Sick. Sick. Sick.

No, I have not forgotten and/or gotten too lazy to blog...I've been slowly crawling to hell and back and taking my sweet baby girl along with me.

That's right; Syd and I are still sick. After battling pink eye for a solid two weeks, we are now in our second week of HORRIBLE upper respiratory infections. Our lives for the last 10 days have consisted of runny noses, off-and-on fevers, bad chills, lots of sneezing, bad coughs and then really bad coughs. We're finally turning the corner, but we've got a nagging cough that just won't go away. 

So, I'm sorry for the lack of posts and pictures. Syd and I have been rocking pjs and onesies, so you're really not missing out.

Ugh. Help.

Sick but still so cute at the pediatrician's office

Little bug finally starting to feel better...received this picture from daycare today, and you can see her bottom two teeth! :-)

Finding Out the Sex

 

To wait or not to wait...that's the ultimate question. I've got a girlfriend who's toying with the idea of not finding out the sex of her baby. Her husband totally wants to, but she kind of doesn't want to. I told her to stick to her guns; if she doesn't want to find out, don't do it. ;-)

Most of the time I love the baby articles floating around Facebook. They're usually written by parents who have a knack for understanding, self-deprecation, empathy and humor, and they're usually almost always funny and/or hits you at the core. However, I came across the following article about why you should wait to find out the sex of your baby, and I was a little put off by the dad who wrote it. Completely understand it's supposed to be light-hearted and funny, but it just rubbed me the wrong way.

My first disclaimer is that I admit I begrudgingly like the guy who wrote the article. I did some research on this clown and checked out his blog; not only is he NOT a clown, but he's a totally accredited blogger dad who's seems awesome, and I found myself pretty in love with his blog. I mean, this dad is kinda boss -- he's smart, quick-witted and extremely well-written, but what's most amazing to me is that he's a dad who has a blog about parenting. There are so many mommy blogs out there (hel-lo) that it's fun to hear from a dad's perspective. The proud love he has for his sons and wife is endearing, and his honesty and truth about being a parent is refreshing. Plus, he's funny as shit, and I agree with majority of his posts (especially like this one). 

My next disclaimer is that we did find out the sex of our baby. While Jordan was okay to wait, I was definitely not. I'm too much of a planner, and I wanted at least one certainty in a giant pool of unknowns. Okay, okay -- fine, I just wanted to get started on the nursery. ;-) Ironically, though, I desperately wish I could have waited. So many of our friends who didn't find out adamantly say it's the most amazing experience during delivery, and I find myself a little wistful when parents-to-be say they're going to wait. However, since patience is not exactly my virtue, I wouldn't have changed a thing and can only hope I can maybe wait it out with Baby #2.

I asked around to my friends who waited why they came to that decision, and their answers ranged from "We just wanted that awesome surprise," and "There aren't too many surprises in life anymore, so we wanted a big one," to "It was my 3rd and I already had a boy and girl, sooo..." and "I just wanted a healthy baby and nothing else mattered." All perfectly wonderful reasons, and they all echoed the same sentiments that it was the best experience of their life. With the exception of number one (below), none of them listed the following reasons... My editorial comments in blue.

7 Reasons Not to Find Out the Sex of the Baby 

As the big day drew near for both of my sons' births, I was going nuts with anticipation and excitement. Excitement about adding to our family and becoming a dad, for sure, but also because I was finally going to get the answer to a very important question -- are we having a boy or a girl? 

Yup, that's right. We didn't find out. That's a decision that has drawn some mixed reactions and opinions to say the least, but it's one my wife and I stand behind 100 percent. 

I didn't always feel this way. In fact, it was the cause of much marital strife six years ago when we had our first child, because I wanted to know the sex and my wife didn't. At first I was ridiculously angry, but she kept on telling me how great of a surprise it'd be and that it was worth the wait. Simply put, I thought she was full of shit. But as usual, she was absolutely right. Finding out right then and there in the moment was absolutely fantastic. 

Yet out of all the questions people asked us during her pregnancies, the no. 1 query by far was "HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY WAIT TO FIND OUT?" and "WHY IN HOLY HELL WOULD YOU NOT FIND OUT ASAP?!" Well, here are seven answers. 

7. The Old Wives' Tales -- In the absence of a conclusive ultrasound, people never cease to surprise me with their methods of determining whether we're having a boy or a girl. People say if you're "carrying high" it's a girl, and low means boy. They ask MJ what foods she's been craving and if she mentions something sweet, they automatically say girl while sour equals boy. It's really quite interesting to hear the theories bandied about by these baby soothsayers, which all seem to have been handed down by grandparents and great-grandparents and are NEVER wrong. In fact, 50 percent of the time they guess right EVERY time. 

I've actually always heard that if a woman is carrying high it's a boy and low it's a girl -- which goes to show you Old Wives' Tales are nothing but nonsensical fun hypotheses from well wishers, usually from old people. Why does this really matter to him? Can't he just indulge the sweet old lady who's predicting his wife is having a girl based on the cupcake she's eating? I certainly did (especially the cupcake eating), and it never bothered me.

6. Delaying Stupid Stereotypes -- If we found out the sex at 18 weeks, that means I'd have 22 weeks to listen to people moronically babble on about what it means to have a boy or girl. Especially when my wife was pregnant with our second. If people knew we were having another boy it'd be "Oh man, MJ is gonna be so outnumbered" and "Oh... well, when are you going to try for the girl?" And if it's a girl I'd be fed a steady diet of "I know you hate guns, but you're gonna need one before she starts dating." Either way, boy or girl, I hate that crap. It's boring, played out, and often insulting. Not finding out the sex cuts off this avenue of discussion completely. 

This is just a weird statement (and "moronically babble on" is a bit dramatic). If him and his wife did find out they were having another boy, the "Oh man, MJ is gonna be so outnumbered," isn't a stereotype; it's a definite fact. When people told Jordan he was going to need to get a gun when they found out we were having a girl, it was jokingly meant to be a compliment. And doesn't everyone love compliments?? Evidently no. He says he "hates that crap" because "it's boring, played out, and often insulting." I feel like maybe he was a Bitter Betty when he wrote the article.

5. Cuts Down on Disappointment -- Sure you might be hoping for a boy or a girl, and the common argument is if you find out at 18 weeks then you get the disappointment out of the way, and have time to wrap your head around it. But I disagree. Even if you were hoping for a girl, but get a boy, and you don't find out until he/she arrives, you're too blown away by what just happened and caught up in the joy of the moment to give a shit whether you got what you wanted. You're just thankful for the new life you're holding in your hands. Same goes for relatives. It's a lot more difficult for your mother-in-law to express her disappointment when you hand her her brand new grandchild. 

I whole-heartedly disagree with this. I told Jordan maybe we could wait to find out the sex of Baby #2, and he vehemently shook his head no because if it's another girl he knows he has about 20 weeks to finish the basement for his man cave. ;-) But in all seriousness, regardless of whether you find out right away or wait until delivery, majority of parents have that 0.00001% ounce of happiness or disappointment -- just no one admits it because they'll feel like a terrible human being. And the truth of the matter is that all you really and truly care about is having a healthy baby, so he's right -- you're too blown away by what just happened and caught up in the joy of the moment to give a shit whether you got what you wanted or not but that's regardless of whether you found out the sex beforehand. I bet this guy might've been whistling a different tune had his wife delivered two daughters...

4. Added Motivation in the Delivery Room -- This one is mainly for the ladies. I've heard from reliable sources that childbirth is pretty painful stuff as you're trying to squeeze a large object out a much smaller opening. But my wife told me she kept pushing steadily through the pain in large part because she was so motivated to finally find out the sex of the baby. Who knows, that ounce of added motivation just might be the thing that gets you geared up for that final tough push. 

This "reason" was actually why I felt so indignant compelled to even comment on this article. Added motivation?!?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME, DUDE? Let's have you try squeezing a bowling ball through your manhood and see if you need any "added motivation" to push. Maybe his wife said she kept pushing because she was so motivated to find out the sex, but with 100% certainty the reason I kept steadily pushing through the pain is because having a watermelon lodged in your lady parts SUCKS. "That ounce of added motivation just might be the thing that gets you geared up for that final tough push." Man, you have NO idea...

3. No Pink or Blue -- If you have a boy, people will buy you a ton of blue shit with footballs and baseballs on them. If you have a girl, I guarantee you it will look like Barbie and the Pink Panther butchered each other, and your nursery now runs pink with their blood. And if you're anything like me, you hate the idea of being pigeonholed. By not finding out the sex, you effectively force people to think at least a little bit outside the box and consider things that are gender neutral. Lots of greens, yellows, and reds -- all absent the gender stereotypes parents like myself and MJ are trying to move away from in general. 

Um, first our nursery runs pink with AWESOMENESS, so shut it. Secondly, if getting a blue blanket with a football on it is being "pigeonholed," then I guess yes, you are being pigeonholed when you know the sex. But if you don't find out, aren't you then being pigeonholed to a bunch of gray or yellow things with elephants on them? And couldn't you think outside the box and consider things of greens, yellows and reds even if you knew the sex of your baby?? Before I decided on pink walls for Sydney's nursery, I was pretty close to painting them navy blue. I digress... He says him and his wife are trying to move away from gender stereotypes in general, which is awesome and I truly do applaud, but sometimes stereotypes are not necessarily such a bad thing. He wrote a cool article about raising feminist sons, and in the post he states he was raised to hold doors open for women (and men), to pay for dinner on a date with no expectations, and to always make sure a woman gets to her door/car safe and sound. He says they are just polite actions but also says according to many feminists his good manners are only good manners to him and not respecting the difference of opinion about good manners is bad manners. Well, I don't know about all that, but playing Devil's Advocate to him, aren't all those "polite actions" he was raised to do just reinforcing gender stereotypes? I would say yes, but I would also say reinforcing those gender stereotypes aren't necessarily a bad thing. If we have a son, I will most definitely raise him to hold doors open for his sister and mama -- not because I'm misogynistic but because I believe that shows respect.

2. It Pisses People Off -- I've written about this before but it bears repeating. Some people -- especially the control freaks, Type As, and rabid planners out there -- need as much information as possible at all times. And I've discovered they don't just need it for themselves, they need other people to have it too. I'm serious. I've talked to people who literally get hives when we tell them we're waiting, because the mere thought of not knowing drives them into a panic. We've even had people tell us we are wrong and that we're ridiculous for not finding out. Making people uncomfortable and bucking societal norms is basically a part-time job for me, so the contrarian in me revels in their obvious discomfort. Try it, I highly recommend it. 

I will say it again -- this is weird. Who are these people this guy surrounds himself with?!? When our friends have told us they're going to wait, it's so exciting and fun. Sure, I'm willing to bet those friends have gotten the same reactions from people this guy and his wife had gotten -- but they're the same people who have the same audacity to say, "Oh my gosh, you're HUGE! You're so big. I can't believe you're only 20 weeks! You're going to have a monstrous baby." (Yes, this was seriously told to me.) Those people--otherwise known as ignorant randoms--are people you have to learn to brush off and forget. People will say the damnedest things (myself and my mother included), and most of the time don't realize how rude or inconsiderate they're being; just let it go, man. And for the record, making people uncomfortable sounds like an awful part-time job. Stick to blogging.

1. It's a Surprise Like No Other -- Some people will say it's a surprise no matter when you find out. That's true, it is. But for me, there has never been a happier, more exciting, cooler surprise than jockeying for position in the delivery room to see whether I had a son or a daughter. It's already such a magical moment watching new life enter the world, and the fact that I'm finding out for the first time whether I have a new son or daughter just magnifies the moment exponentially. Then you get to announce it to friends and relatives dying to know and celebrate with you. There is nothing that's equaled that feeling in my life, and if we ever have a third there's no way we're finding out ahead of time. 

He's got me there. I have heard from so many friends it's the coolest experience in the whole world and seeing their partner's faces was one of their favorite memories. When we found out Sydney was a girl, it's actually somewhat of a bittersweet memory for me because the ultrasound tech was so...I don't know -- robotic about it? She was like, "Well, look here -- what do you guys think? Congrats!" And both Jordan and I kind of looked at each other like, "Uhh...do you know?" and felt a little stupid for not knowing right away. Jordan hesitantly guessed girl because he's always thought girl from day one, but I had no idea what I was even looking for (kind of felt like Rachel from Friends). So that's how we found out. There was no fun reveal, no crazy reactions...I think we both felt a little cheapened out of the whole experience of finding out your baby's gender. Also, now after seeing a baby boy ultrasound pic, we feel even more stupid for not knowing because there's not a lot of room for error when it's a boy.

Of course, all of this advice is moot since I was 100 percent sure we were having boys both times. I knew because MJ carried low.

Whatever, dude. I carried suuuuper low and we had a GIRL. Boom.

Anyway, I guess the whole reason why this article bothered me was because to me it felt ridden with lecture and judgment to other parents who had made the decision to find out the sex of their baby. He said him and his wife stand behind their decision 100% -- great. My husband and I stand behind our decision 100%. Why make people feel there's a right or wrong answer to such a personal and exciting decision? There's a movement out there called "End the Mommy Wars"; basically it's a virtual movement to stop moms making other moms feel inadequate due to how they're choosing to raise their child. Perhaps the movement should change its name to "End the Parent Wars" now?

Again, let me be very clear that I actually wish I had the patience to wait it out. Even now I get so dang excited for pregnant mamas when they don't know -- it's one of life's biggest and best surprises! I cut myself down for a bit during my pregnancy and kept asking myself why I couldn't be more patient and why I had to find out. I ultimately realized that wanting to find out wasn't the equivalent to being a bad mom; it just made me who I am, which is totally okay. I, by all means, am NOT criticizing parents who chose to wait; in fact, it's the total opposite and I admire you and envy the experience you had or are about to have. I am, however, wondering where this guy got off shaming people about such a personal choice.

Anyway, either way you choose, remember this: you're golden. Just like there are pros and cons to every decision, there are pros and cons to knowing or waiting. You know what's best for yourself and your family, and that's all that matters.

What about you -- did you find out or wait, and why?

Weekend

Lately we've been trying to soak in as much of a 'free' weekend as we can because starting in September, we've got something going on every weekend for a couple of months -- and then it's winter, which means going up to the mountains on the weekends!

Friday night we babysat our friends' three-year-old son Talon overnight, and we got to sample life as it would (will?) be with two kids. Thankfully the night wasn't a total shitshow, solidifying Sydney's chance of being a big sister somewhere down the road, and taking care of two vs. one was surprisingly much easier than I thought. It helped that Talon is such a good kid and we absolutely adore him, and he was so helpful with taking care of "Baby Sydney" (as he always affectionately calls her). We also finger-painted, ate mac and cheese, played with toy motorcycles and cars (a far cry from Sydney's fantasy castle plush unicorns), and read books (a far cry from our Friday nights a couple of years ago).

We made a little wall decor for his baby brother's nursery!

The rest of the weekend was spent trying to recover from both pink eye and colds. Sydney somehow got pink eye AGAIN, and I was thisclose to losing my motherf-ing mind. I can't tell you how much I've sterilized, cleaned and bleached in the past two weeks...I've done damn near everything but Lysoling her eyeballs, and somehow that shit STILL wasn't dead. Now that pink eye is finally gone (fingers crossed), the poor baby now has a bad chest cold and is coughing and wheezing all day. The good news is that she's a trooper and hasn't let any disgusting eye infection or smoker's lung affect her ability to be cute and happy.

Scalloped Eyelet Top (similar) // Camo Leggings // Pink Headband // Moccassin Booties

Jordan, who steadfastly remains in perfect health at all times, found time to make a new entryway table, and it looks AWESOME. Here are some sneak peaks...

I'll post the finished product when I'm done styling the entryway. Let's just say, he's done such a good job, I'm (still) trying to convince him to quit his job and open an Etsy shop with me.

Hope you all had lovely weekends!

New Year's in August

We have Christmas in July...so why not New Year's in August?

I'm pretty sure I just made this up but my resolution last New Year's was to make it out alive during Sydney's birth, so I feel I need to make some now. Without further ado, here are my August New Year's Resolutions:

1. Start taking advantage of and using my creativity. Ever since I was a little girl, I've always loved using my imagination and creating things. I was never the child that just sat in front of a TV; I always had to be doing something else like coloring or drawing. (I'm still like that today - ask Jordan when the last time I watched a TV show or movie and wasn't doing something else.) Over the years, especially with the growing popularity of websites like Etsy and Pinterest, I've found myself saying more and more, "I could easily make that," or "I've always wanted to do that." So why haven't I? Not sure. Maybe it's because we've lived in rentals so I never felt a strong desire to make a space our own, or maybe it's because I didn't really think anyone would appreciate heart-shaped pancakes with heart-shaped sprinkles on top for Valentine's Day. I think the real culprit has been a lack of motivation and effort, but now I have Sydney so I no longer have any excuses -- which brings me to my next resolution...

Image via Chica Chocolatina

2. Try to make each and every day fun for my child(ren). This isn't really a resolution for right now, as every day is an adventure for a six-month-old (I gave her a puff the other day, and it BLEW HER MIND), but more for a couple months down the road. I totally want to be that mom -- the one who makes a big deal out of every holiday, packs her kids' lunches carefully and always with a note, bakes fun cupcakes for their birthdays, etc. I love, love, LOVE holidays, and now that we have a child, I can't wait to experience them through her eyes. Halloween is right around the corner, and if you don't think Halloween decorations have already started making their way out of storage boxes, you're wrong. (Sorry, Jordan. You knew this when you married me.) You are also wrong if you think I haven't already gotten Sydney's Halloween costume.

3. Organize more and stay organized. For those of you who've had the pleasure to work with me, you know how neurotic I am about being organized. I have multiple planners each packed with coordinating highlighted events and meetings, countless lists of things to-do, goals to achieve and correspondences to make, folders upon sub-folders upon sub-folders both on my computer and in file cabinets...I'm totally OCD-crazy-organized at work. (And I'm making myself out to sound like a total nut.) At home? Different story. I mean, our house is definitely organized and clean, but I have so many more projects in mind and closets to organize that I haven't gotten to, and I'm finally putting my foot down for results. I will need to heavily rely on Jordan to make sure I don't go overboard. Pretty sure we don't need folders and sub-folders of hand soaps.

4. Cook and bake more. I really love cooking and baking. I used to say that if I could have one talent, I wish I could sing, but now I wish I had the natural ability to cook. (That seems stupid, but watch MasterChef--my FAVORITE show--and you'll know what I'm talking about.) However, with nearly an hour commute on top of being pregnant and then taking care of a baby on maternity leave, my cooking and baking skills have rarely been utilized in the past year...until now. Now that I'm mostly working from home, I have no more excuses and need to get both literally and figuratively back in the kitchen. Cooking and baking for our family make me happy (I'm like a '50s housewife), so I'm sorry, Papa Murphy's...looks like we may be breaking up. Besides, I want Syd to be able to brag to her friends, "My mom makes the best chocolate chip cookies ever!"

Image (and recipe) via Neiman Marcus

5. Start managing my time more efficiently and effectively. I am used to always (ALWAYS) be late for things. I joke that I'm 12 minutes behind the rest of the world and had kind of come to believe it to be true. Once Sydney was born I knew getting us ready and out the door would be a complete shitshow, so I would over-estimate by about 30-45 minutes -- and suddenly I stopped being late to things. Dare I say I'm usually early to things now?? The funny thing is I actually hate being late (which I realize is irony in its purest form); it stresses me out and makes me uber-crabby, and every time I'm running late I keep asking WHY do I do this to myself?!? I also often say there aren't enough hours in the day, and sometimes there just aren't--I know you can all agree with that at times--but I think if I managed my time better, stop procrastinating and started just doing things, (Jordan and) I will be much happier. Speaking of Jordan, we are total opposites when it comes to this -- when he's got a long list of things to do, he just starts jumps right in and starts getting them done. But when I've got a long list, I feel paralyzed and end up dicking around. Like when we were moving into our house, I was so overwhelmed with things we needed to do that I decided it was the perfect time for me to read the entire trilogy of 50 Shades of Grey. I thought Jordan was going to murder me. P.S. Is it just me or is Jamie Dornan not hot enough to play Christian Grey?



He kind of reminds me of that angry little drummer kid from Love, Actually.

What about you? Any resolutions you'd like to edit, change or maybe even start? Maybe New Year's in August will catch on...

Our Weekend

Last week was a little bit crazier than usual, as our sweet little doll somehow scored pink eye -- in both eyes. Of course it didn't happen all at once, so twice someone had to go pick her up from daycare and twice that someone also had to take care of her at home the following days while trying to work. A little chaotic, but actually Sydney did so well at home, and we surprisingly fell back into our old maternity leave-routine in a snap with scheduled playtime and naps. (She does nap at daycare, but a schedule of any sorts is non-existent.) Those couple of days made me think I could probably pull her from daycare and keep her at home with me and still work, but I gained another account on Friday so that thought went out the door. Moms who work from home with their children at home -- any pros/cons to share?

Hanging out with her toys and a mirror

(Excuse the mess -- we're re-decorating our office)

Despite our pink eye woes during the week, Sydney's eyes finally cleared up and we ended up having a lovely weekend. We went to the county fair and rodeo with some friends and their son on Friday night, we had Sydney's six month photo shoot the next morning and then had dinner with one of Jordan's co-workers, his wife and their two darling girls Saturday night. Sunday was spent running errands, cleaning, laundry, etc. etc. etc.

Sydney on top of her rodeo fashion

Denim Overall Dress (Baby Gap - sold out, similar here) // White Ruffled Sleeve Bodysuit (Baby Gap - sold out, similar here) // Pink Headband // Pink Cowgirl Boots (Uncle Mac bought these as a gift directly from Nashville -- but I found them here!) // Baby Banz Ear Muffs

Not sure how these are going to turn out being that she didn't smile AT ALL

White & Purple "Wish" Tank // Purple Sparkly Tutu (I made it!) // Purple Sparkly Headband (I made it!)

White Eyelet Dress (Baby Gap - sold out, but a similar top here) // Moccasin Booties // Floral Headband (photographer's)

Hope you all had wonderful weekends! I'm busy preparing for my favorite time of year - FALL! Can.not. WAIT!

Month One Favorites

To follow up my list of favorite items during the newborn stage, I thought I'd start making posts of my favorite items at all the baby stages - partly to help out new mamas and, not going to lie, partly to help jog my memory come Baby Anderson #2 (not happening anytime soon).

1. Animal Alphabet Thank You Cards - People LOVE giving baby gifts. I don't know if it's because buying baby items is so fun (everything's so little!) or if it's because fellow parents realize how much work (and money) it is to have a baby, but regardless, mamas-to-be and new mamas, prepare to get spoiled. I bought bulk baby thank you cards for my baby shower and realized how convenient they were to have laying around the house, as we received countless gifts even after my shower. Heck, six months later, we're still receiving gifts for little Syd! And if there's one thing my own mom raised me to do is to ALWAYS SEND THANK YOU CARDS. (People who know my mom are definitely laughing right now.)

2. Carters Microfleece Sleepers - Okay, I will fully admit to sometimes over-dressing Sydney. I mean, do you know how many adorable clothes and accessories there are out there for girls?? It's so hard not to -- let's be honest, every day she goes to daycare in like a five-piece ensemble. But when she was a newborn baby, I let her be a newborn baby. I never dressed her in anything that wasn't soft, comfortable and easy-to-wear. I was a new mom and she was this tiny, fragile living doll, and I wanted her to be as comfortable as possible. These sleepers were my everyday and every night go-tos because they're soft, easy to put on and super affordable.

3. Keekaroo Peanut Changer and Munchkin Waterproof Changing Pad Liners - These two go hand-in-hand (at least in my book). The peanut changer was fairly new to the baby scene when I got pregnant, and a bunch of my girlfriends who had recently had babies RAVED about them. I was initially skeptical because they weren't that cute, they didn't have many color choices, and were they really THAT much better than a regular changing pad? I finally caved after hearing how these moms couldn't live life without theirs, and now I totally agree. We didn't change Sydney on the changing table very much when she was a newborn (she was so tiny!), but after about a month we started using it and have never looked back. Simply put, moms love this changer because it's so dang easy to clean. The only negative feedback I read was that it can sometimes be cold on your baby's skin, so we got Munchkin Waterproof Changing Pad Liners, and they work like a charm. Plus, they're pretty inexpensive and easy to clean up as well.

4. iBaby Feed Timer App - This app is AWESOME. I initially registered for some baby feed/sleep handheld electronic thing, and I'm so glad a girlfriend told me I wouldn't need it because I can't imagine lugging something else around just to keep track of her eating/sleeping/diaper schedule. This app has it all - it monitors how long you breastfeed, tracks how many ounces of bottles you give, measures how long between feedings, etc. You can also log your baby's dirty diapers, sleep patterns, solid foods intake and even your pumping schedule. The best part is that it analyzes the data for you, so when your pediatrician asks how long she's nursing on each breast and how long between feedings, you can give your answer with confidence. :-)

UPDATE: Apparently it's only for iPhones and iPads...womp womp. Sorry, Android and Tablet users!

5. Carters Sherpa Hooded Bunting - With Sydney's due date at the beginning of February, I knew a bunting would be a must-have but couldn't make up my mind which one I wanted to get (shocker). One day we were browsing through Carters and suddenly my husband walked up to me with a little pink bear suit in his hand. He so matter-of-factly picked out a snowsuit to bring her home in, and I couldn't bear to tell him I was already leaning towards a few others. It was so tiny and adorable in his hand, and he was so proud of himself! And you know what? It was the least expensive option, and Sydney loved it. She stayed cozy and warm in the suit and always slept SO WELL when she had it on. Because Syd stayed pretty small and because winter in Colorado lasted a little longer, she actually wore it home from the hospital and all the way through three months. Did I mention it's super adorable?? I mean, look. She was a little stuffed animal.

SEE?!?

6. Babyganics Foaming Hand Sanitizer - These are everywhere in our house (still). Baby is in its first month alive - need I say more? Actually, I have a love-hate relationship with this hand sanitizer. I love it because it's non-toxic and totally safe to use to immediately handle your baby right after, but a major con to me is that because it's so safe and non-toxic, it doesn't contain any alcohol (which is what makes your hands dry so quick after applying). So, it's a little wet and you kind of feel like you have to dry your hands off on a towel, but don't worry - you'll get used to it fast because you'll use this all. the. time.

7. Bubba Envy Tumbler - I'm sure you're sick of hearing your doctor and nurses tell you to drink water by now, but honestly I can't emphasize enough how major drinking water plays in maintaining your milk supply (if you're breastfeeding!). Drinking water used to be such a chore for me; I would always forget, and when I would remember, I would always want something else to drink. I started swelling in my 37th week and suddenly I became psychotic with drinking water to try and keep the swelling down. I've always been like the little girl in the movie "Signs" that leaves glasses of water all over the house, and finally it started paying off with my new water addiction. But that wasn't enough, so I started chugging 2-3 glasses of water right when I woke up in the morning so I could get a good head start on the day; before I drove anywhere (anywhere - even for the five minute drive to the grocery store), I would stock my car with at least three bottles of water; I started using big plastic tumblers to drink out of...until that came to a screeching halt when I spilled my entire glass all over my nightstand four of five nights in a row. So I finally bought the Bubba tumbler, which I had heard about before, and I loved it. Finally - a big glass for my water that kept it cold without condensation dripping everywhere, it was pink and cute, and I liked the straw. And, it didn't spill when I knocked it over.

8. Johnson's Baby Hand & Face Wipes - These are pretty great. They're soft and gentle on your baby's face and so handy to have in your diaper bag, on your changing table, in the kitchen, etc. I bought these on a whim during a weekly routine Target visit in the weeks leading up to Syd's arrival, and I kind of thought maybe it was something I should put back because they were probably going to go unused... WRONG. We used these (and still use these) all the time - for Sydney's dried milk mustaches, when she would spill down her neck, etc.

9. Gerber Long-Sleeve Side-Snap Bodysuits - When I finally decided to change Sydney out of her pajamas, I still wanted something comfortable to put her in. I liked these Gerber bodysuits because they fit well and didn't have a lot of extra material, but I especially liked them because of their side-snap feature (helps keep the belly button free of irritation), easy to put on and the built-in 'mittens'.

10. Medela Quick Clean Micro-Steam Bags - THESE THINGS WERE LIFESAVERS. As I've mentioned before, I don't like a lot of clutter, especially on my countertops, so while I originally registered for a sterilizer, I'm glad I didn't get one because it would've meant one more item I would've had to leave out on our counters. Anyway, yes, you can sterilize the old fashioned way by boiling water--and we did sometimes when we had lot of bottles built up--but for the most part, I didn't have time to wait for a huge pot of water to boil. These sterilizing bags changed everything for us; all you do is fill the bag up with whatever you need to sterilize (bottles, nipples, pump parts, pacifiers, etc.), fill the bag with two ounces of water, pop the bag in the microwave for 1.5-3 minutes, and voila! You're done. Amazing.

Hope you enjoyed!

End note: Please know my month-by-month favorites usually don't include baby staples like crib, car seat, stroller, etc., nor are any of these posts sponsored. These are just the items we found to be especially helpful during those times and wanted to share. :-)

Newborn Favorites

I'm clearly, by all means, NOT a baby expert; however, I've been getting some questions lately about my favorite baby products, so I thought it may be helpful to new mamas to round out a brief list. In no particular order, here are my favorite newborn items I found to really like and/or be extremely helpful with Sydney.

1. First Impressions Dot Blanket - I received this blanket as a gift from my baby shower, and it is the softest blanket I've ever felt. It's so warm and cozy that it was an easy choice to bring with to the hospital, and it's now Sydney's favorite blanket, hands-down. Even now at six months, I can wrap her in the blanket and she'll nuzzle in and fall asleep within minutes. The most ironic part of this gift is that I didn't have it on my registry, and the woman who gave it to me asked my mom for permission to go off the registry before purchasing. Well done, Ms. Christensen!

2. Philips Avent Soothie Pacifiers - The rumors are true; these pacifiers are the shit. For whatever reason, babies seem to gravitate towards these guys and Sydney was no different. We especially liked how you can put your finger in the nook, so it was like she was sucking on our fingers (but without the germs). :-)

3. Pottery Barn Nursery Snow Leopard Bath Wrap - We didn't give Sydney that many baths when she was a newborn, but when we did I always wrapped her in this particular bath wrap because it was so soft and cuddly (not to mention adorable). Sydney HATED getting out of the bath because of the cool air, but she always calmed down immediately once we wrapped her in this. Six months later, she still loves it.

4. aden + anais Bamboo Burpy Bib - I stocked up on burp cloths prior to Sydney's arrival thanks to my sister-in-law's advice, and I got all different kinds, sizes, brands, etc. The majority of burp cloths I got were aden + anais partly because I had heard such rave reviews and partly because I thought they were the cutest. Luckily, they turned out to be one of my favorite baby items of all, especially the bamboo ones. Because of their quality, they lay flat and the ends don't curl up like the Gerber and Carters ones from Target, and because of the snaps built into the design, they double as a bib, making your diaper bag just a tiny less heavy (hey, it all adds up). They're lightweight, super soft and big (I'm not a fan of the small burp cloths - what's the point?).

5. Burt's Bees Baby Bee Calming Lotion - Confession time: I chose to go with Burt's Bees products solely because they smelled the best. I mean, I did all the research, but simply put all the baby-specified hygiene brands (Burt's Bees Baby Bee, Johnson & Johnson Baby, Aveeno Baby, The Honest Company, etc.) are pretty great and come highly recommended. I knew I didn't want to do anything too organic or natural (aka expensive) because I kind of had a hunch this kid wouldn't have uber-sensitive skin and would do alright with the mainstream brands - and I was right: Sydney was perfectly fine with her Burt's Bees. She's also perfectly fine with Johnson & Johnson, California Baby, Aveeno Baby and The Honest Company, so why go with the most expensive? Anyway, Burt's Bees Calming Shampoo & Body Wash and Lotion smell SO GOOD, and I feel like the scent stays with Syd longer than the other brands (which is important when she's just had an extremely dirty diaper).

6. Boon Lawn Countertop Drying Rack - Even before I got pregnant I knew I was going to get this (kind of like the Bumbo chair, ha!) because it's so cute, but to be honest, the other drying racks are just ugly (are you noticing a trend here?). I'm not a fan of clutter (I know, some of my pictures speak the complete opposite...), so I felt if I had to leave something on my counter for her bottles to dry, it might as well be cute, right? Plus, you can get all these accessories for it like a flower, twig, butterfly, etc. We opted to go with the Lawn rather than the Grass because of its size (Lawn is bigger) because when you need to wash this many bottles/pump parts/nipples, etc., you'll be glad you splurged for the bigger size.

Ugh.

We actually ended up getting a Grass in addition to the Lawn because...well...

7. Gilligan & O'Malley for Target Nursing Bra & Cami - I made the (major) mistake of not getting ANY nursing bras or tank tops prior to Sydney's arrival. I have no idea what I was thinking (or not thinking apparently), but I was in a real bind come February 4th when I was let out from the hospital and it was no longer acceptable to wear just a robe all day. Gilligan & O'Malley for Target came highly recommended from a few girlfriends who advised me not to waste money on expensive nursing apparel until I had a better understanding of my needs - GREAT advice. Turns out these nursing bras were the only bras I needed; they're soft, comfortable and easy to 'use.' The nursing cami is also great; I was getting frustrated because for the longest time I only found nursing tanks that were super tight and fitted (and hello, who wants to wear spandex right after you've given birth?), so when I discovered these, I can't even tell you how happy I was.

8. Baby Gap Favorite Knot Hat - Sydney was born in the middle of winter in Colorado, so hats were a staple in her newborn wardrobe. We loved the hats from Baby Gap because they were so--you guessed it--soft and easy to slip on her tiny head. There are very few pictures of Sydney's first couple of weeks without her wearing a hat. :-)

9. Boppy Newborn Lounger - I'm probably alone in saying this, but I found the Boppy pillow to be fairly useless. We (I) never used ours, and it just took up space in our living room. The Boppy Lounger, however...that was a different story. I didn't even know these things existed until our friends gifted us with one, and just as I can't imagine a life without Chipotle or coffee & Baileys, I can't imagine a life with a newborn without the Boppy Lounger. We used it all. the. time.

Sydney resting on her Boppy Lounger, getting her first taste of bitter disappointment watching the Broncos blow the Super Bowl

10. Halo SleepSack Microfleece Swaddle - This was another gift that I can't imagine life with a newborn without. Sydney broke free of all her blanket swaddles and would wake herself up by waving her arms around, so I quickly gave up swaddling her with blankets and turned to this fuzzy contraption. This thing is AMAZING. Thanks to this cozy, warm little straight jacket, Jordan and I have had one, maybe two, sleepless nights since she's been born (yes, seriously). That's not to say Sydney didn't try and fight us a few times when we were putting it on, but once it was, she immediately quieted down and was out like a light.

Hope this list is helpful for all the new mamas out there! I'll post more of our favorites later as well. :-)

Favorites can also be found here.

6 months!

Six months. Really?? Half of me is so excited because watching Sydney grow, learn and develop every day is so rewarding, and as cliche and corny as it sounds, it really is fun to view the world through her eyes. And the other half of me is so sad because omg, where did my tiny baby go??

Actually, our tiny baby is still right here. Syd had her six month checkup last Thursday, and she's a PEANUT. Her measurements are:

• Height: 22.25" (height percentile: 22%)
• Weight: 15 lbs, 0.08 oz (weight percentile: 28%)
• Head circumference: 41.4 cm (head percentile: 25%)

Our pediatrician said she's perfectly healthy, though, and she may just be a smaller baby. While that's all fine and dandy, Sydney's feet have barely grown since she was born - c'mon, kid! You have a closet full of shoes just waiting to be worn! ;-)

Sydney received four more shots of vaccinations, and she took them like a champ. She didn't cry until the last shot, and she only cried for a few minutes. Proud mama? You bet your ass I am.

At six months, Sydney...

• Still eats 5-6 times per day (bottles or breastfed), but is now getting solids twice a day as well
• Prefers to hold her own bottle (also prefers to hold her own spoon, but that ain't happening anytime soon)
• Loves sitting in front of the mirror
• Is starting to wave a little more and even 'high five' at times
• Says "mama" and is actually starting to know what it means(!!!! heart. explosion.)
• Has gotten two teeth! Her bottom two teeth have cut through, and--knock on wood--her teething wasn't bad at all.
• Is desperately trying to army crawl...except that her arms can't really lift her belly quite yet
• Finally wears size 2 diapers like a big girl
• Still wears some 3 month clothes, but for the most part is in 3-6 and 6 month now
• Is still bald but has amazing lashes
• Receives about one million kisses each day from mommy and daddy
• Currently has pink eye (PERFECT)

My sweet baby, I cannot believe you've already been here for half a year. You and your father are the absolute loves of my life, and every single day I fall more in love with you, your little sounds, your giggles and even your shrieks (your dirty diapers I could do without). You are already so smart, and I can't wait to see what you get into next (like the box of Kleenex I see you've started manhandling). I love you so much, little girl!! Happy half-birthday, Sydney!

Kennedy's First Birthday

Our sweet adorable niece Kennedy turned one on July 26th, so we made the trek back to Minnesota to help celebrate. Sydney once again did awesome on the plane, which means a) those treat bags are now a waste of money; and b) we've got a little traveler on our hands. :-)

Going back to MN is always a whirlwind, to say the least. We actually get back fairly often, but it's tough because we try and see all our family and all our friends every visit - which clearly does not work out too well. We usually end up exhausted or sick (or both) by the time we're on our way home, so after this last visit which resulted in both Sydney and me sleep-deprived and sick,  we decided we need to re-evaluate our trips back to MN and learn to accept we can't make everyone happy. Eek.

Nevertheless, the trip was a blast, and it was so wonderful to see everyone again. Kennedy's birthday party was darling, and it was so much fun to see how much she's grown and changed. She's the absolute sweetest baby (except when she's bonking her cousin's little head, lol), and we love her so much! Happy, happy first birthday, sweet girl...your Uncle Jordan and I hope you had the best day! We love you!!!

Already doing the 'girl pose' (leaning back, hand on hip). Jordan, we may be in trouble...

Giggles with Grandma Judy

Took a trip to the MN Zoo and watched a tiger shit in a pond

Our little chicken

Dad and Sydney monkeying around

Sydney meets Hudson!!

The absolute sweetest little (big) baby ever. Bones & Brit, he's PRECIOUS beyond words. #obsessed

Morning laughs with Grandpa Bill

Early bird dinner Date night with Anne & Nick

Having fun with Grandpa Greg

Hanging out with Great Grandpa & Great Grandma Freiberg

The birthday girl!!

Kisses to my sweet Kennedy (love that serious face - cracks me up!!)

Hanging out with Uncle Kyle

Kennedy opening our presents

Happy birthday, little lady!!

Kennedy and her two cousins, Sydney & Evelyn

Cousins!

Caught this moment between Syd and her Uncle Mac...isn't it so sweet??

Brunching with Lindsey

Hanging out with Anne

Plane ride home...sweet baby girl

Finally home. Sydney's a little grumpy.