Teething, Parties, and Beards (or lack thereof)

We are pretty positive Susannah started teething this week.  Her lower gums have gotten soft, she is constantly drooling, she is chewing on everything that comes near her mouth, and she's having a hard time falling asleep.  One of these days she will listen to me when I tell her to stop growing up!  She has also discovered her hands recently, and here's a video to prove it:

Those hiccups and expression are priceless!

Susannah went to her first birthday party on Saturday and had a great time.  Our friend, Tenley, from church turned 3, and they were setting up a bounce house to celebrate.  Tenley's mom told me a couple weeks ago that Tenley was listing off all the people who would be bouncing in the bounce house with her, and she said, "...and Susannah!  Susannah can bounce, too, right??"  We considered putting her in there with the other 8 kids but decided things may not end well for little Baby.  We did not take any pictures at the party, but here's one of the quite summery outfit she picked out to wear since it was 70 degrees on Saturday!

And yes, we have Pete's face back!  He shaved this week and will remain beardless for the duration of summer.  The ladies of the Acker house are happy to have his handsome dimples present again. 

The class I am teaching online is on Spring Break this week, so who KNOWS how many pics we will have on the next blog entry!  Here are some cute ones from the past few days:

Silly girl

Blowing bubbles

Watching her sister-chickens is endless entertainment.

Someone is learning to sleep without a swaddle!  She was confused upon waking up as to why she had control of her arms.

If you peer through the jungle leaves, jungle animals, and jungle insects, you may catch a glimpse of the most wild animal of them all!

Fun With Family

Susannah had some of her favorite people come to see her dedication at church this weekend: PopPop, SuSu, Figgy, Pops, and her Aunt Chip (Bader).  It was wonderful having so many people around to love on our little girl, support her, and stand with us while we dedicated her to Jesus.  We finally had an excuse to dress her in her white smocked dress before Easter (typically a fashion faux pas, but not when you're a baby on your dedication day!), and she looked beautiful.  Our pastor did a wonderful job during the dedication and had me tearing up pretty good by the end.  I can't express the feeling you get when a church body verbally agrees as a whole to help you raise your child up to know Jesus.  It takes a whole village, right?  We are so very thankful for the amazing men and women at Mount Carmel Christian Church and for the love they've shown us since the first time we visited!

Here are the pics that our sweet friend Katie took for us during the service:

Baby got her serious look on.

It's tiring being this cute!

Checking out her new book

We love how involved our parents are in Susannah's life, even though we're not exactly around the corner from them!

Figgy snapped this one with her phone as proof that Chip loves Susannah and made the trip to Franklin, too!  Baby Girl LOVES Aunt Chip!

And more pics from the week:

Enjoying the warm weather this week! 

The grandmamas giving Baby a bath together

This girl loves hugging her wedges while she sleeps.  That hand always weasels its way out of the swaddle.

I have to brag on my mom again: she made Roman shades for our living room, and they are awesome!  Here are a couple pics:

The whole bay window area

Up close and personal

Good for the Soul

Some of our best friends from Auburn came in town this past week, and boy, was their visit good for the soul.  Gabe, Kara, and Raelyn Karns drove all the way from Columbus, OH (they moved from Auburn just a couple months before we left) to hang out for a few days, which was quite an endeavor since little Rae-Rae is only 2 years old.  I was very much in need of girl time, so I was particularly appreciative of their visit and made Kara listen to my long list of items for discussion the first night they arrived.  We had wonderful weather while they were here, so we spent most of our time outside watching Raelyn use her little imagination and Susannah soaking up some Vitamin D.

Out for lunch in Smithfield

No jackets or socks! We need baby sunglasses...

"I see....SNAILS!!"

Getting to know each other

PILLOW FIGHT!!

Raelyn watching her daddy and Pete shoot

Rae-Rae and Kara

Susannah had her 4-month checkup on Monday and wasn't feeling too good after her vaccines...

Yes, so according to our pediatrician Dr. Applewhite (whom we LOVE) at our 4-month checkup, Susie Baby is super!  She is 25 1/2 inches long, 13.2 pounds, and still a whopping 92nd percentile in head circumference (I didn't catch the measurement).  She loves being naked, so trips to the doctor are fun for her.....until it's time for the vaccines.  Poor baby took the first one like a champ, but when she realized it wasn't over after that one, she LOST it.  Bless her heart.  It took her two good naps to fully recover, but she is back to being a happy, chatty baby with a much smaller risk of becoming a sick baby.

And here are the other notable pictures of our cute girl from this week:

I think I'm holding on to an outfit that doesn't quite fit anymore...

We tried our jumper for the first time this week and aren't sure what to make of it yet.

"If I could just get this bib, these fingers, and this paci in my mouth at the same time..."

Her two favorite fingers find their way to her mouth way too often.

We also gained a new nephew last Wednesday!  Nathanael James joined the Gilbert World of Girls, and is one precious baby.  We cannot wait to meet him and know that Mike, Brae, and the 3 girls are loving life with this little man.  I will hopefully have some pictures of him to post in the coming weeks!

4 Months

Our little Susie Girl belly-laughed for the first time last week, and it was the best thing I've ever heard.  She's been making the laugh-noise for a few weeks now, but it was always unintentional and random.  On Thursday, I was nibbling on her fingers (sorry, fingies), and she began legitimately laughing!  Each time I'd put her fingers near my mouth, she would let out this adorable giggle, followed by a squeal of delight.  I promise you, I almost started crying--she has the most perfect little laugh!

This week in pictures:

When Susannah first wakes up from a nap, we like to talk to her for a few minutes before picking her up, and she always immediately clasps her hands and tells us a million different things in her own little language.  

"What?  You act like this isn't where I sleep or something..."

She loves her Bumbo seat, which is why she's in it in 3 of the pics this week!

We have the most adorable centerpiece.

Angel Baby.  She actually enjoyed her bath for the VERY FIRST TIME on Saturday!

"Ugh, not in front of my friends, Mom!"

Little Miss Blue Eyes

There's this amazing book called Feminine Appeal: Seven Virtues of a Godly Wife and Mother by Carolyn Mahaney, and it is my new favorite.  It's a short read that is packed full of encouragement, challenges, and convictions that you can find in Titus 2:4-5.  In the chapter on loving our children, Mahaney writes:

[Our children's salvation] is the chief end of mothering.  Our goal is not that our children be happy, fulfilled, and successful.  Granted, we may desire these things for them.  But our highest objective should be that our children repent from their sins, put their trust in Jesus Christ, and reflect the gospel to the world around them.

What a high calling!  We cannot pray or force Susannah to salvation, but we can pray that her heart may be opened to it as she grows and that Pete and I can show her the Gospel through our love for her as often as we are able.  Let's pray for Susannah's salvation this week.