Christmas Cheer with my Margo Dear!

Margo’s first Christmas was truly memorable! Although she didn’t know what was going on and was a bit overwhelmed by it all, it was so much fun having Santa visit and creating new memories and traditions with her.

We spent Christmas Eve with my family and Margo did really well until it got to opening presents and there was a bit too much excitement. Margo and Caroline, her cousin, wore matching bows, which was not planned and made it extra special. I loved her in her smocked dress! Alan made his amazing beef tenderloin and we had a meal that rivals even the best of restaurants.

Margo and Grannie

Christmas morning Margo woke up very happy after having slept through the night for 11 hours for only the second time! We took our time feeding her and then set her in her bumbo in front of her toys from Santa. I wanted to go crazy with toys, but knew it wasn’t really necessary since she is so little. I am also going to work really hard at trying to not spoil Margo too much. I think some kids have far too many things and have little appreciation for their toys, so I hope that we can prevent this in our home. I want Margo to have a clear understanding that Christmas is most importantly, about Jesus’ birth. That doesn’t mean that I don’t plan on making it plenty fun too!

The new tradition I started at our house was giving Margo nine books—one from each of Santa’s reindeer with a special message from each of them. I am a huge advocate of reading and thought this would be a fun way to incorporate it in her Christmas, so she receives more than just toys.

Christmas Day was spent with the Weavers and was also a ton of fun. Margo got a lot of attention and enjoyed being around those who love her so much. Our traditional Christmas dinner hit the spot and we enjoyed Ron’s amazing margaritas as well!

Margo was incredibly blessed with lots of awesome toys, clothes, books and more from both of our families. Christmas has always been a special time for us and is by far, my most favorite holiday. Having Margo brings a whole different level of happiness to our lives and now makes the holidays even more amazing and fun! We are truly blessed with such a sweet baby girl!

Month Two Part Deaux

I have realized that I am a bit of an idiot and on my last post about Margo said month 2 flew when it had just begun. So... I am getting on track. Margo has just completed two months and is now three months old!

To say that my Margo is amazing is an understatement. She makes us so incredibly happy and we love her more and more as each day passes! This month has been busy and I am slowly learning to get into the swing of things with her.

Margo is sleeping anywhere between 6-8 hour stretches at night, which has been an incredibly welcome change! She is also sleeping in her crib now and it was very easy to transition her from the moses basket. I think she likes the room to spread out. Due to Margo's reflux, she doesn't like to sleep on her back and it is virtually impossible to get her to sleep for an extended period of time in that way. So... against all the advice, we are sleeping her on her tummy and purchased an Angel Care monitor to detect her every move. If she stops breathing/moving for more than 20 seconds, an alarm will sound. I did a lot of research about the product and trust in it, so I am able to breathe easy at night knowing she is sleeping comfortably and is safe.

Margo is also talking up a storm! She absolutely LOVES to hear herself talk. If she is awake, she is most likely talking. I took this video the day before Thanksgiving and she is already much more verbal a few weeks later. This still is pretty cute and her little personality is showing through.



She is also kicking her legs like crazy and is a very happy baby... smiling and excited all the time. She is our true joy and we love her so much! I am already sad that she is getting so big. Sometimes I miss my little newborn, but I also love looking forward to something new every day. She tickles me pink and brings me so much happiness and laughter!

Sip n' See for my Sweet Pea!

To say that I was devestated when my baby shower was cancelled, due to the onset of my preeclampsia, is an understatement. Not only was I sad to that I couldn't go, but I was mainly upset for my hostesses who had put so much effort into the preparations.

To make up for my shower being cancelled, we had a sip n' see to welcome Miss Margo into the world! We had mimosas to SIP and go to SEE a beautiful Margo in her pink and white sweater dress--matching cake below.

My sister from Midland and her three girls all came into town, which made the day extra special. My hostesses threw Margo an amazing party with all the bells and whistles. There was a really neat "fingerprint" tree where our guests got to leave their mark with a thumbprint and I will treasue this unique little piece of art forever. The flowers were gorgeous and included my favorite--peonies--they were so amazing when they opened up and were the circumfrence of a salad plate!

The sip 'n see was held at one of my most favorite restuarants in Houston, Backstreet Cafe, and the amazing brunch menu included my most favorite, shrimp and grits. It was delicious and I enjoyed every bite, including the mouth watering dessert trio with an apple crisp, creme brulee and Margo's adorable cake!

I loved the little robin egg soaps for the favor that went along with the bird theme in Margo's room. Unfortunately, I forgot to get a soap, but I hear they smell so wonderful you want to eat them. I can't wait to receive my little shipment in the mail.

Margo was an angel the entire time and fell sound asleep about half way through. I had a most wonderful time and am so grateful to my generous hostesses for the best party a girl could ever ask for. I am so glad that despite my cancelled shower, I was still able to celebrate Margo in an extra special way and create amazing memories!

Month Two Flew

Our sweet Margo is now two months old and I cannot believe how much she has grown and changed! Besides the issues she has had with reflux, she is truly an angel baby and we are in love!

Margo now weighs about 9 1/2 lbs and is 21 inches long. Because she was premature, her percentiles are still pretty low, but she is growing like a weed:

17% for weight
10% for height
7% for her head (my head is small too)

Margo is really strong and holds up her head well. We put her in her Bumbo for the first time and she LOVES it--it is hilarious seeing how she responds to it. She can roll over from her tummy to her back. She smiles at mommy and daddy all the time and is talking up a storm. When she is hungry and we are about to feed her, she lets us know by making the cutest sound. The closest way I can describe it is to compare it to howling... it is a mix of excitement and fussing and it melts my heart every time!

She is sleeping anywhere from 3-5 hour stretches. It is very inconsistent and I am eagerly anticipating when she sleeps through the night. By the time I feed her, hold her upright for 20 minutes and then get myself back to sleep, I am often only getting three or so hours a night often times. The sleep deprivation has definitely been the most difficult challenge for me.

Otherwise, everything about my Margo amazes me and I love her more than I ever thought possible. Once we finally manage to get her reflux under control (or she outgrows it), I think she will be a near perfect baby. We are blessed beyond belief and are having fun as we adjust to this new life!

Reflux Sucks!!!

Since we brought Margo home from the hospital, she has been having GI issues... grunting, groaning and struggling all day and night long. First, I thought it was gas and started gas drops with little success. Then, it started to progress to more fussing and spitting up. Margo was diagnosed with reflux and we have been fighting the battle ever since.

We have been on two forms of Prevacid and also a medicine to coat her burning esophagus. She is now on a higher dose of Prevacid and we have another Rx to fill. She is spitting up sometimes 20 times a day and then has BIG throw-ups anywhere between 5-15 times a day. Fortunately, she is still thriving and has actually gained a bit too much weight too fast.

When I brought her home from the hospital as a preemie, the hospital and her pediatrician really stressed fattening her up. I may be have been doing it too agressively because she gained 1.5 lbs in three weeks and she has been eating about 26 ounces a day, which the MD says is more like that of a four month old... oops! I also took her off of my breast milk and have her on lactose free formula which has helped a great deal with the grunting and struggling in her sleep. I am sad that she won't be getting my precious antibodies during RSV and flu season, but am also relieved that she feels better in that sense and it is a relief to not be pumping anymore.

So... instead of filling her new Rx which is supposed to help her empty her belly faster, thus less spitting/throwing up, I am now going to let her tell me when she needs to eat and reduce her feedings to see if that helps. The MD also suggested adding a little rice cereal to her feedings which is supposed to weight down her formula a bit and make it harder to spit up. I think I am going to try that route first instead of putting more chemicals in her body.

Through this process I have started a bad habit with Margo that I SWORE I would not do. She is much more comfortable on her belly and doesn't spit up in that position when she is sleeping. When she is fussy or uncomfortable, I have been letting her sleep on her belly on my chest since she cannot sleep on her belly in bed. I do this about half of the night and sleep little myself. Just this week, I went at least three days with 3 hours or less sleep a night. To say that I am wiped out is an understatement.

I am hoping that some of the new things we try will be a success and we'll start transitioning a healthy/happy baby to her crib in the next few weeks. The MD wants her well and sleeping in her room by three months. Please pray for us as we continue to struggle with the best answer/combination to make our sweet little girl more comfortable.

Poor, Margo, spitting up yet again... she looks a bit like she has fangs--ha ha!

Now that Margo has Left the Womb, I can Finally Share her Room!

People have been asking me to post pictures of Margo's room for months, but with the bed rest and early delivery of our sweet Margo, I could never quite get to it... until now! I love birds and so that was what I mostly incorporated into her room. The colors I chose were pink and an aqua blue because I didn't want it to be too pink, so I had to add a little accent. I think it turned out pretty good and will be a fun place for her to grow in.

I LOVE our furniture and we are so lucky to have it... courtesy of my sister, Laura. I updated it with simple brushed nickel drawer pulls from Restoration Hardware (one of my most favorite stores). The chair in the corner is soooo comfortable and I spend hours in it, so I am so grateful to my dad and Connie for getting us such a big splurge from Pottery Barn Kids. Thank goodness for the slip cover, as I have already had to wash it due to Tucker's grossness and he spends all day in it. The quilt on the chair was my grandfather's baby blanket and used to be red. It has faded to the perfect pink for Margo's room and I think it is so neat to have something so sentimental of his in her room. Lastly, I had to have a pouf... I saw this on a few other blogs of nurseries and love the pop of color. The blue perfectly matches the blue accent in the crib sheet!

The precious pictures on the wall could not have been more perfect for the room because they feature a bird and nest and also a kitten that looks like Tucker. My sister purchased these for her daughter's room and never hung them. They are hand signed by the artist and I just LOVE them! You have to see them up close to see how neat they are. The letters are sparkly and the pictures are really just so incredibly sweet. The 3-D dove on the wall was given by my mother-in-law and the cross from Cary's aunt.

The bird houses on Margo's book shelf, from Pottery Barn Kids, are extra special because they were painted by Cary's grandfather who is terminally ill. I am so glad we get to have a piece of his handiwork and creativity in the room since unfortunately Margo will probably never really know him. I added the little birds and thought they completed them perfectly. There are lots of other goodies on the shelf that were lovingly given by family and friends... a music box from France, a Madame Alexander doll and much more. The lamp was also from Restoration Hardware Baby and the beautiful embroidery of Madonna and Child was purchased at an antique store--it is said to be European from the 1940's. I think it adds such a special touch to Margo's room and signifies something that is very important to us.

Margo's crib features simple bedding that is mix and match from Serena and Lily... if I was rich, I could go crazy at that store! The wall decal and mobile are from ETSY (another of my faves). It was very hard to match the pinks to the bedding and as you can see, I didn't do the best job. That is my only disappointment in the room, but I have decided that it's okay and not everything has to coordinate perfectly. The cross above her bed is hard to see, but is so neat, hand crafted of beads from my sweet friend, Hilari. I love love love Margo's chandelier, also from Restoration Hardware Baby, and cannot thank Cary's parents enough for getting it for us. I think it will be a special, girly touch to Margo's room for many years to come! The polka dot canvas toy basket from Pottery Barn Kids is so cute too and was given by my mom who was a huge help with the room. She helped me hang everything in the perfect spot and put all the finishing touches together, which she is very talented at. She added a lot of little special touches to the room and I am so grateful for her help.

I cannot thank everyone enough for all they did to help put Margo's room together. We could not have afforded such nice things without the generous help of our family and putting it together was a labor of love. I have to add that these pictures were taken with this awesome new camera that my sister, Shannon, bought us! I love taking pictures and putting together albums, so this new toy is great for us to capture Margo's life and I highly recommend it if you are in the market for a new camera. It is easy to use and takes great, high quality photos. Cary and I are truly blessed tremendously with the best family and support system you could ever hope for. I hope Margo loves and appreciates her room as much as we do!

Month One has been so Much Fun!

Today our precious Margo is one month old and I cannot believe it! It is crazy to think that her original due date was only yesterday. The first month has been absolutely amazing and sometimes trying, as adjusting to being parents has been a big change in our lives. I never imagined that I could love something so much… every time I look at Margo my heart fills with joy and bursts with an abundance of love. There is nothing in the world quite as special as having a child and I feel so incredibly blessed to be given such an amazing gift.

Margo is growing like a weed, which is fantastic! She no longer looks like a little preemie as her face fills out and her belly grows round. Her digestion has been a bit confusing. Sometimes she has projectile throw ups, but it is probably only every other day and she spits up a lot. She grunts and groans a large part of the day and night and often seems that she is in a constant struggle to poo or toot. Margo was never able to latch on properly, so I have been breast pumping since she was born. I am producing plenty of milk, but pumping 8 to 9 times a day became cumbersome, so I feed her formula 3 to 4 times a day and pump the rest. We are experimenting with formulas and trying to get her more comfortable. I do not want to jump to any conclusions or unnecessarily medicate her if she is just having normal infant digestive issues.

Other than that, Margo is a true angel baby. She rarely cries and if she does, it is only for a short period because she is hungry or has a belly ache. She loves her baths and it is our favorite time of day. Just yesterday, we saw our first real smiles as she played on her play mat/gym. She has been holding up her head very well since birth and seems to be a strong little baby. Every time I interact with her, it is pure happiness!

Funny things that happened this month… she pooped in her bath and it was a mess! We just had to laugh it off. She also was peeing and pooing at the same time as I had her diaper open and her tee shot up in the air, all over me and everything (apparently it can happen with girls too). It was another mess, but again, we just laughed. Our first outing was a few weeks ago for Mexican food and it was easy as she slept the whole time. I also went to Central Market with her last week, which was my first alone outing. Driving with her makes me a bit nervous and I had a hard time figuring out how to put her carrier in the cart. It felt so good to get out on my own though and accomplish something.

My mom and my sister have both been a huge help to us in this first month. They have brought meals, taught us to bathe, done laundry and have provided a wealth of great advice! We are so grateful to them for helping us adjust to life with a baby.

Margo had her infant pictures done by my talented friend, Deanna. Here are a few of my favorites to honor her in her first special month of life. Thank you so much, Deanna, for capturing such a beautiful time for us.

Happy One Month Birthday, my sweet girl! You have no idea how much joy you have brought us in this short period. We are so thrilled to have you and learn and grow with you. We love you more than words could ever ever begin to say.