Family Archives - Page 41 of 47

guest post: sending thank you notes doesn’t have to be overwhelming

August 19, 2011

While I take some time to bond with my little man, please enjoy guest posts written by moms and moms-to-be from some of my favorite blogs. Today, I’m happy to introduce Bridgett from Perideau Designs!

You just got home with a newborn baby, perhaps have a toddler already home, laundry piled up and a house that you would deem unpresentable. Not to mention the corner of your newborn baby’s room is full of new toys and books from loving friends and family. You know you should send a thank you note for those gifts, but you’d rather get that extra hour of sleep while your babies nap.

Does that sound familiar?

I went through the same thing three years ago when I had my little (or not so little anymore) baby girl, Kendall. After 24 hours of labor followed by a C-section, I was in no mood to write out thank you cards. I knew that my friends and family knew I appreciated them and their gifts but for someone who loves receiving something in the mail, other than bills, I couldn’t let this one slide.

So I had a little system in place that helped ease the drudgery of writing thank you notes.

Purchase a return address stamp. Luckily we had just moved into our new home and getting a return stamp was on the top of my to-do list anyway but it’s super helpful to have around. Just pre-stamp a bunch of envelopes while nursing or while the baby is cooing ever so cutely in their swing. You could even get your toddler to help. Have them stamp the back so they don’t accidentally cover the space on the envelope intended for the mailing address or postage.

You can also purchase address labels. Use the same technique and address the envelopes ahead of time. This will save you a ton of time looking for your stamp or labels.

Send thank you notes as soon as you receive a gift. This sounds so simple but easily and often forgotten. You receive a gift and make a mental note to write the thank you note later. But days, sometimes weeks go by and the thank you notes haven’t gone out and you scrap the idea thinking too much time has passed.

Try setting a certain time of the day to write out a simple thank you. It can sound like a lot to do it every day but soon it will become routine and not feel like such a chore. If writing 10 thank you notes a day sounds overwhelming, try scheduling just 20-30 minutes a day and get as much done. Soon, within a week you’ll be all caught up!

Don’t write a novel. A simple short and sweet thank you will suffice. I usually write something like this:

Dear Kathy,
Thank you so much for the stuffed brown bear! I know Kendall will cuddle with it every night!
xo,
B

Be sure to include exactly what they purchased for you and how you intend on using the item. Hopefully these little tricks will help ease the doldrums of writing thank you notes. Trust me, it isn’t that bad! But if you need some thank you cards, pop on over to my site. And if you like personalized ones, I’d love to work with you on a custom design.

levi’s monthly baby photo (one month old)

August 18, 2011

Dear Levi,

What a surreal month it’s been! I still can’t believe that you are mine. I can stare at your little face all day long.

When you were born you looked exactly like your daddy. You have the longest eyelashes, the cutest button nose and the most adorable dimple on your right cheek. You break out into a sly smile like you just heard a big secret whenever you’re milk drunk and sometimes when you have gas. I can’t wait for you to smile in response to our silly songs and funny faces. You absolutely hate having a wet diaper, and when you get really worked up you snort like a little piglet. Your sweet snorts made us laugh so hard in the days after you were born! We also giggled when you would simultaneously poop and eat! When you cry because you’re hungry it now sounds like you’re screaming, “Gee! Gee!”

Every day you’re becoming more aware of the world around you, and I wonder what you’re thinking when I catch you staring at the wall or the ceiling. You’ve been an excellent bath-taker since day one, and bathing you is a team sport for me and your daddy.

We’ve given you a bunch of endearing nicknames like “Bug,” “Baby Guy” and “Little Bear.” It actually took me a while to get used to calling you Levi because I spent so many months before you were born referring to you as “the baby.” Sometimes it still feels funny to say your name out loud!

You’ve just about outgrown all of your newborn-size clothing, which makes me a little bit sad. I think I’m actually in denial that you are no longer the tiny baby burrito we brought home from the hospital one month ago! But you are still such a sweetie. I love you!

xoxo

************
Inspired by all of the creative mamas out there, I’ll be photographing Levi monthly to document his growth this first year. He’ll be wearing a numbered white onesie corresponding to his age in months, and I’d like for him to be posed similarly in each photo for continuity. I snapped these three on August 12th when Levi was one month old, but I can’t decide which I like best!

So, friends, I’d love your opinions. How should I continue to photograph Levi for this monthly project?

In the chair with his BlaBla doll
On the rug (full length)
On the rug (close up)

Please cast your vote in the comments section below!

the week ahead on b&d

August 15, 2011

How was your weekend? Can you believe it’s already the middle of August? The summer is truly flying by!

Today I’m over at Elizabeth Anne Designs Living sharing my inspiration for Levi’s nursery. Since we’ve been changing, dressing, feeding and letting Levi sleep in a bassinet in our bedroom, we’ve hit the pause button on decorating his room. Once we get around to hanging art on the walls and tidying up the shelves, I’ll post the big reveal!

This week I’ll be sharing two fantastic guest posts, including one from Bridgett of Perideau Designs. I’ll also be posting Levi’s “official” one month portrait (we celebrated last Friday!) and photos from his first big outing to the Iowa State Fair.

Stay tuned, friends!

{photo taken August 13, 2011}

out and about with baby

August 2, 2011

At Levi’s two week check-up last Tuesday, the pediatrician gave us the green light to begin taking him out in public. His first stop? The supermarket! (JB and I still need to eat!) Because we fed and changed him before leaving the house, Levi slept for most of our shopping trip. He was so well behaved!

This weekend Levi experienced Costco for the first time. When he got a bit fussy towards the end, we popped a pacifier in his mouth and he conked out. A trip to Target was also on the agenda that day, but first we had to bring Levi home to feed and change him. Eventually I hope to be able to tend to Levi’s needs while out and about but right now the process of feeding/changing my little man can take up to 45 minutes and typically results in breast milk dripped all over me and him. Neither of us are ready to take the boob show on the road.

How did you handle those first outings with a newborn? How old was your baby when you began running errands with him?

{my photos: top photo taken at supermarket; bottom photo taken at Costco}

levi’s newborn portraits

August 1, 2011

Two weeks ago, when Levi was just six days old, Corrie Suhr from Kameron Bayne Images came to the house for a newborn portrait session. If you remember, Corrie also shot our maternity session. The resulting photographs from that afternoon exceeded my expectations, so I was eager to see what magic she’d work on Levi.

I’m proud to say that Levi was a natural in front of the camera. I fed him right before Corrie began shooting, and he stayed sleepy and content for almost two and a half hours. He allowed the photographer to manipulate his tiny body into sweet little poses and even gave the camera a sly smile from time to time. Since he wasn’t wearing a diaper, we did have a couple “open air” incidences — he peed once on JB’s lap and once on top of a table — but Corrie warned us that that might happen, so we were prepared with burp cloths, towels and wipes. Thankfully, there was no projectile poop during the session, just a couple of giggle-inducing “sharts.”

Again, I’m so glad we chose to have Kameron Bayne Images photograph Levi as an itty-bitty newborn. Although I will be taking plenty of pictures throughout his life (I’ve already taken about 2,000 on my DSLR and almost 550 on my iPhone), I wouldn’t have been able to capture such precious images of Levi so young. Even a week after his delivery I was still tired, sore and hormonal. I was in no condition (nor do I have the skill set) to stage such an artistic session, and I know I will forever cherish the photos Corrie took of him that morning.

Click here to see additional photos from the session. Corrie will be back when Levi is six months old to take another set of portraits. By then he will be so big!

{Top image of Corrie snapping an iPhone photo of Levi taken with my iPhone.}

guest post: ready or not

July 29, 2011

While I take some time to bond with my little man, please enjoy guest posts written by moms and moms-to-be from some of my favorite blogs. Today, I’m happy to introduce Claudia from Aux Petits Oiseaux!

Hello Bunny and Dolly readers!

I’m Claudia, and I live in Montreal (Canada). I enjoy writing about motherhood on a blog called Aux Petits Oiseaux (a French expression that stands for a sentiment of great joy). I recently gave birth to a baby girl named Alice.

Like most pregnant women, the thought of not being ready to take care of a child haunted me regularly. Until the very end, actually 3 pushes away from Alice’s birth, I said to the nurse, “When you put her on my chest, you have to stay next to me since I’m not ready to hold a newborn!”

Welcoming a baby, especially a first child, obviously implies a lot of adaptation. You basically dive into unknown waters. I don’t consider myself an experienced mother, after all, Alice is only 14 weeks old. However, I would like to share with you a very personal realization that made my life much enjoyable.

When we got home with Alice things went pretty smoothly. I quickly had a well established routine and, lucky me, I could easily understand her needs. That being said, taking care of Alice also brought some frustrations:

“You want to eat? But I’m too shy to breastfeed at the restaurant!”

“ You request a clean diaper? But I just started to eat lunch!”

“ You need attention? But I’m talking with my friends!”

“ You are not sleeping? But it is 5:30 am!”

Now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure that during that time, I was not ready to let go of my old life…my more “self-centered” life.

One day, I looked at Alice and made a strong commitment to her. I was going to be ready for her, in my actions but mostly in my attitude towards those actions. This initiative allowed me to fully accept my new role as a mother and now I know that I’m 100% ready! Even at 5:30am, when Alice is not sleeping, I wake up with my bed head and my bags under my eyes, and I smile. Yes, I smile at Alice because I made a commitment to her, and I fully intend to respect it for the rest of my life.

And after 14 weeks, I fully mastered the fine art of eating lunch, with my friends, while breastfeeding, in a restaurant 😉

When did you feel “ready” to be a mother?

{image from Claudia’s personal collection}

happy birthday, jb!

July 29, 2011

Happy birthday, JB! From middle of the night diaper changes to the effortless way you sing and talk to your son, you’ve already proven yourself to be an amazing daddy. Levi and I are very, very lucky to have you in our lives.

guest post: pregnancy necessities

July 28, 2011

While I take some time to bond with my little man, please enjoy guest posts written by moms and moms-to-be from some of my favorite blogs. Today, I’m happy to introduce Emily from The Culinary Couple!

Hello, new friends! I’m Emily: wife, mother-to-be, lover of food and photography, and one-half of The Culinary Couple. I love dark chocolate, strawberries, and my red KitchenAid stand mixer. Right now, though, there are a few other things that I just could not live without. Between an expanding waistline, an achy back, and regular heartburn, it’s sometimes these little things that make all the difference.

Bella B Tummy Honey Butter: Not sure if I can credit good genes or this belly butter, but I’m still stretch mark-free at 30 weeks pregnant! Plus it keeps my stomach from itching throughout the day.

Clinique Repairwear Intensive Night Cream: Typically my skin is oily during the summertime. But not this year, thanks to Peanut. And so I’ve incorporated this silky face cream into my nightly routine. I use it after Clinique’s 3-Step products, and my husband jokes that I now have about 12 steps to complete each night. It’s true.

St. Ives Oatmeal and Shea Butter Moisturizer: Speaking of dry skin, I am in love with this body lotion. It smells sweet and goes on smooth. I use it twice a day.

Snoogle: I simply cannot sleep without this pillow — it even accompanied us on our week long road trip. It hugs the natural curves of my body and forces me to remain on my (preferably left) side all night. And its soft jersey cover is comfortable enough to replace my standard pillow. So far hubs is okay with the new guest in our bed. He even “snoogles” after I get up to shower in the morning.

Crocs flats: Wedges and stilettos may be stylish, but I just can’t wear them. Not before and definitely not now. And even my flats don’t feel as supportive as they once did. Fortunately, I found the most comfortable pair of shoes: sling back flats by Crocs. They basically haven’t left my feet since I bought them.

Jersey Dresses and Tanks from Old Navy: Comfortable. Versatile. Affordable. Love everything about them.

Prenatal Yoga DVD: I miss my power yoga class, but this DVD does the trick for now. There are planks and warriors and triangles — with modifications for each trimester. And I feel amazingly loose and relaxed after my 50-minute living room session.

TUMS Smoothies: I thought I knew what heartburn was until I entered the third trimester of pregnancy. Now, no matter what I eat, heartburn accompanies it. Enter TUMS. I eat at least three per day.

Other things I can’t live without: Honey Bunches of Oats, fruit of all varieties, Annie’s cheddar bunnies and macaroni & cheese, English muffins with Grandma’s strawberry preserves, and ice cream. Also: my husband. But that goes without saying, right?

Thank you, PJ, for inviting me to guest post while you’re hanging out with your little man! Hard to believe that I’m just a few weeks away from becoming a new mommy, too.

What products could you not live without when you were pregnant?

{emily’s photos}

guest post: the joys of having a boy

July 27, 2011

While I take some time to bond with my little man, please enjoy guest posts written by moms and moms-to-be from some of my favorite blogs. Today, I’m happy to introduce Jane from simple + pretty!

As the mother of a 13-year-old (who is almost 14), I wasn’t sure what wisdom I could impart, or for that matter, even remember, from the baby years. So instead, I’m going to share the joys of having a boy.

Quick back story: I grew up the oldest of five (four girls/one boy), so the concept of boys was pretty much foreign to me. Girl stuff ruled the house, and I figured that someday, when I had children, the odds were in my favor for having a girl. Completely delusional and unscientific, but I figured little dresses and hair bows had to be in my future.

Here’s the thing: having a son has been better than I ever could have imagined. J is bright, curious and interested in everything from sports and history to music and food + travel. While we may not be spending an afternoon at the mall, we do bond over SportsCenter, which I had never watched before J introduced me to its wonders. At 13, J still likes the same music that I do, so I don’t mind taking him to a concert, especially when it’s Coldplay or Arcade Fire. We both want to move to California. Or London. What can I say? He’s a smart kid.

Along the way, I’ve learned the rules to soccer. I’ve sat through t-ball games. I’ve tried to answer his questions fairly and frankly. I’ve learned to be patient. And I’ve tried to allow him the luxury of pursuing his passions, instead of chasing mine.

I think that is where the lesson lies. My greatest joys of parenting have come from learning who J is and then helping him develop into his best “self.” PJ, I know you’re about to embark on an amazing adventure. Your son will show you the way.

{image via Jane’s personal collection}

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