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Thanksgiving

There's so much to be thankful for this year, but these two are my favorite blessings.

Shots, and doctor, and lumps! Oh my!

Big day yesterday: the two-month checkup with the pediatrician. Isabella is doing great; hitting all her milestones, and growing like a weed. She got three shots and one vaccine by mouth, but all I ever noticed was slightly flushed cheeks for a bit as well as some sleepy and grumpy moments.

This happy kid is 11 lbs 10 oz and 23.5" long now! That puts her at 75th percentile for weight and 90th percentile for height. We made a TALL blonde girl - how crazy is that!

Only issue of note involves her noggin. She's developed a pretty nice flat spot, so we'll be trying some new sleep positions (on her side), having LOTS more tummy time (her favorite - not!), and enjoying Bumbo accomodations (see below). Aunt Allie went through all this with Elliott too so she is hooking us up with some goodies that will help and lots of reassurance.

We are so thankful for our girl's great health, stunning beauty, and amazing support system. So blessed!

2 Months of Joy!

Our princess is getting so big. We're celebrating being 2 months old by wearing cupcakes today!

Our Well-dressed Daughter

I am really enjoying the new world of 0-3 month outfits. So many cute styles to try! This week, we've been enjoying some of our first gifts from Aunt Allie.

This one is Daddy's new favorite.

Multitasking

I developed a new multitasking skill yesterday: the ability to walk and sing Isabella to sleep in the sling while eating cereal. Oh yea! And yes, some of the words were hummed while chewing.

All this cuteness is definitely worth the learning curve.

Ruffle Butt!

So this outfit is still a bit big on her, but I couldn't wait any longer to have a ruffle-butted baby!

Best.Doll.Ever.

Goldilocks and the Three Outfits

Hmm...what to wear?

Oh no, this one is too big.

And this one is too small.

But this one is JUST right!

Being in between sizes is tough, but I'm sure it won't last long.

Hopefully the bald spot Mom gave me scrubbing at my cradle cap won't last for long either!

Chubba Wubba at One Month Old!

Isabella went to the pediatrician yesterday for a weight check, and, drum roll please....8 lbs, 11.5 oz!  That's a gain of 1.25 pounds in just one week - wahoo!

She still fits in her cute newborn clothes, but she is definitely filling them out now.  And check out those chins!

Also, our princess is apparently not a big fan of sleep accessories.  This is less than 3 minutes after I put her down IN the hat and mittens.

Tummy Time

So now that Isabella is getting all fat and happy, I'm trying to figure out how to entertain an infant during her alert but not sucking down formula moments.

What to do... tummy time!

So far, it is not a favorite. She usually only lasts a minute or two before starting up a fuss.  Watching the mobile on her crib spin is much more entertaining.

Happy Birthday, Baby!

Wow, what an eventful three weeks!

Isabella arrived at 1:21 a.m. on August 23rd, weighing 7 lbs 8 oz at 20.5" long -- and as a blonde!

Can you say love at first sight?

We spent our first week home going back and forth to the doctor and our local hospital's lab getting blood tests for jaundice, which she managed to overcome without intervention.

Then our second week home, she got pretty unhappy.  Like me when I was born, boobs just don't cut it for her.  At her 2-week checkup, she hadn't gotten back to her birth weight and was instead a pound down from our last appointment.  The doctor sent us to Cook Children's Hospital for "failure to thrive", and formula and fluids fixed her right up.  Sadly, not before at least 8 failed attempts to start an IV and getting a nasal gastric tube.  Luckily, she was discharged after three nights at the hospital, gaining a pound, and finally meeting food!

Today is our first full day back home, and she is doing great.  She even slept like an angel last night, only waking up once to eat.  A full belly is wonderful!

Happy Birthday, Angel!

If I Could Save Time in a Bottle

In so many ways, it seems that the time since I took this picture has flown by, and yet I am amazed about how much my perspective has shifted since that day in late December.

For example, I just did a happy dance when my Target.com box arrived containing nursing tanks and disposable nursing pads.  And then I checked my mail only to discover the co-sleeper sheets I ordered have also arrived, which was followed by a full-on ecstasy jig!  I certainly didn't see that coming in December.

And I just talked to Eric at work who is distractedly considering what we hope will be my imminent labor's impact on his mechanic-ing plans in Keller for the evening.  "How soon could I get back home?"

It feels good that we're on the same page, both ready and waiting for Isabella to announce that she is ready to meet the world and all the amazing folks who love her so much already.

For your enjoyment, here is what I hope will be my final belly pic post, taken yesterday. 

The pictures are about to get SO much cuter around here, and I CAN'T WAIT!

Stocked Up & Almost Ready to Go

Isabella and I stayed home today following some mild blood pressure drama yesterday.  I mostly laid low but also got to spend time playing in her room, washing adorable tiny laundry, and getting the nursery as "camera-ready" as possible.

Eric is going to do all the touch-up painting this weekend, including finishing the trim on Isabella's cork board.  Enjoy these photos but please excuse the imperfections.  It's still a work in progress.

From the doorway...

Poop central...

Sleepy time...

My new favorite spot...

I see the Light!

Lightening, that is.  That's right, in the past week this baby girl has dropped!

More good news from the doc yesterday; no Group B strep so no need for IV antibiotics during labor - woo!  Progress continues, and we'll have one final photo shoot next week to make sure our girl isn't outgrowing her preferred exit.

Eric and I have one more class to go next Monday evening before we're as pre-educated as we will be.  So far, we've "mastered" (HA!) childbirth, infant safety/CPR, and child care.  Monday's topic: boobs!  It's amazing how broad an overview is given in all these classes; hopefully some little nugget of gold will stick and make all the difference.

Ooh, and we have our final baby shower this Sunday thanks to the fine women of The Trinity Trust.  How awesome to have such loving friends and family to keep partying it up for our wee one!

Picky about Pediatricians

Met with another pediatrician this afternoon, and this time, I'm pretty sure we have a match.  Of course, I haven't seen her interact with an actual child yet, but she was down to earth, a mom herself, and easy to talk to.  Her office is not even 10 minutes from the house and part of Cook Children's so there will be someone open within the system for us to see if needed 7 days a week.  Yippee!

IsaBelly

Eric and I had a blast last weekend celebrating our girl Isabella with friends and family.  His sister Megan hosted a terrific baby shower for us.

I love our dueling baby bellies!

In addition to baby food tasting, guess the number of candies in the baby bottle, and onesie painting games, our guests enjoyed tasty treats and adorable pink & green decor featuring the most precious centerpieces.

Check out the baby sock roses made by Isabella's Gigi (Eric's mom)!

Our girl also got a bunch of new clothes and other goodies that I'm sure will soon get used daily.  And my Mom organized a scrapbook of advice for us from those who attended and many others.  Eric and I really enjoyed reading through it as we "unwrapped" our bouquet of baby socks!

 

Needless to say, I have some thank you notes to write.  We are so blessed and were made to feel so loved!  I can't wait to share all this affection with our little bundle of joy.

Hello Yellow!

So it's not quite picture-ready yet, but Isabella's room is full of her goodies (many still in the box) and painted the most lovely shade of yellow.  And I am lovin' the progress!

Also, today I got the date that our new flooring will go in - the week of July 27th!  It will be soooooo much fun to take pictures that weekend once her furniture is assembled and her crib is all made up.  I am giddy with anticipation.

And huge.  Let us not forget that I am officially huge.  Pictures on that front to come following Saturday's baby shower.  :)

Dastardly Drawstring

Random, short post today... is it possible to snap the drawstring on pajama pants? I think I'm about to find out it is. Except I'm just too uncomfortable to wait it out. Outgrowing stretchy pants is awkward for the ego.

Also, today marks eight weeks left on the countdown - yippee!

Happy Father's Day!

So Eric was talking last night, and Isabella was kicking up a storm in response. So cool! To celebrate Eric's "first" Father's Day, he is getting a frame for his desk at work with lots of family pics. Here are a few of my favorites...

From Megan's wedding:

From our wedding:

From Sarah's wedding:

Wedding pictures are the best; well, at least until we get all three of us in the shot. We love you, Daddy!

The Big 3-Oh!

Today officially marks 30 weeks of pregnancy. This means only 70 more days (give or take) 'til we meet Isabella! So...I thought it would be fun to mark the occassion with a belly photo. Enjoy!

Also, it's pretty scary to think she's likely only half the size, or less, she'll be when she's born. Where is all the extra baby going to go!?!

Vogue

Isabella had her third photo shoot today, and she looks so cute and human now! Her head is down, great news, and to make the most of her space she is basically bent in half and kicks her feet up by her head.

This is the best shot we could get of her "Vogue" dance since the sonographer couldn't get her face and her feet in focus at the same time. It's kind of hard to tell, but our little lady has her ankles crossed instead of vogue-ing with her hands.

Here's a better shot of her precious face. GrandMom and I got to see her little mouth practicing sucking.

And Dad didn't get to come today, so he likes her profile shots much better. Check out her knee under her chin!

And Isabella is measuring and weighing about a week and half ahead at a healthy 3lbs 8oz!

Isabella v. Fred

I so wish I had a visual to go with this story, but sadly I do not.

So I'm at home this afternoon, and Fred the cat curled up on my lap for a cuddle. I had to shift him around a bit as his weight was making firm contact with the skeleton growing inside. He was happy for awhile as I pet him, but as Isabella started to protest his crowding her space, he kept shooting me funny looks. At one point, he leapt closer to my chin to avoid her and settled back down. But alas, Isabella won the contest, and Fred left my lap to find a more comfy perch for his afternoon constitutional.

And there was much giggling.

Pink is Piling Up

Isabella and I were lucky enough to be celebrated by friends and family a few weeks ago. Aunt Allie and her mom, Melanie, hosted a terrific party complete with a spread of tasty treats (including the tapioca pudding I crave so often), gorgeous flowers we got to take home with us, an adorable cake, and a clothesline of cute outfits. Take a peek at the fun!

And did I mention the amazing loot!?! I am overwhelmed by the generosity of those who love us. Isabella now has furniture thanks to Aunt Laura, a car seat & stroller thanks to GrandMom, a place to douse herself in baby food thanks to Allie and Melanie, precious bedding for her crib thanks to Aunt Sarah, a great start to every girl's dream closet thanks to Lorraine, Grace, Gigi and Grandma and lots of other goodies including her baby book and a microwave sanitizer from her relatives in Oklahoma. Plus the gift of more shopping for Mommy thanks to Aunt Adrienne and the Mom with the coolest diaper bag around thanks to Saffie!

It was great to spend time with our loved ones, including a few who live far away. And the "Name That Poop" candybar game was a riot!

Now Eric and I have to get Isabella's room finished so we can find a home for all of our girl's gorgeous pink goodies!

Happy Mother's Day!

Talk about a new perspective on this holiday... I have so much love today for all the fine female examples that have graced my life. Here are a few that continue to show me how it's done.

Allie, Mom & Aunt Laura

I love you!

Taking Care of Business

This post is a shout out to Isabella's awesome, and newly promoted, daddy. We are so proud of you!

ERIC WILLOUGHBY
Assistant Manager of Invoicing and Shipping

And we are so, so happy that now Mommy is free to find a part-time job instead of a full-time one. Wahoo, our future is bright and shiny thanks to all your hard work!

Plus, Mommy thinks you're super cute and can't wait to see you and Isabella play like you have with your adorable niece Lizzy.

Flutters and such

At this point, I swear I just have an incredibly insensitive uterus. Cuz I'm still not sure I'm really feeling Isabella move. But yesterday and a few times today I have noticed a few more than usual of some gas-like flutters that don't "produce". So hopefully, these will keep up and soon I'll feel regular proof that she not only exists but is doing well in there.

In the meantime, she's really starting to fill me out. As I have joked many times, my old friends the two fat rolls will soon become one. Though I still see some distinction between them, when clothed, I'm not sure others would notice if I didn't insist on pointing it out.

So, as requested by Aunt Sarah, here is a first tummy shot.