams.  
• Bedtime is at 9 pm and you sleep soundly through the night until about 8 am.  You have always been such a good sleeper at night and Daddy and I are so grateful.  4 month stats:

16 lbs 13 oz - 89%

26 inches - 94%

16.9 inches - 95%

You are the answer to our prayers and our hearts overflow with love for you. I hope you always know how very much you are loved and treasured and how completely happy you have made Mommy, Daddy and your sister. We are living out the best days of our life and that's all because of you Giselle. 

We love you the most,

Mommy, Daddy, Emeline

(Oskar and George too!)

Giselle is Three Months Old

Dear Giselle, 

Today marks 3 months since you entered our world and turned this life of ours into the most beautiful of places. We are forever grateful your birth mom choose us to be your parents and we vow to cherish you always and to be the very best parents we know how to be. I promise you are showered with love and laughter every single day. You know nothing but happiness and I hope you always will. You and Emeline are our whole world. To us, you are complete happiness. A dream realized. And we are unimaginably happy with our little family. 

You my love, are pure bliss. You are such an easy baby (dare I say it!). You eat regularly, sleep through the night and are so sincerely happy. All you have to do is look at you and you give us a deep belly giggle. Gosh I love you so. 

Here is a peek into her world at 3 months:

• You have mastered tummy time, but that's not new news. You are now rolling over (December 20th to be exact) from tummy to back. You do it right after I place you on your tummy. 
• You are really starting to drool now and blow bubbles. We definitely need bibs theses days!
• For a minute there, you were a thumb sucker. I think you may have been mimicking your sister. I was hopeful you would be able to self soothe if and when you needed it, but you my dear love that paci. 
• You are really starting to discover your voice and squeal in delight. You also coo a ton! If we talk to you, you talk right back as if we are having a conversation. You have 'a-goo' down perfectly. You actually have for some time. I know you will be an early talker as you starting cooing at a week old. You are trying to grow up way before your time!
• You really have your grip down and love to grab my hair and squeeze me when we cuddle - you are a great cuddler! You can grab your paci, blanket and even toys if are interested, but so far, you mostly just want to cuddle.
• You are an incredibly strong baby too with your ability to 'stand' when we hold you up, and you attempt to sit up when we are holding you upright in our laps.
• You are a mommy's girl. You love to be held and in fact fuss most of the time when I put you down. I guess I spoiled you already! So, unless we are playing on the floor or snuggling, you are in the bjorn close to my chest just as you should be. I really wouldn't have it any other way. I've learned to do so much with a baby attached to me.
• You and Emeline continue to have such a strong bond. The love between you two continues to amaze me everyday. The other night Emeline asked if you could take a bath with her even though it wasn't your bath night and how could I say no to that. This is one of her favorite times of the day - taking a bath with you. You love the bath too and you are really starting to kick and splash about. 
• Emeline was also the first person to get you to giggle. In fact it was one night when we were watching Emeline play in the bath (January 4th). Now all we have to do is look at you, talk to you or tickle you around your neck or under your chin. It's the sweetest sound to my ears. 
• You are eating 8 oz every 3-4 hours, sleeping 12 hours a night, is in size 3-6 or 6-12 month clothes and you continue to be growing like a weed. You are so soft and squishy with sweet baby rolls that are to die for. Ah, I could just eat you up.

We love you our sweet Giselle. Always will.

Love you to the moon and back,

Mommy, Daddy and Emeline

(and Oskar and George, too!)