First Meetings

2nd cousins Meredith and Tori Murphy

Great Aunt Susie Murphy

"Aunt" Ashley and Abby Hussong

"Aunt" Lindsay Blickenstaff

"Aunt" Leah Durbin

Meeting Great Grandma Smith and hanging out with the Smith family

Great Grandma Smith has the touch

Great Aunt Amy Graven

This past week Suri had the privledge to meet several of her family members and a ton of new friends in central Illinois and in Pella, Iowa. Her are a few pictures of this trip. By the way she was an excellent traveler for a 5 hr car ride to Illinois and back to Wisconsin and then a 6 hr car ride to Pella and back. In fact she was so good that mommy promised her a pony when she grows up, followed by dad trumping that with "Mommy meant you can ride a pony when you grow up"-whatever works, right?

1 month down

Happy Birthday Suri Elizabeth! You have managed to survive us as parents for a whole month. This month has flown by and while you have slept most of it, your father and I have just walked around in a daze thinking "What have we gotten ourselves into?" In all seriousness you have been a remarkable baby. This month you have laughed at us learning how to give you a sponge bath, then cooed when you were able to be submerged in the water for the first time. You have taught mommy how to do things one handed and how much fun baby yoga can be. You also survived your first mommy daughter outing without any help from anyone which I think was more of an accomplishment for mommy and not so much for you. You also were a great hostess with both Grandma's staying with you for a few days and then Grandma Murphy, Aunt Mallory and Great Aunt Karen came to stay too. Also you became a great traveler when we went out of state for the first time to visit Aunt Monica, Uncle Syed and cousin Syed Brian at there house which is something we will do often. Other milestones that you survived in your first month were the icky belly button stub falling off (again scarier for mom and dad than you), advancing from 2 oz of formula to 4 oz, growing from 7 lbs 14 oz and 20.5 inches long to 9lbs 6 oz and 21.25 inches long, and finally learning to pick your head up and move it from one side to the other and back. You are changing every single day and your father and I are cherishing these moments (well maybe not today, I think you knew it's was your birthday and it was your party and you DEFINITELY cried when you wanted to- ALL day.) Regardless we love you and wish you another happy and successful month with us. Until next month!

Tummy Time

Our first real outing

So on July 11th Suri had her first outing. Would it be a successful one or a stressful one that was the question. So we packed 2 dogs and a baby in the SUV and headed out for the two and half hour drive down to Yorkville, IL to see Aunt Monica, Uncle Syed and of course cousin Syed Brian. It is amazing how leaving at 10 o'clock turns into 11:15. Suri also got an added benefit of seeing her Grandma and Grandpa Azhar too because that day we were celebrating Syed Brian's successful brain surgery and Tammy and Syed's 32nd wedding anniversary.

This trip taught us a lot as does every day with Suri, but the life lessons we learned didn't come from her but from our family. We learned that little ones are resilient and can come through surgery with flying colors-Thanks Syed Brian for that lesson we will need it soon.

We also learned that who you marry can determine your happiness and to see Tammy and Syed after 32 years of marriage, I would say they married the right person. Congratulations Tammy and Syed!

All in all Suri, Wrigley and Addy traveled excellent together and we have mastered the strategic packing in order to get everything in. So what if it takes us an extra hour to get places because the ultimate outcome is the memories that we create once we are there.

0-60

Asif and I are amazed by our daughter. She is sweet, beautiful, loving and has a great new talent. Her latest talent is going from zero to sixty. You see Suri can be as content as can be in our arms and in seconds the wailing begins. We say that she is just exercising her lungs to let us know that they are ok and nothing is really the matter. Dr. Lund, Suri's pediatric surgeon, got to see Suri and hear Suri in action yesterday. He said her lungs sounded perfectly fine for the time being but in 5 months we will have to visit him again and at that time we will discuss our options for the removal of the cysts on her lower right lung. But for now, she continues to exercise them.

Playing Dress Up

I am so blessed that my Grandma Murphy, Aunt Mallory and Great Aunt Karen came to visit me. Ooooooh what fun they found my accessories baskets and want to play dress up. Oh I look so pretty. Oh yes that is an adorable hat. Um let's try on those pink sunglasses. Ok that is enough, not another bonnet. That was so much fun, maybe next time you'll bring me a tutu to try on????

First 2 weeks of life and the lessons learned

As first time parents I feel as though we are not teaching our daughter a thing but yet she is teaching us. So here are a few of the lessons Asif and I have learned in the first 2 weeks of her life.

First thing I have learned is that I adore my husband so much more thanks to Suri. Due to my C section I've been limited to what I can do. So in the hospital Asif was a saint he dealt with the first bath, the black tar explosion, numerous diaper changes and of course her brought her to me to snuggle at all hours of the evening. She has taught me that even though we have been together for 8 years my love for Asif can grow even stronger.

Next thing Suri has taught us is that if you lift her legs too high during a bath she will promptly pee and even poop on you. She taught dad that lesson during her first bath. That was entertaining to clean up.

Speaking of clean up, she also has taught us what her food limit is. Just yesterday she was fussy so we thought she was still hungry and so we gave her just ONE extra ounce of formula. This was one ounce too many because ten minutes later she projectile vomited all down her cute forth of July outfit and even in her hair and ears. That was lovely.

She also has taught us too slow down and cherish quiet moments. The laundry can wait, the garden doesn't have to be weeded and who doesn't love a few dust bunnies. We have vowed to each other to cherish these times because soon we will be looking back on these pictures and posts and say remember when?

All in all the first 2 weeks haven't been that bad. We have conquered the belly button falling off, 3 baths now, 4 am feedings and even a few outings. We were unable to go on our first outing to Illinois due to my incision being infected but soon we will be down in central Illinois for everyone to meet her. So for now we will keep cherishing and sharing our little moments with all of you.