I walked away and MISSED IT!!!

Graham has been so stinkin fussy ALL DAY LONG and I have tried everything possible to make him happy and he's just not having it at all. So I decided to put him on his tummy for a bit and I walked to the fridge to take a sip of my diet coke and I walked back into the living room only to see that HE IS NOW ON HIS BACK!!!!!! My 8 week old rolled over and I TOTALLY MISSED IT!!! Guess he was so upset and throwing such a fit that he flipped himself over. :( That just shows you how quick you can miss something so wonderful. Pooey Pooey Pooey! He's fast asleep in Daddy's arms right now. Thank Goodness. Peace and Quiet is nice...if only for 10 min. :) Here are some pictures I took earlier in his lil outfit that his Nanna bought for him. Oh and guess what?!?! He's crying again!

Graham is sleeping in his room now!! YAY!!

Yesterday Chad got home at 5pm (YAY!!! That doesn't happen often AT ALL!!) and we started working on getting Graham ready for his crib. Mommy was a lil teary eyed cause I love having him sleep with us. But I know he can't do that forever. *sniff*sniff* We all went to bed around 9pm because we figured it would take a while before he would fall asleep cause he would fuss and fight and not have any of it. But much to our surprise, he did WONDERFUL!! He fussed a lil bit because this boy does NOT like sleepy time. He wants to stay up with mommy and daddy and does not want to miss a thing...(I do believe he got this from his mommy...like many of his wonderful traits! ;) ) He fell out around 10pm and didn't wake up til 4am for his diaper change and for a feeding...and back to snoozing he went. Woke up at 8am for another feeding and then he's been up off and on. I'm so proud of him.

Graham is also lifting his head up a lot when he has tummy time. :) He's growing so fast!!!

It's Time to Call the HOGS!!

We decked Graham out in his Razorback gear to get ready to watch the Hogs play and. well. he. was. not. happy.

He saw that the Hogs were losing so he went to sleep...He wanted no more of it.

Mimi & Poppi's Weekend

In his outfit that his Aunt Shana bought for him

Thanks Granpa for my bouncy seat! I love it!

Mimi and Poppi came to Little Rock this past weekend to see Graham. Mimi decided that she can't go more than two weeks without seeing him so I guess we are all going to be doing a lot of traveling either to Texarkana or from Texarkana for them. They arrived Saturday around noon and Mom loved on Graham ALL day. I think the only time she put him down was to change his diaper. ha! Poppi on the other hand is a SUPER busy body so he worked in our yard all day. He knows how busy we have been and especially Chad since he's working 6 days a week. So Poppi pruned our trees and cut down a shrub and put a new mailbox up for us. The yard looks amazing!! I told Poppi to come every weekend and help with things we need to do to get this house on the market. :) Pretty Please Poppi? While mom was loving on Graham, I took it as my chance to get out of the house and make returns from my shopping trip that I had on Thursday. Chad FINALLY got a day off on Thursday so he and Graham had their day together and I went shopping for clothes and also did some Christmas shopping too. Can you believe Christmas is just RIGHT around the corner?!?! Crazy!! So back to Saturday...Chad was able to get off at a decent hour Saturday night so we all ate at our favorite place, Sekisui...I was soooo happy to be able to eat my sushi again! It was FABULOUS!!!

Mimi and Poppi left Sunday afternoon to go back to Texarkana and Chad, Graham and I ran some more errands and then Nana came over.

I don't have any pictures of the weekend cause well, I forgot. So sorry! But I do have some various pictures of Graham.

Daycare begins November 3...it's bittersweet

I can't believe it. I really can't.

Monday I decided to call Childcare Development Center to see where we stood on the waiting list (we've been on there since Feb.) and Elizabeth at CDC informed me that we were next and that they are opening a new infant room on Oct. 28th and that she will call me later this week to let me know something. When I got off of the phone with her, I wasn't excited at all even though this is THE daycare that we want to get into because I've read and heard that it's the best in Little Rock.

Today Elizabeth called me to welcome us to the family. I was on the verge of tears and secretly wanted to tell her No. I didn't want to start Graham until Dec. 1 since that is when I am going back to work. I just thought we would have more time together. Why do I feel so afraid that I am going to miss out on so much while he is at daycare? If I leave my camera with them, think they will take pictures of his every move? Don't get me wrong, I am so thankful that we got in because like Elizabeth said, there are no guarantees that we would be able to get in there in December. Oh, I don't know how I am going to handle it. I am going to be a nutcase when I leave him. I've only left him once since his birth and that was only for two hours. I think I'm starting to break out into hives. I need Xanax.

At least I get to take care of a lot of things that I need to do before I go back to work like getting my teeth cleaned, cleaning the house TOP TO BOTTOM, working out, shopping for new clothes cause I don't think my butt, hips or thighs are ever going to get any smaller, going to the grocery store, getting my hair cut, etc...you get the point...and I'll probably actually go into work for a bit anyway since Graham's daycare is just a few blocks away.

I am very glad that we were accepted to CDC because it is so close to my work. I have a feeling that I am going to be there every day at my lunch break. I may even sneak a couple of 15 - 30 min breaks in just to see him. I'm going to be an overbearing mother, aren't I? Is Graham doomed?

The Pumpkin Patch

Sunday we had a fun family outing with The Kelly's (David, Amy and Caroline) at a pumpkin patch in Mayflower. We had so much fun but MAN, is it exhausting to have to unload, carry, load, unload, carry, load all of Graham's stuff! Whew! Nothing is easy anymore with a baby! ha! That's okay cause we love every second of it! Graham did pretty good although as soon as we got there, he had a meltdown and wanted to eat...so that consumed the first 15 - 20 minutes of our trip. The guys enjoyed a HUGE corndog and lemonade and then we got on the hayride to the pumpkin patch...the hay ride was a first for David (he grew up in Florida and isn't used to all of our redneck ways! ha!) and baby Caroline. When we got to the pumpkin patch, we immediately started taking pictures of the babies and then family pics...it was cut a lil short cause everyone else was waiting on us...we were the only ones out there that didn't care about picking a pumpkin...we just wanted good pictures! ha! After the pumpkin patch, we all went to Razorback Pizza (SOOOO YUMMM!!! I want more of their salad!) and then back to the Kelly's and then back home. We were so tired but had so much fun on our first FUN family trip!! We can't wait for all of the adventures to come with the Kelly family. Graham and Caroline don't know this yet but we already have their future together planned out! ;)

Graham's Birth Announcement

Swaddling is VERY important in our lives...

So last night around 11pm Graham had a MAJOR wet accident on himself while I was feeding him in our bed that went through his diaper and onesie and through his thick swaddle blanket and onto our sheets...at this point we are so exhausted because we had spent the entire Sunday shopping and running errands, cleaning house and cooking dinner and this is the LAST thing we wanted to deal with...thankfully we have an extra set of sheets thanks to Ms. Diane so Chad changed the sheets and cleaned up the mess and we decided to try to swaddle Graham with a receiving blanket cause he likes to sleep all snug and wrapped up...yeah, that didn't work for too long cause he fought himself out of it. The swaddle blanket that we always use has velcro so there is no way he can fight his way out. I really did not want to have to wash it last night but it the back of my mind, I knew it was going to be inevitable. But I waited. We swaddled with the receiving blanket a couple of times and put him in his bassinet and quickly jumped into bed and turned the lights out fast while he was tucked in and quietly sucking on his passie. Not even a minute later he was out of his blanket and screaming bloody murder. We attempted this 3 or 4 times and then I drug my tired butt out of bed to start a load of laundry...finally around 2:30am, everything is dry and he is in his "official" swaddle blanket and fast asleep. Right then and there, Chad and I decided that we are going to Target or Babies R Us ASAP to buy 4 or 5 Swaddle blankets because appparantly it is VERY important and very necessary to have in our lives. It's the only way Graham will sleep hours at a time. Whoever invented this, you are obviously a mother and you are a genius. Thank you! I VERY HIGHLY recommend it to families out there with infants that don't sleep well throughout the night. When we leave Graham out of his swaddle blanket, he will kick his arms and legs all night long and wake himself up constantly. So...let's see...what all has been going on in our lives??? Well, I already told you about our last pediatrician appt....the Monday before, Graham and I went to Maumelle to visit our friends Amy, David and Baby Caroline Kelly. Amy and I originally had plans to take a walk with the babies but time got away from us and we ended up just hanging out and talking non-stop. I'm not sure that we have a quiet minute when we are together! There's just so much to talk about when you both have newborns. It's so much fun! We are planning to take the husbands and babies to a pumpkin patch next Sunday for pictures and fun time! I can't wait!! Amy also gave Graham a book that was personalized just for him spelling out his first and last name. It's the neatest thing and Chad and I have already read it to Graham. I'm sure he knows exactly how to spell his name now! ;)

My Aunt Judy (my dad's sister) and Uncle Doug are on vacation throughout the entire month of October so they came from Alaska to visit my Cousin Donnie and his family that live in Lewisville, Arkansas and so last Thursday they decided to travel up to Little Rock to visit with Graham and I and to take us out to lunch. Aunt Judy made Graham the neatest quilt and he just loves it. When he gets fussy, I wrap it around him and it calms him down. I'm so glad that I got to see them because it's been soooooo very long!!

On Saturday, Nana (Chad's mom) came over to watch Graham while I got ready for a baby shower for my friends Russell and LeAnn Wolf that was held in Conway. She helped me get Graham ready for the party too! Man, it's so much easier getting ready to go places when you have help. When it's just Graham and I, it takes us a few hours. We had so much fun at the shower!! I didn't hold Graham or feed him or change his diaper the entire time I was there! Everyone was so sweet to let me have a break for a few hours! Man, was he loving all of the attention or what!! All of the ladies were all over him! ha! The men were too! It was so sweet! I love seeing men that love all over babies...it's the most heartwarming thing. My friends TJ and Rachel Johnston are having their second baby this Winter and TJ just couldn't wait to get Graham into his arms. It was so cute cause you know how guys usually are around newborns....VERY TIMID usually! I love watching Chad with Graham. He's just the most awesome daddy and husband in the world. He's just a natural. Anyway...back to Saturday night...Chad didn't get to go to the party with us and he was so disappointed. He was so ready to get out and socialize with everyone...Nope, instead he had to work and clean up other people's messes and didn't get home until midnight.

Sunday is our Family Day so we spent the day at Wal-mart and Sam's doing our grocery shopping and we also went to Academy Sports. Chad and I got rid of our gym memberships and decided to buy exercise eqipement for the house. It's definitely a lot cheaper than paying 600.00 a year for the gym. I'm so excited for that!!

This Thursday I have my appt with my OB/GYN so hopefully Dr. H will release me so I can start working out! YAY! I am soooo ready!

Graham is getting bigger and bigger everyday...yesterday he smiled at me and it was the sweetest thing!! I'm just sad that I didn't get a picture of it.

Okay, Graham is screaming so that means he is ready for attention!

When Daddy is home EVERYONE wants his attention!

One Month Doctor's Appointment

Before Graham's Dr. Appt in his Arkansas onesie from his "Auntie" Shauntel

Today we went to see Graham's pediatrician for his checkup and also for his 2nd Hepititis B shot. He did really well getting his shot. He screamed for a few seconds and then forgot all about it.


Graham weighs 9lbs and 7oz today and is 21 inches long. He is in the 25th percentile for his length and 50th for his weight. I couldn't believe how much he had gained in ONE MONTH!! But then again, yes I can believe it because all he wants to do is eat. While we were at Mimi's this past weekend, he drank 8 ozs in one meal!!! 4oz of breastmilk and then 4oz of formula...I pumped the 4oz of breastmilk so Mimi could feed him before we left to come back to LR and he drank that so fast and was screaming and crying and STILL hungry so I made him a bottle of formula and he guzzled that down fast too!! It seems he is hungry all of the time and is never satisfied but I know he is getting a lot to eat when I breastfeed cause I can hear him gulping it down so fast. The doctor told me not to be worried about it. He is one of his biggest growth periods and said by our next appt. he should have a fairly normal schedule.

Right now Graham cries when he is not sleeping or eating and the only way I can get him to calm down is to pop a boob out. Goodness. This child is wearing me out! ha!

Graham's next dr appt is Nov. 6th at 1:30pm. He will get two shots at that appt. :(

So...there's been quite a bit going on since I last posted an update. Dad and Cheryl DID get married in Vegas on Friday, September 26th. I'm proud that they didn't chicken out!

Graham's umbilical stump fell off on the 27th of September and he now has a real belly button! YAY!! It's so cute!! Can you believe I actually thought about keeping it?!?! That's so gross!!! Yeah, I thought about it for a nanosecond and then said OH HECK NO!

Graham is so alert now and is so curious about everything and everyone around him. He has the biggest prettiest blue eyes. I just love looking at them! With Chad and I having pretty slanted eyes, we thought FOR SURE Graham would have "Asian" eyes but Nope. Guess that's the white folk in him! ;)

On Sunday, September 28th Chad and I needed to go to the grocery store so bad so we decided to have our first family outing to Walmart! Graham did so well!! He rode in Daddy's front carrier the entire time and just loved it!!

This past Friday, October 3rd, Graham and I went to Texarkana to see Mimi and Poppi for Mimi's birthday. She was so happy to see him! She misses him so much!! It was a nice and relaxing weekend at Mom's! I was so worried about how Graham would do with traveling in the car for 2 hours but he did great! Just slept the entire time. Whew. Thank GOODNESS!!

My Aunt Judy and Uncle Doug will be here Thursday from Alaska! I am soooo excited to see them! It's probably been 5 years or longer since I have seen my Aunt Judy (my dad's sister) so we have a lot of catching up to do!

That's all I have for now but I will leave you with some more pictures of Graham!

Oh, one more thing...I mailed out Graham's birth announcements Saturday so everyone should be getting them soon! If you didn't receive one and would like one, send me your mailing address and I'll send it out!