Hail Mylicon!

After another tough night of crying, just when John and I had decided that Julia's main problem was that she was just a little bit spoiled.....we discovered Mylicon. Becca seemed shocked when I told her that we had not given any of the coveted gas drops to Julia before now. I finally gave in last night and gave her some after some tough hours of nothing else seeming to work. MAGIC! Now, our major concern is that we don't OD her on these magical drops. John asked me today how often he could give them to her. I asked Tara and she assured me tonight that we couldn't OD her.
Julia got her first birthday party invitation in the mail today! Emmy (Tara's baby) is turning one and they are having an Emmy party. So cute! We cannot wait! I have always missed out on children's parties. When I did go, I always felt akward being there without a child of my own. Julia and I are looking forward to lots more birthday parties in the future!
I am getting ready for Thursday nights Chamber of Commerce banquet. I am the incoming Chamber president this year. It will be a lot of fun, but I am nervewracked about my speech and I also have to present the volunteer of the year award. So far, there have been over 350 tickets sold, so I will have a huge audience!!!! Being the Chamber president also allows me a position on the Economic Development Board. It is a great opportunity and I have learned so much. These kinds of things keep my work/professional life interesting and make life away from Julia a little more bearable. This will be the first time that I have left her with someone other than John. Sarah is coming over to keep her while I am at the banquet and John is at college. She will do fine and I truly should not worry........
John is doing well in college. I make fun of him because he reads all of his chapters before he goes to class. I guess every new student is concientious like that at first. He says he can't afford to fail! He is going to do great. He is loving staying at home with Julia while I work. I think he is finally starting to realize that she is a full time job!

A Loud Night

Julia cried for a really long time last night! I tried so hard not to pick her up once I had done everything I knew to do...fed her, changed her diaper, rocked her, played with her, etc. I even gave her some "Gripe Water" which is an herbal remedy that people swear by. Nothing worked. After about 2 hours of crying, I picked her up and laid her in my bed. Within two minutes, she was asleep! Go figure.
Her eyes are bright blue and beautiful! With my brown eyes, which are a dominant trait, I always thought I would have a brown-eyed baby! She got John's pretty blue eyes and I think she looks more like him every day. Dr. Beth thinks her eyes will stay blue because they already have so much color.

A Quiet, But Loud Day

Last night, Julia and I went to Becca and Neall's to play Trivial Pursuit. We had a blast and the guys won by a very, very small margin! We need a rematch! Julia got to hang out with Sol who is her future classmate. She met 2 new friends, Linton and Caroline, who will be one year older in school. Dr. Beth was there and she got to see that Julia really could be a laid back baby when necessary! It is so nice to be able to participate in the nursing and pumping conversations! I have always been the one to avoid those conversations at parties. Now, I actually have some things to contribute. It has been so interesting for me to see how my views have changed on kids. I am fascinated by all of the babies that were there. It is so much fun to see what we have to look forward to. Before Julia, I was pretty noncommittal about other people's babies and didn't have much interest. Times are changing.....
Today has been a pretty quiet day. Julia has slept most of the day and I have had to wake her up to eat twice. John is having band practice downstairs right now. Julia and I sing along when we know the words.
I forgot to mention her 2 month stats yesterday.....
10 pounds 10 ounces- 50% percentile
24 inches long- 90% percentile
Her head was relatively small, but I can't remember the percentage. Dr. Beth assured me that was no indication of how large her brain was!

My "Laid Back" Baby

Today was Julia's 2 month Dr. appointment. I bragged to the nurse about how laid back she was and what a good baby I had. About 5 minutes later, Julia started squirming and grunting which eventually led to a full fledged scream. Well, the screaming lasted about 30 minutes. Dr. Beth and I were yelling back and forth to communicate at the end of the visit! John and I were so frazzled by the time she was to get her shots that I don't think we noticed a different sound when she was poked by 3 needles than what we had been hearing for the last 30 minutes! We went to have lunch with my parents to celebrate surviving the torture. Mom said she had to tell Dad not to come up to the Doctors office while Julia got her shots. How funny would that have been to have the whole family in that tiny exam room. Dad made everybody in the restaurant come and look at his sleeping granddaughter. Of course, my laid back baby had returned, but Dr. Beth was not there to see it!

I think she is okay now. I am posting a picture of her so that you can see for yourself! Shot day means naps and smiles in Mommy and Daddy's bed. What a sweet, laid back baby!

Another week!

I made it through another work week without falling apart. I didn't cry any this week. Julia wakes up one time in the middle of the night to eat and I have finally stopped setting my alarm to wake her up. I think I have succeeded in teaching her to wake up around 3 or 4. Ha! Everybody told me not to wake a sleeping baby, but I thought she would starve to death if I didn't. So, I have successfully taught her to WAKE UP!
She will be 8 weeks old tomorrow! We have her doctors appointment Friday and she has to get the dreaded shots. We'll see how we both hold up. I asked Dr. Beth this morning if she had some medication ready for me to make the visit a little easier. She laughed and said I was completely normal for only worrying about myself. I am sure Julia will be fine!

Big, Big Smiles!

I got my first big, big smile this morning! Julia sleeps next to our bed in her Pack N Play and when she woke up this morning, she just lays in her bed and plays for a while. I got up and went over to her bed and said, "Good morning!" in my best high-pitched baby voice. She grinned with only one side of her mouth. Her smiles got progressively bigger as my "Good mornings" got progressively more obnoxious! I can't think of a better way to start the day!

We had a busy couple of days. Saturday night, Julia and I drove to Marianna to see Ashley and her 2 kids, Millie and Jack. I decided to go after Ashley called and invited us and I thought I needed to get out since I hadn't left the house since I got in from work Wednesday afternoon. Julia hadn't left in over a week! Ashley was having an Orient Expressed children's clothing showing at her house. I only bought one outfit, but if I was loaded, I would have gone home with one of everything! Wow....the cutest stuff EVER! This baby girl business is going to be hard for a momma who loves clothes. Ashley had 5 kids under the age of 5 at her house. Julia got to hear lots of very loud playing and screaming and crying. I look forward to the days that Julia has friends over to play. However, I relished my quiet sleeping baby on the drive home!


Today, Scottie, Leslie, Mimi, my parents and Sarah spent the day here hanging out with Julia. Scottie and Leslie are both beautiful girls who have so much going for them! I am so happy that Julia got to meet them and I look forward to her getting to spend a lot of time with them in the future. Scottie lives in NYC and Leslie is married to a great guy and they live in Arkadelphia. Family is so important.....more than ever now that Julia is here. Mimi is beautiful too. She is 90 something, and so gorgeous and such a neat lady! I am posting a picture of the three of them looking at a photo album of me when I was a baby. We are still trying to decide who Julia looks like. Pretty blue eyes like her dad, but that's about all we can figure out. Oh, but speaking of beautiful....she is such a beauty!

At the end of the day, Julia's favorite place in on her momma's shoulder. How do I know? Because she whispered in my ear and told me so!

We Did Survive...the Three of Us!

John survived his first week of college classes. He is taking an internet class and two compressed video classes in Wynne. At this point, he would rather have a teacher in front of him. I think he will get used to it and want mostly internet coursed once he gets the hang of it. You can work at your own pace that way. I have laughed at him because he thinks too much and tries too hard on his assignments so far. I guess every student is overly anxious the first week of school!

Julia survived her first week without her Mommy staring at her 24/7. Now, her dad and I share our stare time. She sleeps a lot during the day and is rarely fussy. I have been coming home to breastfeed one time during my full day at work. It seems to be working out okay and the second and third day away were both easier than the first.

I survived working two and a half days a week for the first time in 2 months. Yesterday and today were by far my favorite days of this week because I got to spend them at home with Julia. It is amazing how fast the day flys by! Julia wakes up around 2 or 3 am to eat and then again at around 7 am. Then, we lay in bed and watch the Today show. Today, John brought me breakfast in bed. What a treat! Hot oatbran cereal and bacon. Life is good.

Tired of Mommy's Kisses

Sometimes I wonder if Julia gets tired of my kisses? I can't seem to get enough. Yesterday, I worked only 4 hours and only shed a few tears when I left her. Today, I am working a full day and only shed 1 tear. I think this work business will get a little easier as the days go by. Not that I miss her any less, but she is in good hands with her dad. He absolutely adores her, even if he can't dress her in clothes that match! She is much more awake now than she was when she was first born. We spent a lot of time trying to get her to wake up back then, and now we do a lot of tiptoeing around so that she can get some sleep. I have even turned off some of the phone ringers so she won't be disturbed.
Aunt Sarah came over last night to spend some time with Julia. Julia loves to hear Sarah talk baby talk! Sarah even sits and stares at Julia while she is asleep in her bed. Of course, the second she starts to cry, Sarah has some things to do at home and has to get home pretty quick! Ha ha.....
Her favorite time is bath time! That almost always calms her down when she is fussy. She also loves her swing and her Daddy. I am sure that this is just a cooincidence, but she cries when I am around and coos when she hears his voice or when he holds her. Maybe its because all I do when I hold her is kiss her a million times????

I Will Survive!

Today was my first day back at work. I was appropriately traumatized when I pulled up in the parking lot of the hospital. The worst part was all of my wonderful co-workers asking about Julia and welcoming me back. I could not stop crying when people would mention her name. The day is over and has gotten better with time. I did have to go home at lunch to make sure things weren't falling apart. They weren't. John's only complaint was that he "couldn't seem to get anything done." ha ha.....halarious. That is how I have felt everyday that my center of the universe has changed! Guess he had to experience it first hand to really get it!

The funniest thing this morning when I left...and thank goodness for the comic relief....John needed to put some clothes on Julia. I decided to let him see what he could come up with on his own without my help. I couldn't help but laugh when I saw her....poor baby. He could not have picked two things that did not match any better. I am glad that he doesn't have a carseat in his truck to take her out in public!

Things That I Never Dreamed That I Would Be Doing!

4 things that I never though I would be doing

1. Yes, you vision is not blurred. I never thought I would have a baby in my bed. However, when Julia is fussy at night, our bed is like magic. She can cry and cry in her bed and the second you put her in ours, she is quiet and goes to sleep. So far, she hasn't been in ours all night, but I do tend to put her in there when times get tough in the middle of the night! I guess there are worse things. I was going to keep this as my little secret....but, there is nothing sweeter than to open your eyes and see that little face so close!

2. I never thought I would be going to the college bookstore with John to get his books. However, this is exactly what we did yesterday on the Friday before the Monday that he takes his first ever college class. His attitude is really good about the whole deal. He says that he is going to try and think of his college education as a job....that he has to do it to get paid. Great idea, because that is what it is! I am a little jealous about him taking classes. He is taking 12 hours. I truly think that he will start to really like it. John is brilliant. He just needs a little boost of self-confidence and I think he will be surprised at how well he is going to do.

3. I never thought my friends would be calling me at midnight from the cool bar in Jonesboro that John was playing at last night to tell me how things were going. I was usually the first one there to cheer him on. Last night, some of my friends went while I stayed at home with Julia. They were a little surprised that I wouldn't leave her with someone and go. HA! There was no place that I would rather have been. I have to go to work Monday, so every second with her counts at this point! Thanks everyone for supporting the band....it means the world to John when friends show up!

4. I never thought I could love someone so much! I just thought I loved Spooky the cat!

Whose Schedule?

I think word got around town that I was returning to work because the requests/committments are starting to come in. Board meetings, requests for CPR classes, random stuff from the boss, etc. My brain is going to have to do a major shift. Hopefully, I can juggle my roles with some success. Funny how my biggest priority is life and the thing that I want to be the best at has changed. Being Julia's Mom is number one on my list.
I have always heard new moms talk about feeding schedules and I can see why. I hope that John and I can figure out how to get Julia on some kind of schedule that works for all of us next week. Sleep, eating, play, tummy time, singing songs, read books, diaper changes.....so many important things to do! Speaking of sleep..........

Conversations with the Boss

I had a recent conversation with my boss about returning to work. I really had no plans and refused to look at a calendar until the dreaded email came from the boss that asked when I planned to return to work. No pressure, of course. He just asked for planning purposes! Thank goodness for such a kind man. I asked him if I could EASE back into work instead of going back 5 days a week immediately. He said sure and told me to do whatever I wanted. He even told me that my job would be there for me no matter how long I was off. We decided that I would go back half time (2 and half days a week) starting next Monday. He says he doesn't care what days I work or if I switch up my days from week to week. I will stay on this schedule for the next 6 weeks. Next week is going to be really tough, but I think I can, I think I can.... I am so grateful to be going back to a job that I love. When I think about John keeping her at home, I feel really peaceful. Especially when I see these kind of sights.....

I thought I would send a picture of what I am looking a right now. I am "wearing" Julia and this is her curled up in her Moby Wrap that her Great Aunt Jane got for her. Speaking of peaceful!

It's Tough to be a Baby

Sundays are tough for the baby at the Shepherd house.

First, I have to lay in my bed and look at all of my toys.

Next, Momma makes me get in my swing and look out the window. Sometimes, I see fish jumping in the pond!

Then, the whole family comes to visit me. They make me lay in the floor and do "stomach time." Granny Jean says that will be good for me and that I need a change every now and then. She doesn't know that I am already incredibly advanced for my age and that I really prefer everyone cuddling me and holding me! Aunt Sarah rubs my belly and Grandpa lets me play with his cell phone. That makes "stomach time" somewhat more bearable.

At the end of the day, I like to take cat naps in the bathtub.

See, I told you Sundays are really hard on a baby!

Mamma Has Left the Building

Yesterday was the first day in almost 42 weeks that I got in my car and went somewhere.....without Julia. I had to tell her that I loved her and kiss her about 100 times before I left! A garage sale was calling my name. I drove straight there at dangerous speeds and ran through the whole deal and made my transaction in about ten minutes. I raced home thinking that the place was going to be falling apart and that Julia would be howling because she missed her mom so much. To my surprise, John was sitting right beside her while she was in her swing quietly gazing out the window. Oh, I guess life can go on for her without me for short periods. The real question is......can my life go on without her for short periods?

P.S. She was a little more fussy than normal last night. I am convinced it was because she was a little scarred from me leaving her for 30 minutes.... :)!

Smile for the camera!

John, Julia and I got our pictures made by a local photographer when Julia was 3 weeks old. The next day, the photographer called us and we went to her studio. She put us in a room and showed us a slideshow (with music) of the pictures that she took. There was a box of Kleenexes in between the 2 chairs that we sat in. Good thing. We picked our favorites with a struggle and here are two of the pictures that we got. Julia's smile and that dimple are the BEST! I know, she was just passing gas.


Tonight, Aunt Kris came to visit and I dressed Julia in the outfit I bought to bring her home from the hospital in. Kris laughed at me then because I am clueless. Before Julia was born, she told me that it would swallow her. Well, here she is a little over 5 weeks old and it still swallows her. John and I are like Dumb and Dumber with the clothes and baby gadgets. Oh well, we are learning. Kristen, John and I took Julia to eat Mexican food at the local restaurant tonight. She liked the Fajita nachos, but she told me in private that her favorite was still the Spicy Tuna rolls she had for lunch yesterday at the sushi bar.

At the end of the day, the angel was worn out!

How Did the Tribal Women Do It????

Today was our seventh, yes you read right, seventh appointment with the lactation specialist in Jonesboro. John drove us and we took Julia to the Sushi bar for lunch. Her favorites are the Spicy Tuna rolls.....ha. I will spare you the breastfeeding appointment details, but breastfeeding has been no picnic! Wish I could say it has been the most natural thing and has gone wonderfully. The consultant told me today that I could continue to breastfeed for comfort (I think she meant for my sanity), but that I would never be able to do it exclusively. That means without a bottle to supplement afterwards. I can honestly say that I have given it my best shot, and we will go from here. I am sure Julia won't be terribly scarred because of it!
My parents visited tonight and I got to take a REALLY long shower. It is amazing how I would have never before considered a shower a luxury! Not nearly as luxurious as the little angel that I get to hold when I get out! Five weeks ago today, this baby girl entered the world and my life has never been better.

Just the Day After New Year's

Today, Aunt Billie Sue (my Mom's sister) came to visit Julia. Here is a picture of the two sisters holding the bundle of joy. It's amazing how a baby brings a family together! Aunt Billie Sue brought John some peanuts in the shell that we have polished off.....that's another thing a baby brings, lots of food! I would love to post a great picture of the family that Mrs. Pat took yesterday, but my belly rolls are a little too much for the world to see.

Mrs. Pat came over yesterday and took some pictures of Julia. I love the one of her holding her toes. I think Granny was forcing the pose, but oh well....its still so cute!

Happy You Near and Happy Birthday!

The birthday boy and his girls

John's birthday was today.....we always celebrate New Year's and his birthday! This year we celebrated both of those AND Julia! It was a fun day. Julia's Great Aunt Jane came to visit along with my parents and Sarah. Mom brought lots of good food, all the New Year's traditions. John got a German Chocolate cake from Ms. Ransom.....is there anything better? The cake keeps calling me every time I walk by it. I keep telling myself I need extra calories to breastfeed....its a dangerous combination.

Aunt Jane knitted us all some very cool things.....

Julia got a kimono and I got some great socks! They feel so good on my feet! Jessica and Sara came over to visit too. It was great to see Sara. She lives in Dallas now, but still comes to Wynne to visit her family.

Cousin Scottie also sent a cool book from NYC and a great little onesie! Can't wait to see her in it. Here are a few of the toys and metro stuff Julia got from the city that she will be visiting soon!