Christmas Recap

Christmas was really fun this year with Arlee.  She got so much stuff, we have got to get a tox box or something very soon.   Unless she is eating or sleeping she is playing.  Now she has plenty of toys to play with.  Christmas Eve we spent at Waycos parents house.  This is where she opened her first present, she just grabbed it and tore into it.

Here she is Christmas morning with her new high chair and her Wonderpets.  She loves Wonderpets on Nick Jr.  she will stop everything she is doing to watch these animals. 

Christmas Day Photos

She had such a good day, all smiles, no melt-downs.  We have one more Christmas in Emporia this weekend so I am wishing for the same behavior.  It will be her longest car ride so far. 

Spitting!

Arlee has discovered how to spit, kinda. It must be part of teething, because she is getting her first tooth, the bottom right one, you can see a small white tooth trying to peak through!  Here she is demonstrating spitting while playing!

Here are a few other pics

Sitting pretty at the new table

Getting into the Christmas spirit!

New Stuff

This has been a long week for us.  We hosted Thanksgiving this year, it turned out to be a great time.  I cooked my very first turkey, even boke out the china!  It was a little nerve racking but once it was all said and done, I would do it again anytime.  It is so nice to get all the family together, Wayco and I both have small immediate families so we can combine them and its just the right size.  Plus they all get along pretty good.  Arlee had it made with 3 Grandmas and 3 Grandpas to spoil her at the same time! 

This was the first year I didn't have to work on Black Friday in 6 years, so I went and did a little shopping in Pittsburg and took Arlee with us.  She loves people watching and cruising in her stroller!  There weren't to many good deals for me but I managed to get a few things, it was just mainly nice to be back in Pitt for a while and get to have Mall Deli!! All the people shopping just reminded me that I need to start X-mas shopping ASAP!

Also we had a breakthrough this weekend.  We all got a full nights sleep!! Arlee usually would wake up between 1and 3 am to eat, well she didn't!! She didn't wake up til 6 - 6:30am all 3 nights so far!!  It was so nice to sleep!  I love my sleep and have been waiting and waiting to for her to sleep all night.  We are very much in our routine now.  I always tried to have a routine with her but every few weeks her eating and sleeping would change so we never really had to strict of one.  Now and for the past month she is on a schedule like you wouldn't believe.  Bath by 7:30pm bottle right after and bed no later than 8:15 pm!  Its so nice, well most of the time.  Here is an example of when a routine isn't so nice to have.  We had to get alot at Wal-Mart so we dropped Arlee off at my parents and we got back to get her a few minutes after 7pm she had started fussing and wouldn't stop til we got her home in her bath tub! Man she really knows when its time!!  So we have to plan everything around her bath time, haha.  I am glad to say we hardly ever use the swing anymore, Arlee practically lived in that swing the first 2or 3 months of her life. Now she may go days without it!  No more constantly charging batteries!  She sleeps in her pack-n-play downstairs during the day and in her crib at night.  Things just keep getting better and better!  Now if only we could potty train, haha!

Scared of Strangers

My Grandma watches Arlee at our house when we are away at work, my dad usually stops by every morning to.  So Arlee sees them constantly, my mom watches her on Saturdays while we work and Waycos parents get her every few weeks.  She seems comfortable around all of them, which is great, but the people she doesn't see on a regular basis are startig to scare her!  My Aunt came over yesterday, she had been coming over regularly but has been outta town for a month, Arlee started screaming when she picked her up and wouldn't have anything to do with her!  It broke my Aunt's heart!  Then, my friend Lori came over and went to hold Arlee and she did the same thing, she was screaming!  Lori couldn't stand it and tried to get her to be okay but she just wouldn't.  She was fine if I held her and they would talk to her then she would smile, but if they held her the screaming began.  I don't want this to keep happening, I don't know what to do!

On a good note, she can sit up kinda!  Here are some pics

4 Month Update

Wow, where has the time gone!  Arlee is now 4 months old.  We had her check-up today.  Everything went great, except for the shots.  She hates her shots so much, it makes me so sad to watch them stick her!  So anyway, she is 14lbs 6 oz which is average for her age, 25 1/4 inches which is in the 90%, and her head is 16 3/4 inches which is also in the 90% for her age as well.  We all know she has a huge head.  As far as her development the Dr. said she is doing what a 5 month old is!  That's great, it makes you feel like you are doing a good job when you hear that! We are trying to teach her to eat from a spoon, i mix a little cereal and formula in a bowl.  She doesn't like it and barely eats any, but I figure eventually she will learn. The Dr. gave us the green light to start yellow veggies next month.  I can't wait!  Time for the high-chair!!

PlaYiNg ArOuNd

Arlee is doing this thing where she puckers out her mouth, it cracks me up!  She just started doing it and now she does it all the time.  I managed to snap a few pics of her doing it. 

Better Halloween Pics

Here are some pics from my mom

Crib Talk

Over the past few weeks I have been trying to get Arlee used to sleeping in her crib.  I started putting her down for naps in her crib to get her used to it, then at night I would put her there to but she would last about an hour.  It seemed like we spent the night moving her from crib to swing to our bed, running up and down stairs.  So over the weekend we decided it was only the crib.  The first night she cryed off and on from 11pm til around 3am, I would go in every 5-10 minutes to calm her.  It was hard, I didn't want her to cry.  I almost gave up but I knew it would be worth it in the long run. One thing I am glad we got was the video moniter, it is so nice to see what she is doing so I don't have to go in and check on her, becasue if she sees us she wants us.  She was so tired from all that she took a 4 hour nap the next day, poor thing!!  The next few nights after that were a breeze, no crying at all. She went right to sleep, she would wake up and grunt when her music thing stopped.  So we got an i-pod dock to put in her room, and I made her a playlist to play through the night.  That helped so much, she did even better.  Except she keeps rolling over on her tummy to sleep and it makes me nervous because of the SIDS risk.  I just go in and roll her over.  I don't know what else to do to stop her.  We are very proud of her for being a big girl and sleeping all night in her crib finally!!  If only we could do without the 12am feeding!!


Heres a pic of Halloween, we got all dressed up and momma forgot to put the battery in the camera, so all I got was a cell phone pic.  I will have to get the ones my mom took!  She was a bear, she hated her hat after like 2 minutes! 

Just Messing Around

Pictures

Arlee got her pictures taken, here is one of my favorites.

She did it!!

Arlee rolled over this morning!!  Now every time we put her down she starts rolling over.  We are so proud of her.  I captured it on video, enjoy!

Cry It Out

Over the weekend I decided I was really going to start working with Arlee to get her used to sleeping in her crib vs the swing. I always say I am going to work on it, but then the minute she crys I immediately pick her up and we head for the swing. In the middle of the night I will do anything to get some sleep. So I decided that I may just have to give up some sleep to get this to work. After talking with other moms I have decided to try the so called "cry it out" method. The first night she fell asleep downstairs in her swing, so when she woke up for her last nightly bottle I put her in her crib around 9:30 or so and she slept for about 4 hours! I was so proud of her she didn't fuss or anything, right to sleep. Then she got her swing for the last half of the night as a reward, haha. The next day I thought we should start napping in her crib, so when she got tired I took her up to her room, put her in her crib and let her have her paci, she feel right asleep. Later that night she slept in her crib again! No crying! Well I knew it couldn't be this easy. I was right, I did have to let her cry, she went down for her nap and started crying I said ok 4 minutes and I am going in! 2 minutes and she was asleep. So the next nap rolled around, same thing cryed for 2 minutes, then went to sleep. It's so hard to let her cry, she sounds so helpless. But I have to tell myself it is good for her to learn to fall asleep on her own with no help from Mommy or Daddy! She has been going 7 or 8 hours sleeping through the night in her swing, so my goal is to do the same in her crib!! Wish me luck!!

Jumperoo

Thank-You Arlee

She finally slept 8 hours straight!!  We started giving her rice cereal in her bedtime bottle.  She loves it!  I didn't notice much of a difference at first, now it has been a week and we are noticing she takes her bottle better and sleeps better with the rice cereal.  If she would only like sleeping in her crib.  That's a whole other post.

Sign Language

We have decided to teach Arlee sign language! I hadn't ever really thought about it, so all of a sudden I thought since she likes it when she does "big girl" things, this could be a "big girl" thing for her to do.  I read that you can start between 3-6 months.  I found a sign chart with some basic signs to learn.  So we are going to learn them first then start signing to her.  I can't wait to see if she catches on!  I know we would love it if she cwas able communicate better with us and I bet she would love it to!!

This weekend I am going to get her a jumperoo, I can't wait I know she will love it because she has been trying to stand and jump on our laps!  I will post pics of that, it will be her first big toy!!  How fun!

Heres our sign chart.

3 Months Old

Milestones this month*
Your baby can bring his hands together.
With a mighty effort, baby can raise his chest, supported by his arms, when he lies on his stomach.
Baby can roll over (one way). -ALMOST!!
He reaches for objects.
Baby can put some weight on his legs when you hold him upright.
He makes sounds like "ah goo."
Baby laughs out loud.
He squeals when he's happy.
Baby smiles spontaneously.
He can focus on very small objects.
Baby turns toward the sound of a familiar voice.even his own reflection.

Swine Flu Scare

So Arlee has been exposed to the swine flu! Over the weekend Wayco had her out at his moms house for the afternoon. Waycos niece was helping out with Arlee and come to find out a few days later she was diagnosed with the swine flu. I was very upset to find this out because if I would of known she was sick I would of never let Arlee go over there. So anyway I freaked out because Arlee had been extra fussy and had a small cough and a half a degree temperature since Monday, so I immediately called the Dr. to see what I should do. This was yesterday and of course she was acting totally better all that day and the Dr. said she was fine, just to keep a close eye on her. So I have been watching her so close. She does have a small cough but that's it. I hope that she doesn't get sick! My goal was to keep her from being sick as long as possible!! So now she is not leaving the house for a long time!!

On a better note, she now weighs 12 lbs 6 ozs, and is 24 inches long! Shes getting sooo big!! Her current favorite thing is sitting in the bumbo watching Baby Einstein DVD's, haha its to cute!

Thanks Linda!!

Thanks Linda for making this cute scrapbook page of Arlee!!

A few days shy of 8 WEEKS already

We are approaching 8 weeks in a few days and little Miss Arlee is really awake to the world now. She has discovered she has hands, she stares at them like they are foreign objects. She will hold on to her rattle but I don't think she realizes she is. We have been able to play on the floor alot more, she will play for about an hour at a time then shes wiped out. It doesn't take much to wear her out. Walks in the stroller are our new favorite thing. If she stays awake she loves to watch everything. She will definitely love the outdoors. Next week Arlee goes to the Dr. for her 2 month check-up, and get shots! Ouch, i'm not prepared for that yet. I'm curious to know what the Dr.'s office weighs her at, she hasn't been weighed since her 1 month check-up. I weighed her with our scale and shes at 12.5 lbs. She sure does loves to eat. We are at 5oz every 4 hours during the day and waking up only once to eat in the night. It seems once we get used to a feeding schedule she has a growth spurt and we get all out of order again. Just to think her little tum tum could only each 1.5 oz a feeding when she was born.

The time is approaching for me to head back to work. Monday I start with a full day and night. I don't think I will worry to much with my grandma watching Arlee at our house. With trying to unpack, finishing the house, and starting a business I feel like I haven't been able to enjoy maternity leave.We have all our stuff moved in now. The house is almost all done being remodeled. So finally, I have been able to spend alot more uninterrupted time with Arlee, which is what I hoped I could do before going back to work.

Bella Capelli

I wanted to get the word out. I will be working at Bella Capelli with Angie Courter. Starting September 14th! So excited to start something new. The salon is super cute and trendy! Come check it out! 1802 S Santa Fe, Chanute 620-432-5109

5 weeks

Arlee is now 5 weeks old. Its hard to believe! She is growing so much. In the beginning it was so hard to figure out what she needed and how to make her happy. It seemed like the crying never stopped! I have always been a sleeper and to have my sleep taken away was hard to get adjusted to. Turned out that Arlee and her formula weren't agreeing with each other. We changed her formula 3 times, after a few weeks we noticed a big improvement. Now things are settling down on her part. She is much happier. At her one month mark she started smiling! She always had gas smiles but she finally will smile when we play with her, its freaking cute! Last night she let out a couple of Koo's. She loves to lay on the floor and be messed with and if you ignore her does she ever let you know!

This weekend we are moving in our house! I am so ready, it seems like it is taking forever. We have been living at my parents house for the past few weeks trying to get the finishing touches done so we can move in. It is nice to have my parents around to help with Arlee but I want to be in my own home. Plus, I want to get Arlee adjusted as well. Right now the only thing she will sleep in is her swing. We had to get rechargeable batteries because we would use a pack a day. She will lay in bed with me but i'm not starting that! She does really well at night now. Last night we fed her at 11pm and she didn't wake up til 5am, then back to sleep after eating until 8:30am. I hope that's our new schedule!

Announcements

I finally got around to getting announcements made to send out to our family and friends. With help from a few friends this is what we came up with.

Really???

Poor little Arlee Bear, she is having some issues. We think we have a really gassy baby. She is so fussy and uncomfortable, she just can't be happy. Monday we switched her formula and nothing good happened she actually got fussier. She was pretty much crying the whole time she was awake, and she fights her sleep so bad. Finally I gave up and called the Dr. to tell them that something was up. So today we went for an appt and we did find out some good info. She is now with new bottles, formula, laxiatives, and acid reflux medicine. So far so good. I hope it works. Anything to make her happier!

2 Weeks Old

Here is a pic of Arlee at 2 weeks

Things have been super crazy. It is so fun to be a mom, but also a ton of work!! We have been working and waiting to have a schedule to go by but she doesn't want it that way, haha. We discovered that she has some major gas issues. She just crys and tenses up her little belly you can tell shes in pain. So, yesterday we switched her formula to see if that will help her. So far not really any improvement. I wish and hope we can find a way to help her. Other than that she is a good baby.

The first week was tough, but I had someone come stay everyday with me. Now I feel better about being home by myself. I just can't wait to get moved so we can have our family right there for help. We will be moved hopefully by the end of next month!!

We had our first Dr. appointment in Chanute last Tuesday, everything went smooth, she now weighs 7lbs 12oz.

That's all for now.....

BIG YAWN!!

Arlee Has Arrived

Hi everyone! Well Arlee finally made it here! She was born July 14 at 6:18 pm. She was 7lbs 3oz and 20 inches long. I have been really busy with everything so I will post more later, but here are some pictures!

Last Dr. Appt!

At my appt. today we decided that I needed to be induced. So, I go to the hospital Tuesday night! They are going to give me some meds to get me started, then first thing Wednesday morning break my water and everything should progress from there. She said there still is a possibility I could go into to labor before on my own, but who knows.

I haven't been nervous up until now. The thought of being in the hospital just scares me, and then all that is involved in delivering! I'm tough, but I don't like to be! I will probably be a nervous wreck until it's all over and I get to see my baby girl!

No Baby Yet

Still no baby. I have a Dr. appt. tomorrow morning, hopefully we will find out when i'm getting induced. In the mean time we drove back to Chanute Saturday to check out progress on the house. My parents and grandparents helped get Arlee's room pretty much finished, minus some blinds and pics hung up it is completed. So here are some pics of her room so far.

Thanks to my dad for putting together all the furniture!

I was rocked in this rocking chair!

My grandma made these curtains.

I don't get it

Whats the point of a due date? They give you a day and you go by that, but really they should give u a time frame. I think that would keep people from stressing out about one specific day. I read that only 10% of people actually have their babies on their due date. Whats the deal?

Not another Week!!

I am ready to pop! Went to the Dr. today hoping to hear that the baby would be coming this week. Nope, I have not dilated anymore than last week! I haven't felt any contractions or pains either. So the Dr. gave me a choice, to be induced, or to wait another week. She said if she induced me I may have an extra long labor since I have not dilated much. She said if I wait another week I may go on my own or progress a little more and be a better candidate for inducing. I decided to wait, I just want to have a good labor on my own. So if she doesn't come I will be induced Tues or Wed next week! I did lose some wieght, which we decided it was because my sweeling has went down some from not working! Its nice to see my ankles again!!

It has been nice having time off to get things done. We are completely ready for Arlee to come. It is so nice to be able to say that. Wayco and I spent the entire holiday weekend just getting things together and enjoying some time together. It has been a long time since we have had 3 day weekend together, it was so nice, we needed it!! Now, I just have to wait!! Hopefully not long!

Another Check-Up

Went in today for another check-up. Dr. checked my progress and said I was almost dilated to a 1, which is more progress than last week. She said she didn't think i'd be having the baby anytime this week, but you never know. She also said depending on how much progress I make she would let me go a week past my due date before we would induce. I don't like hearing that, I know it's only a week but really, another week of this! I need to stop thinking I can plan for her to come out, bc it is starting to get frustrating as time goes on and nothing is happening. Maybe then something will happen!!

38 Week Check Up

At my check up today, I was checked to see how I was progressing. The Dr. said my cervix was closed but soft. She said that was progress but I still had a while. Rats, I was expecting more progress by the way I feel! O-well I still have things to get done this week and next.

15 DAYS

The time is slowly coming near!! I can't believe that in a couple of weeks or less (maybe) we will have our little girl! It seems to be taking forever, probably because I am so anxious for her to arrive. This is my last week of work so I hope I can make it. I am really sad to be leaving Regis, we are like a little family there. Then again I am ready to move forward.

We have been so busy the past few months, it seems nuts to be taking on so much right now. As for the next few weeks, we are taking a break from all the craziness to focus on getting ready for Arlee. Well, we are ready but Wayco and I need to enjoy our last few weeks together before Arlee gets here. I really wish I knew the day she is going to decide to come, it drives me crazy. You almost have to make a couple of different plans for the coming weeks just in case.

This past weekend I went to Chanute, it was weird to think that it would be the last time I go back without a baby. It will be nice when we get moved back because I take Magic, Freckles, and all my stuff each time we go and then to add a baby and all her stuff! Wow good thing my vehicle has room!

I go to the Dr. Thursday, she is on vacation so I will see her practitioner this time. I probably won't find out much, but if I do i'll keep ya posted!!

34 Weeks

Went for a regular 2 week check-up yesterday. Very routine, get weighed, pee in cup, check blood pressure, and listen to heartbeat. Everything is still going as good as it can. One thing the Dr. said was she would be outta town the last 2 weeks in June! I'm thinking that's okay i'm not due til the first week in July. Then I decided wait a minute, what if I have this baby early! After my small freak out, I realized that if I go into labor early, it's not going to matter who delivers my baby because she's coming out no matter what. With all that said, I go back in 2 more weeks to get the Group B test done then start going for weekly appointments.

People have told me how the end is so rough, I would always think how could it get any rougher...Until every week gets a little harder to do things. I tried to stand on the dining room chair to reach something in the closet and couldn't lift myself on the chair!! I was very mad because when I want something done I want it done then, and I was home by myself so I had to wait for Wayco to help. He laughed at me, but did what I needed him to do. Then I was sitting on the couch and dropped something under the coffee table, when I bent down to get it I couldn't reach it!!! How frustrating!! I'm thinking I have to make it 5 1/2 more weeks.

On a good note, we have everything we need for Arlee to arrive. There will probably be more things we need and don't know yet, but from what my checklist says and what moms say I think we are ready!! Arlee's hospital bag is packed, and mine is almost packed minus a few things I need to get at the store. I just need to get a pediatrician in Chanute set up and we are good!!

Arlee's room will be ready in a couple more weeks so I will post a pick of her room, it's so much fun decorating a little girls room! The upstairs of our house will probably be done in a couple of weeks as well, that means half way done! Maybe we will be getting back sooner than we planned!! My dad is a working machine!! I owe him big time!!

http://www.babytoupee.com

In case Arlee has no hair, here are some options!

The Latest

Things are finally starting to fall in place for us. Our new house is underway, Arlee's room has been started!! I have been so anxious to get it going so I can get things out of boxes and organized. As for her temp. home, she has no room, she has a closet full of stuff and a bassinet to sleep in. I hope we can make do like that just for a few months until we get moved. Wayco and I never realized how much stuff a person so small would need. I think I have rearranged her closet 10 times to make it cute and functionable. It's the nesting thing kicking in. Everyone says you will clean and organize everything. I am already a clean and organized person so I find myself looking for things that I haven't already done. So I have started organizing Waycos stuff since mines all done, haha.

We also had our first birthing class this week. First I was really excited, then everyone that had already had the class said it was a waste of time. Since I am not easily convinced, I decided to go. If anything Wayco needed too really get in there and learn some things. Well, after 2 hours of birthing videos and car seat info, I had decided this class hasn't taught me anything except what it was like to give birth in the 80's! They need to update some things. Wayco slept through most of the videos. We were also supposed to tour the maternity floor but it was to full so we have to wait until next week. So I am thinking that we will go back one more time for that then be done. Which is a huge let down.

Less than 2 months to go and I am so ready to get this baby out!! I had to cut my hours at work because my legs and feet are swelling so bad I can hardly walk some days. Hopefully I can keep working til the end of June. Everything other than that is fine, I still have quite a bit of energy some days and none other days. You almost forget what life was like before pregnancy. Arlee is really squished in my belly, she is starting to rub on my ribs, which is not a very good feeling. The other day I was trying to push her off my ribs and I could feel a little foot or knee through my belly. I haven't been able to feel anything like that before, it was kinda cool and painful at the same time. What an experience this has been so far.....

Baby Shower

Angies pulling on the back of my dress trying to expose the "bump"

Jayln thought she needed to put a name tag on my belly, saying "Hello my name is Arlee"

The cake turned out so cute, and tasty to!

I had a great time, and got alot of really good gifts!! Our house is getting full and we still have so much more to get. I am so ready to move.