4 Months

Brynn is 4 months old today! How did that happen? She is so fun to be around... so smiley and interacts with me :)

Well last weekend was busy. We had my high school reunion, which was a lot of fun. A suprise birthday party for my mom, and Mother's Day. Last year Mother's Day was not as wonderful as this year's. Last Mother's Day I was a mother with no child to hold/ kiss. My baby was in heaven... and I had found out I had another baby in my belly. Like I posted last year right after I announced I was pregnant again, I was scared to death... so needless to say Mother's Day last year was not so great.

This Mother's Day was wonderful! We went to Dan's aunts for brunch. All of the grandkids were in town for Mother's Day which made Dan's grandma very happy. It was a big deal because Dan's cousin Alex had to fly in from Boston and his cousin Tague had to fly in from Utah. It had been a very long time since all of them (there are 6 of them) had been together. We then went to my Grandma's in the afternoon. Brynn got me a painting that I have wanted for the last 3 years! It was a painting that we first saw when we went to Duluth. Each year when we went up there, I would go look at it, and think about buying it, but didn't. This last year I said if it was there, I would buy it to hang in Brynn's room. Well, it wasn't. So, Dan suprised me with it! He had to order it and it hasn't come yet... but can't wait until it gets here.

Picture of the Painting

Me and Brynn on Mother's Day

The Whole Gang (Nelson Family- Dan's Mom's Side) on Mother's Day

Then there is Maia... oh Maia. There was one night about 2 months ago that Dan and I woke up to Maia at the side of the bed. Her whole body was randomnly jerking/ twitching. It would jerk and she would be fine and 30 seconds later it would happen again. We were so freaked out Dan took her to the animal hospital at 3:00 am. By time he got there she had stopped. The vet thought it could be the start of epilepsy and keep an eye on it. He wasn't too concerned. Well, on Sunday night, we woke up at 1 am to her again doing this jerking thing. Well, as many of you know, I have anxiety. Waking up at 1 am to this is not a great way to wake up. She is conscious while she does it. I get all worked up, freaked out. They are not "normal" sezures. From the research I have found it sounds like they could be Myoclonis Seizures. What Maia does sounds pretty similar to the description of them. I have no idea what has caused them... I am thinking we need to bring her into the vet again. I want to know what is wrong, so I can not just let my imagination run wild. She acts like her normal self otherwise! And while the jerking happens, she just acts super lovey and wants to cuddle. So-- each day this week I have felt better, but still anxious feeling about it.

Brynn ALMOST rolled over this morning. She is closer to rolling from her back to tummy I think than her tummy to back. She has her 4 month appointment tomorrow-- 3 shots :( I am not looking forward to that, but am excited to see how much she has grown.

We have another busy weekend. I have a wedding shower, Dan's graduation dinner, and Brynn's baptism. We also have to prepare for that so we will be busy! Pictures to come next week :)

Overwhelming feeling....

.... of being in love. Seriously. I just had to post this morning because I am sitting on my couch, watching my DVRd Bethenny Ever After, and Brynn is sitting in her swing playing with her Mr. Elephant. Sometimes I just look at her and get this overwhelmed feeling... it is hard to explain. It seriously feels almost as though I love her more and more everyday, if that is even possible. I just look at her and smile. How can you not?

Last night, we got home from my parents house a little after 9. Brynn fell asleep in the car, and I put her in her crib for the night when we got home. (She slept til 7am this morning by the way!) Anyway... I am exhausted by that time at night. However, I just can't go to bed at night after she goes down. I always stay up for an hour and a half- two hours just to have some "me" time. Dan probably doesn't understand it... but all day long, I feel as though I am taking care of her, playing with her, or cleaning. Sometimes when she is napping, I get a little bit of time, but I am always waiting for her to wake up. So, even though I am so tired, I put off sleeping for a while just to whind down.

I had to get up and put her down in the middle of writing this entry. I feel like I am really getting to know her cues and know what she needs. FINALLY after almost 4 months :) Her naps are never that long though... but usually she naps, eats, plays. She is usually only awake about 1.5-2 hours, then needs to go down for a nap again.

I just went up to check on her, I had to pull her lovey away from her face- she buries her face into soft things to self soothe herself, which I am glad she can do. Anyway, as I walked out of her room, I just broke down. I thought to myself, this is what I have been waiting for. I have my healthy baby girl sleeping in her crib. I have met her needs, and she is sleeping. I truly had been waiting for this moment since Sept. of 2009.. when we found out we were pregnant with Elizabeth.

Well... funny how this blog ended in a direction I had no idea it would. I guess that is what happens when I have to stop writing to take care of Brynn about 3 times in the course of this entry :) I started writing about a half hour ago! Haha. So worth it though.

PS. I love Bethenny Frankel.

Giggles!

As many of my facebook friends saw, I made Brynn giggle for the first time last night! Dan had made her giggle on Friday, so that was when I heard it for the first time. I was ddetermined to make her giggle myself! :) I was holding her in the air and moving her up and down above my head... and all of a sudden she let out a BIG giggle! So, of course, I kept doing it trying to make her do it again. We got it recorded on video... so guess what I will be doing all day today :) haha no. I have other things to do too... but I am sure I will fit it in!

Friday night Dan gave Brynn a bath. He had given her one with me, but I wanted him to feel comfortable doing it by himself... so I was there to guide him :) but he did just fine. Saturday we went to a craft sale out at the fairgrounds. Saturday night, I was Dan's dd while he went to St. Paul for a bachelor party. Yesterday, Brynn and I went to Shannon's wedding shower. It was so nice!

Me and Shan at her shower

Brynn really loves her Baby Einstein Jumper. She will play in it for at least a half hour at a time. I love watching her in it because it just amazes me how much she is growing and changing! She reaches for toys, grabs them, spins them... she wasn't doing much of that a month ago! I can't believe she is 9 days from being 4 months old. Yikes. This also means she will need more shots :( I hate having to see her get shots.

Oh.. and I almost forgot! Brynn has been sleeping in her crib at night since Thursday! That is 4 nights, and the transistion has been just fine for her... and I have done pretty well, too. Still sleeping through the night! I also have been putting her down for naps in her crib during the day.

This week we don't have anything planned during the week which is nice. The weather is also supposed to be "normal", whatever that means, the rest of the week. All I know this weather has been pathetic. Next weekend we have a lot going on... my 10 year class reunion and my first Mother's Day with Brynnie! It was that weekend one year ago we found out we were pregnant! :o)

I Love Thursday's

On Thursday's... Brynn and I have our ECFE class. I look forward to it all week! It isn't like I don't get out besides it... but for some reason I just enjoy it! The other moms that go are great, and it is a good place to go to get others advice/ perspective on things. One of the other moms lives right in my delvelopment and her baby is about 3 weeks older than Brynn. Hopefully we can get together this summer and let the girls play!

I have been shedding like crazy! It started almost exactly 3 months post-partum. It is so gross. I hope it ends soon... my bathroom sink drain has was clogged due to it, and I am sure it is only a matter of time until I have to clean out the shower drain.

Today I was upstairs in Brynn's room putting together her Jenny Jumper that Shannon got her. Brynn was just laying there kicking her legs, and the dogs were laying right by us. All of a sudden I hear Maia chewing on something... and it was one of Brynn's long sleeve onsies!! I was SO MAD! She chewed a hole right through it. I probably should start making them stay out of her room. They have been so good about leaving her toys alone. Before today, the only other thing Maia has eaten 2 burp clothes. So, they have been better with her stuff than I thought.

Last night when I got into bed, I leaned over to give Dan a kiss goodnight, and there was a little pink sock on his shoulder. Haha. I found it to be so funny! He didn't even realize it was there. It was probably from earlier in the day when I had Brynn in the bed. Here is this manly man with a little pink sock on his shoulder. I thought boy, has times changed.

I sometimes am so overwhelmed with this feeling of love when I look at Brynn. It really is amazing when I look at her to think that Dan and I made her. As we are approaching June again, I still have been thinking a lot of Elizabeth and how she would be almost a year. I am really glad we have pictures of her, because lately, I have found myself wanting to look at them.

Tomorrow night we are going to dinner with Dan's dad, Nick, and his girlfriend. Mexican... yum! We have a wedding shower this weekend for Shannon and Dan has a bachelor party. It should be a good weekend.

Brynn's First Easter

Hope everyone had a good easter and was able to enjoy friends and family! We spent the day at my parents house. It was pretty low key, but that was fine. It is different with a baby, that is for sure. My day was pretty much spent trying to entertain her/ getting her to sleep/ feeding her. I feel like when we go places like that she gets a bit off. She doesn't sleep as well and almost seems like she gets over stimulated. We had a lot of food and it tasted so good! Brynn also got 2 Easter baskets from her Great-Granparents! My mom made her a blanket. Here is our little family on Easter :)


Here is Brynn and her Easter basket from the Easter Bunny!


Here is Brynnie and me!


Saturday night I got together with my closest friends from high school. We had a blast! Sometimes when we get together it feels like we are 18 still... taking silly pictures and whatnot. However, our conversations are defnitly different. Mostly about pregnancy, kids, and current events! Sounds kind of dull when I read it, but we have so much fun. We laughed so hard, I hadn't laughed as hard as I did that night in a really long time! Sara made a delicious dinner- enchiladas and shredded chicken tacos. We also celebrated Amy's baby that will be born soon! I have many conversations with my mom and sister (Faith) about how fortunate I am with my group of girl friends from high school. I have been friends with Amy and Sara since kindergarten, Katie since 7th grade, and Kelsey since 10th. All of us had our ups and downs, went to different colleges, but have managed to keep in touch. I feel so blessed to have this group of ladies in my life!

My weekends in May are already so booked up... we have Mother's Day, my 10 year class reunion, dinner for Dan to celebrate his graduation, Brynn's baptism, wedding shower for Shannon, wedding shower for my friend Rachel, Shannon's bachelorette party, and Memorial Day weekend! Whew. Before I know it -- June will be here. I guess the good thing about that is hopefully we will be having June weather! I have all these cute outfits for Brynn that I want to put her in... and the weather is not cooperating! :o)

I have been putting Brynn in her crib for her naps during the day. Preparing myself for her moving into there at night at 4 months. She is sleeping through the night most nights so I really have no excuse. Her room is so close to ours, it will be fine. I just bought her a white noise machine, and am hoping that helps with her daytime naps. She doesn't take long naps very often when we are at home, and I feel like it makes her super crabby. She sleeps so well when we are out and about-- and I think it is from the noise in stores/ restaurants and the motion of the car. Today was the first time I used it, and she took about a 2 hour nap in her crib. It helps me too to have that bit of a break during the day for myself.

My body has been super achy after I work out/ during. When I have been doing Jillian's 30 day shred, my knees have both been bugging me bad. I am worried about it. I am wondering when it is time to get them checked out to see what is wrong. I get out of bed in the morning and my joints just hurt. I wonder if it is a result of 4 years of college soccer taking a toll on my body. I feel like an old lady and truly worry about what my body will feel like when I am actually an old lady. Yikes. I wouldn't even know what type of doctor to go to about it. I thought working out would make my body feel better, but it makes me feel worse. That in turn makes me not want to work out. Blah, it is a bitter cycle.

Here are some pictures taken of Brynn by KJB photography & design! My friend Kelsey and her husband are starting their own business and are very talented!

14 Weeks

I think I have said this in almost every post, but I really don't understand how time is going so fast. I swear it feels like we go straight from Monday to Friday and miss the rest of the week. Where does the time go?? How is my baby girl already 3.5 months? She is becoming such a little person. She loves hearing her own voice, and she talks back to me (not in a bad way, in a good way :)) She does so much "ahhhing" and "oooooh" and gurgling. I just love it.

Today I had Miss Brynnie on her tummy at my parents house, and she was rolling up onto her side. Almost made it over. When she is on the couch, she can roll sometimes but I don't count that since it is uneven and squishy! She has help from that. I am sure it will happen before I know it.

Tonight Brynn was in her jumper for a while. I put batteries in the part that needed batteries... and you would have thought Brynn hit the jackpot! When the buttons are pushed, they light up and play music. She pushed it once, but mainly I was pushing it and she was just in awe over the lights. It was so fun watching her!

Let's see... not much else to report about in the life of Brynn. We are both really enjoying our ECFE class we go to every Thursday. She just loves to be sung to to I sing to her a lot. Her favorite is "All Around the Mulberry Bush." Brynn has been eating and sleeping like a champ this week, so I really think she must be going through a growth spurt. She hasn't been very fussy which has been nice. She is also still sleeping through the night!

As far as me and what I have going on... I am SO excited to get together with some of my girlfriends for a girls night! My friend Amy is having a baby on May 31st, her second and a little boy, so we are giving her a little 'mini' shower. I am so looking forward to it! For Easter Sunday, Dan and I will be going to 9 am mass, and then go to my parents for the day. I am so excited to put Brynn in her Easter dress! I will definitly post pictures of her. I made her an Easter basket... My grandpa makes them out of wood, and I painted it.





Next week... no big plans at all. Oh, Dan and I did book our trip to Door County! One of my best friends from college is getting married on July 30th in Fond Du Lac, WI, so we are going to head out the week before for a little family vk. I went there when I was 7 with the fam. Patrick was just a baby! I think it will be a lot of fun.

Here is the picture of the quilt my Grandma Dot made Brynn. I said a couple posts back that I would post it. One is a pic of the whole quilt. The other is a close up of one of the squares... if you look at it closely you will see the ruffle butt detail my grandma put on it. I love it!



An this is a picture of a pillow Dan's Grandma sent Brynn for Easter!



And finally, here is a picture of Brynn from the last week! Hope you all have a blessed Easter!

Working Out...

Well... another week is almost come and gone. I know I have said it before, but seriously. These weeks just keep flying by. I started Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred on Tuesday. I haven't missed a day yet. I have no excuse not to. It is literally 20 minutes, all I need a hand weights, and I can do it at home with Brynn right here. It is amazing, after only 3 days, I already can tell my endurance is changing. There is 3 levels. My plan is to do each one for 10 days. Next week I plan on adding the gym and going on the elliptical.

My motivation is so up and down. I will feel like I have lost weight, and I step on the scale, and nothing. It is very frustrating. I am also having a hard time with my appetite. I am trying so hard to eat well... and smaller portions, but with breastfeeding I have been hungry all the time. I can't seem to satisfy my hunger. I have been trying to keep fruit in the house, but it doesn't seem to fill me up. I also bought some Lean Cuisine for lunch, but I feel like I haven't eaten anything when I am finished-- they don't come close to filling me up. I don't feel comfortable saying how much I weigh, but after the 30 days and as I go through, I will update if I am losing weight... which I hope happens.

Brynn slept a lot today. I hope she sleeps well tonight. I also hope she isn't getting sick or something... I am hoping she is either growing/ just catching up on some sleep.

This weekend Faith is going to prom. I can't believe she is old enough to go to prom. Yikes. I am hoping to make it to the Grand March to see her. Other than that, not much going on this weekend. The weather is supposed to be crappy (boo) I want the warm weather to permanently be here.