Victory!!!

I have SOOO much updating to do on here but right now I only have time to share our recent VICTORY in Josiah's sleep situation....he is finally SLEEPING INDEPENDENTLY! woo hoo! That's right, he is sleeping in his crib for naps and at nighttime and we aren't having to hold him anymore. He has been doing this for about a week and half now! It is such a wonderful break for us...you can't even imagine. He has gone back to eating twice in the night instead of just once, but that is okay...we actually get to sleep without holding him now! We are so happy! We feel like we kind of have our life back! You would think that now that he is napping without being held that would mean I'd have more time to blog...but I am actually busier in a different way...now I am busy showering, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, etc. when he is down for naps...it's wonderful! It's crazy how much you can appreciate doing those things when you haven't been able to for a while. Anyways...just wanted to share the news...gotta go feed the little man now!

Birthday Tributes and Christmas fun!

Happy 26th Birthday Lindsey!

I have the most amazing sister in the world, she is my best friend, biggest prayer warrior, loyal thru and thru confidant! It is so indescribably precious to have someone who shares your every joy, every concern, every excitement, and every sorrow at almost the exact same level that you do just because they love you so much. That is how my Lindser loves! She is one of a kind...a precious jewel! I am so thankful for you Linds! Jay, Josiah, and I adore you!

Today is our sweet boy's 2 month birthday!

He is just growing and changing so fast! We are having so much fun with him, he has so much personality already, we think he is going to be outgoing just like his daddy! He also doesn't want to miss a thing, he will just sit quietly gazing intently around the room and really locking in on things and people's faces...you can tell he is studying and just taking things in. Jay and I fall more and more in love with him everyday and find so much joy and laughter in just watching him.

Josiah's first Christmas Tree!

We had fun taking him with us to pick out the tree for his first Christmas. He slept the whole time we were there until I turned him around to take this picture and he woke up briefly. It will be even better when he is older and actually helps us pick the tree!

Snow!!!

This was our backyard last Wednesday night! We didn't take the little man out in it though cause it had been a rough day and he was finally sleeping and we did not want to wake him getting all bundled up! Surprising for Houston, huh?!

Picture Tag

I was picture tagged by Roxanne...you have to open your pics folder...go to the fourth folder...then to the fourth pic in that folder...post it and explain it and then tag four more people to do the same. No cheating on the folder or the pic. Below is my pic! Yikes!
So...for the explanation. This was in 2006, I had read in some magazine that you could achieve big glam curls by twisting your hair up while wet in small buns all over your head and sleeping on it. So as you can see I tried it out. I don't remember what prompted us taking pictures like this... we are just weird...Jay fro'd (sp?!) out his hair and we spent like 30 minutes putting the camera on a timer taking weird pics like this and cracking up hysterically after each one...oh the fun of digital photography! Then we went like that over to his parents house to watch movies.



So....

Lindsey, Meredith West, Jill, and Robin... TAG, YOU'RE IT!



Follow the instructions I mentioned above the pic...can't wait to see yours!

Good things...

Thanks to all who have been praying for us. For a quick update...despite pumping off foremilk before feeding Josiah is still having some green diapers and seems to have tummy upset, we will see what the pedi says at the 2 month visit next week. I am nervous he is going to put me on a dairy elimination diet to rule out an allergy to dairy...no fun! But if it helps my boy I will do it of course. BUT...this post is to share the positives and the GOOD stuff...so here goes!

1) Josiah slept for about 5 1/2 hrs last night (being held but nonetheless it was a long stretch) he skipped a feeding for the first time! Then I got him to sleep in his bassinet for 40 minutes during a nap this morning! I was able to wash my face, brush my teeth, get dressed, cook breakfast, and unload the dishwasher...it was AWESOME...amazing the small things we take for granted! Progress!

2)Josiah has gotten to be so much fun to interact with during his awake time. He is becoming so happy...especially when his tummy is full...he laughs out loud, talks and coos a lot whether it's to himself, the nearest toy in sight, or to us...which is his favorite! He also has started making the cutest sad face I've ever seen...once I can capture it on camera I will definitely share...he pouts out his bottom lip just before he starts to fuss and it just melts my heart.

3)Developmentally he has learned to push himself up during tummy time and is even trying to roll over to the left side, he holds his head steady when sitting up or on our shoulder, he bats at things with his hands, follows us with his eyes even turning his head to keep us in sight when we walk by or move in front of him, he can bear a good amount of his weight on his legs in a standing position, and although he hasn't yet grasped a rattle, he definitely gets a good grasp on my hair and shirt...no dangly earrings for me for a while! He is loving his play time!

4)Last night he met his first little buddy close to the same age...Rowen Stone Murphy...born last week to our church friends and neighbors, Bryan and Lindsay. Lindsay is one strong woman...she delivered that 8lb 11oz baby with no drugs! We live on the same street and Josiah and Rowen are 6 wks apart so it will be really fun watching them become playmates! Another couple friend of ours from church is due on Christmas, they are having a little girl and also live right down the street from us. We can't wait for her to get here!


5)Thanksgiving was a blast! We went to Abilene and celebrated with Lindsey and Jason. Then Friday went to Seymour and celebrated my grandma's 90th birthday! She so does not seem 90...she showed up to her party in heels with a flower on them, hot pink nail polish, and a sassy skirt suit...too cute! Josiah met lots of family for the first time on this trip, it was really fun! Then Saturday we went to see ACU's football team play in the playoffs! It was the furthest they have ever gone in a season...National Quarter Final game and was really exciting...sadly they didn't bring their best game and they lost, but it was still a really fun experience...and Josiah's first football game!

Josiah finally met his Uncle JJ and he loves him!

It was so special getting to share Josiah with Grandma Martin...my only living grandma!

Josiah has on a football sleeper for the occasion...and sleep he did...right through the whole game! Go figure...doesn't want to sleep at home but at a noisy football game...out like a light!

6) And biased as I may be...we just have a BEAUTIFUL and HANDSOME baby boy...just look at him! =)

Of course...we have to have a surfer outfit for our little man!

Quick prayer request...

Please pray for Josiah and I. We are having a really rough time with breastfeeding issues. He started having some green diapers last week and acting really fussy and gasy. This often indicates an oversupply of milk where the baby gets full on foremilk and doesn't get enough hindmilk. It can also indicate that he has a virus...and Jay and I both had some kind of weird stomach stuff going on last week. I am having a difficult time discerning which it is. And if it's the oversupply issue trying to decide which method to use to address it. I don't want to give up on breast feeding at all...and don't plan on it, but I am VERY weary and discouraged at the constant battle we seem to be having with it. Please pray that things will level out, that I will have discernment as to what exactly is going on, and that I will have the strength emotionally to persevere and that Josiah starts feeling better. Also...please pray he starts sleeping on his own some. Or at least that he will sleep next to us in bed versus us having to hold him all night and all day when he needs to sleep. We LOVE cuddling him and love that he wants to cuddle so often...yet we are desperate for more rest. Books I've read on sleep lend me to think he may be four months before we see much of a change since he has been colicky and has reflux...but we serve a God who can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine...so please join us in praying for relief sooner as we aren't even halfway to four months yet.

Pray for our strength and for us to maintain a joyful, hopeful, and thankful spirit for our precious and most amazing little gift!

Pics from Thanksgiving to come...not sure when...but as soon as I get a chance!

Happy 1 Month Birthday Josiah!

Our sweet boy is one month old today! I can't believe how fast this first month went. In some ways I am thankful because it has been somewhat of a rough go for us the past couple weeks...but I am also sad because time is passing so quickly already, he is growing up so fast!

Don't ya just wanna kiss that face?!

He is really working on finding that thumb...I hope he does so when he loses his paci at night or during naptime he can pop that thumb in there to self soothe!

So...I mentioned that we have had a rough go lately...to sum it up as quickly as possible...poor little guy has reflux, my milk supply was low for a while, and sweet little love wasn't sleeping hardly at all for a couple of weeks and was so overtired and strung out. BUT...he is now on medicine for the reflux and it has helped a lot, my milk supply is back up and plentiful, and we are working on the sleep thing. I have him on an eat, play, sleep schedule feeding him about every 3 hours. He is sleeping a lot now...it is just that he isn't sleeping well on his own, he sleeps like an angel as long as we are holding him, or I am wearing him in the sling. We can sometimes get about 45 minutes out of him laying down on his own...but for our own sanity we have given in to constant wearing or holding so we can get some sleep. I am hoping that once he gets caught back up on sleep he will start sleeping hard enough that we can put him down for longer periods of time. He is sleeping in his swing right now...we will see how long it lasts...well, there he is...less than 30 minutes.

Here are some sweet pics from when we gave him his first bottle

And I love this he always puts his hands over his face.
I just love him and love being a mom!

Newborn Portraits and Sweet First Moments with Family!

Last week we took Josiah to have some newborn portraits taken. We were at the studio from 9:30 to 1pm and he cried almost the whole time so we weren't sure how the pictures were going to turn out. But she actually managed to get some really precious ones in those few moments he wasn't crying! I thought some of you might want to see...click the link below and it will take you directly to the slideshow of the pictures. Enjoy!

http://studioainsley.com/?slideshow=blackburn

Here are some pics of family with the little man!

YaYa (my mom)

Josiah loves talking to YaYa! He is really starting to interact...it is so fun! He had his first interactive smiles this week too!

Lovin' from Papa Bear (my dad)

Snuggled up with Aunt Lindsey!

Out like a light in Grandma Freckles arms! (Jay's mom)

So relaxed!

Old Dude (Jay's dad) working his charm on a screaming baby!

So happy to meet Uncle B and Aunt Brittnie! (jay's brother and his wife)

Nanny and PaPa (jay's grandparents)

Jay's Uncle David

My Aunt Cheryl

My Aunt Vicki and cousins Kayla and Bethany

Mia, Grace, and Benjamin (my cousin Bret and Jen's kiddos)

One of my best friends...sweet Meredith!

And more pics of our little mister!Play time with mommy! He was such a happy boy that day!

Yes Robin...Jay is wearing dress clothes! His new job requires it! =) Ha!

My new favorite thing to look at...my handsome boys together!

Had to document pics of us sleeping...it happens so rarely that it is a big deal to note when it does! =) Notice Jay holding him in one pic and he's in bed with me in the other...until the past day or so that is the only way Josiah will sleep. But we may have discovered that the bouncer works wonders...we will see!

Okay...hope you aren't so pictured out by now that you don't visit the newborn portrait website...they are just to precious to miss!

Yay! I finally finished a blog...thanks to my little love being so happy and willing to let me put him down to play and sleep today!

In Love with Our Little Man!

I've been itching to get some new pictures up but just can't find the time to do it...imagine that!? :) It has been so busy, Josiah eats every two to three hours...mainly every two, so finding time to do anything between feedings have been difficult. But we are both doing well. He is nursing like a champ, it has come realy easily which is a huge blessing! Now if he could just start sleeping in a little longer stretches at night so mommy wouldn't be so sleep deprived we would be good to go! There are so many pictures I want to share, but here are a few of my favorites from our first week! Haven't had a chance to download pics from the second week yet.