Last week was the end of my maternity leave. 12 weeks. It really flew by.
On Saturday, we loaded up the car and headed to Oklahoma to see my mom's dad (my Pawpaw Skip) & his wife. They have been wanting to see Rhodes since he was born and apparently couldn't figure out why we hadn't brought him up there yet (um HELLO? He's a newborn) so they were tickled to finally see us…I mean, HIM. :)
My grandpa got teary when he saw Rhodie for the first time and he kept talking about how neat it was to see him. Rhodes is my Pawpaw Skip's first great-grandchild. Clara, his wife, has 27…she thinks…she has a list where she has written them all down. Bless. My Pawpaw has Parkinson's and it is hard for him to get around or sometimes to even find the right words, but this visit? It was a good visit. I am so happy we got to see them.
I went back to work Monday. I cried off and on for a few hours the night before, cried when I kissed by husband and baby goodbye the next morning, cried when my husband and baby-face-timed me when I got to work, and teared up a few times throughout the day. Thankfully (I guess) our census is very high and I had four babies and was running around all day long. I also had several friends and some family members text me words of encouragement, so that helped a little.
Rhodie stayed with my mom and my oldest brother & I'm pretty sure he might have not even realized I was gone all day long. He had a great day, as my brother kept telling me. It was a relief but my heart was broken all day. Everyone says "it will get easier" but I don't know if it really will or if I'll just get used to it. I have to work two days in a row this weekend and I am not looking forward to it.
Enough with the sad stuff!
This week Rhodie has learned to blow bubbles and it tickles us to death. He's so sweet and smiley and he is just the best baby ever! He's still growing like a weed and has rolls for days, which I LOVE! Last week he slept through the night like a champ. Sunday night, my husband commented on how he kind of missed getting up with Rhodie in the night and having him sleep on his chest…big mistake. The boy hasn't slept through the night since.
Thanks a lot, husband! ;)
Also, Rhodes had been doing a trick at night. I will lay him in his bed long ways, and in the morning we will wake up and he will be laying sideways across the middle of his bed, still swaddled. It's so funny!
Yesterday, my youngest brother Clark showed up at my doorstep. It was such a fun surprise! We ending up eating dinner at my parents' house and visiting with him for a little while. He had also written a letter and mailed it to Rhodes (so sweet) and made me wait until after he left to read it to him.
That's all I have for now! My big boy will be three months old on Saturday and I am going to snuggle him as much as I can since babies don't keep!
'Tis the Season,
Holly
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Sunday, September 4, 2016
Our Baby Boy: 11 Weeks @ the Beach (Day 2-4)
For our trip, we stayed at the WaterColor Resort in Santa Rosa Beach, FL. It is a 5-10 minute walk from the Seaside area. It is a beautiful place and, side note, wasn't super crowded because school is back in session!
We got up and drove to Seaside for breakfast at Pickles. Since it was already so warm out, I figured driving would be better than walking just in case Rhodes needed to make a quick exit. :)
We ate out breakfast outside and did a little shopping. Rhodie did great!
Once we got back to our room, we sprawled out and took some naps, trying to recover from the previous day. After lunch, we opted to go down to the beach for a little bit, just depending on how our little man tolerated it. It was hot, but thankfully he had just eaten and was ready for a nap! We took some pictures and a nice lady offered to take one of the three of us on my camera. It was really nice and I'm thankful to have one of our family of three! I tried to stick Rhodie's feet in the water and he wasn't having any of that…so we decided to go back and sit under the umbrella and enjoy the beach sounds. We stayed down at the beach for about 2 hours and then it was time for Rhodie to eat again and for us to decide what to do about dinner.
We opted for dinner at a place called Bud & Alley's. My husband claims the two young hostesses gave us dirty looks when we came in, and I told him it was probably because we had wheeled our GIANT stroller in the door and they were probably thinking "Oh noooo!"
so he had a sour taste in his mouth from the start. They sat us in a practically empty room and it was really nice! I ordered a crab cake with my salad and Aaron ordered a steak. The food was really yummy. Then two other families came in with very….boisterous children. Rhodes got woken up when one little boy wouldn't stop running around and yelling. Thankfully, our meal was over at that point and so I took him outside while my husband paid our bill. It was so nice out and we walked back to our car and watched the sunset.
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Our second beach day went about the same way. We ate breakfast at the Great Southern Cafe. We sat outside because it was so nice. Rhodes stayed awake but was pretty content staring at his mobile that we have hung on his carseat. We drove down to Rosemary Beach after breakfast because my husband was hell bent very eager to see it. Rhodie got his nap in and we got to see a little of the sites. :)
We shopped a little more around Seaside and went back to the room for a little more R&R. Later in the afternoon, we decided to go down to the beach again because it was overcast. It was perfect. There was a light breeze and the clouds blocked the sun and we were able to lounge in the beach chairs under our umbrella. I even got to stick Rhodie's feet in the ocean and he didn't get upset! Aaron took a few pictures and I'm glad we will have those memories.
The beach chair guy came by and said they would be shutting down the beach in a little bit due to the weather. Hurricane Hermine was headed towards FL, and although it wasn't going to hit in our area, they were expecting high winds and rain. So after a little while, we went back to our room and decided what to do about dinner. After talking a little more, we decided that maybe we should try to head back that same night instead of the next day. We packed up and got some dinner at the Barefoot BBQ food truck in Seaside, then we rolled out of town.
We drove to Hoover, AL and stopped for the night at a hotel.
The next morning, we headed out. I don't really have a lot to say about the drive home…except for the fact that we got to stop in Memphis and see my college best friend and her family. It was so good to see them and catch up! Our babies got to meet for the first time and Rhodes was pleased to be able to get out of the car for an hour!
We made it home, ate dinner, and my parents & Joshua came over to see Rhodes before we went to sleep. We were exhausted but Rhodes enjoyed the beach (just not the car) and I'm glad that we went on a trip together as a family. It helped up learn about traveling with a little one and we made some good memories! :)
That's all for now! Laundry is calling my name!
'Tis the Season,
Holly
Our Baby Boy: 11 Weeks @ The Beach (Day 1)
I start back work a week from tomorrow and my husband has been wanting to take a vacation for a while now. So, last minute, my husband decided to book a trip to the beach. I was a little nervous because it was a 10hr drive. That's without stopping. We have a breastfed 2.5month old baby. We were leaving Monday and coming back on Thursday. We only had two days at the actual beach. Insert crazy emoji face here. But he wanted to go and so we decided to try.
We loaded up on Monday morning and took off. I packed extra everything and my small SUV was LOADED down. Who knew you needed so much more stuff when you have a baby?!
I'm kidding….kind of.
But of course, we had to stop by my husband's office to show his coworkers the baby. After that little detour, it was time for Rhodie to eat…and then he had a blowout. OF COURSE HE DID ! So we had outfit change #1 and we got back on the road.
The first half of the day went really well. I fed Rhodes again while we stopped for lunch and would get him out to play with him and let him stretch when we stopped for gas.
Then my husband started talking about how he wanted to stop in and see his grandparents since it was on the way. "For a quick visit" is what he said.
LOL.
We stopped in to see his grandparents and they were tickled to see the baby. It was fun because they've only seen him one other time and he has changed so much since then. But then Rhodie spit up everywhere because he had been jostled half to death on the country roads leading out to their house. Bless his heart. Outfit change #2. And then he had dirty diaper. SCORE! Outfit #3. (THANK GOODNESS I OVER-PACKED) I knew he was going to be so tired and I was antsy to get going so that we could drive while he slept. But the grandparents WOULD NOT let us leave. We ended up having to wait "10 minutes" for my husband's great aunt to come over so she could see the baby….. 40 minutes later she finally showed up. I hated to seem rude but at that point in the trip we had 5 more hours to go and, including all of our other stops, was already going to put us getting in around 10pm. We literally were going to be on the road ALL day.
Once we finally left the grandparents house (Rhodes had already napped at their house - insert eye roll) we had to stop for dinner/feed Rhodie and that's when our trip got a little sour. Rhodes was completely over being in his carseat (I don't blame him) and he was completely out of routine and over the whole day. He had HAD it! I felt so bad and he was so fussy. We both may have gotten a little teary at the end because he was so worked up. At one point, my husband told me to "toughen up" and I told him I contemplated ending him right then and there. Good thing it was dark because if looks could kill, he would have been deader than dead.
We finally made it to the resort, checked in, played with our now-happy baby and got some sleep….14 hours later….
'Tis the Season,
Holly
Friday, August 26, 2016
Our Baby Boy: 10 Weeks Old (WOW!)
We are in the double digits people!
Rhodie Man is 10 weeks old and he definitely had a big week!
Week 10:
-He smiles and coos A LOT (and this Mommy still almost cries every time)
-He acts a little bashful when he smiles and it is the most precious thing ever.
-Pretty sure he smiled at his puppy brother the other day. Progress!
-We are LOVING our play mat this week! There is a little mobile that rotates in the center above the mat and a few little toys that hang down and we love to stare, swat, and talk to those. We lay on the play mat several different times in the morning and maybe once at night to get that last little bit of energy out! I've tried to give him plenty of tummy time, but he ends up stretching out and taking a nap instead. Since I'm right there beside him, I usually just let him sleep once he gets started. It's so cute.
-We have face-timed our uncles this week and even though I don't think he gets it, he tries to "talk" to whoever's face is on the screen.
-We had our 2 mo appointment and Rhodes did great! He weighs 14 lbs 12.8 oz and has grown 2 inches in length (23.5) and his head is an inch bigger (16.5)! :) He gets it from his Momma!
Rhodes had to get his 2 month shots at this check up. Working in the NICU, I have given 2 mo. immunizations before, although it's not very common, so I knew what to expect. I knew that he was going to get two shots. He also got one oral med, which he tolerated well and I was proud! The shots were a different story. The Dr said that two nurses would come in and "double-team" him so to speak, so it would be faster and less traumatic (YEAH RIGHT) for the baby. One nurse came in and gave the oral med, then the second nurse joined her for the shots. Of course, Rhodes had a moment after he got his shots. I can't blame him, those suckers hurt & I still flinch when I have to get stuck for anything. But the thing that hurts me the most is that my baby hasn't experience much pain in his life (besides his circ which he'll thankfully never remember!) and it is heart-wrenching to see him cry like that. I know the shots are for his benefit, but it broke my heart. My mom came with us and she shed a few tears in the room after it was all said and done. I may or may not have broken out in a cold sweat & gotten light-headed once we left because I was so overwhelmed with my nervousness & sadness.
Once I got him settled down, we loaded up and got the heck out of there because all I wanted to do was feed and snuggle my baby boy. He slept soundly for a little while, but when he woke he would cry and cry this pitiful, sad cry. UGH. AWFUL.
At one point that afternoon, it took me a while to console him and I began to cry. We just cried together and rocked in the rocker. I'm sure it was quite the sight. Just thinking about it is enough to get me tuned up again….that and the two spiderman bandaids on his chubby little thighs….and how around his little eyes it was red because he had been crying so hard... It hurts my heart :(
Finally, that night, Aaron had Rhodie on the changing table and I came in there to talk to them and I got a smile out of my sweet boy. It had taken all day, but that precious smile made me feel so much better. I ended up giving him some baby tylenol for pain and he slept okay-ish for the rest of the night.
The next morning, I had my happy boy back and that made all the difference.
I am thankful for modern medicine and hospitals and doctors and nurses….and I am so thankful that we are blessed with insurance and good healthcare.
I'm also thankful for the health of my little guy. SO thankful.
And now I'm dreading the 4 & 6 month shots :\
in the words of Rhodie's Uncle Fred…"I'm not talking about that right now."
'Tis the Season,
Holly
Rhodie Man is 10 weeks old and he definitely had a big week!
Week 10:
-He smiles and coos A LOT (and this Mommy still almost cries every time)
-He acts a little bashful when he smiles and it is the most precious thing ever.
-Pretty sure he smiled at his puppy brother the other day. Progress!
-We are LOVING our play mat this week! There is a little mobile that rotates in the center above the mat and a few little toys that hang down and we love to stare, swat, and talk to those. We lay on the play mat several different times in the morning and maybe once at night to get that last little bit of energy out! I've tried to give him plenty of tummy time, but he ends up stretching out and taking a nap instead. Since I'm right there beside him, I usually just let him sleep once he gets started. It's so cute.
-We have face-timed our uncles this week and even though I don't think he gets it, he tries to "talk" to whoever's face is on the screen.
-We had our 2 mo appointment and Rhodes did great! He weighs 14 lbs 12.8 oz and has grown 2 inches in length (23.5) and his head is an inch bigger (16.5)! :) He gets it from his Momma!
Rhodes had to get his 2 month shots at this check up. Working in the NICU, I have given 2 mo. immunizations before, although it's not very common, so I knew what to expect. I knew that he was going to get two shots. He also got one oral med, which he tolerated well and I was proud! The shots were a different story. The Dr said that two nurses would come in and "double-team" him so to speak, so it would be faster and less traumatic (YEAH RIGHT) for the baby. One nurse came in and gave the oral med, then the second nurse joined her for the shots. Of course, Rhodes had a moment after he got his shots. I can't blame him, those suckers hurt & I still flinch when I have to get stuck for anything. But the thing that hurts me the most is that my baby hasn't experience much pain in his life (besides his circ which he'll thankfully never remember!) and it is heart-wrenching to see him cry like that. I know the shots are for his benefit, but it broke my heart. My mom came with us and she shed a few tears in the room after it was all said and done. I may or may not have broken out in a cold sweat & gotten light-headed once we left because I was so overwhelmed with my nervousness & sadness.
Once I got him settled down, we loaded up and got the heck out of there because all I wanted to do was feed and snuggle my baby boy. He slept soundly for a little while, but when he woke he would cry and cry this pitiful, sad cry. UGH. AWFUL.
At one point that afternoon, it took me a while to console him and I began to cry. We just cried together and rocked in the rocker. I'm sure it was quite the sight. Just thinking about it is enough to get me tuned up again….that and the two spiderman bandaids on his chubby little thighs….and how around his little eyes it was red because he had been crying so hard... It hurts my heart :(
Finally, that night, Aaron had Rhodie on the changing table and I came in there to talk to them and I got a smile out of my sweet boy. It had taken all day, but that precious smile made me feel so much better. I ended up giving him some baby tylenol for pain and he slept okay-ish for the rest of the night.
The next morning, I had my happy boy back and that made all the difference.
I am thankful for modern medicine and hospitals and doctors and nurses….and I am so thankful that we are blessed with insurance and good healthcare.
I'm also thankful for the health of my little guy. SO thankful.
And now I'm dreading the 4 & 6 month shots :\
in the words of Rhodie's Uncle Fred…"I'm not talking about that right now."
'Tis the Season,
Holly
Sunday, August 21, 2016
Our Baby Boy: Week 9 (8.19.16)
Rhodie is 9 weeks old! I am writing this on 8.21.16 and we have had a FULL weekend! I think that it has probably been our busiest weekend in a WHILE!
Rhodes had another great week! He's so fun to be around and is growing so much. I had a moment last week when I looked at his two month old picture vs his 1 month old picture and I nearly lost it. Bless.
He's so big and even though I take about 1 million pictures a day of his cute little self, I still feel like I'm missing the little changes. I know that's not likely, but that's just how this Momma feels!
We have been a little more daring with our outings this week as well. It's been SO rainy here lately which is awesome because it hasn't been as hot as it normally is this time of year, but the rain also can hinder an outing because who wants to get a baby, car seat, diaper bag, AND a stroller out in this mess? NOT IT. We ate out at a local mexican place with my family on Friday night and left a few minutes earlier than they did so that we could get back and feed Rhodie. Every move I make revolves around that boy and his eating schedule. He loves his milk and loves to eat….wonder where he gets that from? ;) On Saturday we had a pretty lazy morning, until my in-laws appeared. My husband called me from the grocery store (which is a whole story in itself) and told me he was headed home and that (surprise!) his parents were pulling in to town and would be at our house shortly. Considering that I hadn't showered and was basically in lounge clothes, more of a heads-up would have been appreciated. ANYWHO…So they came for lunch and Aaron grilled and then they headed home when it was time for Rhodie's next feeding. My MIL brought us an old ornament that her grandmother gave her for Aaron's first Christmas and a (slightly terrifying) bunny lovey thing that my husband used to tote around as a child. She claims she washed it after she found it, but just in case, I'm throwing that thing in the laundry…and maybe in the closet for a while…. ;) It's the thought that counts and I am thankful to get that from them since I don't have many old keepsakes from his childhood. She had a little photo shoot with the bunny thing and Rhodes and then did the same with my FIL. I'm glad they were able to get some pictures since they don't get to see him on a daily basis (like my parents do.)
Not long after they left, my mom texted me and said they were meeting my brother and SIL in Searcy (our usual meeting spot) for dinner since Logan starts back to OT school Monday and Morgan is back in the full swing of teaching. We discussed it for a while and I almost didn't want to go just because of Rhodie's schedule (we don't want that boy to get out of whack) and the hassle of traveling with a small baby who could lose it at any moment. But we finally agreed to go and just be flexible and if all else failed we could just stop in somewhere and I would just nurse him in the car. I'm glad we went because it was good to see those two and they were REALLY excited to see Rhodes (more than anyone else and that's OK) since they hadn't seen him in a little while. They will make great parents one day.
Today we had a slow morning. We didn't end up going to church or SS. I would even venture to say that we slept in….even though I didn't sleep in. Aaron got up with Rhodes between 2-4 and then I got up with him at 5 while Aaron slept on the couch off and on until 8. I actually did a load of laundry at about 6am and was able to pump and lay on the couch quietly while Rhodes was in his swing and his Dad snored blissfully on the other couch. No sleep for me though, which is probably why I had such a hard time keeping my eyes open tonight in the car. This afternoon, after much discussion, we ended up going to Arkadelphia to "help" move in my little brother for his sophomore year at OBU. By "help" I mean we showed up after he was all move in but it's the thought that counts, right? We ended up having to stop and feed Rhodie and then he had a dirty diaper and it turned into a 30 minute ordeal. But we were able to get there, see Clark's room, meet his roommate, walk the campus and take some pictures with Rhodes. Then we headed out and stopped in at a pizza place with my family before coming the rest of the way home. It was a good day. A FULL and good day. I hope Clark is already having fun because he will be so missed. SO missed…
Tonight, Rhodie has been a little fussier than his normal sweet self, so as I sit this, he is (finally) sleeping in his swing, I'm sitting in the rocker next to the swing on my computer, and my husband is asleep on the floor in front of the swing. Oh yeah, and Marley the Yorkie is SNORING in his doggy bed. I love my family. :)
That's all for now. This Momma needs a mental break. We got Rhodie off of his "schedule" time-wise so now his next feed is due at 11:30 pm. I may try to go lay on the couch for a bit and rest until he starts stirring! :) Being a mom is so fun, tiring, crazy, and worthwhile.
'Tis the Season,
Holly
Rhodes had another great week! He's so fun to be around and is growing so much. I had a moment last week when I looked at his two month old picture vs his 1 month old picture and I nearly lost it. Bless.
He's so big and even though I take about 1 million pictures a day of his cute little self, I still feel like I'm missing the little changes. I know that's not likely, but that's just how this Momma feels!
We have been a little more daring with our outings this week as well. It's been SO rainy here lately which is awesome because it hasn't been as hot as it normally is this time of year, but the rain also can hinder an outing because who wants to get a baby, car seat, diaper bag, AND a stroller out in this mess? NOT IT. We ate out at a local mexican place with my family on Friday night and left a few minutes earlier than they did so that we could get back and feed Rhodie. Every move I make revolves around that boy and his eating schedule. He loves his milk and loves to eat….wonder where he gets that from? ;) On Saturday we had a pretty lazy morning, until my in-laws appeared. My husband called me from the grocery store (which is a whole story in itself) and told me he was headed home and that (surprise!) his parents were pulling in to town and would be at our house shortly. Considering that I hadn't showered and was basically in lounge clothes, more of a heads-up would have been appreciated. ANYWHO…So they came for lunch and Aaron grilled and then they headed home when it was time for Rhodie's next feeding. My MIL brought us an old ornament that her grandmother gave her for Aaron's first Christmas and a (slightly terrifying) bunny lovey thing that my husband used to tote around as a child. She claims she washed it after she found it, but just in case, I'm throwing that thing in the laundry…and maybe in the closet for a while…. ;) It's the thought that counts and I am thankful to get that from them since I don't have many old keepsakes from his childhood. She had a little photo shoot with the bunny thing and Rhodes and then did the same with my FIL. I'm glad they were able to get some pictures since they don't get to see him on a daily basis (like my parents do.)
Not long after they left, my mom texted me and said they were meeting my brother and SIL in Searcy (our usual meeting spot) for dinner since Logan starts back to OT school Monday and Morgan is back in the full swing of teaching. We discussed it for a while and I almost didn't want to go just because of Rhodie's schedule (we don't want that boy to get out of whack) and the hassle of traveling with a small baby who could lose it at any moment. But we finally agreed to go and just be flexible and if all else failed we could just stop in somewhere and I would just nurse him in the car. I'm glad we went because it was good to see those two and they were REALLY excited to see Rhodes (more than anyone else and that's OK) since they hadn't seen him in a little while. They will make great parents one day.
Today we had a slow morning. We didn't end up going to church or SS. I would even venture to say that we slept in….even though I didn't sleep in. Aaron got up with Rhodes between 2-4 and then I got up with him at 5 while Aaron slept on the couch off and on until 8. I actually did a load of laundry at about 6am and was able to pump and lay on the couch quietly while Rhodes was in his swing and his Dad snored blissfully on the other couch. No sleep for me though, which is probably why I had such a hard time keeping my eyes open tonight in the car. This afternoon, after much discussion, we ended up going to Arkadelphia to "help" move in my little brother for his sophomore year at OBU. By "help" I mean we showed up after he was all move in but it's the thought that counts, right? We ended up having to stop and feed Rhodie and then he had a dirty diaper and it turned into a 30 minute ordeal. But we were able to get there, see Clark's room, meet his roommate, walk the campus and take some pictures with Rhodes. Then we headed out and stopped in at a pizza place with my family before coming the rest of the way home. It was a good day. A FULL and good day. I hope Clark is already having fun because he will be so missed. SO missed…
Tonight, Rhodie has been a little fussier than his normal sweet self, so as I sit this, he is (finally) sleeping in his swing, I'm sitting in the rocker next to the swing on my computer, and my husband is asleep on the floor in front of the swing. Oh yeah, and Marley the Yorkie is SNORING in his doggy bed. I love my family. :)
That's all for now. This Momma needs a mental break. We got Rhodie off of his "schedule" time-wise so now his next feed is due at 11:30 pm. I may try to go lay on the couch for a bit and rest until he starts stirring! :) Being a mom is so fun, tiring, crazy, and worthwhile.
'Tis the Season,
Holly
Friday, August 12, 2016
Our Baby Boy: Week 8 (8.12.16)
Oh how time is flying! Another week has gone by already and my (not-so) little squishy baby is growing up (so quickly) right before my eyes!
This week:
-We have really found our voice. Our morning conversations and his after-feeding squeals make my whole day. He isn't exactly cooing just yet, but he is trying so hard & it's adorable! This morning, he screamed and squealed at the top of his lungs and I really wanted to record it, but I knew as soon as I walked away to get my phone that he would probably stop. Next time though! :)
-Mornings are the best. He is so happy, usually has slept (some), and has a full tummy. He gets so tickled when I change him in his room and he loves talking to the giraffe picture on the wall.
-He loves being outside. Unfortunately, it is SO DANG HOT that we don't go outside very much. We haven't even gotten back in the pool since last weekend. I'm hoping he'll be a little fish since he loves his baths and he is really intrigued by the blue color of the pool.
-The smile is out in full force. He smiles at my whole family and he made his Aunt Morgan (my SIL) cry last weekend when he smiled really big at her. It was precious. His aunts/uncles love him so much. Speaking of uncles…Uncle Clark (my baby brother) changed his first diaper ever yesterday and I think he is pretty proud of himself. Uncle Logan (my middle brother) changed his first diaper ever a couple weeks ago when he was here for the weekend. So now we just have to figure out a way to convince Uncle Joshua (my big brother) that he can do it too! :)
-He's had some better nights, sleep-wise, but he still loves to wake up in the wee hours of the morning so that his Daddy will get up with him and let him sleep on his chest. I think he does it on purpose. It's only fair since he snuggles with me all day, right? :)
-We went to Target again and he slept through it…again. I say it's a win!
-He's still eating like a champ…and a maniac. I feel like he's gained another couple of pounds so it will be interesting to see how much he has grown at his 2 month appointment in 2 weeks.
-He LOVES his Daddy. Obviously he loves his Mommy too, but it is so sweet to watch those two interact. (Cue the heart melting to mush)
-As of today, Puppy Brother has decided that maybe baby brother is not so scary after all and he came over this morning to sniff and attempt to lick him (which I discouraged) while we had our morning playtime on the play mat. It was sweet. Marley (our Yorkie) has been in our family for 10 years, so it is pretty important to me that they get along well.
I can't believe Rhodie is 8 whole weeks old. I may or may not have cried this morning when I was feeding him at 5am because it's going so fast…sometimes too fast…and I'm not ready to go back to work in just 4 short weeks. I love being home with my little man. I thank God for him every chance I get. He is just the biggest blessing. :)
'Tis the Season,
Holly
This week:
-We have really found our voice. Our morning conversations and his after-feeding squeals make my whole day. He isn't exactly cooing just yet, but he is trying so hard & it's adorable! This morning, he screamed and squealed at the top of his lungs and I really wanted to record it, but I knew as soon as I walked away to get my phone that he would probably stop. Next time though! :)
-Mornings are the best. He is so happy, usually has slept (some), and has a full tummy. He gets so tickled when I change him in his room and he loves talking to the giraffe picture on the wall.
-He loves being outside. Unfortunately, it is SO DANG HOT that we don't go outside very much. We haven't even gotten back in the pool since last weekend. I'm hoping he'll be a little fish since he loves his baths and he is really intrigued by the blue color of the pool.
-The smile is out in full force. He smiles at my whole family and he made his Aunt Morgan (my SIL) cry last weekend when he smiled really big at her. It was precious. His aunts/uncles love him so much. Speaking of uncles…Uncle Clark (my baby brother) changed his first diaper ever yesterday and I think he is pretty proud of himself. Uncle Logan (my middle brother) changed his first diaper ever a couple weeks ago when he was here for the weekend. So now we just have to figure out a way to convince Uncle Joshua (my big brother) that he can do it too! :)
-He's had some better nights, sleep-wise, but he still loves to wake up in the wee hours of the morning so that his Daddy will get up with him and let him sleep on his chest. I think he does it on purpose. It's only fair since he snuggles with me all day, right? :)
-We went to Target again and he slept through it…again. I say it's a win!
-He's still eating like a champ…and a maniac. I feel like he's gained another couple of pounds so it will be interesting to see how much he has grown at his 2 month appointment in 2 weeks.
-He LOVES his Daddy. Obviously he loves his Mommy too, but it is so sweet to watch those two interact. (Cue the heart melting to mush)
-As of today, Puppy Brother has decided that maybe baby brother is not so scary after all and he came over this morning to sniff and attempt to lick him (which I discouraged) while we had our morning playtime on the play mat. It was sweet. Marley (our Yorkie) has been in our family for 10 years, so it is pretty important to me that they get along well.
I can't believe Rhodie is 8 whole weeks old. I may or may not have cried this morning when I was feeding him at 5am because it's going so fast…sometimes too fast…and I'm not ready to go back to work in just 4 short weeks. I love being home with my little man. I thank God for him every chance I get. He is just the biggest blessing. :)
'Tis the Season,
Holly
Monday, August 8, 2016
Our Baby Boy: 7 Weeks (8.5.16)
Rhodes is now 7 weeks old! (as of Friday 8.5.16)
This week:
-The social smile is really making it's grand debut! "ON FLEEK" as the kids say.
-He's trying to coo and it's the best thing ever.
-He finally got ahold of his thumb again, after several days of real effort. SO CUTE.
-He went to Target with Mommy & his "Millie" (my mom).
-He saw his great-grandparents again (my dad's parents).
-Oh yeah, and the big boy GOT IN THE POOL! We will make a fish out of him yet!
We had family come in town this weekend. My brother and SIL that live in Jonesboro came on Thursday night. We got to enjoy them ALL weekend. It was so fun. My brother starts year 2 of OT school this coming week and my SIL goes back to her teaching job so they wanted to enjoy the last few days of their summer break. My dad's parents surprised us on Friday afternoon and came our way for dinner. They are older and travel is harder these days, but we are so thankful that they came and especially glad they got to see Rhodie again. They haven't seen him since he was only a couple of days old. And my in-laws decided to come over on Saturday so they got to see Rhodes for a little while as well. We had a FULL weekend.
"Family-ed out" as my MIL suggested.
Law.
But now that you mention it….
Kidding! ;)
We were able to get up and around and finally made it to Sunday School again this weekend. I'm so glad that we were able to see our class. Our teachers are due to have their 2nd baby boy in the next 2-3 weeks and we had a "sprinkle" shower for them. We've also had lots of pregnancies happening this year, so lots of couples are in and out a lot. It's harder to keep those connections going when you only see someone every few weeks, but we are trying to get back into the swing of things since Rhodie is a little bigger. He slept throughout class and we were very impressed! Then he peed out of his diaper and onto his outfit…so, it was a small victory.
My mom was bound and determined to get a picture of "The Kids" this weekend. Saturday night, we turned off the Olympics for a few minutes and all tromped outside for a pic by the pool. Talk about a homely-looking bunch. My parents snapped away and we went back inside. I could tell by her reaction going through her pictures, that she didn't get what she wanted, so on Sunday morning I texted my Dad and brothers and planned to meet up in the lobby in between Sunday school and service to get a picture since we would all be dressed nicely for church. Once we all got together, however, my Dad was conveniently MIA (bathroom) and so I told my mom the plan and we all went into the lobby and got a picture. You know, despite having to crop out my big ole' pale legs (bc my dress was being pulled up a little high in the front while holding Rhodie Man- EEK!)…it turned out really cute! Two of my brothers & my SIL are all starting back to school soon, so we won't see them for a little while. It makes me sad but I know it's just a season and I'm thankful for the time we have gotten to see them over the summer.
OH YEAH…R also laughed in his sleep TWICE this week. It was the best sound I've ever heard in my life. I almost cried both times. What a happy sound! I am so excited for him to start laughing. :)
I think that's all of my updates for now! I'm going try to switch my laundry over really quick while baby boy is sleeping in his swing!
'Tis the Season,
Holly
This week:
-The social smile is really making it's grand debut! "ON FLEEK" as the kids say.
-He's trying to coo and it's the best thing ever.
-He finally got ahold of his thumb again, after several days of real effort. SO CUTE.
-He went to Target with Mommy & his "Millie" (my mom).
-He saw his great-grandparents again (my dad's parents).
-Oh yeah, and the big boy GOT IN THE POOL! We will make a fish out of him yet!
We had family come in town this weekend. My brother and SIL that live in Jonesboro came on Thursday night. We got to enjoy them ALL weekend. It was so fun. My brother starts year 2 of OT school this coming week and my SIL goes back to her teaching job so they wanted to enjoy the last few days of their summer break. My dad's parents surprised us on Friday afternoon and came our way for dinner. They are older and travel is harder these days, but we are so thankful that they came and especially glad they got to see Rhodie again. They haven't seen him since he was only a couple of days old. And my in-laws decided to come over on Saturday so they got to see Rhodes for a little while as well. We had a FULL weekend.
"Family-ed out" as my MIL suggested.
Law.
But now that you mention it….
Kidding! ;)
We were able to get up and around and finally made it to Sunday School again this weekend. I'm so glad that we were able to see our class. Our teachers are due to have their 2nd baby boy in the next 2-3 weeks and we had a "sprinkle" shower for them. We've also had lots of pregnancies happening this year, so lots of couples are in and out a lot. It's harder to keep those connections going when you only see someone every few weeks, but we are trying to get back into the swing of things since Rhodie is a little bigger. He slept throughout class and we were very impressed! Then he peed out of his diaper and onto his outfit…so, it was a small victory.
My mom was bound and determined to get a picture of "The Kids" this weekend. Saturday night, we turned off the Olympics for a few minutes and all tromped outside for a pic by the pool. Talk about a homely-looking bunch. My parents snapped away and we went back inside. I could tell by her reaction going through her pictures, that she didn't get what she wanted, so on Sunday morning I texted my Dad and brothers and planned to meet up in the lobby in between Sunday school and service to get a picture since we would all be dressed nicely for church. Once we all got together, however, my Dad was conveniently MIA (bathroom) and so I told my mom the plan and we all went into the lobby and got a picture. You know, despite having to crop out my big ole' pale legs (bc my dress was being pulled up a little high in the front while holding Rhodie Man- EEK!)…it turned out really cute! Two of my brothers & my SIL are all starting back to school soon, so we won't see them for a little while. It makes me sad but I know it's just a season and I'm thankful for the time we have gotten to see them over the summer.
OH YEAH…R also laughed in his sleep TWICE this week. It was the best sound I've ever heard in my life. I almost cried both times. What a happy sound! I am so excited for him to start laughing. :)
I think that's all of my updates for now! I'm going try to switch my laundry over really quick while baby boy is sleeping in his swing!
'Tis the Season,
Holly
Monday, August 1, 2016
Baby Boy Goes to Church (7.31.16)
Six weeks. Our sweet baby boy is six weeks old!
This week we have really noticed Rhodes focusing more on people's faces and even throwing around a smile here and there :) It's so sweet.
After he eats and has been burped, he will squeal and throw his head around and smile at me or at "Window" (his BFF ) and it is seriously the sweetest thing.
We took Rhodes to Sunday School on Sunday and he made it through the first part and the last part of class. My hubby took him out first, when he was getting fussy because he was wet. The boy cannot stand to be wet. Aaron even took him and changed him at the changing station in the men's bathroom. PROUD WIFE. :) After a little while, I heard him crying in the hall, where Aaron was walking around with him. I grabbed the diaper bag and went out to go feed him. Of course he was due to eat right in the middle of our class time! Once he ate and burped sufficiently, (or so we thought) we went back into the class. He squealed and made his sweet baby noises and got lots of smiles in return. After class, everyone wanted to see him and "ooo and ahh" over his cute little face. He enjoyed the attention.
Then he spit up on Mommy's arm and down the side of my dress. Thankfully, his Dad was a quick responder with the burp cloth and the spit up on my dress was minimal and Rhodie was a happier boy to get that out of his system.
Since that went so well and he had already eaten, I asked my hubby if he'd be okay if we went by the choir room before the service started so that some of my church choir friends could see him. They went nuts over him. I'm so glad we went, even though I was a little nervous. Actually, we both were a little nervous, but it worked out. We are trying to be flexible.
After what we considered a highly successful morning, we picked up some lunch and went home to rest. Rhodes was worn out, as were Mom & Dad. We were so pleased that he did well for Sunday School, but I'm not sure we will attempt to go to the service just yet.
The past few days for Rhodie have been a little rough, because he's had some tummy troubles. Thankfully, today those troubles are starting to resolve. He's had several dirty diaper today. I also had my postpartum appointment in Little Rock today. My mom offered to go with me to help with Rhodes, and I am so thankful for the help. That would have been hard to do with just the two of us, since we haven't had a whole lot of practice being out and about yet. My appointment went well and even with Rhodes having to eat right in the middle of it, I think it was a successful outing. We had to change Rhodes in the waiting room (twice) but the last time, I had asked the girl at the desk if the bathroom had a changing station and she said it did not. What bathroom on the same floor as an OB-GYN practice doesn't have a changing station?!! She said we could just change him in the waiting area again, as long as we took the diaper out and threw it away. I'm thinking they may have had an issue or two with that in the past LOL!
Once we left the doctor, we drove back home, went by the pharmacy and picked up some lunch before heading back to my house. Then my mom and my brothers came over and hung out/helped hold Rhodie so this Momma could take a little nap.
I'm thanking God for a great day, a successful outing, and this sweet sleeping baby on my chest.
'Tis the Season,
Holly
This week we have really noticed Rhodes focusing more on people's faces and even throwing around a smile here and there :) It's so sweet.
After he eats and has been burped, he will squeal and throw his head around and smile at me or at "Window" (his BFF ) and it is seriously the sweetest thing.
We took Rhodes to Sunday School on Sunday and he made it through the first part and the last part of class. My hubby took him out first, when he was getting fussy because he was wet. The boy cannot stand to be wet. Aaron even took him and changed him at the changing station in the men's bathroom. PROUD WIFE. :) After a little while, I heard him crying in the hall, where Aaron was walking around with him. I grabbed the diaper bag and went out to go feed him. Of course he was due to eat right in the middle of our class time! Once he ate and burped sufficiently, (or so we thought) we went back into the class. He squealed and made his sweet baby noises and got lots of smiles in return. After class, everyone wanted to see him and "ooo and ahh" over his cute little face. He enjoyed the attention.
Then he spit up on Mommy's arm and down the side of my dress. Thankfully, his Dad was a quick responder with the burp cloth and the spit up on my dress was minimal and Rhodie was a happier boy to get that out of his system.
Since that went so well and he had already eaten, I asked my hubby if he'd be okay if we went by the choir room before the service started so that some of my church choir friends could see him. They went nuts over him. I'm so glad we went, even though I was a little nervous. Actually, we both were a little nervous, but it worked out. We are trying to be flexible.
After what we considered a highly successful morning, we picked up some lunch and went home to rest. Rhodes was worn out, as were Mom & Dad. We were so pleased that he did well for Sunday School, but I'm not sure we will attempt to go to the service just yet.
The past few days for Rhodie have been a little rough, because he's had some tummy troubles. Thankfully, today those troubles are starting to resolve. He's had several dirty diaper today. I also had my postpartum appointment in Little Rock today. My mom offered to go with me to help with Rhodes, and I am so thankful for the help. That would have been hard to do with just the two of us, since we haven't had a whole lot of practice being out and about yet. My appointment went well and even with Rhodes having to eat right in the middle of it, I think it was a successful outing. We had to change Rhodes in the waiting room (twice) but the last time, I had asked the girl at the desk if the bathroom had a changing station and she said it did not. What bathroom on the same floor as an OB-GYN practice doesn't have a changing station?!! She said we could just change him in the waiting area again, as long as we took the diaper out and threw it away. I'm thinking they may have had an issue or two with that in the past LOL!
Once we left the doctor, we drove back home, went by the pharmacy and picked up some lunch before heading back to my house. Then my mom and my brothers came over and hung out/helped hold Rhodie so this Momma could take a little nap.
I'm thanking God for a great day, a successful outing, and this sweet sleeping baby on my chest.
'Tis the Season,
Holly
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
I Get By On Little Victories
Rhodes will be 6 weeks old in two days. Time is flying. That means I'm halfway through with my maternity leave. <- Writing that shattered my heart into 1 billion tiny pieces. I can't think of going an hour without him, much less 12+ hrs. I'm going to cry so I'll go ahead and change the subject.
This week has been a good week. We've worked more on tummy time, but Rhodie would rather do his tummy time on our chests than on the floor. One of our Neonatologists at the hospital once told a parent, "You can never spoil a baby."
His feet may never touch the floor, until he's ready to walk...and still maybe even after that.
He's developing his little personality and it's so amazing to watch. He loves Mommy snuggles and when Daddy dances with him around the kitchen. He goes from zero to 60 with his temper if he's wet, hungry, or wanting held. He's so sweet and cuddly. He's starting to like his swing more, in small doses, so it's a win for this Momma!
Rhodie grew out of newborn sized diapers practically the second day of his life outside of the womb. Of course, we had a TON of newborn diapers, so he wore the fire out of those things until they started squeezing his (not-so-little) tummy. He's been in the size 1 diapers since about Week 3. He's growing like a weed. Right now he's more round and squishy than long, but I totally don't mind! :)
Yesterday was my mom's birthday. She doesn't like a fuss made over her (like, ever) so we didn't have a big to-do. One special thing that did happen was that my aunt and her 4 kids came through town to see Rhodes and my mom on her birthday. They live in TX and we try to see them a few times a year, but with everyone growing up and going their various ways, it's hard to get together as much as we'd like. They LOVED getting to see Rhodes though! And he loved the attention. :) He slept HARD after they left, he was so worn out from all the love and attention. So my mom got to see her sister and she got to snuggle Rhodes. All in all, I think she enjoyed it.
My mom has been a huge help these past 6 weeks. She comes over to hold Rhodes so I can do things like take a shower or (heaven forbid) go to the restroom for 5 seconds. She also has helped me do laundry, brought me groceries, and helped me decorate my house. She hung a wall collage in my living room while I nursed/burped Rhodes one afternoon and I think it turned out so cute! And yesterday, on her birthday, she climbed up on the pew at my kitchen table and hung my plates on the wall.
She's a rockstar. (insert fist-bump emoji here)
Another fun thing we did today was go on our first stroller ride. It has been SO HOT lately (gotta love that Southern heat & humidity) and we have stayed inside as much as possible. It had stormed earlier in the day, so it was around 80 degrees and not as humid out, so my hubby suggested we break out the stroller. Rhodes seemed to enjoy it because he fell asleep immediately and on the way back home, he looked around in wonder but didn't make one peep! It was good to get out for a minute to walk and not be drenched in sweat! We walked over to my parents, said hello, and then came home. I'm so thankful to live so close to them. It's about a mile round-trip between our two houses.
That's all for tonight. I'm off to feed the chunky monkey and then hopefully we will all get some sleep tonight!
'Tis the Season,
Holly
This week has been a good week. We've worked more on tummy time, but Rhodie would rather do his tummy time on our chests than on the floor. One of our Neonatologists at the hospital once told a parent, "You can never spoil a baby."
His feet may never touch the floor, until he's ready to walk...and still maybe even after that.
He's developing his little personality and it's so amazing to watch. He loves Mommy snuggles and when Daddy dances with him around the kitchen. He goes from zero to 60 with his temper if he's wet, hungry, or wanting held. He's so sweet and cuddly. He's starting to like his swing more, in small doses, so it's a win for this Momma!
Rhodie grew out of newborn sized diapers practically the second day of his life outside of the womb. Of course, we had a TON of newborn diapers, so he wore the fire out of those things until they started squeezing his (not-so-little) tummy. He's been in the size 1 diapers since about Week 3. He's growing like a weed. Right now he's more round and squishy than long, but I totally don't mind! :)
Yesterday was my mom's birthday. She doesn't like a fuss made over her (like, ever) so we didn't have a big to-do. One special thing that did happen was that my aunt and her 4 kids came through town to see Rhodes and my mom on her birthday. They live in TX and we try to see them a few times a year, but with everyone growing up and going their various ways, it's hard to get together as much as we'd like. They LOVED getting to see Rhodes though! And he loved the attention. :) He slept HARD after they left, he was so worn out from all the love and attention. So my mom got to see her sister and she got to snuggle Rhodes. All in all, I think she enjoyed it.
My mom has been a huge help these past 6 weeks. She comes over to hold Rhodes so I can do things like take a shower or (heaven forbid) go to the restroom for 5 seconds. She also has helped me do laundry, brought me groceries, and helped me decorate my house. She hung a wall collage in my living room while I nursed/burped Rhodes one afternoon and I think it turned out so cute! And yesterday, on her birthday, she climbed up on the pew at my kitchen table and hung my plates on the wall.
She's a rockstar. (insert fist-bump emoji here)
Another fun thing we did today was go on our first stroller ride. It has been SO HOT lately (gotta love that Southern heat & humidity) and we have stayed inside as much as possible. It had stormed earlier in the day, so it was around 80 degrees and not as humid out, so my hubby suggested we break out the stroller. Rhodes seemed to enjoy it because he fell asleep immediately and on the way back home, he looked around in wonder but didn't make one peep! It was good to get out for a minute to walk and not be drenched in sweat! We walked over to my parents, said hello, and then came home. I'm so thankful to live so close to them. It's about a mile round-trip between our two houses.
That's all for tonight. I'm off to feed the chunky monkey and then hopefully we will all get some sleep tonight!
'Tis the Season,
Holly
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Our Baby Boy: One Month Old (7.17) & A Dr. Visit (7.19)!
On 7.17.16 our boy was officially one month old. I cannot believe how time has flown. Maybe it's the lack of sleep? ;)
Rhodie is more bright-eyed and playful these days. He smiles in the mornings and after he nurses and has a full tummy! He still likes dancing in the kitchen with Daddy & usually Mommy's arms can fix a lot of problems. He still loves Window and Ceiling Fan, car trips, and being carried and walked around, and around, and around. He still eats like a maniac but he seems to be getting a little better. I think the boy just likes to eat! :)
I tried to take some one month pictures, but Rhodes wasn't really feeling it. He was a little on the sleepy side.
We had our 1 month appointment today (7.19..16) and Rhodes surprised us! We knew he had been gaining weight, you can really tell in his face and his little potbelly, but we didn't know how much weight he had gained! The other night, my mom brought out a scale she had an just set him down for just a second (he was a little bigger than the scale -ha!) it read 11lbs. We thought it might have been wrong, but we knew he had to be over 10 lbs! When I put him on the scale today, I'm pretty sure my mouth fell open. He weighed in at a whopping 12 lbs 0.8oz!!! That means he has nearly gained a full 3 bs in 1 month! I'm definitely not worried about him not getting enough to eat anymore! :) He's a BIG BOY. He's grown in weight, obviously, and his head has gotten a little bigger, which isn't surprising because his Mommy has a big head (lol!). As for the growth charts, he's 92.5% in weight, 53.48% in length, and 97.57% in head circumference. I am so proud of my big ol' boy!
My mom came with us today because my husband was out of town with work. I'm so thankful to be close with my mom, both in relationship and in physical distance. We live about a minute away from each other in the same town and it has been SUCH a blessing.
We also finally got to meet our new pediatrician today and she seems really nice! I think it will work out just fine! She was very sweet with Rhodes and easy to talk to. She is also a mom…so, she gets it and that's very comforting.
Our Rhodie also got his 2nd Hep B. shot today and he handled it like a champ! He only cried for a few seconds, but after some snuggles with Mommy, he was calm enough to fall asleep in the car on the way home. I, on the other hand, broke out on a sweat in the office because of nerves and because MY BABY WAS SAD. But he did get a pretty cool Spider Man bandaid to show off too, so I'm sure he thought that was pretty cool. ;)
Our morning consisted of some sweet baby smiles and our afternoon has consisted of sweet baby snuggles. He deserved it after his big day :) It's been a good day for all…minus the whole shot thing…which I'm still sensitive about.
We love our big Rhodie man!
I want to get back to snuggling my little guy!
'Tis the Season,
Holly
Rhodie is more bright-eyed and playful these days. He smiles in the mornings and after he nurses and has a full tummy! He still likes dancing in the kitchen with Daddy & usually Mommy's arms can fix a lot of problems. He still loves Window and Ceiling Fan, car trips, and being carried and walked around, and around, and around. He still eats like a maniac but he seems to be getting a little better. I think the boy just likes to eat! :)
I tried to take some one month pictures, but Rhodes wasn't really feeling it. He was a little on the sleepy side.
We had our 1 month appointment today (7.19..16) and Rhodes surprised us! We knew he had been gaining weight, you can really tell in his face and his little potbelly, but we didn't know how much weight he had gained! The other night, my mom brought out a scale she had an just set him down for just a second (he was a little bigger than the scale -ha!) it read 11lbs. We thought it might have been wrong, but we knew he had to be over 10 lbs! When I put him on the scale today, I'm pretty sure my mouth fell open. He weighed in at a whopping 12 lbs 0.8oz!!! That means he has nearly gained a full 3 bs in 1 month! I'm definitely not worried about him not getting enough to eat anymore! :) He's a BIG BOY. He's grown in weight, obviously, and his head has gotten a little bigger, which isn't surprising because his Mommy has a big head (lol!). As for the growth charts, he's 92.5% in weight, 53.48% in length, and 97.57% in head circumference. I am so proud of my big ol' boy!
My mom came with us today because my husband was out of town with work. I'm so thankful to be close with my mom, both in relationship and in physical distance. We live about a minute away from each other in the same town and it has been SUCH a blessing.
We also finally got to meet our new pediatrician today and she seems really nice! I think it will work out just fine! She was very sweet with Rhodes and easy to talk to. She is also a mom…so, she gets it and that's very comforting.
Our Rhodie also got his 2nd Hep B. shot today and he handled it like a champ! He only cried for a few seconds, but after some snuggles with Mommy, he was calm enough to fall asleep in the car on the way home. I, on the other hand, broke out on a sweat in the office because of nerves and because MY BABY WAS SAD. But he did get a pretty cool Spider Man bandaid to show off too, so I'm sure he thought that was pretty cool. ;)
Our morning consisted of some sweet baby smiles and our afternoon has consisted of sweet baby snuggles. He deserved it after his big day :) It's been a good day for all…minus the whole shot thing…which I'm still sensitive about.
We love our big Rhodie man!
I want to get back to snuggling my little guy!
'Tis the Season,
Holly
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Our Baby Boy: 4 Weeks (7.15.16)
Our little man turned 4 weeks old today!
He'll be a month old on Sunday.
Excuse me while I go bawl my eyes out…..kidding….kind of……
It doesn't seem like it has been a month since we drove to the hospital and I was in labor. It doesn't seem like a month ago when I saw my baby boy for the first time. It doesn't feel like 4 weeks have passed because all my days and nights blur together. AND IT IS WONDERFUL. I'm thankful to have had 4 whole weeks with our Rhodie. It has been the best 4 weeks of my entire life. Despite the sleepless nights, the poopy diapers, getting spit up on, and everything else in between, I couldn't be happier. We have been blessed with the sweetest, snuggliest baby ever. He fits right in and it's like we've found the little nugget we've been missing all our lives.
Rhodes had his smiliest day of his life on July 14th. He smiled at his Daddy when he left for work and while Mommy played with him and nursed him. It totally melted my heart. He may not quite realize what he's doing, but it makes my whole day. I got some pictures and I look at them all the time. He also has a "secret dimple" on the left side of his face that I'm obsessed with and I love when you can see it, especially when he grins :)
We had our first outing on the 14th also. My mom and oldest brother (aka Uncle Fred) came over and brought us lunch. We piddled around until we decided to just bite the bullet. We loaded up Rhodie and the diaper bag and the four of us went to Hobby Lobby. Things we learned: 2 minutes in the store and Rhodie does NOT like the ergo carrier. At least, he doesn't like it YET. I think he got hot. It is summer after all. But practice will make perfect. So I ended up taking him out of the carrier and just holding him. That's where he wanted to be anyways :)
Rhodes had several visitors this weekend. My brother and his wife came in on Thursday and then my inlaws and my SIL came on Saturday. So we had a good weekend! I'm off to spend more time with my sweet little nugget!
'Tis the Season,
Holly
He'll be a month old on Sunday.
Excuse me while I go bawl my eyes out…..kidding….kind of……
It doesn't seem like it has been a month since we drove to the hospital and I was in labor. It doesn't seem like a month ago when I saw my baby boy for the first time. It doesn't feel like 4 weeks have passed because all my days and nights blur together. AND IT IS WONDERFUL. I'm thankful to have had 4 whole weeks with our Rhodie. It has been the best 4 weeks of my entire life. Despite the sleepless nights, the poopy diapers, getting spit up on, and everything else in between, I couldn't be happier. We have been blessed with the sweetest, snuggliest baby ever. He fits right in and it's like we've found the little nugget we've been missing all our lives.
Rhodes had his smiliest day of his life on July 14th. He smiled at his Daddy when he left for work and while Mommy played with him and nursed him. It totally melted my heart. He may not quite realize what he's doing, but it makes my whole day. I got some pictures and I look at them all the time. He also has a "secret dimple" on the left side of his face that I'm obsessed with and I love when you can see it, especially when he grins :)
We had our first outing on the 14th also. My mom and oldest brother (aka Uncle Fred) came over and brought us lunch. We piddled around until we decided to just bite the bullet. We loaded up Rhodie and the diaper bag and the four of us went to Hobby Lobby. Things we learned: 2 minutes in the store and Rhodie does NOT like the ergo carrier. At least, he doesn't like it YET. I think he got hot. It is summer after all. But practice will make perfect. So I ended up taking him out of the carrier and just holding him. That's where he wanted to be anyways :)
Rhodes had several visitors this weekend. My brother and his wife came in on Thursday and then my inlaws and my SIL came on Saturday. So we had a good weekend! I'm off to spend more time with my sweet little nugget!
'Tis the Season,
Holly
Saturday, July 9, 2016
Our Baby Boy: Week 3 (7.8.16)
I can't believe we are already 1 week shy of our little man being a month old!
Time seems to be flying and dragging all at once, and as I said earlier, if ever there was a time that I wish I could speed up and slow down time all at once, it would be now.
Last night our little boy went SEVEN hours between two feeds. SEVEN. Being a first time mom, instead of taking it for granted, I freaked out and worried that he was going to starve to death. Obviously he was fine. And this momma slept from 12-4 (partially thanks to my awesome husband, who got up with him around 12 and took him into the living room to settle him down and let me sleep) and I was a new person at that 4am feed. PTL!
And no, I won't get used to it. ;)
Today (7.9) was a good day. My in-laws came over to see Rhodie. My MIL, BIL/SIL, other SIL, Aaron's Aunt, and Aaron's mom's parents came over. The Aunt and grandparents came all the way from AL! My husband grilled burgers and hot dogs for lunch and we all got to catch up a little bit. It was a little stressful having a 3 week old and 7 guests (plus 1 other dog -don't even get me started) in my house but it ended up being a fine day. I'm glad Aaron got to see his grandparents and I'm glad they got to see our little guy!
But we were WORN OUT! Rhodes has napped most of the afternoon and I'm hoping that doesn't affect our bedtime too much!
Rhodie has had an eventful 3 weeks of life. He is more interactive every day and we are so thankful for him! He loves his Momma :) and dance parties with Daddy! He seems to like country music (yikes!) and his best friends are Window and Ceiling Fan. He likes to scream his head off at bedtime and he holds his breath when he gets REALLY mad. Thankfully, that doesn't happen too often. :) We've also discovered that he likes the white noise/wave noise on his giraffe sound machine (SCORE!) and we are trying to use that more at bedtime to get him quieted down. His favorite game is seeing how many diapers he can go through in a 24 hour period. He's determined to get the count to above 12. He cannot STAND to be wet AT ALL. He's so funny that way!
We are so blessed to be his parents and our hearts grow more and more in love with him every day!
Cheers to 3 weeks!
'Tis the Season,
Holly
Time seems to be flying and dragging all at once, and as I said earlier, if ever there was a time that I wish I could speed up and slow down time all at once, it would be now.
Last night our little boy went SEVEN hours between two feeds. SEVEN. Being a first time mom, instead of taking it for granted, I freaked out and worried that he was going to starve to death. Obviously he was fine. And this momma slept from 12-4 (partially thanks to my awesome husband, who got up with him around 12 and took him into the living room to settle him down and let me sleep) and I was a new person at that 4am feed. PTL!
And no, I won't get used to it. ;)
Today (7.9) was a good day. My in-laws came over to see Rhodie. My MIL, BIL/SIL, other SIL, Aaron's Aunt, and Aaron's mom's parents came over. The Aunt and grandparents came all the way from AL! My husband grilled burgers and hot dogs for lunch and we all got to catch up a little bit. It was a little stressful having a 3 week old and 7 guests (plus 1 other dog -don't even get me started) in my house but it ended up being a fine day. I'm glad Aaron got to see his grandparents and I'm glad they got to see our little guy!
But we were WORN OUT! Rhodes has napped most of the afternoon and I'm hoping that doesn't affect our bedtime too much!
Rhodie has had an eventful 3 weeks of life. He is more interactive every day and we are so thankful for him! He loves his Momma :) and dance parties with Daddy! He seems to like country music (yikes!) and his best friends are Window and Ceiling Fan. He likes to scream his head off at bedtime and he holds his breath when he gets REALLY mad. Thankfully, that doesn't happen too often. :) We've also discovered that he likes the white noise/wave noise on his giraffe sound machine (SCORE!) and we are trying to use that more at bedtime to get him quieted down. His favorite game is seeing how many diapers he can go through in a 24 hour period. He's determined to get the count to above 12. He cannot STAND to be wet AT ALL. He's so funny that way!
We are so blessed to be his parents and our hearts grow more and more in love with him every day!
Cheers to 3 weeks!
'Tis the Season,
Holly
Monday, July 4, 2016
Our baby boy: Week 2 (7.1.16)
We have made it through another week! Our pediatrician appointment on Monday went well, and we ended up seeing a pediatrician instead of a nurse practitioner, which is what was originally planned. It wasn't the pediatrician who we intended to see, but it worked out well because we go to church with the man we saw! Rhodes passed our appointment with flying colors and weighed 9 lbs 2.2oz! :)
This week was better than last in terms of getting used to our new normal. We've had a few (rare) 4 hour sleep sessions and we praised the Lord for them. We've also had a few (rare) instances where he feels like he needs to eat every 2-2.5 hours, which can wear on a mommy.
This week Rhodie (what Aaron nicknamed him) is becoming more interactive. He is trying to focus his sweet little eyes on faces and objects (like the living room ceiling fan) and has gone a couple of stretches in between feeds where he is wide awake! It's fun to watch him figure things out. It melts my heart when he studies my face. I just want to kiss all over him!
It's also fun to watch my hubby interact with Rhodes. I love coming into the room and hearing him sing to him (usually something silly and made up) or to look over at them snuggled on the couch. And Marley, our yorkie, isn't usually too far away from his baby brother either.
Rhodie is such a blessing to our lives. He's already changed so much in two weeks! We had our newborn pictures made on Wednesday and I CANNOT WAIT to see how they turned out! I don't know if my heart…or my wallet will be able to take the cuteness! We tried to get Marley to participate in the fun aaaaand it was a borderline disaster. He did NOT want to be in the same space and his new baby brother, which is funny because usually he wants to be right beside Rhodes and whoever is holding him.
Sorry for the shorter post, but he's due to eat in about 5 minutes ;)
'Tis the Season,
Holly
This week was better than last in terms of getting used to our new normal. We've had a few (rare) 4 hour sleep sessions and we praised the Lord for them. We've also had a few (rare) instances where he feels like he needs to eat every 2-2.5 hours, which can wear on a mommy.
This week Rhodie (what Aaron nicknamed him) is becoming more interactive. He is trying to focus his sweet little eyes on faces and objects (like the living room ceiling fan) and has gone a couple of stretches in between feeds where he is wide awake! It's fun to watch him figure things out. It melts my heart when he studies my face. I just want to kiss all over him!
It's also fun to watch my hubby interact with Rhodes. I love coming into the room and hearing him sing to him (usually something silly and made up) or to look over at them snuggled on the couch. And Marley, our yorkie, isn't usually too far away from his baby brother either.
Rhodie is such a blessing to our lives. He's already changed so much in two weeks! We had our newborn pictures made on Wednesday and I CANNOT WAIT to see how they turned out! I don't know if my heart…or my wallet will be able to take the cuteness! We tried to get Marley to participate in the fun aaaaand it was a borderline disaster. He did NOT want to be in the same space and his new baby brother, which is funny because usually he wants to be right beside Rhodes and whoever is holding him.
Sorry for the shorter post, but he's due to eat in about 5 minutes ;)
'Tis the Season,
Holly
Friday, July 1, 2016
Our baby boy: Week 1 (6/24/16)
Our first week with our son Rhodes is in the books.
I've already cried about it. Not that I'm even that sad about it. But I am. Or maybe it's the lack of sleep.
We came home on Monday and our new reality set in. I'm trying to nurse every 3 hours (give or take) and let's just say…momma's parts are sore. Yee-ouch!
Our 10 year old yorkie is adjusting too. The first day we were home, he shook and acted like every little noise freaked him out. Now he gets up and goes with us every time we take "his baby" out of the room or runs over if Rhodes as much as sneezes.
Our first pediatrician appointment was Wednesday. We might have been late…like 5 minutes after our appointment time (we needed to be there 30 minutes early for paperwork) so, whoops! It ended up being fine. We saw a nurse and she did an assessment and a jaundice check and our boy weighed albs 7oz, which is what he weighed at discharge, so we could tell that he was still eating well! She didn't even want to stick him (thankfully!!) for a bilirubin check because she said he looked great. :) So proud of our boy!
We had a couple of rough nights this week. Thankfully, Aaron has been home all week and we've been able to tag team the diaper changes and holding our fussy baby in the wee hours of the morning. I'm thankful.
On his fourth day of life (6/21) we were trying out our baby swing. He seemed to be enjoying himself. THEN we heard the noise. If you've ever been around a baby, you know the noise I'm talking about. The dirty diaper noise. Being a NICU nurse, I know that sometimes, you can change a baby when you think they are done with their business, only for them to wreck the next one, two, or four diapers because they are, in fact, not done. BEEN THERE. So I decided to wait a few more minutes.
More noises.
Then my older brother Joshua said "Whew! Rhodie!" and we began to smell the dirty diaper. I walked over to scoop up the baby and while I was standing in the living room, my mom gasped and said the diaper was leaking.
SURE ENOUGH.
It continued to drip the whole way to the nursery.
Did I mention we have WHITE carpet in the living room?! WHITE.
I finally got him changed and came back to the living room to the funniest site. My husband and my baby brother on their hands and knees scrubbing baby poop out of the carpet, my oldest brother Joshua climbing the walls to get away from the mess and the smell and ALL OF IT (ha!) and my mom rummaging through our cabinets trying to find stuff to clean with. We didn't have much. We moved in at the end of May and I hadn't quite stocked our new house up with everything we needed. My bad ;)
I sat down on the couch and lost it. I laughed so hard it hurt my incision. My husband was pacing the living room and researching how much it would cost to put in hardwood floors. It was just SO funny!
Our first week with our baby was eye-opening. I work with babies but it's still so different having your own. I'm sore, I'm tired, and I'm hormonal. BLESS my husband's heart. But we make a good team and I told him it's only going to get better. We are so blessed with a sweet, snuggly baby. We love him so much. I can't imagine life without him now. I look at his little face and thank the Lord for him all day long. Especially during those hard hours from 12am-5am. He doesn't really care for that time of day. :)
'Tis the Season,
Holly
I've already cried about it. Not that I'm even that sad about it. But I am. Or maybe it's the lack of sleep.
We came home on Monday and our new reality set in. I'm trying to nurse every 3 hours (give or take) and let's just say…momma's parts are sore. Yee-ouch!
Our 10 year old yorkie is adjusting too. The first day we were home, he shook and acted like every little noise freaked him out. Now he gets up and goes with us every time we take "his baby" out of the room or runs over if Rhodes as much as sneezes.
Our first pediatrician appointment was Wednesday. We might have been late…like 5 minutes after our appointment time (we needed to be there 30 minutes early for paperwork) so, whoops! It ended up being fine. We saw a nurse and she did an assessment and a jaundice check and our boy weighed albs 7oz, which is what he weighed at discharge, so we could tell that he was still eating well! She didn't even want to stick him (thankfully!!) for a bilirubin check because she said he looked great. :) So proud of our boy!
We had a couple of rough nights this week. Thankfully, Aaron has been home all week and we've been able to tag team the diaper changes and holding our fussy baby in the wee hours of the morning. I'm thankful.
On his fourth day of life (6/21) we were trying out our baby swing. He seemed to be enjoying himself. THEN we heard the noise. If you've ever been around a baby, you know the noise I'm talking about. The dirty diaper noise. Being a NICU nurse, I know that sometimes, you can change a baby when you think they are done with their business, only for them to wreck the next one, two, or four diapers because they are, in fact, not done. BEEN THERE. So I decided to wait a few more minutes.
More noises.
Then my older brother Joshua said "Whew! Rhodie!" and we began to smell the dirty diaper. I walked over to scoop up the baby and while I was standing in the living room, my mom gasped and said the diaper was leaking.
SURE ENOUGH.
It continued to drip the whole way to the nursery.
Did I mention we have WHITE carpet in the living room?! WHITE.
I finally got him changed and came back to the living room to the funniest site. My husband and my baby brother on their hands and knees scrubbing baby poop out of the carpet, my oldest brother Joshua climbing the walls to get away from the mess and the smell and ALL OF IT (ha!) and my mom rummaging through our cabinets trying to find stuff to clean with. We didn't have much. We moved in at the end of May and I hadn't quite stocked our new house up with everything we needed. My bad ;)
I sat down on the couch and lost it. I laughed so hard it hurt my incision. My husband was pacing the living room and researching how much it would cost to put in hardwood floors. It was just SO funny!
Our first week with our baby was eye-opening. I work with babies but it's still so different having your own. I'm sore, I'm tired, and I'm hormonal. BLESS my husband's heart. But we make a good team and I told him it's only going to get better. We are so blessed with a sweet, snuggly baby. We love him so much. I can't imagine life without him now. I look at his little face and thank the Lord for him all day long. Especially during those hard hours from 12am-5am. He doesn't really care for that time of day. :)
'Tis the Season,
Holly
He's Here! Part 2
I always wondering, throughout my whole pregnancy, what my sweet boy would look like. Not that I cared, but I was always imagining in my head. Well it turns out, he's absolutely perfect.
He has a big round head (even after pushing for 2 hours), some deliciously squishy cheeks, and the prettiest lips I've ever seen. I just want to eat him up!
Oh, and his hair. He's got a head full of hair. Precious.
He is the first grandchild on both sides of our families so our families are both pretty smitten. I think my family has tried to see him every single day since he's been born, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Plus it's always nice to have an extra set of hands.
We had lots of visitors in the hospital. Family, friends, co-workers, bosses, it was wonderful. I wish I had taken more pictures!
From my perspective, our hospital stay was a blur. We went in on Friday at 8am and were finally discharged around 2:00 on the following Monday.
There were long days and longer nights and I felt pretty useless the first two days. I remember Aaron changing lots of poopy diapers. I'm pretty sure those are the first diapers he's ever changed in his life. He was such a trooper. He slept on that tiny couch and didn't complain…except for being cold. He said he was cold every single day. But this Momma was HOT.
They took out my epidural Sunday morning around 4am. I had my first shower later that morning too. I felt like a new woman. Walking was hard, my incision hurt, and I could definitely tell that my epidural was GONE…and I missed it.
My nursing staff was pretty wonderful…minus one chick who I think I saw maybe twice in 12 hours…but I digress. I even had a nurse that I went to nursing school with, which I was skeptical about at first, but she ended up being one of my favorite nurses.
I am very fortunate that my husband was able to take a week off of work to be home with us. I'm also fortunate that my family lives (literally) a minute car drive away. It made this first week go by pretty smoothly…or as smooth as it could go. :)
Things we learned over our hospital stay: 1) our baby doesn't like having his arms swaddled; 2) he doesn't like being put into the carseat; 3) he LOVES riding in the car (zzzzz); 4) he loooves to snuggle and I will NOT be complaining about that!
Our hearts are FULL.
'Tis the Season,
Holly
He has a big round head (even after pushing for 2 hours), some deliciously squishy cheeks, and the prettiest lips I've ever seen. I just want to eat him up!
Oh, and his hair. He's got a head full of hair. Precious.
He is the first grandchild on both sides of our families so our families are both pretty smitten. I think my family has tried to see him every single day since he's been born, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Plus it's always nice to have an extra set of hands.
We had lots of visitors in the hospital. Family, friends, co-workers, bosses, it was wonderful. I wish I had taken more pictures!
From my perspective, our hospital stay was a blur. We went in on Friday at 8am and were finally discharged around 2:00 on the following Monday.
There were long days and longer nights and I felt pretty useless the first two days. I remember Aaron changing lots of poopy diapers. I'm pretty sure those are the first diapers he's ever changed in his life. He was such a trooper. He slept on that tiny couch and didn't complain…except for being cold. He said he was cold every single day. But this Momma was HOT.
They took out my epidural Sunday morning around 4am. I had my first shower later that morning too. I felt like a new woman. Walking was hard, my incision hurt, and I could definitely tell that my epidural was GONE…and I missed it.
My nursing staff was pretty wonderful…minus one chick who I think I saw maybe twice in 12 hours…but I digress. I even had a nurse that I went to nursing school with, which I was skeptical about at first, but she ended up being one of my favorite nurses.
I am very fortunate that my husband was able to take a week off of work to be home with us. I'm also fortunate that my family lives (literally) a minute car drive away. It made this first week go by pretty smoothly…or as smooth as it could go. :)
Things we learned over our hospital stay: 1) our baby doesn't like having his arms swaddled; 2) he doesn't like being put into the carseat; 3) he LOVES riding in the car (zzzzz); 4) he loooves to snuggle and I will NOT be complaining about that!
Our hearts are FULL.
'Tis the Season,
Holly
Saturday, June 25, 2016
He's Here! Part 1
June 17th, 2016
I woke up at 5:30 in the morning on Friday, at 40 + 5, with what I thought were just more Braxton-Hicks. Around 6:30, while my husband was getting ready for work, I downloaded a contraction timer app, just to see if I was being worrisome over nothing. A few days before, I had contractions off and on until noon and then nothing, so I wasn't trying to get my hopes up. The app confirmed that I was indeed having real labor contractions and that I "needed to call an ambulance or head to the nearest hospital as soon as possible" which was SUPER comforting…NOT.
Being stubborn, as I usually am, I decided to take a shower and see how things felt after that, after all, it had only been about an hour and a half of fairly regular contractions. After getting out of the shower, I wasn't feeling much better, in fact, the contractions were getting stronger, and I told my husband we needed to go to the hospital right away.
He took the longer route to the interstate and he might have driven 2-3 mph over the speed limit….which I WILL bring up….one day…. ;)
Once we got to the hospital, all of the laboring mother parking spots were full, so we parked on the 3rd level, took the elevator down, and then walked over to L&D.
They took my weight (BLESS), height, and some background info, and then walked me over to triage. In triage, we had a nice nurse named Kelly (I think) and she did an over-all assessment, hooked me up to the monitor, and checked my cervical dilation. I was at a four and was 90% effaced. When I had my 40 week appointment two days prior, I was only at a 2 but I was already about 90% effaced, which was wonderful since we had no progress up to that point.
After watching the monitor and my contractions, the nurse called the doctor and they agreed to keep me and take me to a room. The nurse started an IV and we walked with her to a delivery room and decided to let our parents know that I was being admitted.
Around 10:00, the anesthesiologist came to talk to me about an epidural and we ended up deciding to do it right then and there. The nurse had just checked me and I was at a 5. It wasn't a terrible experience but it definitely was helpful. I barely noticed contractions after that, unless I was watching the monitor. I think they moved the computer and monitor back out of my eyesight after a while, because they knew I was a NICU nurse and they probably didn't want me to worry, if anything changed.
At 12:00 I was at an 8 and we were just waiting on my water to break on its own. They gave me a lovely catheter. Thank goodness I had already gotten my epidural at this point…and that I had given up on being modest :\
At 3 that afternoon, I was an "8-9" according to the nurse and we were still waiting on my water to break. They said my water bag was "bulging" and that it would be any time. My family showed up about this time, my parents and my oldest brother. I gave my mom the go-ahead to tell my younger brothers. Logan and his wife Morgan jumped in the car VERY quickly after they heard the news. Clark came after he got off work.
At 4:20, Dr. Large (the on-call OB) came, checked me, and we decided to break my water, as she thought that would complete my effacement, which it did. She also said we would start pushing in the next hour or so.
Excited. Nervous. Anxious. Tired. I was all over the board with my emotions.
At 6:00, we started pushing.
1 hour in, my baby boy was still not progressing and dropping down like he should. The Dr. said his head was against my pubic bone and that it felt "big" but we would keep trying for a little longer. He was head down, but his face and head were at an angle.
1 more hour passed and she came in and said that our options were to go to the OR for a section or to push for another hour and then possibly go to the OR for a section.
(this is when I lost it)
I was scared. Scared for myself, but scared especially for my baby boy.
I agreed to go ahead and do the C-section. I texted my mom to update the family in the waiting room and the anesthesiologist came in to increase my epidural and prep me for the OR. I tried to calm myself down, but my muscles just shook and shook. Partially due to anxiety and partially due to sheer exhaustion.
The next two hours were a blur. The section was quick and relatively painless (HA). I knew the two NICU nurses that came for the delivery. I remember them sticking and alcohol swab under my oxygen mask next to my nose bc I had a surge of overwhelming nausea when they first put me on the table. Aaron took some wonderful pictures. When I heard my baby boy cry for the first time, I lost it. Totally LOST it. He was born at 8:48pm and his APGAR scores were 9 and 9.
I remember the Dr saying "Oh my goodness, he's HUGE!" and something about him peeing all over them and then something about "look at those LIPS!" and then something about "no wonder he wasn't coming out, he's a BIG boy."
They showed me my sweet baby boy very briefly over the curtain. It was not long enough.
Now I have to take a minute to brag on my husband. He always says he doesn't "do" medical stuff. Doesn't like talking about it. Doesn't like hearing about it. AT ALL.
He was SUCH a trooper. He sat through my cervical checks, my iv placement, held my hand through my epidural, was at my bedside ALL DAY LONG, and held my leg while I pushed. He also took some GREAT pictures at the delivery. I was shocked…and so happy.
Aaron held our son while they stitched me up. They let me hold him while they wheeled me back to the delivery room for my recovery period and our hour of kangaroo care (which is a new policy that the hospital is implementing and I'm so thankful for it).
We had an hour or so for time with just the three of us, plus the nurses and the Dr. of course.
Our son Rhodes Everett weighed in at 9 lbs 1.5oz, and he was 20 1/4 in long.
He was absolutely perfect. I know I'm a little biased.
Recovery took a little while longer than we thought, and I had not eaten literally all day, AND our families were anxiously waiting in the waiting room and had been for several hours….BUT we were FINALLY able to be moved to a postpartum room and after midnight, our families were able to come in and see us.
We are blessed and we are loved. I am so thankful. Praise the Lord. We are so thankful to our God for getting our boy here safe and sound.
Now excuse me while I go bawl my eyes out.
'Tis the Season,
Holly
Thursday, June 2, 2016
The Final Countdown & The Move
I'm in my final weeks of pregnancy. Everything feels big, I feel extra clumsy, and my 12 hour work days are getting harder and harder to get through. I worked 3 in a row over Memorial Day weekend…not by choice…and I woke up on Tuesday feeling like I had been hit by a truck. Yee-uck. :(
My mind is starting to race at night too…I guess that's pretty normal when your nerves set in and the fact that you are about to bring a tiny human into this world to raise as your own starts to become more real. My husband has been sleeping like a rock LOL! Actually, he has worked SO hard for us the past few weeks, with the move and baby prep and with his own job, that he deserves a good nights sleep.
I had another weekly check-up yesterday. Still no progress. My mom said to expect that since it's my first. I was just hoping for SOMETHING. Nothing huge. Just something! But apparently our little nugget is nice and snug with his momma and that's where he wants to stay for the time being :) Hubs said he was already showing his stubbornness that he obviously got from me…rude ;)
We moved about two weeks ago into a new house on the other side of town. I wouldn't suggest it at the end of your third trimester…but for as crazy as those couple days were, I'm so thankful that we did. We love our new house and we are slowly getting it unpacked and settled. My husband actually walked over to me while I was laying on the couch (which I feel like I do a lot of these days) and kissed me on the head and told me how happy he was.
Melt my heart :) :) :) :)
I am so thankful for all the family that came to help us move. My mom essentially spent two whole days painting the nursery and didn't even complain even though I knew her back was hurting. My dad, two of my brothers, and my SIL helped pack and load heavy furniture.
My in-laws came and helped too. My father-in-law's "gift" is service. He wants to fix and hang and repair and put together and build…etc. and it's very good at it. He actually came over the weekend while I was working and put a doggy door in for our little furball. Marley is so pleased that he can come and go as he chooses :)
Hubs and I actually just celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary (time FLIES!) and the first official day of the move was how we celebrated. My husband did not complain one time…although I may have grumbled a bit. We actually took my in-laws to dinner after the longest day ever, so we haven't even had an official "anniversary dinner" yet. We should probably try to squeeze one in before baby boy makes his debut :)
I've spent the past few days I've had off doing baby laundry, hanging up baby clothes, and trying to get our house in somewhat of an order before total chaos begins :)
Side note: Dreft is the best smelling detergent ever.
That's pretty much all that is going on these days. It's just a waiting game!
And we are pretty excited about it!!!
'Tis the Season,
Holly
My mind is starting to race at night too…I guess that's pretty normal when your nerves set in and the fact that you are about to bring a tiny human into this world to raise as your own starts to become more real. My husband has been sleeping like a rock LOL! Actually, he has worked SO hard for us the past few weeks, with the move and baby prep and with his own job, that he deserves a good nights sleep.
I had another weekly check-up yesterday. Still no progress. My mom said to expect that since it's my first. I was just hoping for SOMETHING. Nothing huge. Just something! But apparently our little nugget is nice and snug with his momma and that's where he wants to stay for the time being :) Hubs said he was already showing his stubbornness that he obviously got from me…rude ;)
We moved about two weeks ago into a new house on the other side of town. I wouldn't suggest it at the end of your third trimester…but for as crazy as those couple days were, I'm so thankful that we did. We love our new house and we are slowly getting it unpacked and settled. My husband actually walked over to me while I was laying on the couch (which I feel like I do a lot of these days) and kissed me on the head and told me how happy he was.
Melt my heart :) :) :) :)
I am so thankful for all the family that came to help us move. My mom essentially spent two whole days painting the nursery and didn't even complain even though I knew her back was hurting. My dad, two of my brothers, and my SIL helped pack and load heavy furniture.
My in-laws came and helped too. My father-in-law's "gift" is service. He wants to fix and hang and repair and put together and build…etc. and it's very good at it. He actually came over the weekend while I was working and put a doggy door in for our little furball. Marley is so pleased that he can come and go as he chooses :)
Hubs and I actually just celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary (time FLIES!) and the first official day of the move was how we celebrated. My husband did not complain one time…although I may have grumbled a bit. We actually took my in-laws to dinner after the longest day ever, so we haven't even had an official "anniversary dinner" yet. We should probably try to squeeze one in before baby boy makes his debut :)
I've spent the past few days I've had off doing baby laundry, hanging up baby clothes, and trying to get our house in somewhat of an order before total chaos begins :)
Side note: Dreft is the best smelling detergent ever.
That's pretty much all that is going on these days. It's just a waiting game!
And we are pretty excited about it!!!
'Tis the Season,
Holly
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