Who would of thought that little baby Sarah would meet baby Kyle and 27 some years later have little baby Brynn. Life is so good.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Happy Birthday to...
ME! 28 years old :)
Who would of thought that little baby Sarah would meet baby Kyle and 27 some years later have little baby Brynn. Life is so good.
Who would of thought that little baby Sarah would meet baby Kyle and 27 some years later have little baby Brynn. Life is so good.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Skol Vikings!
Brynn wanted to get all dolled up for this weeks game so we dressed up in our Vikings cheerleader outfit. When she gets bigger she also has a pink Vikings jersey :) Since the team did so well this week it looks like she'll have to wear it again next week!
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Brynn: 3 Months!
This month has been so much fun! Brynn is learning so much and it's crazy to think she's only been here three short months. She can now grab toys and put them into her mouth and bat at them with purpose :) Not only does this help her entertain herself, it's really fun to watch. She especially likes her baby paper and helping to turn pages on books. She's also learned to laugh and I'm sure that she'll be giggling all the time very soon :) She's also learned that she can be really loud not only when she's mad (she's known that for a long time) but she can squeal when she's happy. I have yet to catch it on video but I'll try to post it when I do! We won't have official weight/height stats until her 4 month appointment but she's definitely growing. We did weigh her at her great-grandparents and according to the scale and Brynn fully clothed she was 13.5lbs so I imagine it's closer to 13lbs. Her daddy and I predict we'll have a blond haired baby eventually as much lighter hair is growing in under her baby brown hair. Of course she's growing up too fast which will be a reoccurring theme for the rest of her childhood!
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Top baby products: the first three months
Even though Brynn is not quite 3 months old we are days away and I don't think much will be changing :)
We were super blessed with 5 baby showers and many other gifts that were delivered for our special baby. Between the grandparents buying us all our "big" purchases (thank you again!!) we got almost everything we needed but a few products stood out as the best!
1. Aden and Anais swaddle blanket. You do not need any other blanket for a summer baby! These things are great swaddle blankets (granted Brynn does not like to be swaddled!) but they are also great for blocking out the sun on walks, cover ups for nursing, and impromptu burp cloths. They are worth the price tag!
2. Baby Jogger City Mini with infant seat attachment. Thanks to G&G Palmer for the stroller! Having a summer baby allowed me to get outside and get some fresh air and this stroller did the trick. It also turns out that Brynn LOVES stroller rides and usually falls right to sleep!
3. My Brest Friend. This is a must for nursing moms and puts the Boppy pillow to shame! The back rest and firmness of the pillow are key and I highly recommend it.
4. The bunny bouncer by Fisher Price. Brynn slept in this bouncer the first 3 weeks of life started with her second night at home (the first night was a little rough!). I read that this is common and many babies sleep in swings, bouncers, or car seats :) I'm not sure we would have slept as well (or at all) those first few weeks without it! She slept so well here I was nervous to transition to her co-sleeper but as it turns out she transitioned well and is sleeping there to this day!
5. Room and Board Carter glider. This chair eluded me for months. For many weeks I drove to the outlet and waited with the many other R&B fans to try and score a discount chair. G&G Vold tried to cover the days I couldn't make it and finally when I had lost hope we would find one Grandma and Grandpa Vold scored one while I was working at the hospital. They gifted the chair and ottoman and even included their delivery service. We have spent many hours rocking and nursing here and I imagine many more hours to come.
6. Arm's Reach Co-sleeper. Having your baby sleep near you is known to reduce the risk of SIDS and since having them close promotes breast feeding (another way to reduce SIDS) we knew we wanted Brynn in our room. It's a safe way to co-sleep an we love waking up to Brynn's smiley self in the morning!
7. The Moby Wrap and Ergo carrier. This is a tie as the Moby was best the first few weeks and now that Brynn is bigger the Ergo wins. The Moby was perfect when she was a newborn and just needed to be close to mom in order to sleep. Now the Ergo wins as it takes all the weight off my shoulders an it's nap cover keeps the sun and wandering people's hands off her head :)
We were super blessed with 5 baby showers and many other gifts that were delivered for our special baby. Between the grandparents buying us all our "big" purchases (thank you again!!) we got almost everything we needed but a few products stood out as the best!
1. Aden and Anais swaddle blanket. You do not need any other blanket for a summer baby! These things are great swaddle blankets (granted Brynn does not like to be swaddled!) but they are also great for blocking out the sun on walks, cover ups for nursing, and impromptu burp cloths. They are worth the price tag!
2. Baby Jogger City Mini with infant seat attachment. Thanks to G&G Palmer for the stroller! Having a summer baby allowed me to get outside and get some fresh air and this stroller did the trick. It also turns out that Brynn LOVES stroller rides and usually falls right to sleep!
3. My Brest Friend. This is a must for nursing moms and puts the Boppy pillow to shame! The back rest and firmness of the pillow are key and I highly recommend it.
4. The bunny bouncer by Fisher Price. Brynn slept in this bouncer the first 3 weeks of life started with her second night at home (the first night was a little rough!). I read that this is common and many babies sleep in swings, bouncers, or car seats :) I'm not sure we would have slept as well (or at all) those first few weeks without it! She slept so well here I was nervous to transition to her co-sleeper but as it turns out she transitioned well and is sleeping there to this day!
5. Room and Board Carter glider. This chair eluded me for months. For many weeks I drove to the outlet and waited with the many other R&B fans to try and score a discount chair. G&G Vold tried to cover the days I couldn't make it and finally when I had lost hope we would find one Grandma and Grandpa Vold scored one while I was working at the hospital. They gifted the chair and ottoman and even included their delivery service. We have spent many hours rocking and nursing here and I imagine many more hours to come.
6. Arm's Reach Co-sleeper. Having your baby sleep near you is known to reduce the risk of SIDS and since having them close promotes breast feeding (another way to reduce SIDS) we knew we wanted Brynn in our room. It's a safe way to co-sleep an we love waking up to Brynn's smiley self in the morning!
7. The Moby Wrap and Ergo carrier. This is a tie as the Moby was best the first few weeks and now that Brynn is bigger the Ergo wins. The Moby was perfect when she was a newborn and just needed to be close to mom in order to sleep. Now the Ergo wins as it takes all the weight off my shoulders an it's nap cover keeps the sun and wandering people's hands off her head :)
Monday, September 10, 2012
Labor day weekend
We spent labor day weekend at Grandma and Grandpa Palmer's cabin with our friends Andy and Brooke. The weather was beautiful and it was fun to show off Brynn to those she hadn't met yet. We arrived around noon on Friday so the guys could go golfing and the girls could hang out with baby Brynn. Brooke and I packed up and headed into Nisswa to look through the shops. All along i planned to Either carry Brynn in the Ergo carrier or in her stroller if she was awake. Well I learned my lesson to not assume those items were still in the car. After driving 40 minutes all we had was a sleeping baby in a car seat and no way to bring her along except to carry her around in my arms or car seat. And if you've ever carried a baby in a car seat you know they are really heavy and awkward to carry! In a last ditch effort to save our outing I ran across the street to see if the baby store sold any carriers. We were luck and a bought a Sleepy Wrap which is very similar to the Moby wrap but made of a stretchier fabric. It took some time for Brynn to settle into another nap but once she did we were able to do some window shopping. The only other purchase I made was car BINGO to save for Brynn when she gets older. We had a set in my parents car when I was growing up and will hopefully be a good non-electronic entertainment source in the future.
On Saturday was the annual Shrimp Sunday which essentially a block party on a sand barge in the middle of Gull lake. You drink and eat kabobs and drink some more. Brynn and I skipped out this year and instead opted for Caribou coffee (for mom) and a girls shopping trip (for Brynn). It's funny how very few things are purchased for mom these days. On sunday we left Brynn with G&G and we headed out to the go-cart track :) As it turns out go-carts are fun at any age! The rest of the weekend a combination of good food and relaxation. Even Magnus has taken to relaxing in Brainerd (except for one door bolt through the screen door!) and hopefully his early wake up day are behind us. On Monday we headed home after breakfast and headed home to unpack and relax. Brynn still does great in the car (as long as the car is moving!) and slept most of the way home.
On Saturday was the annual Shrimp Sunday which essentially a block party on a sand barge in the middle of Gull lake. You drink and eat kabobs and drink some more. Brynn and I skipped out this year and instead opted for Caribou coffee (for mom) and a girls shopping trip (for Brynn). It's funny how very few things are purchased for mom these days. On sunday we left Brynn with G&G and we headed out to the go-cart track :) As it turns out go-carts are fun at any age! The rest of the weekend a combination of good food and relaxation. Even Magnus has taken to relaxing in Brainerd (except for one door bolt through the screen door!) and hopefully his early wake up day are behind us. On Monday we headed home after breakfast and headed home to unpack and relax. Brynn still does great in the car (as long as the car is moving!) and slept most of the way home.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
12 Weeks!
On Friday sweet Brynn turned 12 weeks old! Not quite 3 months but oh-so-close. I'll do her official 3 month post next week! Luckily for me I still have 4 more weeks home with my little babe (and I good thing because she's taken to waking me up 2x/night recently and I can feel it!). Each week/day she grows a little more, she's starting to laugh (cutest thing ever), and continues to have cooing conversations with who ever will listen.
Brynn: 12 weeks
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Pregnancy Memory: the name game
For starters naming a baby is not all fun and games.. it's hard work! There is so much to think about! Is this name too popular? Is the name good for a grown up AND a child? Can other kids make fun of her name?! A few weeks into my pregnancy we started to brainstorm names. This was the running list I kept on my computer in no particular order (probably more my choices than Kyles!). Our list of boy names was actually about twice as long as we found boy names much easier to agree upon.
Reese
Elle
Norah (I think this one was just a name I liked...)
Brynn
Cora
As you can see Brynn was on this list! We both liked it (which is key!) and it went well with our last name so it was the winner. We probably officially decided on Brynn a few weeks after learning we were having a girl. The middle name was actually a little trickier! My middle name is Lynn and before finding out the gender we both thought we would just use our own middle names depending on gender. Well Brynn Lynn may rhyme but rhyming is not usually not the best when it comes to your name :). After throwing around a number of family names we were stuck. Then one night while playing with a list of our family names we came up with the combination of Lynn (Grandma Vold's and my middle name) and Mae (Grandma Palmer's middle name and the late Great-Grandma Nelson's name) and Lynae was born :) As it turns out Lynae means ..... A flower found in Scandinavia so it was a perfect fit.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Newborn essentials
Here is my list of newborn must haves! These were the items that were really helpful the first few weeks with baby Brynn. We still use everything except the newborn sleeping gowns.
1. Gerber cloth diapers for burp cloths. Apparently these are actually poor cloth diapers but they make wonderful burp clothes! I ended up with three different kinds as gifts but the thick ones are by far the best. They wash well and are inexpensive so stock up (I probably have 20 and need them all).
2. Washable changing table pads (and extra covers). I sewed my own baby bedding and made two matching changing table covers using this online tutorial. They are really easy to make and you will need more than one! I made mine in flannel which will absorb more than a thin cotton which will make you clean up easier ( I would assume). The washable changing table pads saved us from having to do even more laundry than we were already doing. Additionally the pads are great in the pack n' play for unexpected diaper leaks!
3. Netflix. Not for the baby but for yourself. Breastfeeding=lots of newborn snuggles. It also means the baby spends a lot of time attached to you or sleeping on you leaving your essentially immobile. Kyle was so good at bringing me everything I asked for (usually more water and my phone!). I watched the entire first 4 seasons of Lost during Brynn's first few weeks of life. Now that she's older (and I find the later seasons of Lost a little weird) I don't watch it nearly as often.
4. Tap Light. This was on Kyle's list when he ventured out to Target on our second day home. I needed a light that wasn't as bright as my nightstand light and easy to turn off and on. I've also heard those LED battery candles are good alternatives but I think the tap light would be easier to turn off and on.
5. Newborn gowns. These make middle of the night diaper changes much easier. We had 4 and that was enough since we were doing laundry so frequently.
And most importantly.... Help. Just having someone over to hold the baby gives you enough peace of mind to actually nap. I found when I didn't have someone over at the house I napped much less even if she was napping. It also allows you to get a nice long shower in. Additionally anyone that brings food over is the best!! We are lucky enough to have family really close but I've heard from friends that it's best to have any visiting family (even your parents) stay in a hotel. You need your own space and it'll be hard to not worry about your "guests" when you should be recovering and enjoying your new babe.
What I didn't need:
1. Newborn clothes. Everyone tells you not to buy newborn clothes but secretly you think you'll birth a healthy 6lb baby who will NEED newborn clothes. Wrong and wrong. Granted Brynn tipped the scales at 9lbs but she did fit into newborn clothes for the first week. Essentially each newborn outfit was worn once. Gather a few hand-me-downs from friends and return any gifts you get. Also I found that I was doing baby laundry every other day because her clothes were dirty so having enough outfits was not a problem.
2. Carters Flannel Blankets. These blanket are sold everywhere in cute prints and colors but they are pretty much worthless. They are too small to swaddle the baby and too thin for any other use. Return these or cut them up for burp cloths.
3. Pacifiers. We introduced a pacifier at about 5 weeks. It's recommended to introduce the pacifier around 4-6 weeks if you are breastfeeding since the first 6 weeks establishes your supply. But as it turns out Brynn is just not a fan of pacifiers (I guess I wouldn't take one either). She does find her hand often but we have yet to see her find her thumb (and fingers crossed she doesn't!)
1. Gerber cloth diapers for burp cloths. Apparently these are actually poor cloth diapers but they make wonderful burp clothes! I ended up with three different kinds as gifts but the thick ones are by far the best. They wash well and are inexpensive so stock up (I probably have 20 and need them all).
2. Washable changing table pads (and extra covers). I sewed my own baby bedding and made two matching changing table covers using this online tutorial. They are really easy to make and you will need more than one! I made mine in flannel which will absorb more than a thin cotton which will make you clean up easier ( I would assume). The washable changing table pads saved us from having to do even more laundry than we were already doing. Additionally the pads are great in the pack n' play for unexpected diaper leaks!
3. Netflix. Not for the baby but for yourself. Breastfeeding=lots of newborn snuggles. It also means the baby spends a lot of time attached to you or sleeping on you leaving your essentially immobile. Kyle was so good at bringing me everything I asked for (usually more water and my phone!). I watched the entire first 4 seasons of Lost during Brynn's first few weeks of life. Now that she's older (and I find the later seasons of Lost a little weird) I don't watch it nearly as often.
4. Tap Light. This was on Kyle's list when he ventured out to Target on our second day home. I needed a light that wasn't as bright as my nightstand light and easy to turn off and on. I've also heard those LED battery candles are good alternatives but I think the tap light would be easier to turn off and on.
5. Newborn gowns. These make middle of the night diaper changes much easier. We had 4 and that was enough since we were doing laundry so frequently.
And most importantly.... Help. Just having someone over to hold the baby gives you enough peace of mind to actually nap. I found when I didn't have someone over at the house I napped much less even if she was napping. It also allows you to get a nice long shower in. Additionally anyone that brings food over is the best!! We are lucky enough to have family really close but I've heard from friends that it's best to have any visiting family (even your parents) stay in a hotel. You need your own space and it'll be hard to not worry about your "guests" when you should be recovering and enjoying your new babe.
What I didn't need:
1. Newborn clothes. Everyone tells you not to buy newborn clothes but secretly you think you'll birth a healthy 6lb baby who will NEED newborn clothes. Wrong and wrong. Granted Brynn tipped the scales at 9lbs but she did fit into newborn clothes for the first week. Essentially each newborn outfit was worn once. Gather a few hand-me-downs from friends and return any gifts you get. Also I found that I was doing baby laundry every other day because her clothes were dirty so having enough outfits was not a problem.
2. Carters Flannel Blankets. These blanket are sold everywhere in cute prints and colors but they are pretty much worthless. They are too small to swaddle the baby and too thin for any other use. Return these or cut them up for burp cloths.
3. Pacifiers. We introduced a pacifier at about 5 weeks. It's recommended to introduce the pacifier around 4-6 weeks if you are breastfeeding since the first 6 weeks establishes your supply. But as it turns out Brynn is just not a fan of pacifiers (I guess I wouldn't take one either). She does find her hand often but we have yet to see her find her thumb (and fingers crossed she doesn't!)
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