Happy Thanksgiving!

We have really enjoyed Lea's first Thanksgiving. First, we took Lea to her first wedding. She looked adorable and did wonderful (slept through the wedding and then laughed and smiled through the reception!)...

Then, we went shopping and Lea marveled at the Christmas lights during her first visit to the mall...

Last night we enjoyed a Thanksgiving dinner at Aunt Jill and Uncle Chris'. Lea's cousins had fun playing with her and reading to her...


And, today we enjoyed another Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma Sue and Grandpa Gene's!

It's been an eventful week in the Thomas household. Lot's of firsts for little Lea! I am so Thankful for my family... especially for our perfect little girl. I can not image my life without her now!

Lea had her two month well check last Monday. She is in the 75th percentile for weight still and the 70th percentile for height. (She still has a small head in the 25th percentile.) The doctor commented multiple times on how strong she is... especially her legs! We're still having some trouble with her reflux, so we're going to try a new medication. Hopefully it will offer her some relief.

I'll leave you with the following adorable pictures!

Waiting patiently at the doctor's office.

Chillin' at the mall!

Lovin' my bath time!

Nine weeks old!

2 Months!

Two months ago today our baby girl was born! It's hard to believe Lea's only two months old... I can't imagine my life without her now. I feel like she has been in our lives forever.

Lea continues to change every single day. She loves staring at lights... I can't wait to put our Christmas tree up. She is going to love it! She's getting so strong... holding her head up and putting weight on her legs. With just a little bit of help, she can practically stand up! Kevin plays 'airplane' with her (holding her up above himself) and she stays stretched out; looking straight ahead. She is still laughing and smiling all the time, too. I love that she wakes up every time with a huge smile!She will also imitate us when we stick out our tongue or open our mouths wide.

We are looking forward to next week because Kevin has the week off. We'll get down our Christmas decorations and take our time putting everything up. For Thanksgiving, we'll have dinner at Uncle Chris & Aunt Jill's Wednesday night, then at Grandma & Grandpa's Thursday. I have a special outfit for Lea to wear on her first Thanksgiving. I hope it fits her... she's growing so fast! Grandma and Grandpa H are going out to Uncle Dave & Aunt Sarah's in New Mexico. We'll miss them this year but are glad that Dave & Sarah will have some family with them for the holidays. (wish they could come here for Christmas!)

Last week, we got Lea a 'Bumbo' seat. She's still a little too young for it, but by Christmas it will be perfect! Here's a video of her trying it out...

Four Years

Four years ago today, Kevin and I were checking out of the hotel, wedding dress and tux in tow. We were Mr. & Mrs.! Our wedding day was perfect... the weather was so beautiful (much different than the weather we are having now!) and we had so much fun. I married my best friend that day, Saturday, November 12th 2005.

The past four years couldn't have been better, either. We have been through a lot... happy times and hard times. Kevin is my comedian during the happy times and my rock during the hard times. Words can not express the joy in my heart because he is in my life.

Just eight weeks ago, our prayers were answered and we were blessed with an exceptional gift. A happy, healthy baby girl! The journey we traveled to receive that gift brought Kevin and I closer together and now our little Lea ties our bonds even more.

Here's to many more happy and exciting years together.

Happy Four Year Anniversary!

What We're Loving Now

The past four and a half months we have discovered new products that we love (and a few that just didn't work for us). I thought it would be fun to start listing what we love every month or so. Here's our first list!

Born Free Glass Bottles: These are the only bottles that little Lea will take. We love them because she doesn't dribble when drinking from them!

Aden + Anais Muslin Blankets: Thanks to Lea's Uncle Dave & Aunt Sarah, she received a pack of these when she was born. At that time, I thought they were HUGE. These days, though, they are perfect for swaddling Lea. She sleeps so soundly when swaddled in these super soft & stretchy blankets. They are thin, too so I don't have to worry about her getting to warm.

Mustela Baby Washes and Lotions: Mmmmm... little Lea smells sooo good after a bath with this stuff! My favorite is the infant foam shampoo. It's very light so her little head doesn't get all gunked up with heavy gels.

Svan High Chair: Lea started sitting in her Svan chair a few weeks ago and it has quickly become one of her favorite places to play. We drag it all around the house... in the kitchen when we're cooking, in the dining room at dinner time and in the living room when we're just hanging out. (note: we haven't started solids, yet. she just really likes to sit up right and see everything that's going on... the Svan chair is the perfect height!)

Natursutten Rubber Pacifiers: Her favorite! These are the easiest pacifiers for her to hold in her mouth. She also likes to chew on the handle. We love that they are made in one piece so there's no risk of it coming apart and causing a choking hazard. It's also much easier to clean then other pacifiers because water can't get inside the nipple. (I hate trying to get water out of pacifier nipples!)

There you have it. Just a few things that we are loving these days. What's something you and your baby can't live without!?

Smiling and Laughing

Lea is such a happy baby! She smiles and laughs all the time... especially when Daddy is around. He is the best at getting her to laugh. She makes the sweetest little sounds when she laughs, too. It's hard to catch it on film, but I am trying.

(This isn't the best picture... but you can sure see her beautiful smile!)

And, here's a video that is super dark, but you can hear her silly laugh. It's the best sound in the world!

We've been doing some 'tummy time' these days, too. Lea does great. She is such a strong little girl... but, I knew that before she was even born.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from our (not-so-happy) Tootsie Roll!

Don't worry, we removed the costume right after we got some pics! :)

It was an eventful week for Lea. Not only did she 'enjoy' her first Halloween and turn 6 weeks old on the same day, but we also introduced the bottle and pacifier. We have tried several different bottles, including Avent, Dr. Browns and Playtex Drop-Ins. Her favorite one, by far, though is the glass Born Free bottle (thanks, Melissa & Rob!!!). We also gave her a pacifier this past week. At first, she spit it out so fast is flew across the room! After a few more tries, she got the hang of it.

Lea is growing so fast (I can't say that enough!). She is super alert these days and smiles all the time. I haven't been able to get a good picture of her smile, though. Every time I get the camera out, her face turns into a blank stare. I'll get it on film one day! She loves her floor gym and we think she has actually started to try and reach for things. We got a little floor mirror for her and she loves to look at herself, too. It's so much fun to see what new things she learns every day!