Tuesday, October 23, 2012

one month.

it's been ONE MONTH since our lil' girl came into this world! And since then . . . we've been doing nothing but adjusting and working! I'd have to say, she's a great baby. She's quite the eater and the sleeper! Here are a few things she's doing now:

Joanie Leigh normally eats 4 to 5 oz. at each feeding. She is still on the breast but we are transitioning to bottles during the day.

She sleeps about 4 hour spans at night while staying awake most of the day . . . or not 'sleeping hard' during her 'day naps'. She will have 'off days' where she sleeps most of the day and thru the night . . . but mostly she's got her days and nights figured out. 

She hates bath time. She's really only enjoyed bath time once or twice. Poor thing.

Joanie Leigh is beginning to lift her head. It's so cute. I took a photo from Matt's phone the other day with her sitting on his chest and holding that head up! She's such a big girl!

She hates to lay down flat.

She doesn't mind getting her diaper changed . . . even thru the night! She just lays there.

Joanie Leigh is still quite the 'spitter upper'. UGH. She is doing better but still spits up.

At a month old, we have by passed the 'Newborn' clothes and entered the 3 month drawer. Laugh. She's such a chunk! 


There are a ton of things I am sure I am missing! But one thing I can tell you, is that Houston LOVES her. He sings to her when she's crying. He 'watches' her when I go to the bathroom. You know. . . all the 'big boy' responsibilities. He always asks if she's okay. And he doesn't mind her 'playing' with his cars. Whew.


I will post some up to date photos soon! Till then, if you haven't seen our Birth Announcement, here it is!!




Thursday, October 11, 2012

Katie Moore

I have been contacted from a blog follower and was asked to post a 'Guest Blog' from her.  Her name is Katie Moore and you can read more from her on her blog about various pregnancy related subjects. 

So, here goes . . .  The baby me's FIRST Guest Blog post.


.   .   .   .   .


Caring For and Nurturing Your Infant

One of the greatest joys in life is giving birth to a healthy baby. Moms spend
the better part of a year waiting for their babies to arrive, watching their
bodies change, and feeling a sense of excitement and anticipation over the
new changes in their life. However, some moms begin to feel a little nervous
and anxious as their due dates grow closer—there are many decisions to be
made regarding options like delivery methods, pain management, and cordblood banking to name a few. They wonder if they will be able to nurture
their baby the way they should, and they wonder if they’ll be good at the
parenting thing. Fortunately, these women’s fears are unfounded, because
caring for and nurturing a newborn infant are two of the easiest things
women do, even if it doesn’t seem like it in the beginning.

Health Care

Moms can start nurturing and caring for their infants long before they even
give birth. One of the most important things a woman can do before she
welcomes her baby into the world is find the baby a good pediatrician. The
importance of a good pediatrician is extreme; moms must be able to trust
the person who is taking care of their child, making sure their infant is
growing at the right pace, and treating their child for medical purposes.
Additionally, it’s also important that moms like their pediatricians, because it
means they’ll be more likely to call the pediatrician in an emergency rather
than attempting to care for their sick baby alone.

A good pediatrician is one who has experience working with children, who is
board certified and licensed, and who has an exemplary record. Moms can
find pediatricians in the phone book, online, and through word of mouth.
Most moms are happy to recommend their great pediatricians to other
moms; all moms have to do is ask around.

Nutrition

Babies are not like adults. They must eat regularly and consistently to
maintain their health. If an adult skips breakfast one morning due to a late
start or another reason, it’s not really a big deal. If an infant misses a meal,
it’s a very big deal. The first step to good nutrition any new mom can take is
to decide what feeding method to use.

Breastfeeding is one method—it is also the method most doctors
recommend. Breast milk is full of nutrients and antibodies that promote good
health and prevent children from becoming ill or sick. However, not all
women are able to breastfeed. Some cannot do it due to health reasons and
others simply choose not to breastfeed. This is a personal decision every new
mom must make, and they should know that choosing not to breastfeed
their child is not the end of the world.

Formula feeding is the other choice for new moms. This means purchasing

baby formula, making bottles, and feeding babies. It’s far easier to do on the
run, and it doesn’t require pumping and freezing breast milk. However, it
doesn’t have quite as many nutrients as breast milk, but it is healthy and
safe for newborn babies.

“Katie Moore has written and submitted this article. Katie is an active blogger
who discusses the topics of, motherhood, children, fitness, health and all
other things Mommy. She enjoys writing, blogging, and meeting new people!
To connect with Katie contact her via her blog, Moore From Katie or her
twitter, @moorekm26.”

Friday, October 5, 2012

2 weeks

Well, our lives have been quite busy lately . . . still adjusting to our new joy. Don't get me wrong, she's an awesome lil' baby! But juggling two + trying to work (yes, I had a shoot this past Sunday and a wedding this Saturday) + keeping up with the house + trying to keep everyone posted . . . it's hard!

I still need to blog about her debut, but till then, let me tell you about my baby girl . . . or 'Tubbs' as I call her! She has the BIGGEST and CUTEST chubby cheeks! Gah, I kiss them all the time :) 

Tubbs is quite the eater. I mean, QUITE the eater. I am breast feeding / pumping (yet again) and she's done well at keeping most feedings to every 2.5 to 3 hours. At first, she was every 4 . . . which scared me, because I know breast milk goes thru their systems faster than formula . . . but with every 4 hour spans, she was still gaining . . . so no need to change anything. Not to mention, she is letting Daddy and I sleep at night! So, now that we are on a 2.5 to 3 hour schedule during the day, she sometimes gives us a 5 hour span at night! Thank you baby girl! She's beginning to make up for my miserable pregnancy! Laugh.

She had her 2 week appointment today and she is now 9 lbs 7 oz. -- Tubbs gained a pound from her debut! And she is 20 3/4 inches long. Sigh. She's already making me sad by growing so fast!! Tear.

She has started to like sleeping on her belly. I seem to have tummy sleepers! Makes me nervous with all the 'studies' about SIDS . . . but, they love their tummies! And hey, I slept that way . . . and I'm fine (or so I think, j).  She has also started to lift her head a little. She thinks she such a big girl! AND she is starting to pay more attention to us . . . she will stare at us longer :) Makes us smile!

OH, and Houston loves her! He says 'Mornin' Joanie' when he gets up and 'Mama, baby okay?' for when she cries . . . which isn't too often. He likes to hold her hand and help carry her carseat to the car. Oh, my buddy. He even shares his cars with her! He lets her look at them . . . and maybe hold on. That's it. haha.

Here are a few images. I have more but need to download! Another on my 'to do' list that keeps getting longer! 

She rarely cries . . . and it's usually because she's hungry :)

They just can't get enough of each other :)

I think we have another belly sleeper!