Hello Spring!

Spring is here and SO much more filled with life this year than ever before.  

It's hard to believe that this is Elle's first everything. . . first GREEN leaves on trees, flowers blooming, lettuce growing in the garden - everything is twice as magical this year!

We've had such a fun start to the season.  Lots of family time, loads of walks and runs (in her new Bob stroller- thanks to Pops & Lula), and so many park play dates with friends!

"Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth."

Hosea 6:3

I read this somewhere this week and was again reminded of how blessed I am to experience all of these FIRSTS with Elle:

"Our children are the warmth that we leave in the world long after our own fires are extinguished. The gravity of those early years is hard to imagine when we dream of writing headlines, performing surgery, drafting legislation or publishing books, as opposed to changing nappies, mediating Lego disputes and doing the bedtime routine – but it’s profound.

Once kids start school, they enter a vortex from which they never return to be fully, totally ours again; time with them is negotiated around a timetable of school days, weekends, social lives, activities, term dates and holidays.

And they emerge young adults, with dreams, plans and all those forks in their own roads to navigate. Much of their journey will be done without us. We will never stand by their side as we do in those first five years.

So for those of you fidgeting at home today with a restless baby, for those who have been interrupted by a toddler 20 times while you read this, I can promise you one thing. You will never regret the sacrifices you make for them now.

It may not be possible to fully appreciate the beauty of this time while you are in the midst of it. But one day, sooner than you can imagine, you will be standing on the other side of this chapter, trying to remember how their skin smelt, how their body felt sitting on your hip, head on your shoulder – and you will be filled with gladness for every moment, good and bad, that you experienced with them."

Each day with our sweet girl is a gift!
Her open mouth kisses, morning smiles, contagious giggles, sweet spirit & exuberant personality are the good stuff of life.
Soaking it all in. . .

From her tiny little toes . .

 
. . .to a face that melts our hearts

We love you, Elle Belle!

Happy Spring

"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."
Isaiah 43:19

Know Your Season

I love God's timing!   

For the last few weeks, I've been struggling with the thought of being "just a mom." I know that "JUST a mom thing" is practically a forbidden saying in the stay-at-home mom world.   

It truly is a high calling, an honor, and such a luxury to have the choice to stay at home.  

And most of all, I know you're never JUST a mom.  

I love being the one to wake Elle up slowly every morning with a sweet kiss, to cuddle in bed with her, to take her on walks,  to teach her about this great big world.  I really do!  But there are some days when the idea of not using my gifts outside of the home seems almost suffocating.  

Lately I've been hearing God say "wait" {a LOT!}  

And at first, I didn't like the idea very much.  If I wasn't going back to work, I wanted to be a mom PLUS something, . . . right now!  I just didn't (and still don't) know what that something else might be.  

That's when a sweet friend, not knowing any of this, sent my way:

“Right now, your days are long. But the years are short. 

What you are doing-the burping, the diapering, the chasing, these days matter.

 Love is not wasted. 

Loving your baby is the most important thing 

you can do right now.  

Sometimes the best way to serve is to know your season."

Maybe changing diapers is how God wants me to "change the world" right now!  

And if seeing this sweet face every morning is in my job description, I count myself very blessed:

I can't believe our sweet baby girl just turned 4 months!!

I know I say this every month (and will probably continue to for the next 10 years), but this is my favorite age YET!

Our "Elle Belle" has found her toes, become VERY ticklish, and has even started giving the sweetest, slobbery open mouth kisses! 

I am constantly amazed by her joy, her bravery, and just the contentment she has.  Unless she's hungry or tired, she's more than happy to be my little buddy running errands, charm a crowd, or just play with her toes all by herself.  

She makes being a mom effortless and OH so much fun.

Her 4 month checkup went really well!  

She took those three shots like a trooper {takes after her Daddy there} and was smiling and happy by the time we left!

This month she also had her first sleepover at Mimi & Wes' house while Michael and I attended and marriage conference at our church. 

What a blessing to have so many that love this little one so well and so willingly!

Sweet dreams FINALLY came at Mimi's {after a lot of tears, I am told} 

Later in the week,

we celebrated the gorgeous weather by going to the park with some friends . . . 

and Daddy even stopped by to surprise his girl with a few pushes!

{The first of many, I am sure}

Treasuring these moments.

Embracing & enjoying every day; a

and recognizing it as my "yes" for now.

We love you, Elle . . . 

to the moon and back!

Sailboats, Sunsets & Swings

Our little "Elle Belle", as she's called frequently around here, has had quite the adventurous few weeks.  Not only is she growing by leaps and bounds, but she's becoming more and more engaged with the world around her.  In fact, these weeks {right around the 4 month mark} are commonly referred to as the "wonder weeks."  

It's during these times that babies start realizing that they can interact with the world {and with mirrors, toys, Daddy's hands, their toes....anything really} and the world reacts right back.  They are in awe of the fact that their actions affect others and that they have a voice.  

Our little girl is waking up in every sense of the word and it's been SO MUCH FUN to watch!  

That's the good news.  

The not so great news is that this stage is also called the 4 month sleep regression.  It often changes sleep patterns (as they are moving to adult sleep cycles at this stage) and affects baby's mood-  less vocal communication, fussier awake times, MUCH more hungry....just to name a few.  So far {knock on wood QUICKLY} Elle has demonstrated some of these but in such a mild way, that if we didn't know her so well, we probably wouldn't even notice.  And thank GOODNESS she's still sleeping 12 hour stretches at night.  That could change any day; but for now we're so very grateful.  

The really great news, though, is that babies typically come out on the other side of these "wonder weeks," much more capable, more playful, and more vocal.  

It gets BETTER than this?  I just can't believe it; but I hear it's very true!

In the midst of all of this growing, our Elle has had lots of fun "firsts" these past few weeks:

As a VERY early birthday gift, 

Michael surprised me with the sailboat where we had our first date AND got engaged!  

It was about to be sold to someone else in Florida; but he saved it for the waters of Lake Wylie 

JUST in time.  

She seemed to love her first sail with Mama, Daddy, & Lula.

We cuddled and watched the sun go down on the first of many lake days.

{I could giggle with her all. day. long.}

Her handsome Daddy is going to show her all the ropes ..... literally!

Elle even has her own bed in the boat!

Not too shabby, little one.

The sun setting on one of those days, you just don't want to end.

Perfect in so many ways!

In other firsts, 

Elle got to garden with Papa Knotts and Daddy

They're going to make a country girl out of her, yet:

Those toes!!!

And finally, Mama, Elle, Caren & Tucker welcomed spring-ish weather with her first trip to the park

I'm not sure that she was too impressed; but she DID fall asleep in the swing like a champ!

We love our little girl so very much and can't wait for more Spring adventures.

Sleep regression or not, we're one very blessed family! 

Couldn't even dream of a sweeter, more joyful baby.

Now as this day slips away, I'm off to read a Bible story with Elle & her wonderful Daddy.

Our favorite part of the night:

{If you haven't yet heard of the Jesus Storybook Bible- it's just beautiful!  Every story points back to Jesus and His unspeakable sacrifice.}

"The whole Earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of JOY."

Psalm 65:8

Learning to love her little piece of the world. . .

A week in the life of Ellery Gray:

We love you, little lake girl!! 

3 Months Young

This little love is. . .

3 months

12 Weeks

84 Days

2,016 Hours. . . 

YOUNG!

Every single minute, that fills every single, hour that lingers into every single day, we are amazed at the miracle of her life and the blessings she brings to us!

Elle had a lot of firsts this month. . . 

She (and mama) survived her first flight!

She for the first time after being reunited with her Daddy!
Her feet are a favorite toy

She found her hands (and tries to put BOTH in her mouth at the same time constantly)

She has regular conversations with the ceiling fan!  She could talk to it for hours if you'd let her!

She also loves to coo at Pops (Emily's Dad).... those two have lots to say to each other

She's had many walks through the woods with Daddy in her little pouch.

She can ALMOST roll over but still DESPISES tummy time!

She saw her first snowfall, quickly followed by her first cold.

She put her toes in the sand for the very first time.

She went with us to our small group for the first time and got lots of lessons on life from the big kids

She met lots of new relatives & friends!

{Welcome to the world, cousin Kasey!!}

We're continually amazed by Elle's constant and contagious joy and curiosity . . . two traits that certainly exude from her Daddy! 

Here's to many more adventures in the weeks and months to come. . . 

It's a treasure to be your mama, Elle Belle!

Love you with all we got!