Baby's First Halloween

Audrey only got 3 costumes for Halloween! So I had to take a few pics to post! We will be dressed & ready when the kids come to the door!

Baby's 1st Halloween

She was a lovebug when her grammy came to visit!

And my personal favorite...my lil punkin!...not so much her favorite. It was a little big for her, maybe next year we can try this one again :)

Who's Who

1. Which sleeping baby am I?
2.Can you guess which sleeping baby I am?

3.Who am I wide awake?

4.Me? Who am I?

We are going to Birmingham in two weeks & as of now all I've been able to see of my new little nephew is the pics that Jenn keeps sending (and skype of course). I think that Audrey & Christian resemble each other so much that I thought we'd play a little game called Who's Who!

Above you will see pics of Christian & Audrey (and maybe Rollins will even sneak in the pics:)

You can post your votes on my comments for which one you think is Rollins, Christian & Audrey. I will post the answers on Sunday, so Jenn no voting until Sunday morning (Sorry:)
Have Fun!!! I can't wait to see your answers!

Motherhood

Last night was a long one. Audrey was not feeling well & just wanted to be held. As soon as I would get her down & get back to sleep, she would be up again. I must've prayed for hours last night, "Lord, help me to comfort her" "Lord, give me wisdom to take care of her", "Lord, give me patience to get through this night".

I changed her diaper, took her temperature, wrapped her tight in her blanket, fed her....nothing was working. Finally, I curled up in our soft rocking chair & put her in my lap & we both drifted off to sleep for a couple of hours.

As I sit here, totally exhausted & dragging you know what, I have to thank God for once again being faithful. Not once last night did I feel overwhelmed or want to give up (although I did want sleep). One of my biggest fears when I was pregnant was that I would get overwhelmed & not want to take care of my kid (I know it sounds silly but it can happen so easily). Not once did I feel anger towards her or want to put her down... I just wanted to make it better for her.

I realized love like that can only come from our Heavenly Father.

Children are the closest thing we can do to understanding His love for us. Often times I wonder, how can God love me?... I don't deserve the things He's done for me.. or why would He continue loving me after I doubted Him or was angry with Him?

His love is unconditional & perfect. Although our love will never be perfect, I think he uses parenting (Fathers included here) allow us to see how He feels about us because its how we feel about our children.

I know that I am probably rambling a bit or not making much sense but I found this "job description" for mothers online & I thought it was fitting:

MOM - Job Description
POSITION:Mother, Mom, Mama, Mommy
JOB DESCRIPTION:Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an, often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities. Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.
RESPONSIBILITIES:The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.
POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT AND PROMOTION:Virtually none. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE:None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.
WAGES AND COMPENSATION:Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and this wish you could only do more.
BENEFITS:While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life if you play your cards right.

Skills & Qualities required by the Job
The following qualities are absolute essentials:-
* Love * Patience * Kindness * Gentleness * Long-suffering * Energy ** Imagination * Sense of Humour * Social Skills *

The following list are useful, but are often learnt 'on-the-job':-
* Managerial & Organisational Skills ** Planning * Leadership * Diplomacy * Catering *
(And, of course, whilst it is not required for the mother to worry, most do! A healthy concern is probably a prerequisite for successful motherhood!)

Missing U

Missing all the cool stuff

Daddy's days away. I sit at work with a picture on my desk thinking about my two girls. Anyone who knows me can call me simple but my mind wanders all day. Here are a few of my thoughts written down. Let's not make fun and say I don't have many even though it may be true.

My wife, my first love, is the absolute greatest. Since having our first child, I have not skipped a beat socially. I play basketball and volleyball on different nights and I have been able to make appearances at both LSU and Saints games. I am truly blessed to have a supportive wife in all aspects of life (work and play). It doesn't hurt that she is smokin hot either. Have you seen her 17 days out from having a baby :) WOW

My new love, Audrey, is stinkin amazing. She has filled my life and brought me closer to my wife (which I did not think possible). She smiles in her sleep and sucks her thumb but nothing is better than holding that little girl and never wanting to let go. Never letting go is even harder when Nana, aka "the hawk" is buzzin around.

With that said I am hesitant to stay late at work or play with the boys. I miss both of them every minute. I guess it doesn't help with Sarah sending me pics and videos throughout the day (a good thing) via cell phone. What was life like before this great invention (side bar). I sit here thinking about what I am missing. I know there is a reason for work and that’s why I go but it is hard being away from two amazing and beautiful girls for more than 10 hours and not miss holding them and watching their bond (run on; I never claimed to like English in school).

I love you both with all of my heart and for that I leave you every morning with great anticipation of coming home.

This is Audrey's Missing Daddy Face!

I CAN

Hi my name is Audrey & I am 11 days old!
Here are all the things that I've learned I can do in the last 11 days.

I can pick my head up at Tummy Time with Daddy!

I can suck my thumb!

I can watch the Saints play with Daddy! I am 1-1 so far. Geaux SAINTS !!!!


I love to play with Mommy!

I can make silly faces!
I can hold my own bottle!

7 UP!!!

The only one with her eyes open :)


Audrey is such a sleepy baby that we have to wake her up about 20-30 minutes before I actually want her to start feeding. Its so funny to see her little expressions as she is trying to wake up because I see alot of Ryan in her already. Her daddy has the same problems waking up. I have to set several alarms & ask him numerous times just to get him to think about getting up...especially on the weekends.
When we were living in PA, I would take "steps" to wake him up & I am having to do the same thing with His daughter. So here are the steps to waking them up (her's have been altered just a little to suit an infant). And here is how I present it to them:

Step 1: All you have to do is just start THINKING about waking up....that's all just THINK about it.

Step 2: BIIIIIGGGGG yawn & STRETCH

Step 3: Fall back to sleep

Step 4: Repeat Steps 1 & 2

Step 5: Hugs & Kisses from the loved ones (this is followed by a kissfest from anyone who is around Audrey)

Step 6: This one takes the longest & is the hardest to get either of them to do (usually we have to go back to step 3 a couple of times)
EYES WIDE OPEN

Step 7: 7-UP (you get it 7-up?)


PS: Thanks to all my fellow bloggers out there that have been leaving me the sweetest comments. I am checking your pages between naps but have not had time to comment yet... sorry for the neglect, but I am glad to see what is going on in your lives & the outside world. I love you all!

What a Blessed Life!

Our daughter is officially 4 days old (I had to check what day it was first) & I cannot believe how much life has changed (All those with kids are laughing right now). Let me see if I can put it all into words: My heart is so full & I don't know if I can get it all out.

I spent the last 9 months (longer actually) praying over this kid & its truly amazing to see how God has answered my prayers. Let me share with you some of my answered prayers.

Answer #1: I prayed for her.
February 1, 2008 I told Ryan he was going to be a Daddy!

Answer #2: I prayed that Ryan & I would move home & be able to raise Audrey around family & friends & that I would have my OB from Louisiana deliver her.
July 4, 2008 The Lord provided a job for Ryan that would pay him what we need to survive in New Orleans & we left PA home bound! There have been challenge & adjustments with being "homeless" & all & still needing to sell our house in PA (Please keep praying for that one) but no blessing is without trial, right Trish?!

Answer #3: I prayed to have a good pregnancy.
We definitely hurdled some challenges in the beginning but overall the whole pregnancy was healthy & all of the things that people warned me would be a "bother" during pregnancy never really "bothered" me. I heared about the morning sickness, the heat in the dead of August in Louisiana, the last month being so uncomfortable. Now I'm not saying that I did not experience any of this but what I'm saying is that I didn't feel like it was as bad as people kept saying (And I was 8 mos pregnant in August).

Answer #4: I prayed that the delivery would be smooth & easy & that I wouldn't struggle with post pardum. I prayed that God would give me disernment to see which of my feelings were based on truth & which were lies from Satan.
Ryan kept saying that labor would consist of 3 pushes & it kinda became a joke... "labor will be a walk in the park babe... 3 pushes" we would joke but I have no doubt in my mind that is EXACTLY what he prayed for because 3 pushes later... we had a beautiful baby girl. (Wish I would've included the contractions in my prayer, God does have a sense of humor but I guess that is what the epidural was good for:)
As far as post pardum, so far I have been able to stay level headed. I mean I do get tired & feel overwhelmed like all new moms but I have a great support system & wonderful husband who couldn't be more hands on with his daughter. (Please keep praying for this one because I'm still walking through it.)

Answer #5: I prayed Ryan & I would be good parents & that Audrey would bring us closer & not consume us so there was no time for us as a couple.
I know that we are learning new things everyday but I feel like we are a good team & I can recognize where he is stronger & where I need to heed his advice. We have seen eye to eye on most things & just really worked together on taking care of Audrey. Not to mention that being a Dad comes so natural to him & he has amazed me everyday at how sweet, knowledgeable & Godly he has been in caring for her. (which all mom's know makes you love him even more than you thought possible) I look at him & the person that he is (both Daddy & Man) & I cannot believe that God thought me special enough to deserve him. He is laid back & easy going, all he wants is for me to be happy, yet he is such a strong Godly man that will not be pushed & knows who he is & how he will live his life-no matter what other people do.

Answer #6: I prayed for her personality.
Now I know that she is only 4 days old & things will change DAILY but her disposition is already so happy, sweet & docile. Obviously this is a prayer that I will continue for her but now I see so much of Ryan in her personality & we all know how I feel about Ryan (see answer to prayer #5).
And I believe in the power of words so everyday Ryan & I speak to her about all the traits that we know she will have. I tell her that I know she will be kind, gentle, laid back, selfless yet know how to care for her self & be strong (her name means noble strenght), compassionate, Godly, wise & that she will do great things for God's kingdom. I tell her how lucky I am that God entrusted me with His child to see that she becomes all these things.

Answer #7: I prayed she would be a good sleeper.
Lets just say the kid spends more time looking at the back of her eyelids than anything else. We want her to have good sleep patterns because I feel like that is so important to being successful in life. She will sleep in her crib, in someones arms... pretty much anywhere. I have put her down wide awake, dead asleep, with music on, silent, with people talking around her & she has no problems sleeping. I know that this sleepy phase may eventually end but we are working on habits now that she will be able to keep her entire life. (none of the deVilleneuve's sleep well so we know how important this one is)

There are so many things that we pray for & are still a work in progress (Me most of all). There are things that I see God changing now & that I am still waiting for Him to show me but I just feel that with all the changes Ryan & I have been going through God has remained faithful. He always does, we just don't always see it & I just wanted to share how He is working in our lives.

PS We have taken over 100 pics in 4 days! I will post more soon!

Welcome Audrey!

Audrey Catherine Amato was born on October 5th, 2008 at 8:01am. She weighed 5lbs 8oz & 17 1/2 inches long... with a full head of dark hair & blue eyes (hope she keeps them). We came home last night & are doing great.

We cannot to begin to thank God enough for this precious gift & feel so blessed that He trusts us enough with HIS child. Thanks for all the love, support & prayers! I am exhausted so I will update with details later.

Noah Matthew Dyer

My good friend Courtney has left the pregnancy pack!

Her & Jake are some of our best friends in PA & we were due to deliver 2 days apart. Whereas I'm not happy that Courtney has left me behind :) we are ecstatic for their new addition to the family!

Last night they welcomed Noah Matthew Dyer to the world!

Ryan has already begun preparations for an arranged marriage between Noah & Audrey... we are still working out the details as to where they will live (PA or LA).... no aggreements have been made yet:)

It was so nice going through the whole pregnancy with someone who was at the exact same place as me. Courtney you were such a blessing to our family. I cannot wait to meet your sweet angel & share "mommy advice" & stories!

On another note, I went to see my doctor & it doesn't look like I will be as lucky as Courtney. I am dialated 1cm (which is a start) but probably won't be making any trips to the hospital yet.

The doctor also wants me to come in for an ultrasound (which we will be doing today) because Audrey is measuring so small. She isn't worried about anything, just a precautionary measure but please be in prayer for her anyway. Will keep you updated.