Update on a fun day!

Yesterday was such a fun day!  Mom came to Memphis, and we met up with Ally and Becky to spend the day together.  That's right...Grayson had his first Girls' Day Out!  :)  Anyway, we ate lunch, and then headed to Babies 'R Us so that Becky could start her registry.   Let me just say, Jarrett is going to be one incredibly blessed little boy!  Becky and I had so much fun walking around and picking things out.  I can't wait for my nephew to be here!  After Babies 'R Us, Mom, Grayson, and I headed to the mall so that I could get some new clothes for work.  Grayson slept most of the day, but when we got to the mall, he decided to wake up!  He laughed at Grandma, and especially loved the lights at Victorias Secret and the music at American Eagle!  It was a great day!

As for teaching Grayson to sleep through the night....he did GREAT last night!  I messed up a little on his schedule, but it all worked out in the end.  Grayson took his last bottle at 8:30pm, and Daddy left for work a little while later.  I planned on giving Grayson his last bottle around 11:00pm, but, we both ended up falling asleep...oops!  We didn't wake up until 1:00am!  I didn't want to give him a bottle in the middle of his night, so I just decided to put him in his crib.  He fussed for just a little while, but then fell right to sleep.  I had hoped that he could wait until 5:00am to get his bottle, but I think that was just a little too long between feedings right now.  So, when he woke up at 4:00am (8 hours after his last bottle), I fed him and put him back to sleep.  I am so proud of our little man!  We will get him back on his schedule better tonight, and see how he does!  :)

There isn't really too much else to report today.  It's a pretty low key Sunday around here.  David is sleeping, Grayson is napping on his monkey mat, and I am cuddling on the couch with Bailey-boo.  I am loving the weather in Memphis today.  The high is only supposed to be 76, and there is a breeze blowing.  After our miserable summer, it's so nice to have some cooler weather!  I can't wait to take Grayson for a walk at Shelby Farms later this afternoon!  Hoepfully this weather will continue.

As always, we love you all!

Another week older

Well, another week has come and gone, and what a busy week it was!  This was David's first week watching Grayson during the day while I was at work.  Let me just tell you, they are so cute together it's sickening!  It is so much fun to watch them spend time watching football, playing on the floor, or sleeping. And, Grayson absolutely LOVES when David sings and makes funny noises.  He always smiles.  :)

We took Grayson to the doctor this week.  He just adores Dr. Catherine.  This was his 2 month check-up, but we did it when he was 6 weeks old because Dr. Catherine is about to go on maternity leave with a little one of her own!  (It's a girl, so I am just positive she will be Grayson's girlfriend. HA!)  Anyway, Grayson is a very healthy little boy!  He is now 11 pounds and 22.75 inches long!  He is growing so fast!  He has outgrown his newborn diapers and clothes, and is starting to wear 3 month clothes!  They are still a little big on him, but he is just so long that his newborn outfits are just too little!  :)  He was SUCH a rockstar during the appointment!  Dr. Catherine was very impressed--especially when she put him on his belly.  He propped himself right up on his elbows, held his head up, looked right at her, and rolled over to her back!  It was just the most adorable thing ever.  Unfortunately, Grayson also got his shots at this appointment.  I say "unfortunately," but that is more for Mommy and Daddy than for Grayson.  Grayson cried for about 5 seconds, then went right to sleep when I picked him up off the table.  :)

We dressed him up to look extra cute for his appointment:

Dr. Catherine told us that Grayson is getting big enough that he is able to sleep through the night (7 hours) without having to eat.  So, Thursday was the first night that he slept in his crib in his room AND the first night that he didn't get his middle of the night feeding!  We set up a system (thanks to Dr. C) in which I went in the room every 5 minutes when he woke up crying.  I would comfort him and then leave the room, returning 5 minutes later if he was still crying.  It was a little bit of a long night for both of us, but Grayson really did do great!  He woke up around 2:30am, cried for a bit, then went back to sleep.  He was up again at 4:40am, just in time for his bottle at 5am!  Last night, I went in every 10 minutes when he woke up crying, comforted him, left, and returned 10 minutes later if he was still crying.  He still woke up crying, but he wasn't screaming like he did the night before.  He also didn't stay awake as long, and was even able to comfort himself a little!  YAY Grayson!  Again, he woke up at 4:40am, just in time for his bottle at 5am!  Tonight is the last night of teaching him...I will go in every 15 minutes when he cries.  Dr. Catherine said that, hopefully, after tonight, he will be able to sleep through the night...obviously, not without waking up at all, BUT being able to fall back asleep easier.  So far, we are up to over 4 hours of straight sleep, so it seems like things are going well!  :)  And, Daddy and I are definitely looking forward to all of us sleeping for 7 (or more) hours straight!  

This is how Grayson felt about Mommy not feeding him in the middle of the night.  :)

Here are some more pictures from this past week:

As always, we love you all!  Thanks for checking in with us!

Go Vols!

Yesterday, we held the annual UT vs. Florida football party at the Bledsoe house, and it was so much fun! Grayson got to meet LOTS of new people....and he got loved on, of course!  We ended up having about 11 adults and 5 kids here (at some point throughout the day)!  We ate, drank, and cheered on the Vols!

Unfortunately, our team lost, BUT Grayson sure looked cute cheering in his orange!

It was also great for Mommy to get to hang out with Ashley and Donna.  My, how times have changed in the last three years, haven't they?!?!  :)
Here is a picture from the UT vs. Florida game 2008:

And, here's UT vs. Florida 2010! 

Today, we are just being lazy and taking lots of naps.  Daddy goes back to work tonight, and I head back to work again tomorrow afternoon.  I don't want to jinx us, but I think we are finally getting into a routine of things!  And, as I speak, Grayson is being as cute as ever sleeping on Daddy's lap.  He has been very loving today, and has been smiling ALL THE TIME.  He especially loves when Daddy sings to him, or when Mommy takes her glasses off.  :)

As always, we love you all!  

It's a hard-knock life...

So, I started back to work this week after 4 weeks off for maternity leave...and, yes, it was as hard as I imagined it would be.  I missed my clients, and I am looking forward to being back in at least a little of a routine, but I have thought about Grayson every second since I've been away from him.

David had to work Sunday night and Monday night, so his mom came down to spend a few days to help with the transition for our family.   On Monday morning, I got up, fed Grayson, took a shower, got ready for work, and then loved on my little boy as much as I possibly could.  Around 10:00am, Pam arrived, and I literally ran out the door.  I just couldn't linger around, or I would have lost it.  I did pretty good on Monday--only calling a couple times to check in and see how he was doing.  I was beyond exhausted by the time I got home, but I was soooooooooooooooo happy to see Grayson.  He even smiled when I walked in the door!  It was great.  :)

The last two days have been easier, but I still count down the minutes until I get to see Grayson again.  When I get home, I can't take my eyes off of him, and I just love on him until he is sick of it.  David's mom left this morning, so, now it's just David and I (Well, we have been by ourselves for the month I was off work, but now that "real life" has started, it's serious business. HA!).  I am very much looking forward to this adventure with David and Grayson.  We are slowly making our own routines, and our little family is starting to take shape!  :)

There really isn't any other news to share in our lives.  This weekend, we are having friends over to watch the Tennessee vs. Florida game.  It's a yearly tradition and we didn't want it to end this year.  Grayson has so many people coming that are going to spoil him with love that day!  David and I see more and more every day just how blessed we are.

I promise to write more (and post more pictures) very soon!  We love you all!

One month old...

...and I sure look handsome in my suit!  

What I like about you!

Tomorrow, Grayson will be one month old.  As I think about about this past month, I can't believe how quickly it has flown by, and how much Grayson has changed since that first minute they put him in my arms.  I love our little boy more than anything in this world...I don't want to forget any of these precious moments, since he is growing so quickly.

To my sweet, dear Grayson:
1.  I love the silly faces you make!  Whether you are crossing your eyes, squishing your nose, or making your Elvis lip, you are the cutest boy I have ever seen.  You have the biggest bluest eyes, and I just melt whenever you look at me.

2.  I love how excited you get when your daddy loves on you.  You especially love it when he comes home in the morning.  You just lie in your bed, looking at him with those big eyes, listening to him as he talks to you...

3.  You listen so intently to Daddy and I!  You always concentrate on what it is we are saying, and the best times are the times that you smile and laugh at us.  I love listening to you laugh!

4.  I love to watch you sleep.  You look just like your daddy when you sleep, on your side with one arm under your head.  I could watch you sleep for hours and hours...wondering what it is you are dreaming about!

5.  I love watching you explore the world around you!  Whether you are laying on your monkey mat, your play mat, or sitting in our arms, you love to watch what is going on around you!  And, you always have this look of amazement on your face.

6.  I love how you stop crying the second we fasten your diaper after we have changed it.  You will cry and scream like crazy throughout the whole process, but the instant that we fasten that last little piece of velcro, you become silent.  It is absolutely hilarious!

7.  I love how your favorite position to fall asleep is cuddled up in my arms, as close as you can possibly be.  I remember how, when I was little, I felt safest in my mommy and daddy's arms, and I love that I can give you that feeling now.

8.  I love how you look at the pictures when I am reading you a book! You especially love your Dr. Seuss books and the voices I make when I read it to you.

9.  I love that you are such a good little boy.  You don't cry or fuss unless you are tired, hungry, or need a diaper change.  You are so easy-going, just like your daddy.

10.  I love how you are a miniature version of your daddy.  There are so many times throughout the day that I just look at the two of you in amazement.  I am so very blessed to have not one, but TWO wonderful guys in my life.  Grayson, you are going to be a great man when you grow up, thanks to the footsteps you will follow in.

Obviously, I love everything about Grayson...The list could go on forever and ever!! I cannot believe he will be a month old tomorrow!  I am not ready for him to grow up yet!!

As always, we love all of you!

Newborn Pictures!

Here are just a few of Grayson's newborn pictures that were taken this past weekend.  My friend, Melissa, was sweet enough to offer to come over to our house to take them.  Grayson was quite the little model, and, fell in love with Melissa right away!  :)

We sure do love our little man!  Thank you so much, Melissa!!  We can't wait to see the rest!!  :)

You can call me Dr. Esther :)

So, most of you know that I was scheduled to graduate with my Doctorate of Education degree on August 15, 2010.  Ever since we had found out I was pregnant, we knew that it was "iffy" whether or not I would be able to walk in the ceremony.  After all, Grayson was due on August 19, and we knew he could come at any time.

Once we scheduled my induction for August 12, I asked Dr. Dewane (my OB) if I would be able to walk that Sunday, just a few days after delivery.  He said that there was no reason why I wouldn't be able to...the plan was set!  David's mom planned to stay at our house to watch Grayson, while my mom, dad, David, and I went to FedEx Forum for the ceremony.  I was so excited!  I would be a mom and I Doctor all within 4 days of each other!

Of course, delivery didn't go as planned, and my recovery from the c-section was/has been a little tougher than I imagined.  As of Saturday night, though, I still planned on walking.  By the time Sunday rolled around, I had heard from my major professor (who would be hooding me at the ceremony), and he informed me that he wouldn't be attending the ceremony.  That news, combined with the fact that I wasn't feeling even 75% myself AND I didn't want to leave my baby boy...well, I didn't go.  I was disappointed, but having Grayson in my life that day, and the fact that he was healthy, strong, and HOME with us....that was enough for me.

My family came over that day to spend some time with me and Grayson.  And, David and his mom went out to run some errands so the Planks could all be together.  My brother and sister-in-law brought a DELICIOUS cake for me:

When David and his mom arrived home, I received a beautiful basket from Bath and Body Works (thanks, Ms. Pam!), and then David surprised me with this:

The picture absolutely does not do it justice...it's a BEAUTIFUL diamond necklace that is called "The Circle of Life."  He wrote me a very sweet card as well.  I was so touched, and absolutely ugly cried.  :)  What a man my husband is!!  

Sunday was great...even though I didn't get to go to graduation, my family and husband still made it a very special day.  AND, just a few days later, I got a big envelope in the mail.  I ripped it open, and guess what I found inside:

That's right!  It's officially official.  And, yes, I demand you call me Dr. Bledsoe.  :)  Just kidding!

We love you all!

More pictures of Grayson!

Grayson makes the cutest faces after he has eaten.  We like to joke that he is drunk on milk.  :)

And, he sleeps in the funniest positions!  Today, he was smiling with Daddy as he was trying to fall asleep.

When he did fall asleep, he looked like this:

I know we are partial, but we think he is just adorable!!!

Also, Daddy dressed Grayson while Mommy was finally able to take a shower.  When I got out, my sweet little boy looked so grown up!!!

Look at those shoes!!!

And, then, just like his Daddy, he made a funny face for the camera:

Finally, in BIG news!!  Grayson rolled over from his tummy to his back today!!  He is getting so strong, and we can tell that he is growing more and more every day.  He is eating greater amounts, eating less often, and sleeping longer....he is smiling at us and starting to interact.  Just today, after Daddy had fed him, Grayson was teasing Daddy with his pacy...he would put it in his mouth, and then spit it right back out.  A couple times he even laughed!  Now, I'm not a crazy mom, I promise.  I know he is only 3 weeks old and he isn't REALLY playing with us.  BUT, it's still fun for us to see his personality start to come out a little more.  We sure do love our little boy!

And, since I can't stop taking pictures of Grayson, I will leave you with some random shots:

We love you all!!!