MDW2017: Road Trippin', Car Buyin', Baby Milestones

It's What's Hap-"Pinning" Wednesday and I'm recapping our Memorial Day weekend which involved our first road trip with a newborn!

MG and I hit the road on Thursday morning after packing the car with every essential we could think of (and then almost forgetting my breast pump--a HUGE oops that would have been!)

Had to stop at a rest stop to feed and change baby which added 40 minutes to our trip.

Got to my in-law's house and within an hour had my SIL and her kids over to finally meet Ella. Then my BIL showed up after work to meet her and immediately jumped into diaper changes. Man it was nice not to change many diapers this weekend haha

Spent the night in with the fam--my oldest niece decided to stay over and help us with the baby in the morning (she's a great kid) and my youngest niece decided that she was the official baby holder of the weekend lol

Friday morning MG and I went for a 45 minute walk while my MIL and niece watched the baby (family is the best), and then in the afternoon we headed over to my SIL's house for pizza and to hang out with my other SIL and her family. Ella wasn't put down for a second that whole night, and we got some great photos.

 

 

Saturday morning MG, my FIL and the nieces and nephew went to iFly which was a present from Christmas. It was SO fun to watch them--and then watching the instructor do all kinds of tricks afterwards. I didn't participate but it was just fun to watch everyone else.

Later that afternoon we went back to my SIL's for a cook out since we were leaving the next day to get home and get settled before MG headed back to work. Ella continued to be spoiled with being held and loved on. She didn't hate it :)

There were definitely tears shed when we left my SIL's house that night--my SIL cried because she was going to miss Ella, and I cried because I was going to miss all of the help haha

Sunday morning we got to sleep in a bit since my MIL woke up with Ella at 5am, we had breakfast and then got ourselves packed up. MG's uncle swung by to drop off a beautiful blanket and puzzle that he had made for Ella with pictures of her and family members. It was really sweet!
We also did a little tummy time session in the morning which was just too cute

We got on the road later than we'd planned on, and ended up having to stop at two rest stops for baby. And we encountered torrential rain twice which was not fun for any of us. But, we survived.

We also realized that both of our cars are not big enough for road trips. We'd been planning on getting a larger car sometime around December, but this prompted us to move that timeline up by a lot of months and MG went and got a Toyota Highlander (the car we'd been researching and planning on--we even went on a test drive when we were in PA. Plus my in-laws have the same car so we knew what we were getting). It's a great car and definitely a lot more space. Of which, I'm sure we will still have no problem filling it up haha.

Monday was a pretty low key day for us--we ran errands and then had a visit from my friend Amanda in the afternoon. Then at night Ella got SUPER fussy...crying and screaming and she's not a crying/screaming baby. It lasted for a while and we were super concerned, but eventually got her to calm down and sleep. And sleep she did--FIVE hours! Then she fed and slept another 4 hours and we  were the ones to wake her up both times.

Ironically her shirt says Super Happy which probably was what jinxed us into having a NOT super happy baby that evening haha

It was a welcome gift after the crying session from the night before. And also the night before her 1 month birthday and MG going back to work. 

We survived the first day back to work--there were definitely tears on everyone's part when he was leaving, but our little 1 month old (seriously how is it a month already) managed with just mommy and Cooper.

So, that's basically our MDW in a nutshell!

Now it's your turn to link up with Jessi and I to share what's hap-"pinning" with you!

Happies and Crappies

Every week has its high points (happies) and its low points (crappies).

Happies:

~Baby Snuggles, which I talk about all the time but that's only because they're the best thing ever!

~Ella is now 8 bs and 4 ounces--little girl is a growing machine (which makes all of her feedings feel worth it)

~Snapchat filters

~4 hours of sleep at a time (hallelujah--never thought I'd be excited about sleeping for this chunk of time)

~My friend Melissa sending Ella and I a care package of things that she used and loved when she was nursing including these super soft Aden and Anais swaddle blankets (they're so soft I want to drape them over me!) and one handed water bottle, and a movie. Love my sweet friends! 

Thanks, Melissa!! Love you!

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~Taking our first road trip to PA this weekend and Ella getting to finally meet her other aunt, uncle and cousins. And subsequently all of the hands to hold and help with Ella too. Woohoo for family!

~Ella taking to the pacifier when she's upset and not hungry or poopy

~Friday Night Lights

~Getting a massage in the middle of the morning on Tuesday #mamawin

~Having my two work besties send me a FabFitFun box because they "miss and love" me :)

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~Having a fun neighborhood BBQ over the weekend and getting to know even more of our neighbors, and finding out about a New Mom group in the area

~Loft having free shipping--and then me subsequently ordering enough to have gotten free shipping anyway. A perk and drawback of being back in my normal sizes #hellocreditcardbill #butcuteclothes

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~Getting 12 oz of breast milk stored up and frozen already #milkmachine #mooooo

Crappies:

~Still having some bumps in the road with breast feeding (but hopefully on the road to those being worked out)

~MG going back to work next week. 4 weeks flew by in the blink of an eye. And also, how is my baby almost a month old???

~Poop explosion. Literally a crappy (but MG and I just had to laugh through it because it was so ridiculous)--I want to post the picture here because it was pretty epic, but I also don't want to gross you out #yourewelcome

~Doing laundry almost every day because of poop

~Realizing that I'm not going to be able to make it to my bestie's bridal shower :(

~Rainy and chilly days that have kept us indoors for most of the day several times this week. It's Spring, Mother Nature, get it together!!

~Still feeling the need to check my work emails

What are some of your happies and crappies this week?

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WHW {#94}

Happy Hump day! Boy do these days fly by when you have a newborn--I guess that makes sense when the day revolves around feeding, eating and sleeping (for the baby--and somehow fitting in all of the same for you, as well haha).

Around these parts, it's been a lot of baby (if you couldn't tell by my posts that are supremely baby-centered), but they've also involved a lot of tv watching since we're home, and semi-tied to baby currently.

Here's what I've been watching:

Catastrophe season 3--

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have you seen this show? Are you a parent? If you haven't seen it, watch it--especially if you like sarcastic humor. Each season is only 6 episodes long which isn't enough, but it's a clever show and makes me laugh. The season ended on such a cliff hanger and now I have to wait forever for the next season!

Master of None

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I love Aziz Ansari in general but I LOVE him in this show. I think it's a clever and cute show that makes you laugh. Another show that doesn't have enough episodes because I want to watch more and more. We tried to savor this and space them out, but ended up ripping through the second season in a matter of a few days. Highly recommend!

Southern Charm (the original)
This has been, and will likely continue to be, my guilty pleasure show. I love this cast of characters because they always give me something to chat about with my friends haha.
I said it before but I couldn't get into Savannah after the first episode. I forgot to record it on my DVR and I'm not upset about it.

RHONY
I almost gave up on this show a few seasons ago, but got sucked back in during a marathon and since then I've been on board. I enjoy their antics, but Ramona is a nut job and drives me a bit crazy.

Animal Kingdom

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This one I happened to watch because MG was watching it while I was reading. I don't know if I'd recommend it--it's very dark and basically about a bunch of really messed up people within a family who do bad things and are just all around not nice people. I joked with MG that I felt dirty watching it lol. 

Friday Night Lights

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We'd always heard that this show was good, but for some reason never got into it. Well, thanks to maternity and paternity leave because we have torn through the first season (almost all the way) in the past couple of days and are obsessed. Can't wait to watch the rest--although it's going to be tougher when MG goes back to work since I won't be able to cheat watch while he's away.

Movies: 

La La Land--
I actually liked it. It was better than I was thinking it would be, and made for a nice weekend afternoon movie. I found myself singing some of the songs to Ella later that day too :)

Hidden Figures--
Loved this movie! I loved learning about a piece of history that I had no idea about! MG and I were both fans of this one.

That's about it which seems like a lot, but when you spend a lot of time pumping and breast feeding, you have a lot of time to kill!

Before I go, I feel the need to add in a recent Ella pic because...well, just because :)
Snapchat is the most entertaining on baby faces--

Now it's your turn to link up with Jessi and I to share what's hap-"pinning" with you!

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Weekending

Happy Monday!

Ours is a bit dreary here with rain and clouds--perfect sleeping weather haha

This weekend, like many, revolved around baby Ella but we still got out a bit--venturing out into the real world before MG goes back to work.

The highlights this weekend included:

~Fitting into my pre-pregnancy shorts/shirt for a trip to the outlets

~Picking up some super cute flamingo shorts for the summer!

~started doing tummy time (not just on my chest haha)--Cooper thinks this is play time and attempts to steal all of the toys on the mat lol

~Night time baby and puppy snuggles (the falling asleep on my chest at night is my favorite!)

~Visitors on Friday morning, Friday night (our best couple friends came with pizza, and for Ella snuggles and some catching up) Saturday morning and afternoon

~Daddy baby snuggles #allthehearteyes

~Started watching Friday Night Lights since neither of us had seen the show before--so good already!

~Cute baby outfits!

~Ran errands that quickly turned into this

 ~Tried out my baby carrier for a neighborhood BBQ which Ella loved and slept in for the whole time! Thanks Brittany for telling me about this easy carrier! #handsfree

 ~aaaaaaand more baby snuggles!!!!

That was basically our weekend in a nutshell--we got out some, got snuggles (and changed lots of diapers haha). 

Hoping your Monday is a little less rainy than ours is!

WHW {#93}: Currently

Happy Wednesday! Is it possible that I'm here two days in a row??? I'm shocked myself! #sleepingbabyblessings

Reading ...

I'll be real with you all, I haven't read anything since Ella was born so I've still got No Way Back by Andrew Gross loaded in my Kindle. Although at this point I kind of forgot what was happening in the story. Oops.

Watching ...

MG and I watched the new season of Catastrophe in about a day and a half because we're both home, and the season is only 6 episodes long. We've moved on to Aziz Ansari's Master of None which I love--I wish that the seasons came out more frequently and were longer because the show is just cute and funny.

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And because of late night feedings, I've been able to keep caught up on all of my Bravo shows, plus Married at First Sight. I suppose I could be reading, but at 2am, I'm lucky to keep my eyes open.

One show I can't get behind is Southern Charm Savannah. I stopped watching it midway through the first episode because I was so bored by the people. Anyone else feel the same way?

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Eating....

Friends and our neighbors have been so nice to drop off meals for us the last two weeks. And now we're getting back into cooking at home because we're beginning to figure out how to function like human beings again lol
On the menu this week:
Baked Queso Tacos
Shrimp and Feta Dip Pasta
Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf
Neighbor is bringing over tuscan chicken and artichokes--Yum!

And, yes, I've been enjoying my fair share of carbs and sweets since having Ella and it is GLORIOUS!!!!

Looking forward to ... 

getting our newborn photos back in the next week or so. We took them last Wednesday and they were adorable from what our photographer showed us. Here's a behind the scenes shot that I took:

Enjoying ...

how much weight falls off of you when you're breastfeeding. It's pretty damn incredible! I'm about 3 pounds away from my pre-pregnancy weight. Given, there's a lot more squishy areas than there were before though haha

Drinking...

water water and more water! 

Loving....

that I'm not at work even though I check my work emails, and I see the stupid annoying things that are happening. I'm glad I'm not the one there dealing with them. I see those emails and I snuggle Ella a little bit closer.

Dreading....
when MG goes back to work after Memorial Day.

Wanting ... 

a massage and a pedicure. MG encouraged me to get both scheduled, so I have a massage schedule on Friday and I have plans to get a pedi this afternoon. Bless that man.

Wearing ...

all things comfy. And still wearing some maternity stuff because I don't quite fit back into my clothes the way I want to. Also....nursing boobs are a HUGE difference, too. Loose tops for the win!

I wore this during our newborn photos

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Grateful For...
MG. He's been beyond amazing through everything. He deals with my roller coaster of post baby emotions, he changes diapers without flinching (in fact, he changed all of the diapers when we were in the hospital and when we first got home), he makes food, cleans up around the house, and is always there when I need him for anything. I'm so glad he's had this time off from work because I'm not sure how I would have managed without him. We make quite a good team, and I thank God every day that he's my husband.

And just because I love her so much....

hehe

Now it's your turn to link up with Jessi and I and share what's hap-"pinning" with you!

My First Mother's Day Weekend

Gosh, as much as I plan on getting online and writing a blog post, real life happens, poopy diapers happen, crying and cuddling and sleeping and feeding happen....and all of a sudden it's been a week since I've posted.

One of these days I'll get back to normal posting. Sometime in the next 18 years I'd guess :)

Anyway, not only did baby girl turn 2 weeks old on Sunday, it was also my first mother's day weekend--a weekend I've longed to celebrate for a while and was so thankful I had my little muffin in time to celebrate mommy-hood!

Our days often look like this:

Morning coffee (sometimes with a side of puppy company)

 one of us has baby....

and the other has puppy in the lap haha

Our weekend started off with a trip to the lactation consultant because (get ready for real life), my nips have been destroyed by breast feeding. Ella was feeding so well and on a great schedule where we were sleeping a combination of 8 hours (interrupted) through the night. And then we introduced the nipple shield so mama could let her nippies heal and all hell broke loose. Apparently baby girl wasn't getting as much milk with the shield because she became super fussy, and was feeding every 45 minutes to an hour and a half.

Needless to say, our next two nights were tough as I had to pump instead of breast feeding since I needed the time to heal, but I couldn't keep up with her demand, so we supplemented with some formula in the meantime.

We also had a baby who only wanted to fall asleep on us instead of in her swing

Sunday morning was Mother's Day and I had a pancake breakfast made for me by MG, and a card from Ella (which suspiciously looked like MG's handwriting ;) which totally made me cry.

My mom came over around lunch time and got in some Ella time--during which MG and I both took a much needed nap and then we got in all kinds of snuggles

We took an afternoon walk around the neighborhood and then grilled out since the weather was so gorgeous out.

And little miss gave us the best mother's day present by sleeping right after her feedings all night long Sunday night. Bless you, baby!

So thankful for this little girl...even on the nights we don't get as much sleep. Because, look at that face:

Hoping all of the mommies and mommies-to-be had a nice mother's day weekend. And for any of you out there struggling with infertility, I hope you made it through the weekend ok...I know it's tough, but there is hope. Keep your faith.