a day in the life of Adelyn

Wake up at 4:30a...squirm and fuss until mommy is awake enough to get me up to eat. Eat, burp, endure diaper change, eat, burp, spit up, burp some more...fall back asleep. Wake up at 7a...eat, burp, endure diaper change, eat some more, spit up, burp, fall asleep, wake up when mommy lays me back in the cradle...stay wide awake for awhile to see how long mommy will rock me...finally fall asleep. Wake up at 10a...eat, burp, endure diaper change, eat some more, burp again, maybe spit up, and go back to sleep. Wake up at 1p...eat, burp, endure diaper change, eat, burp...play with mommy as well as I can, rock, take a walk if it's nice (fall asleep on walk), run errands (fall asleep running errands), or just play and hang out with mommy in the sling while she works around the house. Fall asleep around 2:30p, wake up at 3:30 or 4p to eat, diaper change, eat, burp, doze a bit until daddy gets home....play with daddy until I fuss around 5:30p because I'm hungry again. Eat, burp, diaper change, eat, play with daddy, sleep. Wake up at 7p to eat, burp, diaper change, eat, burp, and then bath time. 8:30p I eat some more, burp, diaper change, eat, burp, sleep...mommy and daddy put me in my cradle around 9:30p...sleep until 11:15p to eat, burp, diaper change, eat, burp...sometimes I go back to sleep, sometimes I'm just wide awake for the next 2 hours checking things out and cuddling with mommy....I eat again around 1:30am or 2am....then sleep until it all starts again :)

*please note times are subject to change and are usually within an hour or hour and a half of the afore mentioned. A single feeding will last between 45 minutes to one hour (applies to breastfeeding only, bottle feedings last about 20 minutes). Spit ups and burps are subject to change in quantity. Poopy diapers occur once a day and are large in quantity. Fussiness occurs upon awakening from sleeping until parent acts to feed baby. Fussiness occurs when baby is gassy, trying to poop/toot, or is tired and fighting sleep. Baby does not have major melt downs very often (thankfully) and rarely reaches full out crying mode. All of the above can be frustrating at times (especially when parent is exhausted), but wouldn't be traded for the world.

Read more...

Adelyn loves bath time...she just stares at you and looks around...all content like she is in these pictures. It's probably one of our favorites times of the day. Nick undresses her while I get the water ready and then he plays with her while I wash her....not too long before she will be able to interact with us and splash around! :)

Last night was the first night I didn't hold her and rock her after she fell asleep for bedtime. I took her upstairs and laid her in the cadle next to our bed (yes, she sleeps on her stomach...she doesn't sleep on her back very well if at all!)...then I took the baby monitor downstairs with me. It was so hard! The whole time I was thinking how badly I wanted to be cuddling with her...not too much longer before she won't let us cuddle with her much at all! But this is our effort at getting more of a routine down :) we'll see how well it works.

Read more...

I don't know what I'd do without it...

I have to share how much I LOVE this sling. Adelyn hasn't figured out the whole self soothing concept...she likes to be rocked around...but as much as I love holding her and rocking her, I have to get stuff done around the house too...so everyday, I have her in this sling so I can rock her and work around the house at the same time :) It's been a lifesaver...so much so that I have 2 b/c if I lose the one I don't know what I'd do! :) This one is by JellyBean from Target...but there are other brands like Hotsling and Peanut Brand....anyway....wanted to share...those of you who are expecting...I completely recommend something like this! :)

Read more...

6 weeks...

Adelyn will be 6 weeks tomorrow...I can't believe how fast time has flown and how big she's getting already!

The last 6 weeks have been exhausting, amazing, challenging and wonderful.

Nick and I have grown so much together over the last 6 weeks...and I'm so thankful for that.

Adelyn has been such a joy. We are loving parenthood and the joys and challenges of it all! :)Becoming parents has been an incredible journey and every time we look at Addy we are so thankful for her.

The one thing I have learned from these last 6 weeks is how to Trust....specifically how to trust the Lord. The first night home was the beginning....but every day since then I've had to get on my knees and pray for patience and strength...I have gotten frustrated with her so many times and it is only by God's grace that I have been able to remain patient with her...even when she is wailing and I have NO IDEA what she wants or needs!
My body has been slow in keeping up with her "milk demand"...I will go for days having to supplement with formula...and then finally pray that the Lord will supply what she needs...within the next 2 days, I'll start to supply enough for her...
Nights (especially the last 2) when she isn't sleeping...awake from 9pm to 4am...not sleeping and just wanting to be held...those are nights where over and over I have to pray that He will give me patience and to just HELP ME :)
I know this is babbling...I can't get it out right....I want to explain every instance where Nick and/or I have been so frustrated we can't stand it and I think one of us is going to snap...but the Lord gives us what we need so that one of us is able to encourage the other to "keep going".
At the end of every day I reply the frustrating moments, realizing how the Holy Spirit provided and enabled us to make it through another day :) And at the end of every day, I realize how I just need to TRUST HIM. It's amazing.
Looking back at this, it might sound like Addy is a difficult baby...she isn't at all...but she has her moments and when it rains if pours :)
I'm excited to see how she continue to grow...and I'm excited to see what else the Lord is going to teach us through this journey.
In the meantime...we're continuing to the Him and soak up every minute with our baby girl...
:)

Read more...

another weekend

This weekend we went up to Minnesota to visit Nick's family. Adelyn got to meet her Uncle Kyle, Grandpa Flies and Ellen...and she got to see Nana Flies and Auntie Sara again. She handle her first road trip beautifully :) It was a fun weekend and we are definitely looking forward to another very soon! :)

Read more...

photos by Steph Flies

Adelyn Diane by Stephanie Flies


While Alan and Steph were here last weekend, Steph brought a heavy duty camera and took Adelyn's pictures for us :) She's amazing and did a fantastic job so I have to show them off...
(click on link above)

Read more...

Uncle Alan and Auntie Steph

This weekend Adelyn got to meet Uncle Alan and Auntie Steph.....it was so much fun to have them here and it went by way too fast! Steph cooked for us (yum!) and they even took morning feeding duty so Nick and I could sleep a little longer...which was amazing :)

Again, I forgot to get pictures of them with Addy, but Steph took some pictures with a heavy duty camera, so I'm borrowing hers.....I just wanted to make sure I give credit where credit is due :)

All in all, it was a wonderful weekend and we enjoyed every minute. Thanks you guys for your help. We miss you already.

Read more...