Sharing is Caring

Here's a little video my mom took last week while watching Brynn. Her face just cracks me up every time.....

Wordless Wednesday

How to: vacuum with an 8 month old

Baby Banz hearing protection ...helping Brynn watch Gopher games and tolerate general household chores ever since her mom bought them on Amazon.

Adventures in Nursing

Have you seen this commercial? I can't endorse Luvs as I've never used them but I think this advertisement is great. Last week marked 8 months of Brynn and my nursing relationship and I'm happy to report that despite going back to work we should definitely reach my goal of one year as long as no un-forseen circumstances come up.

Everyone has been really wonderful and supportive of my desire to nurse Brynn so thank you for that. Here a just a few tips for nursing moms and their supporters:

1. Be really supportive. Never suggest that the reason the baby is crying is because maybe something's wrong with the milk or that there isn't enough...thanks :) Be especially supportive during the first  weeks when nursing is hard (and really quite painful). But once you get through this period life becomes so. much. easier. And just a tip for new moms/future moms: learn how to nurse your baby while laying down. It will change your life because there are not many activities you get to do that involve resting once baby comes along!

2. Bring the nursing mama some water and something to eat because she's really thirsty and really hungry. She's also burning 1000 calories a day...which is AMAZING!...seriously babies are like little liposuction machines. 

3. Find other activities for daddy and helpers. I know it seems easier in the beginning to get others involved in feeding but the help will eventually dwindle and when dad is back at work it'll just be you and the night feedings. It's so convenient to have the milkies at the right temp and in the perfect container at 3 AM.

Wordless Wednesday

Catch me if you can :)

8 Months!

That's right you read that correct, 8 months, crazy. You had a big month Brynn. You are now mobile. I feel really bad for the parents of babies that start to crawl at 6 months, you gave a a few extra months of peace and we thank you for that! You had a rough week of limited napping and then you started to move. Its mostly a belly crawl right now and mostly backwards. You move the fasted towards Magnus and his toys. You also pulled yourself up on your knees in your crib so it's time to lower the mattress. Magnus has started to show more and more interest in you especially after you've eaten as he likes to help clean up anything we've missed. You are a really great eater and your little pincher grasp to pick up those little puffs is really good! You don't even let me spoon feed you and prefer to be given the spoon so you can feed yourself.
You've also really learned how to yell. I'm not sure where you learned it..maybe some baby conference call you were on...but it's loud...and it's really fake. You'll scream and then flip right over to a smile when you see we are coming.

You have really started to vocalize lots of different noises. No mama yet but I'm waiting patiently :) In the car we'll hear this tiny little voice jabber away and it's the sweetest little noise. You have also picked up on two signs, up and milk. It was just the other day you were a little fussy so I signed milk (you squeeze your hand like milking a cow) and you reacted to me. I didn't quite believe it so I did it again and you had the same reaction and sure enough you were hungry. We also work on all-done, more, mommy and dadddy.  I guess it could be anytime now that you'll sign back.
You have the best belly laugh, it is so fun to laugh along with you. It amazes us how much you've learned in 8 short months.

Happy Valentine's Day Friends!

Wordless Wednesday

Morning baby with bed head and all. 

Pregnancy flashback: Cravings

I've wanted to take this shot since I saw this on Pinterest.com. Luckily I did not crave cereal because I think it would be hard to get a baby to sit in a bowl! I also didn't crave anything weird like the commonly quoted pickles and ice cream. But I did crave citrus from about 15 to 24ish weeks. Mostly oranges, orange juice or clementines but any citrus would do. Some days my fingers would turn white from all the citric acid from peeling so many! Now when the girls I work with see me with an orange they always give me a hard time and ask "when I'm due".

The working mama: 4 month update

Today it's been 4 months since I returned to work, meaning I've been working now as long as my maternity leave. There is no question my life as a working mama has gone by much faster than my life on leave but we've all adjusted well. I soak Brynn up on the weekend and leave work as soon as I can to spend my time with her in the evenings. I go into work at 7 most days and leave by 330 with the occasionally later day. I dread having to stay at work until 5 as it feels like all I get to do with Brynn is feed her and then put her to bed. I also work at once home every other week just so I can get an extra nursing session in as I know before I know it our nursing relationship will come to a close.
When I first went back to work I rushed home (mostly because she was fighting the bottle) but now I'll stop at Target or run another errand because the last thing I want to to when I get home is pack her up and drive somewhere.
Our nanny has been so wonderful to us. Brynn really enjoys her and it's been so nice that she has yet to get sick. The days I've worked at home have been a nice way to overhear how she interacts with Brynn and she is really great. She is also the best at getting her to take long naps!!
Grandma and Grandpa Vold love on baby every Tuesday and daddy still covers "Brynn's favorite day"/Fridays (according to daddy). And the few times we've been without care have been covered by Grandpa and Grandma Palmer. I've actually only had to take one day off to watch her since returning to work! But I do have 6 1/2 weeks of vaca this year so I plan on taking off lots of Friday's this summer to hang with my fam.
The picture below is a text I sent to Kyle after Brynn and I had woken up from a long nap on a Saturday afternoon. It's amazing how full of love you feel when you have a happy healthy baby and a loving partner to raise them with. This is the life.

Wordless Wednesday

OK only kind of wordless. I was home earlier enough yesterday to grab a few pics with enough daylight and this shot (minus the words obviously) is straight out of the camera. I'm biased but those eyes get me every time.

Baby led solids: the update

We're 6 weeks into the whole solids gig and its been fun.. messy... messy fun. Brynn's added quinoa, puffs, zucchini, apricot applesauce and cooked apples to the list. She has really enjoyed yams lately the first time she didn't seem to care for them but it's been full speed ahead since. She even used some as a hair mask apparently this is some ancient baby secret. And just so you know the old saying is true "what goes in must come out.. looking exactly the same".
The whole process of baby led solids/baby led weaning has been really good for us too. It forces us to have healthy things in the house and cook them fresh. Not that we still don't pick up Black Sheep Pizza every once in a while. When we do Brynn gets some oatmeal and applesauce. She doesn't seem to mind yet but I know there will come a day when she has to have what we are eating!