Big Red

My Grandmother passed away this past Friday morning. It was a long time coming and she was very sick so it was a relief to know that she is no longer suffering or in pain.

I am so grateful that I was able to visit with her for the entire day on Tuesday. She even sat up, held the baby, and joked with me about being a mother. My last memories of her were of her smiling face and the love she had for me and Harrison.

Things I loved about her:

How she always made us tons of bacon and eggs when we would go to visit her in Prescott

How she always needed chocolate or some kind of candy bar

How every time we talked, she would surprise me with some crazy story about her teenage years

Her red hair (white in the past few years but red for a long time)

Her love of jewelery

Her clip-on earrings

How she always spoiled her dogs

How she would always take me to see a "show" at the movies

and many more...

Here we are at my Graduation from ASU:

This was her house back in Prescott. I miss that beautiful house:

Us at my wedding:

Her holding Harrison:

She was surrounded by family, just how she wanted to be. I'll miss you, Big Red!

Here's looking at you kid.

Eyes open:

I like to call this the "pirate eye". Yarrr!

Or it can be a wink. You decide.

Love him!

Casper the Ghost called.. he wants his coloring back

So due to me being preggers this last summer, I didn't get out in the sun much...or at all. I think I went swimming three times total. Very sad.

I'm one of those people who can get tan- I don't burn too easily like some of my redheaded friends. I just chose to stay indoors this past season and it's finally gotten a little out of hand.

yes I know, self-portrait (a few weeks before having harrison)

But wow. And it's not even just my makeup being a little too pale or anything.

I mean, I know it's good to wear sunscreen but sheesh. I'm thinking I need a little sun this summer. Good thing we have plenty of it here in AZ.

Here's the babe. Still no eyes-open photo but that's only because I got about 4 hours of sleep last night thanks to Mr. Nurseallnightandgothroughahugegrowthspurtplusbealittlefussy.

I'm only beginning to comprehend how hard motherhood is. I'm always stressed and calling my mom or sisters to ask "is this normal?" or "what do I do?" or "help!". I love it so much but I'm also incredibly out of my element at times.

I just need lots of practice. Thankfully, I get to be a stay at home mom now! yay :)

A note about the hubby:

Here he is with his other love... I mean XBOX. Notice anything?

He got his hair cut! {FINALLY}

Seriously, this man will need a hair cut, say that he wants and needs one and yet will not get one for the simple reason that he knows that it bugs me. He also will specifically NOT get his hair cut if I ask him to, just because I asked him to.

I tell him how great he looks, how it's slimming on him and how nice it is. But ohhhh no, he'd rather taunt me by leaving it so long that it can be put into a pony tail.

Seriously.

Well, hopefully he won't read how happy I am that he got his hair cut because that will only make it longer until he gets another one.

As for baby's room, I forgot that I already posted what was done thus far. So, until things calm down a little more, I'm not going to post any more pictures of the room.

{My birthday is tomorrow! Wear your green and don't get pinched!}

Time

It's crazy right now. Harrison was one month old as of yesterday. Can you believe that? It's amazing.

My little stud:

I'm all confused because it feels like longer and yet it can't have been a month already! Every day for the first two weeks felt like two days because not only was I up all day, I was up all night with this little guy, worrying, trying to feed him, doing his cares and talking with the nurses.

My favorite outfit:

Things have slowed down but still, those night time feedings make the days seem very long.

The socks!

And yet, I can't believe he's a month old already. I want him to stay little and precious forever.

I hope I'm not spoiling him too much already :)

These pictures aren't completely up to date. I need to take more. And I need to get him awake! I will have to be more diligent about that but I can't help it if my hands are full of snuggling him! :)

Anyways, I can't wait to start working out again. And working on his room some more. Next post will be his room thus far- which is about 3/4 done! Very exciting.

Back

I'm back! I'm officially ready to blog again!

The past 3 1/2 weeks (seriously? it can't be!) has been a rough start for our little family. Just when we were ready to come home and snuggle in, we had to go back to the hospital because of little Harrison's biliruben level.

He went 8 hours without eating. 8 HOURS! poor little guy was so sick from the biliruben (which you all know as jaundice) that he just couldn't wake up.

scared me to death.

So, back to the hospital we went after being home for less than 24 hours. He was put on an IV, phototherapy lights and a blanket and warmer as well. He had to stay in and be monitored for 6 days! It was hard but I was able to stay in the hospital the whole time- two days in a separate room and the rest in a room with him.

I'm not going to go into any more detail but I cried a lot. Every day. More than once. It was a lot of ups and downs. But we made it home, and now he is doing great.

Every now and again I panic and wonder if he's reverting to his premie-bili-jaundice ways if he's a little over sleepy or yellow but as he gets bigger and eats more, I feel more at ease.

That's all for now but I will start doing regular posts on everything! :)