Sunday, June 8, 2014

One Month


One month (and two days) ago, I was going about my day like any other day.  My sister-in-law was in town for work, so she stopped over for lunch, and my in-laws joined us, too.  Besides the contractions that came all day, the day felt quite normal.  Dishes.  Laundry.  A walk around the block.  Company for lunch.  But as contractions came closer together, I wondered if it would be "the day," and sure enough, it was.  Olivia Grace joined us on May 6, 2014, at 10:18 pm, and we were overwhelmed with love and joy and gratitude for her little life and her entrance into the world and our lives.  Now, don't get me wrong - her birth felt so hard and traumatic and painful beyond description, but there is this amazing mystery of birth that seems to happen each time.  No matter how awful it is, it is always worth it, it is always put behind you, and you are instantly on, what I call, "the other side."  You are through the hard part, and at last, you have your baby!!!  Now, a month later, I cannot even imagine our lives without her.  Isn't that funny how that works??  You suddenly have a new person in your family, and just weeks later, you already can't imagine life without her.  She is such a part of the fabric of our lives.  She fits in beautifully, and we all adore her.  She brings beauty and peace and reminders of God's miraculous ways into our home.  How can one ever look at a baby, so perfect and intricate and delicate, and not believe in the power of God??  This cannot be chance.  This precious little life...it is God.  It is proof of goodness and beauty and hope and all things new.  Babies are truly wondrous.










Being born into a big-ish family, there is always someone who wants to hold or touch or kiss our little Livi (myself included).  I am a big baby fan, so I love to hold her or wear her in our carrier as much as possible.  Sophia wants to hold Olivia all the time, too, or squeeze her arm, shove her paci in her mouth, poke at her face, etc.  This is, by far, the busiest part of having a newborn - her two year old sister.  We watch Sophia constantly, and although she loves her like crazy, she certainly is testing the waters of what she is allowed to do or not do.  Lots of training going on around here these days!!!  The boys love to hold her, too.  They are excited when I let them carry her across the room or something.  So cute.  And Ella loves helping me pick out her outfits and headbands.  She always notices what she is wearing, whether it is clothes or pajamas, and she exclaims over the cuteness daily.  

Olivia nurses great and is already sleeping a 5- ish hour stretch at night, which feels heavenly!  Her dark hair is so much like Ella's when she was born, so we'll see if it stays dark or lightens up to match the rest of the Schmidt children.  She is already growing and is alert more and more each day.  So fun to get to know this new precious daughter of mine!!!

Although I love when the children are all awake and we are together and everyone is loving on Livi, I also love when it is nighttime, the kids are all asleep, and it is just Zach and me with Olivia.  We snuggle her and exclaim over her and just soak her in.  I seriously can't get enough of her.  I think I say the same exact things to Zach night after night - how precious and wonderful and perfect and darling she is and how much I love her.  Like I said - can't get enough!!!

We have been out and about lots, as life seems to keep moving forward!  Here is Olivia's first walk... 

And her first sponge bath (where the girls sang "Let it Go" to her when she cried...). 

 This is a typical moment for us...cuddling on the couch as we read or school or after nursing...

 Olivia attended her first wedding...

And had her first real bath after her cord stump fell off...

 She is totally going with the flow already, letting her siblings hold her daily...

 And sleeping under the tree while we pull weeds and get the spring yardwork done.

Olivia went to a birthday pool party for my nephews and got in her first picture with all of her cousins!!!!  So much fun and so much love right here in this picture with Nana!

 Here she is at three weeks...

And her bath time when the kids all wanted to help!!

We took a field trip to the museum...here's Olivia taking a little stretching break in the stroller.  

 Her first smile...for Daddy...one day shy of four weeks.  We've seen a couple since then, too.  
How amazing when babies start looking into your eyes and really seeing you!

We got out our beloved Mr. Star playmat, and I think the other kids were way more excited about Olivia's first time on the mat than she was.

This is my "keep Olivia safe from Sophia" spot...yep...on the kitchen counter.  Right next to the window and coffee pot!

And this is Olivia tonight...one month and two days old.  Could NOT be any sweeter!

Olivia has had trips to the park, walked to get ice cream, gone to Starbucks, went out with me for Mom's Night Outs, done errands, watched her brothers' theater showcase, had lots of company, and has been to her auntie's nursing school graduation and a musical.  She's my little sidekick - going with me wherever I go.  I love it!

Olivia, my sweet baby girl, I love you so much.  I praise God every day for the gift that you are to us.  You are a treasure, and we are so very thankful that you are a part of our family.  You fill a most beautiful spot, and I can't believe you are OURS and that I am the one who gets to watch you grow and blossom every single day.  Thanking God for you today!  Happy One Month!