Bye Bye, Daddy!

Adam and Reagan when she was 7 days old

Daddy is leaving us for several days to go on a (tarpon) fishing trip- he has been doing these trips to the Keys with his best friend from North Carolina for several years now, and its been about 5 years since they have been, so he's excited!  He has been working really hard since we've moved down here (can't believe it will have been one year on June 20th) and he is taking a "much needed vacation!"  

We will miss him very much! George Bush Senior was in the Keys a few weeks ago and caught a MASSIVE tarpon- looks like that would be fun to try to catch!  Good luck boys!!    

We want good "Bloggable" photos when you come home!  ;)

Mommy and Baby, picnic at the park

Reagan people watching
Baby swans
Baby ducks

 Photo taken from her stroller (red cover, that's why it's turned the pic red) - she is shielding her eyes and sucking her thumb!

Today Reagan and I met about 10 other moms at the Lake Eola park in downtown Orlando.  We had such a wonderful time- we walked around the pretty lake (saw some baby ducks, and some baby swans) and we had a big picnic under a shady tree in the grass.  The babies loved being around one another looking around.  Reagan took a few naps while we were out, (as seen in photo above), she was exhausted! But, while we were eating lunch she lounged on the blanket and watched everyone play with their babies, eat, etc.  She enjoyed watching!- she has now been sleeping ever since we got home- I woke her up to get her to eat and wake up a bit (so she'll go to sleep at her bedtime) but she just ate and went back to sleep!  The park really must have worn her out!  

We have tons more to do tomorrow!- Mommy and Baby Yoga and story time at the library!

* One new thing she did today after we got home from the park, was put her toes in her mouth! I had to laugh!

Play Date

Best Friends Forever!!  :)
Reagan and Grace both holding their feed and sucking on their fingers!
Reagan stayed in her diaper all day long- We never left the house, so I didn't get her dressed- I know, I'm horrible!

Yesterday our friends Tracy (mom) and Grace (baby) came over to play- it was intended on being a short few hour day of fun and ended up being more like a 7 hour day of fun!  :)  Reagan got cracked up, giggling every time we would all go into her room to wake her up- she couldn't figure out why her friends were in her room- it was really funny to her!  :)  We took the girls on a walk, and played with all of Reagan's fun toys, and they slept while Tracy and I made cookie cut-outs of fish (for Adam's fishing trip).  Tracy and I could talk all day long if we wanted too- we met in a breast-feeding class (before the girls were born) and we hit it off b/c our due dates were the same- but the funny thing is, that we were the last to leave that class (due to talking) and of all the classes we do together now, we are always the last to leave (add a few other moms!)  but Hey, we just love to chat!  :)

4 month shots

"Thank you Jamie, for my cute outfit!"

Well, today was a bit depressing- I had to take Reagan to her 4 month check-up where she gets her shots.  She got 4 vaccines; three shots on the legs and then a oral vaccine.  (See her little boo boos, they are Charlie Brown band-aids).  We have had a hard time this go around.  She has been running a fever all day and has been extremely fussy,  which is normal, she only ran a temp for a little while after her first set of shots at 2 months, but her immune system is working on fighting this pain off this time, and if you ask me, it's not doing a very good job.  But a few of my girlfriends who have already taken their babies to get their 4 month shots said they were sick a few days- so we'll hope she gets better tomorrow.  

But, the fun part about the check-up is going to get her weighed and measured!  She is weighing in at 13.1 lbs and 25.5 inches long!  Perfect on the growth chart!  Her head is measuring a bit small, but her daddy's head it tiny, and it seems she is taking after him in EVERYTHING!  ;)  She is beginning to show an interest in everything I put in my mouth- watching my every move; drinking, eating, etc.  So, I have been practicing with her by letting her try to hold a cup, spoon, etc.  She is doing very well, for not having much coordination.  The Dr. says to wait until about 6 months before introducing any solids but as soon as I am ready, I can start working with her on a sippy cup.- that should be interesting!

Relatives

Reagan and Grama; "Gigi"

Reagan and Aunt Mary

PARENTS Magazine

Chubby feet in the grass
Road trip entertainment at the service plaza! 

Hello all!

We've finally made it home, after a LONG 3 1/2 hour drive (that ended up being over 6) from Miami. just me and Reagan.  

This morning when Reagan and I left to come home we were stuck in road construction for nearly 2 hours! I plan my trip around her nap schedule (since she HATES being in the car), so she fell asleep in the car as we got going (as planned) and I spent her WHOLE nap in the traffic going from 5 lanes to 1!  And I only had to drive 2.7 miles and it took me over 1 hour and 45 minutes!!!!  I was going out of my mind- by the way, anyone I called during that period of time, I apologize for being in a bad mood!  ;)  Anyway- since we missed Reagan's napping window to drive, being in traffic, I had to stop frequently to play and entertain her at service plazas! This is a picture of what I would do with her (after walking around outside) before putting her in the car seat (which she dreads)   So, anyway- we made it home FINALLY!

As far as our magazine shoot went, it was fun and interesting! We arrived at 9am (for hair and makeup), Reagan took her morning nap (as planned), then when we started shooting I find out the article is about babies learning how to WALK- (side note: there is always some type of miscommunication with agencies!) so, seeing that I have a 4 month old that can't even hold her head up, OBVIOUSLY she won't be walking anytime soon!  So, basically the pictures were of me holding her hands while she is standing in the grass (first of all, the grass was so LONG they needed to see the babies' feet, so they actually had a person cutting the grass with scissors-RIDICULOUS!) and secondly, her daddy hates being barefoot in the grass, and Reagan has never been barefoot in the grass until this particular day, and she flipped out!  :)  It took awhile for her to get used to the grass under her little toes but finally we got a few shots, not sure if any will make the magazine considering the article- but just in case, these don't make it, they photographed me with two other children (that look NOTHING like me, but were around walking age)- SO, needless to say, it will be interesting what makes the magazine!  Hope you all look for it! HA!  It will be the JULY issue of PARENTS (out the end of June) ; an article about walking.  :)

1st Beach Trip!!

The wind was blowing really hard!  It looks like it's taking off with her glasses!
She liked her feet in the sand, much better than the grass!
Yea! I love the beach!

Yumm!  This sand is so tasty! (My favorite picture!)

My Grandmother and I took Reagan down to the beach and we took a few pictures!  We had a lot of fun taking the pictures! She really took to the water, and the beach! Watch the video! (don't forget to pause the music at the bottom and turn up your volume!)

Anyway- we sat her in her Bumbo chair (to make it easier for us to get some shots of her sitting on the sand, and she started eating the sand!)  Grama worried, but I thought it was cute and funny!  I had to hurry to take this picture before Grama could wipe the sand off her mouth!  I figured it would come out one way or another!  :)... if you know what I mean!

PARENTS magazine

Reagan and I will be taking a trip to Miami tomorrow morning for a photo shoot for the PARENTS magazine- we don't know what month it will be yet, but I will keep everyone posted! 

Wish us luck- it will be her first job!  :)  Mommies little model!

Everything is BIGGER in TEXAS

These are a few pics from the Midland/Odessa Airport, on our way back home to Florida!  I will always be a Texan, even though I have lived in Florida for 5 years this May! ..... Plus we have the coolest flag!

We loved visiting with everyone in Midland, Thanks to everyone for coming to see us!  We miss everyone and hope to do it again soon!  (Luckily we have a good traveler, that makes it easy to want to do it again!)

Beginning to fall asleep.......
Totally OUT!
Sucking her thumb
Reagan with Grandan, her great grandpa

After IHOP we went to Grandan's house to say goodbye to all the cousins and Aunts and Uncles!  Reagan was still so worn out from all the events that she fell asleep, but still no tears!  She is the best baby!

IHOP

Aunt Sarah
She's holding a spoon!
Look closely here, she is still holding the spoon!
Natalia, Dad, Me, and Sarah
Pappy with Sarah, Reagan and I

When I say we were busy I DO mean BUSY!  This is at IHOP at 8am on Sunday morning with my Dad, Natalia, Sarah, Uncle Les, and my dad's friends Wayne and Karen

Dinner at Ajua's

Reagan with my Grandad (my dad's dad)- "Grandan", her Great Grandad
Proud Parents!
My dad; aka: Pappy

Saturday night (April 19) we had reservations for 17 1/2 (1/2 = Reagan) RIEK family members  at a wonderful Mexican food restaurant in Midland called Ajua's! They put us in a back room that was so nice and quiet and perfect for our LOUD family!! My dad's whole side of the family except his sister Carol were there! We enjoyed some great Mexican food and had lots of laughter and love!  It was so much fun!

FEATURING: REAGAN VICTORIA HAYNES!!!

"Welcome Reagan Victoria" cake- How adorable is that!  And it was super YUMMY too!
This is Reagan with Ray Pierson ( family friend that we have known since I was Reagan's age!) We love you Ray!
Reagan with Ruthann (my grandmother on my dad's side)
Reagan exhausted after a long day with Aunt Opal
Left to Right: my sister Sarah, Aunt Adelle (host) Zana (my mom), me, Aunt Deborah (host) and Aunt Jessalyn (hosts mother)- picture is a bit blurry! Sorry!
Happy baby with Aunt Adelle
Left to Right: Aunt Opal (my dad's aunt), Grandmother Ruthann, Aunt Linda (my dad's sister), cousin Jenny (holding Reagan, and expecting her first! Reagan's 3rd cousin), cousin Emily and my sister, Aunt Sarah

My Aunt Deborah and Aunt Adelle (distant cousins on my mom's side, we call "Aunt"), had a "Welcoming" shower for Reagan on April 19th 2008- her 4 month birthday!  

I was worried about how she would do with many people holding her (for 2 hours), especially after her day before when we were on the plane all day- and she did absolutely amazing!  She giggled and laughed, talked and then slept- but not until the end!  But she didn't cry once! 

Adam is not seen in any pictures b/c he was playing golf with all of the men on my Dad's side of the family!  He had such a great time playing golf on Sat. he went again on Sunday!  How nice am I to let him go!  :)  **Brownie points!  

Layover in Houston-

"You're getting sleepy....."
"You're getting VERY sleepy......."
"Now you're happy!"
These are some pictures from the Houston-Hobby airport, while we waited patiently for our plane, that so graciously LEFT US!  Adam and I weren't as happy as Reagan was!  :)  But better for us to be mad, than her!  :)

Texas Trip!!

  Reagan looking out the BIG airplane window!

 Thumbs up to a sleeping infant on a flight! :)

We're home!!  Sorry, it has been over a WEEK since I have updated the blog!  We went on a trip to TX. to see my family and the week leading up to the trip, I was frantically packing- it was our first time traveling with Reagan by plane and I was very nervous, but she was an amazing plane rider, even under the circumstances of having to wait for our plane for over 2 hours! (Our flight from Orlando to Houston went great, but when we arrived in Houston we had to fly around for awhile due to weather, and our connecting flight to Midland was shortly after we landed, so our flight attendants told us they would hold the plane until we got there- well, did they hold the plane for us!? NO!!!  So, we had to catch the next available flight out, 2 1/2 hours later, and it wasn't a direct flight either, we had to go from Houston to Dallas, and then Dallas to Midland!)

 Reagan was such a sport! She had to pop her ears- going up in Orlando, down in Houston, up in Houston, down in Dallas, up in Dallas, down in Midland... all in one day!! And she hardly cried, (maybe once) she played and giggled and slept most of the time!  Thank goodness, b/c I was sweating, worrying she would disrupt everyone!  (and these planes were FULL- there was only one time when Adam and I had a whole row to our selves with one seat in between, other times we had to have someone else in the seat with us! Talk about pressure to be quite!  :)

Everyone thought Reagan was precious and wonderful, but bless her little heart- by the time we got to her Zana's (my mom) house, she was so worn out she cried for probably about 1 hour straight, until she finally went to sleep, and she was OUT from 5:30pm until 7:30am- this was Zana's first time to babysit, and Reagan did not wake up once!  Zana was sad, but I was happy, b/c I had never left her before!

Adam and I went to dinner with my best friend Kobi, and her husband Josh (for our first date since before was born; 4 months ago)