In Order to maintain Sanity...

and in the hopes of one day giving Kerrigan a sibling, we are taking a stand!

Before she was born, I SWORE I would never let my baby sleep in my bed (mainly out of fear of rolling over on her). It took a whopping 5 weeks to destroy the promise I had made to myself and for my little stinker to worm her way into the comforts of mommy and daddy's bed.

And now tonight, we are about to endeavor on a scary adventure we know nothing about....getting her out of our bed!

If anyone has any advice on how to get a baby to sleep in their own crib, please share. As I said, we are starting tonight, so your hasty response is necessary.

What have I done???

I am absolutely devastated!!!! A little over 2 years ago this beautiful cat entered our lives at a time when I desperately needed her. We had been trying to have a baby, and it was just not happening much to my disappointment. Seeing my maternal needs were in overdrive, Jared adopted Cricket for my birthday. Right after we got her, my 3 year old niece called her Tiddy, and she has been Tiddy ever since.
She has so much personality, and was very much our child-unfortunately we spoiled her rotten. We honestly never thought she would hate Kerrigan so much...but she realized Kerrigan was taking her spot and revolted! We had to keep them separated, and we knew Tiddy was no longer happy here.
Today, her new owners came to get her. I know she will be happy, they have 2 boys who will adore her as much as we did.
But I miss my Tiddy. I thought I heard her eating a minute ago, and when I remembered she was gone, I burst into tears.
I miss Tiddy!

NEWBORN PICS...

Warning: What you are about to see may overstimulate your optical pleasure nerve! Do NOT view unless you are securely sitting down, lest you fall out of your chair!

My friend Jenn Woodbury is an AMAZING photographer, and she took Kerrigan's newborn pictures a couple of weeks ago and I finally got off my lazy tushy and picked up the CD from her. The link to see all of the pictures is http://jenniferwoodbury.typepad.com/photos/stokes/index.html

but here are a few teasers of the beauty you will encounter should you click on the link!

Sad Day in the Stokes Home

We really had hoped for the best, but Cricket is not adjusting well to having Kerrigan in our home. I think she feels competative towards her...so as of today this is an ad found on craigslist. Even just typing this makes me cry, but we have to do this.
If anyone knows of anyone in the area looking for a cat (probably someone with no or older kids) please let me know ASAP. We have already had a couple of people interested in her, but it would be nice to know for sure she was going somewhere she will be loved and treated well!

Cricket is a beautiful shorthaired calico cat who is in need of a good home. She has been vaccinated and spayed and her front paws are declawed. Cricket is shy at first (it took about a week for her to completely warm up to us when we adopted her 2 yrs ago), but has a very sweet personality once she is used to you. She is used to being alone during the day (when we were both working) but also loved the attention when I stopped working. Sometimes she is calm and cuddly, other times she is playful like a kitten.

She has been an important part of our family for 2 years. Unfortunately, we just had a baby and did a horrible job at introducing the baby to Cricket. She is not a fan of the baby, so we have had to keep them seperated and Cricket is no longer getting the attention she needs or deserves. While it breaks our hearts to have to get rid of her, we no longer feel our home is the best place for her happiness. She comes with food, dish, litter box with lid and mat, litter, brushes, and shampoo.

Please help us find a good home for her!

A Post of Firsts

The first month's doctor appointment, which unfortunately included the first shot witnessed by mommy...

height 21 1/4" -25%

head 14 1/4" - 25%

weight 8.4lbs - 50%

getting CHUNKY!!!!

The first time going to church...look how beautiful she looked! She is sporting a little number daddy bought for her when we found out we were having a girl...

In case you couldn't see clearly how big her newborn tights are on her...

The first time daddy washed a dirty diaper in the washing machine with all the whites...YUMMY!

The first time big K took a nap without me holding her after being spoiled by the grandmas...

The first time she realized how awesome/sinfully good looking her mommy is...

EEESSSHHHHKKKKK...I LOVE THIS LITTLE LADY!!!!

Letters

Dear Daddy,

You are the best daddy in the world. No one can get me to smile like you can-I love playing with you! I know mommy really appreciates when you come home at night and let her go to bed while you take care of me. However, we need to discuss the swaddling job you did the other night. When I wake up in the morning it is not supposed to look like this.

Also, when you put my pajamas on, I know from this side it looks like you did it the right way...

but you can see the problem from this view.

I know sometimes I am wiggly and it is hard to get right, you are doing a great job. See ya tonight!

Love Kerrigan

(Now a letter from mommy)

Dearest skinny pants,

It has been 5 long months since I have been held in your denim embrace. Each day of those 5 months I looked up at you longingly, wondering when we could be together once more. I would think of all the memories we have made together, you have been a big part of my life as my favorite pair of jeans. But alas, it seemed as though fate (and childbirth) would tear us apart forever. A few weeks ago, when the scale informed me I was a mere 5 lbs from pre-Kerrigan weight I dusted you off and tried you on...or at least attempted to try you on (with no success). Tears were shed that day.

However, yesterday, I put on some of my "fat pants" and realized there appeared to be a little extra wiggle room. With determination written all over my face, I once more took you down from your shelf. It only took some Crisco, a wrench, some chicken wire and MacGyver-like maneuvers and you FIT!!! I was even able to button you...miracle of all miracles.

Granted, I do have some work to do before you and me are completely comfortable with one another- but I look forward to the memories we will once more make together!

Yours truly,

Lindsey

One month

Kerrigan is one month old (as of yesterday)!!!! We can hardly believe it. Here are some of her latest accomplishments:

-she can lift her head off our shoulder or chest (while this is an amazing show of her strength, it brings a new challenge to burping her with her head flopping all over the place)

-Jared's favorite game: he has her partially reclined on his legs, she grabs onto his fingers and lifts herself up a few inches...for such a tiny gal she is seriously so stinkin strong

-she has "blown out" of 3 diapers

-Her cheeks get chubbier everyday

-Newborn clothes and diapers are starting to fit (or at least not drown her like they did)

-Best of all, she is starting to interact with us...on Sunday she "talked" to Jared (already a daddy's girl), she is starting to smile and the other day I swear she laughed...not at anything in particular, but it is a start

If I had typed this yesterday like I should have, the list would have included is sleeping in 4-4/12 hr increments at night... however, that has changed. This is where some advice is DESPERATELY needed!

I have been trying the Baby wise method and am struggling a little bit. The feeding part has been GREAT, she is on a 21/2-3 hr schedule, but the sleeping part is NOT there. If I lay her in bed when she is awake for a nap, she SCREAMS until I pick her up ( I have tried letting her cry for 15 minutes, but that didn't work). I have also tried putting her down after she goes to sleep with similar results. If I am not holding her, she cries (she is crying right now). It is getting really frustrating. If you have tried this method, how long did you let your baby cry. And how long did it take for them to get used to calming down on their own and go to sleep?

Please comment ASAP, the lack of naptime is affecting nightime sleep, which equals very unhappy baby and very frustrated mommy!