Home safe!

Well Ry made it home safe from the BWCA yesterday...Thankfully! I am always so happy to see him after we have been apart for a few days, and certainly yesterday was no exception. I think the best part, however, was seeing how excited h e was to see little miss Olivia! He just gobbled her up last night. I have talked before about how rewarding it is for me to see him interact with her when he is filled with such love and joy. Yesterday was no different. Absence certainly does make the heart grow fonder.

Joy of the day: Olivia slept until 9:20 (so did Mama!) this morning; then took a 2 hour nap so Mom could read HP7 (Harry Potter, if you don't know). Thanks O!

Bye bye Daddy!

Well Daddy left us. Don't worry, only for the weekend! :) He went up to the BWCA for his annual boys trip. He was so sweet saying goodnight to Olivia last night since he knew that he wouldn't see her for a few days--lots of hugs and kisses. It's funny how much more I worry about his safety now that we have Olivia; I can't imagine having to do this by myself. If you would, say a little prayer that Ryan has a safe trip and comes back to us in one piece!

Leave it at work!

Being a therapist can be a frustrating job. I love it, it's very rewarding, but it's very difficult. Lately I have been having a hard time "leaving it at work". When I work with kids who are going through some tough things, or just when parents aren't doing what they should, I have such a hard time leaving it at work. I never used to have this problem. I find myself now thinking and worrying about Olivia and how I hope that she never has struggles like these. I just pray that Ryan and I can be the best parents that we can be to her and that she doesn't go through awful things during childhood and adolescence. I sometimes worry about all the little things that I do and how they are going to effect her as she grows up. I know I am doing my best and, most of the time, I feel confident with my best. But I just see all of these hurting children and adolescents and hope that my babe isn't one of those hurting souls when she grow up.

It's not my fault!

So today I had my moms & babes group and one of the things we were talking about was napping. We discussed the struggles of napping and I shared how Olivia doesn't like to take long naps, even though she needs them! One of the leaders of the group kept trying to say that it was my fault that she doesn't take long naps--she would say, "boy does she have you trained"... Seriously? How? Because I put her in her crib? I don't pick her up when she cries right away? What?

She just won't take long naps. (Although right now she's butting up to two hours!) I really don't think it's my fault and, frankly, wanted to push her in the Rum River (we were at the park) for saying so. Maybe she should take issue with the gal in our group who still holds her little guy for naps...and he's 9 months old. Now there's a reason why he won't take naps by himself.

Really, Olivia? Already!?!

Olivia has figured out the army crawl. While I am so excited and ready to mark another developmental milestone down in the books...I can't help but be a bit apprehensive! Average age for crawling is 9 months...some can start as early as 6 months. But seriously, 4 1/2 months? Yes, of course I can't help but feel my child is gifted. :) But I'm not too sure about mobility yet.

On another note, had a great weekend up at the cabin. Our friends Jill & Mike came up with us and we had a blast all weekend. It is great to have friends who will still hang out with us even though we have a little one! I was very worried about that when we got pregnant and am so thankful that they still like us! :) So thanks Jill & Mike!

Eat, please!

So I just got to work and I have to vent because Olivia wouldn't eat before I left! The little stinker! So she ate at 10 and I left at 12:30--she should have been hungry enough at least to snack! And she was acting hungry, just NOPE not eating Mom!

I guess the positive is that she took a nap for nearly 2 hours this morning! Go O!

When did my life suddenly start to only revolve around eating and sleeping? Oh yes, March 4. :)

Why is Grampy so lucky?

So, we've had a rough week. So rough that I haven't had time to get online and write. I guess I should rephrase...Monday was rough...Tuesday I had to recover...and now it's Wednesday (not so bad when I look back! :) ) Monday Olivia took 3 30 min. naps. She was a bear. She wouldn't sleep, and so she was exhausted and crabby. Yesterday was a little better, 2 45 min. naps and one 1 hr. nap. So I did some research. What I found out was that often babies have a hard time transitioning in their sleep cycle so they wake up and then don't know how to get themselves back to sleep. They tend to wake up at either 30 min. or 45 min. Sound like someone we know? So the key is to help them get back to sleep.

So that brings me to today! Oh today! Today she fought going to sleep for her nap...I finally got her down at 12:00 when I fed her. At 12:30 ON THE DOT she woke up. Sleep cycle? I THINK SO! So I just picked her up and held her for literally like 2 minutes and she was zonked. Guess how long she slept for.....

She slept for 2 hours and 15 minutes more! For a grand total of 2 hrs. and 45 min! HOLY O! I really shouldn't get so excited, because with a baby, what works today NEVER works tomorrow! So that brings me to the title of my blog--Grampy was home watching her today during her nap (I left for work about 1:15). How come she can't nap that long for me? Think of the things I could do!!

I long for consistency!

I am a very consistent person. I do not fly by the seat of my pants; I plan. This is one of the biggest challenges that I am having to face being a mom. Before I was a mom, I knew exactly what would happen every day. I knew that when I went to bed, I would be able to stay in bed until I had to get up in the morning (stress I). I knew what I would be doing each day, and my schedule was only dependent upon me.

Now all has changed! I've had to throw my consistency out the window (except when it comes to parenting, and even that at this point is a struggle!). I would love to know each night when I put Olivia to bed that I wouldn't see her until 6 am, and then perhaps be able to sleep until 8 am, and then she'd go for a nap at 10, and then a nap at 2, and then maybe an evening nap. That sounds great! But that isn't O's plan. For 6 weeks she was very consistent about sleep at night--bed around 9, wake up between 5-7, and usually sleep longer after that. No more says O! The last few weeks we have had to throw that out the window--bed time is still consistent, but she started waking at night periodically (luckily soothed only by the nukie), and she has sometimes started waking up at 4, or 6, or 7...who knows. So last night she woke up at 2:45...WIDE awake. Nukie didn't put her back to sleep...she laid and fussed until 3:45 when she started crying (with Ry and I periodically going back in and giving her the nukie). Now, my rule with her waking up at night has always been that I won't feed her until 4 am (she no longer needs to eat at night)...so last night I gave in at 3:45.

Part of me says, "Only 15 minutes--close enough!" The other part of me says, "You've really screwed things up now--she'll be waking every night for some boobie!" I hope I'm right with the first part of me. I'm ready for consistency!!!

Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'

Keep them doggies rollin...RAWHIDE! Bridgit, I always think of you when I sing Rawhide. Not quite sure why, but thought you would like to know.

Anyway, the real point is that Olivia rolled over from her back to her tummy! Way to go little O! Apparently she pulled herself over with one of her toys yesterday (which I missed because I was at work...stupid work), but today she did it all by herself! Which I didn't miss! She was so proud of herself & Mommy was awfully proud of her too! :) Take time to hug your babes today, they are so special!

Ryan's a great dad! (Hooray, my title bar works!)

As a mom, I tend to automatically take charge of the majority of the parenting of Olivia. I think it's just something that mom's do! The downfall of that is Ry hardly gets to do anything...I think, I know, he would do more (especially if I asked) but I tend to just jump in and do it. So, now that I am at work more, Ry gets O a couple of evenings a week for a couple of hours by himself. He looks forward to that time so much and they are always having a ball when I get home. Their favorite thing to do is to go and check on Olivia's pumpkin patch, second favorite is watching Daddy's hunting videos (Maybe that's really just Daddy's favorite!). It is so rewarding for me to see them interact together and both have so much fun. Ry is so great with her and I love that he wants to be involved with her. Maybe it's a good reminder for me to step back a little and let him do more!

Pics...

Olivia, Oran, & Jackson

Morgan, Ehlan & Olivia, Raegan, Maren

Olivia enjoying her bath!

Just some pics I thought you might enjoy. Don't you love the expressions of the babes in the first pic? Oran looks like he's in his glory...Jackson & Olivia aren't quite sure!!

My title bar still won't work.

If I could speak baby language.... Yesterday Olivia would have said, "SHOTS SUCK." We had her 4 month appointment yesterday. She is 24 3/4 inches long, head 16", and weighed 13 lb. 0 oz. We had to wait an hour and 10 minutes to even get in the Dr. office (better than the hour and a half last time)...so of course by the time we even got in to see the doc Olivia was tired and getting hungry. All in all it went well, until the shots came. She screamed like she has never screamed before. At her 2 mo. appt. as soon as she was done and I picked her up she was fine...NOT this time! She shrieked all the way out to the car. Poor little babe! She did well staying with Grammy and Grampy while Ry and I went out on a date though. And she seems fine today. I guess the good news is that at 6 mos. she only has to get 2 shots instead of 3. I think O will still say, "SHOTS SUCK." :)

I can't get my title bar to work to title my post. :(

Olivia just loves swimming! We were up at the cabin again this weekend and took Olivia swimming 3 times. Each time she is in the water, she seems to like it more and more. Much to her Daddy's dismay, Mommy even dunked her underwater. You'd think it was the other way around, but Daddy was a little chicken. :) He thinks Mommy is a meanie. O didn't seem to mind it too much--no crying, just a 10 sec. gasping session as she tried to figure out what just happened!

Olivia has her 4 month doctors appointment at 4:40 today...pray the shots go well! More so for the aftermath when the shots are done. No fevers! Ry and I are going on a date with Jill & Mike tonight...some much needed time together without the babe! We are hoping, hoping, hoping that Olivia does will with Grammy & Grampy after her shots and doesn't need her Mommy.

Hot dog!

About 8:00 last night I was getting Olivia ready for bed, when I realized that her miracle blanket was in the washing machine...wet. Crap. So, no time like the present than stopping the swaddle!
She went to bed great, woke up once about 11:45, and slept until 6:00! What a big girl! Yeah O!

Sometimes it's hard...

Sometimes it's hard to be a new mom! Yesterday we went to the 4th of July celebration at our church; it was a lot of fun...but it was hard! I would have loved to be outside playing games, being with Ryan, talking with friends, etc., but I had to be inside with Olivia because it was SO hot! We were outside for a little bit, but it was just too hot for a little babe. Don't get me wrong, I had a lot of fun inside too, but it just wasn't the same.

Also, I get so aggravated when people talk about Olivia's size. I don't know why it bugs me so much, it probably shouldn't. But it does! Yesterday someone was commenting on "how big she is for 4 months". First off, she isn't. Second, the way people say it just comes across to me as judgmental. They probably aren't intending it to be that way, but that is how I feel. It makes me feel like I have to defend her...which I don't! Why do people have to say it like that? Can't you just say "look how big she's getting!" or "she's growing so fast!". It sounds so much better that way.

Olivia's 3 month pics...

Thanks to Bridgit, my wonderfully talented BFF :), who took such lovely pics of my baby girl. These were taken at 3 months...get a load of those eyes!! Bridgit, you do amazing work and I am so grateful to you for taking such wonderful pics of little O!

Boobs... & Other stuff...

2 funny nursing stories from my nieces...little kids crack me up.

Raegan, Age 6:
Telling her two younger cousins about nursing, while watching Olivia eat: "When those things go flat, that means she's done!" :)

Maren, Age 3:
Talking about Olivia eating, and pointing at the boobies: "That ones food and that ones milk."

Goofies...they are so sweet.

Today Olivia spent the morning with her Auntie Bridgit and Oran & Jackson...she was a little fussy but did good. It was so much fun to be able to leave her with them and then be able to spend time with them all together. Olivia, Oran, and Jackson all took naps at the same time (O for 2 hours!!!) so Bridgit and I even got some time by ourselves. It was a nice day!
Tonight, Auntie Mara came to visit. Olivia was in such a good mood--she was giggling, and smiling, more than I have ever seen her gigggle before. It was a blast. She's all tuckered out now...bedtime early tonight!