Snuggles

Alley has been a snuggle bug this week (not that it's a new thing for her!). Here are some snuggle shots:Alley snuggling with the new bunny she got from the Oklahoma McPhersons (Todd, Callie, Baylor and Brayden - Thanks! She loves it!). She loves to suck on the ears...yummy;)
Snuggles with mommy...soooo tired!Talking to mommy while "enjoying" some tummy time...ha!

What we've been up to...

This week has been a mellow week for the McPherson household. Alley got her first ear infection, on top of having a cold, on Tuesday (or at least we finally went to the doctor to see what was going on with her!). We both should have known she'd get an ear infection after having a cold that lasted for over two weeks...besides, Andy had tubes put in his ears...twice...ugh! She seems to be doing a lot better, but I think she's made a habit out of her early morning wake-ups...I definitely am not a fan of those!
Here are some photos from this week:)
A sick little girl...so unhappy:(
A warm bath can cure anything...maybe...at least she enjoyed it!
All smiles:) The medicine must be working!After weeks of trying to stuff both fists in her mouth, she finally found her thumb last night! Yeah! (even though she still loves her fists!)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Here are some shots from Alley's first Valentine's Day. Here I'm getting some sweet kisses from my little valentine...
She had a really cute Valentine's warm-up on this morning when she went to day care, but she had a little accident so she came home in something different...oh well:) Here she is in her cute v-day outfit and she's laughing...

Weekend trip

The whole McPherson clan went on road trips this weekend. The girls went to Richmond to visit Mimi and Papa (who just celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary - CONGRATS!), while Andy went to Emory, VA with the HSC basketball team. We are full of travels;)
Alley and I had a fabulous time in Richmond going shopping, getting a lot of loving from Mimi and Papa, and ate some yummy food! Here are some pictures from Friday and Saturday.
Close up sleeping shot:)Here's Alley all dressed and ready to take on a day of shopping...doesn't she look thrilled?! :)
Overall Andy and I hate spending weekends away from each other, but at least we still have Sunday! Plus, I got an excuse to go visit my parents and enjoy their company!

The bug...

Alley has adjusted into the life of daycare by catching a cold...ugh! All weekend she had been very lethargic, sleepy during the day, waking a lot during the nights (but would go right back to sleep after she was given her pacifier) and wasn't very interested in eating (she skipped a feeding or two during the day). I was getting concerned by Sunday morning because during the night she woke up a lot sounding like a pig when she tried to breathe...it was very pathetic sounding. Anyway, I thought she was on the mend by that evening (even though she skipped two feedings that day) since she was smiling and "chatting". So we sent her to daycare this morning thinking she was better. I decided to call the doctor anyway to see if there was anything I could give her and the doctor wanted her to come in that afternoon for a check up. She turned out to be okay but has a cold. The doctor seems to think she'll get over it soon and there is nothing to worry about...I'm just concerned because she refused to drink her bottles at daycare today...what will tomorrow be like?!
Here is a photo from today after our doctor appointment...my poor, lethargic, "sick" baby girl:(
This is a photo from the other day of her napping (which she rarely does!)...
Here she is about to smile...I can never catch her "good" smiles on camera! Ugh!

1st day

Surprise, surprise, Alley had a wonderful time at her first day of daycare. What's more surprising is that I survived as well:) Andy went with me to drop Alley off and had to drag me away when it was time to go...When I left she was still asleep in her car seat, which was good. I think it would have been much harder on me if she was awake because I would have wanted to snuggle and give her plenty of kisses and not let go! The great thing is that Alley has some fantastic teachers who clearly love every single child there like they are their own. Alley had so much fun at daycare that she was worn out that afternoon and evening! She napped right when I brought her home (I sat there staring at her because I wanted to hold her so bad since I had missed her all day, but I knew she needed to sleep!) and woke up a little bit before dinner to play. She ate and then on our way to the basketball game she fell asleep again...and she slept through the whole first half of the game! After the game I was concerned she wouldn't sleep since she had slept well at daycare and at home, but after she ate at 10pm she slept all night! I even had to go in and wake her up at 6am to eat!! Fantastic!! I hope she continues to sleep like that:)
Anyway, her first day was wonderful and she seems to be doing just fine on her second day as well. I am enjoying my last day of freedom before I start work tomorrow. I struggled yesterday with what I should do because I missed Alley so much (I'm not use to being by myself!) and today I've decided I really need to clean the house...this way I'll be too busy to worry or to want to jump in the car and go pick Alley up! We are slowly making the transition...I can't wait to go get her!!!:)

But I don't want to...

Well, This is the week I go back to work:( I have enjoyed my time off from work so much that I'm really struggling with the fact that I return to work on Friday. This means I have to wake up (and really get up!), shower and get dressed in "real" clothes and leave my daughter behind at daycare for the day. It's not that I think she'll have a horrible time at daycare, I know she'll do great there...it's just that I wont be there to give her kisses, snuggle with her, hold her (way too much!), babble with her and just stare at her. (Sigh)...
I'm starting Alley in daycare on Wednesday so that I can adjust to the drastic change of not being around her all day and to pull myself together before I have to go back to work on Friday. I really wish that we were in a position where I could stay home with Alley, but until we are there, I'll continue to push on and trust that Alley will be just fine, and that I will be too.
Keep me in your thoughts and prayers this week, it's going to be really tough for me!!