In Month Seven, Margo's Great Grandpa went to Heaven

Margo’s seventh month has been a bit hectic for us. Cary lost his beloved grandfather to cancer and we were all so sad to see him leave this great earth. Someone (I think Jesus) came for him on the day he died as he repeatedly asked to be lifted up and was looking and reaching to the sky. It is comforting to me to know that God is so good to us in our final hours. Cary’s family is small, so I am grateful that Margo got the chance to meet her very special great grandfather, if only briefly. We will treasure the precious birdhouses and piggy bank he made her forever. I have no doubt that Grandpa Lorance is watching over her now.



At the same time that Cary’s grandfather was ill, we were running into some childcare complications. I will spare you the details, but it has been stressful, dramatic and frustrating. We were scrambling to find some alternative childcare and had an open slot at the daycare we originally picked for Margo. Unfortunately, as soon as I learned they were not allowed to put her to sleep on her tummy, that option was done. Margo cannot sleep on her back and is a very sensitive sleeper in general, but I do understand the daycare’s position. It all worked out and my amazing and generous sister gave up her day to let us use her wonderful (although expensive) nanny, Maria, on Mondays. Margo took to Maria wonderfully and things are going well. Cary’s mom and my mom are each still watching her one day a week and I just hope things will continue to work out in this way for a while because we need a mental break from stress and drama. The set-up is not ideal with Margo having three caregivers, but I am at least hoping it will help her to be more flexible.

Thank goodness for our dear, Margo. Seeing her face melts away the stress and our time with her in month seven has been such a joy! Margo is sitting up like a champ and has become much more interactive with her toys. It is so much fun to watch her turn, move and inspect things with her hands. She can push buttons and knows what she is doing, she loves to throw toys and wants it all in her mouth. She, of course, loves our cell phones and glasses and has the sweetest, funniest reaction to some of her favorite toys. She has begun to get up on her knees and rock and she is scooting backwards. I keep trying to show her how to crawl to her toys, but she hasn’t quite got it yet. You can tell she thinks it is pretty cool to be up on her knees though, which is so cute. I suspect she will be fully crawling in a few weeks—let the childproofing begin!

Margo still has not cut a tooth. This doesn’t bother me except for the fact that she has been actively teething and having discomfort for more than three months. I keep thinking a tooth is going to be coming in at anytime, but it never does. As you can see, Margo loves to eat!! She hasn’t fully rejected any food I have offered her except avocado and green beans are not a favorite. I have discovered that if I mix anything she doesn’t really favor with cereal, she will eat it, so I am still managing to get a her a nutritious and well rounded diet. I love making her food and take so much pride in knowing that it is fresh, organic and free of chemicals and preservatives… plus it saves a ton of money! The reflux is still the darn reflux and I am so sick of it I could just cry. I know we are getting closer to the end of the line with this battle and I cannot wait until I do not have to clean-up spit up everywhere. Our new carpet is practically ruined, my clothes are stained and I am so sick of changing the sheets almost daily. She is happy though and that is what matters most.

For Easter, Margo got a new swing outside and she loves it. She loves being outside and especially enjoys looking up at the trees. I think she could sit in her swing for hours and if she is ever cranky, it is the perfect activity to settle her. Margo is sleeping great overall and naps fairly well and sleeps around 11 hours a night. I keep trying to make her bedtime a little later so she might sleep a half hour later, but her little body knows and is already well programmed—bed time is 7 pm—even if she has a later nap. If I try to push it beyond that, she has major meltdowns and cannot finish her bottle from falling asleep. Pre-Margo I loved nothing more than sleeping in. It has most certainly been one of my hardest pleasures to give up, but so worth my sweet angel baby. On Mother’s Day Cary let me sleep in, which was wonderful. Even better was when I came out of the bedroom and she started jumping up and down when she saw me. I have never seen her quite so excited to see me and it was truly the best Mother’s Day gift I could have ever imagined!

Margo is definitely a little angel. She is so happy all the time, smiles, laughs and talks away all day. She dislikes being left to play alone, which is my fault, but other than that she could not be more perfect! To say that I love her is a true understatement. There really is no greater joy than being a mother. I love our little family and thank the good Lord for our many blessings each and every day.