Princess Laughs-a-Lot

I joyously discovered that our local library has a special program for 0-2 year-olds each week. We went for the first time this past Wednesday and I (re)learned a fun song for us to enjoy together. Zoë just can't get enough of it! Enjoy!

Way to Go Zo!

Sleep in the Poppen house has not been the best for awhile. Zoë started out great and seemed like she would gradually get past the 6 hour mark, but then 3 months hit and catastrophe struck - every three hours or less. So, desperate for some semblance of sanity, this week we started sleep training. The first two nights were a little rough, BUT last night...

...Zoë slept 8.5 hours straight without a peep, and then another solid 3 hours with the help of her favorite pacifier. WOO-HOO! Thank you Jesus! And I got at least 6 hours of solid sleep for the first time in nearly a year. Feels good!

S-t-r-etch! Good sleep = happy baby and a happy mommy!

My Little Fashionista

I saw a booth with onesie dresses at an art fair earlier this summer and decided I had to make one myself. I set out on my first post-birth crafty adventure with some leftover fabric and no pattern template, and it actually turned out to be pretty stinkin' cute! 

'

The adorable matching shoes are ones I had made before Zoë was born. They were way too big then, and now they are almost too small!

Love the bow! 

Happy 4 Months!

Zoë is 4 months old today. Wow! It is hard to believe how quickly she is growing and changing. This month has been full of new sounds from "bfffff" and "bvvvvv" to "dada-dada" and a very, very cute laugh.

 Zoë is also continuing to explore with her hands and is grabbing on to anything she can get those little fingers around. She has also learned to roll over completely from stomach to back, and can get from her back to her side. And as always, her legs are just a goin'-goin'-goin'!

All ready for fall! Look at those darling shoes!! 

(They didn't stay on much longer...)

Beautiful Baptism

Special shoes 

Special dress

Special day

for a very special girl.

Zoe's baptism on Sunday, September 4th at Rose Park Reformed Church was a beautiful event, celebrating the precious life that God brought into this world and reminding all of us of the incredible gift of grace: 

 "For you Jesus Christ came into the world; 

for you he died and for you he conquered death; 

 All this he did for you, little one,

 though you know nothing of it as yet. 

 We love because God first loved us."

Papa, Didi and Uncle Herm came to share in our joy on this special day, and mommy and daddy sang and played a lovely song written just for our little girl. You can watch a portion of the service and listen to our song "Child of Mine" here:

Doin' the Bath-time Jig

Though we had a little bit of a rocky start to bath-time, Zoë now thoroughly enjoys splashing in the water. Looks like she has potential to be a great tap dancer or something like that!

Got the Giggles!

I love Zoë's giggles! I could listen and laugh along all day. Isn't it just delightful?