Our Journey to Bailey & Beyond: October 2011

Sunday, October 30, 2011

18 Months

Dear Bailey,

Sweet girl, it's been 18 months since we said "hello" and "goodbye" to you. Where has time gone? There are days that it seems like just yesterday, and there are days that it seems like it was a lifetime ago.

Your sister is growing like a weed. She is 6 weeks old and when I look at her, and count my blessings that not only do I have her here with me and your daddy, but we also have you looking out for her. Because I know you are. I know that you sent her to us to help mend our broken hearts.

We still miss you and I think about you all the time. We still talk about you with people we meet and you will always be our first-born.

Mommy loves you and misses you. Keep a watch over your little sister, okay?

Love,
Mommy

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Weeks 4 & 5!

Week 4 was the week of October 15th and I didn't get around to posting a new picture! Nothing really exciting happened that week anyway...it was par for the course! I did go back to Weight Watchers during week 4...after my first week, I lost 4.6 pounds! I do NOT foresee that good of results this coming week, but I also have my 6 week post-partum appointment and will hopefully be released to go back to the gym. I've got a LOT more weight to lose!

Week 5 - It's been a LONG week. I have finally accepted that Cameron is a colicky baby. We have had some flat out miserable evenings...Friday being the worst of the all. She cried pretty much non-stop (with only a few 5 minute breaks in there) from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. I finally went to Wal-Mart at 9:00 p.m. and picked up peppermint extract to add to her bottle and that got her to settle down. We were all exhausted and miserable. We have also changed her formula to Enfamil Prosobee. I found out on Friday that I was on soy formula for the exact same issues...that would have been good to know in the beginning! So, now she is on Prosobee and we are also having to put Karo syrup in her bottle because now she is constipated. We can't win for losing.

This week, the weather got cold, so it was time to break out the jeans and long sleeve t-shirts...(this is also her 5 week picture)

I told Adam on Thursday that I deserve the super-mom award of the day because 20 minutes before Cameron and I were supposed to leave the house, I go to change her clothes. I find the most massive-explosive diaper that has caused her to have poop all the way up the inside of her onesie, up to her neck. It's on her front, it's on her back, it is everywhere in there! I go to change her diaper and her clothes and when I take her onesie off of her, I get poop all over her face and in her hair! I clean her butt off, run and make her some bath water, give her the world's quickest bath (including washing her hair), get her dressed, blow dry her hair (yes, I blow dried her hair...it was in the 40's and I didn't want her to leave with wet hair, so I blow dried it on low), and was STILL out the door on time! I even had to change my shirt because I had poop on my shirt too by the time it was done! LOL!

Friday, my mom and Desiree came up and we spent the day together. Desiree helped Grammy put socks on Cameron...

Then Desiree thought she needed to hold Cameron while Grammy actually did put the socks on her...

And we had a first happen on Saturday night at our house. Cameron slept in her crib for the first time! She spent all night in her crib on Saturday night (when she was asleep). She did get up at 12:30 to be fed, and then again at 4:30, but she slept in her room! I actually slept in my bed for a full night for the first time since probably June? Adam had anxiety because of the monitor and the noise it makes, but I actually slept okay, because we have the Angelcare monitor system that monitors movement and if it doesn't register movement after so long, it sounds an alarm. We know it works, because the first time we attempted to let her sleep in her room, it was a complete and epic fail and when I grabbed her out of the crib, I forgot to turn it off. By the time I got back in the living room, it was screaming at me!

I only have 7 weeks of maternity leave left...I'm almost halfway through...hard to believe! I've been re-reading the Twilight series in preparation for part 1 of Breaking Dawn to come out in the theatres on November 18th. We won't go watch it that weekend because we are actually planning a trip to Ft. Smith to meet Drew's mom and her rainbow. But, we have watched all the Twilight movies while they were still in theater, and I want to finish out the series that way! Plus, Adam hates going opening weekend...:)

All in all, we are doing good over here in the Southerland house! Time is flying by and before I know it, I will be back at work, and we will be figuring out another new normal. It feels like the past 2 years of my life have been about trying to figure out what the new normal is going to be. First as just me and Adam, then as grieving parents, and now as parents of a beautiful rainbow baby, but never forgetting our sweet Bailey. Someday...we'll get this all figured out!

The ABC's of Me

I stole this from Jessica...I thought it was cute, and I don't usually do anything like this, but I've been pretty quiet here lately and today Adam is on Cameron duty so mommy can have a little bit of a break. :) So, this is the first of 2 blog posts of today. The 2nd post will be weeks 4 & 5 combined since I missed week 4.

A. Age: 28 as of May 7th

B. Bed size: We have a Queen, but need a a King probably...with me, Adam, and Desmond...sometimes it doesn't feel like there is enough room!

C. Chore you hate: I HATE doing laundry, but if I don't do it, it will never get done.

D. Dogs: Our adorable dog Desmond!

E. Essential start to your day: Breakfast. Doesn't matter what it is, but I HAVE to eat breakfast.

F. Favorite color: Pink

G. Gold or silver: Silver

H. Height: I am vertically challenged at 5 foot 4 inches. :)

I. Instruments you play: I used to be able to play the clarinet and the flute. I can't play either anymore.

J. Job title: Teller Operations Supervisor - I won't say where. Because of social networking rules and things in my life, I don't need to worry about whether or not I will ever get in trouble for something I say or put out there for the world to read.

K. Kids: Bailey Danae - April 30, 2010 (our angel) and Cameron Bailey - September 15, 2011 (our rainbow)

L. Live: Oklahoma - born and raised!

M. Mother's name: Amy

N. Nicknames: Nae, Nae-Nae, or Danae-Nae. Nae is usually by Desiree (my niece), Nae-Nae by most people I grew up with, and Danae-Nae has been a recent addition to the mix.

O. Overnight hospital stays: 2 that I can recall. 1st would be when I delivered Bailey and the 2nd would be when I delivered Cameron.

P. Pet peeves: People who think they need to take up the entire aisle at the grocery store and then refuse to move to let you by. I know I have quite a few, but that's the only one I can think of right now!

Q. Quote from a movie: Pretty Woman is one of my all time favorite movies...here are 2 quotes that I say every time I watch it...the first one is: "Fifty bucks, Grandpa. For seventy-five, the wife can watch." - Kit and the second is "I want the fairy tale" - Vivian

R. Right or left handed: I write right-handed, but most everything else I do left-handed. I'm weird like that!

S. Siblings: 2 older brothers, Tres and Daniel, and one younger sister, Sarah. This picture was taken at my sister's wedding in December 2008 which is the last time I think we were all together. Good lord...I cannot believe how much I weigh in that picture...I honestly don't think I look anything like that now...and if I do...please don't tell me!

T. Time you wake up: Typically around 5:00 a.m. Right now though, I go back to sleep after Adam goes to work and then get up around 7:00 for the day. But, once I go back to work, it will be back to the 5:00 a.m. schedule!

U. Underwear: Ummmm...not sure about this one, but, yes...and I'm going into no more detail than that!

V. Vegetable you hate: I HATE sweet potatoes! Yuck! Everything else is tolerable!

W. What makes you run late: Before I used to be early everywhere I went...now, Cameron makes me late some of the time because I haven't quite mastered this getting 2 people ready thing!

X. X-rays you have had: I've only had my neck x-rayed before because I was having major neck issues and couldn't turn my head without wanting to cry. They found my curvature in my neck is messed up.

Y. Yummy food that you make: Me, cook? HA! Kidding! When I do cook, Adam likes for me to make my mom's homemade Chicken Alfredo. And I love to bake! Cookies and brownies are my specialties...simple, but delicious!

Z. Zoo animals: I like seeing the elephants...I really want to go to the OKC Zoo and see the baby elephants now that they are back!

There you have it...The ABC's of me! Random facts and some things just a little strange!

Saturday, October 15, 2011

October 15th

"When a child loses his parent, they are called an orphan. When a spouse loses her or his partner, they are called a widow or widower. When parents lose their child, there isn’t a word to describe them." - Ronald Reagan

In October 1988, President Reagan declared the month of October as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. Today, October 15th, is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. As part of this day, please take a moment and light a candle tonight in remembrance of all the babies taken too soon from us from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. your time.

I am 1 in 4 who has and will experience miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss. I have lived it. I still live it. I have experienced two early miscarriages and I have also experienced infant loss. It is not something that goes away, it is not something you ever forget, it is not something you "get over".

Today, and everyday, I remember my sweet Bailey and all of her angel friends. And tonight, I will light a candle in honor of them all.

Thinking of you all today and wishing you a peaceful day.

** On a side-note: Today, my sweet rainbow, Cameron, is one month old. I know her big sister is watching over her.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Three Weeks

October 6, 2011...today is my official due date with Cameron. And instead of being pregnant, I have a sweet baby girl who is sacked out in her swing right now while mommy is blogging and daddy is playing Rage on the XBox.

So, what is new in the Southerland house since week 2? Cameron is more alert and stays awake for longer periods of time. Her umbilical cord FINALLY fell off yesterday. Tonight, we did the first real bath...she couldn't decide whether she liked it or didn't like it.

One picture of the bath...didn't get many because Adam has this whole thing against naked pictures...he calls them "baby porn".

Post bath - she was not happy, but the point of this picture is to show how her hair is curling...she is going to have mommy's curly hair...poor kid.

Sleep - Cameron is sleeping for about 4 hours at a time now...which is making things a LOT easier on mommy. And we have had to accept that our child is NOT a back sleeper. She is going to be like mommy and be a belly sleeper. Please do not take this opportunity to lecture me about SIDS. I know. But, I also know that when I put my child on her back, she immediately wakes up and starts SCREAMING at the top of her lungs. But, she will sleep for 3-4 hours on her belly. Unfortunately, I have one of those kids that just doesn't fit the textbook...shocker.

My sister came up on Monday and did some pictures for us. I'm not going to post them all. I did post them all on Facebook and if you are friends with me there, then you probably have seen them.

All in all, it's been a good week. She eats, she sleeps, she poops, and sometimes she stays awake for a couple of hours at a time...can't believe it's been 3 weeks already...and really can't believe Adam goes back to work on Monday. Cameron and I will have to figure out how we are going to manage this...all on our own. Yikes!