She Did It!!!

She did it...she did it!!!  She fell asleep all by herself!  I've been working with her the last couple days, I swaddle her and put her in bed when I think she looks "sleepy" and today she fell asleep on her own - TWICE (so far)!!  I've been having a lot of anxiety about what she'll do at daycare, or if Nichole will have time to rock her (or bounce her).  Knowing that I only have 2 more weeks until I go back to work and that she CAN DO IT is a great feeling!  She's so sweet, I do have to let her fuss for about 10 minutes...but it's more of a "sing song" kind of whine then an all out cry.  I'm so proud of her, she's such a good girl!!! 

Daddy comes home today, in fact he'll be home in a few hours and I'm so excited to tell him about our milestone!  He said he plans on holding her all night...I know he misses her like crazy! 

What a big day!

Lord knows I'm a lucky man...

"Lord knows I'm a lucky man, God's given me a pretty good hand..."

You know the country song, right? Well, that really describes me - Amy's husband and Paige's dad.

As Amy's indicated in previous posts, I've been gone in San Francisco for a few days for work and I can't wait to get home and see my girls. It doesn't take long to realize how lucky one really is after being away from loved ones for a few days.

It's no doubt I'm very blessed to have Amy as my wife and my little precious joy, Paige!

This Sunday will mark Amy and my 2nd year anniversary - Happy Anniversary, honey! ILYSM!

I can't wait to see Mommy and Paigey! Daddy's coming home tomorrow afternoon!

Daddy

Thankful!

It was a beautiful day outside today, I loved the sunshine!  Paige woke up with a smile on her cute little face this morning, we laid in bed together and talked forever.  It's so much fun to watch her little body wiggle around and she smiles, it's like her entire body smiles!!! 

We had lunch at the office today, it was fun to see Mandy and James!  James is still so small, he's such a handsome little boy...and a very happy baby!  It was sort of weird to go back into the office after being gone so long, it seems like ages! 

Paige and I hung out all afternoon, she didn't sleep much today so hopefully she'll have a good sleepy night.  As I was rocking her to sleep tonight I couldn't help but look be THANKFUL for all she is.  She is PERFECT to me, her little mouth and nose, her beautiful blue eyes, her tiny little hands and her beautiful smile.  She melts my heart with that smile, I never knew I could love so much...I am so THANKFUL for her!!

Ryan comes home from CA tomorrow, we miss him like crazy!  I know Paige will be so excited to see him and I'll be really excited too :).  He is a great Daddy and yet another thing I'm very THANKFUL for!  This weekend is our 2 year anniversary, time flies and so many wonderful changes have taken place in the past 2 years.  We are so blessed!

2 Month Check Up

Paige had her 2 month check up yesterday.  She did a great job, she laid on the table and listened to the dr. the entire time...it was really cute.  The dr. thought it would be best if she went for physical therapy to help get full range of motion in her neck.  He also gave us some medicine for her reflux, I'm hoping it will help with her fussiness after eating.  The worst part of the appointment was that she had to get 3 shots, it was SOOOO sad!  She screamed and cried like I've never seen before, luckily daddy was with...he was strong for all of us.  Shortly after her appointment Ryan had to catch a flight to CA, and luckily my parents took Paige and I in for the night.  I was very happy to spend the night at my parents, Paige was very fussy after her shots and it was nice to have the help of my mom :). 

9 Week Stats

Weight: 12lbs 8oz
Height: 24 Inches
Head: 16 1/2 Inches

She's in the 86%-95% for her age group, she's a healthy little girl and we're so thankful for her!!!

9 Weeks!

Paige and Kenley = CUTE!

It's a beautiful Sunday and we enjoyed today to the fullest.  We started our day at church, Paige did a great job...she actually slept the entire time!  After church we picked up lunch and went to Eric and Shelly's, we all ate lunch together and then Paige and Kenley hung out while the boys watched football.  This is the first time that the girls were able to "play together", they had fun laying on the blanket looking at eachother and even grabbed hands at one point.  It was so much fun to see them playing together, they are both getting so big and growing so fast...but next summer they'll be walking (or running) and we can't wait to watch them play with Eliot!  It was great to have some family time with Eric and Shelly, it's so easy to be with them...we've all been so busy lately that it's been hard to "hang out".  Hopefully now that Paige is less fussy and Kenley is doing better we'll be able to make it happen more often.

We set up Paige's highchair today, I know it sounds silly but she likes to sit in it and Ry and I love to have her at the dinner table.  Ry grilled steaks and we had a great meal together, at the SAME TIME...that doesn't happen all that often at our house, we're usually eating in shifts :).

Daddy is leaving for 3 nights to CA tomorrow, Paige and I are going to miss him like crazy!  She has her 2 month appointment tomorrow and she'll have a couple shots...hopefully she won't get to fussy.  Tomorrow we'll post he 9 week b-day picture, hard to believe...we love you Paige!

Tummy Time & Grandma's House

Paige is getting really good at tummy time, it's cute to see her so alert!  She's getting stronger and stronger every day, she still favors her right side but she's getting better about looking left every day.  Daddy and I loved talking to her and watching her smile during tummy time, we're so proud of her!

Saturday afternoon we went to Grandma and Grandpa's house and Paige was able to play with Alice, Andy and Uncle Mike.  She kept everyone entertained, she talked and smiled for a long time and Uncle Mike put her to sleep.  She loves her cousins and she thinks her uncle and grandparents are pretty great too!

We are so lucky that she'll go to bed around 8 and then sleep until 7:30 am (she wakes up to feed every 3-5 hours and goes right back to sleep).  She's such a sweetie, I can't get enough of her!

Rainy Day = Sleepy Baby

Wow, Paige was very sleepy today!!!

It was a rainy day, and I think that she's just tired from all the rain. We went to visit Auntie Tracy, Andy and Alice this afternoon...Paige didn't fuss in the car at all!  Again, it could have been the rain on the car window but she was very calm.

I'm hopeful that she'll still sleep tonight, even after all those naps today:).

I love out little girl and couldn't kiss her enough today...can't wait to kiss her face in the night when I feed her in a couple hours!

Ryan and I are enjoying a night of TV and relaxing. 

Hands

Ryan really missed her yesterday so he ended up holding her tonight while she napped.  She had her hands crossed so cute, I had to take a picture.  Then I took one of her and Daddy just to show how little she still is. 

Today was a good day, Daddy worked from home because he was out of town until late last night.  He took us girls to lunch and it was really fun.  I haven't been out to lunch with my two favorite people since Paige was about 3 weeks old.  She's getting more predictable now, and less fussy every day.  I love when she wakes up in the morning and shines that pretty little smile, the morning is her favorite time of day!

Tonight I said prayers while putting Paige to sleep and found myself with big tears in my eyes.  She is such a gift and I feel so blessed, God is good and I'm one lucky momma!

She's stirring in bed as I type, she's hungry so I'm off to feed my little sweetie...and yes I'll kiss her again and again.

Paige and Mommy

Ry's traveling to WI today, he left early this morning and is coming home later tonight.  That means that Paige and I spent the day together...alone!  Daddy had to leave at 5am and Paige was up a lot last night, so I'm really tired.  We told Daddy to sleep in the guest room so he could be rested for today, but he came and checked on us a few times in the night so I'm sure he's really tired too.
Paige did great today, she was a happy camper! She's in bed for the night and I pray that she goes at least 4 or 5 hours in between feedings!
Grandma, Grandpa & uncle Pat came over for dinner.  I made Chinese food and it was pretty good!  Pat brought won-tons, and they were very tasty!  Paige let me eat my meal before getting fussy, Grandma tried to feed her a bottle but Paige didn't take it very well.  We really need her to take it better for others (she'll only take it for Ryan and I right now), especially since she'll be going to daycare in 4 weeks!
I'm very tired, I'm laying on the couch as I type this and I can hardly keep my eyes open.
I love my life...my hubby and baby are the best thing ever!!!

8 Weeks!

Our little girl is 8 weeks old today! 

We love you Paigey!!

Weekend with Nana & Grandpa!

We had a long weekend!  We spend our first weekend up north at Nana and Grandpa Carlson's house in Bigfork.  The drive up was a little rough but she fell asleep after an hour of crying and slept the entire way.  We were able to spend some good family time, Ryan helped Ron with "the land" and Judy, Paige and I hung out.  We took her to "the pinecone" for the first time, it's a little cafe in town and we like to go there for coffee.

We came home on Saturday because we had baby Abby's shower on Sunday and then dinner plans with friends on Sunday night.  The shower was great and Abby received lots of wonderful things, I can't wait to meet her in person.  She's up to 5lbs 3oz, so she's gained a pound in the last couple weeks!

We had a great weekend, I love our new family!  Our little girl will be 8 weeks old tomorrow...were does the time go?

Sleepy

Our little girl is very sleepy today!  Not sure why, maybe it's a growth spurt or maybe it's all the candy corn I ate last night (a sugar coma)...I can't deny my love of candy corn!

I put her under the play gym this afternoon and for the first time she enjoyed it! She looked at it and cooed, even swatted and hit a few of the hanging toys (totally accidental).  Within a couple minutes she closed her eyes and fell asleep on the floor.  This has NEVER happened before, she's never fallen asleep while laying on the floor!  I have no idea how she can be tired, she slept all morning!

Uncle Pat just called, he's going to come visit this afternoon...we're excited to see him!

We're heading up north on our first trip to Bigfork to see Nana and Grandpa tomorrow.  Paige's dislike of her carseat makes me nervous, she was fine when we went away for Labor Day so hopefully she'll fall asleep :).

It's a rainy day...a perfect day for a nap!

7 Weeks!

7 weeks ago today our lives changed forever, and we couldn't imagine life without Paige!  So much has changed since that blessed day...and we are better people because of Paige.

Today was a good day, Paige slept late and Mom was able to take a shower (and even shave my legs)!  We stayed home all day, and in between naps I was able to clean out my closet...it was a small job but I haven't done it in a LONG time!

We took a nice walk this afternoon, it was a beautiful day and Paige loved the time outside.  My friend Kathy came to meet Paige tonight, it was great to see her...but Paige was a little fussy.  It's always fun to have people over.

We're going to see my friend Mandy and her little boy James tomorrow.  He's only 2 weeks old and I can't wait to hang out with and compare stories.  Mandy and I work together and we've been missing each other, hopefully we'll have more visits like this before I head back to work.

Well, it was another long day and I'm beat...going to go up and check on my little sweetheart.  I love to kiss her lips and bedtime and say a little prayer over her, she's my life and I LOVE her!!!

Church

Today was Paige's first visit to church.  She did a great job, she LOVED the music...it was so nice to go to church as a family.  I felt a little emotional, this is one of the things I always thought of when we talked about having a family.  She ended up eating and falling asleep, I was proud of her and of myself because I normally don't nurse in public. 

Uncle Mike, Auntie Tracy and her cousin's Andy and Alice came over today.  She loved seeing them, she showed off her smile and loved when everyone got on the floor and talked to her!  It's awesome that she has such loving people in her life...she's one lucky girl!

Hard to believe that Paige came into our world 7 weeks ago tomorrow.  Some days it seems like she's been here forever and other days it seems like just yesterday.  We love her so much, I have no idea how I'm going to go back to work...I miss her when she's taking a nap!!!

She has had a good couple days, today she was a little "off" but nothing like the fussy time she had last week.  We love weekends and wish that Daddy could stay home every day.

The Weekend :)

We love the weekend at the Carlson house!  Paige was all smiles this morning, she's a morning girl!  We ventured out to a garage sale, we didn't find anything but it was fun to look.  On the way home we stopped at E & S's to see how they were...it was fun to see Eliot and Kenley too.  Shelly has a scale for Kenley so we decided to see how much Paige weighs...Paige wasn't happy about it and didn't lay still.  The scale was going anywhere from 11 to 12 pounds - it'll be fun to see how much she weighs in 2 weeks at her appointment!

Grandma and Grandpa came over and watched Paige so that Ry and I could go out to lunch.  It was a nice break, and I couldn't believe how much I missed her after and hour and a half...ha...ha...ha...

She had a GREAT day today, a much happier baby for sure!  She's sleeping peacefully right now, I'll soon be joining her.  I just wanted to document all her smiles and coos today...I love seeing her so happy!  Here's to hoping that tomorrow is just as great...we love you Paigey!!!

Visitors

Today was a fun day of visitors!  My friend Janelle came over and brought her friend Missy.  Missy lives in our neighborhood and she has a little boy named Levi that's almost 2 months older then Paige...he sure is a cutie!  Paige slept though our visit but we woke her up at the end to meet Missy and Levi!  It was fun to connect with Missy about what to expect in the next couple months and bounce a few things off her, she was full of good advice!

Then we had a surprise visit from my friend Laura, she got married in July and moved to Eden Prairie.  It's not so easy to see each other now, especially with Paige's bad feelings about her carseat!

We're excited for the weekend, we love when Daddy is home!  Grandma and Grandpa are going to babysit tomorrow so that Ry and I can go out to lunch...looking forward to a little alone time and adult conversation. Daddy surprised us with flowers last night...just because he loves us, we are lucky girls!

Our Favorite Ball

Paige's favorite soothing activity!

Naps!

Today is a much better day!  Yesterday was a struggle, she was very fussy and didn't nap much...only little 10 minute naps.  Today is a total change, she slept for 3 hours, then was up a bit and went back to bed for another 2 hours!  She had a wonderful smiley morning, lots of cooing...she loves the fan in our bedroom so we stay up there and talk for a while every morning!  After all that napping I'm crossing my fingers that she'll still sleep tonight :).

Shelly and Eliot came for a little visit this morning, it was great to see them and chat for a while.  Eliot entertained us with the alligator piano and insisted that we dance with him.  He's got some great moves, there's no way we could ever be as cute as him!  He's talking so much now and it was great to see him give "Paigey" a hug and tell her that he loves her...he's got such a tender heart!  

She found her thumb today, not sure if she'll ever find it again...but she was sucking on it like crazy!  I took a picture and texted it to Daddy, he said he wants us to promote it because "she looks so dang cute".  She's a daddy's girl...she loves when he comes home from work and always has lots of smiles for him! 

It's a great day...and mommy feels well rested!

Personality

Now that Paige is 6 weeks old she's starting to show off her likes and dislikes.

Likes:

Morning time
Snuggles with Mommy & Daddy
Smiles
Bouncing on the ball to fall asleep (we'll post a picture some day)
Walking around
Changing positions Every 5 minutes
Looking at her blocks
Hanging out with family
Facing out and sitting up, she loves to see the world!
She just starting liking her sleepy wrap, that makes mom happy...she can use both hands!
Feeding time
Looking at her mobile
Looking out the window
Watching TV (don't worry, we don't allow it...she just sneaks a peek every once in a while)
Her pacifier

Dislikes:
Naptime
Her carseat
Sitting in one spot for to long
Her play gym
Did I mention her carseat :)

She's a good baby and very opinionated about what she likes...she keeps us on our toes!  We love it!

6 Weeks!

Ultrasound

Today Paige had her first ultrasound.  Being that she was a breech baby, she had to have an ultrasound of her hips.  It's a mandatory thing for little girls, just to make sure that her hips are growing properly.

A big thanks to Grandma Kathy for coming along...not sure what I would have done without her!  Paige screamed almost the entire time, and when I say scream I mean it!  She was nearly purple and she showed her dislike for the ultrasound.  The radiologist said that he wanted to take a closer look at her left hip and that we'll probably have to go back in 6 weeks...hopefully she'll have a better attitude at the next one!  He said there's nothing to really worry about, he just wants to take another look to make sure that everything is on track.

Labor Day Weekend!

We had our second family "get away" with Paige over Labor Day weekend.  Granny rented Sandy Pines Resort in Bakus, MN...the entire family was there.  She rented cabins for everyone and we even had a pig roast, she really spoiled us!  E, S and the kids were supposed to share a cabin with us, but being that Kenley just came home they couldn't make it.  Eric and Eliot made a surprise appearance on Saturday...everyone was thrilled to see them but wishing that Shelly and Kenley could have come too!  Paige went to her first pig roast, her first bonfire, had her first boat ride and finally gave in to the sleepy wrap.  Granny hired a photographer and they took pictures of the entire family, it was cold and windy so Paige and mommy waited until the last minute to jump in with the group.  No lie, two minutes after we got into place for the picture Paige had a "blow out".  She pooped all up her back and all over mommy, we couldn't leave because everyone was already in place and I didn't have anything to put her in (everyone was wearing jeans and white shirts).  It was a fun filled weekend and we were exhausted when we got home!  Paige was so excited that she stayed up until 10:00, she usually goes to bed anywhere from 7 to 9...so it was a late night for her.

Thanks to Granny for a wonderful weekend!

A Happy Day!

Yesterday was a great day, lots of smiles this morning and a very happy night.  There wasn't a "fussy time" for her last night and she had lots of smiles for Daddy!   She even put herself to sleep, she was awake when I put her in her crib and fell asleep on her own! We enjoyed a nice walk around the neighborhood, the weather was perfect and it was great for Ry and I to talk, enjoy the fresh air and see our little girl enjoy her time outside. 

Today is another great morning, she's always very smiley and happy in the mornings :)!  She's down for a nap now and we have a person from ECFE coming for a home visit today.  My friend Mandy is currently in labor, can't wait to hear from them on the birth of their little boy!  The kids are so close in age, and it's fun to share this experience together!!!