What to do with the hundreds of pictures we take these days? My two month old daughter has got to be the most photographed child on this earth. In the 2 months of her life alone, we have taken around 600 pictures. Sure, some are similar, with many of her crying or mommy just waiting for that 'perfect' smile. We try to capture the perfect pictures but looking back through all the 'rejects', I realized that the less than perfect pictures are the most perfect of all. The 'rejects' capture her personality and our memorable experiences. And by 'rejects,' I simply mean those pictures that we say "oh let's take another one" or "oops, that wasn't the happy face i was looking for!" (I firmly believe my daughter is the most beautiful girl in the world and couldn't POSSIBLY take a bad picture if she tried.)
I have been trying to put together an online photo book to have printed of my girl's life thus far. Rather than getting each individual picture developed, why not save the photos digitally on the computer and turn our favorites into a book.
So anyway, while assembling my photo book, I have realized that the past 10 weeks of my daughter's life have gone by WAY too fast and she has changed daily. Looking back at pictures of her first days, you would never guess she is the same baby I am holding in my arms as I type (which is not easy by the way). Other parents had warned me that children grow up so fast but I never really believed it. In ten weeks, my daughter has gone from sleeping 20 hours daily, waking every 2 hours to eat and being so helpless to sleeping through the night, 'talking' jibberish, smiling like crazy and responding to her momma's voice.
Tomorrow we have her 2 month appointment with the pediatrician. Karla has not been to the doctor since she was 6 days old. She weighed 7 pounds 4 ounces, down 8 ounces from birth but up 7 ounces from just 3 days earlier. She was also overcoming her jaundice. We can't wait to see how much she weighs! She has been healthy as a horse and has had no reason to go back until tomorrow... when the dreaded first set of shots are scheduled. I don't know who this will be more difficult and scary for, me or my baby girl. Thank goodness the love of our lives will be there to support us both <3
Monday, October 19, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
From the beginning....
Let me start by introducing myself. I am a 24 year old brand new mommy to a baby girl, Karla. I have been married to my high school sweetheart for just over 2 years now and we have been together for 9 1/2 years. I found out I was pregnant with my daughter December 2008 and we welcomed her into this world on August 11, 2009, 8 days before her due date. My labor and delivery was a breeze and after 6 hours of labor, which I didn't feel a thing, I pushed for 20 minutes and out she came. Oh... and my husband almost missed the birth, but that's another story for another day.
I am a full-time working mom but got to enjoy the first 8 weeks of my daughter's life at home with her. We spent every waking (and sleeping) moment together. We are best friends and are so in love with the same man... my husband and her daddy :) We have realized that people weren't kidding when they say 'you will forget what life was like without her'. It is true. We never thought we could love another person this much and it really is that overwhelming kind of love... We look at her and our hearts melt every time she smiles.
Okay, enough of the mushy gushy stuff. On to the tough stuff.
The hardest day of my entire life was on October 5th. Karla was about 8 weeks old and mommy had to go back to work. I thought I would be ready to go back after being home for 8 weeks. I never thought that I could enjoy being at home day in and day out. I thought I would lose my mind. Wrong. I would rather give birth 10 more times than to have to re-live October 5th. If it were just a one-day horror, it may have been a different story.
We were planning on taking Karla to a babysitter whom we'd met once but seemed like a nice enough lady with lots of experience and recommendations. It seemed like a miracle we found someone close by (only 2 miles up the road) and had an opening. I convinced myself months earlier this would be fantastic and we were lucky. One week before returning back to work, this mommy had a breakdown and it all of a sudden hit me how badly I never ever wanted to leave my daughters side. I suddenly HATED the fact that Karla would be cared for by a complete stranger and was not going to be getting 100% of the attention like my girl deserved! That was it...I decided I was quitting my job. After all, who needs a house to live in?
My mother-in-law happened to call me in the middle of my emotional meltdown. I simply begged her to quit her job and watch my baby. I thought this was far fetched at first and didn't think there was even a chance this would be possible. She and I discussed it further and she said she'd talk it over with my father-in-law that night when he got home from work. After much stress and praying, we figured out a plan so that she could babysit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SO... the worse part was the night before I went back to work. It was horrific and my delivery was easier than the feelings I was experiencing that night. I went to work the next day with only one meltdown at the office. Thank goodness for my wonderful husband and co-workers who are extremely supportive, they made it much easier on me. But most of all, thank goodness for my mother-in-law who is my life saver. We are so grateful for her being able & willing to watch our baby girl. It is so reassuring that Karla is with someone we know, love and trust. It is also very exciting when grandma sends me pictures during the day :)
I am going on my third week back to work. And as a nursing mommy, it is like working 2 full-time jobs......but that also, is another story for another day.
I am a full-time working mom but got to enjoy the first 8 weeks of my daughter's life at home with her. We spent every waking (and sleeping) moment together. We are best friends and are so in love with the same man... my husband and her daddy :) We have realized that people weren't kidding when they say 'you will forget what life was like without her'. It is true. We never thought we could love another person this much and it really is that overwhelming kind of love... We look at her and our hearts melt every time she smiles.
Okay, enough of the mushy gushy stuff. On to the tough stuff.
The hardest day of my entire life was on October 5th. Karla was about 8 weeks old and mommy had to go back to work. I thought I would be ready to go back after being home for 8 weeks. I never thought that I could enjoy being at home day in and day out. I thought I would lose my mind. Wrong. I would rather give birth 10 more times than to have to re-live October 5th. If it were just a one-day horror, it may have been a different story.
We were planning on taking Karla to a babysitter whom we'd met once but seemed like a nice enough lady with lots of experience and recommendations. It seemed like a miracle we found someone close by (only 2 miles up the road) and had an opening. I convinced myself months earlier this would be fantastic and we were lucky. One week before returning back to work, this mommy had a breakdown and it all of a sudden hit me how badly I never ever wanted to leave my daughters side. I suddenly HATED the fact that Karla would be cared for by a complete stranger and was not going to be getting 100% of the attention like my girl deserved! That was it...I decided I was quitting my job. After all, who needs a house to live in?
My mother-in-law happened to call me in the middle of my emotional meltdown. I simply begged her to quit her job and watch my baby. I thought this was far fetched at first and didn't think there was even a chance this would be possible. She and I discussed it further and she said she'd talk it over with my father-in-law that night when he got home from work. After much stress and praying, we figured out a plan so that she could babysit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SO... the worse part was the night before I went back to work. It was horrific and my delivery was easier than the feelings I was experiencing that night. I went to work the next day with only one meltdown at the office. Thank goodness for my wonderful husband and co-workers who are extremely supportive, they made it much easier on me. But most of all, thank goodness for my mother-in-law who is my life saver. We are so grateful for her being able & willing to watch our baby girl. It is so reassuring that Karla is with someone we know, love and trust. It is also very exciting when grandma sends me pictures during the day :)
I am going on my third week back to work. And as a nursing mommy, it is like working 2 full-time jobs......but that also, is another story for another day.
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