2 months...

My darling little girl Lani,

Well, somehow you have reached the 2 month mark of your little life already. Where 2 months went, I don't really know. But you are getting to that wonderful little stage where you're actually doing things and responding to us. I love every minute of life with you darling.

You really are such a dream come true to this family. Our little girl, so very treasured. The boys love you absolutely to bits, even little Eli loves his 'baby', and he's constantly checking on you to see things are ok (well when he's not beating you up that is). Yes, he does sometimes get a bit rough and you cry this very cute but very distressed little cry when he clobbers you one. He also likes to help by giving me your dummy, however half the time he actually takes it out of your mouth first... But I can tell how much he adores you. Jaidyn likes to give you cuddles when he can. He talk to you and plays with you as you lie under your playgym or in your rocker. He even sings you lullabies that he's been learning at school, when you get upset. You are most certainly loved.

This month saw your first smiles. Oh what a beautiful moment that was. I had my first smiles at about 5 or 6 weeks old, and it took a few days for Daddy to get some too, he was feeling a bit left out I think. You started off giving me the best smiles during your nappy change after a feed... you would look at me and at your buuterfly mobile hanging above your change table and smile away. Nowadays, you smile whenever. One particularly time, Daddy was even convinced you were laughing, or at least trying to. We would pull the little spider that hangs above you on your playgym, and you would watch it vibrate back up its string, the give an almighty smile, sometimes coupled with a noise or two... you did this every time we pulled it down, without fail. Maybe you are trying to laugh.

As well as smiling, you are having really long happy wake times on your mat under the playgym. Last night you were lying there for about an hour, just having a good old chat. You goo and gaa and kick your little legs around. When you catch a glimpse of Daddy or I you flash a beautiful smile.

You are loving booby, and I'm happy to find that you seem to be getting plenty. you feed roughly every 3-4 hours. During the night, you are generally sleeping for 6 hours, and Mummy only has to get up once. This is great of course, but I must say I do look forward to having a full-night's sleep. I will probably be a bit shocked when that happens, hopefully its sooner rather than later. In saying so, you did have 2 nights a few weeks ago when you slept for about 7 or 8 hours. You are in a really good routine though. You usually have quite a long sleep in the early evening and often I have to wake you at about 10pm for a feed so I can go to bed! But even with a long sleep just before this, you are still going back to sleep for Mummy almost straight away (well you do at 3am at least and that's whats important)....

You have started discovering your hands sweet pea. Sometimes you like to put your fingers in your mouth. At other times I see one of the toys on your playgym moving and you must have batted it!

You had your needles a week ago. :( Poor little bubba had a good scream but then you were ok. You have grown a lot my darling. You are now 4.4kg and 59cm long. You have grown 8cm in length since you were born - that's 1cm each week! You are in the 25th percentile for your weight and head circumference (skinny thing with a dainty little head) but you are in the 95th percentile for your height! You are a very tall little thing, but that doesn't really surprise me at all. You have long arms and legs just like me.

You are starting to fit a little better into some 000s which is what you have the most of. I have looked forward to dressing you in all the gorgeous outfits you got when you were born, and some of them are starting to fit now - yay, I can have some fun now. Love dressing you up all girly, and you usually wear a little headband when we go out too - you look so pretty in it.

You met more new people this month. In particular your great grandparents, my Gran and Pop. While Pop doesn't know who you are (he suffers from dementia) he loves holding you all the same.

You at 3 weeks:

You at 4 weeks:

And with your Mumma same day:You at 5 weeks:You at 2 months:You today, at 9 weeks: too cute, I could eat you up!! I love you so much baby girl xxx Well my darling, that's all for now. You are our little angel princess and you have completed our family. We love you lots and so does your Heavenly Father. xxx

Oops...

Its been 2 weeks since I last blogged.... eek... that means LOTS of things to update on, and I'll probably forget something... so what's been happening in the Mardon household??

* Miss Lani is 2 months old today! Wow, where did that time go? (I know I say that every month Eli gets older too) She had her 2-month check-up and injections (ohh :() last week. She is now 4.4kgs, her head is 37.5cm and she is 59cm long!! That's up from birth of 3.37kg, head of 35.5cm, length of 51cm.... she's grown 8cm in 8 weeks!!! Holy Moly!! What I find funny is that she's in the 25th percentile for her weight and head.. but the 95th percentile for her height!! Yep, she's going to be tall like her Mummy... she also has long arms and legs like me, and like me with wearing jackets and jumpers, her arms are way too long for most of her clothes, particularly her rompers. She is starting to fit into her 000s now (well she needs 00s in Bonds wondersuits tho!) so that's nice as she's have more clothes now! Yay!


I will do up my '2 month letter' to Lani over the next couple of days documenting all the other stuff, but she's doing well!!


* We bought a new dining suite last week, which is getting delivered today... Yay!! Can't wait!! We got a 6'x3.6' rectangle with 6 chairs, but they can fit along each side, so we'll easily be able to fit up to 10 people at it if we need.... would have maybe liked a square or larger one but with renting we need to think about it being able to fit wherever we go... its a really solid pine one though of a mid-stain (so not good with wood colours!) so it will be so good!! Can't wait to have a bit of extra cash to buy some nice adornments for it too :)


* Only a bit over 4 weeks until my Lusi comes up!! Oh I am sooooo excited!! Can't WAIT to have 5 days with you girl, its going to be the best time!!


* It was our 3-year wedding anniversary on Tues 14/8. Wow, 3 years! Gorgeous man had a bunch of flowers delivered to the house, nice!! I made him a special card... and on Sunday morning last weekend we went out for a gorgeous buffet breakfast up at Mt Cootha.. Its something we did 2 years ago too, and as its just so beautiful up there, plus Mt Cootha is where he proposed to me (at night though), and we prefer going out for breakfast to dinner or lunch, we've decided we'll make it our 'thing' each year..... I love it up there for breakfast! And yeah, I ate faaarrrrr too much, lol....


* We went to 2 engagement parties last weekend (18/8). The first was a lunch thing and it was in a park.... the couple hired a clown and jumping castle for the kids, and it was just the most relaxed and beautiful way to have an engagement party. Despite not knowing many ppl and having to chase after the kids on my own (as Greg was working) it was probably the best engagement party I've been to - and of course being in the daytime photos were better!!


* I met the gorgeous Carol from SOF on Saturday. Her and her boys (DH Lalo and DS Jesse) had a few hours stop-over in Brisbane on their way to Canberra, so we met with Sal and Chrissy too at DFO for a coffee and a chat... was a nightmare with my kids (Eli screaming co he was retrained and really wanted to run all over the shopping centre, and Jaidyn coz he was "bored") but still... it was nice to meet you Carol! I look forward to seeing the pics that your patient hubby took for us... and hope the rest of your holiday is great!!


* Ei is a rat-bag as normal.... will endeavour to document a letter to him this week too coz there's lots of little things I want to get down on paper (or screen!)....


* Have done one of 2 CJs that I'm involved in on SOF... I know I'll probably want to shoot myself later down the track for committing to 2, but oh well!! I didn't want to miss out, hehe... this first one is with 12 ladies, and my topic is 'Defining Moments', basically about the defining moments we've had in our walk so far with the Lord. I did my pages on 4 'moments' - my salvation, when I was baptised in the Holy Spirit, when we changed churches to where we are not, and recently some answered prayer when I had Lani.


Here's the cover:

Introduction pages:

The sign-in pages - tags for everyone to personalise:

My layout - here with my hidden journalling tags out:

The left page:

And the right page:

*Got two deadlines to meet this week scrapping wise too - my SOF DT layout has to be in in a couple of days... and the second CJ to be sent next week. The LO is on the Proverbs 31 woman - and oh what a set of standards to live up to as a Christian woman, mother and wife!! I'm having troubles finding a photo to use for this one... maybe one from my wedding? Not sure... My second CJ topic is 'Simple Pleasures', a bit lighter than my first one, just about the things that make you happy and that you enjoy in your life.... so got lots of scrapping to do this week!


* Well, I also have lots of washing to do today as it was raining her all week and I'm just sooo behind, so I better go do that while the babies are still asleep!!


Have a great week, I endeavour to update a few times this week!!

I got them!!

Some piccies of my girl's smile that is :) They aren't super ones (I'll try to snap some more this week) but that's my beautiful girl smiling away at her Mumma all the same!! I get the best ones when changing her nappy just after a feed so these were taken on the change table...
Just check out this cuteness:



And these two just coz she's so delicious:
Hope you all have a great week!!

This week...

Well blow me down, its been almost another week since I last posted. Boy, the time goes fast!

This week has seen a considerable move in the right direction for Lani's sleeping... she is now sleeping through most of the night (at 6 weeks), yay!! I give her her last feed usually about 10pm, then she usually goes almost straight down and sleep through until 4 or 5am.. this has happened for the last 3 nights now - woohoo!

We had a horrendous time with Eli at bed-time last night... he just started screaming and screaming and screaming... I assumed it was his teeth coming in again, but he wa sjust so distressed, screaming and kicking at us and didn't want cuddles or anything.. I was preparing for a long night.... after a little while (probbaly an hour) I decided to change his nappy to see if it was burning or something.... no probs there... then I checked his clothes and when I pulled off his booty - there the problem lay!! He must have had a hair or a thread or something caught around his little toe, it was all red and sore looking.... but thankfully just pulling it off was the solution, and he calmed down straight away and went to sleep. And praise God he slept well through the night too, it didn't bother him again and he's woken back to normal!

**Edited to add: OH! How could I forget!! Eli also had his first 'real' haircut this week.... bye bye baby... he looks more grown up for sure, but still as gorgeous as ever, and he *really* needed it... I didn't bother taking the camera though (too much effort with the two babies alone!) so will have to take some nice shots of him this week to show...

Had a special visit with a special girl Rozzie yesterday arvo... boy, I can't believe it had been close to a year (Oct last year) since I saw her last.. boy time flies... we had a nice chat together, with coffee/hot milo and muffins (thanks for those Rozzie!)... and she even stayed through the witching hour (baths, cooking etc) and ate dinner with us before heading off to the airport to pick up her friend... was soooo good to see you honey.. let's not leave it so long between visits again hey!

Had a big long chat with my girl Lus during the week too... we are just sooo excited about her coming up for a visit in... let me see... 48 days time!! (Gee that makes it seem ages away still doesn't it!?) We are trying to organise a lovely get-together for the Brissy SOF girls and some of Lusi's other scrappin buds up here, so hopefully that will work for everyone and they will all be about to come... I'm also really excited because Lusi is going to lead worship with me at church on the Sunday... oh this girl is such a WONDERFUL TALENTED musician and singer... and although she'll put my voice to shame, its all good coz we'll be singing together to our God!! Wow, what an experience that will be, can't wait to worship our King with you honey! Also planning on having an SOF crop at my house that weekend too (maybe) so stay tuned SOF girls...

Have really had a lovely social week! Was out shopping on Wed and Thurs... had coffee with Michelle and Karen while out on Wed.. and went shopping with Hayley and her new bubby Caitlyn on Thursday.... both days I seemed to be there forever and not get a great deal done!! And poor Eli, being strapped in his pram for 5 hours for 2 days in a row.... oh well, a girl's gotta shop right!? Will have to head back next week too as I have 2 engagement parties to buy gifts for, and need to exchange some clothes too...

Well, that's all... no pics this week. Hope you're all having a great weekend. We don't have a lot planned this weekend... were thinking of going to the Sons of Korah concert at Brisbane City Church tonight, but then decided against it as we'd have to take Lani and I don't think there will be room for her (or I'd be confined to the parents room all night) PLUS its free so it will be PACKED! They are such a wonderful band to see though (they played at our old church a few years ago)... but I'll have to just listen to my CDs today I guess!

It's our 3rd wedding anniversary on Tuesday. Don't know what we're going to do... it seems to come around so quickly and then we never plan anything or buy eachother anything... shocking huh... oh well.. might try to find some time to make Greg a card today...

Have a good weekend all xx

Snap Happy and some Praise for my God!!

Have been really snap-happy lately, as you can see by my recent posts. :)

Had a lovely morning visiting Hayley and her new little princess Caitlyn on Friday. Her and Grant just make the best parents... and although Caitlyn slept or fed the whole time it was ok! We'll have *plenty* of shopping/coffee dates in the future... can't wait to be taking our little girls shopping together, might have to get them little matching outfits huh.. heehee... anyway, here's some snaps:

Caitlyn with her Mummy:

With Mummy and Daddy:

And of course with her Aunty Nat:

Yesterday, the kids and I trekked over to Mum and Dad's for lunch. My Gran and Pop came down from Toowoomba to get their first cuddles with Miss Lani. It was a really nice day - yummy lunch, great to just chill out with my family... pity Greg works on a Sat though :( We were out the back snapping some pics, and I'm so happy that we decided to attempt some of me with the three kids too... although not fabbo pics with everyone looking the right way or anything, still special and still scrappable I think!! (and they are good ones of me at least!)... So here's some of those, plus with Gran and Pop and my sister Liss (who's 19 weeks pregnant but I didn't actually get around to snapping her little bump) :

A little Praise point now... a reflection of the power of prayer and our Mighty God... my beautiful bestie Lus was in hospital recently with the flu (mainly precautionary)... and she had a heap of SOF girls and her church family all praying for her.... well God gave her the rest and rejuvenation she needed and she's home again and on the mend... things can so quickly get so much worse with Lus getting sick, so its so praiseworthy for her quick recovery! Thankyou awesome Father!! I continue to pray for complete healing for you honey, and will call you soon xxx

Thought I'd also do a little plug for something happening at Scrap of Faith soon... why not come along to the Charity Crop we're holding to contribute to the charity Mercy Ministries... what a great way to spend a Saturday!! Its happening on November 10 at the Gaythorne RSL.... it will be $20 which includes venue hire, tea and coffee, a goody bag, demo or class plus an awesome day having fun and doing what we love with other like-minded women!! Hope you can come!! Click here for more details and to book your place!!

And here's just a couple more pics of little Princess... just because she's so adorable!!

Happy Sunday!!

A few things to mention...

Got lots to say, and need to do it quickly...

* Sooo excited!! My bestie Lusi is COMING TO VISIT ME!! Yaaaaayyyyy!! I *think* she has booked the flights today - oh I sooo can't wait to finally give you a BIG HUG babe!! Also honey - thinking of you and yours with the nasty flu. Praying that you especially recover soon - can't have you in hospital now.... xx


* There are so many babies around me its not funny!! From myself to a friend Hayley, I knew 6 women having a baby in the space of about 5 weeks (me included) There was: Me with Lani Faith (27 June), Megan with baby Joel Callan (2 July?), Anthea with baby Zachary Tyler (3 or 4 July?), Melinda with her little boy James Martin (21 July), Hayley with Miette Grace (22 July), and my uni mate Hayley who had a little girl, Caitlyn Madison on Saturday (28 July)!!! Babies EVERYWHERE!!! How super exciting!!! I love babies :)


* Had my SOF buddies Sal and Amy around on Saturday to scrap..... well Amy did some scrapping anyway... Sal and I talk too much and between feeding our bubbas and ourselves (yumm!) we got nothing done - I didn't even get anything OUT! But the fun is in the company and chit-chat... have to do it more often.


* Finally got to meet Sue and 2 of her gorgeous little men last week when I went out to Chrissy's for a play :) Great to meet you Sue, great to see you again and your gorgeous house Chrissy and next time we'll have to scrap hey!


* Took some random pics yesterday of my babies and myself, and me with my babies! Here's some:

Poor Eli *really* needs a haircut!! Its on my 'to-do- list for next week!!

And so do I for that matter!!

Even managed to get some of the three of them together, although not good... but not easy to get three kids (two of which are babies!) to look at the camera :)

Oh I just love my kids!!! I think I was going to add some more, but this has taken long enough so I'll have to later....

Have been doing some scrapping, but not actually managed to FINISH anything - I'm the queen of UFOs I think... I endeavour to do some journalling on them soon and get them up!

Lots of love xxx