Just Chillin'

That's my girl...smiling and giggling with Grandma Wilburn up in Julian! And here is the next in the series of Photos of Eden Growing Into Her Shoes....here, she is 2 months old. (Wow.)

Remember the last shot?

This is a picture of Eden's first nap in her bassinet. Which may not seem exciting to you, but I was ecstatic because up until this point I could not get her to sleep by herself anywhere unless she fell asleep eating. This time, I put her in the bassinet while she was drowsy, wrapped my arms around her as if I was holding her, and she was asleep within a minute. Yay, hooray!!!

Grandpa Jarrell stopped by for a quick hello.

And her tootsies, just because they are so darn cute.

Hello, Kitty!

A few days ago, I was sitting at the end of the couch, nursing Eden, and Frankie (the cat) was sitting next to my shoulder on the armrest of the couch. I looked down at Eden because she had abruptly stopped nursing, and laughed out loud when I realized she and Frankie were having a stare-down. The first of many contests, I'm sure, between The Kitty Who Used To Rule and The Kiddie Who Has Taken Over.

Guess what?! Auntie Hilary is coming to visit tomorrow, for a week! All the way from Michigan. Yayyyyyy!! I am so happy to see her. And also happy to have a second pair of hands for a week. Nate, bless his heart, has been a little preoccupied with school lately.

So, today is going to be a day at home trying as best I can to clean the house a bit (alas, there are no funds to have Juana come save me this time) while juggling this cute little roly poly bright-eyed baby girl of mine.

Kitty pee, and other news...

Egads!! It's been over a week. Not to worry; I haven't been blogging because we've been busy, which is a very wonderful thing! In the last week we have gone to church, gone to the zoo, held a board meeting, had two blowout poopy diapers, had an OB appt, and done quite a bit of scrapbooking. Whew!

Eden has discovered that the Big Bad Car Seat is really just a little bitty bad car seat, easily overcome by the coolness of all the cool things to look at in the car. This has freed mommy up from the I-can't-stand-to-hear-my-baby-screaming blues, and we've been out and about nearly every day now. Although, on the way home from the office today, I realized we haven't napped together on the couch in awhile. I think an afternoon snuggle is in order today.

Speaking of work, it was wonderful to see everyone today! I do miss the office (I'm not just saying that, everyone) and it will be good to come back. But don't get all excited, I'm not coming back early. I am SO SO SO thankful to be able to stay home with Eden for these first months.

So, I imagine you were quite intrigued by the earlier reference to kitty pee? Ah, yes, that would be Frankie. I guess it's our fault. We accidentally locked her in Eden's room all morning while we were gone. Came home to the fabulous smell of kitty pee in Eden's hamper, and a very smug but happy cat sitting on the glider. Thank goodness the hamper wasn't full. (Baking soda does wonders, if you ever run into the same problem.) But I decided that, while the clothes were worth saving, the hamper wasn't, so into the trash it went. Poor little kitty. I know she is jealous of Eden. Well, just wait until Eden's a little older, Frankie, and then she'll be paying you more attention then you'll know what to do with!

Guess what?!? Auntie Hilary is coming to visit us next Friday! She's coming all the way from Michigan and will be here for almost a week. I am so excited to see her!!!! I've been brushing up on my vocab, Hil, so that I can beat you in Scrabble. Ha. Like my sleepy brain can hold any extra information these days. hee hee.

Hey, Casey, send me those pictures you took today, and I'll post a few!

Happy Tuesday

Thank you, everyone, for your encouraging words!! I am feeling much better; up to the adventure that lies ahead.

We had quite a busy day today, Eden and I. We went to the disability claims office, the bank, the UPS store and Target. I cut the Target trip short. It had been nearly three hours, she was starting to cry, and the store was all torn up for the remodel so I wasn't able to find what I needed very quickly. I considered finding a place to nurse her, but I was tired, too, and just wanted to get home.

Eden has been so, so, so cute lately. Smiles all the time (well, not ALL the time, but, a lot!!!) I caught a little one on this video. She's also just realized that she can converse with us, and our back-and forth cooing completely steals my heart.

Daddy is home all day tomorrow until Mommy has to leave for her board meeting. It will be nice to have him near.

Eden's not the only one adjusting...

Okay, all you other mommies out there - this mommy is in need of a pep talk. None of my nursing or baby books have chapters about mommy developmental stages, but I think I'm going through one, and it's making me sad!

I felt like this about a week after we brought Eden home from the hospital. Overwhelmed, sad, completely in love with my baby but entirely unsure of my own self and surroundings. It didn't take long for me to find my rhythm of nursing and cuddling all day long. And the first month passed beautifully!!

But, now the real world is knocking. It's time for me to buck up and start taking care of the house. We can't eat takeout food forever. And, even though she hates being in the car I have to go out now and then for my own sanity's sake. I gotta figure out some way to juggle things.

I'm at a loss, though. I was such a busy body before Eden came along and now that I've spent a month catering solely to her needs I am skittish about attending to other things. But I miss feeling productive and in control. I'm not so naive as to think that I'm going to live the life the same way I did before. But, let's face it. I am a naturally busy person and there are many children who have wonderful lives despite their naturally busy mothers.

I guess I'm just trying to figure out who this new Molly is. On one hand I'm completely different --new priorities, new schedule, new lifestyle, new everything. On the other hand, I'm still Molly. Who is this new Molly-Mom? How will she handle things? What is important to her? How many car trips can she handle every week with her precious baby screaming bloody murder in the back seat?

So, all you other mommies out there, tell me you went through the same thing and that it gets better and not to worry. I'll figure out my new identity, won't I?

In the meantime, I'm going to go cuddle and nurse my little girl.

Milk Blisters HURT!!!

Now, overall, I've been pretty blessed with an uneventful pregnancy, a smooth delivery, and relatively easy nursing experience.

Until Tuesday, when I woke up with a very, VERY sore boob.

(Not as bad as it could be, I know, but YEESH, it HURTS!!!)

I thought said sore boob was a result of some very enthusiastic head-whipping by my loving daughter during an in-bed nursing session during the night. Poor thing probably wasn't getting enough milk flow. Upon awakening, I discovered a nice white blister on the end of my nipple. Thank God for the Internet, where I soon found some great sites (love kellymom.com!) that told me said white blister was called a "bleb," and that there wasn't much to do besides nurse and moist heat.

So.....has anyone ever nursed on a milk blister? I would say it would be something akin to sucking on a canker sore non-stop for 20 minutes. Or, we could put it this way: anyone who survives any sort of nursing on open sores could easily make through a tattoo.

Well, enough of that. It's much better now, thank you, but even writing about it makes me shudder and ache. bleugh!

Now, onto Eden, the light of my life, the joy in my heart, and the adorable cuteness whom I go through all this nipple pain for...

Isn't she so cute? She is small! She's not in that pink blanket. No, if you look carefully, you can see her forehead poking up over the edge of the swing, which is taller than she is lying down. Love the swing! Today was the first day that she fell asleep on her own without me holding or nursing her. She was drowsy and I was hungry, so I put her in the swing and turned it up as high as it goes. After a few drowsy eyelid flutters she was out! This is exciting for me b/c it gives me a few more minutes of independance every day. I've been putting her down to sleep on her own for the last three days or so, and she's woken up every time until today. Hooray! (And, she slept there for an hour!)

She's tiny, but long, so her 3 month clothes "fit" from head to toe, even though she is nowhere near filling them out. Isn't she cute? Can't wait to get through all those cute sleepers she's got in the closet.

And, last but not least, here is my husband holding our tiny little bundle of cuteness. I love this photo because of his tattoos, his kind smile, and her wonderful little tiny body cuddled up against his chest. She'll soon grow out of the stage where she cuddles up against us with her knees underneath her and her butt in the air. She certainly is a cuddler. She will scooch and wiggle herself into you until her soft little head is nuzzled up against your neck and she's firmly nestled in your arms. Hallelujah! I've got a cuddler in my arms.