Two Months!

I borrowed this way cute idea from my friend Lindsey: a sign with Lola's weight/height and a picture with the same stuffed animal each month to watch how she grows along side it. :)

Lola is in the 40% for weight, 23% for height
and 64% for her little noggin!!

Lola turned 2 months today! I swear this month went by even faster than the one before. I cry on an (almost) daily basis because she is growing way too fast. She no longer looks like a newborn but a little baby. Her features are changing everyday and her tiny personality is starting to show itself. She is the sweetest and happiest and (fairly) easy going baby (she definitely wants what she wants already and as the song goes..."What Lola wants, Lola gets"). She's always happy and smiles all the time for me and Daddy. She only fusses when shes wet, tired or hungry, but if she doesn't get food right away, it turns into a full on "I'm pissed" scream. She still doesn't like to be put down but she'll hang in her swing for a bit and take her naps in it. She loves to see what is going on around her and has to be held facing out to see everything. She loves to kick her legs ALL the time and wave her little chubby arms around. Its funny when she gets excited bc they get going sooo fast!! She continues to get stronger everyday, she can hold her head up entirely by herself now. At her 2 month checkup, the Dr. said she has the neck strength/control of a 3 month old. Way to go Lola! She is just now starting to try to talk, her little coos and gurgles are too cute! We love to chat away and tell funny stories together :) I seriously can't believe how big she is getting and how much she grows everyday. I do want to see her grow and accomplish new things and become her own person, BUT I also want her to stay this small forever. Sigh... Here are some of her milestones and progress over the last month.

Week 4
Sleeping through the night, every night (avg. 7-8 hours)

Week 5
Smiled for the first time (June 19)

Week 6
Started a somewhat real schedule for eating and sleeping- She eats every 3- 4 hours now, napping 2-3 times a day, for 1-3 hours at a time and then goes down for bed around 1030.

Week 7
Holding her head up on her own

Cooing and talking, esp. when she is excited (She's getting ever close to a real laugh)
Learning how to sleep in her crib in own room instead of the play yard in Moms :) We have the nights down and are working on napping in there as well.
Loves to be read to and her favorite book is The Rainbow Fish. She loves his pretty shining scales and gets excited everytime she sees him :)

We love our Lola so much and are so grateful for her in our lives. I can honestly say I dont know what I would do with out her. She is my everything and my joy and I love every minute of my life with her. The best advice I've been given about parenthood is to enjoy every moment (even the ones when she's screaming and I'm exhausted) bc you'll never get that moment back and it all goes by too fast. It has to be one of the truest statements ever and you dont really get it until you have your baby that you cant get enough of and never want to miss a second with.

First Smile!

The moment that I know ALL of you have been waiting for has arrived! Lola Catherine smiled her first time on June 19th. It was more precious than words could say. She now smiles a ton and is getting really close to laughing. I have caught a few of her smiles with the camera. I love how it melts your heart when your baby smiles at you... LOVE it :)

Happy Fourth of July!

We celebrated Lola's first 4th of July in Park City. We perused the shops, ate at a local brewery, and watched fireworks from a hill in the downtown park. Lola was great (as usual) and loved watching everything around her from the stroller. We were stopped by Lola admirers all day. Mostly older couples who thought her bow was the greatest thing they'd seen all day. One older gentlemen said Lola was "cuter than stink". What a compliment!! While shopping we passed a newspaper stand and happened to notice the sticker. Had to get a picture of it :) Lola ate and passed out right before fireworks and then slept right through them. At the first big boom, she cracked an eye open, then rolled it and went right back to snoozing! Im very grateful that we live in America and have all the freedoms and opportunities that we do... we are a very lucky nation. I hope everyone had a great Independance day with family and friends!

Our little star spangled baby!

Luke and I at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon on the way to PC

It was so green and pretty up there! I love the canyons in the summer.

Auntie Breecia joined us in PC for some Fourth of July fun :)Lola and Dad hanging on the blanket waiting for some fireworks

California

We went to California at the end of June for my best friend, Brittany's wedding (which was beautiful and so much fun!!) We were really nervous to take a 6 week old baby, but Lola did great. She slept the whole way there and back, slept all night in the hotel, and took plenty of good naps during the day. I cant get over how good a baby she is, I love it! It was a short trip but we were able to take Lola to the beach and to the Del Mar Fair, we stopped for Peterson's Donuts and even got some shopping in. Lola was a big fan of the hotel sink for her bath and she enjoyed the breeze at the beach but I dont think she liked the sand so much. You can tell by her face in the beach pics below :)

Our little chubbs Lola :)

This was our 3rd year to the fair (my 9th) It is so much fun

Lola wanted to try Moms Cotton Candy :)

Dad and Lola hanging at the beachThe cutest, sandy piggies ever!

Father's Day

Luke had a great Fathers Day this year. Brooklyn spent some of the day with us and we celebrated with a big breakfast and a few presents for Luke. Brooklyn made a block with her picture on it and picked out some new sunglasses for Luke. Lola gave him a few new shirts and a hat. I'm glad Luke was able to spend the day with both his girls. He is such an amazing Father and takes such good care of his family. He always makes us smile and Brooklyn thinks he is just the funniest man on the planet! I'm so lucky to have such a wonderful man to be the Father of my Lola and Brooklyn and he is also a terrific husband who will do anything to make sure we are happy. I can honestly say that just being around him makes my day, everyday. He is my best friend and we get along so easily and enjoy each other even more so now than we did when we were dating. I love having a family with Luke, it really is my dreams come true!! We love our Daddy and are so grateful for him in our lives. Happy Fathers Day Luke!

Kindergarten Graduation

Brooklyn graduated from K at the end of May. We were so excited to attend. Daddy was so proud of his little graduate! He video taped every minute of it and had the biggest grin on his face! It was too cute. Brooklyn was adorable. She and her class sang a few songs and each kid read their favorite part of school. Brooklyn's was recess of course! Afterward she mingled, had a treat or two :), and we further celebrated by getting sno-cones! We are so very proud of our Brooklyn. She is such a little smartie pants and loves to learn. Hopefully she will continue to like school for many more years. First grade- here comes Brooklyn Charlotte Benik!!