Turning One!

My little Lainey-bug turned one year old on Friday, October 24th at 7:24 A.M. I've been thinking about her impending "big" birthday for weeks now - remembering the feeling of anxiousness I felt leading up to her birth. Would God finally grant us our miracle? What would the sex of the baby be? Who would she look like - me or Sam? When would she finally make her debut? How long would labor last? I could have never known how it would feel the first time I held her in my arms and heard her cry - that sweet beautiful "I'm here mommy" cry! As I think back on all these things leading up to her blessed birth and then press fast forward over the last year - since it does seem like someone's finger has been on that button the entire time - the tears well up in me and there just aren't enough words in good ole Webster to describe that kind of love. How could I have ever known or deserved something so beautiful and precious?

Lainey is a busy busy baby. She is very intelligent, yes I am her mother and you might think I'm a bit biased, but she is a very smart girl. She studies meticulously the way things work - toys, lights, EVERYTHING! She has definitely inherited her daddy's engineer mind. In the same breath, she is marvelously independent and as I like to put it, "willful." Sam says she gets this from me. ;-) She is a girl who knows what she wants and is not afraid of people, noises, the dark, or anything for that matter. I hope she always has a veracious curiosity about life, the people around her and the way things work. She has a good vocabulary - things like: mama, daddy (of course), light, dog (sometimes comes out gog), thank you (on occasion), shoe, juice, ba-ba (bottle), ba (ball), Yainey (aka Lainey), Papa (for my dad and Papa), and Na-na (no - imagine that. She started walking at 11 months, taking 7 or so steps and then falling into a crawl and then repeating the process. But by this first birthday, there was no crawling. Her "boots were made for walkin" ladies and gentlemen!

Ah I could go on forever, so many wonderful milestones and rare precious moments over the last year to share - things a mother will always treasure, that no enemy of the mind could take away. As life gets busier and the days rush by even faster, birthday after birthday, my baby will always be my baby.

I love you little one - Happy Happy First Birthday!

Wearing Bows

I wouldn't say wearing bows is her favorite thing, but Lainey certainly doesn't hate wearing them either. She tolerates me putting bows in her hair on Sundays, but I don't push my luck by trying to make her wear them any other day of the week!

Baby Update

Baby Woolard is due February 22nd and we so excited! The heart is so strong and was beating about 160 beats/minute. We are very pleased with the baby's development and now are just hoping the bleed goes away soon! It's distressing to me to not be able to tote Lainey around. I know she misses her mommy carrying her around. I snuggle with her on the floor, as that's about all I can do. Hopefully, just like with Lainey, I will be fine after my next ultrasound on August 14th. Until then, I have to do whatever it takes to make sure this new little one has a safe home!

Sam is on the mission trip this week and we are missing him desperately! I am lucky to have Pat here helping me though and we certainly are all enjoying her company! Life is good and I have no complaints. I only wish there were more time in the day to get it all done. But we all know how that goes...the more you wish for it, the faster it slips through you fingers. So my goal is to try to sit back, chill and take my time.

Another baby on the way...

Yes, that's what the headline says and I saw the heartbeat on Monday to prove it! Sam and I are expecting another child, due in late February. We will get an official due-date on July 17th when we go for another ultrasound. Baby's heartbeat is good and strong, just like Lainey's was. It was beating at about 142 beats per minute.

Part of me is almost still in shock! The other part of me is in the throws of morning sickness and reality is here! Regardless of the issues that I have had to go through as a pregnant woman, with Lainey and now with this little one, I have absolutely no regrets or complaints - it's SO WORTH IT!

Whatever this newest little angel be, boy or girl, it will be loved and cherished just as our other two children are!

Random Pics of the Girls that I Love!

Daddy's Girls

Plain and simple, if there is one thing that Lainey and Lindsey love, it's their daddy! Sam is wonderful father and the girls are lucky to have such a "cool," funny, and loving father. I hope these girls never ever forget just how much he loves them. He's always on their side and there with goodnight kisses!

Shame on me!

I know, I know...it's been FOREVER since I have posted! It's in part due to the fact that for some reason I'm having issues uploading pics to my computer and the other reason is because we have been SO BUSY for the last month!

We had Lindsey's birthday party on May 24th - celebrated early b/c all her friends go out of town for the summer and she wanted to make sure everyone would be able to come. Needless to say, she had a wonderful time and enjoyed the slumber party/party the next day! We had something to do every weekend since! We went on vacation this past week, which was really nice and much needed! Lainey is a water-bug and enjoyed splashing around in the Guadalupe! We enjoyed Schlitterbahn with Lindsey while Lainey hung out with MiMi & Pops. Overall, it was a great family vacation - now I just need a vacation from my vacation!

Yesterday was Lindsey's official birthday and she turned 11 years old. Friday evening we celebrated her "actual" birthday and her excellent final grades for the school year (yes - ALL A's!!!) by taking her to her favorite restaurant - Samurai Japanese Steakhouse. We enjoyed some great Hibachi and sushi with some friends of ours.

Today is Father's Day and we are just taking it easy. I have a post especially for Sam on this special day, but I will wait to post until I can get my pictures uploaded!

I'll be back to post, I promise!

Happy Mother's Day

What a special Mother's Day! Lainey made me a flower pot, complete with flower at Mrs. Lisa's and daddy ordered me a special frame - such thoughtful special gifts!

I am such a proud mom and so blessed! If you could have asked me what I thought being a mom would feel like a few years ago, there is no way I could have adequately put into words the amazing, warm feeling that just comes over you. Motherhood is my peaceful place - that alone is the best Mother's Day gift I could have ever gotten.

Look!!!

Lainey got her first tooth! It finally popped through Saturday morning! What a fun Mother's Day present! The other bottom should come in by the end of the week! Our Lainey-bug is growing up so fast!

The Many Faces of Lainey

"I'm Sassy!"

"I can sit up and smile at the same time Mom!"

"Don't you just love my ducky outfit Grandma got me?"

"I love you too mommy..."


Lainey is such a little ham and really enjoyed posing for her audience at the Picture People this past Saturday. What fun day celebrating her 6 month milestone!

1/2 Way to a Year

My my Lainey Grace...6 months old already! You had your 6 month check up and here are your stats:

28 inches long - above the 97th percentile
20 pounds 10 ounces - above the 97th percential



My sweet beautiful jabbering baby girl,

There is never a day that goes by that I don't thank the heavens above for giving me such a precious angel. You ALWAYS find a way to make us smile, always! It is the gift of who you are...our Lainey-bug. When the stress of the day is just too much, I find myself wanting to be near you...you make it better...you make me smile. Your cuddles in the morning, the incessant "Da-Da-Da" at the top of your lungs, the open-mouth-slobbery kisses you bestow upon my cheek, the way you laugh when we make faces at you, the simple fascination you find with the features of my face, the way you ride on top of daddy's shoulders and try to eat his hair, the way you almost crawl (master scooter at this point), and ALL the countless things you do that might seem simple and meaningless to everyone else are the most special and precious part of having you as our sweet baby.

Love you,
Mommy

Look at me now!

I know, I know...I'm terrible! It's been almost a full month since I have posted anything new. It's just been a little hectic around the Woolard house. Lainey got sick right before heading to Disney and the family had to stay home while I still had to go. Once I got home, I caught the tail end of Lainey's sickness. The last several weeks at work have been super busy. We're always busy, but not busy in "overdrive." After battling technical difficulties in getting pictures uploaded, here I am! Also, Michelle threatened to not speak to me until I updated my blog, so I figured I better get after it.



So here we go:

Lainey visited the doctor while she was sick and now weighs 19lbs (and that was as of 2 weeks ago - needless to say she hasn't missed any meals since then - LOL)
She is and has been desperately trying to crawl - she can "scoot" enough to get a toy that has been placed out of reach.
She now sits in her highchair to eat.
Speaking of eating, she is now eating 2 full jars of baby food for dinner - 1 veggie & 1 fruit (like all babies - LOVES the fruit so I have to feed it to her last or she won't eat her veggie.
She HATES squash and no amount of prodding could convince her otherwise!
She has found her sense of shyness and now turns away or buries her head in my shoulder when someone she is unsure of tries to talk to her.
She randomly sleeps through the night - some nights are good, some nights are bad.
She jabbers up a storm and if she spits, that means she dislikes something or is just plain ole mad.
She is terribly ticklish and her laugh is contagious.
She loves being in her walker - she's mobile! :-)
She had her first teething bisquit - LOVED that experience!
She sits in a bath chair or lays down in the tub - she LOVES to splash the water!
Her hair is getting longer everyday and she continues to sport a mini mohawk - particularly when she wakes up on the morning.
She is the happiest baby I have ever seen - morning time is her favorite!
Most of all, she is and always will be one of the great loves of my life!

Happy 4 Months!

Here she is ladies and gentlemen - 4 months old already on Feb 24th! She went to the doctor on 2/29 and here are the stats:

26 1/4 inches long - 97th percentile for height
17 1/2 pounds - 97th percentile for weight
And PERFECTLY healthy!

It isn't just her stats that we are so proud her, but all the wonderful things Lainey is learning and doing these days. Look at her - she barely fits in that tub anymore and it seems like it was just yesterday that the tub was way bigger than she was. I know I say this everytime we pass another month, but time flies! If she could understand me, I would say, "Slow down my beautiful Lainey-bug...this is going by too fast! But you know you will always be our "baby" girl! Love you!"

Be Mine!

With the look that says, "Will you be my Valentine?," Lainey sure knows how to get what she wants! Daddy and I's response, "Of course precious angel - We'll be your Valentine anyday!" Love you precious baby! Happy 1st Valentine's Day!

Just Hangin' Out

Welcome the Newest Christian on the Face of the Planet!

Elaine and Amber - The Godmothers

Lainey Grace was baptized yesterday and what a beautiful day it was! The sun was shining and the birds were chirping as if it was the first day of spring. There was a sense of renewal in the air this weekend. As we celebrated Lainey's baptism, we were also reminded of our commitment to and relationship with Christ. Lainey was surrounded by all those special people that love her, making the day a glorious event. We felt so loved and truly blessed that everyone wanted to be a part of formally welcoming Lainey into our church and God's arms.

We hope for Lainey that she always feels God's grace around her and that she grows up with a humble and thankful spirit. For Sam and I, Lainey is a precious gift that is a living example of God's love and presence in our lives.

Little Miss Hollywood

MiMi has a new nickname for Lainey - Little Miss Hollywood! It's hard work posing for the camera - especially when you are only 3 months old!

Lainey is 3 Months Old!

Ah my sweet Lainey girl! Has it really been 3 months already? Yesterday we celebrated your 3 month birthday and what better way to celebrate than by feeding you your first bowl of cereal! You weren't quite sure what to do with it at first, but you figured that sucking that cereal off the spoon proved to be pretty effective. We were all there to "ooh & ahh" over you as you ate. Lindsey was filming you with her video camera she got for Christmas, Daddy was spooning the cereal in, and I was sitting there watching you, laughing, and just taking in your wonderfulness!

My dear sweet baby, you will never, ever know just how much I love you. You are the most amazing & beautiful little person I have ever known. I will never take you for granted and will never forget the way one teensie little smile can melt my heart in an instant.

Happy 3 Month Birthday - Mommy loves you will all her heart!

Going Back to Work

It's my first day back to work tomorrow. I am looking forward to getting back into my groove, but distraught about leaving my baby. I knew this time would come, but I'm still not prepared! There are so many mixed emotions swirling in my head. Mostly my heart is just aching at the thought of someone else getting to see my baby's "firsts." I know that every working mother goes through this, but unfortunately knowing I am not alone doesn't console me much. I try desperately to take comfort in the fact that a wonderful lady is keeping her and that she is just around the corner from me, but it still hurts. I am her mom and I should be the one cuddling her and teaching her new things all day. I worry that she will miss the sound of her mommy's voice or somehow feel like I have abandoned her for the day. I know this isn't the case because a 2 1/2 month old can't rationalize what is happening, but it doesn't change the fact that I can. I know that many tears will be shed tomorrow, just the way they are streaming down my cheeks now. I can only hope that God will help me through this and make it a little easier each day.

Off to Church We Go!

Yesterday was Lainey's second time going to church. She got all "prettied-up" in a dress her MiMi bought her and off we went. Now Sam and I smart enough to know what will keep her quiet during the service - a bottle of course. We went prepared with the "big cereal bottle" that she has in the morning. As soon as services started, we popped that sucker in her mouth. She did fantastic the first 4 ounces, but the last 2 ounces - the last 2 that make her drift off to sleep - didn't have the same effect that they normally do. She was working on those last 2 ounces during Father Jim's sermon and let me tell you, she wanted to chime in. She started coo'ing and ah'ing - loudly! I kept my hand steady on that bottle as if silently begging her to keep eating. It was all I could do not to burst out laughing myself and finally Lainey won out. We made our exit so she could finish her conversation with mommy. I think she was trying to tell me about the humorous present she left me in her diaper - she always waits until the most opportune times to do that. Anyway, after she had a clean diaper on, we finished our conversation and she drifted off into a sweet sleep. I guess some conversations just can't wait!

Got Milk?

If my precious baby girl could talk, those would surely be her words - "Got Milk." She is a hungry little bug, but plays and kicks her legs with the same intensity that she eats. And look at that belly of hers, don't you just want to pinch on it? :-) I do all the time! Lainey has also been doing so wonderfully in her big girl bed. I was forced to put her in there a little early since I was sick over the holidays because I didn't want her to catch anything in case I was contagious. I hated it, but it did work to our advantage. She sleeps from about 8:30 P.M. until around 7 A.M. - give or take a few minutes. How awesome is that! It has me spoiled, I can tell you that! I don't think there could possibly be anything more beautiful in this whole world than seeing her smile at me first thing in the morning!

Happy 2 Months Lainey!

Today Lainey had her 2 month check-up at the doctor. She weighed in at 13lbs 15oz, putting her in the 95th percentile for weight. She was 24 1/4 inches long, putting her in the 97th percentile for height. She is a very happy healthy 2 month old baby and we couldn't be more proud of our little angel.

She is holding her head up very well and coos up a storm these days. I will never forget how precious her smile is when she wakes up in the morning, how she tugs on my shirt when she is eating, the way she looks at her favorite monkey on her jungle gym, and the sweet sound she makes when she is sleeping so soundly. My precious baby is another month older - ah, this growing up thing isn't going to get easier is it?

Merry Christmas - well sort of...

This year was supposed to be our best Christmas yet because we had a new addition in the family. However, things didn't quite work out the way that I had planned for Lainey's first Christmas. I rounded out Christmas Eve with a fever - a high fever. I was afraid I had the flu so we came straight home and I went to bed, staying away from Lainey, Lindsey and Sam. The night was hectic for Sam and sad for me because I was in bed aching with a fever. Christmas Day proved even more depressing as Sam headed out early that morning to take Lindsey to Sam's parents and then to be with her mom. My mom and dad came over to take care of the baby since Sam was away. I was in bed most of the day sad about how our first family Christmas had turned out. Sam was desperately trying to get home to us that evening and his car broke down(the CRX no longer goes on long road trips). He finally made it home to Lainey and I at 10:30 P.M. Christmas night. What a crazy 2 days!

Even though this was not how I imagined our first Christmas together to be, it made me more thankful for the wonderful family that I have, and before you know it, I was feeling merry again!

All Aboard!

All aboard the Soul Train! We started a tradition this Christmas that is definitely worth continuing. One of the local churches in the neighboring community has a train on their property. They have over 100,000 Christmas lights and various Christmas scenes, making the train ride a blast! They also have Santa there to visit with the kids, cotton candy and other things for the kids to enjoy! There was a chill in the air so we had to bundle Lainey up so she could go enjoy the festivities too! We had a great time and are looking forward to going back next year!

Lainey & Santa

Every girl needs her picture taken with Santa!

The Magic Touch

Uncle Mike got his turn at cuddling babies (Lainey and Hannah) and proved that he can definitely outlast! Lainey was so thrilled to get her 8 P.M. feeding from Uncle Mike that she took the longest time in the history of her feedings to finish off a 4 oz bottle. Lainey finally drifted off to sleep and polished off the bottle an hour later! Ahhh-the magic touch!