Cousins

 Christian had to be away last week for work, so Sydney and I took the opportunity to get away! We hopped on the plane and went home to Maryland to spend the week with sisters, cousins, neices and nephews and my wonderful parents. It was so nice to be there. I think we only left the house twice because it was so cold, but it didn't make one bit of difference to me.  Sydney met a lot of her cousins (not all of them, we are going to see the Bennions next week (!) and she still has to meet her closest cousin, Thomas James Pratt). They were SO cute with her. I love cousins. I love that Sydney is going to have a zillion cousins to be best friends with, look up to, depend on, and confide in. Friends are wonderful, but cousins are sometimes even more wonderful.

Yes, this is how adorable Claire Henriod smiles. 

Sydney's first airplane experience

I had to add these pictures that I took on my phone of Sydney's first airplane ride.  I was so nervous about taking my 5-week-old on a 6 hour flight by myself. SHE WAS PERFECT.

Mary Martha

...has claimed her role as "Sydney's God - Mother." And I actually couldn't approve of anything more. After spending the last 4 days with us in San Diego, I feel like Mary knows Sydney as well as I do. She is incredible with her. I can't believe what a huge help she was and how much Sydney loves her.  We had a BLAST. It meant so much to me to have her here and spend some serious quality time with us.  There are few people that I love like I love Mary Martha. She is ONE OF A KIND and I couldn't love and appreciate her more.

The Little Angel

This girl has turned into an angel. Not that she wasn't initially, but in the past few days things have really changed for us. Maybe she hasn't changed all that much, but I have. I'll be honest, motherhood was just a little bit of a surprise for me. The transition didn't come as quickly or as easily as I thought it would.  I would find myself looking around at all the people at Target who didn't have little babies with them to take care of and I was just a little envious of their care free lives. How awful is that? I only say this because I couldn't feel any more different now. I am IN LOVE. I am so in love with this little girl that it kills me. I love being her mother. I love taking care of her and knowing she needs me. What seemed like a sacrifice a week ago seems like the biggest  blessing I could ever ask for now. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have her - even when she is screaming her head off.  I couldn't be more in love with this little angel.

the little miss 3-week-old

The Beach

The weather has been AMAZING. This fall I have to admit that I was a little sad that I was missing the fall in Utah/Maryland. I always said, "I NEED SEASONS!". Turns out, I don't need winter past December 31st. I couldn't be happier that it is 75 degrees in January. We went to the beach on saturday with some friends for several hours and had a ball. Sydney was perfect. She didn't wake up once.

Sydney's first week at home

My mom came to stay with us for a week and a half. THANK HEAVEN. I would not have gotten through Sydney being in the NICU without her. She was the biggest support and help in the world. I am SO grateful for her. She's the best mom ever.

Sydney's very first outing was a trip to Costco. I guess it was a little intense for a one week old. Yes, she is actually in that stroller somewhere.

Sydney's new friend, Jonah Reese Brilliant, our next door neighbor.

Sydney Caroline Peña

Sydney was born on Monday, January 3rd at 7:21 am. She weighed 7 lbs 6 ounces and was 19 inches long. Her delivery went very well for me, but apparently not so well for Syd. Sydney wasn't able to get rid of all the amniotic fluid in her lungs before coming out, which made it very hard for her to breathe initially. They whisked her away to the nursery to put her on oxygen and take a few tests. The test results indicated infection in her little body and so the doctors admitted her to NICU and put her on a 7 day antibiotic cycle. It was really really hard to have her in there, but the nurses were incredible and she recovered completely. We are SO happy to have her home. She is such a sweet little angel. We really adore her.