5 Months Old

Time has flown by! It has been a very exciting month for Grace-she's transitioning out of the newborn stage and is really starting to interact with the world around her. So very fun!

GRACE at 5 months:

~Spends a good deal of time squealing with glee! It's so cute.

~Her biggest smiles are saved for Daddy. He's definitely wrapped around her little finger.

~Can roll from her back to her tummy at will. We're still working on getting to her back again on purpose!

~Is very close to sitting up on her own. She usually get so excited she just tips over!

~Really likes to stand on our laps so she can see what's going on.

~Is sleeping through the night again, usually on her side and for around 12 hours! =0)

~Just started rice cereal! (23 weeks) She seems pretty neutral-doesn't love it, doesn't hate it, but sure does like to wear it!

~Last time we weighed her, our scale said she was 18 pounds! Not sure I believe it though...

~Took her first plane ride at 22 weeks. She was a trooper!! Slept through most of the flights and had fun playing for the rest of the time!

Madly in love with this girl!

4 Months!

Grace is 4 months old! Wow-wee!

Way too much fun is being had around this place, that's for sure!

GRACE at 4 months:

~Smiles at everyone and giggles like a pro!

~LOVES to have her cheeks tickled!

~Is starting to realize when someone other than Mom or Dad are holding her and protests with a quivery chin and one very sad face.

~Tolerates tummy time again, but still LOVES to sit up tall.

~Rolled from her back to her tummy for the first time yesterday, February 28th! No repeat performances yet, though.

~Was sleeping through the night, but has hit the "4 month wakeful period." Goody.

~IS GOING TO BED AT A NORMAL TIME!!! This is HUGE in our household! We dialed her back 4 hours (without tears!) by moving bedtime up 15 minutes everynight and having a solid bedtime routine. She is now in her crib at 10pm and is usually asleep by 10:30. YAY!

~Weight: 15.14 pounds (90th percentile)

~Head circumference: 14 inches (between 90th and 95th percentile)

~Length: 27 inches (Above the 95th percentile...she's literally off the chart!)

~She's as long as her 6 month old cousin, although she doesn't quite weigh as much.

We went in for her 4 month checkup today. Apparently Grace has a great memory, because the sight of the nurse who gave her shots last time sent her into a fit...and she pretty much stayed there the rest of the appointment. Shots this time didn't even phase her-she was already at her angriest before they stuck her. sigh. I think that whole process is just as hard on Mom as it is on baby! So sorry, Smush. We love you!

3 Months!

It is incredible to me how quickly time has flown by. I was talking to Kurt the other day about how even the memories of Grace as a newborn are fuzzy now. All I can think of is how cute she is that very day!

GRACE at 3 Months:

~Smiles at everything! She has definitely mastered the heart melting smile.

~Has laughed a handful of times and oh, how we love it!

~Has very sensitive skin that rashes regularly.

We've discovered she's even allergic to Burt's Bees products!

~Doesn't sleep until 2 or 3 in the morning, but easily sleeps for 8 hours without waking.

We just wish she'd sleep at more normal times!

~Has been sleeping in her own room since week 12!

~Is happiest when she's sitting up tall. This little one wants to see whats going on

~Weighs over 14 pounds.

She is a great baby. Generally happy and very contented and quite the joy to be around!

We love you, Smush!

And now, for your viewing enjoyment...the many faces of Grace!

2 Months!

Grace is 2 months old. Wow! She's growing like a weed and is just about the sweetest baby ever. (I'm biased, I know.)

Grace at 2 months:

~smiles at everything.

~likes to sit up tall and look around while holding her head high.

~has earned the nicknames Grumbly Bear and Snort-a-saurus.

~goes to bed around 2 am, but sleeps very well on her own.

~eats like a champ!

~weight: 13.1 pounds (95th percentile)

~height: 23 1/2 inches (90th percentile)

~is already into 3-6 month clothes!

~has eyes that are looking decidely more and more brown.

Our first Christmas with Grace was wonderful! Such a little joy she is!

One Month Old!

Our sweet little Grace is one month old today!

I can not believe all that has happened and changed in the last month.

Love you, Grace Ellie!

GRACE at one month old...

~Smiles, but only at those who really deserve them.

~Has held her head up since the day she was born.

~Has the worst case of baby acne...sorry little one!

~Prefers to sleep in bed with Mom and Dad.

~Is getting the hang of eating. ;)

~Likes being cuddled to sleep.

~Loves to be up on your shoulder
so she can look around at her brand new world.

~Almost always sneezes during diaper changes.

~Is just starting to grow out of her newborn clothes
and fit into her 0-3 month outfits.



She is such a good baby...I think I'm in love. =0)

Grace Eliana

Announcing the birth of

Grace Eliana Krohmer!

Grace: Graceful

Eliana: My Lord has answered me

Born October 27th at 12:24 pm.

8 pounds, 7 ounces

21 inches long

Welcome to the world, little one.

Mommy and Daddy love you!

Labor Day

I wrote this several weeks after Grace was born. I wasn't sure if I wanted to post it at first, but after coming back to it several months later I've decided its worth sharing, even if it only serves as a reminder to me in the years to come. Enjoy!

I've been thinking I should blog about Grace's arrival, now that she's in my arms. But I'm just not sure what to say...and I'm a little worried that what I really want to say might scare those who haven't had a baby before. Then on the other hand, I wish someone had laid it out for me before I got pregnant...or rather I wish I had really listened to those who did tell me! Then maybe I wouldn't have been so surprised...


I now understand why it is called labor. It was the most exhausting thing I have ever done. And honestly I wasn't all that amazed by the miracle of child birth, at least not at first. So here's our story: We were set to be induced the evening before my due date because of my chronic high blood pressure. But the afternoon of our induction day I started bleeding, so we went in early. We spent the afternoon walking, trying to go into active labor. At 5 that night (our original induction time) they got me started on medicine and said "We'll let you sleep tonight and really get you started in the morning." Luckily, those first meds sent me into labor. By the middle of the night I was in some serious pain and opted for some fantastic narcotics since I was at 4 cm. As an added bonus, they helped me sleep and dream of circus animals in a parade. At 6 cm. I got a fantastic epidural and I felt nothing for the rest of the night! At 9 am we started pushing...and pushing... and pushing. Turns out she was face up, so the doc used the vacum to flip her over. She got stuck again towards the end, so out came the vacum again. The doc pulled while I pushed and at 12:24 our little girl was born! I was exhausted. I kissed my baby (she had to be taken to the nursery because she had inhaled meconium (baby poo) when she was born) and then I proceeded to sleep the next 2 hours. Not a bad labor all in all. I pushed for a long time (at 3 hours they usually opt for a c-section) but overall I have very little to complain about.


Fast forward 7 hours: we were in our room with Grace, whom the doctor wanted to keep for observation because several of her levels were "off." The baby blues hit me hard that night (and kept hitting for the next week.) I laid in bed that night and wept while I thought "What in the world have we done? We've changed the entire course of our life. Are we ready for this?" I honestly asked God to put her back, to make me pregnant with her again because pregnancy was familiar and parenthood was not.


I ended up going through a period of mourning for my pregnancy. I LOVED being pregnant. I had an easy pregnancy and I loved feeling her wiggle inside me. Then I went through this horribley painful experience known as labor in order to stop being something I loved. It was cruel! Needless to say those first weeks were tough. Many tears were shed. And I wasn't too sure about what I had gotten myself into. There was even a panic attack or two in there. But you know what? When they say that it gets better around 6 weeks, THEY WEREN'T LYING! I LOVE my daughter. I love having her around and listening to her little squeaks. I love getting to know her funny little faces. I'm even getting used to being sleep deprived. Motherhood really is a BEAUTIFUL problem to have. =0)