Growing Up -- Hard To Do?

We hit another major milestone last week. Kate began to sleep through the entire night. Two weeks previous she had started to drop one of her nighttime feedings, but we were having trouble deciding which one. She would wake up at different times during the night, which would cause each day to begin slightly differently. Sometimes she would want her breakfast at 6, sometimes at 7, and sometimes at 8. This obviously made it challenging to keep up a 4 hour schedule during the day that was the same each day. Monday of last week, she surprised me by sleeping through TWO nighttime feedings and making it twelve hours from last evening snack until her breakfast time. I almost fell out of my bed. She has kept up the beautiful trend consistently now. If she wakes up, I get up and pop the paci back in her mouth, and away she goes to sleep again. It was perfect timing for Momma, who had so much to do for Auntie Becky's wedding. I think Josh must have been talking to her about it.


Along with her switch to sleeping so long through the night, we have decided to start a bedtime routine with Kate around the same time each evening. It's the sweetest part of my day. I lay her in the crib and sing "Immortal, Invisible" to her. Josh has decided this will be her favorite hymn. She lays on her back and just looks into my eyes. Sometimes she gets so relaxed and content that she forgets to suck on the paci that's in her mouth. I read her a little Bible story and we talk about what we're going to do tomorrow. I sing "Jesus Loves Me" which she loves even more and then the lights turn out and she goes to bed. The smiles and looks she gives me are so precious, and I'll store them up in my heart forever!


It's been wonderful to have Mom and Dad here for a little bit. They are preparing to leave now, and it's sad to think that Kate will be a year old before Dad sees her again, but we've just been spoiled by all of the recent events that have required them to stay up here for extended periods of time so close to one another. Thankfully, we do use SKYPE to keep in contact with them over video, so they'll be able to see her grow and change a bit.


Lydia and Kate have been doing some bonding. Lydia wants to do everything she can for Kate. Yesterday, Kate was resting in her infant carrier and I was just adoring her. Lydia came over and squatted next to us conversing in her sweet way with her cousin. She wanted to put Kate night night, so she gave her a kiss on her head and put up the "top" of the carseat. Then she saw that I had the changing pad out to change Kate's diaper. She proceeded to put her arms around Kate, trying to lift her out of the carseat for a "change." She really wants to be a good helper. The whole time Kate is smiling at her big cousin.