Easter, Birthday and a Little Bit of Flag Football

March 2013.  It was a great month.  Too great to forget, so let me tell you about it!  Well, first off, it was my birthday.  David made it such a great day.  He took me to brunch at a great place on State Street called Joe's Cafe.  The picture below is of me and Joe himself.  Then he took me shopping and got me some awesome fluorescent Saucony runners (translation: running shoes for any non-Canadians reading), and some bright pink skinny jeans.  We relaxed in the afternoon, and then went to get an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen.  When we got back to the house, there was a group of our friends waiting and we had a nice little birthday party.  It was perfect.  

 So once upon a time, I played on an intramural flag football team.  I was invited by our awesome friend Sam to be on her ward team, and I decided for it in hopes that I could finally understand this football thing.  Like, how does it work and why do millions of men across the world spend hours on end watching it?  Well, it turns out flag football is a lot different from real football.  And it's a lot more fun playing than watching.  But in spite of never winning a game, we all had a blast and I can honestly say that I enjoy watching football just the tiniest bit more.

 Wanna know a secret?  I LOVE Easter egg hunts.  I know they really have nothing to do with the real meaning of Easter, but I love them nonetheless.  And this year, I LOVED having a daughter old enough to enjoy it.  We took Paisley and Afton to a park and hid eggs all around the playground.  She was ecstatic, and seeing the excitement in her face was more fn than any egg hunt ever.

Afton is 5 months old!  As the picture shows, we gave her her first taste of solid food this month.  Pureed green beans.  I would normally wait until 6 months, but I've been at my wit's end about the no sleeping situation, and I thought maybe some solid foods would help her sleep better.  She liked them!  But she's still working on the spoon-feeding thing.  Mostly she just tries to suck on the spoon.  

Speaking of the sleep situation, this is by far the biggest challenge for all of us.  We're often up for hours at a time at night with Afton.  She's gassy and uncomfortable, so she cries and cries, and just when I start to think she's going to sleep, she starts to cry again.  We've tried just about everything, but nothing seems to help.  Well, I mentioned this to a friend from church, and that night she was on my doorstep with a C-pillow. (Like a Boppy pillow, but different, and apparently often used in the NICU to help babies feel like they're being snuggled).  I've started putting Afton in the pillow at night and we've all been sleeping MUCH better.  Also, after changing my diet a hundred times and constantly watching what I eat, I'm pretty certain that a lot of Afton's tummy troubles can be attributed to me eating/drinking dairy.  I am totally o.k. with this.  When forced to choose between milk and sleep, I choose sleep every time.  

Afton is almost sitting up on her own, she's squawking and making lots of cute noises, and she loves playing peek-a-boo.  She loves to stick out her tongue and spit.  She and Paisley adore each other and we adore them both.  

Birthday, Valentine's Day, and 4 months old!

Happy Birthday to Paisley! (Okay, back in February)  It's hard to believe it's been 2 years already.  Paisley is as spunky and full of life as ever.  She's talking like crazy, as always, and she's got the energy of, well, a two-year-old, I guess.  Which is a lot more than I have!  She's certainly developed a will of her own, and she's clever too.  When Afton was born she learned a new trick.  It goes like this: Paisley notices I have my hands full (for example, holding Afton is her heavy car seat).  She looks at me, I look at her.  She gets a mischievous look in her eye, and I realize she's about  to perform her trick.  My eyes widen in panic and I watch helplessly as Paisley goes running in the opposite direction.  Sigh.  It is wonderful to watch her becoming her own little person.  She's funny, and playful and challenging, and we couldn't love her more.  We had a few little birthday parties for her, as it turns out.  She was thrilled with all of it.  We took her to have pictures taken and curled her hair for the first time.  She looked adorable, if I say so myself. 

 Valentine's day was pretty low-key.  One of these days we're going to figure out how to balance the day of love and a birthday on the same day, but this is what it looked like this year.

And, of course, Afton hit her 4 month mark this month.  We celebrated with a mini photo shoot.  This month she holds toys, sits up alone in her Boppy pillow, rolls front to back whenever possible, and tries her very hardest to lift her head and do sit-ups when placed on her back.  She sleeps absolutely terribly, and we're up  6-7 times a night, sometimes for long periods of time.  Aahhhhh! But no matter how exhausted we both are, when she wakes us up bright and early in the morning and flashes us one of her smiles, we remember just how worth it it all is.  

Backtracking to January

Backtracking to January 2013.  Here's our 3-month-old.  Early this month she rolled from her front onto her back, started laughing, found her feet, and started grasping objects.  She still cries quite a bit, but we've found a magic position.  As long as we hold her facing out with an arm around her middle, she's as happy as can be.  She's still really gassy, and has a hard time at night, but she's had some 6-hour nights which I have thoroughly enjoyed!

Bangs, Baby Blessing, and the Best Christmas Yet

This is my back track to December.  First off, I got bangs!  Bold move for me.  I can't remember the last time I did anything with my hair besides "take off what you have to".  Here is a picture of me and the girls, me looking like the exhausted mother or a new-ish born baby - with bangs. 

 Here is our adorable 2-month-old.  Her eyes are huge and beautiful.  She is starting to smile and I don't think I've seen anything more endearing in my life.  She crinkles up the top of her little nose and like a playful little lion cub.  She's 10 lbs, 6 oz. of sweetness and fun.  She sleeps pretty terribly, but she's getting better at it.  We moved her out of our room this month, which helped.

 Afton was blessed by her Dad in church on December 2.  It was a beautiful blessing.  He blessed her that she would be a light in the lives of others so that they would have the desire to come to know Jesus Christ.  Here are some pictures of us on this very happy day.

 Afton's first Christmas and it was a great one.  The girls got lots of gifts, and it was so much fun to watch Paisley get so into it.  The first gift she opened was a Minnie Mouse doll from Oma and Opa.  It was love at first sight.  Her next gift was a Book of Mormon.  Once she opened that, her life was complete and she sat down with Minnie and started "reading".  She was thrilled to open her Minnie Mouse scooter later on too, and her giant princess castle tent from Grandma.  The girls both received pink cowgirl boots, lots of cute clothes, and pretty much the entire Toy Story collection.  Oma, Opa, Grandma Patti, and Cindie all helped to make this Christmas extra special for all of us.  It was fun this Christmas to watch Paisley start to grasp the real meaning of it all.  She loves to sing sings like "Away In a Manger", and read the nativity story.  She especially loves looking at baby Jesus in the nativity scenes.  She even adopted one of them as her own and loves to keep him under her pillow at night, and wherever else she goes.

 The greatest Christmas present ever.  I am ecstatic, and can;t wait to use it.  Can it stop snowing already?

All about Afton

So, eight months ago, we had a baby!  Of course, everyone knows that by now, and I would have blogged much, much sooner, if it weren't for two things: 1. Limited number of pictures allowed on the blog (who knew), and 2. Limited number of hours in the day.  So there they are, my sad excuses for being so terrible about documenting the past 8 months of our lives, which happen to be the first and only months of Afton's.  The next several posts will be my attempt to back-document, if not for your enjoyment, then for ours and Afton's later on.

  

Afton the 1-month-old

A friend from church offered to take these newborn pictures for us and I think they turned out beautifully.  They really captured Afton at this tiny stage of her life. Afton is wonderfully unpredictable.  She is so sweet and adorable, but she's having a rough time getting used to this outside of the womb thing.  

Her bottom has been sorer and redder than I knew was possible, and we both cry when it comes time for a diaper change.  

As the pictures show, she's still a little jaundiced, so we've been in and out of the health center for blood tests many times in this short month.  She cries a little harder every time she has to be poked.  

She's extremely gassy, so she spends her nights grunting in the bassinet next to our bed. Between the sore bottom and her gassy discomfort, none of us get much sleep during the night, but we do get lots of cuddle time!  

When it comes to spit-up, Afton is a champ. This is true especially, but not only, after a feeding Imagine a hot water bottle with no lid on, and that's the closest equivalent I can think of when it comes to spit-up.  Squeeze her, tip her, poke her, or pretty much move her in any way, and up it comes.  This is a whole new adventure in parenting for me!  

Ok, so what makes all this worthwhile?  Just look at this face!  I'm reminded daily what a wonderful gift from our Heavenly Father this girl really is.  Paisley is thrilled with her little sister and besides the occasional urge to jump on top of her and hug her to death, she does really with her!

Welcome to the World, Sweet Afton!

Three weeks ago, on October 18th, Afton Rose came into the world.  I can't believe it's already been that long!  We've been so busy getting to know our sweet little girl that I haven't had a moment to sit down and write about her arrival until now.  That is, I haven't had a moment where I wouldn't sooner choose sleep over blogging.  Well, here I go.

The Arrival

I should warn you: this is a birth story.  Feel free to skip to sections with fewer anatomical references if you wish.  That said, on October 10, I went in to see the doctor.  I was 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced.  As the original due date was the 17th, I expected that next week's appointment would take place in the hospital.  Well, the next week I went to my appointment and same story.  The doctor stripped the membranes, which, he explained, can sometimes be just enough of a push to start things rolling.

My mom was scheduled to arrive the next day in the afternoon, so when the baby didn 't come that night I was both anxious and relieved.  I was sure she was waiting in there so Grandma could be there to meet her when she made her entrance.  Wrong.

The morning of the 18th, all played out as usual.  David went to work and I lumbered around getting me and Paisley ready for the day.  At 9 a.m., my mucous plug came out... hmmm.  I had heard that once that happens, labor is likely to begin, so I texted David to let him know.  Sure enough, contractions began 5 minutes later, and continued about every 5 minutes.  I had decided beforehand that I wanted to labor at home as long as possible, so I waited.  I started packing some last minute things to take to the hospital.

Meanwhile, Paisley wanted to play 'Ring Around the Rosies' again, and again, and again.  I knew when I was wanting to 'all fall down' in the middle of the song that the baby was definitely coming this morning and it was probably time to call David to come home. So, around 10:00, I casually texted him that he might want to come home soon.  A few minutes later, I texted "and hurry!".  He arrived as quickly as he could, with his mom right behind him to watch Paisley.  We went straight out the door.  By this time, contractions were coming every few minutes, and were so intense that everything else was kind of a blur.

Pulling out onto the main road, of course a police officer had to pull out right behind us.  So if you can picture it, there I was, reclined in the front seat, fumbling to do up my seat belt, trying my best to stay relaxed while enduring agonizing contractions, while David raged at the traffic lights and drivers  around us who seemed determined to stop us from getting to the hospital.  On the way in to the hospital I keeled over on cars and sat down several times, until I made it to a wheelchair and was wheeled up to the maternity floor.

By the time we got into the delivery room, I was dilated to an 8, and when the doctor arrived just a few minutes later (miraculously quickly, might I add), I was at a ten and he was telling me to push.  A few pushes and a couple minutes later, we were looking at our tiny little crying baby.  She was absolutely perfect and I couldn't stop saying "She's here, she's here!".  David cut the cord, the nurses cleaned her up, and a few minutes later I was holding our tiny little baby and never wanted to let go.  Little Afton Rose, born at 11:02a.m., 7lbs, 2 oz., 19.5 inches long.  Sigh.  We did it.

On her coming home day

Home at last

Life Ever Since

Everything right after the birth is a bit of a blur.  I know the Douma's arrived, along with little Paisley, at some point.  Paisley was excited about the new "toy", and it took a few reminders till she started saying "Afton, not a toy".  It was obvious she didn't quite know what to make of this whole situation, and who can blame her?  One minute, she has me all to herself and we're singing and dancing around, and an hour later here we are in a strange place, Mom is in a strange bed and won't get out, and there's this new little thing that seems to be getting as much attention as her!

My mom arrived later that day, and I felt so relieved to have her there.  I came home the next day in the afternoon, which would have been extremely daunting for me had she not been there, especially during the week when everyone went back to school and work.  She and Paisley had a blast while I rested for the next few days.  She came bearing gifts from aunts and uncles, and even her wonderful students, and made sure we had everything we needed.  By the time she left, I felt like it might be possible for me to manage two babies after all.

And Afton.  Afton is a doll.  She's beautiful (at least we think so) and it's so much fun getting to know her.  Here are some things we know about her already:

• She loves to sleep, mostly during the day, but we're working on that.  
• She grunts all the time.  I think this is mostly due to gas, but it goes on all night, and no baby is that gassy, right?
• She loves to curl up in a tiny ball on your chest.
• She eats lots, and gained her birth weight back after a week.  At her two week appointment she was up a pound from her birthweight, and 2 inches in length, though I'm pretty sure that's inaccurate.  In any case, she's growing lots already!
• As soon as you take this girl's diaper off to change it, she loves to poop, pee, and spit up, most often all at the same time.  This makes changing her diaper quite a rush.  She spits up a ton, and sometimes I think  it's a miracle that she's gaining any weight at all with the amount that comes back up!  
• She's just a little angel, albeit a leaky one, and we love having her as part of our family.  

I'll be posting more pictures, (I'm still collecting them from different cameras) but enjoy these for now!

Grandma and Afton

Our family of four

Grandma chillin' with Paisley

Paisley never looked so big!

Afton drowned a little in her Halloween costume, but she was nice and warm to sleep through her first trick-or-treating. 

Our little pumpkins

Paisley is learning how to show affection to someone so little. :)

40 Weeks and Counting...

Well, the day has arrived - our little girl's due date, that is.  What does that mean?  Not much, so far.  I feel like she could come any minute, but I've been feeling that way for about a week and a half now, and she has yet to make her appearance.  I'm not complaining.  For a while, my back was killing me, but I think that may have been the Lord's not-so-subtle way of telling me to slow down and take it easy.  The last couple of weeks have been good.  I mean, I don't sleep great at night, and I feel large and slow, and as a result of both I've been extra ornery (David will attest to this), but for the most part I've been relatively comfortable.  More than anything, I'm just excited to meet our little girl!  Here are some pictures I forced myself to have taken just today, on the 40 week mark.  

The following is a letter that I wrote for our baby several weeks ago.  Feel free to read it, or not, but I felt like it would be an appropriate addition to this post as it will probably - hopefully - be the last one I write before her arrival.

Dearest Afton,

  At least I think your name will be Afton. You won't be born for another seven weeks and I want to meet you before officially giving you a name.
  You're kicking around inside me right now.  It almost feels like you're talking back to me as I write you this letter.  Feeling you kick is the most incredible feeling.  Every time you move I think I fall in love with you a little more.
  I have enjoyed being pregnant with you.  Sure the first few months were full of nausea and fatigue, and I'm sure these last couple of months will present some new discomforts, but it has been amazing to feel you grow, and spend time enjoying the process.  We've walked many, many miles together, eaten plenty of chicken salad sandwiches and ice cream, and even traveled to several different states!
I feel like I'm getting to know you already, for some reason.  I feel like you will be a very special girl, and that you and I will have a special, close relationship.  I have to ask you in advance: please bear with me!  I've never raised two girls before, and I have a lot to learn.  You'll have to be patient with me.  But I already love you so much, and I know that Heavenly Father loves you to a level we can't even comprehend.  And he's sending you to us!  We're going to do the very best we can.
  Your daddy and I were so excited to find out you would be coming to this world and to our family.  Your big sister Paisley was no less excited, although I doubt she really understood what was happening.  Along with our excitement came a few concerns, as you would be arriving during Daddy's last year of school, when expenses would be high and income would be low.  Our health insurance was not very helpful, so financially, we knew it would not be easy.  But we also knew how blessed we were to be welcoming you into our family, and we knew the Lord would provide.  And now, several months later, we're just more excited than ever.
  Afton, there is so much I want for you in this life.  I want you to love it.  I want you to be as happy as a little girl can possibly be.  I want you to know and feel how loved and adored you are, and how important you are to this family.  I want you to know and feel how much your Heavenly Father loves you.  You were with Him not long ago.  He sent you on this great adventure so that you could have a body and experience life in all its hardship and all its magnificence.  He also sent Jesus Christ, his own son, a long time ago, to feel all the pain and hardship you would ever feel.  Jesus suffered for the sins that you would someday commit and the hurts you would someday have.  He even showed us how to be like Him, so that we could become like Him and go live with our big heavenly family when this great adventure on earth ends.  Afton, Jesus Christ is your friend, your bog brother, and your Savior.  He is always there for you, and you can - and should - always turn to Him.
  There are so many things I want to teach you and experience with you.  I'm so excited to hold you and rock you, to kiss your little face and tiny fingers.  I can't wait to play with you, read to you, laugh with you, and watch you become everything you can be.  This is just the very beginning, and I can't wait for it to start.

Love,
Your adoring mom.