Smiling at Angels

My great aunt Lucy passed away tonight. She was my grandmother's last living sister and they were so close. We were actually all very close to her, she was like a second Mema. I hurt for my Mema because I know how hard it is for her, but yet she's acting as the consoler for us.
Lu moved to Midland a little over a year ago, after Uncle LC passed. She was able to come visit us a few times. She was actually here the weekend I went into labor, except she left Saturday afternoon and I went into labor Sunday night. She promised to come see Riley when she was born. Plans changed and people got busy, too busy to drive her to visit, so she just hopped in her car and sneaked down here one Friday. I'm so glad she had the spirit to do that, otherwise she and Riley wouldn't have ever met.
So tonight, Riley lay sleeping in my grandmother's arms, with a huge grin on her face, smiling at angels as my mother in law would say. I have no doubt that Lu and LC were peeking down on us from heaven.

Thumbsucker!

Riley found her thumb onher own today, with no help on several occassions, so I'm pretty sure it wasn't just a coincidence. She's a bit gassy so we're in the dining room in the pink boppy vibrating chair, looking out the window. Anytime her tummy seems to hurt, that chair seems to make her feel better.

Today

Riley reached up and touched my face today. Today was also the first day she reached for a toy. She's been watching them pretty closely for the past week or so, but today she was in her pink boppy vibrating chair and reached up to bat the mirrored butterfly on it. She was grinning and doing her little donkey laugh at the same time.

Her life is so full of firsts...its just an amazing, miraculous thing to witness.

I Just Realized....

I know I'm not the most dedicated blogger, and I really hope that changes, because I think it's a great way to share/document your kids/family with people you don't get to see every day....but here's the thing. I was just looking at my blog archive and I've had this thing for over three years! My first post was in April 2005. That makes me feel a little better about my lazy blogging.

My Little Reverse Insomniac

If you don't sleep during the daytime when you are a baby and supposed to, does that make you a reverse insomniac?

Riley is apparently going through another growth spurt which appears to mean three things:
1) She is going to suck me dry all day long,

2) She is going to refuse to sleep all day long. She'll tease you and make you think she's going to sleep, but she never enters the "limp limb" state that Dr. Sears talks about. That could be a whole other post and probably will be the next time I have a chance to blog from laptop, rather than my blackberry at 4 am. Anyway, she'll shut her eyes and doze and then her eyes will just fly open and she's off to eating. Again.

3) Nothing is going to make her happy, other than sitting in the chair with her, letting her pacify herself on my breast, which makes mommy a little tired and sore by the end of the day.

These usually last 2-3 days, so tomorrow she'll either be a reformed insomniac for another 6 weeks or so (at least that's what the books say) or we'll have another fun filled day of drain mom dry...at least my mom will be here to try to pacify her in other ways, I swear grandma's are the best and Riley loves hers....

Today my dad and my stepmom (Nanny to Riley) came over just as I was about to start crying...I had a pumped bottle and let Nanny give it to her and Riley teased her with dozing. Bonnie went to put her down, the eyes flew open, and repeat. The poor tired little thing FINALLY gave in around 6:30 and is still asleep as of 11:40. In her cib no less.

You might ask why am I still awake? Because I keep thinking she is going to wake up any moment. I have no desire to lay down and immediately have to wake up...that's just cruel. So I'll just wait for her, a little longer as this is the longest she has ever slept in her almost 40 days of life.

Anyway, here are some more Riley pics:

She finally decided the pink Boppy vibrating bouncy chair is not 100% evil as of 8/7/08:

Riley was lucky enough to have two very talented ladies make these beautiful baby blankets for her...they are both just beautiful...the second one also has a hat, I need to post one of those pictures, because she is already just such a ham for the camera...how do they know so early?


This one was taken 8/3/08, she had a rare night where she didn't sleep so great, so I dressed her in a super comfy dress...love this picture of her....
And here is the hat picture that goes with the one above...she just grins all the time, but she will not keep those hands down! Apparently that habit goes way back to when she was just a wee 1" baby in my 10 week sonogram picture, because she sure does have her hands (stumps?) in front of her face there, and at the 24 week 3d we did...it's a tradition that has kept me from getting her big ol' grin on film. You can tell here how big she is smiling, almost laughing....

Well, I guess I'm going to give in a go to bed...it will be like in a restuarant, if you haven't gotten your food, it can almost be assured the minute you go to the restroom, it will appear...so I'll lay down, barely doze off and my little alarm clock will let me know it's time to get up.

Night Out

I had my first night out Wednesday...this is actually kind of an overstatement. I had a late afternoon/early evening out. My sister and I had planned since before Riley was born to go see Pineapple Express. So my mom came over right after work and watched Riley...I told Jody to take advantage of the babysitter and go do something fun, like play pool or go fishing. I think he ended up having to work late. Poor Jody.
Anyway, that was the funniest movie I've seen in a long time. Well, maybe since Knocked Up and Superbad came out, both of which also star Seth Rogen. And James Franco should do comedy more often...who knew he's seriously funny.
After the movie, ash and I went Brick Oven for pizza and a beer, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed. And I was home by 8 pm. Riley had slept until about 20 minutes before I got home, poor tired baby. She's such a day time insomniac that when she finally goes to sleep, she just racks out.

Riley @ One Month

I cannot believe my baby girl, my daughter (wow, I have a DAUGHTER!) Is now one month old.

I don't even know how to express how much I love this little person...you mommies know. But how do you explain it to your friends that haven't had babies yet? Not too long ago, I was one of those people...I guess if you had told me to take how much I love my little Zoe dog and multiply that times infinity, I might have understood that a little, but there's no way to explain the FEELING.

Let's see, changes in Riley that have happened in the past month:
-Her bruised head has gotten significantly better, its just barely squishy now
-Her bruised shoulder has healed
-her eyes have gone from navy to more of a just blue color, but who knows
-her dark hair is starting to fall out (man, I'll miss her little mullet) and I think its going to grow in blonde. Her eyebrows and lashes are blonde and it looks like there is some blonde fuzz under the dark hair.
-she is holding her head up so good! But we do need to do more tummy time....
-she now sleeps in her crib some, vs not at all in the beginning
-she has "smiled" from early on, but has just in the last two days started to smile back at you...I have yet to catch the elusive smile with the camera, but I will.

Things Riley likes:
-Nursing: she just relaxes totally and generally racks out.
-Music: she loves music. Her mobile is a wind up that only plays about 3 minutes, so itoday I ordered the Symphony In Motion Deluxe mobile. She also has a crib "piano" that each key plays a different song...there is a switch for when she is older that will make each key play a single note.
-White Noise Bear: she loves her bear that plays all the soothing sounds.
-FisherPrice Papasan Cradle Swing: this swing is loved by Riley and me and Jody.
-Changing Pad: she loves to be up on her changing pad, looking around.
-Baby Massage: we do this everyday and she just loves it.
-Being Held: Riley sleeps much better being held than in her crib. I'm going to enjoy it while I can :)
-Little Tummies AntiGas Drops - she likes the way they taste...I've been known to bait a paci with a drop or two to get her started....
-Zoe: Riley and Z are already buddies. We were a little worried, because Z has been the baby for a long time, but Zoe seems to really like Riley...she will jump up in the chair with us and like turn midair/landing so that she misses the baby. So cute. And Riley likes to look at her-probably because she's black and white and babies seem to like contrasting colors.
-Her grandmas: no explanation needed :)
The car and her car seat: great way to get her to sleep when she's really fighting it.
-Her daddy: she just stares at Jody. And he just stares back at her. I love it.
-Gigi's Sponge Baths: Gigi (my mom) comes almost everday at lunch and gives Riley a sponge bath, massage, and dresses her...they both enjoy their time together. And I get a shower!

Things Riley does not like:
-The big swing : I think she will like it someday, its just not really made for a newborn.
-Baths: she seems to not mind the water, but she never ends up happy by the end. We're getting there.
-Being woken up before she's ready: makes for a grouchy baby!
-Waiting for food: do not let her get too hungry!

All in all, I'm blessed to not only have a healthy, beautiful baby, but a generally happy, easy to take care of baby. We've had a few rough nights (hello gas!), but we've got her figured out for the time being.

Another 4 am Observation

Ok, really MTV is about it at 4am unless you like infomercials. And if I see the shamwow advertisement one more time, I might poke my eyes out. That guy freaks me out.
Back to MTV...what is up with LL Cool J clips of him made up like an old guy at a old people place, doing different songs of his? Weirdness.