First Haircut

Dear Mullet, 

I’m not sad to see you go. I’m not sad anymore that people will now recognize my son is a boy. (Even though I like imagining having a daughter) I am sad that your newborn hair will be gone, my almost 1 year old. I’m excited to see the light brown come through from underneath. I hope you look like the little prince you are.

But really, Benjamin cried the whole time through the hair cut. Even when the nice lady offered him not one but two lollipops–and he slang them both on the ground. Drama queen. He looks like a little man now and I’m not as sad as I thought I would be even though I saved every last drop. I, excited he’s turning into a little sassy human with tons of personality. I’m happy to know you, son. 
    

  

Do I love Fall? Or Do I? I DO.

If these pictures don’t make you wish you had a cable knit blanket, a fire, and an apple cider then you have NO soul. Just kidding. But this might be cliche and all but I love fall and I love this photos and yeah. Just to brighten your day with all things Fall. So enjoy, my lovers.

Peace and Blessings,

B.

P.S. And no, I have not bought a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte.

6 month Schedule

6 months in the game, I’m finally feeling more comfortable sharing some things that have helped me. (P.s. I have an 18 month old nephew and religiously watched him and how he was and the challenges my sister had with him and thought my little Coco Bean would have the same but it’s been much different and the same as well. Each baby is different. This has just worked for my little bean.)

Ok. First of all, I tried to get him into a sleeping routine and will feed him after his nap most of the time and on demand if he’s just really cranky. After reading books, listening to my mother-in-law (who is a nurse so she’s really hands on with her grandson to the point where I’m starting to think she thinks he is his mom, ha! ), and tons of blogs/babycenter posts, I’ve found a routine that helps my little baby feel comfortable, happy, and well rested. He wakes any time from 6:30-7:30. Sometimes 8, if I’m really lucky. But after that wake up time, we play, relax, eat breakfast with me and then he goes back down 2 hours after he’s woken. That’s a typical 30-1 hour nap. Then he awakes, feed and we head off to an activity (usually the park for some daily dose of nature). He loves people watching especially children watching. I swear he thinks he’s older than he really is. It’s cute how much he adores my nephew. He’ll stay awake and alert and around 2-3 hours after he’s been awake, he gets tired and goes back for a nap. This one sometimes can be an hour or more. This is around 1 pm, usually. His third nap is the hardest for him to remember (sometimes he likes to power through and play play play). I go with the flow, but typically his next nap is 4. That one is a quick recharge. Then we start his bath/bedtime routine at 6:30 and lights out at 7. (Crossing my fingers, of course). If he skips that one last nap, he’s so so so cranky and tries sleeping at like 6 but I try to stretch that to at least 6:40 just to hit his ball park night time. It’s a struggle but I hope this helps new moms. It’s been a really balanced play, sleep schedule for our household. I believe that set early nighttime routine is so very important because it gives me and my husband time to hang out, do laundry, etc. Those 3-4 hours before Benjamin’s dream feed at 10:30 is crucial to feel like an adult again.   

  

 

Almost 6 months….

It’s been almost 6 months with this little chicken fry of mine, Benjamin. It does not feel like 1/2 of a year. Like how can that be? Half a year? That should feel like an eternity…I mean I know it used to in the school days.

These 6 months have been one big blur of poop, milk, back aches, tired eyes, and lots of HAPPINESS. What I would advise any mother, mother-to-be, or just about anyone, FOCUS ON THE NOW. I spent way too much focusing on his routine, sleep schedule, activities, products that would somehow make him this miracle baby that where somedays those 12 hours I had with my little B flew by and I wanted more when he went to sleep. Just slow down, focus on the baby and the happiness, take a nap with him  (in your bed, woah stigma).

With all that being said, it’s still a long road of tears and sleepless nights for me but I hope to be wiser each day and just love that little man as much as I can. (that got a little emotional, but hey it’s my baby)

Here’s a few pics lately….

Baby Products I Adore

Look how precious my little “catch” is.

As a new mommy, I have been noticing I tend to choose all-natural alternatives for my baby and his cute little baby skin. I don’t want to expose him to lots of chemicals that he really doesn’t need. Babies in general don’t need to be washed, shampooed, etc every single day. I mean honestly, they do not do much that would get them dirty besides pooping and spitting up.

Here are some products I love for my little Baby B.

1. Coconut Oil- I use this as his lotion. I just rub it in my hands, heat it up, and lightly massage it all over his body. Then I rub the left over on me. God knows I need moisture right now. My attention to beauty has been seriously lacking.

2. Burts Bees Body Wash & Shampoo- I have only bathed him twice in the three weeks. It might sound weird that but I avoided bathing him with his umbilical cord still on like my nurse advised, which fell off about 1 week.

3. Ergo Carrier & Moby Wrap- This is honestly the only way I get things done in general, when I am not tired. I haven’t quite mastered the newborn high hold in the Moby so I have been using the Ergo, just because it’s easier to snap.

4. Boppy Newborn Lounger- Whenever Benjamin doesn’t want to lay on me, he wants to lay in his Newborn Lounger from Boppy. He just lets his eyes wonder around the room in this lounger. I also have the Boppy Breastfeeding Pillow but it doesn’t really help me or prevent back pain. It mainly gets in the way and is frustrating to position with a hungry baby.

5. 4Moms MamaRoo Swing- Besides the lounger, he really enjoys awake time in this swing. I set it on car ride mode with the ocean sound and he just chills. Sometimes, even falling asleep. Yay. I also like this swing because it’s aesthetically pleasing, most of those swings aren’t with their clunky legs and pattern designs.

6. SwaddleMe Medium Swaddler- I have the Aden + Anais swaddles but my baby is a ninja and wiggles his arms out. He sleeps with his arms out and up above his ears. My friend calls it the “touchdown” pose, ha! So the only blankets that I can get tight enough and swaddled are these with their velcro and light fabric, it’s perfect. Honestly a lifesaver. I couldn’t get the swaddle as tight as the nurses.

7. Medela Pump & Accessories- With my breastfeeding problems, I have to use the Medela nipple shield-a godsend. It is the only way he latches. Also, I have to pump one side to get them to even out in milk production and size. I do NOT want to be lopsided. I repeat, I do NOT want to be lopsided. I didn’t imagine these type of problems before I gave birth. Also, the Medela lanolin as well helped with the soreness.

Also, if you need help with milk production as well, purchase FenuGreek. It really helps with milk production.

Baby B is here!

We welcomed Benjamin Nicolas on March 20th. He weighed 8 lbs 12 ounces at first then they reweighed him minutes after 8 lbs 9 ounces. The nurses were confused then checked his diaper, a big poop. (HA!)

He has a head full of brown hair and has completely stolen my heart. I haven’t done much else besides hang out with him all day (and night) watching Hawaii Five-0 and endless Netflix series. I already completed House of Cards so there’s not much new on Netflix I haven’t seen.

I am just now getting a sense of regularity in my life 3 weeks into motherhood. He feeds every 2-3 hours during the day and at night naturally he waits 3-4 hours. Thank the heavens for that extra hour. I have only been breast feeding nowadays. The only time I supplemented was that first week. I had terrible trouble getting him to latch, my milk coming in, etc. At one point I developed a blood blister. I think it was due to the Breast Pump but I am all healed now and we have been successfully breastfeeding with no supplementation for 2 weeks.

With that said, he is now 10 lbs 7 oz. So he is getting enough to eat. As a new mom, I want everything I eat and do to benefit my baby. So with breastfeeding, I have even been avoiding caffeine–everything. No mimosas yet, unfortunately. I barely have time to focus on a set meal time so I have been eating lots of protein bars–the Luna Chocolate Chip Cookie dough. Yum.

Another big change, I lobbed my hair off. It’s trendy and all nowadays and it doesn’t hang in his face breastfeeding. Hello new life chapter.

Birth Announcement Ideas

Thinking of cool ways that aren’t cliche or overdone in birth announcements is overwhelming, especially in this age of Pinterest. So here are some cute ones I am thinking right now of when little B comes into the world. The last picture would be of Little B and the gold balloons spelling BOY but I’m not sure how that would turn out.

10 things that make me happy 37 weeks prego

36 Weeks in Birmingham, Alabama

1. Whoever invented chocolate and then whoever thought “wow this will taste good with milk”. Seriously all I am drinking is chocolate milk.

2. My boyfriend. He makes me laugh at stupid things to distract my mind from my hip pain and idea of impending childbirth.

3. My little baby’s ultrasound photos to remind me how sweet he is sleeping in my belly while I endure all this pain.

4. Pinterest. I have read a million and one links, articles, pins about anything from essential oils, oatmeal bars, to baby nursery decor and how to get my bikini butt back by summer.

5. iPad for making all of that happen^ HA! Thank you Steve Jobs.

6. I’m loving the Nordstrom beauty bar right now. It’s hard to try on clothes pregnant when you feel like a whale and I can’t bend over for shoes so hello makeup. I bought just Mac Studio Fix Fluid for my winter skin but went in looking for the Clarins Radiance Golden Glow booster to add to my moisturizer so I don’t have to use bronzers. Google review it now. However, they were out of stock so I’m still pale and waiting to spend 30 dollars on like 1 oz of oil.

7. Leggings, thank you. Yoga pants, thank you. A generic size medium or small makes me feel better about my size to convince myself maybe my body hasn’t changed that much. It has. My butt from these stretching hips looks like Spongebob’s but hey at least I have a good yoga pant.

8. Target baby aisles where I have random conversations about which hand sanitizer is best for baby skin. You make me feel sane about worrying about small things like that while my boyfriend worries more about when we are leaving.

9. Vanderpump Rules. Truly the best form of crazy I can watch. I love you and your drama. Sometimes I want to drink a Jalapeño Margarita with you people like we are friends but then I remember we aren’t and I’m prego.

10. Heating pads for my cramping legs so I can hopefully sleep tonight in this cold Southeastern weather. Goodnight, sweet dreams for me and my little one. No crazy ones like I’ve been having this prego.