Friday, May 31, 2013

Five on Friday!

Friday is finally here and no one could be more excited than this girl! This week has been busy to say the least!
I found this new link up "Five on Friday" on a blog site which I totally love.
Im excited to share my first Link up!



ONE: Totally obsessed with my hubbys version of Black Beans and Yellow Rice. Monday while we were at the pool, he so graciously made us black beans and yellow rice, something I was craving, and to be honest I didnt have an expectation that it would be hit list worthy, but he totally proved me wrong. Lets just saw I was not embarrassed to eat 4 helpings. YES 4!! I will post recipe here soon!



TWO: To some, this may seem random and weird, but right now I am currently loving Walmart brand diapers. Who would have thought!? When Paisley was a newborn Target diapers were our go to. When we first moved her up to size 1, Huggies pure and natural were our go to, but when she started leaking out the sides and back of her diapers, and many outfits throughout the day, I had to do something differently. Someone had given us a pack of walmart ones so I decided to give these a try knowing that the Newborn ones werent a success for us at all, and surprisingly these will be our go to for the moment. We've gone one week without any leakage or blowouts! Hallelujah!!



THREE: Upon having to completely switch my diet to a no dairy diet to keep breastfeeding a little one with an allergy, all I could think about was how am I ever going to give up chocolate!???? I am the world's biggest chocolate lover! With the help of my vegan mother-in-law and many "vegan chocolate dessert recipes" later I think we finally have a hit; Black Bean Brownies. Not just any black bean brownies. 100% healthy and truth be known, I WILL NEVER GO BACK TO REGULAR BROWNIES AGAIN!! That is how good these are! No, really, from a chocoholic I promise once you try these you wont ever go back! We've tried them with Canola Oil and as the recipes calls for, Coconut Oil. Coconut Oil is the winner! Promise, you wont be disappointed! You can find the recipe here (we use Enjoy Life chocolate chips in case you were wondering)



FOUR: Time to get this post-pregnancy body back into shape! Since I dont have time to get to the gym with a little one, I have resorted to workouts through DVD, Pinterest and Hulu Plus. Right now I am stuck on this short, intense workout from fitsugar. If you follow my blog, Im trying to upload my weekly workout fav on Wednesdays. This workout is 10 minutes, seems simple, but completely challenged me, who by the way is a little outta shape ;) Find the workout here.  



FIVE: THE BACHELORETTE!! I have been waiting for this season, well I wait for every season, but I fell in love with Desiree on Seans season and am so stoked for her season!! Im not overly sure about the men yet, but we will let a few episodes run their course and hopefully by then I will have my mind made up! Heres to Monday nights!!




Happy Weekend You all!!

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Workout Wednesday

I want to start blogging every Wednesday about a new workout that I find and is worth mentioning.

Being a new mom, I dont have a lot of time to get out and go to the gym so I try to find a workout either on DVD, Pinterest, or on Hulu Plus that I can do at home while Paisley is sleeping.

I previously posted an arm workout here if you want to go back and try that one

This weeks workout is from the same website as the arm workout. Truth be told, I am a little out of shape and this workout definitely proved that one! Hello time to get in shape!

This one seems easy but in all reality it was a little rough, but no worries I am about to get back on the getting into shape, getting fit bandwagon here real soon!

You can find this weeks workout here

ENJOY!!


Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Weekend Recap

I know we had a blast this weekend! I will try to recap as best as this sleep deprived momma can. I dont know who is more tired. Me or Paisley? She is sleeping away while I blog. Imagine that. When you have the time to sleep you never do, and when you dont have the time as you want to do is sleep. Ah, thus is life!

Aaron finished school Friday so to say the least we ALL were very excited!! Love that summer is here!!

Friday afternoon we had to take Paisley to the GI Specialist, which we were 15 minutes late for, and appointment only lasted 5 minutes, BUT we got a GREAT report!! She is looking better and finally no blood! I am a happy momma! Then, we decided to try a little dessert and coffee place near the hospital and when I tell you in a moment that they had THE best vegan chocolate cake, I literally mean it! Since Chocolate Cake is my downfall, and I cant have dairy for the time being, this was an even better substitute for actual chocolate cake! It was pure heaven on earth! I dont think that I will go back to regular chocolate cake! 



Friday evening we did Pizza (vegan pizza with soy cheese), still way better than regular pizza as I am finding out, in Tampa and it was delish! The weather was absolutely perfect! Great evening and start to Memorial Weekend.

Saturday, we got up early and went Jet-skiing. It was basically pretty hot and a little stressful trying to juggle a baby in the mix, but overall it was a blast! It was my first time on a jet ski and lets just say that we will be doing that again! We also did lunch at a little restaurant in Dunedin which was to die for. Saturday evening was a lazy evening. Something about being in the sun just makes you super tired, and makes for an even more tired little baby. We also wished my grandpa a happy 81st birthday by facetime!! Talk about a best moment! That was also the first time he was able to see Paisley...


And, what kind of Mom would I be, IF I didnt include a milestone for little Miss Paisley....She had her FIRST oatmeal cereal!! SHE LOVED IT by the way ;)


Sunday, Paisley and I stayed home from church so that we could do a big steak cookout with my in-laws. Talk about some food! I think I have eaten way more this weekend than I have in a long time. Good times with family. We played a new game {New to us} called 5 second rule. We laughed and laughed. That game will be added to our must plays from now on.

Monday, we slept in, cleaned up a bit and had my in-laws over to take Paisley swimming. I didnt expect anything less, the pool was crowded. Weather was beautiful as always, and hot. Such a fun day, but I think Paisley has about hit her limits for being out and about without a regular schedule. I have to add, my hubby made the most amazing black beans and rice for lunch! We ate and ate that till it was basically gone! It was THAT good!

We finished the fun filled weekend off by a little shopping for little missy, pizza {yes, again}, and some time with Papa before he leaves for China for 4 months! 

GREAT Memorial Day Weekend I would say! 
Now...back to reality :)

She fell asleep playing guitar. Its hardwork being a baby ;)


Mommy & Me Monday!

Happy Monday {well a day late}! I hope y'all enjoyed your three day weekend! I know we sure did and now that Tuesday is here we are all pooped! 

Here is this weeks Mommy & Me pic!

Can I just say that I am OBSESSED with my daughter!! She is life's greatest JOY!

I dont know what we EVER did without her!?


This is from Thursday. Pais and I spent a lazy day at home and went to support Daddy that evening for his middle school graduation. 

I seriously cant believe how big she is getting!!


Have a great rest of your week!!

Friday, May 24, 2013

For the First Timers

Being a new mom is stressful, exciting, nerve-wrecking, rewarding, exhausting, and overwhelming. I am lucky that I have had my sister to lean on and ask questions or mom, or my mother-in-law, but I know there are some who dont have others and often have to rely on themselves or the internet. I have found that these main things are the biggies for being a first time mom. There's lots of advice given when it comes to your newborn baby, but at the end of the day, you have to figure out what works best for you and for your baby. Sometimes it takes a few different tries at things to get it figured out, but dont panic! Your little one and you will adjust in due time. Woman have been raising children for thousands of years and have always managed :) You can do it!

The top things that I have learned since being a Mom:

1. Its ok to put your baby down

I know what you're thinking. Is she for real? Yep! I am a stay at home mom and we live in a small condo, so when you dont really have anywhere to go when baby is screaming, I typically try all my options and if all else fails, I pick her up and go about what I was doing. At first I felt really guilty about putting her in the swing and sitting on the couch next to her to blog or email, but I've slowly been learning that its ok to let her just hang by herself and entertain herself. You will be glad one day that you allowed your little one to self soothe and keep themselves company.

2. Its ok to switch Doctors if you arent happy

I liked the pediatrician we chose in the beginning. She was great and very knowledgeable. Great office staff and clean environment, but when Paisley started having bloody stools and all they could tell me that it was maybe a dairy allergy with no further detail I began to question our decision to be there. As the story goes, and the worse Paisleys diapers became, I began asking more and more questions, and to no avail they didnt have an answer or even know what to say. Let me just stop here. There job is to be our babies doctor and they have no clue what is going on and cant even point us in a direction, yet, you are paying almost $200 for every baby visit!? I mean get real! When I felt like we werent moving forward with Paisleys symptoms and cutting out all dairy and soy and almost everything else and nothing was changing, I started looking into different options. I gave our pediatrician multiple times to help us in our situation and each time she didnt know. I, at times felt like I knew more than her. Also, she wasnt very breastfeeding pro so that was a BIG negative for us. I looked and looked for different doctors and ended up finding a doctor that was on board and willing to help us continue breastfeeding and to help us figure out Paisleys issues. It has taken us a month to get readjusted, but let me just say that I LOVE our new doctor! She is a breath of fresh air and has helped me and Paisley get through this!! If you dont click with a doctor its ok to change! I promise if it takes switching doctors to get peace of mind it is totally worth every thing!

3. GET OFF THE INTERNET

I mean this literally. Get off the internet! There is so much info out there, and so many horror stories that people feel like they need to share that just scares you out of your boots! I know at times it can be helpful, but 98% of the time its only makes you worry more. If you have a question, call your doctor, call your mother, call a friend, or find a reliable source online that you can trust. Mayo Clinic, Babycenter, and Kelly mom are pretty reliable. Even some blog posts I have found are very helpful. There are all kinds of discussion boards that everyone feels they need to post their terrible story. You can find anything on the internet today, good and bad. Dont feel like if you call your doctor you are bothering them. They get paid for you to ask your questions and for you to be at peace, especially when it comes to pregnancy and a new baby. 

4. Find a lactation consultant or La Leche League Member

If you are planning on breastfeeding, find someone before your baby comes. This will come in really, really handy. I didnt do this and it has been a challenge. I cant ever reach anybody at the La Leche League here in Tampa for when I do have a question, and the lactation consultants are only at our hospital a few days a week. Find someone that you trust and you can reach whenever you need help or have a question. Breastfeeding is the most challenging thing you will ever experience, but if you have people alongside of you that can help you and support you in what you are doing, it might make for a little easier time. I promise, you dont think you will have questions, but when your nipples are bleeding in the middle of the night and you are freaking out, you will have wished you had someone to call to ask what to do.

5. If you're still pregnant, enjoy getting yourself ready and taking showers

This is one that I really took for granted. I thought it would be so easy to take a shower, not always get ready, but boy was I wrong. It was nice in the beginning because I would shower while the baby slept in the morning, or at times I am still able to, but when you get in that shower, you are constantly worrying, or panicking that your baby is going to wake up and be screaming when you turn that water off. That has happened to me once, and ever since then, I hurry in the shower for fear that my baby will wake up ha! Saturdays when my hubby is home, its nice because he will keep an eye on her while I can just relax and enjoy a nice hot shower. There are times, however, that I will put Paisley in a bouncer or the rock and play sleeper and let her just hang while I shower and get ready, but if your baby is anything like mine, she gets bored really quickly. Enjoy the time you have to get yourself ready now before baby comes, because when baby is here you will quickly find that while you are unshowered and a mess, your sweet little bundle of joy is dressed to the nines. Thats how mommyhood works for us most days but I love every minute of it :)

6. Supermom is for the birds

I love how on TV they make looking like being a mom is super easy. She's all dressed up, make up on, baby is dressed head to toe neatly, house is all put together, organized and spotless, laundry is done, folded and put away. Dog has been walked, dishes done, and dinner is waiting on the table. Oh and somewhere in there she has managed to go the mail and grab a few groceries. Picture perfect. Uh hmmm, well let me just tell you, it rarely ever happens that way. Our place is small and I am a bit OCD (I am my mothers child) about our place being spotless, so I spent the first few months trying to keep it that way, doing all the laundry, making sure it was folded AND put away, rooms were spotless, dishes done and put away, myself ready, and dinner cooking and it was exhausting. AND I forgot to mention, feed your baby, take care of your baby. The first few months you spend what feels like an eternity feeding your baby. When you breastfeed and that baby is hungry you gotta feed. Mine at every 2-3 hours an hour at a time. So we would finish one feeding and before you knew it, it was time to feed again. Its very exhausting especially if you have been up all night with a fussy little one. Relax. Its ok that you cant do everything in a days time. Have people around you help you and come to you. Bond with your baby, spend time with your baby, play with your baby. Just enjoy the moments and most importantly, sleep when that baby sleeps! You will feel a hundred times better if you are rested. Your husband and baby will appreciate it if you are rested. Supermom is for the birds really. Everything wont be perfect 100% of the time and thats ok. You new bundle of joy is only little for what feels like a few minutes. Take that in and enjoy every minute because you cant ever get those moments back. The laundry can wait, and if you dont get showered and ready for that day, its no big deal. Promise!

7. Plan simple meals

I was fortunate enough to have my mom with me for the first two weeks, and then my dad and Step-mom for a week after that and it was awesome! They cooked meals for us and made extras to put in the freezer, and we also had people from my husbands job make meals for us every night for a week. It was pure heaven and relieving knowing that I, or my husband didnt have to cook. I had a C-section so thinking about standing and moving much to make a meal felt almost impossible for the longest time. I now see why people eat out a lot or do take-out when they have a new baby. So much easier and there is no mess to really clean. Pinterest these days is great at having meals that you can make and freeze or crock pot meals you can put in a bag, freeze, pull out and throw it in and cook. You will be very happy if you have stuff prepared a head of time when that baby comes. Eating sometimes is the last thing that you are worried about when that baby is screaming their heads off because they're hungry and need a diaper change. 

8. Buy diapers a head of time

Dont wait till you are down to the last two and you need diapers, and oh wait, target is closed. When Paisley has maybe 10 diapers left, I will go to the store or send the husband to get diapers. The last thing you want to be worrying about when you have a blow out diaper is if you have any diapers left, or where is the diapers, that you seemed to have spaced out getting the other day. You dont even want to have to think about trying to be at the store the moment they open so you can get diapers. Get them a head of time and you will be a happier, less stressed mommy. Its not even a bad idea to stock up on diapers before your little one arrives :) 

9. Always give yourself plenty of time

I am one who has to be on time, and by on time I mean a few minutes early. Since having a baby, I have quickly learned that the new on time is about 20 minutes late IF you are lucky! Really this does happen. We can be all set to be on time and at the last second something goes wrong. My favorite is a huge blow-out mess. That takes time in itself to clean up ladies. You are so impressed you are on time, you're dressed and ready, your baby is looking stylish as always and BAM, just like that you have spit-up all down the front of you and your baby. Your baby will be the greatest excuse you have on why you are late. It just happens, and most people around you will just have to learn to understand that. Its not easy getting yourself and a baby out the door. I cant imagine what I will be in for when we do decide to have another one.....

10. Get out of the house!

Even if its just for a short walk, get outside. This has been a lifesaver for me. Before Paisley I was one who was always go, go, go and when she came having to stay inside and seeing the same four walls was a little depressing. We went for our first walk when Paisley was about 6 days old, even though it wasnt very far (thank you C-section for that) I felt like a brand new person. Something about just getting out of the house has a way of making you feel revived almost. ha! Its good for you and for baby. Paisley loves being outside, so I make sure that every day we either walk somewhere or we go somewhere. Doesnt have to be for long periods of time, but get out :)

11. Set a good schedule, but at times be flexible

Right off the bat, we established a pretty good schedule that we have managed to stick to four months later. Paisley kinda helped us in that too. She was a great sleeper so at night she would sleep 4-5 hours, wake to eat and go back down for another 4 hours or so. We have kept that no matter how long she sleeps at night, she will wake to eat, go back down for 4 hours sometimes 3.5 and then get up, eat, play, and be back down about 3 hours later, sometimes earlier if she is really tired. At night time around 8:30 we will put together all her evening stuff, get a bath ready, turn down lights, turn on her noise machine, bathe her, read a story, feed and then she is down about 9:30ish. We have kept this routine from beginning and she is use to it. She doesnt really fight us. We have one night a week where we are out till 9 and generally will still stick to her main bedtime events, but if she is really tired we just change her, feed her and put her down. Some days we are out and about and she doesnt get a great afternoon nap and that is ok. Whatever you do, be flexible sometimes. It will save you the stress when you are at dinner and its 8:30 and you are just now eating. The less you stress the happier your baby will be. You will have times it just doesnt go accordingly and its ok :)

12. Set your own breastfeeding schedule

This is a BIG one for me!! Every one has the own time table of when YOU should be feeding YOUR baby. The nurses at the hospital told me to feed every 3 hours and so like clock work I did, and let me tell you. Paisley didnt like it. She had her own plan. She wasnt hungry every 3 hours. Your baby will tell you when THEY are hungry! They know when their little bellies need a little something and when they dont. They are much smarter than we give them credit for. When I started letting Paisley tell me she was hungry, it was a relief! Not only was I happier and not as overwhelmed by watching the clock, my little darling was much happier herself too.

13. Find times to spend with your hubby

I cant stress how important this really is. We havent gone out much since Paisley has come into our lives and its hard. Its not that we cant, my hubby just doesnt want to leave her ;) You have to have quality time with each other. Having a baby is stressful but if the two of you are OK and dandy then it will help you both tremendously and help your baby to relax. The two of you have to be one, so that you can effectively take care of your baby together. Marriage doesnt just end when your little one arrives, it needs to become stronger, because you both at times will need support and will need to encourage each other when you are sleep deprived, breastfeeding isnt going the way you thought it would, or your little one wont stop crying for anything. There are many trying times, but if you can work together, so much more is accomplished!

14. Stock up on Hand Sanitizer and Hand Soap BEFORE baby comes

You will be so happy that you did this! Besides diapers and wipes, there is nothing that you will go through faster than sanitizer and hand soap. I know for me and having a baby around, I constantly feel like my hands are never clean enough when it comes to handling baby stuff. 

Hope you all enjoy and can find some use out of all this :) Again, this is just what I have learned in a very short period of time.

Monday, May 20, 2013

New obsession. Body Brushing!


I kept seeing this on Pinterest and many of our friends doing this and thought I would give this a try. I found my brush at Ross for $3. I wish it was a little softer, but it will do for now :) If you are interested, I know Amazon sells them anywhere from $4-$16. They have quite the selection too, but if you dont want to pay for the shipping, you can check Ross, Homegoods, a health store and Possibly even Walmart or Target.


Benefits of Body Brushing:

*Helps remove cellulite
*Cleanses the lymphatic system
*Removes dead skin layers
*Strengthens the immune system
*Stimulates the hormone and oil-producing aging
*Tightens the skin preventing premature aging
*Tones the muscles
*stimulates circulation
*Improves the function of the nervous system
*Helps digestion

Today was my first day trying this and I can honestly say that it definitely makes your skin softer. As the days go and I get more use to this I will post an update.



How to brush the skin FYI



Mommy & Me Monday

I saw this idea on another blog, and thought that is a great idea! We take soo many pictures of Paisley by herself and forget to get ones with us and her. In fact, as I was searching for a photo to redo my blog, I quickly noticed that we didnt have any family pictures or individual pictures of us and her that were horizontal. So, with that being said, I want to start doing Mommy & Me Mondays so it will force me to get pictures with ever growing girl. 

Technically this isnt just a Mommy & Me pic, but its so cute and we got the print back from last week so I thought I would share, our family pic. Still not horizontal though. Darn! 

For the first time ever, and a new tradition, here is this weeks Mommy & Me pic. It was taken last week at church for Mother's Day :)




Have a great Monday and a great week!!


Sunday, May 19, 2013

You Know You're a Mom When...

I was having a discussion with a friend yesterday about being a new mom and all the duties that came along with being a mom and I wanted to share what my life is really like now that I have a baby in my world....


You Know You're a Mom When....


1. You spend more time analyzing the color, smell and consistency of your baby's dirty diaper than you spend doing your hair

2. You wake up humming songs from either the baby swing or the baby toys

3. You find yourself swaying and rocking in the grocery store line when you're baby is at home with Daddy

4. Your baby is decked out from head to toe and you're just lucky you got to pee alone or even take a 5 minute shower

5. You stick a pacifier in your mouth just to clean it off because heaven forbid, your baby cannot have a dirty Paci

6. You find yourself looking at diaper bags the way that you use to look at purses

7. You have burp clothes on every piece of furniture and baby wipes in every room

8. Showing up on time, now means being at least 20 minutes late to everything

9. The music you play in your car now consists of baby Mozart

10. The first place you run to in Target is the diaper aisle and no longer the beauty products

11. You get so excited that your baby has finally burped

12. You can put on makeup one handed while baby sleeps on your shoulder or in your arms

13. Your google search history is all related to baby searches

14. You learn how to clean and eat very very fast in fear of baby crying or waking up

15. You get in the shower and panic your baby will wake up and be screaming when you get out


Well there you have it! Hope you enjoyed a good laugh! 

Happy Sunday!

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Gettin Back into Shape After Baby

I recently found this little 10 minute workout on Pinterest and decided that I would give it a try. Must say that this is one of my new favorites. Its simple and short, which works out perfectly since little missy doesnt like to nap very long in the morning or for me to take my eyes off of her.

I have been doing this workout for the last two weeks and have already seen results! Im getting there, but Im afraid this whole workin out shenanigans might just take me a really long time. I hate working out, but truth be told, its pretty darn hard getting back into shape after baby. We will see how long I can keep this up, but if you want to try this little workout out, you might just like it. Just the 10 minutes I spend doing this in the morning, makes me feel TONS better about myself! You can find the workout here.

If you have any other tips or favorite workouts please leave comments. Suggestions are welcome :)




Just a Moment....

I thought I would jump on here for a quick moment since Harley, Aaron and Paisley are all sleeping. Im not quite sure why I am still awake but blogging seemed like the better option. At least for the moment. ha!

Aaron and I were talking this morning about Paisley of course, and it really hit me how lucky I am to be able to stay at home with my little princess.

Some days I miss being a working girl, but when it comes right down to it, I am living the dream that I always (well, somewhat) pictured in my head. Im not that famous country singer I wanted to be, but hey, I LOVE being able to stay at home and take care of my daughter the way that she needs to be taken care of. I honestly, truthfully, cannot think of ever handing her over to a daycare provider or a babysitter. I have been a nanny for many, many years, and I can honestly say now, what a privilege it is when someone trusts you to take of the most expensive, valuable treasure on earth; their child. I dont know how moms do it. I cant. I think of having to have Grandma babysit next week for a few hours and already the waterworks are coming on. Its a little emotional to say the least.

I know financially we had to make some big sacrifices, but I couldnt every imagine doing anything different than what I am doing. Every sacrifice is worth getting to spend time with my daughter and experiencing all the new things, and all the firsts with her. I know some dont have the choice and some do, but thinking of someone else experiencing all the firsts with Paisley just brings me to tears. Sure, we have our rough days, but they far outweigh anything in this lifetime. I am so grateful and so thankful for these precious moments. You dont ever get these days back. In the times that I am lonely, I am quickly reminded of how short life really is. Paisley is my pride and joy and Im finally able to fulfill my calling. There is no greater reward that I could EVER possibly think of then raising Paisley Grace.

I just have to say how much I love my husband for working so hard for us so that I can stay home. Thank you honey for providing for us and allowing me to be the greatest mom to Paisley and wife to you!


I mean how could I leave this face??

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Mother's Day and Baby Dedication





“Sometimes when you pick up your child you can feel the map of your own bones beneath your hands, or smell the scent of your skin in the nape of his neck. This is the most extraordinary thing about motherhood - finding a piece of yourself separate and apart that all the same you could not live without.” 


Motherhood. I love being a Mom! After years of dreaming, planning and being obsessed with pregnant woman and babies, I finally get to celebrate being a Mom and having my own little one. 


For my first Mother's Day, we decided to dedicate Paisley Grace at church and it was beautiful. Saturday, we took a boat ride on the river in Downtown Tampa, which was a blast! 


Aaron also got me Paisley's birthstone ring band. I saw an idea on pinterest that I fell in love with and Aaron completed it. Love, Marriage and Baby Carriage Rings.



I cant tell you what a great day I had! Being a Mom for the first time, really has made me appreciate my mother so much more than I ever have. Being a mommy is hardwork! I thought it might be easy taking care of a little baby, being a wife, and still keeping a meticulously clean house, laundry always done, folded and put away, but truthfully its hard. We lucked out with a great sleeper, but still its hard to manage to find time to get everything done. 

I really admire the fact that there are some moms out there who can do it all. I try. I really try, and somedays if I come up short its really ok. 


Being a mom is so much fun though! I love getting to look through my babies eyes and experiencing life all over again. Makes me really not take anything for granted because time flies by way too quickly anymore. When they say, time flies and your babies arent little long; they really arent joking. I feel like I blinked and my baby is already grown up ha! So moms, or moms to be, really take every moment in. Time doesnt stand still though we at times wish it just would. 



My husband asked me the other day if I liked our baby more than him (joking of course) and all I could reply was that the love I have for both him and for our daughter were completely different types of love. All of us for the most part experience what its like to love someone on an intimate level, which is a beautiful thing, but then when our daughter came along, I experienced love like never before. One that strengthens me, changes me, stretches me, teaches me patience. I am so in love with Paisley Grace; heart melting type of love, IF you want to call it that. I just cant get over the fact that we made her, and she came from my own body. Its astounding. Giving birth and going through ten months of pregnancy is one of the most miraculous things God ever created. I am still in awe. God is good :)

Well, enough rambling. I hope you all enjoyed your Mother's Day as much as I did! 



FOUR Months!!




Age: Four Months

Birthday: January 15, 2013

Weight: 12 pounds 6.5 Ounces

Height: 24 1/4 inches

Sleep: Bedtime is around 9:30/9:45 and generally will sleep till 5:30/6:00 but may wake up a time or too because she has turned herself around in the crib. Nap time is most likely two naps if we are home. One in the morning where she sleeps for 2-3 hours and one in afternoon that is about 1.5-2 hours


Bedtime: 9:30/9:45 pm

Favorite Toy: Ball, musical guitar, mommy's jewelry, Daddy's guitar, Sophie the giraffe, rattle, squishy ball, monkey



Clothes Size: 0-3 Months and some 3 Months. Pants are still Newborn

Diapers: Size 1

Milestones Reached: Well, we are rolling from our back to our tummy (5/5/13) and rolling from tummy to back (5/15/13), She is finally in her crib and sleeping so much better! The first night she slept 6 straight hours! (4/26/13) She also started grabbing and eating her toes (4/18/13) I also think we are in a teething phase too :( (5/2/13)



Firsts:
*Swimming! We took her swimming for the first time and she loved it!! (4/27/13)
*Grabbing everything and putting them in her mouth!
*Blueberry Picking Trip (5/4/13)
*Blowing Raspberries like Mommy :)
*Turning herself completely around in the crib at night (5/2/13)
*Making lots and lots of faces. She has quite the personality and LOVES attention! She is a sucker for it! If you arent paying attention to her, she does this little cough thing so you will look at her. What a stinker!
*Had her first play date (4/26/13) with Rafa Nogales
*Cuddling with her blanket and needing a blankie just like Mommy did when she was little :)
*First boat trip! (5/11/13)
*Loves playing in the sink
*Baby Dedication (5/12/13)
*Picking out her own outfit (5/5/13)
*Making Dinner with Daddy

Outfit she picked :)


Best Mood: Mornings still! She is very happy, but evenings sometimes get us if she hasnt slept much


Best Moments: Too many to count, but if I have to pick one, it would just be getting to see all the new things that she is doing. She is getting so big and its so fun to watch her develop and experience all the new things with her. Blueberry picking though might just have to be in the front running, though I think its absolutely adorable her grabbing her toes!!



Worst Moments: It was a little tough moving her from being right next to me at night to her own crib, but its so much better for both of us!

Three Months| Four Months

**Paisley Grace can I just say that I love you more everyday and I LOVE being your Mommy! You are teaching me so much about life. You have added so much color to our lives. I am not sure what we ever did without you! You are my heart and my soul. I cant believe how fast time is flying. It feels like you were just born yesterday, but then I look at you and see how big you have gotten and how much has changed over just a short amount of time. I love getting to experience all these new "firsts" with you and just seeing you come to life. I couldnt imagine anything greater. I love who you are becoming and the personality that is unfolding right before us. You are so much fun! I cant get enough! You make every moment and every hardship totally worth it! Cant wait to see what this next month holds for us and the big trip to CO that we are about to take!! Love you so much my punkin :)

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Paisley's Birth Story


In thinking about having a baby, I wanted to do an all natural labor and delivery. I don't know why I really wanted to do it drug free and endure all the pain, but with that in mind we chose a birth center. I loved the homey feel, the peace, the comfort, something you couldn't get from the hospital, and the fact that in four to six hours after having a baby you could go home! Seemed so great! Everything in my pregnancy was absolutely perfect. I don't think it could have gone any better.

When I hit 32 weeks, things began to change at the birthing center. It became more and more unprofessional and things happened that should never happen, so we prayed and decided that we needed to look into switching if it were even possible given I was weeks away from having a baby. At this point, we knew we couldn't transfer this late in the game to the other birthing center so our only option was to stick it out where we were or settle for the hospital. We chose the hospital and surprisingly I had a peace about it all. God is so great when it comes to future plans even when we cant see the whole picture. We ended up finding a midwife who had an office right up the street from us and delivered at the hospital within five minutes from us. Let me tell you, our midwife, Robyn Reese was the BEST midwife anyone could ever ask for! Looking back on it, I don't know why we didn't research more when choosing a midwife and where we wanted to be. I am a bit bummed we only had her for a short amount of time, but I know we will return to her in the future. She was absolutely amazing!!  She allowed me to still have the option to give birth naturally or do a water birth given that it was still in a hospital environment. Everything we wanted she agreed to, except there was no eating. Darn. I really think pregnant woman should be allowed to eat EVEN when they are in labor because that was the only thing my mind seemed to be on when we were in the laboring process. ha!

Robyn had me come up with a birth plan as we got closer to time, and asked me all the questions that she needed to ask to make me feel more than ready and prepared for when it came time for Paisley to enter this world. When we chose the birth center, there was no need to write and birth plan so being asked to write one this late in the game seemed weird even though i knew what i wanted. I wanted a simple, natural birth. I prepared my birth plan and kept it the most simple plan that anyone could have probably written for being at a hospital. To tell you the truth though, I didnt really want to have any expectations for a certain type of delivery, because 99.9% of the time, what you want and what you plan for never goes accordingly, so not ever giving birth before, I just wanted to be prepared for anything and everything and not have my hopes set too high so I didnt feel disappointed if I didnt get to have the all-natural labor and delivery I pictured in my mind.

Knowing that my Mom was always early with us by a few weeks, and my sister being a week early, I had in my mind that I would be early given family history, but as my due date came and went I was quickly surprised that I was late, but go figure. Just because I wanted to have this baby early should have meant that I would be late. Next time around I will be wishing this baby to be late. Reverse psychology.

January 13th, I woke up at 7:00 am with contractions. They were bearable, but didnt at all feel comfortable. I chose to stay behind from church and just get myself prepared should we go into full blown labor sometime that day. Contractions never really got stronger; stayed the same throughout most of the day. I was able to sleep some, watch movies with my mom, and bake a loaf of bread, that I somehow managed to eat 1/2 of :) By Sunday late afternoon/early evening my contractions had pretty much stopped. We decided that we would all go to bed early since at 5pm Monday evening I would be headed in for an induction. We went to bed at 9:30 and by 11 I was awake with strong contractions. Strong enough to keep me awake and in and out of the bath. They started out all over the board, but then were down to about 5/6 minutes at 1:00 am Monday morning. We called the midwife at 1:30 am and told her what was happening, only for her to say just a little while longer, and for them to be consistently 4 min apart. I decided to lay back down for a little while to see if I could sleep, and I couldnt. Aaron and I got up and walked outside for about an hour and had contractions down to 4 minutes apart. By 5 am we headed for the hospital with what we thought was active labor, only for them to send us home an hour later, for a few hours and then to come back to start the induction. We all were able to sleep for a few hours and get rested up. I then got myself ready, and ate a small meal before we headed back to the hospital.

We got to the hospital at 5 pm Monday evening and got all checked in and hooked up to the monitor. Robyn suggested resting a bit, and then taking a sleeping pill around 8 so that I could get some rest for when it did come time to push, however, when they checked me I was still at 3 cm like I had been for the past month. She decided that to go ahead and insert in a balloon catheter to help me at least dilate to 5. Within just a few hours, I had dilated to 7!! Because I had been having contractions for so many hours, they decided to give me a mild pain killer that would at least help me be able to relax some and maybe sleep. Side effect of that was dizziness and not just for the first few moments once they gave it to you; continuous dizziness. I felt drunk as the whole room was just spinning and spinning. When they check me several hours later, we were still stuck at 7, and ended up being stuck at 7 for many hours. At which point, Robyn suggested the epidural and no sleeping pill because contractions had moved to my back and were taking my breath away. To tell you the truth, I wanted a drug free birth because I was so afraid of the epidural needle, but when you have been stuck twice for IVs and gotten your blood drawn several times, why not just throw the epidural right in there with everything else. Surprisingly, the epidural was nowhere near what I thought I would feel. It went in smoothly, and really took the pain away. I felt great to say the least. At some point the ended up breaking my water to maybe see if that would help dilate me any more. It didnt, but it was worth the try.

Almost every hour the nurses would have to come in and either reduce or increase the pitocen levels according to what my contractions were doing. They would get stronger and then they would just stop. It took many, many hours before I actually went into active labor, not to mention that almost every 30 minutes they would have to come and move me or get me to change sides because little miss Paisley just had to have everything just perfect. I think around 3:00 am I spiked a 101 fever, which meant that if they couldnt get the fever to come down, then I more than likely had some sort of infection. They kept a close eye and it never went down the way they wanted. Robyn said wait till 5 am to check me again and to see where we were at. At 4:30 nurses and Robyn were rushing into my room, as Paisleys heartbeat had dropped really low and would spike really high. They couldnt get the heart rate to stabilize. Robyn went a head and checked me and I had finally made it to 9!! I thought we might be real close, when 10 minutes later after all the excitement nurses were back in my room telling me to prepare myself for a c-section if they couldnt get the heart rate to stabilize. Robyn made a call to the dr, who decided that we needed to head for a c-section especially since her heart rate was all over the place. They prepped for a c-section and we were out and headed for the OR within a matter of minutes. (Why I never prepared myself for a certain type of birth because I would have been disappointed at this moment). They increased the epidural level and made it even stronger. So strong that all I could think about was just sleeping because i was so tired and eating Pizza because I was hungry. My whole body was numb and felt so weird; being awake and seeing everything but cant really feel your body was just creepy to me.

The Dr showed up within 15 minutes of the call and the moment he walked in they threw his gown on and they were at work. It took them 3 minutes to get Paisley out. When we first heard her cry, it was the best sound that I have ever experienced in my whole life. She was beautiful and most of all...SHE HAD HAIR! (If you knew me as a baby, I never had hair till I was two)! When Aaron did get a chance to peek as they were trying to get her out, all he could say was "She has hair, honey!"

I remember them laying her on the scale and all I could pray was, "God please let her be little so she can fit in all her NB clothes" haha. Sounds silly, but she had so much stuff and Aaron is a huge dude, who weighed almost 9 pounds when he was born. Our perfect angel was long, 20.5 inches and 6 pounds 11 ounces. She was little and long, just like i thought she would be. She was a beautiful newborn baby, and I dont say that just because she is my daughter, but really and truly she was a beautiful looking newborn. I got to hold her for a few minutes before they took her to the NICU to check her out and make sure she didnt catch any of the infection that I had. She spent 24 hours in the NICU and looking back it was so hard. I wasnt aware of much because of the pain that I was in and all the drugs I was on, but had I been able to be a little more aware I probably would have cried my eyes out as I couldnt really see and hold my baby much.

Once I was stitched up and back in my room to recover, Dr ordered, I had to wait six hours before I could see my new baby! Six hours felt like an eternity, but it also gave me a chance to rest since I hadnt had much sleep in the last few days. When I did get to see her my heart was overjoyed. They allowed me to breastfeed her which felt like a piece of cake, since she latched right on.

The 24 hours that Paisley was in the NICU was hard, but once she finally was able to come and stay with me in my room was heaven sent. She was perfect in every way. She never really fussed except when she needed a diaper change or when she was hungry. Her hands. She LOVED her hands. She always had to have them clasped together or somehow touching and near her face. My baby also was a GREAT sleeper. They told me to feed her every three hours the first night, so as any new mother would do, i set my alarm for every three hours and like clock work I got up to feed her, only to have little Paisley Grace not be hungry. She wanted to sleep more than anything. What kind of parent gets that lucky?

The whole next day, we just hung out with lil Paisley. We stared, we smiled, we laughed, we cried, and we just took in all the new moments. Time somehow could have just stood still and noone would have noticed. We are in love. I was in love. This was a moment that I had waited for my entire life. I always dreamed of having my own children and what they would be like, and how I would be the worlds greatest mom. My dreams at that moment when she arrived finally became a reality. An experience that I will never, ever forget. Paisley Grace was absolutely perfect in every single way. I couldnt have been more happier in these moments. It may seem like I didnt have the perfect labor and birth, but to me it was absolutely perfect. We had a very healthy, beautiful baby and we had one of the greatest midwives anyone could have asked for. We are blessed in everywhere. Paisley is our promised child. Being a mom is the best thing i have ever experienced. These moments are what completes me. I love you Paisley Grace and am so happy you are finally here! You were worth the long wait!!




Monday, May 6, 2013

Blueberry Picking

Paisley's First Blueberry Picking Experience!



Saturday, we took Paisley blueberry picking and I think this might just have been the highlight of my year!! We left early so that it wouldnt be too hot, but in the end we ended up having the most perfect, beautiful weather. Last year, we went blueberry picking way out in the middle of nowhere here in FL and it was fun, but I think this year takes the cake. So weird to think that last year I was 5 weeks pregnant, and this time around our lil missy is 3 1/2 months! Where does all the time go? I mean really? 


Paisley was an absolute perfect angel, and no I am not saying that just because she is my child. She never fussed once, which is a new thing for this momma! She talked the ENTIRE time, and smiled and smiled and smiled. I thought she may get a little fussy since she didnt have her morning nap, but to my surprise and everyone elses, she was one happy baby! 


She loved getting to pull on the trees, and grab at the blueberries. Something new and much different for her. We also picked Strawberries, and from what I am told, she loved those even more than the blueberries. She was reaching, grabbing AND squeezing the strawberries. We had quite the mess to clean up with her fingers when it was all said and done :) 


I couldnt have asked for a better Saturday or a more perfect baby. I have to just say that as each day goes, and all the new milestones and firsts, I fall more in love with our Paisley Grace. I love being her Mommy!!