One year ago...

...we found out about our sweet baby. It was the most incredible moment to experience. We cried and laughed and planned and dreamed and began counting down the days until our sweet Lyssa would be here. And the long months of waiting that followed were so sweet and special as we prepared for the little life that would change our world forever.

15 weeks

It amazes me that Lyssa is already 15 weeks... Time is flying, but we are adoring every moment of it!!
We drove to NC on Friday; it was a long trip, but Lyssa did amazing!! She was her sweet self the whole time and even kept to her routine beautifully these few days that have followed. She's had busy days, meeting friends and family and being inundated with love and attention; mommy is making sure that she stays on routine and has some down time each day so she doesn't get overwhelmed. But she is taking it all in and doing so well- very minimal fussing and grumpies. Mommy and daddy are amazed, proud, and blessed at her sweet, happy self.
Lyssa went to church with mommy and daddy on Sabbath and got to meet people who are very special to us. She was instantly adored. It was fun to introduce her around and to be back in a place so special to us with such a precious treasure.
Today Lyssa got to meet her great-aunt Jane, great-uncle Steve, and momma's cousin Jennifer. Everyone gathered at Kates house for a big family party. She took it all in very bravely, with the noise and activity constant around her. The little ones especially enthralled her; maybe because they're more her size?
We are at Nana and Papa's till Tuesday then we head over to Aunt Kate and Uncle Brett's. We are having fun hanging out with everyone and being loved on. :)

Road trip

We are on our first road trip with Lyssa, driving down to NC for thanksgiving with the family. She's doing amazing. So far we've stopped to feed her every three hours and to give her a chance to stretch and move around. It's been a long trip though and two hours out, it's now Lyssa's bedtime and she wants to stretch out on her belly in her crib. I feel bad for my little doll.
I'm so proud of her and how's she's held up. She is such a sweetie!!

14 weeks

Milestones: Lyssa reached 3 months last Monday (11/5). At her 3mo appointment, she weighed in at 15lb 11oz and 25 1/4in, putting her up to the 97 percentile for her age. Dr Malaty said that if all continues to go well, we can wait till 5mo to start her on solids. Mommy and daddy couldn't be happier.
She is on a solid routine, eating every three hours between 8am and 11pm, with her nap times about an hour after she finishes eating and has playtime. Her bedtime is at 7 and when she goes down after her 11pm feeding, she is down for the night until 5, sometimes 7:30am. It is delightful having such a consistent routine and a happy baby. She goes right down without a peep every time and wakes up smiling and happy.
Developments: sleeping all night (hallelujah momma's sleeping again!!); giggling; traveling (mainly in her crib); reaching for and grasping things; noticing her hands and things in them; making letter sounds (favorites are n, g, agh, and e).
Improvements: following movements with her eyes more and more; lots more cooing and talking; staying up on her elbows for longer periods of time; strengthening legs, arms, and neck (I'm sensing an early crawler).
Other: drooling; everything in hands goes directly to mouth, including hands; lots of necessary outfit changes (both mommy and baby, if you get my drift... haha!).
Loves: airplane; bath time; being read to; playtime on her mat; walks in the baby bjorn; listening to mommy play the piano.

13 weeks

The most obvious developments that have taken place this week: Lyssa startles much more now than she did even a week ago, mainly when we move too quickly towards her; I've also noticed it after I take a picture and then move to set the phone or camera down. She never startles to tears tho- once the moment has passed, she is her smiling self again. Already rolling to her belly from a week ago, she is now tucking her legs up underneath her. It's so cute to go into her room and see her all cuddled up in her crib...

Hurricane Sandy and showers of blessings

Although late in the season, this storm still packed a punch. Enough to rival Katrina's fame from '05. The Jersey shore has been left devastated. Hitting on Monday night, October 29, there was already significant damage from flooding and high winds before she even made landfall. Entire towns along the barrier islands were demolished; homes were washed from their foundations; flooding was so severe that many towns became an extension of the ocean. Not only was the shoreline affected, but the entire state is mainly without power. Still. The cleanup is ongoing, from downed trees and power lines to flooding and contaminated water. Schools are shelters, gyms are showers, cafes are charging stations; and who knows how long this will continue. People's homes are destroyed, their lives horribly affected by this historic superstorm.
Here is East Windsor, we aren't any more lucky than the next town over. Except we still have our homes. We may not have power, but our memories, our investments, and our family units are physically safe, if not a bit chilly. But we are being impacted just the same. Limited power is affecting which stores and gas stations are open; downed power lines and snapped poles are having to be repaired; and in the meantime, families are huddled in their houses trying to stay warm. I've never seen a whole town shut down like this... And we are seeing minimal damage as compared to the shore and lower Manhattan/Queens. It's going to take months, no, years to rebuild. A lifetime for some to recover; if that's even long enough.
I feel so blessed- not because my power never went out or that my house didn't flood or get impacted by a falling tree; but because I, we, my family, was sheltered. Protected. Unharmed and safe. We were looked after. And as a mother who obsesses all the time about the protection and well-being of my child, it brings to mind the image of God as a loving, concerned parent wanting me to stay safe from harm's way. It's true- you see God differently as a parent than when just a person. I'm grateful. He cradled us in His care and we came through unscathed. So I'll sit in traffic for as long as I have to, or do without gas or groceries or other luxuries of life, waiting on restoration of normalcy... Because I'm blessed.

12 weeks

Baby girl has discovered rolling from her back to belly... Especially for sleeping. Lyssa is a tummy sleeper, just like her mommy and daddy. And she loves being in her belly to look around.
She continues to become more and more responsive to our conversations with her. We talk to her all the time and she tries to talk back with her baby noises. I imagine her to be a great talker once she begins to add words to her repertoire of noises.
A tradition while being in NJ is going to the Chatsworth Cranberry Festival with the McKillops. This year, we took Lyssa with us. She enjoyed her time riding around strapped to daddy, falling sleep after a little bit of sightseeing.