Baby Girl Shirah

Introducing...

{Natalie Skye Shirah}

8 lbs 10 oz 20 in

Born April 22, 2014

Congratulations to Neil & Courtney Shirah!

Rilynn now has her first little friend to play with. We get together with Neil & Courtney a lot so I'm sure they will become close. We love this little girl & can't wait until she grows up so they can play together. 

We recently got together to take some pictures of Natalie-- like a mini newborn photo shoot. I'm not a photographer by any means, but here's a sneak peek of some photos I did.

It was fun shooting & editing these...& Courtney even made some CUTE ones later at home that are to DIE for!!! I love photography & haven't really done any for someone else, but sure have a lot of practice with my own kids =) I think they turned out pretty good if I do say so myself!! 

4 Months!

Rilynn 

so far you...

*weigh 15 lbs & are 25.6 inches long

*are about to grow out of your infant car seat...it is getting too heavy to carry you in & you fill it up in length!

*nurse sporadically every 2 - 4 hrs depending on how long you sleep during the day. You are getting about 4-6 oz at a time & take 7 oz in a bottle

*stopped middle of the night feeding (lasted 2 weeks) but still wake up pretty early for your first feeding around 5:30am...back to sleeping all night-8 hrs at a time. I would say the 4 month sleep regression is about over! Definitely went through a growth spurt though...gained a pound a week!

*really like your crib & sleep there through the night until you wake up for your first feeding..then you finish out the morning in bed with mommy =) 

*love laughing & playing with your toys

*like watching Greyson & talking to him, he loves entertaining you & you just laugh & laugh

* still hold your head up very well especially during tummy time & are sitting up. You still always have to see what's going on & don't like being left alone for very long

*are doing well entertaining yourself again...not as clingy as you were after our trip.

*are in size 2 diapers & moved up to medium size pre-folds with M/L covers...also in one size all in ones now that your newborns are packed away.

*still wearing 3-6 or 6 month clothes & 6+ month sleepers, size 1 shoes  

*are still a huge fan of bath time! You are about to grow out of the bath pod!

*had to have an ultrasound done at Children's Orthopedic Clinic to check for hip displasia. After having 2 dr's check for the signs & not being able to feel anything, we thought they would send us home, but the ultrasound showed a little abnormality in the hips! You have to wear a Pavlik Harness for 5 weeks to make sure your hips get a little tighter into the sockets...so far no hip clicks or popping out of place, but we are praying the harness works so you don't have to be in it any longer than the 5 weeks. You act like nothing has changed though & are dealing with it very well!

What we are looking forward to:

*Visitors from PA (Bickels & Coulters)

*Baby Ritchey's arrival!

Rilynn's 3 Month Photo Shoot

While we were in PA, I wanted to get Rilynn's 3 month photo shoot done & get some photos of the kids together. I was planning on a Sears trip or at least something with backdrops since I was going to be using Rilynn's dedication gown. I asked my good friend Janice & she recommended Hillaree & Miles of Memories Photography. She had her own little studio on site at her home! It was perfect...no one waiting in line, easy environment, GREAT photographer who was able to keep focused even when you are trying to get kids to smile =) She was wonderful! We had a great experience & I got adorable photos.

Here are a few of my favorites!! 

If you are every in the Mercer, PA area, I highly recommend giving Hillaree a call! She does lots of weddings in the summer, so booking a month in advance is usually best. I'm glad she was able to squeeze us in between Easter shoots though...she is excellent & I am SO glad we found her!

Pennsylvania trip

A few days after Rilynn's dedication, we packed up our car along with Nana & Papa's & made the trip back to PA. Matt had to go out of town on several trips, so we thought we would do some visiting & go to Aunt Richelle's baby shower (post to come). 

We had so much fun! Rilynn got to meet lots of friends & family & Greyson got to see all his old buddies =) we did a LOT of visiting...lunch dates, supper dates...playdates! It was a full 2 weeks!
Thank you to everyone who showered my kids with random presents (like parting with old toys...janice!), gifts & had us over for meals!! It was so fun catching up with each one.

We did lots of shopping...ate out at some of our favorite places...planned a baby shower (post to come) & did some fun family events together. This year since it was so close to Easter, we took the kids to Easter Bunny lane! Greyson LOVED it...especially meeting the Easter Bunny & the train table he got to play with at the end while mommy shopped. I got him another train for his Easter Basket. They had neat spring scenes & lots to look at. They still incorporate the true meaning of Easter & why we celebrate at the end...Jesus IS alive! 

Afterwards, we went across to the pet store, because we needed something to pull Greyson's attention off the trains...he thought he might like that so it did the trick =)

The day before we left, we had Easter with Nana! Matt had flown in the night before so it was a quick trip for him. First Greyson had to follow the trail of eggs to the baskets. He kept wanting to eat everything out of each egg...so that took a little while. Once he found the baskets, there was a lot more eating...haha & Rilynn got lots of cute stuff too including her first pair of bunny ears! We will put them in her basket every year from now on, just like we do with Greyson's so they can wear them while they eat Breakfast on Easter Sunday. Daddy opened his Easter Basket to find a bow tie, new cuff links (the last pair she got him got stolen) more candy & goodies.  I got chocolate truffles from Harry & David & a scarf I picked out. It was a lot of fun!

We also got to spend the first day of trout season with our family in Cooperstown that day. It was almost like a little family reunion & was so nice seeing lots of family we don't often see even when we are home for the holidays. 

We really enjoyed our trip & that Matt got to come home even for just a couple days! 

Nana & Papa got to spend quality time with the grandkids...it was a few days shy of an entire month that we got to spend together! That is RARE & I'm sure they needed some time to recuperate after so much running around haha We loved it though & always look forward to being together. I am glad that it has worked out for us to spend as much time together as we have! WE are always looking forward to our next visit & our next trip back to PA!! 

Rilynn's Dedication

Life is busy...but I finally got a little time to sit down & blog about the things that have been taking up that time the last few months! 

In March, we were privileged to have Nana & Papa come to Alabama for a 2 week visit! Papa enjoyed hunting & fishing, & Nana got quality time with the kids lifting them in & out of the car during shopping trips! haha 

It was during their visit that we had our little Rilynn Nicole dedicated to the Lord on March 23rd.

Nana & Mimi got the perfect dress for her special day. It was a beautiful service...first our pastor preached about family & incorporated it into a baby dedication. We then preceded to take our "vows" as Rilynn's parents to raise her in a Christian home & help her know Jesus. 

I was so thankful to have my dad there, to be able to pray over her & our family. We are blessed with our 2 children but more importantly we pray that they will both know Jesus as their personal Savior, live for Him & make it to Heaven, taking as many with them as they can.

We were SO incredibly thankful that Mimi got to be there. This was her first Sunday back to church in several weeks & her first back since she lost her hair with Chemo. I didn't get a photo, but all the ladies in the church wore hats to church that day for her (except a few of us because of the dedication =) It was just so neat to see so many in hats!

Mimi means so much to us & we keep praying that God will work a miracle & heal her from this cancer. We are thankful she was able to witness the dedication because Poppie was out of town for work!

Receiving the roses that symbolized different things for our family.

What a sweet big brother! He does things like this a lot...I only hope it lasts! hehe

Nana & her little sweeta!! We loved having them here.

After church, we went back to our place to celebrate the dedication & Matt's 31st birthday! I decorated the table in honor of Rilynn but Matt's cake was a big hit! Our good friend, Courtney, is the cake maker around here & she themed it around Matt's hobby...horses!

Baby gifts for Rilynn!

Daddy & his little girl...we are so thankful for them!

Matt celebrated his golden birthday this year....31 years old on March 31st! but we celebrated with him a few days early on the 23rd =) 

Greyson loves to help blow out candles!! 

We had a wonderful day, full of God's blessings. Can't wait to see what He has in store for our kids & for our family. 

Gender Reveal Party

Brandon & Richelle hosted such a NEAT gender reveal party to find out what they were having. Everything looked SO cute & looked like they all had so fun! 

I wasn't able to be there physically, but we skyped in on mom's laptop & got to "be there" for the reveal. It was so neat to see their reactions first hand!! 

So, to reveal the gender, all the guests went outside to pop balloons. They were black so you couldn't see what was inside, but as they popped, little pieces of confetti came flying out telling them what they were having...the parents & guests all found out at the same time! Such a cute idea! 

And the reveal is...

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We are SO excited to be adding another baby girl to our growing family! My mom (Nana) got 3 granddaughters in 13 months! They are all about 6 months a part =) & Greyson will just have to hold out until another little boy comes along. We can't wait until July 19th when Baby Girl Ritchey makes her appearance!