Sunday, November 8, 2009

Mommydom Unplugged

In the initial days after having Lyla I kept wondering when I would actually feel like a mom. It's like I wanted some grand expression or sign from the universe to come down and certify me as a mom. It was weird. I would sometimes wake up and look at her and think holy crap...that's my kid. I have a daughter. Sometimes the disassociation would be so strong I would have a panic moment thinking I hadn't felt her kick in a while...then remember that's because she's in my damn arms not my stomach anymore! I've thought a lot about what makes you a mom.
SO I ask you, are you officially a new mom if.....

  • You wake soaking wet and can't decided if it's from sweat (because the thermostat now rests at a reasonable 80 degrees), drool, or if it's just an untimely little expression from those lovely little humps that used to be sexual... not share a purpose with a freaking milk cow.
  • Your greatest achievement of the day is honing in on the perfect oxyclean to spray N wash ratio for removing the stubbornest of blow outs
  • Your night stand that used to hold expensive lotions, books of intellect, and dare I say, *nightime items* have been replaced with diapering essentials, an extra pj in the unfortunate case of a nightime blowout, butt paste, books with titles like, "the baby whisperer" and the remains of an umbilical cord (shameful, but true).
  • You've grown accustomed to things leaking from every single oraphus (sp?) in your body. If you're wondering what comes out the rear you've obviously never experienced something that starts with a hem and ends in a ROID.
  • You don't make it through the shower without poking your head out at least once to listen for crying'
  • Time lacks no meaning except to mark the space between feedings and the number of weeks since birth.
  • You are shocked when you hear about the weather because you haven't been outside in days.
  • the color and/or texture of the latest dump makes scintillating dinnertime conversations
  • The only math you do is to measure out MLs of medicine, note the most recent weigh in, and of course, to count the number of poopy and wet diapers made in a day.
  • The term sex now only has one definition: male or female.

....you get the point.

It's a wild, beautiful, amazing ride

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Pink Spotted Leopard does Halloween

Lyla wanted to wish everyone a Happy Halloween. She quite enjoyed her first holiday. I've always loved Halloween but I'm starting to see how every Holiday is going to be that much more fun with her around. As the cutest spotted Leopard ever, she did some trick or treating (snuggled in the baby bjorn)with her cousins (Elsie, as Ariel with legs [her idea] and Addy as Sebastian the crab), her Aunt Jenny (as Ursula) and Grammy (as a scare crow). Lyla also enjoyed an evening at grammys playing games and watching us eat homemade donuts (that were worth every dimple on my behind). She would like to thank her Auntie Brooke for the amazingly cute costume. Here's some photos.
Our First Halloween as a Threesome Lovin the Baby Bjorn
The Crew (minus Todd)
Her makeup pretty much only stayed on for one minute due to her need to suck on her binky constantly I forget to look at the camera!
Lovin our little pumpkin patch
Really? You're gonna make me stay propped up like this?

Dad lovin the Leopard
See my Tail?
Yeah, I make spots look good
Happy Halloween!!!!!!

Monday, November 2, 2009

Football, The pumpkin patch & Just a sorry excuse to post pictures

The weekend of October 24th we went to Provo so that Todd could go to the TCU-BYU game and so that Lyla could meet more of the Gambles Fam. Todd's mom rented an apartment and his brother Brad and his family and Scott and Shauna came down. We had such a great time with everybody and Lyla of course loved being the center of attention (she kept hammin it up with her little smiles). The only downside was the result of the game but what can you do? At least it got a bunch of us together!
Sending Dad off....
Making BYU look good (they need all the help they can get right now!)Studyin Grammy.... Smiles for Grammy
Other Random Photos...



Remember the last photo like this?! She was smaller than the bear. Boo hoo.
Tummy Time!
The Afro I gave her(poor thing)
It only took me a month to decide I could stop holding her for a bit and put her in the swing. She loves it
When ever you see photos of her in these little t-shirts it's because she's pooped through at least two pajama sleep sacks and I've decided enough is enough
Her eyes look so much a like mine is picture it's freaky

Pumpkin Patch Time!
Lovin being snuggled in the sling
A baby pumpkin for baby Lyla

And Drum roll....on this day....

I caught a real smile on camera...YAY!That's that in the way of photographic updates. About two weeks ago we discovered that Lyla has acid reflux which is the reason she doesn't sleep so well. I finally decided I didn't care if I looked like a paranoid/hysterical mom and took her in. We now have medicine and I continue to try out different places for her to sleep that allow her to be propped up. We've tried the car seat, the boppy, the pack n play, and the bouncer chair. So far the boppy is the winner. I've also instituted a nightly routine including a bath and lights out. For a week and half it seemed that the combination of these things were really working. She really slept at night and would go up to 5 hours at a time. I felt like a new woman and had a really positive outlook on becoming human again (as opposed to the vampire-esq lifestyle we lived before). Unfortunately, the last four days we have regressed back to when sleep at night was theoretical. I've tried it all..swaddling etc. and nothing seems to work. I'm hoping it's just that 6-week growth spurt and that things will settle back in.
I love and cherish every day I get to spend with her though well slept or not. She's just so fun. She smiles a lot these days and loves to be cuddled on any one's chest (presumably because being propped up helps with the reflux). My favorite time is in the early morning when Todd leaves for work and I let her stay in bed with me after feeding her (love breast feeding laying down) and we fall asleep with her in my arms. Love waking up next to her. I also love on the weekends when Todd wakes up while I'm feeding her and says "I think she needs to cuddle in bed for awhile". We feel pretty special that she's ours :)

Lyla's digs

Call me nerdy but I've been so excited to post pictures of Lyla's nursery. I am so proud of it...I only imagined it for 9 months. It does however seem a bit silly now since she hasn't spent more than 10 minutes in there since she was born! Oh well. Note the lovely bead board. I was also so happy that the paint we picked out came out so good...you never know until it's on the wall. For some reason things didn't show up well in these pictures but the top portion of the walls are a very light pink. I am also quite proud to say that everything in her room was bought used except the crib and rocker. I got really lucky to find cute furniture on craigslist. I'd say it's quite the improvement from the bitchin green stripes we inherited! The ceiling was even green. Barf!

*BEFORE**AFTER*You can't see that well but it says "Sweet Dreams" on the sides

I made the canopy out of a knitting ring. I was quite proud of my non-imaginative self.

Even better was that I found ribbon that matched the bedding perfectly and then color matched the paint of all the wood working in her room

Another Angle


This is also hard to see but it obviously says L-Y-L-A

About 1/3 of her pretty bows!




A labor of love...The Changing Table (that I never use). I bought this for super cheap off craigslist. It hadn't even been opened...but it was an ugly natural wood color. I originally thought we could just paint over it. Yea right! It took several Saturdays of sanding, priming and painting (we also color matched this paint to her dressor). Todd did most of the hard work. Note the basket covers. My mom made them out of the sheets that match her bedding.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

One Month

Good news. I've mastered the art of breastfeeding one handed so I can actually make this post on time ish! I uploaded a few pics a day (pathetic that I can't get anything done I know).
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It's true...it's been a month. It makes my stomach turn so I won't spend too much time talking about it. Is it bad that I just want her to stay a newborn forever?! I feel immense anxiety over this illusive little bugger we call time. I'll give you a little sneak peak into how crazy it makes me (not that you haven't had a complete visual if you've read this blog even once before)...Two days ago Todd informed me that the tape on my back from my epidural had finally came off completely. Imagine the flabbergasted look he gave me when I burst into sobs (poor Todd right?)! It can't be gone. I just gave birth like yesterday didn't I?! I also may never make it to that required 6-week doctor's appointment because I can't seem to bring myself to schedule it! That seemed so far away at the time. There was even a time I thought I could go back to work after 6 weeks. Yea right!

Enough of my craziness. Here's some things about Lyla at one month. It's okay if you become completely disinterested...

  • She has a knack for pooping and/or peeing the instant you go to switch out the diaper. I've smartened up and double up but before that time she successfully spread butt spray all over the couch, our bed, and about every single outfit/pajama she's worn. She also pooped in the tub once. She keeps me on my toes.
  • She has nights and days mixed up almost entirely. Her waking hours are from about 7pm to anywhere from 5-7am. During that time she never even kinda closes an eye. She's not a bad baby; she doesn't cry much. She just wants to eat and poop all night-and then such on her binky and cry when it falls out of her mouth-which is almost every 2 seconds. It's funny because I always thought the question would be when she would sleep through the night-not if she would sleep at night. We're usually just going to sleep when Todd leaves for work. I try to sleep during the day but there always seems to be things going on and stuff to be done. I probably get about 3-4 hours of sleep during the week but catch up on the weekends when daddy takes over (with the exception of feeding times obviously)!
  • She has a vigor for eating and does it about every 1.5 hours (yes I sort of feel like a milk cow). My favorite is when she comes unlatched and in a panic, she flails her head about trying to get hooked back up. It's funny. I also love when she gets full-she pulls her head back, raises her eyebrow, and gives me a look of complete satisfaction. Is breast milk laced with cocaine?
  • From the day I took her home from the hospital she started trying to lift her head. It bobbles about but she is getting stronger and strong everyday. When you talk to her, she can lift it long enough to pull her head back and have a look at you.
  • She makes the cutest face when she's just trying to wake up-it's like she raises her brows, scrunches her forehead and frowns-all the while keeping her eyes sealed shut. Adorable.
  • Sometimes she is scared by the force of her own poop.
  • She is a petite little thing, but very LONG. At birth she weighed 6.6, Then dropped to 6.1. At two weeks she was 6.10 and that's the latest. She's like in the 6th percentile or something sad but in the mid twenties for length (19 at birth, 21 at 2 weeks).
  • She is quite modest. She HATES bath time and diaper changing time. With my siblings and nieces, I always played "air out your bum" game where when enjoyed a little naked time after a good poop. Lyla hates to air out her bum. Her dad hopes this lasts into adulthood.
  • She likes to mess with her dad. His first diaper change ever she butt sprayed as he was switching out the diaper. She continues to do that. Tonight while I was in the shower she had a major blow out and left dad trying to figure out how to dress her for the first time (he did quite good).
  • She can roll to one side and prefers to sleep that way. It pisses me off (fear of SIDS and all).
  • She is a sucking fool. She loves her binky and boob but if she can't have either she'll take her fist, thumb, shirt, my finger, my shirt, and even my lower lip if I give it to her. So cute.
  • She HATES being swaddled. Every night it's a battle for who will win the swaddling contest. No matter what strategy I use, she always wins; her arms and legs are always uncovered when I peek into her bassinet. The girl's got some fight in her.
  • She startles very easily.
  • She *might* have diva qualities. Sometimes she'll be completely content until I set her down-then she'll just squeak just enough to get me to pick her up. Then not a peep.
  • She had (pre mani) freakishly long fingernails (catwoman anyone?).
  • She is sensitive to emotion. There have been a *few* times when overtaken but how lucky I am, I have held her and cried somewhat ferociously. She cries back. Whenever she's around Addy she becomes a hard core crier because she cries anytime Addy does.
  • She has good taste in music. Last night I was singing her the one lullaby I know (seriously, there needs to be a class for new moms on lullaby's or something) when she lifted up her little fist and hit my in the mouth. I can't blame her.
  • Just last week (at about exactly a month old) she smiled!!! My mom, who has mothered 5 kids, saw it and was flabbergasted. It was not a gas smile (she has those too). It was a social smile. Since she has smiled 2 more times for me, once for dad, and once for grandma (and yes I get jealous).

Did I mention she's perfect?

Here's what I've been up to the last month.....

Looking Adorable Sucking on the Binky... Perfecting my "miss priss" look Sucking my Thumb Helping mom unpack/clean Did I mention sucking my thumb?! Enjoyed some SUN in Mesquite. In my swim dress (no I didn't swim) Try to sleep while my mom bugs me. Doesn't mom look like crap? Enjoyed the night life. 4 am Got a mani (thanks mom) Enjoyed mommy time in my rockin leggins. Enjoyed Daddy Time Enjoyed some Ty time (not really though) Cheered on the COUGS Caught some Zzzs when I should be awake Looked bright eyed when I should be asleep...And in case you didn't know how cute I am, here's more pictures









Sunday, October 11, 2009

Stepping Outside myself

Man I've been massively egocentric lately. Here's two things I've been meaning to do.

Support a little gal from Utah with a rare disease she has. Her Name is Taylie. Go to her website, (http://www.tayliebug.com/), then head over to this blog , leave a comment, and money will be donated on her behalf.





Also...meet Bridget and Luke. An amazing couple hoping to adopt. I believe strongly in the power of adoption. Todd and I have had the opportunity to see the blessings adoption can bring in our very own family. I hope with everything that this deserving couple gets their chance to make a difference in the life of a child soon. They would like to spread the word. Visit their website HERE

Friday, October 9, 2009

New post

Below the "Me oh My Post"