One year ago...

We found out that we were pregnant.  Just three weeks prior to finding out we were pregnant we had gone to the doctor to find out what our next step was to getting pregnant after months of trying.  Due to my endometriosis and pelvic congestion syndrome we were having trouble and Dr. A suggested that if we were ready he would start me on Cl0mid my next cycle.  But the week that I was suppose to start my cycle something just wasn't right so I came home that Thursday and decided to just take a pregnancy test.  It was the last one of the many I had bought over the past 9 months.  I was home by myself so when that test turned positive quickly I didn't exactly how what to do, but I knew that Donny would be home soon.  I quickly got to my monogramming machine and made a onesie that said "I love you Daddy."  When he got home the onesie and test were on the couch.  I was in the sewing room.  When he walked in to see me he had the biggest smile on his face.  He said "Really?"  We had to go eat Mexican that night to celebrate.  We decided to keep it a secret until after we were 8 weeks.  We told our parents at 8 weeks and then started letting the world know after 12 weeks.  After months of prayer, pain, and doctor visits we were beyond excited to start this new journey.  Now we have a beautiful, healty baby girl!

A week of firsts!

So, this week was the beginning of a new chapter in the Sisco household.  I went back to work on Tuesday.  I was blessed to be able to stay home for an entire three months with Cora Jane.  It was the hardest but best three months of my life.  I was very nervous about going back to work and leaving her at daycare. I had heard the stories from so many friends who cried the day they had to drop their baby off for the first time.  I worked so hard to mentally prepare myself for Tuesday.  It also helped that Cora Jane would be staying at an in-home daycare with only three other children.  Plus, I knew that she would be in great hands.  I knew for the a long time that I wanted Amber to keep my children whenever that time came and thanks to a lot of prayer it worked out the she had an opening and then would hold it for me until I did go back to work.  I have a long history with Amber's family and I love them so dearly.  I have always looked at her parents as role models and I'm so thankful that they are still apart of my life.  Cora Jane is going to be so spoiled by so many people.  Okay, sorry back to the week.  So, Tuesday came and I dropped her off and she was happy when I left so it helped to know that she wasn't crying.  I didn't cry but I was sad that I couldn't just be a stay-at-home mom.  I only checked on her one time (instead of the million times I wanted to send a text.)  She did great besides eating.  She is a nosy eater and it took her over an hour for the first bottle that Amber tried to feed her and then she didn't take but two ounces of her second bottle.  She wants to know what is going on around her and wasn't used to all the noise and distractions.  It was a work day at school so I was able to get permission to run to the bookstore without having to drag Cora Jane in and out.  But I was SO glad when it was time to go pick her up.  The next day she did so much better with her eating thanks to prayers and her Bon-Bon.  Amber's sister, Bonnie, is a nurse at Children's and she came over for a bit and Amber asked her to try to feed Cora Jane to see if she could do any better.  She again determined what we already knew that she was a nosy eater, but she fixed her a Dr. Br0wn's bottle with a cut nipple.  She did great!  So, at daycare she drinks out of Dr. Br0wn bottles because apparently I'm the only one that can get Cora Jane to eat successfully from the Aven! bottles with the variable nipple (by the way I tried the Dr. Br0wn bottles before and they totally stressed me out with the rice in them so I'm sticking to the Aven! bottles at home.)  The rest of the week went really well.  She stuck to her schedule except that everything was moved up one hour.  She does really well riding to and from daycare.  She isn't always the the best rider.  I put her a toy bar on her car seat that she has figured out how to play with.  It just puts a huge smile on my face when I hear her playing and cooing in the back.  Most days she falls asleep on the way home and I put her down for a nap when we get home.  Her taking at nap as soon as we get home is kind of sad to me because I just want to play with her, but it is also a blessing because it gives me time to get everything ready for the next day and get supper started.  (I must confess if I have a few minutes I do get on FB and just sit.)  She only sleeps about an hour so after that it is playtime. 
This week I also started putting Cora Jane in the bath tub after I give her a bath in her small tub.   She is still small so I still bath her in the sling in the baby tub.  But I put some water in the big tub and hold her up or hold her floating.  She will just sit there and look at her feet or push off the side of the tub if she is floating.  She has started to kick and make the water splash.  I love to watch her.
We had a lazy Saturday.  Donny went hunting for the day so it was just the girls at home.  She was really good but at night she wanted to walk.  It gets tiring at times because our house is only so big.  We washed bottles, vacuumed, danced, etc.  She was so ready for bedtime by 7:30.  I must add that Cora Jane is sleeping like a champ!  She might cry one or two times, but she finds her paci and goes back to sleep within minutes.  So, mommy has got some really good sleep the past couple of nights.  I pray that it continues!
Sunday I was determined to make it to church.  I was going to mom's church since Donny was at work.  I kept her on our weekday schedule so that she should be waking up/eating about the time we needed to by at church.  She had to get up a little earlier and I was going to feed her once we got to church so maybe she wouldn't spit up so badly.  I had also decided that I was going to leave her in the nursery so that I could focus on the sermon.  I was so nervous about this.  I took her to the bed babies and Harper was the only other baby in there.  Mrs. Anita came to feed her so that I could go into the service.  I had to keep praying during the service to stop worrying about her.  I was so worried that she would scream the whole time or would be a difficult baby.  But when I went to get her she was playing and happy.  Of course she didn't eat well, but she went down for a 3 hour nap when we got home so she must not have been too hungry.  My baby girl loves some sleep and she gets it honestly!  (I also got to catch a nap myself!)  So, Cora Jane made it in the nursery for the first time! 
We also made our first full blown grocery store trip.  I decided to put her in her carrier and we walked around the whole store.  She only spit up a little which I was thankful for because usually the afternoons are a little worse when it comes to spitting up.  She did so good!  I got so many compliments on how cute and good she was doing. 

Going back to work hasn't been so bad.  Wednesday was the first day back with the students and I got so many hugs.  I loved seeing all my kiddos.  I have a lot of work to do in the library, but I will get it done eventually.  I have to keep telling myself that Rome wasn't built in a day.  I just have all these ideas and plans that I want to get done and there just aren't enough hours in the day.  My to-do list just keeps getting longer.  The best part about my job is that I can leave at 3:15 and not have stuff to do at home.  And for that I'm so thankful!  Getting the media specialist position was a huge blessing and I'm striving to do the best job that I can!

Cora Jane's firsts:

• She went to daycare.
• She is playing in the bathtub sitting up (with help.)
• She stayed in the nursery at church for the first time.
• She had a successful grocery store trip.
• She has also started squealing so loudly.  I was washing bottles and I heard her.  I went to make sure she was okay.  She was watching M!ckey Mouse Clubhouse and just as happy as could be.

And it's shameful to say that I haven't taken any pictures this week!

*I also wanted to thank you for those of you who have left comments on my blog or mentioned something in person.  Even though my blog is mainly to have a journal of our lives but I like to know that people are reading it.





3 months

I can hardly believe that my baby girl is three months old!  You are growing up so fast.  I'll admit that it has been the best, but hardest three months.  You do something everyday that melts my heart.  I am not looking forward to going back to work because I won't be able to spend my days with you.  I know that Mrs. Amber is going to love on you so much and she will take such good care of you.  I will have something to look forward to each day when I get off work.  I'll will hurry to get you so I can get time with my little girl.  So, what are you up to these days?

• You are starting to giggle and it cracks me up.
• You love to play in your play gym.  You will lay there for a good thirty minutes and just look at yourself in the mirror and hit the the toys.
• You love to watch TV.  I hope that it is just the colors and movement, because I won't want you to love the TV.
• You have started to hold my hand that holds your bottle.
• You are sleeping like a champ.  Some nights you don't make a sound and if you make a sound I just have to check to see if your paci is in your mouth. 
• You had your first Christmas.
• You are wearing 0-3 months clothes.
• You finally are wearing size 1 diapers.
• You are drinking 6 oz. every 4 hours except at night.
• You must like to sleep, because you can take some serious naps.
• You have to know that is going on at all times.  You like to be walked at night and you must face out.  I had to get a carrier because you were starting to kill my arms.
•  We weighed you at home and you were 11.5 pounds the week of Christmas.
• You made your first trip Mobile and Auburn.
• Your had your first Christmas!
  
  

  

  
  

  

   

Christmas

We had a low key Christmas.  Cora Jane of course didn't know what was going on so it was time for us to spend with family.  I want to ensure that Cora Jane knows the true meaning of Christmas which is the birth of Jesus.  I know she probably didn't understand what I was saying, but I told her about the meaning of Christmas.  I also read her the story from her children's bible.  I'm also starting with the three gifts tradition.  She got three gifts, plus her stocking.  I want her to know that it is better to give than to receive. 

Our Christmas card for 2011.

Cora Jane's first picture with Santa on a Gator.

Our first Christmas.  (Daddy was at work.)





After church Christmas morning she was so tired.  She took a nap while we ate lunch.

Christmas Flash Mob | Ron Edmondson

All I can say is WOW!!!
Christmas Flash Mob Ron Edmondson

Busy Week

We had a very busy week!  I finally got our Christmas tree decorated and our Burlee on the door.  That's as much Christmas decorating that is going to happen at the Sisco house this year.  I've got a little girl to tend to these days and she of course takes priority.  The true meaning of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus anyway.  I'm not even feeling like wrapping presents so Santa might leave all the gifts under the tree Christmas Eve.  On Wednesday Cora Jane made her first trip to Auburn.  I have been trying to make it down to see my friends and let them love on Cora Jane.  I hate that I didn't take any pictures.  She was a good baby considering that we left at 8:00 and didn't get home until almost 5.  She had the meltdown when we were about 20 miles from the exit on the interstate.  She fortunately sleep really well that night.  We had a relaxing day on Thursday and then a Mommy and Me Christmas party Friday night.  Cora Jane was the youngest, but it was still fun to see the other three kiddos playing.  We missed Jenny and Flynn though.  We are praying that he will get well so he can join us.  One day Cora Jane will be right there with them.  We did a painting activity which made for an interesting adventure with a 2.5 month old.  We were making Christmas trees with the kids hand prints.  We had to use Cora Jane's foot, but it turned out so cute!  Thanks Mrs. Tasha for such a fun time!  It was good for this mommy to have girl time with adults.  Then on Saturday night we headed out to the Bambergs for our annual Christmas party.  The ride up was not that much fun, because Donny had to stop twice to look for his Dirty Santa gift and every time the car stopped moving she was so fussy.  At the second L0we's I jumped in the drivers seat and rode around the parking lot.  I was so worried they were going to call the police on me, but I eventually just parked the car and got her out because we weren't going fast enough for her.  Once we got to Brad and Jami's she did so good.  I fed her and she got some loving from Jami and Camille.  Savannah Catherine is going to be such a good big sister (Camille is expecting another little girl any day now.)  Savannah Catherine helped me take care of Cora Jane all evening.  She has the sweetest heart!  The funniest part of the night was Donny's Dirty Santa gift.  It was in such a pretty package...a penguin Snugg!e.  It is always so good to see everyone. Jami host some great parties!  I hate that we only do it once a year.  We made it to church for the second Sunday in a row.  I of course was so nervous.  Because we were out so late last night Cora Jane slept almost to 8:00 this morning, which put our schedule off by two hours.  (I was going to let that baby SLEEP and so did mommy and daddy.)  I had to wake her up to go to church and she wants to know what's going on so I had to stand up most of the service.  She did fall asleep, but it was time to eat at noon and she let us know.  I left right as the pastor was finishing the message to go feed her.  We made it to eat Mexican for lunch.  She didn't like being in the car seat so I got her out.  She was so good while I ate my lunch.  She is one alert baby and wants to see what is going on around her. 

We hope that you have a blessed week!

*I've got to get better at taking pictures of our adventures!

Cora Jane's tiny footprints!

Savannah Catherine taking care of Cora Jane.

Donny and his Snugg!e reading Us Weekly magazine.

Most Popular Question

So the most popular question after you have a baby is...
"Is she sleeping through the night?"

Well, it depends on what your definition of sleeping through the night is.  I've not really known how to answer this question.  Yes, my baby does sleep well so I'm NOT complaining.  But my definition of sleeping through the night is not having to get up to get her back to sleep.  We are not getting up to feed in the middle of the night, but she does stir.  We are getting up at least one time either at 11:45ish or 2:30ish to get back to sleep with the paci.  THEN comes the 4:00 hour.  She stirs in the 4:00 hour and it is sometimes difficult to get her to settle enough to make it to our wake time at 6:00.  It's such a difficult time to wake because of her reflux I don't want to overfeed her because it makes the spit up worse.  I'm tired, but I can usually limp her along until 6.  We usually have one good night and then a rough night.  But I'm praying for a restful night in the months to come.  Last night when she was crying at 11:45 I literally was in a fog because I had been sleeping so hard.  I feel so guilty for wanting to have sleep because I know there are couples who want a child so badly.  They would give anything for sleepless nights because they would have the child that they have prayed for.