Happy Halloween!

The decorations are out, the school buses have just finished dropping off children in our neighborhood and they have all raced home in their cute costumes. There is a sense of anticipation that is almost tangible hanging in the air.

It's almost time to trick or treat!!

I will be posting some super delicious photos of Evelyn as a Ladybug (how fitting, it's her nckname from me, ack the cuteness) tomorrow, since she is not in her costume yet (avoiding spit up, etc. until last possible moment.)

We are heading out to walk around with some friends, while their kiddos trick or treat this evening, but will not be participating in the swindling folks out of candy portion of the festivities. Last year I was so appalled at the grown-ups trick or treating for babies that came to our front porch I could barely stand it (pregnancy hormones may have been in effect. maybe.)

I mean, clearly that little baby asleep in the stroller is NOT OLD ENOUGH TO EAT CANDY. Gah. You are a grown up! If you have the cash flow to put your baby who has no idea what is going on in a costume, then just buy yourself some candy! The candy in the buckets is for the CHILDREN! End.rant.

In other news, I have been pleasantly surprised by how Halloween has changed on my Facebook news feed. It used to be filled with cringe-worthy (though perfect for judging) photos of "sexy" this or "sexy" that costumes. I'm not gonna lie, I participated in that shizz too. And now, my news feed is filled with clever costumes for adults and adorable ones for bambinos.

If this is what growing up is like, I'll take it.


Evelyn Rae is 16 weeks old

...and I won't lie, if I could still rock some of those costumes from the college days, I might be tempted into slipping them on. You know, and staying in my house. And not showing anyone.

Baby Gravy

Baby poop is an amazing thing. For those who don't know...breastfed baby poop is liquidy. Makes sense right? Liquid goes in, liquid comes out.

Well, this morning, my little darling LADY of a daughter showed me just how much of a mess you can make with baby poop while your trusting Mama lets you have some naked time.

I took pictures (yup it was too gross and hilarious for me not to stop to document before cleaning) but while I sent them to her daddy at work, I will spare you all.

I will, however, describe. This girl was laying on top of her changing table while I went to fetch a clean diaper. I heard what could only be described as a wet sound, turned around and saw it. She not only covered her changing table waterproof pad and changing pad cover, but managed to hit the side of the dresser (dripping down) got INTO one drawer on the clean clothes inside, on the floor and on the carpet. More baby poo than I have ever seen, especially considering this was after her normal morning diaper.

It was nothing short of extraordinary. What can you do but laugh and grab the bleach wipes?

Mommyhood is g-l-a-m-o-r-o-u-s.

Evelyn Rae is 15 weeks old

...and her daddy's response? "You definitely need some biscuits for all that baby gravy." Gross, husband. Just gross.

Sizing.

I have a small rant regarding post-partum body issues.

Le sigh.

Women's clothing sizes are nutso.

I have had quite a few "events" lately to shop for, which has me just about over shopping. It's not nearly as much fun to go shopping "for" something as it is to just go shopping and find things you love naturally.

The latest event I was shopping for was Evelyn's baptism (coming up this Sunday, btw.) 

{Aside: Why am I shopping for these events? Because nothing in my closet fits. Whomps. Getting closer for sure, but remember that whole breasts filled with nutrient-rich food for my baby thing? Yeah, doesn't work so well with my old B cup wardrobe. Also, never really had to worry about easy access to those breasts before.}

Anywho, as I was shopping, I grabbed approximately twelve dresses to bring to the fitting room. Most from the same designer. I began trying them on, and was immediately PUMPED when one of the dresses fit in a size small. It looked awesome, but was a bit too short for standing up in front of everyone at church. And too expensive to buy just because I wanted it. Whomps.

So, I reached for a different dress, slightly longer. I figured I would have no problem sliding on the size 6, as the small from the same designer had just fit me. Wrong. It was tight, in all the wrong places. The 8 fit just fine, but there was a size 10 that was on sale in a different (better) color, and the 8 was not. I tried for the heck of it, and the 10 didn't look bad. Grr. 

{I did feel a bit better when I asked the sales lady if she could bring me that 10 on sale and she said, "The ten?! But you are so tiny!"...Yes, I am aware they get paid to sell things. I used to be one of them. Who cares? Made me feel good.}

In another designer, I couldn't even pull a medium over my chest. What the heck. 

All this is to say, sizing is crazy. I feel pretty good about my body progress on most days, but these sizes would drive anyone insane. I have always been a huge proponent of the idea to "go with what fits, and don't worry about the size", but that's when I was in the 4, 6, and occasional 8 size range. Now that I am more in the 8, 10 and occasional 6 range, it was starting to get to me. Until today.

Today I reminded myself that I am right, sizing doesn't matter and on top of that, sizing is crazy. 

And it can't be bad to have a few of those cushion sizes in my closet, right?

You know, for the next time.

And the time after that.

And the...

Evelyn Rae is three months old

...and I did manage to find a super cute dress. In a reasonable size.

Sick baby

We have one. Be back tomorrow.

We hope.

Evelyn Rae  is three months old

...and it breaks my heart to hear those little snotty breaths.

The Worst

Here's the thing. I knew this was going to be the worst part of mommyhood going into it. At least for me. And now that my prediction has proven to be true...it doesn't make me feel any better.

Usually being right makes me feel like a winner.

The thing is, there is something I really hate. How some folks feel about nails on a chalkboard or styrofoam rubbing together...that's how I feel about wearing clothes with any sort of moisture on them.

I bet you know where this is going.

Wet jeans, can't stand em. Those are the worst actually. When your pants wick water up from the ground when its raining? Gah. Before galoshes came into style I would literally freeze my butt off wearing something off season if it was cold and rainy out.

As a new mommy, you get to deal with all SORTS of fun liquids. Breastmilk, spit up (you get it coming and going), drool, nightsweats, and all sorts of liquid excrement. Wee!

Those things aren't so bad on their own. All part of being a parent. But when those things end up soaking through your clothes? Gaaaaaaah.

One of the only mommy meltdowns I have had was one night when Ev was about 6 weeks old. It was so hot in the middle of the night, I was sweating like a convict making a prison break, I was feeding her and she pulled off my boob resulting in breastmilk spraying all over (Wet sheets = just as bad as wet clothes) . After managing to get her back on quickly in the pitch black, we finished feeding. I burped her and she promptly spit up all over.

I lost it. I woke up my coparent and made him change the sheets and baby's pajamas while I jumped in a cold shower.

Now, Ev isn't a very spit uppy baby, so we haven't had another night like that in a while.

But yesterday, yesterday she was the spit up queen. Right on my chest while grocery shopping and in the Moby wrap (=trapped with no way to even wipe it off)... There's nothing quite like the smell of partially digested breast milk. Eau De parfume of new mommies everywhere. Later she spit up all over the couch, and my shorts.

Besides my annoyance is there anything worse than feeding your baby all that nutrient rich breast milk your body is working to produce and then seeing it all come right back up? (I know there are worse things of course, but man is that disheartening).

In any case, my day yesterday was a wet one.

Just thought I would share.

Evelyn is 14 weeks old

...and I wrote this post on my phone while breastfeeding in the parking lot of the Navy Exchange. And sweating.

Trip to the Zoo!

Columbus Day may be a holiday that is under scrutiny...

...but, it gave Daddy a day off so that we could make our first zoo trip! We headed to the zoo with our friends and their two year old twin girls, {who get way more out of the zoo than Ev at this point, let's be honest} but A and I were tres excited.

Guys, those things look just like my Sophie!

I call this one, "Parenthood, in a photo."

All in all, a great day at the zoo.

Evelyn Rae is three months old

...and looking back, I am pretty sure that A had more fun than anyone while at the zoo. Now he says "Evelyn" wants to go to the aquarium...

Three Months

Evelyn Rae,

I can hardly believe that you are three months old. I feel that I will probably say that every time that you hit a milestone, but that is my right as a momma, having pushed you out of my you know what, so you can get used to it now. Moms do it, and I am your mom. I mean, three months old is a clothing size! You are getting so big!

Moving on - this month has been awesome. You have started becoming so much more expressive and opinionated. When you are happy we definitely know it. You are all smiles, with the cutest little dimples. On the other hand, when you are unhappy, well, the whole world knows it.

This has been the month of your first few public meltdowns, which has been so.fun for mommy. But, that's all good, because the idea of an opinionated daughter makes me chuckle. Can we say karma? Well, it makes me chuckle until I think of life 15 years down the road. But for right now, your opinions are pretty easy to handle.

You have also become quite the chatterbox this month. Your coos and little almost words are the funniest things. I cannot imagine where this chattiness comes from, but it makes everyone smile. It almost sounds like you are answering in the right inflection for the silly questions we feel the need to ask you.

I don't know exactly how big you are this month because you don't have a doctors appointment until four months. But, I know you have grown. Remember that aforementioned clothing size? You have almost outgrown it! I am grieving slightly about all your cute little summer three months clothes as you grow and the weather becomes colder. This week has been nice and warm still though, hence your summery dress in these photos.

I have a sneaking suspicion that your recent fussiness may also have to do with some teeth coming in soon. It seems really early, but I got my first tooth early, and apparently symptoms can start 1-2 months before your first tooth even appears! You have the whole super drooly, hands in the mouth fussiness going on, so we shall see. (See hands in the mouth photo evidence below)

You have been very squirmy this month, which fits daddy's nickname for you, and his new name fits too - "Spitty Kisses". I have tried to dissuade him from it, but he loves it and so it shall be. I still call you "Ladybug", "Bugs" and "Bugaboo". All very cutesy names that a few months ago I would have sworn up and down I would never use with my future baby, but those dimply smiles pull it right on out of me.

You have started actually liking tummy time this month! Well, by like, I mean not automatically screaming when we put you on your tummy. You push up a little and look around and give us the cutest faces. You have always had really good neck control (people are forever telling me how much older you seem), but you have hated tummy time. Until now! Score.

This month you went to your first wedding (Aunt Haley and Uncle Justin's - by the way, you cried every time a camera turned on you) and also made your first trip to Graves Mountain Lodge. We have been out on a bunch of walks since the weather has at least been a little less {ridiculously} hot. I love that you are starting to interact with everyone, and I secretly love that you love cuddling with me so much in the mornings...even though I am trying to move you into your crib.

I just love having you close to me, Bugs. I know that this time is fleeting, and your little baby grunts and sleeping expressions are my favorite things. You make your daddy and I laugh more than anything else. We love you so much. Happy three months!

All my love,

Momma.



Evelyn Rae is three months old

...and she really does have her hand in her mouth all the time these days. I have twelve more photos that resemble this one.

Babywearing

As far back as when we were doing stroller research, we knew baby wearing would be a good part of our parenting routine. In fact we were pretty stoked about it. We registered for two baby-wearing tools (best word I can think of...) right off the bat.

The Moby Wrap, which is possibly one of the best known baby-wearing tools? Or at least it was to me...

Quite a few people make these same sorts of wraps themselves, seeing as it is just one long piece of fabric, but by the time it got around to purchasing it during my pregnancy I was more than willing to shell out the $30 ish dollars for it and not have to make anything else myself.

The second tool, we were gifted by some lovely friends. The Ergo Carrier. Along with the Heart2Heart Insert.

I would say this is also quite possibly one of the best known baby wearers. The insert makes it usable for smaller babies than would normally be able to use it. 

Ev loves both of these off and on, depending on her mood. Her interest and happiness has not been our biggest hiccup so far. The biggest hitch with baby wearing for us so far has been the heat. Between the fact that babies run like radiators strapped to you, and that when you are producing boobie milk you run at higher temps than normal...and the ridiculous climate heat since Evelyn arrived, it makes for one sweaty momma. (And as you could guess, sweaty is not my look.) Besides the fact that baby wearing on your chest and reaching down into a grocery cart to lift out a watermelon necessitates some, finesse, as it were.

Recently, though, we have begun getting fall temperatures! Yay! So, we have been baby wearing a whole lot more. 

A really enjoys the Ergo, though this weekend at the mountains he did also strap in with the Moby Wrap. What a good daddy :)

For ease of use around the house, I have been thinking about expanding our baby wearing inventory with a good ring sling. But, which one?! There are so many options...

I am thinking about the Maya Wrap...

It has great reviews online and from some other bloggers that I follow. (Seriously, what did people do before blogs?)

There are a few others that are basically the same design. Decisions, decisions. Some of them come in FABULOUS fabrics, but are ridiculously expensive. Do I really need a dupioni silk sling? Probably not...as much as I would like one. 

Should anyone out there in blog land have any suggestions on a ring sling, or any other baby wearing ideas I haven't considered, feel free to shout it on out.

Evelyn Rae is three months old

...and thank goodness it has cooled down so I can strap that baby to my chest and head out on some walks in our pretty neighborhood!

Out of the Nest

The biggest discussion in the house lately regarding baby has been when to have her "fly the coop" so to speak. Ready for this? Parenting/sleep training/decisions...ahh!

Since she was born, Evelyn has been sleeping in our room, in a co-sleeper. Much like this one, except not brown.

It is so flipping convenient y'all. It attaches to your bed, sort of like a sidecar, and keeps your baby at the same height as your bed. Middle of the night feedings? Puh-lease. So easy.

Buuuuut, middle of the night feedings are sort of a thing of the past. And she is still in our room. She goes down for good somewhere around 11pm, and generally sleeps until 5 or 6 for her first feeding, and goes right back to sleep until 8 or 9, and goes back to sleep AGAIN, until like 10 or 11.

I mean, she sleeps. And I take advantage. Because with the co-sleeper, I can nurse laying on my side for the earliest feeding and the next one, and not really wake up myself until sometime after 9. Spoiled? Yes. I don't even have to get out of bed! It's awesome.

I told myself that when she dropped the early feeding, then it would be time to move her into her crib at night and out of our room. That was a month ago, and she still hasn't dropped the feeding. I wasn't really ready to move her out of our room, to be honest. I like cuddling with my baby in the mornings - SUE ME.

Anywho, I am starting to feel ready to move the baby into her room, but ack! Big steps.

I think I will start this week by trying to get her down for naps in her crib, so she gets used to sleeping there. Right now, she sort of just sleeps anywhere around the house during the day...in her bouncy seat, swing, on the couch, strapped to my chest...wherever she falls asleep. She has taken approximately 6 naps in her crib since she arrived.

She's not really the greatest napper - she sleeps, but not for long periods of time. Probably because she sleeps so much at night, so no complaints. But, that's why she gets to sleep wherever, because once she does, the nap time race is ON. Time to get anything done that needs to be done!

So the plan is to start with naps, and then move to nights, and going and grabbing ehr in the mornings to still have cuddle time, and hopefully eventually she will start sleeping in her crib right on through till sometime between 7 and 9. That would be the ideal process {which means it will never work, right?}.

Have I consulted any parenting books or websites? Nope. But this is my gut on what will work, so let's hope I am right.

I feel like this is one of those parenting moments. WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME?! Blah.

I am such a procrastinator. I will let you know how it goes.



Evelyn is three months old today

...and I feel like that means it is time for her to be a big girl in her crib. Sadness.

Busy, yo.

Things have been go, go, go here around the accelerated baby household. To distract you from the fact that I have not posted at all in October (GAH, how is it October already?!) here is a cute video of my baby.

Evelyn is 12 weeks old

...and she loves to read us the warning label on her co-sleeper. She's a very conscientious baby.