10 Weeks Old

Playing catch up here! I feel behind with the posts while working on my last Masters class, getting ready for Sam and Lesi to be here, and all kinds of better excuses. I'll be catching up soon and lord knows I'll fall behind again :)
Zoe and I had a busy week, we ran into the office on Monday for Toni's baby shower. On Tuesday we had our appointment with Ethan Allen (total bust by the way!), Wednesday was a day with Grandma Gayle, Thursday we got Petoskey groomed, and on Friday we had lunch with Holly and her new baby boy Austin! AJ then came up to visit from Friday to Saturday. It was great to see her and visit! Saturday after AJ left, I went for my postnatal massage. It was much needed and wonderful! Except when it stated they were having a yard sale at the Greenhouse Birth Center so it was crazy noisy and they had kids playing inside the building - not so relaxing hearing the screaming kids! At least they were cleaning up and left quickly after my massage started! It was so nice to get pampered for a few minutes!

Zoe and I had a great week! She's really following us when Kent or I are in the room, even smiling all the time for both of us! It is so rewarding to see that smile! Here are her 10 week pictures!

Over the river and through the woods...

Yep, you guessed it... to Grandma's house we went! Today was Papa's birthday so he went up north for a golf outing with his friends. Grandma Gayle was home, so Zoe and I went over to visit for our long day. (Wednesdays are really long because Kent has golf right after work so he doesn't get home until 9 or later). We had a blast! We got out a new play-mat for Zoe and she really enjoyed it! We even made it out to lunch in Flushing. The lunch was great, but Zoe's car-seat didn't fit on the upside down highchair like everyone else's. So she wanted nothing to do with being on the floor so I held her. This was fine until Zoe decided to have a blowout on my lap. Note to self, always pack extra clothes for Zoe... and for me too! YUCK! After a quick change in the bathroom we were both good to go and enjoyed the rest of lunch.

After lunch we went back home and Grandma offered to watch Zoe so I could go shopping! It was wonderful and much needed retail therapy! I only picked up a few things, but it was so nice to run out for an hour and half on my own :) We visited for the rest of the afternoon and suddenly it was six o'clock and time for us to head home to get Zoe ready for bed. It was a wonderful afternoon with Grandma Gayle. We hope to do it again soon! Thanks Grandma Gayle for a wonderful day!

Rolling, Rolling, Rolling...

Zoe is 9 weeks old! Today for Father's Day, Zoe rolled over for the first time! Since she was five days old she could roll onto her side from her back, but today she rolled all the way onto her stomach! Twice!!! We had gone to Grandma and Papa's house for the weekend and really enjoyed spending time with our family! We were sitting on the couch enjoying watching Zoe, when she decided it was time to roll. Don't worry, she rolled into the couch and we were sitting right there so she wouldn't roll off. I was having a terrible bought with allergies so I had just run to get a kleenex when Zoe rolled over for the first time. Go figure! I was crushed. I came back to everyone cheering and clapping for her! Luckily, Zoe decided to try it again. I was so proud of her! She is amazing each and every day! Below are her 9 week old pictures :) The first picture, Zoe is looking up at Mommy because I was making silly noises to get her to look at the camera... so close! At least she was looking for the second picture!

For Father's Day, Zoe and Kent took a nap on the floor :) Enjoy! 

2 Months Old!

Zoe is two months old! It is unbelievable how fast it is going. I know I say that each week, but that is truly the only way to describe Zoe growing up! She has changed so much already since she was born. She is smiling and following us each day, especially when Kent comes home. She always looks to him :) Zoe still loves playing on her play mat, swinging in her swing, and she's really starting to enjoy reading with us too! We have started to hear giggles, but not a real distinct laugh yet. She is one happy baby all the time. Today at the two month check up, Zoe did a great job. She is 11 pounds 7 ounces! She is also 23 inches long now! Zoe had to get three shots and one oral vaccine. She did a great job with the oral, and two of the shots, but the third shot was terrible. Zoe let out a big cry but was quickly comforted once we picked her up. I felt terrible, but I know it will keep her healthy. I love the photos below, Zoe smiles whenever we get a camera out! Such a ham! Thanks again AJ for the beautiful outfits!

Going to the zoo, zoo, zoo...

Today was Zoe's first time going to the zoo. Mimi and I met at the Detroit Zoo for a day of fun in the sun. Mimi wanted to go because they had just let the baby otters come out to the main exhibit. Driving to Detroit was my first time driving with Zoe alone for so long. I was a little nervous. Especially after her breakdown on our way home from Kim's on Monday. As soon as we passed East Wood she started crying and wouldn't stop. Of course that was when I couldn't stop too. We made it home, but it made me worried about driving today. Luckily, Zoe did great. It got a little harry around Brighton, but we made it to the zoo without any stops.

Mimi met us at the zoo and we headed in around 11. We saw otters, giraffes, penguins, polar bears, and tons more! Zoe had fun and slept most of the time. We used the stroller and the Baby Bijorn throughout the day to break it up for her and so that she could see what was going on. We even stopped for lunch, Mimi packed sandwiches, fruit, and veggies for us and we enjoyed eating and playing in the shade.

Zoe made it all day and was pretty happy. Except when we got to the mere-cat exhibit. She really didn't like the noise inside the building and started crying. We had to stop at a near by bench and nurse to make her calm down. Crisis averted :) She was happy for the rest of the day! We left at 3 after a great day at the zoo. Below is Mimi and Zoe at the otter exhibit, and Zoe and I at the polar bear exhibit. What a great day! Thanks Mimi :)

New Friends

First, let me just say... ZOE SLEPT FOR SEVEN HOURS STRAIGHT LAST NIGHT! Hurray! It was wonderful sleeping and I feel great today! Thanks Zoe, hopefully more of that to come!

Today was a blast! Zoe and I went to our first DeWitt Mom group meeting. We had fun playing with bubbles at a local park. I met a few moms and Zoe watched and enjoyed seeing all of the other kids. There were mostly older kids there, but there was a 7 week old, and a three month old that we got to hang out with! It was nice being able to talk with other moms about what's going on and what they are doing with their little ones.

After the park, Zoe and I headed down to Mason to visit Kim and her new baby Theressa. We picked up lunch and had a blast! Zoe had a major blowout, I'm talking both sides of her outfit, so we had to borrow one from Kim. Theressa will be one week old tomorrow and was 9 lbs. She seemed so small compared to Zoe. Kim and I really enjoyed catching up and swapping birth stories and as always tons of work stories too. Below is a picture of our little ones together. I'm already looking forward to our trip to Minneapolis in August.

Graduation Party and 8 weeks old

What a busy day today! After driving home, we quickly picked up the house and Grandma and Grandpa, and Aunt Kelly and Uncle Chris came over with Grace and Libby. The girls had a ton of fun playing with Zoe! They even got to change her into a cute outfit for the day! Everyone was over so we could go over to Erica's graduation party together. It was really hot, but it was a beautiful party. We spent most of our time in the shade with Zoe, but she got hot quickly and we decided not to stay too long. It was great to see our family and friends at the party, and wonderful to celebrate with Erica! We even got to Skype with Ashley! She was stuck in Milwaukee for the weekend and couldn't get home without missing work, for her new job. After the party we ran home and Zoe was much happier in the air conditioning. Grandma Gayle and Grandpa Gary came back over with Grace and we enjoyed spending time together with Zoe! What a wonderful weekend!

Below are our 8 week old photos! Hard to imagine she will be two months old on Friday! She's getting big so fast! She was much happier and smiled for all the pictures, what a ham :)

Sailing, Sailing, Into the Ocean Blue...

A last minute decision, we decided to run into Saint Joseph to see my parents. Jaclyn called at 4 and said she and Dan were running home. We decided to tag along. Even Joseph came home for the weekend! It was great to have us all home! Friday we enjoyed and relaxed at home with everyone. Zoe had a blast staying up late and not getting a bath. So much for our routine :)

Saturday we decided to try sailing! Both Kent and I were nervous but decided that there will never be a "good" first time when we are more relaxed so we gave it a shot. It was a beautiful day, almost 90 degrees, and a nice breeze. I used the Bijorn to get Zoe onto the boat, which I have to say was the most nerve-racking part of the trip. Going from a dock onto the boat was crazy! Luckily it went well. Zoe had to stay down below to stay out of the sun. I didn't know that baby sunscreen shouldn't be used until they are at least 6 months old! Not that she should be in the sun all day, but gheesh! I sat down below with her and Jaclyn and we headed out on Lake Michigan! We sailed all afternoon and Zoe did great! AJ stayed down below the entire time and I got to sneak up and get some sun. It was great to be out on the boat! Hopefully she will like the water as much as we do :)

We spent Saturday evening eating and enjoying being home. It was so nice to have everyone home together! Sunday we all had to leave to get back home, but it was a wonderful weekend in St. Joe!

Playing Outside

Today was a great day. We started by having someone come over to help us come up with ideas for the office. We are at a loss. The room is a large room, but there are some lighting fixtures and a large window that are hard to plan around. Not to mention french doors that open into the office. Needless to say we didn't know how to attack the room, so we had a designer come out. After that, we all went out to lunch at EastWood. It was nice to enjoy the morning together.

When we got home, Zoe and I decided it was time to venture outside! I threw out a blanket, added a few toys, and Zoe and I went to play in the shade. It was gorgeous outside, the sun was shining, and it was warm enough to play in the shade. Zoe had a blast. I think she liked the extra cushioning from the grass. She did not like it when I let her touch the grass on her arm, but soon enough she will be playing in the grass. Even Petoskey joined in the fun outside!

Our First Video of Zoe

We started working on our routine last night. We started with our night time routine and it went really well. Zoe slept for four hours in a row... unfortunately it was before we went to bed. Then all night she went three hours between feedings. It went well today too. We were able to run a few errands and get out of the house. Zoe slept while we ran the errands. We even went for a stroller ride this morning and had a great day together! This afternoon during play time, Zoe was grabbing her toys and she rolled onto her side. (She's rolled onto her side sense day 5, but I haven't gotten it on tape yet). Still didn't catch the illusive roll, but she was having fun and there are some babbles and a cute sneeze :) Enjoy!

I also joined a mom group for our area. Our first event is on Monday. We are going to a bubble party at a local park. There are 14 other families going so it will be fun to meet other families with kids! I can't wait! (also kind of hard to believe that I just joined a mom group... man I feel old!) :)

Dr. Dr. Give Me The News

Today was a day for doctors appointments. Zoe woke up with gunk in her eye, so I made an appointment for her. Turns out she has an eye infection. Poor kid. Her first eye infection, not a first I'm excited to report. First time for eye drops too. She's as happy as can be and doesn't seem phased. After Zoe's appointment, I had my appointment. I had to bring Zoe with me, but all went well. I tried the Baby Bijorn after AJ used it yesterday with a lot of success. It worked wonders for me too! I got to my appointment a few minutes early, but it gave me time to get Zoe to fall asleep. After a few minutes, I was seen. They quickly drew my blood and then... REMOVED MY PICC LINE! Hurray! It was such a good feeling to have that removed! A open line to my heart... yuck! I'm so happy to be done with this adventure. Zoe and I can finally get back to our schedule and our routine, or finally create our schedule and routine. I feel like sense we got home from the hospital we haven't had a routine. Life has been crazy, and it's had nothing to do with having a newborn. Between a c-section and then my infection, the first seven weeks of Zoe's life have been wild. I'm definitely looking forward to normal life with a baby instead of this! Thank you again to everyone who has helped. I can't tell you how much it means to know how much support we have! We have amazing family and friends! Love you all!

Surprise Visitor!

That's right, we had a surprise visitor this morning! I got a call this morning from AJ wondering what my plans were for the day. I had none. Zoe and I were just planning on enjoying another beautiful day! She informed me that she was an hour away and was coming up for the day! Gotta love AJ! I was so excited! It was a perfect day for a visitor.

Jaclyn came up and enjoyed spending the day with Zoe! She helped out with the dishes and laundry which is always appreciated! I was happy last week to be able to do those chores myself but now it's nice for some help too... chores are again overrated! We ran to Meijer to pick up some groceries for lunch. We grabbed some veggies and stuff to make a pizza...yum! It turned out great! After lunch we enjoyed visiting together. Then AJ offered to help me go shopping! I've had a hard time the past few weeks because nothing really fits. I'm back to by pre-preganancy weight but it has definitely moved around a lot! I needed some help with a wardrobe upgrade! We ran to East Wood and enjoyed shopping at the Loft! I picked up some cute summer tops, capris, and even a pair of shorts! I hit the summer jackpot there and really have some great outfits for this summer! Hurray! Thanks AJ for all the help!

We ran back home and visited for a bit longer before AJ had to leave. It was a great day and always wonderful spending the day with my sis! Love you Jaclyn!

7 Weeks Old

7 weeks old today! Kent, Zoe, and I had a blast ringing in seven weeks old! We tried shopping again. We went to Lowes, Home Depot, Babies R Us, and even Bed Bath and Beyond. It was a busy afternoon. Zoe did a great job at each store in her stroller. To be fair, she didn't go into Bed Bath and Beyond, I had to run in really quickly to return some extra pillow cases that we got before Zoe was born... I'm a little slow on the returns! After shopping we returned home.

Kent and I were feeling brave after such a great day with Zoe out on the town so we decided to try dinner out! We went to the Draft House here in DeWitt and had a blast! Zoe was a little fussy as we arrived, but she quickly fell asleep and Kent and I had a great dinner out. It was our first family dinner out! It is fun to be able to take Zoe out with us and still feel like we are doing our normal pre-baby activities. I'm not sure that going out to dinner will be as frequent as it was before Zoe, but at least we know we can get out and enjoy with the three of us!

Just because everything had gone so well, we tried one more adventure. We went for a walk at a local park. We went for two miles and Zoe did great. After a mile and a half she was over it, but we made it back to the car without too much fuss. We even stopped for ice cream on the home! What a day!

Zoe is now talking more... okay more like cooing and grunting, but it's a lot more frequent this week. She loves her play mat and spending time looking at books. She also loves her swing. Below are her 7 week old pictures. I can't believe next Sunday she'll be 8 weeks old! We have the two month check up on June 15. I can't wait to see how big she is. We found out at the Greenhouse Birth Center for our 6 week check up this week that Zoe is 11.5 lbs! She is getting so big!