Somebunny Loved her First Easter!

Last week, Hadley had her two month appointment and was given her first round of immunizations. She spiked a fever for a short time after the shots at the same time she was battling her first cold. I think it was harder for me than her! While I was pained every time she took a congested, ragged breath, she was as sweet and easy going as ever. I am so lucky to have such an easy baby (so far, but let's see how long it lasts!)

On Thursday, Jas was finally hit with the germs we have been passing around and he was sent home early from work before infecting his coworkers. Unfortunately, he was sick throughout the weekend and missed our Easter festivities. I was disappointed that he missed Hadley's first Easter, but we would rather him be healthy. And, lucky for him, I took so many pictures he will feel like he was there with us!

On Saturday morning, our church hosted an Easter Egg Hunt and picnic. Due to the cold and rainy weather, the event was held in the church. The Easter Bunny made her appearance, but I'm not so sure Hadley knew what to think about her! Not that I can blame her.,...it was a bit creepy!

On Sunday morning, Hadley and I went to church (after a mini photo shoot of course) and then spent the afternoon with Tina and Justin at their house.

Justin cooked a delicious brunch (one of the benefits of having a brother-in-law who is a chef!) and the girls enjoyed spending time together. Mickie is such a ham, always running around and dancing and telling stories. She keeps us entertained and I know both Sadie Kay and Hadley will be chasing after her before we know it. My parents had sent Easter outfits to the girls, so as soon as we made it to Tina's house, we took pictures before they could get too dirty. The girls were pretty cooperative and luckily we were able to get a few cute shots before they lost interest.We also tried to Face Time with my parents since the family was together for Easter. It was fun to see them for a minute, but Mickie dominated the conversation and I'm not sure what they saw or heard other than her dancing and telling stories!

It was so fun to spend the day together, and I know the girls will enjoy these activities even more as they grow up together. When we got back home, we were happy to see that Jason was finally feeling a bit better and seemed to have turned a corner. Fingers crossed that we can now stay healthy at the Whittaker Inn!

Two Months!

It's hard to believe our little lady is two months old today! Despite having her first cold and getting her first round of shots this morning, Hadley remains one of the most content and sweetest babies ever (though I admit I may be a bit biased!) 

Hadley had her two month appointment with the pediatrician and, other than the head cold, she is healthy and right on target. She is 21.5 inches long and up to 9 lbs 6 oz. She is only in the 10th percentile for weight but her head circumference is in the 95th percentile...making her our little bobble head! 

At two months, Hadley:

- loves cuddling! 

- is still a good eater and never misses a meal 

- enjoys swinging, music and being outside 

She is not a huge fan of:

- getting dressed 

- sleeping in her cradle

- tummy time 

I cannot believe it has been two months already, but I can honestly say that I have loved every exhausting, overwhelming moment. She is my new favorite person and being a mother is the best thing I've ever done. Here's to another month of fun with my little lady! 

Down for the Count

It's been a rough few days at the Whittaker house thanks to a sick baby. 

Last week I had a terrible head cold and I think she caught some of my germs. Yesterday morning, she seemed to be fine and looked as precious as always at church. 

After she woke up from her afternoon nap it was quickly apparent that she was not her normal self. She is all stuffed up and so pitiful. Luckily for me she is the easiest sick baby ever - as long as she is being cuddled she is calm and content (with the exception of sounding like a strangled baby pig as she tries to breathe). 

Last night, Gracen sat with the baby for awhile but I think her congestion scared the dog. Luckily (or unfortunately depending on how you look at it) we have Hadley's two month appointment and vaccinations with the pediatrician tomorrow morning. I am not looking forward to her getting her shots, but at least she can be seen by the doctor to make sure it's just a cold she is battling.

She has had a hard time sleeping the past few nights so she and I are looking pretty rough. Lucky for us, Jason has been as amazing as always helping to take care of the baby while keeping Mama fed and the house clean. It's no fun having a sick baby, but I'm looking at this as good practice for the multiple illnesses that are sure to take us down once she starts daycare! 

Be Still My Heart

Most of the time I feel like Jason and I have been together forever (usually felt in a good way!) and I have loved him from almost the first second we met. He has been an amazing husband to me so I shouldn't be surprised that he is such a great father. He is very hands on with Hadley and is good to change diapers, feed her and play with her so I can get some much needed rest. It's so cute to see the two of them together - especially since Hadley looks just like him! 

Hadley doesn't yet know how lucky she is to have Jason as her father, but I know she will be a Daddy's Girl soon enough! 

8 Weeks!

I cannot believe it has already been 8 weeks since my little peanut was born and forever changed our lives. I know I am a bit biased, but she is the sweetest baby in the world! She is so easy going and such a cuddle bug.

As we are in between visitors, we have been enjoying lots of quality time while I am still on leave.  I have found that I go stir crazy if we are in the house for too long so I have been making an effort to get out and about as much as possible - especially now that the weather is so nice. 

Hadley has her two month appointment next Tuesday. I am excited to see how big she has gotten in the past month, but I am dreading her getting shots. I know she will probably be miserable all day so I am already trying to plan other fun activities for next week since I know Tuesday will be difficult (probably more so for me than her!) 

I have been a little crazy with the picture taking of late - I keep telling myself that future children will never have as much photographic proof of their first few weeks so it's good that I'm doing it all now! Here are a few from the past couple of weeks:

Cousins - Mickie loves "Baby Hadley"

Her expressions crack me up! 

Girls Day Out! 

All smiles - and no longer just because of gas!

Not sure how she feels about her first St. Patty's Day

This week, I had my 6 week checkup with my OB. She was very pleased with my post partum progress and said you can hardly tell I had a baby (my new waistline and under eye bags beg to differ but I appreciate the sentiment) I honestly feel really great and was happy to get back to the gym for the first time. The next day I was less than happy when I was walking around like something was broken! I'm looking forward to getting back into a routine and working on my body after baby! 

First Day back in the Gym 

6 Weeks of Fun

Again, I have had the best of intentions to update the blog regularly and post weekly pictures...but alas, baby poop, sleep deprivation and loads of laundry continue to consume my days. Not that I'm complaining - I have genuinely loved every sticky, sleepy minute of my time with Hadley. She was six weeks old last Friday and I am sad to think that my leave is more than halfway over. I can't think too long of returning to work without crying, and that's too dramatic when running on caffeine, so I'll keep this post more uplifting.

We have had a fun couple of weeks as we continue to adjust to our new, busy lives as a family of three. My little sister Celeste came into town to visit and Aunt C was a lifesaver! She was so great with Hadley and was a huge help around the house. She even took night duty and allowed me and Jason to get a full night of rest. And, of course, the night Celeste watched the baby Hadley slept in solid four-hour chunks (Mama doesn't get that regularly yet!) During her visit, Jason and I enjoyed our first night out together since the baby was born. I may or may not have cried and drowned my sorrows in a large glass of wine and an overly priced fruity cocktail. It was hard to leave, but I knew Hadley was in good hands and Jason and I enjoyed an overdue date night. We had a really good time with Celeste and I know she loved spending time with all her KC based nieces. I was curious to see whether her visit would lead to a bout of baby fever, but I have it on good authority that she is completely content in her role as Favorite Aunt C....at least for the next few years it seems!

After Celeste's visit, we enjoyed a few days of relaxation before gearing up for our next visitor. My best friend, and Hadley's godmother, Robyn came into town for the weekend and we had such a wonderful time. I was able to enjoy a few afternoons out without the baby and, while I missed her like crazy, I enjoyed some much needed girl time and adult conversation (made better by the guilt free glass of wine I'm able to enjoy since I am no longer breast feeding). Robyn made several homemade gifts for Hadley, including a baby blanket and crocheted Tinkerbell doll. She also took night duty and I got another full night of sleep. I swear, there is no greater gift for a new parent! Robyn was so sweet with the baby and I am so excited to watch her relationship with Hadley develop through the years.