First Smiles

His first "real" smiles...I just love his crooked little grin! I think he was about 4 and 1/2 or 5 weeks old then. And he hasn't stopped smiling since then...sweet boy!

One Month....

Mother's Day

Being a mother (for only 3 weeks at this point) has been the best experience in my life so far. I love it! It was what I feel like I was meant to do. Don't get me wrong,  I love being a pharmacist and feeling like I am helping people in "behind the scenes" kinda ways...but it is nothing like taking care of this sweet little man. I love getting to know this little guy more and more every day. I love watching him learn and watching him grow. He is my life and I love him soo much! Leon was so sweet to me on Mother's Day! He gave me a necklace, a card from him that made me cry, a card from Bishop that made me cry, a bottle of wine, and a DVD. It was a wonderful first Mother's Day!

Mother's Day was not just about me, of course. It is this year especially that I have learned to appreciate my own mother a whole lot more. There is nothing like the love of your own child and so I now can truely know the love she must have for me. She has been there for me through everything and I love her so much!

Mother's day is not all tears of joy. It is also days like this that we miss those moms and grandmothers who were never even able to meet our angel. I know that Leon's mother would be so proud him. She would love to see what a great father he is. I know she is smiling down from Heaven!

DADDY'S GRADUATION

Well, it finally happened...Daddy graduated from college! It may have taken 11 years to get there...but he did it! We could not be more proud!

Two week checkup

9 lbs 2oz

22 3/4 inches

GROWING BOY!!

The doctor walked in and the first thing she said was..."what are you feeding him, liquid gold?" So I took it that all was going well. He was growing just as he was supposed to be (plus some). We did not have too many questions as he was just a perfect little angel with no problems! She did inform me that I no longer had to wake him at night every 3 hours since he was so big. Woohoo! Great news! Even if he woke up after 4 hours on his own, at least I got another hour of sleep.

These are a few of my favorite things

There are tons of things that I love and could not live without (baby swing, baby gym, breastpump, Dr. Brown's bottles, etc), but I am choosing to talk about the two things that I would recommend to any new mom to aid in getting baby to sleep well. Some people may be against one or the other, but my experience [with only one child] has been great! Neither may not work at all with my next child, but I certainly will give it try.

Item number one: The Miracle Blanket: AKA, baby straight jacket. At first I wasn't too sure about this one. It seems so cruel. I would swaddle him, but not pin his arms down. After a while, he would get himself out and wake himself up by flailing those long arms around. So, I tried the Miracle Blanket. After a few days, we both warmed up to the idea. Now, he loves it! He has been sleeping all night for about 2 months! My only issue now is...How will we ever STOP using it? Is there a weening process or do we quit cold turkey? I guess we shall see soon enough!

Item number two:  Baby Wise. I read this book while I was pregnant at least once and then re-read parts of it several times since. Some of it I just could not understand until he was actually here. Some of it I still don't get. I am by no means a Baby Wise Nazi, but I do think it has some good points. I don't do everything just according to Gary and Robert...but I did try and follow the basics. We still rock (when he lets me) and I don't let him lay there and cry for 20 minutes. We still aren't that great at napping, but I'll take a good nights sleep over a nap any day.  I would recommend all expecting/new moms at least read over it even if you don't follow EVERYTHING it says!

Side note: This is not exactly the week for me to be publishing this post, but I am doing it anyway despite our current sleeping habit. Ever since I went back to work those 4 days, he has decided to wake up between 4:45 and 6 STARVING. His paci won't work and rocking just makes him mad...he wants to eat and that is all that makes him happy. I thought he was getting ready to sleep LONGER, but not looking that way at the moment. I'm thinking maybe it is a growth spurt. Maybe he needs something more than milk to satisfy him longer. I don't know? I was really planning on waiting until 4 months to start cereal, but he may need it sooner since he is such a big boy. From 7 or 8 weeks up until last week, he has slept from about 10-7 or 8 which was fantastic. I can handle the extra early morning meal for now as long is it is a growth spurt and not a habit! We'll see!

Walking in the park....

These pics are the first of many trips to the park during our first summer together. We always had such a great time! Well, I did..Bishop slept usually!  Before daddy got a job, he would tag along with us sometimes...and complain the whole time that we walked too fast! Either way, we enjoyed it. We even had a picnic one day. Abby LOVED going with us too! Sometimes Bishop and I would go with Jenny Ruth and her girls, Amelia and Claire, Amanda, Dana, or just by ourselves. It is a little HOT at the moment to actually get to enjoy it, but I am already looking forward to going in the fall when it is a little more bearable!

Warringtons come to visit

J.J., Allen, and Harvey came to visit and we had SO much fun! Brandi and Jamie also came Saturday night and we grilled out. Our conversations had changed a bit....it went from pharmacy, pharmacy, pharmacy to babies, babies, babies!

One week ALREADY!!

2 Day Checkup

Getting back on track now. Two day appointment was GREAT...8 lbs 2 oz. Almost back to birthweight already and no jaundice...such a perfect baby!

Back to Work

Ok, so I was trying to go back and put everything in order from the beginning, but I have to interupt for a quick side note.

I have been crying for two days now because tomorrow is the day that I have been dreading for 12 weeks....the day I go back to work! UGH!! It is a combination of  leaving him and the fact that he is growing at lightening speed. Everyone always says that they grow up quickly...and it is so unbelievably true! After going back through all of these pictures and emotions...I realize how much he is changing. At 12 weeks, he is able to bat both his hands and feet, "talk" (nonstop), to us and to his toys (the ones with eyes), sit in his bumbo for a short period, laugh (my absolute favorite!), splash in the bathtub, and hold his head up really good. He is just starting to sit in the exersaucer/jumperoo and actually seems to enjoy the toys. Such a smart kid!

Anyway, back to the point...I know that I am fortunate enough to be able to have my mom keep him and to only be going back part time BUT I still am so upset about it. I don't know how it is going to go, but it is not looking too good. I know that I can't stay home all of the time but I sure would love to. I have even offered to sell our house or my Volvo to be able to stay home more (got a big no on that one!). Some people say they liked going back because they got bored and needed to get out....I never have been bored at home...NEVER! We have always found plenty to do. We have had our little routine that we are both comfortable with. I have been happy to wake up EVERY morning! I love seeing his smiling face...such a precious gift from God! I wake up, feed him, we go back to sleep for 30 mins to an hour, and then get up to start our day. It has been fantastic!  I can honestly say that the past 12 weeks of my life have been "happy". It is the only time I can remember consciously thinking almost every day..."THIS is happy " and "I absolutely LOVE my life".  I just don't want it to end!! I know he will be fine and in time, I am sure I will be too. But for now...I am sad, very sad.

First Bath....

 This was a rather tramatic experience for me. I was so worried about giving him a bath for some reason so I waited until both my mom and Amelia were there to help. As you can see from the pictures, it was tramatic for him as well. He HATED it. I teared up just because he was crying!  Luckily for the both of us, that was the only time he hated it. He loves it now!

Going Home

Honestly, I WAS NOT ready to go home. Leon was ready to get out of that room...and probably ready to thaw out (I was so hot that I froze him to death!) but not me. I was fine where I was. I had nurses to help me there if I needed them. What was I going to do at home? Anyway, I had to go. It wasn't until I was actually home that I realized just how much I missed being home. I couldn't believe I was home with my baby! The world that I was coming home to seemed so different than the one I had left only two days before. It was a whole new chapter in my life and I was excited to see what was ahead!

The Hospital Stay

J.J. had told me this when Harvey was born, and now I say it (or at least think it) all of the time..."I could go back to the hospital and do it all over again". It was such a special experience. I loved having all of our family and friends come to visit us Bishop. The best part of the whole thing was snuggling with my sweet little man. I loved to just fall asleep with him on my chest. Sure, there were struggles as well...lack of sleep, nursing frustrations, pain from having him....but for the most part, it was wonderful!

D Day...

Friday, April 16, 2010...the day my world changed. I had actually been having contractions since the night of April 14 on and off. I even called the hospital that night to see if I should come or not. The contractions were anywhere from 4-8 minutes apart.  The doctor just told me to take a bath and if it got worse come on...if not, it was probably "false labor". After the bath, they almost went away....Geez! Then by Thursday night...after walking at the park and on the treadmill 2 or 3 times...I was in some serious pain. I had that fear of being the mom who either A) shows up to the hospital 10 times before actual labor starts (more likely of the two) or B) shows up too dilated for an epidural. Even though I could not sleep AT ALL...I had a 10 a.m. appt Friday and I was determined to wait until then to do anything.

It was very weird knowing you are in labor in the doctors office waiting room. I had to stay calm because I looked no different than anyone else....but I knew that something was going on. The nurse said the same "you can go leave your specimen now" and I did it as calmly as I could while I wanted to scream...."I'm in labor people...can't you see that?!?!..I don't care about a SPECIMEN!" Luckily, I didn't actually say it. I did the normal weight check and got hooked up to the monitors....yep, I was not dreaming the contractions. I had this fear that my doctor was going to come in and say "you are only having tiny contractions and haven't changed a bit, so I'll see you on MONDAY". I was thinking THERE IS NO WAY I AM GOING THROUGH THIS ALL WEEKEND!!  However, that is not what she said...thank goodness!

I had dilated 3 cm and was having pretty regular contractions and so she offered to do another procedure that would speed up the labor process...and all I replied was "Can I just have him today?" I LOVE MY DOCTOR. She said "Sure, I'll meet you at the hospital in a few minutes to break your water....you will probably have him by 7:30 or so tonight."  What? Really? I had previously thought I might just be pregnant forever and today it was FINALLY going to be over and I was going to meet my little man one way or another...what a wonderful day!

I arrived at the hospital around 11:30 or 12 (after stopping at Subway to get Leon some lunch) and had dilated to 4 cm already. I met the most wonderful nurses there...they made everything seem so easy! I got my epidural and Dr. Hill came and broke my water. P.S. the epidural was fabulous!! At one time, I thought I might could do without it...but NEGATIVE. It made it a wonderful experience that I would do over a hundred times! I was able to talk to my family, text everyone who couldn't be there, and even facebook. And who can go through labor without Facebook...lol! My family couldn't believe I was in labor since I was going on like nothing was wrong....once again, epidurals are a wonderful thing.

My nurse had planned to check me again at 5:30,  but around 4:30 that my epidural was wearing off...or so I thought. The anesthesiologist had told me that could happen and he would just turn it up if I started feeling the pain. I wasn't planning on telling my nurse until she came and checked me in an hour or so; I had PLENTY of time before he was going to be here ...but Leon insisted I did. He said there wasn't any need in being in pain and so he called for the nurse. Thank goodness he did! Apparently it was not the epidural wearing off but the pressure they say that epidurals can't get rid of. The nurse called Dr. Hill and said I would be pushing in 30 minutes. I thought..."Wait! I am not supposed to have this baby for a couple of hours!! I'm not ready!" 

At 5:24 p.m., after 15 minutes of pushing...HE WAS HERE....REALLY HERE!! Everytime I think about the first time I saw him, I tear up. It was amazing. He was beautiful and so perfect...completely perfect! The first thing I thought was "OMG, he's huge" and the second was "look at all that hair....and that poor coned head". He was a doll. My heart grew in that delivery room more than I could have ever imagined. It even grew for Leon. I had no idea how much I could love two people before this! I thank God every single day!

James "Bishop" Hays

8 lbs 3oz

21 inches

From the beginning

And so it was true, after making a 10:30 (PM) Walmart run and purchasing 3 different brands of tests, we finally believed it. Well, kind of. I did take one or two daily for a while "just to be sure". We kept it a secret for 7 whole ridiculously long weeks (ok, so it is not all that long, but I'm kind of impatient) until our doctors appointment, just to be sure everything was going as planned. I did tell my parents....and some random guy at the pool in Destin but didn't tell the whole family until after we heard that sweet little heart beating. The little heart who has stolen my heart!

Destin, Fl, 7 weeks

Its very hard to go back and remember every little detail of the pregnancy....which is part of the reason I am starting this thing...but I'm going to try my best to remember the main things. I really can't complain about anything major about being pregnant . It had its ups and downs for sure. I definetly am not one of those people who "liked being pregnant", but I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!

The best thing about being pregnant was feeling that little boy move around (all the time!!) He had the hiccups the last few months at least 3 or 4 times daily (and STILL gets them that much!). I loved how people always smiled at me just because I was pregnant. I loved coming home from work, taking a warm bath, and just watching him wiggle around. His little foot was always poking me in my side and I loved it! I loved how sweet Leon was to me. He did ANYTHING I wanted...and yes, I took full advantage. He was right there with me the whole entire time...he even was able to come to all of my doctors appointments. I can't imagine what I would have done without him!

What was the worst thing? Hmmm, I think for me the worst thing was going to the bathroom ALL the time....the last few months at least. So I would say that isn't too much to complain about. It could have been a whole lot worse. I did have 7-8 weeks of nausea that was NOT limited to the mornings. I never understood the term "morning sickness". For me, it was just "sickness". Even though at the time it seemed like an eternity, looking back...it really didn't last all that long. I had a touch of everything pregnant people complain about, but nothing severe. I had the backaches, heartburn, sleepless nights, etc. but nothing that was not worth getting to meet my little man!

Everyone always asked about cravings, and I don't think I had very many of those. I did LOVE red hots, Sour Skittles (although I love those when I am not pregnant so I am not sure if that counts), Chikfila chicken biscuits, orange juice, carrots, Heavenly Ham, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and Chester Cheetos hot fries. I didn't love Mexican which is weird because I eat that at least once or twice a week usually...but I may have eaten it 5 or 6 times when I was pregnant.

I just decided that I would post a few...VERY FEW prego pics. I really didn't have that many because I hated having my picture taken...still do, in fact. Anyway, here they are....

Shower, 32 weeks

37 (ish) weeks

40 weeks...the day my life changed :)

That is most certainly not everything, but it's a start. Just thinking about those 40 weeks of my life makes me tear up. It was such a miracle and I am so blessed!

Here Goes Nothing....

I have no clue what exactly I am doing here, but I promised myself I would at least give it a try....

On April 16, 2010, my life changed forever...and for the best. The past 12 weeks have been the absolute most wonderful ones in my life. I'm going to attempt to catch up on those and to stay caught up in order to be able to remember all the little details. No one but myself may read it...but at least I will have something to look back on.

Wish me luck!