1 Month...Who Rules the House

I can hardly believe that my sweet babe is one month old already. Everyone says it, but I can't believe how fast time goes by and how much she has grown in the last four weeks. I think we are getting into some sort of routine around here. Brylee is so good with her feeding schedule, and is a good sleeper at night for the most part, but our afternoon naps need a little work. She is really good at taking a lot of very short 15-30 min naps, which leaves me little time to get anything done. Occasionally she will lay down in her crib for an hour long nap, and on those days I feel so successful and proud!

Our household queen has changed. It used to be our sweet pup Paisley, who has now realized she is not queen bee any more. Paisley started off so scared of Brylee, and now has turned jealous. She tries to sit in my lap on the couch while I nurse Brylee, which is really funny to watch. She also tries to get a lot more attention from Bryan. But I can't complain, she has been really sweet to Brylee, and recently tried to engage & play with Brylee during tummy time.

A quick sniff... ...turned into a pout when Brylee didn't play back.

She recently found her hand

My sweet friend Jenny & her husband Chris stopped by to meet Brylee. Jenny is also about to add a little girl to her family. We can't wait for all these babies to grow up friends!

Look at me...I spend so much more time wide-eyed and awake

1 Month Old...December 23, 2010

Newborn Pictures

Here is a link to Brylee's newborn slideshow! These pictures are just adorable (of course I think so, I'm her mother!). Bryan's cousin took all these pictures in her home. Thanks, Tanya!

http://cozyimpressionsphotography.com/Brylee/

A few pictures from the slideshow

Third Week of Life...Meeting new Friends

We've had a good third week of life. We're trying to get into some sort of routine, and on some days I feel like Brylee completely gets it, and other days it's a complete disaster. Overall, Brylee still is a great baby, only fussing when she needs something. Its fun seeing her awake more. She responds to our voices and is holding her head up really well for her age. We even traveled for our first weekend get-a-way this week.

This week Brylee met her new friend Emma Grace for the first time (as you can see, Brylee was totally into her play date!

Emma was SO SWEET to Brylee

We traveled to Abilene to have Brokaw Christmas with Bryan's side of the family. This was the best group cousin picture we got...with a newborn and several 9 year olds, it was tough getting that perfect picture!

The family is really excited to finally have another girl cousin!

Family picture in front of the tree

Three week pictures....she is so much more squirmy this week, and is making many more facial expressions!

Three weeks old...December 14, 2010

Second Week of Life...Getting so Big

Week number two went very well. Bryan and I are learning our routine and figuring out how to handle nights & days! We're getting Brylee on a better schedule beginning this week, helping her learn her nights & days and figuring out her eating & sleeping schedule. We're using the book Baby Wise, which has come highly recommended, to help us. So far, its been great!

We took Brylee to the Wylie Christmas Parade, dressed to impress and look festive!

Jan, Bryan's mom, stayed with us for most of the second week. She was a great help! It has been fun these last few days being our own family of three and figuring this all out on our own!






Mark Perry stopped by to visit Brylee before he and his wife depart to Germany for three years! It was great to see him, and crazy to think last year at this time we saw Mark in Mexico for his wedding, and this year we see Mark because we had a baby! Who would have known.

Brylee went to the doctor for her two week "well-baby" check-up. She did fairly well, obviously not enjoying the heel prick or the cold stethoscope, but checked out great! She weighs 9 lb 2 oz in the 75th%, 20 7/8 inches long in the 75th%, and head circumference in the 50th% (which is funny, because at the time of birth, it was her large head that caused me to have a C-section...now she's just average!)

2 weeks old - December 7, 2010

First week of Life - with MANY firsts

First Bath

Content at first...unhappy by the end!

Bundled and warm after her first bath with Bryan

First story...Uncle David read Fox in Socks many times, more for our enjoyment & laughter than Brylee's, I think!

Gramps took a turn reading Fox in Sox, trying to prove he could read the tongue twister better than Uncle David.

First walk around the neighborhood in her stroller (because you know her and I took MANY walks those last few weeks before birth trying to induce some labor action....she was lulled asleep today probably like she was those last few weeks!)

First trip to Target....that night she had the best night sleep to date (in which Bryan says I can take her shopping any time I want if she'll sleep like that again!)

First pediatrician appointment. After just 1 week, she is already back to her birth weight of 8 lb 15 oz

1 week old - November 30, 2010

Welcom Home Brylee

After my C-section, the doctor originally told me I would probably go home Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, which was kind of disappointing because I was really looking forward to being home with my family in my own bed on Thanksgiving day. Luckily, Thursday morning, the doctor said I was looking good and it would be up to me if I went home that afternoon or wait until Friday morning. I had to stay for at least 48 hours after Brylee's birth, so at 3:30 Thursday afternoon, my nurse started getting all my discharge paper work together. It took a little longer than I thought, but by 5:30 Thanksgiving night we were saying goodbye to Presby Allen Hospital and hello to Brylee's new home.

All bundled and leaving the hospital. It was pretty cold Thanksgiving night.

Our new family


Bryan loading his new baby girl into the car. Brylee didn't mind being in her car seat when the car was moving, but as soon as we stopped at a light, she got a little fussy. It became pretty funny by the end of the ride home!

Bryan intentionally put up our house Christmas lights the weekend before we admitted to the hospital because he wanted Brylee to come home to a cheerful house! My sweet family decorated both the outside & inside of the house with "Welcome Home Baby" decorations - very cute!

We had to snap a quick picture because it was SO COLD outside!

Our 2-year-old beagle was a little unsure of Brylee at first.

My sweet girl! She wore home a sweater dress that I wore when I was a baby 27 years ago!

First picture in her bedroom - 2 days old - first day at home!

WELCOME HOME BRYLEE!

Hospital Visitors

We had so many people come visit us in the hospital. Brylee enjoyed all of her visitors those first two days, and we felt very loved and encouraged! Thank You!

Our sweet niece, Jillian, got to be the first cousin to hold Brylee.

Brylee's cousin, Todd, imparted some good wisdom to Brylee the night she was born.

Bryan's sister, Lisa, made the trip to come meet Brylee Tuesday night, despite their holiday plans. Thanks, Bailey's! Brylee can't wait to get to know her cousins, aunts, & uncles.

My brother, David, flew in from Atlanta Tuesday night, and stayed with us all week. He is such a great uncle!

The Bruce's have been so encouraging prior to Brylee's birth, and we're so excited to finally meet her Tuesday night!

The Shiver's came to meet Brylee & introduce one of her future suitors (they are expecting one of the many boys born at church this year!)

Ashley was first to stop by Saturday morning, and was a great encouragement about how to deal with recovering after a C-section.

Tara came to meet Brylee, and will be spending much more time with her in the future.

My grandmother came by to meet her newest great-granddaughter. There are currently four generations of us girls.

My Uncle, Grandmother, Mom, & Uncle

Our friends, Mike & Julie, stopped by Wednesday afternoon! We also can't wait to meet their little one on the way!

Gaynell was also finally able to meet Brylee (a lot of people were expecting her arrival much earlier, including me!) Her husband, Mike, came by later that night after work, but apparently missed getting their picture together.

John & Kim came by Wednesday night on their way out of town! We appreciated all the people able to stop by, despite it being so close to Thanksgiving.

Our friend, Jordan, stopped by to meet her hopeful future daughter-in-law. Bryan's not too excited about all these baby boy suitors Brylee has already!

Greg Pirtle happy to welcome Brylee as an honorary member of the youth group at church.

The Thompsons stopped by to say Hi Wednesday evening.

And late Wednesday night, some old family friends from when we used to live in Dallas, stopped by to meet Brylee and spend time with my parents. The Cole's and my parents go way back to when we were children.

Thanks to everyone who came by, and all your well wishes!