Four Months
Dear Sweet Anna-girl,
It's been just a little over four months since you made your way into this world.
Here are some of the things about you at four months:
- You are wearing mainly 6 to 12 month clothes.
- You want to be standing or sitting/being held facing out almost exclusively.
- You are very, very happy when you wake up in the morning. You seem just overall tickled to be awake and to see your people staring down at you.
- You are not so happy when it's bedtime. Lately you have been especially grumpy.
- You drool constantly and can just about fit your own whole fist in your mouth. I keep checking for teeth but haven't seen or felt any yet.
- You have started grasping and grabbing at things in front of you. It is so cool to see you use those muscles and work on getting your brain to move your arms and hands.
- You love, love, love to take baths and be in the water. If you are grumpy or fussy a bath seems to really help you out of that mood (at least while you are in the tub).
- You rolled over twice last month and have not done it again since then.
- You went on your first airplane ride to visit some friends and did great on three of the four flights. The last leg was the toughest. You were tired. I was tired. We both just wanted to get home.
- You are just so fun. Love having you around.
You have made each of our lives brighter since making your appearance.
I admit that we were a bit nervous at first with such a big change, but you have made it so
easy. You are a wonderful companion on this journey. Life with four in our family is really, really good.
We love you so much and are so thankful you are a part of our lives.
SUPPLIES : Bazzill Basics White Cardstock; American Crafts Little Bo Peep Dot Patterned Paper; American Crafts Pat-A-Cake Text Patterned Paper; Narratives Chipboard Letter A; K&Company Cut N Paste Word Strips & Circles; Heidi Swapp Yellow Felt Flower; Kaiser Pearl; Pink & Yellow thread
Tonight, as I capture these thoughts about Anna, I have these words from Mary Oliver running through my mind:
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
With your one wild and precious life?
It's a favorite phrase, from a favorite poem, one that makes it's way often into my thoughts. One life. One precious life. It makes me take stock and re-evaluate. It makes me want to make some changes and make sure I get to the heart of the matter during my time here on earth.
It also makes me think of another favorite quote from Steve Jobs:
Your time is limited, don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinion drowned out your own inner voice. Most imporant, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
My one wild and precious life. Time to go live it.
Ali, that Steve Jobs quote is part of Izzy's favorite speech. He re-listens to it periodically and loves to send links to it to friends and family. In fact, it motivated him to resign from his career so we could do our video podcasts full-time. Have you heard the whole thing? Steve Jobs rocks.
I love your ripped photo idea. I want to try it.
I also love that you are sharing your personal life with us in a way that also inspires our scrapbooking. Thanks, Ali.
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Lovely Ali, really lovely. Thanks for inspiring me today. Your Anna is beautiful. My Anna is almost 19, wants to be a Chinese interpreter, and is engaged. Crazy how time flies by.
Peace. Susan
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thanks ali; so precious and beautiful!
a
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These layouts are gorgeous and so tender - and I love the quote from Mary Oliver. Wild and precious life, indeed.
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What a wonderful posting. I just had my baby girl this month after having three boys. We didn't find out what her gender was until she was born so we were really, really surprised! I love checking in with what you're doing with Anna because I didn't realize all the fun and different things you can do with documenting a girl. Thanks--she is beautiful!
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Thank you for sharing with us your life..Anna is so sweet..people come into our lives at just the right time..
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She's just so beautiful & precious!
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Ali, hard to believe four months have gone by already. Thanks so much for sharing your life and your family's life with us. Your post was powerful and inspiring. I'll be thinking about it all day today. Your layout of Anna is beautiful, love the torn photo. You are amazing!
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Ali, I just love your thoughts for Anna. The words from Mary Oliver are lovely. I will be using them in a layout very soon! Thank you for the inspiration today.
Susan
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I love the layout and ripped photo idea!! Anna is a beautiful baby!!
I love the white border on the photo, did you print it at home?
Thank you so much for all of your inspiration! I look forward to your column every month in CK and checking in on your blog each day!
Thank you so much Ali!!
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Beautiful layout!
Thank you also for sharing those quotes this morning. The quote by Steve Jobs is just about the most inspirational thing I have read in a long time. Certainly makes me sit back and reevaluate.
Have a great Wednesday!
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Hi Ali,
Thanks for the quotes...I think I really needed them today and I have just finished copying them into my journal.
What a great document of Anna at four months. She surely is a little cutie.
Kelly
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Oh this is why I adore your art and blog. You have so helped me to take a closer look and document this wonderful life. THANKS FOR THE QUOTES:)
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These words and photos are just precious! Anna is an absolutely doll and hopefully one day she will know how lucky she is to have you all as family!
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Hi Ali. I LOVE your site for so many reasons. Your family is lovely and what sweet, sweet kiddies. Thank you for sharing so much of your life and gifts of art and inspiration. While I do not have children of my own I am a blessed auntie to 8 beautiful and amazing nieces and nephews. I used your yellow l/o of sweetie Anna, the one with the stamp frame, to modify using shades of blue white and cream for a page about my nephew and it was so GORGEOUS I had a difficult time giving it to my sister! :) You really are helping me move to new levels of creativity and most of all fun in creating. Thank you tons. BTW -- would you be able to tell me where you found Anna's baby chair? I am trying to find one for my nephew. Hugs to you Ali! xoxo- Bonnie
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You soooo inspired me this morning! Those poems are amazing. Thank you
Amber Osburn
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such beautiful words/pages/little girl.
:)
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she's a sweetheart!
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My baby girl turned fifteen today-it feels like just yesterday she was my "Anna".Loved the photo and layout.
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wow that qoute from Steve Jobs really spoke to me! Thanks for that.
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Precious
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so much beauty and joy here.
love this ali.
and love the mary oliver poem. thanks for introducing me to the jobs quote!
blessings to you and yours on this day...
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Thank you, Ali!!! Your posts always make me more appreciate our daily life and enjoy the littlest simple things.
Baby Anna is such a precious little girl.
Beautiful thoughts and quotes, thank you so much for sharing!
Wishing you a wonderful day.
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What total sweetness wrapped up in her. Those quotes are awesome, thanks so much for sharing, childhood is so fleeting and so precious.
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Oh, Ali, Anna is just precious! Thank you for such a beautiful post today.
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