the nelson family

Fall 2011

2011-09-29T21:22:00.006-04:00

Gosh, were do I begin. I really need to start updating more often instead of cramming so much info into one entry. The kids are growing up so fast that I feel, that in just some short time, these blog entries will be all that I have left of their youth.

Audrey has stared pre-school for two days a week. For two hours every Tuesday and Thursday she spends the morning with new friends playing, crafting and learning. She LOVES it. She's never had any issue with going and hardly even notices when I leave. I love to witness her independence. Her personality has really started to shine in her tot years. She's out going, and anything but shy. Today she had her first visit to the dentist. I'm always leary about telling her in advacance about doctor's appointments so I wanted to tell her the news this morning. She simply shrugged her shoulders and said, "okay, mommy". Still, even after we walked in the door of the dentist office, she showed no sign of fear or discomfort. She chatted away with the hygentist and even got chatty with Dr. Hunter. We're also very happy to announce, that after a lot of hard work and determination, Audrey is now 100% potty trained. She's quickly weened herself out of pull ups at night and so far we've been accident free for quite some time. Our goal was to have this done by the time she started school and she met that goal with just weeks to spare! Good job Audrey!

Henry is now 7 months old. He's sitting up all by himself, eating all kinds of baby food (and loves all of it!) and is sleeping just a tad bit better at night. He's still dealing with a lot of issues with acid reflux plus he's been teething which doesn't help matters (He has the two bottom already and the two top are coming through). He goes down for the night anytime between 7-8pm and gets up at least twice a night to feed, then getting up for the day usually around 6am. Some nights are good, and some nights are bad. When we get the bad ones, they are BAD! He'll wake up and sometimes it can take us hours to get him back to sleep. He is definately a momma's boy. It's great to walk into a room and she his face light up like a christmas tree! I'm still nursing inspite of the occational bitting. I'm having a hard time giving it up since it's one of few things that helps calm him when he's having a bad night. I hope that within the next few months his acid reflux starts to fade and he starts sleeping through the night and then I can start to slowing ween him but for now it works. He's yet to roll over but he can easily go from sitting position to laying on his tummy all on his own. I don't really recall Audrey doing this so I'm not sure if this is a good feat or not but he's mastered it.

On a seperate note, we are all also very excited to announce that Audrey and Henry will have a new cousin come this Spring. Sara and Dave are expecting their first baby due in April. It will be so nice to have another baby in the family, especially since Henry will be a wobbly tot by then.

Summer 2011

2011-07-17T22:37:00.013-04:00

I need to begin this blog by saying sorry to Hankers. While these blog updates are for keeping loved ones up to date as it happens, I've also hoped that one day my children will grow up wanting to read all about their first few years, the years our memories don't store for us. While I seemed to be on top of it with Audrey, I've fallen short for sweet Henry. Henry is now almost 5 months and has changed dramatically since my last post, when he was just a newborn at 6 weeks. So now I'm going to cram 3+ months of changes into this one blog entry. Please bear with me, and Henry, while this may seem like a summary version, every last bit of your 5 months of life has a permanent place within my memory and heart, always.
In the last three and half months Henry has had experienced many adventures. At close to 12 weeks he's started his meds for acid reflux, went on his first camping trip and did great (just like his sister did), began daycare, started sleeping in his crib (for half the night anyway) and was blessed with his big cousin Lola.

To briefly elaborate on each issue, Henry was recommended by his pediatricians to see a specialist in regards to his acid reflux. Not long after our visit, and he was prescribed the right dose of medicine, we began to see great improvements. His fussiness and choking all started to subside, as did his colic. He began to sleep better, although still not on his back. He's a belly sleeper and I've come to terms with it. I figure in just a couple of more months he'd be able to roll over on his belly anyway. He's happy, and we're both getting sleep. I still have him sleeping in my room though after his first feeding. This was because I felt better when he was next to me however he's starting to out grow his co-sleeper so I'm afraid I'm forced to get him to sleep a full nights sleep in his own room. Wish us both "Good Luck"!
Henry's first camping trip was Memorial Day weekend, since that he's been twice more. He loves it just as much as his sister did at his age. Perhaps it's the fresh air and good company. There is never a shortage of warm arms to sleep in when we're camping. Our next planned trip isn't until Labor Day Weekend, but I get the feeling we'll probably sneak at least one more trip in there before then.

I was set to go back to work right after our Memorial Day camping trip however Henry developed his first fever on Memorial Day (a viral infection that Audrey had the week before). I was then forced to postpone my return a few days since he couldn't go to daycare with a fever. It turned out to be a week because I then developed the fever too :( It kind of worked out to our advantage though. It gave us a few more days to get Henry use to taking a bottle. We were pretty much convinced we'd failed and he was going to be just as difficult with the transition as Audrey was. He absolutely refused to take a bottle from me or Mike. We kind of just brushed it off as him being difficult due to not feeling well, and hoping he'd do just fine when it came down to it. We lucked out! He took the bottle from Nana like a champ, and still does. He naps regularly (unlike his sister) and when he's up he loves to be outside to watch the older kids (including big sis) play.

Heather and the kids were in town for the 4th of July and at that time we decided to have both Henry and Lola blessed together. We had a small gathering at my house where an ordained friend of my mom's, Audrey, blessed both kids. It was short, but sweet ...and hot! The temp kept most of us indoors, but that is July in Michigan.

Just this past weekend Henry had his first visit to Lake City to see Grandma and Grandpa. Audrey always enjoys her time there and while she loves the water, Henry not so much yet. That goes for the drive too. He wasn't happy about sitting in his car seat for three hours but we tried to make the best of it. It's worth it to to spend time with Grandma and Grandpa.

So on top of all that I found that he's cut two teeth already! Both bottom ones, and aside from excessive drooling he hasn't showed much sign of discomfort. He's an extremely happy little boy that will give you a smile anytime. My heart gets so full just thinking about him. While I'm excited to see all these milestones, it's also a bit bittersweet to see him growing up so fast.

Now quickly, I want to update you on Big Sis. Audrey has come a very long way too. She celebrated her 3rd birthday with family and friends with a Princess themed birthday party. She's also started to play soccer and loves it, but most importantly she is fully potty trained! We had a few issues, mostly the stubbornness (wonder where she got that from) but it seriously took us just one weekend of no more diapers and that was all it took. It's been over two weeks now and she hasn't looked back. She adores her baby brother and has been the one who's given him all his nicknames (chewy, french fry, Henish, and Hankers are a few of my favorites). She's a creative and outgoing little girl. This Fall she'll start a preschool program that we're all looking forward too. I'm positive that she'll do great!

6 Weeks, Really?

2011-04-20T14:04:00.012-04:00

The title ...well that seems to be what I'm hearing a lot lately. People can't believe Henry is only 6 weeks old. He's filled out quite nicely. In fact, I clearly remember Audrey having chicken legs that plumped up after some time. Henry, he just skipped the chicken legs and went straight to plump! He's a wonderfully easy baby. He nurses well (kind of lazy but never a problem with latching), he loves to nap in the swing (Audrey wanted nothing to do with that), took a bottle a couple of times with no problems, and will occasionally take a numie but he really could take it or leave it (Audrey would leave it every time). Now, I said he was easy but I didn't say perfect. He has fussy time every evening, between 7 - 12am. Sometimes it's for an hour, sometimes five hours. He sleeps really well at night, waking to eat every 2 - 4 hours, however he is still sleeping with us. I've tried to use a co-sleeper (aka bassinet) and even tried his crib however he doesn't seem to enjoy laying flat on his back (he'll probably be a belly sleeper, like his sister). He is really congested at night, which I think contributes to his dislike for back sleeping. The doctor has placed him on a small dose of Zantac in hopes that the congestion is due to a small case of acid reflux. If they can clear that up then hopefully the congestion will clear up as well and he may learn to sleep alone. All this, hopefully, sooner rather than later. Audrey slept with us for 6 weeks ...I'm giving Henry til 8 weeks then he's getting the boot! We've gotten a few random smiles from him, mostly gas related I think, but cute all the same. Audrey has come to terms that he's here to stay. She competes for attention, especially when she feels he's getting too much, but other than that I think she's a fan of her baby brothers.

And speaking of 'lil Miss Audrey. She's a little girl now, with attitude! Her birthday is right around the corner and she's super excited about it. Aunt Heather was in town over the weekend and she was able to capture some absolutely beautiful pictures to help capture Audrey's personality. We found Henry is favorable in front of a camera too!

Welcome...

2011-03-16T19:41:00.006-04:00

Henry Michael

Born: March 7, 2011 at 12:52pm.

Weight: 8lbs 6oz

Length: 20in

My water broke at 5:30am, by 7:00am the contractions started. Luckily that 90 minutes gave Mike and I the chance to shower and to give Grandma time to head over to help Audrey off to daycare. When we got to the hospital I was dilated 3cm. We had to quickly decided weather we were going to follow through with the c-section or to continue on with a VBAC. By 9am we were well on our way to giving birth naturally, but with the ever loving support of an epidural! By the time I received the epidural (aka pure bliss) I was dilated to 5cm. The epidural lasted about an hour and then I quickly started to feel the contractions again. I now went from 7cm to fully dilated in 25 minutes. Things were moving fast; it was now time to push. After just a short sixty two minutes I heard the most beautiful sound to a new mother's ears and then he was laying on my chest. A beautiful experience, etched in my memory for a lifetime.

Henry's Room

2011-02-22T22:48:00.004-05:00

Henry's room is finally done. Only two more weeks and he'll be here to see for himself!

...and soon there will be FOUR!

2011-02-06T21:09:00.006-05:00

Here we are, only 5 weeks to go until our family of three becomes a family of four! We're getting really excited for Henry's arrival. The nursery is fairly ready (not ready enough to post pics yet), my hospital bag is packed and his closet is now full of newborn clothes thanks to many friends and family members. Since I had the option of having another C-section we went ahead and scheduled Henry's deliver date for March 9, 2011.

Henry gave us quite a scare last week though! I wasn't feeling all that great one morning and was pretty sure I was having some form of contractions yet I went to work anyway, against my better judgement, thinking it would all pass. By mid morning I was instructed by my doctor's office to head to the hospital. I was indeed having contractions however I wasn't in active labor. Turns out I was extremely dehydrated due to the stomach flu which in turn caused my contractions. After 6 hours of IV fluids (I couldn't keep anything down) the contractions stopped and I was able to go home and let it run it's course. After 2 days of very little to eat and early bedtimes (Audrey was tucking me into bed ...very sweet) I was finally feeling back to normal. The good news through all this ...Henry was just fine! The midwife at the hospital gave us an ultrasound for reassurance. He was active throughout the contractions but the ultrasound showed us that he was exercising his lungs and already weights over 5lbs! Both really good signs of a healthy baby.

This past Saturday my girlfriends threw me a wonderful Sprinkle! For those that aren't familiar with the term, it's a smaller version of a Baby Shower for your second little bundle of joy. We had it at my house because there had still been so many of my friends that hadn't seen our new home yet. I was a little concerned about how well we would all fit but it turned out to be a warm and cozy setting. I'm sure the mimosas and wine helped with that as well. Henry got SPOILED too! His closet went from nearly empty to jam packed with clothes for months to come. I can't thank all my friends enough for helping us celebrate the arrival of our little boy. We are truly blessed, that's for sure!

And now we just wait! With the arrival of Henry coming early March we can only hope that Spring will follow close behind. Within the past week we've received almost 10 inches of snow. We had our fun in the snow. Audrey would stay outside until her little fingers turn to icicles if we'd let her. And while I love snow days too I also start to crave the sunshine and warm breeze this time of year. It would be really nice to enjoy that while I'm home with Henry in March.

I'll post pictures of the nursery as soon as I have the final touches applied but for now here are some pictures from the Sprinkle and our recent snow day.

Wrapping up 2010

2010-12-15T14:09:00.008-05:00

Well I can't say I know where this year went. Here we are and it's December already! Christmas is just 10 days away. I imagine the busier the year is the faster is seems to fly. Our 2010 sure did bring a lot of changes into our lives. We are all so happy in our new home which reminds us every day how lucky we are to have been able to make this change. Not a moment too soon either since the added space is much needed for the growth of our family. Baby Henry will be here in just 3 short months. We're staring to get things ready for his arrival (or at least thinking about it). For the past 5 months Audrey has enjoyed the spare bedroom as a "Toy" room but she seems to be very open to giving it up for baby "Hemry" (This is how she says it) once he arrives. After Christmas we'll be slowing rearranging both kids bedrooms. Henry will take on Audrey's gently used furniture while Audrey will get all new "big girl" furniture. We've pepped her up on this for some time now that she is actually asking for her big girl bed.

I'm just over 6 months along in the pregnancy and everything is going great. I can't say this is a better pregnancy than with Audrey but it is certainly different. I seem to be growing at a rapid rate with this one. Sometimes I can't believe that my belly is going to stretch any more over the next few months. I've gained about 17lbs already (I blame the Holidays) however I've been told I only look like I'm smuggling a basketball under my shirt (comforting). Early in the New Year we should have a birth date scheduled for the planned c-section. I assume it's like riding a bike ...all this newborn stuff will come right back to me (I hope). Audrey I know is going to be a big help! She already hugs my belly while saying, "I love you so much baby brother"!

On a sadder note, while our family is growing in one aspect, we have decreased in another. Our 17 year old dog Tia has passed on. It was a tough decision for Mike to have to make and one that was postponed for quite some time but in the end it was impossible to ignore the signs. While she still had most of her health she was fighting the toughest journey of all ...old age. Audrey sometimes asks where her dog is and we tell her that she's in Heaven with her mom and dad. George is now Audrey's best friend. It seems, that since Tia's passing, he's taking a great liking to her (....hmmm, perhaps he things she's the one who makes the decisions in regards to who stays and goes around here). He loves to wake her up in the morning with his extra powerful Siamese cry. This can usually turn "grumpy" Audrey into "giggly" Audrey.

Well as I said Christmas is right around the corner. Audrey is very excited and I think she's starting to understand the idea of Santa. She has gotten a little confused when it comes to the feastive decorations though. Christmas trees and Christmas lights are refered to as Birthday trees and Birthday lights. We don't correct her mostly because it's cute but also because she's not all that wrong ...we are celebrating the birth of Jesus.

Heather and the kids are coming to town in a couple of days. I absolutely love it when all the kids are together ...the big kids and small ones :)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!

Fall Fun

2010-10-19T19:35:00.010-04:00

Fall is in the air! I absolutely love this time of year. Pumpkin picking and cider mills with warm donuts and cider have replaced our summer time camping weekends. As much as I love fall camping we have put the RV to bed for the winter. It was proving to be difficult the further along in my pregnancy to plan even the shortest of trips away.

Speaking of pregnancy, all is going well. We had a brief scare at about 14 weeks but were quickly reassured from our doctor that the baby had a strong heart beat and there was nothing to worry about. I think he could tell that we weren't all that convinced so he ordered an ultrasound to help ease our minds. He was right ...we saw our precious little one moving around and growing at a perfect rate. We also found out that we're having a bouncy baby boy! When I asked Audrey what she wanted to name her new baby brother she responded with "Sister"! She is so sweet with her baby dolls that I have no doubt that she's going to be a great big sister, even to a boy.

The rest of the pregnancy is going good as well. I'm growing much faster than I did with Audrey. I'm amazed on how big my belly is already and can't believe it's only going to get bigger. I have the normal early pregnancy symptoms like back aches and heartburn but I'm so happy to announce that the morning sickness (all day sickness) has subsided. I've heard that nausea is worse with a boy ...that I can confirm! Our 20 week ultrasound is in just a few days. Audrey will get to see her brother for the first time. She's been asking to see him ever since we told her he was in there.

Little Miss Audrey ...where do I start. This little girl has developed into the biggest sweetheart of all. I know she has stolen her daddy's heart already but even the ladies at daycare said that she is the best behaved toddler they've had in a very long time ...even going as far enough to say that she is their favorite! She has no problem communicating and getting her point across. She's found a new love for chocolate and cake but unfortunately still no love for veggies. Loves to be outside, especially on her new swing set, and spending time with her BFF, Remi Roo. She loves to wear new clothes and to show them off. She'll say, "Look at my new coat!", even to a stranger walking by. She experienced her first tear-free doctors appointment recently with and even stood on the scale all by herself (this was an amazement for me). She also had her first in salon haircut in which she sat still like the perfect lady. She makes me so proud everyday. I'm so happy that her little brother will have such a great role model to look up too.

Where has summer gone?

2010-08-29T16:22:00.009-04:00

We certainly do not have a lack of things to blog about so it has been entirely too long since my last post. It has been a crazy, busy summer! I can hardly believe that it's already September. Our summer begain normally. Had our first camping trip over Memorial Day weekend and had a visit up north in Lake City with Grandma and Grandpa Nelson. Heather and the kids came down for a week which was a great visit for us and all the kids. Audrey loved playing with all her cousins. We just closed out our Labor Day trip with the St Clawdale group. Our end of summer trip felt more like the start of Fall with chilly temps and rainy days however the kids didn't seem to be affected. We followed up our camping trip with a stop in Lake City to visit with Grandma and Grandpa Nelson before they head south for the cooler months. In spite of two instant bee stings upon arrival Audrey was really happy to see her Grandparents and her cousins.

In early June Mike and I found the house of our dreams. It was a perfect mixture of everything we both wanted so we made an offer. To make a long story short, we got the house and are now settled in our new home. Mike and I are already so comfortable here and feel like we've lived here forever. Audrey had no problems adjusting either however she still calls it the "new" house. The "old" house is still ours and we were lucky enough to find a renter. So far so good as we embarge on the landlord journey although we do have hopes of selling it one day soon.

Then, as if moving wasn't enough to keep us busy in July, we learned (the week of the move, no less) that we are expecting; Audrey is going to be a big sister! It was tough getting things settled while fighting "morning" sickness but somehow we got it done. I'm now 12 week and slowly starting to feel better. According to the doctors everything looks good and there is only one baby (Mike was glad to hear that)!
As for Audrey, she is really excited to be a big sister. When I ask she seems to be favoring a sister vs a brother but I think she'll just be happy to have a real "baby" around. She has crossed quite a few milestones herself. Audrey received her first haircut from Aunt Heather just a few weeks ago. It went over so much better than I had antispated, perhaps because it was her aunt and not a stranger. She also went potty on the big potty! She's only done it once so far but she was so proud and was especially excited to have received "potty treats", aka gummy bears. In July see was tested again to see if her urinary reflux has cleared and unfortuantely it hadn't. One more year of antibiotics and hopefully it will be cleared up by the time she's fully potty trained. We also attempted to change her crib into a toddler bed. She was really excited about a "new bed" as we pumped it up for days however three hours into her first night she began to cry. When I went in to see what was wrong she simply said, "I don't like my new bed!" so at 12:30 in the morning daddy gave her back her old bed.

Audrey has found a new love for Pixar movies, Toy Story, Finding Nemo and Cars are among her favorites so far. She's also found a new friend in her neighbor Grace. Grace is five however they play really well together. Probably because Audrey does whatever Grace wants. Remi is still her best friend though. There is not a day that goes by that Audrey doesn't ask to see Remi and luckily there really isn't a day that goes by that she doesn't see her.

We're now looking forward to the fall months ahead and forming Audrey into an Detroit Lions fan. Hopefully they'll deserve a new fan this season!

Look Who's Two!

2010-05-13T21:18:00.010-04:00

Audrey celebrated her 2nd Birthday yesterday. Days leading up to the big day we made sure she knew what to say when asked how old she was going to be. There were times she'd say "two" and other times she reply with "dos". Thanks to Dora the Explorer, Audrey not only counts to ten in English but she can do it in Spanish too. We're certain she's a genius!

I took my first official extended weekend away. I went to Chicago with my sisters and my mom and had a great time. I will admit though, I missed Audrey a lot! I hadn't never gone a day without seeing her so this was a big step for me. Daddy and Audrey had a great weekend together, although he said she did asked for me at times. When I got home, I received the biggest Monkey hug ever! She's become very affectionate, giving a lot of hugs and kisses but only if the mood strikes her.

At just two years old she is talking quite a bit, even full sentences. It's so nice to be able to ask her what she wants or what's wrong and actually get an answer. While she's changing so much there are still a few things that remain the same. Like the fact that she is still a very picky eater. If it weren't for Mac n

Cheese and cereal she'd go probably go hungry. She's a late sleeper now. Most days we have to wake her up in order to get to out of the house on time. It's nice on the weekends though. There have been times I'm awake before she is. She's still a very strong willed little girl. She knows what she wants and wants it when she wants it. We've beared witness to a few tantrums here and there but luckily not in public yet. We've been contemplating her first haircut so something tells me we'll see that soon rather than later.

Easter and more

2010-04-14T21:36:00.005-04:00

Time flies ...really! I swear I just did an update but apparently that was two months ago. Easter has come and gone, which by the way was really nice. We had a really nice early dinner with my mom and Wayne, hosted by the Partin family. It was a beautiful Spring day so we were able to enjoy our dinner out doors while the girls played. Audrey has really found a good friend in Remi. Even though there is a year difference you can certainly tell they enjoy each others company. God knows they spend enough time together!

Audrey recently went through one of her worst illnesses of the season. She had a sinus infection and ear infection that kept her out of daycare for a whole week. High fevers and runny noses make for no fun so we hope (finger crossed) that was the last of it for the cold season. We're now looking forward to her birthday and camping season which are both right around the corner! But first Mom gets to go on her first long weekend trip away! I'm going to Chicago with my Mom and my sisters at the end of April while Dada and Audrey will remain home having some fun of their own!

We knew she wouldn't go for sitting on the Easter Bunny's lap so we opted for the real deal. She LOVED this bunny and showed no fear what so ever when it came to sitting together. The sitting itself only took 5 minutes but I'm sure she would of been okay if we were there all day!

Terrific (and sometimes Terrible) Twos!

2010-02-19T22:47:00.015-05:00

Audrey has molded into quite the sweet toddler recently. Well, okay, maybe not always sweet. She does have a tough-girl side too. She, like most toddlers I'm sure, does not like the word "no". It can sometimes send her into a full blown, red faced, tear streaking tantrum. But on her good days she loves to pamper her babies (and she has a lot of babies), will give many hugs and kisses when asked, and has become quite the "cookie" monster.

Some other recent developments:

*Little Miss Talks Alot. She'll pretty much repeat anything you ask her too (or even don't ask her too). This includes calling her dada "Mike". I've now been instructed to refer to my husband as "dada" at all times.

*She's wearing 2T clothes already and wears a 6.5 shoe! She's tall so it's a bit of a challenge finding pants that aren't floods. Shorts will be nice come summer.

*Her canine teeth have finally all cut. Now she's working on her second molars.

*Loves Dora, Golden Grahams, hummus and popcorn although if you ask her what she wants for lunch or dinner it's always "mac n cheese".

*Babies and Legos are her favorite toys. She's not "attached" to any one thing however at bedtime she has to have her "original" baby and "Elmo's Ducky Day" book with her.

*She can count to 10, mumble the ABC's, and is getting to know her colors.

*She now enjoys her books instead of destroying them. We read a few books every night before bed. She has her favorites but "Elmo's Ducky Day" is a given and must be read before she takes it to bed with her (I can read it by heart now). "Good Night Moon" and "Are You My Mother?" are some other favorites, but these can go back on the bookshelf before bed.

*She has a love/hate relationship with Tia the dog, but LOVES George the cat. I think he may be developing a soft spot for her too. Gracie, the other cat, is warming up to her however I think there are still some trust issues that she's hashing out.

*She still loves the outdoors! She has a great time in the snow and enjoys tossing snowballs however we're all looking for Spring though!

Florida and the New Year

2010-01-16T21:46:00.006-05:00

Happy New Year everyone! We've had a pretty eventful last few weeks. Our trip to Florida was great. There were a few bummers, like Audrey's unexplained temperature, some crummy weather and the cold I was lucky enough to take home with me. The good stuff... Audrey is a born flyer, she loved spending time with Grandma and Grandpa Nelson, she got to pick oranges from a tree, and she played at the beach and the park with her cousins. We were a little surprised that her fear of the sand and water had returned. We though we had moved passed that last summer however she refused to get in the pool and would not walk on the beach without her socks and tennis shoes on!

In the last few weeks she developed quite a few quirky, cute and pondering habits. She loves to go for walks around the house while holding our hands, so we're "walking together" as she puts it. She loves to dance around the kitchen and run through the house at top speed hollering, "Ready, Set ...GO!" Her love for the bath is gone :( It's a struggle to get her in and she's usually the one to end it by saying, "All done now". We're not exactly sure why this changed but we're thinking it has to do with teething (she's got 4 more coming in) or perhaps she's just growing up and changing her ways. She still loves Elmo and SpongeBob but has a new-found love for Dora the Explorer. She enjoys being outdoors, even playing in the snow, but only after much convincing to dress properly for the elements. Once she's out there though, you can't wipe the smile of her face ...and her smile is priceless!

Merry Christmas

2009-12-26T21:57:00.007-05:00

Merry Christmas everyone! We had a wonderful holiday. Audrey was really excited for Santa and even thanked him after she opened all of her presents Christmas morning (note the Santa in the background ...she turned to him and said "Thank you Santa" ...so precious). Now we're looking forward to our trip to Florida to spend the New Year with Grandma and Grandpa!

Here's the Christmas dress I bought her. She was adorable and some how I even got her to smile for the photo opp!

Ho Ho ...the Holidays!

2009-12-13T13:44:00.009-05:00

I just realized that our last blog was for Halloween! I swear I don't know where the time goes! We had a really great Thanksgiving spending the evening with Sara's extended family, the Evangelista's. Dave's parents made us feel really welcome and Audrey had no problem feeling at home once Dave's dad introduced her to the "Toy" closet!

I experienced my first ever "Black Friday" shopping excursion. Krista and I were up with the chickens (...I really shouldn't say "chickens" since you have to be really brave to volunteer those large crowds) in search for a new toy kitchen set (...shh, don't tell Audrey)! It was a great success, especially since we got everything on our list in less than two hours! That wasn't the end of our shopping days though. Just last weekend Krista, Sara, Heather Z and I made an over night trip to Birch Run/Frankenmuth. We left the kids home with the Dads and/or Grandparents and headed up north for a much needed escape. This trip, I believe, was the first of an annual tradition as the "mom" get away! It's need after indulging Dad's hunting trips!

Audrey is talking a lot these days. She'll repeat just about anything she hears and has recently developed a joy for singing. She'll sing/hum "Twinkle, Twinkle little Star" and "Happy Birthday" and any giving moment, well unless I have a video camera in her face! She loves to watch Sponge Bob Square Pants and Elmo is still her favorite bud, but not as much as "Baby" though. Every night we read her a book and then she goes to bed with her favorite Elmo book and "Baby" by her side.

Christmas is right around the corner and I'm proud to say I'm actually ready for it! I was really excited for it this year, owing that to Audrey. We set up the trees the weekend after Thanksgiving but after catching Audrey with a bulb in her mouth one tree came down and the other one sits naked (aside for lights and an angel on top) in my living room. It will serve it's purpose come Christmas day and hopefully next year she' realize that bulbs are not edible!

Our best Christmas present though will be after the big day. Mike's parents are flying us to Florida to spend the New Year with them! This is Audrey's first plane ride so we're a little nervous but mostly excited that she'll get the chance to spend some of the Holidays with her Grandparents! It just so happens that my sister Heather and her family are also going to be in the same area for the New Year and Sara and Dave are going to drive in from Georgia to spend the day with us too! Audrey will be so excited to play with her cousins and will adore her baby cousin Lola!

I bought Audrey a Christmas dress and I vow to have her in it at least long enough for pictures so keep an eye out for that on our next Blog. For now, here are a few candid shots taken over the past few weeks. A few are from our trip to see Santa, who she likes as long as she's not on his lap! So different from last year!

Fall Fun

2009-10-31T21:05:00.011-04:00

Here are a few pics of our recent Fall activities. We went to Westview Orchards this year which was a lot of fun with a huge playground and a lot of cute animals to see. I can envision this being a yearly tradition with friends just as is our trip to Yates Cider Mill. Our cider mill trip was definitely thinned out though this year as there were illnesses and business travels that interfered but those of us that did go had a great time. Unfortunately Halloween was a bust for Audrey since she woke up with a cold that morning that was eventually diagnosed as another ear infection. She did get to dress up the night before though to show off her costume (Minnie Mouse) at GG's assisted living community. She had a lot of fun struttin her stuff and even found a new friend in Jack the Mechanic.

Audrey has also found a new friend at home in Tia too since her main buddy George is MIA. George (the cat) has been missing for almost two weeks now but we remain optimistic that he'll find his way home. In the mean time Tia has taken up the slack and has befriended Audrey quite a bit. It probably helps that Audrey usually has some type of food in her hand and is conveniently at Tia's level. Audrey doesn't mind sharing though and loves to roam the house singing Tia's name. Tia's hearing loss is probably quite a blessing these days. Audrey has been talking quite a bit and has recently become the human recorder. She remains shy though so aside from Tia, mom and dad are usually the only lucky ones to hear it all.

Fall Season or Flu Season?

2009-10-11T13:41:00.009-04:00

Whoa! I almost don't even want to blog about this past month because I'm afraid I may jinx our current situation. After a tough 4 weeks I think I can officially say that I believe Audrey is finally feeling better (...oh don't worry, I knocked on wood). We got back from vacation on September 12th and on September 15th Audrey got her first ear infection. To make a long month short, that was closely followed with loss of appetite, diarrhea, horrible diaper rash, the flu, croup and to wrap it all up another ear infection. She was in so much misery and hasn't been the happy little girl we're use to having around however I think she is finally starting to feel better. She finished her last round of meds today and, fingers crossed, we're on the road to recovery.

In the meantime she has picked up a few new words, and a phrase that she may have picked up from Oscar the Grouch. She says apple, bear, car, Tia (the dog) and can tell you, clear as day, to "Go Away." With the fall season upon us we are looking forward to some fun Fall Festival, starting this afternoon in Clawson. Next week we're planning a trip to Westview Orchards followed by our annual trip to Yates Cider Mill. It's a good thing Audrey loves the outdoors!

Here are some photos of Audrey sportin her Moccasins that she got from Grandma Billie. She loves to wear them around the house ...somewhere along the way she lost her pants though!

Autumn is in the air

2009-09-13T14:04:00.026-04:00

I know, I know ...the sun is still shining and it's 80 degrees out however the sound of football fills the air therefore to me Fall has arrived! We just returned from our vacation up north and even the trees up there agree as they are already turning the pretty shades of red and orange.

We spent the Labor Day weekend with the St. Clawdale Park gang in Evart at the River Country Campground. Audrey is still a natural born camper. She loves to be outside and would spend all day in the water if we let her. The week following Labor Day we headed up to see Grandma and Grandpa Nelson in Lake City. This is were Audrey spent most of her days in the lake. She also went for her first boat ride and even took a short paddle boat ride along the shoreline. Then to wrap up our trip we spent sometime with Mike's brother and his family at their new cabin. Audrey had a great time with her cousins, Kendyl (4) and Lia (3). They played real well together and had no problems sharing toys and hugs.

Audrey is growing up so fast. Mike and I are amazed to see our precious little baby turning into a little girl right before our eyes. At her 15 month check up she weighed 25lbs and was 32 in long. At this time she was giving the MMR vaccine which I had some reservations about, and with good reason. About 10 days after the shot she developed high fevers for about 3 days in a row but luckily that was the worst effect. Aside from those fevers and a few sleep deprived nights she was back to normal in no time. She's talking a lot (okay, more like mumbling) adding a few words to her vocabulary like hello, ball, car, oh-no and has even recently said her first full sentence saying "mama go bye-bye" when I left the room. She loves to blow kisses to her dada (or anyone who asks for one) and is recently the best Tea Party hostess in town (all her stuffed animals say so). She can be quite moody at times, especially in the morning and tends to get really slap-happy after dinner. She still LOVES bath time, in fact so much so that I have to drain all the water from the tub before I can even think of prying her out. Once I do finally get her out she likes to air dry by running through the house in her birthday suit as I chase her with a towel ...she thinks this is the funnest thing! And then we follow up our bedtime routine with a book, which she has just recently started to show interest in, pointing to pictures and turning the pages. She's a big girl now and she reminding us every day!

Summer Fading Fast

2009-08-10T22:14:00.011-04:00

Is it really August already? Where has the summer gone? So far Audrey has really enjoyed her first summer as a toddler with so many introductions to things like sand, lakes, pools and playhouses. She really loves to play ball, ride in her cozy coupe, and chase the dog around the yard.

We recently had a visit from Aunt Heather and baby Lola who came into town for our Grandma's 80th birthday party. Audrey loved her new baby cousin ...she gave lots of kisses (BFF Remi still got plenty of kisses too). Lola is a beautiful baby and a spitting image of her mama. I can't wait to watch them play together in the years to come. As for the party we had family and friends gather in our backyard as we enjoyed the beautiful summer afternoon.

It really seems that summer is fading fast. We have one more "planned" camping trip for Labor Day and then we're heading up north to spend sometime with Mike's family before we say goodbye to summer.

Keep On Growing

2009-07-20T20:28:00.008-04:00

Last week Audrey had a check up to see how her vesicoureteral reflux has progressed over the past year (I blogged about this last July) and while I remained hopeful that the problem cured itself, I wasn't so lucky. She still has it however it is getting better, which is good news even though I wasn't convinced of that at first. We received the news immediately following the horrific procedure she's forced to endure while Mike and I aid in holding her down. It was hard when she was 2 months old but this time it was agonizing ...I absolutely dread next year! The news started to sound better once we met with the urinary specialist who told us that it's not uncommon for it to still exist after the first year (only about 25% cure within the year) and that her chances of having to have surgery are slim to none. So for now she remains on the antibiotic and we pray that her body fixes the problem as she grows some more.

To help brighten the rest of her day we spent the afternoon at the park with her BFF Remi. Even though Remi is still too young to play Audrey just can't get enough of her, and I get the feeling Remi has a soft spot for her too!

These boots were made for walkin...

2009-07-05T20:15:00.009-04:00

It's official ...Audrey's walkin' and non-stop! For the past few weeks she was dabbling in it here and there but just last Thursday she decided it was going to be her main form of transportation. The bad part, she's teething too (molars) so there is a lot of built up frustration for her right now. She's grown quite attached to her dada and mama and has even developed a very dramatic, attention getting, whimper complete with the quivering lips and rubbing eyes.

We've had a pretty busy summer thus far. We had our second camping trip a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately the weather did not cooperate, it was a bit chilly and rainy so we never did get a chance to do some of the things we had hoped too, like swim but we did enjoy the company with Aunt Sara, Uncle Dave, Aunt Krista, Uncle Randy and of coarse Audrey's BFF Remi. We also made a trip up north to spend some time with Audrey's Grandma and Grandpa Nelson. This is where we got to do some swimming! Audrey loved the water just as I expected however was not a big fan of the sand, at least not at first. She stayed safely on her towel and slowly eased her way to sandy beach.

For the forth of July we spent the day at the Partin's 4th of July BBQ. There were a lot of friends, family, food and non-stop fun! Audrey had a great time combing every inch of the backyard. She was so tuckered out by the end of the night she slept right through all the firework celebrations later that night ...and so did Mike and I!

Country Girl

2009-05-30T21:27:00.005-04:00

Camping was Fun! Yes that's Fun with a capital F! We went camping at Dearborn RV Park over the Memorial Day weekend and even though we didn't do much we still had a great time. This was Audrey's first trip of the season and if I had to guess I'd say she she is a real fan of camping. Mike got a couple of hours head start to get the camper set up while Boo Bear and I headed up separately to arrive just in time for dinner at the site.

The rest of the weekend we went for bike rides with Audrey in her new bike trailer (thanks Grandma and Grandpa Nelson), wagon rides (thanks Aunt Sara and Uncle Dave) in her new Radio Flyer and we even took a little dip in the lake which was short lived due to the temperature, however I think she loved the feel of the sand in her toes. We're getting ready to plan our second trip of the season already, especially now that Aunt Sara and Uncle Dave have joined the camper family!

Audrey hasn't walked by herself yet however everyday she's getting closer. A couple of days ago she stood up from sitting to standing all by herself. She laughed once she realized what she did and continued to repeat the feat (which was good for me since I missed it the first time). Now when she does it she pauses at the surfer stance to build up some confidence and than stands straight up for about an 1/8 of a second. Hey, it's progress!

Audrey's cousin Lola was born this past Tuesday to my sister Heather. We've been waiting a long time for her arrival, especially since she came 9 days late! The sad part, we don't get to meet Miss Lola until Summers end :( ...but pictures prove that she is a beautiful little girl and we're so happy for her arrival.

Happy Birthday!

2009-05-21T22:41:00.012-04:00

It's official! She's stuffed her face with cake so she's now officially a year old. We had a really nice day on her actual birthday spending some time at the zoo but the real party started this past Sunday when we had her birthday party at the Clawson Park. It was a little chilly (and windy) but the sun was shining and so was boo bear. She had a great time and really enjoyed be the center of attention during the big cake eating event. Thank you everyone for coming out to spend the afternoon with us ...and for all the gifts ;)

Thanks to Sarah for Audrey's (obviously) delicious cake. It was the perfect Monkey.

We're off for our first camping trip of the season. We're curious to see how much (if any) of it that she remembers from last year. She loves to be outside so I'm thinking the weekend is going to be a hit ...fingers are still crossed though.

Spring Time Chaos

2009-05-04T21:41:00.011-04:00

Wow! What a crazy few weeks it's been! Audrey's best friend, Remi, has finally arrived! She's a beautiful baby girl and we're so happy she's finally here. Audrey may have been a little skeptical of her at first but we're certain they are to become the best of friends.

Audrey's birthday is right around the corner. We planned on taking her to the Zoo for the first time however with all this nice weather we've been having we just had to jump the gun. So while we anxiously awaited Remi's arrival last Saturday we passed the time strolling the Zoo. Audrey was amazed by all the animals she saw from afar but was really astonished when a Peacock cut her off right in her tracks! You could imagine her excitement to see such a big bird with long beautiful feathers ...lets just say it's a good thing she was buckled in her stroller.

So since the Zoo was such a hit (and we bought a year pass) we still plan on taking her again for her birthday ...what a treat to have a Spring birthday. In the meantime we have been planning and preparing for her birthday party at the park. I can't believe it's already been a year!

What's up Doc?

2009-04-16T21:47:00.008-04:00

So the Easter Bunny visit didn't go over as well as Santa but can you really blame her? It's a huge rabbit, sitting on a huge chair, surrounded by a bunch of huge eggs ...kind of freaky, right? At first it was going good. She was smiling, looking at the bunny and then looking at me for approval. That happened twice until she finally realized the situation she was in! I scooped her up from the giant Easter Bunny and rescued her before a single tear streamed down her check. Now this only lasted maybe a total of 60 seconds but you would think the camera guy would of gotten at least one shot with a smile. Instead the best photo appeared to be just seconds after she realized what was going on but before the chin started to quiver.

Audrey is now 30 days shy of her first birthday. Mike and I look at her and no longer see a baby but a little girl growing up right before our eyes. She'll stand on her own for a short time and sometimes take a few steps if she's feeling really ambitious. She's pretty much given up baby food and has now been eating adult cuisines like grilled cheese, hot dogs, cheese and pastas. We're slowly replacing her bottle with a sippy cup and that seems to be going better than we had expected. At daycare she only drinks out of a sippy cup which means she's down to only 2 bottles a day.

We're looking forward to next month for her first birthday party, the arrival of her best friend Remi (...who still hasn't come out to play yet) and her new cousin Lola, and of coarse to the start of the camping season. Audrey's a happy camper!

Go Spartans!

2009-04-05T21:25:00.007-04:00

Audrey was sportin' her MSU gear on Saturday (Thanks Aunt Shirley and Uncle Doug) and even though she couldn't stay up to see them win she was really excited to hear that they had advanced to the finals. Go Spartans!

Some quick Audrey updates:

*She climbs on everything which means she falls a lot. Most the time she just gets back up and starts all over again but there are a few falls here and there that need a little TLC repair.

*She said her first word the other day while looking out the front window with her dad. He likes to show her the cars going by while he narrates. After he pointed out yet another car she finally repeated him. So her first actual word (used in context anyway) was "Car". Her dad was so proud.

*As we've blogged before, she loves her baths however she's recently made them more challenging for me. Since she's started to stand that's all she wants to do and it's not easy to stand in a slippery tub. Explain that to a 11 month old! Needless to say, bath time has been cut short these days.

Now we're just waiting for the arrival of baby Remi. We're so excited and anxious for the arrival of Audrey's best friend!

Audrey The Water Bug

2009-03-16T22:26:00.015-04:00

So it seems that our little boo bear has quite the personality. Below is a picture that captures her new bashful bow that she does when in the company of unfamiliar faces. I'm pretty bias but it's awfully cute and charming, enough to melt your heart.

At 10 months Audrey has a whole bunch of new accomplishments. She's now mastered crawling but with a twist. I'm not sure if it was from learning on hardwood floors but she's added a little kick to her crawl. To better explain, she crawls on one knee and uses her other foot to push off. I call it her kick start. Just in the past few days she's advanced to pulling herself up on furniture, well actually not just furniture but anything that will hold her. She tumbles a lot but she gets right back up to try all over again. Her curiosity has peeked so anything she sees she must go and investigate. She LOVES the animals. We're teaching her to pet gently however George (the cat) is the only one of the three that will tolerate her for a short period of time. He's even been brave enough on occasion to come up to her for a quick snuggle. Tia (the dog) is still a bit quicker so she's able to avoid her and then we have Gracie (the other cat) who hides all day until Audrey goes to bed and it's safe to come out. Audrey has also recently said "mama" and "dada" however it's more "ma ma ma ma" and "da da da da" but hey, you know, you gotta start somewhere.

One of her favorite times of the day is bath time. She's learned to splash and loves to have her hair rinsed with a bucket. She's going to be a water bug this summer I'm sure of it!

...and she's off!

2009-03-01T22:35:00.003-05:00

We've got a crawler

My Funny Valentine!

2009-02-14T21:50:00.006-05:00

Although it was only just over two weeks ago that I last blogged it actually feels like it's been years! So much to tell, so little time ...especially now that I'm working. I just don't have the luxury of bloggin' as I did during my days at home with the Boog Bear. My job is defiantly keeping me busy which is good because it helps the days go by fast. Audrey is doing great at daycare. She naps really good for them and loves watching the older kids play. Lady, the begal is her favorite. I watched Audrey gently pet her the other day. Something I know she'd love to do with the cats if they'd let her. The best part of my day is when I walk into daycare to pick her up and her face lights up. It's like she wasn't sure if I was going to come back and is surprised every time I do. I'm grateful for the few hours in the evening I have to spend with her before she's out for the night by 7:30pm ...and when I say out for the night, I mean all night. She's been sleeping through the night for over a month now (10 - 12 hours) except for the odd ball wakings that might come due to teething. Even then it only takes a few minutes of comforting and she's back down again. I guess it's true, you do eventually get uninterrupted sleep again.

As I mentioned earlier teething is still happening. She now has both her bottom teeth and her two top ones have also cut through now (...she's got a wide space between them, wide enough to make the doctor gasp but I think its cute). So now, with those teeth, comes biting. This is what led us to her next big milestone in life ...she's given up on nursing. It only took one night of biting when we both decided that it just wasn't working anymore. Well I think she was more convinced than I was. I was willing to give her another shot the next night but she didn't want anything to do with it ...perhaps she didn't like it when I yelped the night before. So just a week shy of her 9th month she was officially done breastfeeding. I have to admit I was a little sad about missing our end of the day feeding but not much has changed. I still get to give her the bottle in the rocking chair and she still fall asleep in my arms. The only difference ...I can take a night off if I need too!

We've started feeding her different foods now too. We've introduced Cheerios, bread, cheese, yogurt, and Ritz crackers (...she loves those, and Cheerios of coarse). The bad thing is that since we've introduced those finger foods she's been giving us a hard time taking the baby food from a spoon. She's little miss independent and wants to do it herself so needless to say eating can get pretty messing for both of us, and my kitchen (this is where Tia, the dog, finally becomes useful)! We finally discovered that if we let her have her own spoon the feeding session goes over much easier. We're learning, slowly, but we're learning.

We intended on taking Audrey outside last weekend to introduce her to the snow but we missed out on our opportunity when the 60 degree weather came. We did get a little dusting last night though so we're going to take her to put some flowers on my dad's grave for his birthday. I know he's always watching over her however I think he'll really enjoy seeing her playing in the snow for the first time. I'll take pictures and blog about it next week.

Below is a video of her new motor boat noise. I took her shopping the other day and she did that while sitting in the cart, as if she was driving. It was good entertainment for my shopping excursion. Dad thinks she's going to be a car buff like him. Perhaps she will.

Yeah for Audrey!

2009-01-27T20:33:00.004-05:00

Audrey's first week at daycare is in the books! I thought this was going to be the start of a very stressful time for all of us, getting use to a new day to day routine, however the first week has come and gone rather smoothly. Plus, not to mention, the weekend before daycare we discovered another tooth rearing it's head but she's been a trooper. Her sleeping habits have even made a change for the better. She's up later which means she's sleeping in. This past weekend she slept in until 7:30am (...yes, anything past 6:00am is sleeping in)! She also took a 3 hour nap on Sunday. The first couple of days at daycare were a little rough but that was expected. She would only nap in Kelly's (daycare lady) arms however today, just six days into it, she napped for 2 hours in the pack n play. She still has a few challenges to overcome, like sharing a room at nap time for instance. For three days a week she has to share a room with a boy her age (Jaxon ...like her cousin Jackson) and they are both having some trouble getting use to each other presence. I assume, as does the ladies at daycare, that eventually they'll get use to each others noises and sleep right through them ...our fingers crossed anyway.
My job is going good. I picked up right where I left off and keeping very busy. I'm lucky enough to be able to leave a 4pm to pick up Audrey however I continue to work from home after she's down for the night. It's a small price to pay in order to spend more time with her before she goes to bed. She's changing so much each day that I'm afraid if I blink I might miss something.

Mike has taught her to clap her hands:

ummm ...Pancakes!

2009-01-13T19:20:00.005-05:00

Audrey indulged in some pancakes over the weekend and we were able to get a quick (phone camera) shot of her excitement over the grand taste of buttermilk and maple syrup! Who knew solid foods could taste so good!

She's on the verge of crawling but we're not rushing it, for obvious reasons! Next week Tuesday will be her first day at daycare. I have been dreading this day ever since I first decided to go back to work however I'm starting to get some good vibes about it. Those vibes started Friday when I took Audrey with me to the daycare to get the enrollment papers started. As I went over the paperwork she sat playing and at one point all the children, who were all older than her by two or more years, circled her and sang the ABC's to her, almost as if they were serenading her. I wish I had a camera because Audrey's reaction to this was priceless! And then yesterday the good vibes continued while she spent some time with Danielle and Ella when I went to the doctors. They played so much in the hour that I was gone that Audrey actually fell asleep on the couch, something she hasn't done in almost 4 months. She then followed that up with a two hour nap at home (thanks Danielle)! I really hope this is the behavior that continues during week one of OPERATION: DAYCARE ...I'll blog all about it next week. Stay tuned.

1st Christmas

2008-12-27T14:58:00.015-05:00

Audrey's first Christmas was good however very exhausting, at least for Mike and I. She didn't sleep very well Christmas Eve night which we though was just another round of teething issues (...or the excitement for Santa coming) however it turns out she was coming down with a tiny little cold that Mom got as well. She was still a champ most of Christmas Day though. We opened up some presents at 6:30am and finally finished that by 10:00am ...and no, thats not because we spoiled her that much but because we had to pause a lot to eat, nap, change diapers, or whatever else came up. She was still more interested in the wrapping paper, cards, bows or cardboards box than the actual gift itself however once that was all out of the way I think she finally took a liking to all her new toys. After all that we headed over to Aunt Sara and Uncle Dave's for Christmas dinner which was really nice once we got the pac n play, booster seat, diaper bag, food and presents unloaded from the SUV (how do people do it with a car)! Then, after just four short hours Audrey insisted it was time to go home because it was past her bedtime! So Christmas was over just like that. We were home and Audrey was sound asleep in her own bed (crib) by 6:30pm! Twelve hours had come and gone in what felt like a matter of minutes! Jeesh ...I can't wait 'til next year!

Thank you to everyone who got her some new toys and clothes! She sure is starting to take over just about every inch of our home. Thank you to Grandma Nelson for the Christmas outfit. It sure was a big hit with everyone!

Good News!

2008-12-18T21:26:00.004-05:00

Test results are back ...she is Spherocytosis free! Yippee! The doctor said her results confirm that she currently shows no signs of the hereditary gene. It is possible though, as her immune system matures, that she could start to develops some (I wasn't diagnosed with it until I was 2 years old), however he's very optimistic that she'll be healthy this time next year as well. We're optimistic too however we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

She's starting to take a bottle in the afternoon now. It's still somewhat of a battle however I think she's becoming more receptive to it, especially if Mike gives it to her. This is good news because come mid January I will be going back to my previous job full time again. Mike and I have some work to do between now and then, first and foremost finding her a daycare. That's all I'm going to write on this for now because my stomach starts to turn whenever I think about it (...God grant me the strength...)!

I still have a lot of Christmas shopping to do so I'm grateful that tomorrow is Mike's last day at work until after the New Year! Audrey will love spending all that time with her dad too! Merry Christmas everyone!

Presents? Who needs presents when you have the paper?

2008-12-14T20:15:00.008-05:00

So if anyone was wondering what to get Audrey for Christmas just go ahead and forget the present and just give her the wrapping paper, she'll be entertained for hours! The above pictures, compliments of Heather Z, were taken at Sammy's 1st birthday party. Sam had a lot of presents to open and Audrey was just happy to sit back and watch as long as she had some wrapping paper to play with. Just a couple of days prior to this I discovered her new found love for paper as I was browsing through a magazine that she just insisted on having. I tore out a page and gave it to her and she was happy as a lark ...and then so was I.

We went to the Hematologist last week to test her for Spherocytosis however we don't get the results back until later this week. The good news though, her hemoglobin levels where normal which is a good indication that she'll test negative (knock on wood) but we still have our fingers crossed.

We've also been very busy this week in trying to master the bottle. I'll tell you what, she is definitely a Taurus, sign of the bull! The first day I gave her the bottle she took it like a champ ...sucked it right down! I was in shock, and I'll admit even a little heart broken, but happy that it went over so easily. Then the next day came and she looked at it like it was the most evil thing she'd ever seen, and that's where we've been for the past three days. She is being so stubborn that she'd rather just skip a meal then to have to drink from a bottle or even a sippy cup. I really wonder what we are in for when she starts going to daycare. Yep, that's right, mom is going back to work full time, hopefully sometime soon within the new year. I'll post more about that when or if the time comes. First things first ...OPERATION: Bottle intake! Stay tuned ;)

Below is a picture, compliments of Krista, of our little snow bunny! She's such a trooper when we feel it's necessary to bundle her up in this cold, cold Michigan weather.

Santa!

2008-12-06T20:44:00.003-05:00

Audrey had a little visit today with a jolly old man that we all know and love! That's right, her first visit with Santa! She obviously has a lot of trust in us because she didn't even flinch when Mike just plopped her in the lap of some weird dude with a really long white beard. She looked at him, then looked at us and even smiled at first (mom didn't have the camera ready for the smile and it was gone as fast as it came). We're just so proud that there weren't any tears!

Thankful for Four Generations

2008-12-02T19:37:00.009-05:00

Audrey's first Thanksgiving is in the books! Grandma Billie had us over along with GG (great grandma Weil) for a lovely turkey dinner. Aunt Sara and Uncle Dave made a special trip over just to visit with 'lil Miss Audrey before they headed over to his parents house for dinner (...now that she's married we have to share her)! Audrey was in a great mood that day, all smiles, and even took a small nap at Grandma's house! I was very thankful for that ;)

Four Generations:

Grandma Billie:

GG (Great Grandma Weil):

Aunt Sara:

Hello Sippy Cup!

2008-11-26T19:33:00.003-05:00

So I thought I would introduce a sippy cup to Audrey with hopes that I might get a break from nursing now and then (...and maybe even help me when it comes time to ween her). As the pictures show she was a bit confused in the beginning but eventually got the hang of it. She became really intrigued with her new toy when she got her first sip of water though!

Silly Girl!

2008-11-24T13:33:00.004-05:00

With teething Audrey's toys are 99% of the time in her mouth and well sometimes she just gets too lazy to hold them there! She makes me lol a lot these days!

December 10th she'll be tested for spherocytosis! She's practically her dad's twin, lets hope she is in this regard too! I'll keep you all posted.

Happy 1/2 Birthday Audrey!

2008-11-12T20:24:00.010-05:00

Audrey has already made it through half of her first year and she's growing like a weed! She weighs 19lbs 3oz and is now 26 6/8in long which puts her in the 97th percentile for weight and the 75th percentile for height. Obviously she is getting enough nourishment from nursing however we've started her on solid foods to introduce her to some new flavors. In the morning she has oatmeal with some fruit and in the afternoon we've been experimenting with a mixture of fruits and veggies. So far she likes most of the fruits however I can't say she's a big fan of the veggies yet. Let's just say her gag reflex is in working order.

As the posted video shows she is sitting up all by herself now, with just a little wobble left. The doctor seemed to be really impressed with this and told us that it's time to start baby proofing the house! Even though Audrey shows no interest in rolling over or crawling yet the doctor told us once the back muscles are strong like that it's just a matter of time before they start to become mobile. She's also cut a bottom tooth already and I believe a second one is already on it's way. I realize I have a long wait but I'll be really happy once she's got a full mouth of teeth! Regardless of teething pain though, she's still sleeping really good at night. She typically goes 12 hours with just one quick feed so I can't complain about that. Naps on the other hand are still my worst challenge. Some days I may get lucky and get a 60-90 minute morning nap in but afternoon naps are pretty much nonexistent. A sure fire way to get her to take an afternoon snooze though is by taking her out on errands or for just a quick car ride. There's no way she can resist a comfy nap in her car seat!

This video isn't all that entertaining but for those of you who don't get to see her that much may enjoy seeing this more than those of you who do.

Halloween

2008-11-01T18:27:00.003-04:00

Halloween was fun! Audrey was able to play with some friends at the Zeller's house for a couple of hours before bedtime rolled in. There was Sam (Dog) of coarse and then her new friends and Jake (Lion) and Tatym (Flower/Pumpkin). Audrey was a Princess, a costume that her Aunt Heather bought for her months before she was even born! Most people thought she looked more like a ballerina though, which was just fine with her. All the babies deserve a big applause for putting up with us grown ups as we humiliated them with picture after picture ...oh, good times! Audrey however could not keep her eyes open past 6pm so we had to head home early and pass out candy to other little ones in our neighborhood as she slept for the night. I anticipate that next year she'll be able enjoy this holiday just a tad bit more then her first or at least she'll be able to stay up later for it!

Caught on tape!

2008-10-28T11:03:00.003-04:00

Finally!

Audrey's New Discovery

2008-10-26T18:16:00.004-04:00

You might not find this as amusing as Mike and I did however we tought we'd share it anyway. This is Audrey eating her afternoon cereal which hasn't been anything special up until a few days ago when she's realized how to use her tongue! She's much more enthusastic about it now!

Operation: Cry Out Update

2008-10-24T11:03:00.005-04:00

Hi all. Just thought I'd give a little update regarding Audrey's sleeping, or lack thereof. Actually I’m happy to report (knock on wood) that she is doing very well at night. We started the "cry out" method about two weeks ago and surprisingly it went better than we had anticipated it would. If you are a mother (or father) you know how hard it is to hear your child cry and not be able to comfort them however we knew this was something that had to be done in order for her to learn to self soothe. The first night she didn't even cry, just went right to sleep. Of course we were shocked and thought there was no way it was going to be this easy. The next night she proved us right however still not as long as we expected. She cried for 38 minutes before finally falling asleep …we were preparing ourselves for hours of crying! The next night was 16 minutes and from then on it has varied anywhere from 30 seconds to no more than 45 minutes of crying and then she's out for at least 4 - 7 hours before getting up to eat. She usually only gets up once for a feeding however there are times she wakes up at 5am thinking it's time to start our day. For a while I was getting up to feed her and trying to get her to go back down but it wasn't working. That made for really long days! Now I just let her lay there and eventually after talking to herself (she never really cries) for while she puts herself back to sleep until 6 or 7am (Yes, still early but manageable). Now, her naps are a totally different story. If I can get her to take a nap, (that's the challenge) it usually only lasts 30 minutes. On some rare occasions I've gotten an hour or 90 minutes out of her but on average she's just a short catnaper. My hope is that the older she gets the better she'll get at napping ...fingers crossed!
In addition to all that she's also starting to sit up by herself, although for only a few seconds at a time before she tumbles over to her side. She has also rolled over a couple of times however I can't seem to get her to do it on a regular basis ...almost as if she looks at me and says, "No thanks, I'm just fine where I'm at.” She’s also started eating cereal once a day which I think she’s finally starting to enjoy now that she’s really gotten the hang of how a spoon works. She doesn’t really need it though …I think she’s pushing 18lbs however we’ll found out for sure in a couple of weeks when she goes for her 6 month check up. Stay tuned!

Baptisim

2008-10-14T20:26:00.006-04:00

On Sunday Audrey marked her fifth month of life and to celebrate we had her baptised at our family Luthern church. She was in such a great mood, thank the Lord, so she didn't seem to mind when the Pastor repeatedly dumped water on her head. Krista and Randy did us the honor of accepting the role of Godparents and there to help us celebrate were her Great-Aunt Joyce and Great-Uncle Ron (my Godparents), Aunt Sara and Uncle Dave, Great Grandma Weil, Grandma and Grandpa Nelson and of coarse her best friend Sarah.

Now at 5 months Audrey has rolled over (just once though) and has discovered new vocals ranging at all volumes (Heather - remember Sam's possesed voice, now Audrey has it). She laughs (and giggles) all the time now and what I love the most is when she buries her head into my neck when she gets shy with new people. We're still struggling with napping and just tonight we started with the "self-soothing" processes. This is only day one of the process that could take us up to two months to accomplish however it will help us all sleep better in the long run once she is able to put herself to sleep. I'll keep you posted on our progress.

Check out those cheeks!

2008-10-09T18:46:00.004-04:00

We caught it! A smile on camera! These are very rare to come by so we thought we'd share.

Audrey is approaching 5 months this weekend. We're still struggling with consistent napping and bedtime has recently become a battle now too however we're just taking things one day at a time. Perhaps she's teething however we've yet to see any evidence of one, well aside from the constant drooling that is!

4 Months

2008-09-24T19:44:00.005-04:00

September has been a busy month for all of us. In just one month Audrey has experienced her first cold, her first wedding and her very first taste of cereal, not to mention her first photo shoot. Aunt Sara and Uncle Dave tied the knot earlier this month and Audrey got to walk down the isle with her dad (...made me choke up a bit knowing he'll be doing that again some day in the future). Her cousins were in town for the wedding too and I believe her cousin Jackson became very smitten with her. Unfortantely the boys were sick with a mild cold when they arrived so naturally Audrey come down with it as well. It really wasn't that bad though, a couple of stuffy nights then she was back to normal ...strong immune system I guess. Uncle Zach took some really great photos of the three out at his Aunt Kim's Castle (as Jackson calls it). Audrey was Miss Serious as usual although I have to say, within the last few weeks she has lightened up a bit however you'll be lucky to catch it on camera. If you smile at her she'll always smile back and her dad can really work up a giggle session. At her 4 month check up she is now weighing in at 16lbs, 13oz and she's 25in long. The doctor suggested we try some cereal soon so we took the plunge tonight. I think it's safe to say she's not a big fan of rice cereal, but then again who would be. We'll try again and hopefully graduate to better solids soon. Now all we need to work on are naps. She sleeps great at night, usually 11-12 hours getting up once or twice, however she dosen't nap very well. I'm lucky if I can get 15 mins out of her. I'd rather her sleep 8 hours at night and nap more during the day however I've learned that you just can't bargin with a 4 month old. She is who she is and I love her just the same.

Labor Day Weekend

2008-09-03T21:37:00.007-04:00

We took our annual Labor Day camping trip this year, Audrey's first of coarse, and I think I can speak for her when I say she loved it. I was a little concerned on how well she would do away from home for some many days but to my surprise she was great! She has out grown her co-sleeper so we were forced to make up a makeshift bed for her in the RV and it worked out really good. I hate to say it but I think she slept better in the RV these past few days then she ever has at home. She even took naps on a sort-of regular basis! Our adventure began Friday when we headed up to a campground just outside of Frankenmuth, MI. We stayed the weekend there, camping with friends, then on Monday we headed further north to visit with Grandma and Grandpa Nelson. Audrey was an absolute angel during the drive too. She slept every time we put her in her car seat and didn't make a peep until we arrived at our destination. Sapphire Lake is where Audrey made her first dip in the water. I'd like to say she loved that too however she really made no reaction to it either way. These days she's all about sucking on her fists ...signs of a tooth coming?!? Perhaps, however we've yet to discover one. Stay tuned.

Mini Mike?!?!

2008-08-26T14:21:00.002-04:00

3 Months and growing!

2008-08-18T09:06:00.009-04:00

Audrey is offically 3 months now and changing everyday! At her 3 month check up we found that she is now 15lbs and 24in long. Not extremely big or small, just perfect! Her colic is getting much better too, if not completely gone (knock on wood) and she's been napping pretty regularly, at least in the morning, about an hour after she's gotten up. I say it's her way of spending just enough quality time with dad before he heads to work, then she's like, "I'm going back to bed!" Sometimes they're 30 minutes and sometimes they're 3 hours, just depends. She's usually very happy in the early morning, all smiles, but the rest of the day she's a pretty serious baby. Her facial expressions (see photo) sometimes imply that she thinks I'm crazy, but none the less she loves me ...I can tell. She's starting to recognize that Mike and I are her comfort but will occationally take a nap in the arms of a friend, especially if they hold her just right. Aunt Sara saved the day this past weekend while we were camping. Audrey was out of her usual elimate and did not sleep well in the camper. This photo was taken at about 6pm after a long day without one single nap. The poor girl was pooped and pasted out cold on Sara's shoulder. She didn't wake up until 11pm (we rescued Sara though and moved her to her bed) and that was only because I woke her to feed her and go to bed myself. This was only her second camping trip so we're hoping slowly, but surely, she's going to grow to love it as we do. The next trip is planned for Labor Day weekend which will be a 3 night, 4 day trip ...crossing my fingers that goes well. Then we're heading up to Lake City to see Grandma and Grandpa Nelson for a few days before we finally head home at which time her cousins Jackson and Max will be here to play, as the Shea family heads to Michigan for Sara's wedding the following week! Audrey just might sleep for the whole month of October after all this excitement!

2008-08-18T08:57:00.000-04:00

Trainees for twins!

The future Mr. and Mrs. Samuel S. Zeller

2008-08-10T09:02:00.006-04:00

Sam and Audrey ...match made in Heaven, wouldn't you say?

Bachlorette Party

2008-08-08T13:19:00.004-04:00

So last Friday was my first night away from Audrey. I have to admit it really wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be to leave. Don't get me wrong I was so ready to come back after 24 hours away but it was indeed nice to just get away. There were 13 girls that joined us in Put-In-Bay for Sara's Bachlorette party, 3 of which are new moms so we decided to only stay for the one night. We had a really good time starting with a nice dinner on the water, then drinks and dancing followed by beautiful sunshine by the pool the next day.

Mike and Audrey were on there own for the night and they did just fine without me. Audrey was putting up a fuss the week before my departure in regards to taking a bottle from him but we quickly learned that she'll take it with no problems as long as I'm no where to be found. Mike said the night was long (welcome to my world), and went by with very little sleep (...again, welcome to my world) but all was well. I'd like to say that she lit up with excitement when I got home however I'm not really convinced she even knew I was gone. It's okay though, I'd hate to think she'd be misserable without me because there will be many more Daddy/Daugther overnight events still to come!

Funny Business

2008-08-06T18:38:00.003-04:00

...Audrey thinks mom looks funny!

Okay, so she's not quite tall enough yet but she seemed to enjoy it for a brief moment.

11 Weeks

2008-07-27T16:08:00.009-04:00

Audrey had a very busy week and unfortunately a tough one at that. A week ago last Friday we were set to take our second camping trip when she woke up with a fever. After a 6 hour visit to the ER we found that she was fighting a Urinary Tract Infection. Doesn't sound like a big deal, as a matter of fact the ER doctor told us that it's pretty common in young females, however our primary pediatrician wanted to dig more into the fact of why she got the infection. She wanted to test Audrey for vesicoureteral reflux which is when urine from the bladder flows back up into the kidneys, hence causing an infection. I was optimistic the whole time, certain she didn't have it however I was wrong. After a very uncomfortable (and painful for mom and dad to watch) procedure involving a small tube inserted in the bladder and x-rays it was found that she does indeed suffer from this condition. At this time there isn't much we can do for her but keep her on an antibiotic for 1 year and hope that within time, as she grows, the problem will fix itself. The good news is that as long as we can keep her infection free this is not painful to Audrey in any way. As a matter of fact, within 24 hours of having her on the antibiotic her fever broke and she was back to herself again. She has an appointment with a Urologist at the end of August so we'll keep you posted on her progress.
Now on to happier times. Audrey is really starting to focus on people, especially Mike and I. Mike can almost get her to giggle at times. She does however smile a lot more now even though she still has her cranky time in the evening. We're hoping that will miraculously disappear once she turns 3 months ...fingers crossed! I've also recently discovered that she likes her mobile now (plays John Lennon's Imgaine) and she's starting to tolerate the swing more but only if it's on the fastest setting. She likes speed ...must of got that from her dad.

Next weekend I'm going away for the first time for Sara's bachlorette weekend. Dad and Audrey are on there own! I'll blog all about it went when I get back ...or maybe I'll have Mike blog about it. I'm sure they'll do just fine together ...I'll probably have a harder time then they will!

I've posted some photos of the smiles I was able to capture ...they're much more precious when you catch them in real life though.

Booger Update

2008-07-17T11:35:00.004-04:00

I know it's been a while since our last update but we've been pretty busy around here. Last week my sister Heather came in for my sister Sara's wedding shower. This was the first time Audrey got to meet her Aunt Heather and her cousin Max (cousin Jackson didn't make the trip this time). She was very excited to meet them however her "growth spurt" got the best of her and she sleep most the weekend :( hence the lack of photos. The whole Shea family will be in town in September though for the wedding so we'll be sure to get lots of cousin photos then.

Audrey also went to the doctors last week for her 2 month check up ...and those darn shots :( That was heart breaking however I think she handled it like a trooper. She now weights 12lbs 7oz and is 22 inces long. According to the doc that means she's in the 75-90th percentile for weight and the 50th percentile for height. In essences, she'll be short and fat! No, I'm just kidding however she is filling out quite nicely ...and that's just on breastmilk.

Speaking of breastmilk, we're coming to the home stretch for breastfeeding. I always said I'd give it three months and that's just 2 1/2 weeks away. I'm still going back and forth with it but with all the problems I've had I think it would be wise for me to just throw in the towel however there's something in me that is makeing me second guess that. Perhaps it's the cost of formula! I don't know, but whatever it is I can now see why women breastfeed for year and sometimes beyond. It's a bond that's really hard to give up.

In two weeks I'm leaving Audrey and Mike for the weekend. It's Sara's bachlorette weekend and it will be my first time away (not counting my frequent hospital trips in the begining). I'm really apprehensive about it however I know they'll be just fine without me. Maybe that's what hurts the most ...well, I'll blog about it when I get back.

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-07T17:46:00.005-04:00

Audrey's first Fourth of July and she pratical sleep through the whole thing! She was a trooper tough as we woke early to catch the parade (which went right down our street this year) with the Zellers, took a quick stroll through the Clawson Fair with Uncle Randy and then back home for a BBQ in the backyard. I know she'll enjoy more of all this next year but I have to say she made the day easy for us as she just slept on through! She even went right to bed half way through the fireworks ...yes, in her own crib! It just must of been an exhausting day for her!

Happy Camper

2008-06-30T12:51:00.011-04:00

Well all in all I have to say our first camping trip with 'Lil Miss Audrey was a success. Mike and I were a little worried of how she would do away from home but our worry was for nothing ...she's a born camper!
Most of our concern was about the weather since the forecast was calling for 60% chance for thunderstorms however it only rained while we slept. In fact, Saturday was so beautiful that we were able to spend the whole day outside. Along for the adventure were the Maes' and the Partins' (it was Andre's first camping trip too) and then Heather and Sam came up to spend a couple of hours to enjoy the nice summer day as well. Needless to say Saturday night posed a little challenge getting her to sleep after the fun filled day (Andre' had the same problem) however we still feel the weekend was a success. So much so that another planned trip is already in the making.

Hooray! Hooray!

2008-06-25T16:37:00.002-04:00

Last night was Audrey's first full night in her crib. She looked so sweet when I went to get her this morning that I just had to take a picture to commemorate the moment. I will admit, there was a part of me that missed waking up next to her however I'm extremely proud of her!
On another note, I went to the doctors yesterday and found that I weight 4lbs less then I did when I got pregnant. I'm now a huge fan of the breastfeeding ...heck, maybe I'll breastfeed until she's 5 years old ...I'll be fashion model size by then!

Happy 6 Week Birthday

2008-06-23T13:56:00.008-04:00

I can't believe it but Audrey is already 6 weeks old today! She's growing so fast that I swear if I blink she may be walking the next time I look.
She certainly had discovered her lungs at this point. The poor thing has been dealing with some obviously painful gas issues and has no problem letting us know she is uncomfortable. Below is a picture of her in the "football" hold, one of a few positions that make her comfortable. Mike calls her his "baby alligator" because of her posture here ...it's pretty darn cute.

Last week we had are first shopping trip with Christa and Andre. Both the babies were so good. They slept the whole time we shopped and we even got to stop for a quick bite to eat! Andre sits up much better then Audrey so he's lending her a shoulder in this photo.

The sleeping at night is getting much better. She sleeps a majority of the night in her crib now so I'm no longer worried about our current sleeping arrangement anymore. I'm confident that she'll transition to her crib fulltime in just a matter of weeks ...fingers crossed!
This weekend we are taking our first camping trip. Audrey seems to enjoy the fresh air of the outdoors so we're hoping for the best! I'll post pictures next week.

Audrey at 5 weeks

2008-06-17T15:14:00.000-04:00

Audrey had her 1 month doctors appointment last week and came home with a good bill of health. She weighed in at 9lbs 3oz and is now 20 1/4 inches long. She's sleeping really well at night now even though most of that sleeping is done with me instead of in her crib. There is progress being made though. Just last weekend she slept about 3 hours each night in her crib. Now I just need to figure out how to get her to go back down after our night feedings. I'm not worried though, she'll get there eventually or I should say we'll get there eventually ...it's a team effort thing.
I'm feeling much better too since my whole ordeal. My incision has finally healed nicely now and I'm pretty much already back to my pre-pregnancy weight (there still seems to be a visible pregnancy pooch though ...I'll work on that). The breastfeeding is definitely the most challenging of all in my opinion. I was definitely ready to throw in the towel when I experienced my first clogged milk duct. I don't think I've ever experienced anything so painful in my life (...remember I didn't have to go through labor)! I fought through it though and after only a day of suffering we finally got past it and are back on our regular feeding schedule. So my goal is still three months ...God give me strength!

Three weeks already!

2008-06-02T20:36:00.000-04:00

See what happens, have a baby and the bloggin' comes to an end! I've tried to update this blog on numerous occasions but something always seems to intervene ...like a hungry baby or a poopy diaper. There is so much to say I'm not even sure where to begin. Well as I posted in my last blog, Audrey was born on May 12th via c-section. We spent 4 days in the hospital and finally made it home on May 16th. Our first couple of nights on our own were a bit challenging, especially since I was still recovering from the surgery but we made it through, as all new parents do. It wasn't until our fifth day home that we realized something was wrong ...not with baby but with mom. I was having hot flashes and cold sweats which I brushed off as hormones but finally Mike insist we check my temperature which to our surprise was at 103 F ...back to the hospital we go! I was diagnosed with endometritis which is a common infection that may occur after a c-section. The only way to fight it is through IV antibiotics which had to be pumped in me for five days so our Memorial Day weekend was spent in the hospital. It was a disappointment yet we were lucky to have been able to bring Audrey to the hospital with us so I could continue to breastfeed and not have a mental breakdown, which almost did happen when I was forced away from her for just 6 hours in the ER (pregnancy hormones are wacked ...I don't think I stopped crying the entire time I was away from her). We were finally released again from the hospital the Tuesday after Memorial day only to have been sent back to the ER the next day because my incision opened up. You can imagine my reaction to having to go back to the hospital but it turned out that I didn't have to be admitted this time. I just needed a quick patch up in the ER and I was finally back home, this time to stay, with my baby.
Audrey is doing great. She's already past her birth weight and is doing very well with the breastfeeding, especially since she was forced to indulge in a bottle of formula here and there when I wasn't able to feed her during my medical incarceration. She sleeps really good ...during the day! Her night time fits usually start around 9pm and will last until midnight. During this time all she wants to do is feed ...there is no break for me or my boobs! Finally around midnight she'll settle down and sleep from anywhere between 2 to 4 hours until her next feeding. The days surprisingly go by really fast but I think thats because we really haven't found our routine yet. Mike goes back to work tomorrow so I think things are gonna finally find their way to normal around here! So my new job begins and I'm lovin' every minute of it!

A Day In The Life of Audrey...

2008-05-15T15:41:00.010-04:00

It's now day three of Audrey's life and things seem to be progressing well. She is a very healthy, happy baby who LOVES to sleep which we're told is common agenda for the first few days of a newborn's life. I'm sure we have many sleepless times ahead however for now it's a real treat for us when she can manage to keep her eyes open for more then 2 seconds at a time (she's a blue eyed girl for now btw).
The first night was pretty much sleepless, for Mike and I anyway. We got to experience all of Audrey's cooing noises and wimpers and enjoyed every one of them ...I just couldn't take my eyes off of her. Night two we decided it was necessary to take a little nursury break so we could hopefully get more than an hour's night sleep ...we got a total of 3, maybe 4. Last night however was our best yet but only because Audrey wasn't feeding very well. She was really cranky starting around midnight but I did manage to get in a semi good feeding in before she was sent off to the nursury again for a couple of hours. Well a couple of hours turned into more like 6 hours because she had no interest in waking up to nurse. So from 1am to almost 6:00am Mike and I got some good shut eye, well except for the every few hours I'd wake up missing her, trying to decided if I should go back to bed or break into the nursery and steal my daughter back.
Breastfeeding is a challange, for all of us but we are managing and are all very determined to master the task. Mike and I took a class but I'm pretty sure there is nothing that can actually prepare you for the real thing. It's an absolute wonderful bonding experience to have with your child (and husband ...Mike is very much involved in this process too) but at the same time it's probably one of the toughest challanges we have that lies ahead but I am happy to say that every day it's getting better and better. I do believe my milk is coming in too ...ouchy!
Above are some pictures that Mike took of Audrey and I bonding over sleep ...something we both love. Below are a few more random pics from earlier today.

37 weeks and 3 days!

2008-05-13T00:36:00.011-04:00

As you all know, little Audrey was comfortable in her breach position. So as of Friday May 9th our doctor gave us 2 choices, the first was ECV (also known External Cephalic Version) which is a technique used to turn the baby into a head down position. Our second choice was to schedule a c-section one week before her due date. Our original thought was to give the version a try, but as the weekend passed we decided the c section was the best option for both mom and baby. So today we were to call the doctor to setup Audrey's birth date for Saturday, May 17th...but Audrey had other plans. When Sally woke up this morning she wasn't feeling well, mostly nauseated with a headache accompanied with some cramping that had started on Saturday afternoon. So instead of calling the doctor to setup the c section date we set up an appointment instead. The doctor visit was short and sweet, as he checked her cervix and found she was already 2 cm dilated...in other words time to go to the hospital! Now 2 cm isn't much, but for baby Audrey being footling breech it was necessary she be delivered prior to the water breaking ...so off to the hospital we went!

At 3:51 pm Audrey Lea Nelson was born via C-section weighing in at 7lbs 1oz and was 19.5 inches in length. Of course we may be bias, but she is absolutely beautiful with a full head of dark hair (hence all of moms heartburn):)

More to come once we get some rest but just wanted to fill you all in on the most important day of our lives!

36 Weeks

2008-05-05T10:35:00.003-04:00

So I have to print a retraction from my last blog. Turns out that Audrey is not head down as the doctor had first thought. On Friday we did an ultrasound and sure enough she's breech! Not only is she breech though, she's footling breech meaning her little tootsies would be the first thing to pop out should my water break. This causes a vaginal birth to be really dangerous for her because the umbilical cord could also come out with her feet cutting off her oxygen supply. With that said, it's obvious, that if she doesn't turn head down within the next few days (before Friday) we'll be scheduling a c-section. I'm not sure when yet but I would think sooner rather than later due to the potential harm to her should I go into labor. Of coarse this hasn't help ease my anxiety about giving birth. I'm okay with a c-section if that's the safest way to deliver her but now I have a whole new set of fears regarding her birth. Everyone I've talked about this has been so great with trying to turn this negative into a positive ...and we really do appreciate the support ...however until I have my daughter in my arms I really can't help but have my uncertainties. I'm so ready to turn my pregnancy hat in for the mom one!

Next doctors appointment is Friday morning ...stay tuned!

35 Weeks

2008-04-25T14:42:00.003-04:00

Good news ...she's head down! Now that doesn't always mean the baby is close to "D" day but it certainly makes me feel better knowing she has assumed the proper position!
I whined a little to the doctor about my ligament pains and of coarse about the swollen feet but he didn't seem to have much sympathy. I guess it's good thing when my doctor isn't too concerned about the things that are just about ready to drive me over the edge ...another words, no need to worry about them, just suck it up Sally!
I now start seeing the doctor every week until the big day, which would only be 5 more visits if she were to go to her due date (bite my tongue). Everyone is predicting an early arrival though, so I've posted a poll just for kicks.
We finished our child birthing class last night. We both felt it was very educational and should definately help us with the big day as long as we remember what we were taught! We've now signed up for a Baby care and Saftey class so we know what to do with her when we bring her home. I've at least changed a diaper before but Mike's a newbie at all this baby stuff. I told him not to worry and that he'd learn pretty quickly but I guess you can never be too prepared!

Spring has Sprung!

2008-04-22T13:59:00.004-04:00

Can you believe it's April, in Michigan! We've had absolutely beautiful weather here lately, in the 70's, and thank goodness too because the only shoes I can fit into these days are flip flops! The picture is a candid shot Krista took of Mike and I during the first BBQ of the season at the Partins. Good times, as always!
Things have been going good for the most part at the Nelson household. Audrey's room is offically done and waiting her arrival. Mike's getting ready to start some yard work including staining the deck and pulling weeds ...there's no way I'm getting on my hands and knees! Speaking of hands ...mine are swollen, along with my feet, enough to register as a float in the Macy Day Parade! Sara was kind enough to point out how swollen my feet were the other day by comparing them to hers.
Sleeping is getting to be a bear too. I'm snoring so badly that I wake myself up just about every 15 minutes. Then since I'm up I figure I might as well go to the bathroom. I'm getting really good at doing this still half asleep though ...boy I hope one of those cats don't decided to take a nap in the middle of the hallway one night!
Audrey's been very active in the last few weeks. Her favorite time to roll around starts around 9:30pm and sometimes goes until 11pm. Mike loves to see this ...for about 15 minutes and then he rolls over and falls sound asleep. Although it can't be that sound as I roll from side to side, huffing and puffing, trying to get comfortable. That news of an earthquake in Michigan the other day ...I'm pretty sure it was just me rolling over!
Well I've only got 6 weeks left, give or take, so I'm trying to relish every bit of it with very minimal complaining. "Trying" being the key word there!

What?!?! Is that Sally cooking?

2008-04-08T13:06:00.008-04:00

Yes, yes it seems I may be coming a little more domesticated during my late pregnancy. Mike snapped this shot of me, at 32 weeks, cooking dinner (pregnant yes, barefoot no)! I know ...shocking! Don't get all too excited though, it was only an oven pizza, but these last few weeks have proved that the maternal instincts do kick in prior to the birth. For instance, this past weekend I was wide awake by 7am both Saturday and Sunday. Now this may not be a big deal for you morning people but for me it's huge! I hate mornings ...I just assume sleep through it and wake up in time for lunch! I have to admit though, it's kind of nice taking advantage of a full day. You can certainly get alot more done and we did accomplished a lot this weekend starting with some Spring cleaning on Saturday and a little remodeling on Sunday. The Spring cleaning was planned because we had to make room in our tiny house for all of Audreys' gadgets (pack n' play, stroller, swing, etc) that have been sitting in my living room since the shower. The remodeling was something the Partin's inspired us to do after we saw their newly renovated kitchen backsplash and counter tops. Now we didn't go as far as they did, we just added a tin backsplash for some zest ...you may even notice it in the picture.
Let see, what else is there to share...
We started our Birth Education class last week. It's long (3 hours for 4 nights) but I assume well worth it when the time comes. We also made the decision that I will be quiting my full time job to stay home with Audrey. This was a big decision for both of us ...for me because I've had a job ever since I was 13 and for Mike because of the pressures of being the sole financal provider, but again I think the maternal/paternal instincts took over and insist we make the sacrafice.
As for how I'm feeling, I really can't complain. I mean don't get me wrong, my clothes are getting tighter (I refuse to buy more maternity clothes), my shoes don't fit anymore, and I can no longer wear my wedding bands anymore :( but aside from all that, pregnancy's a peach! Although I should share the embarrassing fact that I have recently become a snorer! Mike says it's so bad that I wake myself up ...again, more training for her arrival or perhaps this could just be payback for the 8 years of having to put up with his snoring! Either way, thanks to the snoring or the 6 bathroom trips in a night, I'm getting prepared to rise, at any hour, with a crying baby.

March Showers

2008-03-24T14:16:00.004-04:00

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! to everyone who was able to celebrate at our shower for Audrey this weekend. It was so nice to be able to see everyone, especially the ones that had really nice complements about my new round figure ;) We're also very greatful that Mike's mom was able to fly in from Florida for the weekend as well as my sister Heather and nephews' Jackson and Max who came from Virgina to help celebrate with us. As you can see from the pictures, Jackson was a big help when it came to opening gifts, and boy were we blessed with lots of those. We got just about everything we need to help welcome Audrey in the world, and there is no doubt that she's already loved by each and every one of you. Thanks again to everyone who came (and to those of you who couldn't make it) and to Heather, Sara, Krista, my Mom and Aunt Joyce for throwing us such a wonderful shower!

Our cake, which was designed from Krista's invitation

The proud parents ...and Roo

WOW! Look at all those presents!

Jackson was a big help with opening the gifts

My sisters ...and Roo

A Sneek Peek At The Nursery

2008-03-10T14:06:00.003-04:00

Here's a little sneek peek of the nursery...

Crib and Changing Table

Dresser and Glider

Glider and Ottoman (...thanks Mom and Dad Nelson!)

This is a bookshelf that my dad made me but I'm passing it on to Audrey so she can have something from her Grandpa Ross.

Making room for Audrey!

2008-03-04T10:48:00.004-05:00

...just a few photos for those who don't get to see me that often, and those that do ( ...ahh thats you Krista)! And a quick update from my last blog, I was right my test came back good. No anemia, diabetes or baby fighting anti-bodies ...whoa who!

Prison shot at 27 Weeks, 1 Day

Making closet room for Audrey! There just isn't enough closet space for two women in this house!

27 Weeks ...and 27 Tums a day!

2008-02-28T14:31:00.007-05:00

Is it Spring yet?!? I'm starting to get cabin fever, as I always do this time of year, but I'm even more anixous for Spring then ever so I can also meet this little being inside of me that is causing all this heartburn! If the myth about heartburn and the baby having alot of hair is true then there just might be a monkey in there!
I had a doctors check up earlier in the week and things are progressing nicely. Audrey's heartbeat is at 140bpm, which is the norm, and I've gained a total of 20lbs so far. They tested me for glucose, anemia, and the Rh antibodies(this is because I'm an A- blood type which can create antibodies that could potentially harm the baby ...but the chances are slim). I haven't gotten the results for any of those tests yet but I'm certain all is fine. We also met with our peditrician this week, who happened to be my peditrican as well, oh and not to mention Audrey's new best friend Sam Zeller goes too (found that out as we ran into Heather and Sam in the lobby ...small world,huh?). Aside from a peditrician we also have to meet with a hemotologist next week just in case Audrey inherts my hereditery blood disorder, Sphereocytosis (Wow! I'm just making life difficult for this little one). Our fingers are crossed that she dosen't but at least we'll have our ducks in a row if thats her fate.
The nursery is coming along. We put together her crib and changing table this weekend (...I should say Mike did, I watched). The photos are of Mike hard at work putting them together. I was going to post an end result photo but I'm just not ready to share the room yet ...not until it's 100% finshed. George was wondering what all the ruckus was in his room ...he wasn't too happy about having to give it up but I think once he meets little Audrey he'll understand!

Hi Daddy!

...look at him go!

"What's going on in my room?"

Sunny Days!

2008-02-21T12:50:00.008-05:00

So, as if you couldn't have guessed, our Florida trip was great! The only complaint I have is that it was too short. From the moment we got there the sun was our best friend! You kind of forget what he looks like up in that big blue sky this time of year in Michigan! We had a fun filled weekend of relaxing, swimming and shopping with Mike's parents. It was really good to be able to spend the time with them. Thanks for the hospitality Mom and Dad! The pics above are complements of our new digital camera we splurged on while we were there. Mike orginally said it was my birthday gift which I didn't really understand since he surprised me just three days earlier with what he called a combo "Valentine's Day-Birthday-Birthing" gift ...an Emerald Ring! I was going to post a picture but the photo dosen't do it justice. Take my word though, it's absolutely beautiful!
So now that our last vacation as a two member family is over we're now getting ready for this little one to join us. This weekend we're going to start getting Audrey's room put together. All her furniture came in the mail last week so Dad will be putting the pieces together while mom sits back and dictates the event (someone might want to take Mike out for a drink next week ...he's probably gonna need it). We also have an appointment to tour the hospital on Saturday and then next week we'll meet with the peditrician and hemotologist ...doctors galore! There's still lots to do but things are coming together very nicely. We're just so excited to meet this little girl ...Spring can't come soon enough!

Blog ya later!

Week 24 (6 Months)

2008-02-11T20:28:00.000-05:00

We're finally at the 6 month mark and things are progressing very well. I had my 24th week check up last week but there is very little to report ...except for my weight gain which is anything but little. According to the doctor I've gained 15lbs already which I contribute to the fact that I've discovered a sweet tooth during this pregnancy. I'm not worried though, my doctor says my weight gain is healthy, as is my blood pressure and Audrey's heartbeat. My next check-up is in 3 weeks. At that time I will begin my rotation with all the doctors in the practice and have a bunch of tests run, most of which I can't remember what for but I'll be sure to blog about it when the time comes.
Aside from all that we also (finally!) made a decision on our nursery furniture which should arrive at our door by this coming Wednesday. Over the past couple of weeks we've slowly been getting Audrey's room ready for her arrival but we'll have to wait one more week to set up her furniture because this Friday we leave for sunny Florida to visit Mike's parents. This is a much needed vacation for the both of us so we don't mind putting her room on hold for just one more week. She seems to be cozy where she's at for now anyway.
Well that's all for now. You're probably wondering why I haven't posted a belly shot with this blog but to be honest with you I'm really getting sick of the prison pose ...so I promise to post some of our vacation pictures next week once we return. Plus you'll also get to see Mike's sympathy weight gain too ;)

Aches and Pains of Pregnancy - Week 22

2008-01-24T14:04:00.000-05:00

First, let me say, the following is not a complaint ...just a mere observation, that's all. I'm now halfway through my pregnancy and I'm convinced I'm a text book case. If you've read about it in "What To Expect When You Are Expecting" then I've got it ...or I'm gonna get it. I'll bore you from the beginning, which was our misfortunate miscarriage in May 2007. Very disappointing as I'm sure you can imagine, but we didn't let it get us down. We were on a mission to start a family and just four months later ...yalah! ... 2 more pink lines! So the saga begins again ...starting with, ah yes, morning sickness! That part I pretty much welcomed in the beginning because, well "I'M PREGNANT!", but that was soon followed by "any time of the day" sickness ...not fun, especially since your suppose to eat more yet the site of food makes you want to toss any cookies you may have in ya. This was also accompanied with the usual first trimester fatigue and constant headaches, but I think most women have this not just us text book ones.

Next came the backache. Now, most women get this in the third trimester but mine came in the first. It was just a really achy, strained feeling ...perhaps it was due to all the extra weight I was now carrying in my breasts (...WOW! where'd these come from)! This was soon followed by a mild, yet disgusting metal taste in my mouth. I wasn't sure weather this had anything to do with the pregnancy or not so I pulled out my handy dandy pregnancy guide and sure enough, this taste comes from the prenatal vitamins I religiously take every morning. The vitamins are essential for the baby's health so there's not much I could do but try a different vitamin, but I'm guessing they're all the same. On a plus side though ...my nails have never been so long and strong! I actually have to trim them in order to type on the computer these days.

Let see, what came next ...well, aside from the usual growing belly ...um, butt...and breasts ...next came Sciatica (sounds like a planet in a Sci Film, doesn't it?). For those of you that don't have your own handy dandy pregnancy guide, Sciatica is when the uterus presses on the sciatic nerve causing horrible (gut wrenching) pain in either your lower back or your buttocks ...mine is in the butt, left check to be exact! It's actually kind of comical because I'll be fine one moment and the next I'm frozen in pain, unable to move in any direction until the pain subsides ...seriously frozen! So that's what I'm going through now, and as I've said I'm only halfway so can you imagine what is next to come (...hemorrhoids, 3o more pounds, swollen feet ...etc)?!? I can, thanks to my handy dandy pregnancy guide! I'll be one step ahead of what's next. Oh boy, I can't wait to do this again!

Oh ...Sara just reminded me about the acid reflux (poor thing, aside from Mike she's the one that gets to hear all my yelping) ...I'm enjoying that so much I forgot to mention it! Thank God for flavored Tums! My new favorite candy.

After Thought: Little baby girl ...your momma loves you very, very much no matter what aches and pains lie ahead.

It's a ...

2008-01-10T11:26:00.000-05:00

GIRL! Just as everyone suspected. According to the tech everything looked good and proper for 20 weeks so she's a healthy girl weighing in at 10oz! She was quite active in there as we got to she her move into just about every position possible. I don't think she liked that we were invading her privacy ...as most girls wouldn't.

Mike and I are really excided in getting the nursery together now that we know it's pink vs blue and we've started narrowing down names but we think we'll let her pick it out once she's born. It's not easy naming someone you've never meet before!

19.5 Weeks

2008-01-08T10:03:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I had another doctors check up but aside from my weight gain, which is 10lbs so far and good blood pressure there isn't much to tell. I did get to hear the heart beat again which this time we found with no problems. Apparently there is an old wives tale about the heartbeat being over 140 beats per minute it's a girl and under would be a boy but I was unaware of this at the time so I didn't ask the doctor what the rate was, but it won't mater as of Thursday anyway because we're finally having our 20 week ultrasound! I'll update the blog after we findout! Is it snips, snails & puppy dog tails or sugar, spice & everything nice ...only time will tell. Stay tuned!

2007 ...in the books!

2007-12-31T18:14:00.001-05:00

Here's another bump picture taken Christmas day (17 weeks 4 days).

It's New Years Eve and I've come to realize that this is our last one to spend together without having to line up a babysitter months in advance (...so Mom, whatcha doing um, say a year from tonight?) Of coarse we have no plans tonight, because really, what's there to do when you're 4 1/2 months pregnant and can barely keep your eyes open past 9:30pm?!? It's just a small price to pay for what lies ahead!

About a week ago I felt the baby move for the first time. Of coarse it's never really clear weather it's the baby or, to put it politely, indigestion ...although I have experienced the later before which is why I believe what I felt was in deed my little one doing summersaults as an exercise regimen. I've felt it many times since but unfortunately haven't been able to share it with Mike yet because they just aren't strong enough ...his time will come.

Next week is our 19th week check up and, hopefully soon to follow, our second ultrasound which will tell the progress of the baby's growth and the sex. We'll keep you posted!

Christmas with the Nelson's

2007-12-31T17:45:00.001-05:00

Here are some pics of baby Nelson's cousin's, who we spent a couple of days at the Farm with over the weekend. First picture is Christian, first born and well into his teen years. He's a great big help with the girls who follow as Lia with dad, Mike's brother Pat and the Miss "Pretty In Pink" Kendyl with Mom, Cindy. Their baby cousin can't wait to come out and play with them!

Week 16 -- There's been a pooch sighting!

2007-12-15T19:41:00.000-05:00

I'm not fat, I'm pregnant!!!

With some coaxing from my BFF, Krista, I decided to post my first belly shot. The books say I may start to feel my baby's first flutters -- "butterflies"-- at this point, but nothing yet. I'll keep you posted!

14 Weeks

2007-12-04T13:50:00.000-05:00

Today, finally, Mike and I were able to hear our little one's heartbeat. We had been anxiously awaiting this appointment for weeks and now we can rest assure, there is indeed a little one on the way. Besides that (which is pretty huge) theres not much else to report except that I'm pretty sure it's offical ...I've got a pooch. According to my chart I only gained 3lbs in the first trimester but try telling that to my jeans! Sweat pants have never looked so good these days!

My intension is to post the first belly shot the week of Christmas, so keep an eye out for it. I won't have any updated "doctor" news until the first of the year and at that time we should find out baby's sex too!

Happy Holidays everyone!

Thanksgiving

2007-11-27T16:34:00.000-05:00

For Thanksgiving we traveled to Virginia to see my sister's family and to meet the newest member of our family, Maximillion Randolph Shea. I tell you what, after spending a few days with my nephews I have to say I'm looking forward to this "mommy" thing. They are both such wonderful children that I can only hope it runs in the genes!

I've recently noticed that I have a small little pouch growing but it's certainly not enough to post a photo yet (...for all I know it could be all the beer I consumed over the summer). I would assume by Christmas I should be confident enough to post my first belly shot ...but we'll see. The fatigue has finally let up, I only wish I could say the same for the nausea. It only comes in waves and doesn't last very long, so I really can't complain (...even though I sometimes do).

My next doctor's appointment is December 4th so I'll send another update then.

This Just In: Nelsonator III to Debut, Summer 2008!

2007-11-16T22:08:00.000-05:00

At officially 12 weeks, we are happy to announce....our future addition to our family! Nelsonator III is expected to arrive May 30, 2008.

Aside from some nausea and some killer fatigue, mom is feeling good so far. Our first ultrasound showed a healthy heartbeat, but it's too soon to say whether the bambino in my belly is an "Adam" or "Eve".

Stay tuned for updates....we look forward to sharing our progress with you!