Hazel's weight, Santa, and THE nap

Yesterday I kept Hagen home from school for a special outing! We met my SIL Rebecca, Noah, Emily, and Pia at the mall to meet Santa! No tears from any of the kids. Hazel was snoozing and Hagen was excited to ask for a talking dragon for him and some baby toys for Hazo. We ended the day with shopping that lasted 3 hours after eating at The Cheesecake Factory. It was a blast! By the end of the trip I had Hazel in the Bjorn and Hagen was lounging in her baby carrier in the snap and go...we were quite the site.

I took Hazel to the doctor this morning to meet with the Boobie Nazi...AKA lactation consultant to see if I could get some ideas to help sweet baby's tummy issues. One thing she told me is to lay flat on my back and lay her on my tummy and make her draw up the milk...what? Basically I am a good producer and since it is coming too fast she is gulping air in. Whatever works right? BUT haven't tried it yet. She also said to keep using Gripe Water and gas drops.

The nights have been getting a little better the past few days. She is getting easier to put back down. She is so sweet. She is ready for bed at 7:00...she is setting her own bedtime so that is one part of the schedule I don't have to enforce. AND she gained 1 pound 1 ounce in 2 weeks! So her weight right now is 8 pounds 8 ounces! AWESOME!

After that we went to my Mom's house (Pia) and Hazel got to meet Janis who is basically my other Mom. I've known her since I was about 2 and her daughter Sally and I grew up together. We ate lunch and talked and then they encouraged me to go lay down...3 hours later I woke up to Hazel wanting to eat. 3 HOUR NAP! Hell ya! It helped that my mom has the MOST comfortable bed in the world and her house is quiet. It was wonderful!

When I woke up Noah and Emily were playing in the living room while SIL was getting her hair did. Noah and I went to gas up Pia's car...he's so sweet. He saw me bite off my thumb nail that I had just broken and spit it out on the ground (trashy I know). He asked what it was and I said it was my finger nail. He just stood there staring at the ground saying, "your finger nail Carrie...your fingernail!"

Today was show and tell with something that starts with a "U"...well he took the umbrella on Monday because I got the days mixed up...so what did he bring? Yep...under ware. Don't faint...they were new and hadn't been worn. I felt bad making him take under ware for show and tell...but he was proud of his new BOXER undies so it was all good. Hagen said that someone brought a unicorn...when he was telling us about it the way he said it was so cute...it was "un E corn"...we made him say it a few thousand times.

Things are getting back to normal around here...our new normal. Hagen actually heard Hazel crying and went to the pantry to get a paci from her box of paci's (we are trying out a few to see which ones she likes...because I'm a paci pusher). He was helping but poor Hazo...it was really being forced hard on her from him and she was PISSED. She has a mean back hand and runs in place when she is pissed...

Tata,
Carrie

Thanksgiving 2010

Thanksgiving...so much to be thankful for starting with my sweet family. We added Hazel to the mix and I am forever grateful to be her Mama. She is the sweetest thing ever! She is dealing with bad gas that wakes her up during the night screeching in pain poor baby. So sleep has not been that great, but it is getting better...in fact last night she had a 5 1/2 hour span! WOW!!!

Below is my niece Courtney loving on Hazel on Thanksgiving. She LOVES babies!
My Dad (PaPa) was out of town for almost 2 weeks and so he is loving on Hazel alot lately. She was only a week old when he last held her so he was stalking anyone that had her trying to get a baby fix in.

Hagen is still trying our patience. I think it has alot to do with the fact that we all have cabin fever! We don't do the shopping thing on the weekend after Thanksgiving...I can, but the rest of the family will not do it. I actually like it and love getting in the holiday spirit! The rest of the family is Bah Humbug. I can't be away from Hazo long due to BF'ing otherwise I would be at the mall with Hagen...he is my shopping buddy!

Below, out of about 50 pictures, this is the most decent...Hazel looks drunk...or drugged...

Here is my sweet sister in law Kristen...Ryan's sister. She is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. She was sick at the hospital so wasn't able to hold Hazel...she got her fix in on Thanksgiving!

Ryan and I usually host Thanksgiving but I got a pass since she is 3 weeks old. I brought rolls and the relish dish...and I forgot the damn rolls. What a loser! I didn't help with anything. To be honest, it was FABULOUS! I wish I could get a pass every year!!! We fry turkeys (2 12 pound ones) so that takes alot of the stress out.

Tomorrow will be the first day I take Hagen to school. Ryan has REALLY stepped up and has been doing it all. He can't tomorrow so Hazel and I will drag our butts out of bed and take him. We have been sleeping till 9 or so...nice. I can't believe I will be back to work after the 1st of the year. I'm ready to get back in a routine, but she needs to be sleeping more at night or I'm going to DIE. Plus, Ryan's project will start when I go to work so it will be me and the kiddos the first week back. Lord help me. It will be fine but I'm really worried about the sleep deprivation...I like my sleep!

Speaking of...check out little Hazel taking a snooze on her boppy newborn pillow (borrowed from a friend). She LOVES it!!

Again I am so thankful for my family, my work, my friends, my neighbors, ice cream, and the list goes on and on. 2010 turned out to be a great year!

Tata,

Carrie

Hagen and Daddy's first hunt!

He got his coveralls...his boots...his camo hat...and his gun (that fake thing that isn't even a BB gun)...he is ready to go!
Ryan has been dying to get Hagen out to "hunt". Now this does not involve shooting anything. It is practice...practice being quiet, looking for signs of deer, how to properly hold a gun, etc. This past weekend was the time! Little man is 3 1/2 and is in his prime to learn the necessary skills to hunt! Below he is checking out the bull that is the resident of the property. This is WAY too close for me. i would have freaked at my little baby that close to a huge animal. He has no fear!

Here he is posing in front of the deer blind. He is so proud that he is dressed like Daddy and has a gun like him too! He was very good at being quiet. At one point he did get a bit freaked out. There were coyotes in the woods making all sorts of noise. Hagen told Ryan he heard duckies in the trees...and then Ryan could not leave his side for a minute.

He got a new toy story flashlight for the big hunt too. Be prepared...that's what the boy scouts always preach!

Of course when you are out in the woods you have to go sometimes. So Hagen found a nice cow patty to relieve himself upon. Love how he has to bend way back to get the stream up and over the pants...cute little butt huh?

The hunt was successful! Hagen and Ryan had a great time. With Hagen becoming a big brother he has been testing his limits and not listening as well. We expected this as we knew it was totally different in his world. I'm glad they got out for some much needed man time. Last weekend I took him to see MegaMind as a Mama/Son date. We saw Juliette and her mom there so it was really Hagen's first REAL date!

Tata,

Carrie

Hazel's 2 week checkup

The song "My Girl likes to Party all the time" is stuck in my head. Hazel is a night owl. I'm a zombie...I am disconnected from the real world...and I feel guilty! Why do I feel guilty? Because people are just wanting to bring dinner, gifts, etc. and I can't bring myself to call back or respond because I am surviving on little sleep. I feel so bad! Here is Hagen warming up to holding Hazel...Noah is supervising as resident "I'll help you Hagen!"
Sweet Hazel is now 7 pounds 7 ounces as of 2 weeks! She is in the 25%! I have a baby actually on the growth chart! Woo Hoo! AND she is exclusively breastfed so it is all me! Love that. She is 50% in height too...big girl! Well, for us anyway...

She is quite the night owl...she is up every 2-3 hours and is difficult to put back to sleep...mainly because she farts like a grown man alot so she is very gassy. I have been doing gas drops and gripe water and hopefully it will ease soon. Ryan is still sleeping in the guest room as he has a hard time falling back to sleep once awake. Plus, he has his own battle with Hagen who has been really testing his limits lately...as expected. Here is how I feel most of the time with 2...excuse my crotch

Here is Hazel acting like the perfect little lady...she really is so sweet and so cute. Has BIG eyes and again...farts relentlessly...

Hagen's Thanksgiving Feast was last week. He asked if Hazel and I were coming so we did. Here he is posing with his old teacher Miss Angie and Hazel...she slept through the meal

Ryan has been doing FABULOUS on keeping the home front in order. I am so impressed because he was not as into it toward the end of the pregnancy...I was beginning to worry about keeping things in order. No need for that as he has it covered. Secretly I'm glad he sees that it is alot of work to keep the Darney's clean, fed, and wearing clean clothes.

I have a few more posts!! Keep on coming back!

Tata,

Carrie

Random post with pictures

Here are some random things to note. I added a few pictures for your viewing pleasure. The first one is called "baby attack". It is a new nightly ritual with the boys and Hazo. She chases Hagen around and he screams and runs around. He was trying to protect himself below with tape...
1. Hazel's first night was on a Thursday night. Hagen came up after school to meet her. After he had been there for about an hour he barfed in the room...barfed at home that night and then didn't barf again until Saturday night which was our first night home. He was at my brother's house for a sleepover so we could concentrate on Hazel and her first night. He has been fine since then. I've heard of kids reacting like that...

2. I know Allison mentioned that Hazel socked me in the mouth upon her arrival...but she did not give you the full story. She literally put her JUST BORN fist INSIDE my mouth! They laid her on my chest looking all slimy and she punched me in my mouth. I looked at Ryan and thought I was going to puke and he took his shirt and wiped out my mouth. That is love right there...

3. My little brother took off work on her birthday so that my SIL could be at the hospital to see Hazel's birth and take pictures. They are pictures that I will cherish forever and so glad that she took them. I did the same for them when Emily was born and will forever be grateful of seeing a baby being born...not gross...just really neat.

4. When Hagen was born he was in preemie jammies for about a month. I had a pair that I took to the hospital thinking Hazel will be the same, but she is way longer. Her little legs couldn't stretch out all the way. When I was pregnant with her I swore she was stretched out...now that she is born I see why. She doesn't really curl up like a newborn. She always wants her legs stretched out.

5. I had her at a hospital that was supposed to be the Lexus of all hospitals. It was Baylor Frisco. I was pleased with the day nurses and L&D nurses, but the night nurses were TERRIBLE! They would forget to come get her in the night after I fed her and called them to come get her, I was reprimanded, my sheets were never changed, I had to ask for things all the time that should have been there, and I only got 3 meals...no ordering whenever. Thank the lord some of my lovelies got me a cookie bouquet because I ate 3 of them between midnight and 6AM the first night...no lie...life saver!

6. Ryan has his special time with Hazel at night...he comes to get her around 8 or 9 and they lay on the couch and watch sports, sports center, etc. until about 10 when it is time to eat again. They look so cute all snuggled up. He's officially wrapped around her finger. I think she looks like him a bit. She may have a dent in her chin like him. And I think she has a dimple. Ryan doesn't have a dimple, but he is adopted so he may have them on his side somewhere.

7. Ryan has been taking Hagen to school. I swear if I see the "Chicks Dig Me...Deer Fear Me" shirt on him one more time when I pick him up I'm going to have to say something. 3 times in 7 school days is way too much. Now, he is not wearing it dirty...he is just keeping on top of the laundry that well. I can't wait to put him in normal cute clothes...

8. Hagen wanted me to help with something so he said, "Mom, throw that baby down and come help me!" I think we need to work on the communication a bit.

9. That's all I got!

Tata,

Carrie

Hazel Grace Darney

Hi!!! Oh my gosh...I can't believe I have waited this long to post. I've been in baby bliss. Honestly, this time around is totally different than with Hagen. I was in a dark hole with Hagen. More than likely it was due to the stuff we had to do to get pregnant with him doing a number on my hormones. This time I have it under control...well so far. :)

This little Hazel Grace is perfect. She is a great baby...I was blessed with 2 great babies. Neither one of them are/were that demanding. I am going to use this post to document what my labor was like...this is a warning for those who had a hard labor...you don't want to read anymore of this post.

Wednesday - November 3rd
10:30PM - Checked into the hospital and got hooked up to the monitors
11:00PM - Ryan left to go home to relieve my parents
11:15PM - IV and forms filled out
11:30PM - Checked me and I'm dilated to a 4! Called Rebecca to come get Hagen so Ryan could come to the hospital...contractions 4-5 minutes apart

Thursday - November 4th!
12:40AM - Ryan arrived
2:20AM - Checked me...at a 5
5:40AM - Got epidural
7:10AM - 6 cm
10:03AM - Water broken...at a 7
10:55AM - 10cm...labor down
12:05PM - Doctor arrived...
12:19PM - 2 pushes...little episiotomy and Hazel Grace Darney was born! 6 pounds 12 ounces and 18.5 inches long
1:20PM - Breastfed for the first time...went well! 20 minutes

Ryan stayed at home with Hagen and I stayed at the hospital by myself. We wanted Hagen's world to not be disrupted as much as possible. Hazel slept in the nursery at night so I really didn't need anyone there to help.

Ryan and I are overjoyed right now. We feel so lucky to have our babies. They are both such sweet little people. Hagen has been testing his limits lately...like ALOT...but you know, we are just thinking about how much our worlds have changed and we are letting it slide for now. He doesn't want to hold Hazel, but likes her. The other day at school someone asked him how Hazel was and his response was, "She's out"...short and to the point!

More to come...miss you all...feel so out of touch with reality!!

XO,

Carrie

What up?!

Sooo...I feel so out of touch with the world! I haven't commented on blogs (I still read them all), I haven't really checked my email since Friday, etc. So please excuse my absence!

Halloween weekend was fun! We had my brother Adam's family and my parents over for dinner and then trick or treating! We didn't have as many visits to our house as 1/2 of our street had their lights out! So irritating...and we are at the end of the cul d sac so if the beginning is dark then why would people come to the back. Anyway, it was fun. Hagen was a fireman and Noah was Buzz Light year! Best buddies.

Noah joined Hagen at his school parade on Friday and was able to walk around and trick or treat with him. What a nice school to let Noah join for the day...since he is no longer in day care, he misses these things so it was nice to let him walk with Hagen.

I am doing OK cutting off work. It has been hard though. I just feel the need to log in first thing in the morning, but I am trying to not do that and focus on my family for now. I'm sure here in a few days (tomorrow) I will be able to! :)

I gave my sweet friend her last progesterone shot last night and she is 9 1/2 weeks and was released from her specialist to her normal OBGYN. She is SO excited!!! Her sonogram actually showed a face and arms/legs. Isn't that the coolest when you see an actual person for the first time instead of a glob?

Today Mom and I are going to lunch and my friend is joining us. We are going to Cheesecake Factory. It is what we did the day we were going to the hospital with Hagen so it is kinda our tradition!

Lots to do today....get all laundry done (not much to do), get the house straightened for cleaning lady tomorrow, lay out Hagen's clothes (so he doesn't look homeless in the hands of Ryan), etc. Ryan and I decided that he will stay at home with Hagen and the dog while I'm in the hospital unless there is an emergency or c-section, etc. Just want to not disrupt Hagen's life as much as possible. Plus, the sleeping arrangements when we had Hagen was TERRIBLE for Ryan!

I check in tonight at 10...and if it goes like Hagen's she will be here around noon tomorrow! I can NOT wait!!!

Tata,
Carrie