Jazlyn is 2 months old!!!

Jazlyn is 2 months old today by the date or 8 weeks 5 days by the day of the week (Friday). Jazlyn now weighs 7 lbs 13 oz and is 21 1/2 in long. Her doctor told me today that she is going to be small and petite like her mommy. We are okay with that though. :) She is below the 5 percentile in weight and between 10 and 25 percentile for length. At this appointment she was also tortured with her 2 month shots. She got 3 shots and one liquid vaccination. She screamed her head off for about 2 minutes and then when mommy picked her up she calmed down...until I had to lay her back down to put her clothes back on. I prepared daddy to be ready when we got home because she was probably going to be mad at mommy and want daddy to comfort her. Surprisingly, she got over that pretty quickly and was in such a good mood when we got home. She smiled and cooed a lot.

Since it has been a long time since I have posted I will try to capture as much as possible as to what's been going on with Jazlyn. About 3 weeks ago Jazlyn started 'noticing' us more. She began to have more eye contact with us. When my dad was holding her and I was talking to my dad, her eyes would follow me as I moved around the room. It was an exciting milestone. That same week, she also began to smile when she was awake. Prior to this she would smile while she was sleeping...she must have been having some pretty exciting dreams. Now she smiles, laughs and coos when she is awake. It just brightens our day. She definitely hears mommy and daddy's voices and turns her head towards us when she does. Jazlyn also got to meet the IU head basketball coach Tom Crean and get his autograph. Daddy was very proud of this moment. Jazlyn experienced her first chiropractor appointment. We were experiencing a lot of gassiness and fussiness with her, so we decided to take her to a chiropractor to see if that would help. She did not like her first visit so much, but after going three times, she seems to be doing much better. After the devastating loss of baby Cora (Jazlyn's cousin), Jazlyn got to spend some precious time with Aunt Mellie and Uncle Kyle in Indianapolis. We spent three days with them. Daddy missed us back home, but he understood and talk to us every day. Mommy sent daddy pictures that were captured while we were gone. That made his day. Jazlyn got to experience her first holiday celebration for the 4th of July. We had several people over to our house on July 3rd...thank goodness because that was the only beautiful day that weekend. She didn't quite like the fireworks. We watched them from inside and looked out a window.

Ever since Jazlyn was born she has picked up many nicknames from the family: SUGAR (no particular reason...just came out the day she was born and has stuck with mommy and daddy), TURTLE (when she stretches she looks like a turtle), LIL' FART (she gets it from her daddy), MONKEY (she makes some cute monkey faces), MAGGIE (she sucks on her pacifier like Maggie from the Simpsons) and JAZ (for short). Not sure how many of these will stick with her as she gets older.


Daddy's Little Alarm Clock

Mommy's Little Angel

IU coach Crean autograph

First chiropractor adjustment

Hangin' out with Aunt Mellie...she's so comfortable

It's been a long day!

My first 4th of July outfit

Watchin' 'So You Think You Can Dance' with mommy

I feel refreshed after daddy gave me a nice warm bath

See my band-aids from my 3 shots? :(

First week home

We have now officially been home for one week after the birth of our precious daughter Jazlyn. We are adjusting well. We are still trying to get a pattern established as far as eating and sleeping. Jazlyn likes to sleep during the day and be up at night. It is getting better though. Mommy spends several hours on the couch with her sleeping so daddy can get his ZZZZ's. We have discovered that she doesn't like to lay flat nor on her back. Her favorite position is on her sides and a little propped up. It is so hard to keep her awake during the day so she sleeps at night, but we have had a few really good days/nights. We will get there.

We took Jazlyn to the doctor last Friday for her initial follow up after her birth. Everything checked out well. When we left the hospital Jazlyn weighed 5 lbs 9 ozs which was normal as a baby tends to lose 10% of their birth weight. We were anxious to see if she had gained since and she had gained an ounce and a half. She's getting plenty of milk as she is going in the right direction as far as weight gain. We take her back again next week. Breastfeeding is going well. She eats about every 2 1/2 hours.

Big sister Breanna is loving Jazlyn. She said many prayers that she would get a little sister and her prayers were answered. Alex called Breanna at school as soon as we found out that we had a girl and Breanna just screamed for 5 seconds. She was so excited. Her first day back to school after Jazlyn was born, she had to take pictures with her to show everyone her little sister. She still carries them around with her. She has been such a big help around here with Jazlyn. She is like a little mom. Alex and I surprised her last Friday when we picked her up from school. We brought Jazlyn to school so her teachers and classmates could see her in person. All of the kids wanted to see Breanna hold her little sister. They all gathered around her. It was so cute and Breanna was very proud.

Alex and I were very blessed with some wonderful friends who brought meals to us last week and still continuing this week as well. It was also good to have my sister Tammy and her husband Dustin stay with us for a week and help us with Jazlyn. They helped out in so many ways. Tammy even stayed up until 2:00 am one night with Jazlyn to allow Alex and I to get some sleep. She brought Jazlyn in when she needed to be fed and then took her back. This was one of those nights when she was WIDE awake.

Daddy has gone back to work, but wishes he could be home with mommy and Jazlyn. He calls several times a day so I can give him updates on what Jazlyn is doing. He is always so anxious to see her when he gets home. It's especially nice when she is awake...that makes daddy smile to see her eyes. Mommy is still a little sore from the C-section, but getting better and better each day. I love being a mom. Jazlyn is so precious.

Sunday was our first adventure out with Jazlyn. We were excited to show her off to everyone at church for the first time. They were all amazed at how tiny she was and her head full of blonde hair. That has definitely been the talk since her birth. The nurses at the hospital couldn't believe it. They said they usually see peach fuzz or a head full of dark hair but very rarely a head full of blonde hair. After church we headed to a graduation party for Alex's cousin. Needless to say it was a big day for Jazlyn and she was ready for an afternoon nap.


We're heading home...first car seat ride.


Introducing Jazlyn to the puppies (Rosebud and Budderball)


Jazlyn gained 1.5 oz 4 days after leaving the hospital. She was 6 lbs 6 oz when she was born but weighed 5 lbs 9 oz when we left the hospital 3 days later.


Jazlyn's Pediatrician Dr. Bies checks her out.


Breanna holding Jazlyn for all of her classmates at school. She is a very proud big sis.


Breanna's classmates look on as Alex shows them Jazlyn.


Jazlyn's first adventure out was to church. She was sporting her first outfit that was not a onesie.

It's a girl!

Today at 12:39 p.m., Jazlyn Grace Zehr was born. She is 6 lbs, 6 oz., 20 inches long.

It's getting closer......

Sorry I haven't posted for awhile. Not a whole lot happening. Just sitting back and waiting. Only 9 more days to go. No real signs yet that Baby Zehr will come early. I've experienced some Braxton Hicks contractions, but none that are consistent or frequent. I still deal with my swollen ankles and slow moving waddle. Alex and I went to the doctor Monday for the last time as a regular visit. We will go again next Wednesday for our pre-surgery visit. My blood pressure still remains normal. My protein levels are good. The baby's heart rate is 132 bpm. I have now gained a total of 19 lbs since the beginning of the pregnancy. I do have to say it is all baby right in front. Baby is moving around like crazy. I am experiencing the cool feeling when the baby has the hiccups. Sleeping is getting less and less. My bag is packed for the hospital just in case I go into labor before next Friday. We finally have our names narrowed down...that was tough. Alex and I are very excited for the arrival of Baby Zehr. I do have to admit that I am pretty calm and relaxed now, but come next Wednesday I think it will all become real and I will probably become very nervous. I will have lots of help though.

So the big question is.....who will Baby Zehr look like? Will it have blonde fuzz for hair like it's daddy or red curly hair like it's mommy? I am sharing both Alex and I's baby pictures below. We'll have to compare all of the traits very soon.

Counting the days (27 more)....Prayer Request

Alex and I went to the doctor on Monday of this week and had what should be my last ultrasound to check the cervix and to measure the baby. The cervix has held it's own and the baby is measuring right on track. The baby now weighs 5 lbs 11 ozs. It was moving around like crazy and as it has done everytime we have had ultrasounds the arms were right in the face. The baby is hiding, not really wanting us to see what it looks like I guess. It was grabbing onto its feet too. After some pushing around on my belly a little bit by the ultrsound tech, we were able to get one halfway decent profile picture. The baby looks so chubby. I am sure it is just the 3D image though. I gained another 2.5 lbs for a total so far of 16 lbs. I go back for a follow-up in two weeks at which time I get a good ole strep test done. That doesn't really sound like fun to me. Unfortunately, I have been experiencing more frequent trips to the bathroom especially in the middle of the night. Not getting much sleep. I also still have lots of swelling and now pains in my left hip (it was just my right..now both) along with lower back pains. I went to the chiropractic today and they made me feel good for a while, but the achiness is back. I do much better if I don't walk. I keep telling myself that all of these aches and pains will be well worth it when I can hold this little baby in my arms. 27 more days!!

Prayer Request.....
I just recently found out that some friends of mine who were due to have their first child May 5th ended up delivering their son March 19th. Mason Ryan was born 7 weeks early weighing 3 lbs 1 oz. He is currently in the NICU, but appears to be progressing well. He is now 4 1/2 lbs and has moved to a crib in the NICU. I just ask that you keep my friends Ryan and Carrie as well as little Mason in your prayers. We know God works in miraculous ways. We pray that Mason will be able to go home with his parents very soon. God Bless Ryan, Carrie and little Mason.


Baby Zehr at 34 weeks, 4 days

The Nursery

Back in February, on Valentine's weekend, Alex surprised me with many wonderful things. One of those surprises involved the baby nursery. Prior to that weekend the only thing in the nursery was a crib and white walls. We had many conversations about the nursery and ideas of what we wanted to do but wanted to wait until after the baby shower to really do anything. My baby shower was held that Saturday. Alex and I were spending the weekend at the West Baden Springs Hotel (another surprise). So after the shower, Alex and Dustin had taken all of the gifts to our house while the rest of us went ahead to French Lick as we were all having dinner together. After dinner we toured the West Baden Hotel and then they all headed out. I was extremely exhausted and so was my family so they headed out semi-early. I had made plans with my family to go to Home Depot on Sunday to pick out paint for the nursery. I wanted their opinions since they were in town and I now had the crib bedding to match to. Alex was going to paint soon so I could start getting things organized. We decided to come back to our house first and eat pizza together and then while the guys were watching IU basketball the women would head into Jasper to Home Depot. Little did I know that Alex still had surprises for me. Someone had asked me what all I got at the shower, so I went to the nursery where all of the gifts were taken on Saturday. The door was closed and as I opened the door there was Dustin standing there with a camera. I thought he was taking pictures of some of the gifts and I didn't want to interrupt him so I closed the door back but not all of the way. As I looked back through the cracked door I noticed the walls were yellow. I couldn't beleive it. I was completely surprised!! Friday night of that weekend, Alex had made arrangements with my dad to come to our house and paint the walls 2 shades of yellow. He had worked with my sister Tammy to determine the best colors that would go with the bedding that I had picked out. Then on Saturday, while I was at my baby shower, the guys came to our house and hung the wall border. Little did I know that my family had left 'early' Saturday evening to head to our house to put my nursery together. They had worked for a couple of hours that evening, unpackaging everything I had gotten at the baby shower earlier that day, putting things together and organizing my nursery. It brought tears to my eyes to know how wonderful my husband was in organizing a surprise such as this. He did such a wonderful job!!! I was also quite relieved to know that a big chunk of my nursery was complete. Over the past month and a half, we have purchased a few more items, hung things on the wall, and washed all of the clothes, sheets, towels, and blankets. The final touch was going to be placed this past weekend but unfortunately it did not go as planned. My sister Melanie had given me an Uppercase Living saying for Christmas for the nursery to be hung on the wall above the crib. Needless to say, we had difficulties with the saying not coming off of the paper to put on the wall and were unable to hang it. Such a bummer! I will have to come up with another alternative for that wall. I am thinking about putting the babies name there once it is known. I am now happy to share with all of you pictures of our nursery. We are pleased with how it all turned out. Now we just wait for the arrival of the baby. Enjoy!!!


I was surprised!!


My family trying to add the final touch. An Uppercase Living saying 'A wee bit of heaven, drifted down from above, a handful of happiness, a heart full of love'


The crib with bedding and accessories


The bedding set - My First ABC by Kidsline


The mobile


The hamper from the My First ABC collection


The glider where I will spend lots of time feeding. The yellow afghan on the back of the glider was made by my Aunt Pam and the green one was made by Alex's Aunt Arline.


This shelf displays items we received during our difficult month of September 2006 when we lost our first child and I had open heart surgery.


We will display this afghan given to us by co-workers at Kimball Electronics to remember our daughter in heaven that we lost September 7, 2006.


Willow Tree Figurines given to me during this pregnancy. These are wonderful additions to my current Willow Tree collection.


The changing table and wall art that goes with the My First ABC collection.


The drawers are stocked with some neutral clothes to get me started since we don't know the sex of the baby.

33 week update...belly shots

I went to the doctor again this week on Monday. Everything is still looking good. My feet are still pretty swollen. Doc just told me to try to keep them elevated and wear support hose. I have some T.E.D. hose from my open heart surgery so I wore those yesterday. Needless to say they don't work the greatest if you don't have your feet elevated while you are wearing them. My feet/ankles were huge by the time I got home from work. In prior weeks I was experiencing a lot of pain in my lower abdomen since it appeared I was carrying the baby rather low. Over the past week or so, the pain has diminished down low and now is more in my lower back. I think the baby has moved up a little bit relieving the pain in front but adding to the pain in my back. I gained 4 lbs in the last two weeks. I should start gaining a pound a week now. When I go back to the doctor in 2 weeks they will do growth measurements on the baby again and see how much it weighs. Doc's not going to let the baby get too big. The baby is still moving around like crazy....we love just watching my belly move. The baby also enjoyed the Chris Tomlin concert we went to last Friday night in Indy. It was dancing around in there a lot, so I think it really enjoyed the music. We are still on target for our May 15th C-Section.