14 Weeks!

So we've had an AWESOME week of playing with friends, hanging out at the pool, working in the yard and even trying out new hairstyles. :)

Iris is 3 1/2 months now and is getting so strong! She can now sit up on her own for about 20 seconds at a time (but still at a forward tilt) and she loves to "stand" on laps and bounce on your knees. She's also getting pretty good at learning how to put herself to sleep for naps, which I'm pretty pumped about. She's even learned how to pull her covers up to her head just like Daddy.

The BIG news of this week is that I'm going back to work half-time!!!! I've worked out a deal at the office and half-time it is! I truly feel like I've got the best of both worlds. I'll still be working some, but I'll be able to be a "Mommy" during the daylight hours - not just during the weekends. Erik and I feel so lucky!! So, a happy clan of V'lips reside in Iowa City. :)

Here are some pics from this past week! We had a wonderful play date at the pool with "Hank the Tank" and the two COULDN'T be any cuter together! There was even impromptu hand holding. I think it might be love. :) And we found that Iris can apparently sport a late 60's bubble flip without the flip - check out that volume! And of course, when Erik and I were doing some pruning in the front yard, we got a bit distracted.

Enjoy! We sure are! :)

13 Weeks - and such a big girl!!!

So we've had a great week up here in Iowa City, despite some pretty nasty weather. Iris seems to be working though another growth spurt. Last weekend it seemed she might have been catching up with her cheeks, and now...they're bigger than we could have ever imagined! She's getting long enough to outgrow some of her 0-3 month onesies but mysteriously, the 0-3 month pants are more than long enough. It's the curse of the Joneses!!!! I would cross my fingers that Erik's longer legs would prevail...but then they might wind up bowlegged. Talk about your rock and a hard place.

This week we had some fun with her hair, some fun practicing sitting up, some fun at the swimming pool, AND, we had a wonderful first father's day!

Happy Joy Love Cheer to all!

3 Months Old!!!

So it has been a CRAZY week! After "The Aunts" left last Sunday I started to feel a little crummy and by Thursday had a full blown case of mastitis. NOT FUN. By Saturday morning my fever finally broke, and though not 100%, we were able to enjoy a weekend with Nana, Grampy, Aunt Lauren and Hunkle Zac. I'm waiting on some fabulous pics that Grampy took during the weekend (I wasn't quite up to being the photographer), so I'll post them as soon as I get them! In the mean time, here's one or two from the week, in between visits and fevers.

And at the risk of constantly repeating myself... I can't believe how big Iris is getting!!!! It's wild to think that she's already 12 weeks old!!! She's so much fun. Such a happy, cooing, toothless, grinning bundle of love. We're really really having a good time.

Cheers!

11 Weeks

So we've had a crazy and fun week!!!  This was my first week back at work, and Iris got to go to daycare for two full days.  I think the whole thing is much harder on me than it is on her, and she's been a ROCK STAR baby for her "teachers".  Apparently she hasn't made one unhappy sound in their presence yet, and has been napping and eating like a champ.  Testament to that, pants she wore last week look like Incredible Hulk pants on her this week.  I think she's growing faster than most weeds!

To cap off the emotional week (for me at least), 3 of Iris's aunts came to town for the weekend!  Aunt Fifi flew in from Portland and Aunts Donna and Vix drove in from Chicago for a FANTASTIC weekend.  It means so much to me that they came, and we had a really really good time.   It was really wonderful therapy for me, and it was just plain amazing to see them all with my sweet girl.  It made me so warm and fuzzy in an entirely new way.  And I think Iris made a pretty good impression.  :)

Here are some pics!  Enjoy!

10 Weeks

Iris is 10 weeks old tomorrow, the day that I start back at work.  She's amazing us more and more every day, and getting more and more animated all the time.  She's constantly flipping to her back when she's put on her tummy, and she's actually falling asleep on her own from time to time.   All good stuff.    She's hit another growth spurt and her feet now go all the way down and into the feet of her 0-3 months sleepers.  Maybe she'll stretch out enough to balance out those cheeks?  Doubtful.  :)

Here are some pics from this week.  Obviously we're still having fun playing with her hair when she's fresh from the bath.  I don't understand how it's so curly wet, and then so straight when it's dry!  

We're looking forward to a visit from 3 of our Sprout's aunts this weekend, so we'll be sure to have some great pics for the next post.  And of course, we're looking forward to a visit from Nana, Grampy and Aunt Lauren the following weekend.  It's shaping up to be a busy month!

Happy Monday to all!