Can you believe that this little chick right here is already three months old?? By the time Garrett was three months old I had documented every single drop of drool that hit his chin, but it’s not looking so hot for Caroline. My blogging mojo has still not returned even though I’m waiting patiently for it to come back.
Between you and me, though? It’s HARD, y’all! This sweet baby right here? My goodness. I love her so much but wow this new baby gig is so incredibly tough some days.
Even though the newborn phase is officially over, I’m still doing good just to eat breakfast and take a shower everyday. Most days I get to do both of those things while that sweet girl up there screams her pretty little head off. She is sleeping ok at night, usually getting up once around 3 am and going back down pretty easily (thankyouJesus) but the daytime is just awful.
Specifically the afternoons.
Pretty much every day she starts crying around noon and doesn’t stop until we finally wrestle her to sleep around 6 pm. I’ve tried swaddling and shushing and rocking and dosing her up with Colic Calm. I diffuse the most soothing essential oils and keep her changed and fed. But nope. She’s not having any of it. Even car rides don’t work– she screams all the way through the carpool line and all the way home most days. Poor Garrett is so very patient with her. The love he has for his baby sister is completely immeasurable. He just BURSTS with happiness when he sees her after school, he misses her so much.
These two right here are the greatest things I’ve ever done in my entire life.
So, as you can imagine, most of my plates have completely stopped spinning and crashed to the ground while we get through these first few months. I know that it won’t last forever, and this too shall pass. When the days are particularly rough I just stop and take deep breaths and look her right in the eye and give her a big grin. And SOMETIMES I’m rewarded with a big grin in return.
And that’s when all those screams become oh, so worth it. She is such a blessing to our family, and one smile from her beautiful little face can erase any anxiety from my body. I still cannot believe that I have a daughter. She is a gift from God that I never asked for but am so blessed to receive.
So, before we get all sappy up in here, let me show you the reason for this post– the rest of the nursery reveal!
Y’all have already seen the cloud artwork I made above the crib . And after much deliberation on the paint color I finally settled on Behr Manhattan Mist. I wanted the color to be calm and soothing (HA!), but also neutral. Manhattan Mist is a very light blue with a hint of periwinkle.
At first the periwinkle/purple undertone freaked me out, but the more I looked at it the more I really loved it.
I decided to use the giant wooden star in this room for a very special reason.
And that reason is right here.
Do you guys know this song?
Away beyond the blue
One star belongs to you
This life is but a dream
Go gently down the stream…
These are lyrics taken from the song “Beyond the Blue” by Emmylou Harris and Patty Griffin, two of my all-time favorite singer/songwriters in the history of ever ever. I have wanted to use this lyric in my house some way for a very long time, so what better place than my baby girl’s nursery with that one special star hanging on the wall?
I seriously can’t think of any better place for it, especially after the crazy year that we’ve had around here.
Even though I don’t row, row, row my boat anymore, I still love going gently down the stream. And even on the hardest days my life is but a dream that I wouldn’t trade for all the stars in the heavens. Thank you, Lord, for my precious miracle babies.
When babies cry like that it usually means they want their moms to blog more while I spend a couple weeks rocking and singing to them. The babies, not the moms.
HOLD ME BLISS!
Gorgeous!!! I’m sorry about the tot though. How is it that they seem to cry for no reason? Not ready for that yet.
I wasn’t ready for it again either, but I got it! 🙂 Worth it, though.
OMGosh Beth – You are blessed. Caroline is such a sweetie. Love seeing the photos of her and Garrett. Don’t even fret about not getting your blogging mojo back, there will be plenty of time to blog in your future. You are doing exactly what you need to do. Loving those precious kiddos. XOXO
Thanks so much Diane. I AM blessed. Totally.
Beautiful, beautiful photos! My Caroline had the same exact cry pattern. Same whitching hour(s). I’m sure everyone is offering up advice, but how about trying soy formula. Have you tried that? I tried this when my Caroline was the same age as your Caroline and after about 24 hours on the soy, that L O N G afternoon into the evening cry was gone. Who knows, you may have tried that, and certainly every sweet baby is different. But I thought I would share my two cents. Again, such beautiful photos!!
Yes! The witching hours are right when poor Jeremy comes home from work! He’s thrilled about that. lol
Your daughter is soooo precious! Don’t worry about the blog – just soak in every minute!
Thanks Michele!
Beth, she’s absolutely beautiful and your son is precious too. Our first baby screamed like that all day long. It’s so hard and nobody could ever get it unless they’ve been through it. My thoughts are with you.
Yes it’s hard for sure. Garrett was also colicky so I know it passes eventually. I’m holding on til it does. 🙂
OMg…that girl is adorable. That first picture blew me away. And your son is a cutie pie too.
Thanks Jan! 🙂
Enjoy those precious children. She’ll be in preschool before you know it. Away beyond the blue reminded me of a song I sang at church years ago. It could help in those afternoons. ” Do Lord oh do Lord do remember me.” “I’ve got a home in glory land that outshines the sun. Look away beyond the blue”. I pray that that precious girl gets some peace soon.
Thanks so much Nancy!
Hi Beth!
She is SO precious! I can’t decide which pic. is my favorite because they are all just precious!
I am wondering where I can find that print you have, “You are everything I never knew I always wanted.” It’s beautiful and so describes my relationship with my son. I never had any desire to have a boy, always wanted all girls. But, the Lord knows much better than I what my heart longs for and He gave me a boy for our third and final little one. My love for him overwhelms me every single day. So, I would love to find that print in blue!
Have loved your blog for years now! You are one talented lady!
Jenn
Thanks Jenn! I got the print at Hobby Lobby. Hopefully you can find one there!
Your little girl has the most gorgeous blue eyes! My boys are teenagers now, so I can speak from experience. The DAYS are long (when your children are young), but the YEARS are short (when you look back and wonder “where did the time go?”). Enjoy!
Debbie W.