Joleigh's First Halloween

I had the hardest time trying to find a costume for little miss.  There are tons of options in the 6-12 month range, but not so much in the 0-6 months group.  Joleigh spent her first Halloween as an owl and looked awfully cute doing so! 

 

We met at her Mimi's around 4pm on Saturday, because Artesia changed the holiday to accomodate the high school football game (don't ask!).  We were only able to stay and visit for a little while, because she takes her last nap of the day around 4:30 and she was starting to let us know that she was ready for some shut-eye! 

 

 

 

 

Angry Owl and Happy Pumpkin {Cousin Love}

 

Once we got home and Joleigh got her last nap in, my brother and sister-in-law came over to spend the evening with us.  This is our second year being in town and I just love handing out candy to the trick-or-treaters!

 

Letters to Joleigh - 4 Months

 



My sweet baby girl!  You just hit the 4 month mark and the changes you've been making on a monthly basis are just amazing to me.  I knew that you would progress, but I didn't think I'd be able to see changes from week to week!  One Saturday you were struggling to hold your head up while sitting in your bumbo and by Thursday of that week you were sitting perfectly still in it.  Just blows my mind!

You take a 4oz bottle every 3 hours and have transitioned to a #2 nipple.  You love to do a little tummy time on your boppy pillow and play "who's that baby in the mirror".  You could just laugh and talk to that little cutie all day long - I could too!  :)

 

Your bedtime is always right around 7-7:30 and you are quick to let us know when you are tired.  You started sleeping in your crib like a big girl on 10/20 and you haven't looked back!  Mama on the other hand can't sleep very soundly cause I'm constantly looking at your baby monitor to make sure you're still breathing.  One day maybe I'll relax a bit, but I don't see that happening any time soon.  You're still sleeping 6-8 hour stretches at night and then wake for a bottle, before being put back down to sleep another couple hours.  You take nice long 1-2 hour naps during the day for Ms. Mattie, but only sleep 45 minute increments for us at home.  Not sure what's going on there, but I plan to figure it out soon!

 

We removed the neck support in your carseat on 10/27 and we had to pack up your 0/3 month clothes on 10/20 and jammies on 10/10.  I knew you'd grow fast, I just had no clue as to how fast I guess.  I'm just hoping you get to wear all of your cute winter clothes I bought you this year.  I'll be the first to admit it - Mama has a shopping addiction now.  You make it so hard looking oh so cute in those little leggings though!

 

You continue to brighten our days and we always feel like we just never get enough time to spend with you.  I'm sure I'll always feel that way.  The holidays are coming up and I am eternally grateful that God brought you to our lives.  You're absolutely perfect and we just love you so much Miss Joleigh!

Letter To Joleigh - Three Months

 

My precious baby girl, you are getting cuter and cuter everyday.  Today marks 3 Months and you just light up our lives.  The time since you've been born seems like a whirlwind.  I'm trying to slow it down so I can enjoy every minute with you, but it seems like I go to work on Monday and before I know it, it's Friday again.  A few months back I would've been excited that the weeks were flying by, but all I want is to just spend every moment with you.

 

You've started drinking 4oz. bottles and even sleeping 6-8 hours a night.  You surprised us with a 9 hour sleep session once this month and it just scared us both.  We both were checking to make sure you were breathing throughout the night.  Haha!!  You're smiling more and more, and starting to "talk" more often as well.  "Ooooh's" and "Aaaaaah's" are your favorites at the moment. 

 

It seems like you're starting to become a little happier at the end of the day.  For the last couple months, you've been pretty angry around 5pm and the Dr.s agreed that you were a bit colicky.  I'm hoping for the most part that phase is over.  I've learned if I put you down for one last nap when we get home, that you are in a much better mood and even sleep better at night.  Mama's trying her best to learn your cues!

 

 

When I picked you up from Ms. Mattie's on 9/22 she told me you had rolled over, so of course as soon as we got home that day, I put you in your crib to find out if you'd do it for me.  Sure enough, you pulled yourself up on your forearms, pushed your legs forward and rolled!  I tried to get you to do it on video so your Daddy could see, but you wouldn't do it again.  The next day Graham stayed in your room to watch and you did it for him. 

 

Speaking of Daddy - he turned the big 3-0 the same day you turned 3 months.  Of couse Mama had to document it!  =)

 

 

We're so very proud of you sweet girl and we're both looking forward to spending the upcoming holidays with you!!!

 

 

Letters To Joleigh - Two Months

 

My sweet baby girl!  You had your 2 month check up on September 2nd and you're weighing 12.8lbs and are 22.75 inches long.  You are growing perfectly and we just love you so much.  This post is almost a month behind because you keep us extremely busy.  Our days stay pretty hectic, but we wouldn't change it for the world.

 

You love bath time each night, but absolutely loathe when it comes to dry off and put lotion on.  Mama does it as quickly as possible so you'll stop screaming in my ear.  =)  You started staying with Ms. Mattie when Mama went back to work last month and you seem to be enjoying it so far.  I think she lets you sleep far too much during the day and doesn't change your diaper like I would, but that's just your Mama trying to always be in control.

 

Speaking of sleep - you're normally out by 9 each night and sometimes earlier.  You sleep anywhere from 4-6 hours before waking for a night time feeding.  You're wearing 0-3 months clothing and are starting to outgrow some of those onesies in that size.  It really just depends on what brand it is though. 

 

For the last month or so you have started to get really angry each night around 5-6.  The dr. said you may be a bit colicky so I try to get you to take a little nap after I pick you up each day to make you not feel as tired.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt.  You definitely let us know when you're not happy though!

 

This has been a very rough month for your Mama and I'm sure you feed off of my emotions as well.  I plan on trying much harder to keep calm and let things go as they will.  It's just very hard because your Mama is a stubborn person.  I know you love me regardless though.  And I love you!!

  

 

  

Joleigh's stay in the NICU

Just a little over 13 hours after our sweet baby was born, the aerocare team from Lubbock's Covenant Children's Hospital arrived to take her back to Lubbock to spend some time in the NICU in hopes of getting her blood sugar levels stabilized.  Since I had just had a C-section, my dr. required that I at least stay overnight in the Roswell hospital, just to be on the safe side.  I wanted more than anything to get to Texas and be with my baby, but I was in a lot of pain. 

 

One of the toughest decisions Graham's probably ever had to make was whether or not he should rush to be with Joleigh or wait until I was released the next day so we could make the trip together.  I know it was hard for a few family members to understand his decision, but we knew that our baby girl was in good hands with the staff in the NICU, so he stayed until I was released.  I was disappointed in how guilty they made him feel for that.  He made the best decision he knew to do and all he needed in that moment was support and compassion, not judgement.  It's easy to say what you would do in a situation, until you are in it. 

 

That was definitely one of the longest 24 hour periods of our lives - we just couldn't get our minds off of her!  Graham spent most of the day catching up on sleep, while I spent my time begging for pain meds and walking around to heal faster. 

 

 

Graham's mom drove to Lubbock the next morning and was able to spend some time with her until we could get there.  My sister, Kelly also visited her and sent us some great pics to hold us over until we could all be together again.

  

    

 

 

Finally that next afternoon (the 2nd) I was released and we took off to Artesia to pack a few bags so we could get on the road again.  Reg & Staci were sweet enough to watch Tig and Annie until we could get back home again.  We got to Lubbock late that evening and I was still in a lot of pain, so we went to the room and went to bed so we could be up bright and early to get to the NICU. 

 

I really had no clue what to expect when we got to the hospital.  Each time we entered the NICU for a visit, we had to thoroughly wash our hands and put on gowns to minimize the germs we brought in with us.  Each baby had it's own section of a huge room that circled around the nurses station.  There was a large curtain that could be pulled around each baby for more privacy as needed.  Joleigh was fed on a 3 hour basis and we were allowed to come visit for each feeding.  We were discouraged from visiting at other times, so that she could get some rest and recuperate. 

 

Joleigh did such an awesome job.  She was admitted late Tuesday afternoon and was given the IV in her umbilical cord, to help regulate her blood sugar.  Her levels were checked numerous times a day and each time they were able to lower the fluids in her IV, because she was making such dramatic improvements.  We were so proud of her!  

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

Our first evening in town we stayed at a Hotel a few blocks from the hospital, but one of our nurses was able to set us up with a room in the 5th floor of the hospital.  Apparently they had converted that floor into rooms for the parents to stay that had children admitted there.  We were so thankful to be able to stay there while we waited to go home.  Not only did it ease our minds about the financial issues of being gone so long (we were only charged $25 a night), but it was a lifesaver to be able to go upstairs and rest after just having a major surgery. 

 

  

 

 

Luckily Joleigh only spent 2 and half days with the IV in her umbilical cord stump, but as she was jumping that hurdle, she developed jaundice.  She endured the light treatment therapy for about 24 hours, before her levels were normal enough that she didn't need it.  

 

 

 

 



The nurses gave us a much needed lesson in giving an infant a sponge bath.  I didn't think it would be that hard, but we had about 10 seconds to get it done before she was just flat out pissed off.  She definitely wasn't a fan of sponge baths!

 

 

 

  

 

Saturday afternoon we were told that her jaundice was gone and more importantly, her blood sugar levels were stable and we were one step closer to getting our daughter home with us.  The next step was having her 'room in' with us for the evening so they could make sure no other issues would arise and that if we had any questions come up, a nurse would be right down the hall to answer them. 

 

We were asked to watch a couple videos on infant CPR and car seat safety, so we did that as soon as she was brought to us for the evening. 

 

 

The room was tiny - with only room for the sink, a full size bed, and a little corner for the babies to be wheeled in.  There was a bathroom across the hall that was shared with 2 other rooms.  After a very stressful week, not being allowed to leave that room made us both feel like we were in a jail cell.  We were both extremely anxious.  We tried to just focus on the fact that as soon as that night was over, we'd finally be going home.  Those thoughts were literally the only thing that got us through it.  

    

 

  

  

 

 

 On Sunday a week after going into labor and living through one of the toughest weeks of our lives, we were finally released to go home.  Our sweet baby was finally ours!!