Houston

road trip... 5 hour drive - or in our case 7 hours due to a horrific wreck on 45... believe me, I really thought we were in for it after the first 2 hours... Bryn does VERY well in the car... when it's moving :)

finally past the wreck and away we go!

we all stopped to eat a ways down the road - while hubby was inside getting us some grub (Subway located in a gas station - fine dining!) I'm holding Bryn and really... 2 women come up to me in the parking

lot to tell me how beautiful my baby is... the kicker - one of them

wanted to hold her??!!???  really woman - NOT!!!  get us outta here!

finally arrived at our destination - aunt lori's house!! 

saturday was a full day for miss bryn - she had brunch at her first tea room - the whistle stop in downtown tomball...

Yes - that's grandma feeding her so momma could have a hot meal!!  first time feeding her in a restaurant and she did very well - bathrooms not very condusive for diaper changing but like the pro I am - sat down on the toilet with her over my lap and the diaper changing began!  :)  after brunch it was nap time - WAY too hot to keep her out!

later that evening off to grandma and grandpa's house for some BBQ and to introduce bryn to the rest of the Wilson family!

I'm not gonna lie - I was a bit worried due to she's never been around that many people before and I was worried she may freak out - she did GREAT!  she got to meet her cousin Caleb... 

as I was taking the picture I said 'Caleb, get in there'... meaning to get in the picture - not realizing the mind of a 3 year old he looked at his momma and said 'momma, I'm too big to get in there with binley'

we didn't get much time with grandpa due to he spent his time working on the car with dray... the car - what a project that has become but that's for another day!  so we spent out time with grandma, aunts, uncles and cousins...

great time had by all... bryn was a bit overstimulated that evening and was cranky when we finally got back to aunt lori's house - but she was so tired she ate and went right to sleep!!  I did feel bad for exposing her to everything but I'm glad I did cause she got to meet her family!!

sunday brought a special occasion... bryn got to meet her great grandmother!  grandma helen is dray's grandmother on his fathers side - she's the only living grandparent between the both of us so it was pretty exciting to snap a photo -

I tried to get one with both of them smiling but if you know g'ma wilson that's impossible and bryn was just waking up from her car ride so... 

I think the first few words out of her mouth were... 'she looks like dray'... 'when are you going to have another one?  having one is no good - she needs a sibling'... this coming from a woman who had five sons!

all in all it was a great trip and we're glad we went - I was so proud of myself with packing up the truck and not forgetting anything - I'm getting good at this mother thing :)

now rest time to get prepared for Labor Day weekend - we got aunt mandy and  nana and grandpa coming... we like to think they're coming to see us when it's really due to LSU playing at jerry's world!!!  but we'll take seeing aunt mandy anytime we can!!!!!

2 month update

Two months - it goes by so fast!!

It's amazing how much one can change in a matter of a month!  She is quite the giggler!  In fact, the other night she started laughing in her sleep - enough to where it woke both of us up and the next morning we were like 'did you hear her??'  Best sound ever!!


Check up went well - she now weighs 10lbs 4oz and is 21.5" long.  Very happy to know she's gaining weight and is very healthy!  Got our first round of shots... I have to say it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be!  She did really well - screamed for a brief second and then settled down.  Great visit and we're happy to know she's on the right track!


Schedule... still pretty much the same.  As she gets older we are playing the guessing game on how much she eats.  We were doing the 4oz every 2.5 hours - we tried for 5oz every 3 hours but she never drank all of it and then when she did sleep she was waking up way before it was time. So... it's trial and error!  We're trying to get on the every 3 hour schedule not just for her but also for my sanity!!  The sleeping through the night - she may do it every other night.  Our last feeding is between 10-11pm depending on the day we've had and sometimes she goes till 7am and sometimes she wakes (or starts stirring) around 4:30... we put the paci in her mouth to soothe her - sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't... with baby wise they say to eventually eliminate the last "dream feed"... well, I wouldn't call our last feed a dream feed and if eliminated I'm not sure she would sleep to even 4:30... man, this guessing game is hard!!!  My goal is to have her up in her room by the time I go back to work... the way it's going I'm not so sure that'll happen - only cause we'd like her to show a pattern of sleeping through the night for at least a few nights in a row before we make the move.  Keep your fingers crossed!!!


Look at her grow...

She's filling out - chubby cheeks and those chubby thighs... just want to eat her up! Everyone says she looks like me - I see Dray in her every once in a while - we're still guessing on her eye color - right now it's a mixture - a part of me really things they'll be green or hazel... possibly blue... but in reality I'm sure they will turn dark brown just like her momma!
She does great when we go out... loves the outdoors and car rides.  We go to dinner a lot with her and for the most part she sleeps or just looks around - no big crying spells!!


I don't get in a lot of pictures - nor is there a lot of all of us... so, Nana and Grandpa were in last weekend and well - we were able to catch a few snapshots... we plan on getting portraits done later this year... but for now...

as you can see - Brynleigh was the only one dressed for the occasion!!!
We should have more pics next week for this weekend is our first road trip... wow... 5 hours in the car... yep, going to Houston to see family and to introduce Brynleigh.  We are looking forward to seeing everyone - I think I'm more relaxed about the road trip now then I was a month ago... so... wish  us much luck!!!

giggles

doesn't that word just want to make you... well... giggle!

today we heard just that - a giggle.

we're thrilled we were both together to experience it... just got done eating - changed

diaper - propped her up with a pillow and blanket on the bed and we were taking turns

talking to her for her to move her head back and forth...

dray leaned in to give her kisses so I tickled her tummy while saying 'did daddy

give you kisses' and sure enough - out burst a giggle and the biggest smile

you ever saw - we both just looked at each other like 'WOW'

and started giggling ourselves.

it's times like that where being sleep deprived ain't too bad!!

random

don't you just love the internet - you can look up anything and everything and get everyones

opinion - isn't that great

I for one was really never the type to google much - every now and then I may want to find

something - I'm the one who goes to her husband and just asks!!  He's a wealth

of knowledge - news, gossip, computers... and if I ever have a car question I know I can

count on him!!!

then I became pregnant... WOW... internet here I come!

now that she's here I'm even more of an internet user - I mean, isn't everything on there

real... :)  so being a new mother has made me a bit crazy... why is she crying - why is she grunting - 

are these bottles really the best - why is she breaking out - does she have an allergic reaction -

what formula is the best... as you can imagine the list goes on and on...

let's just say I'm driving myself - and my husband - crazy.  

he's such a sweetheart - always telling me what a great job I'm doing - how I'm doing

much better then he thought I would do - BUT (isn't there always a but...) he doesn't like

me driving myself crazy, stressing out and fixating on things that I either  can't fix

or don't know how to.  as he states - this should be a great time and we should 

enjoy every minute - sure there will be bumps in the road - it's parenting!!!
so goodbye internet (ok, not literally!) just no more reading one thing and then
wanting to immediately try it... :)

hubby was trying to give her a mohawk...

I will say I love getting advice from mothers I know - they've been there... the good, the bad...

and whereas not all babies go through the same thing it's great to bounce things

off them - it's human nature to see them with such happy babies/toddlers and want to 

know what they're doing and how they got there!

I hear so many stories from people with 6-12 month olds who still are not
sleeping through the night... or still has problems with continuous crying...
thanks to ALL the advice I've gotten - Bryn sleeps (for the most part) through the night - not
many crying spells and loves to smile and cuddle.

so... here we are... 6 1/2 weeks old... very happy baby 

and I've decided to stop being a worry wart and start putting a smile on my face
and enjoy every waking moment I have.

she's beautiful - my little girl with a smile that can melt your heart - 

I am truly blessed and it's about time I realize it!!!

Nana and Grandpa

my world - six weeks tomorrow.

everyday is dejavu - feed, play, sleep... although, my world is pretty

much without the sleep!  Why?  not sure... not for lack of trying that's for sure!!

Dray went to Chicago on Monday - will be back tonight.  I had to call

in the big guns!  :)  Thank God for Nana and Grandpa.

I will say - remember being hard-headed... well, it seems to 

still be here!  Nana did everything she could to make sure my life was easy -

why can't I let go - at least just a little bit.  I've never been one to be paranoid, 

have to be in control at ALL times, major schedule follower (who would have thought),

second guessing myself - second guessing everyone else, getting frustrated if

things aren't done the way I want them to be... yes, this is me now.

getting better?  a little - at least I think :)

just when I think I've got it down things change - normal?  I'm sure.  do I like?

not so much.  I use to say I love change - change is good - keeps you on your toes

and mixes things up... now... I'm all about routine.  Will this phase end?  yes.  when?  hopefully soon!!  it's hard when I look at that cute little face and want everything to be perfect for her.

I mean really - how cute is this...

I know - right!?!

Everyone says enjoy it now for this phase will pass - WAY too soon...

I think about that everyday... I see her personality, her expressions, her smiles and I wonder what kind of person she's going to be.  the infant stage is definitely a wonderful experience (no matter how much I complain or get stressed - I wouldn't change it for the world) -

my little mini-me.


sleep... one would think a newborn would be sleepy - nope.
Brynleigh likes to take cat naps... a lot of them!
just when you think she's asleep - she's wide awake and wants to be held...

and of course... momma holds her!!!

She's getting bigger - her cheeks are starting to get pudgy, which I love!

the feeding thing - still figuring it out!  We've started 3 bottles a day - half BM and half formula... she's seems to be doing well... although she never seems to be full - don't know where she puts it - is she going to be one of those who can eat anything and never gain???  HA - not with the parent's she has!!

she loves her Nana... and yes, Nana loves her!

I really need to take more pictures... I seem to miss a lot and very rarely get to capture a picture like above... note to self - carry the camera at all times!!

Mommy's Girl...

Yesterday was our one month doctors appointment - of course I had to put her in her

Mommy's girl outfit!

It went well... I was worried about her weight - her last appointment she weighed 6 lbs 11 oz

this time she weighed 7 lbs 11 oz - so she gained a pound but she's not really where she needs to be - her birth weight was 6 lbs 14 oz.

so now comes the decision - to introduce formula or to not introduce formula.

doc said it was up to me - he wasn't too worried... at least not like momma!  

So... bottle here we come.  Two nights ago we gave her a bottle - half formula and half BM -

Dray got to feed her for the first time - LOVED it!!  

She slept for 6 hours after that feeding - she drank 4 oz... wow... she's quite the piggy!  Now I'm hoping to see her put on some weight.  What worries me is she's not getting enough during the day from me... I'm sure all new moms think this and wonder... question is... is stressing about it worth it?!?

oh yea... first shot... at least first shot with me watching... wow, that was painful!  She'll get her first 'set' of shots at her 2 month visit - I've already instructed Dray he will be the one taking her :)

So far so good... motherhood is a blessing but straining!  I'm hoping my hardheadedness and my want to make everything perfect will go away - it doesn't have to be perfect for everyone else - just for me and my family!!!

We're excited to see Nana and Grandpa next week!  Dray will be out of town Monday thru Thursday - I managed to get through one night by myself but I'm not sure my sanity can take 3 nights!!!

I'll be sure to take pictures - I've got to get better at that!!

xoxo

One Month...

Where to begin - half of me is feeling worn down, frustrated, on edge... And the other half of me is feeling so very blessed, joy, happiness, complete. Amazing how one can feel so many different emotions all at once.

One month... So much has happened. We've been through an eye infection ( let me rephrase, still going through...) we've had our share of crying spells (no, not baby - momma!) we've had a major accident... while trying to trim the nails, momma nipped some skin... when the wailing started, momma had a breakdown... I cried more than Brynleigh!!!  That was very painful for me... can't imagine what it's going to be like when she has to have a shot or something... daddy might have to takeover that one!

The schedule... uugghh! 

At first I was paranoid that I would get off schedule - well, it does happen!  I've gotten a lot better now - but we're still trying to find our nitch - I was scared (but happy) that she slept for 5 1/2 hours one night... and then she started waking back up at 2:45am - it's like clock work!!  I think we're going to start a bottle - Dray can feed her a few times a day so they can bond and mommy can have a break!!  Wish us luck on that one!

And here is what makes it all better...

I won't go into what a struggle it was to take this pic... she just wasn't feeling it.  Not to mention we started this process hours before we actually got a shot we could use!  Thanks to Aunt Mandy - she came in for a visit... it was GREAT to spend time with her... wish we had more 'girl time'... but with a newborn it was a little hard!

To know me is to know that I'm hard-headed... no, really... I am :)  I very rarely ask for help and I'm certainly not one to share my feelings... until, of course, I'm about to blow... which can't be good!  Sis was all about helping me - making sure I got some rest and took charge - I hate to admit this but... due to my hard-headedness I didn't let her take care of us like she truly wanted.  My fault - a huge part of it was due to I wanted to spend time with her and how could that be done if I was sleeping???  We rarely get together and when we do I cherish that time and want to 'hang out.'... it was a short visit and we are TRULY hoping to have her back VERY soon!!!  We love Aunt Mandy more than she knows and are truly blessed to have her in our lives!!

I look at this picture - in the hospital - and look at her now... changes, yes... but it does worry me that she seems to be getting skinnier but taller... she is quite the long one!  Dray says she's going to be 6 foot and 120 lbs... we'll have to see about that.. ummm, have you seen her parents??? :)  We go to her first month appt on the 20th... LOTS of questions... hopefully momma will feel better after the visit!!

A shout out to Alicia for the monthly stickers... Mandy already picked out all the bows for the first 6 months of pics... hopefully it will get easier snapping a shot as she gets older :)

Till next time... much love... xoxoxo