Monday, August 23, 2010

Sad Saturday.

Saturday was a day that I have been dreading for 7 months, 2 weeks and 3 days. It was the last day of nursing my sweet baby. I promised myself before you were even born that we would not fight it or drag it out and as soon as it wasn't working for either of us, we would stop. Well that promise is a lot easier said than done. We might have fought a little - I definitely tried some herbal supplements which are supposed to increase your milk supply, tried drinking TONS of water, eating lots and pumping more but nothing really did the trick. The last couple of weeks you have been more fussy than usual and I was attributing it to your 4 lovely new teeth that are all coming in at once, but this weekend I started to wonder if you were hungry. You have to nurse so often when I am home with you all day to stay full and you have been waking up from naps too soon because you are hungry. And for the first time Friday you cried after you nursed and dad made you a big bottle and you guzzled it right down. So that's when I remembered my promise and knew what we had to do. Saturday was sad, I cried a lot.

But I loved remembering the countless hours we have spent together nursing. I remember the very first time in the delivery room and how my heart skipped a beat when you just latched right on and looked up at me with those dark blue eyes. It was so amazing how peaceful you were, like you knew I was your mama and you could trust me to take care of you. Then the lactation consultants called you "brilliant", they were so right! We never had a hard time learning and for that I am so grateful. And of course I will never forget those first few weeks when pretty much all we did is nurse! I especially loved the night time feedings, when the house was quiet and dark and it was just me and you rocking. I remembering rubbing your soft little cheeks and dark brown hair over and over to keep both of us awake. And then as you got older, I loved that I could always soothe you when you were upset. I loved being your favorite. We nursed after shots, after falls, when you were tired and needed to fall asleep, and in big crowds (not your favorite thing) when you were scared and just wanted your mama. You definitely loved your ninny. I will never forget when you learned to smile and you would be eating and look up and smile over and over. You would try to keep sucking and smiling which of course was totally ineffective and milk would be all over both of us. It was the cutest thing.

You woke up Saturday afternoon from your nap crying which you never do. I knew you were hungry so I went up upstairs to feed you one last time. We rocked and you ate enough to feel full and fell back to sleep on me for about 30 minutes. It was wonderful. You still look so tiny when you nurse, all curled up in my arms. You are the sweetest little thing in the whole world.

So Sunday you had bottles all day and you had a GREAT day and that made me so happy. You took great loooooong naps and played all day long and never fussed. I know we are doing what is best for you. And it was fun to give you bottles too, we still get to rock and cuddle while you eat. I was really most worried about you not being able to settle down because that is always the way I have calmed you. You hate pacifiers. But last night I stood by your bed and gave you your lovie and wasn't even through one verse of You are My Sunshine and you were passed out on my shoulder. I think we are going to be okay :)

And on a happier note, you said mamamamamamamamamamama ALL day long yesterday, it is adorable!!!!!!!!

And just so this post isn't 100% depressing, here are some pics of the fun we had!


Reading with dada before bed

Wild thing (clearly not quite ready for bed)

Sunday's best

Summer is all about swimming and strawberries at our house!

Doing it yourself with your fruit feeder

Hi dad!

More pool fun... cutie patootie little booty!!

You LOVE to splash...

and to play with your animals and laugh at mama making all of their sounds :)

My sweet, smart, sassy, silly seven month old!! (who I think looks like her mama in this pic!)

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

First Visitors!!

So, this was over a month ago now but I can't leave our first cousins trip out of the blog! We hope for many many many more of these with many many more cousins in the future :) Nana, Aunt Lauren and Owen headed down from Dallas to help us get settled. The downstairs went from boxes and dust to a home! The dining room table, hutch and piano were delivered and fit just beautifully. I am so lucky to have them. My mom and Grandma Ruth went shopping together and bought the dining room set right after Mom and Dad got married. It is so special to have them. We even embarked on the scary adventure of decorating the whole wall of shelves in the study... if they hadn't come I think the doors would just be permanently shut to that room!!! None of us are decorators but between the 3 of us we did a pretty good job! We had lots of fun too... swimming, playing at the park and even a girls shopping trip while Jeanne Ann played with the babies! Thank you JaJa!! We can't wait for the next trip! I didn't get any great pics but here are a couple.

First bath together! (You can see that Charlotte doesn't miss a meal these days, love my chunky monkey!)

Aunt Lauren and my bathing beauty

Enjoying the best spot in the house - the porch!!

Buddies... so sweet

The kiddoes in their adorable outfits from Hawaii! Uncle Vinny recently got back from running a marathon in Hawaii and of course didn't forget his niece and nephew. He is such a sweetie and I love Lotte's adorable little Hawaiian dress.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

29.

Thanks to everyone for the great b-day! I got to spend the weekend with my family... we grilled burgers at mom's and had red velvet cake - yum!!! I got lots of great gifts for decorating the new casa, one of my favorite hobbies right now! Charlotte had lots of fun laughing at her family and was a trooper on the go as usual. When I got home, there was a surprise front porch swing hanging from Sam, Jeanne Ann and David. Just what I had been wanting! It is a big hit with the peanut and we have really enjoyed it. For my b-day, my sweet hubby left 2-a-days early to take me and my girl to dinner at Iron Cactus, it was very special. I was on night float last year on my birthday and remember being so sad, I am still thanking God everyday for my new wonderful life.

A few goals before the big 3-0:
1. Celebrate our anniversary for the first time ever!!
2. Take a trip as soon as Charlotte is done nursing, we miss traveling! First week away at grandma's! Right now we are thinking Hawaii... any suggestions??
3. Read a non-medical book.
4. Get my body back. The pounds are gone but the amount of flab is disgusting. The goal is to get back into shape before the next baby bump arrives :)
5. Pass the boards and be a real card-carrying pediatrician.
6. Eat 5 fruits and veggies per day.
7. Teach my daughter to pray.
8. Learn more about wine (this includes drinking more of it in between that nursing and pregnant time.)
9. Work in my yard. Major learning needed there, I don't really even know how to pull weeds or mow. (Not that I really plan to do those things, but I would like to learn more about the local flowers and plants and do some work in the garden.)
10. Find some yummy, fast and healthy weeknight recipes and cook at least 2 nights/week.

I love sharing my birthday with Justin, his is August 8th and we always celebrate together! Owen loves a good birthday celebration and loves a good piece of cake!


Swingin' with my girl on my birthday

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Big Bang 2010... Party Like it's 1776.

I loved the motto for this year's 4th of July celebration... and I love my brother because he CRACKS ME UP!!!!!! We had a blast celebrating the 4th with the fam at Cedar Creek. Uncle Vinny hooked us up again with an awesome fireworks show...it was totally professional grade!!! We had a huge barbeque, swam LOTS, took the boat to the Tiki hut for lunch, and stayed up way too late playing games. It was great to spend time with my family after a very sad goodbye from Dallas. Here are some pics to prove how much FUN was had!

This game is always a big hit!!

Bosworth's vs Wrights!!

Dorks.

Meat anyone???

American girl

Love my family :)

Hollywood

Swimmin' with my mama is fun!!

First watermelon!

Hangin' with my girl

Handsome fellas!

Swing + huge oak trees + cool breeze = perfect Saturday morning nap spot!

Owen loves to ride the "bumblebee"

Cutie patootie

Love this sweet boy and MISS HIM!

Dada always makes you laugh!

Bathing beauty