Week #14: Chilln' with mommy

Hazel and I have been chilln' and just enjoying every last minute we get to spend together before I have to go back to work.

 I only have one more week off with Little Miss Hazel Mae until I have to go back to work.  I am trying to enjoy every last minute of it while not counting down the days.  I have had an incredible time watching Hazel grow.  I know Hazel will be in great hands when I go back to work.  We have been so blessed to have family taking care of Hazel until September!!

1. Mike has taken 3 weeks off to have some "Daddy Daughter" bonding time.  Mike is really looking forward to this time and I know Hazel will love it to. 
2. Papa "GG" is taking off work and watching Hazel for 10 days. 
3. Hazel's Great Aunt Cindy is taking off a week from work to see Miss Hazel.
4. Nana will be spending the entire summer caring for Hazel.

It has been so AWESOME to have family volunteer to watch Hazel so she will not have to go to daycare until she is 8 months old. We are truly amazed by the generous gift our family has given us.   Even though going back to work is going to be very difficult having loving family to care for her is defiantly going to make it easier as I know she will be in loving hands.  Family is so wonderful and we are so so so so thankful!!  I hope to return this gift to our children some day.


Favorite things this week:

• Ok we love little Hazel beautiful lips but this week she has really been using them.  I didn't realize a 3 month old could  pout but Hazel can pout her lip with the best of them.  The pout is somewhat of a forewarning. We always wonder what is going on in her little brain.... " I don't think this so you better change it up or I will scream."
• Pulled out her nuk, looked at it, and put it back in Wednesday 4/21/10.
• Hazel's new game "NUK is OUT" .  I will spit out my nuk, yell, and watch my peeps come running to put it back in. Hazel likes to play this when we are not giving her 100% of our attention - like when she is in the swing or bouncy chair and we are in the kitchen.
• BYOB Yoga rocks!  Since our last class I have been able to pull Hazel up to a seated position with her arms and her head comes with!!! We are working on staying awake through the entire class as little Hazy gets tired and likes to sleep half way through.
• Chilln' in the bumbo - getting such a strong neck

We also went to the doc this week to get the little rash on Hazel checked out.  Great news it was only dry skin so we have switched lotions and things have gotten better.  I think Hazel got her sensitive skin from me.  While at the doc I also asked if it was ok that we still swaddled Hazel to sleep for her naps and bedtime.  The doc recommended we stop swaddling for developmental reasons.  I was like WHAT how in the world are we going to get her to sleep through the night?  Before stopping the swaddle I did some more research. I talked to friends, the yoga instructor, and read numerous articles online. But it was still interesting at the doc had recommended we stop.  We have  unswaddled her arms during her naps but she gets swaddled at night for now. Needless to say we will be continuing to swaddle for now as it has so many wonderful benefits for her at this stage.

Week #13: Hazel's 3 Month Birthday

 Happy 3 Month Birthday Hazel

I can't believe Hazel is already 3 months old and I only have 2 weeks left to spend at home with her until I go back to work.

3 Month Stats:
Weight: 14lbs 2oz
Height: 24 3/4 inches







Favorite things this week:

• Pulling off the little bee from her bouncy seat at Nana & Papa's.  This week she was able to grab for the little toy bee and pull it right off it's holder.   You could totally see the determination on her face - her mouth open, drool coming out while her feet were totally just kicking away!
• BYOB yoga at Blooma's:  Hazel and I have started to take Yoga at Blooma's.  Hazel really seems to like it.  In fact, she had such a good workout in the first part of class she feel asleep during the last half with help of the exercise ball.
• Being Swaddled for her naps and after 5pm.  We found that Hazel sleeps longer when she is swaddled while taking naps during the day.  We also found out that if she gets fussy after 5pm and we swaddle her up she is  pretty content. So I guess you can say we swaddle her to keep her in "the zone."   I tell you it sure beats swinging her in the car seat!!
• Night out with college friends!  Yes, I did it! I made it to our monthly college friend dinner and I left Hazel in good hands (with her Daddy & Nana & Papa).  Even though I knew she was in great hands I was still nervous about it.  After all, in the evenings Hazel still HATES the bottle and often times just likes to snuggle up and be carried by me (ok many I have created this dependency because I just can't seem to put her down and really know in my heart she would be just fine not in my arms.  Never the less this is easier said then done.)  I had a great time with my friends and found out 2 other college friends are prego- Kari with her 4th and Katie with her 1st!!!  I am so excited to see more babies added to the clan and am so very happy for these mamas.

Outtakes:

"Gosh mommy these nails are in serious need of a manicure.  How could you let them get so long?"

"Just doing my Elmer Fudd impersonation"

Week #12 - Visting the Zoo

This week Hazel and ventured to the zoo to see the Barnyard baby with my dear friend Lisa and her youngest of three Tommy.  I have to say the trip was really fun and I guess I found out where all the SAHM hang out - the zoo was packed!  All the little baby animals were so sweet.  Seeing these animals totally brought back memories of when I was little. I so wanted a pot belly pig and a pygmy goat after we got back from vacationing at a Dude Ranch in Colorado.  Unfortunately, our home doesn't have zoning for these type of animals.  Besides, Mike thinks Cayman would be jealous!

Tommy trying to share his juice box, what a little gentleman!






Favorite Things this Week:

• "Hanging" out with Nana  
• Visiting with mommy's wonderful undergrad roommates Kim & Kim
• Chewing on her fists - yes, she is really trying to fit her entire fist in her little mouth!
• Watching everyone eat really people food
  

Week #11: Wonderful Easter

It was so wonderful having Hazel to celebrate Easter with us this year!  Hazel's little dress was actually part of an outfit I wore when I was little and we thought it would be special for her to wear it as a little dress for her first Easter. For Easter we headed to church and then over to Nana & Papa's for a fabulous brunch with multiple yummy dishes.  Surprising to us the Easter bunny actually stopped at two places for Hazel. One at our home and then one at Nana & Papa's - that silly rabbit!!! 

Nana & Papa with their little bunny.

Papa &  Hazel doing their best impressions of the Easter Bunny!

Hazel's 1st Easter Basket- Nana lined the basket with fabric from Hazel's nursery so as Hazel grows big we can always remember what fabrics were once used in her nursery.

Favorite things this Week:

• 1st time Hazel rolled from her tummy to her back (April 1st).  She was doing her tummy time and was getting a bit frustrated. The next thing I knew she pushed herself right over.  We haven't seen her do this again but are just waiting for more rolls!
• Hazel had a great time at little Miss Stella's 1st birthday party!  It is really fun to watch your dear friends become parents, watch their children grow and really see who their little ones become.

Happy 1st Birthday sweet little Stella!

 

 

Daddy liked wearing Hazel's nuk as a accessory at Stella's Party.

                            
WOW I just thought I saw a rabbit!!!!!!

Week #10: The Easter Bunny

Hazel got to visit the Easter Bunny for the first time! Our friends had a wonderful Easter Celebration on Saturday.  Little Hazel couldn't decorate cookies or do the Easter egg hunt this year but loved every minute of the party!  Seriously, she loved watching all the little kids run around and didn't want to miss a thing. 

                      
Favorite things this week:

•  Definitely NOT the bottle. We have been trying to give Hazel a bottle every night when Mike gets home from work (5-6pm) but she was just not having it. We have tried different bottles, me leaving the house, nursing her and then slowly slipping in the bottle but she is not easily fooled.  She wants the boob and NO I repeat NO imitations will be accepted at this point. However, we may have caught a break. This past weekend Mike gave Hazel the bottle earlier in the day (before 4pm), right after she woke up and it worked on both Saturday and Sunday!  We are keeping our fingers crossed this will continue and our bottle battles will be over.
• Enjoying the awesome weather; being pushed in her stroller or carrier in her BabyBjorn.

• Hitting the pool (aka Bath time- she just loves when we  get our suits on and do bath time in the big tub) 

• Tummy Time

• Watching Cayman
• Friday (3.26.10) Hazel touched her toes for the first time on the changing table - I had a feeling she was going to do it any day because during the week she was had her feet up in the air and her hand on her knee just inching toward her toes :) 
• Caught a glimpse of her hand

Additional pics from this week:     

Helping mommy bake cookies to celebrate spring...









Helping Daddy design a flying machine for this flugtag thing he is all excited for...

Friends visiting from Madtown - Teya is going to be a wonderful big sis to her new little sister coming soon....

 Mike having a serious talk with  Jackson (aka his future son-in-law)...                                                                    

                  

  

Future Mother-in-Laws (Everyone always says arranged marriages work!)...

 

That's all for this week folks....

 

                                               Bye Bye

Week #9 - Offical 2 Month Birthday & Sleeping through the night!

Hazel's official 2 month birthday was on St. Patty's Day so of course we had to celebrate with the family! Nana made an AWESOME dinner and the boyz (Finny & Cayman even got dressed up for the occasion)!

To kick off the weekend Mike and I had our first "hot" date since the arrival of Hazel and of all the places to go we headed to the Car Show. I was a bit nervous because we had been having a difficult time giving Hazel a bottle and didn't want Nana and Papa (our all- pro babysitters) to struggle giving the bottle.  I don't even know why I worried as Hazel took the bottle down with no problems from her Papa.

On Sunday, we went down to Rochester to visit Hazel's Great Grandma Ringen. Grandma sure loves little Hazel and really wanted to keep her.

Favorite things this week:

• Hazel began sleeping through the night starting on March 16th.   She slept from 9:30pm - 6:30am (an AWESOME 9 hours) and has been pretty much sleeping through the night ever since! Mike and I hope this continues as Hazel has always been a great sleeper usually only getting up once or twice but this entire night thing is the best.

Like Mother Like Daughter

People have always said " Like Mother like Daughter"........................  

 Hazel & I (2010)

 

Mom & I (1978)

Me at 2 Months (12.28.78)

 

Hazel at 2 months (3.14.10)

Week #8 - Shots & Visits

Favorite things this Week:  The smiles Hazel gives when she is looking right at you and all the cooing & kicking she does when you change her diapers! She is starting to hold things in her hands.  I just love it when she grabs my shirt when I am feeding her.  Getting into the "zone" this week Hazel just wanted to be swaddled, bounced, and her nuk held in her mouth - amen as our arm muscles were bulking up from swinging that darn car seat.

This week Mike and I brought Hazel to the doctor for her two month visit.  I brought Mike for support and to comfort Hazel when she got her shots. As soon as the nurse came in to give the shots I left in tears and stood outside the door plugging my ears while crying.  The nurses were kind and held me like a baby, patting my back telling me it was going to be alright until I pried my fingers from my ears. Seriously the shots were over in like 5 second  and Hazel was almost asleep in Mike's arm when I returned. Why are these shots so hard on mom's?  Besides the shots the visit went well and she is doing great.

Hazel's 2 Month Stats: 
Weight: 11lbs 14oz (75%)
Height: 23 inches log (75%)
Head: 39 cm (50%)

This week we also ventured to my work to show little Hazel off! I figured it was about time to prove I did indeed actually have a baby and my belly that had grown for nine months was just not because I changed my eating habits.

Week #7-Birthday, Reunion, and the "Zone"

Favorite things this week: All the giggles, coos, & smiles

***Since it was above 40 degrees outside this week we had a wonderful playdate with a friend & her little one.  Hazel also got her first outdoor walk under her belt. It was really nice to get some fresh air and I am now really excited for the spring weather to arrive permanently!!!!

This week we celebrated my cousin's 21st birthday.  We went to dinner and Hazel wore her little shirt for Danny.   Hazel definately wanted to get involved with the celebration and started vocalizing her excitement before dinner so this was the first time I had to nurse in the car.  It was an interesting experience but never the less it worked.  After nursing, to try to get Hazel back in the "zone" we took a drive around the block.  Hazel loves car rides and this usually puts her right to sleep.  However, as soon as we got back in the restaurant Hazel was fulling alert and ready to party.  Luckily, Nana was able to hold Hazel as she feel aleep allowing Mike and I to eat.

Little did we know but this was the start of a week trying to find Hazel's "zone"! It never fails as soon as Mike gets home and we eat dinner and little Hazy tests our parenting skills and plays "Guess what is going to get me back in my zone today."  We have already dicovered that Hazel gets bored easy and has started demanding more of us. No longer is just bouncing Hazel on the ball acceptable but now swinging her in her car seat followed closely by boucing the car seat on the ball (only after our arms were about ready to fall off with the car seat swinging) is the current tactic being applied.  However, tomorrow's game of "Guess what is going to get me back in my zone" might be something completely different.



Gettin' in the ZONE:

• The "zone" I am referring to is the calm state right before going to sleep.  We have been learning Hazel does not want to miss a thing and flights sleep like a great Roman warrior.

 Birthclass Reunion:
We also got together with the couples from our birth class.  It was great to see all the babies and hear the different birthing stories and parenting experiences thus far.