Sleeping Through the Night

My darling Braedyn,

This is the first week you have slept through the night. And through the night, I don't mean any of this 5 hours and then a feeding, your down and then a feeding 5 hours later. I mean from 6 p.m. until 6 a.m. sleeping through the night! You have made me so happy! I knew it would happen when you were ready, and I'm so happy it has happened before I have to go back to work...again! I think it happened because I'm giving you a little dinner at night and that holds you over. And the only reason I thought of doing that was because of a friend of a friend told me that's when her son started to sleep through the night when she started giving him 2 meals. Thank R. Well am I glad I tried that out! Mama is happy! Now if only I could sleep through the night! I seriously am going to have to retrain myself on how to do that!

As for other accomplishments there haven't been much more lately. You've rolled over...once. But you just keep growing and becoming more and more beautiful every day! I love you!

Mommy

P.S. I have way too many exclamation marks in this post!

Seriously a Slacker Mom

Okay, okay there are no excuses. Braedyn, you are now 5 1/2 months old and are just the cutest baby there is (if I may say so myself). We have started you on solids, only once a day, and the majority of it ends up on your face rather than in your mouth. You love sweet potatoes, and didn't seem to love pears very much. But we'll keep on trying. You are still not sleeping through the night, which is getting exhausting, but I'm told you'll sleep through the night when you're good and ready. I hope that's soon. You're giggling and smiling all the time and it just melts my heart. I took you to the park yesterday for the first time and had you on the swings and you loved it! Girl, I'm having the time of my life with you! This has been the best summer ever!

Slacker Mom

Alright, alright, alright...I'm back on...I'm so sorry but I have been slacking on this blog. To no fault of my own. The passing of Mary really through me for a loop and the end of school was just exhausting. But here I am. So a lot has happened and I have to catch up.

Ms. Braedyn, at your 4 month check-up (where does the time go?) you weighed 13 pounds and 15 ounces (let's just round up to 14 pounds) and were 25 1/4 inches long! Holy cow! My how you have grown. Once again Dr. Monroe said you were awesome and also said we could start you on solids. I tried. I don't think you're ready just yet. I'm thinking I'm going to hold off for a few more weeks. Let's see what else...you have found your feet and are trying oh so hard to turn over. I'm thinking within the next few weeks you will officially turn over. Oh yeah, we stopped the swaddling and you are doing fantastic! I was a little worried you wouldn't sleep if I stopped it, but you have surprised me. You are laughing and talking up a storm and I just love to hear what you have to say.

Now on to some serious stuff...what to do for daycare for next year. If anyone has thoughts, please let me know. Or knows of anyone who nannies, let me know!

My Mary

I know these blogs are meant to share in Braedyn's growth, however, due to the circumstances, I'm sure baby girl you'll understand if this post goes out to Mary.



Mary-

You came into my life 27 years ago. I am told I went running straight into your arms, and that's how my parents knew you were the one for our family. I don't have a single memory without you in it. You have been there for everything. Every recital, swim meet, performance, bat-mitzvah, graduations (all 3), my wedding, and of course for the birth of my daughter. I am who I am today because of you. You never yelled at me when I was fresh, and you always made me apologize when I was being mean to anyone. You were such an amazing woman and every body who ever met you was a better person. You had the best smile and the best laugh and it always put a smile on my face. Mary, with you gone, a part of me has died as well. I love you so much. Thank you for raising me into the best woman and mother I can be. Most importantly thank you for watching my daughter this last month. I know she will be a better woman and someday mother because of you too.



I will always think of you. I will always love you. You are forever in my heart.



All my love,



Alison Michelle

Sick Baby Girl

My darling,

You are sick. And I don't know what is wrong with you. I can guess because of wonderful things like the internet and books, but I am no doctor. For the past several days you have barely eaten, you are screaming uncontrollably at random times, drooling like crazy, have white patches on the inside of your mouth, and I just am so sad for you. I am pretty sure you have Thrush and you may have just developed acid reflux. I am told that the majority of infants do not react to thrush, however, I am pretty sure that is what is bothering you. How can it not? You have these patches all over the inside of your mouth and on the roof of it and you don't want to eat. Like I said, I am no doctor, but come on. So to the doctor we will go and I am hoping and praying that he has some wonderful advice and is able to give us a magic medicine to make you all better. Daddy and I just want to cry when you are so upset. I truly haven't seen you react this way since you were born. I'm sorry you're in so much pain my darling, beautiful baby. I never want to see you hurt.

:(

Back to Work

So last week I went back to work. Honestly, I thought it was going to be a lot harder than it was. I thought I was going to cry my eyes out several times throughout the day, especially saying goodbye to my precious one, however, I didn't. I realized that Braedyn is in the best hands possible (I already knew that) and that my wonderful mother-in-law and my second mother, Mary, only have her best interest in mind. I am truly lucky to have these wonderful women in my life who want to take care of my precious baby. So the week went by and everything was great...until Friday afternoon when my gorgeous sweet baby wouldn't even look at me. She gave all these beautiful adorable smiles to Mary and my parents and completely ignored me. I was sad. It was at that time that I felt like I don't want to go to work anymore. I hate the fact that someone else gets to watch my precious love all day long and play with her, while I don't. However, all was made better when Saturday morning I went to get the gorgeous baby out of bed and I got the biggest smile along with kicking legs. Oh how my heart melted.

I still am not 100% into this work thing, though I love my job, I just don't want to miss all these amazing milestones. The countdown has begun...17 more wake ups!!!

Practice Run

Today we had a practice run of me going back to work and you going to Nonny and Poppy's. It wasn't as hard as I thought. Don't get me wrong, I so didn't and don't want to leave you, however, I realized when you are with Mary it is out of my hands. I know Mary will take the best care of you possible and spoil you rotten. She's going to overfeed you, though you're pretty good at showing when you are and aren't hungry, and she's going to make sure you nap in her arms. Even though I would prefer you sleep in the crib, Mary hasn't gotten the swaddling thing down yet, and until she does, in her arms you will sleep. Which is better than getting no sleep at all.

By they way, you are now officially 3 months and 2 days old, and 13 weeks old. You are giggling and smiling every time you see mine or your daddy's faces and you are only having one wake up a night. Wow, you are incredible and I have loved every day of these past 13 weeks. You are my world and I can't wait until we get to spend every day this summer together. I love love love love love you!