Sunday, June 28, 2009

Six months old!


Happy Six Months Old, Pretty Girl!
You are such a special, precious gift from God.
We are so excited and blessed to be your parents.
We Love You SO Much, baby.... and we can't wait to see you learn and grow even more in the months and years to come!

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Krissy's picture game

Krissy's Picture Challenge: Choose your Top 5 pictures of baby's first year.
It was pretty simple for me to choose, because of the limitations I had: The pictures we have saved on our hard drive only go back to when Hannah was about six months old, so I only had 6 months of Hannah pictures to sift through, PLUS Aliah is not quite six months old yet, so basically I took my favorite picture from each month, minus February, when she was really sick... same with the both-girls-together pics. ENJOY!


Hannah's second time holding Aliah, when she was about 24 hours old. She is still such a proud big sister!


January 2009, when Aliah was about 2 weeks old.Hannah's favorite thing to do in the morning is to lay in bed with her baby sister. It's been six months and she STILL asks to do this every morning when she first wakes up!


So sweet. Hannah, 4 years old, Aliah, 2 months old. They are wearing matching outfits, which have since grown too small, but Hannah would ask to wear those ridiculously loud clothes allllll the time!


My happy girls! Aliah, five months old.


This week. Hannah feeding Aliah her first taste of baby food!




Top Five Pictures of Aliah:


one day old

About 3 weeks old

Two months old - a week or two after her RSV ICU stay.

Three months old

Five months old - I *LOVE* this picture!!!




Hannah's first time in a real, outdoor swing. I think she was screaming with terror, not happiness!

Hannah around 5 months old?


Hannah at nine months old


Hannah at ten months old. This was the first time that she walked while holding onto something. She spent the better part of an hour pushing that laundry basket all around the room!


Hannah at 12 months old, with her Daddy :)


Saturday, June 20, 2009

Chubby Bunny eats baby food.

This week Aliah began to eat baby food.

Which do you think she likes better: baby cereal, or her own toes?!





Aliah just ate 5 oz. of baby cereal, in addition to her regular liquid meal.

That's a huge dinner! I didn't think her tiny tummy could hold so much food!

She's getting so big; I can't wait to see how much she's grown at her six-month check-up.




Last night I hosted a Father's day craft night for all of our little MOPS friends. It was fun, they all made gifts for their daddies/grandpas, PLUS it gave the other moms a break from their kids for an hour or two, AND Mike got to sit at home in a very quiet house until 8:30pm! Bonus, good times all around.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Poor sad little Hannah.

Hannah is currently crying herself to sleep.
Actually, it's more like SCREAMING herself to sleep, and I'm afraid that she will wake up Aliah during the process.
I know she's had an exhausting day, but apparently she has reached the no-holds-barred, break-down melting point. During our bedtime routine, while I was helping her brush her teeth, she thrashed and bit and kicked so much that her gums started to bleed! I had to physically restrain her from throwing herself against the ground and banging her head up against the wall. Then I restrained her again when she repeatedly crawled out of bed, still screaming, with tears running down her shirt.
None of us has been getting enough sleep this week, Mike included, which only adds to our misery. Maybe tonight we'll all finally sleep more than a couple hours at a time!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

random things

Eleven days ago, Baby Amber went to Heaven.
She was going to be five months old today.
I sent her parents another card this morning, just to let them know that I'm still thinking of them and praying for them.




In other news...

Today was Day 3 of Aliah eating baby cereal. She makes squealing noises, chews on the spoon, and sucks the food into her mouth. She's becoming really good at sitting up on her own. Hannah's new favorite things to do with her baby sister are taking a bath together and playing peekaboo.

Our exciting event of the day was going to our new local Walmart's grand opening. It really wasn't so special, and I spent more money than I should have for the week.

We're babysitting for eight hours tomorrow and it's gearing up to be a very long, tiring, HOT day.

On Friday I am hosting a MOPS craft night so that the kids can make some Father's Day gifts.

I just discovered the site wishuponahero.com and it seems like a neat way to help people who really need it!

Sunday, June 14, 2009

The funeral

Amber's funeral service was yesterday. It was a beautiful message, but I sobbed uncontrollably through the entire thing. Their pastor did an amazing job of tying the sufferings of Jesus and the salvation concept into the eulogy. And after singing some worship songs, there wasn't a single person left dry-eyed when they played a slide-show of Amber's life, accompanied by Watermark's song "Glory Baby."

It is such a powerful testimony to the Lord, the way this family is rejoicing even in their pain and grief. I've been having a hard time praising Him through this sad time, yet Corey and Kristie seem to be filled with a grace and heavenly understanding that I don't quite have yet. I am fully certain that God will bless this family. I don't know the purpose of Amber's sudden, unexplained death, but it gave me chills when her aunt read the verse in Psalm 139, about how "all the days ordained for me were written in your book before even one of them came to be." We cannot know what God has in store for this family, but I am trusting in the fact that his plans are far better than any of our own ideas.

I haven't cried yet today. I haven't really gotten the chance to be alone with my thoughts. Aliah is now getting her second tooth, and Hannah has been grating on my nerves A WHOLE LOT this weekend.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Baby Amber

DURHAM - Baby Amber Grace Rasmussen, entrusted to the loving care of her parents, Kristen Hontz Rasmussen and Corey Drew Rasmussen on January 17, 2009, returned home unexpectedly to her Savior, Jesus Christ, on June 6, 2009.

In addition to her parents, baby Amber's family includes her sister, Samantha Kate Rasmussen; maternal grandparents, Duane and Diana Hontz of Newtown Square, Pa.; paternal grandparents, Kenneth and Mary Rasmussen of Cypress, Calif.; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. We anticipate with great joy our reunion with her for eternity.

The celebration of Amber's life will take place on Saturday, June 13 at 10 a.m. at The Summit Church, Cole Mill Road Campus, where the family attends. Dr. J.D. Greear and Pastor Will Roberts will be officiating. Interment will follow at Maplewood Cemetery.

Clements Funeral Service, Inc. in Durham is assisting the Rasmussen family.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Baby Amber

I am heartbroken for my friend and her family.
Yesterday they celebrated a wedding, and today they woke up to find their daughter dead. She went to sleep and never woke up. I cannot imagine the horror of living through that. Please pray for this kind, sweet, God-loving family, who is terribly missing their baby daughter, Amber.
Amber was only 4 1/2 months old. She will be terribly missed.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

How do you keep your child from picking their nose?

How do you stop your child from picking their nose? Hannah gave herself a nosebleed tonight because she kept sticking her finger up there! YUCK!


Can you tell that this girl is a big ham in front of the camera?

Aliah's tooth is pushing through and has been making her fussy.
Earlier today, she was sitting up on her own for about 30 seconds at a time.
It's not for very long, yet... but still, I think that's amazing, being that she's only 5 months and one week old!

Also, last night she slept from 2-9:30 am, so I got an awesome amount of sleep yesterday! I even got to take a nap this afternoon! YES! It makes me feel so much better, when I get enough sleep.

I actually feel like a normally functioning person this weekend, instead of frustrated, tired, sleep-deprived zombie mom. I even had enough energy to walk around the neighborhood with Hannah. We went about one mile (though Hannah whined the whole time. oh well. Can't please everyone).

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Travelling, friends.

WE SPENT THE WEEKEND with my family in Maryland, and are now in the middle of a 5-day excursion in PA. Last night I got a rare treat: Girls Night Out! Dinner with some of my favorite college friends. It was great to see each of you, especially the newest addition! :) Thanks for helping me relax, my God's Girls!




Our chubby little bunny has done quite a few things for the first time this week, including meeting more relatives and friends, "jumping" on a trampoline, "swimming" in the pool, and drinking from a sippy cup, as seen here:



Did I mention that our miracle baby, at fuve months old, now weighs 17 lbs?!
AND - Aliah is also getting her first tooth as we speak! This has resulted in her first tastes of Orajel and Tylenol. She is stil as happy as ever; so far, her only complications are trouble falling asleep.

Have a good week.... we'll be back home on FRIDAY NIGHT!