Screaming Mya+Vacuum Cleaner= Happy Mom

While we were in the hospital, we had to watch some DVD's on babies and parenting. I honestly didn't pay attention to much of it, but one part of it said that babies find hairdryers and vacuum cleaners to be soothing. Seemed kind of strange to me. One day last week I had Mya in the baby carrier and was doing some housework. I turned on the vacuum cleaner and BOOM, she was out like a light!

I ended up going back home to Eau Claire for a few days while Greg was working. Mya had not been sleeping well at night and then the next day didn't want to take naps. Needless to say, she was a bear when it was bedtime! She was obviously overtired and was screaming...not typical of Mya. (Overwhelmed didn't even begin to describe how I felt!) I told my parents about the vacuuming incident and we decided to try it again. Not kidding, within moments of turning on the vacuum cleaner, she calmed down, closed her eyes and fell asleep. For whatever the reason is, she loves the vacuum cleaner. I'm guessing we're going to have the cleanest floors in Winona if this keeps up!

Tu-Tu Cute

Oh, this poor child! I hope that some day she likes dressing up as much as I enjoy dressing her up! They have the most adorable clothes out there for little girls and it's pretty hard to resist! The pictured outfit reminded me of my very first ballet costume with the pastel colors on the ruffles.

Smile Like You Mean It!

Mya woke up especially smiley today. Until this point, I haven't been quick enough to capture one of her toothless grins on camera. But this morning I quick grabbed the camera and waited for her to smile. She was throwing smiles around left and right! It made my day!

Where Were You a Month Ago?

I remember very vividly where I was! On Wednesday Mya turned one month old! Holy cow! It seems like forever ago that I was wanting so badly to have her and here we are one month into it.

Mya has been such a joy in our lives. We continue to get to know her and her personality. It's pretty amazing that for someone who cannot talk with us (unless you count squawking), we know so much about her. Like she purses her lips when she is done eating--you can't shove anything else in there because those lips are zipped tight! She loves to be held and will snuggle into anyone's arms. She isn't exactly patient if she is hungry and you aren't ready for her. She's very laid back when it comes to having her diaper changed. She likes laying on her changing table.

She is a beautiful little girl and we are enjoying every minute with her...even if it's at 2 a.m.! I know it is so cliche to say this, but I find myself wondering what life was like before Mya came around!

Sweet Child O' Mine

Who doesn't love naked baby pictures? Here are a couple I took from this past weekend!

Strike a Pose, There's Nothing to It...

Well, my mom and I got this brilliant idea and thought it would be super cute to put Mya in an Easter basket. She did look really cute, but that darn head and neck (as strong as they are) wouldn't cooperate. Later on, she may kill me for having stuffed her in an Easter basket, but for now, she's too young to have an opinion!

Snuggle Time

Mya was able to spend time with lots of people on our trip home to Eau Claire! I'm pretty sure she spent most of her time wrapped in a fuzzy blanket and being held by someone! She loves being held and will find her "sweet spot" to nuzzle into. It's hard not to want to hold her all of the time!!

Grandma Shelli and Mya

Uncle George visiting with Mya

Grandma and Grandpa Manning

Hanging out with Uncle Noah

The Babysitter Has a Baby!

On Friday I went to visit Sherri and Carlee Jo. I met Carlee Jo YEARS ago when I was her playgroup teacher in college. Throughout the years I continued to babysit for her and she was the flower girl in my wedding. She and Sherri have been a big part of my life. It was so fun to see Carlee Jo now holding my daughter and wondering if Mya has a new babysitter? :) It was like coming full circle seeing Carlee Jo so grown up and mature. I hope Mya turns out to be just as special, talented, and unique as Carlee Jo is!

Carlee Jo (first kiddo) at our 2003 wedding

Carlee Jo and Mya

Carlee Jo, Mya, Alissa and Sherri

Family Dinner

I went up to Eau Claire for a few days while Greg worked. On Thursday Mya and I went over to Christopher and Tina's for dinner with the Telisak clan. Mya slept pretty much the entire time, therefore making it easy for her to be a snuggle bunny. Mya doesn't know it yet, but she's going to have so much fun playing with all of her cousins!! They are all a riot...William told me that I smell like a unicorn. Not sure if that's good or bad, but previously he told his mom that she smelled like unicorn poop. I guess I'll take smelling like a unicorn versus unicorn poop any day!

Trajan, Nadya, Mya, and Liam

Grandma Pat with Mya and Trajan

Auntie Tanya getting in some snuggle time

Walls

Mya's vision is really kicking into high gear! Her room has black, red, and white paint on the walls, all of which are really stimulating colors to babies. Whenever we go to change her, this is what happens...she stares at the walls! And for some reason she likes to smile when she sees them!

The Baby Whisperer

On Saturday, my mom and my Auntie Beck came down for a visit. Becki had not met Mya before and I think Becki was quite smitten with her! Mya was too. She's been tracking a lot with her eyes but hasn't really been focusing on our voices. Well, that changed when she heard Becki's voice. She stopped whatever she was doing (mainly eating) to watch Becki. She was completely fixated on Becki and was perfectly content to just stare at her! She even managed to get some smiles out of her!

Becki (a.k.a. The Baby Whisperer) and Mya

Alissa, Mya, and Auntie Beck

Alissa, Mom, and Mya

Mya with the Sisters!

We loved having you come and visit!!!

Two Weeks Old!

Look out world, Mya's two weeks old today! The first picture was just after she woke up, and the second picture was taken literally 5 minutes later! As you can see from the second picture, she is just thrilled to be two weeks old!

A Visit from the Hull's

On Monday we had some visitors! Tina, Pat, Patrick, Tatiana, and Gregory came down to spend some time with us and meet Mya!

Rub a Dub Dub, Mya's in the Tub

Well, since Greg happened to be off on Monday I figured it would be the best time to tackle Mya's first tub bath. Two nights prior we needed to do a quick sponge bath and she screamed bloody murder. I have to say that I was a bit apprehensive at what the tub would bring! At first she wasn't too keen on the idea, but as you can see things got a lot better and she actually seemed to enjoy it!

Let's Start at the Very Beginning...

Introductory Note: Well, this is my attempt at becoming tech savvy! My hope is to update this blog weekly, or as time allows, with pictures and stories of life with Mya!

As most of you know I had an awesome pregnancy, that is, until the last month when I began swelling up like a hot air balloon and my blood pressure began to steadily rise. On February 14th I was put on half-day bed rest and four days after that I was put on complete bed rest. It was not an ideal situation for me, but by that point I wasn't feeling "normal" and was totally burnt out. My midwife scheduled an induction for the morning of February 24th.

On the morning of the induction (I wasn't kidding when I said I looked like a balloon!!)

Pitocin was started at 9:00, my midwife broke my water at 10:00 and the contractions came almost instantly. Around noon I got an epidural (my lifesaver) and life was good! They turned the Pitocin off around 2:00 because my body was doing what it was supposed to be doing. I knew going into this day that it probably would be a long labor. But, at 4:10 I was ready to push and at 4:33 p.m. little Mya Michelle made her entrance into this world! She weighed in at 6 pounds, 10 ounces and 19 1/4 inches long.


I know that we are a bit biased, but we think she is absolutely beautiful!