2 Weeks Old

Our Precious Bella Joy is now 2 weeks old and she continues to bring us so much JOY every day. I often find myself just staring at her with tears in my eyes because I am so full of love for her. God has truly blessed us with an Amazing Gift and we Praise Him daily!

This week she had her first pediatrician appointment where we learned that she has gained weight and grown taller! She now weighs 7 lbs 2 oz and is 19 1/2 inches tall. Her cord fell off this week so she had her first real bath (only having sponge baths previously). She seemed to enjoy it once Mommy got the water a nice warm temperature.

Week One

It is hard to believe our sweet Bella is one week old. She has already brought us so much joy and love! She has the sweetest smile, the calmest spirit, and the brightest blue eyes. Enjoy her One Week Old picture!

Bella JOY-Week By Week and Month By Month

A dear friend of mine who recently had a beautiful baby girl, shared a website link with me that presented a wonderful way way to keep track of your baby's growth during the first year. You can read the original post and details here: http://www.younghouselove.com/photo-gallery-2/claras-weekly-photo-project/ This family takes a different picture each week of their baby on 52 different fabrics and photoshops the number onto the onesie.

I decided to do Bella's Picture Project a bit different. I bought two different fabrics and had a friend make 2 different hairbows. I ordered weekly and monthly stickers from a seller on etsy that you simply remove and stick onto a plain white onesie. Here is a link to her website: http://www.etsy.com/shop/babycakesnbeyond?ref=pr_shop_more I plan to alternate the fabric and hair bows each week for her photo shoots. I look forward to watching our Beautiful Bella Joy grow throughout her first year of life.

Enjoy the weekly and monthly updates as we enjoy loving our new precious miracle gift from God!

Here is her first picture: JUST BORN (our Beautiful Bella Joy)

Happy Birthday Bella JOY!

Our Precious Bella Joy arrived on Friday, July 8, 2011 at 8:49 a.m., weighing 6 lbs and 9 oz. She is 18 inches long and has the most beautiful big blue eyes and dark brown hair. We were scheduled for a c-section on Friday and told to arrive at the hospital by 4:00 a.m. By 7:00 in the morning, we had registered and were done with all the preliminary preparations-given a room, i.v. inserted, monitoring of baby's heartbeat started, etc...

While waiting, I mentioned to Darin that it seemed like Bella was moving quite a bit and pressing on my stomach very hard. Shortly after that, our nurse came in the room and said, "Do you feel the contractions?" "You are having Big, Bad Contractions". Sure enough, my contractions were off the chart and the nurse said that they had gone from being 12-15 minutes apart to now being 3-8 minutes apart. Wow...I was in real labor! The nurse checked me and I was dilated to a 9. Upon arrival, they had told us we were third in line for the c-section and that it would be around 10 or 11 in the morning before they did our surgery. But, my spunky, beautiful Bella decided to help her Mommy out and got us pushed to the front of the line :). Bella Joy had decided that July 8th would be her birthday regardless of the planned c-section. I love it when God totally orchestrates and assures you that His timing is PERFECT.

Needless to say, the nurses and hospital staff went a bit crazy, prepping me to get into the surgery room ASAP. By 8:20 a.m. we were in the surgery room, I had been given the spinal and was waiting for the procedure to begin. They had yet to bring Darin back in the room with me, and I began to cry uncontrollably. I believe I was feeling a mixture of emotions...fear of the surgery, nervousness, anticipation at meeting our baby girl, grief as I missed Savannah, and pain from the spinal. My doctor walked up to my face and began praying for me he shared an encouraging Psalm; and he told me that God had been with us in the Valley (losing Savannah) and that He is with us on the Mountain-Top. I later learned that he had also prayed with Darin outside the surgery room. What a blessing it is to have a doctor who believes in and serves the GREAT PHYSICIAN! The surgery began and our sweet Bella Joy entered the world at 8:49 a.m., making a sweet cat-like cry that caused me to cry tears of pure joy! They cut her cord and immediately brought her to me and put her under the top of my gown so we could have skin-to-skin contact. It was a moment I will never forget. I am overcome with emotion just thinking about it.

Bella Joy is perfectly healthy. She has the sweetest, calmest personality. She rarely cries, is very alert and brings us so much joy through her cute faces, smiles, and hugs. She loves to hear her mommy's voice and cuddle on mommy's tummy. I have truly not wanted to put her down-I never miss an opportunity to hold her, kiss her, tell her how much she is loved, and tell her what a miracle and gift from God she is to our family. Honestly, I miss her when others are holding her. I cannot get enough of her. I love that about God...He gives us what He knows our Heart needs right when we need it the most. We are in AWE of our miracle baby-our BEAUTY FROM ASHES and our JOY IN THE MORNING. We love our Bella JOY. Here are a few pictures from her first few days to enjoy.

Isaiah 61:2-3

He has sent me to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair."

Blessed Beyond Measure...Counting the Days until Sweet Bella Joy Arrives

We feel so very blessed as we await the imminent arrival of our second daughter, Bella Joy. She is set to arrive this week, although we do not yet know the exact day. We are already filled to overflowing with an immense love for this precious little one, and we cannot wait to hold her in our arms. We dream about what she will look like, her first smiles, and holding her close to our hearts. God is so Faithful, and we are in awe of His goodness and love. If you would like hear the story of our miracle baby, you can read it here:
http://butterflykissesntastydishes.blogspot.com/2011/01/god-said-yes-even-when-i-didnt-have.html
Here are a few final pictures of Mommy, Daddy, Jaythan and Bella Joy days before her arrival. We can't wait to meet you our precious BEAUTY AND JOY! Your Mommy and Daddy already Love you SO SO Much!