Three months of maternity leave has now come and gone, and once again I am left thinking that life moves much too fast! Today is my last day of maternity leave before I go back to work full time, so I've done my very best to devote every minute of this day soaking in the awesomeness that is my little boy! I constantly find myself thinking that he's the cutest, best baby in the world - but I think I fall in love with him all over again every time I watch him sleep and dream. So it seems perfect that while he naps in my bed (his favorite place to nap), I spend this time admiring how amazing he is and finally update our blog on the adventures we've had these past three months!
Graham is really just the best baby ever!! I spent a lot of time worrying about him being behind on development, since he was 4 weeks early, but he's growing up fabulously! He will be 3 months old this Wednesday and he's hitting all of his big milestones. :) He's already caught up on weight, and his little neck is so strong! After he eats he likes to sit up on my knees and look at me while I ramble on with my crazy baby talk. He tries soooo hard to talk back, and he's getting a lot better at his little coos, but I can tell he's got so much more to say. He absolutely loves bath time and would willingly get in the tub every night if I let him. Really, he just likes to be naked in general...he's such a boy!
He absolutely adores his dog, Benny, and gets a huge kick out of Benny participating in floor time with him. Last night while Benny was laying next to Graham, Graham focused so seriously on his hand and how he could stretch out his arm to finally touch the dog. And he did it! Of course, it also resulted in Graham getting a hold of Benny's ear, but fortunately Benny is a patient dog and just looked and Graham and looked at me and Matt waiting for us to help him out. They are going to be best buds forever.
Around month 2, we had a few rough nights trying to get Graham to sleep in his own bed, in his own room. But I'm proud to say that my 3 month old now happily sleeps in his own bed! He loves his room and his night time routine. AND...he is now sleeping through the night! He goes down around 9:00 and typically makes it until 5 or 5:30 the next morning. This is HUGE for a mom that's getting ready to go back to work! He's also stretched his night time sleep to 6:30 AM a few times, which gives me every hope that he will eventually be a 12 hour sleeper. Now if he could just keep his darn binkie in his mouth!!!
Having a newborn baby is hard work. It's a whirlwind of emotions, and it seems like every good day is followed by a crazy day that makes you question everything you're doing and wonder if you'll ever get the hang of things. It is exhausting, frustrating, and the most unpredictable thing you can imagine. But nothing - nothing - compares to the feeling I have when I look at Graham and he looks back up at me. I have never felt more love in my life. Graham filled a void that I didn't even know I had. And while I know it will always be the biggest challenge of my life, I wouldn't trade him or the experiences we've had together for anything in the world.
Now that we've finally conquered the newness of things, we're moving on to our next adventure! Mommy goes back to work and Graham goes to school (I feel a lot better calling it school rather than daycare). I think it's going to be a really good thing for both of us, but I'm sooo nervous about how we're going to balance it all. The thought of not being able to spend the entire day with him breaks my heart, but when I focus on the bigger picture I know I'm doing the right thing.
Years from now when we look back, there are some things I want Graham to know about this special time we've spent together. So my 3 month message to you, my little stinker, is this... I could spend eternity showering you with love and affection, and it still wouldn't feel like I've repaid you for the amount of love I've felt since you were born. Every day I am amazed by you, and I feel so lucky to be your mother. You make every single thing in this life better. You have given me a renewed sense of purpose and determination. And as if that isn't enough, every day that I'm with you I find myself loving your Dad even more than I ever have - and trust me, I've loved him A LOT for a VERY long time! I wouldn't trade the past three months for anything, and although spending time away from you will be hard, I promise to spend that time doing things that are good for our family, and I'll make every minute I'm with you count! I am so excited to watch you grow up, I can hardly stand it! I love you so much, my little Grahamjamin!
Monday, April 15, 2013
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Destiny
Graham is 8 weeks old today! I cannot believe that time is going by so quickly!!! I go back to work in 4 weeks and I'm sure it's going to be here before I know it. I keep thinking to myself how I need to update our blog on all of Graham's changes, but every day, before I know it, it's time for bed!! :) I promise to update soon on my little man and all of the changes he's going through, but today's post is saved for a special person on her special day.
Tammi, Tammi, Tammi...wasn't it just yesterday that we were meeting in the shortcut to go to your house for a serious meeting of T&T? I don't think there will ever be another two girls so occupied by a cash register that prints real receipts. :) All these years later, here we are, married with babies! When I say it out loud, I still find myself thinking that someone has really got to get us under control, because clearly we are still just little girls and we have no business being someones wife! But alas, we are now grownups, doing grownup things.
We sure have seen our fair share of happiness, heart break, laughter and tears. We started off as two crazy kids, being the best of friends one minute then fighting each other on the walk home. I'm sorry for pushing you in the bushes that one day, but I still claim innocence on the poison ivy! What an adjustment middle school was, but I will always be thankful that we found our way back to one another in the midst of figuring out what crowd to "run with". Remember the pacifier era? Enough said... And obviously, neither of us would have survived being a band geek without the other. That's right people, we were in THE BAND and survived high school and the crazy social games that come along with it. Those were some of the best days of my life! I mean, not everyone can say they have memories of Chinese fire drills in an old gray mare. None of it would have been half as fun if we hadn't done it together.
Growing up can change everything. Going away to college can change everything. Getting a real job, getting married, having a baby...they can all change everything. Against all odds, we have remained a huge part of each others lives. If there is one thing I'm certain of, it is that we were destined to be friends...sisters really. You are the most caring person that I know. You would do anything for the people you love, and most importantly, you take the time to make sure that they know that. You give so much, and often leave so little for yourself, but never think twice about it. And if I'm half the mom to Graham that you are to Bri I'll consider my quest into parenthood a huge success.
Graham and I love you to pieces and are thankful each and every day for you. I can't wait to spend the next 31 years navigating this crazy world with you. Lord knows we'll need each other to survive seeing our own kids off to college, and of course, planning the Graham Wiley and Brianna Lee wedding.
Happy birthday!!
Tammi, Tammi, Tammi...wasn't it just yesterday that we were meeting in the shortcut to go to your house for a serious meeting of T&T? I don't think there will ever be another two girls so occupied by a cash register that prints real receipts. :) All these years later, here we are, married with babies! When I say it out loud, I still find myself thinking that someone has really got to get us under control, because clearly we are still just little girls and we have no business being someones wife! But alas, we are now grownups, doing grownup things.
We sure have seen our fair share of happiness, heart break, laughter and tears. We started off as two crazy kids, being the best of friends one minute then fighting each other on the walk home. I'm sorry for pushing you in the bushes that one day, but I still claim innocence on the poison ivy! What an adjustment middle school was, but I will always be thankful that we found our way back to one another in the midst of figuring out what crowd to "run with". Remember the pacifier era? Enough said... And obviously, neither of us would have survived being a band geek without the other. That's right people, we were in THE BAND and survived high school and the crazy social games that come along with it. Those were some of the best days of my life! I mean, not everyone can say they have memories of Chinese fire drills in an old gray mare. None of it would have been half as fun if we hadn't done it together.
Growing up can change everything. Going away to college can change everything. Getting a real job, getting married, having a baby...they can all change everything. Against all odds, we have remained a huge part of each others lives. If there is one thing I'm certain of, it is that we were destined to be friends...sisters really. You are the most caring person that I know. You would do anything for the people you love, and most importantly, you take the time to make sure that they know that. You give so much, and often leave so little for yourself, but never think twice about it. And if I'm half the mom to Graham that you are to Bri I'll consider my quest into parenthood a huge success.
Graham and I love you to pieces and are thankful each and every day for you. I can't wait to spend the next 31 years navigating this crazy world with you. Lord knows we'll need each other to survive seeing our own kids off to college, and of course, planning the Graham Wiley and Brianna Lee wedding.
Happy birthday!!
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Welcome little man!
Boy do I have a lot to update on!!
Baby Graham is here!! He is the most perfect, wonderful and amazing thing in the world, and I just adore him. :)
It all happened very unexpectedly, just proving that Matt and I are officially on Graham's schedule, not our own. :) I had seen the doctor that Monday and she informed me that I was measuring big (turns out I was measuring at 40 weeks but was only 36 weeks along), so she ordered an ultra sound for the following week. Her concern was that we might have a big boy on our hands! She assured me that I was nowhere near labor, I just might have a big baby by the time I got to 40 weeks. The next day, I decided to actually go into the office because it had been several days since I'd been in (I was working from home most days to avoid the flu germs). I was on the phone with someone from our Toledo office when I thought to myself, "hmmm, did I just pee my pants a little?" To be honest, I didn't think much of it, because reality is when you're that pregnant, sometimes you can't control things as well as you used to! I finished my conversation and when I stood up to go to the bathroom I knew immediately there was no way I was just peeing my pants.
I've heard so many friends talk about how their water just trickled out, or how it had to be broken in the hospital. Me? Not so much...without being too descriptive, let's just say that I'd describe it more like a gush of water that wouldn't end. So you can imagine my panic as all of this is happening IN MY OFFICE! I quickly sat down in hopes I could stop it (I'm still laughing about that logic). I immediately jumped onto our work IM to see if my friend Angie was at her desk. To my dismay, she was marked as in a meeting. So, I quietly called out to my mentor, Matt, who sits in the office right next to me. He's a father himself, so he's been through this plenty of times, and said he could tell immediately by the tone in my voice that something was happening. Boy was he right!
He grabbed Angie out of her meeting and the two of them drove me over to Christ Hospital. I called Matt on our way and completely freaked him out because the tone of my voice was complete panic. I really was totally overwhelmed though! Of course I knew this was what we had been waiting for, and that I would have a baby in the next couple of days, but I hadn't mentally prepared for this moment just yet! Even with all of the aches and pains, I adored being pregnant, so I wasn't quite ready to give that up. On top of that, I still had things on my list that I wanted to get done before Graham was here, and if you know me at all, I really hate having things on my list that aren't checked off! It was a huge rush of emotions, so as soon as Matt and I were left alone in the triage room I cried. Tears of joy that I was going to finally meet my little man, tears of sadness that pregnancy was coming to an abrupt ending and tears of fear that Graham was going to be ok considering he was 4 weeks early.
I was admitted and learned that I was only 1 cm dilated, so I had a long road ahead of me. After 12 hours of cervadil, I was still only 2 cm dilated. I was really beginning to worry about how long this process would take, and how my little guy would hold up with such a long labor. My support team was amazing and kept encouraging me that I could get through this. At 1 am they started pitocin and that's when the real fun began. The contractions started off slow, but quickly moved into long, hard contractions that came right on top of one another. Matt was an amazing coach and supported me through everything. He never left my side and somehow knew exactly what I needed. My mom and Tammi were there to help encourage me, to wipe my face with a cold washcloth and to just help me stay focused on the goal. After what seemed like HOURS of contractions, the nurse checked me again and I was only at 3 cm. REALLY?! At this point I know we were nearing the 24 hour mark since my water broke the day before, so I just felt so defeated. The pain increased faster than I ever imagined it would, and after the initial pain medication she gave me didn't work, my midwife gave the OK for me to get the epidural. After 3 tries, the epidural was finally in and I felt amazing! :) Actually, my body was really sensitive to the epidural so I was more numb than I really should have been, and nearly fell off the bed once the medicine kicked in because I couldn't feel enough of my body to keep myself up in the bed!
The epidural hadn't been in more than 10 minutes when my midwife came to check on me. She was going to put an internal monitor on the baby, but when she checked me she said we wouldn't need that. Why? I was fully dilated and ready to push! I was in complete disbelief! My body had managed to go from 3 cm to fully dilated in less than an hour. So after having the epidural running for about 10 minutes they shut it off so I could actually feel my body to push. It ended up taking nearly 2 hours for any feeling to come back in my legs, but then I was ready to push. I have to say, hands down, this was the part of labor that I felt like I could really be good at. All of those months of working out while pregnant were about to pay off! I was focused and determined and pushed Graham out in about 6 tries.
He was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen! He had a head full of hair, a tiny little face and the cutest lips ever! Matt and I laughed and cried as they plopped him up on my belly. I've never seen a happier face on Matt as I did in that moment. We were in love! And our lives were changed forever.
The next 45 minutes are a bit of a blur for me. And actually, when I initially started telling people what happened, I really thought it was about 10 minutes of time. The special care nurses were on call for my delivery because Graham was 4 weeks early. You could tell by his color that something wasn't exactly right. The nurse worked on him and kept giving him oxygen and then tried to see how he did without it, but every time she took the oxygen off he would turn blue. In the meantime, the midwife was having issues getting my bleeding to stop, so I was being poked and prodded harder than I ever imagined possible. I could tell that Matt was so torn on who he should be with, but I assured him that our plan still stood, and no matter what happened he should stay with Graham.
I don't think I could ever put into words exactly how terrifying the next 3 days were for Matt and I. Graham was admitted to the NICU because he was really struggling to breathe. When I went to see him for the first time, his chest was moving so quickly, and as he tried to get his lungs to work he made a whimpering sound, as if he was crying. The nurses assured me that wasn't a cry and that I should think of it more like him trying to cough or clear his lungs. But the sound was absolutely heartbreaking. And what made it even worse was that I felt as though I couldn't do anything to comfort him. I talked to him and told him that I was there, that I loved him and that everything would be ok. It was one of two times I saw him open his eyes in the first 5 days he was there. He looked right at me and my heart melted and broke all at the same time.
Having our baby 4 weeks early was unexpected enough. Never in a million years had we prepared ourselves to feel the fear of losing our little boy. Over the next several days Graham fought to stay strong while he was on CPAP, which assisted his breathing. Matt and I stayed as a guest in the hospital while he was admitted and we would go visit him throughout the day. Since any stimulation could have been enough to set him over the edge, and require him to be transferred to Children's Hospital, we couldn't hold him and didn't really talk while we were in his unit. We rested our hands on his bottom so he would know we were there, and would let him hold on to our finger with his tiny hand. It was the emptiest feeling I've ever felt in my life, to have a baby and not be able to hold him or comfort him. And although I absolutely wanted him to have the best care to get him through this, I couldn't help but feel like he just needed to be held.
Our little miracle stayed strong. He fought hard every day. I'm certain that I've never prayed as much as I prayed those days he was in the hospital. And in the end, I was truly amazed by the power of prayer and love. Graham was on CPAP for several days before he finally started to improve. As further tests came back, we learned everything was trending in the right direction. Hearing those results brought both Matt and I to tears, and finally some tears of joy and relief! They also weren't able to find any infection, so it was truly just time that he needed. He just needed 1 extra week! The day that I came in and saw him off of the CPAP machine was one of the happiest days of my life. I almost didn't recognize him! It was the first time since he had been born that we were able to see his face without it being almost entirely covered by a machine! Then it dawned on me what this meant...I could finally hold my little boy.
Of course, I was crying before the nurse could even get him in my arms. : ) I had waited so long for this! Everything felt right in the world once I was holding him. Matt and I sat with him for hours. We studied every little feature and just soaked him how amazing he was. Every day after that Graham made a huge improvement. Before we knew it, he didn't need any extra oxygen and we were just waiting for him to finish his antibiotics before we went home.
I'm happy to say that Graham is a happy, healthy baby! His checkups have gone great and he's growing fast! It's been an adjustment for sure, but Matt and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Having gone through what we did, we appreciate all of the happy and difficult moments even more.
Even while I was pregnant I knew Graham was going to be all personality. He continues to prove me right every day. :) He gets really irritated if he has one drop of pee in his diaper, and he's been that way since day 1. He also gets annoyed with you when you have to actually change his diaper. He is, however, a huge fan of the warm wipes, so he's very appreciative to whoever invented the wipe warmer. He loves to have his feet crossed, just like his mom, his nanny and his little cousins. He also likes them propped up on something, as though he's kicked back in a recliner. He's a fantastic sleeper, just like his father. He also makes little noises while he sleeps, just like his momma does. He's got a head full of the loveliest brown wavy hair! I'm hoping he keeps that as he grows up! His tiny mouth reminds me of Dakota's when she was born, and I have to refrain from smooching it a million times a day. Actually, there's a lot about him that reminds Matt and I of Dakota. We have a theory that he's going to be a lot like her when he grows up, which would make us both happy since she's just the sweetest little girl ever! He already recognizes our voices, and if I leave him at all, he gives a little cry when he hears that I'm home. I think he just likes to remind me that he's here and that he needs momma's love. I plan on spending every day from now until forever showing him that we will always be here for him, that we love him to the moon and back, and that we will always need him just as much, if not more, as he needs us.
This little boy has changed us forever, and we couldn't be happier! I promise I'll have some great pictures to post really soon!!
Baby Graham is here!! He is the most perfect, wonderful and amazing thing in the world, and I just adore him. :)
It all happened very unexpectedly, just proving that Matt and I are officially on Graham's schedule, not our own. :) I had seen the doctor that Monday and she informed me that I was measuring big (turns out I was measuring at 40 weeks but was only 36 weeks along), so she ordered an ultra sound for the following week. Her concern was that we might have a big boy on our hands! She assured me that I was nowhere near labor, I just might have a big baby by the time I got to 40 weeks. The next day, I decided to actually go into the office because it had been several days since I'd been in (I was working from home most days to avoid the flu germs). I was on the phone with someone from our Toledo office when I thought to myself, "hmmm, did I just pee my pants a little?" To be honest, I didn't think much of it, because reality is when you're that pregnant, sometimes you can't control things as well as you used to! I finished my conversation and when I stood up to go to the bathroom I knew immediately there was no way I was just peeing my pants.
I've heard so many friends talk about how their water just trickled out, or how it had to be broken in the hospital. Me? Not so much...without being too descriptive, let's just say that I'd describe it more like a gush of water that wouldn't end. So you can imagine my panic as all of this is happening IN MY OFFICE! I quickly sat down in hopes I could stop it (I'm still laughing about that logic). I immediately jumped onto our work IM to see if my friend Angie was at her desk. To my dismay, she was marked as in a meeting. So, I quietly called out to my mentor, Matt, who sits in the office right next to me. He's a father himself, so he's been through this plenty of times, and said he could tell immediately by the tone in my voice that something was happening. Boy was he right!
He grabbed Angie out of her meeting and the two of them drove me over to Christ Hospital. I called Matt on our way and completely freaked him out because the tone of my voice was complete panic. I really was totally overwhelmed though! Of course I knew this was what we had been waiting for, and that I would have a baby in the next couple of days, but I hadn't mentally prepared for this moment just yet! Even with all of the aches and pains, I adored being pregnant, so I wasn't quite ready to give that up. On top of that, I still had things on my list that I wanted to get done before Graham was here, and if you know me at all, I really hate having things on my list that aren't checked off! It was a huge rush of emotions, so as soon as Matt and I were left alone in the triage room I cried. Tears of joy that I was going to finally meet my little man, tears of sadness that pregnancy was coming to an abrupt ending and tears of fear that Graham was going to be ok considering he was 4 weeks early.
I was admitted and learned that I was only 1 cm dilated, so I had a long road ahead of me. After 12 hours of cervadil, I was still only 2 cm dilated. I was really beginning to worry about how long this process would take, and how my little guy would hold up with such a long labor. My support team was amazing and kept encouraging me that I could get through this. At 1 am they started pitocin and that's when the real fun began. The contractions started off slow, but quickly moved into long, hard contractions that came right on top of one another. Matt was an amazing coach and supported me through everything. He never left my side and somehow knew exactly what I needed. My mom and Tammi were there to help encourage me, to wipe my face with a cold washcloth and to just help me stay focused on the goal. After what seemed like HOURS of contractions, the nurse checked me again and I was only at 3 cm. REALLY?! At this point I know we were nearing the 24 hour mark since my water broke the day before, so I just felt so defeated. The pain increased faster than I ever imagined it would, and after the initial pain medication she gave me didn't work, my midwife gave the OK for me to get the epidural. After 3 tries, the epidural was finally in and I felt amazing! :) Actually, my body was really sensitive to the epidural so I was more numb than I really should have been, and nearly fell off the bed once the medicine kicked in because I couldn't feel enough of my body to keep myself up in the bed!
The epidural hadn't been in more than 10 minutes when my midwife came to check on me. She was going to put an internal monitor on the baby, but when she checked me she said we wouldn't need that. Why? I was fully dilated and ready to push! I was in complete disbelief! My body had managed to go from 3 cm to fully dilated in less than an hour. So after having the epidural running for about 10 minutes they shut it off so I could actually feel my body to push. It ended up taking nearly 2 hours for any feeling to come back in my legs, but then I was ready to push. I have to say, hands down, this was the part of labor that I felt like I could really be good at. All of those months of working out while pregnant were about to pay off! I was focused and determined and pushed Graham out in about 6 tries.
He was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen! He had a head full of hair, a tiny little face and the cutest lips ever! Matt and I laughed and cried as they plopped him up on my belly. I've never seen a happier face on Matt as I did in that moment. We were in love! And our lives were changed forever.
The next 45 minutes are a bit of a blur for me. And actually, when I initially started telling people what happened, I really thought it was about 10 minutes of time. The special care nurses were on call for my delivery because Graham was 4 weeks early. You could tell by his color that something wasn't exactly right. The nurse worked on him and kept giving him oxygen and then tried to see how he did without it, but every time she took the oxygen off he would turn blue. In the meantime, the midwife was having issues getting my bleeding to stop, so I was being poked and prodded harder than I ever imagined possible. I could tell that Matt was so torn on who he should be with, but I assured him that our plan still stood, and no matter what happened he should stay with Graham.
I don't think I could ever put into words exactly how terrifying the next 3 days were for Matt and I. Graham was admitted to the NICU because he was really struggling to breathe. When I went to see him for the first time, his chest was moving so quickly, and as he tried to get his lungs to work he made a whimpering sound, as if he was crying. The nurses assured me that wasn't a cry and that I should think of it more like him trying to cough or clear his lungs. But the sound was absolutely heartbreaking. And what made it even worse was that I felt as though I couldn't do anything to comfort him. I talked to him and told him that I was there, that I loved him and that everything would be ok. It was one of two times I saw him open his eyes in the first 5 days he was there. He looked right at me and my heart melted and broke all at the same time.
Having our baby 4 weeks early was unexpected enough. Never in a million years had we prepared ourselves to feel the fear of losing our little boy. Over the next several days Graham fought to stay strong while he was on CPAP, which assisted his breathing. Matt and I stayed as a guest in the hospital while he was admitted and we would go visit him throughout the day. Since any stimulation could have been enough to set him over the edge, and require him to be transferred to Children's Hospital, we couldn't hold him and didn't really talk while we were in his unit. We rested our hands on his bottom so he would know we were there, and would let him hold on to our finger with his tiny hand. It was the emptiest feeling I've ever felt in my life, to have a baby and not be able to hold him or comfort him. And although I absolutely wanted him to have the best care to get him through this, I couldn't help but feel like he just needed to be held.
Our little miracle stayed strong. He fought hard every day. I'm certain that I've never prayed as much as I prayed those days he was in the hospital. And in the end, I was truly amazed by the power of prayer and love. Graham was on CPAP for several days before he finally started to improve. As further tests came back, we learned everything was trending in the right direction. Hearing those results brought both Matt and I to tears, and finally some tears of joy and relief! They also weren't able to find any infection, so it was truly just time that he needed. He just needed 1 extra week! The day that I came in and saw him off of the CPAP machine was one of the happiest days of my life. I almost didn't recognize him! It was the first time since he had been born that we were able to see his face without it being almost entirely covered by a machine! Then it dawned on me what this meant...I could finally hold my little boy.
Of course, I was crying before the nurse could even get him in my arms. : ) I had waited so long for this! Everything felt right in the world once I was holding him. Matt and I sat with him for hours. We studied every little feature and just soaked him how amazing he was. Every day after that Graham made a huge improvement. Before we knew it, he didn't need any extra oxygen and we were just waiting for him to finish his antibiotics before we went home.
I'm happy to say that Graham is a happy, healthy baby! His checkups have gone great and he's growing fast! It's been an adjustment for sure, but Matt and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Having gone through what we did, we appreciate all of the happy and difficult moments even more.
Even while I was pregnant I knew Graham was going to be all personality. He continues to prove me right every day. :) He gets really irritated if he has one drop of pee in his diaper, and he's been that way since day 1. He also gets annoyed with you when you have to actually change his diaper. He is, however, a huge fan of the warm wipes, so he's very appreciative to whoever invented the wipe warmer. He loves to have his feet crossed, just like his mom, his nanny and his little cousins. He also likes them propped up on something, as though he's kicked back in a recliner. He's a fantastic sleeper, just like his father. He also makes little noises while he sleeps, just like his momma does. He's got a head full of the loveliest brown wavy hair! I'm hoping he keeps that as he grows up! His tiny mouth reminds me of Dakota's when she was born, and I have to refrain from smooching it a million times a day. Actually, there's a lot about him that reminds Matt and I of Dakota. We have a theory that he's going to be a lot like her when he grows up, which would make us both happy since she's just the sweetest little girl ever! He already recognizes our voices, and if I leave him at all, he gives a little cry when he hears that I'm home. I think he just likes to remind me that he's here and that he needs momma's love. I plan on spending every day from now until forever showing him that we will always be here for him, that we love him to the moon and back, and that we will always need him just as much, if not more, as he needs us.
This little boy has changed us forever, and we couldn't be happier! I promise I'll have some great pictures to post really soon!!
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Prego Hotness
Happy 35 weeks to me and my little (or not so little) man! Just over a month left to go. A lot has happened, and changed, since my last update!
Matt and I had a very quiet "old married couple" New Years Eve. I made a yummy Italian dinner and we lounged around in our comfy clothes and watched a movie. I tried my best to stay up until at least midnight, but to my dismay, I started falling asleep on the couch around 10:30. This pregnant body likes all the sleep it can get, and it didn't help that I was still miserably sick with a cold! I made sure to wish my hubby a happy new year early since I knew he'd have to wake me up at midnight. As it turns out, he fell asleep in the chair next to me by 11, which we both laughed about as we carried our very sleepy bodies to bed around 1 am.
I also had my first shower for Baby Graham and it was so much fun! Stacey was a great host and I think it all turned out perfectly. Everything was held at Connie's house and we started off the day enjoying yummy snacks, including a bacon, cheesy dip that Stacey made that was a huge hit. Graham certainly approved (but, I mean, who wouldn't approve of bacon + cheese)! Then we played a few games, including the classic "which candy is melted in the diaper". That one always cracks me up! And I swear, I didn't realize so many candy bars contain peanuts (or things that look oddly like peanuts)! Opening gifts was super fun and definitely helped me get excited for the baby to finally be here. Graham is already so spoiled, which I think is just fantastic! :) I was VERY excited to get our jogging stroller. Even though I really do love being pregnant, I'm very ready to get back into my normal active habits. Graham and I will definitely be spending a lot of time with that stroller, and hopefully he approves of the playlists I make for the little speakers inside his seat. :)
Life seems to be going by and changing so quickly! I can only imagine how it's going to be watching my little baby grow up! In just the past few weeks we've seen so many changes. Two of our good friends had their babies, which is so exciting! I can't wait for Graham to meet them both! I have a feeling he's going to be great friends with baby Brumley! I can see them on the same sports teams now. Graham and JR will be a force to be reckoned with! :)
I've had a few pregnancy changes too that really snuck up on me! Even though my cold is gone, I still wake up stuffy in the morning because naturally every part of my pregnant body needs to swell up at some point, including my sinuses. I officially can't tell where my legs stop and my ankles begin. And I swear my feet used to have veins and all the shoes I already have really did fit me at some point. On the bright side, at least we have a king size bed for the 15 pillows I need to sleep semi-comfortably to fit in. My baby is now the size of a cantaloupe (at least), so I've resorted to asking Matt to tie my shoes and paint my toenails. He also has to pick up anything I drop after 7 pm because at that point I already consider it a small miracle that I've made it through another workout and beyond that, my body refuses to bend over. Perhaps a hot bath would relieve my aches and pains, you say? I tried that recently as well, and laughed at how ridiculous (and uncomfortable) it is to stretch out in a tub with a pregnant belly that hardly goes under the water. Then laughed even harder at the realization that I better get comfortable because the likelihood that I could actually get myself out of a slippery tub without my husband being home was slim to none. I realize just how much life has changed already when a relaxing soak in the tub wears me out! I certainly would have taken a nap after that fiasco, but then my swollen hands and newly developed carpal tunnel would have flared up and I'd wake up stuffy again. All of the above is clearly why I'm the hottest prego in town. ;)
Amazingly enough, I wouldn't give up being pregnant for anything in the world. I'm really going to miss it when Graham is finally here. Aches, pains, hot-mess and all! Good thing I'll have an adorable little man to take my attention off not being pregnant anymore. :)
Matt and I had a very quiet "old married couple" New Years Eve. I made a yummy Italian dinner and we lounged around in our comfy clothes and watched a movie. I tried my best to stay up until at least midnight, but to my dismay, I started falling asleep on the couch around 10:30. This pregnant body likes all the sleep it can get, and it didn't help that I was still miserably sick with a cold! I made sure to wish my hubby a happy new year early since I knew he'd have to wake me up at midnight. As it turns out, he fell asleep in the chair next to me by 11, which we both laughed about as we carried our very sleepy bodies to bed around 1 am.
I also had my first shower for Baby Graham and it was so much fun! Stacey was a great host and I think it all turned out perfectly. Everything was held at Connie's house and we started off the day enjoying yummy snacks, including a bacon, cheesy dip that Stacey made that was a huge hit. Graham certainly approved (but, I mean, who wouldn't approve of bacon + cheese)! Then we played a few games, including the classic "which candy is melted in the diaper". That one always cracks me up! And I swear, I didn't realize so many candy bars contain peanuts (or things that look oddly like peanuts)! Opening gifts was super fun and definitely helped me get excited for the baby to finally be here. Graham is already so spoiled, which I think is just fantastic! :) I was VERY excited to get our jogging stroller. Even though I really do love being pregnant, I'm very ready to get back into my normal active habits. Graham and I will definitely be spending a lot of time with that stroller, and hopefully he approves of the playlists I make for the little speakers inside his seat. :)
Life seems to be going by and changing so quickly! I can only imagine how it's going to be watching my little baby grow up! In just the past few weeks we've seen so many changes. Two of our good friends had their babies, which is so exciting! I can't wait for Graham to meet them both! I have a feeling he's going to be great friends with baby Brumley! I can see them on the same sports teams now. Graham and JR will be a force to be reckoned with! :)
I've had a few pregnancy changes too that really snuck up on me! Even though my cold is gone, I still wake up stuffy in the morning because naturally every part of my pregnant body needs to swell up at some point, including my sinuses. I officially can't tell where my legs stop and my ankles begin. And I swear my feet used to have veins and all the shoes I already have really did fit me at some point. On the bright side, at least we have a king size bed for the 15 pillows I need to sleep semi-comfortably to fit in. My baby is now the size of a cantaloupe (at least), so I've resorted to asking Matt to tie my shoes and paint my toenails. He also has to pick up anything I drop after 7 pm because at that point I already consider it a small miracle that I've made it through another workout and beyond that, my body refuses to bend over. Perhaps a hot bath would relieve my aches and pains, you say? I tried that recently as well, and laughed at how ridiculous (and uncomfortable) it is to stretch out in a tub with a pregnant belly that hardly goes under the water. Then laughed even harder at the realization that I better get comfortable because the likelihood that I could actually get myself out of a slippery tub without my husband being home was slim to none. I realize just how much life has changed already when a relaxing soak in the tub wears me out! I certainly would have taken a nap after that fiasco, but then my swollen hands and newly developed carpal tunnel would have flared up and I'd wake up stuffy again. All of the above is clearly why I'm the hottest prego in town. ;)
Amazingly enough, I wouldn't give up being pregnant for anything in the world. I'm really going to miss it when Graham is finally here. Aches, pains, hot-mess and all! Good thing I'll have an adorable little man to take my attention off not being pregnant anymore. :)
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Merry Christmas and Happy Baby!
We are 33 weeks along today and only have 49 days left to go! I can't believe we have less than 50 days. It doesn't seem like that long ago when I was counting down the last 50 days until our wedding, and those days flew by!
Baby Graham is doing awesome! Every doctors appointment goes really well, and he's kicking up a storm. We learned that barbecue sauce really gets him going after a dinner out to Montgomery Inn. Matt and I enjoyed a much needed date night and when we got home Graham was a kicking machine! I think he must have kicked for a solid hour, and they were strong kicks too. Matt loved it, and so did I...well, until it felt like he was going to kick right out of my stomach.
We had a great Christmas! We were really busy as usual, but it's always nice to spend time with family. Graham even got some super cute things this year! :) Matt's mom bought him this little toy that giggles when you move it, and it sounds like a baby laughing. It's hilarious! Matt and I got the biggest kick out of it every time we showed someone that day! I'm also learning that there are so many different traditions when it comes to kids' gifts for Christmas, in particular how Santa gifts and "mom and dad" gifts are handled. Some people wrap all of the gifts, some don't wrap any, and some wrap the "mom and dad" gifts and put the gifts from Santa together and sit them under the tree. I can't wait to start our own Christmas traditions with Graham next year!
Matt and I also had some vacation time after Christmas so we've been enjoying spending time together. He's officially finished with school (YAY!), so that has been a huge relief for him. We've been enjoying lots of dinner dates, movies and relaxing time at home. And we (aka. Matt) finished painting the nursery! It's a great buttercup yellow color and I love it!!
Unfortunately, I started getting a cold 3 days after Christmas and haven't felt very good since. I never really appreciated cold medicine until I couldn't take it! Obviously working out hasn't happened either, which only makes the "big, slow and pregnant" feeling even worse. I'm really hoping I've rested enough and had enough orange juice that I'll start feeling a lot better soon! I guess it's only fair that at some point in this pregnancy I deal with the feeling of being ready to not look and feel so pregnant. I mean, it wouldn't be fair if it was a walk in the park every day, right? :)
Baby Graham is doing awesome! Every doctors appointment goes really well, and he's kicking up a storm. We learned that barbecue sauce really gets him going after a dinner out to Montgomery Inn. Matt and I enjoyed a much needed date night and when we got home Graham was a kicking machine! I think he must have kicked for a solid hour, and they were strong kicks too. Matt loved it, and so did I...well, until it felt like he was going to kick right out of my stomach.
We had a great Christmas! We were really busy as usual, but it's always nice to spend time with family. Graham even got some super cute things this year! :) Matt's mom bought him this little toy that giggles when you move it, and it sounds like a baby laughing. It's hilarious! Matt and I got the biggest kick out of it every time we showed someone that day! I'm also learning that there are so many different traditions when it comes to kids' gifts for Christmas, in particular how Santa gifts and "mom and dad" gifts are handled. Some people wrap all of the gifts, some don't wrap any, and some wrap the "mom and dad" gifts and put the gifts from Santa together and sit them under the tree. I can't wait to start our own Christmas traditions with Graham next year!
Matt and I also had some vacation time after Christmas so we've been enjoying spending time together. He's officially finished with school (YAY!), so that has been a huge relief for him. We've been enjoying lots of dinner dates, movies and relaxing time at home. And we (aka. Matt) finished painting the nursery! It's a great buttercup yellow color and I love it!!
Unfortunately, I started getting a cold 3 days after Christmas and haven't felt very good since. I never really appreciated cold medicine until I couldn't take it! Obviously working out hasn't happened either, which only makes the "big, slow and pregnant" feeling even worse. I'm really hoping I've rested enough and had enough orange juice that I'll start feeling a lot better soon! I guess it's only fair that at some point in this pregnancy I deal with the feeling of being ready to not look and feel so pregnant. I mean, it wouldn't be fair if it was a walk in the park every day, right? :)
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
31 Weeks & Smoochy Cheeks
We've had a busy couple of weeks! Between preparing the nursery, fixing other things around the house and the holidays, I think Graham is going to be here before we know it!
My little monkey has been kicking and moving a lot more, which I am loving. Well, except maybe those times when I feel like his foot is trying to come out of my skin! It took so long for me to really feel him every day (thanks to my anterior placenta), but now I can almost get him to move any time I want. He's especially active after I have something really cold to eat or drink. Or when I'm leaning on my side with my legs curled up (which I think is because I'm cramping his style and not giving him as much wiggle room).
A few nights ago Matt and I were relaxing in bed before we made dinner, talking about our list of to-do's (we do that a lot these days). I was on my side and Matt had his hand on my belly waiting for Graham to show him some love. Graham is a little stubborn when it comes to letting other people feel him kick! I feel him start kicking, and as soon as Matt comes over and puts his hand on my stomach he stops moving! Matt was being very patient, as always, and as we were about to finally get up Matt leaned down to say something to Graham. As soon as his nose and mouth hit my tummy Graham gave Daddy a kick right in the face! It was hilarious! Matt was excited regardless to feel him kick, but we had to laugh about what a stinker he is already. Apparently he likes his privacy (which he 100% gets from his Dad).
We also had a 3D/4D ultra sound this past Saturday, the day before our 31 week mark. It was awesome!!! I am absolutely amazed at how fast a baby grows and changes. I still remember when we saw him for the first time and he looked like a little shrimp! He has the sweetest little face now, and he's already got the most adorable smoochy cheeks! He's got a little nose, which I think looks like mine, and he's got the tiniest little chin. Matt and I think he might have his chin, although I can't really remember what Matt's chin looks like without a beard. :) I think Graham gets his adorable cheeks from me and his Grandma Connie. About half way through the ultra sound, everyone in the room was laughing about something, and Graham even cracked a smile! I am so in love with this baby it is unreal. He is going to be so loved, and so spoiled. Without a doubt, he will have both me and his Dad wrapped around his little finger.
I'm also happy to report that the Wiley's are not only done with Christmas shopping, but we have all of the gifts wrapped!! Shopping this year completely wore me out (and onset a serious case of the pregnancy wobble by the end of each trip), but it's still one of my most favorite things to do, so I can't complain too much. I am so excited to get to buy for Graham next year too! Thankfully, Auntie Tammi was the best ever and came over to help me wrap. Wrapping a bajillion gifts isn't easy, especially when you have a huge belly (see picture below...oh how I'm missing the "days of skinny")! We made a girls night out of it and have officially decided it will be a new tradition. The first annual wrapping extravaganza was lots of fun and a total success!
Here's a little slide show of our 3D ultra sound (with a little song for our little man) - it's a serious dose of cuteness! I personally can't look at these without smiling!
My little monkey has been kicking and moving a lot more, which I am loving. Well, except maybe those times when I feel like his foot is trying to come out of my skin! It took so long for me to really feel him every day (thanks to my anterior placenta), but now I can almost get him to move any time I want. He's especially active after I have something really cold to eat or drink. Or when I'm leaning on my side with my legs curled up (which I think is because I'm cramping his style and not giving him as much wiggle room).
A few nights ago Matt and I were relaxing in bed before we made dinner, talking about our list of to-do's (we do that a lot these days). I was on my side and Matt had his hand on my belly waiting for Graham to show him some love. Graham is a little stubborn when it comes to letting other people feel him kick! I feel him start kicking, and as soon as Matt comes over and puts his hand on my stomach he stops moving! Matt was being very patient, as always, and as we were about to finally get up Matt leaned down to say something to Graham. As soon as his nose and mouth hit my tummy Graham gave Daddy a kick right in the face! It was hilarious! Matt was excited regardless to feel him kick, but we had to laugh about what a stinker he is already. Apparently he likes his privacy (which he 100% gets from his Dad).
We also had a 3D/4D ultra sound this past Saturday, the day before our 31 week mark. It was awesome!!! I am absolutely amazed at how fast a baby grows and changes. I still remember when we saw him for the first time and he looked like a little shrimp! He has the sweetest little face now, and he's already got the most adorable smoochy cheeks! He's got a little nose, which I think looks like mine, and he's got the tiniest little chin. Matt and I think he might have his chin, although I can't really remember what Matt's chin looks like without a beard. :) I think Graham gets his adorable cheeks from me and his Grandma Connie. About half way through the ultra sound, everyone in the room was laughing about something, and Graham even cracked a smile! I am so in love with this baby it is unreal. He is going to be so loved, and so spoiled. Without a doubt, he will have both me and his Dad wrapped around his little finger.
I'm also happy to report that the Wiley's are not only done with Christmas shopping, but we have all of the gifts wrapped!! Shopping this year completely wore me out (and onset a serious case of the pregnancy wobble by the end of each trip), but it's still one of my most favorite things to do, so I can't complain too much. I am so excited to get to buy for Graham next year too! Thankfully, Auntie Tammi was the best ever and came over to help me wrap. Wrapping a bajillion gifts isn't easy, especially when you have a huge belly (see picture below...oh how I'm missing the "days of skinny")! We made a girls night out of it and have officially decided it will be a new tradition. The first annual wrapping extravaganza was lots of fun and a total success!
Here's a little slide show of our 3D ultra sound (with a little song for our little man) - it's a serious dose of cuteness! I personally can't look at these without smiling!
Monday, December 3, 2012
29 Weeks
Due to popular demand, I'm going to do my best to update my blog more often! It's hard sometimes, with work and life and holiday events, but I know I'll be happy to have all of these memories when Graham is finally here and life is a lot more hectic!
Last week was a crazy week. I had to travel to Toledo for work, so I spent most of the day Sunday getting the house in order and figuring out what I was going to pack. Some day I might be more low maintenance (or I might be forced to be with a baby), but for the time being, I sure do require A LOT of stuff whenever I go out of town! Since my car sickness is out of control these days, I opted to drive our group up. If you've never made the drive from Cincinnati to Toledo, you're not missing much. It's not exactly the most exciting stretch. Still, I was pretty proud of myself for only having to stop once to use the bathroom! :) We were in meetings all day on Tuesday and then drove home that night...talk about swollen feet! They looked like little sausages! This is definitely a new development of the third trimester...swollen feet and hands ALL the time.
I had my 28 week Dr's appointment last Wednesday and that went wonderfully! Graham is doing great and his heartbeat sounds good and strong. The midwife, who I love, says we are progressing beautifully. That's what every Mom likes to hear! She was tempted to let me wait until next month to start my every 2 week appointments, but changed her mind at the last minute. I'm actually totally fine with it! It just means I get to hear the little man's heartbeat more often and spend more time talking about how he's growing. My midwife is amazing and she spends so much time with me every visit! She also thinks it's very likely that she will deliver Graham, so I'm thrilled about that!
We also had our Lamaze class last week. I was hoping the instructor would assure me that delivery would be quick and easy, thanks to all the hard work I've put in doing my best to stay active while being pregnant. Instead, she started off the class talking about how all deliveries involve pain and how pain is necessary. Same thing, right? Talking about all of the details of delivery definitely made me a little anxious at first, but I feel a lot more prepared now. I think that's the biggest benefit of taking birthing and baby classes. I don't think we've learned anything we HAD to know to be good parents by any means, but we are definitely a lot more aware and prepared for what's going to happen. And on top of that, it gives us dedicated time to spend together, thinking about our baby and about being parents. It's been a great bonding experience for us!
Matt was super cute during Lamaze too. We both kept getting the giggles during the relaxation portion, otherwise known as "mommy massage time". I always ask Matt to scratch my back, so he knew I was just loving it. Afterwards, I told him that we should probably be responsible and practice what we learned in Lamaze a few times a week. :) We watched several birth videos too, which most people would not enjoy. To my surprise, they were such sweet moments! I guess I appreciate them more now that I'm about to have a baby. I thought it was very endearing that Matt got choked up watching the deliveries...he's going to be such a great Dad. He's definitely been an amazing husband throughout this entire pregnancy, so I'm certain he's going to be a rockstar at being a parent! Graham also gave him a kick while we were having relaxation time, so of course that just made the afternoon for both of us.
Well, it's officially past my bedtime! I have to turn in earlier these days since I wake up every couple of hours to go to the bathroom. Apparently the bladder also feels it necessary to break you in for motherhood and nighttime feedings!
Last week was a crazy week. I had to travel to Toledo for work, so I spent most of the day Sunday getting the house in order and figuring out what I was going to pack. Some day I might be more low maintenance (or I might be forced to be with a baby), but for the time being, I sure do require A LOT of stuff whenever I go out of town! Since my car sickness is out of control these days, I opted to drive our group up. If you've never made the drive from Cincinnati to Toledo, you're not missing much. It's not exactly the most exciting stretch. Still, I was pretty proud of myself for only having to stop once to use the bathroom! :) We were in meetings all day on Tuesday and then drove home that night...talk about swollen feet! They looked like little sausages! This is definitely a new development of the third trimester...swollen feet and hands ALL the time.
I had my 28 week Dr's appointment last Wednesday and that went wonderfully! Graham is doing great and his heartbeat sounds good and strong. The midwife, who I love, says we are progressing beautifully. That's what every Mom likes to hear! She was tempted to let me wait until next month to start my every 2 week appointments, but changed her mind at the last minute. I'm actually totally fine with it! It just means I get to hear the little man's heartbeat more often and spend more time talking about how he's growing. My midwife is amazing and she spends so much time with me every visit! She also thinks it's very likely that she will deliver Graham, so I'm thrilled about that!
We also had our Lamaze class last week. I was hoping the instructor would assure me that delivery would be quick and easy, thanks to all the hard work I've put in doing my best to stay active while being pregnant. Instead, she started off the class talking about how all deliveries involve pain and how pain is necessary. Same thing, right? Talking about all of the details of delivery definitely made me a little anxious at first, but I feel a lot more prepared now. I think that's the biggest benefit of taking birthing and baby classes. I don't think we've learned anything we HAD to know to be good parents by any means, but we are definitely a lot more aware and prepared for what's going to happen. And on top of that, it gives us dedicated time to spend together, thinking about our baby and about being parents. It's been a great bonding experience for us!
Matt was super cute during Lamaze too. We both kept getting the giggles during the relaxation portion, otherwise known as "mommy massage time". I always ask Matt to scratch my back, so he knew I was just loving it. Afterwards, I told him that we should probably be responsible and practice what we learned in Lamaze a few times a week. :) We watched several birth videos too, which most people would not enjoy. To my surprise, they were such sweet moments! I guess I appreciate them more now that I'm about to have a baby. I thought it was very endearing that Matt got choked up watching the deliveries...he's going to be such a great Dad. He's definitely been an amazing husband throughout this entire pregnancy, so I'm certain he's going to be a rockstar at being a parent! Graham also gave him a kick while we were having relaxation time, so of course that just made the afternoon for both of us.
Well, it's officially past my bedtime! I have to turn in earlier these days since I wake up every couple of hours to go to the bathroom. Apparently the bladder also feels it necessary to break you in for motherhood and nighttime feedings!
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