Sunday, November 20, 2016

Dear Bria-

For the past two weeks, you've become a pro at rolling over onto your stomach.  However, you don't know how to roll back over to your back.  Tummy time is not your favorite and so you've been a mighty cranky baby.  Somehow, you just can't seem to stop yourself from rolling onto your tummy.  This week, you've finally seemed to enjoy tummy time more.  Still.  It's been rough sailing.

You've learned fear this week.  I've scared you a number of times and you make the most adorable pouty face.  I'm guilty of purposely scaring you to see that pout.  It's adorable!

A couple of weeks ago, we came down with thrush.  After taking your medicine, you still have it.  So I'm going to call tomorrow and see what else can be done.  Sigh.

I love you, Bria,
~Mom

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Dear Bria-

When I was going through morning sickness with you, my brushing habits weren't what they should have been.  Brushing my teeth induced vomiting and I just. couldn't. handle. it.  I have paid dearly for that-- thousands of dollars worth of dental work and pain plus my anxiety has been troubling me since this has all happened.

As I looked at you in wonder today, I can testify that all of this grief has been worth it one hundred times over.  I love you that much.

I love you.  So much.
~Mom

Monday, October 17, 2016

Dear Bria-

Oh how you are changing!  First off, you've learned to grab.  Specifically, you've learned to grab hair. My hair is quite thin and so this is actually a little stressful for me, funny enough.

If you were more aware, you would actually be feeling worse than me.  While my hair is thin, your hair has disappeared!  You lost most of your dark hair on top and look like an old man (or at least what your dad will look like in five years).

You still have some lighter colored short hair on top but it does not stand out like your longer dark hair did.  I think your hair will follow your brother's.  You'll have light brown hair for a couple of year before it goes darker like your dad's.  I'm actually pretty excited for your brown hair.  That's saying something because before you came along, I was a die-hard blonde hair fan.

Dallin and Akarie have been quite instrumental in helping you figure out days and nights.  They wake you up every morning when they wake up.  Since I'm the last one out of bed, I've been slightly helpless at their intrusion.  Plus, I don't mind them waking you up all that much.  If they're awake, I have to be awake anyway.  Might as well have all of us up!

Also, you are an excellent sleeper.  You've been consistently sleeping through the night and spoiling me dreadfully.  You fall asleep between 9-11 every night and usually don't wake up until Dallin and Akarie disturb your slumber in the morning around 7:30am.

Unfortunately, you've had your first taste of formula.  I had a dentist appointment and no ability to pump.  Nana had quite the time getting you to accept formula!  At first you were too hysterical to drink it.  You fell into an exhausted slumber.  When you awoke, Nana was quick to get the formula to you before your emotions got the best of you.  You drank a whopping 2 ounces.  I'm sure the experience was quite odd for you.

You've had a huge first this past week.  You've rolled over!  I can't tell you the exact date because I'm not sure.  The first time you rolled over, I thought it was a fluke.  Same with the second and third.  I figured I had put you on your stomach in just the right position.  So your rolls never felt real.  However, you have turned over four or five times.  So I think I can officially say you've rolled over.  Today you rolled twice in a row.  I busted out the camera and of course you stopped!  But I did get a roll on tape last night!

You have collected a couple of nicknames.  Dad and I are super sensitive to calling you any nickname we call Akarie.  We don't want jealousy issues on her part.  Considering that we've called Akarie almost every girly nickname in the book, it has proven challenging to find pet nicknames for you!

Nana told us the day you were born that she wanted to call you "Breezy".  I think that's a cute nickname and that's practically all I called you your first month of life.  I've backed off that a little now as I really would like you to be known as Bria or Bree.  I still think Breezy is really cute though!

Dallin and Akarie rarely call you by Bria.  At first they preferred Breezy.  Now they've each found their own pet names.  Dallin often calls you Bree Bree.  Akarie has somehow come up with the nickname of Breester.  I'm not going to lie, not my favorite nickname!  But it's cute to hear them affectionately call you these names.  From experience, I can say that babies tend to outgrow their nicknames.  None of the nicknames we called Dallin and Akarie have really stuck around.

I love you Bria!
~Mom  

Sunday, October 2, 2016

Dear Bria-

We put out your baby floor mat and hung some toys up on.  You went to town!  I loved watch you kick your legs in excitement and start reaching for the toys.  It's fun to see you start to interact with the world around you.

In other news, you are a hair grabber.  Yep.  Not so much fun.

You have found your fingers this past week, specifically your thumb.  I really don't want you to be a thumb suckers.  But you find it so determinedly that I don't know how to stop you.  Thanks to finding your thumb, you've started sleeping through the night.  You thumb suck yourself back to sleep when you wake up, I'm assuming.  Not to complain, but I actually would love for you to wake me up once a night.  As it is, I wake up at seven in the morning in lots of pain!

Still love you lots,
~Mom

Friday, September 23, 2016

Dear Bria-

You know what I love about you right now?  How unaware and unashamed you are.  You're smiling all of the time now and boy do you look goofy with your gummy grins!  But that doesn't worry you.  You smile giant smiles anyway.  You're also starting to practice talking and you don't seem overly concerned about sounding just right or not making a mistake.  You do your own thing and you're completely unaware of what other people think of you.  I wish we could all stay babies in that way.

You fell asleep in my arms two hours ago and I didn't have the heart to put you down until just now.  Babies grow up so fast.  So I held you and only two things made me put you down in your crib.  The driving motivator was that I'm tired and want to sleep.  But the second motivator was that I wanted to write down the memory so that I can have it forever.  Thus, this letter.

I love you so much Bria,
~Mom

P.S.  Your coos got really loud the other night and you were practically yelling.

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Dear Bria-

Breastfeeding is still not going well for us and I'm frustrated.  Busy circumstances have prevented me from seeing a lactation consultant but I hope to make an appointment next week.  Although I have little faith in lactation consultants after they weren't able to really help us in the hospital.  I'm secretly hoping that your tongue tied.  I doubt it though because you've had two lactation consultants look in your mouth.

You have started smiling and being very responsive to my facial expressions.  Also, you're starting to coo.  If I say "Ahhhh" to you, nine times out of ten, you'll talk back.  I love our little conversations.

We're staying at Nana's this week while we wait for our new (to us) apartment.  I love the time I get to spend focusing on you and not on having a clean house, making dinner, etc...

You've already gone on your first plane ride.  We went to Utah on September 3rd for my sister, Janaye's, wedding.  Your first flight was awesome as you slept the whole time.  I thought your second flight would go even better.  We had a full row to ourselves and I even got to bring your carseat.  However, you were fussy the last hour and I spent my time urgently trying to calm you down.  I must have done a good job because the passengers behind us and ahead of us commented once we were landed that they didn't realize they were near a baby.

I love you,
~Mom

P.S.  You met your Grandma Curtis and she spoiled you with affection.  She held you and held you and held you!  There's a reason why my mom birth 9 children...

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Dear Bria-

The thing you are most complimented on is your head shape, strangely enough.  You have a very pretty round head.  I've never been one to value head shape, but I must admit after hearing so many compliments about yours, I'll be quite sad if you get a flat spot in the back of your head like babies tend to do.

The past 10 days have been a bit of a struggle for your mom.  Dad's been gone nearly all of the time  thanks to school and football.  While you are not a fussy baby, you are a demanding one.  You constantly want to be held and it's very difficult for me to get anything done.  Right now, you are lying on my chest while I type.

Breastfeeding has been slowly improving.  I'm still looking forward to the day when it becomes effortless on both our parts.  However, it is easier and I've even dared to breastfeed you while lying down.

I love you, sweet Bria.  I can't remember what life was like without you and that's a good thing.

Love,
~Mom

Sunday, August 14, 2016

Dear Bria-

So far, you have been a very good baby.  You mostly only cry when you are hungry.  Sure, you're not happy if not being held but that's just something that comes with the newborn territory.  Plus, I LOVE to hold you!  Already, you are getting so heavy and I just want to enjoy my tiny Bree Bree (as Dallin loves to call you).

You are currently sitting in my lap, between my arms as I write this letter.  Your eyes are getting bluer and bluer with every passing day.  They started out really dark but I had no doubts that they would lighten up and be blue.  With Dad and me both having blue eyes, you have little choice.

I love you Bria,
~Mom  

Friday, August 5, 2016

Dear Bria-

You are 12 days old and I'm sorry that this is my first letter to you ever.  I've been vlogging my pregnancy and that took up a lot of time.  Right now I feel like I'm writing to you on borrowed time.  Dallin is dying to go to the store (mainly because he earned a Hot Wheels car) and you're lying naked on the floor, so far patiently waiting for me to dress you.  Now Dallin and Akarie are fighting.  Sigh.

Your fist ten days have been an adventure.  I must admit that I'm still uncertain of your name.  It's really hard to name somebody.  I hope you like your name.  I love that we have the same middle name and I hope you one day love that, too.  Megan is a really pretty name besides that.

You've been a very good baby.  You rarely cry.  Yes, you do want to be held almost all of the time, but I don't mind.  I love holding you.  In fact, thinking of you getting older makes me slightly sick to my stomach.

We went to your two week check-up yesterday.  I was VERY nervous.  You needed to have gone back up to your birth weight.  Your older brother had failure-to-thrive and I've been a paranoid mommy ever since.  Imagine my relief when you weighed in at 9.65 pounds!  Way to go Bria!!!

Nursing has gone okay after a bumpy first few days.  I was a wreck on your second day of life because you were hurting me but the lactation consultant couldn't see why that was the case.  Your latch was perfect.

The next day, another lactation consultant helped us and noted that you had a high palate which would make nursing harder for us.  That proved true at fist.  Now I feel like we're doing pretty well.  Your latch isn't perfect but I'm not dying of pain, either.

Akarie just jumped over you and I about had a heart attack.  How do little siblings ever survive?!  I'm very excited that you're a girl Bria and that you and Akarie get to be sisters.  I have a lot of sisters and they're the best!  I hope the two of you will be best friends.  You're also super lucky to have an older brother!  I always wanted an older brother and I had to wait until later in life to have one.  Lucky you to start off with one!

I love you sweet Bria,
~Mom