5 weeks tomorrow

Hanging out in the vibrating papasan! Sometimes she makes little squeals of happiness and I love it (even if it doesn't last long).Checking out all of her new toys from the Sokols. This play mat plays the "doggy in the window" song- and it has been stuck in my head for 3 days!
Coranelle in the baby bjorn- enjoying a Saturday walk with Mom and dad around the gorgeous open space.


Tomorrow, Coranelle will be 5 weeks old! It is hard to believe! I put on one of the onsies Ryan bought just after she was born today after her bath and it is really snug. It used to hang off of her. She must be growing! How fun!
She is currently napping, so it sounds so quiet in the house. Usually she naps in the baby bjorn during walks and not a whole lot more during the day. But, I am trying to get her on a schedule- a little bit. I hope it helps with her sleeping at night. She was doing well for a while- sleeping from 9:30 to 3 or 4am! But, the last few nights, she has been up and hungry every 2-3 hours- leaving me with 1 1/2 -2 hour chunks of sleeping. Whew... it makes me tired. I am not sure what changed or why she is waking up more now.

I was reading through my own baby book that my mom put together when I was a baby. It is funny how similar Coranelle and I seem to be as babies. I guess I really loved to suck and I needed to be held and cuddled a lot. I was fussy, just like Coranelle. In my baby book, it says I started sleeping through the night at 6 weeks- man... I hope that Coranelle is like me in that sense too! She could sleep through the night in another week! But, I won't get my hopes up.

We had a good weekend. We had some friend over on Friday who have a 5 year old and a 9 month old. They brought us a delicious dinner and it was so fun to hear kids in our house- kids that weren't crying. The little guy was playing and entertaining himself- laughing with delight and clapping his hands. What a fun stage! On Saturday, we did lots of house projects and then took Coranelle to church for the first time. We sat in the cry room with other parents of little ones. It was a bit hard to hear the sermon, but it worked out. I think in a few weeks, I will be willing to put her in the nursery for the service. They have trained people who would do a great job watching her and then I could actually focus on the service.

Yesterday, we got in a good walk and Ryan worked on mounting our new TV on the wall. I got in a bit of yard work. Then, as a special treat, Ryan and Josh watched Coranelle while Claire and I got to go out and do a little shopping. It was fun! We just went to Orchards mall and I got some good nursing bras (finally) and a cute sun hat for Coranelle to wear while in the baby bjorn. Everything we have received for gifts was way too big. I found a cute hat at Gymboree for 0-3 months. It is still a little big on her, but it works better than putting a towel over her head while we walk! She'll grow into it fast. And, she did great with daddy and uncle Josh. Josh loves his little neice and it is fun to watch him hold her, play with her, watch her and interact with her. We are lucky to have them so close.

I cannot think of much else that is new. I shouldn't say it that way, because it seems like every day Coranelle changes. Her hungry schedule is different, she is more fussy one day and more sleepy the next- she likes looking at a face today and tomorrow she'll want to look at her mobile. It's a fun little journey! I hope you are all doing well!

father's day pics

Not that she needs a bib- but it was father's day, so I had to put her in it!
One, wonderful set of grandparents- babysitting so we could go to church!
The boys on father's day eve- smoking their cigars and having guy time!
Aunt Rebecca and Coranelle. She looks like a natural with that baby in her arms! I think they had fun!
Steve let us drive his new Mazda! Fun!

hmb

High Maintenance Baby- Yes, folks, I think that is what I have. We love Coranelle infinitely, but she definitely requires a lot of attention. I took her for a walk today, and she cried the whole time. Not sure why... I changed her once and checked her twice since she cannot seem to tolerate being wet for more than a few minutes. And, we tried the pacifier... she was fed, clean, burped, etc. It is often a mystery to me what is bugging her. But, she is not one that you can just set down after feeding, and she'll remain content. She likes lots of rocking, walking, and she has to be full, burped, and totally dry. Even then, sometimes she still wants to fuss. It can also be hard to take her places. Last week at Target, she screamed the entire time we were there. I got a lot of sympathetic looks from other moms, and some unsolicited advice from others. It definitely got my blood pressure up, and we were both exhausted after a simple errand! Some days are better than others, so I am just trying to figure out what makes her happy. It was good to talk to another mom of a baby who was fussy as a little one- it is nice to have someone who can relate. And, this mom said that her little boy grew out of the hours of crying by three months. That is good for me to hear. I just want her to be happy.
Ryan and I decided last night, while listening to her cry in the car for half an hour, that this experience is making us so much stronger as a couple. A fussy baby can be very trying and hard to listen to- and it is so good to have each other to lean on and help each other out. I couldn't do this without his patience and caring words. When I get upset in the evenings because she had cried a lot during the day, he takes her and soothes her, and makes sure to take time to soothe me as well. He gives me backrubs and talks me through my feelings of defeat and cuddles with me. Challenging times bring us closer together! I am so thankful for that.
And I am so thankful for a faith that carries me through tough days alone. I know that God has been here with me- when I am joyful and when I am weeping because it hurts to hear my baby cry. I am comforted that He is with Coranelle in her sleeping and waking, and that He is in the heart of all of my emotions and during all of the changes that are brought along with motherhood.
Ryan took Friday off and we got to go up to RMNP for the day. Cora the explora! She actually did great- even with the diaper changes on the seat of the car and picnic tables. I fed her with amazing views of Longs Peak! It was a crowded day in the park- but gorgeous weather. Blue skies and everything was green and blooming. We took her in the baby bjorn for a 3 1/2 mile hike through the park and she did great. She seems to like being outside- most of the time. (So long as she hasn't peed herself! :-) We were also worried about the drive down the canyon because of the change in pressure hurting her ears. But, I sat with her and helped her hold on to her pacifier, and she did great. She is going to be our little mountain girl!
We also celebrated father's day with Bruce and Steve. We had two great dinners and a fun time with family and grandparents. The grandparents have been such a huge help and support and they love little Coranelle so much, it makes me teary eyed to think about it. Handing them their grandchild to hold (even when she is crying) tends to make their days! I love that. She does have the power to do that to you! Precious little thing.
As I write about her crying and how it affects me- please don't worry. Motherhood is hard, and hormones and all these new experiences are just a lot! But, we are doing well. I just thought I would be honest in my posts about challenges and joys we are facing. And, I have Ryan supporting us and taking care of me, and that says so much!
We're going to try to make it to the post office and the grocery store today. We'll see how she does! Thanks for reading!

what to expect

Dad, my uncle Tom and aunt Pam
Lots of family!
Three generations! New baby and a newly engaged couple! How fun!
Dad holding a sleepy Coranelle. She's all cuddled up in his arms!


Coranelle is now 3 weeks old! Crazy! She is clearly growing. I put on one of her newborn onesies today and it was already getting pretty snug. How amazing.
She is doing well, but getting more fussy and cries more often. Ryan and I thought that we would not use a pacifier. We didn't want it to affect the breast feeding or for her to rely on it. But, yesterday, she cried (unless she was eating) from 11am until about 8pm. That much crying is SO taxing and so hard. She was clean, fed, rocked, swaddled, and I had tried putting her in the swing, and the vibrating papasan(sp?). I felt like a human pacifier, as eating seemed to be the only thing that calmed her. Ryan didn't go to the gym, like he typically does, because I was just worn out and in tears. After we had tried to walk her to calm her, she was still fussy. I think Ryan realized what it felt like all day and went and found the pacifier. And it worked! She took it and it calmed her. I guess she just really likes to suck! So, I think that it will be a lifesaver. Not that we will use it all the time. I will change her, rock her, feed her, swaddle her, etc. first, and then use that if nothing else works. Today has been a much better day and I am enjoying Coranelle and motherhood so much more. You just don't know how you are going to parent or what decisions you will make until you have your own little child with her own little personality. I kept telling people before we had Coranelle that I just had no idea what to expect. And it was so true! You cannot make decisions before you have a baby or judge those of others- ever. Ahh, the things I am learning as a new mom. It seems like a high learning curve, but I am enjoying it.
Heido came and walked with me today. Coranelle was super fussy, until we stopped and changed her in a grassy field and found she was wet and dirty. After that, she was great. Typically, she has a reason to be upset. I just have to figure out what that reason is! After our walk, Heido stayed with me and held Coranelle so that I could get ready for the day, weed my garden and pick some lettuce and snap peas. Yes, I have a whole bunch of snap peas now! And tons of lettuce, so I picked a bunch and made a huge salad for our fun get together tonight. Amanda is home from Haiti and we are all getting together to see her! I am excited.
This past weekend, we bought a TV. Ryan and I have always had a 19 inch TV with rabbit ears. Funny, I know. So, for our anniversary, we got a new tv! A flat screen, 37 inches! I feel so grown up! It makes a huge difference. Now, people can come over to our house and watch movies and the office and we won't have to haul Coranelle to other people's places all the time.
We also went to my Grandpa Lew's wake. I got to see all of the Mullens and Millers and everyone got to meet Coranelle. She did pretty well and got passed around to be admired by all the relatives. Interesting that new life came into the world so soon after another passed on. Too bad that Grandpa couldn't meet his great granddaughter. But, it was fun to see my dad, Christina and Kyle. Dad got to hold Coranelle and it was really fun to see him holding our daughter with a big grin on his face. Please be praying for him, as he continues to deal with his cancer and figures out what the next steps are for treatment. I don't want to say much more than that, but my mom, Stefan, Rachael, me, Ryan, Kyle and Christina are all very worried and upset about this and extra thoughts and prayers never hurt. Thanks!
I hope you are all having a great week. Thanks for reading.

18 days old

Coranelle bundled for her daily, morning walk in the stroller.
Going for a walk with momma and Coranelle in Broomfield!


Coranelle is doing well. Just wanted to post a new update about how things are going. Coranelle and I went to the pediatrician on Friday. Our appointment was supposed to be on Wednesday. I was looking forward to it all week to see if she has been gaining weight as she should and just get her all checked out. But, I had it in my head that we had an appointment at 1:15. I had my day all planned out so that she would be fed and ready to go on time. But, at 11:30, I got a call from the pediatrician office saying we had missed our appointment. It was at 11:15, not 1:15. I was so upset. I think the combination of being up with her from 3am-6am and all of these crazy hormones made me lose it and I was just sobbing. I DONT miss doctors appointments and I felt so bad! Of course, me being upset did not help her crankiness and the two of us just cried together for a good while. I don't know why I am so emotional! But, we made it on Friday. She now weighs 7 pounds 1 once. By 2 weeks, babies are supposed to gain their birth weight back (6 pounds 6 onces). But, she has well exceeded that. So, it gives me confidence that she is eating well enough and I am doing okay breast feeding. She checked out and everything is healthy and going well. I really like my pediatrician! He is great. She also had to get her Hep B shot. It was not fun to watch them stab my little girl with a needle and see her face turn purple in pain and horror. Poor girl! But, she recovered okay. Heido came over yesterday after her appointment so that I could get in a nap. That was great! And my mom was here Thursday to walk with us, get coffee and do some grocery shopping. We had a great time. On Tuesday, I met with the girls I did prenatal yoga with and truly enjoyed meeting their little ones and comparing birth stories and sharing how it is to be new moms. I am very thankful for them in my life and having moms to relate to and share with.
Coranelle has gotten much more fussy as time goes on. She seems to fuss in the late afternoon( right when Ryan gets home from work). There isn't too much to do to rememdy her crying- except take her on little walks. But, we are learning different ways to sooth her and we are getting used to hearing her little cry. It is a bit like a guessing game- trying to figure out why she might be upset or fussy. We love her tons and are learning so much each day. It has been wonderful to have grandparents around to help out and hold her and love her!
Tomorrow, we have my grandpa's wake and my dad, Christina and Kyle are in town. Coranelle will get to meet the other grandparents and her uncle Kyle. That sounds crazy, but it will be fun!
Hope you are all doing well! Thanks for reading!

almost 2 weeks old!

n


So, being a new parent seems to be getting a little less scary. Every day, there are new things happening, but I feel so blessed to be the mom of such a great little girl. It has been so fun to watch Ryan, friends and family bond with her. We had a good weekend together and are getting out for walks every day. Coranelle stayed with Heido on Friday for a bit while I went out grocery shopping! I have never left her before, so it felt strange and I missed her little face before I even got to the store. But, she was in good hands and it was good to get out. Heido and Bruce also watched her Saturday night so that we could get to church, and that was a fun little date! We are not quite ready to bring her to our church yet, as there are about a thousand people at each service and it is really loud. But, it was nice to be able to go. Yesterday, we did a photo shoot with Bruce so that we can make official announcements. Coranelle was pretty good, but we got a lot of pictures of her crying. She didn't really get a good nap yesterday, so I think she was pretty over stimulated. But, Bruce and Heido set up a whole studio for her and it was fun to get some good shots of her!
Today, after our walk, we went to get our second newborn screening test done. I hate watching them prick her foot and the look of sheer horror in her face! But, she calmed down and I went to my first La Leche meeting in broomfield. It is a group for breastfeeding moms that meets twice a month for support. It was nice to meet some other moms and babies and share concerns and hear feedback. I am also going to join a mom's club in broomfield. Tomorrow, all of the moms who I did prenantal yoga with that had babies in May, are getting together for lunch. There are 4 of us and we all had our babies within 2 weeks of each other and we live in the same subdivision. It will be fun to meet the other babies and hear how the moms are doing.
What else is new? The umbilical cord fell off at 10 days, so that is healing well. We have another doctor's appointment on Wednesday, so we will see how Coranelle is growing. Coranelle seems to have a fussy time in the evenings, so we are getting used to that and working on ways to calm her down. It is fun to get to know your baby! We have been getting a few 3-4 hour stretches at night- which is wonderful. And Ryan has been so great about taking Coranelle after her 2am feeding and changing her and swaddling her and convincing her it is nighttime and time to sleep- all while I get some sleep. It has been so helpful and appreciated.
Overall, we are really enjoying our little family- the fussiness, challenges, and joys of it all. When she is just content in your arms, there is not a better feeling in the world! Ryan and I talked about how- even though we didn't do anything on a Friday night, except hang out with Coranelle and give her a bath- we are so happy. We have our little family, and you don't need much more to make you feel like the most blessed people in the world!
Tomorrow- we celebrate our 2 year anniversary! I think we got a pretty great present this year for our anniversary!

a week and a day!

Daddy got her a new outfit! Actually, he went out a bought her quite a few things because we didn't really have clothes or hats that were small enough. Never thought I'd have a small baby- considering how big Stefan and I were!
This picture just makes me smile. She and Ryan were playing and dancing. She is starting to grab at things and make her little body swim through the air. Every day, something changes!

Coranelle has been out for 1 week and 1 day. It seemed to fly by! She is doing well and growing and enjoying her little life. Ryan went back to work part time this week ( Mon, Wed and Fri). It is sad to be home without him, as he has been just phenomenal! He is a great dad and has a special touch with Coranelle. He has been getting up for one nighttime feeding to burp and change Coranelle after I feed. She loves her daddy!
Yesterday, she was like an eating machine! Is there a growth spurt at 1 week? She would only go about an hour or hour and a half in between feedings and was just sucking away! It wore me out a bit! Hopefully she is gaining her ounce + a day! I think her cheeks are filling out.
On Monday, I ventured out for my first walk alone with her. She did awesome. Then, we went to target together. Doing things alone with her for the first time is a bit scary, but she did great. I got the carseat all figured out and am working on getting her all changed and fed before outtings. That takes a long time sometimes! But, I am happy that I can breast feed and that I am getting the hang out it. She is too! She has a little blister on her lip from all of her hard work during feedings.
We are just really enjoying our family. I still look at her every hour in awe of how precious she is. (even when she is screaming because she hates baths and diaper changes).
I hope that you are all doing well. Thanks for reading and happy Wednesday!