twelve days

"Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking outside your body." -Elizabeth Stone

After speaking to Jimmy several times a day while he is at work it never seizes that when he gets home the question is asked, "So what did you do all day?". What did I do...hmm. Usually every single day consists of laundry. It is amazing how much laundry a 7 pound creature can create. A friend who is due with her little bambino the second half of this year asked me to take thorough notes. My most resent lesson: Do not lay a naked baby on the couch and/or bed unless they have both peed and pooped in the last 2 minutes (I told her 5 minutes, but I lied) and even then proceed with extreme caution. Ada's midnight feat consisted of the following needing to be laundered: a changing pad cover, a sleeper, two receiving blankets and a onesie. This was all within a 5 minute period. I know, ultimately half of the items could have been eliminated if I had been more careful, but people give me a break it has only been two weeks. So in conclusion, I will share some photos. The 12 days of Ada:

Day 12: Ada Unswaddled Ada decided she does not like to be swaddled. She likes the freedom of having her hands around her face. If someone swaddles and lays her down she will spend the first five minutes undoing their sweet gesture.




Day 11: Code 1 & 2 Station This is where Ada's famous Laundry Unloading transaction took place last night.





Day 10: Sponge Bath Ada loves her sponge bath, but we are both anxiously awaiting the removal of the umbilical cord stump so a real bath can be taken. In this shot she looks like she is in a boxing robe.




Day 9: Fun with Black & White I love these shots. I can't believe we were able to capture them ourselves.





Day 8: Something Old, Something New Wow! This pictures brings tears to my eyes. This is Ada with her 94 year old Great Granny who is absolutely infatuated with this little girl. Granny has been anxiously awaiting Ada's Arrival. Granny says her goal is to be able to see Ada walk in her living room. The same place where I learned to walk. Pushing age aside, I think Granny will be seeing alot more of Ada that just her walk.


Day 7: First Playdate This is Ada's good buddy, Anna Kate. I can't wait to see these girls grow up together. They are going to be the best of friends. Look they can almost already share shoes since Ada haa her Aunt Jennifer's feet. Okay, so the first playdate consisted of all staring and no play. Isn't that how most first time human encounters start out anyway?


Day 6: First Doctor's Appointment Ada got an A++ at her first doctor's appointment. She had exceeded her birth weight (6pds 13 oz) and and moved up to 7pds 1oz. She may have come out the wrong direction but she has made up for it with her appetite.



Day 5: Valentine's Day Montiker Style Ada got in on the Montiker annual tradition with Valentine's Day 2008. May seem strange to most, but the Moncriefs spend every Valentine's Day with their fabulous friends the Whitakers. This year was the 7th annual Montiker Valentine's Day Extravaganza (oh my, I have never stopped to think how long this has been going on but it started the year Jimmy and I got married so that has to be right...7 years...woah). This year consisted of Vinni & Joe's Pizza. We even upgraded to Chicago style being Valentine's Day and all. We laughed til I cried in several instances. It could not have made my stitches hurt worse unless we were playing Mr. Mumbles.


Day 4: Coming Home This is our first family photo on our way out the door from the hospital. After four days at the hospital we were ready to come home. I absolutely adored all of the nurses, but after getting your vitals taken every 3 hours day and night I was ready to get in my own bed, in my own home, with my own interruptions. Jimmy got so antsy while still at the hospital that he actually left one day Mazunos on and went for a run.


Day 3: Do We Get to Keep Her? By this day we figure that this little bambino is ours to keep and even if the hospital messed up and gave us the wrong child, we didn't care. This is the one we wanted. We were already very attached. Besides who would turn down a good baby. She really only cried when she needed something. Very laid back. It is wild how, even when this small, a glimpse of their little personalities already starts to show.


Day 2: She is Perfect How could anyone resist falling in love with this face? Babies change so rapidly. Look how much she has changed from Day 1. I challenge myself to cherish each day with my daughter. They turn so quickly and I don't want to miss a thing.




Day 1: Ada's Arrival I will never forget this life changing day. I am so in love!
"Before you were conceived I wanted you
Before you were born I loved you
Before you were here an hour I would die for you
This is the miracle of life" -Maureen Hawkins