Carter, You are Two Months Old! Now, Stop Growing, Please!

Carter, sweet baby boy! You are two months old today!

Where has the time gone? It's been such a blessing to stay home with you and watch you grow and change each and every day! You are growing and changing right before our eyes and your Mommy and Daddy can't even stand it! Pretty soon, you'll be eating pop tarts and riding the school bus to junior high school! This makes your Momma real sad!

You are 11 pounds and 13oz big. For a strictly breastfed baby, the pediatrician was quite impressed! At 24 and 1/4 inches long, this puts you  in the 97th percentile for growth.

We are so proud! Don't mind if your Momma and Daddy just pat themselves on the back for a moment! The pediatrician also said your muscle tone is like that of a 4 month old! We weren't kidding when we said you'd be eating poptarts and riding the bus real soon! Holy smokes!

You've been smiling the most adorable gummy smile since you were 6 weeks old. You love it best when Poppy talks to you and I think you've given him the most smiles out of us all. Speaking of smiles, you've been drooling up a storm, young man, and it looks like you'll be cutting two teeth very soon! Even within the next month! 

You love to sit up and talk to yourself in the mirror. It takes so much energy to coo and ooh and we can tell you're just dying to speak volumes! You also LOVE to talk to your stuffies and always reach for them with your LEFT hand! I wonder if you'll grow up to be a lefty like your Poppy.

During your second month, you took your first trip to New Jersey to spend a week with Gammy Nonna Bubbe (don't be surprised when we tell you that your Gammy doesn't know what she wants to  be called yet) and Poppy. You slept in the same bassinet that Mommy slept in as a babe! Speaking of sleep, you loathe being swaddled and prefer to sleep on your tummy. It looks like you take after your Momma when it comes to sleep. As in, you don't need much of it. We're lucky if you take one nap during the day, typically one and a half to two hours long and you'll sleep through the night in three to four hour stretches. The pediatrician recommended moving you to your nursery to encourage you to start sleeping through the night, but Mommy isn't sure she buys it.

You thoroughly enjoyed your time in New Jersey- so much that neither of us wanted to come back home! You also met your Great NannyLuv and great cousins, Katie and Jo. Everyone just couldn't get enough of you, little man! Especially Gammy Nonna Bubbe and Poppy. I don't think they set you down for a moment, the entire 8 days we were home!

You've outgrown all of your 0-3 month stretchies and are wearing strictly 3-6 month clothes. I bet by Christmastime, you'll be wearing 6-9month stretchies with those long, long leggies of yours! Let's see. What else, Mr. Carter? You hate having the hiccups and have them pretty frequently. Despite this, you've never spit up! You have, however, poo'd and pee'd all over your Poppy. You just love him that much!

You're eating like a champ, there's no denying that! We've been feeding on demand since you were born and you're suddenly downing 5-7oz per feeding! Mommy has been pulling all sorts of tricks out of her sleeve to keep up with your hungry tummy! Talk about feeling like a dairy cow. But you're definitely worth it, booger! You've begun taking a 6-8oz bottle with Daddy before bed and you love every drop. We just got the green light from your Pedi to add a tablespoon of rice cereal in there if we think you'll enjoy it.

You also took your first trip to Fenwick Island and we can't wait until you're old enough to really enjoy the beach. You loved walking down to the water with Daddy and watching the waves break on the ocean. We think the sound of the waves reminded you of your Sleep Sheep back home!

You truly are the Happiest Baby on the Block and the few times that you do fuss, you make this horrifically sad frown-y face. Your pout little lips make the perfect upside down "U" and we're always saying that it "looks like somebody has their feelings hurt!" It's truly the saddest face I've ever seen and if you keep it up, we're fairly certain you'll get anything and everything your little heart desires.

Happy 2 month Birthday, Little C! We love your little guts!

My Nail Polish: You Won't Believe It!

Commander in Chic

(image found via Google Images)

Many of you asked about my nail polish color in the previously posted weekend beach pictures. It's from Sally Hansen's "Complete Salon Manicure" line. After just one application, I'm a converted woman. I used to swear by Essie and O.P.I and being the polish snob that I am, refused to color my nails with anything else. Until I had Carter. And coincidentally became a member of Team Budget Lockdown.

Until this past weekend, I couldn't remember the last time I painted my own nails. I wish I was lying, but it's the truth. For years, I was a bi-weekly manicure getter from the local nail salon. It's funny how something so small and innocent (ie: CARTER) could so quickly quash one's manicure-indulging lifestyle.

While perusing the shelves at a local drugstore, I came across Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure line and instantly fell in love with this dusty-brown-grey color (with a smidge of plum color thrown in). I'm not sure how it stacks up against other drugstore polishes, but at $7.99 a bottle, I didn't think it would break the bank. Not to mention that it's pretty much a base coat, top coat, strengthener and color polish all in one! It's like.. one stop shopping, a la nail polish! As we new moms know, we barely have time to throw a coat of color polish on our nails, let alone a base coat, top coat and sealant. Fuggedaboutit! Therefore, this product is perfect for me! 

Needless to say, 15 minutes and two coats of polish later, wha-la! A gorgeous Fall manicure. So far, this mani has stood up against countless bottle washes, diaper changes and hand washes. No chips, no smudges! Pretty stellar, if I do say so myself! 

Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure, Commader in Chic? Five fabulous stars! Please note that I was in no way compensated for this review. I was neither provided the product nor reimbursed for my purchase and review. This review is simply from one manicure-a-holic to another! Enjoy! Although, let it be known that if Sally Hansen has any interest in sending me some more of her darling Complete Salon Manicure line, I would welcome it with open arms!

Wee One Wednesday.

Baby's First Trip to the Beach

Remember When I... (A Mom Fail).

Left Carter with Daddy in the waiting room of the doctor's office while Mommy ran in for a "quick" appointment?

And swore up and down that the diaper bag was stocked with all of the necessities? Diapers, wipes, extra onesies, butt cream, toys and blankies?

But then Carter poo'd one of his infamous loads?

And Daddy was forced to change Carter in the lobby of the medical building?

And wipe his nakey hiney with... PACIFIER WIPES?

Because Mommy forgot to replenish the travel wipes container.

Did you know that pacifier wipes are approximately one-eighth the size of a real wipe?

I didn't know either.

But hey, it worked.

Nice improvisation, Daddy. Always thinking on your feet. You rock!

Do You Smell Something?

Scene: Crossing the Bay Bridge

Hubs: Why won't Sheepie sit down back there?

AP: I dunno. He loves buh-bye rides.

(five minutes pass)

AP: Do you smell kibble? I smell kibble.

Hubs: Maybe Sheepie burped. Let's open the windows, air the car out. (Opens windows)

AP: Now it just smells like breezy kibble. Um. I bet Sheepie threw up.

(Cue Carter meltdown)

We pull off the highway and sure enough, Sheepie threw up kibble and a baby wipe. WTF, Sheepie?Unfortunately, by the time we pulled off the road, only the wipe was left. Gross.

My Dad said it the best. "Save your worries for when Carter vomits up a baby wipe and Sheepie has a meltdown." Woosah.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Anyone Need a SheepieSitter?

Who needs a babysitter when you have a Sheepie? Happy Weekend, readers. We're spending ours at the beach!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Carter, In Action. Warning: Obnoxious Mom Voice!

One day shy of 8 Weeks old

Please excuse the poor iPhone quality.. and the obnoxious Mom-voice!

Blogsale! From My Closet to Yours!

From My Closet to Yours.

I've shamelessly jumped on the blogsale bandwagon.

A few extra pregnancy pounds, a new set of hips and to be honest, a pair of lovely lady lumps that just won't fit into my usual threads have left me with not one but two closets full of pretties that just don't fit right anymore. Rather than dangle them in front of me like a donut in front of a fat kid's face, I figure there's bound to be a lucky lady out there that will benefit from my loss.. err (weight) gain.

Head on over to From My Closet to Yours and check out what's for sale!

From My Closet to Yours

Happy Shopping!

Why YOU need the L'ovedBaby 4-in-1 Nursing Shawl. A Product Review You Can't Miss!

Recently, Sharon Oved, CEO of the amazing company L'ovedbaby, sent me the 4-in1 L'ovedbaby Nursing Shawl and I couldn't wait to share this product review with all of my favorite Mommies and Mommies-to-Be out there. 

I love this product for so many reasons. For starters, I love that Sharon's company, L'ovedbaby, donates a percentage of their profits to breast cancer research each year. As an oncology nurse, this type of charity really hits close to home. If you have a minute, I encourage you to check out Sharon's motivation behind her creation and the birth of this wonderful product, the 4-in-1 nursing shawl. 

As I'm sure many of you breastfeeding mothers can relate, both new and old, in the early stages of feeding, as both Mom and baby are getting the hang of it, it's difficult to carry on with activities of normal daily living. Having given birth to Carter nearly seven weeks ago, I feel like a majority of my time has been spent indoors, in our home, worrying about how and when and where Carter needs to be fed. With a schedule that involves him eating every 2 hours, I always felt like I couldn't go anywhere or see anyone because it was always almost time for Carter to eat. Not to mention that I never really felt comfortable "whipping out the boob" in public or even in the company of friends.

Sure, I tried hiding behind receiving blankets and strategically placing pillows and throws nearby, but I always seemed to flash an innocent bystander.  

Until now. Until I started using the L'ovedbay 4-in-1 nursing shawl. This product has truly been a lifesaver and has allowed me to return to reality not only as a Mommy but as a functioning member of society. 

Just this past weekend, I ventured out to a nearby mall that is rather populated on the weekends. Especially one of the first "back-to-school" weekends of September. Needless to say the mall was bustling with people and I could feel my palms begin to sweat as Carter began to fuss the "hunger fuss."

I casually planted myself on a nearby bench, unfolded my 4-in-1 nursing shawl from it's darling and easy to manage travel bag, slipped it over my head and well.. the rest is a success. This shawl is truly so convenient that I don't even need to wear any additional "nursing wear." We all know how attractive and un-fashionable nursing wear can be and with my new shawl, I don't have to worry about looking extra matronly. Which, at 27, is a big deal for me!

In case you were wondering, during the entire twenty minutes that Carter nursed? I received zero awkward stares. The versatility of the shawl plays a big role in this, I am sure. Made of super soft fabric and available in a variety of colors, to many the shawl appears as just a fashionable accessory! Under closer inspection, however, the little tootsies peeking out from underneath may tell a different story!

So why should you run out and purchase a L'ovedbaby 4-in-1 Nursing Shawl?

Taken from the company website: 

•The L'ovedbaby™ nursing shawl offers Mom a way to discreetly nurse in public, while protecting the baby from distractions.

•The shawl travels well and always stays fresh in its matching drawstring pouch.

•The complete 7 oz. package fits neatly in any purse or diaper bag.

•One size fits all means hassle-free shopping and easy gift-giving.

•Machine washable and dryer safe...nothing could be simpler.

•Extremely lightweight, breathable, and super-soft to the touch and on baby's skin.

•Roomy neckline for added style and increased visibility between mother and child.

•Full coverage of mom...both front and back; no special nursing clothing required.

•L'ovedbaby's™ custom-made fabric complements any outfit...from casual to business to elegant. And, because it's not cotton, it's less likely to harbor bacteria. 

 



Have you already pointed your browser to Sharon's website? Are you choosing one of the many offered colors for your new 4-in-1 nursing shawl? If not, you should be.

 

Where does the "4-in-1" functionality come into play? Easy. You can also use this fabulous nursing shawl as a receiving blanket or cover for your little one or even as a sunshade or germ-blocker for your carset or stroller. It truly is worth it's weight in gold.

 

If breastfeeding isn't your thing, you should still head on over to L'ovedbaby.com and check out some of the other fabulous products offered such as adorable baby clothes, super functional bottle trees and more!

 

Sharon, I cannot thank you enough for sending this nervous new Mommy such a wonderful and fabulous must-have. The anxiety that I once felt in regards to leaving the house or entertaining guests and worrying where, when and how I would feed Carter is no longer a concern! Thank you so much!

Transitions.

I've gone from being a

JCrew wearing,

dual-incoming,

margarita drinking,

makeup wearing,

hair blowdrying, 

get up and go-er...

to a

baby-wearing,

breast-is-best feeding,

co-sleeping,

budget-loving,

walmart bargaining

Momma.

And it's all because of this guy.

I love my life.

Wee One Wednesday.

Catchy, huh? It took me a minute, being that Carter doesn't have any "W" nicknames. And since "Mommy Brain" still plagues me every now and again.

I can't stand it. Carter grows and changes every day. I'm so thankful that I have this healthy little baby, this bundle of sweet perfection, but could time please stand still? I swear he's not the same little baby he was last week, let alone yesterday. He's chubbing up and filling out and looking more and more boy-ish and less and less newborn-ish. Melts this Momma's heart, I swear.

From squeaks and grunts to full on ooh's, coo's and ahh's, this little boy has a lot to say. And he doesn't hesitate to say it.

I love you, CMM.

Birthday Love.

At twenty-two, I said "Yes!"

At twenty-four, I said "I Do!"

At twenty-six, I became a Mommy.

Needless to say, I've been blessed.

I can't wait to see what twenty-seven brings.

It already brought me a beautiful Fall day

and a gorgeous bouquet of flowers

Love, Hubs and Carter

I love this day.

...And We're Home! Finally.

‎48 hours of packing, 1 false start, 3 meltdowns (2 for baby, 1 for mommy), 2 rest stop stops, 5 hours of driving and 1 diaper blowout later.. and we're finally in Hometown, New Jersey! I would venture to say our first solo trip home was a success?

Maybe we should just stay for two weeks, I'm not sure who's traumatized more. Mommy or Carter.

Carter, 6 weeks old

First trip to see Bubbe and Poppy in NJ

You Know It's Going To Be a GREAT Day...

When the baby sleeps a whopping two hours over night

and

the dog vomits up a baby wipe

all before 5am.

An Ice Cold Shower + A Little Conditioner And I'm Married! (Again..)

Big day, folks. HUGE day.

For the first time in nearly four months, four long and painful months, four months filled with vicious assuming glares from strangers, I was able to wear my wedding rings. I may have shed a tear the day I had to remove them for fear that if I didn't, I may wake up one morning with the emergent need to remove a digit and I most certainly cried a little when I was finally able to slide them back on my oh-so-naked ring finger yesterday evening. 

I'm not lying when I admit to trying them on almost every single day since the bith of C. And just when I was about to call the jeweler and ask them how long it would take to resize a wedding set, I turned on the shower to the coldest setting and stepped inside armed with fiery motivation and a bottle of Pantene Pro-V deep conditioner. 

Can you blame me for missing them?   

I just need to keep reminding myself.. baby steps. Wedding rings today? Who knows what lies on the horizon.

Remember When I Used To Post Wordless Wednesdays?

And Thankful Thursdays? And Flashback Fridays? Yeah, me either. It's been that long.

A Case of the Birthday Gimmies.

Let's see.

If I didn't have the cutest, most adorable baby on the planet, or

If I wasn't currently sans a hardworking job with a paycheck, or

If darling Hubs and I had a completely frivolous and expendable lifestyle, or

If we had a grove of money trees growing in our backyard, or

Especially if the Birthday Fairy were to visit me tomorrow (or in seven days on the day of my actual birth)...

I would show her this list. Because I want them. All of them.

Frye "Taylor" Over the Knee Boot in Smoke

$428.00 (I'm sorry,  I just gagged and choked).

Marc By Marc Jacobs, Pretty Nylon Little Tate

$158.00 (We'd only have to eat Ramen for two months, not three)

Hive and Honey "Cluster" Necklace

$58.00 (do-able, no?)

Hive and Honey "Floral Broach" Necklace

$68.00 (love this.)

Patterson J. Kincaid "Boyfriend Dress"

$148.00

Steve Madden "Carlesn"

$89.00 (because these scream "Mom" shoe, right?)

Velvet by Graham & Spencer "Winter Wide Foldover Pullover"

$84.00 (love the versatility of this, paired with leggings? love.)

It's nice to know that despite being a Mom, I've still managed to retain some sort of fashion sense. My pre-baby figure? To sport that still maintained fashion sense? Well, that's a whole other story. One day, right?

Nocturnal Vampire Baby.. and A Beer Gut

I'm not going to be a hip, cool Twi-hard and liken my son to Renesmee, but I am going to throw out there that I may or may not have given birth to a nocturnal vampire baby. Okay, I make it sound worse than it truly is. For one, there is no blood sucking. And by "nocturnal," I am only referring to the hours between two and six in the morning.

Carter has fallen into a pattern of nodding off to sleep around 6:30pm. He proceeds to sleep dreamily until 12:30am when he wakes for a midnight snack. Now, I'm sure you're thinking, "Wow, AP! But that's six whole hours of glorious sleep!" And you're right. For him, anyways. When was the last time you tried going to bed at 6:30pm? Yeah, just like I thought. When you were 3. 

"Sleep is for sissies."

After gnoshing at the boobie buffet, C goes back down to sleep around 2 and will snooze away until roughly 4am. And when I say "roughly," let me tell you. Being startled awake at 4am by a five week old's hungry cry is pretty much like someone shaking you awake after one too many margaritas at last year's Jimmy Buffett concert. It is rough and it is painful.

And then it's awake time. Apparently, as per our pediatrician, sleep (or how much is required to function) is genetic. Therefore, it is not the same for everyone, however, it can be likened to how much sleep either you or your husband require on a typical nightly basis.

Well, in my much younger, much cooler days, it's true. I could easily subsist on 4 or 5 hours of sleep. It's called college. However, throw five or six years in there, along with a stressful full-time job and one's sleep requirement is bound to change. Throw an INFANT in there and my goodness, I could sleep until next Sunday if somebody let me.

Well, last night the gods of sleep parted the dreamy heavens and rained down some sleepy goodness on the M household. We managed to keep C up until 9:30pm. It was scrumdiddilyumptious. Why? Because he proceeded to sleep until 2:30am. And when it came time to put him back down at 3am? And he was a bit fussy and all, "No, you crazies. I want to stay up and watch infomercials," my wonderful, amazing, perfect and darling Hubs took the reigns and bounced him around the house while I slumbered.

And this morning? I feel like a happier, well-rested version of my former self. Except now? I'm rockin' the five week postpartum beer gut. Awesome.

I Pink Puffy Heart September. And A Birthday Wish.

I love September for a myriad of reasons. Despite the ninety-seven degree weather and 110% humidity that may indicate otherwise, September, for me, has always meant that the early beginnings of Fall are just around the corner. And who doesn't love Fall? The clothes, the apple picking, the pumpkin spice lattes.. It tickles me silly to think about how much I love this season and how excited I am to experience it with a new baby!

September also means two of my favorite birthdays. My little brother will be turning a whopping nineteen on September 3rd. I don't even want to think about he'll be celebrating his first birthday away at college. Something tells me it won't include power rangers and funfetti cupcakes. Is it wrong that in my head he's still approximately four years old? Stop growing up, Woobs. I can't stand it!

Yours truly will also be celebrating her twenty-seventh birthday on September 14th. And yes, I did just have to take a minute and count backwards to figure out how old I really am. Not that I think I'm old! It's just that after 21, I feel that all the years just tend to blur together.

Let's do a little birthday reflection, shall we? Last year, at this time, I was hinting to Hubs thats I wished to be the proud new owner of a Canon DSLR. My wish was granted and my parents also gifted me with a couple if Tiffany's lovelies.

Fast forward to this year's wishlist. What does a twenty-seven year old brand new Mom wish for on her birthday?

Yes, that's right. A nursing shawl. Seriously. Who. Am. I?

Ahhhh, how times have changed.