One Month Old!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Motherhood 2.0

I know my entries here have been fewer and farther between...my mom friends told me this would be the case. It hasn't been that I haven't had the time to post, it's that I've chosen a nap instead. Imagine that!?

But here I sit on a rainy fall day, cozy, with a peaceful co-sleeper next to me and lots on my mind.

Being a new mom in an information age, while easier because we have so much knowledge at our fingertips is actually more challenging in my opinion. After all, our mothers didn't have a ton of books, websites, blogs, opinions, etc etc and we all eventually slept through the night or survived our vaccinations without worrying what the outcome would be a few years later! As a new mom, I feel such pressure to do things "right". Right = what the latest study shows (ie. cold medicines this week!) or what a more experienced mom friend or family member advises me to do! I defintely apprecicate the latter, but have to admit am so overwhelmed by the first. For one thing, what is wrong with good old fashioned common sense?? Why do I feel like a study of this many children proves that...or what some random website says is going to be right for my child?

All that to say I think these first few weeks of being a mom I am learning to try to relax, turn off the computer, put down the books, the articles and just listen to my instincts and my daughter. We're still adjusting to one another and her to this new and crazy world. I'm sure all of you reading this are smiling...been there, done that right? Sister in law ensures me that is the case for all of us and I will continue to question my choices and actions for the rest of motherhood. Welcome to being a mom she told me last night!

Any (more) advice!? :-)

If You Give a Mom a Muffin

If you give a mom a muffin

She'll want a strong cup of coffee to go with it, She'll make herself some.

Her three-year-old will spill the coffee She'll wipe it up.

While wiping the floor she'll find dirty socks.

She'll remember she has to do laundry.

When she puts the laundry in the washer, she'll trip over boots and bump into the box of Goodwill items.

Bumping into the Goodwill items will remind her that she has to get these boxes out of her basement and into the car.

When she puts the boxes in the car, she'll find a bag of groceries and this will remind her she has to cook dinner.

She will get out the chicken defrosting in the fridge.

She'll look for her cookbook, "101 Things To Do With Chicken"

The cookbook will be sitting under a pile of mail.

She will see the Netflix movie she's meant to send back and the phone bill, which is due tomorrow.

The checkbook will be in her purse that is being dumped out by her one-year-old.

As she bends down to rescue her purse, she'll smell something funny.

She'll change the baby's diaper.

While she is throwing away the diaper and searching for the hand sanitizer, the phone will ring.

Her three-year-old will answer and hang up.

She'll remember she wants to call a friend - not for coffee, but for a very strong drink.

Thinking of drinking will remind her that she was going to have a cup of coffee in order to stay awake for the rest of the day.

And chances are....

If she finds her cup of coffee (which she has to reheat by now), Her children will have eaten the muffin that goes with it.

Hang in there Moms!!!

2 Weeks...

Olivia is already two weeks old tomorrow...that is hard to believe! She is still a pretty mellow baby...except when she wants to eat, she definitely lets us know she is hungry!

My mom is still here, which has been a huge help and Jen came this week too! It's been great to be surrounded by family, there will be some tough goodbyes that's for sure.

Olivia Mae McCown - September, 24, 2007

Olivia is here! Although I'm exhausted and have all kinds of interesting things happening to my body, I can't stop smiling. Brian and I are so thankful to have this healthy and happy beautiful girl. She is five days old and is already changing! I find myself just staring at her and studying her every detail. She is the image of her dad who has already embraced his new role with such ease! Even the messy diapers and middle of the night wake up calls (thank goodness for DVRs and NBCs premiere week - Olivia's already a fan of The Office!).

We have transitioned pretty easily, thanks to the help and support of our parents and our neighbor Jill who has provided all of our yummy meals this week! We're looking forward to upcoming visits - Aunt Jen from California and Aunt Shannon from Florida!

Thanks to everyone for your prayers, calls, emails, flowers and visits. It's hard that most of you are far away so we'll do our best to update with lots of pictures and stories of her growth!

Ok...off to sleep while I can!!

It's hard to believe...

that tomorrow I'll be holding my daughter! These past 9 months have gone by so fast. This is a day I have been waiting for what seems like a lifetime. I pictured going into labor unexpectedly and rushing to the hospital, ancticipating hours of labor, etc etc. Funny how life happens. Here I sit, the night before my scheduled C-Section...i know we will have a daughter, her name, her birthday, the time she will be born - everything is so planned! Ironic since the last year of our lives has been nothing but planned - bought a house we hadn't planned on, got pregnant without planning on it happening so soon, maybe a plan for once is good for us!

Thanks to everyone for all of your thoughts, prayers and funny comments! We'll keep you posted over the next few days!

Just About There...

There are no words...just a HUGE sigh of relief!