When Eric asked the girls at dinner what they were thankful for today, Noa said she is thankful for her Gloria and her “two smiles.” Truly, smiles are starting to grace the cheeks of our youngest and Noa, Martha, and I don’t get tired of trying to coax them out of her. Noa was referring to this sweet moment when her little sister smiled at her and then did it again as Noa talked and giggled to her.
Two smiles, just for her big sister
I have to agree with Noa, that I am so thankful for those sweet smiles today. Not just Gloria’s, but all the sweet smiles that fill my days and my heart to overflowing.
In April of last year I shared this post about my babies looking alike and enjoying doing all this baby stuff again for the second time around. Well, round three has proved similar and, daily, Gloria makes me nostalgic for when Noa and Martha were wee babes.
I shared these first two photos in that post, and wanted to add one more to the sequence.
three years ago:
A year and a half ago:
A week and a half ago:
I am so thankful that my mom, who I think is an amazing mom, is just as amazing as a grandmother. Among other things that we call her, like, “the Mighty Womb” (in loving jest, of course), she is known as “the Baby Whisperer”. I have as of yet to get the first smile out of one of my kids, as she has coaxed all three of them to it first. I love watching her enjoy them and they enjoy her right back.
It’s crazy to think this little girl has been here for 3 weeks and 2 days! She has grown so much and changed in her little life already, and so have the rest of us. We have loved every moment – well, most of them – and it’s already hard to remember what life was like before she was part of us in this way (out of my belly). 
Gloria still loves to sleep! She sleeps about 18-20 hours a day still. It’s hard for me to remember if her older sisters slept this much, it’s crazy! And I am very thankful that in just the last few days she has responded pretty well to falling asleep in her bed, as opposed to my arms. I think with every kid I start this process a little earlier, and it is going great. I am not strong enough to let her “cry it out”, but I am doing better about giving her a chance to fall asleep on her own at every nap and bedtime. But I still just savor the sweetness of sleeping babe on my chest and indulge that treat every once in a while too. That being said, here are some photos of her sleeping everywhere BUT her bed. 
in the sling,
in her carseat,
on Aunt Martha.
Gloria is eating great! Still at 3 hour intervals during the daytime, and 3-5 hour intervals at night (I think. I’m not very coherent during those times so I’m not really sure). At her two week check-up last week she weighed in at 9 pounds! Today when I weighed her with me, she was around 10. She is definitely packing the pounds, but thankfully doesn’t take a long time to eat. I don’t think her sisters would be too happy if she did. I love this photos of her and my mom cause you can see her skinny little leg sticking out. 
I feel like you can see her weight gain the most in her chubby cheeks: 
She continues to be adored by her big sisters. Martha has adjusted to big-sisterhood much like Noa did with her: I don’t think she even recalls when Gloria wasn’t here and has just taken it all in stride. She often pauses from her play in order to come put her face real close to Glo’s and say (in her high imitating-mommy-talking-to-the-baby voice), “Hiiiiiiiiii”. She loves to give her kisses and hold her hands and feet and rock her in her carseat, bassinet, or bouncy seat. Today, she asked to hold her for the first time and lasted about 5 seconds, but did wonderfully. I am so thankful for how well she is adjusting. 
Noa, our baby-lover, has done great as well, but surprised us a few times. She loves all things pertaining to Gloria and her care and really is so sweet to her. However, every once in a while we have seen some signs of hostility and she has asked twice if Gloria could go back into my belly. Also, after about 3 weeks of being completely accident-free and officially potty-trained, she has had several accidents since the novelty of the new baby and my mom being here wore off. We have struggled to know how to help and love her through this, and are pretty sure it’s all just part of her adjustment and very normal. And these little discouragement really are very small compared to the constant joy she brings to our home, along with incredible entertainment in what she does and says regularly. I am so thankful for the sweet little girl that she is and so thankful for the example and help she is with her little sisters.
*funny story: Noa dressed herself to be a cowgirl yesterday, complete with the horsey shirt and boots. As Eric was loading them into the car for me, She ran out to the garage and yelled “Here comes the cowboy!” One of many comments that makes us look at each other and ask, “whose kid is this?!?”
So now you know how our Glo-girl is growing and a little bit of how our family is growing with her, and in love with her. We are so blessed and thankful for her life, and for how the Lord has made this transition so smooth and sweet.
And here’s one more photo, epitomizing what I get when I try to get a picture of our children together. Noa can’t stop looking at Gloria to try to get her to smile; Martha can’t stop moving, and Gloria throws her hands up in exasperation of it all (and spits up on the carpet instead of the burp cloth. great.).
