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Palm Trees and Manatees · 1W ago

The Baby Who Saved Me

I used to spend so much time trying to figure out my purpose in life. I read career exploration books, researched jobs on the Internet, made lists of potential career paths, went to career counseling, and interviewed and shadowed professionals in various fields. I always felt restless because I coul
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Palm Trees and Manatees · 1W ago

A Dream Is A Wish Lyla’s Heart Makes

I remember the days when my dad and I would sit together and pore over Disney World travel guides, even if we didn’t have a planned Disney vacation on the horizon. As a child, and even as an adult, Disney World seemed like the most magical destination on Earth. Even though I live in Orlando [...]
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Palm Trees and Manatees · 2W ago

Don’t Blink

Sweet, precious Lyla. I’ve never known such joy. I must kiss her soft head hundreds of times each day. On April 29th, Lyla turned 3 months old and I dressed her up (and down) for her monthly photo shoot. It was incredible watching Lyla grow during month 3. She changed so much and so quickly. [...]
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Palm Trees and Manatees · 1M ago

Lyla’s Springtime Shenanigans

It feels like time has been moving faster since I became a mom. I’m so glad that I’m keeping this blog so I can look back and remember every sweet moment with Lyla. On Lyla’s 9-week birthday (Sunday, 4/1), we took her to her first Phillies game — a Spring Training game — at the [...]
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Palm Trees and Manatees · 1M ago

Parenthood

Lyla celebrated her 2-month birthday on Thursday, March 29th. She played model while I photographed her for her 2-month photo shoot. She looks longer and more filled out now compared to how she looked in this picture of her on her 1-month birthday. After the photo session, we played together for a l
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Palm Trees and Manatees · 2M ago

Lyla’s First Outing

Lyla turned 8 weeks old on Sunday and had the opportunity to celebrate the milestone by going on her first big outing. We’ve been to Babies ‘R Us, the doctor’s office, and even the mall once. But Saturday, March 24, 2012 marked her first noteworthy outing, one that lasted more than just a few hours.
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Palm Trees and Manatees · 2M ago

Getting To Know Lyla

One of my favorite parts of being a mom is getting to know Lyla’s personality and experiencing it blossom every day. I never want to forget the way she is right now: her temperament, her likes and dislikes and her cute, little mannerisms. I’m writing this post so that I’ll always remember . . . [...
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Palm Trees and Manatees · 2M ago

Six-Week Checkup

Today Lyla and I ventured out for our first car ride alone together, and mommy was very nervous. It probably would have been another few weeks before I went out driving with her were it not for my scheduled 6 week checkup with Dr. H today . . . so it’s a good thing that [...]
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Palm Trees and Manatees · 2M ago

The First Five Weeks: Part 2

During Lyla’s first days at home, Carter and I spent a lot of time just holding her and staring at her. I had made a lullaby playlist on my iPod before we went to the hospital, and we’d sit and listen to it while rocking Lyla in our arms. One of the songs on the [...]
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Palm Trees and Manatees · 2M ago

The First Five Weeks: Part 1

The first five weeks at home with Lyla have been intensely emotional and beautiful. Carter and I are so in love with her. We look at her and think, We made her! Five weeks ago, she was inside me, and now here she is, a tiny person with itty bitty fingers and toes, breathing the [...]
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