Thankful Thursday

What a week! David went out of town on business Tuesday night until this afternoon, so Audrey and I have had to make a go of it on our own. We missed him like crazy, but we managed.

On Monday, Audrey and I went up to my old job/our church to show her off. Everyone "oohed" and "aahed" appropriately and she had quite the crowd gathered around at one point. Of course, she slept through all of the excitement. When we got home, she ate, "played", and then took a really long nap while I finally got the birth announcements addressed, stamped, and in the mail. Any longer and I would have had to include them with the invitations for her 1st Birthday Party.

On Tuesday, David's parents and grandparents came over for a visit. David came home and joined them on his lunch hour so he could have one more AJ fix before he left town. In the afternoon we received our final meal from two of our sweet Life Group members. What a huge, delicious help that has been! That evening, she and I ran a couple of errands just to get out of the house for a little bit. Nights can be oh-so-long when you're handling a newborn solo.

On Wednesday, Audrey and I got up and went walking at the park. I did some serious power-walk speed because it looked like it was going to storm at any minute and I was determined to get in a few laps. She fussed a little at the beginning and then fell asleep, missing my enthralling nature commentary. Whatever. I was impressed.

After that, we went to the library to check out a few children's books (have you SEEN how much they cost these days? I think we'll be making a lot of trips to the library!) Most of what we checked out is way over her head, but I just get tired of reading "Ball", "Bike", "Bear", -type stuff to her. Those will be great when she can sit up and see, but now I'm more interested in story books to entertain her for as long as I can hold her attention. And truthfully? I like catching up on the Berenstain Bears too. I was so thankful to learn that Sister and McQueenie have buried the hatchet.

Wednesday night we went out for our weekly Target trip. I had coupons that expire today, so of course I had to put them to good use. Even with coupons, it's ridiculous what I spent for paper products, diapers, a few cleaning supplies, and a tube of lipstick. Must have been the lipstick.

When we got back, I fed her and then gave her a bath by myself for the first time. I was terrified, but we did great and she barely whimpered. I think I got wetter than she did and she probably still has soap residue on her, but at least she smells clean!

Today was another maid day courtesy of David's parents. I really could get used to having the house go from dirty to spotless in three hours without having to do anything to get it that way!This afternoon, David came home straight from the airport, so we enjoyed spending a few hours with him and catching up.

Tonight we had another major milestone - leaving Audrey with someone while David and I went out by ourselves!!! Tomorrow is our five year anniversary, so we really wanted to do something to celebrate! His parents came over around 6pm and after going over the evening's routine, (I only left a few short notes) we hurried off to dinner.

We ate at a local Italian restaurant and then went to a bookstore and looked around just long enough to buy something for Audrey and yet another parenting book. We got home around 9 and found out AJ had been an angel for her grandparents (of course, is there any other kind of grandchild as far as the grandparents are concerned?!) It was wonderful to get out for a little while and enjoy each other's company. We even found ourselves talking about topics other than naps and poopy diapers! We're so blessed to have family around that can help us out and give us a break.

So that's the week thus far! I know I'm overdue for pictures, so I'll try to get them up soon.

This "Thankful Thursday" list is going to be a little different than usual. Since tomorrow is our anniversary, I'm going to focus this week on things that I am grateful for about David and our marriage:

1. Being married to my best friend. I know a lot of people use this cliche, but I truly mean it. He is the first person I want to call to share the happy, sad, and every day monotonous moments with. There is no one else I enjoy spending time with more than him, regardless of what we're doing. I never get tired of him! Hopefully he feels the same way... :)

2. Sharing the same sense of humor...as weird and corny as it may be sometimes. There is no way we would have been able to survive some of the stuff we've been through, especially lately, without a good laugh!

3. His patience and understanding. And OH MY, have I tested this over the years. He is hands-down the most patient person I know. Last week I splashed OJ on his iPhone and spilled water on my laptop on the same day and he didn't utter an unkind word or make me feel bad about it. (Both are fine for you worried geeks out there.) There have been much graver examples, of course, but I'm not crazy enough to admit them on this blog!

4. Our ability to communicate. I learned a long time ago to try to avoid playing the mindreader game with him that some women like to play with their husbands. It's not fair to either one of us, so if I have to s-p-e-l-l it out, I do. But, I must say that after a decade together, we have gotten pretty good at just knowing what is going on in the other person's head. I also love that we can talk about anything and everything with each other, and this makes for some really hilarious and randomly strung together conversations. Tonight's topics, for example, ranged from year-round school to chiggers to front porches with a little Facebook gossip thrown in.

5. Watching him in his new role as Daddy. He has always done a great job exhibiting Christ's love to me and I can see that he is going to do that for Audrey as well. He is good and kind and honest and gentle...and all the other traits that I wish I had more of and that I pray our daughter will possess. He is as anxious to learn from her and about her as I am. Little does she know how amazing it is to have both an earthly and a heavenly Daddy that love her so much!

So there you have it. Just a few reasons why I am the most blessed wife in the whole world. Happy Anniversary, Babe. Thank you for all that you do for us, including working your butt off and traveling around the world to bring home the bacon...only to have me burn it. And you still eat it with a smile on your handsome dimpled face. I love you!!!

Weekend Review

We had a wonderful weekend! On Saturday David watched Audrey while I went out for an entire three hours by myself! (It almost made up for the two nights before that of his having to work late.) I did a little clothes shopping in a size I wish I didn't have to buy, but at least I have a few things that fit for the moment and a couple of pairs of non-elastic pants. I got my hair cut and only ran one responsible errand. By the end of my break I missed Audrey terribly and broke more than one speed limit getting back to the house. When I got home we hung out for a little while, had family naptime, and then tried a new Mexican restaurant for dinner.

Audrey had a record breaking night of sleep on Saturday night, which was the cherry on top of a great day. I fed her at 10:30pm and she slept until 4:00am. After I fed her then, she slept until 8:30am. That's ONE nighttime feeding!!! I thought we had turned a corner, but she went right back to her previous 10:30pm, 3ish, 6ish, 8:30am feeding schedule the next night. We'll get there at some point!

On Sunday we went for a walk at the new park that just opened near our house. I walked the farthest and fastest I have to date and it felt wonderful! I'm waiting until after my 6-week postpartum check-up to begin any official exercise, but I at least feel like it's doable. The way my back (and other various parts) were hurting a few weeks ago, I didn't know if I'd ever feel up to working out again!

We stopped by the grocery store on the way home and then spent the rest of the day in our typical feeding, activity time, naptime cycle with a little laundry, bill paying, and baby bathtime thrown in.

Not unbelievably exciting, but it was a good weekend! Hope you enjoyed yours as well!

Thankful Thursday...And a Little Advice

One of these days I'm going to have the time to quit combining "Thankful Thursday" posts with other rants. In the meantime...

If there is one thing I've learned about having a baby, it's that it makes you an automatic target for unsolicited advice. "Have you tried this?" or "Don't do that!" or "Be careful about..." or "You know you should/shouldn't..."

Two examples of late are the lady in Quizno's instructing David on how to hold Audrey and the checkout lady at Publix scolding me because it was too cold for Audrey not to have a blanket. She withdrew her statement after she leaned over and felt my child's skin. (I had to take a few deep breaths to avoid feeling the skin on her face with the back of my hand.)

Yes, everybody has some words of wisdom to offer. Of course, I'm not going to pretend to know everything about babies. We have so much to learn and people really do mean well. So, in the midst of all the "blah, blah, blah" and "yada, yada, yada", I've actually forced myself to hear some of it. There have been a few precious pearls that I felt were worthy of passing on. But please, don't let this encourage you too much.

1. Put your own oxygen mask on first. I'm slowly realizing that if I don't take care of myself, I can't take care of anyone else. This does not have to mean grand acts, but just simple things that ensure I have something left in me to give. What works as "oxygen" varies from day to day. Sometimes it's simply grabbing a nutrigrain bar or emptying my bladdar before feeding Audrey, even if she is screaming her head off. Other times it's a little more substantial and fun for me, like leaving her with David for an hour while I go get a pedicure. Of course, these days, it's a lot more of the nutrigrain bar-type oxygen.

2. Start as you mean to go on. I read this in one of my parenting books, and have repeated it over and over again to myself...mostly at the end of the day when staying consistant is the hardest. It refers to the importance of avoiding bad habits and establishing good patterns early on. In an effort to avoiding offending anyone, I'll use an outlandish example: If you dress in a monkey suit, stand on your head, and sing nursery rhymes while twirling your child in the air in order to put her to sleep, you had better be prepared to do that every night for quite some time. Of course, if you do find yourself following that particular nighttime ritual, I think you may have bigger problems on your hairy monkey hands.

3. Every baby is different. This is most often heard from other mommies in order for us to let each other off the hook. It is also a great response to use on people who insist their advice is gospel truth. But the fact is, every baby is different! Just because something worked miracles for your friend, your mom, or your neighbor, that does not mean it will work for you!

4. Infants do better with schedules. Well, shoot! I didn't have to hear this one twice! I've read this in several books, heard it from multiple mommy friends, and had it reiterated at both of our doctors visits. I cite these sources because anyone who knows me knows that I myself am a schedule-lover. So, lest you think I'm just making junk up, I assure you we've heard it several times from reputable people.

Now, before you think I'm insanely blessed to have my one month old on a schedule, let me clarify. I feed her on a schedule during the day, but she dictates when she eats at night. Her sleep schedule, both day and night, is completely erratic except for wake-up time and final bedtime of the day. We try to keep her awake for a little while after each daytime feeding so she doesn't associate food with sleep and require nursing to go to bed, but sometimes that is impossible when she is in a milk coma.

She naps at various times for various lengths, but I don't let her go longer than three hours between feedings during the day. (And remember, feedings are timed from the start of one to the start of the next. So if she eats at 11:30am, she is due again at 2:30pm, even if she didn't finish eating until 12:00pm.) Sometimes I have to wake her, sometimes I don't because she wakes herself up.

*Warning* For those of you tempted to give me the old "Don't wake a sleeping baby" advice, I'm going to ward you off with these words: engorgement and milk supply. Besides, "every baby is different", right? She is right on track with gaining weight, so we must be doing something correctly!

So, basically, we're not really on a true schedule yet. But, we're getting there!

And that completes my list to date. Compared to the advice we've gotten, it's amazing that there are only four things on there. That says something about people's advice, I guess. :)

And here is my Thankful Thursday list...

1. A good doctor's check-up this week! Audrey now weighs 9 lbs 12 oz and is 21 3/4 inches long. That means she has gained 1 lb 6 oz and grown 2 inches since birth! Everything else looked wonderful and they said she was perfect. Tell me something I don't know.

2. My sweet friend Holly, who is a pediatric nurse practitioner. Despite the #1 item on this list and the fact that our child has not so much as spiked a fever yet, I have already called on Holly's expertise twice and I expect I will do so many, many more times in AJ's life. That is, if Holly will keep taking my calls/emails! You're awesome, Holly, and I appreciate you so much!!!

3. Facebook. Without it, I would be totally in the dark about what is going on with my friends since I can't seem to return a phone call these days! And, as an addition to this item, sweet friends who read between the lines on status updates and call immediately to check on me. Thanks, Lex.

4. Oxyclean Baby. The stuff is amazing for getting out what the diaper didn't hold in.

5. Lunches with David. Once a week, I try to take Audrey and meet up with my baby's daddy for lunch. It's a nice break in the day for us and it helps him to get a "fix" of his girls.

So, there you have it. I hope you've got plenty to be thankful for this Thursday! Enjoy the rest of your week!

One Month!

Yesterday was Audrey's One Month Birthday! In some ways it seems like less than a month and in others it seems much longer. Thinking back to the delivery and those first few days at home, it seems like ages ago. But, given how far we've come and how much we've already learned, it feels like she has been a part of our family forever!

We've had quite a few milestones the past couple of days. On Friday, she spent her first night in her crib in her room. It was a tough night, but I don't think she struggled with it nearly as much as I did. I missed sleeping the whole first sleep shift because I just laid there in bed in the dark and watched her on the video monitor.

Another major ordeal in our household has been the decision to let her sleep on her stomach. For those of you without kids (or those of a different generation) this is a major no-no in the baby world. Because research has shown that it puts babies at a higher risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, the American Acadamy of Pediatrics strongly recommends that babies sleep on their backs. They even started a "Back to Sleep" campaign in 1994 to get the word out. Since then, SIDS rates have dropped 40%. (Of course, my Critical Thinking class in college taught me to question other reasons for this decrease, such as getting the word out about additional risk factors, etc. But I digress.)

That being said, I think mother's intuition comes into play at some point. Audrey has never been a great back sleeper because she flails her arms and legs so much. Swaddling helps a little, but mostly she just grunts and groans trying to get out. We had several really rough nights and have tried everything in the book (several books, actually, including Baby Wise, The Baby Whisperer, and The Happiest Baby on the Block.) We attempted swaddling, not swaddling, using a pacifier, rocking, more frequent nursing, burping, noise machine, etc. We even let her cry it out for a long time…that was painful for all of us!

While some of the techniques worked short-term, it was clear we needed a better solution. I didn’t want to try putting her in a swing, bouncy seat, carrier, or hold her while she slept because I’m determined not to create habits we’ll only have to break later. I'm not going to put my baby in the car and drive around the neighborhood every time she needs to sleep for the next year. Since I’m confident there was no issue with hunger, gas, dirty diapers, or the room temperature, I knew what would fix it. SO, we finally put her on her stomach. She fell asleep immediately and slept longer than she has to date. We tried it again last night, thinking maybe it was a fluke because she was so exhausted, but she broke another record for longest amount of consecutive sleep.

But, of course, I had another terrible case of Mommy guilt. I fully expect DFCS to show up at our doorstep at any moment. I called several friends, including one that is a pediatric nurse, and grilled them about what they thought. Bottom line: because she is a full-term female breastfed baby, she is in the lowest risk category. I have to keep telling myself that an entire generation of us were raised sleeping on our stomachs. In fact, it used to be the recommended position to prevent a baby from choking on spit-up.

Now, mind you, we still have the Angel Care movement monitor, we removed the bumper and all blankets from her crib, we turn on the overhead fan (recent research says this lowers SIDS risks), and we keep the room on the cool side (overheating is also thought to be a major SIDS factor.) I confess I even went out and bought a second Angel Care monitor so I can use it in her pack n' play for naps. Maybe once she gains better control of her limbs, she'll be fine on her back. Maybe not. But the truth is, she is God's child. And He's got the little bitty babies in His hands. We all need our sleep, especially AJ. I just have to trust that the God who never rests is on alert and watching her 24/7. But please, spare me any mean comments or advice lest I burst into tears over this decision. Just join me in praying that God will keep her safe.

Anyway, another major milestone was her first bottle! I started pumping on Saturday (quit reading now if this is TMI) in an effort to get my body used to producing enough for one pumped bottle a day. We achieved this feat and David gave AJ her first bottle last night. The poor child about choked to death because the milk was coming so much faster than she was used to. Now I understand why they recommend you wait a month before introducing a bottle. If she realized weeks ago that she could get the milk out that fast without have to work for it, she would never have lasted! I'm still figuring out the pumping thing. I'm hoping eventually it will allow me to get out of the house for longer periods or even let David and I have the occasional date night. Here's to goals and dreams...

So, it's been a crazy month, especially these last few days of it. I can't even begin to explain the emotional rollercoaster I've been on. With each day that passes, though, I feel more and more confident in my abilities and decisions as a mother. Or maybe I'm just getting better at faking it, which I think is a lot of how this parenting thing works. I'm optimistic that by the time she is old enough to catch on, we'll actually know a thing or two!

In closing, here is a look at the past month in numbers:

• Approx. 250 nursing sessions
• Approx. 310 diapers
• 53 visitors! That's right, 53 different people have come to meet our Baby Girl. This doesn't count "repeat" visits from the grandparents and others! She is a popular girl!
• 9 baths
• Not nearly enough hours of sleep
• Countless hugs, kisses, and cuddles

Happy One Month, Audrey! We love you more than you will ever, ever know and can't wait to see what this next month holds for us!

New pics are up - enjoy! Click the link under Our Photos on the right side of the page or below:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2213349&id=22619877&l=6fef3ae195

Thankful Thursday...and a guilt-ridden rant

I cannot believe it's time for a Thankful Thursday post again. This week, as with the several before it, has been a bit of a blur. Somehow, between the visitors, nursing sessions, diaper changes, and loads of laundry, the time has flown by. I'm hoping to do a "typical day" post sometime soon so that in the future I can look back and remember how I spent these early weeks.

Until then and before my list, I have a confession. I have already fallen victim to the mostly guilt-ridden trap of comparison-parenting. As I am a relatively new parent, this is a relatively new experience for me. However, I am 100% certain that it will become a demon I battle for the rest of my life.

Comparison-parenting is self-explanatory, but let me explain. It is an occurance whereby you look around at other parents, both people you know and total strangers, and size up their skills as a guardian vs. your own. What I've discovered is that it's very easy to come out on top when comparing yourself to total strangers. Of course you're doing better than the mother who is talking on her cell phone while her kid is screaming and throwing a fit in Target. Nevermind that my child is three weeks old and can't talk yet, let alone throw fits. Nevermind that her kid may have been an angel all day, but is now exhausted and finally broke down. Nevermind that that poor woman may be on the phone with her church, trying to schedule a time when she can volunteer to help the poor. Or, better yet, when she AND her child can stop by to drop off their Target purchases to a needy family, therefore teaching her child about giving to the less fortunate.

Of course this scenario isn't likely. It's more likely that she's just having a crappy parent moment. And hopefully that's all it is...a moment. Hopefully, for the sake of all of our children who may one day be in school with her child, it was just a bad moment for both of them. So, I try not to look too indignant as I push my buggy past them and move on to find an advanced-age book for my genius baby.

The other side to the comparison-parenting coin is far worse...for me, at least. It's the side where I come out as the bad guy. This has been the case a lot more frequently lately:

• Why haven't I been able to get out more? (Even though we try to make it out somewhere once a day on the days we don't have visitors, I still feel like I should be able to do MORE by this point.) So-and-so has already been to France and back with her one month old.
• Why can't I make it through an entire 30 minute feeding without running out of educational things to talk to Audrey about? So-and-so's kid was reciting Shakespeare at the age of 3 because she would read it to him while she was nursing.
• Why am I not eating more fruits and vegetables? So-and-so is the picture of perfect nutrition. She was even quoted as an expert in Parenting Magazine.
• Why am I not okay with leaving Audrey with anyone but David yet? So-and-so already has three regular babysitters. Who each have early childhood education degrees and are infant CPR certified, of course.
• Why doesn't anything in my closet fit? So-and-so wore her pre-pregnancy jeans home from the hospital. (And by the way, I totally called THIS so-and-so a bad name behind her back.)
• Why can't I leave the television off more? (For the record, I never let AJ face towards it. I just mean when David and I watch it.) So-and-so removed all of the tv's in their house the day they brought their child home and only allowed classical music to be played on the radio.
• Why am I not taking more pictures and video? So-and-so had their foyer wallpapered out of all the photos they took of their baby.

These cases are obviously exaggerated. But, even so, I'm probably just catching them in good parenting moments. But I still have times during the day that I feel like crap. And I realize these moments are never going to go away. They'll just turn into bigger, crappier feeling moments as Audrey gets older. So what's a mom to do? Well, I don't know yet. I'm still working on it. I have figured out it helps to focus on the things I feel that I'm getting right. For instance:

• I have managed to keep Audrey alive so far. Clearly the #1 good thing.
• I talk to her A LOT. I sing the alphabet song at least ten times a day, we read plenty of books, and I explain what I'm doing just about all day, every day since "they" say this is one of the best ways to educate your newborn. I annoy myself sometimes.
• I shut-up and let her explore her world in peace and quiet too.
• I take my vitamins religiously to make up for my slacker diet.
• I haven't missed paying a bill yet. This makes me a good mom because I consider running water and a roof over our head necessities for raising a child.
• I pray for her and about her.
• I feed, bathe, and clothe the child. Okay, so we leave her in just a diaper a lot. But I do feed and bathe her.
• I pick her up and hold her, and not just when she is crying or eating. Sometimes I do it just because I want to stare at her and admire God's workmanship.
• I have showered and brushed my teeth daily since she was born. This makes me a good mother because I don't subject her to bad B.O. and I'm leading by example with good hygiene habits.
• I refuse to talk on the cell phone while driving with her in the car. I realize this will probably end, but I'm proud of it so far.
• I love her Daddy tremendously and, amazingly, I haven't driven him away with my hormonal insanity yet. I haven't even cursed at him. Don't get me wrong...I've snapped at him and uttered passive-aggressive comments, but there hasn't been any cursing. Yet.
• I love her. And she doesn't have to do a thing to earn it. I love her so much that I would lay down my life for her without thinking twice. So much so that I would seriously consider taking the life of anyone that ever intentionally, seriously harmed her. Much more than I ever thought possible.

So I'm doing a few things right. And as long as the ones on the "right" list are more important than the ones on the "wrong" list (because they won't always outnumber them), then we'll be just fine. But feel free to post any comparison-parenting stories of your own in the comment section or email them to me so I know I'm not the only crazy mommy!

Finally, my thankful Thursday list:

1. McDonald's Happy Meals. Perfect for an on-the-go Mommy who realizes at 2pm she hasn't eaten lunch yet. And yes, I know this directly relates to why nothing in my closet fits. At least I was using good portion judgement.

2. Close proximity to civilization. As I said before, we try to go somewhere everyday that we don't have visitors. It may be a quick trip up to Publix for milk or a run to Blockbuster, but it's out and I'm thankful we have so many choices close by!

3. Our DVR. Because we never know when we're going to get 45 minutes of uninterrupted television time.

4. My back pain slowly dissipating. Thanks for your prayers. It's feeling a lot better!

5. A God who loves me, despite both my real and perceived faults. And I'm thankful for His Word, specifically these verses I came across today: "But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." - 2 Corinthians 9-10

I'll post more pictures either Saturday or Sunday. We've got more visits this weekend, so I'm going to hold off until then...

Have a great weekend!

Song Lyrics

Music has always meant a great deal to me. I usually don't know the artist or song title, but I have more songs memorized than I can count. Music and melody have a way of affecting my mood and emotions moreso than a visual image or spoken words. I love hearing a song and having it take me back to a special moment or time in my life...slow dancing with David at one of our many proms...driving along the road with friends, the windows down, not-at-all speeding...lifting my hands in worship to God during a service...

Given my current post-partum hormonal state, it doesn't take much to start the tears flowing these days. Here are just a few songs that I've heard or that have been running through my head the past few weeks that I wanted to share:


Isn't She Lovely by Stevie Wonder

Isn't she lovely
Isn't she wonderful
Isn't she precious
Less than one minute old

I never thought through love we'd be
Making one as lovely as she
But isn't she lovely, made from love

Isn't she pretty
Truly the angel's best
Boy, I'm so happy
We have been heaven blessed
I can't believe what God has done
Through us He's given life to one
But isn't she lovely, made from love

Isn't she lovely
Life and love are the same
Life is Aisha
The meaning of her name
Londie, it could have not been done
Without you who conceived the one
That's so very lovely, made from love


It Won't Be This Way For Long by Darius Rucker

He didn't have to wake up
He'd been up all night
Layin’ there in bed listenin’
To his newborn baby cry
He makes a pot of coffee
He splashes water on his face
His wife gives him a kiss and says
It's gonna be okay

It won’t be like this for long
One day soon we'll look back laughin’
At the week we brought her home
This phase is gonna fly by
So baby just hold on
‘Cause it won't be like this for long

Four years later ‘bout 4:30
She's crawling in their bed
And when he drops her off at preschool
She's clinging to his leg
The teacher peels her off of him
He says what can I do
She says now don't you worry
This’ll only last a week or two

It won’t be like this for long
One day soon you'll drop her off
And she won’t even know you're gone
This phase is gonna fly by
If you can just hold on
It won’t be like this for long

Some day soon she'll be a teenager
And at times he'll think she hates him
Then he'll walk her down the aisle
And he'll raise her veil
But right now she's up and cryin’
And the truth is that he don't mind
As he kisses her good night
And she says her prayers
He lays down there beside her
Til her eyes are finally closed
And just watchin’ her it breaks his heart
Cause he already knows
It won’t be like this for long

One day soon that little girl is gonna be
All grown up and gone
Yeah, this phase is gonna fly by
So, he's tryin’ to hold on
‘Cause it won’t be like this for long
It won’t be like this for long


In Your Arms by Plumb
(This song is especially emotional to me when I consider the words sung from God's perspective to me and from my perspective to Audrey.)

Your baby blues, so full of wonder
Your curly ques
Your contagious smile
And as I watch you start to grow up
All I can do is hold you tight
Knowing clouds will rage in
Storms will race in
But you will be safe in my arms
Rains will pour down
Waves will crash all around
But you will be safe in my arms

Story books are full of fairy tales
Of kings and queens
And the bluest skies
My heart is torn just in knowing
You'll someday see
The truth for lies

When the clouds will rage in
Storms will race in
But you will be safe in my arms
Rains will pour down
Waves will crash all around
But you will be safe in my arms

Castles they might crumble
Dreams may not come true
Cause you are never all alone
Cause I will always, always love you

Clouds will rage in
Storms will race in
But you will be safe in my arms
Rains will pour down
Waves will crash all around
But you will be safe in my arms
In my arms

Weekend Update

We had a great weekend! It started with a crazy productive Friday for Audrey and me. Granted, we didn't get up until 11:00 because she didn't sleep well Thursday night. But even after getting up late I still managed to shower, do two loads of laundry, write seven thank-you notes, pay bills, return a few phone calls, and...drumroll please....go to both Babies R' Us and Target! And all with several 30-45 minute feedings and at least six diaper changes thrown in! When David got home, we went for a walk at the park and then, lest you be impressed with our exercise, we drove through DQ and ordered the new Tagalong blizzards. (Delicious, in case you were wondering.)

On Saturday, we woke up and got ready for visitors. First, friends stopped by with lunch and hung out for a little while. Then David's Aunt and Uncle came over later in the afternoon to meet their first great-niece. It was good to see everybody and watch them sufficiently "ooh" and "aah" over our baby. That night, we gave Audrey her first "submerged" bath. She seemed to like it pretty well and there were no tears at all! And may I just say, there is nothing sweeter than cuddling with your freshly bathed baby when she is all wrapped up in a big towel.

We declared Sunday to be visitor-free family day and slept in as long as AJ would let us, which amounted to about 7 hours total. We lounged around a little and then David watched Audrey while I ran up to Wolf Camera to get the 215 pictures we'd taken since June 20th developed. (And for the record, it's not called babysitting when the father keeps the child. It's called parenting. Just a pet peeve sidenote.) That night, we made our first restaurant outing to Chili's, where I enjoyed a Chicken Caesar Pita for the first time in 9+ months. (I had been heeding the no-caesar-dressing-while-pregnant recommendation. It would probably have been less harmful than the lunchmeat and caffeine I'd occasionally indulge in.) Anyway, it was amazing. Audrey did great and slept through the whole adventure. We got home in time for me to catch up on some coupon clipping before she woke up to eat. How I've missed the sweet sound of scissors going to work for my bank account...

So, all in all, it was a great weekend. I hated to see it end and I know David felt the same way. Only five more days until the next one, though! We've got more visitors this week, so it should fly by!

Hope you have a great week! Check out the new pictures in the Picasa gallery by clicking the "Our Photos" link on the right side of this page or the link below:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2213349&id=22619877&l=6fef3ae195

Thankful Thursday

It's been a busy week, which I'm thankful for since it made David's first full week back go by a little more quickly. Of course, the term "busy" is very relative these days. Pre-baby, I judged my productivity on whether I was able to check off most of a long list of projects and errands. Nowadays, I feel successful if I've taken a shower, unloaded the dishwasher, and done a load of laundry! If I manage to return a phone call or write a thank you note (neither of which has happened lately), it's been an unbelievably hectic day! I never grasped this lack-of-time concept when I heard new moms talk about it, but it's very much a reality now. We're getting better, though. The more sleep I get at night and the longer my body has time to recover, the more things seem to get done. So, if you're waiting for a thank note or a returned phone call, hang in there! In the meantime...

Some highlights of this week:

• Audrey getting to meet more of her adoring fans, including her Great Grandmother and Great-Great Aunt and Uncle. More first-time visitors are coming this weekend, so I'll update the album with pictures soon.
• Audrey and I ventured out on our own... twice! The most exciting of which was a lunch date with David at Chick-fil-A! We're going to get crazy and try to make a trip to Target tomorrow.
• We had a sweet friend who does photography/graphic design come out and do a photo session tonight. She did a maternity shoot for us and now she's going to design birth announcements (I know - I'm a little behind schedule.) Audrey was such a good sport for all of it! I cannot wait to see the results of her handiwork. You can check out her website here: http://www.camilledeann.com/

And here is today's Thankful Thursday list:

1. Such a big family and lots of friends to love Audrey! It's been a steady stream of kisses, hugs, and holds since we brought Audrey into this world and the next couple of weeks will be no different. This is such a testament to how many people love and adore our Baby Girl! And, as her Great-Great Aunt Joy reminded us this week, "The more people that love a baby, the better off that baby is."

2. A clean house! David's parents gave us the gift of maid service and we cashed in on that today. It is so awesome to be sitting in a clean home without having lifted a finger!

3. Camille and her photography skills. I am so blessed to have met and worked with this talented woman. She does a great job and we'll treasure her work for many years to come.

4. More meals. I may never cook again. Although I'm betting at some point people will quit extending their sweet hospitality. Until then, though, we're enjoying every sweet calorie they bring!

5. Bedtime. Goodnight!!!

4th of July Weekend

This 4th of July weekend was spent very differently than last year's. Last year we woke up around 5:30am, drove to the Doraville Marta station, and rode downtown to join 54, 998 other people in the Hotlanta heat to run 6.2 miles up and down the hills of Peachtree Street. Exhausted and triumphant after crossing the finish line, we then road Marta (which was smellier than usual) home to shower, change, and go to David's Great Aunt Joy's for the annual 4th of July family cookout. After that, we went home to clean house and prepare to host a cookout of our own the next day with my family.

This year we woke up early, too. At 2:32, 5:37, and 8:31. Instead of pacing myself in a race, I used my endurance skills to make it through several nursing marathons. I sprinted to the kitchen to scarf down some Cheerios and then hurried back upstairs to shower, thankful that I remembered to condition my hair and shave both my legs. I threw on what ill-fitting clothes I can wear these days and applied a little mascara while David got Audrey dressed. (And I'm certain that I looked better after the race last year than I do now at two weeks postpartum.)

The doorbell rang at noon and my mom, brothers, sisters-in-law, niece, and nephew arrived to spend the afternoon hanging out. (My Dad was in Florida taking care of his mother and we missed him terribly!) My mom brought over a ton of delicious food, including homemade crab cakes and an apple pie. We ate lunch, passed babies around, and took a million pictures. Amidst the squealing and crying (most of which came from the kids), we swapped stories about poopie diapers, sleepless nights, and precious expressions. What did we used to talk about?!

This morning, after an amazing night's sleep (which is relative these days! We got about 7 hours in three different segments) we got up and got ready for David's parents to come over. They brought us a yummy lunch and entertained Audrey while we ate. This afternoon, we went for a short walk around our cul-de-sac and down the street. We were only gone about ten minutes, which was enough for our first venture. We came in, fed Audrey, watched some tv, had some "activity time", fed Audrey, ate dinner, did some laundry, and fed Audrey. Now we're about to go read "Goodnight Moon" and settle in for what will hopefully be another night of rest.

Yes, it was an entirely different weekend, but I wouldn't have traded it for the world. We're so thankful for our freedom and our troops, and that we get to raise our incredible daughter in the greatest country on Earth.

Enjoy the newest photos and have a great week! And say a prayer for us...it's David's first full week back at work!

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=36522690&l=5ad7bc85e3&id=22619877 (Same album, new pictures are at the end.)

http://picasaweb.google.com/hsinyard1/AudreyJeanSinyardSFirstMonth#

Thankful Thursday

It's been twelve days since Audrey's arrival and we're slowly settling into our new role as parents. I won't dare say that we're into a routine yet. We have a semi-schedule that shifts an hour and half or so in either direction on any given day. Her eating is pretty regular during the day, but naptimes are completely sporadic. As she gets more awake and alert, sleep is less of a priority of hers. Of course, this schedule is way more than most parents of a less-than-two-week-old can hope for! She still has her days and nights straight, thank goodness. Pray that continues!

David went back to work for a couple of half-days this week, which was difficult. Audrey and I managed, but it's definitely much harder without him. Physically and emotionally, I need him here! Financially, of course, we need him at work. We did try to estimate just how long we could manage before they started cutting the utilities off...we decided it wouldn't be worth it. I don't even want to think about next week when he'll go back full time. I don't know who it will be harder on, though - him or us! We're going to try an outing or two on our own, for my sanity's sake, so pray I cope well with that.

Here are a few stories from this week. I have a feeling a lot of my upcoming posts are going to be in bullet points, so forgive the poor writing style:

• The A/C is fixed! It held out long enough for the repairman to come back and install a new circuit board. It costs so dang much we've considered going up in the attic to have family time around it and admire our latest investment. If it weren't 300 degrees up there, we just might.
• The other night Audrey wet herself and it somehow managed to escape the diaper. What's worse, David didn't realize it until after he laid her down on our bed to prepare to hand her to me for nursing, so our bed got soaked. (In his defense, it was approxiamately 2:00am.) He cleaned up while I fed Audrey and then we settled back down for sleep. It wasn't until I pulled the covers over me that I realized she managed to wet a lot of the top sheet on my side, too. David started to get up to change it, but I told him not to worry about, I'd just sleep in it. He laughed and said that was "spoken like a true mom." It's amazing - two weeks ago I never would've imagine it was acceptable to sleep in a sheet soaked with someone else's urine. Now, since it's my daughter and it's a matter of ten extra minutes of sleep, I couldn't care less.
• We have successfully mastered the art of the sponge bath without feeling like we're scarring her for life. Her umbilical cord stump fell off on Wednesday, though, so we can begin giving her full baths now. I think we'll wait another week to get our courage up for that.

And a few stories from labor and delivery that I don't want to forget:

• The doctors and nurses complimenting me on my manners during natural childbirth. I kept asking David to "please" give me some ice chips and they thought this was hilarious. Not once did I curse him for "putting me in that situation"!
• The two little scabs that Audrey had on each of her pointer fingers. We thought they were birth marks, but they ended up being marks from where she had sucked on her fingers in utero. And yet I still feel guilty for giving her a pacifier for a few minutes a day!
• Me having to wake David up because he was sleeping through his cell phone alarm on the second night in the hospital. He, in typical new-Dad fashion, jumped to his feet as if there was a fire.
• The sweet nurses. We had a great team taking care of us and didn't have any scary experiences at all!
• The food being surprisingly good!

Finally, my Thankful Thursday list:

1. Another great, healthy, semi-restful week with Audrey!

2. David's time off. It was such a huge blessing that he was able to take a full week and then part of this week, too. It's been great for the three of us to bond as a new family, and for him to have time to get to know his little girl.

3. Meals! And brownies! Our church Life Group started bringing meals this week and it's so helpful not to have to worry about cooking right now. Thanks to them and to the other friends and family that have provided/will provide food for us!

4. Hot showers. I never thought that taking a shower could feel like a day at the spa. I've somehow managed to sneak one in every day since Audrey was born. I lie and say it's because I don't want to offend anyone with my body odor, but the truth is it's a fifteen minute piece of heaven I steal for myself. Calgon, take me away...

5. Independence Day and the incredible country we live in! I'm so thankful for the men and women that have served to gain and are serving to keep our freedom. God bless you and your families!

Enjoy your 4th of July!!! And Happy Birthday, Kim!!!