CRAZY COUPON LADY

A couple of days ago Philip says "I want you to become one of those crazy coupon ladies".  In amusement I listened to his "master coupon plan".  He says "we need to make some sort of organizing system & break it up by categories." Hahaha I love my husband. I am not sure what makes organizing coupons "crazy". I think he secretly wants to be an extreme couponer & that is what he means.

If this is all it takes to make him happy...I think I am pretty safe. 

We were supposed to have a lunch date with Donna & Malcom today but Donna wasn't feeling well so they had to cancel. Instead we made our weekly Target run & Addison's favorite cashier checked us out.  You know you spend way to much time (and money) at Target when the cashier knows you & your daughter's name. I bought a few things to help entice Addison with tummy time & stuff to make my coupon book :) It was actually a pretty lazy day. 

A little Macbook iPhoto fun

She seemed to like her new toy & she lasted about 15 minutes. Baby steps...baby steps

TUMMY TIME=FUSSY TIME

Addison has recently started HATING tummy time!  She used to LOVE it. With urging from our pediatrician we started it very early on & she had been doing great at it. By 4 weeks she was able to completely lift her head up & turn it from side to side while propped up on her boppy.  The stronger she got we transitioned her to her Infantino tummy time mat which gives less of a boost & she'd happily watch Philip & I or reach for her toys we placed in front of her.  Lately whether she is flat on her stomach on her mat, propped up with her boppy, resting on my shins in a superman position or laying across my knees, she gets so upset!   I get on the floor and shake her rattle in front of her, play music, stare at her face to face, prop her up to take pressure off of her stomach & she only lasts about 5-10 minutes max with an emphasis on max because sometimes it's only 2 minutes. I know it's important to to help develop their core & strengthen their neck muscles which overall promotes crawling & sitting independently but I feel like I am torturing her.   She loves to sit up & does a fantastic job holding her head up on her own, turning from side to side. She is happy as a clam in her bumbo & swing when she is completely erect.  She has no problems in her play gym either. She scoots around on her back & has rolled from her back to her side several times.  I can't seem to figure out what is bothering her about it & wish I could find a solution.  I try multiple times during the day & always make sure she hasn't just eaten or isn't tired...hmmmm. ANY SUGGESTIONS??

She has recently fallen in love with her Sophie the Giraffe teether. For those of you pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant it's an absolute must. She LIGHTS UP when she hears it squeak & looks so excited when she grasps it & it squeaks in her hand.  I've even tried using Sophie in front of her to try & get her to stay on her tummy but no luck.

CANINE MEGAESOPHAGUS

Photo by Melissa Palomo

Boy do I love this little guy.  He gave us quite the scare recently. For several months now Hampton hasn't been himself.  I kept attributing it to him adjusting to Addison. Some days he wouldn't touch his food, he has been constantly regurgitating food/mucous...you name it,  he's had an exceptionally foul smell to his breath & he had been making this terrible hacking noise like he was trying to clear his throat.  Recently his behavior starting changing, he has been extreme...either listless or completely wide open.  We, well Philip really, finally said enough is enough...something isn't right & this isn't just Hampton "adjusting" to Addison.  
THANK GOODNESS Philip listened to his gut because something isn't right.  Hampton was diagnosed with a genetic condition called Canine Megaesophagus. Basically his esophagus has become like a balloon that's been inflated & deflated several times, stretching it.  The muscles become limp & fail to propel food into the stomach.  The food just sits in the chest cavity never making it to the stomach. For those in the medical profession, you know this is dangerous because the food that has remained in the esophagus gets into the lungs causing aspiration pneumonia.  There are lots of underlying causes of this, we don't know at this point if it's related to Hampton's thyroid, if he has another condition called Myasthenia Gravis, Addison's Disease or a neurological problem.  We are crossing our fingers it's idiopathic.
The fantastic news is this is totally manageable & proper management reduces the risk of severe or life threatening complications. 
First thing we had to do is elevate his bowl significantly higher.  

We purchased this bowl   

Ours sits quite a bit taller but this is identical to what we bought Hamp.

The second thing is we had to buy a dimple ball. 

The ball in the center will keep him from gulping the food.  Slower eating is better for digestion & also reduces the amount of air that he swallow.

Third is medications. He is taking Pepcid-AD 3 times a day & Reglan (antiemetic that also slows motility) 3 times per day.

Fourth is to wet his food & decrease the amount of treats he has.  He has to be on a lowfat low residue diet.

As he ages we will have to buy him a Bailey Chair

It's basically a highchair for dogs that keeps them vertical while eating to aid in digestion. 

Surgery is an option down the road but thankfully they said at this point it's not necessary.

It completely breaks my heart for him but I am so incredibly thankful it is something manageable.  

Here are a few more pictures from our photo shoot with Melissa:

There are soooo many other amazing ones but these are just a few of my favorites.

1ST CHRISTMAS TREE

We had a great Thanksgiving holiday with family...that's how it's best spent. We were supposed to head to the mountains on Friday for our annual 1st ski weekend (minus skiing this year) & picking/cutting down our Christmas Tree but there was a BIG change in plans.

Hampton hadn't been acting like himself so Philip figured he'd squeeze in a vet appointment before heading out just to be on the safe side. A couple hours later, x-rays, several prescriptions, a long list of do's & don'ts, & giant bill, we had a diagnosis. Hampton was diagnosed with Canine Megaesophogus. I'll post more details tomorrow.  Needless to say we decided to cancel the trip & stick around the house.

 I was highly disappointed because since I was a little girl I have LOVED going to the tree farm & picking out the perfect tree. This year we were going to start our own family tradition. After lots of googling Philip found a local tree farm.  While it wasn't anything like I grew up with or like those in the NC mountains, the experience itself was still nice.  We chuckled because it was 70+ degrees & as you can see in the picture, the trees are hardly traditional cold weather trees. Addison looks real enthused about the quality, lol.  I think it's safe to assume we didn't cut any of those "bushes" down. The tree farm sold Fraiser Furs & I am sure we paid way too much for it but nonetheless it was still neat to take Addison to her first tree farm.

FIRST DAY BACK TO WORK

Like clockwork she greeted me with her sweet gummy smile at 7am, cooed & ah'd. I sipped on my coffee & starred at her with glossy eyes because I knew this seemingly normal morning was going to be short lived & our daily routine was going to look much different today.  I had never left her for more than 3 hours let alone 8...ugh! With every little smile & squeal I kept reminding myself that THIS is what I get to come home to. It was definitely reassuring knowing that she would be with Philip all day...he is SO GREAT with her.

I got in as many snuggles & kisses...basked in her sweet "Addison scent" as possible & left feeling comfortable because she was one happy girl this morning.  I cried the entire way into work & could barely compose myself to walk in through the ER doors.  As soon as I met eyes with my first co-workers, I took a deep breath, pushed back the tears & knew it was going to be okay.  Before I even made it to the break room Philip was texting me pictures & video of her playing contently.  During one of my pumping sessions we even got to face time. I worked with a great crew today & the department flow was more than manageable. My patients reminded me why I decided to do this every now and then. The best part was clocking out, it felt like Christmas morning.  The anticipation on the drive home was unbearable, I couldn't get home & showered fast enough to snuggle. My sweet sweet baby girl greeted me with a big smile & her laugh/squeal thing she does. She smelled AH-MAZING & I snuggled her until she fell asleep...it was perfect.  I had the perfect first day back to work!

BABY BLUES

I am pretty convinced Addison is going to have blue eyes.  I know they say you can't really be sure until around 6 months but her eyes have changed from "baby grey" to a crystal blue.  It's amazing how I can just sit & stare at her, imagining what she will look/be like as she grows.  Will her hair stay strawberry blonde or get lighter like mine or dark like her Daddy's.  Will she be fair like me (I hope not) or mistaken for a foreigner like Philip?  She is getting so long, I wonder if she'll be tall?

She completely melts my heart!

A LITTLE OBSESSED...

Unless you have been living under a rock you have probably heard of Pinterest. For those who haven't,  it's basically a virtual organizer .  You organize & classify categories/collections of things you find on the web ranging anywhere from DIY projects, recipes, fashion inspiration, hair/beauty etc...all those little things you used to bookmark on your computer or didn't bookmark & wish you had. If you don't have an account, you should definitely check it out but be warned. If you are like me, you will be kind of OBSESSED! I have had so many "why didn't I think of that" moments since discovering it. It has been totally inspiring & might even be a contributing factor into this sudden urge for room redesigns at my house.  Maybe even why I've had a touch of insomnia lately. I find myself trolling the website during late night nursing sessions then getting back into bed with all sorts of creativity & inspiration swirling around in my head. 
While I was still pregnant with Addison I actually posted a picture with a ridiculously easy DIY project I did that I found on Pinterest:

DIY white board

We have this hanging in the the little hallway by our powder room off the kitchen next to the pantry.  

There are several things I am in the process of making that have been inspired by Pinterest & I can't wait to share!

SOMEDAYS...

Somedays things just take a little bit longer...

Somedays you don't get what you planned accomplished...

Somedays you have to get ready like this...

Somedays there is nothing in the world they want more then their mum, even if it's just sitting in your lap while you do your makeup.  There is something so sweet about that... 

UNDER THE WEATHER

I think the constant weather change is starting to wear on me.  One day it's in the 50's & then you have a gorgeous day like today in the upper 70's.  My nose is stuffy one minute, runny the next.  My chest feels heavy & I've had a constant headache...blah!  Philip doesn't feel any better & I think Addison is starting to get a little cold too.  Needless to say we've been loading up on vitamin C.  I really don't want Addison to get sick.  I never really thought of that before. I completely avoid people that are sick to protect Addison...but what do I do when it's me? I know literature says breastfeeding helps boost babies immunity but what if the breastfeeding mum has a snotty nose?!  I guess it's almost inevitable, especially since Philip is feeling under the weather too. Hopefully this will be short lived.

Addison is sitting upright on her own her Bumbo now...she is growing up so fast. 

I plopped her in it while I fixed one of my new favorite snacks: 

Kale Chips. 

I love to cook with Kale & LOVE this snack. I guess it's a bonus since Kale has so much vitamin C along with a long list of other health benefits.  It's especially good when you are craving something a little bit salty (but not too salty).

Buy a bundle of fresh Kale from the grocery store

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

Spray baking sheet with Olive Oil Spray (I use Trader Joe's)

Wash & Dry in salad spinner or pat dry with paper towel

 Break away pieces from stem to form "chips" 

Line on baking sheet

You can drizzle them with olive oil or use a nonfat butter spray like I can't believe it's not butter

Season with your choice (I use Ranch but you could use lawry's or Adobo)

Bake for 10-15 minutes until Kale is crisp & lightly browned on edges

Enjoy!

2ND TRY IS THE CHARM

she slid down the pillows which made her look a little squished & larger than she is but despite that i thought this picture said it all!

Ok, I am officially sold on the sleep sack but not for the original reasons I purchased it.  One night last week when Addison woke up to eat she had completely unswaddled herself & the the blanket was up near her face...S-C-A-R-Y!!  I had a mini panic attack because all I could think of is her suffocating or something awful.  Immediately I remembered that I had the Aden + Anias sleep sack & it was like a lifesaver.  I still swaddled Addison but then I put her inside the sleep sack.  Since both her swaddling blankets & sleep sack are made of muslin, her overheating wasn't an issue at all.  For almost a week now we've done it every night & it's working fabulously.  On another positive "sleep note", for over a week Addison has only gotten up 1 time per night around 4:00 am.  YAY for a long stretch of sleep for me!!  She has always been great at going right back to sleep so her normal wake up time is staying around 7:00-7:45 am.

taken at 4:00 am on my iphone..she is looking at me like i am crazy

So glad I didn't give up on this particular sleep sack & run out and by another. 

IT HAS BEGUN

I get so excited planning, designing & decorating but I get even more excited when it all starts to come together.  

I thought we were going to start with our bedroom because it was the easiest but after talking it over with Philip we decided to start with the main living area because it's where the most time is spent.  Again, it's pretty simple & doesn't require any type of renovation, just a little bit of fresh paint & new couches/chairs, ottoman etc. It was tough deciding on a paint color because of the open floor plan of our house so we knew whatever we choose had to be something that flowed from room to room.   After a week of deliberation we found the perfect color to compliment the other rooms.

Valspar HD: Khaki

It's not the best quality picture because it was taken with my iphone & the lighting wasn't the best but I am extremely pleased with the way it turned out. 

The room is still a mess with furniture everywhere

We picked out the sofa, over sized chair/ottoman & 2 sitting chairs. We just need to sell our current stuff.  I am going to be making a coffee table/ottoman & a few large art projects for the wall. 1 day a week I'll post pictures with updated renovations/re-design & after some of the DIY projects are complete how to's.  It's amazing what a coat of paint can do & how much excitement it brings.  I am excited because it has officially began.

YAY FOR FLEXIBILITY

A lot of people have been asking me what I am going to do when my 12 weeks of maternity leave is up in 2 weeks.  This is a decision that weighed heavy on my heart throughout my pregnancy & was an easy one to make once Addison was born.

 I LOVE being a mum!  I want to be the person who helps her develop healthy relationships, who helps her develop her gifts, talents & temperaments. I don't want to miss out on celebrating those "first" moments.  It's not that I don't think others are incapable of doing so...I want to be the one to do it.
When I realized this I knew it was going to be extremely difficult for me to return to work but then I had this battle within myself.  I LOVE being a nurse...it's not just a job for me.  While it can be extremely stressful & challenging, knowing you are impacting people's lives...playing a part in saving people's lives, is so rewarding. I have committed myself to be the best nurse I can be through my education in college & continued education after graduation.  I earned my BS in healthcare & BSN, I earned my certifications....
So with all this swirling around in my mind it actually was an easy decision to make, especially with the flexibility of the hospital setting. 
I am returning to the ER casually (PRN/as needed).  I can work as little or as much as I want. I am not committed to any specific shift or any specific length of a shift. My only commitment is that I have to work in the ER for 24 hours in a 6 week schedule.   If I want to work a 6 hour night shift or 8 hour weekend day shift, as long as they are needed in the department, I can.  I'll base my schedule around Philip's & he will mostly be the one taking care of Addison while I am working, especially since my intention is to pick up mostly night shifts from 7pm- 1 or 3 am while Addison is sleeping.
So I get the best of both words.  I get to stay at home with my sweet baby girl & return to the work!!

GUILT/WORRY...STORY OF MOTHERHOOD

HORRAY for Addison.  She did marvelous & has been my happy girl since getting her shots.  Maybe the awful day we had last time was completely unrelated to them?!  Who knows?! I worried for nothing.

GUILT & WORRY, another little lesson Addison has taught me in my transition into motherhood.  I confess I have become a worrier & am often pained with guilt. It started the moment I found out I was pregnant. I think partially because I never thought I'd actually ever become pregnant.  I worried about EVERY little thing during my pregnancy, "did I eat enough fruits/vegetables during the day", "was I exercising too much", "should I have had that 2nd cup of coffee", "what if______ causes Addison____"...I constantly worried how my actions would impact my future child, almost irrationally. With that came guilt.  I felt guilty if I fell asleep early in the evening if I hadn't seen Philip all day or if I didn't give Hampton enough attention. I felt guilty if I did or didn't do something. I was really never a worrier before finding out I was pregnant. Sure I worried about little things occasionally but I wasn't plagued with it. It was easy for me to have a "don't sweat the small stuff mentality".  It's almost like guilt/worry are part of your maternal instinct. When you develop this insane love, it's like the guilt/worry is a reflection of just how much you love this little tiny person.
Since Addison has been born it hasn't gotten any better, in fact, it's only intensified.  I think it's absolutely absurd to tell a parent, especially a mother, "not to worry" when it comes to her child/children.  It's par for the course. You are responsible for this fragile little life...that's a lot of responsibility.  I do think letting it consume you is dangerous though.
In the beginning I worried "was she getting enough to eat", "is the temperature okay for her", "was she pooping/peeing like she was supposed to".  Now that those things don't occupy much space in my mind anymore, I worry when I am away from her.  "Is she being good for Philip", "did I leave enough milk", "did I pull her pajamas". I feel guilty if we are out & about & she doesn't get a good nap or when I go to a spin class.  It's cyclical too. Usually the worry causes a feeling of guilt...worrying over something that hasn't even happened & already feeling bad about it!  How come nobody told me this comes with role of mom??  Or am I just completely crazy?!?
This was all spawned with my worry over Addison's appointment yesterday.  I worked myself into tears before leaving the house, worried that her appointment was going to interfere with her nap which would only precipitate the projected problems she was going to have from her vaccines.  Which neither happened.  She was & is fine...she is GREAT.

I came across a quote by an unknown author (or at least I couldn't find who it was by) that says: 

"worrying does not take away tomorrow's troubles; it takes away today's peace."   

I am going to challenge myself with that because I do not want to continue on with this dance of guilt & worry, and not just regarding Addison...but in all areas of my life.  I love & serve a God who loves me & graciously gives peace & commands us not to worry.  It's an anxiety driven response that causes us to lose focus on the present moment...these precious moments that we never get back.  Like I said in the beginning, I think it's maternal & you can't help but worry to some extent as a parent but I think it's important to not let it interfere with your ability to live in the present & enjoy the day for what it is. 

MY BIG GIRL

Holy Moly she has grown!! She weighed in at 11 lbs 8 oz (2 lb more than her 1 month appointment). She is in the 60th percentile for weight. She is 23 1/2 inches long (2 inches longer than her 1 month appointment) and she is in the 70th percentile for height. Her head circumference was 37 1/2 inches (1 inch greater than her 1 month appointment), she's only in the 20th percentile for her head. Good thing he doesn't have a big noggin!

To my pleasant surprise they have combined one of the vaccines into 1 which would previously have been 3 individual shots and one of the vaccinations was oral. She ended up only getting 2 shots...thank goodness. She screamed bloody murder when she actually got the shot but was easily consoled with some kisses & snuggling with her mummy. Well, after spitting up what seemed like her entire stomach content all over the front of me. She is snoozing now which is already better then her 2nd Hep B vaccine at 1 month. We'll see how she does the rest of the day & night...I am feeling optimistic.

Dress: 77 Kids //Navy Tights (not seen in picture): H&M //Headband: TuTooCuteTutus

HAPPY MONDAY

It's hard to believe another weekend has gone by!! It wasn't very eventful (which I am growing to love). Saturday we spent the afternoon with some friends & Sunday we went to church & made a trip to Zoe's Kitchen & Trader Joes.  I was worried that Saturday's time change was going to affect Addison, fortunately it didn't.  I was actually up almost an hour before she woke up :) She has only been getting up 1 time at night lately...YAY!  She's becoming like clockwork. She starts getting fussy around 6:45.  We start her bedtime routine around 7:00, she nurses & is usually asleep by 7:30.  She wakes up to nurse around 3:00-3:30 & stays in bed until 7:00-7:30.  Every now & then she wakes up 2 times but I am thankful for that initial long stretch of sleep, especially since she just turned 2 months.  Speaking of 2 months...Tomorrow she has her 2 month doctors appointment. While I am looking forward to finding out how much she weighs, length, etc...I am NOT looking forward to the 5 shots she will receive.  She did terrible with the measly 1 shot at her one month appointment.  I am hoping it was coincidental that she had such a bad day that day & it wasn't related to the vaccine...wishful thinking.

Today is going to be GORGEOUS & I am super excited because the sun is out, the temperature is perfect for some outdoor activities & I have an extremely happy baby girl!

MASTER BEDROOM RE-DESIGN

Every couple of months I get a "design bug".  50% of the time it involves a complete room redesign/overhaul & 100% of the time results in a change whether it's a paint color, statement piece or even as simple a rearranging furniture.  The bug is back.  For several months Addison's nursery consumed me & fulfilled that bug.  Inevitably while I am nursing or folding laundry I start thinking about which project to tackle next in the house and today I decided it's the master bedroom.  It's probably one of smaller rooms to redo because it's really just going to involve new curtains, duvet/pillows, accessories & some paint. We have a fab bed from Thomasville we purchased a couple of years ago & antique dressers we had refinished 6 years ago with classic Restoration Hardware Cup pulls to match the nailhead trim on the bed. 
Here is my dilema. 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE these fabrics.  Leaning towards having curtains made in the chevron fabric & bedding with the yellow slub fabric & the cherry lotus fabric but I am not totally sold. 

The problem is I can't really decide on a color scheme.  Here are a few palettes I like.  Obviously some of these would totally throw all 3 fabrics out the window all together or only allow 1 or 2 to be incorporated. 

I am leaning towards {spiced neutrals} & {color fused}

 The {color chilled} palette is probably the least predictable for me.  My entire house is blues, greys, creams with the exception of my granny smith apple green & black guestroom.  I want to be a little more adventurous with color but I still want my room to be clean & classic....decisions, decisions!

CONFESSIONS OF A LACTATING WOMEN

{DISCLAIMER: If the word BOOB or anything referring to boobs makes you uncomfortable...don't read my blog}

After I caught myself grabbing my boobs (totally not in a sexual way) but in a "oh my, they are full & there is going to be a mess soon" kind of way in the Target checkout line, I realized I had just grabbed my boobs in the Target check out line. It then led me to question in complete embarrassment, how many other times have I done that in public?! Then my mind wandered & got me thinking about all the silly, embarrassing, uncomfortable & sort of weird things that I have experienced over the last 2 months and truly how much my life has changed. There is no doubt that I am a new/first time mum...

First of all I have boobs! I have always been petite with an athletic build which means my chest has always been petite with an athletic build  in other words, flat chested.  This alone has been a new & exciting experience. Unfortunately these are not the kind of boobs I envisioned for myself!?! For probably for the first 3 weeks of Addison's life Philip would make fun of me because one was inevitably larger than the other & I walked around visibly lopsided...nice. Worst part is I didn't have a clue 1/2 the time.  Thankfully that has balanced out (mostly)! 
At various social functions we've been to where Addison has been given a bottle instead of breast I have felt a sense of panic as my top or dress grows tighter & tighter.  By the end of my cousin Aly's wedding my grandmother lovingly pointed out that was breasts were "heaving"...definitely a first in my life, my breasts have never been described as heaving, lol. 
They have almost become an accessory.  I used to plan my outfits around whatever shoes I wanted to wear or what purse I was in the mood to carry.  Now, there are a few things I take into consideration.  a) Will Addison be having a bottle while we are out & about (this brings much excitement because I can wear a "real" bra & not a nursing bra). I actually got super excited the other day because I found a leopard print nursing bra at Target b) how accessible will "they" be c) does my XS top even fit. They are quite pesky, not just from becoming engorged but they become like a leaky faucet at times. There is something about the sound of water running or taking a shower that seems to make it worse.  I have given Philip a laugh or two running down the hallway with the liquid gold streaming down my chest...gross! Which brings me to the fact that I refer to my breast milk as liquid gold in everyday normal conversation. Oddly lots of conversation has been replaced with talk of boobs, pumping & breastfeeding. What did I used to talk about?!

This brings me to communication in general. I have realized that I no longer communicate directly with Philip but but rather, through Addison. Almost passive-aggressively.  “Your daddy is tired because he "worked" today.  He got to play golf & eat an expensive dinner! What a hard day” in a cooing fashion while he sits next to me. Or how about constantly referring to Philip as daddy. I am totally becoming one of those people. Talking has pretty much been replaced by baby talk & songs. Oh yes, regularly break into random song. It's awesome because you can make just about ANYTHING a song:  "hi ho, hi ho, it's off to Target we go.", “patting the bum bum dry!”..."fluff, fluff, fluffy, fluff, fluff".  It can be a little embarrassing in the grocery store when the women next to you stares.  Aside from singing, I am constantly talking to myself...or at least I am sure it looks like it. I am sure at traffic lights people think I am crazy. 

Perfect segway to talking about crazy. Having a baby has made me totally crazy. I wake up breathlessly & terrified in the middle of the night cradling the air. I constantly wake up panicked, shaking Philip and asking him "where is the baby" when she is sleeping soundly. There has been a time or two Philip has run up the stairs to find me screaming in the shower because I just washed my face with shampoo instead of face wash & now my eyes are burning.  The other day I googled "what animal is tony the TIGER?".  I constantly hear crying/screaming that doesn't exist. I catch myself swaying from side to side while standing in line somewhere even when I don't have the baby in my arms or better yet not having the baby at all & doing it.

Some things bringing me excitement these days: Addison's smiles, making it through the day without spit-up in my hair or on my clothes, staying up past 9:30 pm, Addison pooping, Addison pooping on Philip, being able to take Addison just about everywhere, Zulily/the mini social/totsy & various other children's clothing websites.  

I really could write about this for days because in 2 months there have been so many of these breastfeeding blunders & "you know you're a new mom if" moments. 

  Addison has changed my life in the most spectacular way! 

FAIL

I was a bad mum & forgot to post Addison's 2 month "sticker" pictures so I will start with that today:

This was my favorite because she sort of looks like a doll.

I know it's a bit redundant but WOW she has CHANGED so much!?!  Even her patience in letting me take the picture (she was not a happy camper for 1 month). 

headband: gift from Jen & Jarred purchased from OhBabyBowtique

onesie: basic gerber nb from Target

vest: carter's nb

sticker: ktozdesign

I am sad to report we had no luck with the sleep sack.  In fact, it was actually harder to put her down last night then...I can't even remember when!?! After 2 hours of trying to put her down & feeling frustrated, I finally figured out it was probably the sleep sack (it was the only thing different).  She was swimming in it & she obviously likes the comfort of a tight swaddle, even if she is a little Houdini & wiggles her way out. 

I bought the smallest one they have which is supposed to be designed for 0-6 months.  It's a huge range for any baby let alone Addison. She is so petite & still wearing newborn clothing. I am not really sure why I thought this would have the same effect as a swaddle anyway. It's not even designed to be a swaddle (which I knew), it's designed to be like a blanket draped over a baby but it doesn't ride up towards the face to help reduce the risk of SIDS. Mum brain?! Apparently she is not ready to stop being swaddled so we will keep doing it.  Anyway as you can see from the snapshot of her video monitor she was out like a light the second I swaddled her. 

HOUDINI

How is it already November!?! What the heck?!  It's November...which means I have a 2 month old!?! {SIGH}. Umm..is there is pause button I can push?  It's unbelievable how fast she is growing!

 Addison has become quite the little Houdini over the last several days.  Since birth we have swaddled her with arms out for naps & bedtime. She still seems to love it (she doesn't fight us at all & goes right to sleep) but somehow she keeps un-swaddling herself in the middle of the night which is waking her up. Tonight we are going to try something new.  I am such a fan of the Aden + Anais swaddling blankets that I decided to try out the Aden + Anais sleeping bag (sleep sack). 

It's made out of muslin just like the swaddle blankets which I totally love because it's breathable. She can still wear her normal pajamas & be warm but I don't have to worry about her over heating.  Hopefully since we have always swaddled with arms out she won't even notice the difference. Tonight is the test run...my fingers are crossed!