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Thursday, September 8, 2011

Can you believe...

that my tiny baby has grown into this beautiful, intelligent, strong-willed, very active almost toddler?!

Karleigh-10 months 1 week

Yes we're still very alive although very much different than the family you read about last year.  A lot of changes have gone on in the past few months and blogging got lost in the shuffle.  The time since Karleigh was born has been hectic, fast-paced, exhausting, and the most amazing times of our lives!  Kevin is a fantastic daddy and I pray every day that I am a good enough mommy for this precious little thing!

As of the end of last school year I made the jump from workaholic high school business/technology teacher to stay at home mom!  Well as much as a stay at home mom as I'll ever be...I'm actually working as a book keeper for our family business.  I'm in the office 1 day a week and do a little work from home during nap time the rest of the week.

I have been keeping up with my blog reading though.  I am proud to say that after 10 1/2 months, I'm still nursing Karleigh and while she nurses I'm able to read blogs on my iPhone!  Most days it is the only time I'm on blogger, facebook, or twitter.  Nursing was really rough during that last half of the school year but you'll have to wait to hear about that.  It deserves a blog post all its own!

Truthfully, while I long to be an awesome blogger like Anna, Kim, Andrea, Becky, Bonnie, Carla, and many of the other blogs I read...it just isn't in the cards for me.  I wish I had posts that go up everyday that have cute crafts and tasty recipes or just in general interesting topics.  I struggle in finding time to write and in deciding what to say.  Maybe someday...I'm going to try to start back slowly...maybe join a few memes that are going on around the blogworld.

We will see...as of right now I need to get busy...I'm feeding Lil Priss lunch, dinner is in the crockpot, I've got papers to gather for our accountant & loan officer, boxes to pack, and I need to get ready for our open house this weekend because as of next week we've bought a new house and are moving across town!

(quick pic taken from the car with my iPhone)  

Saturday, January 8, 2011

The very best...

The very best Christmas present I received this year...
 I love you little girl!!!

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Merry Christmas!

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Karleigh-Random 1st Month Pictures

 -Very first look at Momma 10/27/10
-Snuggling with Momma @ 1 day old 10/28/10
-1st Family photo (with a very tired & swollen momma) 10/28/10

 -With Granny & Pops 10/28/10

 -Sucking on her fingers 10/29/10
-Coming home from the hospital 10/29/10
-Milk Coma on your 1st Halloween.  You went as the world's most beautiful baby girl!
-Old Man Face 11/1/10

-1st Sweet Smile (while sleeping) 11/3/10
-1st Nap in your crib (lasted 4 minutes! Ha!) 11/4/10

-Getting a sponge bath 11/7/10

-Napping in the bouncer 11/9/10
(Mom & Dad's 8th wedding anniversary!)

-Crazy Hair 11/9/10

-Kissing face aka FEED ME!  11/7/10

 -Hobby Lobby with Mom & Granna 11/11/10

-Mad @ Momma 11/15/10

-Tummy Time 11/16/10

-Fun with Daddy 11/19/10

-"Praise Jesus & Pass the Taters!"  11/17/10
 
-"Okay...so you don't like the flower!" 11/17/10

-Napping with Pappaw 11/23/10

Saturday, November 27, 2010

1 Month Old-November 27th, 2010

Karleigh, you are 1 month old!  
You are quickly changing right before my eyes!  You had a very busy 1st month and actually made your very first out of town trip!   2 trips to be exact!  You had lots of 1st this month...
1st restaurant excursion-Olive Garden with Granna
1st shopping trip-Target with Mom & Dad
1st Halloween
1st Real Bath
1st Thanksgiving
1st Diaper Rash-nothing bad but we discovered we need sensitive wipes!  
1st professional photo session

Your umbilical cord finally fell off on sometime during the night of November 12th.  You were 2 weeks & 3 days old and we were all so happy to be able to hold you and diaper you easier.  You have the most adorable little belly button.  It is a good thing that the cord fell off when it did because the next morning you did something that surprised everyone!  You rolled over from you stomach to your back!  Momma & Daddy were letting you try some tummy time now that we didn't have to worry about the cord but you didn't like it.  You starting pitching a fit by lifting your head up and looking side to side while screaming.  You managed to get your feet up off the ground and the next thing we new you had thrown your whole body over!  We were so surprised!  We had known you were strong but didn't realize you were that strong.  You had been lifting & holding your head up for short times since we were in the hospital but that was incredible.  
Since your umbilical cord was off, we were finally able to give you your first real bath.  We brought your pink bathtub to Granna's house.  Mommy, Daddy, & Granna gave you the bath and you seemed to really enjoy it.  You relaxed down in the warm water while we washed your front but when we went to wash your back you tried to stand up in the tub!   Afterwards we wrapped you up and you snuggled with your Pappaw.  
Your first out of town trip was a quick trip to Midland on November 19th, 2010.  You were 3 weeks old.  Momma needed to get a few things for nursing that they don't have in our town.  You did fantastic and let momma and daddy get their errands done and even eat lunch at On the Border.  You did manage to completely blow out a brand new outfit while you sat in your car seat during lunch.  We quickly changed you in the back seat & then went to Babies R Us where I believe we bought the whole store!  We just want you to have everything and have to hold ourselves back sometimes.  You did so great during the shopping trip that momma & dad made probably the last spontaneous decision of their life & decided at the last minute to go to the Drive-in theater!  You saw your very first movie that night, Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows.  You mostly snuggled with momma and nursed during the movie but at least you attended!  Lol 
You’re second out of town trip was to Abilene for your 1st Thanksgiving!  You met tons of Daddy’s relatives at Grandma Wanda’s house during lunch and later at Bennie & Jackie’s house for dinner.  Everyone just doted over you and said how pretty you were. That evening got a little rough when you got a belly ache.  You were very unhappy and it took momma a good while to get you calmed down.  This was the beginning of several fussy evenings but it doesn't happen every day.  
On Nov. 27th, we had a family get-together at Granna's house with some of momma's extended family.  You were able to meet several of momma's cousins.  Most came to see you at the hospital when you were born but this is the first time that they were able to hold you.  
You were so cute all dressed up with a big flower on your head but when Granna went to take you out of your carseat she discovered that your diaper had blown out everywhere!  While we were trying to clean you up you decided you needed to tee-tee and it ran all the way up to your neck!  It was quite a traumatic experience for your Granna but your Momma just laughed!  I had already been up to my elbows in several of your poopy diapers! 
At your 1 month check up we were so surprised by your stats! 
You weighed 8 lbs 2 oz and were 21 inches long!  Momma could tell you had grown because you were actually beginning to fit in the newborn diapers!  Your starting to fill out the newborn clothing now.  We've had a few rough evening where you've been very fussy.  Dr. Sawyer believes you have a bit of colic and recommended we try to give you an ounce of chamomile tea in a bottle.  (BTW: You don't like the tea. lol)  It was also time for us to try and introduce breastmilk in a bottle so hopefully you'll switch back & forth between breastmilk in a bottles & nursing while momma goes back to work.  Daddy gave you your first bottle & you did great!  You latched right on and sucked it down quickly.  
You still nurse the majority of the time but we usually give you one feeding a day with the bottle so you'll stay used to it.  You also like to pick your head up and slam it back down on momma's shoulder when you decide it is time to eat.  You're not very patient when you decide it is dinner time. lol  You're still eating about 15 minutes each side every 4 hours.  Sometimes you will decide you need to eat more often during the day but not much. 
Some Bullet Points:
  • You love the little travel swing at Granna's house but HATE the nice big one that we have at home!  Swinging is the only way you will let momma take showers most days.  
  • You still wake up at night to eat about every 4 hours.  One night you slept for 6 hours straight and we were so surprised!  Momma felt like a new woman after that much sleep!  
  • You have smiled several times but mostly while sleeping.  You have the most beautiful smile and I can't wait until you smile at me someday.  
  • You're just now growing into the newborn size clothing we had for you.  
  • You wear Pampers Sensitive diapers because they are small enough & soft enough to go around your little legs and keep everything inside.  
  • You and the puppies have been getting along well.  Y'all all kind of ignore each other at this point.  Reese gets a little jealous because your in Mommy's lap all of the time but she sits beside us & snuggles while you nurse.  Tootsie likes to lay next to your pack n play sometimes while you sleep.  
  • You still only take the paci on very rare occasions.  Usually it just makes your more mad.  
  • You have worn a bit of a bald spot on the back of your head.  You like to throw your head back & forth when you fuss so it has slowly gotten bigger.  
  • The birthmark on your back has gotten a little redder & larger like Dr. Sawyer said it would.  He said not to worry about it but I can't help it.  Dr. Sawyer is very pleased with your growth and is so helpful answering all of mommy's questions.  
  • You're hands still are always up in the air or by your face!  You sometimes lace your fingers and hold your hands under your chin.  It is so cute!
  • Your funny faces just crack us up!   
 
We have enjoyed having you in our lives so much!  This first month has been wonderful and we cannot wait to see how much better it will get!   We never dreamed that we would have such a beautiful, sweet little girl and are so blessed!  I love you baby girl...
Love,
Mom

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

2 Weeks Old-November 10th, 2010!

Karleigh, you are 2 weeks old!  I cannot believe how fast time is flying!  You are getting so big!  I'm going to try and update your growth monthly but we had a doctor appointment this week so I wanted to get a few things written down.  Not to mention that these weeks have been a little sleep deprived and I'm still recovering from the surgery so I want to make sure I remember this. 
At 2 weeks you weighed 6 lbs even and were 19 1/2 inches long!  A whole inch in 2 weeks!  I wish I could grow like that!  You're still pretty small in terms of most babies.  You were only in the 3rd percentile for weight but Dr Sawyer says that your weight gain was fantastic and he was very pleased! 

Most newborn clothing and diapers are still very large on you.  You only have a handful of outfits you can wear and those are actually PJs but you still look adorable!  You had your first upset tummy at 3 days old when mommy's milk finally came in.  It took you a little while to get used to digesting the milk so we had our first completely sleepless night that night.  

Your first trip out of the house was on Halloween.  We went back to the hospital for a bilirubin check for your jaundice which went well!  Then we went to Granna & Pappaw's house to visit.  Pappaw & Daddy passed out candy to all the trick or treaters while we all just stared in awe of how pretty you are.  Uncle Spud & Alicia came over too.  Uncle Spud just loves you!  He even willingly changed your diaper!  You get lots of attention!
At 10 days old we had your first professional pictures taken at Sears in the mall.  You sleep almost all the time right now (except at night! ha!) and during the pictures was no different.  We did manage to get a hand full of pictures with your eyes open by turning off the lights before snapping a shot.  You thought it was a very mean trick! 
You are breastfeeding like a champ.  You eat regularly but slowly...15 minutes on each side every 4 hours which is pretty nice for momma.  Most babies your age demand food much more often than that.  I do have to keep you awake during feedings by undressing you or tickling your feet because nursing makes you very sleepy.  It takes a while to feed, burp, and change you so at night we only sleep in about 2 1/2 hours increments. 
You're having a little trouble differentiating day time from night time.  You and momma have spent several nights in the living room watching infomercials.  You don't mind your bouncy seat though you haven't really spent much time in it.  You're a little spoiled and get held most of the time.  You really don't care for your swing but your Granna thinks that will change soon because your momma loved to swing so we'll see how that goes.  
On your 2 week birthday you're Uncle Spud introduced you to a pacifier so we've been calling it your "Spunkle."  You seem kinda indifferent to it really.  You'll suck for a little bit and then spit it out.  Sometimes you love it...sometimes you won't take it at all.  It is really hit or miss.  You definitely have your own opinion on how things should go around here!  Momma tries to swaddle you at night time but you bust your hands out every single night!  Your hands are always up next to your face and head and we're pretty sure you did that while in mommy's tummy too.  That is why we had such a hard time getting good sonogram pictures of you!  
You sleep in your pack n play in Momma & Daddy's room.  Momma likes to hear you breathe at night not to mention it makes night feedings much easier.  
You try a little tummy time everyday but you really don't like it and you really don't like your Poly vi sol vitamin that Dr. Sawyer wants you to take.  You spit the majority of it out and make terrible faces!  
You've had lots of visitors during your first 2 weeks...Granna, Pappaw, Uncle Spud, Alicia, Granny, Pops, Brittany, Anna, Daisy, Dave & Angie, Doyle & Wanda, Mammaw & Guy, and the Sims family.  And those are just the people since we've been home...it doesn't count the tons of people who were at the hospital.  Everyone has different opinions on who you look like.  You have lots of hair just like I did when I was a baby but it looks like you will have blue eyes like Daddy's.  You make the funniest faces and sometimes they look just like your daddy's faces.  I think you will favor him a lot but might have my nose.  Everyone says that you are just the most beautiful baby they have ever seen and I totally agree!  :)  
Momma has been recovering well from the C-section.  She just has a hard time getting out of bed and rolling over.  She lost 25 lbs by your 1 week birthday and then a total of 34 lbs by your 2 week birthday!  That was all of the weight she gained while pregnant with you! 
Sweet girl, you are your mom and daddy's pride and joy!  We are over the moon in love with everything you do!  
I love you baby girl,
Mom

Saturday, November 6, 2010

She's Here!

Kevin & I would like to announce the birth of our daughter...

Karleigh Michelle
October 27th, 2010
5 lbs 12 oz
18 1/2 inches long

We are thrilled, exhausted,  & completely smitten!