Neeley Anne Mitchum Update

Angel Baby Update - Sweet Neeley Anne

Neeley Anne - January 9, 2010 (sleepy baby on a cold January day)

My how time goes by. Several weeks ago I updated my blog, I just never posted it. I pulled it up tonight and realized that has been almost three months ago. A few weeks turned into three months that fast. I realize my life is busy - I just spent an hour writing in Neeley's journal - and now I plan to update my blog so everyone can see what we are up to. So much has happened since then I dont want to forget anything else - I am going to continue to update this blog. I need to just write funny things that happen and daily life because if I dont more time is going to pass and I will not have it recorded.

Today - Neeley and I stayed home, we both had colds and I didn't want to take Neeley to daycare after she had a fever over 100 degrees over the weekend. I feel much better tonight, however not 100%.

Neeley is growing so fast everyday something different. Most days Neeley wakes up and gets in the bed with Tony and I for an hour or so - it has become our morning ritual. She goes back to sleep in our bed, I know - I am sure there are lots of people who say we shouldn't let her lay with us, but it is our most special time and we aren't going to stop! Neeley coos, laughs and squeals with delight in the mornings - she un-like mommy is a morning person! I do however, love mornings with my baby girl. Daddy goes to work and we have our time together - she watches me get ready for work, while she plays with her toys and sucks on her beloved paci! If I walk out to get a refill of coffee she gets upset - she is too funny. She is so like me, doesn't like to be left alone at all! She is amazing and I am proud to be her mommy!

Neeley Anne is doing this at 5 months

Rolling over both ways but she loves to be on her tummy!

Loves her mommy and daddy holding her (all the time) haa

Grabs everything

Puts everthing in her mouth

Loves her swing

Loves her jumper - but only if you are watching her play

Likes to watch mommy and daddy eat dinner sitting in her bumbo on the table

Smiles all the time

Talks and squeals in delight

Wears 3-6 month clothes

Wears a size 2 diaper

Wears at least two outfits a day

Drinks 5 oz of formula

Eats rice cereal and LOVES it

Reaches for me when I walk towards her - melts my heart

Loves to snuggle in mommy and daddy's bed

Loves tummy time and loves to FLY - (arms out - legs out)

Hugs me when I pick her up

Loves her paci and cries in her sleep when she looses it

Sleeps 8 hours at night - sometimes more, sometimes less

Written 9.29.09 -

Update - Neeley Anne

It has been quite a while since I have written on my blog. I keep meaning to do it, but the days just fly by - and I love spending it with my baby girl.

Here is the story of Neeley's birth...

I was scheduled to go to the hospital (Beaufort Memorial) at 10 pm on August 3rd to be induced. That night mom and Lissie came to town, we ate dinner and Tony and I headed to the hospital. What an exciting night it was. I was having back labor - and it was hurting pretty bad but I was anxious to start the process. See, Neeley didn't come early - August 4th was my actual due date and I was ready to have her here.

After we ate dinner, my favorite - beef stew with white rice - Tony and I headed off.

We got to the hospital and we had so much stuff it was kind of funny. We got to our room and I just knew that I could wear my cute jammies and Tony was going to have a cot....Oh no - Tony had an OLD chair that did recline but didn't look very comfortable. I had to put on the Ugly hospital gown, they are serious about that. At least I had a bed and felt bad that he was going to sleep in the chair....We got all settled in and they started my pitocin drip around 12 or so. My doctor had promised me that I would be able to get up in the morning, take a shower - and get ready for delivery, well that is not what happened. My water broke at 5 am - after that I started getting contractions - but it was not that bad...but I couldn't sleep after that. Nurses came in every few minutes - at 7 am, I called my friend Sarah Brock and asked her if I should get my epidural (my contractions were 3 minutes apart) she said, UMMM, YEAH! So around 7ish my doctor, Dr. Norton came to check on me, she said I would probably deliver around 5 pm, so everyone was told we had time. Next I got my epidural - that was a huge relief, no more pain - so Tony and I got some much needed rest.

Next thing I know - my nurse comes in the room to check my progress and says - I have gone from 2cm dialted to 10 - JEEZ that was fast. She tells Tony to go have lunch, it is around 11. She seems a little shocked, not concerned but we get the idea it wont be too long, little did I know it would be less than an hour. Tony comes back around 11:30 - I am putting on makeup - a little aggravated that I didn't get my shower, my hair is greasy and I have no makeup on. So I put on a little mascera (not waterproof) there are pictures of all of this. Lissie helps me get my makeup on and then they head out for a quick bite to eat.

They were not gone 10 minutes - it all happened so fast. First the nurse comes in around 11:40 and says I am +2 cm, who knew that even existed. She says - it is time to push. WOW - Tony calls my mom and sister - they are downstairs about to eat, remember they just left the room and tells them to come we are about to start pushing. Dr. Norton comes in - my two nurses come in, they put me in the stirups and I start pushing.

Mom and Lissie walk in - after I have already pushed three times, I guess that was kind of shocking, they left the room with me finishing up my makeup - and walk back in 10 minutes later - and I am pushing, it is kind of funny! I can still see the look on their faces - mom grabs the camera, Lissie is to my left and Tony is to my right. I pushed for 10 minutes and then - we had our Neeley Anne at 12:04. It was a whirl wind of emotions, I couldn't believe it happened so fast.

I had always imagined all my family in the waiting room - waiting to hear, Neeley was born - but no - Dad and Ruth were still in Columbia and Tony's parents were at their house - Donnie was going by the plant and then on his way - but everyone was shocked it happened so fast.

It was a wonderful day and a wonderful beginning - Tony was so sweet. Very supportive during the birth and so sweet when she was born. He looked like an old pro - it melted my heart to see him love her so much. I can't explain how I felt when I held her for the first time, all the worry I had went away - she was here, happy and healthy!

We stayed in the hospital for a total of three nights, two nights after Neeley was born b/c I was concerned about her feeding. I was glad we had the support of the hospital and I was still in some pain so it helped to have there.

We came home on Thursday August, 6th and went to the doctor on Friday - Neeley had dropped down to 7lbs 11 oz. They said there was no cause for concern that her weight had gone down, she was a little puffy - and I figured I was retaining water - so was she. Just to be sure, we went back to the doctor the following monday to make sure she had gained weight and she had - she weight 8lbs 1 oz.

Mom stayed with us for almost two full weeks - every day we would get up and take pictures, it was a wonderful time to have her here. I needed her support and child expertise to help me. Mom is the Baby Wisperer! She showed me all kinds of things, but most importantly she showed me understanding - and that when the baby cried she needed something.

When mom left we both cried and cried - she left on a Thursday - Raven and Rita came on Friday for the weekend and we headed to Edisto on Sunday - so I knew it wouldn't be long before I saw her again. Rita and Raven were great. Raven cooked us dinner two nights it was so sweet! They both - loved on Neeley and helped me so much - it was special to have my friends spend that time with me and Neeley. When we got to Edisto Beach, I dont even think I held her. She met her cousins, Ayden and Ally Bryn - and hung out with Annie, Papa, Aunt Lissie, Aunt Raven, and of course her mommy and daddy. We spent the week - playing with Neeley.

We have gone on several trips - we have been to Orangeburg to see Annie, Papa, Coco and Chloe - and we just got back from Columbia - we visited Fuzzy, Grandma, Lissie, Nanny, Aunt Kathie, Kellie, Conner, Raven, Heather, Morgan Kate, Melissa and Caroline. It is important to me, for people to know Neeley - I want her to know all of the people who love her.

Today is September 27th - Neeley will be 8 weeks in two days. Where had the time gone? I can't believe it really! She is beautiful and so much fun.

At her three week checkup - Neeley weighed 8 lbs. 13 ozs, which is only two ounces more than her birth weight, but she dropped down to 7lbs 11 ozs so it is normal for it to take time to get back up to that weight. We go back to the doctor this week for shots, I am sure that will be hard for us to do!

Today - 9.27.09 she found her hands - she has been starring at them all day. Her eyes get crossed and she just looks at them. Neeley started smiling at week 5 but now at week 7 she is smiling all the time. When she hears Tony or my voice she smiles and it sounds like she is trying to laugh out loud. She is a happy baby and only cries when she is hungry or gassy! I love being a mommy, it is by far the best thing I have ever done. Tony and I are so in love with our sweet "Angel Baby" I keep saying - I realize why people have large families - I already know I want a big family - three kids would be perfect!

I took some time off from the blog but have decided that I want to keep this up - to write down how I feel so that Neeley can read this when she is older. I want to make a book of her first year - with the blog in it as well as pictures - so I am going to keep this up.

At 7 weeks - Neeley Anne is

Smiling big smiles

Coos all the time

Makes sweet noises while she sleeps

Eats about 3 or 4 ozs each feeding (every three hours)

Loves her Swing and Bouncer

Sleeps in her basinett right beside mommy

Loves her mommy and Daddy holding her

Very curious - looking all around

Holding her head up very good

Spitting up (trying to figure this one out)

wearing a size 1 diaper (Pampers Swaddlers)

Going through 3 outfits a day - lots of spit up

Sleeping 4 hours a night - sometimes 5 hours