A little bit of a rough week- Week 14

I'm not trying to be "Negative Nancy" but our week was a little exhausting!!  Finley and I waited up for Wes to get home from St. Louis on Sunday night because we both had missed him so much.  I wanted to see the expression on Finley's face when she saw Wes.  I know, kind of cheesy but those of you that are parents probably understand.  Also, Finley decided she wanted to eat at about 3am instead of 5am.  Just a little earlier of a start than I intended for a Monday morning! Aunt Sarah called and said that Ella had a stomach virus and I really didn't want to risk Finley getting that on top of the cold that she had already developed over the weekend so I left work a little early to take the second shift so Wes could go to work.

Finley didn't really feel good most of the week.  We had to suck her nose out numerous times and let her sleep in her swing a couple nights so that she could breathe.  I woke up at 1am Thursday morning and thought that I had scratched my eye in my sleep or that I had what felt like a piece of glass in my eye!!  I woke Wes up to have him try to help me figure out what was wrong.  I literally broke into tears because it hurt so bad!!  I decided after more than 8 hours of this same type of pain and little to no sleep that I probably needed to go to the eye doctor.  Being the tightwad that I am, I first called Clancy since she is a daughter of an Optometrist, to get her opinion.  She convinced me that if there was something in my eye they could get it out and if it was scratched they could at least give me drops to make it heal faster.  I took her advice and went to the eye doctor all to find out that I had the pink eye!  Seriously, at 31 years old I had the pink eye?  I was told that I was "highly contagious" and that I needed to wash my hands and wear an eye patch for at least 48 hrs if I was going to be in contact with my newborn or any others.  As this blog is titled and pretty needless to say at this point, "we had a little bit of a rough week"!

Wes had to photograph and as awful and silly as I look, I felt that I should share.

We did end the week by enjoying the Razorback game live in the sky box where Wes and I work at the home games.  It was quite an adventure pumping in a public restroom for the first time!  Grandma Phyllis watched Finley for us during the game and hopefully she wasn't too much trouble for her.  We sure are thankful to Grandma Phyllis for allowing us to get out and go to the game and have a nice ending to a crazy week!  The hogs won but it ended up being too close of a game for playing a team like Troy State.  We are hoping that they look good next week against Alabama!!

On Sunday I could be around Finley without an eye patch!!

Finley loves story time

Lastly, we joined Uncle JJ, Russlyn, and the Basset's for homemade chicken and noodles and Cowboy football at Russlyn's house on Sunday.  Good food and family fun! :)

Russlyn, Finley and Uncle JJ 

COUSIN COMMENTS:

• Sarah texted me about a conversation she had with Grace that I felt was news worthy.  Sarah: "Grace, please stop playing with Finley's swing."  Grace: "but do you think we can turn baby Finley's swing into something else, like maybe kayak?"  We've always said that Grace has a very creative/imaginative mind.  I'm not sure that any of us could have imagined Finley's swing as a kayak.  Love that sweet Grace and her imagination! :)

Weekend in Hope- Week 13

This week was a little easier at work.  I'm getting in the groove of packing my lunch, all of my bottles, pump parts, etc. each night.  I'm feeling more comfortable with pumping at work & doing pretty good at waking up at a fairly consistent time to feed Finley before leaving the house around 6:25 am each morning.  Finley is getting on a more regular schedule with dad & aunt Sarah and that too is making things easier for everyone.  She is also staying up a little longer after I get off of work which I really enjoy!!

On Friday morning Finley had her 3 month pictures taken at James at the Mill.  She did fairly good but just didn't smile much.  She wasn't fussy or anything but more so in a trance from the sound of the waterfall.  Later that morning, Wes & I loaded the car down with toys, a swing, play mat, and more baby necessities than you could ever imagine.  Grandma Phyllis, Finley and I then set out for our weekend adventure to Hope.  Wes had a "weekend daddy hall pass" and went to St. Louis with some friends to catch both a Cardinal's baseball game and a Ram's football game.

The one professional pic in entire shoot where she actually smiled.

Finley slept the entire way to Hope so we made it in record time!  Finley and I stayed with Gram and Pop Pop and we had a great visit!  Gram loved singing to Finley and Pop Pop read Finley lots of books.  We had a little family/friends get together with Lauren, Clancy, Emily, Nikki and all of our kids on Saturday afternoon and an adult only evening that night at Emily's house.  It was so great to see everyone!  We did have to stop in Alma on the way back which was still really good for such a trip in a car with a newborn.  Grandma Phyllis and I are convinced that we could have made it the whole way without stopping if we wouldn't have had to wrestle with getting the car seat base back into my car before leaving Hope!!  Urghh, could they make it any harder?!

Lauren's son, Griffin

Clancy's daughter, Maggie

Nikki's daughter, Avery with Finley

All of the kiddos!

Nikki, Avery and Finley

The girls!! Lauren, Emily, Clancy, Nikki & myself.

Emily, Clancy, & Lauren

IN THE NEWS:

• 10 year anniversary of 9/11- such devastation revisited and I must admit that I was guilty of watching some of the shows aired that recapped all of it.  It is still so fresh in all of our memories and so hard to believe that it has been 10 years. 

COUSIN COMMENTS:

• Grandma Phyllis picked up cousins Grant and Griffin in Magnolia and kept them one night over the weekend during our Hope trip.  Grant was very concerned that we had left some of Finley's toys in the car and he was certain that Finley was missing her toys.
• While sitting in the back seat of the car with Finley after being picked up from kindergarten, Ella was convinced that Finley said momma and told me all about it when I picked her up that evening. 

Back to Work!!- Week 12

My first week back to work was really tough!!  I've heard that this would be the case from so many first time moms but had I no idea quite how hard!! :(  I thought that I was doing really good until I got to work and my co-workers had decorated my desk and brought snacks, a cake and more to welcome me back.  I started crying as I walked in and saw all of this because it reminded me of what a great group of people I work with. I did fairly good the first day back because Wes brought Finley up for lunch but when I got home she was so tired that I fed her and she was only up for about 45 minutes before she fell asleep again.  It just hit me that this was all the time that I was going to have with her each day.  I cried off and on for the next couple of days.  Thank God for the long weekend!  It allowed me to spend a lot of quality time with her and made me cherish every minute that I had with her!!

Hog Fan!

Week 11

This was my last full week being at home with Finley. :(  It was somewhat bittersweet.  I know that she is going to be in great hands between her daddy and Aunt Sarah but I am going to miss this little sweet pea throughout the day.  I am looking forward to being back at work and having a little more adult interaction and a schedule that consists of something other than feeding, changing diapers, playtime, naps- repeat, repeat, repeat!  I've tried to spend as much time as I can reading to her, holding her and just giving her as much lovin as possible.

"Mom, can you please quit with the pictures.  I know you are going to miss me but I'm napping!!"

She has really enjoyed reading books this week.  It is so cute to see her expression as she gets to a page that she really likes or seems to recognize something from the last time we read it.  Her favorites are the pages that have baby's faces, hands, toes, etc.

Wes and Finley had a rough night during her bottle feeding on Monday night.  The next morning Wes came into Finley's room to talk to us while I was feeding her and he took him a morning nap right on the floor.  After Finley ate I laid her on her play mat and she clonked out as well.  Two tired babies. ;)

Tuesday we went to Bentonville to get my hair highlighted and Wes's "fro" cut!!  Beforehand we had lunch with Anna, Tiffany and Kesha from work.  I failed to take any pictures which I was so bummed about because this happened the last time I saw Kesha and Anna, two of my favorite peeps!!  Finley and daddy took yet another trip to the associate store while I was at the salon.  They did come back with a few good finds though!!  When they came back to pick me up from the salon my head was in foil and Finley didn't recognize me.  Wes felt it necessary to take pictures of me!!  Oh, I failed to mention that before we left the house to head to Bentonville.  I was totally dressed and we decided that we'd go ahead and give Finley a bath.  I was holding her naked little bum in my hand, daring I know, when all of the sudden she pooped all over me!!  Down my shirt, blue jeans, and all over the kitchen floor.  Wes stood there and laughed at me.  He said, "I waited until you started laughing".  There really was nothing more to do but laugh, clean it up, get changed and try again ;)  Never did I think I would laugh about being pooped on!  Oh parenthood....

I'd be scared of this too!! 

Daddy with his fro and sweet Finley

Little Miss Finley had her first public melt down on me this week.  I took her to Kohl's for maybe 20 minutes but during the time that she should be napping.  Apparently the hooptie cart that I got there with a bum wheel that bounced her all around wasn't exactly how she wanted to spend her nap time!!  She started whaling and I couldn't get out of the store fast enough.  The pacifier did not pacify this time!!  I started sweating and felt all of the blood go to my face as everyone stared at me like I was an awful parent.  Might as well get use to it huh?!

Friday night we went to Doe's and Finley got a bit startled as we walked past live music down on Dickson.  The street was hopping a bit more now that school is back in session compared to the only other time that we had taken her down there earlier in the summer.  She didn't sleep through dinner as she typically does but didn't make a fuss, just sat in her car seat checking everyone out.  Again, we know this won't always be the case, as she showed me in Kohls, but we are taking advantage of it while we can!!

Saturday we went to the Cochran's for Addison's first birthday party!!  What a cutie pie, we just love that sweet girl.  She and Finley are going to be such good friends.  I can't wait to see them grow up together.  Right now they seem like a world apart in age because Addison is walking and starting to talk and so growny but as they get older the 9 month age gap will seem so minimal.  We had a great time visiting with everyone and loved watching Addison get more excited about the tissue paper and cake than any present she got!! ;)

Addison checking out Finley's feet

Two sweet girls

Addison, the birthday girl!! 

Finley is passed out after birthday party and a bottle from daddy

IN THE NEWS:

• Hurricane Irene- thankfully it didn't hit the NY area quite as hard as predicted but unfortunately there is still devastation from flooding and high wind damage to many areas along the east coast.
• Coach Pat Summit was diagnosed with Dementia