Sip & See

This past weekend we "stole" a southern tradition and my friend Merritt hosted a "Sip & See" at my mom's house. What is a "sip & see" you ask? Well, it is a chance to "sip" some tea or punch and "see" a new baby. In the deep south, they are often hosted so grandparents get a chance to show off a new baby. Gifts aren't expected like a shower....just passing around a baby and eating food -- a perfect combination!


A number of my mom's friends were able to attend (and many brought gifts). Everyone enjoyed seeing Hannah and eating some good food. A few of my friends from high school were even able to attend, so it was good to catch up a little.

During the party Jon spent the afternoon playing with Merritt's 4-year old twins. I'm not sure who had more fun -- Jon or David & Emma. They played in the creek, caught butterflies, grasshoppers and crawdads, rode bikes, and ran around all over. I'm betting the kids were fast asleep on the way home -- I know Jon was tired.

I'll have to have my mom do a post with pictures, since my camera really wasn't used during the party, but here are a few pictures of Hannah.

Hannah slept through most of the party...but when she woke up, she DID NOT want her picture taken in her pretty dress.

It Happened!

Hannah slept through the night !!!!!

I put Hannah to bed around 11:15 pm (for the 2nd time), and at 6:30am this morning I woke up in a panic (once I had my glasses on and realized it was 6:30, that is). I hadn't heard her all night.

Now, I am a former deep sleeper who is now only a deep sleeper when I know someone else is taking care of Hannah (case in point - last weekend I didn't hear the thunderstorm or the tornado sirens - all I heard was my mom asking Jon if we needed to go to the basement because the sirens were going off). I know I didn't not hear her because Jon is a light sleeper and would have gotten me up......

So I ran down the hall to her room and she was laying in her crib, sleeping as sound as can be. I stood there and watched her breathe for a while (and grin in her sleep) and went back to bed. Of course, I had a hard time going back to bed, so by 7am I was just standing in the doorway to her room watching her sleep. She finally woke up around 7:15 am (and wanted fed RIGHT AWAY).

I am so amazed (and so very thankful) - she slept for just about 8 hours last night!!! She is almost 10 weeks (adjusted), so that is probably close to target for a breastfed baby. Thanks to everyone who has been praying for her to sleep better - I appreciate it more than you could ever know.

Sleep

Around our house, sleep is a precious commodity. I haven't had a really good night's sleep since I went into the hospital in December. In the hospital it was an uncomfortable bed that "moved" to keep my circulation going, then it was pumping to keep a milk supply up with no baby around, then Hannah came home and it was feeding her....then we took her off supplements and I fed her even MORE OFTEN. So, almost 6 months after this ordeal started -- I'm really tired.

This past weekend, my law firm had its annual summer party. I wanted to go (they have good food!) and have a chance to get out of the house with Jon for the first time since Hannah came home. So, my parents came up for the weekend to babysit and help out with some projects around the house. My mom ended up staying up all night with Hannah both Friday night and Saturday night to let me get some sleep. On Saturday night, I slept for 5 hours IN A ROW. I had previously been averaging about 5 cobbled together hours. It was so wonderful - I felt like a new woman!!

To give you a taste of my nights -- my mom kept notes while she was up with Hannah because we're trying to keep a "sleep chart" to take to her pediatrician, if things don't improve by the time she hits 5 months (although right now she is only 2 months "adjusted," so her sleep isn't that abnormal). Here is what went on Friday night at our house when Mom took over:

12:30am - Julie put Hannah to bed
1:30 - 1:40 - AWAKE (held pacifier in with shoulder & held her; lots of gas)
2:15 - Laid her back in bed
2:25 - AWAKE (but then right back to sleep when put pacifier in her mouth - lots of sucking and gas)
4:00 - Awake and pleasant - just looking around
4:00 - 4:15 - Took bottle, burped (had gas while eating)
4:15 - 4:30 - Rocked her
4:30 - Put in bed (woke up with big toot; gave pacifier)
5:30 - Woke up
5:45 - 6:00 - Rocked her
6:00 - Back in bed

Now, my daughter doesn't typically take a pacifier -- she uses me -- but my mom was able to get her to take it some of the time while she was here. When it is just me around, I usually end up feeding her when she wakes up around 1:30 or 2am (and Mom told me she has a "convincing" cry, like she is hungry)....and I also end up feeding her around 6am. I was AMAZED that she only ate once Friday night, since she is usually up at least 3 times at night (not counting when I put her down for bed at 8pm and 10:30pm). Maybe we are turning a corner.....

Outdoor Photo Shoot

What a happy baby.
Mom, the sun is in my eyes...
I'm chillin'

Abby standing guard.
Hannah trying to suck her fist.

Okay, I admit it....I went a little crazy with the pictures...but I couldn't decide which one(s) to post, so I put all of them up.

Mother-Daughter Banquet

Last week Hannah made her first trip to West Virginia.

I went to my parents' house to surprise my mom and attend a mother-daughter banquet with her at her church. Dad knew I was coming about 2 weeks ago, and we managed to keep Mom in the dark (although it caused a minor "tiff" when Dad left her a note asking her to make "an effort" to come home early). We hid my vehicle behind the garage, so she was totally surprised. When Mom said "where is she" - there was no doubt that she was talking about Hannah and not me, because once Mom saw Hannah downstairs she didn't come upstairs looking for me!

Front porch swing, WV flag, and rhododendron pictures.



Mom loved showing off Hannah to everyone at the banquet.


I'm not sure if I've ever seen her that excited, and trust me -- my mom gets excited over lots of things (she used to teach Kindergarten - excitement is required there, I think). Hannah was really good and actually allowed me to eat my dinner. Afterwards, we stopped to see my friend Merritt and her two kids. Merritt's kids were also born early, so it is nice to have someone to say "did you go through x" and "when did your kid do x". David and Emma were both very good holding Hannah, but Merritt held her for most of our visit and declared her adorable and "a keeper".