happy halloween...

happy halloween from our little chili pepper...



(she sure adds spice to our lives!)
-ty

"a piece of work"...

karys had a pediatrician appointment today and the nurse practitioner described her as "a piece of work!" why you may ask. because miss k was her usual "diva" self. she had to be undressed to be weighed and as soon as we began taking her clothes off she started crying. she cried and cried for most of the appointment (and k can get loud). she also grunted (to let us know she's NOT happy) and gave us looks as to say "put my clothes back on and stop poking me!" as soon as she was able to sit (actually be held) upright she was okay. she just wanted to look around the room and see what was going on...

the nurse practitioner also said she was "perfect", "beautiful", and "strong" (i agree--but i'm her mother so i'm biased). in any case, here are her stats from her 1 month well visit:

• weight: 9 lb. 15 oz. which is the 75% for her age (up from 8 lb. 4 oz. at her 1 week appointment)
• length/height: 22 in. which is the 50% for her age (up from 19 1/4 in. at her 1 week appointment)
• head circumference: 37 cm (up from 36 cm. at her 1 week appointment)

i must add that i asked the nurse a few questions about what temperature we should keep our house, the flu shot, and k's vomit (all questions that i asked dill before). she was very good at answering my questions (and dill was very good as looking at me like "i told you so" when she gave the same answers he did). i'm glad i had an "expert" answer my questions (and maybe i'll start to listen to dr. daddy more--although he will admit he's a little rusty with pediatrics...)
-ty

karys goes to church...

karys went to church for the first time on sunday. i got up early to get her (and myself) ready and over an hour later (after two outfit changes--because she vomited and then pooped) we were ready to go. when we finally got to church k was very good. she slept through the first half of service then sat quietly through most of the second half. that is until they called us up to pray for her (they do this with all babies the first time they come to our church). dill carried (a very alert) karys to the front. just as the preacher started praying k kicked off her slipper, spit out her paci and started to cry. what a diva! after service we stayed to talk for awhile and miss k was looking all around and taking in the surroundings. almost everyone commented on how alert (personally i think it's nosy) she was and how much hair she has. they also said she's a good blend of dill and me (although a few people told me she looks a little more like me than dill). overall her first trip to church went well. yeah karys...

p.s. i didn't take photos (oops) but someone at church did. if i can get a copy of the photo(s) i will certainly post...

p.p.s. i know some of you may have noticed the reference to the paci. well, i know said i was trying to wean her but i use it in "emergencies" (i.e., bath time, bedtime and now church) to keep her quiet/"pacify" (as i said before she can get loud). but--to answer roy's question--i wasn't the one who gave it to her for the one month photos...
-ty

photo friday (okay photo saturday)...

i'm a little late for this week's installment of "photo friday" (oops!) but here are photos from this week...

making funny faces with daddy:
crying little hunny bunny (wearing her bunny slippers):
bath time:
hanging out with mommy:
-ty

one month old...

karys is one month old! i can't believe it. it seems like just yesterday i was stressing about being overdue and now our wonderful baby girl is one month old. this past month has been filled with countless diaper changes, constant nursing, yucky vomit, and long sleepless nights but i wouldn't change it for the world. i can't imagine life without k! here's her "one month" photos...



-ty

preview from newborn photo shoot...

i posted about karys' first photo shoot. well the photographer sent a preview photo. take a look...

To the world you may be one person,
but to one person you may be the world.
~Heather Cortez

-ty

busy, busy, busy...

i haven't updated the blog in a week because i've been busy, busy, busy (motherhood is a LOT of work). so here's an update on what's happening in the elmore household:

tuesday (10/16): i don't think karys likes to be swaddled. the pediatrician recommended we swaddle up to three months. but she keeps wiggling and trying to break out of the miracle blanket. the blanket is supposed to help babies feel like they're in the womb--but it looks kinda like a straight jacket (see photo).
so i think we're going to change to the swaddle me (which is a little less restricting) and see if she likes that better...

wednesday (10/17): karys and i went to a breastfeeding support group. it was our first time out/driving alone. we enjoyed meeting other moms and babies in our area. i asked about the vomit and the lactation consultant said it may just be an immature digestive system and offered advice (other than putting her on a "diet") on how to reduce the vomit. i'm going to try those and hope they help (although she's spitting up less). here's a photo of k right before we left...
thursday (10/18): mom-mom and auntie shona cam back to visit. yeah! they were only planning on staying until friday but karys convinced them to stay longer. we went shopping (of course) and karys, her auntie and mom-mom had a "sleepover" while dill and i got some much needed rest...

friday (10/19): karys, auntie shon, mom-mom and i had a lazy day around the house. and (with the help of my sister and mom) i started to wean k off the pacifier. she/i didn't use it that much to begin with and she doesn't seem to love it so i decided to avoid using it. when k started to get fussy we just sang to her or walked her around. the only time she seemed to "need" it was at bath time--because she still doesn't like baths and can get really loud. so maybe it's us that "needs" it at bath time not her!

since my mother and sister were in town dill and i decided to go to the hospital ball on sat. i knew k would need something to eat so i used my breast pump for the first time (thanks janice--it's a great gift). it took a while but i got a whole 4oz. bottle. hopefully that will be enough for her while we're gone...

saturday (10/20): saturday was the hospital ball and the first time in a long time i got "dressed up". i actually went to the hair salon and got my hair straightened. while i was gone dill gave karys her first bottle (photos below). lashona said she drank it in less than 5 mins. my girl can eat!



we had a good time at the ball (of course--being a first time mom--i called home, twice) and i had my first glass of wine in 10 months. it was delicious...

sunday (10/21): mom-mom and auntie shon went home. we enjoyed their visit and all their help (especially with diaper duty--my least favorite part of motherhood). here are photos from their visit:



we will certainly miss them. come back soon...
-ty

you've got mail...

karys got mail. her insurance card came today. dill and i were so ticked to see her name printed on her card. karys e elmore. the letter attached to the card read "dear member, thank you for choosing us as your health care provider...please notify us that you received your card..." dill and i laughed. like she really "chose" them and we don't think k can "notify" them that she received her card. in any case, it was really exciting to get her card. the silliest things amuse us...
-ty

karys is on a "diet"...

karys is on a "diet". well not really a diet, but for the past two days she's been feeding every hour then spitting up. i was okay with the eating (as i said before i think she's going through a growth spurt) but was concerned about the spitting up, so i called the pediatrician. the nurse said that k may be overeating (my sister called it "binge eating") and i that should cut back on her feedings. instead of nursing on demand (which i've been doing) i should "encourage" her to wait at least 2 hours between feedings. luckily k hasn't been too upset about this "diet". she has been a little fussy but i've been distracting her with the paci, singing, dancing, and putting her in her hotsling. hopefully this "diet" will stop the spitting up...
-ty

grandma (uncle boogie, aunt erica, and natarsha) come to visit...

today grandma elmore, uncle boogie, aunt erica, and natarsha came to meet karys. she was wide awake when they came and really enjoyed their company. she loved all the attention. they all think looks like dill and boogie. i still can't tell. sometimes i think she looks like her daddy, sometimes i think she looks like me, sometimes i think she looks like boogie, sometimes i think she look like lashona, and other times i don't think she looks like anyone but karys. i guess time will tell who she looks like. we'll have to wait and see...
-ty

photo friday (10/12)...

here's the oct. 12th edition of photo friday. it was a long day (miss k wanted to eat almost every hour--i think she's going through a growth spurt) so i didn't take that many photos. today's photos are similar to last weeks (i.e., in the swing and with the pink/white striped hat). do you think she's changed much?








-ty

home alone...

today dill went back to work so karys and i were home alone. i must admit i was a little nervous about spending the whole day with her without any help but it's 5:30pm and so far so good. here's what we did:

• 1:45am feeding and then back to sleep)
• 5:30am feeding, diaper change, then back to sleep
• 8:30am feeding and then back to sleep
• 10:30am feeding and then breakfast for me
• 11:00am playtime (i.e., singing, dancing, reading stories, and looking at each other)
• 12:15pm feeding
• 1:00pm shower for me
• 1:20pm quick feeding
• 1:40pm wash and dress karys
• 2:15pm dill comes home for lunch (karys stays up just long enough to say "hi" then takes a nap)
• 2:30 lunch for me and dill (dessert was a chocolate covered strawberries that the nursing home he works at sent for us)
• 3:15pm feeding for karys followed by a little "tummy time" (which she does NOT like)
• 3:40pm nap time (for me and karys)
• 4:35pm watch the 2nd half of oprah while karys continues to nap
• 5:00pm check email (still trying to get through all of the "welcome karys"messages--i apologize if i haven't responded to an email you sent--i'm getting to it), update blog, and contemplate if i should wake karys for a feeding (okay, i decided to let her nap a little longer (she can go 2-2 1/2 hrs. between feedings)

dill should be home soon, so we'll have dinner, hang out with k, watch some TV (i.e., my name is earl and the office), give a bath, then off to bed...
-ty

2 weeks old...

karys is two weeks old today. i had a doctor's appointment today and took her with me. i went inside to sign in while dill and k parked the car. as dill was turning off the (parked) car another car (driven by a police officer) bumped into our car. thank God it it wasn't hard and no one was hurt. miss k actually slept through it. here are a few photos of her (in her coming home outfit) once we were back home safe and sound..


-ty

(not) america's next top model...

today karys had here first photo shoot. we went to the same photographer that did my maternity shots. as i mentioned in the maternity photos post, modeling is hard work. i think karys thought so too. i was hoping she would be a natural but no such luck. she cried through almost the whole session. america's next top model she is not. i'm sure the photos came our great but it took almost 3 hours to get through it because we had to keep stopping to nurse or calm her down. of course, typical "murphy's law", when we were on the last scene she fell fast asleep. i'll post the proofs of the photos as soon as the photographer sends them...
-ty

photo friday...

we (or actually i) started this blog for two reasons: (1) to keep a record of my pregnancy and karys' growth--i'm printing out the pages and keeping them in a binder and (2) to share the experience with family and friend (since most of them live over 2 hours away). some of you read the posts but i'm sure most people are more interested in seeing photos. so i decided to start photo fridays. i will (try to) post updated photos of K on fridays. so here's the first edition of photo friday...

in her swing:
going,going,
going,
gone,

getting her hair washed:



falling asleep in the boppy:
i'm getting so,
so,
sleepy
yummy fingers:
-ty

schedule? what schedule?...

dill spoke too soon with the "sleep is good" entry. we're trying to get karys on a schedule (or at least figure out what schedule she want to have). but we certainly haven't gotten it yet. K slept well on tuesday night but then on wednesday night she was up every 1 1/2 to 2 hrs. (and not just to eat--she was fussy) until 6am. she finally did her "long" stretch from about 6ish to 10am. but we didn't get much sleep. then last night she went to sleep at 1:15am and slept until a little after 6 (which i was a little freaked out about because her "long" stretch is only supposed to be 4 to 5 hours and this was closer to 6 hrs.) she didn't wake up. i jumped up at around 6am (i guess it's that mother's intuition they talk about) and checked out the itzbeen (a cool little gadgit that keep track of how long it's been since feedings, diaper changes, etc.) and was upset because i let her sleep so long. then she felt a little warm to me, so i became a little more anxious. we took her temperature (which was normal--thank God!). so i fed her and she was fine. happy and well rested! so all is well (again thank God!)...
-ty

one week old...

karys is one week old today! it been a challenging week but it's also been filled with many highs. here's the list:

challenges:

• lack of sleep: i usually do okay with little sleep but having a baby redefines little sleep. she's eating every 2-3 hours with one "long" stretch where she sleeps for 4-5 hours. but the "long" stretch has been from 6am to 10am. so that means waking up 2-3 time during the night. last night was better, she did her long stretch from 3am til 7am. hopefully she'll do that again tonight...
• recovering from the c-section: the recovery is going well for the most part, but there are times when the incisions is painful. i don't like taking medicine (especially since i'm nursing) but after carrying her for long periods of time my body really hurts and i give in...
• not knowing what she wants: i'm not always sure what karys wants when she cries. sometimes it's obvious (like when she hungry or she needs to be changed) but other times i have no idea what she wants. is it gas? does she want to get out of the swing? does she not like her outfit? oprah had a show on awhile ago titled "the secret language of babies" where a woman claimed that she's unlocked the secret language of babies. at the time i thought i was interesting but now i'm even more interested...
  

highs:

• nursing: i was a little anxious that karys wouldn't breastfeed. the first feeding neither of us knew what we were doing. however, by the second feeding she (soon after i) figured it out. now she nurses like a champ! i love the moments when i'm nursing her and she's looking at me (but i must admit it's more fun in the daytime than at 3am)...
• singing to her: i know i'm NOT a talented singer. but karys doesn't seem to mind. i sing all kinds of songs to her. i've even made up a few originals. her favorite song seems to be "you are my sunshine"...
  
• introducing her to family members: i know my parents have been waiting for a grandchild for awhile, so it was nice to introduce her to them. i look forward to introducing her to more of our family and friends...
  
• when i finally "get" what she wants/likes: as i said, there are times when i have no idea what she wants/likes. but when i finally "get it" it feels great. she doesn't like baths but she does like getting her hair washed. she also (seems to like) her swing, music, taking walks, and eating...
• watching her sleep: i love watching her sleep. she looks so peaceful...
  
• knowing she's ours: it's wonderful to have karys in our life and knowing she's ours to keep...

“Before you were conceived I wanted you
Before you were born I loved you
Before you were here an hour I would give my life for you
This is the miracle of life.”
~Maureen Hawkins

-ty

Sleep is good!

We have been suffering from lack of sleep. All of you parents know what I mean. We had our first pediatric evaluation and were told that Karys "is perfect". More importantly we were advised to start a routine with her to make her sleep better at night. Last night we bathed her and fed her. She went to sleep at 12:30 AM and was fed at 2:55 am and did not wake until 7 am. That was nice!! Anyway this has Ty and me very happy and rested!!!

daddy chef...

(many of you may agree) dill is a pretty good cook and for the past few days he's been daddy chef. he's make me (and since i'm nursing, i guess karys too) breakfast, lunch and dinner. my favorite was the chocolate chip pancakes. YUMMY! he also sings to her, makes up raps about her, and they even take naps together. see for yourself...
-ty

mom-mom...

on sunday my parents and sister came for a visit. my dad (a.k.a. "pop-pop") only stayed for the day because he had to go back to work on monday. but, my mom (a.k.a. "mom-mom") and sister (a.k.a. "auntie") stayed until today. it was wonderful to have them here. they washed dishes, organized baby stuff, did laundry, and played with karys so dill and i could have a little break. silly me didn't take as much advantage of the "down time" as i should. instead of sleeping i was enjoying my family and trying to help (or as dill would say "micro-managing") . but i did pick up a few tips on burping, gas relief, and diapering from mom-mom and for the first time ALL of the laundry and ALL of the dishes in my house are clean . thanks "mom-mom"!

here's a photo of K with her mom-mom...


-ty