If there are any consistent blog checkers out there....my sincere apologies. I cannot believe that I've not updated this since May 17th. It's unbelieveable to think about the time that has passed. I am not very good at the blog, but am proud to say that I have kept up with the newsletters! :o) One small victory for Mom!
I decided I need to start taking a bit of time every once in a while to document a few stories here and there. Tonight, we have Hannah's first cold...
It started as a runny nose last night and continued through today. She was in good spirits tonight, despite the faucet attached to her face - formerly known as her nose....
She was pretty patient with the aspirator and only fussed a bit when trying to clear her nose. I feel bad for her though because she of course has no idea how to blow her nose and rid herself of the icky snot. We're doing our best to help her out and hope it passes quickly. There are definitely more fun things to do than develop our aspirating skills!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
WOW...time passes so quickly!
It's been a long while since I've been on the blog...and so much has happened...here's a mini recap...
Hannah got baptized - 3/28/09.
Hannah went for her 4 month doctor's check up - 4/9/09.
Hannah went to Chattanooga for her first trip - 4/25-4/29/09.
Mom turned 29 - 4/25/09
Uncle Douglas graduated from Law School - 5/15/09.
Hannah rolled over - 5/16/09.
Hannah slept in her crib for the first time - 5/16/09.
Whew! Being a baby is hard work! So much going on!
Things in the Westerson house are great. Hannah is such a fun baby. She keeps us on our toes. She's really gotten big, weighing in at 13 pounds, 4 ounces at the doctor's office. She continues to have lots of hair but she is getting a bit of a bald spot from rubbing her head on the bed!
She's a very talkative, wonderful joy. She is learning to say and do new things every day...we are so blessed!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Hannah's TV Debut
http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=171200&catid=12
This is a link to Hannah's very first appearance on TV. Hannah was lucky enough to be selected to be a child model for Chesterfield Mall...hmmm...I wonder how she got that gig!?!?!?
Anyway, taking her to the station for her debut was a bit nerve wracking...and more than once I thought...Is this a good idea? I kept running through the possible scenarios in my mind...will she cry? Will she smile? Will she spit up on the $148 dress that she is wearing?
As our adventure began, she fell asleep in the car and I thought, "This is great! Sleep is good." because she is normally very happy after naps. Then of course, when we got to the station, she woke up...and she was a bit cranky because of how she was woken up...apparently a lot of jostling to get her out of the car and cold wind is not the ideal way to wake a baby. But, I figured it was nothing that a bottle couldn't cure so off we went to feed Miss Hannah. Even after eating she was still a bit fussy...and a bit fussier after pulling the dress over her head. As I put on her satin shoes and adjusted the bow in her hair I held my breath as we entered the live studio for her big debut...
And she did GREAT! Granted, she lost her shoe during the segment and kept pulling at the dress with her little hands (which I thought was very cute...), but she didn't cry, drool or do anything else overly distracting...SHE WAS FABULOUS!
I took a huge, deep breath after it was all done and despite all of the nerves and trepidation thought, "When can we put her on TV again???"
This is a link to Hannah's very first appearance on TV. Hannah was lucky enough to be selected to be a child model for Chesterfield Mall...hmmm...I wonder how she got that gig!?!?!?
Anyway, taking her to the station for her debut was a bit nerve wracking...and more than once I thought...Is this a good idea? I kept running through the possible scenarios in my mind...will she cry? Will she smile? Will she spit up on the $148 dress that she is wearing?
As our adventure began, she fell asleep in the car and I thought, "This is great! Sleep is good." because she is normally very happy after naps. Then of course, when we got to the station, she woke up...and she was a bit cranky because of how she was woken up...apparently a lot of jostling to get her out of the car and cold wind is not the ideal way to wake a baby. But, I figured it was nothing that a bottle couldn't cure so off we went to feed Miss Hannah. Even after eating she was still a bit fussy...and a bit fussier after pulling the dress over her head. As I put on her satin shoes and adjusted the bow in her hair I held my breath as we entered the live studio for her big debut...
And she did GREAT! Granted, she lost her shoe during the segment and kept pulling at the dress with her little hands (which I thought was very cute...), but she didn't cry, drool or do anything else overly distracting...SHE WAS FABULOUS!
I took a huge, deep breath after it was all done and despite all of the nerves and trepidation thought, "When can we put her on TV again???"
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Formula Stinks!
I am very proud to say that Hannah has been a solely breastfed baby...until recently. Hannah decided to get super hungry in the afternoons and evenings and, I just couldn't keep up. So to keep me sane and her fed, we began to supplement with a small amount of formula in the evening. (This was slightly traumatic for me as I developed some sort of complex that I was failing as a mother because I wasn't producing enough food for my child...I've since recovered and realized I am still doing great things by breastfeeding at all of the other feedings...no need to call a shrink. But I digress.)
Hannah's first formula experience was not pretty. First off, it smells and if it smells to us, it's even more pungent to babies who have noses so good they can tell their mom from other moms! So immediately when Jamie gave her the bottle, her nose wrinkled. Then he put it in her mouth and she tasted it. Apparently it's not as sweet and tasty as the breast milk she was used to...She immediately starting gaging and spitting it out. She refused to drink the formula until she realized that was all she was getting. Begrudgingly, she finally ate it.
That was Hannah's reaction. For us, it was a little easier to swallow (ha ha) However, after eating it, she didn't have sweet Hannah breath, but smelled like nasty formula...and the smell stuck...for what seemed like hours! EWWW!!! And it caused her to spit up...unlike breast milk. Double EWWW!!!
Conclusion: We don't like the smell and Hannah doesn't like the taste...So long story short...formula stinks...
Hannah's first formula experience was not pretty. First off, it smells and if it smells to us, it's even more pungent to babies who have noses so good they can tell their mom from other moms! So immediately when Jamie gave her the bottle, her nose wrinkled. Then he put it in her mouth and she tasted it. Apparently it's not as sweet and tasty as the breast milk she was used to...She immediately starting gaging and spitting it out. She refused to drink the formula until she realized that was all she was getting. Begrudgingly, she finally ate it.
That was Hannah's reaction. For us, it was a little easier to swallow (ha ha) However, after eating it, she didn't have sweet Hannah breath, but smelled like nasty formula...and the smell stuck...for what seemed like hours! EWWW!!! And it caused her to spit up...unlike breast milk. Double EWWW!!!
Conclusion: We don't like the smell and Hannah doesn't like the taste...So long story short...formula stinks...
Bonk
Everyone has nicknames for their precious babies. Hannah is no exception. Obviously she was "Lil Monkey" before she was born. She's been dubbed "Grandma's Little Doll" by my Grandmother (her Great Grandmother). Great Grandpa Guthrie calls her his "Little Punkin" and her daddy calls her "Baby Bear."
Recently though, we've had to dub a new nickname for Hannah - Bonk. She's learning to use her neck muscles and loves to be held upright against your chest. She's pretty good about holding her head up but every once in a while she starts to wobble and then...BONK...her head careens towards you with enough force to bust your lip. (She doesn't cry, but it made me blink back a tear!) Now...keep in mind that we are cautious to watch her neck and work to prevent this from happening but inevitably she'll be rolling along with great skill at holding her head up and then...BONK...Her little head does a dance!
So add it to the list of nicknames that no doubt will grow longer as she grows bigger! Our little Bonk is getting so big...Her next nickname no doubt will memorialize her next milestone!
Recently though, we've had to dub a new nickname for Hannah - Bonk. She's learning to use her neck muscles and loves to be held upright against your chest. She's pretty good about holding her head up but every once in a while she starts to wobble and then...BONK...her head careens towards you with enough force to bust your lip. (She doesn't cry, but it made me blink back a tear!) Now...keep in mind that we are cautious to watch her neck and work to prevent this from happening but inevitably she'll be rolling along with great skill at holding her head up and then...BONK...Her little head does a dance!
So add it to the list of nicknames that no doubt will grow longer as she grows bigger! Our little Bonk is getting so big...Her next nickname no doubt will memorialize her next milestone!
Hannah's Hair
Hannah has a lot of hair.
Bald can be beautiful, but Jamie and I have had lots of fun with Hannah's hair...see "Style Watch 2009." Hannah's hair is the first thing that EVERYONE notices about her. Babies are automatically a magnet to every stranger in the world and when people see Hannah, they can't help but say, "Look at all that hair!" or "That baby has a lot of hair!" This question is automatically followed by "How old is she?" When I tell them that she is 11 weeks - they simply cannot believe all the hair she has for being that young.
I bring this up because Hannah's hair seems to be her "defining" feature. I recently took her to visit with my friend Stephanie and her children (my Godchildren). As we were sitting on the couch Rachael, who is 5 years old, says, "Her hair is like wild grass!" Stephanie and I were laughing hysterically and Rachael of course couldn't understand what was so funny...because to her, Hannah's hair being like grass was a statement of fact...no joke!
Wild grass or not, Hannah's hair is certainly a conversation piece one couldn't anticpate but is fun none the less. Let's just hope it doesn't fall out!
Bald can be beautiful, but Jamie and I have had lots of fun with Hannah's hair...see "Style Watch 2009." Hannah's hair is the first thing that EVERYONE notices about her. Babies are automatically a magnet to every stranger in the world and when people see Hannah, they can't help but say, "Look at all that hair!" or "That baby has a lot of hair!" This question is automatically followed by "How old is she?" When I tell them that she is 11 weeks - they simply cannot believe all the hair she has for being that young.
I bring this up because Hannah's hair seems to be her "defining" feature. I recently took her to visit with my friend Stephanie and her children (my Godchildren). As we were sitting on the couch Rachael, who is 5 years old, says, "Her hair is like wild grass!" Stephanie and I were laughing hysterically and Rachael of course couldn't understand what was so funny...because to her, Hannah's hair being like grass was a statement of fact...no joke!
Wild grass or not, Hannah's hair is certainly a conversation piece one couldn't anticpate but is fun none the less. Let's just hope it doesn't fall out!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Sleepytime Baby
The latest of Hannah's achievements includes a two night stint of sleeping for longer than two hours. The first night she slept for 4 and a half hours. I woke up at 3:30 am with a start...why hadn't she woken me up? What was wrong? Was she breathing?
Now, I should not have been overly alarmed... She had slept for 4 hours one night before but on that night I woke up every hour to make sure she was still breathing...she was of course, but I was certainly concerned.
So on this night, after 4 and a half hours of sleep, I woke her up...I know what you are thinking...Never wake a sleeping baby...but I got it in my head that she was probably starving considering she's never gone more than 4 hours without eating. She was actually hard to wake up and I should have used that as my cue that she was OK.
The next night she slept for 6 hours. Yes - 6 hours. I could barely believe it...This time I was not going to wake her, but rather wait to see how long she'd sleep. I woke up only twice during this period. The second time was around 3 am. And I couldn't make myself go back to sleep. I laid there waiting for her to wake up...not wanting to miss her cry for food...I waited until 4:30 when she finally stirred! WOW! I paid for it the next day of course, feeling lethargic and tired...oh, well!
For those of you who are wondering if the streak lasted? Alas, it has not. The next night we were back to waking every 2 hours give or take. :o) There is nothing like a baby to make you feel needed! They tell me it's only a matter of time before she starts sleeping through the night and until then, and maybe even after that, I'll continue to wake up every few hours, just to be sure she's OK.
Now, I should not have been overly alarmed... She had slept for 4 hours one night before but on that night I woke up every hour to make sure she was still breathing...she was of course, but I was certainly concerned.
So on this night, after 4 and a half hours of sleep, I woke her up...I know what you are thinking...Never wake a sleeping baby...but I got it in my head that she was probably starving considering she's never gone more than 4 hours without eating. She was actually hard to wake up and I should have used that as my cue that she was OK.
The next night she slept for 6 hours. Yes - 6 hours. I could barely believe it...This time I was not going to wake her, but rather wait to see how long she'd sleep. I woke up only twice during this period. The second time was around 3 am. And I couldn't make myself go back to sleep. I laid there waiting for her to wake up...not wanting to miss her cry for food...I waited until 4:30 when she finally stirred! WOW! I paid for it the next day of course, feeling lethargic and tired...oh, well!
For those of you who are wondering if the streak lasted? Alas, it has not. The next night we were back to waking every 2 hours give or take. :o) There is nothing like a baby to make you feel needed! They tell me it's only a matter of time before she starts sleeping through the night and until then, and maybe even after that, I'll continue to wake up every few hours, just to be sure she's OK.
Monkey see...
Yesterday we took Hannah for her first ever trip to the zoo. She slept...through all of it! It was almost 70 degrees in February so we thought we'd take advantage of the great weather. Unfortunately, all of Saint Louis has the exact same idea! Despite the crowded conditions, the animals were out and she got to see bears, gorillas, orangutangs and hippos.
In addition to it being Hannah's first trip to the zoo, it was also a first trip for Hannah's friends Charlie and David - son's of Sherry & J and Laura & Don respectively. Maddie came along too although it wasn't the first trip for her. We think the kids had a pretty good time although they are at the ages where they smile and coo at just about anything... :o)
The photo is of Jamie and Hannah...note the bear in the background!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
I cried...
Today was Hannah's two month appointment...and I cried. Not because it is the recognition that she's growing super fast...no, I cried because she got shots! 3 to be exact. I think they probably hurt me more than her, but considering her bloodcurdling screams, beet red face and scrunched up face, I am imagining it was not fun for her either.
My most of the time happy go lucky baby bawled for what seemed like forever and while I know that she needs the shots...It was not a pleasant experience. Motherhood hurts!
On the bright side, Hannah weighs 9 pounds and is now 22 inches long! That's up from 6 pounds 12 ounces at her last weight check! She is in the 42nd percentile for length, 38th percentile for head circumference and 13th percentile for weight...This means she's tall for her age, skinny for her height and while I am not sure about the head circumference meaning, it probably means she's on track to be super smart! :o)
Hannah continues to be super fun...she smiles a lot now and responds to Mama and Dada's voices. She is a huge fan of her newest toy...her lullaby Glowworm that Nana and Papa Peterson gave to her. She loves the music it plays.
My most of the time happy go lucky baby bawled for what seemed like forever and while I know that she needs the shots...It was not a pleasant experience. Motherhood hurts!
On the bright side, Hannah weighs 9 pounds and is now 22 inches long! That's up from 6 pounds 12 ounces at her last weight check! She is in the 42nd percentile for length, 38th percentile for head circumference and 13th percentile for weight...This means she's tall for her age, skinny for her height and while I am not sure about the head circumference meaning, it probably means she's on track to be super smart! :o)
Hannah continues to be super fun...she smiles a lot now and responds to Mama and Dada's voices. She is a huge fan of her newest toy...her lullaby Glowworm that Nana and Papa Peterson gave to her. She loves the music it plays.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Smile like you mean it...
Guess what...the moment I have been waiting for occured today...Hannah gave me her first smile!!! Eyes wide open in response to me saying, "Hi, Hannah!" My heart literally overflowed with joy! (Again!)
Now this is not to say that we haven't had glimpses of what her smile would look like...normally she'd give us a halfhearted sigh of a smile as she was falling asleep...a completely unconcious movement.
This time you could truly tell she was alert, aware and was giving it her all! It was amazing!
Motherhood is a glimpse of what it's like to live with angels.
Now this is not to say that we haven't had glimpses of what her smile would look like...normally she'd give us a halfhearted sigh of a smile as she was falling asleep...a completely unconcious movement.
This time you could truly tell she was alert, aware and was giving it her all! It was amazing!
Motherhood is a glimpse of what it's like to live with angels.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Hannah's Newsletter Volume 2
Volume 2 has now hit your inboxes and as promised, here is where you can vote on which hairstyle you like best...simply comment on this post...votes will be tabulated and announced in the next newsletter.
I can also see you can't really read the Volume 1 I tried to attach to the blog...I will find a way to attach the pdfs or somehow make them readable...I will not post volume 2 to the blog when I figure that out.
Answers to the Hunt for Hannah will be posted shortly!
Resolutions
I am resolving to update the blog more often with all of Hannah's updates...I know have people who check in...only to find I'm not doing my job...so, to all of you, I pledge to be better. :o)
It's a Girl!
So...I am a little behind on adding this but our little girl was born on December 8th! I will write the story of her arrival a bit later as I want her to have all the details that I might forget as my mind fills with all of the other wonders of motherhood.
I have attached her "Birth Announcement" newsletter too!
Enjoy!
I have attached her "Birth Announcement" newsletter too!
Enjoy!
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