Our Little Pumpkin

On Saturday mornings, I teach at our Community Center. The sidewalk is covered every year with the best fall leaves. Every year, I have told myself, 'one day when I have a baby...I will take their pictures out there.' Well, the day has come my friends. I was teaching up in the View Room this morning just staring out at all the beautiful leaves and daydreamed the entire morning about all the sweet pictures I was going to take of Lilly Belle! Matt did a fabulous job playing photographer.

After our little photo shoot, we took Lilly Belle to the pumpkin patch! We knew we weren't going to buy any pumpkins but were determined to get some adorable pictures of Lilly Belle and a few family pictures as well. People were so nice offering to take our picture everywhere we went. I was so happy with how those turned out as well.

We've spent the rest of the day loving on our sweet girl. She's currently napping in her crib (big deal around here). We're going to make the jump this week and will be putting her Moses Basket away. We're not ready for her to sleep in her own room yet so we're setting up her Pack n Play in our room until we feel ready (um...that may be never--Matt agrees). 

{We're pretty impressed at how cooperative Lilly Belle was for all of these...she had been up for 1.5 hours, fell asleep for the 10 minute car ride and then I woke her up. So, there weren't any smiles but she is still so stinkin' cute!}

Five on Friday

FIVE ON FRIDAY

1. "I'm leaving on a jet plane..."

Lillian Belle and I will be heading to WI to see my family December 5th-9th. It's been ridiculously heavy on my heart that she has not met my Dad so this morning, I just bit the bullet and bought those damn plane tickets. Matt won't be going with us for this trip, his final is that week, but I know I can do it. I got us some good seats on the plane and I should be fine. Lately she loves being all cuddled up and snuggling with me, so as long as I nurse her 5,000 times and just have a cozy blanket, those flights should be nothing. ; ) 

2. My Best Friends Wedding!

My BFF Micol is getting married! I am beyond excited for her and her fiancé, Kyle. They are perfect for each other and she has been wanting this for so long. I couldn't be happier for her them! I'm going to help her as much as I can even though I live so far away. I already created a secret board full of best friend wedding goodness! muah ha ha ha haaaa.... Yay weddings!

3. Found a Work/Home Balance

I'm not ready to reveal the plan publicly, but a ginormous weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Had to make some hard decisions, but they weren't so hard at all when it was so I can spend time with my baby girl. *sigh* I haven't felt so happy in a while. I've been pretty depressed this month with how much I've been working. It was crushing me. I feel none of that anymore knowing my time with Lilly Belle is so close now! Yahoo!

4. Weekend of Fun

Our weekend is jam packed with fun (in between me working everyday). Tomorrow is our Fall Feast Family Fun Day and we're going to the pumpkin patch first. I'm excited to get adorable pictures of Lilly in the pumpkins :) Sunday we are going to hang out at Melissa & Peters in the afternoon to visit with them and Katie & Adam as well. Then Sunday night we are heading to our friend Dan & Marianela's for dinner. Lilly will get to play with all of her friends in one day! 

5. Fa La La La La

The holiday season has officially arrived! Pumpkins, turkey then Santa! I love this time of year so freakin' much! And it's so much better this year with Lilly Belle getting into the spirit with her. I've started an Amazon wish list for her Christmas presents I want to buy her :) I'm going to start now to spread it out. Girlfriend has no toys really. Not for long!! 

Mommy's Day Off

(Written 10-11-13)

Yesterday was a wonderful day!

I have Thursdays off right now and I got the whole day with my family. It doesn't get better than that!

Lilly slept from 10pm-5am (this is her usual now) and I stayed up with Matt after that. We watched Lilo and Stitch while she was sleeping and I worked until she woke up. Okay, so I never really have a day off lol, but I got a ton done before she woke up again.

Then, it was all play all day. We spent time with her while she played on her play-mat. We read her stories and she practiced her "standing" a ton. She loves to push her legs up when we're holding her so she feels like she's standing. She's so strong. Speaking of which...Matt had her up on his shoulder burping her and she lost head control and they bonked heads. Lilly was screaming, Matt was in a ton of pain. We quickly iced Lilly's head only to then realize Matt had a black eye. Yikes! 

(Okay, so that part of the day wasn't so wonderful lol...but only lasted maybe 10 minutes.)

Lilly Belle was super cuddly all day. We went to Alderbrook Mall, our new favorite hang out, and while we were there, she slept for an hour on me in the Ergo! Girlfriend is finally starting to like the carriers. Thank goodness because we are just weeks away from Disneyland now.

When we came home, she took a nap in my arms! This is huge too as usually she would prefer her basket or her Mamaroo to nap in. I always try to hold her but she usually just screams until we put her where she wants to be. (Stubborn). Not yesterday, so many cuddles. It really was the best thing.

I think she knew that I finally had a day off and she was soaking it up just as much as I was. 

Every second that she was awake, I had my full attention on her.

(Okay, okay...that's kind of a lie because when we were eating dinner I was watching the Season 2 finale of Pretty Little Liars and she woke up and I was only half focused on her as she was playing and hanging on her play-mat with Matt....Mommy needed just a little time) :)

The Time My Best Friend Came To Visit!

First of all...whoa, I haven't blogged in weeks.

That makes me so sad and once again realize my life is too full right now (working on that).

I try to journal and take tons of pictures but haven't been able to nearly as much as I'd like. 

Lilly's finally starting to have a schedule, especially at night/bedtime so I know I have some time to write about this.

My best friend, Micol (Micky), came to visit us from Wisconsin and we had THE best time!

She just got engaged this week so it was so much fun talking about her and Kyle's wedding and sharing all that excitement with her. I am beyond excited for her and was so thankful she came here so we could have some time together. She wanted to meet Lillian and that was just so so nice of her to come here!

She was here Sunday night until Tuesday afternoon so short but sweet, but it was so much fun!

Every time we're together it's as if we were never apart. We've been best friends since 6th grade and I just love her so much. Lilly Belle loves her Auntie Micky too, she just was sick and had a fussy weekend. Micky got smiles out of her this morning and that was just awesome! :) 

Lilly Belle was in her most stylish outfit to meet her Auntie. I had to work all day and then came home and got Lilly as cute as could be. And me...well I just looked as cute as a new mom who worked all day can look lol. 

{Friends for 13+ years!} We took Micky to Mod Pizza & TCBY for dinner/dessert in the Highlands. I love TCBY for their dairy free fro-yo! Yay! It was so so great to catch up. I always laugh so much when we're together. I so needed these past few days :) I miss her already!!

When we got home, we kept Lilly's usual bedtime routine of feed-diaper-bath-pjs-feed-stories-songs-sleep and Micky got to hold her for the first time :) She still wasn't feeling well from our being sick on Friday so she wasn't too smiley...still cute though with her chubby little self lol. 

On Monday we had a late start getting out of the house and then headed to the city. We ate lunch at Red Robin on the waterfront and it was Lilly's first time eating out at a restaurant. She rocked it and I got to not only enjoy being with Micky but my soup/Clucks & Fries as well ;) Micky and I played a prank on Matt per our usual selves and we were all three laughing hysterically at the table. We probably looked like a bunch of crazies.  

Micky helped me attempt my first public diaper change (usually I go out to the car and do it in the trunk because I'm grossed out by the changing things in public restrooms SICK). So...we changed her on a blanket on the counter instead after we decided they probably clean that WAY more often :) A woman was very nice as she squeezed next to us to wash her hands lol. ... Notice: Lillian is obsessed with TV's. Oops! 

We parked up at Pacific Place so we had a nice walk back. 

I'm loving this little suit on LB. I just got it for $5 from a consignment sale and it's Old Navy. SO stinkin' cute! I also love how she got her thumb out so she could put it in her mouth....Cute little turkey butt!

Ha! I told Micky "Hey! People always climb on this and take pictures!" So she literally jumped on and then Matt was laughing and told us..."Um guys, that's a different pig up by the market." A couple did walk passed us looking at us kind of weird lol! 

Matt and I had never seen the Gum Wall before so it was fun to go over there together!

This morning we went to Starbucks and bought way too much food and Lilly had her biggest blow-out yet LOL. Then we recited lines from Bridesmaids while laughing hysterically some more (at ourselves) (as usual) LOL. We did our usual "what if" scenarios and just could not stop laughing! 

It really was such a fun weekend together. We stayed up just talking and laughed a TON. I wish so badly that we lived closer. I really really miss her! For the first time in a really long time, I actually thought about what it would be like to move back to the Midwest. (Don't get your hopes up though people) ; )

All the laughs I had with Micky this weekend were the biggest blessing I could have had right now. I know they healed me in a lot of ways and are making me a better mommy/wife too!

SUCH a good weekend!

Lilly Belle: Two Months

Lilly Belle :: 2 Months Old

Of course I made her an Ariel bow for this photo shoot! (And for our upcoming trip to Disneyland)

Girlfriend is in love with her paci!

Here is what is new with our sweet Lilly Belle

Weight: 11 lbs. 2 oz. She is 50% for her weight, height & head measurement.

Health: Lilly Belle is overall a pretty healthy baby. Our only health issue as of yet is that she has a really sensitive tummy. Her reflux has gotten pretty bad and she is on Zantac to help with that. She hates the medicine because its peppermint flavored, but does a pretty good job taking it. Matt holds her and soothes her and I am the bad guy who has to give it to her, but then I always feed her right away so she gets the taste out of her mouth and then she's fine. She doesn't really cry, just fusses. Its kind of funny because she learned how to "blow bubbles" and tries to get it out by spitting. Smart baby. Her tummy still hurts her a lot and I can tell every now and then that it really bothers her because she still does a lot of coughing/choking/arching after feeding and sometimes during. Poor baby :( I am now cutting out all dairy out of my diet to see if that helps any. 

Sleep: We have had quite a few nights as of recent that our sweet girl has a 6-hour stretch of sleep when she goes down for bed. It is either from 9pm-3am or 10pm-4am. Then she will have a 3-4 hour stretch following that. It's amazing. She will still have a "every 2 hours" night here and there, but she is growing so much lately that its no surprise when that happens. We are really lucky. She started doing her long stretches when she was 7 weeks old. I hope it stays! She is almost ready for her crib. I mean, we are almost ready for her crib. Our plan is that when we get back from Disneyland, we will transition her to her crib. She did have a few nights in her Pack and Play when we stayed at the beach house, but other than that, at home she is in her Moses basket. We only put her in her basket when its bedtime so she knows the difference. Also, we now use the Snuza because she sleeps longer stretches. We love it!

Social: Lilly Belle is such a happy baby! We have smiles now. She smiled for the first time when she was around 6 weeks old. She smiles the most when she first wakes up and while we are changing her diaper. In the morning we get tons of play time with her and she now can stay awake for closer to an hour to and hour and a half before napping. She likes when we sit her in our laps and talk to her. She will now follow us with her eyes when we walk around the room. Especially Matt! If Matt is talking to her and then walks away, she will follow him until she can't see him and then will fuss until she can see him again. Girlfriend loves her daddy! She noticed Cogsy for the first time this month too and likes when he licks her toes. It doesn't bother her when he licks her face but we try to not let him do that. They're going to be buddies soon. Speaking of buddies, she had more playdates with her friends Owen, Makenna & Madison this month. Lilly & Makenna noticed each other for the first time when they were about 7 weeks and a few days old (they are 5 days apart). It was the cutest thing. They were touching hands and everything. Melissa and I loved it! 

Diet: She has still only had breast milk. I am so proud of us for this. Its like my mission right now to do whatever it takes to not give her formula. Its like my thing right now. I'm obsessed with breastfeeding. I love it so much. I have no problem feeding her anywhere. I have fed her in the car (parking lots), in the dining room at Ikea, at the mall a ton of times, in Melissa's car while she fed Makenna next to me lol, and at the studio. It doesn't bother me at all. We finally bought a cover the other day. I gave my first one to Marianela because I didn't think I needed one, but it's nice to have at the studio so the kids don't have to see me. Anyway, there have been so many times where formula would have been so easy to give to her, but I haven't because I know that breast milk is best for her and I don't care if its not as easy at times, I love knowing I'm giving her what is best. It also makes me nervous with her reflux so that has factored into no formula as well. 

Clothes: She wears all 0-3 and 3 month clothes now. They are definitely more snug than last month. She finally does not fit into her newborn pants as her legs are finally catching up and getting longer. We put away some of her 0-3 and 3 month clothes as we are now transitioned to Fall attire. She is a healthy little baby so it I'm sure she will be in 6 months before we know it. She has also transitioned to size 2 diapers. Size 1 diapers were way too small. Yikes! 

Baby Gear Love: She still loves her paci and her Aden & Anais swaddles. We now only swaddle her at bedtime though. She now takes her daytime naps in her Mamaroo 4moms bouncer or in her carseat if we are out and about. She still doesn't like being held in the baby carriers we have (Boba Wrap and Ergo) but we've been practicing so hopefully soon. She still sleeps with her Sound Sleeper app in her Moses Basket too. New this month is that she has spent a lot more time hanging out on her play mat and also loves to sit up resting in the Boppy. She will sit there and just look all around. Usually she sits in there for 10-15 minutes at a time. She loves going for walks in our Britax stroller as well! She is a bigger fan of the carseat now too since we have taken out her infant insert and adjusted it to a bigger setting with the straps. She loves it. 

Crying: She is such an easy going baby. She doesn't cry unless she is tired or hungry. She doesn't even cry for wet/soiled diapers. We just change her every time she wakes up, so about 8-10 times/day. She will still have her moments when she cries a lot but thats only when she is overtired. We know our limits with this though so this happens rarely. She will fuss when she wants her paci. We call it "Paci Duty" at night. We take turns putting it back in for her at night while she falls asleep for her "big sleep". It's worth it because now she sleeps for so long. We go in 10-minutes shifts to help her until she is sound asleep for the night. We were just talking about this saying, "man, if this is the hardest part of our day with her...we really can't complain about it!" She doesn't even need to be held for this, she is already in her basket and just gets frustrated when it falls out. No big deal. It's also sad because she is still just so close to getting her thumb so that frustrates her too. 

Likes: (same as last month) Paci, being swaddled, being held, eating, & most of all she loves getting her hair washed under the faucet in the sink. She loves to look at lights! Girlfriend was pumped at Ikea :) She likes when we touch her cheeks and her chin, it makes her smile a ton! She is a huge fan of the Mamaroo and car rides! Bath time is still her favorite. She cries when we take her out. We can't help but laugh because I'll go to take her out and her little lip gets all pouty before she cries. She loves it! She really likes to nap laying down next to us. I mean, I will be sitting on the couch watching "Pretty Little Liars" and she will nap curled up next to me on the couch :) She likes noise. She sleeps so well at the studio when the music is blasting. We have this little toy that makes baby laughing sounds and she will smile for that toy all the time, it's funny! 

Dislikes: Still doesn't like the baby carriers. That's all either of us can think of though really. She's pretty easy-going! Oh, she doesn't like when her bottles are still a little cold. Hates that. And I guess we could say she dislikes getting out of the bath :) 

Postpartum: I am feeling good. I feel more comfortable now when other people hold her and soothe her. Not 100%, but more than last month. I have been dancing full out again now, leaps, frog jumps and all. I still hate my "mommy pouch" and am determined to get rid of that. I am happy though that 2 weeks after she was born I bought a pair of size 8 jeans at Express and those are now falling off of me and I'm constantly pulling them up. I think I could definitely fit in a size 6 now. Definitely not my size 2 again, but I'm getting there. My goal is a 4 :)  Emotionally, I still get pretty emotional every now and then but that isn't really abnormal for me when I don't have crazy hormones lol. I'm a passionate person as it is so it is hard to tell what is hormones and what isn't. 

Milestones: She smiled for the first time on September 12, 2013 at 5 weeks and 4 days old. She also started her 6 hour stretches of sleep on September 22, 2013. Her neck control is fantastic! We are almost ready to have her sit in the Bumbo chair. When she is in her Boppy she tries to sit up. She has also pulled up holding onto my fingers a few times. I feel like she's too little for that though so I don't do it often, she likes it though. She can roll over to her side but I still think she's got a while before she makes it all the way over. I would count her ability to make so much eye contact a huge milestone as well. She has so much more interaction with us now. It has been so much fun watching her grow! Everyday brings something new and it is all so exciting! 

Nicknames: Lilly, Lilly Belle, Peanut, Peanut Butter, Sweet Girl, Little Bean, Pumpkin

My Sweet Lilly Belle, 
     You are my whole world right now. I would do anything to get to spend every minute with you. You have brought me nothing but joy and I cannot imagine my life without you. You are a girl who knows what she wants and I love that about you so much. I can already tell how strong and bold you are. You are going to do amazing things in your life, I know it. Your smiles could fill a whole room with joy. You may end up having your Daddy's sense of humor. The two of you already have the cutest bond, you just stare at him and follow him with your eyes, smiling at him wherever he goes. You love your Daddy and he sure does love you! The time I have spent being your Mommy has been the best 2 months of my whole life. There are moments when I'm feeding you or holding you and just become overcome with happiness, sometimes it even makes me giggle how happy you make me. I sing this to you all the time, but it is oh so true..."You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away..." The words to that song have never rang more true to me. You bring so much light to my life right now and I know your Daddy feels the same exact way. Thank you for picking us to be your Mommy & Daddy, you've made us parents and that is by far the best gift I've ever been given. I love you, my Peanut!

Love,
Mommy

First nap in her crib.

Our little pumpkin!

Girlfriend plays hard!

Mommy got crazy and tried out the Bumbo...lasted about 3 minutes...oopsies :)

"Mommy..get this thing off of me!" {this picture is so Lilly lol}

This is what happens when she sees Matt. She seriously loves him so much! It melts me, too perfect!

This is one of my favorite pictures...her eyes!

Sweet girl with her first fever after her 2 month shots :'(

And ultimate cuteness...