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A Girl Named PJ

Our next adventure

July 29, 2014

nursery with blue stripe wallsSeven years ago, I moved from New York City to Omaha. JB, a military officer stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, had recently proposed, and I was eager for us to start our life together — even if that meant living in Nebraska, a thousand miles away from friends and family.

I’ll confess that I cried upon arriving in Omaha. With a population of fewer than 500,000, Nebraska’s largest city felt like big town to me, especially after living in NYC, Washington, D.C., and Boston. Yes, it was filled with very friendly Midwesterners, but it lacked so many of the stores, cultural attractions, and conveniences to which I had grown accustomed.

JB promised that one day we’d move back East. Omaha is only temporary, he’d remind me.

In the meantime, we got married, bought a house, adopted a dog, and had two kids. We made friends and said goodbye to friends, though many of them will remain forever in our lives. We dealt with multiple deployments and a failed business venture, and I tried my hand at several different occupations, none of which ever felt right to me.

The past seven years have been an adventure. A slow, mostly boring adventure, but an adventure nonetheless.

nursery with blue stripe wallsIt feels appropriate to tell you today, on JB’s birthday, that we’re gearing up for our next adventure. JB applied for voluntary separation pay (VSP) in February and was approved in late spring. His last day as an officer in the Air Force will be at the end of September, and once he’s a civilian, there will be no reason for us to remain in Omaha.

It’s time to go east.

Or maybe west?

Right now we don’t know where we will end up. JB can pretty much do anything, anywhere, although for many years the plan was to move near D.C. so he could parlay the skills he’s acquired in the military into some sort of government or contractor position.

If you know of any jobs in D.C., Virginia, or Maryland that would be perfect for a veteran like JB, let me know. Heck, if you know of any jobs anywhere that would be perfect for either of us, please let me know!

I’m so proud of everything JB has accomplished in his time with the Air Force, and I’m excited to see him thrive in whatever it is he chooses to do next. He is an amazing dad, a supportive partner, and an all-around hard-working guy, and I wish him the happiest of birthdays today. Love you!

(photos taken in January 2014 by Hooton Images for A Girl Named PJ)

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26COMMENTS | Family

Asa’s monthly baby photo (four months old)

July 7, 2014

monthly baby photo four months oldDear Asa,

Shortly after you turned three months old, Daddy and I tried putting you to bed in a Sleep Sack instead of a swaddle. Your big brother, Levi, was 11 weeks old when he transitioned out of his swaddle, so we thought you might be ready around the same age. We were also hoping that you might sleep for longer stretches overnight if your arms were free; you’re becoming quite the finger- and thumb-sucker.

Silly us. While you were sleeping, you rotated a quarter turn clockwise, flipped over from your back to your tummy, and woke up hysterical. It was the first time you rolled over, and just like Levi, it happened overnight! You’ve only rolled over one other time since, which is surprising considering how much you rock side to side during tummy time.

You’re now reaching for the toys attached to your BabyBjorn bouncer and swinging at the toys dangling above your play mat and mamaRoo. You can loosely hold soft toys like your Whoozit and knit rattle, too, although you’d much rather grab my hair. You’ve also started grabbing your feet, a new discovery this month.

monthly baby photo four months oldCuddling with a blanket while swinging is still your preferred way to nap, and you’re getting slightly better at keeping your pacifier in your mouth. Once you even tried putting it back into your mouth after it fell out!

I’ve heard that second-born children are more easy-going than their older siblings, and so far that seems to be true for you. Your daily schedule sort of depends on Levi’s needs that day. For example, sometimes I have to move you from your swing to your car seat while you’re napping, and you generally don’t make too much of a fuss. You’re also content to sit in your car seat for an extended period of time, like if we go out to dinner. I vaguely remember Levi being more of a pain in that regard.

Your Mr. Serious-persona is quickly transforming into Mr. Adorable. You’re generous with your smiles and laugh much more frequently, including when we tickle you! You’re also very chatty (in a high-pitched, squeaky kind of way), and I sometimes catch you just cooing to yourself.

This month you had your first taste of formula when I had to go out of town for four days. I expressed breast milk for you to drink but wasn’t able to pump enough for all of your feedings. I felt incredibly guilty about giving you formula, especially since Levi was exclusively breastfed, but it’s not like you could go without milk. So I picked a carton of formula labeled “For Supplementation” and hoped that you would drink it.

And you did. Mimi stayed over to help Daddy while I was away, and both reported that you didn’t seem to care whether you were drinking formula or milk. Perhaps that was a sign that, unlike Levi, you won’t be a picky eater once you start eating solids.

monthly baby photo four months oldSimilar to last month, you still nurse every three to four hours during the day. Your feeding schedule is roughly 7 am, 10 am, 1 pm, 4 pm, 7 pm, and 10 pm. Unfortunately for Daddy and me, you’re also waking up two times (or more!) at night to eat. You just can’t quit that 1 am-2 am feeding. We will look back at these weeks as the most tired we’ve ever been. Or can ever remember being. (One symptom of sleep deprivation is memory loss.)

Also, you won’t let us put you down in your crib for the night after your 7 pm feeding; we have to wait until after 10 pm. It’s getting really inconvenient to keep going to bed so late.

Metabolically speaking, it’s not like you need the extra milk in the middle of the night. You’re a very healthy 15 lb 11 oz (70th percentile for weight) and 26.25 inches tall (85th percentile). For comparison’s sake, Levi measured 26 inches at four months, but he weighed only 13 lb 7 oz. He could still get away with size 0-3 month clothing when he was your age. You, on the other hand, are a solid size 3-6 months and wear size 2 diapers (that you blow out of way too frequently).

Despite the sleepless nights, I think four months old is my favorite age so far. You are just getting cuter and more expressive by the day!

Love,
Mommy

***

Asa turned four months old on June 26, 2014. I’ll be taking a monthly baby photo of him next to his Blabla doll on his birthday to document his growth the first year.

PS – Asa at one month old, two months old, and three months old. Also, Levi when he was Asa’s age.

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2COMMENTS | Family

Asa’s monthly baby photo (three months old)

June 16, 2014

three month old baby photoDear Asa,

At your two month old appointment, Daddy and I complained to your pediatrician that you cry for hours every single night. That’s colic, he explained, and encouraged  us to continue consoling you by any means possible. Since you seemed content to swing during the day, we begrudgingly moved the Fisher-Price monstrosity from the basement to the living room. I was hoping the smaller, more modern-looking mamaRoo would be an acceptable alternative, but you just haven’t been able to fall asleep in it.

So the Fisher-Price swing is where you hang out most evenings while Daddy and I watch TV. A couple of nights we tried leaving you swaddled in your bassinet when we put Levi to bed but quickly realized the error of our ways. And once or twice this month we tried putting you in your crib for a nap, but you kept waking yourself up crying. You’re just happiest when you’re swinging, staring up at the illuminated sheep mobile overhead.

Since you aren’t swaddled while swinging, you tightly grab your new smaller-sized security blanket and hold it up to your face when you attempt to self-soothe. (We actually think you prefer blankies to pacifiers; you’re terrible at keeping pacifiers in your mouth.) You’d probably sleep better at night if you could snuggle with a blankie, but that doesn’t seem safe to me. Besides, your arms still flail about somewhat uncontrollably, so I don’t think you’d be happy not to be swaddled.

Asa, nighttime is so stressful. We haven’t figured out the best time for your last feeding or what time to put you down to bed. I nurse you every three to four hours during the day, trying to make the last feeding around 10-11pm, but you still wake to eat every three hours (or less!) overnight. There have even been several nights this month when you’ve eaten four times between midnight and 7AM.

YAWN!

three month old baby

Thankfully, when you aren’t fussing in the evening hours, you have a generally easy disposition. You’re starting to smile more frequently, though you’re still a pretty serious baby, and you’re becoming more generous with your little laughs. I’ll also catch you cooing to yourself at times. Your favorite toy is the Whoozit, and you’re starting to reach for the bar of toys attached to the BABYBJORN Babysitter Balance.

When you were nine weeks old, you started wearing size 2 diapers, and we moved you into 3-6 month clothing around the same time. Peanut, you’re now a big round-faced baby instead of a wrinkly, old man-looking newborn! Your still-blond hair (love!) is starting to get longer, and unlike Levi’s baby hair, yours is growing in evenly.

You’re still not a fan of the Ergobaby carrier; we even brought it with us to Hilton Head this month so that Aunt Rachel could confirm that we were using it correctly. Thankfully, you allowed me to wear you in the Baby K’tan while we traveled, making it so much easier to maneuver through multiple airports. Our vacation marked your first time flying, and you were a champ on all four flights on that trip, crying only briefly when you needed a diaper or to be fed. You even slept a little bit! (Wish your brother would’ve done the same…)

In Hilton Head, you slept in a pack ‘n play on the opposite side of the room from our bed — and you did great! Seeing you in the pack ‘n play really drove home the fact that you had outgrown your bassinet, so when we returned to Omaha, we moved you into your crib. Unfortunately, you didn’t sleep well for the first couple of nights. You cried more and went shorter in between feedings.

Here’s hoping we figure out this nighttime sleeping stuff pretty quickly. I’m so tired I can’t think clearly anymore!

Love,
Mommy

***

Asa turned three months old on May 26, 2014. I’ll be taking a monthly baby photo of him next to his Blabla doll on his birthday to document his growth the first year.

PS – Asa at one month old and two months old. Also, Levi when he was Asa’s age.

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0COMMENTS | Family

Asa’s birth announcements (and a giveaway! – now closed)

June 9, 2014

Minted birth announcements

Sometimes I wonder why new parents still bother sending out birth announcements. Between phone calls, texting, and social media, friends and family can be informed of a baby’s arrival before mom even leaves the delivery room.

But it’s tradition. Something for the scrapbook. And a way for our nearest and dearest (plus a random great aunt or two) to admire our sweet babies every time they open and close their their refrigerator doors.

Before Asa was even born, we knew we would send birth announcements via snail mail, and we knew we would order them from Minted. We even had a professional newborn photo shoot scheduled for the week after his birth.

It’s hard to admit this, but when I first saw the photos from Asa’s newborn session, I was disappointed. Not necessarily with the quality of the images, but with how I looked. And, unfortunately, with how Asa looked in many of the shots. Our photographer was able to do some additional retouching, but she couldn’t change the fact that Asa had been awake and cranky for nearly the entire shoot or that I had chosen outfits that didn’t flatter my still-mushy midsection.

Sigh. We’re our harshest critics, aren’t we?

Minted birth announcements

It was only slightly easier to pick a birth announcement — but that’s because Minted offered too many beautiful options! I must have spent hours on reviewing all of our choices (so many open tabs in my browser!), using their Find it Fast™ feature try possible photos in many cards at once.

Some of our favorite birth announcements included this, this, and this, but we ultimately decided on this birth announcement because of the playful hand-drawn elements. And since I felt strongly that Levi should be included on the card somehow, we added a family photo on the back. (I’m not crazy about what my right hand is doing, but I absolutely love how Levi is inspecting his baby brother.)

Minted birth announcements

As always, I had such a positive experience working with Minted and would recommend them to anybody in the market for birth announcements. That’s why I’m excited to be partnering with them for a fun giveaway: One lucky reader will win 75 Minted birth announcements!

No baby? No problem! The winner can put the monetary value of the prize towards anything on Minted’s website.

To enter, simply follow the Rafflecopter prompts in the box below. This giveaway will close on Thursday night, and the winner will be notified on Friday. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

PS – Levi’s newborn photos (unlike Asa, he slept nearly the entire time and gave us lots of gassy smiles!), and my top 10 newborn essentials.

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3COMMENTS | Family

Taking a family vacation to Hilton Head Island

May 27, 2014

Lowcountry Produce Market and Cafe in Hilton Head Island

Lowcountry Produce Market and Cafe in Hilton Head Island

If you follow along on Instagram, you probably realized that the blog was quiet last week because I was on vacation. It felt strange to ignore this space for such a long time, but I decided that some time away from the blog would do me good. Also, I didn’t want to be sitting at the computer when I could be lounging in the pool!

This was our second annual family vacation to Hilton Head Island. Taking a yearly trip with my parents and my sister and her family is a relatively new tradition that started four years ago. We’ve been to New Orleans and South Beach, but we had so much fun renting a house last year in Hilton Head that we decided to do it again 365 days later.

Once again we stayed in Sea Pines, renting a gorgeous four-bedroom home that was a short 5-minute walk to the beach (once we realized we could cut through our neighbor’s yard). Levi and my 15-month-old nephew, Max, both loved digging in the sand at the beach and then splashing in our house’s perfectly-sized and perfectly-heated pool. We thought they might be old enough to share a room, but Max ended up in a small den off the kitchen, as he kept having a hard time staying asleep during his naps.

Gourmet soda

Lowcountry Produce Market and Cafe in Hilton Head IslandThe benefit to returning to the same vacation spot year after year, I’m learning, is that it’s easier to relax when you don’t have to play tourist. You look forward to revisiting favorite restaurants and participating in familiar activities. For example, we knew we wanted to have dinner one night at Pomodori and get dessert as often as possible (no shame!) at Hilton Head Ice Cream. Each day we’d burn off the previous night’s ice cream calories by riding up and down Sea Pines on bikes rented from from Bicycle Billy’s.

That’s not to say that didn’t make any new discoveries on this trip! Carrie from Dream Green DIY was in Hilton Head the week before and suggested we visit Lawton Stables. Levi loved the small animal farm (hint: bring your own bowl or cup if you plan on feeding the animals) and enjoyed most of his second-ever pony ride.

Another new-to-us activity was having a picnic lunch after playing at the Harbor Town playground. We packed up a cooler with sandwiches and chips that my mom drove over with Asa so we could ride our bicycles, and we bought some cold Cheerwine from a convenience store to wash it all down.

Lowcountry Produce Market and Cafe in Hilton Head Island Breakfast Menu

Lowcountry Produce Market and Cafe in Hilton Head Island Glazed Yeast Doughnuts

On one bicycle ride, we stopped at Sea Pines Center to find a bathroom for Levi, who, mistakenly, left the house wearing big boy underwear. (We’re not 100% committed to potty training yet.) JB took him to the toilet, and while we were waiting, my mom and I wandered into Lowcountry Produce Market and Cafe. We were instantly charmed by the store’s decor and then by its wide array of handmade, gourmet, and artisan goods.

Before we hopped back on our bikes, we ordered iced coffees to go. They were so delicious that we returned to Lowcountry two more times during the week just for iced coffee. Sadly, the barista wasn’t there on our third visit, so the coffees on that occasion weren’t as tasty.

We had breakfast at Lowcountry Produce Market and Cafe on our last morning. I have to give Southern Coney credit for having better pancakes, but Lowcountry’s breakfast menu was excellent. Their sausage was some of the best ever, according to JB, and their freshly-made glazed yeast doughnuts were unbelievable — slightly crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside. If we don’t make it for lunch or dinner, you can bet we’ll be back next year for an iced coffee and doughnut treat!

Lowcountry Produce Market and Cafe in Hilton Head Island Menu

Our week in Hilton Head was as relaxing as it could be with six adults and three kids under three under one roof, but our journey back to Omaha was exhausting, to say the least. I’m thankful we had two days left of a three-day weekend to recover from our 11-hour day of travel on Saturday. I’m still playing catch up on email and blog comments from earlier this month, so if you’re waiting to hear from me, it’s coming!

We’ll hopefully return to Hilton Head Island again next year, but I’d love to know where you love to go on vacation with your family!

PS – Check out Instagram for more photos from our trip! 

(all photos are mine, taken at Lowcountry Produce Market and Cafe in Sea Pines Center)

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3COMMENTS | Family

What to pack when traveling with kids

May 16, 2014

traveling with kids

We’ll be packing up our bags…and car seats…and strollers…and heading down to Hilton Head Island soon for a much-needed vacation. For the second year in a row, my parents, sister, brother-in-law, and nephew will be meeting us there, and we’ll all be staying in a rental property near the beach.

But first we have to get there.

Obviously, we’ve never flown with Asa before, as he’s only 11 weeks old. So this will be our first time flying with both boys. Traveling with kids is never easy, but I imagine that traveling with a toddler who can’t sit still and an infant who requires your full attention is harder than, say, two school-age kids.

I’ve spent the past couple of days trying to brainstorm what we’ll need to carry on the plane with us for both kids. Make that planes, plural. We have to connect in Chicago each way.

Two kids plus four planes equals a Hemingway Mojito for me as soon as we land in South Carolina.

stylish wipes on the go

Luckily, we flew quite a bit with Levi starting when he was around Asa’s age, so I have a pretty good idea of what to bring on board for them. If nothing else, we’ll need an abundance of diapers and wipes, especially for Asa.

Here’s a tip: Always, always bring more diapers than you think you’ll need!

Stylish baby wipes were never on my must-have list — until now. I’m excited to try new Huggies Clutch ‘n’ Clean Wipes on this trip. Yes, the refillable packages come in three trendy designs, but, more importantly, they feature a strap that can attach to the outside of my carry-on bag.

Between Asa’s frequent diaper changes and Levi’s attempts at potty training (and general messiness), having easy access to our wipes will be so helpful when we’re mid-air. Or when we’re, inevitably,  rushing through the airport.

traveling with kids

Besides diapers and Huggies Clutch ‘n’ Clean Wipes, here’s what I’m planning to carry on the plane for the boys:

  • A change of clothes (or two) for Asa. I like to dress babies in footed pajamas when traveling so I don’t have to worry about socks falling off.
  • My nursing cover and several burp cloths for when it’s time to feed Asa. My favorite burp cloth for traveling is this one because it can double as a bib. I also prefer to wear a nursing tank with a cardigan when we fly so I don’t have to lift my shirt and risk exposing my entire midriff to my fellow passengers.
  • Extra pacifiers. It’s always smart to have a clean one handy.
  • Our Baby K’tan Baby Carrier to wear Asa around the airport since we’ll be checking our stroller, and it’s easier to stash the K’tan under our seat than our larger and bulkier Ergobaby.
  • A toy and some art cards to entertain Asa.
  • The iPad and toddler headphones for Levi. He gets to watch significantly more TV shows (“Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” “Yo Gabba Gabba,” and “Sesame Street”) when we’re traveling because he’ll actually sit quietly and pay attention to them. Whatever works, right? He also likes to play games on the iPad, and Toca Boca has a great assortment of toddler-friendly games.
  • A black and white composition notebook that Levi can decorate with stickers and color with crayons. We like these because they won’t roll of the tray table.
  • A couple of issues of Highlights High Five. Levi loves flipping through the magazine, and I think the variety of activities in each one will occupy a good chunk of time.
  • Snacks, including applesauce pouches, baggies of cereal, and granola bars, plus a non-spill sippy cup that we can fill up at the water fountain before boarding the plane.

Finally, instead of my diaper bag, I use a duffle bag or weekender tote as my carry on. A diaper bag is great for day-to-day use (and I always pack one in my suitcase), but I prefer a larger bag for the plane to fit all of the kids’ travel necessities.

Got any summer vacation plans? What are your essentials for traveling with kids?

PS – The difference between a vacation and a trip, plus three vacation memories.

This post is in partnership with Huggies, but all opinions are my own. Catalina canvas weekender c/o Lo and Sons. Thanks for supporting the brands that support this blog!

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3COMMENTS | Family

Did you experience mommy brain?

May 14, 2014

laundry baskets

Monday afternoon I posted this photo to Instagram with the caption:

Both boys are napping. Do I…
a
) fold four baskets of laundry
b) w
rite tomorrow’s blog post
c
) take a nap?

Everybody who commented voted for taking a nap. So what did I do? I decided to take advantage of the silence to do something that actually required brainpower. I sat down on the sofa not covered in laundry baskets, opened my laptop, and attempted to write Tuesday’s post.

Yes, I’m sleep deprived, but I felt guilty choosing to nap when there was work to be done. As for the laundry, well, I figured that I could fold clean clothing while supervising playtime later in the evening.

I planned to write about how we hid in the unfinished side of our basement Sunday night because Omaha was under a tornado warning. I was going to include a witty line like “You know you live in the Midwest when your two-and-a-half year old practices tornado drills at school and isn’t phased when the emergency weather radio starts beeping and his mother tosses him into the basement.” I planned to describe how JB nonchalantly did the laundry and Levi ate a picnic dinner while I cowered in the corner rocking Asa and clutching the dog by his collar.

But I couldn’t figure out how to tell the story. I had an idea of what I wanted to say (see above) but couldn’t find the words or write the sentences or muster up the energy to get it done. So I ended up closing my eyes — and the computer — and surrendering to the exhaustion.

What happened yesterday afternoon — trying to choose between writing, cleaning, and sleeping — is a near daily occurrence. When both boys are napping in the afternoon, I usually try to blog because it’s more rewarding (and, occasionally, slightly lucrative) than emptying the dishwasher or putting away laundry. Plus, there’s the satisfaction I feel when I take a good photo or write a well-received post that I don’t necessarily get from vacuuming.

These days, though, it’s not uncommon for me to fall asleep before I finish my work, frequently while I’m still typing. It’s also been taking me f-o-r-e-v-e-r to write; my brain is working so much slower these days. Over the weekend, I spent three hours writing the intro to Monday’s post about my beauty routine when it should have only taken me an hour, tops.

I know I should cut myself some slack. Mommy brain is a real thing. Plus, Asa’s not even three months old, and in any other profession I’d likely still be on maternity leave without pressure to do any work. So why do I put so much pressure on myself?

I’d love to know how you juggled all of your responsibilities those first few months after having a baby. Were you constantly dropping balls or did you create some sort of system to keep them all up in the air? How long did it take until you moved past the mommy brain stage and started feeling like yourself again?

PS – More thoughts on trying to juggle motherhood, plus advice for a new mom of two.

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3COMMENTS | Family

Asa’s monthly baby photo (two months old)

May 1, 2014

two months old monthly photoDear Asa,

Your brother was a skinny baby. In fact, we had to help him gain weight by adding butter to his food when he started eating solids. He never developed those adorable baby fat rolls on his thighs and arms that everybody loves to squeeze and bite.

But you, Peanut, are on course to become a deliciously chubby baby. According to your pediatrician, you’re the size of a four month old — and you’re just two months old! You weigh 13 lb. 7 oz. and measure 24.5 in., putting you in the 90th percentile for weight and the 97th percentile for height. The doctor remarked that if you’re still wearing 0-3 month clothing (which you are), they must be sized incorrectly!

(It’s probably also time to move into size 2 diapers. Because blowouts.)

It makes sense that you’ve gained 4 lb. 5 oz. in six weeks because you’ve been taking longer and longer to breastfeed. Last month you averaged 15 minutes per session; now you take approximately 20 minutes. However, it could be that you’re just become a lazy eater and aren’t actually consuming that much more milk.

The only upside to such long nursing sessions is that I’m able to get a good amount of reading done on my Kindle app while you’re eating (seven times a day). I just finished The Husband’s Secret.

Halfway through the month you smiled for the first time. Honestly, we weren’t sure that your first smiles weren’t really gas, but now we can make you smile by getting close to your face and making silly sounds and gestures. Usually. You’re a pretty serious baby otherwise, and you absolutely refuse to smile in pictures! Instead, you tilt your head down, which produces multiple chins and makes you look like an old man. A serious old man.

You now cry real heartbreaking tears when you’re sad and make the sweetest cooing sounds when you babble to yourself. You once made a noise in response to Daddy laughing that suggested laughter (the intent was definitely there!).

two months old monthly photo

We don’t do tummy time with you as often as we should, but your head and neck control is getting better nevertheless. You enjoy laying on your back and observing the lights, sounds, and toys dangling above your playmat. You’re content to sit in the BABYBJORN BabySitter Balance and occasionally take a swing at the toys in front of you. Sadly, you’re not a big fan of the ultra-modern mamaRoo swing yet, but you’ll fall fast asleep in the Fisher-Price one (which I keep in the basement playroom because it’s an eyesore).

And you still aren’t happy to be carried in a wrap. Sigh. So much for me becoming one of those hip babywearing mamas.

Here’s a quick rundown of our ever-evolving schedule: You start eating between 6:30-7am and usually stay awake until about 8:15, when we get in the car to drive Levi to school. You frequently stay asleep in your car seat until it’s time to eat again around 9:30. Then it’s another round of awake for an hour, asleep for two.

I try to feed you again either at 12:30pm while Levi is watching Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood or at 1pm after he goes down for his nap. We play in the living room together while I eat my lunch on the floor next to you. You take your afternoon nap in the basement swing around 2pm and won’t wake up until I turn off the motion — which I do around 3:30 or 4pm so you can eat again. You usually take a short disco nap before your next feeding at 7pm, and then you are wide awake for the evening.

Wide awake and screaming.

Every night.

That’s right: you have colic!

If we’re lucky, you’ll fall asleep in daddy’s arms around 9:30pm, but we wake you up to feed you one last time between 10-10:30pm. Then one last diaper change before changing you into your pajamas and saying goodnight. (You still sleep in the bassinet next to our bed, although you’re nearly the length of the basket!) It would be amazing if you slept the night, but you wake up around 3:30am to eat. I can’t really complain about getting a four and a half hour chunk of sleep!

I love you and your furry little head.

Love,
Mommy

***

Asa turned two months old on April 26, 2014. I’ll be taking a monthly baby photo of him next to his Blabla doll on his birthday to document his growth during the first year.

PS – Last month’s photo, and Levi at two months old.

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4COMMENTS | Family

Mother’s Day gift guide

April 30, 2014

mother's day gift guide

Mother’s Day is coming up on Sunday, May 11th. Have you purchased something for your mom already? Has your husband asked you what you might like to receive?

If you’re still in need of ideas, have no fear… I’m here to help! I always enjoy putting together gift guides because they’re usually a combination of what’s on my wish list and what I’d buy for my friends and family — and this year’s Mother’s Day gift guide is no exception!

1. Patent leather Birkenstocks for the mom who gave up wearing heels a long time ago.

2. The best ever flat iron for the mom who wishes she had straight hair.

3. An eye-catching card case to hold store credit and loyalty cards for the mom who loves to shop.

4. The limited edition FEED + Oh Joy! diaper bag that’s playful on the outside and practical on the inside for the mom who just had a baby.

5. This set of three nylon pouches for the mom who plans to spend every summer weekend at the beach.

6. A silk-screened scarf with an unexpected pattern for the mom who is always chilly in an air conditioned room. (Bonus! BRIKA is offering all Bunny & Dolly readers free shipping with the code BUNNYDOLLY. Offer expires in one week.)

7. The Hands Free Mama book for the mom who is (admittedly) addicted to her iPhone.

8. A flash chill tea maker for the mom who’s always thirsty but hates the taste of plain water.

9. A delicate dual birthstone ring for the mom with two adorable yet exhausting kids.

I’d love know what’s on your wish list! Leave a comment or send me a tweet with the Mother’s Day gift you’re hoping to unwrap this year.

PS – More lovely gifts for the ladies.

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