Visit from Above?

Just to preface this story for those that don't know...my mom passed away about 5 years ago from pancreatic cancer. Before she died, we talked about the day that I have children and how much she wished she could be here for me! Mom and I were extremely close and we miss her SO much!

Anyways, the most amazing thing happened the other night! We keep the monitor volume all the way down..and every once and a while I roll over and turn it up to check on Hunter. Well, I had a dream that when I turned it up...I heard Hunter crying and my mom was singing to him!! This woke me up...so I leaned over to check the monitor...and Hunter really was whimpering. So, I went into the nursery to feed him. This part is hard to explain...but the room had the strangest feeling of stillness and the silence was unusually deafening! You know that feeling on the back of your neck when someone is starring at you...well, I had that feeling all over my body! I had the chills everywhere! I was totally being watched...I could feel the eyeballs! I got so spooked that I put Hunter in the crib and literally RAN out of the room-slam the door closed-I ran and jumped in bed and threw the blankets over my head!!

Of course, Hunter was a little alarmed by my reaction. So, I woke up Scott and said, "Go burp Hunter...I can't go in the nursery!" I tell Scott the story and he says, "Bran, I would think you would want to go back in there!" Honestly, the feeling was SO REAL that it totally spooked me- so I tell Scott, "I can't go back in there until the sun comes up!" Scott gets up to burp Hunter...with an "attitude" because he thinks that I totally lost my mind! Next thing I know...Scott quickly comes back in the room with a totally different attitude! He says, "Okay, I'm kinda creeped out....I totally got a whiff of your moms smell on Hunter's head while burping him!" So, Scott and I lay there with our eyes wide open and feeling guilty that we both "threw" Hunter in the crib to protect himself!

The next morning, I tell my dad the story...and he says, "Now, that is strange. I could have sworn I heard the doorbell ring in the middle of the night, but no one was there!" My dad woke up to the "doorbell" and after walking around the house...no one was there!

Believe what you want...but, my "gut" tells me that my moms spirit was making a presence! I have no doubt that Hunter and my mom have a special bond...mom got to meet him, hug him, hold him long before any of us!! I tell Hunter every night as we say our prayers, "Heavenly kisses and blessings from your Angel Zsa-Zsa!"

Hunter is 6 weeks old and eating every 3.5-4 hours...he has only been waking us once during the night! He is totally getting a personality and he looks exactly like Scott. He smiles often and loves to make eye contact.

Day with Dad!

Scott, Hunter and I are officially "nsync" and on a schedule! We have our nighttime routine, morning routine and daytime regimen. There is about an hour of "flex time" in our schedule...meaning, sometimes he eats at 8:01 and sometimes 8:50 but we seem to always stay within the hour! Hunter has many facial expressions...these pictures are his mealtime faces before and after he eats.

This is making my life much easier while planning outings. Hunter can hang with the girls like a pro and hang with the boys like a champ! Poor Hunter has been to more "girl gatherings" than any boy should have to go to!

However, sometimes mommy just wants to go alone...this leads me to tell you about the day that Scott was in charge! I was gone for about 4 hours-Scott and Hunter were left to much needed "guy time!" So, Scott took Hunter to the car shop while his car got worked on...Scott was very nervous when they said, "Looks like it is going to take an extra 20 minutes." Scott's response, "Well, his feeding is in 15 minutes and I don't want him to get fussy!" That is when Scott discovered the "Power of a baby!!" All of a sudden, his car was ready and pulled up front!

Scott decided to take advantage of this...off to get a haircut (with stroller and all!) Scott walks into Sports Clips on college game day. The place is filled with guys watching football and talking sports...Scott walks in with a "snap-n-go stroller" and a lime green car seat! The "Power of a baby" works again...the place was full, but the lady looked at the stroller and said, "I can take you now!" The guy to the left and right were talking "field goals and kick off returns"...while Scott was talking "bottles and strollers!" Regardless, Scott got a fast haircut and lots of attention from the lady hair stylists!!

So, I get home to a hubby with a clean car and fresh hair cut while Hunter is still in his pajamas, dirty diaper with one sock on!! Scott says as I walk in, "Man, taking a baby with you is awesome!!" Goes to show you why God made girls the mom!!

1 month

Hunter is 1 MONTH OLD! Before we know it, Scott and I will be in our driveway waving to him as he drives off to college (LSU, of course!!!) Scott and I are really loving our new life as we seem to be falling into a routine. Scott is a very hands on Dad and a wonderful husband. I am enjoying my new job as mom! However, my new 8 lb. boss is pretty demanding- but also so stinkin' cute! Hunter is almost making it through the entire night, and I am starting to get many hours of needed "straight sleep!"

I have 2 stories for you from this week:

Story #1: Flipper!!
Scott and I are getting used to Hunter the "Grunter!" In fact, I don't think I even hear it anymore;) So, right when we think that we can handle the grunting.....we meet FLIPPER! Hunter has a new noise that Scott and I refer to as Flipper because he sounds exactly like Flipper the Dolphin!!! Usually, Flipper is "pre-grunt." There is no purpose for Flipper...Hunter is not in pain, not uncomfortable, not hungry, etc! He just wants to be "unique!" I will say...Flipper is not annoying, it is actually really cute and funny! Flipper along with grunting has resulted in Scott and I turning the monitor OFF at night! Let's hope these sounds dwindle away- or he will never have a girlfriend!!

Story #2: "Man, motherhood is intense!"
So, before Scott and I learned it was best to turn the monitor off...we had a disastrous night! A night full of window shattering grunting, Flipper, tons of dirty diapers, and a squirmy eater that wasn't "latching" on...all of this led me to have a moment of thought- "I can see why some Mothers go crazy!" So, at 2 am I yell, "SCOOOOTT, come here!" Scott flies around the corner like Krammer enters Jerry's apartment on Sienfeld and says, "WHAT?" I say, "I am DONE for the night! You figure everything out and don't wake me up!!" So, next thing I know...I wake up at 7:30 to a silent house. My first thought, "Oh no, who died!" My second thought, "Wow, Scott did it-all on his own!!" I open the bedroom door and it truly looks like a tornado blew through the house. There are pillows everywhere, blankets on the floor, Hunters swings and chairs all over, dirty diapers left on the changing table. Scott is sound asleep on the couch with Hunter the Grunter sleeping in his bouncy chair! I shake Scott and say, "What in the world happened here?" Scott says in a very sleepy voice with one eye open, "Man, Motherhood is intense!!"

Scott and I are truly having the "time of our lives!" We have never laughed so hard together, problem solved together, or loved each other as much as we do now! Needless to say, we have learned the true meaning and value of life and we don't take one tiny detail for granted....we are so blessed!

One day! Hard to believe that one day Hunter's sweet little hand will be like his daddy's!!

  

Pumpkin Patch fun!!

I had to buy Hunter's costume from PetsMart because he is such a little guy! So, my choices were limited...either a pumpkin or a "Biker Dog"!! Must say...he was the cutest pumpkin in the pumpkin patch!

80/20

Hunter is now 3 weeks old, he is a fabulous baby! We have established a schedule and we try our hardest to stick to it. He loves a schedule...like his momma! However, it is VERY easy to get off schedule...like when we have to do 3 diaper changes in one session!! I think Hunter is ready for feedings every 4 hours (as compared to every 3). We will slowly make that transition! He is growing at a "incomparable rate" according to the doctor. He is already almost 2 lbs. over his birth weight. She thinks he will level off soon, let's hope or else I will have some seriously strong arms!

The question I get asked the most...How is motherhood? My answer has been "80/20!!" Meaning, 80% is wonderful and priceless while 20% makes me wonder, "why did we do this?!" Here is the breakdown of the 80/20, and sums up pretty much how our life is going right now:

80%...Wonderful!!
His little hands, priceless smile, when his eyes focus on your face, soft skin, when he sleeps on my chest, watching Hunter and Scott together, always having someone to talk to, his perfect lips, his endless trust in me, watching his hilarious face expressions, 'some' of his funny noises, makes me feel like I have met my true purpose in life, I feel closer to my mom than ever, his ability to stay wide awake and happy while entertaining himself!, practicing patience, our walks, envisioning his future, the calmness he makes me feel, he is a very independent fella, dressing his cute little body, his precious yawn, big eyes like his daddy, his long arms, me and Scott's true teamwork, our delicious dinners (still being brought by our friends,) our pediatrician, he hardly cries, the ability to "just be with him!", the feeling of giving/receiving unconditional love, going through this experience with many of my girlfriends that also have babies the same age (boys too,) the silence during midnight feedings (alone with my Angel and our prayers!), and best of all...Being a MOM!

20%...What did we get ourselves into!!
His GRUNTING, I'm always responsible for feeding (when can they pour their own cereal?), change his diaper-then, oops, change again and again in 5 minutes!, constantly having to think about 'time,' no longer 'in charge' of my own days/errands, less "Brandi/Scott" time, our LONG burping sessions in the middle of the night, my hands always seem FULL, getting peed on every diaper change!, the days fly by, spit up, pee, poo, snotty bugers, and most annoying of all, again...his grunting!

I know the percentages are going to change with each phase of life...I also know that "You don't appreciate the good times unless you experience the bad times!" So, this is all part of our journey...the good, the bad, the smelly, the cute and the ugly...and I am LOVING every second!!!