I haven't had a chance to update lately as my access to the internet is scarce. I did want to at least post some updated photos. Things are still going great. We are working on her night time routine. Last week we had three really good nights where she slept up to 5 hours consecutively, which allows us to feel somewhat normal again! It isn't really consistent yet, however.

I have been having a lot of fun with her during the day during her awake times. This past week she started smiling and just became more active overall.

Aunt Susan gave Julia-Rose some CD's and there is one in particular that she likes listening to. I can lay her beside the CD player and she will listen for about an hour at a time.

Smiling...

Julia-Rose started smiling this week!

This past Sunday we took Julia-Rose to church for the first time and had so much fun showing her off. After church we spent the afternoon at my parents house and enjoyed the beautiful fall weather.

I can't believe she's mine!

Proud Grandparents just after she was born

This first week has gone by too fast! I honestly didn't even think I would like this stage. Before I had her I wanted to skip ahead several weeks because I thought having a newborn would be so exhausting and difficult. However, I have been blessed with a very easy baby (so far!), and even when I am up in the middle of the night feeding and changing her I cherish every moment. A few nights ago I wanted Shawn to try to get some good sleep in since he is the one working right now, so I told him he didn't need to get up at all. She and I were up together that particular night for about 2 hours in a row. She just wasn't tired! It was one of the rare moments when her eyes were actually open and I could enjoy what little bit of her personality that is already starting to come out. I used to crave 8+hours of sleep a night, but somehow God prepares your body for this time and I haven't even been tired. We laid on the floor together and I just watched her for a good 2 hours and was never tired or frustrated at all. I also love watching her sleep. I put her down in her bed and can just stand there and watch her sleep and never think about the time. Last night it brought tears to my eyes looking at her thinking what a gift she is. I have thanked God for entrusting me with her countless times now. It humbles me to think that He has allowed me to be her mother.

We have had a great first week at home. She is sleeping 3+ consecutive hours through the night between feedings, which I feel is pretty good. I have had so much help that I haven't had to do very much work at all. My mom has spent most of the week with me and she has cleaned, stocked our kitchen with groceries, and meals to last a week. Our church is also bringing meals for the next week, so we have more food than we can eat right now. It is such a nice break not having to worry about cooking! Next week I will be on my own but things are going so well that I don't feel like I need help anymore, and I am actually looking forward to resuming some normalcy. This has been such a special time bonding with my new baby though and for my mom and I to spend together that I will miss having my mom around next week. I greatly appreciate all the help and encouragement she has given me.

This morning we did have our first little scare. She woke up around 4:30 sneezing (which I know is normal for a newborn), but she was also producing quite a bit of mucous that we thought looked strange. We laid her in our bed and monitored her breathing for over 2 hours to make sure she was breathing okay. We are a bit paranoid at this stage in the game! I called the doctor as soon as they opened and was told that everything should be normal as long as her temperature was normal. So my mom brought over a couple of her thermometers to use because I didn't think mine was the proper kind. Well we had trouble reading her's too, so I ended up calling a neighbor over for a bit of reassurance who also has a newborn, and then my mom had to run to the drugstore and buy a brand new thermometer. About an hour and a half later we finally were able to check her temperature, which was perfectly normal, and my anxiety was put to rest. You just grow to love them so quickly and it scares me so to think of her being sick or of something happening to her. I have truly tried to commit her to the Lord, but I still worry. I know that she is His first and that He will protect her. I have to constantly remind myself of that.

These two photos are of us right before I delivered Julia-Rose, and when I was handed her for the first time. I was so blessed with a very easy labor and delivery. My contractions started on Friday evening, went throughout the day on Saturday, and I delivered her early Saturday evening. When we arrived at the hospital I wasn't even *sure* if I was in labor. Shawn dropped me off at the emergency entrance and I didn't even take my bags in because I told him I wasn't certain if I was in labor. It turns out that I was already dilated to 9cm, my water had broken, and I was ready to push upon admittance! I couldn't have asked for an easier labor. For weeks before my labor I had a lot of anxiety over labor and prayed asking God to give me the grace to get through it and He certainly did.