Wednesday, July 30, 2008

a newborn no longer

I looked back through our pictures of Merit tonight. It's only been 4 months...could she really have changed that much? What I found astounded me. I had forgotten how small she was. I had forgotten how much hair she had. I had forgotten how much she used to sleep. I hadn't thought about these things in a while. I was glad to be reminded of what I loved about the newborn Merit, but I was also a bit sad to realize that, like everyone had warned, the days are passing much too quickly. 







Wednesday, July 23, 2008

4 months

Oh, Mer-Mer, what a fantastic time we are having! It just keeps getting better and better, I tell ya. This past month was especially fun. Here are a few of my favorite moments from your 4th month with us...

you stay awake for most of our morning walks now, and you love to look at the trees.

graceland!

your daddy and I got to go on our first date post-baby, 
thanks to your Grammie coming to stay with you.
(side note - this is the first pic we have taken with just the 2 of us since you were born...I don't think we knew what to do with our arms!)
you can now roll over from your back to your belly, and as much as you hated being on your belly before, you absolutely love it now. 
this pic was taken after you did this trick for the very first time. 
we were just as surprised as you were!
now when you play in your crib (because we all know very little sleeping goes on in there...), you love to flip over and strain your neck to peep over the side--just to be sure I'm still in the room. (look--your eyes are still blue...)
your second plane trip--to Arkansas this time--went very well, despite the 4 hours of delays on our way there. on one of the plane rides, you got to enjoy your own seat.

fun four month photo shoot



I love you, baby girl. Being home with you is one of the best decisions I've ever made...you fill my days with pure happiness, and I wouldn't trade that for anything. Happy 4 months, Merit Fey!

much love, 
your mama

Monday, July 21, 2008

this time last year...

...I was feeling extremely nauseous, excited, scared, and overjoyed. This time last year, I needed to tell my husband that we would be having a baby, so I nervously ironed letters on a onesie...the best I could think of in the hour or two I had before he came home from work. 


This time last year, we sat in a restaurant called Mellow Mushroom feeling anything but mellow. We giddily asked each other if this was real, and seriously talked about what we were getting into. 


This time last year, we had no idea who this little baby would be, but we knew that baby Albright was indeed on the way, and that was an intensely joyful thought. 

::::::::::::::::::::::

Today we woke up to a happy, talkative 4 month old baby girl. Today we watched Merit Fey, our baby daughter, roll every which way on the floor, and try her very best to crawl away. Today we loved on her as much as we possibly could. Today, the multitude of smiles in this house has left all of our cheeks sore. Today we thanked the Lord a million times because we realize how so very blessed we are. 



July 20, 2007

July 21, 2008

Thursday, July 17, 2008


This past weekend, Merit and I traveled along with our friend Nina to Bentonville, Arkansas to spend the weekend with my college girls. Erin, thanks so much for having all of us at your new, beautiful house!! It was tons of fun, and it was SO good to see my friends. (Although there was a void...our friends Jaymie and Kanyon weren't able to make it.) :(  

Here are a few highlights... 
(I stole some of these pics from Chelsea)
(see Erin's blog for more pics)

Nina and Merit in the Chicago airport during our layover
Kyla's little girl, Ava
little friends

(Their first pic together about 7 months ago)
One night while eating dinner at the Marketplace, a huge storm blew in, and we debated whether to wait it out at the restaurant or run in the torrential downpour to the car

We ran [screaming] to the car
I had a wonderful time, but too bad Merit didn't get any attention all weekend




Until next time, ladies...

Friday, July 4, 2008

walking in memphis

I've never claimed to be much of an Elvis fan. I mean, he's the King of Rock-n-Roll, but I never knew much about him aside from a song or two and a few facts heard here and there. My mom, a fan herself, told me his birthday was January 8th, a day after hers and the same day as her grandmother. A friend once told me his grandmother dated Elvis when she was in high school. My fourth graders told me he died on the toilet. (Huh...who knew?) Kevan impersonated Elvis in a cover band he was in a few years back, and although I LOVED Kev's act (it was sooooo great), I still didn't care too much about the King.

Well, last weekend Kevan's parents took us to Graceland, and I think I actually may be a bit of an Elvis fan!  We didn't quite know what to expect, but it was really interesting and a whole lot of fun. I'm not ready to start collecting Elvis trading cards or sport a Priscilla beehive, but I do have a new appreciation for Elvis Presley. I'd actually like to revisit Graceland sometime... Mom, are you up for it?


Thursday, July 3, 2008

sweet dreams...

...and cheeks...and hands...and rolls...and eyes...and...