Saturday, November 27, 2010

First Hospital Visit!

And so it begins......

On Thursday (November 25th) Aryn's cheeks were super hot and bright, bright red and she had a rash on her neck and behind her ears. I touched them and she screamed. She kept rubbing her face on my shoulder (which I thought was cuddling but she didn't seem to enjoy it - turns out her rash was itchy!), and she was just miserable. She rarely cries longer than like 10 seconds so when she screamed for almost a minute, I knew my little love nugget wasn't feeling 100%.

So I called Health Link and explained to them what was going on and if she could be having an allergic reaction to something. They advised me to go to the hospital because if it is an allergic reaction, we don't want it affecting her throat. So I brought her to the Strathmore hospital and the women there were just awesome. They kept telling me I did the right thing bringing her in, and that I was not overreacting (which I still disagree with hahaha).

They weighed her: 13 pounds 5 ounces

Anyways, the doctor (Dr. Pieces) thought that it was likely a continued reaction to the Almond Oil I put on Aryn's face and head Monday night. It's either that, or some other random thing she's allergic to. He gave me some cortisone cream to put on her face and neck - and honestly, within a day her cheeks and neck are clearing up. Her cheeks aren't as red but the rash on her neck is still holding on.

So that's what happened during her 10th week of life!!! I need to post more photos... they will come. Promise. I really wish my camera took better pictures.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Allergic Reaction

Poor Aryn.

Last night I poured almond oil on Aryn's head and cheeks because they were red and blotchy. They have been off and on for awhile now, but I thought nothing of it - just figured the cold got to her. But last night I put a LOT on because her head and cheeks were super dry and then within 20 minutes the screaming, swelled eyes and scabby welts on her head showed up.

My poor love nugget.

I wiped her head off and she seemed to calm down. Even today, her cheeks were super red - they looked like they were burnt a bit. The top of her head though - WOW. It looked awful. Just red, scabby and gross. I've been putting lotion and saline solution on it to clear it up a bit. She's been super sleepy today but doesn't seem to be in any pain. She wasn't impressed when I slathered lotion on her head but she calmed down really quickly.

So... we found our first allergy me thinks: almonds. We'll be writing that in her baby book!!

Monday, November 22, 2010

Red eyes, blotchy cheeks, crusty head... this kid just can't catch a break. Allergies? Sensitive skin? I have no idea. What I do know, is that it all made for a VERY cranky kid tonight, and therefore was in bed at 7:40pm.

It's now 8:15pm and she's smiling at me. Please, honey, go to sleep.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Best Night Yet!

Last night Aryn went to bed at 8pm (mind you, she whined until about 9:30, even though she was asleep haha), woke up at 3am for a feeding, then slept until 8am.

How come these nights when she does this, are the WORST sleep nights for me?? I'm regretting not buying one of those video monitors so I can see she's still breathing and alive at all hours of the night instead of getting up to check on her. That, and these long stretches really makes for a nice in-bed milk bath for moi.

But 8-8 is pretty darn good!!!!!! Atta girl, Aryn!!!!!!

PS. Last night was the first night in 5 nights that Aryn did NOT poop in the bathtub!!!! hahahaha

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

5 for 5

That is, in the last 5 nights, miss Aryn has pooped in the bathtub ALL.FIVE.NIGHTS.

It's disgusting, and quite hilarious. I left Ryan with her tonight. Sucker.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

2 Months / 9 Weeks

2 months and 3 days ago, you were just a dream. You were something I wanted and couldn't wait to meet. Now, it's 2 months and 2 days later and you have changed my entire world. And I couldn't be happier about it!

Every day you change and it amazes me when I read up on what you should be doing every week and I say aloud "you're already doing that!!" or I learn something that I should be watching for and BAM - you do it. It's amazing to watch you grow up and change and become this person with a real personality. You love things, you hate things, you smile at things and you frown at things. This makes me laugh and cry and ... well, I can't get enough of you!!!

What have you done in the past week or so since my last update...

- Shots. Yesterday you got your first immunization. I did not want you to get it. I have heard and read too much bad stuff about immunizations; what is in them, the side effects, etc. But I was vetoed and I had to take you to get it done. You cried a bit for your first 2 shots, but when they gave you that Pneumonia shot... WOW. I have never heard that cry from you before. I did not like it, and it made me tear up. Grandma Gina came with me and even she said your pneumonia cry was the saddest little cry ever. You were hurt, and it pained me that it was because of me you were hurting. But I hope that these shots were not in vain and that you stay super healthy for the rest of your days. You were such a trooper, and you fell asleep on the way home and you were up for maybe 20 minutes the rest of the day and even though you woke up at 7pm to eat, then at 2:30am to eat, then at 5:30am to eat, you slept all the way until 8:30am. Mommy didn't get as much sleep as you, as I kept running in every few hours to check on you.

- Mirror. You love the mirror. Wow, it's the cutest thing ever watching you in front of that mirror. You just stare at yourself and laugh. If I put you under the mobile thingy it's even better. You just play in there for as long as I let you. Sometimes you fall asleep while playing, which means mommy has ignored you for quite awhile (mommy is still working!)

- Thumb. You have started sucking that darn thumb! The soother pops out and - in goes the fist. That tiny thumb finds its way out from the clutch and POP! right in that mouth. It drives me crazy. I fight with you, trying to get that fist out of that mouth. I don't want you to be a thumb sucker. At least with a soother I can take it away when you're older - but I can't take away your thumb!!

- Bath. You LOOOOOVE the bath more and more every week. However, the last 4 days you've started loving something even more than baths: pooping in your bath. It never fails! You'll be splashing away then you'll stop for a split second and then the tub is instantly green. I find it quite hilarious. Your dad thinks it's gross.

- Naps. You fight those naps. I've been feeding you every 2 hours for most of this week. You eat, then play for about an hour and a half, then you have a mini cat nap for 20-25 minutes then you're up doing it all over again. It's fine, because you're happy as a clam playing on your mats. But honey, mommy needs you to sleep. You just don't want to!

- Bauer. I love bringing Bauer to you just so you can look at him. You'll be whiny or fussy and then Bauer walks in front of you and the eyes light up and the biggest smile spreads across your face. You love that dog. You've been kicking him and pulling his hair and sticking your hands in his face. You poked him in the eye yesterday. And he just lays there. As long as he's getting loving from me, he'll let you do anything to him. I hope this lasts. By the way, I still think he doesn't like you.

- Sleep. You have become a CHAMPION sleeper!!!! You go to bed at about 8pm on the dot (I can't keep you awake much longer than that). You get sleepy while mommy is holding you after your bath, then before you fall asleep completely, I put you in your bed. I've been swaddling you for the last week and it's working awesome - you sleep soo much better when you're swaddled! Then you wake up anywhere from 2:30-5am for a feeding, then right back to sleep for another 4 hours or so. At about 8/8:30am you wake up fully for another hour and a half then you have another good nap. Mommy LOVES this. Even haven't been able to sleep as well as you at night, I am loving the big huge happy smiles I get when I come get you in the morning. Wow... the best smiles yet. You are so beautiful.

Aryn, I love you so much more today than I did yesterday!!! I can't wait to see you tomorrow morning!!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Size Update

Head: 14.5"
Weight: 12 pounds 1.5 ounces
Length: 23"

Which, if you can see, is in the 90% percentile.

Atta girl, Red Thunder!!!!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Worst.Parents.Ever.

This is what happens when mommy gets a new cell phone and is playing with it instead of paying attention to her daughter.

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8 Weeks

I have learned so much about Aryn this week that it amazes me.

- Laughing. You laugh in your sleep. It is the cutest and funniest thing. It's a real belly laugh, complete with cooing and a big smile. It only lasts seconds but I love it when it happens and I get to witness it.

- Smiles. You love giving smiles. When you wake up, you eat right away and then I lay you on the floor and you can kick your legs and look around and that's when - for about an hour - I can get real smiles from you. You have the most beautiful smile. Your whole face lights up, and it makes me so happy to see those smiles!!! Now, I don't love these smiles all the time. When you get up at whatever-time in the night because you startled yourself, or you dropped your soother, or for whatever reason - and I go in there and you give me the biggest smile... it drives me crazy! I want to smile right back at you and say "hi, pretty girl!" but it's 2am and mommy has not slept in 8 weeks. You're just too damn cute for your own good.

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- You HATE dirty diapers. You could have the tinniest of skid marks on your diaper and you will scream until I change it. Sometimes it doesn't even occur to me to change your diaper because I did it like 20 minutes earlier. But after every pee, every wet fart, every single thing you do, that diaper has to be changed. You could be in the deepest of sleeps at 3am and cry - just because your diaper needs to be changed.

- You love Bauer. That dog hates you. He tries to sit on you, lay on you, he puts his paw on your face, he always tries to sit between you and me. But the second you see him, you are straining your neck to get a better view, you're trying to tough him, and you always give him smiles - more smiles than you give Daddy!! Bauer hates it when you're getting ready for bath time - he always comes in, sniffs you and "pfft"s you because you're taking my attention away from him and you will come thisclose to rolling over just to get closer to that dog who hates you. It makes me laugh.

- Bath time. You looooooooooooooooooooooove bath time. I get you naked, and lay you on the floor in the bathroom and you will sit there for as long as I leave you, happy as a clam, kicking your legs. You love being naked. Yesterday, I left you like that, made myself supper AND ate it while you were happily hanging out alone on the bathroom floor. Then, you go in the bathtub and it's a whole new world - you splash and smile and punch the water. I love giving you baths!

- Spit up. You spit up EVERYTHING. I mean, you're gaining weight so I'm not too worried but come on. I put you down, and white stuff just pours out! And that's after burping you for at least 5 minutes and getting many burps and white drool. It's unbelievable!!

- Sleep. Aryn, you and sleep have a love/hate relationship (and at 1 and 4am, you and I do as well!). You were doing sooooooooooo great for like 2 weeks and now all bets are off. Mommy has been trying to figure out HOW to do sleep. She's read book after book, website after website, listened to advice after advice... to no avail. You and I just can't figure out sleep. You fall asleep at about 7:30-8pm. I was waking you up at 10pm to eat, but honestly... sometimes I'm just too darn tired to wake you up only to have you up for a whole other hour only to get woken up by you in 3 hours. Mommy is tired. I have been following every book to teach you to sleep all through the night. But every 4-5 hours, you're up, ready to eat, then it takes me 40 minutes to get you back into bed, asleep (to which you tend to wake up from by puking or spitting up and then getting the hiccups!). I have been swaddling you the last 2 nights because you punch and scratch your face and pull that darn soother out of your mouth and toss it across your crib, only to cry 3.2 seconds later because you want your soother. But the second mommy picks you up, you are dead asleep. Mommy puts you down, you wake up. Mommy puts you to bed awake, you punch and whine and mess around until she picks you up and - bam! You're asleep. But even being held, you only sleep for like 15 minutes tops! Mommy dreads sleep time, and has actually been praying to God that you figure this out soon so that she can have at least one night of uninterrupted sleep. Mommy sleepy!!!!!

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Aryn, I am LOVING being your mommy. You make me laugh and I just can't get enough of you. You are growing into such a beautiful little girl. Oh, and your hair is growing too!!!! I can't tell what colour it is on the top, but it's still red in the back. I love you soooo much!!

~ Mommy

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Daylight Savings

I hate daylight savings.

Yesterday, I felt like I finally had things figured out. I knew more about Aryn yesterday than I felt like I have yet. I knew what she wanted. When she cried, I knew why. When she whined, I could do something. But all of that changed when we woke up this morning. Why?

Daylight savings.

I never thought 1 hour would make such a big difference. I tried to change all of her eating schedule, only to put her to bed at 6pm without eating (she screamed bloody murder - SERIOUSLY - whenever I tried to feed her starting at 3pm, then 4pm, then 5pm, then finally 6pm). She woke up at 7:30 and I fed her again - this time somewhat more successfully, and I will wake up again at 10:30 and feed her again. I would prefer to do it at 10pm, but I don't want to overfeed the poor kid!!

Aryn, I have to tell you something:

When you scream and scream and scream for no apparent reason... your mommy and daddy laugh at you. You are soooo cute when you scream. Your face goes all red, your bottom lip quivers and sticks out, and you punch your little fists in the air with all your might. Sometimes, you punch mommy in the face and squeeze her neck fat. It's quite the spectacle and we can't help but laugh every time you get like that. I'm sorry... obviously you are pissed but we just can't help ourselves!!

So here's to a successful night ..... fingers crossed....

Stupid daylight savings....................................

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Trying something new...

Today I tried something new.

4am: eat (go right back to bed... which took me until 5am to do)

7am: eat
(she went right back to sleep and slept until 10am)

10am: eat
11:30am: nap

1pm: eat
3pm: nap

4pm: eat
6pm: nap

7pm: eat, then bath
8pm: bed

I am going to wake her up at 10pm for a last feeding because she screamed bloody murder at her 7pm feeding. Then, she should wake up at around 3-4am again for another feeding, and do it all over again tomorrow.

I NEED a schedule. I hate going solely on when she "wants" to eat because I don't know if she wants to eat, or if she just wants a soother, or if she wants to cuddle or what. With a BIT of a schedule, I can at least figure it out. Not only that, but otherwise she ends up eating at 6pm and messes up the whole dynamic for the evening and it is too frustrating to organize. But this worked for us tonight. Other than her 7pm feeding but she's tired so that could be it. Hopefully she sleeps until 10pm. Fingers crossed!!!!!!


10:29PM:
SUCCESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (for now haha)

Friday, November 5, 2010

Dear Aryn:

Please sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeepppppp!!!!!

Love,

Mommy

Thursday, November 4, 2010

New Development...

Today, Aryn took her soother out of her mouth, looked at it, and put it right back in.

Then I scared the crap out of her by screaming "I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!!!!" that she cried for 1/2 hour. *sigh*



... in other news, it's 9:02pm and missy is squawking in her room, refusing to fall asleep. She has been refusing ALL DAY. It's very frustrating hahahahahaha

... it's now 11:19pm and missy has pretty much been awake/asleep/awake/asleep ever since putting her down at 8pm. She's being VERY bad.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Just have to say...

I love this little girl soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much!!!!!!

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7 Weeks!

Update:

11 pounds, 8 1/4 ounces
Just over 23" long

She's finally slowed down her growing!!!! Yay Aryn!!

This has been a jam-packed week of growth for this little girl!! She's smiling all the time now, she's sleeping LIKE A CHAMP!! (last night I put her to bed before 8pm and she was up at 9:30am with 1 feeding at 3:30am that lasted a little longer than I'd have liked hehe), I'm working on getting her eating schedule organized a bit... I read she should be eating every 3.5-4 hours so I'm working on that but no matter how I organize it I always end up messing up and feeding her too close together for her evening feedings. I even write down what time to feed but then low and behold, I'm feeding her at 6pm then 7:30. I can't figure it out hahahahhaa. But she's happy and content so who am I to argue??

I can't get over how beautiful this girl is. She just amazes me every time I look at her! She's simply gorgeous. Her chubby cheeks, her big beautiful eyes... she's a porcelain doll - with beautiful red hair! Her hair is growing longer and even though she still has the George Castanza look going on, I have faith soon enough she'll have a full head of hair rather than the bald top.

I can't believe we're already in November. I have to start thinking about Christmas!!! I am so excited for Christmas this year... our first year with Red Thunder and I'm just pumped. What to buy her, what to buy her......

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Monday, November 1, 2010

Day 1 Results

Aryn was bathed at 7:40pm last night, bed at 8pm, up at 4:30am to eat (with the lights off!), back to sleep by 5:20am, up again at 8:30am to eat then back to sleep until 10am. It.was.awesome.

Tonight, I totally forgot about the new plan and realized at 7:55pm that I hadn't bathed her yet!! DUH!!!! I'm mad at myself!!

Anyways, it's 8:59pm and she's fed and asleep. I hope we go for Day 2 of this!!! :)