Fun time with Mia

Mia is so much fun! Yesterday when we were catering the YMCA board meeting lunch, we played in the hotel lobby for about an hour. She had some solid play time that she was all smiles and coos. She's interacting more and more, and it's so much fun! Right now she's wiggling all around, talking to me, and watching the fan above the bed. I mentioned in my last post that she didn't like baths, but a few days ago she proved me wrong and we managed to have no cries all through bath time! I think she likes having the tub filled up more so she is more immersed in the water. We're getting ready for bath time now as we have a fun filled day ahead of us. First on the list is a work-out for mommy at the Y, lunch with the Pi Phi Alum Club, and then a meeting at Harding School. Daddy will have to wait on supper, because we will be busy, busy!

New Day

Amelia is a full-time job. Luckily, she's my full-time job and I can devote all of my time and energy to her. She is growing and changing so much, and I can't believe she's been home almost 3 weeks. She has certainly developed her social smile and is especially smiley after she wakes up from a good nap or has a full belly. Sometimes when she's smiling I get overwhelmed with what she is. Joe and I created her and she's here with us...it's so odd to think about! She is a good mix of both us. Most people say she looks like Joe, but I see myself in her too. Joe thinks she looks like him when she is still and calm, and like me when she's showing emotion. She certainly is a passionate little girl, and yes, she definitely gets that from me.

Today we'll go to Galesburg to see my midwife Amy for my 6 week check-up. I need to give Amelia bath today, which I dread somewhat because she absolutely hates her baths. Hopefully that is not an indication of how she will feel in the water. Which reminds me that we bought her her first swim suit yesterday! It's a stylish yellow swim shirt with a daisy and striped boy shorts suit from Target. Hopefully come spring we will get her in the Y pool. I should also mention that Joe got her to roll over yesterday, which he bragged about. I think it helped that she was already on an incline, but I won't steal his thunder.

So far, so good

Today we have our 2 week follow up with our surgeon, so we are making the trek to Peoria. Can't believe it's already been 2 weeks since we were released. The 4 weeks in the hospital went by so slowly, but the first 2 weeks at home have flown by. I do my best to enjoy my time home and appreciate her at this stage of life. We cuddle and take naps together, and make little trips here and there. She has definitely developed her social smile and is very smiley, especially when she wakes up from long naps in the afternoon. We love having her home, even if she keeps us up in the middle of the night. For the most part though, she's a good sleeper and she usually wakes up 2 to 3 times in the night. Sometimes she goes back to sleep easily in her bed, and sometimes we have to let her fall asleep with us or stick her in the swing. Either way, Joe doesn't miss out on any sleep (he rarely wakes up when she cries), and the sleep that I miss I can make up in the day. Life is good, God is good, and Mia is great!

2nd Weekend Home

We have had a fun weekend so far with Aunt Becky. On Friday, we went to see Great Grandma Auliff in DeWitt, and had a fantastic time. I think that Grandma enjoyed seeing her and how much she had changed; the last time she saw her, it was hours after her surgery and she looks so much better now! We then went to see Great Aunt Carole, and then had our first trip to the mall. The roads were awful on our way home though, and I definitely am so much more nervous and careful on the road now that I have my own child. Joe and I enjoyed a date to the Barnstormer Friday night as Aunt Becky babysat Mia, but I think she got more than she signed up for as Mia projectile spit up twice all over her. Ha! She did sleep great through the night that night though, only waking up once I believe! Saturday was a relaxing, lazy day and when the home health nurse came Amelia weighed in at 10 pounds! I think they will soon take her off her high calorie milk, because she is gaining very well. We have had some more spit up issues the past couple of days though, so we're trying to cut her intake down, but just feed more frequently.

Last night Joe took Amelia to her first ever Father Daughter Dance. She was so cute! We got our pictures taken by Buff, and I can't wait to see the results. Of course she wasn't looking at the camera or smiling, but that's okay! She got to enjoy a few dances with daddy, and we had a fun time. Today is her first ever Super Bowl Party, so she will be decked out in her football gear. She has her own Fighting Scots Football sweatshirt that has daddy's name & football number on the back. We are rooting for the Colts, because we think Payton Manning is just so hilarious! Should be a fun night with lots of food and fun at the Turnquist's!

Good night sleep!

What a night! Amelia had a fantastic night, only waking up 2 times to feed. We put her to bed at 10:30 pm, and she woke up at 1:30 and 4:30 am to feed, and then went to sleep well afterwards. It was nice to actually feel rested in the morning, and to have her sleep so well (and on her back!). So, I won't have have to disobey the doctor and put her on her belly to get her to sleep. I just placed a folded blanket in her sleeping wedge to make it extra cozy and she seemed to settle in fine. Joe slept downstairs with me after spending a few nights upstairs in the guest bed so he was prepared for school...but actually, I don't think it would have even mattered, he didn't wake up once!

Amelia weighed 9 pounds, 13 ounces this morning when the home health nurse came. She continues to gain and we hope we can take her off of the high calorie breastmilk and start to breast feed exclusively. It's a pain the have to mix formula into breast milk, pump, and feed her all at the same time. Aunt Becky arrives any minute, and we are excited for her to see Amelia for the first time. She already received her "Bengals" sweatshirt in the mail. Not sure we can wear it too proudly as Mia will always be a Monmouth Scot at heart. ;)

First few days

The last few days have been great having Amelia home. She is doing everything a normal baby does...eating, sleeping, crying, cuddling, and pooping! We no longer have to pray for poop, she certainly has that down! She is getting more accustomed to this new environment, and being with us 24/7. We have been enjoying our days together, and she's been taking great naps in her swing or her pack-n-play, but when it's night time, she doesn't like to go to sleep as much. She got so used to being on her belly at the hospital, that she cries the second you put her on her back to go to sleep. Not sure how we'll get over this! I hate to hear her cry, so I usually end up picking her up and she falls asleep on my chest. She's spoiled rotten already! Mac seems to like her; he tries to lick her hands and face, and he seems more protective of the house even more now that she's home. Tomorrow Aunt Becky is coming to visit, so we are very excited about that! She hasn't seen Amelia yet, so we are excited to show her off.