Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Scenes from my weekend

I got my hair chopped off and colored last Thursday. It was a very welcomed thing and has cut (no pun intended) my getting ready time in half as well as my worry about what my hair will look like. I mean, did anyone else not get the memo about how much hair you will lose after giving birth!?
My hair just works this way and as much as I always want to try something different, I shouldn't. Don't fix what isn't broken.
I went to a friend that I grew up with and it was wonderful to catch up, even if the hubs called not once but TWICE to see what time I would be done. And did I mention that after I got rushed home, I find that baby is asleep and HAS BEEN the whole time? I think it is time for a girls weekend so Daddy can work on his babysitting anxiety...



Hubby had told me he wanted to take his two Valentines' out to dinner on Valentine's. Every night that we were supposed to go, neither of us felt like getting ready after work, scheduling dinner in sync with Ri's naptime, rushing home for bedtime, etc.
Last Friday night was the night we swore we would go. We didn't. And I was in bed by 10:00.
But we finally finished off this ombre cake I ordered for Valentine's...



Rilynn has attend three 1st birthday parties in the last few weekends. I know, she is a social little butterfly.
Whatever happened to all those Stock the Bar invitations we used to have on our fridge?


Avery Elizabeth


Harper Elizabeth

We went to this precious party on Saturday. It was a candy & chevron-themed birthday party. We took home a nice hefty bag of sweets from the candy bar.

Harper Annette


blurry pic of the goody bags- I had a baby on my hip 

Saturday night we attended an engagement party and then hopped on over to a local pub to hear some live music and catch up with friends. I desperately needed this. It was seriously my first time "out" since before the baby arrived in October.

Basking in the Sunday sun.
Sunday I helped host a baby shower for one of my sweet, cute preggo friends. She is seriously adorbs with her big ole belly and hasn't gained an ounce anywhere else.



Jennifer Lawrence. Oscars. Fell in her dress. 
If you know me, you know that back in the day I had a tendency to fall. Alot. And I got pretty good at not caring too much when it happened. Jennifer did a fabulous job of not making that fall so awkward. She almost seemed like she couldn't care less. Can we be best friends?!



 

I am telling you what. Target's $1.00 bins are usually a hit or miss but lately they have been a HUGE hit in my book. I mean, how stinkin cute are these??




Oh, and I forgot to mention- hubby got me tickets to see Fleetwood Mac in Atlanta this June as a Valentine's gift. Fleetwood Mac is going on tour one last time and doing the Rumours from back in the day. FM has always been one of my favs, and very nostalgic of my childhood. I am doing a permanent happy dance until June 10th.

Smiley face



Tuesday, February 19, 2013

nom nom nom



At our 4 month wellness check, Doc gave us the green light on introducing solids. I was going to try and wait it out a couple more months but Ri was up to 4 8 oz bottles a day so he said it is time.
I don't know about other moms out there, but starting solids was something I was eagerly looking forward to, but quite panicked about when it was all said and done. Between guidelines of what to start and when, how often and how much, I was really freaked that I might either starve my child or turn her into a beached whale.
No fears, my friends. I have turned to my "village" as well as some trusty websites and found great advice and resources to ease my anxiety. I think we are ready...

www.parenting.com
 Earth's Best Infant Feeding Schedule

Ri never liked rice cereal or oatmeal when I first introduced it to her. So this past week I jumped right into sweet potatoes. She LOVES them. My mom says I loved them too.

I have not changed her intake of milk at all. Instead, I have just offered some of the puree after her bottle at dinner time. For instance, a 2.5 oz jar of food will be divided and given to her at two different meals on two separate days. So, she will get her regular 32 oz. of milk a day + 1.75 oz of solid (unless she acts as if she wants more).

I plan to up her to a full 2.5oz jar a day as soon as she acts like she wants it. Right now we are just getting a taste for new things. Here are the foods we will be trying (introducing a new food every 3 days) between now and mid-March:

Sweet Potatoes
Squash
Bananas
Carrots
Apples
Peaches
Peas
Pears
Oatmeal- this will be a re-introduction since she hated them the first time.

Brands we love:
-Plum Organics: easy pouches for on-the-go, but I am having a hard time finding first vegetables in local inventories, and they are not available at many stores.
-Ella's Kitchen: Can easily be found at Winn-Dixie or Target, and are also in the easy to use pouches. 100 % organic, gluten, wheat, dairy & lactose free.



Ellas 1



-Earth's Best. Can easily be found at Target, Publix or Whole Foods although Babies R Us has the best selection. USDA organic, vegan, gluten free, additive free and kosher certified. Bonus: can be bought in bulk and are super affordable. Downfall: jars, although that can easily be managed with help from the Boon Squirt Dispensing Spoon.

1st Peas Image1st Carrots Image1st Squash Image

I plan to try and make our own foods this summer when I am home from work and cannot wait for Ri to be old enough to use the Sili Squeeze. I have friends that rave about it.

Sili Squeeze™

So wish us luck on this new journey of big messes and even bigger diaper bombs. 

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Thursday, February 7, 2013

be mine

Valentine's Day was never really a big holiday in my book. Until last year. Last year, our pregnancy was confirmed and we heard Ri Baby's heartbeat for the first time on Valentine's Day. So, I now cherish the day and will shower my love with love each year forward.



This year, Ri Baby is a teensy bit small to really do, well, anything for Valentine's Day. So I spent two hours with her, my camera and a bunch of wardrobe changes to get a pretty darn cute photo of her for her Valentine's Day cards.



There are some pretty precious Valentine options out there these days. Whatever happened to the cheap cartoon Valentine's that came in a cardboard box? 

Be Mine Card
Rifle Paper

wool ewe be mine
Broadway Paper

School Valentines - Owl Chalk Kid Valentines to pass out - 25 4x5 cards for the whole class, Chalkboard Valentine Card
Etsy

Red Fox Gift Tags
Minted

Check out this adorable idea from Modern Parents Messy Kids. Candy favors (or any type of favor, really) with personal Valentine enclosures. LOVE it.

personalizedvalentine3




Here is Ri's Lust List for this year's day of love. She may or may not get even half of these items, but a girl can dream, right? 



1. 2.  3.  4. 5. 6. 7. 8.


I made a little fun banner for her room for the month of February. Target had a pack of foam hearts for $1.00. So I snatched 'em up and used some string to hang them above her window.





I can't wait to kiss those cheeks off. Happy Valentine's! 

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

four months



Ri is 4 months old now! Actually, week wise she is a bit past 4 months, but you know the deal. We had our 4 month wellness check up today along with more vaccinations. Ri weighed in at 12 lbs 3 oz & 23 inches long.

At the beginning of this January, we were having a major television issue- she was obsessed with it. I'm talking, have-to-take-her-into-her-room-to-feed-with-no-distractions obsessed! It was ridiculous how much she loved it.

Watching a youtube with Daddy



BWW is a television-obsessed baby's fantasy. 

Even when her tummy hurt, give this girl the tv!

Pretty pumped up about Modern Family. 

She also found Copper. She had looked at him before, but now, she loves for him to sit behind us on the couch cushion so she can laugh and talk at him while I burp her. It is seriously the cutest thing and melts my heart. They are both the loves of my life and will one day be best friends! I see many tea parties in Copper's future. :)



Ri is also obsessed with her Aden + Anais Bamboo Issie security blanket that I snatched up one day at Swaddle. I had no idea how much she would love it. Her teachers at "school" told me she loves to just lay there and throw it over her face. I find comfort in knowing it is breathable material so she can do that. I don't let her sleep with it yet, though. I also grabbed two more the other day although they are just the original A+A muslin security blankets, but she loves them just the same. Aunt Jess is thrilled to know that her niece is obsessed with her blankie just like she was (here is to hoping it isn't quite as bad. I think my sis gave it up in middle school).



Rilynn has now been in daycare for a whole month, although Li Li decided to devote her Mondays off to watching Rilynn so Ri is lucky to only have to go 4 days a week. Actually, we are all lucky. So she gets 3 days a week with family, and then 4 days with other people and babies. I am thinking it will be a good way to help her adjust to other people as she gets older, especially during the attachment phase of her development. I noticed immediately that she would play and do things at daycare that she wouldn't do at home. Her teacher had told me that would happen but I was skeptical. From day one, she was right and I was dumbfounded.

Rilynn is a wiggle worm like her daddy. She is constantly busy. Unless she is super tired, she wants you to walk around with her or at least sit with her facing out so she can look around. Don't think for a minute you can cradle her like most babies. She likes to "fly" through the house and will stiffen her legs out. Baby's lift in Dirty Dancing has nothin' on Rilynn's.

"reading"

She has also been having a new crib issue. I put her down every night at the very end of her crib. By MOTN she has managed to inch her way to the total opposite end (in which she is wearing a sleep sack), with her head up against the corner rails (since the bumpers are gone), or is turned in the opposite direction. She is a tummy sleeper so I guess that would be how she "scoots" her way there and I am hoping that by the time she is rolling over and sitting up, this trend will stop. She then proceeds to cry for help, I go and pull her back to the middle and she is back to sleep.

Rilynn got RSV 7 days into daycare and it was pitiful. Sneezing, congestion, coughing in her sleep... I just wanted to stay home and hold her until she felt better. Luckily, she was mostly happy throughout the whole ordeal. She then got a stomach bug 3 days back into daycare, and then Hubs and I spent the weekend dying with it as well. January was a very rough month for our health!

A surprise gift that came in the mail. Perfect pick me up while I was sick. 

She rolled over on purpose for the first time on January 13. Noni and I were actually standing by her crib to witness it. Of course all of our excited squeals then startled her into a wimper. And we have only seen the roll a couple of times since...

Ri loves her hands in her mouth if she doesn't have her paci or blanket. And I don't think it has anything to do with teething.

Have I mentioned that we more than likely have a left-hander? She grasps everything with her left hand. Neither Chris nor I are left-handed but LiLi and Uncle Matty are. So that is pretty interesting. It will be awhile before we can really tell, but I have definitely noticed it.

Week 16 she started a grunting noise that took precedence to her precious coos and baby babble. I am hoping the grunt is just a "thing" and quickly goes away. She uses it when she doesn't want to do something. She has also started arching her back with the grunt if she doesn't want to lie on her back or be in her carseat. Att-i-tude.

We also heard our first burst of laughter in Week 15. It is the best little squeal on the planet. I.die.


This is quite bittersweet. I cannot believe how much she has already changed. 
I tried to give her some rice cereal when she had really bad diarrhea from her stomach bug. She did NOT like it. So, I tried oatmeal. Same reaction. I then gave her some Plum Organic bananas and she seemed to like them, but still isn't quite ready for spoon action. So we will probably wait a bit longer and reintroduce her.


Here is a video of me trying to get Ri's laugh on tape. You can hardly hear it because my squeal of delight almost took over.