Time Away From Baby

 8 weeks old
 This past weekend Jordan and I went to Gatlinburg, TN with some friends. My parents were able to watch Harper Friday-Sunday. I knew I'd miss her terribly, but I didn't know how much I would wish to be with her. Friday night we kept saying "I miss Harper, I bet she's sleeping or eating right now" then Saturday morning I was ready to head back home to pick her up! Don't get me wrong we had a BLAST, but being away from our baby girl was harder than I thought. Because my hormones are still going wild, I had a little emotional streak with watery eyes at moments. But I've read time away is good, that it helps with separation anxiety and I definitely do not need anymore anxiety in my life. I've been reassured that as she grows older the easier it is to be away for her for longer periods at a time...at this point I don't see that happening. From being inside my belly for 39 weeks to some hours apart from her to days apart is rough. But luckily it doesn't happen all the time, so I'm able to recuperate until the next outing.

Recently I am unable to upload photos onto here. Images never show up, I hope to get this fix ASAP

Procrastination Should Be a Job

If I got paid for each time I have procrastinated then my house would be down the street from Bill Gates. Even on the most important things I wait until deadline time. Maybe I do like the "rush" of getting something completed like an assignment or being on time for an appointment. I have procrastinated my nursing application which is due March 1. It is not the RN program, but the LPN. I still need my transcripts from high school and UK and ACT scores. But since I took the ACT so long ago I'll be taking the Compass Exam which is 4 hours! I cannot bear to sit that long anywhere...so I'm dreading it. Luckily with my ACT scores plus the Compass Exam I have a better chance of being accepted (crossing my fingers). They gave me a "practice test/review" sheet and ohhhh boy do I need to re-take math! It has been 2 years since my last math class and some things are just fuzzy to remember.

Back at work...yayyy! I hate being away from Harper, but I do enjoy making the money and getting out of the house. My legs are sore from this weekend's 3 shifts. Apparently my school schedule that is beginning in March will be messing up my working schedule. I just hope I continue to get enough shifts with my poor availability. Because it is a smaller restaurant it holds less servers. My schedule flexibility is NO LONGER flexible and I tend to feel bad about it, but cannot do anything to change it.

Harper is going through her fussy stage. I've been told babies are their fussiest between 6-8 weeks. Napping is a struggle for her during the day time. Once I put her down in bassinet to get things done she'll sleep for 10 minutes then begin to cry. I try to wait to pick her up to see if she'll go back to sleep but her cry only gets more intense. Today I went to the grocery store thinking if she cries then she cries. I fed her before we left and of course once I put her in car seat she begins to cry. As she sits in the car she continues to cry, but once we start moving she calms herself down. Its weird how she cries when in still position but coos or sleeps when in a moving position. Babies are unique I tell you! Harper being a great baby no matter what went straight to sleep when we got home until 9:30! This allowed me to cook, eat with Jordan AT THE DINNER TABLE (big thing), and do some cleaning. After 2.5 hours of sleeping I decided to wake her up so she would also sleep well in the night for me. I wish this would be a regular thing, but she is unpredictable and we live in Harper World now.

She is still the best and most beautiful little girl in our whole entire world.

Harper is now 5 weeks old. It's amazing how time flies when she is here, but while pregnant time was too slow. I'll honestly cry at every major point in her life, and think about when we first brought her home. Since I've been pregnant I've been so emotional, and now that she is in the world I'm even more emotional and will forever be. But this is good! I use to suck at expressing emotion...now it comes naturally. (Jordan just smiles whenever I say "I just want to cry" over anything)

This past weekend Harper was a bit of a "fussy diva". She did not want to be put down, sleep in bassinet, or go to sleep. All she wanted to do was fuss and be held by mommy. Thinking her skin irritation was to blame. I wonder what it's like to be a baby and have an itch, but don't know how to get rid of it...I'd be a fussy diva too. But since we switched to Soy formula and using the cream her skin is clearing up! 

hi everybody its Jordan!!!! (he took my computer and wanted to put something)

My energy has increased. I'm not as tired all day like I was in the beginning. I'll take at least one nap while Harper sleeps once a day and go to bed whenever Harper does at night. We live in HER world now, so I have to adjust to her schedule. She wakes up at least once a night now, sometimes twice. It is the hardest at 3AM because nothing but paid programming is on TV and its still completely dark outside. I don't mind getting up at 7AM anymore. It use to be a battle with me. Ever since I began the seasons of Desperate Housewives, I'll feed Harper and watch an episode. That way I'm not as cranky or wanting to go to sleep, so it gives me patience.

 

Whenever I pick her up after she has been sleeping she scrunches up her body and pokes her butt out. 

One Month Old

Harper is now ONE MONTH OLD! She is now more alert, smiles (randomly), holds up her head when on "tummy" time, and can drink milk like crazy! Her smile is so beautiful! I can't wait until they're the real ones (like when she's looking at people she recognizes and from tickles), I think it's around 3-4 months. Newborn clothes finally fit her pretty good, but the 0-3 Month clothes swallow her. She's just a little girl =D

SHE NOW WEIGHS 9LBS! We took a visit to the pediatrician because Harper has been having some skin issues (she has very sensitive skin). Turns out formula could be one to point fingers at. Since I'm mainly breastfeeding, it took a longer process for her skin to react to the type of formula we have been using. Doctor suggested we use a Soy base formula and turns out Jordan had to use the same as a baby. This could also be a mild case of eczema (skin rash). Hopefully in a week her red bumps will disappear, keeping fingers cross! It bothers me more than it bothers her...that's going to be the case with a lot of things throughout her life.  

Lately her thing is to sleep majority of the day, but stay up late at night. Some nights she won't go to bed until 1AM. I'm keeping blinds open through the day to help her realize the difference, but no luck in it working yet. The womb must have been nice and dark so she was comfortable anyway. But now that she is out she must learn day and night, FOR OUR SAKE!

New Parenthood

Harper is now 3 weeks old! 

I can't believe it's already been 3 weeks since we had our baby girl come into the world! She has been nothing but a blessing and an enjoyment to have. Plus it helps that she is just so darn cute! I don't know how I'll ever be mad at her in the future. I have gotten aggravated when she does not want to go to sleep when I want to, but then I look at her sweet face and it all goes away and is worth every lost sleep hour. 

She was born at 7lbs 4oz and 18 3/4" on Monday, January 2 at 9:37AM. She is everything we hoped for and more. Harper is already a daddy's girl. Whenever she hears his voice she smiles, and whenever Jordan holds her she calms down. He's definitely going to have to work on punishing her when she does something bad! She has a head full of hair too! It's so awesome, never expected it. She looks identical to Jordan's baby photos, very freaky! 

BOUT TIME!

Week 38, Day 6

Oh my my, the writing has been lacking so hard on here.

Christmas was wonderful! We spent our Christmas Eve with Jordan's family and then traveled to my family Christmas afternoon. Our lives were more blessed with the gifts and love we received from both ends. We got kitchen appliances/utensils, gift cards, lounging clothes, books, baby things, and a few more others. Biggest gift was my new mom-mobile (car) Nissan Altima 2008 and I shockingly love it. Never been a car girl, I enjoy putting an effort into a vehicle. But with Jordan working at CarMax we were able to score an awesome deal that we could not pass up. Now Harper will be much safer in the Altima vs. the Wrangler.

Our baby girl will be making her appearance on Monday, January 2 at 9AM. Her birthday will read 1/2/12 which is pretty cool and easy to remember! (as if we would forget, but still) This last week has been so long, and it still isn't over. We are SO EXCITED! Jordan and I have both accepted the fact we will have little to no sleep on Sunday night with her on our mind. I'm preparing myself for the multiple crying sessions I'll be pouring out next week from happiness.

New New New

Week 35, Day 5


Well Jordan and I have settled into our new apartment. We love it so much! I don't mind staying home all day...at least for now, I'm sure that will change once the "newness" wears off. Harper's room is slowly coming together, actually the ENTIRE apartment is slowly coming together. But within time it'll be nice and cozy looking. Harper's room is an olive green color, matches the green part of her bedding. Our room is a light grayish, bluish color. Didn't want anything too dark or too light. Both rooms look great when the sun is up and we get a lot of natural light in this place. Definitely choose the best place for us. When we first stayed here it felt as though we were staying in a hotel since this all very new to us. He's definitely digging the cooking done by me, but lucky me he does the dishes!

Baby Harper and I have been doing well since last post. She is now up to 5lbs even and everything is going smoothly. Occasionally I'll get stronger contractions, but I have the medicine the doctor gave me to take. I just have to rest a lot. My pregnancy has been going wonderful up until now. I'm very uncomfortable, sleep is an issue, I snack a lot more now, back has a lot of pain, and nesting is just outrageous. Jordan tells me "SIT DOWN YOU'RE DRIVING ME CRAZY WATCHING YOU." I'm trying to clean everything I can. I've gotten all of Harper's clothes, bedding, and blankets washed/dried, her crib/dresser/bouncer/car seat/stroller put together (I'll have to post a picture), and beginning to organize everything I touch. Some days I overwhelm myself. But it's all part of the experience and I won't have as much leisure time to do so after Harper gets here.

Last doctor appointment we got an ultrasound and she is STILL BREECH. We began discussing the "options" for possibly turning her, but I hear that is very painful and I don't think I could do that. Then the bad word came up....CSection. I'm beginning to accept the fact I'll most likely have one. He said normally they schedule at 39 weeks for one which is Dec. 30-Jan. 6. I'm hoping sooner they can get her out the happier I'll be, unless I go into labor beforehand. At this point I don't even know what to think. I don't want to KNOW her scheduled due date because I know I will not sleep from anxiety and excitement. I'd rather be surprised with some labor....crazy I know. But I'm not a patient girl and time now is already moving slowwwww.

Good news is, we have moved into our apartment and everything is almost completed. My school semester is finished and Jordan has one more week of finals. So she can come anytime after next week so he doesn't miss anything =] But that is just wishful thinking. I'm just thankful she is due over winter break so Jordan and I can get somewhat adjusted to the new parenting lifestyle before classes start up again in January.