Colorado Day 3

Hello from Steamboat Springs!! We arrived on Monday afternoon and are enjoying our time here so far. First of all, I must brag that Myla did great on the plane! She was awake the whole time but very content, thank goodness. Jeff and I thought for sure she would scream the whole way. Once we landed in Denver, Dad and Cindy picked us up for the 3 hour drive to Steamboat. Again, Myla was an angel!! Several times I thought to myself how blessed and lucky we are to have such a good little traveler.
I think Myla is giving herself a thumbs up here. ;)

Now that we are settled at the house, we are adjusting to the time change and altitude. The first day here Myla had a pretty rough day. She wasn't eating as much and definitely not napping. I'm thinking it will just take her some time to get adjusted. The good thing is that she is still sleeping about 5-6 hours at night, waking for a feeding, then back down for an hour or so. Today she seems to be doing a little better but will not nap for more than 30 minutes when put down. She prefers to fall asleep in our arms, the swing or in the hammock. At this point I just want her to get some sleep as I know she gets exhausted from being up so much during the day. Here's hoping she doesn't get too dependent on needing the swinging motion since they don't make swinging cribs!
Each morning we have been going on a hike around dad's property. After just two days, my legs are getting sore but it's such a good workout. Myla loves the baby carrier too!

Last night we went to this great mexican restaurant with really yummy margaritas. Jeff and Dad have been working really hard cutting down trees, making bridges and clearing land so a night of margaritas was a perfect end to the day. Tonight we might go see Transformers or maybe we will just stay in and relax. We are here for 2 weeks and looking forward to the family reunion over the 4th!

Smiles, giggles and tendinitis

This past week has sure been an eventful one. Myla has been all smiles lately, especially in the morning, and even lets out a few giggles. She is still squealing a lot and LOVES to sit in her bouncer seat and stare at the animals on the mobile.
She also really seemed to like her new pink hat, too.

It definitely seems Myla has found new ways to express herself. We noticed this the other day when she "insisted" on accessorizing as shown here....

We also learned quickly this week that Myla may be a "slow-to-warmup" child, like her mommy. She LOVES bathtime so we figured she would feel the same about the hot tub. Not so much at first...

but she did warm up to it eventually. She was happy to be swimming with cousin, Olivia.

With all the craziness of the past week, I decided it was time to go to the doctor to have my hand and wrist checked out. For the past month and a half, I've been having pain in my right hand from carrying the carseat, picking up and playing with Myla, doing endless amount of laundry and cleaning, anything really. I tried to tough it out but realized it wasn't getting any better. So, doctor says I have deQuervain's tendinitis caused by overworking the tendons in my hand. I feel like a big weenie, but the doctor mentioned how common this is with new moms. That made me feel a little better. ;) I was given a brace to wear during anything strenuous for the next 10 days and also started a steroid pack as an anti-inflammatory. After just a day on the medicine, I'm already feeling better. We leave for Colorado to visit my dad for 2 weeks so I'm glad to get this taken care of before we go. I'll be sure to post pics and give an update while we are there. We are sooo excited to spend time with family and relax in the beautiful mountains of Steamboat Springs.

Go to Sleep...pretty please?

Ok, so after a really rough day yesterday of little catnaps (45 mins tops), I decided Myla and I needed to have a "Come to Jesus" meeting. Here's how our conversation went:

Me: Ok, Myla...this whole not napping thing has really got to stop. It's driving me crazy. What do you have to say for yourself?

Myla:
This is the face I got as her "response."

Me: Sleep is really good for you, you know. It helps you learn and grow big and strong. Besides, when you sleep, you will be happier and I will be happier! :)

Myla:
I think she is saying here, "But I don't wanna sleep and I AM happy!!"

Me: I understand that it is fun to look around and be curious all day but your little body needs some rest. Come on....pretty please!??

Myla:
I thought this face meant,"Ok, mommy...I will go to sleep." But I was wrong. Minutes later, all she offered was a very stinky diaper followed up with a sly smile. It's as if she KNOWS I want her to sleep and she does the opposite. Ugh...not a good sign.

So I will take a deep breath and try again later. She's sure to get sleepy eventually, right?! ;)

2 months already?

Wow, Myla is now 2 months old. It has gone by so fast. Compare her 1 month pic (on right) to these and see how she's grown!!

On another note:
IT WAS MOVING DAY...
Today I moved out of my old classroom and into my new one in the 2nd grade hall. It was quite a task and I cannot believe how much stuff I have after just 4 years of teaching. Luckily, I had some help thanks to my husband, mom, and aunt. Still took us about 4 hours to clear everything out. Now I have the daunting task of getting organized in the new room. I'll save that for another day. Tonight... I just need to sleep.

Myla Squeals...

I took this about a week ago before cousins Danielle, Mia and Grant came over. She was squealing with joy on her playmat and it was the cutest thing. I think I captured just one of her squeals and of course, the very second I turn off the camera she squeals some more. Figures... :)

Myla's Visit to School

Yesterday, I brought Myla to visit my 2nd grade class. The kids were so excited and so well-behaved. ;) Some of them brought gifts but even better, many of them had made mini-books for Myla to learn from when she gets a little older. She now has about a dozen ABC and Number books custom made by my precious 7 year old students. It was great to see the kids. I was extremely impressed by Myla, too. She was wide awake and alert the whole hour we were there and didn't fuss until school was out when the kids left! I'm beginning to think we have a social butterfly on our hands. :)

Things I Have Learned: Life with Myla

For my first post, I figured I would share about life with Myla so far. She is such a little blessing and it is sometimes hard to imagine life before her. As a new mom, I have learned so much. I have learned that nothing about babies is consistent, at least not with my baby. People ask, "Does she sleep good at night?" or "Does she like the swing?" etc. and I'm always answering with "sometimes..?" I guess what is consistent is me consistently trying to figure her out. ;) I have learned that parenting is all about trial and error. Nothing is by the book. I have learned that you should ALWAYS have a burp cloth attached to your body at ALL times. I'm thinking it may be the new fashion trend for my wardrobe. A side note: I have learned that you may really need to change clothes several times throughout the day and do tons of laundry! I have learned that its a good idea to get yourself ready for the day first before baby if you need to be somewhere within an hour. I have learned that there is nothing better in the world than waking up a sleeping baby, no matter what anyone says! If it is past time for her to eat, I would much rather wake her up with hugs and kisses than have her crying out of hunger. Myla is so sweet when she wakes up!! I have learned that Myla can be soothed in 1 minute tops if she's upset. (thanks to Dr. Harvey Karp from Happiest Baby on the Block.) I have learned that poor Jersey knows that she is no longer center of our world and I do feel guilty for not having as much time for her. :( Once I figure out how to push the stroller and control Jersey on the leash at the same time, then she can join our daily walks. Until then, I vow to try my very best to give her some extra attention. I have learned that as parents we are always learning. Just when we thought we had it all figured out...we realize that we really don't. And lastly I have learned that having a child to love is the absolute greatest, most amazing thing in the world.