Worship Leader

If you think this post will be about Addison--it's not :) I do not post too often about something other than Addison, but I am about to change that!!

Matthew started leading worship at the contemporary Saturday night service at our church. His first service was last Saturday. He sings and plays his guitar and has a female vocalist, drummer and keyboarder. Last Saturday they played "Marvelous Light", "Hungry", "Nothing but the Blood" and "Here I am to Worship". They did a GREAT job on their first service as a band!!

I am so proud of Matthew taking on this new role. He has so much on his plate between work, being a relatively new husband and being a new Daddy but yet he has made time to allow God to use his gifts. God will bless him for this ministry and I am thrilled to be able to watch and support him in this new venture.

I still have to pinch myself to remind myself this life I have the privilege of sharing with Matthew Grant, is real. It is funny to think that it took me SOOO many years of friendship with him to realize---he truly is and always will be, the love of my life!

I think this picture captures him beautifully...just smiling, having fun and enjoying life!! This is what he always looks like. We always have a blast doing everything, nothing and everything in between!

I gave him Sponge Bob gummy crabby patties as a welcome home from his trip to Canada. Here we enjoy them together; we have fun doing anything!!!

Solids-Take Two, Teething and More

Ever since she has been teething, she has been crinkling her nose when she smiles!

Solids-Take Two

As you may (or may not) have read in a previous post, we stop solids after one and half weeks in and just restarted about 2 weeks ago. Although Addison was psychologically ready, her tummy was apparently not. We reintroduced VERY slowly. We started with 2 teaspoons once and day and ramped up the amount to probably 4 tablespoons over one and a half weeks. We also let the consistency be a little on the runny side so as to not clog her up. We only just recently added cereal twice a day. We plan to hang out with twice a day for another week or so. Since the reintroduction, she has been very gassy and you can tell uncomfortable. The doctor said we will just have to get over this hump, so we are waiting...somewhat patiently :) But, we will get there eventually. I already made her carrots for her first veggie and cant wait to test them out. I will post how I made the carrots once she actually tries them. I know how much she LOVES eating big girl food so I cannot wait to move on to other foods! AND I CANT WAIT TO MAKE THEM!!!!!

Teething

Addison has two bottom teeth coming in. Can this be real? This early? Yes, it is true! I have read some babies don't even notice teething, while others are particularly sensitive. Addison is latter...majorly. I feel so bad for her because she TRIES not to grunt and whine, but sometimes---ya just gotta vent. On the other hand, she has been ULTRA sweet in the moments the teeth have not been bothering her. She has been very uncomfortable since Saturday so I am hoping we are over the hump. It appears that the teeth are almost all the way through the gums. Whew! I tried tylenol, teething tablets, oragel and teething rings. I think she prefers to tough it out without much assistance.

& More

Walking: Addison has been learning to take steps lately when you hold her fingers to stand up, she walks around. Sometimes she will really get going, other times...she just moseys around.
Crawling: She can push all the way up on her hands and sometimes pulls her feet under her, but only scoots a tiny bit. I still maintain she will skip crawling. But, I will not be ashamed if I am wrong :)
Pacifier: I keep forgetting to share about this. For about a month now, Addison can see her pacifer, pick it up and put it in her mouth on her own. In fact, she can find them in the middle of the night in her bed and put them in. It kind of freaked me out the first time she did it over night....I was like "did a ghost do that? No way did a 4 month old just figure that out." Sure enough...she did.
Dreamfeed: After much debate, we dropped the dreamfeed (the 10 PM feeding where she was basically asleep). We dropped it cold turkey and she never skipped a beat. She eats 4 times a day now...every 4 hours. BUT...in order to maintain milk supply...Mommy must do 5 feedings (aka pump...BOO).
Eyes: Her eyes are changing colors. They look green now. Maybe they stay green or maybe they will go to brown as I anticipate. Its been so fun watching them change!

She is just growing up too fast!!! See a few sweet pics below :)

More crinkled nosed Addison.

Grandma Grant made this outfit. The pants are a little long, so this will fit just in time for fall!

Grandma Grant made this outfit too! Its SOOO sweet, unfortunately, it will be too short by Christmas because it fits perfect now! It was intended to be her for cousin who is 9 months older, but it was teensy bit snug...so I was HAPPY we were able to use it, cause I love it!

Her friend Alex...hehehe! He is SO smart!! He started WALKING AT 9 MONTHS!!!

Just testing the sippy cup. She does not like water in it that is for sure! No hurry though, we are just letting her explore!

Mia got her this outfit, I just love it because she looks SO girly!!

Alex and Addison playing again! And they SHARE!!!

Daddy gives the best baths!; look how happy she is!!!

Pulling to Stand and Crawling?????

Please excuse the horrible camera work, I was using a tripod. This is what Addison wants to do all the time----pull to sit and then to stand. I promise I am not pulling on her, its all her strength!

Here is our lil scooter...notice how she has to put her head down to concentrate enough to scoot

Peek A Addison

She figured out this game remarkably fast!

Five Months Old--WOW!

Happy Five Months to our precious Addison Joy; its shocking how old she already is and how much she has changed in such a short time! I have to pinch myself to remind me that this life is real. I am so blessed to have a beautiful, healthy and sweet baby girl and such a wonderful, caring, supportive, loving and encouraging husband to share it with. I never DREAMED my life would be so rich.

Here are some stats and developments:

• Weight: Approximately 17ish pounds
• Diaper Size: Full time in size 3 (well, I have about 12 size 2's to finish off first)
  
• Breastfeeding: We are still only nursing/giving expressed milk. No formula. I always said "breastfeeding is a commitment not just a choice". And there are so many days when it would be MUCH EASIER to give up. Our original goal for nursing was 2 months with a dream of 12 months; we have made it to 5 and I am proud! However, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the encouragement by not only Matthew but also my friends Stori (her baby is very close to Addison's age, we are pen pals of sorts), Mandie and Amber. Thanks for encouraging me!!
  
• Food: We tried cereal (her first solids) in August and although Addison enjoyed the experience and the taste (not to mention she was good at eating off the spoon) the cereals were rough on her tummy. After she had so much trouble keeping the food down and getting clogged up, the doctor asked us to come in just to make sure everything was ok. Addison was perfect and the doctor agreed she is psychologically ready for food however she just has a generally sensitive tummy. So, we took a break and will reintroduce this weekend but MUCH slower. They recommended introducing new foods MUCH slower than most parents do since her tummy is sensitive. This makes me feel so blessed we have breastfed this long because that is the easiest on any baby much less one with a sensitive tummy.
• Motor skills: Addison is really developing her fine motor skills, she uses her FINGERS to touch, pick up and discover rather than just her hands.
  
• Personality: Wow, where to begin. She is a generally contented baby who LOVES HER SLEEP!!!!!!! She has a sweet laid back nature about her. Addison is also a little show off; when people are watching her she just grins and coos and giggles. She loves laughing and smiling especially at Piper and Daddy. Another thing that makes her smile and giggle are kisses!!! No matter who it is---she smiles HUGE when someone kisses her! Also, she is quite a thinker; she will just stare at something trying to understand it!! My friend Stori conjectures she will be a scientist!!
  
• Separation Anxiety: I didn't think this monster would visit so soon, but it did. My little independent Addison has realized when she has been left alone to play. I am confident it is a phase and will pass very soon. In the meantime, we have been working on teaching her that Mommy will ALWAYS come back. I do not run and pick her up every time she has one of these moments, even though I really want to. I remind myself that we must TRAIN not RETRAIN. Meaning, train her in the right behaviors NOW as opposed to training her with the wrong behaviors now because its easier and having to RETRAIN her later.

Some Firsts:

• Ate solids
• Dressed in 6-12 month clothes
  
• She rolled from back to tummy this month!!!! She can roll both ways now! However, now that she has done it several times---she doesnt care to do it again, typical for Addison.
• Attended her first birthday party (Khloe and Piper's pool party!)
• Pulls to standing. Addison only wants to sit and stand....she is "so over" laying on her back or tummy. As soon as she grabs your hands she will pull herself to sitting then to standing (video coming soon).
• Beginnings of crawling (video coming soon)
  

During last month's picture, she couldn't keep her hands off the bear...now it's the PAPER!

She decided to escape from her pillow fortress and try to scoot away.

Oatmeal!

I think its about time to retire this chair.

Just being sweet.

Her first pair of jeans (which are actually too small already...HA!) AND in ALL 6-12 month size!

This grin is what she looks like 95% of the time!

Khole and Piper's pool party

It's tough being the youngest at the party.

This is her new noise...razzing!!