Two months with Baby Jude

I cannot believe he is already 2 months old! How and why does time fly by so fast?! My oh-so-wise sister shared a quote with me recently that I am quickly learning to be very true...

"The days are long, but the years are short."

Isn't that SO VERY true?! This is how I feel these days. Each day is a learning experience and at times very trying, but then I look back and think...where has my baby gone? Emmalyn is growing up so fast, and learning so much these days. She has started, just in the last month or two to put together very complex sentences and understanding opposites/cause and effect relationships. It is cute to watch her little brain work as she understands that "the pool is closed, but will be open another day," and equally cute to hear her try to say all of that in one thought. I just love hearing her new words, and how she learn the right inflections for various situations. :)

And this will be Jude...all too soon! I feel like he is growing up without my watching...that I am too busy with Emmalyn. But then I feel like Emmalyn is not getting enough attention b/c I am too busy with Jude. A very strange cycle...I know. I can't imagine how moms of 5,6,7, or lots more kids do it!

Well, this is kind of rambly...so I will get to my point...Jude is now 2 months old! Can you believe it? He is growing VERY well...people are starting to comment that "he is really big!", and his little cheeks are looking round. :) And those adorable little ham hocks are forming...don't you just love those?! I am honestly just ecstatic that the nursing is going so much better than with Emmalyn, and I don't have any doctors telling me to give formula to increase weight gain. :)

Last week, he started giving us smiles!!! It is so cute to see his little face light up and show off a wide-mouthed grin! And the sweet little cooing sounds that go along with the smiles just melt my heart. It makes all those sleepless nights all worth it. :) BUT...he is sleeping pretty well. He wakes up about once or twice each night to feed, but only takes about 20 minutes to eat, and he goes right back to sleep. SO MUCH better than his sister...I cannot complain. And he takes 2 or 3 pretty good naps during the day. He is such a good baby! He seems to have a very laid-back personality, and doesn't even mind his loud, but oh-so-lovable sister. :) I am so in love with this little man!

Emmalyn still just adores her little brother, and our only problem is making sure she doesn't smother him! :) It is really adorable to hear her sing Amazing Grace to him when he cries, hold his hand to love on him, and to hear her say "It's okay Baby Jude, Momma's comin'." And he seems to be entranced with her. He just stares at her, and recently...smiles when she is silly in his face. I love to watch them interact and think they will be great friends one day. I am so indescribably grateful to our Lord for these precious babies!

Here he was at one month... then look at the last picture... can you believe how much he has changed in just one short month?!
Recently with sister...
After a bath...

Isn't this just THE most adorable smile?!

Lots more pictures HERE. :)

Visits with family...

are so very sweet! I know I have been a pretty absent blogger, but do have a lot to share. I will try to post as I have time. Recently, my sister came to visit for a week....to meet Jude and help out during these crazy newborn days. AND, she left her oldest daughter, Bethany with me for 2 extra weeks! :) So for 3 weeks, it was a lot less lonely during the days around here, and we had a lot of fun! We spent time getting pedicures (thanks Kim!), going to the Bounce House, splash park, and a pool. Thanks, Bethany and Kim, for all the good times, and all the help!

Hard to get Emmalyn sitting still for a picture... :)

More pictures HERE.

Life With Two

HAHA...I started this blog entry over a week ago...and this is what I started with: So, I realized the other day, I haven't updated my blog since we welcomed our awesome little boy into our family. And I do mean awesome!!! He sleeps well, he nurses well, and he is usually pretty happy when awake. I am able to get some things done around the house, I am actually getting about 5 to 6 hours of sleep(broken up a little, but I got virtually NONE when Emmalyn was an infant), and we are able to live a relatively normal life. All of these things were obsolete for MONTHS when Emmalyn was born. I assumed all babies were like her, and have been so blessed with a happy baby this time!!! We have just fallen head over heals in love with this little peanut!
Well, I am obviously still in love with this little guy, but the part about how well he sleeps doesn't seem so true anymore! He is starting to wake up more often, or wake up at 3:30AM and stay up until 7:30 AM like he did Saturday night. (Emmalyn then woke up...no more sleep for Mommy!) He is also no longer always happy to be put down when he is awake. He has apparently decided he would like to be held all of the time, thank you! So, we are getting a lot less done. BUT, I guess that is life with a newborn... and it is still better than it was with Emmalyn. This too shall pass, right? :)

The rest of this still rings true: :)

Emmalyn has also been adjusting VERY well to being a big sister. She gives him lots of kisses and wants to hold him frequently. Our only concern is that she wants to touch his face and get TOO close. She is never left alone in a room with him. :) She has, on more than one occasion, proclaimed "NO, MY BABY JUDE!" if someone in public gets to close to him. :) I feel like she is getting a little less undivided attention from me, but not too much less. She is doing really well with being told "I can't right now, baby, I am feeding Jude." when she asks for help or to play with her. But she loves him, and doesn't seem to mind sharing the spotlight with him. :) My favorite reaction so far is that she sings Amazing Grace to him when he cries...so incredibly sweet!


It seems I had a lot more to write, but can't think about it now. I don't spend too much time online anymore because my free time is so limited. When I do have free time, I feel like I should be paying attention to a baby, doing a household chore, or getting a little sleep when I can. I feel guilty being on the computer. :) So, until Jude nurses a little less often (right now it is every 2 hours), I will probably continue to lay low on the computer. :) Here are some pictures, though.

Welcome Baby Jude!

We are excited to introduce Jude Michael to the world! :) He was born on Friday, April 17th at 8:41am. He was a healthy 7lbs, 10oz and 20 inches long. My prayers were answered and I was able to stay awake for the c-section, so I got to hear his first adorable cry! He was then taken to the NICU b/c his respirations were 80-90 per minute, and they are supposed to be 30-60. He also had a rash on his chest and his coloring was not just perfect. It could have been something as simple as a little too much fluid on his lungs, but as bad as pneumonia...so the neonatologist was safe and sent him the the NICU for IV antibiotics and oxygen. He was put on 30% Oxygen until late that night, and remained in the NICU until Sunday at about 1:00.

It was a very hard first day b/c I couldn't even go see him because I was required to stay horizontal until 12 hours after my surgery...so I got to touch him for the first time when he was already 12 hours old. Because he was under the oxygen dome, we couldn't hold him yet. But the next morning, I got to hold him in my arms! :) And by about noon on Saturday, they allowed me to nurse him for the first time. I went to him to feed him every 2 to 3 hours from Sat. noon to Sun. noon, and was then transferred to the care of the regular newborn nursery, so he was in my room! :) We were required to stay until about 1:00 Monday, and then allowed to come home.

We are now home, and SO glad to be here! Monday night was tough...Jude needs to learn the difference of night and day of course...but that will come in time! But last night was great! I hope he sleeps like last night from now on! :)

Emmalyn was very excited to see him, and has already offered him her beloved bear...an incredible sacrificial offering to a toddler who is so attached to her lovey! :) We are doing very well this evening, and I am healing. :) Nursing is going very well, despite the rocky start...so I am very encouraged. Kris and I feel so blessed! God has been so good to us!!!!!!!!!

An Award! :)

Lindsey at Our Journey... gave me this award. Thanks for the award!!!!

Here Are The Rules:

1. Link Back to the person who gave you the award.
2. List 7 Things you LOVE!
3. Link to 7 Blogs and let them know you have an Award Waiting for them on your blog!

Seven (random and silly) things I love ... not counting my God, my family, and my friends because y'all know I love them:

1. I love American Idol! :) I used to hate this show, but when I married Kris, he was into it and forced me to watch it...now I don't miss an episode when it is on!

2. I love my sleep! I am the type of person that can get 10 hours of sleep in a night, and still want a nap the next afternoon. Yes, I have been tested for sleep apnea, and much to my husband's surprise...I did not have it. I guess I just really like to feel rested! :)

3. I love Crystal Light Peach Tea. If you have ever come to my house for dinner, or lunch, or anything else for that matter...you have probably been offered some peach tea. It is lovely...I drink a pitcher just about every day or two.

***stops to sip her peach tea.***

4. I love to dance. I loved drill team in high school, and have always loved to dance! Now that I am , ahem...older, and well....larger...I don't do this much anymore, but I am not ashamed to admit that I get silly and dance around the living room with my toddler VERY often! :)

5. I love dogs. I have never lived anywhere without a dog (except those years in the dorm in college...but I had a dog at home even then.:)) I find it VERY hard to pass a dog on the road and not check for a tag and try to find it a home. I am getting better at this, since my husband won't typically stop...but I will grieve for the dog for a few minutes. If I had my way, I would live somewhere out in the country, just so I could have a dog of every breed that I like (which is most of them!).

6. I love Blue Bell Dutch Chocolate ice cream. 'nuff said! :)

7. I love organization. Not that my house always looks like I love it...but when I do accomplish an organizational task, I have a tendency to "admire" it for days...maybe longer. Sometimes it gets photographed. :) And I guess hand in hand with this comes my label maker. Oh, how I love my label maker!!!

So, there you have it...a few things that make me who I am. :) Now let's see...I think I shall pass this on to:

Jana at Faithfully Following

Kim at Weaving a Tapestry

Micah at Finding Shae

Jessica at Journey with Jessica (We are all ready to hear from you again, Jessica! :)

Glenna at I am not a mom, I'm a Zookeeper!

Emily at Assorted Sketches

and Kristy at JeffandKristy.com (if she's not in labor yet.:) )

Thanks again, Lindsey, for the award!

Herdin' cows the size of schnauzers...

Have you seen this commercial for Jack in the Box? I just about sent myself into labor laughing so hard the first time I saw it last night! And I just found it on YouTube...and nearly fell out of my seat again! Hilarious!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut0WDb-xzks

btw...how do you get a YouTube video to show up directly on your blog? I for some reason can't figure it out!!!

Brown Paper Packages, Tied Up With String...

These are a few of my favorite things!

I thought in my present tired, overwhelmed state, I should stop and, well...count my blessings, as they say! So, here are some of the things that make me smile these days...

*Emmalyn has finally started saying "I love you," and it is so incredibly sweet! She usually responds to an "I love you" by cocking her head to the side a little and saying "I love you too" in the softest, sweetest, most loving voice! She is such a loving little girl, giving lots of hugs and kisses on a regular basis! Oh, how I love being this precious angel's mommy!!!

*I had an amazing weekend...Kris got to play golf and I got a girl's night out on Friday. Saturday, we spent lots of quality time with Emmalyn, taking her to Waffle House for breakfast (you have to understand how waffles thrill her soul!), to the nursery to play with Grandma and Grandpa and chase down some lizards, and taking her to the fish shop to look into setting Kris's 55 gallon salt water aquarium again. She had a blast! So did we! Then, we got a date...ate a yummy dinner and saw a good movie (I recommend Duplicity...very cool!)! :) And Emmalyn got some fun, quality time with her grandparents. On Sunday, we were refreshed by the Lord at church and made another trip...this time to Petco to look at more fish options, and came home and cooked dinner together! It was a practically perfect weekend with the ones I so dearly love! Have I mentioned how much I adore my sweet hubby?!!

*I am really enjoying Emmalyn's ever-growing vocabulary these days! She picks up new words daily, and is putting together sentences that are just amazing her (already enamored) parents! :) She even seems to understand quite a bit about Baby Jude coming, and talks about him a LOT!

*I am also very pleased with this pregnancy! Emmalyn's last month of pregnancy was troubled by high blood pressure and 3 trips to the hospital with kidney stones. It was NOT fun! This time...with only 10 days left (yikes!), I still have very low blood pressure, and no pain in the kidneys! :) I have stayed a healthy weight, and have really enjoyed carrying this little blessing! I am sooooo very excited about holding my new baby in a short week and a half!!! I smile every time he wiggles and remember what an incredible blessing it is that God allows me to take a part in the miracle of bringing a life into this world! What a loving God!!!

*I am very grateful for my friends! I have met some really incredible people since moving to this little corner of Texas almost 5 years ago, especially through our wonderful church family, and M.O.P.S. It is such a blessing to me to have women in my corner that understand what I am going through, that will pray for me, and offer such sweet words of encouragement. It is great to have friends to just spend time with and get to know on a deeper level! Thanks, Heather, for starting our MOPS group...I am so very thankful to have it, and to be a part of it! :)

*I am LOVING these little shoes I found for Jude last week! :)

*Last, but not least...my landscaping is starting to bloom. It looks so pretty out there!

I'm so very tired

and I don't think it is just physical exhaustion from the pregnancy. Although that is VERY real these days. Emmalyn was 5lbs,9oz at birth, so I never got big and miserable with her. But this baby...oh my goodness. He was almost 5 pounds about 7 weeks ago...I can only imagine how big he will be. I am physically exhausted from the moment I wake up in the morning. The cramps and contractions are all too frequent, but I am trying not to let them keep me from doing things around here that need to be done. Emmalyn has not slowed down, and she still demands attention, as do the household chores that don't seem to go away. Okay...this sounds like a whiny post from the get-go, doesn't it?! And many of you have gone through this and are thinking "Get over it and quite your whining!" You're right, I need to quit whining and appreciate these last few weeks of the blessing of pregnancy. I do recognize that each night as I feel Jude wiggle inside of me, and know that I will miss that terribly, all too soon. I guess I just set out to explain my absence from my blog...and got more negative than I thought. I'm sorry.



But it is not just the physical exhaustion. For some reason, I feel emotionally and mentally exhausted too. I have one particular personal struggle that has me confused and frustrated. I think about it a lot, and it seems to cause a certain "numbness" that is somehow tiring. I am also concerned about having another baby around here. I know many of you have more than one child, and might think I am worried unnecessarily and need to get over it, but my concerns are very real to me. I really had a hard time with Emmalyn as a newborn...with the sleep deprivation and the post-partum depression. I can see that I am short with Emmalyn these days all too often b/c I am just tired...how will I handle that with newborn-induced sleep deprivation? How did you ladies with toddlers when you had babies handle it? I don't want to treat Emmalyn any differently, but things are bound to change around here, right? Don't get me wrong, I am VERY excited to welcome a new blessing to this family, but just worried about the practical, daily grind of having a newborn again.



So, this is why I have chosen Isaiah 40:29-31 for my memory verse for this month. It seems like a perfect reminder for me right now, and a reminder to rest in HIM. My prayer is that I would take this promise to heart this month, and leave my worries and struggles at the foot of the cross....daily!



"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." -Isaiah 40:29-31



Would you pray for me as you feel led over the next few weeks?

Princess Photos

So, we went to the third dance class last night, and I got the same reaction I did last week. She ran right in and said "Bye Mommy!" She talks almost daily about bouncing like a frog...although I am quite certain they do SOMETHING else. Surely they don't bounce like frogs for 45 minutes! :) Oh, how I wish I could watch! I can't wait until parents' night!

We did get a couple of leotards this week. When we tried it on in the store, she looked down at herself in the mirror and proclaimed "I a princess!" It was too cute! :) Here is how adorable (in my very humble opinion :) ) she looked, ready for class last night...

At home, refusing to smile for me:

Mom, why are you still here?!:

Okay, I am staying, and you are leaving, right? :)
***SIGH*** I can't believe she is old enough for this already! Wasn't just yesterday that these baby movements in my belly were from HER?!

My Baby is in dance class!

Kris and I can hardly believe that Emmalyn is already old enough to go to dance class! There is a studio in town that offers free dance for 2 year-olds, and I personally know the studio owner/teacher, so we thought....what the heck? She dances around the house any time any music is playing (she LOVES American Idol!), so we thought she would certainly love this! The class is from 5:00 to 5:45 on Wednesday nights, so I drop her off, go eat supper at church, and go back and pick her up. It is very convenient that it is just around the corner from church. I hate that I can't watch though...I can only imagine how cute she is! And it is kind of weird to me to drop my daughter off at an activity when she is still too young to even really tell me about it later! :) But, we knew she would love it, and Kris and I wanted to start her young in some sort of physical activity that she will enjoy. We know that she will probably follow in our footsteps and have a hard time with physical fitness and health.

Well, the first time (last Wednesday) she cried really hard when I left, but apparently stopped pretty quickly, and had a great time. In fact, told me about a new friend she made, Abby. (I was impressed that she remembered her name and told me about her.) And they apparently "bounce like frogs," because she told us "I bounce a frog!" all the way home.

So, today, when she woke up from her nap I asked her if she wanted to go to dance class again. She replied with "I bounce a frog....oooooh boy!!!!" When we walked into the room, she sat right down in the teacher's lap and looked up at me and said "Bye, Mommy!" (This is huge...she still cries every time I leave her in the church nursery...a VERY familiar environment, with VERY familiar people!) When I went to pick her up, all the little girls filed out of the room like little ducklings, except Emmalyn. She remained in the middle of the room dancing and bouncing around. Pretty cute! Until I tried to get her to come with me. She then screamed "NO! Again! Again! I bounce again!" As I picked her up to carry her out, she screamed "no home! bounce again!"...repeatedly, all through the lobby, and to the car. [***phew***this kid is wearing her 8 month pregnant mommy out!] It was not a fun drive back to the church while she cried, wanting to go back to the dance studio...but at least I know she likes it! :)

We have not bought the leotard and shoes yet because we wanted to make sure she would like it, and that we weren't wasting our money....I think we will go ahead an invest now! :) I will post pictures as soon as we put her in a cute little tutu! :)

btw...just as an aside...Emmalyn will be a big sister in 3 weeks and one day! Holy Cow!

Heritage Festival 2009

Well, our little town has put on a great festival again! This year was so much more fun than years past, since we had a little one who was old enough to ride the rides and really have fun! And boy, did she! I didn't know how she would react to the rides...but as long as they didn't go too high, she had a blast and declared "AGAIN" at the end. :) We went out there Tuesday and Wednesday nights, and she had a blast both times! In fact, all day Wednesday, she was telling me "I wanna ride! I wanna ride!" Kris and I were both exhausted yesterday evening, but had to take her out there. And it was a LOT less crowded, and a lot more fun. We were both glad we went. She even had her first cotton candy...and declared it was "tasty!" :) If it continues to rain this week, I guess we will have had our fun. But, I would certainly like to go back out there on Sat or Sun for the craft fair! :) And I could always take advantage of another opportunity to eat funnel cake! :) Here are a few of my favorite photos from the event!

My VERY favorite photo of the night(s):

She was having a LOT of fun, and getting really good at saying "CHEESE!"

Having fun with Daddy...

For some reason, her tongue was sticking out most of the time...pretty funny!

She was so anxious to get back on!

Again, getting really good at saying "CHEESE!" :)

And here is Emmalyn with her friend, Raylen. But Ray was not really in the mood to ride any rides. This is the closest we got to getting them on a ride together...and Jess had to take Ray off before it started. She was not happy. :( I hope you have more fun the rest of the week, Ray!
More photos HERE.

Just Sharing a Few Photos...

This is the product of an amaryllis bulb that my sweet nephew gave me for Christmas. It has produced a beautiful red amaryllis with 4 blooms. Isn't it gorgeous?!

Tada! Here is the finished quilt I made for Baby Jude. I am pleased with the way it came out. The back is solid soft, light blue, with the brown trim. I tried to share a picture, but for some reason my camera's software will not transfer the photo! ugh!

And a close up of the quilt:

And Emmalyn's hair was done differently this Sunday, and I just thought she looked cute! I'm allowed to shamelessly add pictures of my daughter, aren't I? :)

Isn't this Adorable?!?!?!

I love dogs, I love babies....this is too cute for me!!!!

Thanks, Jen, for sending me this video! :)

So Far, So Good...

Well, I have finally completed the first half of Baby Jude's quilt. :) I have sewn the quilt lines since I took this picture, but still have to complete the binding (the edge), but I am excited about how it is looking so far! :) They're kind of blurry, but aren't the fabrics adorable? The backing is just solid light blue... that really soft fabric with bumps all over it. :)

Baby Jude Update...32 Weeks

According to BabyCenter.com...
How your baby's growing: By now (at 32 Weeks), your baby weighs 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, he'll gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next 7 weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb. He now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). His skin is becoming soft and smooth as he plumps up in preparation for birth.

So, I am already 32 weeks....can you believe it?! Since my c-section is scheduled for 39 weeks, I have less than 7 weeks until I meet Baby Jude! Actually, he will arrive in 47 days! WOW! I better get busy. I still have to get Emmalyn a dresser to finish moving all of her clothes and things into her room, get a curtain for Jude, finish his quilt, get him a baby book, buy a few baby boy items...and I'm sure there is more that I am forgetting. Oh, and not to mention...we have to finish paying off the hospital and anesthesiologist pre-pay fees...ugh!

We had our 3D Ultrasound a few weeks ago. I posted them on Facebook, but forgot to post them here. So, here he is!

Jude:

And here's one of Emmalyn at roughly the same gestational age...just to compare. We think they look a LOT alike! :)

Emmalyn:

And I have had a few requests for a pic of what I look like right now. Let's just say....LARGE! I even had a few people at church last Wednesday say "Wow, you GREW all of a sudden!" Yep, it seems Jude had a growth spurt. But I am actually still losing a pound or 2 every visit. I can't understand why...I am surely eating! I wish I could bottle whatever is making me lose the weight, so I can take it after the baby is born!!! But they checked his size and fluid level, and all was fine! His size was right at the 60th percentile...so he seems to be growing well! :)
I am still feeling pretty good, but tired. I just feel like I have zero energy. Very frustrating. My back is starting to hurt pretty bad, but that is to be expected. Those 2 rods and 8 screws in my lower back have a lot more strain on them these days than they did 7 months ago! It is still managed by just Tylenol and taking it easy, so I am thankful. This has been a rather quick pregnancy so far...I can't wait to meet this little guy in 47 short days! :) :) :)

I feel so special!

I figured I was pretty much rambling and bragging about my daughter all by myself over here, but as it turns out, Jana actually reads my blog and likes it! :) She actually gave me an award! For me, can you believe it?! Thanks, Jana, I feel honored! :)

So, I thought I should pass it on to some of my favorite bloggers. I love all the the blogs I read (see list on the right), but there are a few that sort of stand out right now. :)

First, I pass this award on to Kristy. She is a dear friend from college, who I have reconnected with via the world of blogging. She also has a little girl a couple months younger than Emmalyn and is expecting a baby in April....we still have a lot in common! I love reading about her precious Tabitha and feel like I know her through her precious pictures and anecdotes Kristy shares, even though I have never had the privilege of meeting her in person.

Second, I give this award to Jessica. Even though I think she should update soon ;), I appreciate the purpose behind her blog. She created it to share her heart through her journey with Treyson. And has continued to share with us her heart, including stories about her 3 precious children, telling us what God is doing in her life, and involving us in Treyson's Purpose. I love you, Jess!

Thirdly, I present this award to another friend with the same name, Jessica. She is a fairly new friend, who I have honestly not gotten to connect with as much as I might like. I would like to get to know her better, and enjoy reading her blog to get a glimpse of her heart and of her family. :) I look forward to getting to know you better in person, too, Jessica! :)

So, there you have it...I do love all of my blogging friends, and would have given this to you all if allowed. :) I love that blogging allows us to get to know each other better, and gives us all an opportunity to share photos, stories, and thoughts that we probably wouldn't see otherwise. :)

Thanks again, Jana, love ya!!!

Valentine's Day Pictures

When we went to Sear's, we also took a few photos on a Valentine's background. The first photo was a surprise for Daddy, so I didn't want to share it until after he received it. :) But here are a few other photos of Emmalyn's Valentine's Day, 2009.

And one of the many tricks we tried to get Emmalyn to cooperate that day..."See! Even Tasha wants to have her picture taken!" :) :) :)

Her Valentine's was great...she received some fun candy and cards from her grandma and great grandma, and a bean bag chair to match her new room from her mommy and daddy. Mommy also bought her some things she knew she needed... pajamas and a new Backyardigans video. (I think the video was a little more for my sanity...so tired of the same one all the time! But, I am already tired of the new one, too!)

And Kris and I had a lovely date, complete with the beautiful roses he bought me!