Easter

I have three words for you:

Jell-O Egg Molds.

My mother-in-law found them and ordered them. I got the lucky chance of making them! Did you know that if you add evaporated milk to Jell-O, it turns opaque? These were the best Easter Eggs I have made yet!

So we told ourselves (well, I tried to tell myself) that I wasn't going to always splurge and buy something cute for Hailey just because we see it at the store and like it. We didn't need to waste our money like that, we had plenty of clothes already for Hailey. So what do we end up doing Saturday night when we're at Walmart last minute buying Jell-O? We buy a dress for Hailey. But it is SOOO cute!!!! Oh, she was a big hit at church. What better way to bring your daughter to church for her first time than to put her in an ADORABLE dress for Easter and let everyone oogle over her? *smiley face*

We also bought tights, and I have to admit. I think the tights are my favorite part! They are HUGE on her, but she'll grow into them, and they still get the job done. But the tights totally complete the outfit and hide her scrawny legs (sorry, Hailey, but you know they are) and just make her look like a beautiful, church-going baby on Easter. I love the pink and the ruffle sleeves!

My sisters did also buy a cute outfit for Hailey for Easter, so this is what she wore after church. It's got a cute tutu and it says, "My First Easter." This little girl sure gets spoiled by her aunties!

So anyway, Saturday night we dyed eggs at Scott's parents' house, and then Sunday we went back up and had Easter dinner with them. First potato salad of the year! Not to mention the deviled eggs were delicious!

Afterward, we just hung out. The kids did an Easter egg hunt and I really wanted Hailey to "participate" but I think the sun was just a little too bright for her to be outside. So we watched from inside instead.

We busted out the Wii and played Mario and Wii Sports. Grandma and Grandpa Benson also gave Hailey her first Easter gift from them and Scott his Reese's peanut butter eggs and Egg-gums (these nasty bubble gum eggs that come in little cartons that they get every year). It was a very nice Easter, but Hailey was done by the end! We also visited my family, too.

Last but not least, don't forget about our Savior. There are some very good articles about the Atonement in the Ensign this month that I suggest everyone read. I have loved focusing on different aspects of the Savior's Atonement for us this month. Go to www.lds.org and watch the movie they put up called "He Is Risen." Scott and I watched it together last night and it was very, very good. I felt the Spirit very strongly.

I hope everyone had a Happy Easter!

Oh Day

It's getting harder and harder to be productive. I find I don't even shower until 2pm some days. I need something to keep me going, like a rigorous schedule (pronounced shh-edule) or a project or something.

I keep getting drawn in to Facebook or Solitaire on my phone and it's really becoming a sad addiction. I make a to-do list, but somehow I'm lacking the motivation to get it done?

How can I overcome my cabin fever?

On the up side, Hailey is 5 weeks today. In the big scheme, 5 weeks really don't seem like that much, but when you're a new mom with a new baby, 5 weeks is awesome! She's starting to smile for real, I think. Not just gas. 

Scotty went back to work on Thursday. He says it actually hasn't been too bad. He was off work for ONE MONTH. That is a long time for a paternity leave! But then again, not many new fathers have a baby come early and have to take extra time off to make sure they see her in the NICU as well as help mommy at home when baby comes home. Well maybe they do, I don't know.

We saw HUNGER GAMES when it came out. That was awesome and I really want to see it again!

And my cousin Brittney got married on the 23rd. I think I already mentioned that, but just thought I'd say it again.

I really wish I could think of other things to say, but sadly, I am at a blank. That probably means I should get off the computer and go finish my to-do list. I have this killer chicken salad recipe that I am making today. Ever thought of putting sour cream and sugar in your chicken salad? Neither did I. And it is to die for.

I can't wait til Hailey is old enough to take her to the park!

Happy Spring, everybody.

Growing

Dear Hailey,

When we first brought you home, you were two weeks old and tiny! We have already had lots of fun and learning experiences as parents with you. I have learned to cherish 4 hrs of sleep at night. If that, even. I looove and look forward to my shower every morning now to wake me up from a long and tiring night. You eat really well, which makes us happy. You also have a very good sense of day and night, which makes us very happy. Sometimes you stay up for almost 4 hours during the day! You are just content to lay on your blanket and stare off into space.

You hardly ever cry, and when you do, you scream first just to let us know you are there. I think I've only ever heard you cry-cry like...three times. I am very grateful.

We finally found some clothes that fit you! Shout out to the Carter's brand - I really love those onesies. One month old and still wearing newborn size!

We can really tell you are growing, though, and we love it. Your neck is getting so strong. You can even turn your head to the other side during tummy time! You can also roll onto your side from your back, but that's not hard, especially when you are getting your diaper changed.

It's nice to finally hit the one month mark (/two weeks for us) where things are starting to fall into a schedule. It takes a lot of stress off of me. I like being able to get into a routine. Granted, you may throw us a few curve balls every now and then, but what baby doesn't!

One last thing...I still can't believe it was already a month ago when the Dr was telling me to head on over to the hospital to induce me. I was in so much shock. I can remember every detail of that week, from the dr's appt right up to being discharged from the hospital....without our baby. Two weeks of visiting you in the NICU, two weeks of getting to know very nice nurses and making friends, two weeks of scrubbing in for 5 minutes every time we entered the NICU, two weeks of not having baby Hailey home with us.

And now, here you are, and we couldn't be happier (and tired-er!). We love you very much!

Hello

Hello, I know it's been a little while since I've posted about anything interesting. I'm sure you all are dying to know how our first week with Hailey went, along with adorable pictures. Well, I'm not posting right now to do that. I'm just posting right now to tell you I am still alive, we all are here, Hailey really still is cute as ever, and oh, thank you everyone for your input on breastfeeding tips. It really helped!

Also, shout-out to my cuzz Brittney for getting married yesterday. I just love her and her new husband Ryan!!!

I Need Help

To All My Mother Friends:

I need your help.

Here is my dilemma:

As we know, Hailey was in the NICU for 2 weeks. For those two weeks, I pumped. Because I pumped, I was able to get my supply up to quite a bit - about 5-6 ounces a session. To be honest, I am very proud of my supply. I love having the excess milk to store in the freezer for when I have to go back to work.

The lactation consultant at the hospital said that when I start breastfeeding Hailey, I would have to pump afterward every time because Hailey obviously doesn't drink 5-6 ounces yet and I need to empty out my breasts each time. For me, that just drags out each feeding session - nursing and then pumping. It didn't sound appealing to me.

So I decided that I would just skip the nursing and just pump only. Hailey was already used to a bottle, so I figured it would be the easiest.

And it has been. I mean, we've only had her home for, what, 5 days? But still, I would love to just go to straight breastfeeding so I wouldn't have to sit there for 20 minutes and pump and hope that Hailey doesn't decide she wants to start crying while I am indisposed.

But here's the deal, and this is where I need your help. If I go back to breastfeeding (Hailey is already really good at latching and eating her fill, at least the few times we have tried it), and if I don't pump afterward, I know that is going to reduce my supply just down to what she needs. Question is, will my supply come back up as she grows and needs more? I know mothers have a really good supply for the first 3 months and then it drops off, so I am really afraid that if I go to breastfeeding and reduce my supply to just what Hailey needs and not what 20 minutes at the pump gets, I won't be able to get my supply back up. I really do need that extra milk storage for when I go back to work.

Question number two, because I can get 3 oz per side, Hailey only needs to eat at one side and be good. Should I still pump out the other breast or just leave it until Hailey is hungry again and use that side? Will this cause any clogged ducts, engorgement, mastitis? I don't want that, nobody does.

I really am afraid of screwing myself up. I know this is sort of like a TMI for everyone, but it really is legit that I just want to know what I should do, want to know what you have done, want to know the facts, want to know what will make it easiest (ha) for my sanity and for Hailey's. But mostly mine.

So, any advice you have would be great. Leave a comment here, or message me on Facebook, or text me or call me. Don't be offended it I don't take your advice, but I sure would love to listen to what you have to say anyway because frankly, I just want to know what's out there.