3 months old!

Where do I begin?? Three months have gone by so quickly. Before I know it, Riley will be crawling and wanting to do anything but cuddle with Moma. Just in the last month, he has grown so much and changed even more. He mastered rolling from belly to back and rolls to his side from his back. Just last week he turned around in his bed through the night. We put him in facing one way and the next morning he was turned the other direction!! I've convinced myself that Riley will not forget me while I'm gone to work. When I get home, his eyes just light up and he follows my every move. It frustrates Jeremy if he is feeding him when I get home because Riley won't stay still to eat and he moves and wiggles trying to see me. I love it! We've had some frustrating times since I returned work the last couple of weeks. It's been a big change for us all. Thankfully, I have supportive family and friends. The days where I have cried going to work have been few. One of my most favorite things this month was when Riley really learned to laugh out loud. He has laughed before by accident, but he does it now on purpose and it is the cutest thing ever. My Granny actually is the best person to get him to laugh. Popa said it is because he thinks she looks funny!! Not true!! We had our 3 month pictures taken Saturday and as soon as I have access to them online I will pass along the information. I just get so amazed at how much he has changed since I brought him home. He doesn't look like the same baby. Every day when I come home I look him over to see if anything changed through the day. Call it silly if you want, but I can't help myself. He truly is my world and I cannot imagine life without him and really can't see how we made before him. He has brought so many blessings our way just by being here. He is a very loved little boy and I hope that he always feels that way. I worried that I would feel our bond fade away after I went back to work, but it has gotten stronger. There are days when he is clingy to me when I get home. I assume because he missed me more that day. I don't know how to explain it, but the way he looks at me and into my eyes just melts my heart every time. People tried to explain what being "Mommy" was, but really they can't. No one can. It really is a once in a lifetime thing and the feeling is unbelievable.

We survived!

Well, Riley and I survived my first week back at work...or Riley did. Bless his heart, he didn't even act like he knew I was gone. I was proud of myself because I only cried Monday and Tuesday mornings. I did take a half day vacation on Friday for us to take Riley to get his picture made with the Easter Bunny! All week, I have just wanted to gobble him up when I get home and thankfully he was awake every day. So, we will begin our second week in the new journey of work.

The Mommy Blues....

Okay, if you're noticing the time of the blog...yes, it is 4:30 in the morning. I cannot sleep!! I have been up since about 2:45 and finally said the heck with it and got up to get some cereal and pay some bills. My mind is racing in a thousand different directions as this is my last week home with Riley. I'm more scared about leaving him to go back to work than I was to go through labor and become a mother. He has added about another hour to an hour and half to his sleep and won't rise until 5:30 or 6:00 to get the day going. I can see a nap in my future for Monday. It's really funny actually that I'm so terrified of leaving him. We have two offers of close trust worthy friends to keep Riley while we work and not put him in daycare, but still....I wonder are they good enough?? Of course no one is going to meet my standards for caring for Riley. I don't even meet my own standards, how could anyone else? I tell myself all of the time that I could do better at this or that. Riley never misses a beat and reacts like Jeremy and I are the best parents. Just the other day I made the comment that he really doesn't cry that much except if he has a dirty diaper, is hungry and is fighting sleep...then he pitched a fit. Honestly though, I feel so blessed to have such a good baby. He was sleeping through the night at 8 weeks, only takes a pacifier a couple of times a week if that and allows Mommy many moments of being proud and few hectic ones. The way he responds to Jeremy and me is unreal. I've noticed he is much more vocal with us than anyone else. He does cute little things that remind me of each of us. He makes some of Jeremy's faces and when he sleeps his hands are in a fist, which is a Mommy thing. I never noticed I did that sometimes until a week or so ago. Jeremy said I sleep with my eyes a little open sometimes and so does Riley, which is kinda creepy. I just told him it was because we had to keep an eye on him. :) I cannot express the emotion of being a mother. They always say your life changes when you have a baby and I can honestly say that this is one thing that has rang true of the tails of pregnancy. I rarely paid attention to the wait to this happens stuff or you're gonna have this or do this part of being pregnant and having a baby, but the changing of my life I kept a close eye on. Sometimes people change and never realize they do, but I have noticed the change in myself. The things that used to bother me don't anymore, I have new things to worry about and more important things. My priorities have certainly changed. I've come to accept that family matters can't stress me out, I have my own family now...Jeremy and Riley. When I go shopping, I automatically look for things for Riley instead of Jeremy and me. I also noticed that at the most hectic times, I seem to keep my cool a little easier now. That's a first and very hard for some people to believe. I've also been shown that no matter what, God is Head of My House and will be there when no one else is for my family and me. I know Riley is just a baby, but when he is fighting sleep I sing a classic of "Amazing Grace" to him and it does the trick every time. I don't know why I started singing that to him. One day when he was just a few weeks and having formula problems he wouldn't stop crying and I just started to sing. Of course, I CANNOT carry a tune, but he doesn't seem to mind. I do sing other songs to him too, but that one seems to be his favorite. He is going to be an outsider. We took him around the block again yesterday and he just made his little babble noises and looked around. I will put those pictures up later. I think I have a thousand pictures already and have filled almost 2 videos up. Still, I think I have missed something wonderful somewhere. I guess I should realize that I cannot capture every momemt and will certainly miss my share. I have cried more during this blog than the whole time I've been home with Riley. Whew! Jeremy is missing it and I'm sure he is fine in his little dreamy world in there. When Riley and I were on the mountain this weekend he got a treat. He got up Saturday morning for his first bottle and I let him sleep in the bed with me at Granny's until about 9:30. Okay okay, I know I shouldn't do that, but it was the first time and it was a good treat for Mommy too. Of course, Jeremy frowned at me when I told him, but hey....you just had to be there to see that sweet little face sleeping and breathing so lightly with my shirt held tightly in his hand. Well, I believe I've worn myself out babbling and boo hooing over this that I might get some sleep before I have to get back up for the day.

Over the mountain we go!

Riley and I went to the mountain Friday since Jeremy had to work Saturday. On our way we went to Kay and Paul's so that Riley could visit with them and see Kaylee. Little miss Kaylee was asleep when we got there and so was Riley. Once we got Kaylee to wake up, she was so excited to see Riley that she just wanted to hold him and kiss him...it was too cute!! Riley was a little fussy, of course they are when you least want them to be. Anyway, we got a few cute pics with him and Kaylee. He was all happy and awake at about time to go and then napped going up the mountain, but Granny and Popa stirred him back up. It cracks me up to see them talk and interact with him...makes me wonder if they did me the same way and if so...that is why I turned out the way I did. I so miss the mountain and dread more than every returning to work next week. Jeremy took Riley with him today to Nana and Powpaw's....he was gone for 4 hours!! I haven't spent that much time away from him yet. I was going stir crazy and thought I might take a nap after I got back from the store...nope!! I cleaned and cooked and thought how slow the clock was turning until their return. Oh but they are here now and Mommy has to go see her little man....

America's Next Top Model

Look out Tyra...here comes Riley! We were on the hunt yesterday for shoes to go with Riley's Easter outfit and couldn't pass this hat up at the Children's Place. Then today I got an email from Pottery Barn that they weren't going to be able to fullfil my order for his outfit by Easter! I was so dissappointed. So, we got the whole outfit to go with this hat.

To Belly & Back!

Okay, I am so excited and can officially post this. Yesterday Riley started rolling over from his belly to his back. I put him down for tummy time after breakfast and went to the kitchen to get a quick drink and when I came back he was on his back! I turned him back over and tried and tried with the video camera to get him to do it again. Nope! He just got mad. Then last night before bath time he was on his tummy while I was washing his bottles. He was a bit fussy as he sometimes gets on his tummy. When I looked down he was on his back! Again, I tried to catch this moment on video, but no luck. Never fear...Mommy was ready this morning. I took the video camera to the floor with us for tummy time. I waited patiently and then woop! Riley rolled on over to his back. Daddy and I have known this moment was approaching for a few weeks. When Riley is in his crib he has been going from back to side. We really thought back to belly would come first, but who cares! Something knew and exciting to share with everyone especially when the doctor told me last week it would be closer to 3 months before he started to do this type of stuff. Not so...our little guy is too impatient. Wonder where he gets that from??

We enjoyed another beautiful day outside yesterday. Today Riley is pooped and knows it is so gloomy that he is napping early. He stayed up a little late last night to see Daddy. Daddy was laid off from work a couple of weeks ago, but thankfully he went right on to work at another job for now. It has been pretty strong and last night it was after 8 before he walked through the door. Riley just looked at him like where have you been all day??!! Riley is like his Daddy in many ways. On Monday, we were outside with Daddy and he was going to wash his 4-wheeler. Well, we decided to let Riley take a little ride around the yard. When we finished and turned the 4-wheeler off, he started to fuss. Daddy turned it back on and then all was quiet. This little cat and mouse game continued for a few minutes and I finally told Daddy we had to go in while he washed the 4-wheeler and get Riley ready for bed. Uncle Jason was excited about this too as he and the rest of the Sharp boys love to ride and 4-wheel. You see Uncle Jason has wanted a 2 seater for a while now and all of a sudden he needs one for Riley to ride in.....we will see where that goes.

Riley and I did a little shopping yesterday. We originally set out to get Easter shoes for Riley's outfit from Pottery Ban Kids. When we got to the mall, I couldn't get the stoller to unfold. I was so irritated with it and just carried Riley in his seat with me. I was not going to rent a stroller from the mall when I had my own and it was just having a malfunction at the moment. Well, I got very tired after a bit of carrying him in the seat and we left to get some lunch. We didn't find any shoes to go with the outfit. If anyone has seen white dress shoes for a boy, please let me know. We enjoyed our lunch at Subway, just Mommy and Riley. Then we were off to get Pinocchio and Transporter 3. Riley is too young to know what Pinocchio is but he thought Mommy was funny saying we were going to get Pinocchio. I never complained about getting up in the night with him or all the dirty diapers, but there were moments when things were frustrating to me because of being a new mother. Those moments are gone for now and all the smiles and laughs we get out of Riley make those frustrating moments seem forever ago and not really that bad after all.

2 months old!

Well, Riley was two months old on March the 5th. I can't believe where the time has gone. I feel like just yesterday I was getting ready to head to the hospital to bring him into the great world. I look at his pictures over and over again thinking how lucky we are to have him in our lives. I just love looking at them! He is so verbal now and we have gotten ourselves into a pretty good routine...that or Mommy & Daddy are finally comfortable with ourselves in this world of parenthood. We are truly blessed with a good baby. He only cries at the obvious times and rarely takes a pacifier, which I love. I think he took to me telling him while I was pregnant that I didn't want him taking one. He even sleeps in his own bed (has since night#3 at home) and now sleeps through the night. I can say that because he has for a little over a week now. What Mommy and Daddy consider through the night is 7 hours of sleep straight. Having such a good thing going makes it hard to go back to work soon. Especially since the weather is getting so nice. One of the greatest things is when we realized that Riley really knew who we were. He may smile and interact with everyone, but the way he gazes at Jeremy and me...well I just can't explain the way it makes me feel. You can see the sparkle of love in his eyes. Sometimes he does it at the most ungracious times like a diaper change. It's really funny because I tell him he went "Stinky Stinky Poo Poo" and he just kicks and smiles. Gosh the greatness of being a Mommy. He has learned to do so much in two months and I just can't wait to see what he learns in the next month.

We have been pretty busy this week enjoying the beautiful days. Riley had his 2 month check up and all is well. He weighs 10lbs and 8 oz and is 21 3/4 long. He got 4 shots...I had to close my eyes. It was awful for me, but he was a good sport and only cried well...until we got in the car! Then it seemed like they hyped him up, not sure what that was about.

We took Riley to the "Big Game" Dinner at Westwood Baptist Church last weekend. He did so well and we got so many compliments on how precious he is. He got a little fussy during the sermon, but eventually drifted to sleep. We went out to eat for Uncle Jason's birthday at Logan's...and again he did fantastic! He also had his first trip to the zoo this weekend. We had a great time and he just enjoyed being with Mommy and Daddy riding in the stroller.