2 Month Monster

Taylor is HUGE!  We took her in for her 2 month appointment and she's a whopping 10# 10 oz mammoth!

(We were expecting maybe a 10# even)

Well, here is what she's been up to:

At the blessing, 3 weeks ago, she was wearing newborn sized clothing.  Now, she is barely squeezing into her 3 month sizes.  IN 3 WEEKS!  I told her not to be depressed about going up in sizes.  I told her it's "normal."  She was concerned about accelerating through her wardrobe so quickly though (she really has some cute outfits she's only worn a couple times).  I tried to convince her that it's mostly muscle (using the "muscle weighs more than fat" approach) so that she won't be self-conscience.  This worked for a little while, but the other day, while I was changing her diaper, she noticed a new roll on her thigh, and since has insisted on an all liquid diet.  She was looking into a juice cleanse, but I convinced her we should do milk instead.

She likes to keep an eye on us now.  She'll follow me all around with her eyes (probably to make sure I don't eat fatty foods.  She keeps telling me "A moment on your lips, forever on MY hips!").  

She really does not like it when we're outside and I wear sunglasses.  Good thing we're in Seattle and I don't need them often. 

Sometimes we can get smiles out of her now!  She is most smiley in the morning after a good nights sleep... well... good for HER!

She always has this right hand up... Eric says it's b/c she'll be a basketball player and she's practicing her shot.

Look at this blanket Eric got me for Mother's Day!  I love it!

So Grandma Teichert brought this little bunny out when she came to visit during the bed rest stint.  Since then, it has been sitting on the corner of the pack n play and EVERY TIME I put Taylor in there she just stares, smiles, and talks to it.

 

In current news:

She got a shot at her last Dr appointment.  I had myself all prepared for weeping, wailing, gnashing of teeth, etc.  I was all set to nurse her as soon as it was over and then had a day planned of cuddling and warm bath.  Well, as usual, Taylor completely surprised me.

When the nurse tried to give her the rotovirus (oral), Taylor just spit it out.  Over and over.  I'm pretty sure the nurse got about 1/4 of the vaccine in her.  Nothing she did could get Taylor to drink that stuff.  I'm amazed because it fit with her diet regimen (liquid)!

She has a delicate palette.

Then, when the nurse gave her the injection, TAYLOR DIDN'T EVEN FLINCH.  I'm pretty sure she didn't even know it happened.  So when the nurse asked if I was going to use the room to feed her I said, "I guess not..." and we left.

After I got done bragging to everyone about how AMAZING and TOUGH my daughter was, and took this picture to commemorate the day,

Taylor woke up from a nap and started

SCREAMING!!!

Every time she moved her little leg she just wailed and wailed.  It took all my calming techniques combined to get the tiny one to stop crying.  It was the saddest thing I've seen, yet.  She screamed until she was horse and then just screamed and screamed some more.  We had her on a steady regimen of Tylenol and held her all evening (making sure that leg did not move even a millimeter).

Eventually, after she settled a little (we told her the shot was actually part of the HCG diet), we gave her a deep, warm bubble bath and Daddy got in with her.  She kicked her little legs like crazy (which I thought was good, to get that stuff circulated out of her little thigh) and was pretty happy.  I noticed that Eric had a leg gently resting over her, and when I asked why, he told me it's because she is so buoyant now, it's hard to keep her under any amount of water to keep her warm.  I laughed, but stopped short because I'm pretty sure Taylor had one ear out of the water and heard what we were saying because she started fussing again.

We tried to tell her that this was going to be a good thing.  We're just getting prepared for Lake Powell this summer.  Ya know, just in case the worst-thing-in-the-world-happens and she doesn't have a vest on, she'd float.

She just mumbled something about "child protective services" and "incompetencies."

Utah!

A few weeks ago we all went to Utah for Eric's brother Jeff's wedding.  Of course I was stressing the whole time about taking my tiny infant on a germ-infested airplane, but we made it without incident!

Jeff and his wife, Brandi, got married in the Manti temple on April 27th.  It was an amazing sealing.  The Sealer was so cute and said some very sweet things.  We're so excited that Brandi is in the family!  I'm hoping that her and I will have lots of fun in Boise this summer.

At the temple.
We left Taylor in the foyer with some temple workers while we went in for the ceremony. She was so good and well cared for.  Before we had even left the entry way to head back to the sealing room, I turned around to find no less than 4 little ladies all circled around her just fawning over her.  They say she just kept her eyes open and looked all around the whole time.  I think that with all those kind ladies dressed in white surrounding her, she thought she was in Heaven again.  :)

Unfortunately, immediately after the ceremony, Taylor decided that she was STARVING and had to be fed THAT INSTANT!  We only got a few photos in with the photographer before I had to go feed her.  Hence, no pic of us with Jeff and Brandi.  :(

Since Eric's family was all in town, and we were staying at Jen's house in Lehi, we decided we should do Taylor's blessing that weekend.  

(Mormons bless new babies to have their names included on Church records.  The father also includes blessings upon the baby as the Spirit directs him)

Unfortunately, we decided this pretty last minute so not ALL my family could make it out... :/  We still got a pretty good turn out though... Grandaddy & Grammy Miller, Grandma & Grandpa Horrocks, Grandma Miller, Jen, Jeff, Ezra, Grandma & Papa Teichert, Aubrey + Kids, Kregg, Andrew, and Hannah.

Grandpa Horrocks with Taylor for the first time.  He kept saying, "I forgot they made them this small!"

We did the blessing at Jen's house on Sunday afternoon.  Eric said the sweetest little blessing for Taylor (she is very loved) and then Jen prepared a whole lunch for everyone.  Yes, Jen did everything... pretty much single-handedly... at the same time she has just started working full-time and has a husband with a broken hip.  Then, I decide to come stay at her house for a week, with a newborn, and then invite everyone I know over for a huge Sunday meal.  Seriously, in this sisterhood, she definitely got the short-end of the stick.  I really need to start pulling my weight...

Here are some pics of Taylor in her blessing dress:

We're so blessed to have such wonderful family and a healthy baby girl.

Life is good.

All About Taylor

Since Miss Taylor has consumed our whole life, it is only fitting that she consume the blog now, too.

(Although I'll be sure to continue writing anecdotes to embarrass Eric from time to time.)

Here's some of the things to love about Taylor:

She was born with LOTS of dark hair

She has FIVE birthmarks!  You can see two are on her little face (forehead and under nose).  The pediatrician says they should go away over time and probably be gone by the time she's two.  We think she's pretty cute with them.

She loves her daddy.  He spends lots of QUALITY time with her:

 

This is how tiny she was: 

 She's already told me how much she loves me:

She likes her binky,

 and loves her bath.

 

But nothing makes her happier than a warm glass of milk, of the human variety.

Our Little Love Bug's Arrival

This post is LONG overdue...

On Friday, March 9th I was allowed to stop taking the meds that were preventing the labor and begin trying to assimilate into society after my bed rest ostracizing.

The next Wednesday was when everything started happening...

I had just come home from a Primary Presidency meeting and was trying to help Eric cook some Cafe Rio inspired chicken salads.  It's probably around 7 PM.  I'm standing in the kitchen trying to contribute to our partnership when I just feel so tight and uncomfortable I HAVE to go lay down.

I'm laying there for a few minutes when I get up to use the restroom and feel something wet.  But it wasn't what you're thinking... it was:

BLOOD!

So I rush out of the restroom and tell Eric,

"We're going to the hospital, NOW!  Just take everything off the stove and I'll grab the bags."

A long story short-

I finally convince the on-call Dr that this bleeding is not normal (by displaying a disgusting trail of blood behind me wherever I go), and they admit me.

I cannot believe my belly was that huge!

Of course, they're trying to get the pain associated with the contractions I'm experiencing to stop, hoping that maybe it will stop the labor (I'm so at the end of my rope with always trying to "stop labor").

After they give me the morphine (yes, MORPHINE), things start to settle until suddenly,

Taylor kicks me so hard

I say to Eric "Whoa, that HURT" and then I feel something like a rubber-band snap inside me and

BAM
MY WATER BROKE!

I tell the nurse I want an epidural ASAP (I had no foolish notions about being a hero).  It's about 12 AM.

I have some of the worse pain imaginable before that epidural gets in, but as soon as it started working I was in such a state of bliss I could not thank the Drs enough.

After about an hour (1 AM) I'm at a 10 and we're pushing. It was very mellow and relaxed, my Dr was great.  Then, at 2:18 AM on Thursday, March 15th:

Taylor Rae Teichert

6 lb 4 oz