Long Overdue

I'm so disappointed in myself for not posting more often.  Obviously I do the blog to keep friends and family updated, but I also like to go back and read the posts for myself to remember the little things that are so easy to forget.  My mom did these awesome, super-detailed baby books when my brother and I were little, and of course I have totally dropped the ball on Morgan's.  I tried starting one a few weeks after she was born but have not touched it since.  Terrible, I know. 

Anywho, the holidays are quickly approaching and Brad and I are super excited to celebrate with Morgan this year.  I am pretty much done shopping for her (except for her stocking), and have already wrapped some of her gifts.  Yay!  We decided not to spend an arm and a leg on gifts for her #1 because she already has a house full of toys (they are literally taking over my living room) #2 because she is 9 months old and will have just as much fun with the wrapping paper and #3 because we are trying not to put a huge emphasis on gifts at Christmas. Afterall, the holidays are about spending time with family and celebrating the birth of Jesus, right?  I do hope to start lots of Christmas traditions, like baking cookies, looking at Christmas lights, and going to see Santa.  These are things I am sure she will remember more than any toy anyways.

Poor Morgan has had a terrible ear infection this week.  This one seems a lot worse than the first one.  And on top of the ear infection, she has 5 teeth coming in at one time.  Four on the top and one at the bottom (she already has 2 bottom teeth).  To be honest, I am relieved they are coming in at the same time so she can be done with teething for a while.  I just hope it doesn't cause her too much pain.  It doesn't seem to have slowed her down too much.  She is VERY busy and into everything.  She has been saying only Dada for the past 3 weeks, and today I finally got a Mama out of her, YAY (she said Mama, Dada, and Bye for the first time around 7 months). No new words yet.  She pulls up constantly and hates being confined.  She is still a great eater and loves Cheerios.  Her 9 month check up was last week and she is 20 lbs 11 oz and 29 inches (the size of an average 1 year old according to the Pediatrician).  I feel so blessed to have such a healthy, happy baby and thank God for her everyday.  I think I am going to put a big bow on her head and stick her under the tree for my Christmas present this year!

I will leave you with a few of our Christmas photos, courtesy of Lucy Rae Photography.

Proud Mama!

It's Saturday night, Morgan is sleeping, and the hubs still isn't back from hunting.  Perfect opportunity to update.  And boy do I have some updates!  This is one proud Momma typing over here.  So, let's get started...

Morgan will be 8 months old tomorrow.  It's starting to really scare me how fast time is going.  I know I say this in every post, but it's an overwhelming, powerless feeling to see your child growing and changing right before your eyes.  Of course, I feel incredibly blessed to have such a healthy, beautiful baby and I am so glad she is growing like she is supposed to.  We have several new developments since my last post.  Maybe the most noticeable is the crawling.  She has been "army crawling" (on her tummy), for several weeks now, but this past week she started crawling up on all fours.  She is quick too!  I can't turn my head for a second without her darting across the room.  Next on the list is pulling up.  That started this week as well.  We call her our little monkey because she will pull up on EVERYTHING she can get her hands on.  Today she was successful at completely pulling herself up to standing without any help.  Brad and I still have not baby proofed the house (I know, I know) so it looks like we better hop to it.  If you are a Facebook friend, I am sure you have already witnessed the third development.  We have a talker on our hands!  Morgan can now say "Momma" and "Bye Bye".  She waves Bye Bye too.  For some reason I thought this was crazy, super advanced for an 8 month old, but after doing some research I found that these are typical behaviors of 8 and 9 month olds.  Oh well.  I am still very impressed!  Lastly is the arrival of Morgan's first tooth.  The bottom front tooth popped through about a week ago.  The week prior to that was rough on her.  She was pretty cranky and wasn't very interested in eating.  Baby Orajel and some Advil here and there got her through it and she is doing much better.  I hope we get a little break before the next tooth arrives.

As far as sleeping goes, Morgan has really settled in to an excellent schedule.  She goes down every night between 7:00 and 7:30pm.  I know this seems early but that is when she gets tired, so I am not going to force her to stay up.  She usually sleeps until about 4 or 5am, but this morning she didn't get up until 6:45am!  Woohoo!  She gets 2 naps and plenty of playtime everyday.  One of my good friends recommended the book, "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" and I highly recommend it as well.  It's advice that allows for flexibility, and explains the importance of sleep for children.  A great and easy read!

Well thanks to everyone who made it through this shameless brag session about my child.  Now time to put my feet up and relax for the night.  Monday morning will be here too soon!!!

Beautiful Baptism, Horrible Hostess

Thought I would go ahead and update while I wait patiently (NOT!) for my pictures to upload to Shutterfly.  I have been totally negligent with updating my albums and have not had any printed since June.  That amounts to 860 pictures.  Clearly I haven't been negligent with TAKING pictures.

So with moving into a new house and getting things decorated inevitably amounts to having family and friends over to visit.  My Grandma and Nanny had not yet seen the house, and Morgan was scheduled to be baptized, so I figured, what a great opportunity to throw a party! Her baptism was yesterday at Hopewell UMC, and it was a beautiful ceremony.  Morgan was such a good sport.  As we stood at the front of the church, the entire congregation smiled and laughed at her cuteness (she hiccupped the whole time, which echoed loudly!).  I am pretty sure our family alone increased their congregation by 20%.  I wish I could say that the after-party was as successful as the ceremony.  To preface this story, I must tell you that I am very new at being a hostess.  Our old house was terrible for entertaining, so we never had people over.  As soon as we found out we would be moving, I was thrilled to finally be able to host a party.  Okay, so back to the story.  I planned to have a simple lunch after the ceremony.  Deli trays, rolls, pimento cheese, buffalo chicken dip, potato chips, fruit, veggies, and cake were on the menu.  I estimated about 18 people would come over, and the trays claimed to serve 10-12, so I bought two.  My lack of experience caused me to seriously underestimate how hungry people are after church.  In no time, we were out of rolls, chips, lunch meat, and lemonade.  CRISIS.  I was totally panicked and embarassed.  I cried in Morgan's room briefly, before pulling myself together and asking Brad to run up to the store.  He then informs me that his car is blocked in by about 4 other vehicles.  DOUBLE CRISIS.  He could tell I was losing my mind, so I think he asked his uncle if he could borrow his car so I wouldn't have a nervous breakdown.  Such a good husband.  He returned about 20 minutes later with the goodies and the party was salvaged.  WHEW.  I have definitely learned that it is ALWAYS better to have too much food than too little.  The Boy Scouts are right....BE PREPARED.

Here are a couple shots from the day...

 

In my last post I promised a few house pictures to show the new paint, so here you go!

 

 

 

Master Bath

 

Master Bedroom

 

Dining Room

 

Half Bath

 

Kitchen

 

Not crazy about the lighting in any of these pictures, but you get the idea.  The Kitchen is not as lime green as this picture shows.  Well, it's not lime green at all.  Clearly, we still need window treatments in every room, and furniture in the dining room and formal living room (not pictured).  The card table with the table cloth did the trick for the party Sunday, but we would eventually like a table that hasn't been used for poker and beer pong.

 

Super quick Morgan update:  She is 7 months old now, and is sitting up with no problems, rolling from one end of the room to the other, rocking back and forth on her knees, and lunging and scooting towards toys.  She has "crawled" a couple of times, but she doesn't have it totally figured out yet.  She isn't showing any interest in pulling up yet.  She is eating great and growing so fast (18 lbs 9 oz!).  She is always happy to see her reflection, and loves when Mommy sings, patty cakes, and reads to her.  Okay that was quick, right?

 

Until next time!! 



 

Moving on...

I survived!  This past week went by surprisingly fast.  Maybe it was because it was only a four day week, or maybe because I have been too busy to think about the time passing.  It was back to work for me Tuesday morning.  I dropped off Morgan at Brad's Aunt's house (she is keeping her for me while I'm at work), and although I knew it would be difficult, I had not anticipated the surge of emotions as I left.  It was devastating.  I had to hand over my little bundle of joy and leave her for an entire day!  Yes, I know how overly dramatic that sounds, but other Moms understand and Moms-to-be will one day.  There were lots of tears that morning on my way in to work, but I composed myself and ended up having a fabulous work week.  As hard as it is to leave my baby, I feel so grateful to at least be going to job that I genuinely enjoy doing.

As if going back to work wasn't stressful enough, we are getting the house (inside) painted.  The project was originally supposed to take 5 days tops, but it quickly grew to 6 or 7.  Our master bedroom and bathroom, along with all of the trim and some touch ups are still on the to-do list.  So far I am loving the colors and even went on a little shopping spree to Kirklands today to get some decor.  In an attempt to expand my blog topics, I will hopefully be posting lots of pictures when all is said and done.  Stay tuned!

After 6 months of successful, yet sometimes challenging, breastfeeding, Morgan and I have moved on.  I am reluctant to say "quit," or any other negative words because that would not be a fair way to describe my efforts.  With the introduction of solids, returning to work, teething, and my need to go back on some BC (I don't want to be the next Tori Spelling), it just seemed like the timing was right.  Of course, this was an emotional decision for me, as I have made it my mission to be a successful breastfeeding mom.  At times it was very frustrating (fighting thrush, feeding issues, engorgement, feeding in public, etc.), but overcoming those challenges made me so proud of accomplishing 6 months of nursing.   I am happy to say that Morgan has adjusted very well to formula and is even holding her own bottle (awesome considering she has not had much practice).  I am still in the process of drying up my milk, which I am guessing will take a couple of months.  Attempting to stop cold turkey was an epic failure, and I don't reccommend it to anyone (OUCH).  I am now pumping every other night and trying to pump less each time until I dry up.  Thank GOD for breastpumps.  It amazes me that my mom nursed me for 9 months and NEVER pumped.  How is that possible?!

Here are some pics that Morgan's Great Aunt Lori took for me this week, and a picture of an art project they did.  Can't wait to fill up the whole fridge with these :)

Half a year, could it be?

Yes, that time has arrived.  Six months old.  Six months ago almost to the minute, I had just delivered my beautiful baby girl.  On the one hand that time seems so long ago because of how much my life has changed, but on the other I feel like these 26 weeks have passed in the blink of an eye.  Morgan is healthy, happy, and changing so much each day.  Brad and I feel so blessed and proud to have her in our lives.

 As you can see from the picture, Morgan is sitting now, mostly on her own.  She gets wobbly after a while, especially if she loses focus or tries to watch Waylon as he runs all over the room.  Teething has definitely begun, but no teeth have cut through yet.  She loves her Sophie the Giraffe and her frozen teething rings to soothe her gums.  She just figured out yesterday how to roll from one end of the room to the other.  Looks like baby-proofing the house is in the very near future. 

I feel the need to share the following story because I have a feeling that I am just one of many moms who have experienced this.  Mom and I went shopping yesterday to spend my birthday money on some much needed new clothes.  I am embarassed to admit I actually still own (and sometimes wear) items that I have had for over 10 years.  In fact, I still have a pair of cheerleading shorts from MIDDLE SCHOOL that I regularly wear.  The elastic in the waist is shot, and the cotton is so soft.  By far the comfiest shorts in the world.  Brad loves to joke about how many clothes I have, but I quickly remind him that it only LOOKS like I have a lot of clothes because I don't get rid of stuff.  I have plenty of friends whose summer wardrobe puts my entire wardrobe to shame. Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining about this.  Fashion has never been my cup of tea and I really don't consider myself to have a "style."  Anyways, back to my story.  I desparately needed some updated clothing because stuff either didn't fit, was terribly outdated, or was just plain age-inappropriate (no, it is not okay for a 25 year old to wear a rhinestone encrusted halter/tube top from Charlotte Russe).

                                                                     (yes, this is the one)

We started off in New York and Company and I was trying on some jeans.  I think you know where this story is heading.  Jeans were a difficult purchase for me before having a child, so my new body made it even more challenging.  I called out to my mom to go grab me a size 8, because the 6's made me look like a busted up can of crescent rolls.  She called back that those were the 8's.  GASP.  Why is it that as women, we care SO MUCH about the number printed on a pair of pants?  Tears started welling up in my eyes, but I decided I wasn't going to let it ruin my day.  Rather than trying on the 10's, I decided those jeans just weren't for me, and asked my mom to grab me a pair of black slacks (a girl's best friend according to Stacy London).  The 8 petite fit perfectly, and I went back to trying on some cute tops.  We ended up having a very successful shopping trip (about 7 tops and a pair of size 8 jeans from The Limited).  I guess the moral of my story is that motherhood changes a woman in so many ways.  We become more patient, we can multitask like no one's business, we put others before ourselves day after day, and even with these wonderful and positive changes, we tend to focus on a few extra pounds and curves.  The old me would have spent all day crying over my size 4's and XS's, but not the new me.  This body may not be perfect, far from it, but it grew a beautiful healthy child, and continues to feed her everyday.  If that isn't something to be proud of, I don't know what is.  Now I'll leave you with a quick video that is sure to put a smile on your face!

Milestones, Vacation, and House Projects!

Just looked back at my last post and realized it has been exactly 1 month since I last blogged.  I have been dying to post some important Morgan milestone updates, as well as our first family vacation to the beach!  Without further ado...

Milestones!  Morgan is almost 6 months old (just typing that is making it more real for me).  She develops more personality with each passing day, and let me just tell you, she may look like her Daddy, but she acts just like me (not sure yet if that is a good thing or not).  She is very sassy, giggly, and I have never seen someone so cranky when they are sleepy, except for myself.  Those little hands are on everything these days.  She loves to reach out and grab whatever catches her eye, be it my phone, my hair, my earrings (ouch!), or her ever-growing stash of toys.  While we were on vacation, she started hinting at wanting to sit up, aka, she would fuss whenever she was put down on her back or tummy.  In the past when I have attempted to sit her up either with assistance from me or the Bumbo, she showed little interest.  After just a few tries of plopping her down in the sitting position, she has really gotten the hang of it.  She can sit completely unsupported for 10-20 seconds, sometimes even longer.  Way to go, Morgan!  In other milestone news, she is still sleeping in her crib, and still waking me up SEVERAL times a night.  I am hoping this phase ends soon since I will be back to work in just 2 weeks.  We are still working on feeding her rice cereal, and I am not sure if I am having a harder time with it than her.  It just seems too soon to be feeding my little baby actual food with a spoon, but I know it's best for her.  I am excited to try her on some other foods, and I am hoping she likes them!  Also, I am thrilled to announce that Morgan's Halloween costume has been ordered.  No, I am not making it myself as I do not sew and do not possess any crafty genes whatsoever.  Regardless, I am super stoked about it and can't wait to get her all dressed up.  Here it is!!  http://www.target.com/p/infant-this-lil-piggy-costume/-/A-14047910

Vacation.  Ahh how the meaning of that word changes once you have a child.  We went to Oak Island Beach, NC this year, where we have never gone before.  We normally go to Topsail Island, NC, but the family decided to change things up.  We stayed in an oceanfront condo with Brad's grandparents.  First of all, it is AMAZING how much crap you have to take on vacation for one child.  We had the bed of an F150 slam packed with the Pack N Play, bouncer, tent, umbrella, toys, clothes, etc.  Looks like once we have more kids we will be renting a Uhaul.  On top of having all the stuff, we had a very modest sized condo for 4 adults and a baby.  The bed took up so much room that we had no room for the Pack N Play.  Thank goodness I decided to bring the Rock N Play just in case.  Morgan's feet practically hang out of it, but she slept in that thing all week.  I was a little worried about the weather due to some gloomy forecasts for the area, but it ended up being beautiful all week.  We took Morgan onto the beach a few days, which was a ton of work.  Hauling the tent, chairs, umbrella, towels, water, toys, bouncer, and baby is no easy task.  And after all of that hard work, it turns out Morgan is not much of a fan of the beach.  Just like her Mommy, she does not like being all hot and sandy.  Once Brad and I figured this out, we decided we would go down to the beach in shifts so that we could relax while the other watched Morgan.  Brad's grandma was a ton of help too, since she didn't like to stay on the beach too long either.  Next year I am hoping that Morgan will enjoy herself a little more so all the work will be worthwhile.  Overall, we did have a nice trip.  Most of all, I enjoyed having an entire week to spend with my husband.  He truly is my best friend and we have so much fun together.

House projects!  We finally got a reasonable estimate for some interior paint work, so we will be getting the downstairs, upstairs hall, master bedroom, and bathroom painted the week I go back to work.  All of the walls are currently white, so I am very excited to have some color in this house.  Once the walls are painted, it is GO TIME for decorating.  I can't wait! 

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of their summer! 

Getting Settled In

Now that I finally have a few minutes without having to clean, pack, unpack, feed a baby, feed myself, feed my dog, etc... I figured I would update the blog.  We are officially moved into the beautiful new house in Brandermill, right on hole 4 of the golfcourse.  Words really can't describe how happy we are at the new home.  Waylon has adjusted quickly and is even going to the bathroom outside without a leash (our other house had a fenced backyard).  Ever since we put an offer on the house I have pictured Waylon running like a bat out of hell towards the golfcourse to bite some poor golfer.  He knows how good he has it here and I don't think he plans on making a break for it anytime soon.  We still have a list a mile long of things we want to do to the house (paint, new furniture, organizing, etc), but we are in no hurry.  I am going to view this house as a lifelong project, because I meant it when I said that I am NEVER moving again!!!

It seems like Morgan has grown and developed by leaps and bounds over the past few weeks.  Once we got moved in, she immediately started grabbing her feet and bringing them to her mouth, along with every other thing she can get her little paws on (including my hair!).  A few days later during tummy time, I noticed she was a lot more content with being on her tummy, which is major progress.  That same day she began doing little baby "push-ups" and by the time Brad got home from work she was ROLLING OVER!  YAY MORGAN!  We were so proud of her.  Other major news in Morgan's life...she is now sleeping in her crib!  I decided that enough was enough, and it was time to take the plunge.  I realized that I was keeping her in the Rock N Play for selfish reasons and she soon would be way too big for it anyways.  She has slept in the crib every night since July 7th.  Of course I have to go back and forth to soothe her and get her to sleep on occasion, but for the most part I lay her down and she is out like a light.  Unfortunately, she is waking up more frequently (about 3 times a night), but I have gotten pretty good at being a Zombie Mommy and I am able to feed her, burp her, change her, and go back to sleep without feeling too sleep deprived in the morning.  A few days ago I gave her rice cereal for the first time, in hopes that it would fill her up before bed and allow her to sleep longer.  She loved the cereal, but no such luck on the sleeping.  I may postpone the cereal a few more weeks since she is still breastfed, which is going great by the way.  I am so glad I made it past the difficult part because now it is so much easier.  I cannot imagine having to come downstairs and make a bottle at 3am, SCREW THAT!  Not to mention the hundreds of dollars I have saved on formula.  I encourage any new mom who is having a hard time with breastfeeding to just take things day by day, and DO NOT BUY formula.  If all you have is Momma's milk, then you are less likely to give up.

Well I apologize for the lengthy post and promise to do better with keeping it up.  Maybe I will even get motivated enough to blog about some house projects.  Warning: I am in no way crafty or creative, so keep your Pintrest accounts. 

Toodles!

PS This post's photos are a few of my favorites from my iPhone from the last few weeks.  Enjoy!

SCHOOOOOOOOLS OUT FOR SUMMA!

Despite the fact that I was only back at work for 12 days, I am still very excited that school is out and summer is here!  Obviously, I am thrilled to be at home with Morgan to watch her giggle, grow, and get prettier by the second (didn't think it was possible but she does get prettier everyday).  But I guess there is also that kid inside of me that can't help but love summer vacation, snow days, or any other event that allows the teachers and kiddos to have a break.

It was a moment that I had dreaded before Morgan was even born.  I knew that with her due date being in early March that I would have to go back to work for at least a few days unless she was born 2 weeks late (no thanks).  So May 31 was my first day back and I have to admit it wasn't as horrible as I pictured.  Yes there were tears, and yes my heart ached the entire way to work.  But honestly once I got there, the hugs from all the kids and the friendly faces of my coworkers made it much easier.  Within a couple of hours I felt like I hadn't missed a beat.  Of course, I couldn't get home quick enough in the afternoons and soaked up as much cuddle time as I could for the rest of the evening.  The hardest part (other than leaving Morgan, of course), was the balancing act of keeping up the house, being super organized with bottles and pumping, and running errands.  I am so grateful that I have a very  helpful husband, who will do just about anything I ask of him.  And I also have a happy, sleepy, healthy baby who is now sleeping about 6-7 hours at night.  Being well rested makes everything easier.

When deciding to post today I actually had to think about how many weeks Morgan is now.  When I figured up 16, I thought, CAN THAT BE RIGHT?  How is she 16 weeks already??  I knew the big 4 month mark was coming up but for some reason 16 weeks sounds insane.  She is doing great though, and everyday she seems to learn something new.  She loves grabbing things and bringing them to her mouth.  She has officially started giggling (cutest. thing. ever.) and is a very smiley girl.  I had guessed going back to work would result in bringing home some yucky kiddo germs, and I was right.  Morgan is a tough cookie though, and is getting over her first cold.  She just had some sniffles and a little coughing, but she never seemed to be upset over it.  What an angel!  I am still waiting for the all-important "rolling over" milestone, which technically doesn't need to be reached until about 5 months.  She has rolled over a couple of times, but not consistantly, so I am not really counting it.  She HATES tummy time, which doesn't help.  It's so hard to sit there and watch her cry, but I try to get in a few minutes so that she can build up those neck muscles.  Whenever I get stressed about Morgan's milestones, my mom reminds me that I didn't sit on my own until I was 8 months old and I didn't walk until 14 months (both well behind the curve).  My rents even put me in Junior Kindergarten due to my "delays."  Thanks, Mom!  Haha.

In my last post I mentioned that Brad and I had been house hunting and would possibly be moving this summer.  Well, it's official!  We accepted the sellers' counter offer and will be closing on July 6th.  After an exhausting search, we finally decided on a beautiful home in Brandermill.  The house has everything on our "wish list."  We made a small compromise on the yard.  It isn't fenced and is a tad smaller than what we were looking for, but we decided it was something we could definitely live with and being right on the golf course with a water view doesn't hurt either.  Because the market SUCKS to sell a house, we will be renting out our current home.  We are excited about being landlords and hope that it will be a smart investment, although at times the risks associated with renting makes me want to puke.  I have been doing A LOT of praying and am trusting that all of this chaos will be worth it in the end.

Speaking of my gut-wrenching anxiety, how about a Weight Watchers update?  Well, I have to admit I have been off the program since I last posted.  The stress of moving and going back to work was totally overwhelming, so I decided to take a WW break and see what happened.  I honestly had gone weeks without weighing, so when I stepped on the scale yesterday I was a nervous wreck.  Fortunately, I have managed to maintain my 12 pound weight loss.  Yay!  That is all I can ask for.  Maybe once we get moved and settled in, I can start utilizing those amazing walking trails in Brandermill and burn off a few more pounds.  If not, no big deal.  I have accomplished a lot and overall I feel good about where I am.

Now time to feed my growing machine...until next time!

12 Weeks: Happy baby, sick dog, and new house?

I had no idea that it has been 4 weeks since I last posted.  Time really has slipped away from me.  Morgan will be 12 weeks old tomorrow and continues to be a little growing and learning machine.  She laughs, coos, holds her head up, plays with her hands, loves to kick her feet, and is now getting used to her Bumbo seat.  She still enjoys swinging and will now take naps in her crib (Yay!).  She is sleeping great at night; on average about 6 hours.  She also takes a couple of naps during the day.  Her Rock N Play sleeper is still her napping/sleeping location of choice.  Hopefully she will become more comfortable in her crib before she gets too big for the Rock N Play.  At her 2 month doctors appointment, which was now about 4 weeks ago, she weighed 11 lbs 15 ounces.  Morgan is in the 75th percentile for height and weight, and 50th percentile for her head size.  We are still breastfeeding and it is going well.  Morgan spits up quite a bit and seems to have reflux issues, so we recently started her on some medication to help with that.  I never understood why some mothers kept a bib on their babies at all times.  Now I get it.  This child drools, spits, burps, and vomits ALL the time.  Good thing I have a supply of about 20 bibs.  Now I know why new moms complain about laundry.  I go through a few shirts a day because despite all of the bibs and burp cloths, my shirt seems to be the best place to puke.  I call it my "Mommy Perfume" and even though at times it stresses me out to have to change my clothes constantly, I wouldn't have it any other way!  I am LOVING being a Mommy and finally feel like I have settled in to being at home; of course just in time for me to go back to work.  I have about a week and a half before I return and I am extremely nervous about it.  I haven't given work much thought since I have been out, and I really want to go back and finish out the school year strong for the kids.  I just hope that I have the strength and patience to do my job well.  My mom is going to be taking care of Morgan 2 of the days, and one of my best friend's mom will be watching her the other 10, so I know she will be in great hands. 

On top of adjusting to life with a beautiful baby girl, Brad and I have had some other recent developments at the Hooper household.  Poor Waylon has been very sick and we have been so worried about him.  We took him to the emergency vet back in April and he had a terrible infection (still don't know what caused it).  He was having bloody stools (sorry if that's too graphic) and had a really high fever.  It took several days, but he finally got over it.  Last Friday, I noticed he was licking his rear end (not overly unusual), and was walking funny.  Upon closer inspection, I discovered he had a huge cyst-like sore spot on his bum.  He was also burning up and not acting himself.  Fortunately my best friend Amy was over and she helped me take him to the vet.  Sure enough he had a fever and the vet said that one of his anal glands had become infected and turned into an abscess (gross!).  They had to completely sedate him, drain it, and load him up on pain meds and antibiotics.  He seems to be doing a lot better, but still not 100% himself.  Needless to say this past month has been extremely stressful (AND EXPENSIVE) as pet owners. 

Also adding to the stress, Brad and I are currently looking at moving into a new home.  We made our first offer on a house yesterday and now we are just waiting to hear back from our agent with the counter offer.  It's true what they say.  Buying a house is one of the most stressful life events.  We also need to sell our home or rent it out, which has made me a complete cleanaholic (as if I wasn't one already).  Our house isn't on the market yet but our agent is hopeful that we will get a lot of activity.  Fingers crossed!

Weight Watchers update:  Down 11 lbs since the start and 33 since having Morgan!  I have become slightly less strict with my points, but I am still managing to lose a little every week.  I have done WW many times in the past,, and each time it has consumed my life.  This time I don't have that choice since I have so many other things going on, and it's really nice not to be stressing over the scale at every meal.  In fact, I only weigh myself once a week, and I only remember to do that because my WW app tells me it's weigh-in day.  I still have about 5 pounds to lose to reach my WW goal, and 10 to reach my personal goal.  But if it takes 6 more months to get there I am okay with that. 

Maybe the next time I post I will have some exciting house hunting news.  Prayers and happy thoughts are welcome!  Thanks again to all my wonderful family and friends for their constant outpour of love and support.  Morgan and I are still receiving gifts and acts of kindness from people and it warms my heart to know that so many people love us.  We are so very blessed!

8 weeks old!

My sweet Morgan is 8 weeks old and will be 2 months old on Saturday.  It is hard to believe that much time has gone by since she was born.  She amazes me with how much she changes and all of the new things she is able to do.  She is full of smiles now, and each one melts my heart!  She still sleeps a better portion of the day, but when she is awake, she is very alert and loves to check out her surroundings.  She absolutely LOVES her Daddy.  She lights up when he gets home from work.  Tummy time is usually a challenge.  She hates being on her stomach and usually fusses most of the time.  One time she got so mad she flipped herself over.  I know it was an accident, but I am still counting it!  Her favorite thing to do (other than someone holding her of course) is to swing.  She will stare at the little owls hanging down from it and just crack up laughing.  It is so adorable!  People ask me all the time if she is sleeping through the night.  Well, the answer is unfortunately NO.  I will not complain though, because she does sleep really well at night between feedings.  She will eat around 9 or 10, then get up around 3 or 4 and again at 6 or 7.  I have adjusted well to this schedule so I don't feel nearly as sleep deprived as I did a few weeks ago. 

Since my last post Morgan has had her first Easter and attended her first wedding.  She also got to meet my good friend Lauren and her adorable son, Connor.  I wish they lived closer.  Texas is TOO FAR AWAY.  She was an absolute ANGEL at Sam and Lauren's wedding.  She slept through all of the loud music, dancing, and being passed around like a little football.  I was so proud showing her off.  Sometimes I can't even believe she is mine!

Breastfeeding is going great.  It is so much easier than it was in the beginning.  It was a little tricky having to pump during all of the wedding festivities this weekend, but I managed.  Morgan still has a tendancy to break her latch and is a little fussy during feedings at times, but she is getting better.  I can't wait to see how much she weighs at her next appointment.  She hasn't been to the Pediatrician since her 1 month checkup, so I am hoping she has put on a couple of pounds since then.  She is filling out her 3 month onesies so I know she has grown.  I will try to update next week after her appointment.

Weight Watchers update:  HELLO PRE-PREGNANCY WEIGHT!  I finally made it.  The weight has been coming off slowly (about a pound a week since starting WW), so I was so excited to finally see that magic number on the scale this morning, especially after eating all the yummy food at the wedding this past weekend.  I still have 8 pounds to go to get to my WW goal, and 13 pounds to go to get to my "Wedding Weight," which is my ultimate goal.  I hope to start becoming more active to help the weight come off a little easier.  I know I will need to get better about working out once I stop nursing too.  I HATE working out though, so wish me luck.

5 weeks and Doctor update!

This week Morgan had her 1 month checkup with the Pediatrician. My little girl is 10 lbs 4.5 ounces! The doctor said that most babies gain between 1-2 lbs in a month, and Morgan had gained over a pound in 2 weeks. Great weight gain! I was worried that she wasn't getting enough milk because her feedings are usually pretty short (about 10 minutes), but apparently she is getting plenty. Being that she is over 10 lbs, most of her newborn clothes do not fit anymore. It was really hard for me to put her in her 3 month clothes, because I feel like she is growing up so fast. On the bright side, she has so many cute outfits in the 3 months size, so now I get excited to play dress-up with her every morning.

I am thankful to say that Morgan is doing a great job of sleeping at night. She does get me up several times to eat, but she normally goes back to sleep as soon as she is done. Brad and I are very nervous to put her in her crib, but we know it is something that we need to do sooner rather than later. Last night he set up her Angelcare Monitor (thanks Lauren and Cindy!) so that we can rest easy that she is okay. It monitors movement, and if 20 seconds goes by without any movement, an alarm sounds. We are going to give it a whirl tonight. Wish us luck!

Weight Watchers update: At my last weigh in I was down a total of 4.8 lbs! Yay! It isn't coming off as easily or quickly as I thought, but slow and steady is fine with me. I was always told that if I breastfed, the weight would literally FALL off. Well, it may for some women, but not me. As closely as I have been counting my points, and as much as Morgan eats, one would think I could reach my goal in no time. Oh well. I am going to stay positive and try not to put too much stress on myself. I am really anxious to fit comfortably back in my regular clothes though. Several of my pre-preggo jeans fit, but I have crucial muffin top because they barely button. I refuse to buy clothes in a bigger size, so if I have to keep wearing my maternity jeans, so be it! Brad has managed to lose almost 10 lbs since I have started Weight Watchers (damn him!). I am glad to know that we are both eating healthier, and I hope we can both keep it up.

Happy Easter everyone! I hopefully will get some good family pictures this weekend for my post next week. Sorry for the lack of pictures this time. I'm trying!!!

Almost 1 month old!

These past few weeks have really flown by. Morgan is changing everyday and it's so fun to watch her grow. I can tell already I am going to be that Mom who cries at every little milestone. I got weepy when her umbilical cord fell off. Now she is almost too big for newborn size diapers and some of her newborn sleepers. My little girl is getting big!

Morgan has been to the pediatrician a few times since I last posted. She has reached and passed her birthweight (8lbs 3 oz) and now weighs a whopping 9 lbs 1.5 oz! Yay! It is such a relief to know that your child is growing and getting enough to eat, especially when you are breastfeeding. Unfortunately, we have both developed a case of thrush, which is more annoying than anything else. It affects how she eats though, so each feeding is a challenge. I am sure we will get past it, and I am determined to continue nursing as long as possible. My mom warned me before Morgan was born that mothers who breastfeed are often discriminated against and rarely receive the support they need. Wow was she right! I never knew how controversial a topic it was until I became a nursing mother. I guess I will never understand why some people find it "inappropriate"/"disrespectful"/"disgusting"/ to meet a child's most basic need. If our society had a better attitude towards breastfeeding mothers, maybe there would be more nursing stations so that women could feed their child without a bunch of judgemental, uptight creeps staring at them. Fortunately, I do have the support of my husband, family, and many of my close friends, and that is all I need!

Being a Mommy is definitely a challenge, but nowadays there are so many wonderful products that make things just a tad easier. Here is a short list of the things I could not live without:

Pack N Play with changing station and storage (Living in a 2-story home, this is a must! We can change her downstairs without Waylon getting in our way and without having to go upstairs to her nursery)

Rock N Play Sleeper (One of my Mommy-friends recommended this and I am so glad she did! Morgan sleeps like an angel in it and it is super portable. Much easier than a bassinet).

Medela Pump In Style (Thanks Lori! This thing is wonderful.)

Canon Eos Rebel (My camera is amazing. I charged it before I went into labor and it still has most of its charge. Not to mention it takes wonderful pictures. A must for any Mommy!)

Microwave Sterilizer bags (So quick and easy. No boiling necessary! Each bag can be used 20 times. Amazing!)

Diaper Genie (Being that we change 99% of Morgan's diapers in our living room, it is so nice not to worry about my house smelling like baby poop. However, it does smell like dog poop from time to time, Oh Waylon).

I will admit, it is easy to go overboard now with baby gear, but some of the "luxury" items out there (you know, the things that your Mother said she never had and did just fine without) are so nice to have.

On a side note, I started Weight Watchers last Saturday. Yesterday was my first weigh in and I was UP a half pound. I had to laugh. I told myself I should receive an award for being the only woman in Weight Watchers history to gain their first week on the program while nursing. Ha ha. Today I weighed again and was down 3 pounds. The scale can be so mean sometimes. I have definitely been following the program and tracking EVERYTHING. I have about 5 lbs to go to get to my pre pregnancy weight, and about 13 to get to my goal weight. Wish me luck!

Morgan is here! The birth story...

I had a feeling that my 38/39 week post would be my last as a preggo. My maternity leave began Monday Feb 27th, which was perfect timing! Monday night/Tuesday morning I woke up to use the bathroom and noticed some blood (sorry if that's too graphic for you). This was obviously pretty alarming for me after having gone over 9 months without bleeding at all. I called the on-call doctor and she said it was probably my "bloody show" or "mucus plug" and to keep an eye out for contractions. I tried to go back to sleep, but I had a feeling this was the real deal, so I stayed up and watched TV for a couple of hours. Around 2:30am I noticed some mild cramping that was irregular at first, but then starting coming about 8 minutes apart. So I called the doctor back (pretty sure I woke her up and she was pissed, but oh well), and she said I could come to the hospital now, or I could wait until the morning and go into the doctor's office. No way was I going to wait until the morning, so off to the hospital we went. I honestly thought they were going to send me home, because I was not 100% convinced I was having contractions, and I had no idea if I was more dilated that I was at my last appointment.

We arrived at Johnston-Willis around 3:30am and when they checked me I was 2 cm dilated, 70% effaced, and my contractions were 3 minutes apart! I was shocked. They gave me some pain meds which were great at first, but then I got really sick at my stomach. At 8:30am I was 5 cm dilated, so they broke my water and on came the painful contractions. I received my epidural within about 30 minutes of them breaking my water. The anesthesiologist (sp?) gave me WAY too much medicine, and I was numb up to my chest. VERY SCARY. My blood pressure kept dropping so they had to turn my epidural off for over an hour and give me epinephrin (I think) to regulate my blood pressure. The low blood pressure made me very sick at my stomach, so I felt like I had the stomach flu until they could get it back to normal. Finally they got everything normal, and I went about 2 hours where I was feeling great. Unfortunately, the epidural slowed down my progress, and I went hours without dilating. So then they decided to give me Pitocin, which also made me sick at my stomach. I felt like I couldn't win! But the Pitocin worked, and I dilated 3 more cm in a short amount of time. Before I knew it I was 10 cm and ready to push! I was incredibly numb, but the nurses said I was pushing great. About 30 minutes of pushing and Morgan was here! 8lbs 3 oz (holy crap), 20.5" long, born at 2:31pm. Best moment of my life.

We are definitely settling into our new lives as a family of 3 (well 4 if you count Waylon). Morgan is doing very well. She had dropped some weight (as expected), but has gained a lot of it back. She also had some mild jaundice, but that has resolved itself as well. Breastfeeding is going well. It isn't as difficult as I expected. Brad is doing WONDERFUL as a Daddy. I am so proud of him and feel so blessed to have such a great husband. He is very hands-on with Morgan. He has no problem changing diapers, getting her dressed, or holding her if she is fussy.

Well, I would love to share more but I have a beautiful baby girl who needs my attention. I will try to post often to update on her progress, and of course, share numerous pictures.

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts, prayers, and support as we start our journey as parents.

38/39 Weeks

I didn't want to have to combine 2 weeks into 1 post, but at this point, it would be silly to write about 38 weeks when I will be 39 weeks in 2 days (CRAZY)! It is really hard to describe the feeling of being so close to going into labor and becoming a parent. People keep asking me how I feel and I guess the best way to describe it is anxious. I am a little scared, extremely excited, and a unsure of what to expect. All I know for sure is that my life is about to change forever, and I am thrilled to start this next chapter.

I made the decision this week, along with my doctor, to go ahead and start my maternity leave on Monday Feb. 27. I had my appointment on Wednesday and I made progress...70% effaced but still a half cm dilated. However, my cervix has dropped, so things are definitely coming along. My doctor told me my body has already done about 4 hours worth of work that it will not have to do during labor. Great news! Morgan is still very active. I was told to keep track of her movements to make sure she is moving at least 10 times within a 2 hour time frame. The first day I kept track, it took her 6 minutes to do 10 movements. What a busy girl! Looks like Brad and I will have our hands full.

We have very few things to cross off of our to-do list now. Brad installed the carseat yesterday and her nursery is finished except for a few more things to hang on the walls. We are waiting because some of the frames we want to hang need her picture in them first. My bags are officially packed for the hospital, and I have my camera and camcorder charged and ready to go for the hospital. Each night I go to bed hoping that I will go into labor (for some reason I am convinced it is going to happen in the middle of the night), because I really don't want to be induced. I would much rather Morgan decide to come on her own. I am on HIGH ALERT each time I feel a little ache or pain, wondering if labor is starting. Everyone I talk to tells me I will just know, so when in doubt, I guess it's a false alarm.

Okay well here are some stats. I will try to update again on Wednesday after my appointment because I am hoping next weekend I will either be in the hospital or at home with my sweet girl.

How far along? 39 weeks on Tuesday

Total weight gain? still +30

How big is baby? big enough. Come on out Morgan.

Maternity clothes? Oh yes. Found a cute maternity dress in Old Navy today and for a brief second I hoped I was going to be pregnant just a little bit longer so I could wear it. Then I reminded myself that I don't want to be pregnant just for a dress. I'm ready for a baby!

Stretch marks? Still kind of hard to tell if I am getting some. Nothing noticeable. I have to look pretty close to see anything.

Sleep? Not bad. Getting up a lot to go to the bathroom. And for some reason, I am SUPER alert at my 3am bathroom break. Guess my body is preparing me for those 3am feedings.

Movements? yep!

Cravings? this week it was nachos. Thanks to my hubby for getting some for me from Applebees. Yummmm.

Labor signs? A few random pains here and there. Not sure if they are practice contractions or not. Nothing terribly painful though.

Belly button in or out? Half-way. Looks like it won't pop out after all.

What are you looking forward to? Being a Mommy and NOT being pregnant for a while.

37 Weeks - FULL TERM

PRAISE THE LORD! We made it to full term. I also made it to my one year mark at work so I will definitely receive my maternity leave. Such a relief. That being said, I am more anxious than ever for Morgan to get here. I never thought I would want her to come before her due date, but now that I know she will be healthy, I am so excited for her arrival. I really hope that Morgan decides to come on her own. My doctor and I are going to discuss an induction plan at my next appointment in the event that I don't go into labor on my own. He still thinks that I will go into labor on my own, and I hope he is right!

Doctor update... I actually went twice this week. On Wednesday I found out I will still just a half centimeter dilated and 50% effaced (no progress). My doctor picked up on some more bacteria in my urine sample (sorry if thats TMI), and decided to send it off for a culture to see if it was a UTI. On Thursday, I began experiencing some stabbing back pain (on the left side only), and cramping. I thought it may be contractions so I called my doctor. The nurse told me to see if a pattern developed and keep track of Morgan's movements. I made it through the work day but immediately came home a rested. The pains went away as soon as I put my feet up. That night around 1 am, I woke up with EXCRUCIATING back pain and cramping, but with no consistent pattern like contractions would have. I called the on-call doctor who told me to drink lots of fluids and take Tylenol. He suspected it could possibly be a kidney stone and told me to call back if the pain got worse. Well, it never got worse, but it took about 2 hours to go away. Needless to say I did not get much sleep and ended up not being able to work on Friday. I went to see my doctor to follow up on the previous night's events and came to find out I had a pretty severe UTI. He said this could be the cause of my pain, or it could be Morgan pushing on a nerve. I am so glad I went to the doctor on Friday because now I am taking meds to treat the UTI and hopefully it will be gone by the time I go into labor.

Mom and I went and did some final errands this morning. We were able to pick up the glider for the nursery and buy some much needed newborn-sized sleepers. I didn't realize how few I had. I guess I figured the 3 month size would work, but after closer inspection, I realized how big they would be. Then we went to Kohls and I bought some cute lounge around the house clothes. I do not plan on getting dressed up during my maternity leave, but I also don't want to wear pajamas all day long. This afternoon, my friend Mandy and I went to see Victoria at her new apartment. It is adorable! We had a great time catching up. It was weird to say goodbye because I know the next time I see them I will be a Mommy!

Ok well here are the stats (maybe for the last time?!)

How far along? 37 weeks, FULL TERM BABY!

Total weight gain? at my appointment on Wednesday, I was still up 30 pounds (no gain from last week). At my appointment on Friday, I was down 2 lbs. So technically I am +28 lbs.

How big is baby? Over 19 inches and over 6lbs :)

Maternity clothes? YES

Stretch marks? Nope. I feel like there may be some small lines popping up that will probably show up more after I deliver, but we will see. My stomach has been SOOOOO itchy and it takes every ounce of my will power not to scratch. No amount of lotion or cream helps either.

Sleep? Pretty good! Minus the back pain on Thursday night.

Best moment of the week? Making it to full term. It feels like the weight of the world is off my shoulders.

Movement? Yep. Mostly slow rolls and some stretching at this point.

Cravings? Not really. The back pain has actually taken some of my appetite away.

Labor signs? No, but bring them on! We are ready.

Belly button in or out? Half-way in. Not sure if it will ever look the same again, ha ha.

What are you looking forward to? Kissing my sweet girl and holding her in my arms. Can't think about it without crying!

36 weeks. Almost full term!

Every week it seems so hard to believe how quickly things are going by. I am THRILLED that we have almost made it to full term (37 weeks). Morgan can be born any time after 37 weeks and is likely to be just as healthy as a baby born at 40 weeks. Of course, the longer she stays in the better, I will continue to pray for her to come when she is good and ready. I am just so grateful to have come this far and be able to work. I explained many weeks ago that to receive maternity leave, I have to work up until February 14 (my one year mark). HR has made it very clear that if I am to go out before that date, I cannot receive the 12 weeks of leave. I am still hoping I can make it, but as that day gets closer and closer, I am feeling much more relieved.

At my appointment this week, the doctor told me I was still a half cm dilated, and went from 20 to 50% effaced. He believes that next week I should be about 1 cm and 80% effaced. Very exciting!

Not much more to post this week. Today is hubby's birthday! Yay! He is going to a car show and I am going out with my mom to get a mani and pedi. We are going to have a dinner date tonight to celebrate the big 2-4 (youngster). He has been incredibly supportive throughout the pregnancy, but especially this past week. Poor thing has even been sleeping on the couch so that I can sleep better. I love him SO much and I know he is going to make an awesome Daddy. Happy Birthday, Brad!

Stats:

How far along? 36 weeks! Full term on Valentine's Day :)

Total weight gain? 30 lbs (I gained 3 lbs this week. Oopsies! All for a good cause.)

How big is the baby? Almost 19 inches and almost 6 lbs :)

Maternity clothes? YES

Stretch marks? NOPE (fingers crossed)

Sleep? Much better with the bed to myself (and Waylon of course). I still have to get up every 3 hours or so to use the bathroom.

Best moment of the week? My coworkers had a beautiful baby shower for me on Monday. It was so sweet of them! They will make it much easier for me to come back to work after my maternity leave.

Movement? Yes. Very painful at times!

Cravings? The icecream addiction is finally subsiding. Just in time too. 3lbs a week = NOT GOOD.

Labor signs? BH contractions have slowed down some this week.

Belly button in or out? Hanging on for dear life.

What are you looking forward to? Making it to February 14th! Full term AND I can get my maternity leave. What a sigh of relief. Fingers crossed!

35 (well almost 36) weeks!

Late again with the post. Looks like Morgan will be much more punctual than I am apparently. I had another appointment this week and I am still making progress. I am a half cm dilated and 20% effaced. He said that my cervix has definitely dropped since last week and is softening. The doc thinks that I will make it to 37 weeks but he does not think I will go past my due date. Based on how I felt yesterday (HORRIBLE), I would guess that she will be arriving in 2 weeks. Today, I have felt AWESOME and feel like I could go another month. My energy level is much better and I have had very few Braxton Hicks contractions.

I learned a valuable lesson this week. I have been putting off some of the minor preparations, like boiling bottles, washing clothes and blankets, packing my hospital bag, etc, because most of the pregnancy I have been feeling wonderful and thought it would last. Not the case. It is finally sinking in that Morgan can come very soon and there are a lot of little things that need to be done. This was really stressing me out, so MOM TO THE RESCUE! My mom came over earlier this week and got a ton of things done for me. I felt terrible sitting on the couch not being able to help, but I guess that is what moms are for. She has really shown me what it is to be a good mom. So if I could share any advice, it would be to get everything prepped and ready to go before you hit 32 weeks. After that you are likely to be totally exhausted and shouldn't be doing too much extra anyways.

This past Sunday I had my friend baby shower hosted by Amy and Allison. It was wonderful seeing all of my friends together. There were a few who couldn't make it and I definitely missed them! I feel so fortunate to have such supportive and understanding friends. Morgan is going to have a ton of Aunties!

Ok more stats!

How far along? 35 (but closer to 36) weeks.

Total weight gain? 27 lbs (I gained 2 this week. Must be the icecream!!!)

How big is the baby? over 18 inches and 5.25 lbs! (she is now gaining an ounce a day. Amazing)

Maternity clothes? Oh yes. Tried to put on a pre-preggo t-shirt the other night and it was comical.

Stretch marks? Still no, lather lather lather!

Sleep? Not bad. Getting up 3-4 times to pee tho.

Best moment of the week? Seeing all of my beautiful friends at my baby shower. Love them!

Movement? Oh yes. She loves kicking my ribs, OUCH!

Cravings? ICECREAM

Gender? Girl :)

Labor signs? Lots of BH contractions, and cervix is definitely in preparation mode.

Belly button in or out? It's hanging in there, ha ha.

What are you looking forward to? Getting EVERYTHING finished in the nursery so I can stop stressing. And of course, meeting Morgan. Can't believe she could be here in the next couple of weeks. Lets pray that she cooks until 37 weeks at least. I want her to be chunky and healthy.