Your Long Lost Coffee Buddy

For the last several weeks I have fully intended to post something, even just a picture or a sentence-long update, but even that has evaded me. I will not try to give a comprehensive update here now, because I have limited moments in which Elizabeth is currently content - or at least not upset.

Here are the highlights of the past few weeks:

Sam's parents came to visit for a week in the middle of the month. It was wonderful, and they were a huge help. Sam's mom cooked every meal for 7 days, went grocery shopping two or three times, cleaned my microwave and my stovetop, and cooed and loved on Elizabeth. Sam's dad spent hours walking with Elizabeth in his arms, just wandering and looking and rocking and humming. And Elizabeth ate up every minute of it!

There were a few times that I felt a little frustrated at having guests (in-laws, at that), being offered unsolicited advice or opinions about "you need to eat this; you'll make more milk," and having a different woman in my house and my kitchen - but, the blessing far outweighed any irritation. Now that they're home, they miss Elizabeth immensely, and I am pretty sure Elizabeth misses them, too, even though she can't articulate it yet. We were so pleased that she took to them immediately - within the first few minutes of their arrival, she was smiling at them freely.

While Sam's parents were here, they spent a great deal of time (4 meals, if I remember correctly) with my family, and both sides really enjoyed getting to know each other better.

Since they were here over a Sunday, we took the opportunity to publicly dedicate Elizabeth Hosanna at church. I wish I had time right now to put down the blessing pronounced over her, but the jist of it was - may she have the spirit of prophecy, as Elizabeth in the Bible had, and may she be filled with praise. In answer to our prayers, Elizabeth cooperated nicely by napping through worship, waking up before the dedication, not making a peep during the dedication, and then nursing through the sermon. Another family (friends of ours whose boy was born at the end of July) also dedicated their baby on the same day.

Over the summer, Sam had been working on a construction site in the ghetto of Atlanta, where it is quite dangerous to drive through, let alone work 40 hours a week (we told a friend who has been a cop for the city of Atlanta, and he said "you're working where?! I don't even go there unless I have to!"). His last day there was the Friday before his parents arrived, and then he had 2 weeks off, and now he's working 2 days a week in the office of the construction company's headquarters, just a few minutes from home. We're relieved for the change. He has also just started the last semester of school, so he should be graduating in December. Praise the Lord!

Two weeks ago Elizabeth had her 2 month appointment, complete with shots, and she did well, and is right on target growth wise. 10 lbs even, and 22".

She is drooling up a storm, and getting pretty good at bringing things to her mouth to drool on them better. She hates tummy time with a passion, but will hold herself up in a sitting position almost unassisted as long as she has something helping her balance her torso. She loves kisses, loves to 'talk' to you, and has started to notice pictures of faces and smile at them.
I'm running short on her patience now or else I would put up some pics. Perhaps later.
*edit: I got pics up :)