Four Months {My blue eyed Georgia Mae}

Four months might be my favorite age!  My sweet little baby is showing so much personality and is starting to explore her world, but she is still content to snuggle in my lap.  My favorite thing about Georgia at this age is that she is so social - she loves to smile at people and her whole body does a little wiggle!  I also love that when I look down over her crib each morning and she recognizes me, her whole body scrunches up with joy and she smiles SO big!  Love her!

This is what Georgia is doing at 4 months:

*Everything goes in her mouth!  She has learned to reach and grasp - and now to the mouth it goes!
*She found her voice and loves to squeal!
*The mirror!  This baby loves to smile at herself in the mirror. It's so fun to watch her glance away and then back at the mirror.  Each time, she is surprised to see herself and she grins so big!
*She is starting to stick her hand in my mouth -LOL.  Little explorer.
*She is rolling both directions
*She now insists that she sleep on her belly
*She loves for you to kiss her belly and responds with giggles and squeals 
*She is the best little sleeper, but we have entered the 4 month developmental leap/growth spurt/sleep regression.  I think we are almost through it!  She started sleeping through the night (9-10 hours) 6 weeks ago, but I have been watching the calendar and preparing myself...The good news is as soon as I get her back on schedule, she'll cut a tooth!  
*She is SO social.  She is my first baby to really turn toward people.  
*She loves her sisters so much!  When she hears Abigail's voice, she smiles from ear to ear and starts looking for her.  My big girls sing for her and tell her stories.  And they are the best helpers! 
*She weighs 12 pounds and is 24 inches long.  She is barely fitting in her 3-6 month sleepers!
* She loves. Her. Feet.  Like, can't get enough of those toes!!!

Since I could barely keep Georgia on her back, I thought I should document her biggest developmental milestone this month.  She is now rolling onto her belly and reaching for toys.  The Physical Therapist in me is so proud! 

Four to eight months is definitely my favorite baby stage, so I'm going to enjoy each little snuggle and baby laugh that I can before she is on the move.  She is so much fun and our lives feel more complete with our little blue eyed baby Georgia! We love you little bit!

Georgia Mae {Three Months}

I decided that I wanted to be a physical therapist when I was seventeen years old.  I graduated with my Masters degree in 2004 and then completed the transitional doctorate program in 2005.  I specialized in Orthopaedics in 2007.  I really love my job.  But I will tell you, being at home with baby Georgia for three months about did me in! I am so thankful for a job that allows me to work part-time and once I get myself back in a routine I'm always grateful for a few days a week to love on other people and continue developing my skills.  I am a learner and a teacher, and my profession allows me to do both.  So, I will put real clothes on and use bigger words a few days each week, but when I am home...pajamas and baby snuggles all day!

They say that baby number three is usually easy and adaptable and that seems to be very true for Georgia.  She is definitely my most social baby.  I tried to wear her in my ergo during our church service yesterday and she looked like a bobble head toy trying to figure out where her Daddy's voice was coming from! 

Here is what sweet Georgia is doing at 3 months : 
* She loves for you to sing or talk to her.  Her whole body wiggles she gets so excited!
* She weighs 12 pounds 
* She is SO long!!!  She is already wearing 3-6 month sleepers
* She is rolling from her tummy to her back and from her back to her side
* She brings her hands to midline and has started sucking her thumb
* She sleeps a total of 13-15 hours a day.  Her long night stretch is 7-9 hours now

Her little features keep changing and I can't figure out exactly who she looks like!  Abigail's dark baby hair fell out and grew back in blonde so I'm still waiting to see about miss Georgia!  

I was asked this morning how life with three is and I will tell you that it is CRAZY.  I struggle to get anywhere on time and I get overstimulated very easily when my big girls are whining at me and Georgia is crying because she needs me.  But there is so much joy in the chaos.  As I type this post, Violet and Georgia are napping.  I've convinced Abigail that she has to have "quiet time" in her room so Mommy can recharge.  She is currently singing " We wish you a Merry Christmas"... 

This season of life is so sweet.  Hard, but very sweet.  One of the main reasons for my family blog is so I can freeze moments and not let them sneak by.  I don't want to forget a single detail. 

{Georgia Mae 3 Months of Sweetness}

Abigail's Pirate Princess Pizza Party {Five Years Old}

January may be the craziest month to try to plan for a birthday party!  Last January, I had to reschedule Abigail's birthday party due to the snow.  This year, it was 68 degrees and sunny.  We invited a LOT of kids this year and since the weather was beautiful, the party made its way outside and it was perfect!

 My girls LOVE maps so I made each of Abigail's friends a treasure map that led them to either pixie dust or a sword.  I hope they had as much fun as I did!  To make pixie dust, I mixed 1 cup of salt with 8 drops of food coloring.  I used green food coloring but it actually turned out turquoise, which matched my decorations so that was a win!

I am so thankful for our big back yard.  It was definitely something I immediately fell in love with when we moved in to our new house.  We had space for kids to shoot (foam) bow and arrows, play soccer, pile in the sand box, and run out all their wiggles!  Several of Abigail's class mates came to celebrate her birthday.  And of course, they were in costume!

As I tucked my sweet girl in bed last night and whispered that it was her last night to be a four year old, I told her all about the night she was born.  I'll never forget smiling and looking at Mike as our family left and we settled in with our new baby in our hospital room.  " We have a baby", I said.  Our life has never been the same and I am so thankful I get to be her mommy.  She dressed her self for church today and called me mom though...dangit.  

I wish I could keep her little forever but I also love watching her grow and explore.  She is so kind.  I know I'm her mom, but I love how tender her heart is.  She is sensitive and sweet.  She loves adventure and she is brave.  She trusts me with everything.  

Abigail at Five years old: 
* She loves ballerinas and costumes.  She is in a costume by 7:00 A.M. 
* She is pre-reading and doing simple math
* She is the best big sister 
* She is SO tall!
* She is going to be my athlete.  She's dainty and delicate, but I see natural agility in the way she moves.  Maybe she'll be a sneaky surprise like her momma! (I played college basketball)
* She loves puzzles and board games

I am so thankful for beautiful weather in the middle of January.  It made for a perfect party day to celebrate my sweet baby girl.  I was asked by several moms if I made her cake.  Um...NO.  But, the Puffy Muffin in Cool Springs did and it was A-Mazing!  There were only strawberry crumbs left.  

Happy Birthday Abigail Elizabeth!

Harder Family Christmas {2016}

Someone recently asked me why I love Christmas so much. Is it the decorating with bright colors and pretty dishes?  Is it the christmas trees and gingerbread cookies?  Maybe it's the advent stories and Christmas cards on the fridge?  Or my favorite sermons of a King coming down to save the world? For sure, it could be singing Silent Night with my church family and holding my children as I watch Christmas unfold in their eyes.  I love it y'all.  All. Of. It.  There are two things you can be sure of.  I will teach my babies that Jesus is Lord and that He loves them dearly.  And I will show them how to turn up the Christmas music, dance in their Christmas socks while they bake, and decorate every inch of their home with Christmas cheer!!  

Our family room doesn't have a great spot for a tree so I put an all white, flocked beauty in our dining room.  It was a perfect spot because I could enjoy it while I wrapped presents and baked cookies with the girls!  

Our living room in the front of the house has a little more space for actual presents and Christmas morning fun, so we put our sweet kid friendly tree with all their precious, handmade ornaments in that room!  

I have several pieces of furniture that belonged to my great grandmother and they are so special to me. My first memories of gathering for Christmas meals are in her dining room.  I am so thankful that I have these antique pieces and that I will be able to share their story with my girls.  

I started this little family blog six years ago and though it's a creative outlet for me and a fun way to document and share pictures with our friends and family, I love that I can put a picture with a memory and show our children one day.  I love looking back over the years and seeing the traditions we have slowly made as a family.  One of my favorite has become visiting the Christmas Tree Farm in Murfreesboro.  Country Cove is adorable!  After we snap a few pictures of the girls, we stop in at the little store where they serve hot chocolate and apple cider.  Out back, you can hear kids warming their hands by a fire pit before taking a trip around the farm on a hayride.  This year, it was freezing but Abigail and Violet were happy as could be with their sweet little flushed cheeks and pink noses!

~My sweet Abigail~

 ~And of course, little miss personality~

I have been on maternity leave since October, so I've been able to spend so much time this Christmas season with my sweet babies.  I am so thankful that I got to spend a day with each of them at school for their Christmas parties.  Abigail and I decorated a gingerbread house together.  She's almost five, but for that short hour, she crawled in my lap and held on to me so tightly.  I know she's getting big and kindergarten is right around the corner, so I really cherish my last year with her at home.

Violet couldn't wait for me to come to her party at school, especially after she saw me visiting Abigail's class.  I promised her I would be there for her party too, and her reaction made my day!  Her little hands flew in the air and she looked around at her friends saying " my mommy, my mommy"! Love her big!  

And of course, nothing has been sweeter this Christmas, than welcoming sweet Georgia Mae into our family.  I could go on and on about how in love with that baby I am, but I'll just leave this picture instead.  I mean, how adorable is this sweet hat?!

Mike and I have special ornaments on our tree for each of our girls.  On their first Christmas, we write a note and leave it inside.  This year, we left Georgia a special note in her ornament. One day, we hope our girls will read them and know how dearly loved and prayed over they are. 

After lots of wonderful food and quality time with family this week, we placed the presents for our girls under the tree and went to bed with full hearts.  Seeing their joy on Christmas morning is magical!  

Their big gift this year was this adorable pillow fort tee pee that I found on Amazon.  It fits perfectly in the corner of their room and helps balance out the space.  I'm almost finished with their room and I think it's SO cute.  I'm still looking for curtains and I'd love to make a book shelf for between their windows.  Also, their room is NEVER this clean.  I snapped a quick picture right before the tornado of Christmas day play began! 

This week we will take down ALL our trees :)  I'll put all the Christmas decor back in the boxes until next year, but I will hold on to the beautiful memories we made as a family this Christmas.  2016 was a pretty rough year for me.  Pregnancy and I are not friends.  After spending the majority of the year nauseous, hypoglycemic, and hypotensive - I really appreciated November and December!  I finally felt like myself and was actually present for my family.  I could not have made it through this year without my dear husband.  I try to brag on him every chance I get.  With me feeling sick and struggling with my blood pressure being so low, I feel like I missed so much.  He picked up the slack as he always does and took care of our family.  Somehow, he was able to take care of all of us while leading our church and working on his PhD.  He's a keeper and I love him so much!  He even let me put live garland across our mantle even though it makes him sneeze.  He tolerates me and all my Christmas decorating so well!  There's no one else I would rather snuggle up to at night by a cozy fire with twinkling lights than my dear husband. He makes my Christmas extra special! (Not pictured is Pastor Mike in his super snazzy elf slippers...)

{Harder Family Christmas 2016}

Georgia Mae {Two Months} and {Nursery}

Maternity leave has been a dream.  I am so in love with my little Georgia Mae and since we thought our newborn days had passed, I am really soaking in every snuggle and sniff of her little head that I can.  I am a few weeks away from having to go back to work so I've found myself trying to remember every detail from the moment they handed her to me.  

Maternity leave is always a bit of a foggy period because your days blend together and before you know it weeks have passed.  Georgia is already changing so much.  I've tried to snap pictures with my phone as often as I can to freeze each little moment.  This is probably my favorite picture to date from our sweet time together.  Most of my days have been spent holding her just like this and watching her sleep.  

Here is what sweet Georgia is doing at two months:

* starting to coo and "talk" to us
* she weighs 10 lbs and is 23 inches long.  trending just like her sisters!
* she smiles at me and melts my heart.  
* she is sleeping 5-7 hours straight at night.  Thank you Babywise!!
* she is very interested in what her sisters are doing and when they are in the room
* she has outgrown her 0-3 month outfits already!

Sweet baby.  This Christmas will be so special with you here!  

I am still working on her nursery, but I think it is the sweetest most peaceful room in our house!  I'm waiting to find a lamp for her table and I'm having a hand painted sign made for her, but this is a preview.  Hopefully I'll have this room done before she switches to a toddler bed and I rearrange it...

A few details for my design friends out there!

Paint: Benjamin Moore Wickham Gray 

Rug: Wayfair
Ottoman: TJMAXX 

Curtains and Mini Chandelier: Amazon

Crib: Once Upon a Child
Side table: Pottery Barn
Blue chalk painted dresser: random college piece of Mikes, Paint is Annie Sloan duck egg blue
Frameless mirror: At Home 

Welcome Georgia Mae { One Month}

My sweet Georgia, 

This blog post is all about you.  I hope I can show you this one day and watch you smile as you see your pictures and I read you all the words that flooded my heart when you were born.  I have done this with your big sisters and now it's your turn.  

You are very special sweet girl, because we thought our family was complete.  The Lord spoke very clearly to your daddy and I that someone was missing in our family and we began to hope and pray about you.  And what a sweet blessing and breath of fresh air you are!  We love you so much already.  

As I write this particular post, I am flooded with so much emotion.  Joy.  I laugh at myself that I declared our family complete and sold all our baby items two years ago.  After feeling so miserable through two pregnancies, I was certain I couldn't possibly endure it again.  I am joyful because the Lord in his kindness to me answered every prayer I poured out to him over the last year.  

I feared financial stress with Mike starting his Phd and our family needing a new car.  And God provided in big ways for our family.  

I feared being sick all over again and missing so much quality time with my family, but somehow it seemed to pass quickly.  Also, praise the good Lord for diclegis!  

I feared labor and delivery.  I was able to deliver both Abigail and Violet naturally and unmedicated but for some reason, I was so anxious that I wouldn't be able to do it again.  I prayed for a short labor and boy did the Lord hear me on that one!  My labor transitioned so quickly that I didn't have time to be scared - six hours and she was in my arms.  In fact, we arrived at the hospital a short twenty minutes before she was born.  Praise God we made it in time! 

You are lucky sweet Georgia Mae because your daddy is going to spoil you with hugs and kisses.  Your sisters are going to smother you with giggles and adventure.  And I am going to pray that the Lord will show me how to be the best mom for you I can be.  I will pray for patience to juggle a family of five and that He will teach me to shepherd your heart well.  We love you so much.  

Here is what I hope to remember about your first month of life: 

* You have the sweetest little cry.  I have joked that it is the most polite little baby cry I have ever heard 
* You are sleeping good so far giving me 4-5 hour stretches at night- momma thanks you!
* You are starting to wake up and you raise your little eyebrows when your sisters play in the same room 
* You are so long!  You skipped newborn clothes and moved out of newborn diapers in two weeks 
* You love to be held and we love to hold you

Happy Birthday Violet {THREE}!!

I love being a mom to little girls!  The costumes, the tutus, the giggles...I love it all!  I love seeing their imaginations soar when they get to dress up and play with their friends and I especially love seeing the joy on their sweet little faces when they get to have a special birthday party!  

Last year we didn't get to celebrate Violet because we were mid renovation and living with family, so I promised that when she turned three she would get to have a very special birthday party.  She has seen her sister have a tea party birthday and she's been a guest to all of her friends fun little parties, so all year long she asked when it would be her turn.  This past weekend, it was finally her turn!!  

We started her birthday off with special birthday pancakes!  

On Saturday, we invited a few of her friends over to celebrate her mermaid birthday!  She skipped around the house and giggled all morning as she saw me decorating and getting things set up for her special party!  

When Abigail turned three, we had Elsa the princess come to her party and she was amazing!!  I made a mental note then that when Violet turned three we would have her come back.  This time she was Ariel!  If you are looking for a princess for a birthday party, Jennifer from The Learning Express is perfect!  She made our little birthday girl feel so special and we have the sweetest memories from this day! Violet's face as she watched Ariel walk up our sidewalk was the sweetest! And then, she declared Violet a princess for the day. 

Here is what Violet is doing at three years old:

* She loves to snuggle, play with my hair, have me play with her hair.  Bless her, she is definitely my child!
* She is a bit strong willed but I love her spunk and I think she will be a leader!
* She loves to sing and dance!
* She is excited about having a little sister and tries to kiss her at every chance
* Her favorite food is watermelon
* She loves mermaids, princess Sofia, and Doc McStuffins
* She sings " Rocky Top in the Sea" and it melts my heart 
* When she hugs you, she means it.  

Happy Third Birthday sweet Violet!