Thank You Aunt Sally

This week I went up to the Upstate to participate in my sister's bible study. While I was there I went to get my summer haircut! Thanks Summer! Patrick loved the new do and I do too!!
Mary Alice stayed with her Aunt Sally and she had a ball! Thank you Sally for keeping Mary Alice!

Birthday, Shower, Father's Day...

*Sorry this post is so late... It has been a busy week and I have tried to post this three times but blogger was not uploading my pictures, and my family would rather see the pictures!*

Our summer has been VERY busy so far! This past weekend we travelled to see family to celebrate my 25th birthday and Father's Day. My mom, sister, and I also threw my cousin a wedding shower!

Mary Alice was so good during the whole weekend! We have a really good baby. She sleeps well and very rarely cries! She loves to talk to and squeal!

My birthday was great! It started with breakfast in bed while watching tv with Patrick and then Mary Alice woke up and we went to see my family. We hung out at my parents house and then my sister and her family came over for dinner! I got the best presents in the world.. my monogram for my car, WiiFit, and WiiActive. My mom also gave me a book the she wrote memories in of my Mimi, her, and me! It was very special!

Saturday my mom, sister and I threw my cousin Amy a wedding shower! It was so nice to see our family and friends again! :)

Saturday night we went over to visit GeGe and Granddaddy and Mary Alice went swimming for the first time. She was so cute.. She even kicked her legs!

Sunday was a great day that we spent with family! I gave Patrick a tie with Mary Alice's picture on it and he loved it! Mary Alice is blessed with a wonderful father, Granddad and Granddaddy! She loves them dearly and so does her mommy! :)

Our Little Girl is Growing Up!

Mary Alice is growing up so fast! She can now roll over from her stomach to back, if she is a good mood! She also takes naps in her crib! She really loves to sit with you and watch tv. She is beginning to not want to lay down and play with her toys because she can't see everything! She also loves to talk to us! It is so cute! Every time she is talking I get out my camera to video her and she stops! She also stops smiling as soon as I get the camera out! Here are a couple pictures from last week! She can't figure out how to move her arm so she can roll over!

Look at me holding my head up!


This is her new favorite place to sit!

She matched me the other day! She looks mad because she woke up from a nap! She isn't too happy after she wakes up, it takes her about 20 minutes to wake up!

Our friends Casey and David came over for a cookout!

Videos

Here are two videos from the day! She almost rolled over from her back to stomach, she just could not figure out how to move her arm!
The other video is of her blowing bubbles! She has been drooling so much lately!
*Please ignore my voice, I hate the way I sound!*

Three Years Ago..

Three years ago today I married the man of my dreams..

Today is our anniversary! It is hard to believe it has already been three years. It has really gone by fast. Patrick and I have grown so much in the last three years... We have had to learn to depend on each other. For about a year we had no friends and knew no one down here so we learned to trust each other and have fun!

There have been many occasions that have strengthen our marriage. One in particular is having Mary Alice. We have learned how to ask each other for help, depend on each other to help the other one make it through the day, and most importantly we have learned that we HAVE to pray for each other daily. This is the only way we both will make it through the day.

I have been very blessed with a great husband. He never left my side during my whole pregnancy and while we were in the hospital. I think my sister said it the best after Mary Alice was born when she told me that I have a special husband who will do anything for me because he did things while I was in labor that a normal husband would not have done.

Patrick, I love you and I can't wait to spend many more years with you! :) Thank you for putting up with me and being such a wonderful father to Mary Alice!

3 Months Old!!

Our little girl is growing up so fast! It was so hard to get her picture this afternoon because she LOVES to wiggle!
Here are some highlights of this past month:

• She weighs about 11 pounds and is about 23 inches long.
• She sleeps from 10-5 and then goes back to sleep til 8 in HER CRIB!
• She eats every 3 hours during the day
• She will take a nap every 3 hours as well for about 45 minutes to an hour in her crib.
• She loves to hold on to her toys on her playmat.
• She loves to smile and talk(One night she talked for about 15 minutes in her sleep.. it was so cute)
• She loves to roll over on her side.
• She is beginning to watch her praise baby dvds on tv
• She also loves to watch baseball
• She doesn't cry as much and if she does cry there is a reason and it is an easy fix!
• She is taking about 4-5 ounces of food!
• She loves to put her hands in her mouth and chew on her bottom lip
• She likes to pull her legs up and kick her toys
• She loves her mobile still!
• She is still in level one diapers
• She can wear 3 months clothes and still some newborn clothes
• She likes her carseat now!
• She loves to go for walks!
• She also likes to sit on the front porch
• She is getting really good at holding her head up and sitting in her bumbo.
• She likes to stick her tongue out and tries to blows bubbles
• Once this month she held her bottle by herself for about 10 seconds.
• She is starting to recognize our voices and will turn to see where we are when we are talking to other people.
  

Special Visitors, Babysitters, and Pictures

We have been very busy at the Graham house! I had to go back to work for 11 days and we have had many people come stay with us!
Last Sunday we have some special visitors though. Brandon, Summer, Brynn, and Addie were at the zoo and called us to come meet Mary Alice for the first time! We were so happy they stopped by because we haven't seen them in a long time! We love you guys! Thanks for coming!

Last week Gege came down and kept Mary Alice for three days! Mary Alice enjoyed playing with her Gege. Thank you Alice!

On Thursday Kelly came down to spend the day with Mary Alice. She also made a cake that was wonderful! Thank you Aunt Kelly!

Yesterday I had to go to graduation so Gege and Aunt Sally came down to keep Mary Alice. She enjoyed her day!

Thank you to all of my family for helping keep Mary Alice while I went back to work. We are very blessed with a great family! I am excited now though because today is my first day of summer and I finally get to stay with my little girl again! We are having such a good day! Here are some pictures from last week!

Going for a walk with my Daddy!

My daddy loves Metallica!

I can wear 3 months clothes now!

I love to sleep on Mommy's stomach!

Taking a nap in my crib! I am getting better at this!

Here I am in my beautiful gown!

Stay tuned for a blog post later today! I am 3 months old today! :)

Suggestions Please!!

I have tons of pictures to post of Mary Alice's adventures last week with Gege and Aunt Kelly and today with Gege and Aunt Sally but right now I need some advice from Moms!

We have been swaddling Mary Alice every night since she was born but now she seems to not like it as much. She has started to sleep from 10-4 and then wakes up again at 7:45-8 so we are scared to not swaddle her because we want her to still sleep. So if you swaddled your baby how did you wean him/her off of the swaddle at night? We are planning on starting the process this Thursday night but would love any advice.

Also we are trying to start Mary Alice on a routine with her naps and we want her to start taking naps in her crib. She will take a nap for about 45 minutes to an hour in her crib but I think she is still sleepy when she wakes up and we rock her again until she falls back asleep. Any suggestions on how to get her to sleep longer in her crib and how to get her on a routine?

Ok last suggestion.. When did you start putting your child down in their crib to fall asleep on their own and cry it out? I hate to do this but I don't want to spoil her by rocking her to sleep all the time and regret it later!

Thanks for your help! :)

M\ary Alice's Baptism

I am alittle late with this post.. but I have had to work all week...

Last Sunday Mary Alice was baptized at our church. All of her family from the Upstate came to celebrate this wonderful day! It was a very good service and we are so blessed with great family and friends. It was a special service because my dad got to take part in the baptism. He was able to hold her while she was baptized and said the blessing at the end. All of her grandparents stood beside us during the service. The dress she wore during the service was also very special. My uncle, my mom, my sister, my cousin, and I all wore the same dress when we were baptized. The dress is 58 years old. Unfortunately she was not in a good mood when we put the dress on her so we did not get a good picture of just her. I am hoping to put her back in it this week and get a good picture! Thank you to everyone who came down for her special day!