Nap Training

This book...although I haven't actually read it yet, is AMAZING!! Any of you who are friends of mine on facebook know that Adelyn has not ever been a napper. She would catnap here and there, if I was holding her, but never very long! A friend of mine mentioned this book and I ordered it. But just from reading the previews on line, I got the basic principle. When she wakes up, keep her up for 90 minutes, and then put her back down again. Basically, babies work on 90 minute intervals. If you don't get her down pretty close to 90 minutes, you will have to wait another 90 minutes before she will go to sleep. I started yesterday. It has been AMAZING!! Yesterday and today, I was able to swaddle her, sing to her for a few minutes, lay her down and she was OUT! 3 long naps yesterday. 2 so far today! She has been so much happier. No evening fussiness. Once I actually read the book...it might be even better. But for now, I feel like I have my sanity back! :)  

2 Month Pictures and Easter

Happy 2 Month Birthday to my baby girl!! 2 months already?? She is getting so big. She has started to notice her hands and how to make them work. She is batting at toys on the bouncy seat and carseat. Speaking of the carseat, she HATES it. She does not like being confined. Especially if the car is not moving....God forbid the light turn red!! She is learning to use her voice for reason other than crying. :) She is starting to try to talk and to mimic sounds. She goes to the doctor next week, but I am guessing she is getting close to 11 lbs. She is still not a napper. Will not do it unless she is being held. Maybe 20 minutes in the swing occasionally, but not consistently. I am counting on my babysitter to teach her to be an independent napper. :)  I will keep y'all updated on that.
   Adelyn's first easter was fun! On Saturday, we had an Easter egg hunt with the Presley's at Poppy and JuJu's house. It was lots of fun. Adelyn didn't really get into the egg hunt this year...but next year, she will! Shelby, however, was all about the egg hunt. :) Here are some pictures from that day.

 Easter baskets by Aunt Becky

Shelby left us on Saturday afternoon to go to her Mama's. Sunday morning, we all got dressed in our Sunday best and headed to Hopewell to introduce the babies to all our friends there. We got there at 10:55 and they were finishing up. We didn't know they were starting an hour early. So, we jumped in the car and flew across town to First Methodist. We were a little late, but snuck into the balcony unnoticed. Adelyn was an angel. Never made a peep during church! Here is our first family Easter picture. I am sad that Shelby is not in it. :(



The Warfield's

The Presley's



Doctors Appointment and Work

Adelyn Jules had her One Month Well Check today. Technically she is almost 6 weeks old, but today was the appointment! Anyway....everything went well. She weighed 9 lbs 2 oz and was 22.5 inches long! Thats over 2 lbs gained and an inch of growth. She was right at the 50% percentile in both categories, so I suppose that makes her "normal" or "average". She was a sweet girl and gave Dr. Andy lots of smiles. He says that will change, she will begin to really dislike him eventually! ;) But for now, she seemed to think he was funny! :) She is smiling ALL the time now. Smiling on purpose and not just on accident. She doesn't smile for her mama much, I guess I am boring. But everyone else gets lots of toothless grins. :)
    My Maternity Leave is officially over on Monday. :( I actually had to go to a conference in Tifton this week, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Leaving her on Tuesday almost killed me....but it got a little easier the next 2 days when I realized that she survived without me. My first scheduled shift is not until Friday, and its only 8-2, so I think I will suvive. I work the entire weekend, but half days all three days. Ed's mom is keeping her Friday, my Mom on Saturday and Ed will have his first extended period with her on Sunday. Guess which day I am most nervous about? :) I don't start back 12 hour shifts until May 1, so thats good. I am definitely dreading that! I will never get to see her. :( But at least I only work 14 days a month. Those 14 days will be hard, but the other 16 will be great! :)
   More Good News. I found someone to keep her. No Daycare for Adelyn Jules!!!! I was really worried about her going to the Y so young, with all those other babies and their germs. BUT....Thank God, another option presented itself. A girl that I went to highschool with, Carrie, is going to keep her. She keeps one other little girl who is 6 months old and has my best friend Jessica's child (soon to be childREN) a couple of days a week. It is going to be so much better for Adelyn. No germs. More love and cuddle time. I am so excited! Makes going back to work a little easier on my heart! :)
   Shelby is on Spring Break this week. Her cousins from Thailand are here visiting, so we haven't seen much of her, but she, the two cousins (8 and 11 yo) and another friend of Shelby's are spending the night tonight. That means I have 5 girls to tend to...Pray for me! :) It should be interesting.
Well, I will post some pictures later...gotta run!

One Month Old

Adelyn is one month old today! ONE WHOLE MONTH!!! I am going to do monthly pictures to see how she changes! Here is the first month...

She looks a little frightened...but I promise its just the flash! :)  She is growing so much! She smiles ALL the time. People say its not intentional at 4 weeks, but I think they are wrong! I swear she smiles AT me. She is a sweet girl! Loves to snuggle under my chin. She seems to know day from night. She eats every 2.5-3 hours during the day, but gives me 5 hour stretches at night time! She will not nap anywhere but on my chest, but at night, I can lay her down in the bassinet and she will put herself right to sleep! Works for me! :)

   I have to go to a conference in Tifton for work next Tuesday-Thursday from 8a-5p. This will be the first time I leave her for an extended period of time and I am nervous and sad about it. I am leaving her with Eds mom and sister, so I know she will be in good hands, but still...they are not my hands! 

  We are taking our first road trip this weekend to see this little fellow...

and his mama and daddy too of course! The road trip should be interesting! Hopefully she rides well! I will let yall know how that goes. Anyway, here are a couple more recent pictures of Miss Adelyn Jules. Yall have a good week!

Newborn Pics and Outings

Hi! I am still alive. Not much time for blogging around this place! :) Little Miss Adelyn takes up a lot of time. Speaking of Adelyn, her newborn pics are up on Abby Mims website. They are gorgeous! If you want to check them out, go to http://www.abbycaroline.com/ and click on Blog. She is a beauty if I do say so myself! :)
   We have been able to get out of the house a good bit the last few days, and it has been very good for my sanity! We went to lunch with JuJu on Friday. Then Saturday, JuJu, Adelyn and I went shopping in Valdosta. Saturday night, we went over to Ed's Mom's house and hung out with her, Steve, Steve's son Reese and his wife Whitney. They have an adorable baby boy, Knox, who is 5 1/2 months old. He and Adelyn are going to have lots of fun playing together over the years! :) Today, Mama, Daddy, Adelyn and I went to Calico. Adelyn LOVES the stroller and she snoozed while we strolled around. It has been really nice to not feel house bound all weekend, and I know that it will get easier to take her places. I am a little bit of a germ freak, (DON'T BREATHE ON HER!!!) so I get nervous taking her around people. But in order for me to remain sane, we must leave the house!
  I will leave yall with some new photos of my precious baby girl!

Motherhood 101

Whoa! This is hard work! This motherhood thing makes a busy day in the ER look like a walk in the park! If you know me at all, you know that I am a little bit of a control freak. I like for things to work on a schedule, and to know what is coming next. Well, if you have ever had a newborn, you know it doesn't really work that way. You also know that I am a worrier. I mean, to a total fault. Thanks to my daddy for that trait, along with the high blood pressure that goes along with it. Well, anyways, this little thing takes worrying to a WHOLE new level.

Adelyn's First Bath

Is she eating enough, is she eating too much? Is she sleeping enough, is she sleeping too much? Is she still breathing? Why is she crying? Is she peeing enough? Is she pooping enough? Is she pooping too much? It is overwhelming I tell you. I asked my mama the other night how old she has to get before I stop worrying about her. Her answer... "I will let you know". Ugh!

   Anyways, we are getting adjusted. Learning the ins and outs. I will be glad when I can take her out. I have been cooped up in this house long enough. Mama is going to keep her for a couple of hours tonight so I can go out to dinner with my husband and sister-in-law and brother-in-law. Excited about that!

   She is a super sweet baby! She sleeps well at night. She is happy most of the time. Unless she is hungry, tired or having her clothes changed. :) Here are some more pictures of her...for you who want to see her cuteness!

Adelyn Jules Norman

SHE IS HERE!!! Sorry it has taken me so long to update this blog, but I am sure anyone who reads this is on facebook, so I know yall have seen her! Isn't she beautiful?? She weighed in at 7lbs even, 21.5 inches long! She is a sweet, sweet girl!
   We are still at the hospital. She has had some minor issues with her heart rate, body temp, and being a little sluggish. They did some lab work yesterday and the consensus is that her thyroid wasn't working just like it should and it took it a couple of days to jump start. As most of you know, I have had thyroid issues and they think that my levels were out of whack during pregnancy and it caused hers to act a little funny when it was left on its own. :) She is soooooo much better now. Wide eyed, eating great and heart rate is picking up. I pray we get to go home today. Ed is about to go stir crazy and I miss my bed. I am ready for Adelyn to see her home and get settled in.
   Shelby is super excited. I think she is going to be a great big sister. She has had a nasty cough and ran some fever over the past weekend, so I have been a little guarded with letting her get in Adelyn's face too much, but I think as soon as I give her the go ahead, its going to be on.
  I will leave yall with some more pictures of the most precious baby ever born.....