My day with the baby!

Monday was what I thought it was going to be... she did not sleep well the night before and I did not sleep well and yesterday we were both upset all day. That's why God gives you partners to do this with. When Chip came home from work he relieved me and I was able to eat (finally), shower, and pick up the house a little bit.

Today is MUCH better (it would have to be for me to spend all this time on the internet). In between feedings and wanting to be held, I've been here on the computer trying to get this blog set up. My mom has requested it (as well as more pictures) so she can keep up with her granddaughter.
She's sleeping as I'm working on this. Notice the hand coming out of her swaddler... she's Houdini, I promise. You wrap her up as tight as you can and in the middle of the night she's escaped! Also, Chip and I have this thing called the "Bed Buddy" which is draped across her middle. It's for aches and pains - you microwave it and it provides "moist heat." Anyway, we've been calling it the "Baby Buddy" because Josephine calms down within minutes of it being put across her belly. I highly recommend it!

Josephine is in the foreground and the computer station that I've been typing on is in the back. I'll get a little done and then the phone will ring, Josephine will stir, Stella will need to go out, I'll need to eat, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. I can't wait to go back to work where EVERYTHING is on a schedule. I'm dying!

Here' s how interested Stella is in my blogging. She's thrown in the towel and, by the looks of things, has resigned to the fact that she's a dog. This can only last so long though - I know she'll be begging to get in my lap in about 5 minutes. As I'm typing she's moved from the floor to the chair next to me. Predictable.

A week of Mom, Dad, and baby

So, after my mom came and Chip's mom came, we had a week to do it alone. It was really great to have Chip home with me all day. We had a really good time playing with the baby and it gave Chip a chance to get a lot of yard work done... in between feedings.

In case you guys were wondering... this is Stella's baby. We normally don't put Jo on the floor, but the other day she was so good we just put her down and let her look at the fan. (All babies love fans... thank goodness we have a fan in every room!) Anyway, Stella decided that not only did Jo taste good but she would make a wonderful pillow.

Get used to it, Jo. Stella's a sucker for a lap... even your tiny one!


This is how Josephine sleeps when she's not swaddled. Her arms cannot stay down. We've tried. Every time those arms go up we'll push them down... only for her to raise them again. I pray for her circulation, although it must be pretty good.

What a horrible photo... but, when else can you take a picture of your child taking a poop? It's funny... really. Poor thing. I have another picture of her where her face matches our couch but I think one picture of her straining is enough.

Sometimes she just wants to be held... not a lot... but sometimes. This is one of those rare occurences and, thankfully, Chip was here to take the picture. She's in her MSU hat (and you can't see her feet, but they have on MSU socks too).

I think the Sunday before Chip went to work was the most terrifying day for me. Monday would be the first day that I was going to stay home with her and it was just going to be the two of us. Although I know I can take care of her, I'm not sure I can take care of her and me!

First weeks...

Do I look tired? I feel tired. Babies get up a lot during the night. Most of the time you can get right to them and be with them, but sometimes it takes an act of God to get you out of the bed.

This is the last day Nana was here. She insisted on getting pictures with her two girls and I insisted that I put on normal clothes and some makeup. Yes, those are regular jeans! I'm so sick of maternity pants! In my refusal to wear anything maternity, I've raided Chip's supply of athletic pants. I don't know if it ought to make me feel better to wear my husband's large athletic pants or not. I like athletic pants. Every day I try on another pair of my regular clothes. Most of the time they fit. The ones that don't I'm choosing to ignore. I'll get there!

Nana will be back on Friday to visit with Jo's cousin Mary and her Aunt E. She'll be suprised at how much our little bean has grown! When we went for her two week checkup she was up to 7 lbs, 10 oz (I think she's stored those 7 oz in her cheeks!) and 20 1/4". No wonder she sleeps all the time.

Easter Monday

We would have dressed her up for Easter Sunday, but somehow that day came and went and we were unaware. (Do you blame new parents?) So, on Monday, we got a shower and dressed the baby in her newborn outfit for Easter. That outfit did not last much longer than the pictures and Jo was ok wearing it, but she really does not like to be undressed. (Her dad says that's ok... he'd like her to keep it that way until she's about 30. Keep it on, Josephine!)
First family picture... and it would have been really cute if Stella hadn't been in it. But, we can't leave her out!

Josephine in her crib. This is one of a handful of times she's been in it... somehow her nursery seems too far away to leave her in there to sleep! She'll get there eventually. She might be 10.

I said eventually...

She can't sit up yet... that'll be a few months, but we were able to prop her up... sort of. That's her Easter basket from Nana. I think the cookie is bigger than her head. Chip has enjoyed the jelly beans and Easter candy for Jo. She'll have to wait a while on that too.

At home... finally

We got to go home on Friday morning and by Saturday we had Nana, Uncle John, Lilly Grace, Papa John, and Winnie all come to see her.

Lilly Grace has a lot of experience holding babies. You'd have to ask her if that's a good thing or a bad thing. She was very good with the baby and, unfortunately, Jo slept the whole time they were here. She kept asking, "When is the baby going to wake up?" Sorry Lilly - maybe next time!

Dad and Winnie's 1st visit... Jo was very good this visit (not so much the second time Papa came down). Babies... what are you going to do?

First Visitors

The two days they keep you in the hospital do not seem long enough. I was ready to go home, but I couldn't believe that it had already been that long! (By the way, you do NOT sleep at the hospital... the nurses are wonderful, but they check on you an awful lot.)

Chip spent the night with me at the hospital and I'm really suprised he survived the first night. I was burning up and the room was set at 60 degrees. I was so warm and Chip was a popsicle. The next night we bumped it up a little bit! What a reversal of roles - I'm usually the one under all the blankets!

Josephine Kate with Mamaw in the hospital. Isn't her bow cute? We lost it somewhere between the hospital and the house... too bad.

And here's Papaw holding her... even though Mamaw didn't want to give her up! :)

1st Blog

Not that this is my first blog ever, just my first blog on here... about my 1st baby!

I'll try to back up and go from the beginning with the baby.

This is the first picture of mom and baby. I hate that "just given birth" look, but I think every mom has this picture somewhere! (As you can see, the baby is NOT happy... poor thing was in pain from the vacuum suction they used.)

This is Chip's first picture with Jo. He is so thrilled. I can't even tell you how happy he was to have her here. Especially after waiting so long for her to be here!

She arrived at 5:26 pm, weighing in at 7 lbs, 3 oz and standing 19 1/4" high.

She was so little!