November 16, 2014

Selah June is so lucky to have Jeremy Evans as a daddy.  His evenings and weekends are so precious during this time of year.  Working in retail during the holiday season is not the most fun job in the world.  Managers deal with corporate demands for store overhauls, employee demands for schedules that accommodate family holiday plans, and customer demands for the greatest deals and the best service.  He spends more time “on the floor” this time of year, in the store on his feet.  His back is sore, and his spirits are low.

That’s what makes his dedication to this little girl so much more meaningful to me.  I know how hard it is for him to get up every morning and face another day as the Christmas countdown continues.  I know the need he has to zone out in the evenings after work to TV to games on his phone — to anything that provides mindless entertainment.

Selah June provides entertainment, but she takes every ounce of attention one can muster.  She needs her daddy to hold her and bounce her and rock her and sing to her and kiss her and feed her and change her and bounce her some more.  And he does it…

Today, in the late afternoon, she had a bit of a fussy period.  Her daddy took her outside… the place where she feels most zen.  She blinks and coos to the wind on her face.  She looks all around at the lights and the trees.  And she listens intently to all the different sounds of coming winter in the country.  She finds her peace.

Her daddy loves her, and he wants her to find her peace — even at the expense of his.

November 15, 2014

We’ve been working on sleeping in our co-sleeper on our tummies.  It’s getting easier and more frequent, but it’s still a work in progress.

November 12, 2014

I DID IT! (Imagine me doing the happy dance.)

I DID IT! I DID IT! I DID IT!………

I DID IT! I DID IT! I DID IT!…………

I DID IT! I DID IT! I DID IT!……….

Last night, in the face of great fear and trepidation, I took the jump and put her down on her stomach in her co-sleeper.  WHAT???!!!!????  Are you kidding me?  No, I am not kidding you.  (I am talking to myself, apparently, but I am not kidding you.)

With Jeremy passing out on the couch trying to stay up for New Girl, I shhhhhh-ed and shhhhhh-ed and shhhhh-ed until I thought I most certainly would pass out and then I leaned alllllllllll the way over into the co-sleeper (just like Jessica and Grammy taught me).  I laid her down on her belly and immediately placed my hand on her back to reassure her.  She wiggled and wiggled her little butt, unsure about this new sensation on her face that we big people call a bed.

And then I walked away.

Wow.  That’s huge!  That’s probably the biggest thing I’ve ever done in my life.  Don’t judge.

Oh my word.  I just gave myself chills.  I think I’m on some kind of adrenaline and caffeine high, particularly potent because of the chronic lack of sleep.  Okay…  So it was totally scary.  I wasn’t sure that she was breathing.  At certain points, I did have to put my hand in front of her face to make sure air was going in and out.  But at this point in my life, it was TOTALLY WORTH IT!!!

She slept like a rockstar from 7:30 until 12:30 (5 FREAKIN’ HOURS!!!!!) and then from 2:00 until 4:45.  That’s what I call AMAZING.  I will hold onto this victory.  I will add it to my vita.  I am a gladiator.

November 10, 2014

We started referencing The Wonder Weeks over the weekend.  Apparently, Selah June is in her week 5 “leap.”  She is developing mentally quite a bit this week.  She is experiencing intensified senses, and this makes her tired.  She’s more clingy and fussy right now.  The brains behind this book suggest that the best thing to do is to hold her and let her nurse on demand.

For the last few days, I’ve tried to hold her through naps and while we went about our day around the house.  The Mobi and Ergo are awesome inventions.

We are doing better.  She has a few freak outs everyday, but they are fewer in number and shorter in length.  The snuggles have been good.  (And, no.  That’s not a picture of my boob.)

November 8, 2014

November 8, 2014

Dad was home.  Sweet hallelujah!  I’ve never appreciated Saturdays so much.

We had a really full day of arts festival, football, fun with nieces and nephews, farts, and spit up.  Selah June looked cute from the moment she opened those big blue eyes, and Mom had to take pictures all day long.  We’ll post pics from the arts festival when some people text them our way.  (You know who you are!)

Here are our favorites from our day at home.

November 6, 2014

Today Selah June and I sat and visited.  I thought about her little budding personality.  What is she going to like?  Will she be a picky eater?  Will she like history or math?  Will she want to play sports or do crafts?  We sat and snuggled.

I thought about how much I love her… and what I want for her — the world.  She is a little ray of sunshine.  No matter what her joy ends up being, she is mine.