Sunday, October 31, 2010

Day 1

Tonight I bathed Aryn at 7:40, fed her and put her to bed - awake - at 8:20pm or so. It's 8:47pm and no sounds coming from her room........

I'm not sure what time is a "normal" time for infants to be put to bed, but I think I'm gonna bring everything back 1/2 hour and start getting her ready for bed at 7:30 instead of 8... it seems to work... fingers crossed and knocking on wood.

Happy Halloween!!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

6 Weeks and BIG Smiles!!!!

Check out the cutest video EVER!!!!!



Aryn is 6 weeks old and (drum roll, please) 11 pounds, 5.5 ounces!

Yes, our little girl is gaining weight VERY fast!!

Updates this week:

- MUCH more smiles. I love them!! As you can see from the video above.

- She is not fun to try to work with. I honestly didn't notice much development this week, but only because it was our deadline for the magazine and I was super busy with that. Oh my goodness, I've decided I need way more help during deadline time. So for 1 week a month I think I'm going to have to get in as much help as possible. Mother in law? Mom? Dad? Homeless man from downtown Calgary? Anyone? I really am going to need help. Aryn doesn't like to sleep during the day except for 20 minute cat naps, and with that and trying to call people and email people, and get proofs approved and answering questions - it's too much for me. I had 2 mental breakdowns, which isn't that bad considering haha. So... those reading this... wanna help out next month?? Huh?? HUH????

So really I don't have many updates. Her bum is cleared up a lot, we're loving cloth diapering, she's sleeping like a champ (I woke up before her last night because she slept so long! Yay baby!)

We're loving her, and can't wait to see what happens this week!! :)

Saturday, October 23, 2010

At the risk of jinxing it...

... the last week or so, Aryn has been going to sleep around 9-10pm and sleeping for 7-8 hours. She wakes up, eats, and goes right back to sleep for another 4 hours.

Best baby ever??

Yes.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

5 Weeks!!

Aryn is 5 weeks, 2 days old today. Update:

Length: 23"
Weight: 10 lbs 13 3/4 ounces

The kid is growing like a weed!!!

So the last 2 nights she's been sleeping for ~7 hours. WOW. Put her to bed at 9pm, she's up at 4am. Last night she was put to bed at 9, woke up at 9:20 and I got her back to bed at 10pm. She still slept til 4:20am. I am LOVING it! I hope this is a new trend. God, I'm talking to YOU!! After I get up and feed her, she falls back to sleep at around 5/5:30am and sleeps until 8:30-9am. I've been sleeping until she wakes up as well. It's been great, and I feel like a new woman. I feel like I can actually drive somewhere and feel confident that I'll get there in one piece hahaha

Updates:

- Aryn's bum has cleared up a LOT. I was putting on so many medications and ointments and I just finally decided to STOP. No more. Now, I wipe her bum with a wet facecloth and she is officially in cloth diapers. Her rash cleared up in no time. There is still fragments of it, but it doesn't seem to bother her until I use a wet wipe rather than a wet facecloth. Those wet wipes are murder on her poor little bum, the poor thing!!

- I am LOVING CLOTH DIAPERS!!! We've had 2 leaks, and both times I just put the diaper on wrong. Sometimes you think you're doing it right but you're not. Grrrr... But honestly, I love it. They are easier to do than regular diapers and they are just so much better for her sensitive little bum.

- SMILES. Oh my goodness, those smiles. They don't happen as often as I'd like, but this is deadline week for the magazine so I'm busier than normal so I haven't been spending the regular amount of "cooing time" with Aryn to make her smile.

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- Friends. Aryn met the Matson girls on Tuesday. I'm so glad I got to see Christa, Tiffany, Jenelle and Elaine that day, and I'm even happier they all got to meet Aryn. Even though she cried the whole time we were at their house, and spit up all of her lunch, and wouldn't calm down. But she DID smile for Tiffany, and that was awesome. You know what I hate... when someone is dealing with the loss of a loved one and the first thing you say to them when you see them is "Hey, how are you?" Duh. How are they? Their dad just passed away, how do you think they are? Then you realize what you said and you kinda wanna take it back but then it brings to light exactly what you really did say. It's a vicious cycle and one that really bothers me. What do you say to someone who just suffered a significant loss? "Hi, life sucks sometimes, hey?" There weren't enough hugs in the world to give to those women on Tuesday, and I'm glad Aryn made Tiffany laugh for even a split second as she gave her a big toothless smile.

Here's a photo of Aryn and Christa's baby girl Piper, who was born 12 days after Aryn

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I think that's all the updates I have of miss Aryn. Can't wait until Tuesday... so much happens every week I can't wait to see what'll happen with her next!!!!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Baby SMILES!!!!

Check out the most BEAUTIFUL sight ever.



And my daughter is the smartest baby ever. Next Sheldon Cooper... only cooler.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Our Little Miracle

Wow. So one of our advertisers is a poet and she wrote a poem for miss Aryn. I teared up reading it and... I just can't get enough of how this poem is just absolutely perfect. Pat, if you're reading this... THANK YOU. I absolutely love this poem and I can't wait to figure out how I'm going to get this printed to put it up in Aryn's room. What a great memento to our precious baby girl.

OUR LITTLE MIRACLE

You are our precious little baby girl,
Our greatest dream come true.
Someday you’ll understand Aryn,
How much Mommy and Daddy love you.

You are our special red haired beauty,
When you smile you’re such a cutie.
We’ve been blessed with the gift of an angel,
Eyes so blue, so bright,
Oh, how wonderful it feels to sit and hold you tight!

You are so soft, so warm, so tiny,
Snuggled down in gentle sleep.
It won’t be long before you sit,
And then you’ll learn to creep.

May you grow strong and beautiful
And be happy your life through.
May you always know how much you’re loved,
And how delighted we are to have you!

BY
PATRICIA MULLIN

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Some Videos

Thought I'd post some videos of Red Thunder.

When Aryn is in a deep sleep and won't wake up (which I want her to so that she's awake longer so that she actually sleeps at night!) I give her to Ryan as he's great at waking her up. Here's "proof"



And proof that Bauer actually KINDA likes Aryn. My 2 babies together...


Thursday, October 14, 2010

1 Month Old!!!

Wow, it's going by so quickly!! Aryn is 1 month old today.

Some updates:

- her diaper rash is awful still. My poor nugget. I'm doing everything I can to heal it but the darn thing just doesn't want to go away. I'm putting her on Monistat today in hopes that it heals. Funny story, I asked the pharmacist about putting her on Monistat in case it's a yeast infection and I was talking at a normal level and the pharmacist thought I was asking for myself. It turned out to be a little embarrassing for her but I thought it was hilarious. Ok... the story isn't as funny as it was at the time.

- Aryn has a bit of cradle cap. I'm putting almond oil on her little head and it's healing up nicely, but it's still there.

- She has quite the George Castanza look going on - no hair on top, and lots of bright red hair around the side of her head. It's kinda funny.

- She snores. And grunts. She's the loudest sleeper out of the 4 of us!! Bauer included!!

- She SMILED AT ME TODAY!!!!!!!!! I was talking to her all coo-ing and girlie like and she smiled at me. Not a gas smile - a REAL smile. It melted my heart.

- Aryn is an amazing sleeper. At night, if it weren't for the grunts waking me up, she'd probably sleep the entire night. I wake her up after about 5-6 hours to feed her -mostly because my boob is going to burst if Aryn doesn't drain it a bit and partly because she's so loud I need to wake her up and quiet her down!!

Size update:

10 lbs 6 3/4 oz
Just over 22" long

Yes, that is a full 1 pound heavier than last week (she was 9.5 lbs) and 3 inches longer than 2 weeks ago. My goodness... at this rate, she's going to be wearing toddler clothes at 10 months!!!!

Loving this little girl more and more everyday. I can't get enough of her!!!!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Aryn's 1st Thanksgiving!

I have much to be thankful for this year. The number 1 reason: Aryn. She has changed our lives so much in the last 4 weeks, we can't even imagine what life would be like without her! Although, I must admit - I'm sure Bauer would like to see life pre-Aryn again hahaha

We made our first over night trip to the farm for Thanksgiving this past weekend. We left Friday night for a 2-night stay away from home. I have to admit I was a little nervous since I know how miss Aryn is at night and I didn't want to be a bother to anyone and I was so scared we'd forget something at home. Thankfully, everything went off without a hitch. She didn't sleep too well Friday or Saturday nights, but I'm chalking that up to a weekend growth spurt (she ate literally every hour the whole weekend!!!) and a colder-than-she's-used-to basement.

The drive to the farm
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I gotta tell you... I am still constantly "surprised" at how amazing Ryan is. I go into the other room to feed Aryn - and Ryan comes in to see how we're doing, to hang out, to bring me food or water. I find I fall in love with him all over again every hour we're together lately.

See what I mean?
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Aryn got to hang out with Grandma and Grandpa Geremia, her aunties Karrie and Jamie, uncle Roger (who she met for the first time this weekend!), cousins Veronica and Joey and she even got to meet Great Grandma Verna!!

4 Generations!
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Grandma and her grandbabies!
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Bathtime for the babies - Joey is 3 months old
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We came back on Sunday and on Monday we had our 2nd Thanksgiving meal at my parents place. It's much easier to pack up to go 2 blocks away than it is 2 hours away haha!!

Grandpa loves his grandbaby
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And what's a great weekend without a few baby photos!!

Green bean
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I am so grateful and thankful for everything we've been blessed with this year - a cold summer while I was super pregnant (suckers!), an amazing husband, an awesome dog, a great family and a beautiful baby girl. Aryn, I can't wait to spend so many other Thanksgivings with you!!! I will forever be thankful for you!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Small Aryn Update

My poor baby has an awful diaper rash and the poor thing screamed for over 2 hours tonight because of it. I had just changed her diaper and she got it all full again within 10 minutes and I didn't think to check it - so she cried and cried and cried.

I don't like it when my baby is any kind of sick!!!! *sniff*

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

3 Weeks Old!!

Aryn is 3 weeks old today!

Updates:

- She likes to go to sleep at around 9pm after a nice warm bath every night. FYI, as of right now, she LOVES the bath!

- She wakes up at 1:30am and at 4:30am for feedings. She eats for about 10 minutes at 1:30am, then goes right back to sleep. Then at 4:30am she's up and wide awake until whenever. This is something I PRAY changes soon. If she can wake up at like 3am, then sleep again until 7 or 8am... I will be a VERY happy mama. But until then, I will cherish our late night (early morning?) meetings.

- Her hair is getting MUCH redder everyday. <3!

- When she is angry or in pain or unhappy or tired, she has the MEANEST scream. It's like there are little people in her bassinet poking her with hot irons. I've even looked for these little people because I swear they're in there!

- Bauer still wants nothing to do with Aryn.

- Aryn loves it when I blow on her tummy... you know... when you make the "pfffftthhhhthhh" sound on her tummy?? Anyways, she smiles sometimes and I SWEAR it's not just gas!!!

- Today was a bad day. She's cried ALL DAY. She wakes up - she cries. She finally falls asleep, 3 minutes later - she cries. I'm exhausted today and praying for a great night. God??? Do you hear me??

And here are some photos!!

Bath Time!
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Tummy Time (in baby legs!!)
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Daddy time!!

(this is my favourite thing EVER to see)
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Sunday, October 3, 2010

Changes

There are not a lot of people in this world I admire. I can name only a few - and 2 are my parents! I have become quite cynical towards people in the past few years and it really reflects on how I perceive humans in general. I judge people, and I assume the worst in everyone. Why am I like this? I never used to be!

This weekend I went to the funeral of 3 of my good friends' father. He died doing something he loved: flying an airplane. When I heard the news (via Facebook), it was 3am and I was up with a grumpy Aryn and I cried so hard when I saw what the girls had written. Their hero had died, and their whole lives had changed. I cried for them, I cried for his wife, I cried for the grandbabies, I cried for myself (just imagining what it would be like to lose my father. I tear up just thinking about what these girls are going through - I can't imagine losing my dad).

I've been to a lot of funerals in my life - people I knew, people I knew families or friends of, people I admired, people I wish I had known better. There are only 2 funerals I've ever been to where I truly said to God "WHY?". WHY did God take away this person? Those 2 funerals are for Jay-Bo Boyd, and that of this Chuck Matson.

Very few things lately make me stop and question who I am and who I've become. Very few things lately make me want to be a better person. Very few things lately make me want to CHANGE.

This funeral made me do all those things.

I started wondering what people would say if I were to pass away: would people say the things they said about Chuck? The things people said about him, the way he's changed everyone's life around him for the better, the way he loved and praised God with no fear and no barriers, the way he was open about not only his faith but about helping those around him... I want people to remember me the way they remember Chuck Matson.

The funeral yesterday made me want to be more like a man whom I haven't seen or talked to in......... 11 years? Not since he drove Christa and me to the airport on our way to Vancouver. This is a man whom I spent a total of 20 minutes in a vehicle with 11 years ago and he changed my life yesterday.

I decided to make a change. I want to walk more in the way God wants me to. I want to be more personable (I've become such a homebody over the last few years). I want to make more friends, and BE a change for those friends. I want to call people randomly and just tell them that God told me to call them. I want to talk to God again, I want to listen to God again, I want to be the Christian He wants me to be.

Amazing what 1 man can do.

Jenelle, Tiffany and Christa.... I love the 3 of you and I love that you shone such a new light in my life. Thank you for all you shared yesterday.