Blah...

I'm feeling emotional...

The last few months have been all about change - sometimes change is good, but its almost always initially hard. And I'm not one to really enjoy change. Don't get me wrong - I love my life and I'm so happy. Adjustment has just been so much harder than I anticipated. Its funny really... You think everything through... You calculate everything over and over in your head... You weigh everything out... You discuss everything endlessly... And you make a decision. Then afterwards you realize that you really had no idea what you should actually be thinking... calculating... weighing... discussing...! The decision was made and you are happy ...just shocked. :) Becoming parents has brought us both such a mixture of emotions and feelings. We've been happy and sad, angry and elated, excited and discouraged, frustrated and over-joyed. Emotions are one thing you can never plan for! Don't get me wrong - we are so happy to have little Abi. I'm just taking a minute to put down some of my thoughts from the last couple months.

Now its time to adjust again... I have to go back to work. I'm only going back part time for which I am so grateful! I don't have to worry about Abi because she'll be with Kris. I've thought about it, and I think that even if I didn't have to go back to work, I'd still want to work just a little. I think that I'd miss it. Plus it gives me a little chance to "get out" and see other humans. I think the thing I'm most upset about it the time it will take away from my Honey. That has been by far the hardest adjustment for me since having Abi - us not being able to spend time alone together. Now it will get even a little bit harder. I feel like an ungrateful wretch for even saying this (seeing as I'm only working 2 shifts per week)... I'm happy to be able to work it out that Abi doesn't have to be in day-care, but that means me working every other weekend and one evening a week - all shifts that I've never liked to work.

Soon I will stop being emotional and give myself a good strong kick in the pants... but maybe I will have a good cry first.

Naps...

Abi has been sleeping through the night like a champ for 3 weeks now - awesome! However naps have been a different story - she sleeps for 20-40 minutes and is awake and won't go back to sleep! I've wanted to try having her sleep on her tummy and see if she does better, but I've been too nervous. All the "experts" saying 'don't do it!!!' scared me... even though I know that we all slept on our stomachs and lived! :) Well, we got back from Mich last night and today I decided to let her sleep on her tummy. Actually - I put her down for her nap on her back and she slept for about 40 minutes and didn't look like she had any plans of going back to sleep! Well - I rolled her over and she cried for a while and fell back to sleep. I had to wake her up 2 1/2 hours later!! I was so surprised! We'll have to wait and see if it keeps working. P.S. I've been in to check on her at least every 10 minutes! :)

Ty and Beth :)

My handsome brother Ty and my beautiful sister-in-law Beth are finally married! Don't they look awesome?!!! Kris, Abi and I traveled to Cadillac, Michigan Thursday through Sunday. We met up with Aaron and Melissa and Mercy at the airport and what a sweet ride we rented! Ford Crown Vic - we were riding in style! :) Abi was so good on all the flights but didn't like the 1 3/4 hr. car ride from Grand Rapids to Cadillac very much. Can't complain at all thought - she was so good all week end and even slept like a champ at the hotel!

I'm so happy for Ty and Beth! We've been looking forward to their wedding for a long time and I know that they will be happy together. They're good for each other. If only they were going to live a little closer! Florida is too far away.... ....next year to NY??!! Maybe... :) I do so hope that we can vacation together one more time next summer!

There will be more pictures to come, but I just wanted to post one for now. The wedding was beautiful and everything went pretty smoothly I think.

Wow!

I neglected to mention this:

Abi started sleeping thought the night a week ago (July 29th) at 8 weeks old!!

Kris and I took a parenting class at church before she was born that guaranteed that if we did things a certain way she'd be sleeping through the night 8 hours by 8 weeks and 12 hours by 12 weeks... Hmmm... we tore our hair out with a VERY fussy baby for about 5-6 weeks thinking that absolutely nothing was working. Then all of a sudden on a beautiful Wednesday morning - I woke up at 6am and realized that it was light outside and I hadn't gotten up during the night! Abi had slept 9 1/2 hours. And she's done it faithfully every night since! We still have a little trouble getting her to fall asleep, but I'm not complaining! Oh, what beautiful nights!!!

More Abigail pics :)

How sweet is this picture? :) I love it! I think that Abi is starting to recognize our faces. So far Kris and I are the only ones that get those adorable big smiles. She doesn't mind anyone else, but she just stares at them...
Lately Abi's happiest time are laying on her back on the living room floor! She's smiling more and more and starting to coo. It's just way to cute - she gets so excited!

Bath time! Gotta love a towel with a crown - she's our little princess...! She loves the bath, but really isn't too fond of the towel and dry off time.

My little lady was 2 months old already on August 2nd! I can't believe how fast the time is flying by already! These are her 2 month shots below - with my most favorite dress of hers.

And now, poor Abi is tired - so many pictures - I need to sleep now...

I guess that my blog has become an "Abigail picture place." :) There are just too many that are just too cute in my opinion! Besides I can't believe how the time is flying and how big she's getting... before I know it she'll be all grown up and I'll be sad! She went for her 2 month check up on Monday - complete with 3 shots and an oral vaccine. That was all heartbreaking to watch. Why must they make the mothers hold them in place while they're being tortured? I almost cried! She did fine though, and calmed down pretty quickly. I think they kind of messed her up for a couple days though. She had so much trouble getting any sleep during the day for the last 2 days. I was worried that she was constipated - highly unusual for her not to go for 2 days - but that fear was resolved last night. Sorry Honey, I know you had fun taking that poo bath! I'm glad it wasn't me this time! :)

We've been working on getting little Abi used to a bottle - its been rough, but I think that she's finally getting better at it! I have to go back to work in 2 1/2 weeks - ugh. I have mixed feelings on that front. I'm nervous for one - I think that I forgot everything! I'm very grateful that I have the opportunity to go per-diam so I'll only be working 2 shifts per week, but still I'll miss being home with Kris when he's home. I guess it'll be good to get out of the house and all. Honestly - I think I'd miss it if I never went back to work - good thing I don't have a choice. I'm just selfish and want to be able to have all my time with my Honey and my Babe...

Next weekend is Ty and Beth's wedding (Aug 16th) in Michigan. We fly out on Thursday. I hope that all goes smoothly with the baby. I'm a little nervous about taking her on the plane and about trying to get her to sleep while we're there... I'm praying that all goes smoothly. I've been making lists in my head all week of all the things that I need to pack! Wow - its so different to try to travel with a little one than it was with just the 2 of us! I'm sure I'll forget something important! Its unbelievable how much stuff is required for a little baby!