Update on the Girl!

Camille is now 6 months old (7 months old on the 20th)! I have been back at work for just over a month. I thought being just a mama was hard--being a full-time working mama is atleast 300% harder.

Camille is such a blessing to us. She is (finally!) out of her swaddle, sitting up, laughing out, eating lots of solid food (so far she hates anything that is a green vegetable), and seems to be adjusting to me going back to work. My biggest struggle with her has been the fact that she is a very shy baby. Who would have EVER thought in a million years, that I would have a shy baby? Certainly not me! Camille cracks everyone up, because if she is meeting you for the first time (or even the 10th)--she will stare a hole through you, and if you are REALLY lucky, she will give you a small smile. Now, if you are covered in fur and bark--she will laugh, giggle, squeal and try to pull your hair out. Callie is her true love. Thank goodness, Callie loves her too, and wants to lick her all over (which Andy hates, I allow it a little bit--but don't tell him:)). I count my blessings every day that that is my biggest struggle--because it could always be something so much worse. And most of the time I secretly love that she only wants me sometimes, because I know that will not always be the case. Hope you are all well, and a BIG shout out to all my working mamas out there. Let's be honest, though, most of you working mamas don't have time to read my blog--am I right?

Top Ten

Here are the Top Ten Things Every Pregnant Mommy Should Know That I Learned From Another Mommy, a Book, or for Myself

(shout out to Whitney (due June) and Lauren (due September) Holla!!!!)

1. If you plan to breastfeed, put lanolin on "the girls" every day from 6 weeks before your due date on (it softens everything up and keeps things from cracking and drying up)

2. At the end of your pregnancy you cannot reach anything (sorry to be gross, but I'm talking about the restroom here)

3. You don't have to wash the babies clothes in Dreft, you can use a cheaper detergent like All Free & Clear. I have started to wash all of our clothes in it, so even when I just need to wash one or two things of Camille's, it can go in with the rest of our stuff.

4. Soothie pacifiers suck. Even though it is the pacifier that all the books I read recommend because it is more like mom's nipple. Seriously? I can't imagine anyone's nipple shaped like that.

5. Gather up as many menus from area restaurants that deliver or carry out and have them at your house. I would go so far as to store their numbers in your cell phone (actually your husband's cell phone, since he will be the one picking it up!) Some moms who are totally organized freeze things ahead of time (go Rachel!)--but if you are feeling like a beached whale like I was...get the menus.

6. No matter what the Pregnancy Police* says: YOU CANNOT SPOIL A NEWBORN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

7. The first 2 (I really say 3) months of your babies life--just survive. Don't freak your freak about schedules and sleep schedules, it will make your life a living...well, you know. But, if scheduling makes you feel better, go ahead and give it a whirl, it works for some people.

8. The Fog. For atleast the first 3 months of your baby's life, you will live in what I now call "The Fog". You don't know who you are, if you are nursing--you feel like a cow, none of your clothes fit, you are tired beyond your wildest imagination, you don't know what in the world you are doing, you cannot remember ANYTHING...I could go on and on. When your baby turns 3 months old, it begins to lift (or it has for me). I hear from other mommies that around 6 months old, you really feel alot better.

9. My amazing friend (and Camille's pediatrician) Dr. Kelly Lathem gave me the best advice when I called her freaking out because Camille hadn't slept in several hours (which all babies do:)) and I was quoting one of the 10 books I had read to her. She said, "Bethany, babies don't read the books." That hit me like a ton of bricks and I have quoted her to myself and everyone else since.

10. Don't feel bad about watching your babies eyelashes grow (or anything on his/her body for that matter). Your house could be falling apart all around you, but take the time to play with your baby (or just stare at them, like I do). Like Scarlett O'Hara says, "Tomorrow is another day". Just clean your house tomorrow (or next week, like me).

I really could do a Top 50, but I don't mean to overwhelm anyone--like you don't already feel that way. These things are what have worked for me and you will figure out what works for you and your baby!

*Pregnancy Police: The total strangers who approach you and give you advice about what you should do while you are pregnant or even after. I don't consider myself the Pregnancy Police, because you chose to read my blog, I didn't force it upon you:0)

Naked & Illiterate

Yes, my friends, I titled my blog, "Naked & Illiterate". When I was pregnant, my father-in-law saw me drinking a cup of coffee at church and he told me research had shown drinking coffee during pregnancy caused women's babies to be born naked and illiterate. I was instantly horrified and just as I headed off to pour out my coffee, I realized that ALL babies were born naked and illiterate! That one took a few minutes for my pregnant brain to grasp. How funny is that? When Camille was born, I looked at the nurses and told them I had drank too much coffee because she was naked and illiterate. It took them a second, too!
Camille is in the middle of her third nap of the day (Go, girl! We are entering hour #3!) and I have been surfing the Internet trying to figure out how I am going to make more money. I ran across Amazon Associates. If you link to products from your blog and people buy things from Amazon.com--you get commission from it. I keep thinking about all these books and products that I recommend to everyone having babies--could I use my blog to make money? Highly doubtful, but I'm going to look into it further and let you all know. Now, on to more important things...the girl is stirring, I'll check back soon!!

Mommy-licious

I'm thinking about changing the name of my blog to "Mommy-licious: Everything you need to know about being a mommy that NO ONE will tell you". I think that is probably already the name of a book somewhere--but since only 15 people read my blog, it is probably okay. Okay, I just took a second to Google that and about 800 things popped up...oh well.

As of today, Camille is over 3 months old. I don't know how many weeks, so don't ask. The fact that I can remember my entire name is a miracle within itself, keeping up with my child's age in weeks is asking waaaaay too much. The experience of having a child has been such a dichotomy. How can one little miniature person be both the best thing in your life and the most challenging? One second she is crying her eyes out because she is hungry and stuck in the car seat--I'm not about to get her out. #1: Unsafe #2: Illegal and I really don't want to have to call the Department of Family and Children Services on myself since I am a mandated reporter...silly counselor job. The next second she is smiling the biggest, gummiest, most beautiful smile in the whole world that melts any frustration I have away (as seen in the picture above!). She is getting more and more fun everyday. I'll admit it, we were not the best of friends for a few weeks. She went through a phase where she would cry like I was trying to chop her leg off with a butter knife everytime it was time to sleep (naptime, bedtime...basically anytime she was a tiny bit sleepy). Thankfully, that only lasted a few weeks, then we were best of friends again. This Mommy thing is so much harder than any job I have ever had in my entire life. It's amazing how I can feel like I have been working my tail off all day, and still be in the same position at the end of the day when Andy gets home as I was when he left in the morning.

Here are just a few of the things I have learned already:

1) I don't think twice about wearing an outfit that has been thrown up on (down the front and back--how do they do this?!?!)

2) I can brush my teeth and 2 minutes later try to remember if I have brushed my teeth. Since I cannot remember, I go feel my toothbrush to see if it is damp.

3) I have had to buy scented deodorant for the same reason, I can't remember if I have put it on and I couldn't smell the unscented kind.

4) I can be ready one hour ahead of time and it doesn't matter, we will still be late everywhere we go.

5) Camille has 150 burp cloths, but I can never find one when I need it.

6) I have never loved before like I love Andy & Camille.

7) I feel sheer joy when I hear one tiny laugh.

Hope this helps some of you mommies out there and mommies-to-be--I've decided that I am not going to sugar coat this new job I have, it is important to be honest so everyone will know that they are not crazy (or maybe I am the crazy one to lay it all out there...). Now that I am off for summer vacation, I will hopefully have more time to update. Blogger takes so long for pictures, it is easier to see new ones on Facebook. HAPPY SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!

I have a 3 week old!

Well, I finally took the pregnancy ticker off of the blog, because I am not 42 weeks pregnant--I am the mother of a 3 week old precious baby girl, Camille Rae Nix. Camille was born on Saturday, February 20th at 2:55 pm. She weighed 6 lbs. 11 oz. and was 21 inches long.

Everyone always wants to hear everyone's childbirth story, so I guess I will share mine. On Friday morning, I began having contractions which were very sporadic. Andy took me to the doctor's office to have them monitor me (so I wouldn't have to sit in triage at the hospital). They monitored me and checked me...nothing, so they sent me home to rest. I was very upset at first--then realized that the end was truly near and I would rather have early labor at home than in the hospital. So, I went home for the day, and Andy went to work to tie up a few loose ends (because he was planning on staying with me the first week we brought Camille home). We ate Chinese food that night (because my friend, Marcie, had eaten the same Chinese food the Friday before and went into labor, so I was trying to help things along:)). Well, it worked, that night at 12:30 am, I woke up having a contraction and then felt a POP! I thought Camille had head-butted me, but actually, my water broke. When I got up to go to the bathroom, I had to make a run for it. I went ahead and woke Andy up and took a shower. Off we went to the hospital. By the time we got to the hospital, I got out of the car and had to book it to the Women and Children's center because I was gushing stuff everywhere...just like on TV. I have never met or heard of anyone whose fluid ruptured like mine--it was crazy!

They quickly got me into a room and I was already asking for my epidural (which is a little piece of heaven here on earth, let me tell you). The nurse anesthescist who put it in was amazing, I didn't feel anything but the numbing shots they gave me--I told her that she had extra jewels in her crown in heaven for relieving me of my pain. From then on, we napped and watched the DVD's I brought of "Friends". We were thinking this whole ordeal was pretty laid back, and then I started pushing...2 hours later, Camille was here. "2 hours?!?!?" you ask? Yes, 2 hours. I was such a wimp, plus she was face up and apparently this makes the entrance into the world much more difficult for Mommy when she is pushing. I also had a fever (which Camille had as well when she came out) and she had had a bowel movement before she came out--so things were very interesting there for awhile.

She has now been in our lives for 3 weeks. Andy stayed home with me the first week, my mom the second week, and this past week, I was on my on (sort of--I've had lots of help with my wonderful mother-in-law, Sandra). I am amazed day by day of how much I love this little girl. I was also surprised to find out how much more it made me love Andy--something no one ever told me. It is crazy to know that there is a little piece of both of us in Camille, unreal. I also have to wish Andy a Happy Birthday--he will be 31 years old this Wednesday, St. Paddy's Day. Here are a few pictures of Camille. Enjoy!

38 weeks and counting...

We are 38 weeks and 3 days pregnant as of today--I cannot believe how fast the time has flown. Chris Anne and my mom came down for the weekend and helped me do some last minute things (like getting a pedicure, eating Mexican food, and shopping at Target--very important!). As the song goes, "My bags are packed, I'm ready to go..." I am fully prepared to have this baby at anytime. Unfortunately, she is not ready to come just yet. I have been checked at the doctor's office the last two Mondays, and no dilation or effacement--I had an ultrasound on Monday and they are guess-timating that she weighs 6 lbs. 15 oz. She should be an average size little bundle. I go back to the doctor tomorrow to be checked once more, I am expecting the same news...no progress. I'm trying to enjoy my final days of getting to be selfish and hanging out with Andy and Callie, it's too bad I feel like a beached whale trying to get around:) February 25th: here we come!!

And Now Presenting...BELLY PICS!!!

Okay, all you belly stalkers out there, here are some (clothed) pictures of my belly growth! You'll notice by the end of these pictures, it is just a belly pic, no face in it--I have now banned belly pictures with my face in them--for any of you that have been pregnant, I'm sure you can understand! I hope you enjoy these alot more than I am enjoying posting them for the world to see!19 weeks

23 weeks--on the beach at Jekyll Island when we went down for the UGA/Florida game

27 weeks: Thanksgiving Day

Me and the grandmothers at my family & church shower in Gainesville
28 weeks