Breastfeeding, Take 2

I realize the topic of breastfeeding doesn't apply to everyone, so I thought I'd put this post on its own page. If you're interested in our breastfeeding experience this go 'round, including our feeding schedule, favorite accessories, etc. check out today's post here.

See y'all tomorrow!

Ainsley Catherine: {One Month!}

Our little Ainsley Cate turned one month old this past Saturday, (yes, really.) I'm still in complete shock at how fast this first month has flown. Seriously, didn't we just bring her home from the hospital yesterday?

Ainsley Catherine, you are ONE MONTH old! Let's see what you're up to...

Weight: On January 2nd, I took her to the pediatrician and she weighed 6 lbs. 9 oz. I'll come back and update this when we find out for sure at her one-month appointment this week.

Length/Height: 18.75 in.

Eyes: Blue

Hair: Brown

Clothes: Mostly Newborn and a few Preemie pajamas

Diapers: Newborn size Pampers Swaddlers

Likes: Eating, eating and eating. She also likes to be swaddled tightly. And of course, just like her big sister Caroline, she loves her Wubbanub pacifier.

Dislikes: Getting put into her carseat, being burped, being bathed.

*I could write an entire post (and I likely will) about our feeding routine and the difference in nursing the second baby versus the first. 

Eating: I've been nursing Little Miss pretty much on demand. Ainsley averages 2-3 hours between feedings during the day and every 4 hours at night, (unless she wakes sooner.)

Nursing has been a whole different ballgame this time around - and in the best possible way. My milk came in on the Friday that I was discharged from the hospital, which was much sooner than last time. For the first thirty days, I only nursed her. My lactation consultant said this was the trick to really kicking off your supply to a great start, so I held off on pumping and bottle feeding.

I thought it would be hard, (and it was tiring), but I honestly found it a lot easier than pumping, then trying to transfer to bottles, then washing bottles...you get the drift. I pumped for the first time last week in order to build up a supply of breast milk in our freezer. (For inquiring minds, I'm using the Medela Pump in Style and it is AWESOME.)

Sleeping: Ainsley is sleeping a ton right now because, well, she's a newborn and that's pretty much what they do. I nurse her around 10:30 p.m, then the Mister and I head to bed. She'll generally wake for her first middle-of-the-night feeding around 1:30 or 2:30 a.m, then again around 6:00 a.m. Obviously there are nights when it seems she's up every hour, but thankfully, those have been the minority. She's a pretty good sleeper and we'll happily take four or five hour stretches at night.

Right now, she sleeps in her Rock and Play, then we'll transition her to her crib around three months, just like with Caroline.

Milestones: Well, she's four weeks old, so not really anything too noteworthy; ) Babies' eyesight begins to improve after the third week and she has started to make eye contact with us, which is also really fun.

If I had to describe our first month in one word, it would be: Survival.

I'm not going to sugar-coat things: being a mom to two babies is tough stuff. My days start before the sun comes up. It has been (and still very much is) a learning experience for the whole family. We just kept saying, "If we can survive this first month, we'll have accomplished something", ha! The first two weeks, I honestly felt like we were treading water.

The week of Christmas is a complete blur. I was literally shopping for gifts at 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Week three was a tiny turning point. Things didn't seem quite as overwhelming.

Caroline is super active, running all over the place and trying to climb on everything : ) She is also really curious about the baby and wants to be involved, understandably. I try my best to include her in things like bathing Ainsley. Poor Caroline would cry and cry at first when I would nurse the baby, but that lasted about a week before she decided that was boring, ha!

Our life right now is diapers, bottles, boobs, burping, rocking, swaddling, soothing, aundry and cleaning. Macaroni in hair, tripping over toys at 3 a.m., take-out dinners, sleeping with our eyes open - all part of our everyday now. And we knew it would be.

But honestly y'all, my heart is so very full. I love those two little girls with all my being. And my husband - dear Lord, that man is my rock. As tiring as it has been, I've been on cloud nine. I said before that the happiest time of my life was after Caroline was born. I just felt this emotional high unlike anything. Same thing this time.

I think Stephen summed it up best one time when he said, "I really like our life."

Me too, husband. Me too.

Family of Four

Warning: This is long. It is for my momma records since I treat this blog like a journal. If you're over all the baby stuff, (and I wouldn't blame you one single bit), I'd suggest maybe skipping over this one : ) 

..............................................

Did y'all wonder if I'd fallen off the face of the earth? ; ) Hope all of you are enjoying this holiday week with your friends and family!

So.

I had a baby girl on December 10th.

And, we are all slightly obsessed with her.

I know I'm biased. I know I am. But...but.

I think she's kind of perfect. (Aren't all babies?) She's so snuggly and warm and sweet-smelling. And I want to keep her this size forever and always.

Anywhoodle, I thought I'd pop in and give you all a little update on all the goings-on since Ainsley's birthday.

Her birthday...

People asked if we knew that December 10th we'd be having her. The answer? Nope! We had a bag packed just in case, and my parents came up earlier in the week because I just knew that week would be the week. (My body was o.v.e.r. being pregnant.)  However, we had no guarantee that Wednesday would be the day. So, it was a fun surprise for us, too!

That morning, I had my regular twice-weekly appointment, as well as my non-stress test. Ainsley hadn't been moving as much the night before -- something I immediately reported to my O.B.'s nurse when she was getting my vitals. After the non-stress test, which showed heavy contractions, Dr. D came in and checked me. If you've never been "checked", you truly haven't ever experienced fun ; )

After the 30 seconds of hell that is being "checked", he announced I had progressed significantly and he said Ainsley would likely have arrived within the next 48 hours anyway. Since this was a repeat C-section and I was considered a high-risk pregnancy, we decided to get her out that night at 5:00 p.m. So, Dr. D called Labor & Delivery and told them to admit us. And up to Floor 5 we went...

Birth story coming soon!

Baby

Ainsley is teeny tiny. At 5 lbs. 13 oz. and only 18 inches long, our little gal is quite the peanut! Funny thing is, even for a petite little thing, she lost the least amount of her birth weight out of all the babies in the nursery that week, only dropping two ounces upon discharge. Girlfriend loves to eat and I'm happy to report that she's thriving. Due to her eating so well, we only spent two nights in the hospital and were discharged! (That's a really short stay for a C-section.)

We have been seriously lucky to get two very laid back babes. Her disposition reminds me a lot of Caroline as a newborn. She cries when she's hungry or wet, (or just wants some cuddles), but honestly, she's pretty content most of the time.

She looks a whole lot like her big sister, too. Her eyes are the same shade of blue as Caroline's, but her skin is very olive-toned, much like her daddy's Italian side of the family. (Caroline definitely inherited my Scot-Irish skin tone and freckles.)

As of now, we are exclusively breastfeeding. I haven't pumped yet, as I really wanted her to get in the habit of latching and feeding easily. Maybe it's because this isn't our first go-round with BFing, but it has been SO much easier this time. I look forward to those quiet, still moments during the night feedings most of all. It's such a cool bonding experience that I loved being able to experience with Caroline and I'm glad that it's working out so far with Ainsley, too.

Big Sister

Caroline is curious about her little sister and definitely likes to watch us feed and bathe her. When people point to Ainsley and say, "Caroline, who is this?",  she'll reply, "Mah' bay-beeeee!" And then I melt because I'm sappy like that. #hormonesforlife

Because of the very small age difference, we haven't had to deal with any jealousy issues - probably the biggest perk I've heard of having them so close together.

I won't lie. The first two nights at home were ROUGH. Caroline woke every hour hollering, which then woke Ainsley, too. We just thought it was because of all the excitement, however, we discovered a couple days later that Caroline had an ear infection, which is why she was so restless. She's still getting over that, but thankfully, she's on the mend and everyone is sleeping better now.

It breaks my heart to not be able to pick her up because of my incision. She'll hang her little arms around my legs and cry, which kills me. Thankfully, I should be cleared today or tomorrow to be able to lift and carry her again.


Daddy

A very special thing happens when you have kids with someone you love. Despite the fact that you spend 23 of the 24 hours every day covered in the various bodily fluids of a tiny person, annnnd you may not have showered in a sweet forever, you fall even more in love with each other.

Maybe it's that whole, "We're in this together" mentality.

Stephen is a caretaker by nature, so he's been working double-time to make sure I'm comfortable for feeding sessions, that our pantry and fridge are stocked, that laundry is done....the guy has even made us home-cooked meals most nights.

He is also completely smitten with his daughters. (Duh.)

Something about seeing a grown man pull up a chair for a tea party or tell your newborn daughter that she's "the prettiest thing ever" that makes you weak in the knees. Men turn to mush around their little girls. This is fact. And I love it.


Mommy

I feel pretty good, actually! This C-section recovery has been much easier than the first, probably because my body knew what to expect this time. The day after the CS was horrendous -- hello, second day pain!! -- but after that, things started getting better. I tried to force myself to walk a lot in the hospital, which I credit for getting rid of the bulk of the soreness so quickly.

I only had to take the pain meds for the first five or six days after the surgery and now I'm just taking ibuprofen when needed for soreness.

I did have quite a bit (read: a shiz ton) of swelling in my feet and ankles...and thighs...and hips...and abdomen...following the surgery. It was super sexy and I've never felt more attractive. (Ever heard of pitting edema? A barrel of fun; that's what that is.) Seriously, Lebron James and I could've shared shoes.

It was super sexy and I've never felt more attractive.

(Fluid retention is the new black.)

This is really common after C-sections because of all the fluid they pump into you prior to being operated on. I'm now happy to report that I have noticeable ankles and knees again, though my tummy is still pretty swollen.

And I'm still totally, unapologetically wearing maternity jeans.


Life with two

Having two only 14 months apart is not for the faint of heart. Or those with low energy levels. I don't feel like I had much of a recovery period after the hospital. I just had to jump back into life and honestly, that was okay with me.

Is it tiring? Hell yes.

Do I love it anyway? You bet I do.

We are slowly getting our stride and I'm starting to feel like we're not treading water anymore. The first week was a blur, but this past week has been much smoother. My mom has driven up each week to be here on the days Stephen works, which has been so, so helpful. I'm definitely a little nervous about how I'll handle it once I'm here by myself, but I know that it'll all work out.

I wondered constantly how I'd love another child as much as Caroline. I can't put into words exactly how it feels, but it's like God makes even more room in your heart when you bring another child into the picture. I love them both so fiercely and wholly. They are our greatest accomplishments and the most precious gifts we have ever been given.

I don't care what else I achieve in this lifetime, so long as I do this mom thing right. Yes, Ainsley was a surprise to us, but sometimes the best things in life are those that you never saw coming.

..........................................

See y'all tomorrow!

35 Week Bumpdate: {Baby GIRL Sisti #2}

Just a handful of weeks left until we see our girl. (Insert wide-eyed Emoji face with the touchdown hands Emoji right beside it.)

An outtake from yesterday's outfit post. Hey there, Ainsley Cate!

As enjoyable as the pregnancy has been, (and I sincerely mean that), I'm ready to meet our Ainsley Catherine, (or Ainsley Cate, as we've been calling her), and see this precious girl face-to-face. It's funny, but we have absolutely no idea what she looks like. We saw so many facial shots of Caroline when she was in utero that we had a pretty good idea of who she favored before she ever made her entrance. Short of one profile shot at our 20-week appointment, Ainsley has been covering her face with her hands at every appointment.

Last week the u/s tech at our high-risk OB was able to get a shot of her from the front for a brief second, which was just long enough for us to see that she has her daddy's big, puffy lips : ) And, we are told she has hair like her big sister did. We shall see!

A few fun facts about life in week 35 with little AC:

-She's weighing in around 4 lbs. and 10 oz., and around 18 inches in length

-Ainsley enjoys break dancing on momma's bladder every night from about 10 p.m.-2 a.m.

-She gets the hiccups at least twice a day. I used to love that feeling, (and still do), but now it hurts, ha!

-I started getting all of her little clothes put into her closet on Tuesday night. Most belonged to Caroline, but there are definitely a few new things in there, too!

-I bought newborn dipes again this week...so surreal.

-My ankles have been swelling every night this week. Didn't have this problem at all with Caroline until the very last week, but I haven't been so lucky this time. What can I say? Sitting down is just rare these days.

-My normal bras stopped fitting this week. I mean, woah. (In the voice of Billy Crystal, "Helloooooooo, ladies!") On that note, I'll be making a little detour to Vicki's Secret after my appointment this morning. And what I'll be buying probably won't come from their Very Sexy line.

-I make very glamorous grunting noises when I get out of bed.

-I have been using Ruby, our dachshund, as a heating pad this week to relieve aches and pains. She gets to lay on the bump, I stay nice and toasty, everybody wins.

....................................

Stay tuned for week 36...

Baby GIRL Sisti 2.0

First off, do y'all even have a clue how hard it was for me to keep this news to myself for 16 weeks?! I'm a gal who loves to share happy news, so I had to temper my excitement!

We are so excited that our newest little daughter, Ainsley Catherine Sisti, will be joining us in mid-December! 

I wanted to take a sec and share a few details about this pregnancy journey so far and answer a few questions, because I'm sure there are a couple things you may be wondering ; )

A surprise and some initial reactions...

I try to keep it as real as I can around here, so here is me doing just that:

• Yes, this baby was a surprise to us. 
• Caroline and Ainsley will be 14 months apart.
• No, we did not "plan" it. But God did. And by now, I think the guy knows what He's doing.
• Yes, we know how babies are made and what causes pregnancy. (And yes, people really do have the nerve to ask that.) 

We definitely wanted at least one more child and hoped she/he would be really close in age to Caroline. We had already discussed trying again when Caroline turned a year old. Turns out, the good Lord beat us to the punch by about three or four months.

I went through so many emotions that first week. 

My initial reaction upon seeing the test was...to laugh. (When I'm nervous, I laugh. A lot.) So, there I was, laughing like a buffoon all by my lonesome while Caroline napped and Ruby (our mini dachshund) staring at me like I was a lunatic. And then I was like, "Maybe I should do another test to confirm?" So, I drove to the drugstore once Caroline finished napping, bought a three-pack and headed back home.

After another test, it became clear that the test was indeed correct. So I picked up the phone, called Stephen with shaking hands and we started laughing together on the phone. Then, I immediately called my Mom. She was thrilled and had to try like the dickens to keep her composure since she was in a doctor's office waiting room, ha!

I was thrilled. And terrified. But mostly exuberant. But kind of in shock. And really happy. But OH-MY-GAWWWWWWW. 

That night we found out, I started to get a little worried as emotions set in and pregnancy hormones reared their ugly heads. The thought of having a newborn and a really young toddler at the same time kind of freaked me out. I was SO excited to be a mommy again, but I began to question my ability to care for two. "Would I have the energy?" "Am I a 'good enough' mom to do this again so soon?" "What if I can't give Caroline the attention she needs and deserves with a newborn to look after?" So. Many. Thoughts.

But, my husband, always the voice of reason, reassured me that we would rock this thing. After I prayed, took a good, long shower, and had a restful night of sleep, I felt much more at peace. And that next morning, I was able to relax and focus on just celebrating the little blessing that would soon be joining us.

I was also reminded of so many amazing moms with similar stories, like Shay from Mix 'n Match Mama, as well as beautiful Natasha from Hello! Happiness, who has been such a godsend, listening to me vent and ask questions via email in the weeks leading up to this announcement. (And can I just say, if I look half as good as either of those mommas after these two babies, I'll be a happy camper!)

The name

There really isn't a significant reason for choosing the name we did -- Ainsley Catherine -- only that we just liked that name a lot. We considered Catherine for the first name, but Stephen has quite a few Catherine(s) in his family already. I heard the name Ainsley, loved it, threw it out to see what Stephen thought, he loved it and it stuck.

We could never come to a conclusion on a boy's name, which is exactly what happened with Caroline, ironically enough. I think our subconsciouses just knew we wouldn't need a boy name : )

Will I do a week-by-week Bumpdate?

I don’t think so. I’ll take some pics for my own records and be journaling everything in this baby's book, but I’m not going to bore y’all with weekly updates. Maybe monthly? To be honest, I'm too busy chasing the babe I have now!

But to give y'all a reference point as to what le bump looks like now, this is me at 16 weeks on July 3rd. I'll be 17 weeks this Wednesday. 

Have I been sick as a dog like I was with Cee Baby? 

I haven’t been quite as sick as I was with Caroline, so that’s been nice. The good news about having a sickly first pregnancy was that I had plenty of glorious Zofran still hanging out in the medicine cabinet. I had to pop that stuff until 37 weeks with Caroline, so I had a pretty adequate stash already. Thankfully, I've been able to ward off the really bad vomiting most days. (Though they do come occasionally and WOAH.)

Right now, I might get sick once or twice a day, but after the hyperemesis (or HG) pregnancy I had with her, this is a walk in the friggin' park. 

It's a..........!!!!!

I was DYING to know the gender and, as much as I love the idea of being surprised at the birth, I'm just too much of a planner. So, when they asked if we wanted to know, we said YES. 

We really didn't have a preference, like, at all. I'd have happily taken a sweet little girl or a boy, no question. Admittedly, I'm a liiiiiiittle bit partial to baby girls because, well, we have one and it has been so much freakin' fun. (But really, boy or girl, aren't all babies a lot of fun?) 

I've always just had a feeling I'd be a girl mom. It's funny because a lot of people assumed Stephen would want a boy, but his loyalty was always with Team Pink. (He's pretty smitten with the little gal we have and, when asked, he was pretty up front about wanting another daughter.) He's also ecstatic that we won't need to do any clothes shopping, ha! 

This will likely be our last baby, so I'm pretty elated that we'll have a chance to re-use all those sweet little dresses and bows again with Ainsley! (I told my mom that I couldn't imagine not ever seeing those clothes on a baby again.)

Most importantly, we can report that she is healthy, thriving and also really cute ; ) (At least in the ultrasound pics.)

Cravings? Maternity clothes yet?
Just like with Caroline, I cannot eat sweets. I had a Sonic milkshake one day at work and spent the majority of the afternoon throwing up off and on. However, I've been eating my weight in salty stuff: chips, salsa, queso, salt and vinegar potato chips, anything smothered in ranch dressing and baked potatoes. Also, I am eating spicy food like my life depends on it. I bought a gigantic container of Cajun blackening spice and have been putting it on everything from shrimp to grilled chicken. 

I did go ahead and bust out one pair of maternity pants to wear to work, but other than that, I'm just using my BeBands from last time to modify my non-maternity britches. (Seriously, if you're pregnant, don't go blow a ton of money on maternity pants in your first or second trimester. Just get a couple of these. Pinky swear, they are awesome.)

Dresses and tops are still non-maternity, but that's because most styles are pretty flowy and easily accommodate the growing tummy.

I bought this maternity swimsuit from ASOS and love it so much. If you're expecting, this is so comfy and even -- dare I say? -- a little flirty. (I'll post a pic in mine this week if I can gather up the nerve.)

ASOS Maternity Exclusive Swimsuit in Black

Will I keep blogging? 

Two babes this close together is going to be a whole lot of work, but I will update as much as possible on here after the second bebe arrives. I’d love to say the content won’t change, but I’ve always blogged about my life - whatever season it happens to be in. So, of course it will change a bit. I'd say if the occasional baby post or baby photo offends or bores you, you will probably need to find new online reading material ; ) (Hey, just being honest.) But, I'll try my best to keep the content not too mommy-ish.

Is this why we’re moving? 

Ha!! No, but it certainly solidified our decision! We really wanted a bigger place anyway, and ironically, had already met with the realtor and began crafting up the listing agreement before we got the positive pregnancy test. But now I’m VERY glad we have sold the house and will be moving on to larger digs.

I think that’s about it! Right now things are pretty uneventful and we are ever-so-thankful for that. Hopefully within the next couple of days, I’ll get a chance to post more bump pics here or on Instagram (username: ablondeambition). Right now, I have a wonky looking bump, which looks more like I've eaten too much pizza and less like I'm a woman with child. 

Again, I really appreciate your support and well-wishes for this new baby GIRL. On behalf of our family, THANK YOU!

Something to Celebrate: Family of FOUR

Nope, you didn't misread the title; we really are adding another member - a BABY GIRL - to our family this winter!

Stephen and I feel so incredibly blessed to become parents again and are thanking God daily for this precious surprise gift, due to arrive in mid-December - the ultimate Christmas present. 

To say we were also a teensy bit (okay, a whole lot) surprised might be an understatement, (ha!!), but we are constantly reminded that God's timing is always perfect. I can’t wait to share more details with you all in the coming days about our journey with Baby Girl #2. Best of all, (and most importantly), she is healthy and developing right along schedule - praise God!

We appreciate all of your support as we begin this next chapter of our lives as a family of four, which will no doubt be a wild 'n crazy, yet amazing one!

God is too good, you guys. And we are ridiculously thankful. 

Caroline Rose: {Eight Months}

I know this is late, (Cee turned 8 months on Saturday), but we had a bit of a crazy weekend. We actually SOLD our house on Saturday morning - yay!! We are elated to get to start the fun and fast house-hunting process! So, with that said, this will be Caroline's last month-by-month update in our current home - crazy, right?!

I'm so excited to see what our next home will look like, where it will be, etc. And very excited for the memories we will make in it!

Weight/Length: 17 pounds, 3 oz. and 25.75 inches tall 

Hair and Eyes: Hair is a blondish-brown. Seeing as how both mine and Stephen's eyes are blue, as well as every member of each of our immediate families...I think they will stay blue ; )

Diapers: Size 3 Pampers Swaddlers and Honest Co. diapers, which we just discovered and love!

Clothing: 6 month clothing across the board. She's gotten some delicious rolls on her, but she's still pretty petite, so I think we're a few months away still from 9 month items. 

Favorite Things: Her Exersaucer, her Olivia the Pig doll, her blocks, watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Doc McStuffin on Disney Jr.

Likes: Right now, our petite princess loves: bath time, sitting in her kiddie pool in the yard, going shopping and sitting up in the shopping cart like a big girl, hanging out in the yard with her doggies, riding on the boat and looking at books

Dislikes: Being hot (loathes the heat just like her momma), getting her diaper changed, (girlfriend doesn't have time for that anymore!)

Favorite Foods: Avocados, sweet potatoes, squash, green beans and infant oatmeal with fresh peaches. I'm very glad that we chose to buy the fruits and veggies and puree them for her, versus buying the ready-made baby food. It's a huge cost-savings, not to mention that I don't worry about the weird preservatives and high fructose corn syrup that she might be getting otherwise. (No judgement at all if you choose to purchase ready-made, but for us this is working well.)

Milestones: She said her first word last week and it was 'mama'! I just melted, y'all. She also said 'dada' the very next day!

She pulled up at about 7.5 months and was quite proud of herself. We are really having to watch her because she is on the move 24-7. 

She also had her two little bottom teeth come in last week and they're so cute!

Mama Thoughts: 

Seven months would best be summed up in one word: changes. Every day, she accomplished some little or big milestone. Her personality also started to come out even more. We have discovered that she is happiest when she's in social settings. She loves to "chat" with other kids and people, and has a very mellow disposition about her. Her daycare teachers say she is by far their most low maintenance baby.

She is also most happy when she is around our dogs. She adores watching them run and play in the yard. They are so gentle and patient with her, and it melts my heart to watch them together.

She is most attached to her mama, but when daddy's around, she loves to play and giggle with him. She associates him most with fun and play, and me with comfort and cuddling, which I love.

That's about all for this month, so stay tuned for NINE months on July 14!

Caroline Rose: {Six Months}

Weight/Length: We don't go for her six-month check-up and shots until next week, but our scale at home indicated 13 pounds 13 oz. She's definitely getting longer, too! I think she's close to 24.5 inches now.

Yes, still a peanut, but her cheeks are so squishable and perfect! 

Hair and Eyes: Hair is still a pretty shade of brown. And her eyes are still the brightest of blue. 

Diapers: Size 2 Pampers Swaddlers diapers finally fit her booty.

Clothing: Believe it or not, she can finally wear her 3-6 month Carter's sleepers - woohoo! Most of her everyday clothing is 3 Mo., but at least we've moved out of Newborn sizes ; ) We also purchased some swimsuits last month and have been adding to our growing collection, all in preparation for the boat this summer. 

Favorite Things: Her Sophie the Giraffe toy, her Exersaucer, riding in her stroller, sitting in her Bumbo and watching me cook, having books read to her.

Wearing our "birthday" tiara!

Likes: Right now, our petite princess loves: Strangely, she loves thunder. It all started last week when it was stormy one day. There were several big claps of thunder and, to my amazement, she laughed so hard. Maybe she has a career as a storm chaser in her future?

She also loves looking at books, (thank the Lord this girl loves books like her momma!), listening to the Duke Ellington/Billy Holiday station on iRadio in the car, being outdoors in her stroller, watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on the iPad, stretching on the floor and her doggies, Ruby and Ari. 

Dislikes: People with super loud voices or a loud laugh (I think it startles her), the pipe organ at church (I can't blame her for that one...ick!), getting OUT of the bathtub. Girlfriend loves water.

Milestones: With rolling over from tummy-to-back and vice-versa out of the way, the next big milestone was sitting up. I thought sitting up might happen during her sixth month, but she surprised us and sat bolt upright this past month.

On April 7th at 5 mos., 3 wks., she sat up for the first time! She stayed that way for 23 seconds before tipping over. Ever since that day, she just...sits...and sits...and sits. She can go a half minute or so without assistance, which is really cool to watch. 

I don't know of anything quite as fun as watching your baby grow and develop. 

Eating: We began solids last night. I'm really glad we held off until she was six months old, just because I don't think her tiny tummy was ready until now. (Our pediatrician doesn't like to start sooner than that anyway, but I do know that every baby is different!) 

We don't plan to use the pre-packaged baby food, so I'll be buying her veggies/fruits and pureeing them. Definitely a cost-saver! We will try avocado next, probably Thursday, just to make sure her tummy tolerates solid food well. 

Other Changes: She loves to blow raspberries and will also imitate the long "oo" sound when we say, "boo", which is funny. She belly laughs multiple times per day, which we love. She will also randomly squeal and "sing" all the time. (Especially when mommy is on the phone, ha!)

Sleeping: She is a wonderful, wonderful sleeper. I realize this could all change on a dime, but from 8:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. or so, she sleeps. Sometimes (especially during growth spurts) she'll wake for a quick feeding, then it's back down to bed. 

She takes one long nap around 10:00 a.m. for two hours, then another nap around 1:30, then her final one around 4:30 p.m.

Mama Thoughts: 

Month five was a little more challenging for us, only because she's getting to the stage that she realizes when one of us has left a room. She's definitely quite attached to her mommy and daddy, so we have to remind her that when we walk away to do something (put laundry away, load the dishwasher, etc.), that we're still close by. This behavior also has its perks, though. For instance, she LOVES to be held super closely and rocked during her naps. 

Her demeanor reminds me a lot of her cousin Luke when he was a baby. She's very mellow and smiley, and will "talk" to anyone who's willing to listen. I'm glad she's a social baby. 

I'm still really, really enjoying my part-time work schedule. I love our Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at home together, but I also look forward to the adult interaction and challenging projects on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It really has been a good solution for our family and I don't imagine we'll change anything in the near future. 

We've been enjoying the awesome weather together daily with long stroller walks, which is great cardio for momma, too! It feels great to get moving again. I've also started trying to eat better and incorporate tons of veggies and fruits into my daily eating routine. I ate a lot of junk toward the end of the pregnancy, which I'm sure didn't help my sluggishness. So I'm working to change that. I want to set a good example for Caroline to enjoy healthy foods and always be open to trying new things. 

Until next month, friends. 

My Momma Favorites

First off, I'm going to be real with ya. The whole mom chat thing? Probably not happening any time soon. Y'all ever raised a four month old? It makes me le tired.

This was a chat topic once upon a time, but since that idea went "poof" into the wind, I thought I'd share my favorite things for Caroline and me thus far.

This is definitely one of those post series that, unless you are a mommy to an infant, probably is about as boring as counting beans. Unless you enjoy that sort of thing.

Maternity Favorites

I adored, adored, ADORED Blush Maternity and bought a good half of all my maternity clothing there. In fact, I loved a few shirts I found on their website so much that I even wear them once in a while still!

I loved the Be Maternity BeBand (found here) as a support band when the bump began to grow. I bought the nude color and the black, as well.  It's super comfy and gives you a nice smooth silhouette under tighter fitting shirts, (read: it minimizes the sticky-outy belly button when you hit that third trimester mark.)

1. Aden + Anais Swaddle Blankets, here 
2. Timi & Leslie Marilyn II Diaper Bag, here 
3. Prince Lionheart Wipe Warmer, here 
4. MAM Start Silicone Pacifiers for 0-3 months, here
5. Fisher-Price Rock 'n Play Snugabunny Sleeper, here
6. Aden + Anais Mum and Bub Bath Wash, here
7. Wubbanub Pacifiers (we have the lamb, caterpillar and puppy!), here
8. Medela Tender Care HydroGel Pads, here
9. Medela Pump in Style Breast Pump, here
10. Britax B-Safe Carseat, here

1. BrightStars Pretty in Pink Activity Mat, here 
2. Dr. Brown's Bottles in Special Edition Pink, here
3. Britax Agile-B Stroller in Black, here
4. VTech Touch and Swipe Baby Phone, here
5. Olivia the Pig doll, here
6. Sophie the Giraffe teether, here
7. Carter's sleep gowns, here

*All opinions are my own and I am in no way affiliated with the brands or manufacturers listed above. This is simply one mom's list of must-haves.

Caroline's Newborn Photos

A couple weeks after Caroline was born, my friend Bethany McGhehey took the most lovely photos of her. I knew that I wanted Bethany to shoot her newborn pics because she has such a refreshingly simple and clean style to her photos.

Captured were back rolls, full cheeks, a perfect set of puffy bow-shaped lips and a head of chocolate-colored hair. Nothing forced or overly posed about it, as if she just happened to catch a moment in time.

I wept as I flipped through them. My baby girl, growing every day, each faster than the next.

I've found myself wanting to relive the day she was born, as well as those first few weeks, over and over again. To smell her and touch her porcelain skin for the first time; the same little being that shared my body for nine wondrous months.

In looking at these photos, I'm able to do just that.

Photos are property of A Blonde Ambition blog, and are artistic property of Bethany Blair Photography. 

Thursday Randomness

I hope everyone enjoyed a fantastic Christmas day and that y'all gorged yourself on as many redonkulously bad, (but good-tasting), foods as I did.

1. We had the best Christmas day of our lives, Stephen and me. We celebrated quietly, just the three of us, with our sweet Caroline Rose. I cannot wait until she's big enough next year to understand more of what's going on. Still though, it was amazing. I highly recommend Christmas with a baby ; )

2. Confessional Friday....oh yes, it's baaaaaack. Beginning on January 3rd, our little weekly link-up resumes. I'm still not certain if I want to do topics, but I do think to get us back into the swing of things, we'll begin with a little questionnaire-type theme. Something like, "One thing people might not know about me is __________." I'll get the questions posted no later than Monday on here and we can begin that way.

3. Would any of the new moms out there be interested in doing a weekly or bi-weekly Gmail chat forum? Where we throw out a couple of pre-set topics, like breastfeeding advice or tricks for getting baby on a schedule, and just talk it out? I'd like to cover many of these on the blog, but I realize that not every one is interested in my baby's bathroom habits or favorite Baby Einstein toys : )

If you think you'd be interested in this, shoot me an email at askblondeambition@gmail.com! If there's enough interest, I may just start this thing up! 

4. With that said, are there any NWA moms reading this thing that might be interested in starting a little once-weekly playgroup or meet-up? I'd love to meet some gals in-person and make some new friends with rookie mommas like myself. If you live in NWA and are the momma of an infant or young child, hit me up!

5. I'm also thrilled that 2014 will bring outfit posts back! Now that the baby bump is officially extinct, which, I'll admit, is a little sad, I can now return to one of my favorite past-times: style posts! In fact, I'm having Stephen snap a few pics this very afternoon for a post tomorrow! (He just doesn't know it yet.) I'm so excited to get back to style blogging, and I'm sure that some of you will be refreshed by the fact that not every post will be baby-related next year ; )

.......................................

That is it, that is all. So what have we learned today? Let's recap:

1. If you're a mom to a bambino and would like to start a G-chat with other moms and me, email me at askblondeambition@gmail.com

2. If you're a mom that lives in Northwest Arkansas and have an infant or young child, shoot me an email. I'd love to meet up in person and get the babies together for some social time, (both for their sake and ours!)

3. Let's all breathe a collective sigh of relief that 2014 will have a little less baby talk and a little more style.

4. Mark your calendars for January 3rd for the grand return of Confessional Friday.

Caroline Rose: {Two Months}

We took this photo last night to send to her grandpa, as his birthday was yesterday!

Weight/Length: We won't know until her two month appointment on Wednesday, but I'll come back and update then. (I'm guessing 8.5 pounds!)

Hair: Getting longer and longer by the day! She hasn't really lost any of baby hair yet, (I'm told this sometimes happens around one to two months old.) It's still a lovely chocolate brown color, just like her handsome daddy!

Diapers: Newborn dipes for the win! We still love our Pampers Swaddlers.

Clothing: All size newborn!

Favorite Things: Her Zubels ballerina doll, her Petit Ami doll named Penelope, Ruby (our mini dachshund) and her little Wubbanub, which we've named "Lambie".

Likes: Right now, our petite princess loves: cuddling with momma and daddy, her "Lambie" Wubbanub, shopping (the bright colors and lights of department stores make her so happy), riding in the car, our doxie Ruby (she smiles so much when Ruby nuzzles her little feet), bath time and sitting up like a big girl on daddy's lap to watch TV.

Dislikes: The Nose Frida -- but really, who would enjoy that? -- big, noisy crowds, wearing socks and her Pack and Play. We are really praying she sleeps in her P & P when we visit Stephen's mom and dad in Oklahoma City next weekend. Otherwise, it may be a looooooong three days : (

Sleeping: Our girl is an awesome sleeper! Most nights, she'll wake only once for a quick feeding then it's back to bed. We got SO lucky with a sound sleeper.

Mama Thoughts: Although she's a dainty little thing, our sweet Caroline is growing every day. She is a JOY to be around, very content and easily soothed. She is starting to smile intentionally, (not from gas or during her sleep), and it makes me SO happy!

Breastfeeding is still going really well. Luckily, she has been able to take my milk easily and I haven't had to make any major changes to my diet. She latches in a snap and feeds a lot more quickly than she did a month ago. We joke that she eats like she's being timed, haha! I feel like I can finally say that we've got breastfeeding down cold : )

I feel amazing! Tons of energy and no issues whatsoever following the C-section. Honestly, the recovery was really easy considering it was a major surgery. Two weeks out of the gate and I was pretty much pain-free. We want at least one more child, but the thought of going through it again doesn't concern me at all.

It's starting to hit me that I only have a month of maternity leave left, which makes me quite sad. I'm super grateful for my job, but I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't love to stay at home with this little lady, too. It's the balance so many moms have to find and I pray daily that I'll be able to juggle everything come January 13.

That's all until next month, friends!

A Messy House, A Thankful Heart

I did something crazy yesterday, girls.

Are y'all ready for this?

I did...nothing.

At all.

Except this:

The thing is this: I want to soak in every. single. millisecond of this baby. Her ocean blue eyes, her rich chocolate brown hair, her milky perfect skin, her puffy bow-shaped lips, her tiny hands and even tinier feet.

I could go on for days.

Before Caroline, I lived my life a lot more rigidly. I arranged my days around to-do lists and kicked myself in the rear when I fell short of accomplishing them.

Know what I call a success these days?

Holding in this girl. Going to sleep at night knowing that I really savored the moments of the day, which God so generously gave me. Seeing my husband walk in the door and pick up our daughter, his face beaming as he says, "Hey kiddo." The three of us spending a Friday night on the couch snuggled up in front of the fireplace with cheese pizza and an even cheesier Lifetime movie.

I have a sneaking suspicion that no one will remember me for a spotless kitchen floor. Or a stack of perfectly folded towels. Or for my promptness on replying to emails.

No, I'd rather them say that I was a great wife and a great mom.

Isn't it the quality of the relationships with those we hold dear that really enriches us?

I tend to think so.

My wish for all of us as this holiday season kicks off is to drink each moment in fully. Live in the here and now. Don't fret over a perfect table setting or making sure the house is in magazine-order condition. Instead, just take it all in.

I think one of the best ways to thank God for the people in your life is to spend your time with them well. Make it count.

I wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving, my friends.

Five Generations + More Weekend Photos

Caroline and I had the opportunity to do something very cool while we visited my parents in Heber Springs earlier this week. On Monday, we visited my great grandma Ruth at her assisted living facility. I wanted her to have the chance to meet Caroline while she was still a tiny newborn, and my mom had the idea to do a five generations photo.

My Grandad, (my mom's father), met us there and the five of us were able to capture the special moments on the camera.

Great Grandma Ruth was so sweet and talked to Caroline the entire time she held her. I heard her say at one point, "Where did you get all of your pretty, dark hair?"

And then I melted.

Mrs. Pat, one of the residents who is also a dear friend of our family's, came out to meet Miss Caroline, too. Despite her hollering in this photo, Caroline was quite fond of Pat : )

Great Grandma was looking at Caroline in every single photo, which made made my heart so happy. 

It was a day I'll never forget.

P.S.-The baby had an absolute meltdown at the end of our visit, so I had to go out to the car to nurse and soothe her. Let me tell y'all, it was the most ungraceful feeding session to-date AND I do believe I inadvertently flashed two of the residents that were sitting on the back deck. 

Mommyhood, folks. It's not glamourous, but man, is it ever rewarding. 

.............................

Tuesday night, we had dinner with Grandma and Grandad. My cousin Mary also brought out her sweet little boy, Kyle. He is about seven months older than Caroline and SUCH a handsome little man. 

Someone asked me if massive amounts of hair run in our family, since Caroline has enough for five babies. I think Kyle's thick head of hair confirms it, ha! 

She LOVED my Grandad - her Great Grandad.

I dare you not to try to reach through your screen and pinch his cheeks. Triple dog dare you.

Before her meltdown...

...and after. In case you're wondering, it was as loud as it looks : )

And the weekend ended with the following very sleepy, yet content little lady.