Pictures Galore

I'm playing catch up during nap time. Its Tuesday but lets pretend its Wordless Wednesday instead and look at pictures from the last couple weeks. Big time catch up.

Ok here goes.
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That cast was done the day before she was born. Was I really that big??

::Flashback:: Umm yes I was.... on to the other pictures...

Susan and BJ's Wedding to follow

Father/Daughter dance

Naptime with Skipper who came prepared with earplugs

I could do an entire post on the cuteness of Peapod with her daddy. They have staring contests.

And finally one of me and my girl

I have a good excuse

to have been away for so long. For starters... one, I have a high maintenance little missy. Go figure. My time at home was filled with her in my arms almost 24/7. That doesn't exactly leave a hand to type. Since the big scare with her choking and determining it is acid reflux, I have been much more swamped (as if that was even possible) with taking care of my little one. And the Giant thought I was an obsessive mommy before- HA! This kid doesn't blink without me knowing anymore. Well that is until yesterday, but I will get to that in a moment. So, one is my little fussy monkey girl attached to me all day. Two, and the even bigger reason, is my laptop crashed! I have been in mourning for the past two weeks straight. I think I might have even been in the middle of a post when suddenly the blue screen of death appeared. And then, poof! Nothingness. BAH! I proceeded to have a series of a few minor heart attacks as I stared at this black nothingness. Thankfully, my mom was here visiting at the time and was able to recessitate me. When she returned home that weekend, my dead hunk of metal and hard drives went with her to the "computer guy" who took a look and concluded it truly is now a 15 month old just out of warranty very expensive unrepairable hunk of metal and burnt hard drives. ::SOB!:: So for a while, I am a laptopless lady until we save enough for a new one.

I feel there is just to much to completely quickly rundown the last few weeks of the Wood life and I will update with pictures whenever I can find a computer to unload my massively full camera memory card on.

Two weekends ago, we had a visit with the Giant's brother and his family from North Carolina. Cheyanne's ONLY cousin Matthew who is now 10 months old came for his first visit to Grandma Wood's. I say only in caps to remind those who need to be reminded that he still remains Cheyanne's ONLY cousin and she would greatly appreciate more cousins to play with one day. She promises to be a really good cousin. Okay, nudging done. Back to the recap. I enjoyed the visit and am hoping the family Christmas picture turned out alright despite Chey's slight fussiness at the time. But she looked so dang cute in her red top, red argyle leggings, and coordinating white headband. See this is why I need my laptop back!! Showing off is a huge necessity right now for me.

That same week was the week my mom was here visiting and helping out with our new apnea monitor situation with Little One. The Giant and I both panicked a little when she left, but we made it through just fine. A little less sleep mind you, but we were fine. Then last weekend we had a wedding to go to in Pennsylvania. My dear friends Susan and BJ were married and we made the long 7 hour drive to be there. Peapod's longest trip yet, probably in actuality it was too long. She did well for about 4 hours. All hell broke loose after that. But I don't blame her. I wouldn't want to have my butt planted in a car seat for that long either. And her little tummy was upset all weekend long. After an emergency feeding session stop which then led to an emergency clean up/ outfit change stop and another emergency calming down session stop on the way up, we finally made it to the hotel to meet my parents. Had a fantastic weekend with my parents and visiting with our family friends at their beautiful wedding, we turned around and made the long haul back. That ride was too filled with a few emergency feeding stops, a calming down stop and a BIG TIME clean up stop which Peapod made sure included her momma. My white shirt thanks you sweet girl. It needed a trip to washing machine as soon as we got home anyways- as well as my jeans. Thank goodness the Giant had an extra tshirt in the car or some truckers would have had a nice little show. But we all made it home in one piece and in new clothes. Sheesh, what an ordeal.

Lets see, that was Sunday. Monday, back to work I went- quite begrudgingly. Yesterday was the hardest day of my life I think, there was no appropriate preparation for this. I woke up crying, nursed, sobbed, kissed Little One goodbye as daddy took her to her Aunt Heather's for a day of fun, sobbed more, showered, got dressed, put on non-waterproof mascara (big mistake), got to work, got asked a billion times how Chey was doing, resorted to carrying tissues in my pockets like an old woman, ran out of said tissues by 9am, met with managers, gave my notice that my last day will be Thursday, cried a little less at this thought, smiled for the first time, went on with my day in this cry smile manner and then sped home to my baby. Yep, that pretty much sums up my day. Today, baby girl is back to Heather's having fun. I know this because I have received a few pictures throughout the day showing me. Like these ones. With these captions. :)

"Winter feeding Cheyanne"

"Terrorist baby"

"She would not make it through airport security"

"Poop face"

"Smiles"

That's my girl.

Where has the last month gone?

Look who's a whole month old today!!

And how did we celebrate? We went to Colonial Williamsburg- and picked up Nana for the week! YAY!! That's right, my mom is back for a visit and is already saving the day.

And guess who else came to visit Cheyanne for her one month birthday. Betty White! That's right.. weeeeeell sortof. She was in Colonial W'burg, and we saw her. But I know if she had known Cheyanne was there, she would have been celebrating with us.

Sound the alarms, or three

Two nights down with our screeching sleep machine and we are doing better. First night was r.o.u.g.h. It went off three times throughout the night. twice because the connectors came unattached from her sides. The other time said she wasn't breathing, but I grabbed her out of panic from the alarm before I looked at it and she seemed to be breathing fine so I think it was a false alarm. But, you want to talk about a beyond scary adrenaline pumping feeling?! Sheesh! Took me half the night just to calm down. She has always slept right at my side in her sleeper on the floor so I get to her really quickly when it alarms, which also lays right next to my head on the floor. But last night, we had a great night. No alarms!! She slept wonderfully. Woke up twice to nurse and went right back to sleep each time. That helped us all sleep a little easier.

The doctor has her on a prescription of zantac twice a day, first in the morning 15 minutes before her first nursing and last at night 15 minutes before her night feeding. Silly doctor, though, as if their is a first and last nursing for this hungry girl. We're back to every 2 hours now. She had a few days of needing to nurse every hour and a half...wore me out! But, she seems back to every 2-3 hours which is much easier on me. But oh my have you ever tried to give medicine (which tastes like peppermint and she HATES it) to a hungry baby and then have to WAIT 15 minutes to feed her?? Yeah, that does not go well. Not so patient this one... I don't have a clue where she gets that from. Hmm, so anyways... back to the medicine. It seems to maybe be helping her reflux. There has not been much of that choking happening the last day since she has been on it, thank goodness. Lets never go back to that place Peapod. We are a stricter plan with her now to help alleviate the reflux as much as possible. After every feeding, she has to be completely upright for at least 20 minutes. She is no longer in her bassinet with the wedge at night either. She is sleeping in her carrier for now on to keep her at a 45 degree angle. She doesn't seem to mind the change at all. I hope that doesn't change because we will have run out of options if it does, except for her to start sleeping on her momma nightly which doesn't give either of us the best sleep. We've tried... although we both sure do love to snuggle at night.

Here she is today. My silly little monkey girl. The theme was unplanned. She was being too cute so you know I took about 100 pictures of just her and her silly faces. Up next for us today, our daily dance party. Have a great weekend everyone!

No false alarms!

Thank you all for your words of encouragement on the last post. I really appreciated reading all of them on the blog and on facebook. Its encouraging to hear about some of your different stories of experience with this. Quick update on today's doctor appointment for little one while Hubs has her in the "steam room" aka the bathroom with the shower on.

We went to the pediatrician and had xrays done of her chest. Imagine, baby who already doesn't like to be layed down especially not on her back laid down on a cold xray table and held there for a few minutes to have pictures taken. Hmm yeah that was not fun listening to the screaming. Thank goodness Hubs is stronger than I am against the cries. Break my heart. Xrays came back and everything looked clear there. The doctor says that she has acid reflux or GERD based on her symptoms and last night's chokefest. He wants her on an Apnea Monitor anytime she is sleeping for at least the next 6 months. Because during her choking last night she also quit breathing a few times, I think its a very good idea and will help us all sleep a little better. Basically, the apnea monitor is little electrodes that go on her chest to monitor her breathing and heart rate. It will sound this crazy loud alarm if she stops breathing again to alert us or if her heart rate jumps or drops. So scary! Tonight is the first night we'll be using it. I'm hoping for no false alarms because most everything I've read or heard on this monitor is that false alarms is common. I'm not looking forward to that adrenaline rush in the middle of the night. Of course, I'd much rather it go off as a false alarm. Bleh, enough of that! Anyways, the pediatrician also put her on a prescription of zantac twice a day. He expects her to grow out of this by a year, I'm praying for much sooner. I hate when my baby is not feeling good. Anyways, thanks again for all your words of encouragement and pray us through a calm night tonight.

See our new daily equipment? Fun.