It's so hilarious to watch babies play together

On the 8th day, God created Rice Cereal.

I went with the rice cereal. She loved it. It didn't hurt her stomach (which was my concern to begin with) and she slept for 8 1/2 hours before getting up. She even went back down twice after her morning feeding and is sleeping now. That stuff rules.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Nora was sleeping through the night at 7 weeks and she would occasionally wake up, but when we put her pacifier back in she was asleep again. For the past two weeks she has been waking up twice a night and acting like she's starving. I've been feeding her because she won't go back to sleep and I am afraid she's not getting enough during the day. #1 Should I give he rice cereal to try and fill her up? #2 Is she too young to "cry it out"? #3 Does traveling mess with their sleep patterns so much that she would be waking up a week 1/2 after we return home?

I should add that the lactation specialist said to be a clock watcher right now until she is 6 months since she's so distracted and not eating as well during the day. She recommended I feed her every two hours until she's 6 months. ugh.

Four Months Almost

Nora turns four months on the first. I'm doing an early post because I know we'll be busy during that time. It didn't post the pictures in the order I wanted so you'll just have to follow the captionsMy grandparents brought this shirt back to me from Venezuela when I was a baby. Now Nora's wearing it. Pretty sweet...
you'll have to look below, I layed her on her belly to play and came back five seconds later and she was like this. Rolling over pretty frequently now...
It was funny after I took the earlier picture she grabbed her passy out of her mouth and threw it beside her and looked up again. It was like "I'm wayyyy too old to take a picture with a passy, mom"
This was the picture that goes with the one above
She can kiss now which is fun. She opens her mouth and gives you a big kiss when you ask for it. Cute cute cute

For Girls Eyes Only

This one's for Sara:
This has been a terrible week. For some reason this week I feel like postpartum hit me. I'm not sure why it waited until month four, but it's here. Actually I am sure why it happened, nobody told me the BCP (you girls know what I mean) you take when you are nursing don't have sugar pills that last week so I basically skipped an entire week of my BC. Yup, Dr. Bannister, if you are reading this you're in big trouble. :)

I'm off work for a month and have every reason to be happy and enjoying my time with Nora. However, she just started getting distracted realizing there is a world around her and it's been really difficult to feed her, which stresses me out because I really want this breastfeeding to work as long as it can.

There's something about being a mom that causes you such guilt every single minute of every day. Did I feed her enough? Did I wait too long to change her diaper? Is she too cold? Is she getting enough milk from me? It really may be because I'm a first time mom and paranoid about everything, but I've heard other moms say that they have felt the same way after child #3. I want to stop worrying and just enjoy every minute. I'm a good mom. I'm doing the right thing. I make mistakes. For example, today I took a chunk out of her finger when I was clipping her nails. I didn't even know it until I saw blood on my shirt, so apparantly I have a baby with high pain tolerance.

Secondly, I feel like I have three children because my dogs have been extra needy. If you don't have a dog then skip this part because it will sound ultra crazy to you. My dogs were my kids before Nora and they have been completely neglected lately. I feel extremely guilty about that, but as my friend says, you give them a comfortable home and food and water right now. That's all they need. Fleas have been terrible in Memphis this year because we didn't have much of a winter so we've been constantly calling the bug man to come spray our yard and working extra hard to keep the fleas off our dogs. ( which is no easy task when your dog weighs 105 lbs and 50 lbs). I'm completely overwhelmed with that on top of being a new mom

I feel guilty because one of my closest friends can't have a baby and here I am with one and getting frustrated at times. I feel like I should enjoy every minute, which I do enjoy most every minute, just not this week. I'm not tired of taking care of her, I don't feel like I need a break, it's just getting much harder than it was. She fights sleep, fights eating, cries more often, etc. I know there are moms out there who have felt like this and that brings me peace that I'm not alone. I debated on writing this all week because there are people who read my blog that I'd prefer not know things like skipping a week on BCP. But as my friend Sara said, people act like they have the perfect life with the perfect kids on their blogs and that's not real. These blogs are meant for two things in my life 1. a way to keep up with my children and a record of their development for later down the road and 2. support from the people who love me the most when I need it the most.

Things are slowly getting better. They can only go up from here. I've got my "surprise for my birthday" tonight so I'm sure I'll feel better later....except that Nora's with a babysitter so it gives me another thing to obsess about. Is she crying? Is the sleeping okay? Does she know I'm not there? :) :) :)

It finally let me load these pictures I wanted to share from Texas. Here's Nora with my aunt Janice, her cousins (second and third cousins), my grandma and her aunt Tammie getting in one last kiss before we left.

Well, 30 years ago today I entered this world. It's hard to imagine I'm 30. Today is also my sister and her husband's birthday (yes, she married someone with the same birthday, AND my brother's birthday was Tuesday, two days before ours). It always seemed like Christmas again in June around our house.

I slept in until 9:30 and I'd like to give a shout out to Nora for allowing that to happen. I could have lifted weights with her diaper when we finally woke up. Poor baby.
Plans for my big day: I'm going to lunch with my friend, Danielle, and possibly swimming after that. Tonight I'm sure Kevin and I will go eat. I think he's got something cooked up for Saturday night because I was told to get a babysitter. Happy Birthday Scott, Tammie, Cindy Lauper-see below, and Mrs. someone who was our computer teacher in high school that had our birthday..I can't remember her name? Mrs. Young, maybe??
Name:
Cindy Lauper
Birth Name:
Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper
Height:
5' 3\"
Sex:
F
Nationality:
American
Birth Date:
June 22, 1953
Birth Place:
Brooklyn, New York, USA
Profession:
musician

This is what Nora was doing before she pooped on my new shirt. She looks so innocent but don't let her fool you. She was just plotting her next trick.

Today my brother turns 24. He's the coolest 24 year old I know and I'd like to wish him a crappy birthday. My poor brother had to grow up with two older sisters who treat him like second and third moms. I remember making my brother take me on a date when he turned 16 and if he didn't open the door I'd make him do it over. He's quite a sensative person, but I guess you have no choice in his situation. He is very talented as an athlete, but also has an artsy side to him with his guitar, singing, etc. One of the funniest things about my brother is he's quirky and always doing things that stick in our family. We can give Randy 100% credit for Marty Crimshers. One year my brother rearranged my mom's Christmas blocks to say Marty Crimshers and she kept changing it back, then Randy would change it back...pretty soon it just stuck.??? We haven't said Merry Christmas in years. He even has a santa hat that says Marty Crimshers. Funny guy. I'm proud of the person you've become! happy birthday Randy!! We love you!!

Well, we're finally back from Texas and although it's good to be home, it was so much fun being with my family. Nora is in detox right now from being held so much. If I lay her down for two seconds now she starts screaming bloody murder. There's plenty more pictures to share but the freaking blogger people don't want me to share them for some reason. Nora got to swim for the first time. Here she is with my dad putting her in the water
We got together with my extended family so they could meet Nora and the boys played guitar while the girls talked and caught up Luckily Kevin's sister who lives in Amarillo was in town with my neice and was surprised that we were in the metroplex as well. She got to meet Nora for a quick hug and kiss. She has never seen her and is the only one of Kevin's siblings that hadn't, so she was thrilled for this moment. We got to have lunch with Chelsea, a college roommate of mine...her daughter Kendyll fell in love with Nora and I know the feeling was mutual. Carlie is there somewhere, she just wasn't in the picture mood. :) I'm so glad Chels got to meet Nora. We've been friends forever and it's always neat when one of your long time friends meets your baby for the first time. Here's McKenzie, our niece meeting Nora at her volleyball tournament

I'll post the rest as soon as it lets me.

Mom and I went through my treasure chest from when I was a baby. I had to share some pictures we took of Nora wearing my bonnets, clothes and swimsuit. So funny. So 70's. There are more pictures but for some reason it won't let me post right now. I'll add them later. She was a trooper through the whole trying on thing until the last picture. You can kind of tell that was post melt down. We had fun. The doll was mine when I was a baby and it says "I love Angie". The colorful bonnet was a Sesame Street hat mom says Tammie and I wore all the time. Makes me want to save everything!

Here's Nora with my brother's band Poor Rich Folk
Nora and Uncle Randy

Attaway Mavs!!

God Bless Texas. Woo hoo. . .the Mavericks. We went to my sisters last night to watch the Maverick game. Here are some pictures. So far Nora's met her uncle Scott for the first time, met her older by two months cousin Brayden, went to hear my brother's band play at a coffee shop (I'll post the picture of her with the entire band when I can) and lots and lots of eating (well, I guess technically watching the adults eat.) Her eating hasn't changed much. Two days ago she reached out and grabbed her burp cloth for the first time. Why did it all the sudden start underlining?Here are my parents in heaven yesterday when we were watching the game. You know it has to be some special babies for my dad to watch the babies instead of an NBA final game.
Here's me with Bryce, Brayden and Nora. I just woke up from a nap in case you are wondering why I look so pitiful. No makeup an my brother's blue t-shirt.

If you look closely at her pacifier, it says Brayden Shelton. We had gone to church that morning and forgot her paci. That's like going to buy something and forgetting your money. Just as serious. She actually did fine and never needed it, but when we went to Tammie's last night I forgot one, too (I'm out of my element) but luckily aunt Tammie has a bazillion pacifiers.

I'd like to give a shout out to my long time high school friend who I ran into at the Target in Saginaw and found out she secretly looks at my blog. Hi Melissa!!!

Alright fans, I'll post more later. We have a big week planned. Zoo. Lunch with Auntie Chelsea (there you go, Chels). Birthday party. Party with the extended family. Meeting lots of aunts and uncles for the first time. . .Check ya latah playehs. Gosh, I've been around my brother too long already.

Kevin is spending quality Nora time before I leave for Texas with mom. It's been so nice having her here to help out while I finished up work. I'm officially done with working full time for a while. I'm SO excited to have more time with NKC. I now get a month off then start back up part time. We're still working out the details but it should be so much better.
I feel sort of guilty for taking Nora away from Kevin for so long because I know she'll grow a ton while we are gone. I've already promised a picture e-mailed to him everyday.

I miss Texas. I'm looking forward to Taco Casa, Taco Bueno, Taco Cabana, Pappasitos, LaMadeline, Corner Bakery, great shopping.....and Nora gets to meet my grandmother and aunts/uncles for the first time. Can't wait. . .

How 'bout them Mavericks!!!

This morning mom and I decided to take Nora and the dogs on a picnic and left Kevin behind to do yard work. Thought I'd share some pictures.

3 Months

Nora is spending her 3 month birthday with my mom, her mamaw. So much fun they had today while I was at stinky work. . . one more week and I'm out for a month. Woo hoo!
Here's the big three monther hanging out on her boppy
She's really found her hands these days. She prefers a nice suck on the back of her hand rather than a pacifier. She also officially rolled over while we were in Houston.
Even a kiss from mom won't deter her from hand sucking

Good news about my job. When I told them I was quitting they said alot of stuff about not wanting to lose me, blah blah, etc...which means.....they refigured my contract and I get to work only FOUR HOURS A DAY next year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the perfect scenerio because I get to keep this job which I love love love and not have to get a job working at night or weekends like we planned, PLUS I get to spend way more time with Nora. Thanks for the prayers. God always takes care of me. I feel guilty for ever worrying about anything. It's not worth it.

I hope the next several months slow down. This is going too fast. Whew.