Busy, Busy Week

It has been a busy week at our house. On Saturday, Brandon had to work, so Liza and I went to the Clay Co. Fair in Spencer, IA to watch Grandpa Scott and Uncle Caleb show horses in the last show of the season. We rode down to Iowa with Mom and Dan so I didn't have to make the trek alone. It was about 45 degrees and pouring rain all day so Liza rode around in the stroller under lots of layers of blankets! She was so good though!
On Monday Liza and I met Grandma Ann and Brandon's aunts Chris and Patti for lunch at Applebees. It was good to get out of the house for a while!  
Yesterday Melissa, the Public Health Nurse came to weigh Liza. She now weighs 9 lbs. 15 oz! She's gaining an ounce per day which I'm told is super! She's starting to get a couple of chins and cute jelly roles on her arms and legs!
Today I had my 6 week check up and the clinic (Yes, my baby is already 6 weeks old - time flies too fast!). After that we ran lots and lots of errands. Liza was so good. She sat in her car seat and smiled all day. She was awake from 9:30-1:30, which is the longest stretch she's ever been awake during the day, and now she's snoozing away the rest of the afternoon. 
On Sunday my grandparents are having a potluck picnic at  their house which I am really looking forward to. I still have to figure out what to make to bring - any suggestions?! 
I finally got study materials for my LGSW exam.  Back to hitting the books!

In the meantime...enjoy these pics of my beautiful little girl!

Lots and Lots of Smiles!

Mom Turns 50!

This was a busy birthday week in our family! On Saturday the 11th, Liza turned 1 month old! It was also my mother in law's birthday that day. She and Scott came over for a while that night and visited Liza. My mom turned 50 on Tuesday!! Liza and I went out to supper with her to celebrate! Liza got both of her Grandmas the Willow Tree "Grandma" angel. They both loved them! 

Liza and Grandma on her 50th Birthday

Today great-aunt Melissa and Mike came to meet Liza. Grandma Ann also stopped by to see Liza before her and Grandpa Scott go to Iowa for the weekend for the last horse show of the season. If Brandon doesn't work on Saturday, we may venture down for it too!

BIG SMILES!!

Liza is growing leaps and bounds every day! She has now started to focus her attention on objects and follow them with her eyes. Daddy and Mommy have also started to see real smiles! We love those big toothless grins! She also is starting to talk to us. We love hearing what she has to say! We didn't get a weight this week but we can tell when we hold her she's getting bigger! I also want to know how much  she's grown in length. She is so long!! 

Liza discovered the animals above her swing!

I have about a month before I need to go back to work yet, but I am already really struggling about going back to work and leaving Liza at day care all day. I can't even bear the thought of dropping her off at day care. I have already shed many tears about this. Today I researched about how to start an in-home daycare. I never thought that that would ever be something I'd be interested in but the more I think about it, the more appealing it becomes. I don't think I will ever be able to do it, but a girl can dream, right? 
Any working moms out there reading this....how bad is it having to leave your kids at daycare? Does it ever get any easier? 

RaTtLe

Brandon didn't have to work today because of the rain so he got to spend the day and home with Liza and me! He spent most of the day on the floor playing with his baby girl which was so adorable I couldn't stop watching them! Daddy got Liza to do a new trick - hold and shake her rattle all by herself! She couldn't get enough of it and shook that rattle all day! Now we are just hanging out and watching the Vikings. It was a fun day at home as a family of 3!

Labor Day Weekend

Brandon, Liza and I had a nice, relaxing Labor Day weekend. Friday night we went over to some friends house to hang out. We brought Little Liza with us and there was another baby there that was born the same day as Liza. It was fun to find a playmate for her - too bad that baby lives in Iowa! 
Saturday Brandon landscaped the yard all day and we took a family trip to Mankato to go to Lowe's to get some more shrubs and plants for the yard. 
Sunday we got up and actually made it to 8:00 church. That is quite the accomplishment these days! Grandma Ann came over Sunday to play with Liza while mom and dad cleaned up the house because our friends, Matt and Heather came over the see the house and to meet baby Liza, of course! It was great to see them again and we had a great time! 
Grandma Barb came over today and watched Liza for the day so Brandon and I could get out and spend some time with just the 2 of us together. We went to Lambrechts so I could use my gift card from Ann for my birthday. We got some cool stuff for the kitchen and Grandma Barb's birthday present from Liza! We also did some Christmas shopping! Last year for Christmas Brandon and I and my brother and his wife did an ornament exchange. We found perfect ornaments for both of them at Lambrechts so we bought them! Then we went to Mankato, went out to eat and bought some things to put on the walls in the house so it actually looks like some one lives here. When we were in the mall, we walked past Motherhood Maternity and there was a cute pregnant lady in there trying on clothes and it really made me miss being pregnant! I might be ready for another little one sooner than I thought! Tonight I'm finishing up my thank you cards for all the baby gifts and doing birth announcements. Brandon and Liza Bear are studying.

Brandon and Liza studying

Liza's been up about every 2 hours over night the past couple of nights, so hopefully she lets me sleep a little tonight! That's it for now!