On Being a Mama & a Wife

Before I got married, my mom and I had a discussion about how important it is to keep your marriage in tact and strong, especially while raising children. As hard as it is to make time for one more person, that person just so happens to be the most important person to have around.

 

When I was pregnant, I told Hubs that I wanted Charlotte to grow up knowing how much her parents loved each other. I told him that I didn't think we'd be great parents if we pushed our marriage aside once she arrived.

 

Fast forward to the few months following her arrival- sleepless nights, long days, a babe who wouldn't nap, and a mama who felt like everything she used to be able to do for her husband was now unmanageable.

 

I'm a big fan of the 5 Love Languages- my language that I "speak" to Hubs is acts of service. You can imagine that once Charlotte arrived, I was unable to do a majority of the acts I once was able to do.

 

For example, I LOVE to cook for Hubs, I always have. With Charlotte around, it's become difficult to even get to the grocery store! I've started focussing on getting to the grocery store over the weekends, sometimes as a family of 3, to make sure we prioritize not just cooking, but keeping a healthy lifestyle. I also TRY to move dinner from the living room, back to the dining room table. We started eating in living room once she was born, but now that we've started eating dinner after she goes to bed, I feel it's time to go back to our "roots", so to speak.

 

It's funny how our routine of eating at the dining room table now requires planning- ha!

 

I am so bless that I have such a supportive husband and father to our baby girl. I couldn't imagine raising her with anyone else, and the bond that they share is beyond my wildest dreams. She's as much of a daddy's girl as she is a mama's girl, and for that, I am thankful.

 

Growing in your marriage once your children arrive can be difficult, but in the back of my mind, I'm always reminding myself of our roots- Without a strong husband and wife team, we can't be the best parents.

 

I love you, AB!

9 Months!

A little late to this post, but I need to jot down Miss Charlotte's 9 month stats before they get lost in this sleepy brain of mine!

16 lbs, 6 oz. (10th percentile)

26.75 inches long (25th percentile)

- Eating/Nursing 4-5 times a day, breakfast, lunch, dinner and bedtime. Around 24 ounces of breastmilk/formula per day

-Eating 3 meals a day, loves pouches of purees and finger foods, including waffles, chicken, and fruit.

- Enjoys Mum Mum's and puffs

- Sleeping 12 hours (ish) at night, give or take a few in the morning

- Napping 1-2 hours total a day, depending on if she's at day care or at home

- Wearing 6 month clothing

- Upped to size 2 shoes

- Loves to crawl EVERYWHERE

- Loves to pull up to stand, clap, wave, dance, and raise her arms "SO BIG!"

- Favorite toys: remote control, iPhone, stackable rings, rubber ducks (or da's), any musical instrument, music (to dance to!)

8 Months!

Charlotte is growing and moving like crazy lately! We are so in need of baby proofing (and a little behind on it....) that I'm researching baby gates like yesterday.

 

I think I say this a lot, but this is my favorite age yet! Charlotte is officially on the move, crawling and climbing like a boss. She had been army crawling since Thanksgiving, but on Friday she came home from day care and just took off like a champ. She's SO happy lately, and I think crawling is much of the reason why.

 

 

Here are some 8 month fun facts:

 

-Eating 3 meals a day, taking in about 20-24 ounces of breastmilk a day

 

-Weighs 16 pounds, no sure of length but I think she's long!

 

 

-Loves Mum Mum's and Puffs, along with other finger foods

 

- Slowly enjoying feeding herself more, less purees

 

- Is allergic to raspberries! Proof in hives:

 

 

- Loves music and dancing. Best Christmas gift ever was her Parum Pum Pum Drum. Girlfriend is an excellent egg shaker (or should I say eggcelent??)

 

- Wearing 6 month clothing, some are getting too small or short

 

- Climbing = her favorite thing at the moment. On mom, dad, stairs, boxes, couches, and ottomans. Oh and her crib.

 

 

- Has 3 teeth, waiting on the 4th (top left) to pop any day now!

 

- The biggest change this month is that Charlotte is a BIG COUSIN!!

 

We have SO enjoyed this phase, and we cannot wait to see what's next in this grand journey we're on. We have such a happy baby, and for that I am blessed and thankful!

 

 

7 Months!

Happy 7 Months, baby girl!!

 

A little late, but on to the facts:

 

-Army crawling like a boss: girlfriend can get anywhere she wants these days, and she's pretty quick, too!

 

-Loves her solids. Eats 3 meals a day, and around 24 ounces of breastmilk. She cut back from 4 to 3 bottles at day care. She also LOVES Puffs and Mum Mum's

 

-Hates diaper changes. I know, right? She HATED to be wet as a newborn, and now if you lay her down while she's playing she gets ticked!

 

-C loves to clap, wave and dance. It's hilarious and she's quite good at nailing the beat of "If You're Happy & You Know It" and "Patty Cake"

 

-Weighs 16 lbs, and is wearing 6 month clothes

 

-Loves bathtime and her rubber ducky

 

- As far as toys, C loves anything with music and buttons. She's pretty good at handling most toys at this point, so sometimes we'll just sit her in front of her basket and she'll empty it!

 

-Still 2 teeth, but boy do I love that two-tooth grin!

 

-Sleeping around 12 hours a night, 1-2 hours of napping per day

 

This has to be the best stage so far. Charlotte is much more self sufficient (ha!) and can play by herself very well. She's sleeping well for the most part (that's new) and is taking better naps.

Mama and Baby at 6 Months!

Just when I thought my pregnancy flew by, here I am with a 6 month old baby girl! Charlotte is such such a funny, happy baby and her personality continues to blossom!

Here's what Charlotte has been up to this month- lots of big milestones!

- Cut two bottom teeth on October 19. They aren't all the way through but are getting there!
- Loves sitting up on her own. She has perfected this in the last few weeks as well
- Loves to stand and is really strong!
- Sleeping around 10 hours at night, still struggling with naps
- Loves peaches and sweet potatoes. We haven't given her too many other foods since she didn't seem very interested when we first tried.

- Eating 18-24 oz of breast milk at day care when she's there, and nursing about every 2.5-3 hours when we're at home.
- Wearing 6 month pants and 3 month tops. Size 1 shoes!
- Loves being outside in her stroller, and is known to fall asleep while out and about in our neighborhood
- Experimenting with constonants like "B"


We've been thinking about packing up her pack n play and putting it in the attic as it's mostly being used for a changing table. A very LARGE changing table that takes up some prime real estate in our living room! We've been sticking to her activity saucer and mat, as well as general toys now that she is able to sit up on her own. 

This past weekend Charlotte started planking and pushing herself up on her knees very lightly. We're thinking we'll have a crawling baby in the next month or so!

As for me, I'm still working on losing the baby weight and regaining my muscle tone. I'm now 2 pounds under my first pre-pregnancy weigh in, but I did lose a few pounds during the first trimester so I'm close to where I was then.

I really need to start focusing on working out and gaining back muscle, but time is of the essence and this little one won't be little for long. I'm trying to balance my mommy guilt and spending time with her in the evenings.

Fall Fun!

I absolutely LOVE living in the east during this time of year. I love everything about fall- pumpkin patches, Halloween costumes, Pumpkin Spice Lattes, pumpkin waffles, leaves, and cooler weather.

 

Last weekend we went to a local farm and took a hayride to pick pumpkins. We got lost in a corn stalk maze, which wasn't cool, but luckily Charlotte was happy as a clam so we didn't have a sense of urgency to get out.

 

Hubs wore her most of the time, and we got some cute pictures of her in the patch. She was supposed to wear a different outfit, but suffered a massive blow out minutes before we were supposed to leave. Typical.

 

 

 

This weekend we had an absolute blast. We didn't have much on our agenda, which was really nice for a change.

 

Saturday morning, we discovered that Charlotte had popped both of her bottom teeth! She slept like a champ, so I knew something was up. We were able to get a lot of house work done while she slept, including make homemade Zucchinni Lasagna, Crock Pot Sante Fe Chicken AND pumpkin waffles. YUM!

 

On Sunday, we went off to church and then to a neighbors Halloween party. Charlotte, aka Snow White, was such a babe. She's even sitting up on her own! I cannot believe how fast time flies.

 

 

 

Yesterday, while Hubs was at work, Charlotte and I headed off to the mall to get some warmer clothes for her, and some fall candles/handsoap for me! We finished the afternoon off with a nice walk, which ended in Charlotte being passed out, and me sitting on our front stoop pushing the stroller back in forth to keep her asleep.

 

 

 

 

I love being a mama to this little girl more than anything, and am thankful that, for the most part, how sleep regression issues have resolved. JINX! Ha...let's hope things stay the way they are....

5 Months!

Life has been a little hectic and I haven't been able to post some updates about Miss Charlotte, but the monthly updates are important for me to track so I can remember all of her milestones!

 

 

 

So I'll start off by saying that month 4 was kinda of crazy terrible at times. Between the sleep regression and trying to find ways for Charlotte to entertain herself without becoming completely frustrated we struggled at times.

 

I'm happy to say that this weekend we turned a corner in both departments. Charlotte has been sleeping much better (including naps!!!) and has been content with just playing by herself, which hasn't happened in quite some time.

 

Here's what we're looking at for Charlotte at 5 months!

 

- Typical bedtime is 7 pm, sleeping about 12 hours, getting up once or twice to either eat or have the bink put back in

- Started cereal, but only eating about 10 bites before refusing it

 

 

 

- Still eating about 7 times a day, including 3-4 bottles at day care when she's there

- Napping 2-3 times per day, averaging 30-45 minutes

 

 

 

- Loves anything she can put into her mouth. Literally ANYTHING!

- Favorite toys: A necklace teether my brother bought her, Baby Einstein Activity Saucer, sitting in her highchair playing with whatever is in front of her

- Also loves "boobsicles" haha! I freeze about 1/2-1 oz of breastmilk in a ice cube tray and place in a mesh fresh food feeder. I like to give these to her while I am cooking dinner, although they are messy and sticky!

 

 

- We're working on her sitting up, but she prefers to stand. She's also really strong on her forearms, and has been enjoying tummy time a bit more!