Christopher, our elf on a shelf, came back to our house on Black Friday. He’s back for the holidays to keep an eye on the boys (and Jillian). He is going to report back to Santa each night to let good old St. Nick know is Owen and Benny have been naughty or nice.

Owen even hand wrote a letter to Santa and gave it to Christopher to take to the Santa. It says:

How cute! I love it!! O’s getting so grown up.

Happy 1st Thanksgiving, Jillian!! She is just one of the many things we have to be thankful for this year.

Still catching up… my new computer I got in May took a nose dive and I finally got a replacent from Dell. Still getting everything set up and trying to get my color set properly, so if these look off… sorry.

Here are some snap shots of Jillian from the month of October.

Sweet little face

First time in jeans

Mommy got this onesie for me, but it’s really a message to all the boys out there from Daddy.

Jilly sporting her shirt from Aunt Sue! She loves her Auntie… that is for sure.

Relaxing in her chair on the deck.

Jilly and her BFF…Owen

He sure does know how to make this little girl smile.

Owen loves Jillian so much!!

Our Jilly Bean turned 2 months old last weekend. What a great several weeks it’s been. I was able to spend her first months home with her and it was fantastic. I went back to work the day after she turned 2 months (hence the delay in this post). It was hard. It was so nice to be able to spend all that quality time with her all day every day when I was on maternity leave. We bonded. We snuggled. I got to know her better, appreciate all her little noises, appreciate the joy she fills my heart with when she smiles at me, and appreciate the peace she brings me when I see her sleep. Not being with her during the day last week made me miss her so bad, but she started daycare at our work today so at least I can get my Jilly fill in during the day now.

This month Jilly started:

* Smiling at you when you talk to her
* Cooing
* Playing with her play mat
* Sleeping through the night
* Slept once in her crib
* Got her reflux under control with Prevacid & Soy formula
* Went on her first hay ride with Benny’s class
* Went Trick or Treating for the first time with her brothers

I’m trying my best to really take in all the little things this time around. I did with the boys, but I want to make sure I “stop and smell the roses” a little longer with Jillian. I just love everything about the first year – the good and the bad – and with this being our last baby I need to make it count. The “newborn/infant baby” in her is slowly fading away so I’m going to make sure I sniff that baby smell in her hair a little more, enjoy all the little sounds she makes when she eats, and cherish when she sleeps up on my shoulder with her little toosh in the air.

I love this little girl sooooo much and I thank God every day for letting me experience a baby again, and especially thankful that he gave me the opportunity to enjoy the journey of having a daughter.

Can you believe the change in her from last month… WOW!!