Nashville, Tennessee

I had to travel to Nashville for a work conference.  I work in a system called Ariba, so it was a conference put on by them.  It was a nice trip if I set aside the fact that I missed Hadleigh terribly!  I've only been away from her for 24 hours at the most, so being gone from Sunday evening to Wednesday at midnight was hard to say the least.  I got to stay at the Gaylord Opryland Resort which was amazing - it was huge! It definitely felt like it should have been in Vegas...one of the bus drivers told us that it was built on 56 acres!  I had asked if anyone wanted to join since it was a free hotel stay, so Daniel's mom joined me :)  It was a nice time!  During the day I had the conference to attend, but we explored downtown Nashville and the hotel at night.

As we came up on the lobby of the hotel, this was one of the walls

Picture of the lobby

Blown glass in the lobby (I took this for you Kristy!)

As you are walking out of the lobby into the gardens (the wall if lights in background are rooms)

There was a "little town" area where all the shops were in the hotel

The view from outside of our balcony

This was a picture I took during my conference which was held in the Grand Ole Opry House

We hung out in downtown Nashville one afternoon - the bar signs are pretty cool, so that's mostly what I took pictures of.

While mommy was out....

While I was in Nashville for work, My parents watched Hadleigh during the day for us.  Monday my mom watched her and then Tuesday & Wednesday my dad watched her.  On Tuesday, Aunt Liz came over to hang out with my dad and Hadleigh.  I think they all three had a really fun day!  Aunt Liz took pictures - It was nice to see them pisted that afternoon, so I could see my little girl :) Ahh...it was so hard leaving her - I'm not sure I want to travel anymore without her and Daniel.

Jaxson Edward Spade

4/4/11

1:33pm
8 pounds 4 ounces
21" long

Night before Jaxson's arrival

Our family got together the night before Jaxson arrived just to have dinner and to celebrate the new boy about to enter all of our lives.  Mom, Dad, Daniel, Hadleigh, Kelli, Chey, Erik, and myself all went over Kelli & Chey's for dinner. It was a good time with some good food!

RAMnation!!!

Daniel and I both graduated from VCU and this year they made it to the final four! What an awesome thing for Richmond!  We decided to take advantage and go watch the game out at a bar.  Hadleigh stayed with my parents for the night (they weren't complaining at the opportunity to have her).  It was a really fun time - soo many people out to celebrate VCU!  Unfortunately, they did not end up winning, but they had a great go at it!  

Earlier in the day I went and got my haircut, so these pictures reflectmy "new do" :) 

 Laura will probably kill me when she sees this - hahaah



7 Months and Physical Therapy

3.29.11 - Hadleigh was 7 months!!
Another month passed - goodness!

We get comments all the time on how good Hadleigh is and how she is such a happy baby.  She really is.  She smiles all the time and pretty content for the most part.  You still have to work to get her to laugh, but it's great when you find something new to make her laugh.  Usually, she laughs that first time and you go back to do the same thing 2 days later, and she's unimpressed.  She makes us work for it!

She sleeps great still.  She now prefers to be laying on her side.  She'll be waking up and moving - I'll set her on her side with her pacifier in her mouth, and boom she's asleep.  I don't have to console her or pat her butt or anything. 

She has 2 teeth on the bottom and I'm pretty sure a third is going to make an appearance anytime.  Her gums are pretty swollen in one area, so I'm thinking it's that third tooth.  So cute - the two she has are both on the bottom. She's still chewing on everything and everything goes in her mouth.  Nana bought her this teething toy that vibrates, which Hadleigh loves.

Hadleigh still refuses to roll over on her own.  When we went to out 6 month checkup, Dr. Winters told us if she wasn't rolling over on her own by 7 months to give her a call.  Soo...we're at 7 months and nothing.  She recommended us go to the Physical Therapist. She wasn't concerned, as all babies develop at different times, but she wants to take an aggressive approach so there's no delays later on.

So far we've been to 2 PT appointments (3.30 & 4.6).  The first visit was hard. She definitely cried - we were in a new place, she didn't know the guy working with her, and he's making her do things she doesn't want to do.  He told me there's nothing wrong with her neck or hips which is great news.  He also told me that Daniel and I need to start making her do things on her own (in less words we spoil her).  He did say after working with her that she is very strong-willed and stubborn (hmmm....doesn't help her that mom and dad both carry these traits).  He gave us some things to take back home to work with her on.  Today was the second physical therapy appointment.  She cried harder and got even madder today.  The Doc did say that he definitely notices a difference, so we need to keep up what we're doing and he wants to see us next week.  She doesn't roll over on her own, but she flips with a lot more ease when you try and assist her.  She also can sit up on all fours and rock back& forth which is the step before starting to crawl! Woohoo!! I know we will have our hands full., but I know she wants to get moving!

Hadleigh's daily routine (roughly):

6-6:30am - wake up for the day & drink a bottle (6 ounces)

Takes a little cat-nap usually before Nana comes

Nana comes at 7:30 - Daniel and I leave at 7:45ish

She takes a morning nap somewhere in here

Eats cereal & a fruit and drinks water in sippy cup at 9-9:30am

She will play and maybe have a small catnap

Drinks a bottle (5.5 ounces) 11am

Playing with toys / working on therapy moves

Eats cereal & veggie and drinks 4 oz. - 1pm

Drinks a bottle (5.5 ounces) - 3pm

We feed her a vegetable, fruit, & drinks a bottle (4 ounces)

She'll either be up playing or take a small cat-nap

Bath (every other night)

Change into pajamas, read a book, drink a bottle (5 ounces)

Daniel and I rock her to sleep and then put her in her crib for the night!