THE BLAND FAMILY: Weeks 4 and 5

I'm already falling behind in blogging.....so many feedings and diapers.....the days are flying by. :) Avery's changing so much every day. It's pretty amazing. She's becoming more and more alert. She's still sleeping fairly well for a newborn. Just up once a night. We've had a couple of growth spurts already which made for some rough nights, but we seemed to get through them and back on track. No routine as of yet, but she's having more awake stretches during the day and is becoming more consistent in her sleeping, etc.

Week 4
Mommy was going a bit stir crazy by week 4. Recovery has been really rough so I wasn't getting out of the house much (aside from weekly doctor visits!) We did manage to get out and take our first "walk" - although it was seriously only like a few houses and back. #1 because I didn't want to push it w/ my incision and #2 - my toddler now doesn't want to go far enough to let our house out of sight. Even though he asks to go on "wagon walks, he's begun freaking out at soon as we get a couple houses down.

First walk - 3/28/12

Daddy also got me out of the house to our first meal out as a family. Our first venture was only to Qdoba (which ironically was the first place I took Carson out to way back when - when Mandy thankfully drug me out of the house w/ him and it was so much appreciated!) Well, Lucas did the same week 4. It definitely lifted my spirits. So nice to do my hair and makeup for a change and just get out of the house! It's been kind of easy for me to feel the "baby blues", especially with my complications w/ recovery. That's definitely put a damper on my leave. It's hard not to let it get to you after a while of feeling crappy. (My incision opened up 3/17 and I've been dealing with it/infection ever since). But anyway, here was our first outing as a foursome. :)

Other week 4 pics:

Week 5
Week 5 was pretty eventful!! We had another doctor's appt. (me), another "photo shoot" (my kids have had the camera in their faces from birth - lol!), a visit from Uncle Bob, Aunt Mandy and baby Fletcher (cookout), our first lunch out with friends, our first visit to work, first real bath, Easter...oh, and someone turned one month old already!! Whew! What a week.

Avery had her first real bath on 4/3/12! It went fairly well. She didn't like being cold of course. Peg got us the coolest "bath luve". It's like a big washcloth that you just run under warm water and cover them in. She really seemed to like that at least. It helped a lot.

That Wednesday (4/4), we met Meg and Jen at our favorite, Buffalo Wild Wings. Mommy (and Avery) hadn't had it since the Monday before Avery was born! 5 weeks w/ no buffalitos?? Too long! We got used to once a week (at least!) She was an absolute angel all day and slept from the minute I put her in the car, through lunch, to our arrival at the office. She's such a good baby! She didn't fuss much at all once there either. I think she enjoyed seeing everyone. :) I think they at least enjoyed meeting her. She had her first bottle at the office (breastmilk) and took it like a champ. Slept all the way home. Grandma was waiting for us when we got home to start on her taxes! I nearly forgot that we both needed to get them done ASAP. I had a goal of filing before Avery was born, but like so many of my other goals, they just didn't get accomplished before her arrival. :)

Jen and Meg

I shouldn't post this since I look like a whale, but it's her first bottle, so........ :)

The next day, we had a visit from Carla and her family! It was so nice to see her! It's been such a long time. It was the first time that I got to meet baby Grace - although she's not a baby at all anymore!! She'll be one next month. I can't believe how quickly this last year flew by. It's seems that since last May - everything was on fast forward and it was all I could do to just hang on. But I feel like a complete jackass of a friend for not making it an absolute priority to get over there and meet that precious little girl. So glad I got to see her now though! They are all adorable. We didn't get to visit for too long, but I told her that I'm just going to invite ourselves over there sometime soon and we can all hang out for longer! :)

Avery turned one month old! I can't believe how quickly the time is flying by. Of course, we had to get her an elephant of her own - everyone in the family has one. We took a stab at our first "elephant" shots. She wasn't a fan.

Avery's "Miss Elephant"

"I hate this!"

"Mommy, please stop!"

Maybe on the other couch.....

One month!

I tried to catch Carson for his 2 1/2 year "Mr. Elephant" picture. Yeah, it's hard getting good pics no matter what their age is.

Carson was very excited/concerned that Avery had an elephant too....

Carson - 2 1/2 years old!

She learned to stick her tongue out on her one-month birthday. So cute. :)

4/5/12

We got out one of the activity mats for Avery to try out, since she's awake a bit more during the day and I'm not quite sure what to do with her. HAHA. She didn't seem too excited by it yet. Someone else, however, was very excited to see it and exclaimed, "Mommy - for me??" when he got home from daycare. He said that he'd share with Avery, but he wasted no time in playing with it and wanting to take a nap on it w/ his blankies. ;)

Avery - 5 weeks

Other week 5 pics:

He loves his sister!

Love that smile!

Easter
We celebrated Easter at Nana and Papa's house on Saturday and then at great-grandma Rose's on Sunday. Carson had a blast w/ an Easter egg hunt at Nana and Papa's and also at our house. He got a lot of "monies" for his piggy bank! And way too much candy. Grandma Rose really enjoyed meeting Avery. (Carson wasn't so much of a fan of hers this time since she spilled his glass of milk on him, soaking his shirt!).