Catching Up

Visit from Gran Gran, Lollie and Aunt Jessica

We recently (2-3 weeks ago...I'm way behind on posts!) had a visit from Gran Gran, Lollie, and Aunt Jess. This was Gran Gran's (Reese's great grandmother) first time meeting Reese. I'm so glad that we were able to capture some really great moments. They all loved to take Reese into her room and rock her in her rocking chair. I have a CD that I play (thanks to Taylor for sharing) in Reese's room that is so calming. It almost feels like you're in a spa. They loved to rock Reese in her rocking chair and fall asleep to the music.

Gran Gran

Lollie

Aunt Jessica

I think they're in love!

It was SO nice having family here that could help me with Reese. I'm not real into sharing her with just anybody, but I know that Reese is in perfect hands when she's with her Gran Gran, Lollie and Jess. More pictures...

Justin was MIA during the time that they were here (thanks Law School!), but we did manage to get a picture with him and Reese and her brand new mobile. She LOVES looking at the little lambs above her crib. Sometimes she even dances to the music...it plays "Mary had a little lamb."

A few random snapshots...

While Reese was sleeping, I took the opportunity to practice using my new camera. I took about 200 pictures (seriously), but I'll just post a few.

Reese is 8 weeks!

I can't believe that Reese is 8 weeks (yesterday)! She is starting to have so much personality. She smiles and tries to laugh. This is such a fun time! She's not just eating, sleeping, and pooping all the time...she's alert and interested in things. I've started giving her toys (rattles) to see if she can focus on them and track them as I move them. She does a great job. She will be 2 months old next week. I can't believe how fast time goes by. Today she has a doctor's appointment and will be getting an ultrasound. Because she was breached, they have to do an ultrasound to make sure that her hips are not dislocated. Hopefully she will do well and we will get only good news.

I need to upload more recent pictures to the computer. Once I do that, I'll post more pics...

4 weeks old!

Yesterday, Reese was exactly one month old! I can't believe how time flies! Before I know it, we'll be celebrating her first birthday!

She is still growing so fast! I LOVE every minute of it! She is a lot more alert during her awake times and she is starting to be interested in more things. She is finally on a good schedule where she goes to sleep around 11 and wakes up around 6! I have the best baby ever! I know everyone says that you don't want them to grow too fast, but I can't wait for the next stages when she will start smiling and laughing in response to things. It's so fun to watch her grow!

Since Reese is now at the 4 week mark, we are finally allowed to take her outside. I have been so excited to take her on a walk (mostly to help with my own sanity...I've had just a little bit of cabin fever!) and have not been able to until she turned 4 weeks old. So, this past Thursday I got her all ready for her stroller, put her in it and took her out. She cried the entire time! I was so sad. I wanted her to like her walks as much as I do...maybe it will come with time. I do have a Baby Bjorn and I'm trying to get her more used to that. Hopefully, she will like going on walks in that instead of her stroller, especially since it's getting colder outside. We still aren't taking Reese out in public (restaurants, malls, etc) until she is 6 weeks old. So that will be our next big milestone to reach. That will give me a lot more freedom once I can get out and take her with me...but I think it's going to be a lot harder than I can even imagine. I might just prefer staying home! :)

Another thing that has been new (and a learning experience for me) is dealing with her fingernails. I am so scared I'm going to hurt her when I try to cut/tear/file her nails...so I don't do it very often. However, she ends up scratching herself because her nails get too long. So, finally we tried to file them...

Can you believe how little her hands are?! I had to do it while she was asleep...otherwise she just moves around too much.

I also wanted to post a few of my maternity pictures. I had a maternity photo session done. The day that we went to have the pictures taken I really didn't want to go. I didn't know what to wear and I really didn't think that I would want to remember the way I looked at 37 weeks pregnant. But off we went (plus, it was only $25 more to do the maternity pictures since we were already going to get newborn baby pictures with the same photographer...so I figured, why not). After the fact, I am SO glad that we had maternity pictures taken. Our photographer was excellent and it's something I can remember for years to come. I would definitely recommend it!

This letter "R" is in her room and I love that we were able to incorporate it into the pictures.

My sweet husband!

Happy Monday!

3 weeks old!

(The picture above was taken when Reese was "watching" football with her dad and "frustrated" at the way the team was playing!)

Reese turned 3 weeks old yesterday! I am so proud of my little girl who is growing so fast. Did I mention yet that we went back to the pediatrician on November 1st (Monday) and she had gained all of her birth weight back and more?! She weighed 7lbs. 13 oz.! She is starting to get chubby cheeks and chubby thighs...and I LOVE it!! She is also outgrowing her newborn size clothes. I can't believe that the clothes that used to fall off of her are now getting to be too tight. However, the problem is that she also doesn't really fit into her "0-3 months" clothes. Why is it that those clothes are better suited for 3 month olds and there is no in between?

I can finally say that I am loving being a mom. I say that because last week at this time, I don't know if those words could sincerely come out of my mouth. Seriously. I had NO idea how many changes would happen to me all at once and in the midst of that I was also trying to recover from a c-section. If you know me at all, you know that I am a very organized and "plan-ahead" type of person. I was NOT prepared for motherhood...even though I thought I was. I had no idea how little sleep I would get or how often I would have to feed. Feedings were easily taking one hour each and I was feeding every three hours. That meant that I only had 2 hours to rest, sleep, clean, or breathe, in between feedings. I also don't do well on little sleep, so I was extremely sleep-deprived and trying to balance life as a new mom. I think I am finally seeing a light at the end of this crazy tunnel. Why is it that no one prepares you for how hard the first 3-6 weeks are? I guess even if you had told me that they would be hard, I would have thought that I had it figured out and it would be different for me. Now I know.

So, needless to say, things have been a little crazy around here. But I think things are getting better. :) Reese is finally starting to get on a schedule of sleeping and eating. I'm starting to get my feet back under me and beginning to get a rhythm to this whole thing. Any other advice that moms may want to give me along the way is greatly appreciated!

Happy 3 weeks to my precious baby girl!

7lbs. and almost 3oz.

Reese's First Visit to the Pediatrician

When Reese was born, she weighed in at 7lbs, 10oz. and by the time that we left the hospital to head home she had lost about 10% of her body weight; she was down to 6lbs, 13oz. The doctor said that this is normal, but didn't want her to continue losing weight, so he recommended that we supplement with formula. So, for the past two days I have been nursing and then offering her formula. Today we went to the doctor to weigh in and hopefully hear good news that Reese is gaining weight. She weighed 7lbs and almost 3 oz.! We were so excited! It's funny to me what things I get excited about now that I'm a new mom. Wet and poopy diapers are now one of the most exciting things, because it tells me that she's getting what she needs.

Reese was very good at the doctor. She didn't even cry while Dr. Harris was examining her. There is a mirror right next to the exam table and Reese was fascinated with looking at herself. She is just all smiles.

Funny side story from today...

As we were dressing Reese and getting her in her car seat, it wasn't 2 seconds before I had her buckled in that she pooped all over herself. I have babysat kids before (even infants), but I've never had my own. It must have just escaped my mind that infants are constantly going to the bathroom and needing changing, because this I was not prepared for today! I rushed to get her out of her car seat and clean her up and then she started to pee all over the exam table. I had to laugh because this was our first time out of the house (and of course I dressed her in her cutest outfit) and now I am caught with a dirty child, dirty diapers, and no change of clothes in my diaper bag! Thank goodness that I was more concerned with filling Justin's "Diaper Dude" diaper bag than my own or we would have been up a creek! Justin had a change of clothes, diapers, wipes, blankets, etc. ready to go and I had none of this in my diaper bag. This has taught me a valuable lesson about being prepared for anything. Overall, Reese had a wonderful first doctor's appointment and is gaining weight like she should.

It's just crazy to me how many things change once you become a new mom or dad. You don't even think about a lot of things, until you are caught without something you need or faced with a new challenge. Thankfully there's a lot of room for trial and error...and I have a lot of amazing friends who are ready to help in any way that they can. Most of all, I love being a new mom and can't wait to see what new challenges and adventures lie ahead.

Reese Parker Lowery

Reese's Birthday Celebration

Reese Parker Lowery is finally here! I couldn't be more excited! I had a c-section at Piedmont Hospital early on October 14th. Reese weighed 7lbs, 10 ounces and was 20.5 inches long. She is beautiful, healthy and a complete gift from God.

We are completely in love with her. She already has so much personality. She is very affectionate and loves to snuggle up right under your chin. She smiles a lot and seems to recognize our voices when we talk to her. She is very alert and already very strong. She can almost hold her head up on her own. She is the most perfect gift that God could have ever blessed us with. We are so thankful for her.

Birthday Fun

I've had a birthday since I haven't been in "blog world." My parents took me and Justin to The Fox Theater to see "Jersey Boys." Jersey Boys is about the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. You might remember some of their songs: Ragdoll, O What a Night, Big Girls Don't Cry and Sherry. It was a lot of fun and we were on the third row! Then we went to Dogwood Restaurant to enjoy a fancy southern dinner. Here are some pictures...

At my parents before the play

The Fox Theater in Atlanta

We didn't get to take a picture before the show, so we drove back around the front after the show, jumped out and took a quick picture...and this is what we got!

Dinner at Dogwood Restaurant. This was the best "fancy" southern dinner. They have a grits bar (which you will see soon), fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, and collard greens. It was delicious!

This was the "grits bar." From the left: grits with pimento cheese and ham, grits with "frogmore" (shrimp gumbo), and grits with braised short ribs. yum!! It makes me want some right now! I will definitely go back.

My birthday dessert! It was perfect!! This is Chocolate Lava Cake. It couldn't get better than this!

The whole crew outside Dogwood Restaurant. Me, Justin, my mom, and dad. Thanks Justin, mom and dad for a wonderful birthday! It was very special and something I won't forget. This will be the last birthday that I actually count...so it was a good one to end on!