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Sunflower State of Mind

Archives for September 2012

Five Weeks

Arden, you are a whopping 5 weeks old!  I just love spending every day with you–watching you grow and change.  
It was another Wildcat Saturday last weekend, but this time we watched from home.  The game was just a little too late and we thought you’d get more sleep if we skipped the watch party.  You seemed to be okay with that decision…
As usual, someone else wanted in on the photo shoot.
Sunday we were feeling brave and decided to take you to church.  I figured you should look cute even if we spent the entire service in the cry room.  Oh wait, the church is under construction and there is no cry room right now!  This made the adventure even that much riskier.
You started to cry during the opening prayer and your dad and I wondered what we’d gotten ourselves into. But we quickly fed you and rocked you to the church music–and you slept in my arms the rest of the service. Phew!!!!
Church is exhausting…
We don’t have a full-blown bedtime routine going yet since you are still sleeping in our room, but right now we bathe you every other night.  And on Sunday you decided the bath was so warm and cozy that you’d just sleep right there 🙂
After we woke you up, you turned your bathtub into a whirlpool.  Yes, you’ve been quite the gassy little thing this past week.  One night I rolled over and hit your dad because I thought it was him…but it was actually my poor little baby making those adult man noises 🙁 You also went from having 7 or 8 dirty diapers a day to 1–and sometimes none at all.  At your 1 month appointment the doctor said this was all normal and that you’re just starting to regulate your digestive system.  Having fewer dirty diapers is definitely easier on us, but when they do come around they’re–well…messy.  In other appointment news, you’re still putting on those ounces and apparently growing even more length-wise.  You were almost 23 inches long…that’s 4 inches longer than when you were born.  Maybe we have a basketball star on our hands? Oh wait, you’re related to me…never mind 🙂
On Monday morning you started a whole new phase–talking back.  The good kind of talking back, that is.  You’re cooing and smiling when we talk to you and you’re just trying so hard to get those noises out.  I took this picture on Monday morning when we were waiting for Gigi and Papa to arrive. Guess you were excited about it too!
We had such a great week with Gigi and Papa here. We played, you ate, we shopped, you ate…and then we shopped some more.  Oh and we introduced them to Honey Boo Boo, which I know they’ll be forever grateful for 🙂 
Papa was in charge while Gigi and I got ready…
And you decided your favorite place to sleep was on Gigi. What this picture doesn’t show is the Arden-shaped sweat print you left on her shirt.  She didn’t mind though 🙂
 
And when they had to leave yesterday, this is how we all felt…
Lucky for us, we’ll be seeing them again in a week and meeting all of your cousins!
Last night I left you with your dad for a girls night out at Pinot’s Palette.  I’ve never been away from you for more than 2 hours, so it was kind of sad to leave you with your dad for almost 4.  However, a glass of wine with new friends and some mediocre art (mine anyway) was exactly what I needed!  I kept checking my phone for texts from your dad, but he had it covered. He must have really liked it because he asked if I wanted to get a pedicure this weekend too.  Why yes, I think I do!
Until next week, baby girl!
Love,
Mom

Arden: One Month!

I love that Hazel’s paws made it into the shot.  She takes her babysitting duties very seriously 🙂

Length: 22.75 inches
Weight: 8lbs 7oz
Head Circumference: 14.5 inches
Milestones This Month:
  • You SMILE. At least once a day we can get a few gummy grins out of you…and it’s pretty much the best thing ever. It just amazes me that even teeny tiny newborns can imitate what we do.
  • You can follow a toy from side to side with your eyes. Of course, it took Babycenter telling me that you should be doing it for me to even know to try 🙂
  • You’re slowly growing out of your newborn clothes. It excites me to put those onesies in a box because I know it means you’re gaining weight, but I’m sure it will start getting sad here before long.
  • You rolled on your side twice while playing under the activity gym. Not sure it was on purpose either time but we’re going to call it a milestone.
  • Whenever we’re out and about you take a bottle like a pro. I suppose that’s one good thing about all of that supplementing in the beginning.  Crossing my fingers it lasts!
  • You sleep for 4 hour stretches at night. You’d probably go longer if I wasn’t paranoid and insisted on waking you at 3am to eat.  Once you plump up a little more, I will gladly take the extra hour of sleep.  Although, I’m sure you’ll decide to stop sleeping so well when that happens…you’re tricky like that!
Things You Like This Month:
  • Being swaddled. You use your super infant strength to fight it sometimes but once you’re bundled up you’re as happy as a lark.
  • The Nap Nanny. It helps you sleep great at night, therefore, I love it too.
  • Ceiling fans. Who needs toys when you have fans?!
  • Bath time. You hated it at first and then we realized that you like your water warm. Like really WARM.  Now the bath is your happy place…and I can’t get enough of the way you look all bundled up in your towel afterwards. Your hair curls up when it’s wet and it’s just too cute.
  • Laying on the changing pad in your nursery.  Yes, sometimes you also scream your head off here…but for the most part you’re content with just lying there and looking up at all the junk I have hanging from the wall.  When you’re in a good mood, this is where we play dress up and take lots of pictures. Hey, you’ve gotta wear that closet full of outfits sometime!
Things You Don’t Like This Month:
  • Any delay in being fed. When you’re hungry you-mean-business.
  • Getting in and out of your car seat. Preparing for walks will be so much easier when you’re big enough for the regular stroller attachment and not the car seat adapter.  
  • Loud noises.  It seemed like nothing could bother you the first couple of weeks, but now that you’re more alert you are startled by Hazel barking, doors slamming, etc.  
  • Gas. It stinks…pun intended.
Special Memories From This Month:
  • Going to your first K-State watch parties.  Don’t worry, I was also the kid who hung out in bars at an early age and I turned out just fine.  Right? 🙂
  • Our first shopping outings out together–Target, Sam’s Club, and the mall. You’re a pro!
  • You giggled in your sleep yesterday. Both you dad and I were there to witness, and boy was it was adorable!
  • You made some new pals at “mom’s group”. My friend Emily invited me to join in on the Tuesday morning get-together and we had so much fun.  We learned a lot from all of the older babies and their moms and I can’t wait to do it again!
  • You got to witness K-State’s stomping of Oklahoma!!!! We stayed home since it was such a late game, but had a great time just the 3 of us. I don’t know which was better–watching the cats roll over the sooners or seeing your dad “silently celebrate” each good play so he didn’t wake you up. It was priceless! 🙂
Happy 1 month, Arden!

Three

Well Arden,
We’ve got another week in the books…you’re 21 days old!  Just when I thought we were starting to get a routine going, you decided to change things up. You little jokester you!  We think you’re going through a growth spurt right now because you are only interested in one thing–eating.  So the routine went out the window but I’m okay with that because, as of Wednesday, you weighed 7 lbs 6 oz!  That means you’re up 9 oz from one week ago…way to go little piggy!  And I’m happy to say that we’ve completely cut out all of the supplementing.  Dare I say we’ve turned a corner?  I think/hope that things will only keep getting easier!
Lots of firsts this week…
Our first dinner out as a family.  We went to a tapas restaurant in Katy (which was delicious) and you did great.  Your dad and I decided we will definitely take you back there…probably when it gets a little cooler so we can enjoy the patio.
Your first K-State watch party!  We went back and forth about this all week and I’m so glad we decided to go.  We had planned to be there for the first half (max), but you made it to the very end to see the cats get another W.  There are a lot of passionate fans in our group (your father especially) so I didn’t know how you’d do with all of the yelling and cheering.  It startled you at first, but you got used to it quickly and slept through most of the second half.
You also got to meet your little buddy Emmett!  His mom Becky and I did Business Ambassadors together in college and actually had the same due date.  Maybe you two will meet again in 18 or 19 years in Manhattan?!
Our first outing to Target.  We probably spent more time preparing for this trip than we actually spent at the store, but that’s okay–it was great to get out and regain a little normalcy!  I see many more Target runs in our future 🙂
We’ve also been very well fed the past couple weeks.  We’re so thankful for our Katy friends who have brought us some delicious meals and stayed to visit and get to know you.  Your poor dad is going to be disappointed next week when he has to go back to my cooking (or lack thereof)!
Sweet Henry is getting so big!
And since we’re too far away to see some of our friends and family, we’ve been doing a lot of FaceTiming lately. Heck, you were FaceTiming with your cousins the day you were born!  But let me just say, trying to schedule this with a newborn has been quite the challenge.  We’ve had to reschedule and cut a lot of conversations short–but I’m sure it’ll get easier as you get older.
You were actually pretty alert when we talked to Gigi the other night though.  You love her glasses in person and I think you even recognized them on the iPad…
Another thing you love: ceiling fans.  When you’re fussy your dad walks you from room to room to check out all of the different fans.  And when you’re lying under the activity gym, I’m not sure if it’s the rattles and mirrors that fascinate you so much–or just the fan in the living room.  Either way it makes you happy!

You’ve got another big weekend ahead…Grandma Calcara gets in town tonight and Uncle Taylor tomorrow.  We can’t wait!
Well, gotta go–you’re hungry again.  Imagine that!
xoxo,
Mom

Life with Arden – Week 2!

Arden,
You are 2 weeks old!  In a way that’s hard to believe, but in another way it feels like we’ve known you forever.  After just 14 days it’s hard for your dad and me to picture what life would be like without you in it.  I hope I don’t jinx myself by saying this, but you are a really good baby.  You are still in the eat, sleep, poop, repeat stage–but it’s starting to feel like we’ve got a rhythm going.  At night I have to wake you up to feed you and if you cry we can usually figure out why.  You don’t cry as often as I thought a newborn would–but maybe that’s because you don’t have time to fuss when you’re being fed 24/7.  Speaking of eating, I think you’ve been doing a pretty good job because at 12 days old you were up 7 oz. from the week before!  I literally almost hugged the nurse at your weight check on Wednesday!  So now you’re 3 oz. above your birth weight and I’m feeling much more comfortable knowing you’re getting what you need.  We’re going to keep decreasing the bottles and hopefully eliminate them completely next week!  Everyone was right when they told me that breastfeeding would get easier each day.
Now let me back up to Labor Day weekend.  Gigi had been in town since your birth, but Papa came back down on Friday and brought Aunt Lindsay with him.  Lindsay pretty much has a masters degree in babies, so I was really thankful to have her here to teach us her ways.  
She helped us with your first real bath…
(You weren’t a big fan)
And helped me practice with the sling.
You don’t love it yet but I’m crossing my fingers that you will eventually.
And on Saturday we had your newborn pictures, which I can’t WAIT to share.  We just got the cd last night and I’m in love with about every single image.  So of course now I’m stressed out about which ones to print!  Anyway, Aunt Lindsay and Gigi toughed it out with us for 3 hours in the heat (yes, space heaters do wonders for newborn pictures) and we even talked them in to being in a couple of shots.  Someday I think you will really love looking back on those pictures.
After your pictures were over we did a wardrobe change and got you ready for your first Wildcat Saturday.  
Just putting you in this onesie made me so excited for the cheerleading uniform days (that I’m sure are ahead) and hopefully many fall Saturdays in Manhattan.
You two wildcats make a cute pair.

Sunday was Papa’s 60th birthday…and since he drove all the way from Kansas to see you again, taking him out to dinner was the least we could do.  Oh wait, he paid. (Thanks Dad!)
You’re going to love this guy.  Just you wait…
We were a little but nervous about your first dinner out, so we chose Mexican since it tends to be quick service.  And quick it was…we were in and out in less than 45 minutes and you didn’t make a peep.  The diaper bag full of tricks was not even necessary 🙂

Happy Birthday Papa!  And thanks for sharing it with us 🙂
Early Monday morning Gigi, Papa and Aunt Lindsay hit the road back to Kansas.  I’d be lying if I said I didn’t tear up watching them leave.  They were such a huge help and it was great to share your first week and a half with them.  But it was also time for us to be on our own and figure out what life would be like as a family of three.
We had a lazy Labor Day together and your Dad soaked up his last day with you before going back to work.  He has been such an enormous help so I was a little nervous about having you on my own all week.  However, I have to say it went pretty smoothly! Maybe you were holding out on me and saving your real personality for next week?!  Sure we had some rocky moments, but for the most part you were just the sweetest little thing.
See what I mean?

You’ve definitely had more alert periods this week than last, so I’ve been trying to mix in some activities here and there.
You are really interested in that adorable baby in the mirror…

And that big black and white whale might be the coolest thing you’ve ever seen…
I’m also still trying to figure out the whole “getting ready with an infant” thing though.  You are lights out as soon as the shower comes on and the hair dryer seems to put you to sleep too…but sometimes I have to get creative while I’m doing my makeup and hair.
Don’t worry, I skipped the hairspray that day.  I must really love you.

And that pretty much sums up our days until dad gets home.  Well that and dressing you up for pictures, which every once in awhile rubs you the wrong way…

It’s been a great week getting to spend some quality “girl time” with you, Arden–and I’m so glad we have 12 more of them before you start daycare and I have to go back to work.  Okay, I’m not even going to think about that right now…
Tonight we’re going to attempt another meal out as a family and tomorrow is yet another game day!  We’ve already watched this video about 10 times so I think you’re pretty pumped up 🙂

Love you so much!
Mom
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