Angel Kisses

While pregnant with Mae Kathryn, I took monthly photos of my growing belly from my perspective seeing this might be our last (like 99.9% sure, but you know what happens when you say never)..... I just thought it was a fun way to document my pregnancy.

October, November, December, January & February

March - Clare Irish 5K Race

April - Hawaii 

May - Soccer Mom

June - six days before my little girl was born...a couple last walks in the field.

So when Carrie House captured newborn photos, I knew I wanted one with Mae so I could always remember the view from my perspective....like I did with the belly photos.

Now that Mae is almost nine months old, she loves to move and cuddling is a rarity left for night feedings and naps. Her crawling causes her to often pull her socks off. I only keep trying to put them on her because it's winter. I thought about putting her in tights so she couldn't pull them off, but you'd never notice this little freckle on her right big toe. Most people try to rub it off because it's easily confused as dirt or fuzz. 

After a close friend tried to rub it off, she told me a special freckle like the one on her toe was actually an angel kiss....then she said I'm sure your Aunt Casee wanted you to know she held Mae before you. 

I don't think it's irony she kissed her toe as she looked at her from the same perspective I had during nine months of pregnancy and now each night at bedtime.

So this week, when Facebook's "On This Day" shared this wall post, 

I smiled to think Casee sent Mae with a little message to tell me she knows I have a little girl and that she was able to love on her even before I held her. 

She always did like to have the last word.

Mae Kathryn

On June 20, our family welcomed Little Miss Mae Kathryn Eisenberger.

It's been surreal, adding another little one to our family. Obviously, I was well aware I was pregnant for nine plus months, but I completely forgot how much I love the newborn stage. The sounds, the smells (both sweet and sour), the tiny clothes, the responsibility to care for this tiny, helpless, amazing beauty...and how it goes so fast.

Three years ago today, our lives seemed surreal as well. I lost my Aunt Casee to cancer. Since her passing, there have been moments that seemed to crawl by....experiencing life at its messiest. Many times, I would have given anything to listen to her advice and to be with her one more time.  Yet, at the same time it seems like yesterday we were celebrating her. Life goes so fast.

As we share Mae's birth, we are extremely thankful for God's grace, amazing friends and family and the many lessons life teaches us....through the hard times and the amazing times...at the end of the day we know now more than ever that we have each other and we feel blessed to have one more.

I just hope time can crawl by a little right now....I'm loving all the cuddles.

Special thanks to my mom who rocked the labor and delivery photos!

That moment when they hand you your daughter....

I met Dr. Traenkle three days before, when I came in for my weekly check in. 
She filled in for Dr. Moossavi, and though I will always love Dr. Moossavi, 
Dr. Traenkle made labor and delivery just as enjoyable ....the drugs may have also helped! 

Allison was the junior fair queen when I was the senior queen. We were 4-H members together. Her sister and I have been friends for 20 years. Our families have worked together on activities and events in the agriculture community. I took her engagement and wedding photos. We've shared so many memories together...and now Mae's birth. It was comforting having her in the room...talk about how life goes in circles... I'm thankful she is part of our circle. 

The boys were not exactly sure what to think of their baby sister, but they've adjusted well. 
Don't let them fool you, but they're completely in love.

This woman....if I'm even half the mom she is, I'll consider myself a success.