Charlie Ann - Month Two Recap

Week 9

Out to Redondo Beach to meet one of Dad's climbing friends for dinner. 

 

I am also a big fan of going on morning walks to Starbucks with Mom and my dog.  I really like Mom's carrier, especially now that she bought me a sunhat so I can look at the palm trees without squinting. 

I am smiling back at Mom and Dad (and sometimes to other people), especially right after I wake up.  I also have found my voice and love to tell Mom stories.  

Week 10

I enjoy my tummy time more than ever, especially on mom's bed.  

Also this week, I got to meet my new friend, Hudson.  Our Mom's talked a lot about how much they love us, especially when we wake up all night wanting to be cuddled.

My friend Gretchen gave me her play mat.  I absolutely love it!  I could lay under it for hours.

I got to take my first big girl bath!  It is probably the most fun part of my day.  If it were up to me, I would like to take four baths a day, one before every nap.  Bath time is just so fun cause I get to kick and splash and look at myself in the mirror.  Then I am so tired and warm, I fall right to sleep.

Mom got me a little lady bug to look at while i ride in the car.  Now I like my car seat a whole lot more.

Week 11

All dressed up to go to dinner in Long Beach.  I look like toy doll for sale!  

The whole family spent a nice hot day at Huntington Dog Beach.  It was so warm and sunny, and so fun.  

Week 12

I had my first appointment with my new pediatrician.  She was so sweet to me.  She said I am very skinny, only 9lb 9oz, but I am very long, 24 1/2 in!  But she wasn't worried.  I also got 3 shots and a liquid vaccine.  I cried quite a bit, but calmed down quickly.  For the next three days, I slept a lot!  I am also a big fan of infant's tylenol.  It helped so much.

Mom went back to work this week, but thankfully it's only two days a week.  And those two days when she is gone, I get to spend all day with Dad.  I was pretty upset when Dad tried to feed me with a bottle.  I was so mad about it, I decided to take a nap instead of eat.  But when lunchtime came around, the bottle sounded like a good idea.  I am very good girl for Dad.

I am finally in size 1 diapers.  I still easily fit in newborns, but Mom is ready to start using the 8 boxes of 1's we already have.  Let me tell you, I love having the top of my diapers in my armpits.  I am long enough for my 0-3 months clothes, but I definitely have room for two of me in width.   So many of my older friends have been giving me their clothes cause they are growing out of them, I just keep hoping one day I can wear them!

I am getting a lot better at sleeping on my own during the day.  I used to have to be held to take any kind of daytime nap.  But now, if I sleep on my side, wedged between two warm pillows, I am good to go!  

I also like to be home at nite.  Unfortunately, Mom and Dad still tote me around everywhere past 6:30pm.  I like to look around and take in all the sights, so it's very hard for me to go to sleep with all this newness happening! 

And now on to fun stuff of being a 3 month old...   

Busy Day Cake

Tonight we're attending a friend's birthday party.  I am making dessert.  I have a three month old that doesn't like nap without being held.  This is quite a conundrum when responsible for that thing I mentioned in sentence two.  However, my friend Lani to the rescue!  She has shared her great recipe for just my situation.

Well, the proof is in the pudding cake.  See image below from this morning. I doubled the recipe and baked in an angel food cake pan for a little shwing.

Busy Day Cake

Prep: 25 min.   Bake: 30 min.   Oven: 350 F

Cool: 30 min.   Makes: 8 servings

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

2/3 cup milk

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups assorted fresh berries

whipped cream (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8 x 1 1/2-inch round cake pan; set the pan aside.

2. In a medium mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, and baking powder. Add milk, butter, egg, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Spread into the prepared pan.

3. Bake about 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack about 30 minutes. Serve warm with berries and, if desired, whipped cream.

(Busy-Day Cake with Broiled Coconut Topping:)

Prepare as above, except omit berries and whipped cream. While cake is baking, mix 1/4 cup packed brown sugar and 2 tablespoons softened butter. Stir in 1 tablespoon milk. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut and, if desired, 1/4 cup chopped nuts. Spread over warm cake. Broil 4 inches from heat 2 to 3 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire rack 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Nephew 2 is here!

My newest nephew is here!  He belongs to the bravest mother I know.  Amy, what a birth story you have.  Hip hip hooray to healthy boy!!

Welcome 

Asher Mark Kelley

8lb 4oz

20 1/2 in

January 19th, 2012

Nephew 1 is here!

So both of my sister in laws are expecting babies in January..  and well Baby Garrett is finally here!!

Welcome 

A.J. Garrett

6lb 3oz

19 in

January 8th, 2012

8 weeks, Charlie Bug

Little Charlie Ann is 8 weeks old today.  It goes so quickly!  I
 have already posted pictures of her first and second weeks... so here is the newest:

Week 3

My debut week in Springfield, Missouri. Everyone is wanting to come visit and hold me.  I definitely got passed around for 6 hours on Thanksgiving Day to every aunt, uncle, cousin and every great aunt, great uncle and second cousins, and of course passed to all the great grandparents too.  I was pretty much the hit of the party, although I don't remember a thing because I slept ALL day.  Also this week, I met my dad's side of the family, watched my grandma run a 5k, met my great-great grandma and did a lot of Christmas shopping in the mall.  I am really loved by everybody!
Grandma's house was super ready for me, I had a pack-n-play, a bassinet, a bouncer, a swing, diapers, wipes, a dresser, a boppy, a carseat, a stroller and new clothes.  A girl could get used to this kind of treatment!  But, I am a big fussypants at night and don't want to go to sleep before 11:30pm/12am.  But after I get walked and rocked and everyone knows I am here, I usually give in and go to sleep til around 3am.

  

Week 4

This week I started to make a few tiny, little sweet sounds if someone talks to me.  I am also going to bed closer to 10:30 and waking up at 5am for breakfast!  Mom is happy to get some extended sleep, and I am too.
This week I met a lot of Mom's friends and we went on some big shopping trips, but I dont mind cause I get to be carried in a sling!

Week 5

I am getting better and better at sleeping through the nite, and after my 5am breakfast, I go right back to sleep until second breakfast at 8am.  Everyone is happy about this!  I am also cracking tiny little grins to Mom and Grandma and Gabby and few lucky others.

Week 6

Dad came this week!  I have missed him the last month.  He doesn't let anyone else hold me, and that's okay... we have a lot of catching up to do.  I am celebrating Christmas and phew, another l-o-n-g day of being held and passed around to all of Mom's relatives.  So fun, but so exhausting!

Week 7

All I remember about this week is.. THE  CARSEAT!  We drove for three days from Missouri all the way to Southern California.  Where I slept in a drawer, a chair and a king sized bed, but I did not sleep in my carseat.

8 Weeks Today!

Hello again, SoCal.  I am so loving this warm weather here.  I get to wear dresses, take lots of walks outside and enjoy the sunshine.

Charlie Ann's First 13 Days

On the morning Charlie Ann joined our family, my parents met us in the recovery room.  It was 5am and they had been awake most of the night waiting for our phone call. What a sweet moment it was when my parents introduced themselves to their first grandchild.

Mom and Charlie Ann meeting for the first time.

Grandpa and Charlie Ann on her first day.

Charlie Ann is ready to go home from the hospital.

We stayed one night and headed home the following evening. My time at Fullerton Hospital was wonderful, the nurses were the best and I felt so taken care of.

Our first evening at home - 3 days old.

Tummy time - 4 days old.

Charlie Ann & Dad - 4 days old.

Grandma & CA.  Already holding that head up that first week!

Eyes and nose still swollen - 5 days old.

My mom got to stay with us until Charlie Ann was 6 days old.  It was so hard to see her go.  Those few days she was here after the hospital were so helpful!  I felt like I could actually do this Mom thing after all her help :)

My mom left in the afternoon of CA's 6th day and my mother-in-law arrived that night.     

Jarod puts Charlie Ann to sleep in the warm sheets fresh out of the dryer - 6 days old.

My mother-in-law stayed with us for Charlie Ann's second week.  What a great help she was cleaning and cooking some amazing meals (especially apple pie).

However, that second week was a tough one.  My new found confidence as a mother quickly vanished as soon as my mom left.  I felt I could no longer console my daughter's crying spells or soothe her to sleep.  I was extremely exhausted/delirious due to the marathon of child birth and from plummeting head first into an every 2-3 hour nursing schedule, both day and night.  Jarod was at the end of his semester and crunched by his own deadlines for papers and exams, and he was unable to be as much help as we both wanted.  So before I turned psychotic (I'm only halfway joking), I decided to join my mother-in-law on her flight back to Missouri in order to stay with my parents for some extra help.  I would stay until Christmas break, when Jarod would join us for the Holidays.  So, on 38 hours of no sleep, I scrambled  together all of Charlie Ann's newborn clothes and her blankets, and a few items for myself.  All else would be borrowed, given or bought for our 6 weeks in the Midwest.  

So bleary eyed and overwhelmed, I kissed Jarod goodbye and headed for the airport.

But what a good and perfect idea it was! With Judy's help, we managed a 6am flight Thanksgiving morning with a 13 day old baby from LA to Springfield, MO.  Phew! The moment I saw my Dad at baggage claim, I started crying.  It was a perfect moment knowing I had made the best decision for myself and little Charlie Ann.  And that was the start of the boost of confidence I needed to try to be a good mother to my baby girl.