The Leviners

"I am fearfully and wonderfully made."

Psalm 139

It has been a year since we started to plan our little family and almost a year since we first found out that we were expecting Baby Leviner. How little did I know a year ago how much our lives for this past year would be beautifully and wonderfully enriched. I love the Lord. I am in awe each day of His amazing and perfect work. He has blessed me in so many ways and I do feel at times inadequate and undeserving of His wonderful blessings and gifts "Every good and perfect good is from above." James 1:19- And so for this I am thankful and blessed for His countless blessings to me and Sam. I am thankful to be writing this and praising the Lord for this past year's gifts- a healthy and full term pregnancy, a safe delivery, and a healthy beautiful baby girl which we named Caroline Faye.

As Christians the Lord requires us to do our part. "For everyone to whom much is given, from Him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of Him they will ask the more". Luke 12:48- Of what the Lord requires He wants His children to spread the gospel, to glorify Him, and to help make His name more famous the world over. As individuals He gives specific tasks. Within these requirements He gives us our own specific tasks. One of these is the ultimate role of parenting. "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6 - When I was pregnant with Caroline we prayed each day that the Lord would help us to be what He wanted us to be for Caroline and that He would give us the strength to accomplish His will whatever the calling. As I reflect upon this past year I have so many blessings to be thankful for- of all things for which I am.

In other Leviner news: Busy, Busy, Busy- this is what our lives seem to be lately! On June 24th Sam and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary. Rhonda came up to stay with us for a few days (I had several doctor's appointments in Orangeburg and she was going to go with me and take care of Caroline) and she was more than happy to keep Caroline so that Sam and I could go on a little date- just dinner!! We enjoyed our dinner but we couldn't wait to get home to see Miss Caroline. That weekend was busy but a lot of fun- Rhonda and I went to the scheduled doctor's appointments, stayed with daddy and Joyce while in Orangeburg, saw both of our grandmothers, ate some Bar-B-Que (can't go to O'burg without eating this good stuff), found some good deals at Belk- bought clothes for Caroline for next spring/summer season, watch Grand make bows and paci clips for Caroline, came back to Lexington and had Caroline's 3 month pictures taken, and bought Caroline a pink parfait bean bag chair (see photos below).

Last week and this week I've had the wonderful opportunity of keeping both of my nieces- Courtney and Kelsey! Kelsey came at the end of last week with her teacup Yorkie- which she named Brady. Brady and Caroline had a portrait session- (see below)- they were so cute together. Kelsey and I also took Caroline on her very first zoo outing. We were very hot but it was a lot of fun! Courtney came at the beginning of this week and we've also had a lot of fun. Courtney has been working with Caroline on turning over (not there yet) and also on Caroline's reaching and grabbing abilities! Courtney has been a great help! This is how I can get this blog updated today!

Also this week, I signed Caroline up for daycare- this was really hard- I would prefer for an individual to keep her but for now she's going to daycare in the fall. Pray that I make it- I just can't imagine taking her to daycare and dropping her off- literally my thought process is- I'm walking out the daycare door without her- I feel like I would be abandoning her.

Caroline can:
-Sleep after her last 9:30 pm feeding (10:30 pm) until 5:30 am- although she's
been wanting to sleep through the night at four to five hours since she was
five weeks old- she's slept eight hours since she was nine weeks old
-Laugh, Squeal, and Giggle out loud while of course making all those vowel
consonant combinations sounds!
-Hold head up on her own
-Turn her head in both directions while swinging or sitting in someone's lap
-Reach and Grab an object as of July 4th! (See photos below)
-Hold onto an object although she's wild with it
-Bear weight on legs when held up
-Raise her chest while lying on her belly- though for a short time
-Roll from back to side
-Follow an object
-Clapse hands together- she's been doing this for a while now
-Turn to where the noises are- she loves tv and mommy and daddy talking
-Can sit in her Bumbo seat for short periods of time
-Drools and eats fingers and fists constantly- is she teething?
-Leans forward with head and shoulers as if she's getting ready for
the sit up position
-Loves holding her loveys (yes we have multiple). She's always enjoyed
rubbing her face but while we were out to eat celebrating our anniversary
Caroline's aunt Rhonda introduced her to her lovey!



Courtney and I took Caroline
for a stroll. Before we got home it
started to pour down rain. This is Caroline
in her stroller with her lovey on the front
porch. Look at how she's wanting to get out!



She loves to sleep on her hand! When she woke
up her hand and face were so red!



Courtney and Caroline!



Courtney, Kelsey, and Caroline- celebrating
the 4th of July at Nanny's! Happy 14 weeks
Caroline!



Kelsey, Courtney, Caroline, and Kayla! These
are the grandgirls!



Kelsey, Courtney, and Kayla!



Nanny with her Caroline! This
t-shirt dress was made for Caroline
by her aunt Melinda!



Rhonda and Melissa enjoying the hayride!




Courtney and Kelsey getting ready for the hay
ride!




All the hayriders!



Kelsey, Courtney, and Caroline- no
we didn't take Caroline maybe next
year little one!



Courtney and Caroline!



Courtney holding a very sleepy little
4th of Julier!



Happy girl! She's watching TV! She
aquired this habit from her cousin Kelsey!



Mama and Melissa



Caroline was practicing her reaching
and grabbing with her daddy on
July 4th!



Yeah, she reached and grabbed
for her toy!



She's trying really hard here
at one point she got frustrated- she
didn't want to have to work hard for
what she wanted- we'll have to work
on this Caroline!



Happy 4th of July!



Big girl smile!

Sweet baby girl!

Our girl loves to laugh!

The Leviners!

Getting ready to celebrate 4th

of July weekend!

Swinging away!

Caroline in her Baby Bumbo seat!

First time of trying the Baby Bumbo

seat! She did great!

Last days of swaddling!

First trip to the zoo! I adorned her in her

sunglasses while she was sleeping so I could

take this!

Caroline looking at the gorillas!

Kelsey at the zoo!

I love these animals! They are amazing to me!

Kelsey "milking" the cow!

Kelsey and the Koala!

We're off to the zoo!

Caroline getting excited about her

very first zoo trip!

Caroline and Brady!

Brady wants to know what's wrong with

Baby Caroline!

Two sweet babies!

Caroline and Kelsey!

Caroline is now a TV junkie!

Sleeping away in her bean bag!

Caroline loves to rub her face before

going to sleep!

Happy 13 weeks Caroline!

Using her dress as a lovey!

Such a happy girl in her Gamecock

dress with matching bow!

Sweet girl!

I love my daddy and this new

bean bag chair!

I'm sitting up and I have my lovey-

this is all I need!

Laughing away!

My aunt Rhonda is putting me

night night!

She's loving those fingers!

Sitting up in Pops's chair with my

new lovey!

My Maw-Maw loves me!