Arden at 19 Weeks

I found out I was having a girl when I was 19 weeks pregnant. Now, it's hard to believe that little baby girl on the ultrasound is 19 weeks old today. Here she is in all of her Sunday dress cuteness!

She's supposed to be laughing in this video. However, it just sounds like a pleasant noise. She laughed more when I wasn't sticking a camera in her face.

Tummy Time!

I've been working with Arden on strengthening her muscles and spending more time on her tummy. It's been hard to have much tummy time because she spits up so much, and she also doesn't like tummy time. However, as you can see, she's doing quite well now. She can lift her head up for longer periods at a time. Being nearly 19 weeks, she's a bit behind on this achievement. I'm proud of her, though!

She's a bit upset in this pic. She seems to be able to hold her head up higher when she's upset. Go figure!

Here he she is right after the above pic. Somehow she managed to flip herself onto her back! I know this should be considered some kind of milestone, but I know she didn't do it on purpose. She pretty much just fell over and rolled onto her back by coincidence.

Here she is in action!

Sitting Like a Pro

My Uncle Larry and Aunt Karen got Arden this super seat. I was pleasantly surprised with it on my porch last week! She's still a little too small for it, and her head tends to fall back a bit after holding it up for so long. But I'm sure she'll be sitting like a pro in no time!

Sleep Sacks and Rattles

I bought Arden her first rattle the other day. She can grab it really well; although, she's more interested in sucking on it than shaking it. She's such a cutie, especially in her sleep sack! It keeps her warm and cozy.

Pure Torture

As I'm typing this blog, I'm listening to Arden scream her little head off. Lately it's been quite difficult to get her to take a nap. My friend Gina suggested I read "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child," so I bought it on Amazon last week. According to the book, I need to put Arden in her crib for no more than an hour. If she's still crying after an hour, then I can take her out and try again some other time. However, I'm hoping she'll fall asleep before then. She just finished a coughing/gagging spell and seems to have calmed down since then. D'oh, now she's crying again. I pray I can hold out for 35 more minutes, but it's pure torture!

She did go to bed before 9 p.m. last night. I'm going to keep moving her bed time earlier and earlier. After all, I really want her to be happy, and she won't be if she's tired.

Below are some pics of my little sweetie during her 18th week. Love her!

Grandma Daniels and Aunt Catie came to visit! Too bad Arden was Little Miss Fussy Pants nearly the entire time.

Not as Excruciating

I just got back from Arden's 4-month well-baby checkup. I gave her a little infant Tylenol before we left, and I think it actually helped. She screamed her head off during the shots, but I was able to calm her down more quickly this time. Plus, she fell asleep on the way home.

Her Stats
Weight: 10 pounds 6.5 ounces (3%)
Height: 23.25 inches (40% or so)

The doctor thinks she needs to gain more weight and believes starting her on solid foods might do the trick. He also said it might help decrease her spitting episodes. So I guess we'll start experimenting with rice cereal and see how it goes.

Here are a couple of pics of my sleeping angel. Hopefully she'll feel ok later and let me get some 4-month pics of her.

Lewis Family Fun Day

Adam had Sunday and Monday nights off of work, so we spent a lovely afternoon on Monday as a family. First, we went to "Next Best Thing," which is a children's consignment shop. A friend at church told me about it, so I had to check it out. I came home with two cute outfits and five pairs of shoes for Arden, all for just $22! After that, we drove to the waterfront and strolled along the water. It made me a little nervous to be that close to the water with Arden, but she didn't seem to mind. I can't wait to get my hands on Jasmine's old stroller! We then drove around until Adam found a park he'd seen on a map. It looked like a nice park. It even had a frisbee golf course. Too bad it's right next door to the waste treatment plant. Phew! We didn't get out of the car and headed for home to feed Arden. Then we went to dinner at Spunky McDoogle's. I didn't realize until we walked in that it's a bar and grill...meaning most of it was a smoking section. We didn't smell any smoke as we ate, though. The food was yummy, and the service was pretty good. As soon as Arden became fussy, we knew it was time to head home.

We had a lovely day. I hope we can have more Lewis Family Fun Days in the near future!

It's Official!

Since I was set apart at church today, I can tell you what my calling is: primary teacher! I've served in the primary with Adam by my side many times. Well, this time it's just me. I'll be teaching the 7-8 year olds. I'm not gonna lie; I'm terrified.

I know Arden will want to nurse during the Sunday School hour, so someone will have to sit with my class during sharing time. The presidency said Adam could help me out whenever I need it, so that should make me feel better. I'm just feeling overwhelmed. I'm sure it'll all work out, though. I just need to have faith.



Here we are after church today.

Wow, 17 Weeks!

Arden will be four months old on Thursday. Crazy! She has her well-baby appointment that day, too. Once again, I'm not looking forward to the shots. I think this time I'll give her a little bit of infant Tylenol before we go to the doctor.

Here she is in her Snugli. She seems to like it. My friend Alison got me this, but it got lost during the move. So I went out and bought another one. If we find the other one, I'll use the receipt for this one to return it. I know it's around here somewhere!

Outside Fun

It was so nice today, so we went outside. I took a little walk with Arden, and she loved it. I was hoping it would make her sleepy, but it didn't. I even took her portable swing outside. That didn't work, either. Now she's little miss cranky pants.

Having a Bad Day?

This will turn that frown upside down. I finally got Arden's cute little giggle on camera. Love it!

Gurgly Goo!

Arden just loves to have major gurgling sessions. If she didn't get hungry, tired, or cranky, she'd probably gurgle all day long. Enjoy her cuteness!

Can't Resist a Kiss...

with a face like this!

Thanks for this onesie, Liisa. It's too cute!

Naptime?

The other day, like many days, I attempted to put Arden down for a nap in her crib (it has yet to work.) About 20 minutes later, I heard her talking and gurgling to herself, so I decided to investigate. I know I should've just let her be, but I couldn't help myself. She's just too cute! I'm sure after watching this video, you'll agree.

Cute and Cuddly

Dressed in My Sunday Best

Today has been a good day. We were on time for church! Arden was a little fussy during Sacrament Meeting. After nursing her instead of going to Sunday School, she did great in Relief Society. Last week she was a little fussy. I thought maybe she'd had enough of being held. So I put her in her carrier for Relief Society, and she had a blast. She was chit-chatting all through the lesson. Hey, as long as she isn't fussing, I'm good!

My life is about to become a lot busier. Today, it was like everywhere I turned someone was asking me to do something. I just got a calling today. Since it isn't "official" yet, I can't say what it is. Let's just say it will probably prove to be difficult with Arden in toe, especially since I have to nurse her during Sunday School hour. Also, I'm going to be a Visiting Teacher. I didn't do too good at that while we were in Colfax Ward, but I should do better here. Plus, I've been asked to help put the Relief Society Birthday program together, which will take place in March. All I can say is, good thing I don't have to go to work! In all honesty, though, I'm glad this Ward has welcomed me with open arms. I feel like I'm a part of something, not just someone sitting in the background. It's gonna be great!

Below are some pics of Arden in the outfit she wore to church today. It's another consignment find. She's the cutest!

Just a sample of the music she was making during Relief Society today. Cutie pie!