Happy 9 Months!

and...Happy Halloween!


Our little giraffe got to go to her first Halloween party at Daddy's work on Thursday!


Plus we got all checked up at the doctor today. Aria is slimming down a bit. She weighs 20 lbs. 3 oz. which is in the 75th percentile instead of the high 80s and low 90s like she has been. She is still tall, though, at 29 inches and the 87th percentile!

Since the last visit at 6 months Aria can:

~crawl
~pull herself up
~climb stairs
~walk while holding on to fingers or objects
~eat finger foods (and we only want finger foods!)
~hold her own bottle
~wave bye-bye (and hi and oh hello again and oh there is a random object lets wave)
~use sign language for milk
~make lots more interesting noises
~take her socks off

and I'm sure many more things that I have already forgotten or don't even realize. Our little girl is growing and changing so much, so fast. She is a joy in our life and teaches us so much every day! We thank God for such a special blessing! I can't believe we have only 3 months until that fun birthday party!

Daddy's Outside

Last weekend Justin spent some time outside raking leaves. I did go out and help him once Aria was asleep, but before that...






Once Daddy saw us...

Life is so much fun at the Pegump house these days!!

Comfort through Music

Surprising to many of my current friends I'm sure, I have always been a big music person. Not sure if anyone has done a multiple intelligences test, but every time I do one, I almost always get a perfect score in music. I played the trumpet from 5th grade through my senior year and absolutely loved it! I also took piano lessons for several years and guitar lessons as an adult. I loved marching band and took great pride in being first chair and having solos. I also got to play in the pit band for our school's production of Annie. If I hadn't loved basketball so much, I probably would have attended a university and tried out for the marching band. Other than a trumpet trio with two of my students for the school talent show a few years back, I haven't played my trumpet all that much since high school. I always say I'm going to pick it up again and play at church, but I just haven't taken the leap yet.

So, during our trials with infertility I found most comfort through songs, mostly Christian songs. At the top of my list is "You Never Let Go" by Matt Redman. My favorite part is at the end...


'Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You'

...because I trusted that there really would be an end to our infertility troubles and God would give us a child somehow.

While I was pregnant (and slightly more emotional) we were singing that song in church one Sunday and I got majorly choked up because a couple whom we are great friends with had shared they were struggling a bit to conceive, as well. I just cried and cried as we sang that song in church because I didn't want them to go through what we did. I prayed for them and hoped for a child for them and once again God brought an end to their troubles and their child was born just a couple months ago.

I am not afraid to share our story and the more I do, the more I hear about so and so's brother and sister in law who are struggling with infertility and this person's friend from California...and another friend's sister. There are so many couples out there who yearn to have children and can't right now for some reason. I pray for those couples that I don't know and the ones that I do. It is especially hard for me when it is a friend. I have a hard time not crying whenever I hear about it. But at the same time, I know that God has a plan. And He WILL provide. Psalm 37:4 'Delight yourself in the Lord and He WILL give you the desires of your heart!' So if that is you struggling to conceive, have faith! Trust God's plan for you! And if you need someone to talk to who has been there, let me know! And maybe check out that song!

First "Word"

...or sign. Even though sign language is not technically speaking words (and it probably won't be recorded as her first word in the baby book) it was still totally incredibly awesome to see Aria sign her first word to me today! We have been using the sign for milk since Aria was really, really young and it finally came back. I asked Aria if she was ready for her milk and I did the sign and she looked at my hand with a stern look on her face and then repeated the sign with her hand! I got so excited I kind of scared her. Or she was just like, "yeah, so where's the milk?"

I think the most frustrating thing about being a parent of a young child is the inability of the child to communicate exactly what they need or want. This first sign is a great step towards better communication, I think!

Of course, now that I think about it, waving bye-bye is kind of sign language, too, and Aria has been doing that for about a month now. So, I guess maybe "milk" is her second "word".

Funny Augie

I grabbed the camera to shoot the following video because Aria was using Justin as a jungle gym and to pull herself up...her new skill of the week. However, what I got was much cuter... ;)

Dear Gerber Peach Puffs...

I am so thankful for you.
You are the one food my daughter will eat
and eat
and eat
and eat.
At least she is learning how to do finger foods!

A Cool Phone Call

Last Thursday I received a call from our favorite nurse at the IVF Clinic. It was so fun to hear from her in general, but her purpose was cool, as well. The main doctor of the Clinic (and the one we worked with) is giving a presentation this week and he needed a "happy IVF family" to write a letter and send pictures for his presentation. He asked both our favorite nurse and the embryologist we worked with who came to mind and they both listed us as their number 1 choice! I felt so honored that the doctors and nurses who helped us so much remembered us and felt we were a family who should be highlighted. I think our story is a great success story, but I also hope our personalities and character caused us to be chosen.

It was really a simple task...write 2 paragraphs and send 3 pictures to be used in the presentation. So I sent 5 pages and 7 pictures, just to be sure! :) I have really enjoyed journaling on this blog, but it really came in handy for writing the letter about our IVF experience. I did a lot of copying and pasting. I have nothing but kind words and praise for the people we worked with in Iowa City and I am glad to help them out. I know God did all the work, but He did it through those wonderful people. We would not have our little girl if it weren't for His work through them!

My new favorite author

Sorry JK Rowling. Step aside JRR Tolkien. Move over CS Lewis. I have a new favorite author and I can't get enough of her books. Are you ready...it is Sandra Boynton! Those of you out there without small children are saying, who? Sandra Boynton writes "serious silliness for all ages" board books. I just love them (and I think Aria does, too)! I think my favorites are Moo, Baa, La La La! Barnyard Dance! and Belly Button Book!

We also own: Pajama Time, Horns to Toes and In Between, Hey! Wake Up!, and Your Personal Penguin. (You'll have to search those on your own, I'm tired of hyperlinking.) The books are just a great length, with good things to learn like animal noises, body parts, etc, and they are a great laugh! So, if you are in the market for books for a little one, I seriously suggest you check out Sandra Boynton! And, no, she did not pay me for this advertisement! :)

Standing

Standing, standing
It's my new trick

If only I could learn
how to get there quick

Because when I don't
I get so mad

Mom says that 'tude
is just like Dad