World Map Mural

Santa brought Blake a wall mural of a world map. Today Papa came over to help him wallpaper it to the wall in our gameroom. It looks great! We spent the afternoon putting up different colored pins.Blue: where our family lives
Green: places we have visited
Purple: LDS missions served

Christmas Day

We really have no great pictures from this morning! Urgh! Regardless, it was a great day. Santa brought Sammie the ONE thing she kept asking him for...Rapunzel!Alayna had no requests, yet still got a few things.
We spent the day playing with Sam's new dollhouse, napping, eating, watching moviesand going for wagon rides.

Christmas Eve

We spent Christmas Eve at my parent's house with the Picketts and the Proffits. We've been doing this group for years! It's fun to all be a little older and wiser, yet still keep all the same traditions.Samantha stayed up extra late making Santa's cookies and writing him one last letter...all by herself!

2 month checkup

Height: 22 1/2" - 28th percentile

Weight: 8 lbs 1 oz - 1st percentile (yikes)

Head: 14 3/4" - 6th percentile

The good news is she is mostly out of her colicky phase and entering into the land of smiles and contentment.

Alayna's Blessing

The Proffits and Picketts joined us for Alayna's baby blessing. No Holidays in sight! :(

Uncle Brian, Cousin Danny, Blake, Papa, Mark and Jamie Pickett

This was also Sammie's blessing dress.

Afterwards, we met for dinner at Brian and Diana's new house with Polli, Bob and Bronwyn.

It was a great day. Thanks to all that came and celebrated with us.

ConocoPhillips Holiday Concert

We all dressed up and headed to downtown Houston for the annual ConocoPhillips Holiday Concert with the Houston Symphony. We met up with Jahnavie during the intermission for cookies.

And ended the afternoon chatting with Santa and Ms. Claus.

"Whisper what you'll bring to me...." How cute are these dresses! Thanks grandma!

Back to Church

Today we made it to church. On time. Well fed. And sleepy.

One Month Checkup

2nd percentile!!
6 lbs 11 oz

20"

Alayna had her one month checkup today. Despite her itty-bitty size, she is doing well.
"Oh, darlin' don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up...just stay this little. Won't let no one hurt you, Even though you want to, please try to never grow up."

Boat Races

Happy Halloween!

Ward Trunk or Treat

Lauren, Sammie and Avery

Trick or Treating
Jahnavie, Sammie and RijunFrosting & Decorating Cookies

Carving Pumpkins with Dad

A few photos...

The Bili-Bed

On Monday, Alayna had her first appointment to see her pediatrician. When we checked out of the hospital, her bilirubin count was at 9.9. She is very sleepy and not a great eater, so that contributed to it going up to the danger level of 15.9. Yikes! The scary number for her weight class is 18, at which point she would be admitted to the hospital. In order to avoid that, the doctor ordered us a phototherpy unit...aka...the bili-bed. She has been resting comfortably on the lights, 24 hr/day for the past 2 days. The only time we can take her off is to eat...which we have been forcing her awake every 3 hours to nurse and supplement with 2 oz of formula...it's a battle to keep her awake that long.

After 2 days and 3 doctor/lab visits, the bilirubin count has gone from 15.9 to 14.7 to 9.5! Hooray! We are done and now need to get her nursing and off the bottle.

I seriously cannot get enough pictures of Sammie and Alayna. They can't seem to get enough of each other. Sam will hold her while she watches a show...sometimes close to an hour!

p.s.
Pregnancy hormones are NOTHING compared to postpartum hormones. I am starving all the time, can't get enough bananas to fill my craving and can cry and cry and cry. You can imagine what a wreck I turned into when this jaundice and feeding became a concern. Thanks to all those that have had to endure the tears. :)

She's Here!!

Alayna Elizabeth Holiday

October 14, 2010

8:19am
5 lbs 11 oz
19"Iddy-bitty, teeny-tiny, but healthy and strong! It was a very calm and relaxing environment, and she is perfect!
Details below...read if you want :)
Proud Big Sister SamanthaGrandma and her girlsFirst birthday cake and songWhat a great labor and delivery! I have never been one for inductions...I always assumed it was only for the convenience of doctors schedules...but I might be converted! Blake and I checked into the hospital at 10pm on Wednesday. I got hooked up to an IV, baby heart monitor and a contraction monitor. I was dilated 1cm and 50% effaced. At midnight they gave me a prostaglandin to help stimulate contractions. My water broke at 2am (at 3cm) and I had contractions until 4:30. Got an epidural and started pitocin at 5:30am. Blake and I continued sleeping until about 7:30am...that's when a bunch of nurses came in and started turning on lights and setting things up. We were kinda annoyed because we were expecting to sleep and wait things out. One of the nurses said I was at 10cm, my blood pressure had slightly dropped and the baby was ready to come....what?! Dr Cole was called and on her way, and the nurses said to go ahead and push. So, I did...or at least tried...epidurals are great, I couldn't feel a thing, including whether or not I was actually pushing. Apparently I was, so they had me stop and wait for the doctor. 3 pushes later, Alayna was born.