it's a birthday week!

Just wanted to say Happy Birthday from us to two very special people in Lil Miss' world -- her Uncle Camron (whose birthday was Tuesday) and her Aunt Anjie (whose birthday is today). We love you both very very much!

she's practically perfect in every way

May 27, 2009

But, of course, we already knew that!

We had her two month check up early this afternoon. Her doctor says she's doing really good -- he says she's "perfect" -- and that she's a little ahead of where he would expect her to be in some developmental things. Jimmy swears she's a genius, but I think he's biased, but her doctor confirmed that she's a little ahead of herself and I'm sure she's going to be a very very smart little girl.

She was in the 25th percentile in everything at her two week appointment (7 lbs 4 oz, 19 inches and I forgot head circumference). She's now 11 lbs 2 oz (no clothes and a dry diaper -- so real weight) and 22 inches long with a head circumference of 15 and a third inches. She's in the 50th percentile for her age. So she's growing fast and proportionally. He says he would not be surprised if she's more than double her birth weight at six months (which is what is average). I am no longer worried that she's not getting enough food.

He said whatever it is we're doing seems to be working and to just keep doing it. She goes back for another well check up in two months.

Trying to eat her burp cloth -- that child LOVES to eat. She's NOT like her Mommy in that department.

Today was not a shots appointment because shots are done by the Health Department at the Community Health Center. They won't be for another couple of weeks because I didn't realize I had to go to a different place (my fault completely) and they're really busy. If they get a cancellation sooner, they'll call me, but that's not usual. But her doctor said she'll be alright and to just be sure to make her appointment for her next shots while I'm there anyway. I'm not looking forward to that day. Her doctor suggested giving her some baby tylenol about a half hour before her appointment to help with keeping any fever and symptoms down, but also said I could wait until after and see if any symptoms show up.

I'm not looking forward to the needles OR the thought of my poor little munchikin being sick. I don't like that. Jimmy's already said that he doesn't want to go to that appointment cause he knows he won't be able to handle it if she starts crying. So Mommy gets to be the bad guy.

But I'd expected and prepared myself for that anyway.

Sleeping in her bouncer -- she loves that thing! If you put her in it if she's at all tired, she's out old within just a few minutes.

Other than the doctor's appointment it was a rather uneventful day, as Lil Miss had another sleepy day, so she cat napped a lot. I'm pretty sure that's because she was awake last night from four am until about eight thirty this morning. We walked, she played in her bouncy chair while Mommy tried to cat nap on the bean bag chair next to her and we watched Mike and Mike in the Morning. She's a good little baby, she just apparently likes to be awake early in the morning (which means Mommy is going to bed very soon). And we got all the way through another bath with absolutely no tears. I think she's finally gotten completely used to it!

I have the best baby ever and I love her to pieces.

On another note -- send some good thoughts down this way for the next few weeks. The attorney I work for is retiring this summer, so I'm job hunting for something full time. There's a few possibilities right now and, if those don't work out, I'll just keep looking. But I could use some good thoughts. The job market here isn't great and I really want something with a steadier paycheck than waiting tables.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

eleven pounds of dead weight makes for a long weekend

May 23, 2009

It's been a long long weekend.

After Lil Miss' not sleepy at all Friday, I was expecting Saturday to be a day of naps. Haha, I was wrong -- she was a very SLEEPY baby on Saturday, but not a TIRED baby. Let's just say I had a grumpy butt ALL day on Saturday, who wanted to do nothing but fuss and nothing seemed to make her happy cause she was so sleepy but she refused to go to sleep.

Long day, cause Daddy was working (it's Memorial Day weekend -- long hours too) so Mommy had a fussy and screaming baby. Mommy was tired when she finally went to sleep.

May 24, 2009

Yesterday wasn't a whole lot better. She was actually tired, and wanted to sleep most of the day, but she refused to be put down. So Mommy got to carry around a sleeping baby -- meaning an over eleven pound dead weight -- all day long. Let me tell you how much my arms hurt when I finally got her out for the night and she let me put her down without screaming -- at ten thirty pm.

She was then awake again on this morning and was awake until almost five and then awake again at seven. Mommy is a sleepy sleepy girl.

I don't know what's going on with her. Is she maybe growing again? She is two months old today.

This is how my munchikin sleeps. It canNOT be good for her!

So yeah -- that is how my little one sleeps -- with her face directly against the side of her bassinet. No matter how many times I move her or straighten her back out, it's right back to this. I know she can breathe but it still worries me and I don't know how to stop it. Even when I use the little things that are supposed to keep her in place, she moves them til she's like this.

I don't know why she wants to sleep like that, but she is damn determined. And with me and Jimmy as parents? She's stubborn as a mule. She's going to sleep how she wants to sleep!

Trying to eat her hand. I'm not sure why. She wasn't hungry -- I tried to feed her, she spit it out and put her hand right back in.

Why does she do this? Anyone have any ideas? She tries to eat her hand on a daily basis. Not just her fingers (which she does too) but her whole fist. She can't fit it all in her mouth, but she tries damn hard. Again -- our daughter is a determined little baby. It is kinda funny to watch.

My sleepy sleepy attachmenty baby.

So yeah. I don't know how today is going to be. She's awake right now (she's playing in her bouncer) but I dunno if it's going to be a fussy day, a napping day or a normal day. I guess we'll see. I'll let y'all know tonight. Right now? I'm gonna go play with my munchkin -- and try not to think about how tired I am.

Her little monkey toys. They're so long! She can grip a finger with her toes almost as as with her hands!

she's a porker!

May 20, 2009

She sleeps in some of the funniest positions.

So yeah, was a pretty normal day today. It was a friend of Daddy's birthday, so some of them were going our jet skiing. So Lil Miss and I went down to work early this morning, since we were trying to get a bill out today at work. Lil Miss had a minor melt down this morning -- nothing bad, but she was fussy, so I was holding her and had to go tell Charles a client was on the phone. She flailed a little bit as I was turning to leave his office and go back to my desk and she hit her head on the door frame. Not hard, but enough to cause a little melt down.

I felt horrible.

After that, she didn't really want to be put down, but she didn't really necessarily have to be cradled and there was some typing I had to do. So what did I do? I sat her up in my lap, lowered my chair a little and typed with her there in my lap. She was happy and I could work. Charles came out and saw if and just laughed. He said he wished he had a camera because it was one of the cuter things he'd seen.

I almost wish I had a picture of it too!

Our daughter is a porker -- she tries to eat everything!!! (including, here, her Pooh Bear blanket)

So Lil Miss and I had an appointment with the WIC nutritionist this morning to get her formula checks switched over to soy. No big deal, she just seems to be doing much better on the soy formula and the nutritionist has to see you to switch anything. She weighed me (116) and then, because I was curious and asked, weighed Lil Miss.

Lil Miss, on her eight week birthday, is 11 lbs 1 oz and 22 inches long. She's gained almost 4 pounds and 3 inches. No wonder my arms get tired after carrying and bouncing her all day! She's getting big!

The nutritionist said she's growing very well and seems to be doing just fine. She has her actual two month check up with her doctor next Wednesday and then her first immunization shots (NOT looking forward to that!) next Thursday. I'll let y'all know what the doctor says, obviously.

With my little one, out early tonight.

It apparently must have been a long day for Lil Miss because she actually put herself to sleep about an hour or so early tonight. She just slept in my arms that last hour, because she was too cute, sweet and cuddly to put down. Look at that picture -- could YOU have put her down?

Didn't think so.

I can't wait for all of y'all that haven't met her to meet her, and for those of you who have to see her again. She's getting her own little personality. She smiles and almost laughs. She wants to crawl SO bad. Everyone says she's just the cutest, sweetest little baby.

I think I might have to agree.

and lil miss makes it all better

May 11, 2009

Yeah............Mommy was sick yesterday. I felt like crap. Even after I took my bath, I still felt like crap. So Lil Miss was a bit fussy and we were laying on the couch. Apparently we fell asleep -- and Daddy took a picture. I should kick him -- I LOOK sick. But it's a cute picture and, honestly, it's my favorite way to sleep now. I love cuddling with my little monkey -- she's such a good cuddlebug.

May 12, 2009

So Mommy worked today. And Lil Miss didn't. She stayed home with Daddy. And gave Daddy a taste of what Mommy has been trying to tell him for the last six weeks -- she's a good baby, but she's not always the easiest baby to take care of. She's put herself on a bit of a schedule -- wakes up between 7 and 9 and is awake til early afternoon (2 to 3ish). She wants to play in the mornings. She'll take little power naps, but not sleep much. Then she wakes up about 5 or 6ish and is awake until about 9 or 10, when she puts herself to bed for the night, just waking up to eat.

Daddy got a taste of Lil Miss being awake for a few good hours today. Maybe he won't think my job was so easy anymore. (c:

Don't look at the face -- look at how well she's sitting up!!! (Even if she does need some help)

So work wasn't bad, but it was hard. I just wanted to get everything done as quick as possible so I could get home. I missed my little bunny. As soon as I came home, even though she was asleep, I went and picked her up and held her for a bit and felt a bit better.

You would be proud of me -- I didn't really cry. It was hard and it sucked, but I didn't cry. It took longer to leave this morning than usual though, cause I didn't want to leave her and she was rather fussy.

I love her though. She seemed happy to see me tonight and was very sweet and cuddly. It's so good to come home and go to pick her up and see her smile when she sees me. Nothing better.

Watching Transformers (one of our favorite movies) with Daddy.

She likes the TV. I think she just likes the moving pictures and the flashing lights, but when she's laying on our bed with us, or on the couch with us, like above, she watches the TV. I know she doesn't understand it, but she watched Transformers with Daddy for a good twenty minutes. It was very cute.

Daddy says we need to get her some Baby Einsteins. He says they start at 3 months -- and that will be here before I know it!

Best picture we've managed of her sticking her tongue out. Her "yuck" face (like when she spits out her bottle cause she's done). It's TOO cute!

She's getting big. A friend of ours who hadn't seen her in like three weeks came by this evening and was just like "Wow, she's getting bigger!" I couldn't agree more. She's getting very heavy and very long. I think she's grown again. Her two month doctor's appointment is coming up in like a week and a half, so they'll be able to tell me how much she weighs and how long she is.

Though I'll also have to get her immunizations done. NOT looking forward to that part.

Finally zonked out -- and yes, she's sucking on her fingers.

And she's finally out. Mommy still doesn't feel good, so it's cheesecake time and then? Sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.

already getting older...

April 26, 2009

Lil Miss is a month old. Well, actually, she was a month old yesterday, but, being sick, I forgot to mention that in last night's post. Sorry about that! I can't believe she's already a month old. It's a little crazy. She's growing too -- I mean seriously. Check out the daily picture, from up there, and compare it to this one right here, taken the night she came home from the hospital -- March 27, 2009.

Just coming to her new home -- March 27, 2009

So yeah -- she's definitely grown some and she's definitely getting bigger. I have no clue HOW big, as we don't have a scale in the house (Mommy has some.......issues with things like weight, so it's best if I just don't know what I weigh and don't have the temptation to look at a scale), so I can't weigh her. I need to go get her weight or something, I dunno. Maybe I'll just wait til her two month check up and her vaccinations (oh Lordy am I NOT looking forward to that!) cause I know they'll weigh her then. But I kinda want to know before that!

Oh well. I'll figure something out.

Being a cute little attachment cuddle bug -- like she was most of the day.

Now, Mommy had plans for today. I was going to move as much stuff as possible (while, of course, keeping an eye on the draft and who Miami and Philly were taking) so that tomorrow, when everything had been switched over and turned on, we could maybe get the last of the big stuff (there's really only four or five things I can't move on my own) when Jimmy got home from work and maybe we could sleep in the new apartment tomorrow night. I would love that.

However, Lil Miss had her own ideas about what to do today. And they involved being held.

Constantly.

All day long.

And letting Mommy know -- in no uncertain terms -- that it was NOT acceptable if she was put down.

So, this created a bit of a problem, as I couldn't exactly hold her and move stuff at the same time. I ended up putting her in the sling and moving the lighter stuff and things I could carry with her right there. Then, late in the afternoon, she finally crashed and I was able to move some stuff while carrying the baby monitor. Didn't get as much as I wanted done, but I got some done. And I'm about to go move even more in a few minutes.

Oh yeah, just before I took that picture up there at the top? Lil Miss was trying to eat Moo cow again. She was asleep, but had grabbed ahold of him at some point (his arm) and was gnawing on it or gumming on it. I took it away (don't want her to choke / suffocate or anything like that) and put it up in the corner, but that little girl -- she loves to eat.

She's a little porker (isn't it obvious?) and she loves her bottle. She's so funny when she eats -- there are times you would think we starve her or something the way she goes after that bottle and tries to grab at it and such. We'll have to get video of her eating at some point or something. It's kinda funny and she makes some of the cutest little noises (not just when she's eating, also just in general, but also especially when she's eating). But she's a cutie and a good one.

I think we might just keep her.

changing my world in just four weeks

April 22, 2009

Day I-don't-even-know-anymore of cow attachment. We've started calling him Moo Cow (as evident in a couple of my previous posts). He goes everywhere with us. We need to go by the florist that did the flowers (where Moo Cow came from) and see if they'll sell us a couple more. Luckily, they are local and not far from work.

Lil Miss is still having night terrors. I can sometime hear cues that tell me they're coming on, but not always. She made that sound again -- this little scream, not a cry - a scream, that is very much a "scared" sound, not a "sad" sound -- at work today and also tonight when Daddy was holding her and seeing if she was going to stay asleep. I hate hate hate hate hate that sound. It breaks my heart and makes me sad. I just want to scoop her up and hold her and never let her go again. God that's a horrible sound.

She's awake a lot more now. That's taking some getting used to. She's actually playing and focusing on things too, which is awesome. She's holding her head up pretty well and getting her neck strength slowly. I even saw her smile tonight when we were playing on the floor. She's doing really well.

Question -- since she was born at 39 weeks instead of 40 weeks, is she still considered premature? All the books say that, for premature babies, you should judge their development in weeks from when they would have been 40 weeks or full term, not from when they were born. Is that true for her? Should I be judging her by 3 week standards or 4 week standards?

Aren't they so cute? I love this picture!

Daddy has the magic touch, it seems. He can always get her to go down, even when Mommy can't. Makes me somewhat jealous. But hey, we knew long ago that she was going to be a Daddy's girl. She never listened to Mommy when she was in the womb, but all it took was Daddy putting his hands on my belly and saying one word to her, and she calmed down and stopped whatever she was doing.

Brat. (c:

Daddy, Lil Miss and Zeus. My whole world in one picture.

I can't believe she's already four weeks old. She'll be a month on Saturday. It doesn't seem like that long, but then again, there are already moments I can't even begin to think what we did when she wasn't here. I was talking to Rae today about something and I was like "it's amazing how much has changed in four weeks". A month ago, I wouldn't have left the house without my Ipod and organizer and a book and my purse. Now it's diapers and wipes and Moo Cow and pacifiers. And I love it. I couldn't be happier.

It's crazy. Seriously, who ever thought I would like carrying a diaper bag more than any of my cute purses?

Definitely a zombie. She's trying to eat my arm!