Week#17: R & R (Road Trip & Rolling Over)

 
Check out my budda belly...got to love it!

 

Turning the pages of my book with Daddy!

This is the second week Mike has been home spending time with Hazel.  He is just loving it and Hazel is too.  I was totally impressed that Hazel would just sit on Mike's lap, calm, cool, and perfectly content. I think Hazel can sense Mike's "zen" like demeanor and it rubs off on her.  Since Mike is so very patience and gentle by nature he is adapting great to his role as daddy.

We hit the road over the weekend and headed up to NDSU for Jake's (my cousin) graduation. I wasn't sure how Hazel would do in the car for 4+ hours but again she amazed us - only needing to stop two times to eat and stretch.  Actually, I think Hazel was totally entertained during our journey as she sat in the middle of my mom and I watching our every move in between naps. We rented a SUV cause with all our stuff we would have never fit it in our car.   And yes we did bring the exercise ball and the sound machine but all necessary!

 

Favorite Things this Week:

•  Rolling over from her back to her stomach.  She just keeps rolling.. and rolling.. and rolling. However, she hasn't quite figured out how to roll back over to her back from her tummy yet but I am sure she will be hard at work on this maneuver.
• Helping Daddy hold the bottle for feeding time.
• Kicking off her little booties
• Wearing 6-9 month clothes 

MARVELOUS MOTHER'S DAY

 

Celebrating Mother's Day this year was extra special. After all, I am officially a mom now and loving every single minute.  This year we continued our Mother's Day tradition of participating in Race for the Cure (5k walk). This year we had awesome weather and wonderful company.  I was nervous to see how Hazel would do but she loved it.  She started out in her stroller, then at mile 1, we transferred her to the Baby Bjorn to finish the walk. She was a trooper and sleep most of the way. After the race we headed to Nana & Papa's for a wonderful brunch.

 On Mother's Day, Mike surprise me with not only flowers but also an addition to my wedding ring. My wedding ring  previously represented our past, present and future with three bands. With the addition of Hazel to our lives Mike gave me another band. We previously had talked about adding bands to my ring as our family expanded but we hadn't talked about it for so long I couldn't believe that Mike even remembered.  

What a sweet, sweet, surprise!

Another surprise came on Mother's Day as well - my brother Bryce actually sent me flowers too. 

What a super duper day!

Week #16: Staying at home with Daddy

I made it through my first week back at work.  It feels good to know that I could actually do it because I seriously didn't think I would  physically be able to leave little Hazel.  To help make the transition better I had wonderful support from family & friends. Here is a little note a great friend passed along my 1st Monday back at work.  I have kept this e-mail and look at it whenever I feel sad about being back at work and not with Hazel.

Okay... Breathe.....
Hazel is okay........
Mike is Okay.......
You are okay........ Or you will be
529 plan... Remember.....
It will be hard......
Harder on YOU than Hazel.....
There will be many tears......
Mostly yours........
This is a BIG step....
One of many more to come....
And know that you have the support of all of us around you.....
We love you.......
Have a good day......
Drink that mocha.......
Embrace that other part of you....
That professional woman.....
You make Hazel proud.........

After all, many great women paved the way back to work before me.  It will defiantly take time to get in a routine being back at work, pumping, and everything else in between but I am up for it.  I have told myself to be strong and be thankful. I am thankful because.....

I get to hold Hazel each and every day.

She is not off to war nor is she sick. 

Every day I work the more we save for her 529 plan.

Favorite things this week:

• Chilling with Daddy
• Aggressively pulling Mr. Giraffe and Mr. Parrot off the play mat
• Sticking out my tongue
• Sucking on Sophie, the rubber giraffe
•  Cute little article in the paper about our " Baby Reveal Party" for Hazel.   Hazel in print check it out....

Week 15:. STOP....don't go so fast!

Time, where did you go?

This was the last week I was home from Maternity Leave. This entire week I was so sad and cried often as I thought about leaving my little love for an entire day when heading back to work.  I told myself not to think about it but when the thought consumed me, my eyes would fill with tears. Whenever I would talk to people about the "w" word (aka returning to work) I would get all choked up.  It is not that I don't enjoy my work. I  know I am very blessed to get to work for such an incredible company like General Mills for the past 8 years.   However, if you think about it, I have not been apart from little Hazel  for well over a year.  From the time she began growing in my belly, to feeling her first little kicks, to her birth, to her three month birthday until today, I have not left her for more than 4 hours and tomorrow May 3, 2010 I will have to leave Hazel for 8+ hours while I go to work.

  The song Time by artist Chantal Kreviazuk might have just captured my exact feelings this week and the weeks to come.

Time, where did you go?

why did you leave me here alone?
Wait, don't go so fast
I'm missing the moments as they pass

 

This is a beautiful song.........take a listen when you get a chance cause time does just got way to fast!

Favorite New things this week:

• We moved Hazel from the pram next to our bed to her room. This was hard for me to do but she was definitely out growing her pram.  During the night she would move her way down and be crammed at the bottom of the pram so we decided she needed a bigger bed.
• First time Hazel got to feel the grass between her toes & smell the flowers
•  The little ducks in our pond hatched 
• Hazel began really pulling off the toys on her play mat- mostly with her left hand.  She likes the giraffe and parrot but isn't fond of the monkey. 

Well, I better wrap this up and get to bed.  As I head off to work tomorrow I will  just try to keep reminding myself that many, many women have already paved this path ahead of me.  They have been strong and survived this transition and so shall I. As this transitions is a drop in the bucket to many others we could be facing.  I know Mike will have a blast with Hazel and he deserved Daddy/Daughter bonding time too!

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