& a Thanks!

Thanks to everyone who comments on my blog! I really do appreciate knowing that people are reading it and paying attention! :)

4 years!

Yesterday was our 4 year anniversary....I can hardly believe that it has already been four years. It has absolutely flown by, and yet I can't even remember what it was like to not be married to my wonderful husband! We have been so busy lately that we didn't get to do anything too special, but we went out to eat at the Cambridge Station (where we had our first date) and ran errands (how romantic!). It was fun to have Olivia with us, but we will have to make some time to celebrate just the two of us. We need a sitter! :)

Olivia stayed with her Grampy almost all day yesterday; she did really well, despite that she just will not eat! She was with him 6 hours and only at 1 1/2 ounces. By the time I got there, she was starving, of course! But she just won't eat for anyone but Mommy. It's frustrating because it makes me feel like I can't leave her for more than a few hours. Not like she would die without eating for 6 hours, but I know she needs to eat more. It's such a battle trying to decide what I should do...give it up and know that she will be okay, or just not leave. Sigh...

Lucky day!

It is 5:13 pm...Olivia has been sleeping since 2:30 (well, she woke up at 4 to eat, and fell fast asleep again after). I don't quite know what to do with myself! But I am enjoying it. I am still working on the nap routine we started yesterday...maybe it's successful...maybe it's just what worked today!

I guess we will try it again tomorrow!

Only where I live...

Oh my! So, last night about 10 pm Ryan goes to take some garbage out. I am downstairs on the computer, minding my own business, when he comes blasting back in the house and runs up the stairs. Of course my immediate thought is...No, don't wake Olivia! Then he comes flying downstairs, hollering...come with me! I go up to him and he's carrying the shotgun, looking frantically for a flashlight. He says,"somethings making a weird noise out there, that I have never heard before; come with me to check it out". Yes, like that is what I want to do at 10 at night!
So, of course, being the wonderful wife that I am, I follow him outside...he says stay right behind me....I was more like 20 feet behind. You should have heard that thing screeching! I thought it was a rabid, dying, pig. So, Ryan finds the eyes and shoots it...good thing I have a husband with good aim!
He heads over to the tree line to check it out, finds the creature (I'm still picturing a pig), and discovers it was a fox! That thing sounded horrible! So, I venture over to check it out too...I'm walking, walking, walking...WHAM. I fall in a hole up to my waist. Oops, Ryan says, forgot to tell you about that big hole. Yes, you sure did! Of course when I fall in, I'm picturing a fox hole or something with a creature in it, so I'm scrambling to get out! But no, just a hole that Ryan dug himself when he needed some dirt....just forgot to tell me about it!

Oh what a night!

A new plan for napping...

So, today is the day for the new nap plan. I am testing it out right now (so wish me luck!). I'm putting her in her crib (she happened to fall asleep nursing this time so she was asleep--but of course woke up), after she has been crying for 5-10 min. (depending on the severity) I am going in, giving her her nukie, rubbing her face, and singing "You are my sunshine"...then leaving, and repeating the process for as long as it takes. So far, she has been laying down for 30 min. and I have gone in 2x. And I hope that I am done.

Any tips from you moms out there?

Olivia in Bluewater...

First time in Bluewater...

We spent the weekend up in Grand Rapids...beautiful weather! We were able to be out on the lake all day on Saturday. Olivia "swam" in Bluewater for the first time. She loved being in the water...no crying! Except when her cousin, Maren splashed her.

I'm going to post pics this afternoon, but have to go to work! Happy Monday!

Oh Olivia...

So...recently Olivia has started waking up at night. After 6 weeks of sleeping from 9 or 10 at night to 5-7 in the morning, she started waking up in the middle of the night (satisfied luckily by the nuk) and then has started waking up at 4:30 (yes, she goes back to sleep after). So last night, she woke up 3 times! 12:45, 3:15, 3:45....and then at 4:30...then 6:30...then slept until 8:45. Oh Olivia!

In the night we have just been getting up and giving her the nuk....does this need to stop? Should we let her go? I just don't know what to do...but waking up that much is not okay with momma. That much I know for sure!

And she got out of her miracle blanket last night! See www.miracleblanket.com **and if you have a babe and don't have one of these, they really are a miracle....at least until your little one wriggles out of it! I don't know how she did it, because it really is fool-proof. But when I went in at 3:15...there she was only in a onesie with no miracle blanket. Oh Olivia!

Well, we are heading up north to GR for the weekend to celebrate the June b-days. The weather is supposed to be good, so I'm really looking forward to it. Be back Sunday... :)

Cutie...

Finally taking a nappy in her crib. What a sweet little angel! It's amazing how you can be so frustrated, but the instant they fall asleep they melt your heart! How could you not think this is the sweetest?

No, I haven't given up yet!

My internet is down. That's the bugger with having an online journal...when your internet is down, there'snt much you can do about it! So I am writing a quick entry from work just to let you all know that I haven't given up yet...and I hope you haven't given up on reading my blog yet since I haven't posted lately!

Quick update--spent the weekend up north, went to watch Grandma's Marathon...it was hot, but fun! Monday I worked a full day--I was very anxious but, of course, it worked out. My mom watched Olivia, and was able to bring her down to me in the afternoon. It was fun for my colleagues to be able to meet her and for me to be able to see her!

Sorry this is short but I'm on the clock! :) Hopefully the internet will be fixed today and I'll be back up and running. Happy Wednesday!

We survived!

Well, Olivia and I survived our first day of my going back to work. Thank goodness! Thanks to all of you who had me in your thoughts and prayers today! It went well, and I actually enjoyed being back at work and getting back into doing therapy. I surprised myself!

Olivia did great with Grampy...she even took a nap for him in her crib for 40 minutes! Maybe Grampy should watch Livi every day! :)

Excitement of the day: Olivia pooped! (Sad when that's the excitement, but when it is Thursday and she hasn't pooped since last Friday that's big news!!)

Frustration of the day: I have a headache. That's not that exciting either!

Just like therapy...

Just like therapy #1: Who would have thought it would work so well? Only 6 hours online and I have 4 comments! I really do appreciate all of the advice and thoughts...this was, I think, the deep down purpose of creating my blog.

Just like therapy #2: So speaking of therapy, tomorrow will be my first official day back to work. I am not excited. I am hoping that being back will help me to remember what I love about my career, because as of now, I am not feeling it. I would just like to be home with my little Olivia! At least I know that she is being well taken care of by her Grampy Rog (& Grammy Dondi at times!)...that makes it a lot easier than having to bring her to daycare. So, if you think of it, say a little prayer for me tomorrow afternoon that the return to work goes smoothly!

Thanks!!

A day in the life...

My first blog... So if you didn't gather the purpose of my blog from reading the side bar, I'll tell you again! Basically, I just need a way to tell everyone about my day and just to journal my thoughts and feelings. I am a new mom... I have a sweet little girl, Olivia Lynn and she is 3 months old.

Everyday we have new experiences, excitements, and frustrations together, and I just need a way to talk about them! I also just want to be able to share my thoughts with those who are interested. So I hope you visit my blog, I hope to post daily. Enjoy!

Oh, the big excitement thus far today is that Olivia rolled over from her stomach to her back for the first time! Hoorah! The frustration thus far today is that it took me an hour and 15 minutes to get her down for her nap...which will probably only last a half hour.

Nap time... Olivia has decided this week that naps are not for her! She would much rather be awake and explore her world, even if she is the most tired baby on the planet! We start the nap process by giving her the Nuk (which she LOVES), rocking, and cudding in a blankie. She'll fall fast asleep....till I lay her down. Wahhhhhhhhh. Pick her up, and start again. I do let her cry, and sometimes she lays and fusses, cries, is quiet, fusses, cries, is quiet over and over for 45 minutes. I think she'd do it all day if I didn't make her sleep. Finally after about an hour of this, I give up and hold her so she'll sleep. Eventually I can put her down, but still. How's a girl to get anything done?? Oh Olivia...it's a good thing you are so cute and look so precious sleeping or Mommy would be frustrated all day! :)