Jeff's pride and joy

You probably thought this post would be about Rhyan being Daddy's pride and joy... oh, no! His pride and joy is a 1993 craftsman lawnmower that was once owned by his grandfather, passed on to his dad and then to us a few years ago. It didnt cut level and was kind of rusted in some places. For a long time Jeff cut grass without the hood on and said it made it more aerodynamic (for all the mower racing he does, of course). He attached a cup holder on the left of the seat a few years back, but it broke (very sad). Back a couple of years ago, it was really bugging us both that it wouldnt cut evenly unless you were on completely level ground, so he added wheels to the deck and now it cuts like a dream.

This weekend, he decided that old faithful needed a facelift. So he painted it red. Even did a clear top coat. I'm pretty sure he painted right over the rust, so i dont know how "quality" of a job that it is... but its his pride and joy!

In other news, Rhyan turned one month old today! I cannot believe she's already been a part of our life for a month. And i cant believe how much I love her and want to protect her and give her only the very best. She's my little angel.

At her appointment we learned that she does have a little bit of tightening of her neck muscle from always turning to the right (she favors that side which concerned me for head shaping reasons) so we now have exercises to do at every diaper change and we have to put all interesting things on her left to encourage her to turn that way. She's already doing great. The dr said that recognizing the condition is the majority of the battle and was very impressed that we had paid attention to it. That was a nice confidence builder from the Dr and I appreciated it. All new mom's need confidence boosts now and again, youknow. Anyways, she's grown to 9lbs and 6ounces and is now 21 and a quarter inches (both in the 50's precentile). Things are good.

First evening out tomorrow. Stay tuned to see if I make it through a date w/ daddy w/o calling my in-laws to check on her. I highly doubt it. :-)

Smiling Fool

We took Rhyan to a friend's yesterday for her first photo session... her "newborn" pics at one month old. Anyways, I was so worried that she would be fussy or sleep through the whole thing. Boy, was I wrong! She was asleep for about the first 5 minutes, then woke up and did AWESOME the entire TWO HOURS that Terrilyn took pics. The photo session was a gift from Terrilyn that she gave to me as a shower gift to be used for preggo pics or newborn session. And I was NOT having pics done of me or my humongo belly in the 9th month! Plus, she's cuter on the outside! Anyways, she was awake for the session and just stared at the lights. I cant wait to see them and will post a link for you all to check them out as soon as they are ready. For now, some candid shots from the house will have to do!

I caught this grin this morning

Tuckered out after her photo session. She actually slept through her bath and went straight to bed!!!!
"Aunt" Susan and Megan loving on our babies
Like Mother, Like Daughter...
After eating... such a happy girl!

Yummmmmm...milk.....

Just FYI

It really stinks to care about something that is out of your control. Really, its no fun at all.

In other news, I'm working on weaning Miss Rhyan to only nursing at night and in the morning. I've decided that I will enjoy life, and her, more if I do so. AND, this way Daddy gets to do some late night feedings... hehe... see, he'll be off work in a week and a half and its time to start sharing the night's equally :-) She just doesnt latch really well which affects my milk production (or lack there of). I've tried herbs and drinking more water and nursing more often. I finally resorted to taking reglan, which increases prolactin (the hormone you release while nursing... remember, that pesky hormone that makes you super sleepy while you nurse...) and I cant stay awake on it. So I'm done stressing about it. Well, i wish that were true. I do feel awful, but I just cant let this consume me anymore. I've given her a month of breast only and now its time to move on.

And I'm considering leaving her w/ a family member next weekend for a date night w/ Jeff. The thought petrifies me, but I know its necessary. And healthy. So lets hope that goes well.

Well, check out the post below. And i caught her smiling (dreaming of never ending milk supply, i'm sure) today and actually got a pic that i'll post tomorrow. Its presh.

3.5 weeks and counting

First off, i'd like to note to my cousins Tracy and Lindy that I DID get this done today like i promised.

I seriously cannot believe that Rhyan is almost a month old. I cant believe I've already been off of work for a month. I cant believe some women have to go back after 6! I'm taking 11, and seriously considering asking to just make it 12 (jk, sorta).

Some likes and dislikes of Rhyan's: Rhyan loves to be held. She loves the fan (gotta giggle about this, Donna... see the pic below). She loves her bassinet in her pack and play and her swing. She does not love the papasan seat unless she's really awake. I guess it sits her up too far if she's sleepy, it doesnt make for a comfortable nap position. She's getting use to, but still not loving her nightly bath. And she doesnt like to take her afternoon naps. In the morning she naps like a champ, but then wants to stay up all afternoon. I mean, from noonish till 6ish... that makes for a cranky baby. You can tell that she's SO tired and she'll doze in and out, but fights sleep like crazy! And she likes her daddy to rock her (he's the only one that can get her to sleep sometimes) and for him to dance w/ her (I saw him holding her and dancing to "thriller" last week... she was loving it... and i about peed myself cause its just so funny the things we resort to for our kid!). And she likes for me, or anyone else, to sing to her.

I've tried a couple of outings lately and have come to one conclusion: its not worth it to mess w/ her eating schedule. So in the future (for as long as i nurse her), i guess i'll live life in 3 hour increments and only run errands that i can get done in that amount of time. OR, i'll be nursing her in the car in a parking lot. But when we get off her eating schedule, it gets UGLY! On the upside, she is doing better at sleeping longer at night. A few nights we've gotten 6 hours between feedings! It usually varies between 4-5 hours, but the nights when she goes 6, i have a party the next morning to celebrate !!!!

SEVERAL attempts at a good pic on our 1st Sunday at church

My sleepy family... why am I the only one awake???

Admiring the fan

AT 3am... she was just so cute!

Mothers Day and beyond

The last 2 weeks have been crazy! I never knew how much a baby would change my life in particular. Jeff still goes to work and has some sort of "normalcy"... but I've NEVER been at home this much in my life!! I wouldnt trade it for the world, but cleaning teeth is so much easier!
We've been trying to get Rhyan back up to birth weight since she lost 9 oz in the first 2 days and as of today she's at 7lbs 15 oz... 2 oz above birth weight. YAY!!! Her tongue was tied and they had to clip the little frenum under her tongue so she could properly latch on. Having said that, because of the delay in latching, i've not been producing as much milk as we'd like. I started taking some nasty herb yesterday called fenugreek to help increase my supply. In the meantime, we've supplemented some, and i have to say, its tempting to want to just switch on over to formula. She sleeps longer and better b/c it takes longer to digest and I'll admit that I covet the sleep. But for now, we're gonna keep on keeping on cause thats what Joe Dirt would do. Life's a garden, dig it?!

Mothers day was uneventful. She was up most of the night Saturday night. Jeff said he rocked her for close to an hour and had dozed off. When he woke up he thought that certainly she'd dozed as well, but when he looked down her 2 little eyes were wide open and peering up at him like "oh, goody! you're awake now, too, Daddy!". TOO CUTE! (b/c i was sleeping while this was going on... i LOVE weekends cause he helps at night!) So we didnt go to church like we'd planned b/c we were like zombies :-)

Anyways, I know no one checks this thing to read all about our lives. So on to the good stuff. Pics.

Her best imitation of spud begging

Trying to get her to burp!

Chillin w/ her (very handsome) DaddyLooking Cute as ever!

Spud has found good use for the boppy pillow, too!

Right after a bath... see, the hair can be tamed (for a brief moment)

Very awake and showing Daddy her sleeper
Mothers day

Discipline

James Dobson w/ focus on the family says that if you wait until your newborn is 2 weeks old to start working on discipline (scheduling your baby to work around your life) that your baby is 2 weeks behind. This has been the bane of my existence for 9 days now... getting Rhyan on some sort of a schedule. I need a plan, and the confidence to stick with it.

Rhyan is a beautiful baby... with a healthy set of lungs. I had said last week that we giggle when she cries b/c she almost never does... well, scrap that statement. Apparently, she just hadn't "woken up" yet. Now, in the evenings she gets pretty fussy and we just dont know what to do for her. We get her to sleep, and when you put her down she cries. Pick her up and she's consoled for a few minutes, then she cries for a minute more, then is fine for a few minutes again... so the cycle continues. In the morning she sleeps a good bit between feedings, but come evening time, she's a little booger!

So I am not only open to suggestions, but am begging that you take the time to write as much as you want and give us some advice on what has worked for all of you. One big issue for me is that i LIVE on a schedule... its the nature of my job that lends me to desire this, i think. And while i know that babies dont work that way, it'd be nice to have some consistency. And i do understand that she's only 9 days old... but i want to be working in the right direction. So please, HELP!

And i promise that if yall give me some good advice, i'll have more time to post more pics... which we already have over 100 of. HA! :-) She really has stolen my heart :-) And Jeffs. I watched tonight as he rocked her to sleep for the first time. SO sweet. He's really doing great with her and she's getting used to her Daddy. Whats really cute is when she tries to "root" on him to get fed... and he puts her paci right at his chest and says he's faking her out. Too cute.

Ok, get to posting some great advice.

Start of a new era

I decided to start this new blog out of frustration from blogsome.com's inability to upload pics quickly. I've never cared before, but seeing as how it is now crucial for all of you to see hundreds of pics of our baby Rhyan and her minute by minute progress... well, its time for change.

Plus, its only fitting that we leave our old blog behind and start something new... after all... everything is changing!!!

And its ok that you all are jealous of Rhyan's baby fro. We all are...