Birthday week

I had a fabulous birthday week with my family and friends.  It started with a night out with my girls, Lori & Kristen, on Tuesday.  We started with dinner at Leon's (a new restaurant started by the Brickstore guys).  When I arrived the girls had already snagged a fabulous tucked-away booth which the owners refer to as the "hot tub".  You know we were right at home! ;)  After a yummy dinner we headed over to Eddie's Attic to see Fred and his band play.  It's always fun & entertaining watching Fred put on his show.  Many thanks to daddy Kit for staying home with the girl so I could have a night out.  Too bad it takes 2-3 days to recover from a late night out these days...especially when it's followed by 2 middle of the night feedings.  Oh the sacrifices of living the rock 'n roll life...

Fred & His Georgia Girls *missing Lisa*

Thursday Zoë and I had a visit from Cindy & Trent.  They brought lunch & livened the place up with their energy.  Trent & Zoë don't yet know that they are destined to be together.  We'll let them figure that out on their own. ;)  And the weirdest thing is they both have a "strawberry" birthmark in the EXACT same place on their shoulder.  Trent's has almost faded now...but, isn't that funny?  I got the cutest pictures of them meeting for the first time.  How big does our girl look sitting up like that?  Trent agreed to pose & smile for the picture knowing he had a P,B & J sandwich waiting for him...

How cute are they??

Totally checking each other out...

On Friday we headed up to my parents' lake house (which is in Seneca, SC) for a relaxing weekend.  Mom & Dad were there along with a warm fireplace to welcome us in from the cold.  Sarah, Andy & Beth joined us on Saturday and we had a great day of small town shopping, good food eating and inside joke laughing.  Speaking of the small town shopping...have I mentioned how much I love small towns?  Sarah carried Zoë while we walked around the shops and without fail every one we went in the shop owner would come over, ooo and ahhh over Zoë and ask her name.  I couldn't help but comment how this NEVER happens in Atlanta.  Sometimes at the grocery store the checkout lady will smile and ask how old she is.  But really people just keep to themselves.  This is what I miss living in a big city...community.  But, I won't go on and on...this is another post entirely.  I'll just say I had a great weekend AWAY from the big city.  And I finally got some pictures of me & little Z.  I am always the one who pulls out the camera...so I've realized I have very few pictures of me & Zoë.  Good thing daddy Kit is brilliant with the camera.  These are a few of my favorites.

  

Here on my birthday I can't help but think of my own birth and what my mom went through to get me here.  I know now that a BIRTHday is as much about celebrating the mama as it is about celebrating the "child".  Thinking about my mom experiencing the same feelings, emotions, fears, excitement as I have felt with Zoë is very humbling.  I imagine her young, naive, brave, 24...as clueless as I am.  And I remember all the ways I took her for granted and hurt her with my words and ridiculous adolescent acts.  Thank you, mom.  I pray that I can mother Zoë the way you always mother me.  And I can only hope Zoë and I can one day be friends the way we are. 

Happy birthday me!

My Baby Daddy

My baby daddy is a...

nap sharing daddy

baby-wearing daddy

fingernail clipping daddy

baby charming daddy

And all around the best daddy a girl could hope for!

The Bumbo

Here at the Hughes household we're contemplating the true function of the Bumbo.

Baby Seat

or

Roman Soldier Helmet

you can be the judge.

"Daddy get that Bumbo off of your head!!"

Our Little Valentine

Well, we had a great Valentine's weekend with a visit from Pops and Deeda.  Kit and I even scored TWO date nights out of it! ;)  I don't think we've had that much time alone since November 9th!  Friday night we went to Cirque du Soleil at Atlantic Station.  This was my Christmas /Valentine /Birthday present and I couldn't have been more thrilled!  In fact, I was so excited about going I was afraid I was going to be disappointed.  But, no worries!  We had such a good time.  I think part of me was just high off of being out of the house and on a date with my man!  Plus, the acts were amazing and we had really good seats.  It also reminded me of my childhood birthdays.  The Ringling Brothers circus always came (and still does) to town around my birthday and going to it was one of my favorite birthday treats.  So, I guess going to this "adult" circus brought back some fond birthday memories.  

Zoë really started "talking" this weekend.  It's so cute to see her try to communicate.  And I love her little squeals of joy!  We're having so much fun interacting with her these days.  Enjoy the new Valentine photos of little miss!

3 Months

Dear Zoë,

Congratulations little one!  We are officially through the fourth trimester.  And you have now been "living" for a full year!  You are becoming such a little person...no longer accepting a life of merely eating, sleeping and pooping.  Oh no, you want to be a part of everything that is going on.  And you've even taken to squealing when you're not!  We didn't have a pediatrician appointment this month so I'm not sure exactly how much you're weighing.  But there is no doubt you are growing!  You have almost outgrown all of your 0-3 month clothes.  And you're getting ready to move on to size 2 diapers.

You've really started learning how to "work" us this month, little girl.  You have this new cry that you're using...which is really more of a yell or pitiful scream.  I call it your "damsel in distress" cry because let's be honest you're just using it to get our attention.  It's really kind of funny.  I'll walk away from you and you'll let out this "look at me!" scream...and when I come back you'll flash me this huge grin.  Wrapped.  That's all I have to say...wrapped.  

Just as everyone has predicted your hair has started falling out.  I'm finding it in little feathery wisps in your bed and on your changing table.  You can also see little bare spots on the back of your head.  But, no worries girl, you still have plenty of hair to sport a pretty rockin' do.  I'm telling ya, people pay good money for your look!  And Daddy sure is holding out hope that you will keep the "do" that proves you really are his child.  I'm also wondering what your eyes are going to do.  I haven't let myself get to attached to them because I figured they would probably change.  But they really are a beautiful shade of steely blue.  I don't know that I've ever spent so much time staring into one person's eyes.

You are still loving to suck on your fist and completely reject a pacifier.  This morning you actually started to find your thumb.  It was really kind of pitiful...your thumb is so tiny it seems to be a pretty unsatisfying thing to suck!  You seemed to realize that and went back to working on shoving your whole fist in your little mouth.  Sometimes you suck on 2 or 3 of your fingers when you take your naps.  Whatever works, right?!  Oh, and I almost forgot, you still love to blow spit bubbles and you totally drool like a machine.

Ok girl, we need to have another talk about our sleep issues.  Our transition to the "big girl" crib is going ok.  Mommy has only woken up in a "where's the baby!" panic a few times.  I'm pretty proud of myself.  You, on the other hand, are not accepting this whole "sleep through the night" concept.  You'll do a pretty good 5-6 hour stretch at the beginning of the night.  Then, I'm not sure exactly what happens, but you have gotten into the habit of waking up every two hours after that.  And I mean you wake up!  Eyes open wide, looking around like you're ready to start the day.  I'm kind of at a loss for how to break you of this habit.  I'm hoping maybe you'll just grow out of it??  But seriously girl, we do not start our day at 4am!  

Things that I love:

Your big gummy smiles

Your sweet breathy whispers

Your edible chubby cheeks

Your big baby yawns

Your rock star mohawk hairdo
Your mesmerizing blue eyes

You met our preacher, Kris, for the first time on Sunday and he went on and on about how beautiful you are.  I told him that we thought so, but what do we know.  He said, "Just 'cause you're biased doesn't mean you're wrong."  I like that.

Love,

Mama

12 Weeks

Zoë, I just love these new pictures of you.  They really show what a happy, good-natured baby you are.  You are becoming more animated everyday and it's so much fun to be with you.  You love to flash this big, gummy grin...but, you aren't laughing much yet.  It's cute to watch to make laughy faces but no sound comes out!

Every night since we've been home from the hospital you have slept by our bed in this cradle.  Having you so close during the night has been a mixed blessing.  It was so easy to tend to your late night needs having you so close.  You rarely had to even cry when you needed something because I could hear your every grunt.  But, I could hear your every grunt...and I think we both have lost more sleep than necessary because of that.  Either way, it's definitely time for you to move into your room and into your "big girl" crib.  We'll start the transition this week and hopefully it will be relatively painless.

I guess you can tell from the fact that I have taken these pictures and even paused to write about this that it has not been an easy thing for me to do.  Some people have even chastised me for keeping you in our room this long.  I jokingly respond by telling them I know you'll be fine...it's ME I'm not so sure about.  You have been such a part of me for almost a year now.  And I'm realizing that moving you out of my "sight" during the night is causing me to once again take a step of faith and trust that God will care for you...even while I sleep.  Silly Mommy...of course He will care for you.  There is the other lesson I have to continually learn: I am SO not in control of as much as I think I am.  Baby steps.

  

This cradle was originally your Uncle Jon's when he was a baby.  I know, it's hard for you to imagine he was ever a little baby...but he was! ;)  Your cousins Sydney & Madison also used it when they were little.  So, you are not the first baby to use it and you won't be the last.  I am so grateful to have been able to use this beautiful piece of furniture.  It was not only so useful but also a little bit of your history.  We have to thank your Pops & Deeda for letting this cradle bring us such good baby memories. 

Love,

Mama