2 months

Berkley Grace,

This month was a doozy. After the horrible stomach bug that went through all of us, we had another week of sickness. I got a clogged milk duct that almost turned into mastitis, which may or may not have contributed to your nursing strike, which made us go to the pediatrician and found out that you have acid reflux! It was another long week for you and I to say the least.

You weren't sleeping well last month either. We typically put you down between 9 and 10pm and you wake up on the dot at 1am, 4am, and again around 6 or 7am. It wouldn't be so bad if you would go back to sleep right after eating, but normally we would have to soothe you back to sleep with the pacifier.

The best thing about you is your smile. You are such a smiley baby when you are not hungry or tired! You've begun to coo at us as well, which also makes the sleepless nights worth it. You definitely smiled and cooed earlier than your big brother, but for some reason you just seem much more like a newborn than he did at this age.

Yesterday I took you to the pediatrician for your 2-month check-up (which is why this post is 11 days late). Ever since that clogged milk duct, I've been worried about your weight gain because I can tell that my milk supply has decreased. However all my worries were for nothing because you weighed in at 12 pounds 10 ounces, which didn't seem big to me, but apparently that puts you in the 90th percentile!

Not only are you in the 90th percentile for weight, but you are off the charts for height (she seriously wrote 100 percentile) and you are in the 90th percentile for head circumference too. What is it with me having big babies??!! I honestly don't get where you and your brother get it from...

Berkley Grace, even though this month has been physically taxing on all of us, we love you so much. I am trying to cherish the more precious moments of this phase as much as possible because I know it will pass. Seeing your face light up when you see me, snuggling with you, and smelling your sweet baby smell are things I'm trying to take in and be thankful for.

We love you sweet girl.

Mama

twelve is the new ten

Hopefully you can hear him counting to "ten" even though he has Blue's tail in his mouth. Holding Blue was the only way he would sit still long enough for me to try to videotape him...

river rats.

After a couple of rough weeks health-wise (hence the lack of recent blog posts), the Kriegers are doing much better. Before the stomach bug that got all 4 of us, acid reflux, a week long clogged milk duct, and nursing strikes, we had a long weekend at the bay with my parents.

This year Caleb had even more fun swimming in the water and playing in the sand. Berkley Grace even enjoyed the beach, being only a month old. With the waves as white noise and a nice breeze to keep her cool, she took several naps under the umbrella.

The weekend consisted of swimming, getting some sun, making puzzles, watching the Olympics, eating popsicles, going on boat rides, fishing, etc. Here are some pics to show all the fun we had!

One Month

Berkley Grace,

We did it. We survived the first month of your life with only a few glitches - one being you losing a lot of weight at first and the second being all four of us getting a stomach bug (thank goodness for family living close by to help out).

You obviously did not want to be a June baby, being that you were 4 days late and born on the first of July. I have to admit, you had me a bit stressed out there those few days leading up to your birth. On the day you were born, Leslie, the midwife who delivered your brother and you, was on her last day of work until she went on vacation for the entire month of July. But thank goodness you were born just in time for her to help me through labor and to deliver you.

You take after your brother and are a laid-back baby. That's actually what got us in that first glitch of you losing too much weight- you were such a lazy eater at first and wanted to sleep instead. After a 2 week period of feeding you every 2 hours around the clock, I'm happy to say you were back at your birth weight by your 2-week appointment and we can now let you sleep and eat whenever you want. You typically want to eat every 2.5-3 hours during the day and have gone up to 5 hours at night (although it's not every night).

You don't like being swaddled - you love having your arms free and usually fall asleep with them near your face. You sleep on your side most of the time, but are beginning to sleep some more on your back now that your startle reflex has gotten more under control.  You love bath time and your bouncy seat, which is where you take most of your naps during the day.

You took your first trip to the bay when you were 4 days old and went to Smith Mountain Lake when you were just over a week old! Needless to say, you are quite the traveler already. However, you're not a big fan of your car seat like your brother was, so car trips are bit more tricky with you.

One thing that surprised us this month was that you gave us your first smile! And it makes us fall in love with you all the more. That little dimple on your left cheek is irresistibly cute and kissable.

Berkley Grace, you have been such a joy to your dad and I this first month. We were nervous about having a colicky baby since everyone told us we weren't going to have another baby like your brother. But it looks as though you're going to follow in his footsteps and be a good baby for us. Thanks for that. We look forward to seeing you grow and interact with all of us more in the months to come!

We love you!

namesake

Berkley Grace's namesake is my Grandaddy, Floyd Burk Lowder, who went by Burk. I have so many memories of this man - too many to list here. Even as I sit here to write about why I wanted to name my daughter after him, I know this post will not even come close to giving a clear picture of who he was and the qualities that he possessed.


he was strong. he was brave. he was proud. he was generous. he was kind. he was impatient. he didn't take flack from people. he was funny. he was successful. he loved to fish. he was protective. he loved to garden. he couldn't stand cats and called any and all of them 'wampus'. he had a short temper when it came to technology and automated messages. he always put his family first. he never owned a credit card and paid for everything with cash. he loved being on the water. he didn't know a stranger. he was a hard worker. he loved his family. he loved the Lord.

He also loved his grandchildren and spoiled us rotten. I remember he always would slip a 20-dollar bill in my hand before leaving to go home. He came and supported me and my brothers at our sporting events whenever he could. We never questioned nor doubted his love for us. Looking back I think my brothers and I looked up to him more than we knew.

I miss being called "Sugar". I miss the prank gifts we would give him each year at Christmas. I miss listening to his stories of growing up and of the 'good ol days'. I miss the never ending supply of butterscotch candies and peanuts on his coffee table. I miss the summer days at Sunken Meadows.


Even though it's not as customary to name a girl after her great-grandfather, I hope Berkley Grace will appreciate where her name comes from as she grows up. I hope she comes to know what a great man my Grandaddy was and the impact he had not only on my life, but also everyone else in our family. 

We then decided to make her name a double name with Grace because of the grace that has forever changed my life, Steve's life, and Lord willing our children's lives. We want Berkley Grace to be reminded of God's amazing grace that He bestows on her every single day. We want her to understand and believe with her whole heart that it is by His grace that she has been saved - not by anything she has done or will do.

Berkley Grace, your name is more than just a name to us. We cannot wait to be able to tell even more stories about your amazing great-grandfather and to share all the more with you about God's abounding love and saving grace.

Berry, Lowder, and now Krieger

Before Berkley Grace was born, my mom gave me two dresses that I hope will continue to stay in our family for generations to come.

The first one she gave me was the dress my grandmother put her in for her coming home outfit. Not only is it absolutely beautiful, but I just love thinking that I have the dress that my grandmother picked out for my mom to wear home. I never met my grandmother - she passed away before I was born - so having something of hers is really special to me. When I put the dress on Berkley Grace it was surreal thinking about my grandmother dressing my mom in this special dress and knowing she probably looked at my mom with as much love as I did with Berkley Grace when I dressed her in it.

 

Berkley Grace - a couple weeks old

The second dress my mom gave me was the dress that I came home in from the hospital. I asked my mom why she didn't put me in the dress she came home in and she said that she didn't know her mom had kept her dress until years after I was born.  Even though it would've been really neat if my mom, me, and Berkley Grace were all put in the same dress as newborns, I still love that I have both dresses and am able to give them to Berkley Grace some day for her to use with her daughter.

 Me - coming home from the hospital

Berkley Grace - at home from the Birth Center

Berkley Grace Krieger

We welcomed our beautiful daughter, Berkley Grace, into the world Sunday, July 1st at 1:30pm. She weighed 9 pounds 11 ounces and was 20.5 inches long. She has a head full of dark hair, a dimple in her left cheek, and cheeks almost as big as her brother's.

There is so much to tell about her namesake, her birth story, and how we all are adjusting to being a family of 4 that I'll save those for future posts. For now here are some pictures of her birthday!

 My amazing midwife who has delivered both Caleb and Berkley Grace

First family photos