2 Months!

I can't believe my sweet girl is already 2 months old.  Time seems to be on fast forward now and I do not like it.  I just want to hold her every second and soak up each new little sound she learns and capture each new expression her eyes make as she explores her new world.  Being her mom is such a gift and I am so thankful.  Look at this sweet face!

Okay, so she isn't thrilled that I put the bow on her head and she just woke up from her nap so I'm pretty sure she thinks I'm crazy taking so many pictures of her waiting for her to finally grin.




But she finally did!!

This is the face she gives me when I talk and coo back at her.  Confusion...  Sometimes I think she is totally surprised that I am actually out there talking back to her!

She is growing so fast and I catch myself squeezing her into her newborn onesies because she can't possibly be ready for her 0-3 outfits! Watching her explore her surroundings and learn that her hands are actually attached to her body is the joy of my life right now.  Friends have asked me how I am doing staying at home and honestly I am loving it.  Mike and I have made some adjustments financially so that I can work less and be at home with her more and I am so thankful that Vanderbilt is letting me work part time.

Abigail at 2 months:
* She is starting to smile and coo back at us
* She loves to stare at herself in the mirror
* She enjoys taking a bath and splashing her feet in her little tub
* She is almost sleeping through the night ( Thank you BabyWise and Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child!)
*She is so happy in the morning when I go into her room and pick her up!
* She likes to stretch her arms over her head and kick her feet around when she wakes up
* She is starting to notice her black and white toys and her mobile


I love to sneak into her room before she wakes up and watch her sleep.  She seems at such peace with the world.  But there are times that she is fussy and fights her sleep, and I know that if she would just give in and let me rock her she would finally rest.  Isn't that what our Father offers us?  There are times that I am so tired and over stimulated by the world around me.  If I would only lean into Jesus and let Him give me the peace He promises, I would rest too.  So much to learn from a little baby!

I love you sweet Abigail!

Cloth Diapers can be fun!

I have had so many friends and family members ask me about our cloth diapering adventure so I thought I would do a little post on them!  If you are like me, then your first thoughts go straight to white cloths with safety pins.  Now these are still used by lots of cloth diapering moms out there and have actually evolved some with the use of " snappis" and cute diaper covers!  We decided however to use a more modern version and I have to say.... I LOVE them!  Take a look!

Not so scary, huh?  These are Bum Genius diapers and we chose them based on recommendations of moms that used them from birth through potty training.  The diapers in the picture are All in One ( AOI) diapers for a newborn and we started with these because they fit Abigail's little booty a little better.  The rest of my diapers are pocket diapers with a removable insert that you can wash.  They also have snaps that adjust as your baby grows so once she fits into those, she can use them until she is potty trained.

There are so many different styles that I would definitely recommend trying out different kinds before you buy your whole stash.  Borrow them from a friend if you can and see how they fit your little one.  I have several cloth diapering mommy friends so it's been great to try out a few different styles.  If you are really lucky ( like me) they may even hand them down to you!!!  Take a look at these cute Rumparooz Lil Joey's that are made for newborns - borrowed from a sweet friend!

The Lil Joey is great for a preemie or a small newborn and they will fit your baby from 6-12 pounds. They also have adjustable snaps on the front so they will grow with your baby.  I am borrowing several of these from a friend now that her daughter has outgrown them and transitioned into another size and I really like them! I would definitely recommend these!

You will also notice that I have them drying out on our deck.  This can save you money and the sun is a natural " bleacher".  Since the weather has been so nice, I have been air drying them but you can throw all of these in the dryer too.

The biggest question I seem to get is how to launder them and what about the POO!?!  There are several methods of laundering cloth diapers and there are still a few cloth diapering services out there.  You can actually leave your bag full of dirty cloth diapers on your porch and a service will pick them up, leave clean diapers, and wash your dirty ones for you.  There are also many different laundry detergents made for cloth diapers now and even recipes to make your own detergent if you like. This is what we use.

You can buy Tiny Bubbles through Amazon or at Costco and it can also be used for your baby clothes so you don't have to buy an extra detergent.  Loving it so far!  You want to stay away from " Free and Clear" detergents because these can actually leave a residue that over time may build up and decrease the absorption of your diapers.  It's also recommended that you " strip" your diapers from time to time to make sure you aren't getting a build up.  This just means that you run the diapers through multiple rinse cycles and occasionally add a little vinegar.

Now for the poo!  I am breast feeding so right now her dirty diapers aren't very smelly and there isn't much to her bowel movements, but I know the day is coming...  Most moms just empty the poop into the toilet and then toss the dirty diaper into their wet bag.  You can also use flushable biodegradable diaper liners like These.  You keep your soiled diapers in a wet beg that hangs in your room and when it's time for the wash, you just empty the bag into the washing machine and then toss the wet bag in with them.  The diaper champ ( not diaper genie) will allow you to use your wet bag instead of plastic bags so you can store them in that as well.  I am still reading up on this because of the potential build up of ammonia in a confined space.  Most people recommend a little airflow to your wet bag.

So there you go!  I'm not a hippie or a tree hugger but I am a fan of the cloth.  We didn't have the upfront cost because I got all my diapers at showers or handed down to me from friends, so it is definitely saving us a ton of money.  And as for the laundry, I am finding that with a newborn - it will never end anyway!!

Happy cloth diapering!

First Bath!

Mike and I absolutely love being parents!  We are enjoying every second with our sweet girl and every "first" for her is a HUGE deal for us!  So after 5 weeks of waiting for her stubborn umbilical cord to fall off, we were so excited for her first bath!  At first, she wasn't quite sure what to think...

It didn't take her long to realize that she did kind of like her bath!

She was quite content in her little bath and Mike and I just giggled and took in every moment!

Check out this face?!?  See why we are giggling?

Bath time success!

See her cute little towel with her name on it?  Sweet right?  We bundled her up with the cute towel with her name on it right after getting her all clean and dry.  And then... she pooped in it!

So we got her all cleaned up...AGAIN!  And then she got some good cuddle time with her daddy before bed.

My prayer for our daughter

Have you ever talked with a mom and heard her mention how often she prays for her children?  I can recall several conversations where mothers talked about faithfully praying for their children on a daily basis.  This always seemed a little extreme to me- mostly because I am not so great at praying for anyone on a daily basis.  But now I get it..

There is a certain innocence in a baby's face that can melt your heart.  I often find myself caught up in such a tender moment looking into Abigail's eyes, only to be quickly led to tears as I think about how this world will corrupt her someday.  When do children lose that innocence in their eyes?  It hurts my heart so much that all I can do is pray for her.

I am currently doing a Beth Moore study of Esther for my daily devotional.  It has been great for me since I haven't been able to get out much for Sunday morning worship or small group during the week.  The focus of this particular study is on women and more specifically how tough it is to be a woman.

If you are familiar with the book of Esther, then you will recall that the King in the story ordered a search for the most beautiful young women to be gathered so that he could pick his new queen.  It then goes on to say that beauty treatments were given to each girl before they were presented to the king.  WHAT?  It doesn't say that the ugly girls needed beauty treatments, but the most beautiful girls.

There is so much pressure on young girls to be beautiful these days that I just want to shield my daughter from the world.  I know the day will come when she feels she isn't pretty enough of good enough because of what our culture says about our women.  This mama is praying hard now that she will find her value in Christ and that He will strengthen her character to fight this temptation.

I also have to admit that it is a daily struggle for myself as well.  Ladies, if you are reading this blog - you are beautiful!  I love This post because she hits the nail on the head.  Beauty and what is considered beautiful by our culture is always changing.  Take a moment and read it - I guarantee it will challenge you!

For now, I am going to go stare at the sweet face of my baby girl and whisper to her how beautiful she is!

" A piece of furniture should tell a story...."

" A piece of furniture should tell a story...."  Those were the exact words from a dear patient of mine that owned an antique furniture store in Nashville.  Shortly after Mike and I bought our first home, she told me to be patient filling our house with furniture and that each piece should have it's own story.

 Of all the random pieces of furniture that we collected from family basements and forgotten rooms, there is one that stands out as my favorite!  Its story began with my sweet grandmother,  Shirley Napier.  The antique white chest once sat in the room that my " Nana" was born in.  It had been in her family for many years and eventually was handed down to my dad.

Years later, the same white chest ended up in my brother's nursery.  I remember thinking it was so pretty even though it was a little beat up and the doors didn't shut well.

Now, it sits in my living room and is my absolute favorite piece of furniture in our home.  We recently took newborn pictures of Abigail so I knew I wanted to get several of her in our old antique chest.  We get lots of compliments on it so I try to make sure that I always tell IT'S story!

One cup of coffee changed everything..

Five years ago today, Mike asked me out for a cup of coffee.  I remember sitting in a coffee shop in Memphis, Tennessee across from this tall hunk of a man and slowly watching my life fall into place.  FINALLY!  Life has only gotten sweeter since that day!!  Here is one of the earliest pictures I have us.  We look like babies!

I started this blog so that I could keep a record of pictures and events to remember and share with Abigail, our family, and our friends.  I want her to be able to look back through this blog one day and see how precious she is to all of us.  I also want her to know how incredible her father is.  Mike Harder is the real deal and I am so thankful that he is her daddy.  Here are just a few of the reasons I am so thankful for my husband:

1.  He loves Jesus more than me and Abigail.  That may seem odd - but it is the single thing I am the most thankful for.  The fact that he loves Jesus more than us, gives me HOPE that he will serve his family and love us as Christ loved his bride, the church.

2.  He is patient with us.  He is patient with me when I am tired and short fused ( maybe I have had a few moments!) He is patient with Abigail when she cries and as we learn how to take care of her.

3.  He is my partner.  I know that I am not taking care of this little bundle all alone.  Mike has probably changed more diapers than I have!!  He also walks her round and round our house when she is wide awake and fussy so that I can eat my dinner.

4.  His family comes first.  Mike first showed me how important this was to him while we were in Israel this past summer.  I was 11 weeks preggo and SO sick when we led a mission trip to Israel.  I was blown away by his leadership, because even though he had so many responsibilities with this trip, he put me first.  He also took a full 2 weeks off from work to be at home with us after Abigail was born.  This time has been so precious for our family and I am grateful for the sacrifices he has made!

5.  He is my best friend.  I absolutely love doing life with him, whether it's hiking along the Amalfi Coast in Italy, serving in a third world country, or lounging on the couch in our pajamas.  I am blessed to call him my husband.  Abigail is also incredibly lucky to have him as her daddy.  She will learn this for herself one day, but I plan to tell her often..

" Every good and perfect gift is from above" James 1:17

Wow..  I can't believe that Abigail is already 10 days old!  My days are a little blurred and I have lost all concept of time, but I am so in love and every second is worth it!  Abigail is such a good baby and she is already bringing so much JOY to our home.  The name Abigail means " Joy to the Father".   And that she is!  Can you see how she melts his heart?!?

We are both feeling incredibly blessed to have our daughter home with us.  I feel like I poured my heart out to the Lord and prayed specifically about my labor and her birth - and God was gracious to us.  I was able to deliver her naturally and thankfully I had a FAST labor!  I didn't share with many people that I wanted a natural birth because most people tried to discourage me.  Even after delivery, most conversations started out with : " Did you do that on purpose!?!"  However, if you are interested in learning more I want to encourage you.  Preparation and education is the key.  This book  was very helpful to educate me on labor and the natural birth process.  This book is also a great encouragement because it focusses on how to eliminate the fear that is learned from our culture.  


Finally, I can't say enough about the incredible Midwifery practice at Vanderbilt!  You can learn more about their philosophy Here. My sweet girl was worth all that preparation! 

I found this list on another mommy friend's blog and wanted to share it.  I can already see how much my world is about to change!  Stay tuned for more pictures!  We may or may not be obsessed with our new camera now..


1. You finally stop to smell the roses, because your baby is in your arms.

2. Where you once believed you were fearless, you now find yourself afraid.

3. The sacrifices you thought you made to have a child no longer seem like sacrifices.

4. You respect your body ... finally.

5. You respect your parents and love them in a new way.

6. You find that your baby's pain feels much worse than your own.

7. You believe once again in the things you believed in as a child.

8.Your heart breaks much more easily.

9. You think of someone else 234,836,178,976 times a day.

10. Every day is a surprise.

11. Bodily functions are no longer repulsive. In fact, they please you. (Hooray for poop!)

12. You look at your baby in the mirror instead of yourself.

13. You become a morning person.

14. Your love becomes limitless, a superhuman power.