One Month Old

Sydney has officially been in the world 1 month. I can't believe it. This last month has been so crazy adjusting to our new life. Syd is seriously a good baby. Don't get me wrong, there have been a few rough patches and a few pretty rough nights but they've been temporary and she's come back to that good happy baby status. Here is a run down on where we're at:

- Dr's appt states she is a whopping 11 lb 8 oz and just over 22 inches long. She is a big girl--with rolls and chins and all (95% in weight and 90% in height).
- She did not get her first shot b/c we were one day shy of the necessary 28 days since the first shot in the hospital.
- She loves to be held and cuddled--loves nestling up on her tummy into the crook of your neck. She would sleep all day there if you let her.
- Much like her brother before her, she is a quick and efficient nurser--no more than 10 minutes total.
- We've had a few overeating issues--at least that is what I think they are. So far there have been about 10 times where a short time after eating, she spits it ALL up...in a projectile fashion. It could be due to tummy issues or bubbles but whatever it is, its gross.
- She is a pooping machine. Again, in the projectile fashion (I'll just say, poor Chad). However, this could be why she is so happy and content...so bring on the poop.
- She sleeps ALOT. Most of the day. She has become more wakeful though and will often start staying awake for about an hour after eating. Then again..there are also times she falls asleep right after eating.
- She eats every 3 hours during the day and although it has gotten WAY better, sometimes I still have to wake her at that 3 hour mark.
- The last few nights she has only woken up 1 time to eat! Yay for sleep!! We are just trying to figure out her best hours of nighttime sleep after having a few VERY rough nights where she screamed from about 9 pm until midnight. Right now, we are working on putting her down around 9ish for the night and although she needs to eat at around 10/11, we are trying to get her to sleep right after that with one waking at night. So far, two nights of success.

Other than that, she has been a happy cuddly baby. She loves being held and is starting to focus on your face when you talk to her. She will take a paci but not consistently. I have been soaking her up as much as I can allow myself b/c it is such a treat to have a baby that loves to be cuddled. I am cherishing these moments b/c I know they will be over in a blink of an eye.

In Gavin news--he seems to have adjusted pretty well to her being around here. There are times when I will find him over her bouncy seat saying "hi baby" or trying to show her the lamb on her blanket "baby-baa, baa" or even trying to calm her "shh baby shh baby." All these moments are cute. There are also the moments where he vehemently grabs my hand motions for me to put the baby in her seat. However, ALL these moments are few and far between since overall, he just doesn't pay attention to her. At this point...I could think of worse things. :)

Christmas Partying

Christmas is such a crazy time for us! We have so many opportunities to celebrate with family that it seems ongoing. This year we had the Evenhouse and Yonker Christmas parties back to back on a Saturday and Sunday at my Mom's house. Both parties were lots of fun and it was so great to watch Gavin's first real taste of Christmas this year. He definitely understands the whole getting presents thing and is just so excited about it. Plus, it was fun to have the opportunity to show Syd off to her many adoring fans at the two parties. There was NO shortage of snuggling going on with her...at times I just lost track of where she was she just kept going from one warm cozy set of arms to another.

Little Christmas girl starting the party snuggling in Uncle Chad's arms.

Yonker kids--lined up and ready for the first presents.


Gavin got a remote control fire truck--and although he can't say fire truck, he opened it up, exclaimed "WOW! WA-O-WA-O" (his fire truck sound)



Fun new blocks...

that all the kids enjoyed playing with.

Little Syd ended the party in Grandma LaLa's arms.

Party Day #2 - started the morning with a pout.

Opening his first presents.

So excited about every gift.

Gavin & Cally riding Troy.

4 Generations: Janet Mae (Huizenga) Evenhouse, Judy Ann (Evenhouse) Yonker, Jennifer Lyn (Yonker) Harris (named after my Great Grandma Jennie Huizenga), Sydney Jude Harris (named after Grandma Judy).

Christmas Playdate

On Monday we had a Christmas playdate with some of my favorite Moms and kids. Lisa graciously hosted us all at her house where the kids had ample room to run and play and terrorize her very clean and cutely decorated house. We had an awesome spread of breakfast treats and desserts and then we opened some gifts with the kids. We picked names for each child so it was fun to see what they opened and their cute little reactions. Mainly, it was a fun morning out for us (yay! made it out with two kids!) and a great time catching up with friends. Thanks for hosting Lisa!

Sydney and Carson Brian Dryfhout (we got to see him for the first time!! yay!) only 5 days apart.

Attempting a group picture: (from left to right)

Sydney, Gavin, Elena Dryfhout, Jackson Agema, Lauris Thomson, Cooper Greenfield and Carson Dryfhout

Cooper loved his playdoh from Gavin!

Lauris helps Gavin open his gift from her.

Remote control Tigger!! WOW!! (his response)

Two little November babies...Syd & Carson.

Jackson & Elena playing with the toys.

Visitors

Since Syd's been born we've had an abundance of visitors come to see her. She doesn't even know it but she's already been cuddled and loved by so many people.

Her Great Grandma & Grandpa Evenhouse. More Family.

Snuggled by aunties and cousins.

The Thomsons.

Dave loving up baby girl.

The Agemas.

Lisa and Syd...just a few months away from her own little baby.

He has a lap made for cuddling on.

They came bearing gifts of PINK!

Cooper Greenfield...getting some practice b/f his baby brother arrives!

The Haans.

'O Christmas Tree'

This year Chad decided that him and Gavin were going to pick out our tree. Since Syd was only a week old, her and I stayed home while him and Gavin went on this outing together. Every year since we've been married we've gone together so this was a first...and possibly a last.... :)

Our tree is beautiful and quite perfectly shaped...and about two feet too tall and wide for our house. Check it out:

Ready for the hunt.

Loved showing off his hat and gloves.

Home with the "perfect tree."

Chad thought this tree was perfect...I thought it was a monster.

Our "compromise."

Daddy's little helper.

He wanted to do everything Dad did.
He has officially taken over my job as the helper in decorating the tree. Yay!
Finished product...decorated and trimmed (in both senses of the word.)

Adjusting

We are just over 2 weeks into this family of four thing and it has been quite an ajdustment so far...

Sydney - So she is chalking up to be a super good baby. I'm shocked and amazed and am constantly asking my Mom if this is normal that she sleeps so much and is so content and only needs to eat every 3 hours. In fact, many days I have to physically wake her to eat so we don't pass the 3 hour mark. She is super sleepy and when she's awake, most of the time she is pretty content. At night she goes every three hours but already has given me many 4 hour stretches! I almost hate to document this in fear of jinxing it! We call her the "anti-Gavin" because she is everything Gavin was not as a newborn...quiet, content, cuddly and generally peaceful. It is like nothing I could have imagined. Because of that, I have been LOVING her snuggles and have been taking advantage of how easily she nestles in for a snooze.

Gavin - Challenging is an understatment. Gavin has been showering us with tantrums, crying and misbehavior at any opportunity. He's been difficult. I think it is a variety of things...1)Obviously adjustment to the new baby and not knowing how to deal with the new changes at home 2)Having a hard time with that adjustment but getting very frustrated at his lack of ability to verbalize it 3)I think he is cutting his 2 year molars 4)Because of that or a cold, he's been snotty and stuffy lately 5)His routine for about a week and a half btwn hospital time and Chad being home for awhile was WAY off schedule and lastly 6) he's two. So we've tried many routes of discipline lately some which work and some that don't. He doesn't show a ton of interest in the baby but on occasion will want to show her something or talk to her. He is definitely more difficult than her right now but even among all the tantrums and issues, he's still my little buddy and we just have to work through it.

Me - Hmm...this is been an interesting couple of weeks. I have been sore, emotional and exhausted. The soreness is easing up and I'm feeling better about actually being able to move around more and not be so physically limited. The emotions are leveling out--they weren't as crazy up and down as Gavin this time. The exhaustion is pretty ever present. I have concerns and struggles about being "cooped up" in the house all day and wonder how I will ever get out with two kids. I am currently wondering when and how I'm going to get to the grocery store because it physically cannot happen with the two of them. I love to be on the go so I need to reshift my focus and find a way to manage my new situation. However, I am amazed at how much I love my kids...equally and differently. It is different but I am so in love with my kids, its crazy.

So that's where we're at right now....in two weeks I'm sure it will still be changing...in good ways I hope. :)

Post-Pregnancy Highlights.

Here are a couple of things I've found excitement in this week. Week two after having baby:

1 - I can lay on my stomach. Flat. Its glorious and oh so comfy.

2 - I can tie my shoes without help, grunting, being out of breath and/or taking a break.

3 - My boobs stick out farther than my stomach. Its been a long time since that happened. (for most of you that have seen me while nursing, you know this is really not a testament to my flat abs in any way, shape or form...rather a testament to the enormity of my chest. however, due to the crazy proportions of my body, it gives me a small victory that my puffy stomach is still smaller than something on my body).

Things still on the horizon to look forward to: coffee, fountain cokes, my pre-pg jeans and dying my hair (among MANY other things of course).