Starting solids

This has been quite the journey for us. We got the go ahead from our ped to try rice cereal at Kendall's 4 month appt, but it constipated her like no other. Plus, she wasn't that in to it (and there is no redeeming value to it(. So onto oatmeal we went. Tried that for a few days, and while her system handled it, again she wasn't that in to it. So we let it be for a few weeks, and started up again at 5 months. What a world of difference! She really took to it this time. We did oatmeal for about a week, an hour before her nighttime bottle, and then last Thursday, I moved oatmeal to her morning feeding, and we tried avocado that night. She did great with it the first night, but the last few nights have been a little hit or miss. It doesn't help that she has her first cold. I'm sure you can just picture me spooning the avocado in to her mouth, just to have her cough in my face and get the green goo all over herself, my five, Andy white shirt.
She's totally adorable in these pictures!

This has been quite the journey for us. We got the go ahead from our ped to try rice cereal at Kendall's 4 month appt, but it constipated her like no other. Plus, she wasn't that in to it (and there is no redeeming value to it(. So onto oatmeal we went. Tried that for a few days, and while her system handled it, again she wasn't that in to it. So we let it be for a few weeks, and started up again at 5 months. What a world of difference! She really took to it this time. We did oatmeal for about a week, an hour before her nighttime bottle, and then last Thursday, I moved oatmeal to her morning feeding, and we tried avocado that night. She did great with it the first night, but the last few nights have been a little hit or miss. It doesn't help that she has her first cold. I'm sure you can just picture me spooning the avocado in to her mouth, just to have her cough in my face and get the green goo all over herself, my five, Andy white shirt.
She's totally adorable in these pictures!

Summertime Swag

I wish summer was right around the corner, but it looks like we will have to endure a few more weeks/months of cold weather. We had a few days last week of near 70 degree days, and it was such a tease! I can't wait to pull out all my summer clothes that I couldn't wear last year (what with being pregnant and all), and even more than that, I can't wait to buy Kendall a whole new baby summer time wardrobe! 

Jean Shorts - umm how adorbs are these?! Kendall will be getting these for this summer  

Baby Espadrilles - I'm dying for these right now. They probably wont stay on her feet for shit, but they are precious.

Gap Romper - Kendall got this for her baptism from family friends. It is super soft and the perfect piece for warm spring days and summer nights. Can't wait for babycakes to wear this!

White polka dot hat - practical and cute!

Jelly Sandals - every babe needs a pair!

Striped Swim Suit - this is only one of many swim suits baby girl will have. We spend so much time out by our pool in the summer time that she has to have a ton :) (do you like that rationalization right there?)

White Romper - there are no words.

Baby Sperrys - her daddy has a slight obsession with Sperry's, so it's only fitting that she have at least one pair

Yellow sunnies - I really wish they made baby ray bans, but these are a cute alternative!

I wish summer was right around the corner, but it looks like we will have to endure a few more weeks/months of cold weather. We had a few days last week of near 70 degree days, and it was such a tease! I can't wait to pull out all my summer clothes that I couldn't wear last year (what with being pregnant and all), and even more than that, I can't wait to buy Kendall a whole new baby summer time wardrobe! 

Jean Shorts - umm how adorbs are these?! Kendall will be getting these for this summer  

Baby Espadrilles - I'm dying for these right now. They probably wont stay on her feet for shit, but they are precious.

Gap Romper - Kendall got this for her baptism from family friends. It is super soft and the perfect piece for warm spring days and summer nights. Can't wait for babycakes to wear this!

White polka dot hat - practical and cute!

Jelly Sandals - every babe needs a pair!

Striped Swim Suit - this is only one of many swim suits baby girl will have. We spend so much time out by our pool in the summer time that she has to have a ton :) (do you like that rationalization right there?)

White Romper - there are no words.

Baby Sperrys - her daddy has a slight obsession with Sperry's, so it's only fitting that she have at least one pair

Yellow sunnies - I really wish they made baby ray bans, but these are a cute alternative!

Valentine' Decor

I have always loved (read been obsessed with) holidays, but since having a baby, it's increased ten fold! My parents always made the holidays so special for us kids (who am I kidding, they still do!) and I want to do the same for my children. Here are a few pictures of our valentines decor, and where I got it all from.

The two banners came from the Target dollar rack- Love! So did the heart and love wreath above the fireplace, the wood blocks on the fireplace, and the XOXO and LOVE glitter letters on the piano (hidden by the gifts). The printables come from
http://libby-bonjour.blogspot.com/2011/01/photobucket_26.html
And
http://eighteen25.blogspot.com/p/subway-art-collection.html
Printables are such an easy way to decorate for any given holiday or season! I p,an on filling the white frame on our mantle with a printable for every holiday or season from here on out. Cheap to do, and oh so festive!

I have always loved (read been obsessed with) holidays, but since having a baby, it's increased ten fold! My parents always made the holidays so special for us kids (who am I kidding, they still do!) and I want to do the same for my children. Here are a few pictures of our valentines decor, and where I got it all from.

The two banners came from the Target dollar rack- Love! So did the heart and love wreath above the fireplace, the wood blocks on the fireplace, and the XOXO and LOVE glitter letters on the piano (hidden by the gifts). The printables come from
http://libby-bonjour.blogspot.com/2011/01/photobucket_26.html
And
http://eighteen25.blogspot.com/p/subway-art-collection.html
Printables are such an easy way to decorate for any given holiday or season! I p,an on filling the white frame on our mantle with a printable for every holiday or season from here on out. Cheap to do, and oh so festive!

Baby Girl's Baptism

This past weekend we celebrated Kendall's baptism with family and close friends. We had an amazing day with perfect weather and a fun little party afterwards. Kmwas a great baby during her baptism and blessing, and slept through most of her party... Maybe she won't be a party animal after all ;)
Kendall's baptism dress was made using my mom's wedding gown- such an awesome idea and it turned out beautifully! Her adorable bib is from her Nonni (D's mom) and came all the way from Italy. It was the perfect compliment to her baptisimal gown.

This past weekend we celebrated Kendall's baptism with family and close friends. We had an amazing day with perfect weather and a fun little party afterwards. Kmwas a great baby during her baptism and blessing, and slept through most of her party... Maybe she won't be a party animal after all ;)
Kendall's baptism dress was made using my mom's wedding gown- such an awesome idea and it turned out beautifully! Her adorable bib is from her Nonni (D's mom) and came all the way from Italy. It was the perfect compliment to her baptisimal gown.

Breast Feeding Essentials

I'm not going to sugar coat it- breast feeding is hard! Like really, freaking hard. I did the whole breast feeding class thing, and it was is still hard. However, I will also tell you, that just when you think it could get any worse harder, it gets better. And easier. And more convenient. This is a list of my nursing/breast feeding essentials that I wish someone had told me about earlier on.

Nursing Bras - I bought waaaay too many nursing bras before settling on these little gems. I am not busty by any means, but after my milk came in, I felt like I had softballs attached to my chest where my A/B cups used to be! These bras offer support, while still being comfortable, and I find it much easier to nurse Kendall without the bra flap getting in the way (the ones that fold down always seemed to be hitting her in the face).

Boppy Pillow - an absolute must have during the first few months of nursing! I took this bad boy with me down to the NICU while we were still in the hospital, and trucked it around with me once we got home as well. It really helped me to keep Kendall supported during her feedings, and also kept me from getting hundreds of knots in my back and shoulders. Now that she is older, K uses it to sit up in, lounge on, etc. Plus, the prints are all totally adorbs! You can find lots of custom covers on Etsy too!

Lanolin - (excuse my language in advance) this shits expensive, but it will SAVE your nipples! I lathered this stuff on before and after every feeding early on, and it made a huge difference! Best part is, it's totally safe for baby, so you dont have to worry about wiping it off (that will be the last thing on your mind anyways). Make sure you have at least one or two tubes of it! Word to the wise, dont let it get too cold, because this makes it sooo difficult to get out. It's super thick, and if it isnt a little warm (I used to put it under my arm pit), its a pain in the ass to get out.

Shield - this was something that suprisingly enough was given to me by my lactation consultant in the hospital. She was worried that between Kendall breast feeding, being given a pacifier in the NICU, and a few (read 3) bottles of formula in the NICU, she might have nipple confusion, so she gave me a nipple shield. Even after we had a great latch down, and a good system, I still used this bad boy. The first few weeks of nursing are hell on your nipples. I found that by using this at the begining of the feeding, I could take it off a few minutes it, and it helped to ease the initial pain. After a few weeks, I didnt need them, but they were AMAZING the first few weeks.

Breast Pump - I started using this about two weeks in. By that time, K's sleep schedule (bless her heart) was on a pretty good routine, so I was able to pump in the morning before she got up for the day. This not only helped me build my frozen stash, but also helped me keep my supply up once she started sleeping through the night. It was important to me that I bought a great pump early on, because now that I am back to work, I pump at least twice a day, and so far, I have been able to keep my supply up with her demand even though she is getting bottles a few times a day. It also has been great to have the frozen stash for when D and I want to go out to dinner, to a movie, etc. I know I always have milk in the freezer for the little piglet.

Bottles - we chose to go with Dr Brown's bottles, primarily because a friend/co worker gave me a bunch of unused bottles and parts she had left over. Major score, because like all baby products, the cost of these adds up. Dr Brown's bottles are recommended for colicky babies, which was never an issue for us, but better to be safe than sorry! If you are going to use these bottles, make sure you have a dishwasher basket, because washing all the parts gets uber annoying after the 500th time.

Other essentials - Cute burp cloths (for out in public), the burp cloths that actually work, Snacks, staying hydrated

Hope this list helps! Like I said before, breast feeding is hard (and hurts!) but is totally worth it! Not only for bonding between mommy and baby, but for the immunities baby gets, and the post baby weight it helps you loose! I will always remember being 6 weeks post partum, feeding K while watching D do Insanity, and laughing in my head thinking that I was burning more calories by feeding her than he was burning working and sweating his ass off!

I'm not going to sugar coat it- breast feeding is hard! Like really, freaking hard. I did the whole breast feeding class thing, and it was is still hard. However, I will also tell you, that just when you think it could get any worse harder, it gets better. And easier. And more convenient. This is a list of my nursing/breast feeding essentials that I wish someone had told me about earlier on.

Nursing Bras - I bought waaaay too many nursing bras before settling on these little gems. I am not busty by any means, but after my milk came in, I felt like I had softballs attached to my chest where my A/B cups used to be! These bras offer support, while still being comfortable, and I find it much easier to nurse Kendall without the bra flap getting in the way (the ones that fold down always seemed to be hitting her in the face).

Boppy Pillow - an absolute must have during the first few months of nursing! I took this bad boy with me down to the NICU while we were still in the hospital, and trucked it around with me once we got home as well. It really helped me to keep Kendall supported during her feedings, and also kept me from getting hundreds of knots in my back and shoulders. Now that she is older, K uses it to sit up in, lounge on, etc. Plus, the prints are all totally adorbs! You can find lots of custom covers on Etsy too!

Lanolin - (excuse my language in advance) this shits expensive, but it will SAVE your nipples! I lathered this stuff on before and after every feeding early on, and it made a huge difference! Best part is, it's totally safe for baby, so you dont have to worry about wiping it off (that will be the last thing on your mind anyways). Make sure you have at least one or two tubes of it! Word to the wise, dont let it get too cold, because this makes it sooo difficult to get out. It's super thick, and if it isnt a little warm (I used to put it under my arm pit), its a pain in the ass to get out.

Shield - this was something that suprisingly enough was given to me by my lactation consultant in the hospital. She was worried that between Kendall breast feeding, being given a pacifier in the NICU, and a few (read 3) bottles of formula in the NICU, she might have nipple confusion, so she gave me a nipple shield. Even after we had a great latch down, and a good system, I still used this bad boy. The first few weeks of nursing are hell on your nipples. I found that by using this at the begining of the feeding, I could take it off a few minutes it, and it helped to ease the initial pain. After a few weeks, I didnt need them, but they were AMAZING the first few weeks.

Breast Pump - I started using this about two weeks in. By that time, K's sleep schedule (bless her heart) was on a pretty good routine, so I was able to pump in the morning before she got up for the day. This not only helped me build my frozen stash, but also helped me keep my supply up once she started sleeping through the night. It was important to me that I bought a great pump early on, because now that I am back to work, I pump at least twice a day, and so far, I have been able to keep my supply up with her demand even though she is getting bottles a few times a day. It also has been great to have the frozen stash for when D and I want to go out to dinner, to a movie, etc. I know I always have milk in the freezer for the little piglet.

Bottles - we chose to go with Dr Brown's bottles, primarily because a friend/co worker gave me a bunch of unused bottles and parts she had left over. Major score, because like all baby products, the cost of these adds up. Dr Brown's bottles are recommended for colicky babies, which was never an issue for us, but better to be safe than sorry! If you are going to use these bottles, make sure you have a dishwasher basket, because washing all the parts gets uber annoying after the 500th time.

Other essentials - Cute burp cloths (for out in public), the burp cloths that actually work, Snacks, staying hydrated

Hope this list helps! Like I said before, breast feeding is hard (and hurts!) but is totally worth it! Not only for bonding between mommy and baby, but for the immunities baby gets, and the post baby weight it helps you loose! I will always remember being 6 weeks post partum, feeding K while watching D do Insanity, and laughing in my head thinking that I was burning more calories by feeding her than he was burning working and sweating his ass off!

Paybacks a .....

So remember those first three months Of Kendall's life when we talked (bragged) about what a great sleeper she was? How our little angel slept 6,7,8 then 12 hours through the night? Those days seem like a distant memory! Our wonderful sleeper decided to turn the tables on us (we got it Universe! Lesson learned!) and has been waking up anywhere from 7-20 (no joke) times a night. Every now and then we get a night like we used to, and those are the nights we long for. Part of its our fault- we became a paci crazed family, and in turn kinda sorta maybe created a paci monster out of our sweet baby girl. Any time she semi wakes during the night she is screaming out for it until one of us half walks, half sleep stumbles in there to plug her back up. Our princepessa as my MUL has named her, has become our prince-painintheass-a.
We will probably have a rough few nights ahead of us. I'm going back to work next week and need my sleep, so for the next few nights we are going to soothe her but not give in to the paci. We can do this (right?).

So remember those first three months Of Kendall's life when we talked (bragged) about what a great sleeper she was? How our little angel slept 6,7,8 then 12 hours through the night? Those days seem like a distant memory! Our wonderful sleeper decided to turn the tables on us (we got it Universe! Lesson learned!) and has been waking up anywhere from 7-20 (no joke) times a night. Every now and then we get a night like we used to, and those are the nights we long for. Part of its our fault- we became a paci crazed family, and in turn kinda sorta maybe created a paci monster out of our sweet baby girl. Any time she semi wakes during the night she is screaming out for it until one of us half walks, half sleep stumbles in there to plug her back up. Our princepessa as my MUL has named her, has become our prince-painintheass-a.
We will probably have a rough few nights ahead of us. I'm going back to work next week and need my sleep, so for the next few nights we are going to soothe her but not give in to the paci. We can do this (right?).