{Addison Lynne: 4 Months}

I am sorry for the absence on here-- I have returned to work full time, and it has been........a transition. I am still trying to breastfeed (pumping during school which has been an interesting journey haha), and I try to get as much work done at school as I can so that I can spend time with Addison when we get home. My mantra these past couple of weeks: quality not quantity. I do feel guilty about leaving her the whole day, but I also love my job. It is such a catch-22-- BUT luckily I will be with my little cutie in 11 short weeks for summer vacation! 

 I am not sure how frequent I will be able to blog in the next few months (I am CRAZY BUSY!) but I will certainly try keep you all updated on a weekly basis :) You can always check out my Instagram for the day to day shenanigans!  

Onto the main part of the post--- Addison is 4 months old!! I honestly can't get enough of this little cutie-- I am totally biased though ;)

 

  

Likes

She loves getting her diaper changed, taking a bath, looking at her daddy and falling asleep on her daddy, giving wet and slobbery kisses, spending time in her vibrating swing, and laying on her playmat. She still prefers to be held, and loves to cuddle in the sweetest possible way. She loves to talk and interact with people-- and has the cutest little smile and giggle. She still prefers sucking her thumb (or her hands haha) over a pacifier, but she will take her pacifier at night when we put her to bed. 

She absolutely LOVES the classic Disney radio station on Pandora (Score! haha)-- and has even started to "sing" with the songs. She is starting to chew on her teething rings-- but honestly prefers my fingers haha.

While she still isn't a huge fan of tummy time, she is pretty proud of herself when she can roll onto her side :) 

She still loves car rides and white noise-- thank goodness! 

Dislikes

As expected, she is not a huge fan of us inserting or removing her contact. She has also tried to pull off her patch quite a few times haha. 

She has been a stubborn little one the last few weeks with regards to her feedings. She has been on what my mom likes to call a "hunger strike"-- she  barely ate any of her bottles while at the babysitter. She would then proceed to eat every hour from the time I brought her home until bedtime. It was exhausting. We also decided to transition her to her crib right around the same time I went back to work ( maybe not the best decision haha). Sleep has been inconsistent for all of us :)

Sleeping

Sleep has been inconsistent. We have transitioned Addison to her crib, and she sleeps about 5-6 hours at a time. No matter if we put her to bed at 9 or 10, she has been falling asleep at 11. We need to figure out a bedtime routine-- maybe read a book? Sing a song? Suggestions?

The past few weeks she has slept a lot while at the babysitters, but I think we are finally getting her on a schedule. I blame myself-- when I was home with her I didn't really schedule her sleep. I just went with the flow-- and thinking back-- I probably should have gotten her on a "flexible" schedule. Ah well-- live and learn :)

Eating

The past few weeks have been tough. I am still breastfeeding her in the morning and at night-- but otherwise she is feeding from bottles throughout the day. It has been a rough couple of weeks-- Addison hasn't fed that well at the babysitters. I ended up buying new bottles-- about five different kinds --to try out. Fingers crossed, it seems like  Tommy Tipees are the winner for now haha. 

Playing

Addison LOVES to play on the floor. Honestly, all we have to do is put a blanket on the floor and she is a happy girl. She also loves her swing and rock-in-play. We can't wait to get her a bouncer and walker-- I think she is going be a little one who loves to be on the move! 

Firsts/ Major Changes

We think she is about 12 pounds (we go to the doctor on Wednesday for her 4 month old check-up)

She has started to roll on her side and is almost pushing herself all the way over 

She is really starting to focus well with her contact (finally!)-- although she is in HEAVEN when we take off the patch at night :)

She has really started to "talk" this month-- I have a feeling that once she starts talking she won't stop! 

She goes to sleep in her crib now-- this mommy is still sad about that 

Started getting 3 parts breastmilk to 1 part formula and is liking it! 

I think that's about it for now-- I will keep you all posted on the happenings each week. Time is precious and although I love blogging, spending time with my little one is definitely one of my top priorities right now :)

Friday Link-Ups!

Today, I am linking up with Momfessionals, A Little Bit of Everything, and Grace and Love for Friday Favorites, and A. Liz Adventures, Carolina Charm, Hello! Happiness, and The Good Life for 5 on Friday. 

I am also linking up with Meet At the Barre for Friday Favorites and The Farmer's Wife for Oh,Hey Friday!

This was my last full week of maternity leave and let me tell you, I have been soaking in the moments. I'm ready to go back-- but, of course I already counted how many weeks until our April vacation-- about 6 1/2 haha. 

FAVORITE ONE:

I've been lucky to be home this long, but not many mothers have that opportunity.  If you are on the fence about paid maternity leave, watch one of my favorite Ted Talks below. It is eye-opening, heart-wrenching, and Jessica Shortall does a wonderful job of really explaining the issues surrounding maternity leave. 

FAVORITE TWO:

 I FINALLY got to see the Ice Castles in Lincoln, NH with my husband and Addison. When we first arrived at the Ice Castles, my husband was a little disappointed. He actually thought that we would be going to a castle :) It made me laugh!  In his defense, I didn't really explain to him what they were-- just that I wanted to see them. Once we stepped inside, however, he was in awe (just as I was!). 

There are other Ice Castle locations around the country (Midway, UT, Eden Prairie, MN), and even one in Canada too (Edmonton, Alberta)-- so if you live around those areas-- check it out next year! 

FAVORITE THREE 

Before heading to the Ice Castles, we went to our favorite place for lunch: The Mount Washington Hotel. We stayed at the hotel for our mini-moon the weekend after our wedding, and it was nothing short of amazing. Bringing Addison to the hotel was really special for us, and even though our visit was short, it was well worth the drive. 

FAVORITE FOUR

Fuller House! I watched all of the episodes in one day-- and I am not ashamed! I am so glad they are coming back for a second season!!

{via}

FAVORITE FIVE 

This video is definitely one of my favorites this week-- I just love my little Addie! 

{Addison Lynne: 3 Months}

This month has brought many changes-- filled with many ups and a few downs. Addison had her very much anticipated eye surgery (you can read about that experience here) and we finally have her contacts (we were supposed to get them a week after her surgery-- and ended up waiting about two weeks to get them). We learned how to put the dang contact in her eye. It has been challenging, but I am hopeful I will figure out a good system soon. I psyche myself out, and it takes me no less than three times to get the contact in and take it out at night. We also have to patch her good eye for most of the day, and I am just hoping that everything goes as planned and she will start seeing out of her left eye. 

Addison also experience her first cold, courtesy of yours truly. I tried so hard to contain my cold, but alas, four days after I started to feel congested, little miss started with a terrible cough. I ended up bringing her in to urgent care just to make sure everything was okay (particularly her breathing), and the doctor was actually impressed that this was her first cold. It made me feel a little better! She and I are finally on the mend, thank goodness, as I am planning my return to work within a week and a half. 

While it has been an interesting month, she has been such a champ through it all. Now, she definitely has had her moments-I call her the happiest, crankiest baby haha. But she has been through so much in these past two months, I can't blame her. 

Likes

She still LOVES her bath, loves to rest on daddy, prefers to suck on her thumb over taking a pacifier (it actually makes her cry more when we give it to her), and loves getting a bath. She is starting to splash and kick her legs in the water- I am excited about bringing her into my grandparent's pool this summer. 

She loves getting kisses, loves listening to music/white noise, loves being in the car (but you best be moving), enjoys her rock-in-play and swing IMMENSELY, and is really starting to coo and smile more. She even giggled a little the other day while I was kissing her nose (well at least I think it was a giggle haha). 

She prefers to be held still vs anything else-- she is the best snuggler right now. When she is cranky, you best be moving-- she only calms down if you walk her around. We don't even try to sit down unless she is in a deep sleep haha she just knows!

Dislikes

Still isn't a huge fan of tummy time, HATES to be cold (especially after her bath), doesn't mind the regular doctor's office, but isn't a huge fan of the eye doctor, dislikes her patch (who wouldn't?), and isn't a happy camper when she wakes up from a nap. 

 

Sleeping

Addison has been sleeping fairly well this past month, although this week was a little tough with her cold. She takes a few naps during the day (I need to figure out her schedule for her sitter haha), and then at night sleeps for about 6-7 hours (I am SO lucky!). 

Eating

I am still exclusively breastfeeding, although the past week, Addison has been taking a bottle a day. She does really well with a bottle-- I have mixed feelings about this haha. On the one hand, it will make the transition easier when I go back to work. On the other hand, I will miss this special time with her. She still goes about 2-2.5 hours in between feedings, but I am trying to work on getting her to consistently feed every 3 hours. It would just make life easier for her babysitters.  

Playing

Addison is such a cutie when we are playing with her on the bed, on the couch, and on her playmat. She has the biggest smiles, and I can't wait until she laughs and giggles more. Since we have to patch her good eye, I am not sure how much she is seeing lately. We are trying to work on her focusing abilities with her left eye, but I know it will take some time. It's as if her brain needs to be re-introduced to that eye. I am hoping that next month, we will have made significant progress with this. 

Firsts/ Major Changes

She had her first surgery this month, and we now have a contact for the left eye. 

She is 10 lbs 7 oz. 

She has started to give us what I like to call "kisses" :)

She giggled for the first time this month. 

She got her first cold this month :(

She has started to "whine" this month-- she really knows how to complain in the cutest way possible. 

As we speak, I have to change a certain someone's diaper, and thankfully that's about it for now! Until next time :) 

Weekending...

 Today (well tonight technically haha), I am linking up with B Loved Boston and Champagne and Suburbs for Weekending... 

{FRIDAY}

- Friday night, my husband and I went out to dinner with my parents and my youngest sister Nicole to Not Your Average Joe's. They have really good bread (not as good as Bertucci's bread haha), and amazing pizza. We had such a good time, and Addison slept the ENTIRE time! 

{SATURDAY}

- Saturday, I woke up feeling terrible. My head was pounding,  my nose was stuffed, and my throat hurt. I hate colds. I hate them. I REALLY didn't want Addison to get my cold, so I washed my hands CONSTANTLY-- I was getting a little OCD about it. 

- We planned on visiting my husband's family in the afternoon (it had been a few weeks since they had seen Addison) and we were supposed to leave our house by 1 pm.  However, a mid-morning nap interfered with these plans (all three of us napped-- and we hadn't set an alarm!). While I thoroughly enjoyed our nap, I had to rush to get ready. I quickly tossed my hair into a messy bun, put a little bit of make-up on, and we were out the door by 2:30. Timing fail haha. 

- We had such a great time visiting with my in-laws and my niece and nephew. They LOVE Addison and it was so cute to watch them interact with her. 

- We got home late Saturday night, and because Addison's feedings had been a little off, I stayed up till 12 to feed her. My husband kept me company and we watched a little bit of Saturday Night Live. It was funny-- but definitely not what it used to be. 

{SUNDAY}

- Sunday morning came early, and I heard Addison stirring at 7 AM and I just wanted a little more time to sleep! I had fed her at about 5 AM and we didn't get back to sleep until 6. Jim ended up taking her downstairs so I could sleep until 8 AM-- it was blissful. 

- We went to church, and Addison was pretty good haha. She was still super loud-- when she is eating, playing and even breathing haha. But at least she didn't have a crying spell where I had to take her out of the church this time! 

- When we got back from church, I snagged these cute pics of the little one: 

- I still wasn't feeling quite right, so before we went to my grandparent's house for dinner, I took a little nap. 

- When I woke up, my daughter was smiling and cooing at my husband and it was perfect.  

- We had dinner at my grandparent's, planned a family trip to Quebec, and then relaxed at home. 

Although I wish I hadn't been sick for most of the weekend, it was still a pretty good weekend. I got to spend time with the people I love the most. 

Friday Favorites-- Etsy Edition

Today, I am linking up with Momfessionals, A Little Bit of Everything, and Grace and Love for Friday Favorites, and A. Liz Adventures, Carolina Charm, Hello! Happiness, and The Good Life for 5 on Friday. 

I am also linking up with Meet At the Barre for Friday Favorites and The Farmer's Wife for Oh,Hey Friday!

I thought it would be fun to share five of my favorite items from Etsy. I love browsing Etsy and choosing unique and personal gift items . I have used Etsy to purchase many gifts-- all of my bridesmaid gifts were found on Etsy and many baby gifts I have given have been purchased through the site.  I also find that shipping costs are reasonable and the items arrive in a timely manner. Seriously, whoever thought of Etsy deserves an award :)

    

 

1. Bar Necklace // 2. Monogram Necklace // 3. Nursing Cover // 4.  Baby Closet Organizers // 5. Baby Name Pillow

1. Bar Necklace:

My cousin and one of my best friends both just had babies (everybody's got baby fever :)) and I wanted to get them something special. I love the idea of meaningful and personalized jewelry, and these bar necklaces from Blushes and Gold are PERFECT! You can choose between silver, gold, and rose gold. You can personalize them however you want-- there are multiple font choices and styles to choose from. The necklaces came in less than a week, and both my cousin and my friend are in love with them. 

2. Monogram Necklace:

This is probably one of my favorite purchases from Etsy...ever... haha. I purchased these monogrammed necklaces for my bridesmaids and my mom and I loved it so much-- I purchased one for myself. This necklace is reasonably priced and is extremely durable. 

3. Nursing Cover:

Last year, I was able to snag a free nursing cover during National Breastfeeding Day (I am not sure that is the exact name for it haha) BUT I was looking to get a new one. I also wanted to get my sister her first pregnancy gift! I wanted to gift her something practical but cute for when the baby comes. The really nice part about this nursing cover is that it has a burp cloth attached at the bottom. So convenient! 

4. Baby Closet Organizers:

My sister is having a boy (yay!) and she has decided to do a nautical theme for the nursery. Once I found these organizers, I just couldn't help myself! I had to get them!  Honestly, I thought organizers were a silly thing-- BUT oh my gosh! Now that I have a baby of my own, I wish I had gotten them!!!!! I had so many people buy me adorable clothes for Addison-- and all different sizes (which was totally awesome and smart). The tough part? Figuring out which clothes are which size in the closet. I spent at least a minute or two trying to remember which clothes are her correct size (for right now). These organizers would have been perfect and because I want to make my sister's life easier, I decided to get her these organizers so she can be prepared. 

5. Baby Name Pillow: 

When my college friend had her first baby, I found this adorable pillow on Etsy. Although my husband and I didn't choose our daughter Addison's name because of what the name meant (literally means Adam's son haha)-- for some, the meaning of the name is really important and special. I think this would be such a nice gift to give new parents-- something they could keep forever. 

I hope you enjoyed this little special Friday Favorites edition! What are your favorite Etsy stores or gifts? I would love to hear about them!