9 weeks!

i'm spending my third week home with natalie. i can't imagine there will come a day when she is too big to lay asleep on my lap while i talk on the phone, write some emails or just let me stare at her sleeping soundly. we've had some long wide-awake nights and some fun giggles (first spray down in the sink worthy dirty diaper!). we've had very special guests. each week is even more special.

i have been sent this email a few times and it is very, very true. thank you to all the mommys who have taught me so much. and thank you to mimi and pops for these beautiful pictures!

Before I was a Mom,
I never tripped over toys
or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not
my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind
and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held down a screaming child
so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night
watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held a sleeping baby just because
I didn't want to put her down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small
could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.


Before I was a Mom,
I didn't know the feeling of
having my heart outside my body..
I didn't know how special it could feel
to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond
between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small
could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth,
the joy,
the love,
the heartache,
the wonderment
or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,
before I was a Mom.

8 weeks!

Natalie keeps growing into a wonderful little lady! It's hard to believe her due date was just a week back on April 17. She is starting to outgrow her preemie footie pjs and some of her preemie onesies--but still too tiny for some newborn clothes. I told her to just ignore the size on the tag and wear what looks good ;)

She is very funny stretching and grunting through her naps. I call her "little lamby" because of her "meehehehe" and "beehee" squeaky sounds. She is getting better at sleeping between her feedings and would probably prefer I let her sleep longer. And when she is awake her big blue eyes look all around.

After a visit from Grammie Teresa she also got a visit from PawPaw Doug. And soon Mimi Kathy and her Pops will be here to see her. She's a lucky girl!

Here are a few pics from this week. As you can see, she isn't so good at folding laundry but she is good at making it!

7 weeks old and first full week home

natalie had her first doctor appointment this week. the doctor said she looks perfect---we already knew that! :) she goes back again in about two weeks to make sure she is gaining weight and to get a few newborn shots. ouchie!

grammie teresa has stayed with us this week while we get in the groove of our new schedule. natalie is sleeping a bit longer each night between her feedings and is overall a VERY happy baby. she really likes being held and talked to and is happiest of all as long as her pacifier is nearby. sucksucksmacksmack!

here are a few photos grammie teresa took during her first week at home.

she's home!

just over six weeks ago we got the best present ever. and now we got to bring her home!

we'll write a proper update soon. too sleepy now :) here are pics from her first day with mom and dad.

lazy sunday

photo extravaganza

5 weeks!

Our little girl is 5 weeks old! And what a busy week it has been!

She is doing so well with her bottle feeding that they took out her feeding tube. So far, no need to put it back in. She also "graduated" out of the NICU to a special care nursery for babies who don't need as much monitoring. She is still hooked up to monitor her heart rate and breathing but nothing on her face! Look at this sweet little thing

Not great photos but you get the idea. In her new nursery, her "room" is three walls and a curtain you can shut out to a main hallway. Without a door to shut you can here all the nurse chatter, moms and dads cooing to their babies and all the crying fits. On Thursday she was trying to fall asleep while I held her and two babies kept crying. Natalie would open one eye, arch her eyebrow and make a "really, mom? what's up with these babies?" face. I just had to kiss her and remind her she'd be home so soon!