One Month Old!

Here are a few pics taken on Hazel's one month birthday (Nov. 17th).

If you've never met my husband, here's a spot-on likeness (above). She looks like him quite a bit with her face relaxed, but when she starts yawning or grimacing you'd better watch out -- the likeness gets pretty freaky. Although, I will say that she is looking more & more like my baby pictures.

The first month flew by. I remember my newly-momed sister saying a few months ago, "the days are long, but the years are short" and I can certainly see after just a month how true that statement may become. Seems like just yesterday she was in my belly, though it seemed like she was in there for years.

She's grown from 7lbs 2oz to 9lbs 8oz, which is still smaller than the 9lbs 12oz I was when I was born. People still stop me and comment on how small she is, but she seems huge to me now. I've already had to put some outfits away because she's outgrown them. She's a wiry little booger and moves when gusto when she wants to. Her neck is pretty strong already.

The first month included her first real smile, sucking her thumb, her first trip out of town, her first cold, and many other firsts. My favorite sound she makes is when she inhales like she's going to sneeze, but then doesn't, and exhales with the sweetest little sigh-song you've ever heard. Most of the time when she smiles, she only does a coy half-smile bit, but every once in awhile her whole face will explode into a huge grin.

I've heard some babies aren't much on cuddling, but this one is a die-hard cuddle bug. She loves to be close & warm. Baths are getting more & more efficient, and as long as I keep her from getting cold she's happy. Loves it best when I get the shower head going really warm & just make it rain on her. We're getting into somewhat of a routine, but it's easily derailed by errands or bouts of serious gas.

She's started "playing" more -- looking at toys or her mobile. She's becoming a pro at tummy-time & sitting up in her bumbo chair. She loves to just look around at things, so we walk through the house & look, and I wear her when I cook dinner so she can watch. There is a mirror right by her changing pad, and she loves to look at herself when I change her. It's taken me a few weeks to even start figuring out her different cries, but I think I've started understanding them more.

I feel like I should have gone to school for this -- like every mom should have to go through a course before conceiving. Seems like there is so much to know, and a lot of times I feel very underqualified about the technical stuff. But I do know one thing -- I love her the most & she loves me the most. And that's a wonderful, wonderful feeling.

Online at last

.....aaaaand, I'm back.

Sorry for any of you viewers who were actually looking for some blurbs from me or some pics of Hazel -- we've been without internet for a few weeks now. But Tory just brought home a Verizon card to replace our Sprint one, so hopefully we'll be better than ever now!

More to come soon....

New Toys!

It appears that vision has progressed from a mere 8-12" to a bit more. I had been noticing how Hazel was starting to get the hang of tracking things, and she had started keeping her eyes open for longer periods at a time. And then I realized -- I didn't really have anything for her to look at! I had one toy, a mirror with stripes & patterns around it, that she loved, but that was pretty much it. I had pretty much maxed out on every baby-stuff category, except for toys.

So off we headed to Babies 'R Us with a great giftcard from one of Tory's drivers, Dwight. (Thank you Dwight!)

First on the list was a mobile. Not one of those ones that adults like, or one that matches the room -- an obnoxious looking one that she will really enjoy. We also got 4 other small toys, that's not too many, right? My favorite is a handpuppet that has a different farm animal on every finger. It's to use as a prop while singing Old MacDonald Had a Farm. I think that is going to be super fun, but I'm just cheesy like that. Hopefully Hazel got my cheesy gene & we can enjoy that stuff together.

Pretty Small Girl on a Pretty Fall Day

note the cute smile, killer curls, and ... middle finger

Weston Bend State Park

Yesterday (Sunday) we decided to head up to Weston Bend State Park. For those of you that haven't been there, and that live in KC, you MUST go! It's just wonderful this time of year. It's about a 45 minute drive north of the city, and well worth it. The weekend before Hazel came, we made it up to Weston Red Barn Farm, which is also a delectable place. Usually we hike the beautiful bluff trail, but this time we kept it simple with the river trail since we had Hazel. We got to break in her new stroller though, the Bob, and boy... that's a nice piece of equipment! She loves it.
We got a little too far away from the car, though, and it was time to eat. No benches or privacy or anything, so I just had to sit on the side of the trail and nurse her. Would have been just fine, except there were ladybugs everywhere so I was busy trying to keep us from getting buggered. This is me puzzled & trying to figure out how I'm going to make it work...

Two years ago, around this same time (the last weekend in October), we took a trip up to WBSP. It was a fun camping weekend for us, that ended in Tory asking me to marry him on his childhood walnut tree farm in Oak Grove, MO. While I do love our little Hazelnut companion we took this time, I can't help but also remember another anniversary and miss our Chocolate companion as well.

Last year, also on the last weekend in October, we suddenly & unexpectedly lost our dog (and my heart) Charlie. He was just the absolute best, and I still miss him deeply. I wish that he would have gotten to meet Hazel, and that Hazel would have gotten to grow up with him. And selfishly, I just miss him for myself as well. He always knew me unlike anyone (thing) else. He is buried at the Oak Grove farm, not far from where Tory proposed.

Bathtime

So far Hazel has had 3 baths. Fortunately, I'm way more talented at bathing myself than I am at bathing her, so I've had at least a few more than 3 in the past two weeks. But I won't say exactly how many.....

Our first bath was in a special baby bathing tub in the bathroom upstairs. Not so successful. Babies should come with a sign when they're born -- "VERY slippery when wet". I mean, I guess it was successful -- she got clean. But my back & my nerves said otherwise.

So the subsequent attempts have been the old fashioned way -- on a towell on the kitchen counter. MUCH better! Yes, she's making some unhappy faces, but they didn't last for long. For the most part, she was very okay with being bathed, and so was I.

Tomorrow is going to be our 4th. It was going to be today, but we just weren't up for it after our big day yesterday. I mean, how dirty can a baby get anyway? Her hair & face & rear do get washed multiple times per day. The face & rear for obvious reasons. The hair because otherwise it starts to look like Dapper Dan got ahold of it. Also because when I get it wet it curls up, and I love that!