some visitor pics

Three good looking girls!!

Kristy Darling and the sweet naked Shayla

Paw-Paw holding his new granddaughter

My big bro holding that baby when she was only 1.5 weeks old!!

Weird and Interesting stuff

I was laying in bed the other morning, listening to Shay make her morning noises and the radio was on. They started talking about a big fire in Ocala. I was half asleep and only half listening, then I heard the name of Shayla's pediatrician's office. Apparently it burnt to the ground. How weird is that? I mean, there are hundred's of doctors offices in Ocala and the ONE we patronize burns to the ground!! Weird.

Now for the interesting. I finally weighed myself last week to see how much I weigh after giving birth. I lost 16 lbs!! Wow! That means I only have four pounds til I am my pre-pregnancy weight. How cool is that? Now, does that mean I am back in all my clothes? No, it most certainly does not. My belly has a new loose layer of skin around it that did not used to be there. (or a loose layer of fat.) My shirts fit, yes, but the FIT. Like, you can see my little fat pudge cause they actually are not loose on me anymore. :( I did not used to have that. My shorts fit, but they are tight in the tummy. I am totally psyched not to have to loose like 20 pounds, but I still need to tone and tighten back up. That is my interesting news...

Per a reader request, I am including a picture of me and Shay. I think I look hideous in all my pics, so I have not put one up, but I will oblige. :)

one month old

She is doing her exercises here. :) Look at those big EYES!!


This was yesterday. She loves to lay on her boppy (that pillow) and take in the world after a bottle. This is her routine.



My two girls today before we left for publix to get some groceries. Alysha is wearing her new shirt she bought yesterday. :)


This is Shayla's first outfit of the day. (I have already put on a new one, but she spit up on this one.) I love yellow on her (can you tell?). Pink makes her look 'washed out'. Unfortunately at Publix she was mistaken for a boy. Twice. Ouch. Her car seat is sage green, which could go either way. She had a pretty girly pink blank on the car seat, but her paci was blue. I think it confused people.

I cannot believe she is one month!!!!!! It drags by most days, but when you say it has been a month, it sounds like lots of time has gone by. That sweet baby.

I got out my baby books and read up on babies and sleeping and all that fun stuff. I am right on track with this baby. According to those stupid books, babies don't start sleeping 5 and 6 hours at a time until they are 3 months old. The fact that she only takes a bottle every three hours at night, instead of two like she does during the day, is good. She also does not stay awake and play after bottles at night like she does during the day. So, according to the books, she does not have her nights and days mixed up. Yet, I am still sleep deprived. But, it could be worse..................

I did read some interesting things. Babies sleep 15-16 hours a day, small naps throughout the day. (but mommies function on 5-6hrs a day, seem fair? I think not. lol) Also, colic does not usually show up until three weeks old. Interesting. No signs of that yet. I read about it and it sounds terrible.

According to "What to expect your first year," using a pacifier is dangerous and evil. haha. This book kills me. How many of you out there were irreversibly damaged by sucking on a paci? I think that book is just a little antiquated.

husband-ism and our daily adventure

Jon had to change a big dirty diaper the other. His comment when he got done, "It look like a yellow and green crayon exploded in her diapers.!" Too funny. Anyone with experience changing a newborns diaper knows just what he means.........

Jon kept the shay for me Saturday night so I could sleep straight through the night. Every time he got up to feed her, she would cry for a few minutes, at the top of her lungs. On Sunday I asked him what was going on cause she never cries at night like that. He gets this exasperated look on his face and says, "I don't know how you do it. I put a pacifier in her mouth and I go to make the bottle, then she screams so I run in there and put the paci back in her mouth. I run back to finish the bottle and she is already screaming again...." He was so cute about it. Do you know why it is so hard for men? Cause they cannot multi task like women can. I can hold that baby and make the bottle at the same time.

Enough about Jon. Today Alysha and I went to Ocala for a few hours. I had been at home for two days and I was ready to get out. We went to Target, then out to eat at Olive Garden. Then we headed to Rainbow (which is a popular clothing store down here) and then to Bed Bath and Beyond. It was a full day, we were gone three bottles long. (I live my life in two hour intervals, every two hours she takes a bottle.) That is about 6 hours. It was a full fun day. Basically, Shayla and I follow Alysha around while she shops for clothes. Here is a great example of how women can do ten things at once. I am helping Alysha shop in Rainbow. She is handing me the clothes she tries on to put back on the hanger. Sounds easy right? At the same time I am not only holding the baby, but feeding her a bottle. I hold the bottle with my chin, I have the baby in my left arm and I am putting the shirts back on the hanger with my right hand. Impressed? You should be. Motherhood is a skill. No man could handle all that at once.......

Random shayla shots

On the Lilypad in her cute little pink pants!!!!



This is a classic Shayla look. This is what she does right after a bottle. She just lays around and looks and exercises. Wonder what they are thinking?

We dressed her up to go shopping on Friday. CUTE!!


Shay-Shay in her nightgown. I was trying to catch her smiling. SHe smiles all the time, but I can never get it on camera. (of course). She is such a good little baby. She just lays there and looks at me. On the days when I am not so sleep deprived, I dress her in 2 or 3 different outfits and just take pics. She is like my little baby doll. She just lays there and looks around. So cute!

Rude awakening

My husband and I have a great relationship. That is to say, He puts up with me well.

Today I was holding The Sweetness and she was asleep. I asked my hubby to get me a glass of ice water in the blue glasses we have. Now I was specific about the glass on purpose, I like to drink water out of the large blue glasses. (Why? lots of reasons - none of them important to this story). So, he makes my water and sets it down beside me and lo and behold, it is in the WRONG blue glass. Wonderful wife that I am, I complain. LOL. (more like gripe, but, whatever).

Jon is used to me and he comes over to the chair I am in and holds out the blue glass I originally asked for and says, "I bet that it holds the same amount of water." He is frustrated with my particularness, but not upset with me. He is used to this kind of thing by now. Of course I take that as a challenge and I begin to tip the full glass of ice cold water I am holding to pour it into the empty glass he has right in front of me........... Do you see where this is going?

That's right, Jon MOVES the glass right as I begin to pour and I dumped a whole glass of ice cold water right on my sleeping baby's head!!!!!!!!!! Holy Cow! She did not scream, but she cried like her heart was broken. It was awful. She is very sensitive to cold, the wipes really upset her b/c they are so cold. This was terrible. It only got on her head, not her body. I literally just poured it right on her sleeping face. If you have ever wondered how someone could 'accidentally' pour ice water on your head, it is possible. I mean, talk about a rude awakening.......... (It's funny now, but at the time, it was awful. :) I blame Jon.

exhausted and going stir crazy

I don't think I am going to make it. I am so freaking exhausted!! I only get a few hours of sleep at night, but I am so exhausted that I can't sleep during the day. Basically, I feel rough and it makes me ill most of the time. I need some good sleep. The funny thing is, Shayla does not do any really "good" sleeping. During the day she sleeps on and off all day, but she takes a bottle every two hours. At night she sleeps in between bottles and she only takes a bottle every three hours, which is good. She is awake alot during the day, which is good. She sleeps great at night, in between bottles, just not long enough for me to get any real rest. It takes her 45 minutes to take a bottle, then I have to change her. So, we are up for an hour. It takes me a little bit to fall back asleep, so I am getting about an hour to and hour and a half sleep in between bottles. It just isn't enough. I just don't see the light at the end of the tunnel.......

I am going stir crazy during the day. I just CANNOT sit here all day!!! I am up with the baby all night, so I do not want to just sit here and take care of the baby every two hours!! So, Alysha and I 'find' somewhere to go every day. Today we went to TJ Maxx, Bealls, Bealls outlet and K-Mart. Then we ate lunch at a Chinese place in Inverness. We managed to kill 4 hours out today. That is our goal, kill as much time as possible. Does that sound terrible? I just go stir crazy sitting in the house with Shayla ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT.

On the upside, Shayla is as good out as she is at home. She is sweet and such a good baby. I am becoming a pro at carting her around everywhere. Yesterday we went to the library with her and I ran errands all over Beverly Hills and Hernando and she is just content where ever we take her. That is nice.

I was reading my new blog friend ELKA's blog yesterday and she had a little prayer on there for sleep. I am saying that one with ya girl!! I am ready for my mom to come down this summer and give me a little break. I have a new found respect for women who do this all by themselves without any help. It is nice to live near family. (Don't know what you've got til its gone.) I will say, Alysha is a wonderful help. She gets up with shayla at her 8-9:00 a.m. feeding and lets me sleep. Without that little nap I get I do not think I would be here now, I would already have gone over the edge. :) Babies are wonderful, but tiring. (I can hear all the other mommies out there saying "AMEN")

Jon has been at work for a few days, but he came home today. He will keep that little pig-a-roo for me tonight, so i will be in much better spirits tomorrow. I am just dreading next week. He only has two days off. He works mon, tues, fri, sat and sunday. When I say he works, that means he does not come home at all. So the only nights he will be here will be wed and thursday nights. I am just DREADING next week. I do not have him coming home to help me to look forward to. sigh.... oh well. I guess this little one is breaking me in good. I think I will go ahead and schedule that doctors appointment for jon - snip snip.... :)

3 weeks old

I am a day late, but better late than never. Shayla is such a good baby, but she is up every 3 hours all night long. When does this straighten out???? I am tired........... Isn't she sweet?

I have nicknamed her THE SWEETNESS. She has such kissable cheeks. I cannot believe it has already been three weeks!! I forgot how much formula and diapers babies go through!! WOW!! Seems like all I do is make bottles and change diapers. :)

Doctors visit

I took Shay to the doctor for her two week check up on Wednesday. I have been so tired, I am posting this a little late. :) She now weighs 9lbs 5 ozs!! What a little pig-aroo!! She eats 3oz every 2-3 hours, which is completely normal. Her weight and height are in the 90th percentile, so all is well.

This was my first time seeing this doctor. He turned out to be a condescending doctor who made me feel stupid. Don't you just love doctors like that? I was already nervous about making a mistake. This was my first time taking her out since she was born. He did a good job of making my worst fears come true. Fortunately for me, he is leaving the practice at the end of the month, so I will never have to see him again. Good riddance. He had no bedside manner, even Jon did not like him. OH well, I am too old to let his attitude bother me. I know deep down I know what I am doing, so I decided I would not let his snide attitude shake me. Yes, it has been a long time since I have had a baby, but I do know what I am doing. (he told me it has been so long, I am like a brand new mother. Although a true enough statement, the way he said it was like I don't know what I am doing. That is pretty much the way he talked to me the whole time.)

So, after the doctor, Jon and I took Shay to best place to eat in the world, Chick Fil A!! Have to break her in early. (Alysha spent the day with her friend, so she was not with us.) It was a good day, all in all. I was tired and ready to go home after all the excitement, as was daddy and shayla. We all went home and crashed!! Too funny!

She does not have to go back until she is two months, then she will get FOUR shots!!!!!! Ouch!!

Shay's first bath

she does not scream anymore that was just the first time. Isn't that little face so sweet!!

precious and sweet

Life is precious. That sweet little baby is something else. I just LOVE the little grunting noises that baby's make!! She is so small. I just look at her little body and then I look at Alysha and tears come to my eyes. Alysha used to be that small squirming thing in my arms.

I love to lay Shay on the bed with me and give her a little baby massage. She just lays there and stares at me with those big blue eyes!!!!!!! It is so sweet and precious. I am exhausted, but LOVING this little one. I know that these times, no matter how hard they can be, will be fleeting.....

Its getting hot in here

I have been running a high fever since Monday. It has really been rough. I am so blessed to have my mom here to take up the slack around the house. She cooks and makes the bottles and pretty much does everything. Meanwhile, I am on the couch shivering and sweating. The nurse called me back today and the doctor said my fever is due to my milk coming in, as soon as it dries up, I will get better. I think it came in on Monday, so it should dry up soon. The nurse said you should use cabbage leaves as compresses for fifteen minutes four times a day. The cabbage causes a chemical reaction that helps to dry you up. I will definitely give that a try. I did breastfeed in the hospital for the first two days, but I was unable to continue due to blisters that were there before Shayla arrived. So, I had to start bottle feeding.

Enough about me.............. Here are some sweet Shayla shots!!!!!!!!

look at these two lazy ones

This is Jon and Alysha asleep the first night. In this room there was a nice big couch. This is the room I gave birth in, it was Huge. We moved on Thursday afternoon to the other wing.


This is the second night in the other room. This room was small and only had a recliner that turned into a single bed. You would think these two had been through labor. :)

SHAYLA ARRIVES

Shayla came into the world on Wednesday night at 6:40 p.m. She weighed 8 lbs 1 oz and was 21 inches. She is perfect!!! Mommy is tired. More to come later.............