Sweet Baby Girl

Hey, Gramma Pam, this is the outfit you brought me.

Oof. I'm full.

Seriously, Mother. MORE pictures?

(sigh) If you must.

Sharing a smile with Grandma Julie.

This is my new favorite sleeping position. Must run in the genes.

When my bottom half isn't swaddled, boy can I hike my behind up there!

This is the outfit that Daddy got for Father's Day this year.

Mommy and Daddy are still on a mission to catch my smile on camera.

(And apparently Mommy is on a mission to stretch my waistband up to my chin.)

Thank God!

We have so much to be thankful for this year. Of course, Mattaya is right at the top of the list, but we're also thankful for the family and friends God has given us. We've been so blessed by you all this year.

We spent Thanksgiving Day at Great-Auntie Karen's house where Mattaya got to meet some family members she hadn't met before.

Great-Uncle Larry came all the way from Minnesota just to see me.

(Deer hunting MIGHT have had something to do with it, too.)

Great-Aunt Marlys spent every moment she could with me.

My great-aunt Lynette likes to sing to me.

Great-Grandma Mabel thinks I'm getting pretty heavy.

(Mattaya currently weighs 12.5 lbs.)

Great-Uncle Todd was VERY excited to hold me for the first time.

More Mattaya

Strrrrreeetch

I very much dislike my tummy time (usually), but I am managing to get my head up now.

These are my pretty little hands.

I LOVE my pacifier.

Who took my pacifier?! Put 'em up, put em' up! I'll fight you for it...

I just love to talk and move!

They've been trying for weeks to catch my smile on camera. I'm pretty tricky, but they managed to catch the tail-end of it. (Too bad it's fuzzy.)

Mattaya's First Masquerade

Karisa was a...

(A) dork

(B) marshmallow with ducks on it

(C) bubble bath

(D) all of the above

(E) none of the above

(F) other

Matt was a...

(A) potential thief

(B) highway

(C) poorly dressed man

(D) both A and B

(E) both B and C

(F) both A and C

Mattaya was a..

(A) lion

(B) tiger

(C) bear

Grrrrr

The tail was Mommy's favorite part.

Great-Grandma Catherine loves tigers!

...and baby makes THREE!

Mommy's labor pains started at 3:30 AM on September 7, 2007. She had just gotten up to use the restroom (again) and have a bowl of Cheerios. When she got back to bed, she felt a little funky. She timed the weird feeling for an hour then woke Daddy. Mommy took a shower and finished packing. We went to the hospital about 7:30 AM. We waited a LONG time. Mommy had wanted to have a natural childbirth and was using her Bradley techniques wonderfully, but around 4:30 PM, she gave in and had an epidural. An hour or so later, her water broke and things moved very quickly. Apparently, my heart rate kept dropping so the hospital staff got Mommy pushing right away. In 9 minutes, I was born face up. No C-section, but Mommy sustained some pretty significant injuries...she said I'm totally worth it, though. Now (7 weeks later) she's feeling much better so she finally agreed to type out what I've been anxiously waiting to tell you all.

Mattaya Breann...fresh from the oven

I arrived with lots of hair: curly, black, with blond highlights.

Aunti Becca (Uncle Luke's wife; a nursing student) was in the delivery room the whole time. She helped us out by taking some precious pictures.

Mommy got to hold me a little bit before she had to go down to the Operating Room.

I was 8 pounds, 19.5 inches.

I was so glad to meet Daddy. He kept me company and soothed me while I was in the warmer.

Daddy videotaped my first bath.

Daddy helped get me dressed.

Daddy rocked me while we waited for Mommy to come back up from surgery.

(Three hours is a LONG time. Mommy was sad to spend so much time away from me.)

Grandma Julie smiled for days and days.

Uncle Luke and Auntie Becca brought me some HUGE balloons.

Great-Grandma Mabel was SO excited to meet me and hold me at the hospital.

Mommy loves to cuddle me.

Grandpa Dave is excited to see me.

Auntie Becca loves to hold me.

Daddy is so proud of me.

FINALLY, I'm in my carseat. Now someone take me home PLEASE.

Home sweet home

I sleep in a bassinet right next to Mommy.

We sleep any chance we get.

I had some issues with jaundice so Grandma Julie and I suntanned on the kitchen floor.

How do I look in my sweet shades?

(Thanks, again, Jeff & Jenny)

This is the picture Grandma Julie took for my birth announcement.

I'm a very alert little girl.

(Who needs a pool?--I can swim in my pants!)

Grandma Julie just loves me so much.

Even when Mommy really didn't feel well, she read me stories.

Grandpa Dave and I are good nap buddies.

You know how much my daddy LOVES burritos!

Grandma Julie (hiding behind me) helped us out for a couple weeks while Daddy went to work to train for his new job. Grandma's most frequent chore was burping me.

For weeks, I just LOVED to sleep.

This is one of my favorite sleeping positions. Picture it upside down...that's how I was in Mommy's tummy.

I think Daddy may have been framed...

Mommy loves my sleeping pose. Any idea why?

Grandma Julie likes this pose because it reminds her of how Mommy used to sleep with her behind way up in the air.

My Indiana grandparents came to see me. They think I'm SO CUTE!

Grandma Pam fed me lots of bottles.

Grandpa Gary patiently waiting for his turn. We took lots of long naps....

One last picture with Grandpa and Grandma before they catch the train back to Indiana.

I wasn't sure about the swing at first, but I've grown to like it. And Mommy's glad.

Daddy just loves this picture of his matching girls.

The OTHER "pumpkin".

Just hangin' out with Mommy before bedtime.

Mommy just needed to document that she dresses me in colors other than pink and purple.

Naked as a jay-bird and ready for my bath.

I love my bathtime!

I especially like to have my hair washed.

Time to dry off with my cozy ducky towel.

My hair gets curly and frizzy when washed.

Daddy thinks he's funny. I'm so sweet that I just put up with it.