We sleep..alone!!

I can't believe it! Yesterday I was able to get Presley to sleep ALONE in the pack-n-play!! Ok, for those of you who don't know, this was a huge struggle. Not only did Presley want to be moving when she slept, she also tended to want to be right next to me or Dallas while she slept if she wasn't moving. I can't tell you how many times that girl was DEAD asleep and as soon as we'd lay her down she would wake up!!! Coudn't believe it. Well, yesterday I put her in her pack-n-play for her long nap and she slept there all night until her 5am feeding. (no she didn't sleep all night. I was just able to put her back in the pack-n-play) Go ME! I felt like it was a HUGE milestone for our family.

Presley is also into her hair!! Not in a good way either! As you can see in the pictures my daughter is NOT lacking in locks. Her new favorite thing to do is grab a huge chunk of it. Only one problem, she has not learned the art of letting go!! So, mom is interrupted with a supersonic scream that sends mom flying into the room only to find her daughter is attacking herself. I have to admit, it cracks me up!! Please don't tell her I laughed at her later in her life!! It can be our little secret!

Our weekend is going to be very full. My big brother, Brent, and his family, Crystal and Dylan are coming into town. Dusty lives in Jacksonville, Fl so he plans on spending the weekend with us too!! We were all excited about spending the weekend with my brothers and then my Dad called with a surprise. He is flying Kaci and Katelynn down here to spend the weekend as well!! Can you believe it? I can't! Pinch me now! It is going to be so great to have all my siblings in the same place at once. I have always appreciated that my parents alwasys make sure we have some sibling time. They love being with all of us, don't get me wrong, but they also understand that we need time to just the kids!! And, anyways, gestures like this make us always want them around anyhow!! It should be a great time! Can't wait to tell you how it went.

This is Daddy's favorite hold with Presley!!

Honorary Uncle Aaron! Look, same hold. Must be a guy thing!

Look at my little beauty! She was hanging out while we visited!

I love Presley's expression here and this picture shows how long and skinny her little legs are!! Hopefully we will put on some weight soon and have chunky baby thighs!!!

I love this picture of Presley and me! Just think, I will get snuggles like this from her for the rest of my life!!

Slacker...

Wow, I am a slacker!! It has been two weeks and I have not kept up with my blog. I apologize to those of you that check the blog frequently for updates on our family and haven't had anything to read! I will get better.

The last two weeks have kinda been crazy. Little Miss Presley was having a hard time gaining weight and so I was put on strict instruction to feed, feed, feed. When you are the only source of food it really consumes that day!! However, it was great bonding time!! We couldn't really figure out why Presley wasn't gaining because she is a great breastfeeding baby. Then, we realized it was because we were making her wait 2-3 hours to eat even if she was fussy because that is what we thought we were suppose to do. Presley had another schedule she wanted to follow-every hour and fifteen to hour and thirty minutes. Once we started focusing on Presley and what she was telling us we fattened her up fast!!! She gained 10oz in 9 days!! Wahoo!

Presley gets lots of attention everywhere we go, and no, not because of her Mohawk hairdo. Which, by the way, she has yet to loose any hair and is growing more!! Presley is ever so alert ALL DAY! So much so that when we went to her doctor, my ob and the lactation specialist they ALL couldn't stop talking about it. They all commented on how smart she already is and how they have never seen a baby so young so alert! It makes me feel good, so if they are just saying it to make us feel good it works!!

She does fuss a little more now than the first few weeks she was with us. She really has a sensitive tummy. She also LOVES to move which makes production time scarce for mommy. When she is awake she wants to move and when she is sleeping she wants to move-only during the daytime naps! Of course we got the usual "Don't do that you'll get them used to that" speech, but the reality is that is just who Presley is. She is a mover and a shaker! I think it also may make her little tummy feel better.

Dallas and I are doing great! We really are having a great time getting to know Presley-fussy or quiet!!! She is really a sweet baby. I used to say all the time that my little one was going to be a hellion because my sister's little girl is so sweet with such a great demeanor. And, although Presley is a little more challenging with the tummy issues, she is no hellion! And, I am learning one of the greatest things about motherhood-even if she was a hellion she would be MY hellion!

I only have one other thing and then I will end this hideously long blog. I used to think that God was a generous, loving God before I had Presley. I had no idea how generous. I look at her every day and think, "God, I don't know what you were thinking when you let me take care of something so wonderful and precious to you, but thank you!" He doesn't have to bless our lives in such a rich way but he does EVERYDAY!! I only hope that I can be a blessing for Presley because God has blessed me in such a big way!!!

Oh-by the way. I have a couple of pictures of the newly plumped up Presley-a big 7lbs 8oz!! I will try and post them tomorrow after church!!

My First Mother's Day...

What a joy becoming a mother has been. Presley has already made my life so wonderful! Even when we only get 4 hours of sleep at night I am still in awe of this new person in my life! At this point last year Dallas and I had just starting talking about the possiblity of becoming parents sooner than later. I, of course, was not ready and so we waited a little while. But, not long! I am so glad we made the decision to go ahead and start this new chapter in our lives! We waited 5 years and for us that was perfect. Presley is such a great baby and my husband is such a great daddy! My family truely has made this day a great one!! I am greatful to Dallas for helping me become a mother and greatful to God for loaning me Presley so that I can experience the JOY of being MOMMY!!!

Our little lady!

Presley's first bath! She didn't like it then, but does now!

Me and my little girl on Mother's Day!! She is in her usual position!

And then there were three...

Well, everyone has gone. My mom and dad left this morning to head back to D.C. and Dusty left for Jacksonville. This is definitly a sad day for me! My mom has been an incredible help to me. I knew I would need her help once I found out I was going to have a c-section, but I really underestimated how much she would help. I would forget to eat and drink and then I would look up and see a glass of water or a plate of fruit next to me. She also helped with Presley but very little. She knows that people have to learn things on their own and when they get stuck they will ask. I am so greatful for that in my mom because when she left I didn't feel like I couldn't take care of Presley. Mom spent all her time taking care of Dallas and I and let us do the parenting. I don't think that I am that kind of person, but sure hope that over the years I learn this kind of respect so when Presley and my other children are at this stage I can be to them what she is to me. I know without a doubt that Dallas and I are going to be ok on our own, but it was so nice to get to see everyone. A little crazy, but nice. We may have to rethink how we do it with baby #2!!!

Tomorrow is Mother's Day and since I already wrote a book on how great my mom is I want to take the opportunity to wish all you moms out there a HAPPY DAY! Being a mom now I realize the incredible love we all have for our children! That love alone makes it totally worth being a mom. So, I hope you all treat yourselves to some "me" time because I guarantee you -to your child/children-you are the perfect MOM!!!!

Winding down...

Poor Presley! We are already making her perform like a dancing monkey!! Maybe this will get her interested in cheerleading, dance or gymnastics. One can hope!! Actually, we were tryin to keep her happy for another 30 minutes so we could feed her and put her straight to bed. For some reason if we don't catch it at the perfect time she doesn't sleep well during the night, but if we do we can get atleast 4 hrs of sleep feed and then get atleast another 2-3 hrs depending on when mom HAS to get up the next day. We have gotten two GREAT nights of sleep the last two nights, so we think our experiement is working.

Presley is now 12 days old and growing like a weed! She is doing so well with breastfeeding that in no time she will be plump and round!! Right now she is hanging out in the 25th percentile, but we don't expect that to last for very long. She was born 6lbs 14oz, left the hospital at 6lbs 3oz and when she had her 1 week check up she was already 6lbs 10oz!! She's our little piggy! I have pictures from her first doctors appt. that I will get off my phone and upload! She didn't like that cold doctor's office.


Dallas and I are doing good with the adjustment of becoming parents. We had A LOT of visitors and HELP for the last two weeks. His parents left yesterday and my mom will leave this weekend. I will have to say it is a lot right after having your first baby trying to learn for yourself how to do things with lots of people around all day. However, I could NOT have recovered the way I did without my mom and Dallas' mom in particular. They cleaned the house, did the dishes, did our laundry, cooked food and helped bring me things whenever I needed them. It was wonderful and such a great help! As everyone is starting to leave we are happy to get to spend some time to ourselves, but I am starting to get anxious about my ability to do it all by myself!!