3 months old

Braylen is 3 months old...can you believe it! She is doing very well and we have a pretty set routine...which varys here and there. We have started putting Braylen in her crib early mornings so she gets a feel for that room. She has been in her pack n play since she came home and that pack n play is in our room. The reason we have chosen not to move it yet is b/c I am getting up once during the night to feed her....which is great compared to what it use to be. She wakes up to eat around 3:30, 4:00 and then she goes back down till the 7:00 hour. Grant and I are going to move upstairs with Braylen and start putting her in her crib at night but when she wakes up to feed...I will be in the next room instead of all the way downstairs...we will probably do this for a week or so and then I am going to try to ween her from that 4:00 feeding.....I will let you know how it goes. So Braylen got to meet Santa and she did really good. Those photographers have some good tricks so the kids don't freak out over the stranger. Braylen however did excellent. We are so excited about her first Christmas and honestly this is the best present we could have ever gotten. Braylen is changing everyday and has become more of a baby instead of a newborn that doesn't really interact.....she ahhhgoohs all the time....and plays by herself with her toys....she grabs things.....and she talks to me all the time...I LOVE IT. The one thing that she has been doing constantly for the last few weeks is SUCKING HER THUMB! She hasn't taken the passey and I thought she just liked her fingers but now it is truely the THUMB....I have caught her several times and I have to share some of those photos. Grant and I still can't believe that 3 months is here already....she has been life changing and we can't wait to see what else is in store.

Family means the world!

Before Thanksgiving....Elisabeth and Adam came home and we were all able to grab some family pictures together. We haven't had family pictures since we were kids so this was super important to us and we were so excited to have them done. Here are a few shots that were taken. Nothing has been edited yet, these are just shots pulled from the CD. Braylen looked like a boy in these shots but oh well......! It was super cold this day also. I have some Christmas pics of Braylen that I will post next.

Blink of the Eye

Braylen is always changing....it seems as if everytime I blink....she is doing something new....it is absolutely amazing.

Braylen has been a busy girl by spending lots of time with her family and friends. The week before Thanksgiving, Braylen and I had the opportunity to go to my dad's classroom and celebrate Thanksgiving with them. He loved having Braylen around and showing her off.

Braylen had her first Thanksgiving and it was a success. She really enjoyed traveling around to visit all of her family. For dessert at my mom's house...I was eating M & M's, of course, and she couldn't take her eyes off of them....it was hysterical. She got to play with Uncle Adam and her Uncle D and Aunt Jo came over to see her and Uncle D put Braylen to sleep.

Braylen has been more alert than ever and loves playing on her play gym, she is putting the toys in her hands and in her mouth....and she also loves to kick the rattle that hangs from the play gym. Braylen has also been doing lots of tummy time...and she loves to do it NAKED. She also loves her fingers.....we keep trying to work with her on her passy but she just likes her fingers better.

My last blog I bragged about Braylen giving her mom 5-6 hours of sleep...well...Grant and I are starting to see a pattern. She has been eating in the 6:30ish to 7:00 hour and then she stays awake for a little bit and then falls alseep...however...if we try to put her in her bed when she falls asleep...she wakes up immediately...so we either hold her or put her in her swing. THen I feed her in the 9:30ish -10:00 hour and then we put her to bed. Braylen doesn't wake up again until the 3:30ish-4:00 time frame....I feed her and then put her back down till the 7:00am hour. This has been a trend the last week and a half....and we are loving it...why...b/c it is somewhat of a schedule that she put herself on....it is awesome and yes....I am LOVING the extra hours of sleep.

2 months old

Today Braylen is 2 months old.....I can't believe it....and yes....so much has changed. She is so alert and wide eyed....she focuses on EVERYTHING.....she tends to remind me of Stevie Wonder and how he moves his head back and forth while he is singing.....okay maybe I only think that but it is funny! We got a good routine down in the mornings and we are slowly developing an evening routine...which I am loving. I can pretty much guess now when she is going to sleep during the day...when her wake time is going to be....which feeding she really isn't going to care about...and when she is getting tired/cranky.....I also love figuring all that out...it has taken time but it definitely helps....! Braylen's fussiness has also died down...I mean she still has a little in the evening but it is only because she is tired....in fact....the only time she really crys is when she wants something....food....sleep...warmth...or to be held (which my mother in law has completely spoiled Braylen and now she always wants to be held....NO BIG DEAL...right? ha!) Knock on wood but last night was the first night I actually got 5 hours of sleep....she slept for a long time. I woke up at 4:00am wondering...oh my gosh...did I not hear her...is she really sleeping.....is this for real???? I probably am speaking too soon but if this was the only night I get this for even a few more weeks...I am VERY THANKFUL......so way to go Braylen...given your ole ma a break...hehheee! Today we went to Braylen's 2 month well visit. It went very well and she got 2 shots and one oral vaccine. I will admit...she was perfect and she is GROWING SO MUCH...she weighed a little over 11lbs and is now 23 inches long...my baby girl is a BIG girl.....momma is feeding her good! Dr. Khan said she looks excellent and was very pleased. Then the nurse comes in to give her her shots and of course I am getting already sad for Braylen.....so she sticks her in her upper left hip and I am up by Braylen's face...and all of a sudden her mouth just shoots open...wide as can be.....with NO NOISE coming out....and then this yell...and then the nurse does it again...I mean...OUCH....I now have tears in my eyes. All I could think was Braylen did so good for me during the night last night.,....I just want to reward her...and the I bring her here to get shots.....I mean it is rewarding her by fighting off viruses but come on...poor thing...I felt horrible. Fortunately....since I am breastfeeding....I immediately put her on and that soothed her right to sleep. So I was thankful for the good ole milk on demand.....and so was Braylen. Well the Holidays are coming up and I look forward to having more stories to share with LOTS of photos...I promise! She will get to spend hopefully lots of time with her aunts and uncles....so we can't wait!!

6 weeks and 3 days....wow!

WOW! Time sure has flown by....I can't believe that Braylen is already 6 weeks and 3 days old......! Since I am still trying to catch up on my blogging....this post will contain the last six weeks of Braylen's life. It has been quite adventurous starting from the night we came home.....Grant and I didn't even sleep a wink. Braylen was making so many noises and obviously they are noises you aren't use to....so we were starring at the monitor and her all night wondering what she was doing.....needless to say we were exhausted the next day and wondering what have we gotten ourselves into. Since then we have not had a night like that....we quickly adjusted to her noises and have set a little routine for her feedings and diaper changing in the middle of the night.....GRANT IS A TREMENDOUS HELP....I wouldn't be able to do this without him. So Braylen has had TONS of visitors which have brought us dinner and Braylen fun gifts....we are very Thankful for all of it.....it has been such a blessing. Braylen's favorite guest were her Aunt Lis and Uncle Adam....she really enjoyed spending time with them and Thank you to Elisabeth b/c she allowed me to go to a Closing I had scheduled a week after she was born....it was my first time leaving her...BOO!!!! Let's see, what else....Braylen and I have tried to create a little routine for the day.....during her wake times....we play on our back and we have tummy time and we go on walks and we bounce around the house and we cry and we eat a lot and we sleep and we cry...lol!!! Actually our routine changes all the time but I am definitely use to what she wants or needs when she crys or when she is fighting to go to sleep...I am learning all the cues! She went to her first doctors appt. and it went very well....she weighed in at 9lbs and 3.5 oz and was almost 21 inches long....yay she is growing. She had a first shot and actually did pretty well for getting a shot....I will say I am nervous for her next check up because that is when she is scheduled to get 6 shots at one time.....I might have to schedule them seperate but I am not looking forward to it.....I will probably tear up b/c it will hurt me just as bad as it hurts her....wahhhhh! Lately the weather has been really good so every Sunday we go over to my parents house so they can spend time with Braylen and then we go on a 3 mile walk and Papa loves this b/c he gets to stroll Braylen around the neighborhood....it has been a nice routine but the days are getting colder so we might have to figure something else out. :) During the last week or so...Braylen caught a small stuffy cold (or runny nose) I did take her to the doctor and there was no fever but they gave me a lot of remedies to help us get through it. And sure enough I caught a cold also....I never get sick....I guess now that I have a child that is going to change...ugh! :) I am trying to remember all the fun milestones that we have come by since Braylen has been born.....oh yea...this one is my favorite...Braylen smiled....not a Gas smile but a for real smile....she actually smiles a lot if I tickle her chin (odd I know) but she likes it....and I LOVE IT...it makes my heart putter.....it feels so good to know that Braylen has expressions and emotions.....yippee!!!!! Braylen also got to hang out with her friends for Halloween.....she even let me put her in a Pumpkin Costume for newborns that her cousin Dawn Schmeelk gave her....she looked cute but Orange isn't her color...she looks like a boy in Orange..ha! But she did have fun and I look forward to the many years of Halloween and seeing our Precious Braylen dressed up saying "Twick or Tweat" (baby talk..lol!) Grant and I had our first night out without Braylen this past Saturday....we went to Ryan and Amanda Campbells wedding......her Mimi kept her for us and they had so much fun. We were very appreciative of our time out by ourselves but I missed Braylen so much and couldn't wait to get home and hold her. In fact, the minute I got home, I changed and picked her up out of her bed and loved on her and then fed her.....and by the way she was awake just laying in her Pack n Play (it is still in our room!) I am sure I am leaving stuff out but this is a brief catch up on what has been going on in Braylen's life. Oh....I did forget one of our favorite moments.....her PHOTO SHOOT at 4 days old. Aunt Lis and I helped Audrey snap some awesome shots of her. Don't let the pics fool you though.....it was definitely tough getting her to be still and not be fussy.....I think the material she was laying on was aggrevating her skin...but we got through it and every photo was worth Braylen's tears. Until next time.........oh yeah...and sorry for the pics being scattered at the top and not in order...I am still trying to figure this whole thing out! :)

Braylen Reed Schmeelk has arrived

Okay...so I am just starting out with this blog thing....and typing with one hand as I hold baby Braylen :)

She made her debut on September 19th, 2008 at 10:12pm...weighing in at 6 lbs 10oz. and was 20 inches long.

I have so much to catch everyone up on.....so I will be back but this is it for now......my first post....yay....I finally did it!!!