MILESTONE!!!!!!

Sorry to post again so soon, we're really not trying to bombard everyone. However, we thought this might be worth blogging about.

This morning after Layla's second bath (she pooped up her back all the way up her shirt right after the first bath) she was laying on the change table for some tummy time while we re-grouped and picked out a new outfit. I looked over and she was totally propped up on her elbows and holding her head up for 3 minutes! We made a big production and clapped and cheered and she loved it! The world from a new point of view!


Guess all that screaming, eating, sleeping and fussing was the growth spurt she needed to get to the next milestone! Good work Layla Bug!!!!

SLEEP BABY SLEEP!

Just so you don't worry....

Layla slept in her car seat until midnight when she finally woke up for a bottle. She practically slept through her bottle and then went right down in her crib without a peep. She slept soundly until 6:50 this morning when she awoke happy as a clam. She must have been absolutely exhausted from her hard fussing :) Hopefully today she can get back into her routine and settle that tiny tummy.

Side note: She's finally grown out of her Newborn size clothes and filling in her 0-3 size quit nicely :) She loves trying on new outfits!

COLIC? OR JUST A HARD FUSS?

Poor Layla bug has had a rough few days. The books all say "colic" starts around week 6-8. She's been fussing up a mad mess until she's so exhausted she can't get to sleep. 20 minute remedies that seem to help: swing, bouncer, car ride, uncle Kyle, running water, bum pats, primary songs. These all work for about 20 min and then the mad fuss starts again. Hoping it's not colic and it's just a bubbly tummy. Were heading into day three and hoping that we'll find a magic trick that will help her poor, sad belly to settle. For now lots of love and cuddles.

Layla Loves...

Layla loves her "softie." What is a softie exactly? It her plush, soft, minky mini blankets that she loves to snuggle up to. Yesterday we discovered that Layla loves to have her softie up by her cheek when she's trying to fall asleep. As soon as her binki was in her mouth and softie was snugged up by her face she was out cold! Good thing she has 3 different softies because they inevitably end up with spit up on them!

LAYLA TALKING AND LAUGHING IN HER CRIB

FUNNIEST THING!

Layla is taking a nap right now and while I was checking in on her she was smiling and she blew a giant spit bubble and it lasted forever! It was so cute! Some of Layla's funniest faces are when she's in her active sleep state.

7 WEEKS

This picture was taken this morning after having a bottle, burp, bath, lotion, and ready for a nap. In Layla's 7th week she has really blossomed. She is cooing a lot since Monday, she loves to lay on the change table or a blanket and talk. Her voice is soft and sweet, not very loud or aggressive. Just a sweet quiet "Ahoo, Ghooh, Ghaah" slips out every few minutes. She is a wiggle worm with arms and legs that never stop. She's starting try to reach for toys when she's in her bouncer and they are hanging above her head and she even laughed once when she grabbed onto one of them. She's sleeping less during the day which means we're busier than ever, but she's consistently sleeping until 5 am at night. Her smiles get bigger and bigger as she learns more and more and she proves to possibly have a little dimple in her right chubby cheek when she smiles. She's growing in length faster than we can keep up as her clothes all drowned her tiny waist but act as floods around her ankles. Good thing she has boxes full of clothes to grow into and out of !

*we'll try to record her voice so that you can hear it.... she seems to be as quiet as a mouse when we press the record button and as soon as we stop she turns into chatty cathy!

Layla's 6th week was a busy one!

Last week included:

ATTENDING COUSIN CHLOE'S HORSE BACK RIDING LESSON

WEARING HER LADY BUG TERRY CLOTH JUMPER TO THE ROY AQUATIC CENTER

SWIMMING WITH HER COUSINS

EXHAUSTED AFTER PUTING ON HER SWIMSUIT... A NAP IN THE SHADE

SUPPORTING DAD AT HER 2ND BIKE RACE

TEAM SHIRT INCLUDED

WENT TO THE ZOO TO SEE THE NEW BABY GIRAFFE

AND ALSO TO SEE THE NEW BABY ELEPHANT

FINISHED OFF THE WEEK WITH THE TOUR OF UTAH CRITERIUM DOWNTOWN SLC

BORED OF BIKES, WOULD RATHER WATCH PEOPLE WALKING PAST

FINISHED SUNDAY DINNER BY SLEEPING WITH ONE EYE OPEN... AS NOT TO MISS ANY OF THE ACTION!

IKEA!

Saturday was spent sleeping in (trying to catch up) and relaxing around the house. We finally made it out the door to I*KEA at 3:45pm. Not exactly the most well executed logistical planning on our part:) We strolled around the store with Layla in the baby b*jorn carrier and picked out some furniture to finish up the nursery. Now Layla has a place to store her books, toys, and softies. And we can rock-a-by in the new rocking chair while listening to her favorite CD. While sporting her new hairbows that I started making for her. We got sick of seeing all the giagantic bows made of huge flowers, so I took to making my own paper flowers. Hopefully you like it!

Layla's new bookcase

New rocking chair.... so comfy!

Layla enjoying her new chair

New hair bows

Exhausted at the end of the day

UTAHN

MORNING PLAY TIME IN UTAH ABOUT 7:45 AM MOST MORNINGS

As of about 4 hours ago, Layla has been a Utahn for exactly 1 month. She has grown so much since the first time she came through our front door and into our hearts. Our love for her multiplies daily to new levels that we never imagined existed.
Some of her favorites include:
Being outdoors, laying on the hammock eating her brunch bottle around 11am
Eating, eating, and more eating about 3.5 oz every 4-4.5 hours during the day and 6 hrs at night
Tooting... a Lam family trademark... fits right into the Day family :)
Sleeping while being bundled tightly with her binki in mouth and new star gazing night light.
Story time at night when she listens to the story of her Angel mom who brought her here from heaven

LAYLA'S ANGEL MOM

Some of her least favorites:
Tummy time on the floor no matter how many toys are available for entertainment
Cleaning her boogers out of her nose with the bulb syringe
Cold wet wipes during 5am diaper changes
An empty mouth when her binki pops out mid nap

Some of our favorites:
When she stretches and squeeks for 5 minutes in the morning before actually waking up to eat
Her boisterous burps that rock the house in the middle of sacrament meeting
Going to visit Kevin in SLC for lunch
Her great big grins when she's dreaming away
Her hairy little arms and back that demand constant kissing and hugging
The list is endless!


Layla's accomplishments since arriving in Utah:
She's been able to meet almost everyone in the family and extended family as well as friends and neighbors. She has graduated from sleeping in the bassinet in mom and dad's room to sleeping in her own room. She's gained at least 2.5 lbs and if she gows any longer we'll have to start cutting the feet out of all her PJ's. She has been to the quilt shop, party planning store, bike races, swimming at nana's, shopping in Park City, the grocery store, post office, farmers market, Salt Lake, Work, Zoo and church. She always poops out the left side of her diaper at the least convienient time. She fusses and cries very little and only when she's hungry, tired or her tummy hurts. And she has stolen the hearts of everyone who has caught a glimpse of her.

FROM THIS....

TO THIS.....

DAY 1

TO DAY 39

YOUR FUTURE IS FULL LITTLE LADY LAYLA! CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT'S IN STORE FOR NEXT MONTH!

Funny Faces

We can't believe Layla has been home in Utah for one whole month today! More on this topic coming later today. For now... here are a few of her funny faces today.
This is Layla's gas face when she wakes herself up from her naps with a little toot toot toot! Her one of many nick names of "Toots Marie" is very appropriate these days!


This is Layla watching the morning new forecast and wondering what she is going to wear for the nice weather today.


We're headed out the door for some errands and a swim at Nana's house and then we'll be back to post about all the happenings in the last month in Utah:)

Morning Routine

*** TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF THE PICTURES BELOW, CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO ENLARGE.... sorry if they are grainy.
Layla is sooooooo cute in the morning. She wakes up with a few squeaks to let us know she's ready to eat. After a full tummy and a few bubbles she takes a bath and gets lathered in baby lotion. She loves it! Than it s play time for about an hour and fifteen minutes before naptime. During play time she.....
VISITS WITH HER BEAR:

TRIES TO SEE WHAT MR MONKEY SEES:



HAS TUMMY TIME WHILE LEARNING WHAT IS "YUMMY AND YUCKY":


AND SETTLES DOWN IN THE BOUNCER WITH HER OWL EYES:


All in a mornings work, and in 3 hours we get to wake up and play some more! On today's agenda... lunch with a good friend who just found out she's pregnant! More friends for Layla! Nap time. Get ready and pick out an outfit for her last but not least baby shower with the Physical Therapy staff at the hospital. Eat dinner. Night time bath with lavender bubbles and lotion. Warm fuzzy PJ's and off to bed! See you tomorrow!

One month already!

This past week has felt like one month all packed into one. Layla attended two baby showers (for her of course) this week and has found herself in the middle of a world that has fallen head over heals for her. There is more care and compassion for this little girl, her life, where she came from and who brought her here than Shannon and I ever imagined. Friends and neighbors have been coming out of the woodworks to catch a glimpse and hear her story in real life. The love that is expressed on her behalf as well as the love that is pouring out to her family in California is truly amazing. She was quite literally showered with kindness, love and a few gifts throughout this week.

She loves her new super soft pink blanket



Layla looks good in brown


And loves a warm towel after a bath

FIRST BIKE RACE

LAYLA WITH KEVIN AFTER THE RACE

Layla attended her first of many of Kevin's bike races. He custom fit her with a onsie that had his racing team logo on the front and her title on the back. It was a hit, all the mom's were jealous! She was a doll for the long drive up to park city but wasn't so happy when she realized we were there for a mountain bike race instead of the usual shopping trip. She met most of the racer's wives and Kevin's dad showed her the ropes. Kashi was there to help and loved having Layla there too. The weather was nice and not too hot so she just napped and enjoyed the event. Kevin didn't win the race due to mechanical problems on his bike but it was a dream come true for our little family. I think she liked it more than she let on :)

CUSTOM ONSIE WITH TEAM LOGO AND TITLE... VICTORY!

KEVIN, KASHI, AND KEVIN'S DAD SHOWED HER THE ROPES

SHE MADE LOT'S OF NEW FRIENDS ON THE SUPPORT CREW

A GOOD DAY AT THE RACES!