You received stickers for your 1-12 month age celebrations and they were of course from you know who, Aunt Chelsea!
Here are some photos we took for each day to celebrate your life so far. We can’t wait to have the whole 12 month collection.
Tag: arya tipton
Aunt Chelsea brought a huge surprise to our house after you were born. Mommy had shown her an example of a letter “A” to paint and put on the wall or door. I got the idea from a friend, Jessica who I used to work with. She made one for her daughter and I fell in love. Well, guess what? Aunt Chelsea showed up with all the supplies to make it and it turned out beautiful!
Here are a few photos to show the process and results. Mommy and Chelsea worked hard on this all night long and we are proud of it. It now hangs on your bedroom door.
It’s all written down in your baby book but mommy wanted to share some of the photos and visitors you have had from birth until now. You have a lot of love out there for you baby Arya. Those who can’t come see you have sent care packages, tons of goodies and called or texted about you almost daily. Those who can be here have done the same spoiling you with tons of goodies and love. Some people couldn’t get gifts and that was perfectly fine. Showing their love for you is enough!
Here is a collage of some of the photos mommy took of each visitor and gifts sent to you. Some photos couldn’t fit in it!! Yes, there are many more. 🙂 Please click on it to see it up close.
While mommy was in the hospital giving birth to you your daddy was there, your grandmother Kim and her boyfriend Randy as well were in the room waiting for you to come. Mommy’s family is all in MS and because you were early they couldn’t be here right away. Mommy wanted them to wait because we never knew what would happen, you could be born January 1 or any day after. There was no telling!
Following your arrival your daddys friend Eric stopped by to drop off a snack and drinks for mommy and daddy. That was sweet! Next Uncle Brad showed up to see you and so did mommy and daddy’s friends Marie and Duane. They brought their children Aiden, Carson and Jaidah with them but because you were a premature baby the children weren’t allowed to touch or be near you. This was so heartbreaking to all of us but we couldn’t change it. Your next visitor was daddy’s friend Robbie and by the time he came to visit you were in your own room. It was huge with everything we needed such as a sink, couch, chair, refrigerator, etc. The next visitors were your Aunt Chelsea and her boyfriend Jonny. Last but not least your last two visitors before coming home were daddy’s friend Banden from Canada and mommy’s co-worker and friend Christi from work at Maurices.
Once you came home you started receiving several packages, too many to track! Thanks to everyone who helped! You also began having more visitors now that you were home for good. Your first visitor once coming home that hadn’t already seen you was your Nanny Carol Nylander. She was so excited to finally hold you and look at your tiny little body. She was in heaven. She has spent so much money on you buying everything you need because she “just can’t help herself” as she said. Your next visitor was Jessica, mommy’s other coworker and friend from Maurices. She dropped off several gifts for you too! Too much love!
Your gami Theresa and papaw Tommy came to visit a few days after you came home. They had been ready from day one to drive here but it was better to wait until you came home. Being in the hospital all the time wasn’t going to be good for them so mommy and gami decided it was best to wait. Papaw has a bad back so he is better off being at home too, not in a hospital. When they got here to see you they were both so happy! They spent every moment with you and mommy and took several pictures. Gami loved on you so much!! They love you very much baby girl. They brought you goodies in a bag also and your favorite pillow, the boppy!
Another visitor came by after gami and papaw left who hadn’t seen you yet. Alianna, mommy’s coworker and another friend from Maurices stopped by with a goodie bag too. You have been blessed that’s for sure. Don’t let me forget all the people who have mailed you items! So many friends and family members have sent you gifts! We thank each and everyone of you for the love and care you give to Arya!
Your very first holiday after being born was Valentine’s Day! This is a very special one for you because it’s the first. Mommy and daddy got you some goodies and your grandma Kim got you even more! Here are a couple of photos mommy took the morning of Valentine’s day 2016.
These photos are what daddy took with his professional camera later in the evening on Valentine’s day. He loves to get great photos and the “perfect” shot so it took a while. After about 200 photos these are the best ones we came up with. You are just so adorable! Our little princess <3
January 28, 2016 when you were 27 days old we brought you home. This was another one of the best days of our lives. Mommy snapped a couple photos as soon as you came home and then got busy making your bottles and getting clothes ready for a bath. Daddy laid down with you and snuggled as close as he could. We were nervous you would feel strange in a new place but you did great!
We made sure to keep some things very similar for you so it wasn’t a huge change. We used the same blankets, kept the same passi, used the same beanie on your head and also made your bed just like the NICU did. This way we hoped you didn’t get scared or feel lost. We did great! Your transition to home was amazing!
Now that you’re home we can get on a normal routine of feeding you and getting used to your sleep schedule. From being in the NICU, you are very confused when it comes to day and night. You eat more and sleep more during the day and eat less and sleep less at night. 3-4 hours between feedings seems to be your normal routine, like most other babies as well. This isn’t a big deal at all. Mommy and daddy have come up with a plan and it worked! We enjoy every single feeding, diaper change and time when you’re awake spent with you. We love you so much!
Yessssss! Discharge day! The day finally came. All of a sudden in your last week of being in the NICU you went from eating 50ml of breast milk all by yourself to 70+! The doctor warned us this might happen and for that we are so happy and proud of you! We got the word they were going to stop using the feeding tube on January 24th, 2016. The restrictions were as long as you ate all by yourself and kept gaining weight you could come home and the tube would come out. Mommy was determined! Here is daddy holding you when your tube was taken out before going home.
We figured out why most of the time you didn’t take your full feeds alone. You fell asleep! ALL THE TIME! Mommy learned that in order to get you to drink more we had to wake you up however possible. Sometimes that meant taking off your clothes or changing your diaper again. Mommy did what had to be done and let the nurses know to do the same thing. Once this was clear with everyone you started drinking your full feeds. Mommy and daddy couldn’t have been happier!
In order to be discharged on January 27th you had to pass a car seat test. Mommy was so worried but of course you aced that test as well as all the other tests you took. We are amazed at your determination and will to be here and be doing so well. Your litle tiny body in that car seat is what scared mommy so much but to my surprise you were just fine.
Discharge day came along January 28, 2016 after passing the heart test and car seat test. Daddy and mommy had a ton of things to do before coming to get you. We made it to the hospital around noon thinking okay she will be out of here in no time. WRONG! They took forever!! They had to do another blood test and we ended up being there until around 4pm.
Finally, after all their extra duties we wheeled you out of there and put you in your car seat and drove home. We were so nervous. Daddy was extra careful driving and made sure not to harm our baby.
You slept the whole way! You took a huge poop too! Sitting up in that position helped your belly out a lot, LOL! 🙂 We were just glad to finally have you home where you belong. 28 days in the NICU is a long time for mommy and daddy not to have you home! At last, we could enjoy every moment with our sweet baby!
Mommy and daddy have been taking so many photos of you since you were born. I have 350 already and you’ve only been born for 23 days as of today. I am printing them all off this week and framing them all over the house. So happy to have such a beautiful little girl in our lives.
We love and cherish every single moment spent with you and can’t help but to take photos all the time. Here is a nice collection of some of our favorite photos.
Day 1 & 2 – January 1st and 2nd of 2016
We first got to meet you in these photos. Daddy and mommy were so happy you were healthy and so amazed at how tiny you were with those long legs!! The photos of us holding you are from day two. We were so anxious to get your little tiny self into our arms. This made our entire lives!! They say you never know a love until you hold your first born child. They are correct times infinity. You had us at hello!
Day 3 – Mommy got to go home and get fixed up so she could take better pictures with you. Daddy and mommy went home fast and got ready and came back to see you. Here are a few of our favorite photos from this day.
This was Thanksgiving Day when you were in mommy’s belly.
This was the evening of Christmas when you were in mommy’s belly.
This was the night before you were born right before mommy went to bed. At 5am the next morning my water broke and you were here by 5:26pm that evening.
We were blessed with two baby showers for you before you were born but I’m a little late blogging about it. It’s ok! They were both amazing showers! Here’s a couple of photos of all the gifts you received. So blessed!
Your nanny Carol Nylander wanted to give you a baby shower on her own and then mommy and daddy would have one together with friends seperately. Your Aunt Chelsea wanted to help with both showers and she did sooooo much for you! She did a great job! Nanny and Chelsea have spoiled you so much at both showers it’s unbelievable. You have so much love for you, as I say all the time. 🙂
Here are several more photos of the baby showers, gifts, friends and family who attended.
These are some amazing gifts! Your first book, your first Christmas decoration with your name on it, so many monogrammed things for you and much more! We can’t wait until you are old enough to look back at these memories and see how loved you were before you were even born. Aunt Chelsea got the frame that says that exact statement for you. We all love you baby Arya!