Highlight Of My Day

Now that my mom is back in town - she is in full swing (week 3!) of taking care of James Bradford while I'm at work!

It is working out fabulously! She just lives right around the corner, so each morning I drop him off (most mornings in a hurry - couldn't make it to work on time before baby, definitely cant make it on time now!) James Bradford has been perfect and is like clock work on his schedule. He and Grandma have so much fun together. He helps her around the house, they go for strolls in the stroller, run errands, watch Gramps tile and paint the sun room and the best part - The highlight of my day at work - is they come visit me!! Depending on Grandmas schedule and what I have going on at work they either come for the morning or afternoon feeding.

Pumping and feeding accommodations take place in a storage closet - just enough room for me, Grandma and James Bradford. Such a special time!


Thank you Grandma and James Bradford for making my work day such much brighter!!

Practicing

This is what we have been doing lately -


Practicing spending time and taking naps in our pac n play. We are heading to Lake Martin for Thanksgiving where we will be celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas with the Grinnell side of the family. I volunteered to have James Bradford sleep in room (while actually in the walk in closet) with Cory and I so my 2 nephews could be in the nursery with the crib and twin beds. We will be turning the closet into his room - with his pac n play, night light, sound machine and hopefully a rocking chair! - It will be just like home (hopefully!) Thank goodness for large walk in closests!!!

We can't wait to get their Wednesday! Hopefully James Bradford will sleep like a champ. Last night he slept over 7 hours straight. WOOHOO!!! I am so proud of my little man!

No Night Night

Before putting James Bradford to bed the other night, I asked him if he could say "good night" - this was his response!



(Im not really sure why you cant see the full screen of the video - if you click on it and view in youtube, the shot is fuller of him! - Sorry for not being tech savy enough to figure it out!)

Happy 2 Month Birthday!

On Sunday James Bradford was 2 months old! Hard to believe that he is already that old! Time is flying by.

He is so sweet and precious. He loves to smile and coo. His favorite thing to do is lay on his playmate and hit and kick the farm animals. He also loves Toddler Radio on Pandora. We turn up the music and sing and dance. Mommy loves that special dancing time with her boy. (Especially because it gives her an excuse to listen to all her past time Disney favorites - Lion King, Aladdin, Little Mermaid . . . )

One of James Bradford's favorite time of day is bath time. He loves the water. He could be crying and fussy and then stick him in the bath and he is content. He kicks his legs and splashes around - doesn't understand the rubber ducky though. After bath time he loves laying in his towel and getting his lotion on. We love Aveeno Baby!

On Monday we went for his 2 month checkup! We love our Doctor! I'm sure she thinks I am a crazy first time mom - we have made lots of visits to see her already. I love seeing all the kids in the waiting room and admiring some of their cute clothes but do not admire their germs. After being called back to the exam room, Dr. Wilson came in and checked James Bradford out. Said he is looking perfect. (Definitely perfect to me too!!) He weighed 11 pounds, 6 oz!! - He went from being in the 5th percentile last month to being in the 50th percentile this month. Woohoo! He measured 23.25 inches long - also in the 50th percentile. And his head measured 15.25 - which is the 25th percentile.

This picture was taken at 2 months, 1 day old. I just had to outfit him in his special Turkey outfit for the month of November. Thanks Aunt Ellen for such an adorable outfit!!

We are so blessed to have a happy and healthy boy. We love you James Bradford!!

2nd Week Back at Work

It is my 2nd week back to the daily grind of going to work. And its still hard to leave my baby. I can't believe that my maternity leave has already come and gone.

This week Debbie came down from Nashville to help us take care of James Bradford while I was at work. She was extremely helpful. I don't see how she did it - took care of the baby and cleaned our house. It's one thing at a time for me!

While Debbie was here she took James Bradford to get his picture made. The pictures turned out really cute.

This outfit that James Bradford is wearing is very special. Both Cory and his brother and cousin all wore this outfit as a baby and had their picture taken in it. James Bradford's cousins, Trevor and Caleb also had their picture taken in it. I love the picture, but it also makes me laugh - that hat makes me thing of him as being a French painter!!

This is the other shot Debbie got done of him. SO CUTE! This is one of my favorite Christmas gowns of his for this year. And that look on his face is priceless!!

Thanks Debbie for all your hard work and help! James Bradford loved getting to spend that extra special time with you.

Restless Nights

Some nights James Bradford sleeps like a champ. He will go down around 9pm and not wake up until 4:30am then he eats and goes right back to sleep.


Other nights - not so much. Actually to be honest, I'm not sure if it's him or me. Some nights he wakes up and I go in the nursery and feed him and I actually am the one that falls asleep and before I know it my alarm is going off.


Well, if its a rough night - this is where you can find James Bradford and I. - Asleep in our chair!

Thank goodness for our fabulous comfy chair. I couldn't do the long nights without it. Well maybe I should of opted for an old rickety wooden rocking chair - then maybe I wouldn't fall asleep!!

Oh to our restless nights - Gotta love them though for all those sweet and precious cuddles I get from my cuddly baby boy.

Samford's Homecoming

This past weekend was Samford University's homecoming. Cory and I originally had plans to go to the game and bring James Bradford to his first football game, but when we heard the Bama/LSU game was to be at the same time - we opted out of going.

AOII was hosting a tailgate on the quad, so a couple friends and I decided to meet there. And of course I brought James Bradford for his very first Samford event.

Here is James Bradford - In his football attire and all! I was so excited about our day on campus!

Sweet Miss Katie loving on James Bradford at the tailgate.

We had a great time and James Bradford was on perfect behavior!!

While Mommy was at work . . .

As you know, last week was my mommy's first week back at work. Although she was sad to leave me each day, I have to admit I had lots of fun with my Aunt Ellen and my cousins, Davis & Isaac.

Each day mommy would drop me off a little after 8 a.m. Each day Aunt Ellen had a fun outing planned. We went to the park, to a friends house, hung with Aunt Laura and of course we had lots of play time. Davis and Isaac taught me lots of things. They taught me all about their favorite things - Thomas The Train, Toy Story and how to play together! They sang to me and laughed with me- It was so much fun!!

Aunt Ellen was so great with helping me stay on a schedule. Mom was worried that I was going to resist naps and that I would have to eat every 2 hours. Well, with Aunt Ellen's love and dedication to me, I took several naps a day and she only had to feed me 3 times, rather then the 4 times that mommy thought I might have to! (eating one less time was extremely helpful to my mommy - as for some reason she thinks her milk is precious!)

I had so much fun each day, but I looked forward to my mommy getting home a little after 5 and getting to be held and loved on by her - and daddy of course too, when we got home.

Here are some pictures Aunt Ellen took on Thursday - our last day together. Thanks so much Aunt Ellen for taking such good care of me and for being such a huge help to my mommy. I had so much fun!! Can't wait for you to take care of me again!

Back to Work

Today is the day - First Day Back at Work!

Today James Bradford is 7 weeks old and I am headed back to work. I honestly didn't think it would be hard leaving James Bradford since he is being cared for by family until January when he begins Mothers Day Out. Well - it was HARD!

My sister and her boys offered to take care of the boys this week, as my mom is out of town. James Bradford and I spent the day with them yesterday. We had so much fun. Both Davis and Isaac love James Bradford so much and are great helpers! Here is a picture from yesterday of Davis helping soothe James Bradford with his paci.


My sister is such a great mom and I wouldn't trust anyone more then her to take care of my child. She is so good with being persistent and keeping her children on a schedule. (I am hoping James Bradford will be on more of a schedule after 3 days with her - since I have been so lax about it since he began his growth spurt!)

Last night I just wanted cherish every minute with him. He took a long bath - prob. about 20 minutes! And we just played and sang. He was just so happy! Then he ate, then it was time for bed. He had a hard time falling asleep, so we cuddled and he finally went down about 9 or so. And he didn't wake up until 3:30. I went in and he ate and we cuddled, and we both fell asleep - next thing I knew - my alarm was going off at 7am!
He was such a sweet and happy baby this morning. I fed him, then Cory spent time with him while I showered and got ready for work. Then I was running around trying to get everything I forgot to give Ellen yesterday together. - Play Mat, Bottles, Nursery Water, Extra Breast Milk. . .
I dropped James Bradford off a little after 8am. It was hard and I cried. Did I mention it was hard?! Why would I cry knowing he is in the best possible care? I guess its just the fact that I love him relying on me. And me knowing he is going to be relying on someone else for care and love. And that he will be 100% eating from bottles all day, while I'm at work - pumping in a storage closet. (ha! - yes you read that correctly storage closet. There are no outlets in our women's bathrooms) But who better to love and care for him, then family - people who already love him so much and want to spend time with him. We are blessed beyond measures to have such sweet family who are so generous with their time and love to take care of our precious little one.

Here we are - its already noon. And I'm making it. Its great to see everyone and everyone seems happy to have me back. And look - I'm already making work time, blog time!! I have talked to Ellen twice already today. And James Bradford is doing great. Ellen is so wonderful - she is keeping a log of his day for me - which of course I love! Davis gave him his first bottle this morning, then they were all off the park to play.


I can't wait to run home after work and just hold and love on my baby. I asked Cory earlier this morning if we could just order pizza or something for dinner. That way we won't have to be in the kitchen and we can just concentrate on loving on our sweet boy.


Thank you for all your sweet thoughts and prayers as I am adjusting back to work. They mean a lot and I know they are helping!