Whirlwind

Life is a blur right now. I can't tell when one day ends or begins. I wear a watch but never know the time. I feel like I'm in a fog.

Michelle is here, and it's nice. The first guest that I haven't felt like I have to "host" She made the best chicken with sun dried tomato risotto with a bruschetta appetizer. She likes all the food we have for snacks, doesn't rearrange and is down for anthing. I kind of wish she didn't plan on leaving.

We went shopping again for me. It's do nice to buy non maternity clothes for what feels like a year. I love it. And I like going through my pregnancy clothes -free shopping.

I'm exhausted but I'm happy. I really love Bradley. His faces, his grunts, his squeals, his smile, his belly, his mohawk, his fingers, his loud farts and his big blue eyes when they stare at me. I'm a pretty big fan of the little guy.

Night haiku

exhausted lady
dreams of cake pops and naps
reality screams

Oh boy

Man, today Bryan and I are exhausted today. Soooo exhausted. We are switching nap times. I got the first nap from 8:30-10. Bryan's down from 10:15 until whenever...maybe lunch.

I wish we could hang out on our day of together, but man, napping is more important. There's always tonight. We hope.

We are paying for not putting Bradley to bed until nearly midnight. He didn't sleep well, up every two hours and one 4am explosion that would make any new set of parents cry.

We took Bradley to auditions last night. With a team full of boys, it was important for me to be there - as the lady brain with comedy chops. It wNt well. We cast five great guys including two girls, two very attractive guys and a freshman boy. The team is starting to look like a cool team, like my first year on mts.

Michelle comes on Friday, and I am so excited. I love her! She's easily the most easy going sister and she's gonna be a fun guest.

Tonight our nanny and her boyfriend are bringin us dinner. Booyah.

Wins

Influenced by too many hours of food network, I made a fancy dinner. So fancy that I used all four burners, zested a lemon, smashed garlic and chopped a bunch of things.

Bryan was impressed. The old Alyssa is coming back.

Also, we started Bradley's routine at 8:30. Would you know it: he's asleep. And staying asleep. Not one scream! We are on our third episode of Community Season Three with a sleeping baby! What? Was it really as easy as putting him to bed at an earlier hour? At a normal bedtime? Like the books say? Like our mothers did? Does this mean he's not a night owl? Does this mean we get like a whole night to ourselves and Jeff Winger?

Oh, man. We are so new at this, but we might be getting better.

Onto month two

His one month appointment was great. His reflexes, vision and hearing were excellent. He gained 14 ounces in six days, up to 9lbs 9 oz. And I was worried if he was eating enough...

I am getting in as much cuddles as I can. He won't be this tiny forever and I will be working again soon.

Family love skyping Bradley. It's really sweet, and I love seeing their faces when Bradley stares at them.

Bradley grabbed a toy yesterday. It was pretty cool for being pretty lame (we can all grab stuff, but what about
the first time we grabbed somethig?)

I Have tried to nap today but haven't been able to. Why am I only tired when Bradley is awake? Why can't I sleep when he sleeps?

Yesterday we celebrated his one month of living (woo hoo) by taking him to Tulsa. We went shopping for me (I bought some purple skinny jeans and some sweet new tops - only things that button so I can nurse), wandered around the mall, had a fancy lunch at PF Changs complete with wine and dessert, poked around Babies R Us and Target and split a burger at Smash Burger. It was a great day. And Bradley slept for three hours, through dinner and the long drive home.

Oh, I think we are getting the hang of our new life. If only I could sleep more...

Almost one month

Tomorrow, Bradley turns one month old. It feels like its been a month: not shorter, not longer.

I am really enjoying our family of three. It's a lot like me and Bryan except that we've got more laundry, more diaper changes and more baby cuddles.

We find baby farts hilarious. There will need to be an end to this less we teach him low brow comedy.

I'm feeling so much better, I'm preparing meals again, grocery shopping for healthy food and going out more.

our house is a mess. But it was always a mess anyway.

And some phone pics:

2am feeding

It's 2am, and it's been three and a half hours since we put Bradley to bed. Kid is getting great at staying asleep. Once he's in the crib, he's out until he wakes hours later. This has happened since Monday night for each bedtime. Go, baby.

Just the three of us

Oh man, we are finally a house of three. Last night was glorious, laying head in Bryan's lap while he pet my hair and held Bradley.

Bradley went to bed easily each time, and we even left for the university on time. I asked the nanny to come watch baby while I met with HR.

As Bryan taught, I took baby to the doctor. He's up to 8lbs 11oz and his cord stump (finally) fell off. Good baby.

Tonight he's going to his first improv practice. I hope he doesn't make any newbie mistakes like denial, vague initiations or poop jokes. That would be embarrassing.

Life in pictures

There's been a lot of pictures from my phone, but here's a few from my real camera.

A Day in Our New Life

This is a typical day when both Bryan and I are home, Saturday, August 25.

Friday, August 24
9:30pm Start bedtime routine: feed on both breasts, change diaper, put on footsie pajamas, Bryan reads two books, bradley lays down at 9:50. We start watching a movie and Bryan has some drinks. I'm waiting.

10:10pm Bradley wakes up crying. I swaddle him and feed him some more and put him back down. We resume our movies.

10:25pm Bradley wakes up, and Bryan tries to soothe him. He's screaming for five minutes, and I go help. He stops crying in my arms, we change his diaper. I feed him again and put him down swaddled, finally at 11:05pm.

We return to our movie, and I pour a half glass of wine.

Saturday, August 25
2:10am Bradley wakes and we turn off the tv. I feed him on both breasts, change his diaper and have him asleep by 2:40. Bryan and I go to bed.

4:30am Bradley starts making sucking noises, and I pick him up before he's screaming. I feed him on both sides and change his diaper. I sing a song and put him back in his crib asleep by 5:05.

6:50am Bradley wakes and starts grunting. I hear him before he screams and grab him. I have to change his clothes, blanket and diaper because he's leaked. I feed him on both sides, and he's asleep in his crib by 7:30.

8:14am Bradley wakes up screaming and has spit up. I feel guilty for forgetting to burp him. I feed him just a little. I wake Bryan to help change sheets and change the diaper while I grab a milk bar before I bite someone's head off from hunger.

We give up on the crib since he's super awake and put him in the bouncer and move it to our room so we can sleep more. Bryan is on duty of Bradley screams.

We all fall asleep somewhere in tere.

10:00am Bradley's screams wake us. Bryan changes his diaper, I feed him and we all hang out and talk bout the house.

12:45pm We change his diaper, and I feed him for a big feeding on both sides. He then has naked time for an hour with Bryan while I shower, lotion up and lay down. They sing Cake songs which I hear from the bed. It's adorable.

Bryan gets pooped on, and I take over so he can shower. I make some Italian sandwiches for lunch. Bradley watches us eat from his bouncer.

2:47pm Bradley is still awake, and we play with him. He's starting to like toys. I feed him, Bryan changes him and the little dude naps.

3:30pm We decide we are both hungry and like old people, we start making dinner. I make steak with mashed potatoes and roasted squash while Bradley sleeps and Bryan holds him.

4:00pm Right when dinner is ready, Bradley wakes screaming for food. I feed him while I watch Bryan enjoy the hot delicious dinner I just made. I eat next.

5:00pm Bradley wakes to scream for more food which is fine since I didn't spend too much time feeding him last time because I wanted to eat. We change him. And then we all three take a nap.

7:05pm Bradley cries us awake, and Bryan soothes him so I can sleep another ten. He changes him, then I feed him. He falls asleep again, and Bryan makes chocolate chip cookies.

9:00pm Bryan feeds Bradley his first bottle of pumped milk. Bradley hates it initially but soon devours it. Then is still hungry. I feed him for ten minutes. We Skype Bryan's mom since bradley is so alert. We show her his newest trick o almost crawling (or just pushing up to his knees from his belly). He gets hungry again, so I feed him again.

10:00pm We take him to his room, put on footie pajamas, change his diaper and read him two books. He falls asleep in my arms and we lay him in his crib. We are back out in the living room by 10:25 enjoying our own twosome.