Stealing the show...

Last Sunday, we took Manning to church for the first time! I was so excited to take him and let everyone meet him. I'm so proud of my little man!! I was a bit nervous, though. I hoped that he would be "good" during church and not get fussy because I really wanted to stay the whole time. I'm not doing the whole nursery thing for a while. I just don't feel comfortable doing that yet. I like having him with me.

When we got there, we sat by my Mammaw Joyce, and I think she was just as excited as me that he was there. By the time I had put his carrier down, we had a huge audience. People were all around us wanting to meet our little guy. He just looked around and didn't really know what to think of everyone. Then, before I knew it, Mammaw Joyce swooped him up and took him around to meet everyone. I told Cody to watch her because it was so sweet watching her show him off. Then, Cody and I looked for her and couldn't find her... oh but it didn't take too long to spot her. We looked up and lo and behold, she had Manning on the stage with the preacher. He then presented Manning to the whole church congregation. I laughed (of course Cody thought I was crying, but I really wasn't)! I just got tickled that she thought of that, but inside my heart, I could feel the pride and joy growing by the second and my smile getting wider and wider. At that moment, I just said a prayer and thanked God for my son and then teared up. He is my world, and I fall more in love with him every second of every day.

We enjoyed being back in church so much, and Manning was perfect! He slept most of the time, and when he woke up, he just grinned and looked around a lot. He saved the crying for when we got in the car.

If you are wondering why I dressed my child in a shorts outfit for church, it's because our church thermostat is set insanely high, and it's always super hot in there. And, my child is like his father...he's hot ALL the time, so we have to be really careful to not overdress him.

Thank you to everyone who told us you missed us and for welcoming us back! We'll see you Sunday!

No longer on lockdown...

Eating at Outback...
Car Ride to Jonesboro... we had to pull over to eat :)

First trip to Colton's...

First Stroller Ride with Dee-Dee

@ Molli's shop

yay for our first outing!

Since Manning has had his shots, we are no longer on lockdown! YAY! If you know me very well, you know that I'm a huge germ freak, especially when it comes to touching my sweet boy, so that's why I waited to get him out of the house until after I felt it was a little safer. Several people have asked me why we haven't been to church, been shopping, basically been anywhere except home... and I honestly didn't think that anyone took their newborns out early, but apparently, I'm one of the few that actually stayed in for that long. Call me crazy, but I just didn't want to risk him catching anything.

Thankfully, though, we are now out and about. The stir-craziness has ended, and we have now been to Jonesboro twice in the past 4 days! On Manning's first two outings, we went to Molli's shop. It's called Twisted Scizzors, and if I say so myself, she's a fabulous hair stylist! We are so excited that she has her first job, so we went over there to support her and be one of her first clients. I needed a haircut and an eyebrow wax and so did my Mamaw Joyce, so we loaded up and headed to Jonesboro while Cody was working.

After visiting Molli's shop, we went to a couple of stores (of course, Manning got some new clothes) and ate dinner at Colton's. My little man was so good all day long! We even broke out the stroller for the first time, and he seemed to like it. I can't wait to really break that thing in at the mall... I will very soon, I'm sure. By the way, how come noone told me how heavy those dudes are? Ouch! I think my arms are a little more toned now after getting that thing in and out of the car so much! lol

On Saturday, Cody woke up and decided that he needed a haircut as well, so we loaded up and went to see Aunt Molli again! This time, we ate at Outback and went to Old Navy. We were going to go to the mall, but Manning fell asleep right as we were pulling into the parking lot, so we headed home. It was a great day for all of us! It is so much more fun going out now that we have our little bundle of joy to take with us! Cody and I talked about that the whole way home. We love being parents, and we have no idea what we did before he came along. Life is just so much sweeter now!

To spoil or not to spoil??

Tuesday was Manning's 2 month check-up, and we all know what happens at that appointment...yep, you guessed it... shots! Well, the day started off pretty badly. I woke up, fed Manning, and started patiently waiting on Cody to come home from work so that I could shower before the appointment. At the time he was supposed to come home, I received a text from him saying that his boss wouldn't let him leave work because he had to serve as a note taker for a very important meeting... I completely understand now, but at the time, I was HOT! Here I was trying to get Manning ready (who was WIDE awake), pack a diaper bag, and shower myself. Not to mention, I really wanted Cody to be with me on this tough day to support me while my baby got his shots. Well, luckily for Cody, my grandmother saved the day. She came over and let me shower and accompanied us to the pediatrician.

When we got there, we had to wait a while to see the doc, which we later found out that Dr. Mathis had been swamped with patients who had the swine flu. Every child he saw that morning had it... so make sure all of you get your swine flue vaccinations! My whole family has had theirs. The doc says it's making a big comeback, and it's gonna get pretty bad before it goes away. Anyway, back to my story. Dr. Mathis told me that Manning was perfectly healthy. He weighed a whopping 14 lbs and measured 24 inches long! Yes, I think we have a future NFL player on our hands! ;) My big strong boy did very well during his shots. He barely cried at all, so I held up pretty well! The doc then proceeded to ask me how Manning was sleeping, and I told him not very well and that we never get to sleep before 2 a.m. He looked at me like I was crazy, and informed me that I should stop that. Being the clueless new mom that I am, I asked a very stupid question... I asked how to get him to go to sleep earlier. He laughed and told me that I was the mama, that I made the rules, and that I was the boss of bedtime. I just looked at him and asked again how to do it. He told me to choose his bedtime and put him in his crib at that time and walk away. I know my eyes bugged out and were as big as half dollars... I just gasped and said "Oh, won't he cry?" Again, the doctor laughed and assured me that there would definitely be a lot of crying, but he said that he'd eventually go to sleep.

I don't know about you guys, but that sounds so mean to me. Who knew that you are supposed to set a bedtime routine and that it requires making your baby sad? The doctor hugged me and told me that I would get meaner when I went back to work. He also told me that it was perfectly ok if I wanted to keep spoiling my little man. I started thinking about what he said, and I'd never thought of it that way. Manning is absolutely spoiled. He almost never cries, and do you know why? I do whatever it takes to make him happy. I thought that's what I was supposed to do, and I enjoy seeing him happy! So, now comes the question... should I spoil or not spoil my child? Should I not sleep in order to keep him happy, or should I set his bedtime? I know that I can't hold up like this when I go back to work, so I guess I'm going to slowly start training my little guy. I'm dreading it so much, but I do think it's important for my son to have a routine, so wish me luck! Prayers are also appreciated! Manning and Mommy are not going to like this change very much! I'll let y'all know how it goes!

**The pics are of our trip to the pediatrician!

It's true what they say...

It's definitely true... motherhood will change you! I was just sitting here tonight watching Cody feed our sweet Manning, and this saying that you have heard all mothers say ran through my mind, and I thought about how true it really is. I just sat and thought about how my life had drastically changed (definitely for the better) since we had our little man. Here is just a small list of ways my life has changed...

1. Life is such an awesome gift. I look at everything in a different way now. For example, now, I pray all of the time for a long, healthy life... well, I guess I've always prayed for that...except, now, I pray for this because I want to see my son grow up.

2. Family has always been a huge part of my life and one of my main priorities, but now I truly know what it's like to have my own family, and it's AMAZING!

3. I feel closer to God. I have always been thankful to God for my salvation and my life, but now I notice myself thanking Him much more often. He has given me a precious little person to raise. In saying this, He has also given me a huge responsibility...and that's to teach my son about God and His love. That's a job that I'm more than ready to take on! I can't wait to get more involved in church! I already sing church songs, like 'Jesus Loves Me,' just in case he understands what I'm singing! :o)

4. Little goos, coos, and baby smiles warm my heart now more than ever... especially when they come from the cutest little boy I know! ;)

5. Time is precious... and there isn't much of it to do anything except spend it with my little man. I now shower faster than I ever have in my life...when I get the chance to, that is. Sometimes, Manning makes me wait until Daddy gets home from work. Eating? What's that?! I can't tell you how many times I forget to eat during the day. Just the other day, I finally slowed down a little around 6 pm and realized that I hadn't eaten a bite all day... why am I not skinny yet?? Sleeping? I really don't know what that is! Manning has his days and nights mixed up. We are never in the bed before 2 a.m., and his pediatrician really put me in my place about that one... he taught me all about schedules and being the boss, etc. That's another post in itself... stay tuned!

6. If y'all know me very well at all, you know how much I love to shop and buy clothes, shoes, handbags, you name it... Well, my shopping style has now changed. My shopping time is now focused on buying cute boy clothes. Just the other day, I returned several things to Macy's that mom had gotten me for Christmas (they didn't fit, etc.), and guess what I did? Of course, I exchanged everything for baby clothes! I think I have a new obsession! :)

7. I now celebrate bodily noises and functions... lol I know that sounds funny. You moms understand! Yay for poop and toots!

8. Fear has a new meaning.

9. The sound of my baby breathing is the best thing in the world... I can't tell you how many times I wake up at night just to check on him to make sure he's still breathing.

10. It hurts more to see my baby hurt than to actually be hurting myself.

11. I have an even deeper respect and love for my parents.

12. I'm now realizing that all of those fabulous sequined or satin dresses are not going to be making their debut any time soon, for 2 reasons. 1...we don't go out much anymore, and the funny thing is, we don't really want to. 2...they don't fit! lol

I could make a list with 1,000 or more changes in my life... but you get the point. Enjoy the pic of little man!

Off we go to the pediatrician...

Well, we've already been to see the pediatrician twice...

We went the first time for his 2 week well baby checkup. Manning passed that visit with flying colors, thank the Lord! He weighed 8 lbs 14 oz. and measured 21.5 inches long. Dr. Mathis told us that he was perfect and beautiful, but of course, we already knew that! :) He sent us home with a great report and told us he'd see us at 2 months unless we had any problems.

Unfortunately, 2 weeks later, we noticed that our sweet boy's eyes were looking very watery and were matted shut a lot. We called the doc and they told us to bring him back in. So when he was 4 weeks old, we went the ped again. Manning weighed in at 11 lbs. 1 oz. This time, Dr. Mathis told us that Manning had clogged tear ducts and an ear infection. Who knew!? Of course I'm a worry wart, so I hated hearing these things, even though they are very minor. The doc calmed me by telling me that lots of babies have clogged tear ducts and 90% of them clear up on their own, so I was very happy to hear that. He gave us an antibiotic for his ear infection and told us it was nothing to worry about. So, we headed home and prayed that he would get well soon!

Since then, Manning has been doing very well! I have just been counting down the days until we get our shots... well, I guess I have mixed feelings about them. I hate for my baby to have to hurt, so in a way, I really dread it. But on the positive side, I'm beyond ready to take him out of the house. For those of you who don't know, you aren't supposed to take a newborn baby out of the house until they have their shots, so Cody and I have basically been on lockdown. I can't wait to take Manning to church so that he can meet everyone for the first time! Cody and I have really missed going. We will be back, though, in just a week and a half! YAY!

*I've posted the pics of Manning's two trips to the doc... in the first, he's 2 weeks old, and in the second, he's 4 weeks old.

How time flies...

I went back to the doctor last week for my 6-week checkup, and all was well! You can barely even see my scar from the c-section. The doc told me I was healing beautifully, so I was glad to hear that. Other good news: Manning's clogged tear ducts have cleared up, and I'm so thankful. It was so hard on me seeing his poor little eyes water and mat up like they were!

Well, my baby boy is already almost 2 months old! I cannot believe how fast time flies! He's growing like a little weed... He's wearing 6 month outfits. I know that makes him sound chubby, but he's really just long. We measured him the other night, and he's 24 inches long already! He is already holding his head up pretty well, and he's starting to make lots of precious noises. He goos and coos all the time, and that's the best sound in the whole wide world! We had our first real smile on the day he turned 6 weeks old... I was up with him at 3 a.m.... this is a typical thing since he refuses to go to sleep before then...I was changing his diaper and trying to stay awake, and I decided to play his little Elmo toy for him. It sings three songs... this particular night, it played "Bingo (his fave)." All of a sudden, out of nowhere, he smiled so big at his mama. I just screamed with excitement, and immediately, I had a huge burst of energy and tried to play with him forever trying to get more smiles. Who would've thought that a smile could warm your heart so much? I can't explain how much more I love him every single day. Children truly are the best gift of all... I tell Cody all of the time that I want a houseful! :) Enjoy the pics of Manning I've posted for you!

Welcome to the world, Manning Joseph Moore!

Sorry that I haven't posted in a while... I'm going to start with Manning's birth, and I promise to catch up with the rest sometime this week. So here it goes...

After being in early labor with spontaneous contractions for 7 days, the time finally came when the harder contractions started to hit... they actually started coming on Saturday, Nov. 21, but I'm so hard-headed that I didn't want to go to the hospital. I had just been sent home too many times and wanted to make sure it was time when I went back. The next morning (Sunday, Nov. 22), Cody and my mom kept pushing me to go to the hospital because I would be doing something and bend over in pain and stop talking... this had been going on for hours, but again, I'm stubborn when it comes to pain/doctors. I finally called the hospital to ask which doctor was on call... Mine wasn't, but my second favorite doctor, Dr. Crenshaw was. After several long debates with my mom, I eventually took a shower and decided to give in. I seriously didn't think that these were "real" contractions, because for some reason, I thought that if I was in labor, I'd be screaming and in serious pain. Well, after our hour drive to Germantown Methodist hospital, I got checked in and the moment came to be checked for progress. I had dialated 4 centimeters, and the doctor decided to keep me. I checked in the hospital at 10:00 a.m., and the nurse informed me that we'd be having a c-section around 12 p.m. I will never forget her coming in the room and saying "You're going to have a baby today!" At that moment, my mom burst into tears and a wave of fear overcame my whole body. I knew this moment was coming, but it hit me like a ton of bricks... I instantly started thinking millions of thoughts... "what if I am paralyzed by the spinal block? what if it hurts? will my baby be ok? can I do this? did I shave my legs? Is Cody going to pass out?" Seriously, I was scared out of my mind for a while there. Then, I remembered that God was with me and that everything would be ok. While I was reassuring myself of this, I realized that my pain was getting really intense and then my water broke. My water broke about 30 minutes after I got to the hospital, so thank goodness my smart mom & hubby had sense enough to get me to a doctor.

In the meantime, my family was scurrying trying to make it to Memphis in time. They all got up and walked out of church because we were given such a short notice that Manning was about to arrive. They all made it just in time due to an emergency c-section that delayed my time to 12:30 p.m. After they wheeled me to the OR, Manning was born at 12:52 p.m. and weighed 8 lbs, 11oz, and measured 21 inches long. I will never forget the joy that overcame me when I heard my baby boy cry for the first time. Minutes later, the nurses showed him to me and tears streamed down my face. I cried so much that the anesthesiologist kept asking me if I was in pain, but I reassured him that they were happy tears... I've never been so happy in my entire life. Cody was busy taking pictures and filming, so he never even came close to passing out! I just remember praying and thanking God for such a sweet miracle and for blessing our family.

After about an hour in recovery, I finally got to meet and hold my precious baby for the first time and had a huge audience. I was blessed to have a whole host of family & friends waiting to meet him as well. Of course, I couldn't keep from crying the entire time I held him and kissed all over him.

Cody and I stayed at the hospital for two nights and three days, and we spent lots of quality time together and with our precious son. We spent most of our time talking about how we made such a perfect little person and how amazing God truly is. We also learned lots of important things like how to take care of a baby... Cody was great and took over those duties since I was basically out of commission from surgery. After our stay in the hospital, we were released on Tuesday just in time for Thanksgiving, and this is when our journey of parenthood began... I will post more about our experiences later.... stay tuned!