Friday, August 22, 2008
Starting Solids
The doctor has said that we can start solids any time now; but she said it was up to us. She said anytime between now and 6 months of age is a good time to start. She also recommended that we start "cup-training" as well (to teach her how to drink from that). However, I really would like to wait as long as possible to introduce all this new stuff, and here are my reasons why....
1) I LOVE nursing!!
2) Sierra and I (finally) have a good nursing relationship and all is going well.
3) Solid foods are messy and I am not very good with all that "yuck".
4) I don't want her to like food more and then stop nursing as much.
5) I want to wait till she is (mostly) sitting up on her own.
And....
6) I am good at making a lot of excuses and I really just need to pray about it!!! I am not very good with change and letting go of my little baby girl already. She is only 4 months and already so many "big girl" things!!
I guess we will see how it goes, but for all those inquiring minds out there....for now I am going to wait until she is at least 6 months.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Back to Back
I have been praying and praying (although these are minuscule requests), and God has answered my prayers!! Not only is Sierra taking a bottle now, but this evening she gulped down 6 ounces of FROZEN milk from May 20th!!! This is such an accomplishment and in such a short amount of time.
Just last week, I was mixing the frozen in with fresh stuff to see if she would take it, but she wouldn't having anything to do with it. Therefore, I was losing the frozen milk and the fresh milk. So, I stopped doing that and just decided that I would try and thaw out the frozen milk (fully - meaning no frozen pieces still in the bag when I heated it) and give it to her that way. Sure enough, I took the May 20th bag out the freezer yesterday and thawed it over night and this evening she sucked down 6 of the 7 ounces that were in the bottle. She probably would have drank the whole thing, but I think she was full after the 6 ounces! :)
She is becoming such a big and independent girl! I am so proud of all her accomplishments! If I am this excited about her taking a bottle, I can't imagine how I am going to feel when she goes to preschool and makes her first art project for me! :) More pictures to come on all her new exciting tricks!
And....she has been found twice now in her crib after nap time on her belly! Silly girl!!! Mommy thinks Nana Miller and Great Aunt Connie need to come back here and teach her how to roll the other way too!!!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Bottle Success!
Last week when my in-laws were here visiting, I asked them to try and give Sierra a bottle. My mother-in-law tried first and sure enough she stuck the bottle in Sierra’s mouth and away she went. She drank the full 2 ounce bottle and then I filled it up again and she drank all the rest. Amazing! So, they laughed and joked that it was a “grandmother” thing. Since Sierra will take the bottle from my mother also. The next day, we tried again, this time letting Brian’s Aunt give it a try. Again, she sucked down the entire bottle! I could not believe it. Not only was she drinking from the bottle, but she was actually holding the bottle all by herself like a big girl. She is growing up soooo fast! Then on Friday, I attended a “Killed while on Duty Death Benefits” class with Brian, so my in-laws stayed with Sierra. When she woke up from her nap, my Mother-in-law gave her a bottle again and she had no problem with it. This past Monday, Brian gave Sierra a bottle and she took it right away and then drank the whole thing and today was my turn, we had success!!! She drank a full bottle for me as well. This is such a milestone in our house. We are all very excited!
The only issue we seem to be having right now is she won’t drink the frozen milk. However, I am not completely sure whether it is the frozen milk that tastes bad to her or the milk that is tainted with the flavor of the antibiotics that I was on when I had Mastitis. If it is just the Mastitis milk, that is fine, I can dump that; but if it is all the frozen milk, then we are in trouble because I literally have a freezer FULL (pictures to come)!!! O’well, at least I can blend that milk into her fruits, veggies, and cereals once I start making her solid food.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
Rolly Polly and other fun things...
Brian graduated last night from the 4 month long Basic Academy training! I am so proud of him and I know it has been a very long and hard 4 months, but God has blessed him with wonderful talents and abilities. We are excited to see where the Lord will take Brian and his career now that training is complete. He Graduated with honors and received the "Top Gun" award. Making him the best shooter overall in the academy! We were all so very proud of him last night and always. (Lots more pictures to come...)

Sorry for my annoying "Yays" in the videos! I am just so proud of her new accomplishment! :)
She had her 4 month check-up today as well and aside from the 4 shots she got, she continues to be a wonderfully growing, blessing! She now weighs 15 pounds 2 ounces (80th percentile)!!! And is 25 1/2 inches long (90th percentile)! She even rolled over for the doctor and the doc commented on how Sierra has gotten this milestone a little backwards. I guess most children roll from tummy to back first. O'well, I am sure that will soon follow.
She is growing so big and so strong, I continue to be amazed each and every day!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
LOTS of visitors!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Mom!
Today is my wonderful mother's birthday. I wish I could spend it with her, but hope that her day is super blessed!!!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
4 Months Old!!!!
She is still exclusively breastfed, nursing about 4-5 times a day, and still not taking a bottle from me or Brian. We have tried several times and still nothing. O'well. I am possibly deciding that this is a battle that is better left alone. I have talked with many moms in my Christian moms group and they too have had bottle struggles with their nursling. Eventually life was good and
they still left their children for adult obligations and the children have survived. These women have been extremely encouraging to me in that aspect. I go back to school in 3 weeks, we will see how she does then. I feel as though complaining is not the right place for me to be though. I would never complain about my nursing relationship over the past 4 months. Honestly, I could have just written this whole "4 months post" all about nursing and how passionate I am about breastfeeding. Some people say "it is not for me" but truthfully, it should be for everyone! It is exactly the right nutrition that God himself created so I can help my baby thrive. It just makes me love her chub that much more because I know my body was created in God's perfect image and I have been able to provide Sierra with 100% whole, natural, nutritional milk. The concept is amazingly perfect! Breastfeeding was so hard for me in the first 8 weeks and it hurt so badly, I would cringe and nearly cry with every latch-on; but just as everyone told me, it would get better, and it did. If there is anything I am most proud of over these past 4 months, it is definitely the choice that Brian and I both made to exclusively breastfeed our little one.
Aside from all the physical and developmental things going on, we are continually blessed by this little precious person. We thank God daily for allowing us to be her parents and helping to guide us as we raise her to always love Him first and foremost!
Saturday, August 9, 2008
New Pool
Friday, August 8, 2008
Butterfly Bum
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Card Carrying Member
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Team of FAITH - Time again!!!!
Well, it is that time again!!! Team of FAITH '08!!! This will be our 4th year raising money and participating and I am very excited to share this special event with our little girl this year!!! I look forward to teaching Sierra all about charity and how God can use us and our gifts to bless others.
Consider this the 1st official announcement and PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW!!!! Plan on joining TEAM OF FAITH for this wonderful event this October.
Our team website is.... TEAM OF FAITH - Our Goal is $3000.00 & I have faith that we can do that over the next 2 months. To register or to donate, check out our Team web page!!
Here is the official poster...hot off the press...
Monday, August 4, 2008
Mommy Group
Long story short, after answering a few questions and being reviewed by the organizer, I was "in"! :) Since that time, I have met several of the women in the group and been overwhelmed with blessings. The ladies are wonderful, the children are fun, and it is all occurring in an atmosphere where God is Glorified first and foremost! We have numerous play dates at parks, the library, and others homes and we are now doing a Women of Faith Bible Study Series every other Thursday. It is so fun and such a blessing. Words can not describe how blessed I have been in such a short time by this group and the women that attend it. The great thing is knowing that not only is this a blessing for me, but also for Sierra, as she grows and interacts with other children. God is such an awesome Father, always guiding our paths exactly where we need to be.
Here is a picture of some of the ladies and myself at a recent "Mom's Night Out" dinner event.

Here is a picture that my friend Lettie took of Sierra at our park play date last week. She captioned the photo, "Little Sierra just waiting until she can run!" It is so true too, she watches all the other children with such excitement!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Mommy & Daughter
I am so blessed that God chose me to be her mother!

Saturday, August 2, 2008
Delightful!
Enjoy!!!
If you are having trouble seeing the video, please click HERE to see it.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Finally Pictures from our NY Trip
Our trip to NY was a blast. So many fun times with family, playing in the pool, enjoying ice cream late night with my sisters (after the babies were in bed, of course), hanging out with my grandparents, seeing Brian's family, introducing Sierra to so many people that love her and have been praying for her, celebrating Nick's high school achievements, playing Pass the Pigs, and most importantly just being with my family whom I love dearly.
First, I stole this slide show from Kate's blog. Sorry I am a slacker at making mine own and her pictures are much better than mine! Enjoy! :)
Second, here are some pictures of Sierra and I enjoying a visit with Brian's family on Sunday morning at the campground....
Third, we got to see Ed & Kaley!!! The Bishop's are close family friends of ours and unfortunately they missed our wedding last year due to an illness on Laurie's side of the family. Ed always joked that he was my "second" dad because he "tried" to look out for me when I was a crazy teenage girl and my father was already living in Richmond, before we all moved. Dad was gone for 6 months and Mom was having trouble keeping track of all of us, while also battling severe sadness about moving 500 miles away. Ed tried to keep me straight (notice I said tried!) :) Never-the-less, the Bishop's are like family to us and our visits are far too few! His daughter Kaley was with him and I used to babysit her when she was just a baby...now she is driving! Yikes!!! She is all grown up! We can't wait to see them and visit with them more in September at Mike's wedding and then again in November when Brian and I plan on attending the Bills vs San Fran game with Ed. Just so it is clear, the Bills totally got that game in the bag! Brian will probably leave the stadium crying! :)
Fourth, some fun videos to enjoy...
If you are having trouble viewing the videos on the blog - click HERE, HERE, HERE, & HERE to see them all! :)



