September, Apple picking & Braelyn's 3 months old update!

 

 

We are usually really busy in the fall, with James archery hunting, our anniversary and my birthday all in September. This year has been no exception. We started the month camping/hunting for the Labor Day holiday. James got a cow elk this year. His first...not this BIG BULL he wanted, but it tastes good! Since James was going to be out of town for our anniversary AND my birthday due to his elk hunt we celebrated early with dinner and shopping. To make the night more memorable, James found $26 while we were driving down the road!

 

Braelyn has really changed/grown a lot this month! She is doing really well with tummy time and holding her upper body/head up really well now. She really likes to move her head around now and look at everything. She smiles all the time and I can't get over what a happy baby she is. We are having so much fun with her!

Braelyn likes:
Grampy to sing to her
Daddy making faces at her
Looking at her self in the mirror
Chewing on her hands...all the time!
Just started using her bumbo...so far she seems to like it.

Braelyn doesn't really like:
Tummy time on the floor...she like it on the mombo pillow though.
Being swaddled with both hands inside, we started leaving one hand out...so she can suck on it!

 

 

Grammy sent Braelyn kitty cat ears, tail and nose...so far we are just enjoying the ears. The match her Halloween outfit really nicely.

 

This weekend we went to Emmett to pick some fresh apples. I have been wanting to make Braelyn some apple sauce so we made a day of it. I pretty much had to drag James along but he ended up carrying Braelyn around the entire time and showing her all the apple trees while I picked 50 lbs of mostly golden delicious apples. The owner of the orchard said they would make the best apple sauce and I think she was right! I canned 27 pints of apple sauce today and I think it turned out really good! I can't wait for her to be able to eat all of the yummy baby food I have frozen/canned her. She has a dedicated compartment in the deep freezer with nothing but baby food. With the help of my mother in law and James' grandma we grew lots of great veggies. So far I've made her, zucchini, spaghetti squash, summer squash, peas, green beans, carrots, crooked neck squash, apricots, cherries and peaches!

 

 

What we did in August and Braelyn's 2 Months Old!

Well it's fall in the Hollis house hold, hunting season has begun!

 James has really gotten into archery hunting in the past few years and this year he decided he would try out his climbing tree stand. I don't know who is more nervouse about him climbing 25 feet in the air. He attempted to practice using it when we were camping to get more comfortable...

 

We camped a lot in the month of August!  Braelyn and Daddy's favorite acitivity while camping is napping.

 2 Months Old!

I can't belive how fast the past two months have gone. I returned to work after a 7 week maternity leave. Probably the hardest thing YET! The first week back Braelyn stayed with James. I think it was really good for James to have that time with her. When I got home after James' second day he said "you really learn a lot about this little girl in two days!" I had to laugh. I think they had a good bonding experience.

Braelyn has started really noticing things around her now. She moves he head from side to side and follows things around the room now. She really likes watching the celine fan too.

James took her for her 2 month check up and her firts shots. I think it was much harder on me than on her and I am glad I wasn't the one that had to take her. James said she did awesome and hardly cried at all. She weighed 9.13lbs and is now 22 inchs long. I can't belive how big she is getting!

Braelyn really likes:

 Her activity gym

Camping (slept 5 hrs straight for the first time)

Singing with Daddy...lots of cooing going on these days

Riding around in the the ergo baby carrier

Braelyn dislikes:

The car seat... if it's not moving she's not happy!

 The pacifier, so we gave up on those. I am not too sad about it though.

Going to sleep, she has learned how to fight going down for naps.

 

We are having so much fun with her. We all ready can't remember what life was like without her.

Braelyn one month old!

Well life has definitely changed around here for James and I. We are enjoying all of the new and exciting experiences of first time parents, even the messy ones! Braelyn of course sleeps a lot at this stage but she has started having longer and more awake time recently that she enjoys looking around and taking in the world around her. We have really been busy this month, enjoying our summer and incorporating the little one in our favorite summer activities.

At one week old we took our first day trip to Cascade for a family reunion for my my mother-in-laws side of the family. It was about a 2 hour car ride and Braelyn did really well.She got passed around a lot but slept through almost all of the commotion.

My parents arrived on sat the 21st of July. They drove straight through from Arizona and made it here safely in 14.5 hours. My mom was only able to stay one week, but my dad is staying permanently and is getting situated here so that they can make the move here to be closer to us permanently.



While my mom was here James and I were able to get out of the house for almost 3 hours and catch a concert at the fair with a few other couples. We had a nice time, but I couldn't help but worry that the baby would wake up and be hungry so we didn't push our luck. Of course she slept the entire time!

This weekend we took our first family camping trip. We have a very nice home away from home with our camper so it really was nice. It was nice for me while she took her 2-3 hour naps to sit and relax because I had nothing else I could do...at home I can always find LOTS to do while she is sleeping. Most of the time it's house work but I did have some time recently to make some cute baby shower gifts for cousin Harper.(we can't wait to meet her!) It was nice for me to get into my craft room for a while.

Overall, we are all adapting to being a family of 3 very well. She is usually only waking me up once at night for a feeding and then again early in the morning which will be OK when I go back to work. I really do think using the techniques from the Happiest Baby On the Block is working and hopefully before too long we will have her sleeping through the night!

Things Braelyn likes:
Taking morning walks
Doing housework with mom in the Ergo baby carrier (don't know how I'd get stuff done some days with out it)
Cuddling on mine or James' chest
Taking a bath
The swing and the bouncier
Being swaddled up tight

Things Braelyn doesn't like:
Being strapped into her car seat
A pacifier
Roxy (our boxer) sniffing in her face

Playing in my crib while mommy puts laundry away.

My First camping trip, hanging out in mom's chair.

Newborn Photos 8 days old.

Newborn Photos of Braelyn Jo 8 days old.

Braelyn's Birthday

Thrusday July 12th I had an appointment at the OB to see if anything was going on, I wasn't suprised to hear I was dialated to a 2 and really nothing had changed from a week prior, so we were all suprised how fast it all happened. Friday morning I woke up and took Sadie for a walk around the elementary school in our neighborhood, I wasn't having any significant feeling or contractions but thought it would be a good idea to start walking to see if anything would start happening. I came home from walking and James and I ran a bunch of errands around town. I talked James into going for another walk with the dogs Friday night about 7 and still wasn't having any real significant contractions.
I had heard a few times to sit on an exercise ball to help get the babies head down and into place so while watching TV I sat on my exercise ball and although I was getting a bunch of funny looks from James I bounced around on that for a few hours while watcing TV. We went to bed around 11:30 and I started having contractions between 5-7 min apart regularly. I really didn't think much of it and honestly thought they would stop and I could go to sleep. Boy was I wrong! They continued to get stronger and closer together so about 1:30 I had the urge to take a shower. James couldn't quite figure out what was going on and kept checking on me. I stayed up for a little while longer and tracked my contractions before deciding I should try to lay down again. To my suprise about 30 min later my water broke! I haven't ever seen my husband run around our house so fast, he had the car packed and all the last min packing done and I hadn't even got my clothes changed!
We headed to the hospital which is about 25 min away and they confirmed that my water had broke, but I was still only dilated to a 3. I was having very strong contractions at this point and requested my epidural ASAP! They nurses were all wonderful and got things started quickly so I could have the epidural. By 5:00 am I got the epidural and was dialated to an 8 and everything became much more plesant for me and James. The nurses let me rest for about 2 hours and about 8:00 I began to push. For me, the entire process was kind of a blur but at 9:29 am we welcomed our little girl Braelyn Jo Hollis into the world.
She was 7lbs 19 inches and perfect in every way!

7-8-12

How far along? 38 weeks 7 days
Total weight gain: I don't know for sure without asking at my Dr.'s appt, but I think I am at a total of about 28 lbs and I haven't changed for a few weeks now.
Stretch marks? Nope, hoping that is a good sign
Sleep: I am definitely used to interrupted sleep by now.
Best moment of the week? Had a wonderful 4th of July, missed not having my parents here this year but they are patiently waiting for baby to arrive to make the trip. I had a 5 day weekend which I really needed. I think I'll be able to get through another week or two of work until Braelyn decides to make her arrival.
Food cravings: No new cravings really. James and I picked apricots an cherries this weekend and I picked our first zucchini from the garden so I am really enjoying all the fresh produce! Made lots of baby food this weekend. So far I've got peas, zucchini, cherries, apricots and beats made and frozen for baby!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope, but yogurt gives me the WORST heartburn I have ever had. I can eat the spiciest food and not get it but bananas and yogurt have been horrible this week.
Have you started to show yet: James' grandma said yesterday I was "looking pretty pregnant" I sure hope so since the due date is 8 days away.
Labor Signs: I am definitely having a few contractions, but they are still nowhere near consistent.
Symptoms: Nothing really new, same symptoms just more intense.
Belly Button in or out? Flat, I still don't think it will be an outie no matter how long I go.
Wedding rings on or off? Off
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy, still feel the emotions come on like waves though.
Looking forward to: Holding our baby girl, will be strange not feeling her in my tummy anymore but I'm ready to hold her!

7-1-2012

How far along? 37 weeks 7 days
Total weight gain: Haven't gained any weight the past two weeks, kinda just holding steady till she gets here I hope.
Stretch marks? Still nothing yet...
Sleep: Not so well this week with James gone all week.
Best moment of the week? James came home from New Orleans! So glad Braelyn didn't decide to make her entrance while he was gone. I didn't think she would but I was a little nervous.
Food cravings: Does going to Fred Meyer at 10:50 pm because they close at 11 to get  a watermelon suprise anyone at this point?
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing makes me sick, but everything takes my breath away now, even trying to talk "fast" which I normally do I find I am short of breath. I laughed when my mother-in-law called to check on me and she asked why I was out of breath and I said, "I'm just sweeping" Haha!
Have you started to show yet: OK I know I am not HUGE like some women get, but to me I feel huge! It's hard to get off the couch, roll out of bed...
Labor Signs: A few more Braxton Hicks contractions this week, a little more noticible too, but so irregular I haven't even started keeping track.
Symptoms: Nothing really new this week, definitely tired after a busy day at work, looking forward to the holiday this week and a nice long weekend!
Belly Button in or out? No changes there, don't think I'll have an outie?!?!
Wedding rings on or off? Off and put away for safe keeping, there is no point in even trying to wear them anymore.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Haha, definitely some up's and down's that are very noticible. I think James has started to do some "nesting". He kinda went on a cleaning binge today...and I just let him!
Looking forward to: The 4th of July, Hopefully it's not too hot that I can't enjoy the Dunlap's annual party outside! I can't believe it's July today. I don't know why people say your last few months go by slow... I don't know where the time has gone.