Midnight Rousing

Let me preface this blog entry by saying most nights Cora is an excellent sleeper. Her usual schedule is asleep around 7:30, up once around 3am for 1-1.5 hours (slow eater), and then back to sleep for another 3 hours. So, if I go to bed early, I get a really good night of sleep. Lately, Cora has decided she wants to stay awake when she gets up at 3am. Ugh! She isn't fussy by any means. I feed her, change her, and then feed a bit more with the hopes that she'll fall back asleep. Lately, I have just been getting huge grins instead.

Last night, I was pretty tired and we had been up for 2 hours. It was just after 5, so I decided I'd lay her down in bed with Lee and me. She was grinning the whole time. I pulled the covers up over me and around her legs. That is when the fun began. She started kicking her legs and squealing in delight. For the next 30 minutes, we listened to Cora chatter. When she was quiet for a couple minutes, I slowly opened one eye. There was her face, right next to mine, waiting to see if I was awake. As soon as she saw my eye open, she was grinning ear to ear and the escapades started all over again. After failing at getting her to sleep in our bed, I grabbed her swing and stuck her in that. She batted at her toys and talked to herself some more.

Then came the tears. I was actually happy to hear her start to cry. Maybe, just maybe, she was getting tired. I took her to the living room and nursed her for about 15 minutes. The stinker was sound asleep. Oh, Thank You Baby Sleep Gods! I put her back into her cribbed, tiptoed out of her room, and snuggled back into bed with Lee. It was 6:30am. We slept until 8 when she decided the day would start again.

She just tickles me. How can I ever be grumpy from lack of sleep when I get to be with her all night? Oh, and let me just mention her talking. It is not at a normal octave. She has high pitched squeals that are ear piercing. I can't help but laugh! Lee and I are certain we're going to have trouble making her be quiet when she is older. I guess like Mother, like Daughter. I was also a kid that never ever shut up. Not ever. No wonder I annoyed my sister. :)

The pictures in this post have nothing to do with the blog entry. I just thought they were cute. They were taken in her new Bumbo chair. I set her up on the counter (I know, bad Mom!) so she could see herself in the mirror while I brushed my teeth. She loves looking at herself in the mirror. I wonder what she thinks.?.?

Woah! Who is that?

You are really kind of cute. Let me get a closer look.

You are silly, too. I like my new friend!

Hey, do you want to share some of Mom's lotion with me?

Mom! Don't you just love my new buddy!!

Music Addition

I added a playlist to my blog this morning. I chose the four songs based on what I listen to with Cora or ones she likes. Thanks for the idea, Caitlin. :)

Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show- This is one of my most favorite bluegrass bands. Cora LOVES this song. I sing it to her all the stinking time. :)

Lullaby by the Dixie Chicks- This song is probably one of the most beautiful lullabies ever written. The lyrics and melody is just beautiful. To top it off, I have been a huge Dixie Chicks fan FOREVER!

Silver Springs by Fleetwood Mac- One of the best rock groups of all time in my most humble opinion. I can't get enough of Stevie Nicks. I use to listen to this song when I ran...over and over again. It gets me in a very meditative state.

Jealousy by Natalie Merchant- I listened to Natalie Merchant constantly when I was pregnant with Cora. Jealousy is just one of the more popular songs on Natalie Merchant's Tigerlily CD. We listened to the CD Ophelia a lot too. She has the most beautiful voice. I listened to her during delivery as well. I think Cora recognizes these CDs. They'll calm her down and help me get her down for naps.

I'll post other songs as I think of ones that incorporate Cora somehow.

Early Bird Easter Presents!

Like I had mentioned in the previous post, we couldn't wait to give Cora her Easter presents. Here are a few with her new worm. She was really loving on it today. She started out on her belly laying perpendicular to the worm. As you can see, she was really wrestling with it. :) She can get frustrated with the big worm quite easily because she can't stuff the whole thing in her mouth. It is good for her to problem solve though.




Here are some photos of Cora in her Jolly Jumper. She definitely enjoys this. It will be great once she gets the hang of it.

Bouncing with one leg gets you nowhere when your other leg is stiff.

It looks like she is terribly bored in this photo. She does look sweet though.

Cora's concentrated look and pose. Her right arm does all the work while her left arm keeps the balance. Think of a bull rider.

The next photo is just sweet. She stared at Lee like this forever! His heart melted all over the couch that day.

Finally, a team picture of our curling team. Lee and I swapped between playing and taking care of the munchkin. A fun time was had by all. So much fun that Cora and I slept all day on Sunday. We were exhausted!!

L to R: Lee, Cora, Aaron, Jocelyn, Cathy, Sascha

P.S. Her eyes seem to be bluer than blue lately. Hmmmm.

Timeline of our Bear Cub

I've been noticing so many new things with Cora. It mostly is her motor skills such as grasping and putting things in her mouth that I find astonishing. Right now, she is beating the crap out of Elmo on her Sesame Street mobile. :) What baffles me is that I see very little changes in her appearance. I know she has changed, but exactly how? I am going to use this post to do a timeline of photos. The only way I can tell she has grown is if I remind myself of how big her clothes used to be, how my arm cuddled her whole body when she ate (now I only reach the top of her butt), how her feet curled around my waist but couldn't touch the couch when she ate (now she practically stands up to get leverage), and how I was so nervous to hold her when she was naked and give her baths because she was so darn small (now I love to cuddle her "plump" naked body and love to give her baths). Right now is the first time that I am actually looking at the photos side by side. So, here we go!

Minutes old. She was even observant this early. :) Poor little cheek bruises. I am glad those healed fast.

A few days old. I can't remember exactly how old but in Lee's words, "She was so new she was still wet behind the ears."

3 weeks old. She just had eaten and gotten a bath. She's wearing the same outfit right now. I think she looks beautiful in purple.

1 month old. I couldn't believe how her personality started coming through pictures at this point.

1 month 3 weeks old. Hmmm, her hair is long!

2 months old. I didn't get an official 2 month photo because we were travelling and it slipped my mind. She went through customs in the airport on her 2 month birthday! Jet setting Baby!

3 months old! She is really starting to get a personality (if you can't tell).

Yep, so I'm still not seeing huge changes. Of course she has grown, but still. I think part of it is that she never really looked like a true brand new newborn. She had the wrinkly forehead and was small, but that was about it. Either way, she is getting more and more precious each day.

Yesterday, Lee and I went Easter shopping for her. She got a Bumbo chair (the little seat she is sitting in above is a Bumbo), a jolly jumper to hook in the door, and a 2 foot long inch worm that crinkles, squeaks, rattles, and plays music for tummy time. It took Lee and me forever to pick the toy. We wanted something that stimulates her but doesn't scare her since she frightens quite easily. This toy seemed perfect because it wasn't loud but still offered a lot. Well, of course Lee and I have already opened everything. She does like the worm. As soon as her milk digests, we're trying out the jolly jumper. Hmmmm, I wonder what will go into her Easter basket now? Hahaha. Guess we'll have to go shopping again! We're going to have a playdate with Claire and her Mommy and Daddy soon, so we'll try out some of those toys. :)

Happy Weekend to all!!

Some Viewing Entertainment

Here are some videos I took with our webcam the last couple of weeks. She is doing crazy funny things every day making it hard to keep up with her. These videos are just more proof that Cora is no longer my newborn. She is really starting to get a personality (read: Drama Queen).

Super Baby

Chatting up a storm.


Bouncy Bouncy Bouncy

Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

Cora is 3 months old today!!! WOW. It just baffles me to see how much she is growing and learning every day. Just this week, she starting holding her rattles and bringing them to her mouth. She is on the brink of having a real laugh straight from the belly. Right now she shrieks when she gets happy. It is sooo dang cute. With all the new things she is learning, she is also gaining huge amounts of independence. I really cherish the times that she just wants to snuggle and cuddle now more than ever. Good bye newborn Cora, Hello infant Cora!

She is such a happy baby!

Lee feeding Cora a bottle. He had his first Daddy/Daughter day on Wednesday.

Cora had her 3 month check up with Dr. Galante on Wednesday. She was such a little show off! She showed Dr. Galante how strong her legs, neck, and back are. She didn't cry while the cold stethoscope was on her chest. She smiled while he palpated her abdomen. I think it tickled her just a bit. :) Here were her stats.

10 lbs 14 oz
23 in

She was in the 20th percentile for weight and the 50th for height. She is such a skinny, long, dainty squirt. I have to say, I am looking forward to when she is slightly bigger. It is driving me nuts that she still doesn't fit into her regular 0-3 month clothes!! She is only fitting her sleepers at this point. She looks extremely goofy when I try to put her in "big girl" clothes. She just swims in them. The onesie she is wearing in the next pictures is a newborn onesie that was only supposed to fit "up to 7 lbs". She is still looking good in it. :)

Holding the worm and debating which part looks the most tasty.

Yummy!

So many options to chew on.

This photo and all the rest are her official 3 month photos!!

My favorite picture EVER!

She really really liked the bright leg warmers.

Happy 3 month birthday Cora! I hope you have lots of fun watching Mommy clean. ;)

Shots, Tears, and Angels

How's that for a title? You all must be wondering what in the world I am talking about! This posting should update me to the current time...9:24 St. Paddy's Day Night. Hmmm, come to think of it, I have never ever celebrated St. Patrick's Day. And I lurve stout beers. 

Cora and I made it back to Edmonton safe and sound. Lee was in Calgary to pick us up at the airport. We were both so glad to see him. I need to brag for a sentence or two here. On the long leg of our plane trip (4 hours), there were 3 infants including Cora and a handful of toddlers. Cora was the ONLY one not crying or fussing. She played, ate, and slept without a tear. Not once on any part of our flights did we deal with sore ears, over tiredness, or any other drama. She was PERFECT. OK, so that lasted more than a sentence. :)

Our first full day back in Edmonton was a major mile stone for all three of us. Cora had her first round of shots. I have been dreading them since I was pregnant. I have absolutely no fear of needles, blood, or anything else in this department. However, I 110% hate hearing Cora cry when she hurts. I seriously can't stand it. I am tearing up right now thinking about her many different cries and whimpers. Her hurt cry is so much different than the shrieking/yelling she does when she is hungry or bored. This hurt cry is more of a real cry with a belly ache that takes forever for her to get over. It is gut wrenching. The hurt cry doesn't need to be physical pain either. Sometimes, she cries like that when she needs held close (like in the car) or she is startled. She actually scares fairly easy. Our Cora is such a tender little flower. Ok, Sascha, get back on track. So the shots... Lee held her in his lap. She had two shots in her left leg and one in her right leg. The shots were DTaP-IPV, meningcoccal, and pneumococcal.  She cried when she got the shots. The nurse was quick and efficient. I grabbed her as soon as the nurse pulled the third shot out of her leg and immediately started breastfeeding her. I probably had my breast out and ready before the first shot even went in. She was fine as soon as she latched on. It was probably more traumatic for me than it was for her. No blood, no bandages. I gave her a dose of Tylenol as soon as we got home. The next day I gave her one more dose of Tylenol because she was fussy and I wasn't sure if it was her legs or gas. We also gave her a bath the second day because the water is supposed to be soothing. She never seemed to be stiff or sore, but Lee and I were hyper aware of being extra careful when changing her diaper and clothes. I am so proud of her.

At this appointment, we had her weighed and measured. Here are her stats.

10 lbs 9.75 ounces

22.75 inches long

She remains around the 50th percentile for length. Her weight was great! She bumped back up to the 25th percentile after dropping to the 12th. Yay Cora! You are one growing girl. Tomorrow we head to the pediatrician's office for her 3 month check up. I'll update everyone. Here is a picture that Lee and I wanted to share. This is a little outfit she has that is now fitting. Is this not cute or what! Our little Angel. 

The butt flap really opens. :)

Tomorrow, I plan to catch up on emails. Sorry to everyone who has emailed/called and I haven't gotten back to them. I am just really stinking tired. The trip must have finally caught up with me. Lee's helping tonight and tomorrow so I should have time to sleep in and such. 

Until next time!

Home Again, Home Again, Lickity Split!

Our final stop was to my childhood home in Gretna. I was so excited once I got in my car to start driving (20 minutes) because I knew when I walked through the door I was going to see my little niece, Mya. Sure enough, there she was! Cora's cousin Mya, Aunt Michelle, and Uncle Santo flew from Tucson to see us. Her Great Grandma Dorothy also stopped for a visit on her way to Dallas to see Jessica and her boys. So, here we all were, sans Lee. I wish he could have seen his niece. She was hilarious! I spent most of Saturday night chasing Mya around the house. I scared her at first, but she eventually warmed up to me. I can be a bit over zealous. :) Michelle and Santo fussed over Cora, and Mom and Dad just bounced back and forth between their granddaughters. 

Grandma Brandis opening her birthday card from Cora and Mya.

Grandpa Bill and Mya going to fill up the cars with gas.

Mya realizing we were watching her tickle Cora's toes. She was also starting to mess with Cora's diaper. She then helped me change it.

Aunt Michelle and Cora relaxing while Grandma and I are on Mya duty. She kept us very busy.

Cora and Grandma telling each other stories.

Uncle Santo and Cora. She LOVED him.

Another picture Mya didn't want to pose for. :)

Mya didn't like her Daddy giving Cora all the attention. She wiggled her body in any way she could.

Tickle Tickle Kitty!

On Sunday, we had another baby shower type of party. Cora must be insanely popular because we had another great turn out. Thanks, Mom and Grandma Evie. It was fun and the food was delish! Mya and Cora had little matching outfits for the party and they both wore bows. Mya learned the word "baby" very quickly. She wanted to be held like a baby, she started to fuss like Cora, and she was determined to fit into Cora's car seat. It was funny. Michelle will have her hands full when Max debuts.

Mya had a really good time helping Aunt Sascha open Cora's presents.

Meanwhile, Grandpa Bill kept Cora happy in the bouncy chair.

Grandma Brandis admiring her granddaughters in their matching party outfits.

Matchy Matchy Cousins. Darn Mya still won't pose.

Monday, we all headed to the zoo. Cora slept through nearly the entire thing. Mya nearly walked/ran through the entire zoo. I couldn't believe it. She was a trooper! We were able to see Kay, but got there too late for behind the scenes. It's hard getting two babes ready and out the door. Next time we'll show Mya more. :)

In the tunnel of the aquarium. Mya loved the aquarium so much she threw a huge fit when we left. She even resorted to lying down on the ground and going limp. What a turd! I love her.

Shell Bell and Me.

Snoozing Cora and me in the new Butterfly Building. There were huge spiders from Madagascar roaming free all over in there. They stayed high though. :)

Mya and Grandma Brandis marching. Mya was desperately trying to touch the tarantulas through the glass. Eww.

Check out the butterfly that landed on Santo! Sooo COOL!

I really love this photo. The butterfly is still there. It really liked Santo's red jacket.

Mya even walked up one of the biggest hills in the zoo. She made a big deal out of taking huge puffs and sighs just to get us all to laugh at her.

Petting pygmy goats. Yep, Cora is still sleeping. What a sweetheart.

Trying to keep Mya away from the peacock.

Mya finally noticing the gorilla. Animals had to move or she couldn't see them. The gorillas and orangutans all put on good shows for her. :)

Say Cheese!

Mya, Cora, and Me in the Desert Dome. She really wanted to get the fish in the pond.

This entire vacation was so much fun. I wish I could have spent more time with everyone, but that is why we are coming back in June! I hope these pictures bring some more smiles to everyone's faces.