My Darling Days

The Pumpkin Patch | 2021

2021-09-23T15:02:00.004-05:00

Happy Pumpkin Patching!!

If you recall, my 2020 pumpkin patch post was likened to the analogy of a "train-wreck". This year... I should have titled this post "Death By Mosquitos."

No really... look at the zoom in on this pic... you can literally see it biting Viv's forehead.

Offfftttta! Those buggers (ha, pun intended) were fierce this year. They made our annual trip to the pumpkin patch rather brief.

Per usual, we gathered our little loot at Zac's Grandma & Grandpa's coveted patch (though this year we grew a few pumpkins in our garden that I am anxious to pick, too!)

Viv was very much a fan of the patch, despite the blood sucking bugs, and she just wanted to eat everything, naturally.

Ellis was on the quest to find the biggest pumpkin, which he did a darn good job of dropping roughly 1752 times. lol

We're so thankful for the work Grandma & Grandpa put in this patch... it brings so many people in the community such joy.

Cheers to another Fall, y'all!

Previous Pumpkin Patch posts: 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020

Vivienne: One Year Old!

2021-08-09T13:37:00.001-05:00

Vivienne Rose is ONE!!!

Our sunshine & rainbow baby, whom we love so so much. Born in a "pandemic" & testing our patience daily. Her two-teethed smile & sparkly blue eyes will forever make me weak in the knees. Strong-willed and ever curious. She is ONE & becoming so much fun!

Vivienne is finally crawling & is just starting to pull herself up to things. We finally had to lower her crib this past month; she rolls around that thing like a marble. Nothing is safe anymore because Beast Baby is on the move & she will eat anything that comes within reach!

Eat, eat, eat... Vivi loves to eat any and all food. She is the definition of HANGRY, and she prefers to self-feed. She is very interested in using a spoon, but little goes in her mouth. It's fun to watch, but a mega mess to clean. Oh well... that's how she learns. We're officially out of our frozen breastmilk stash, and she's moved on to whole milk. Little stinker will only drink it if it's warmed up though. She takes water out of a sippy cup well, but I'm still giving her a bottle in the morning & a bottle before bed. Even though she eats like a horse, she's still just a petite little peanut weighing in at 18 lbs; she doesn't sit still for a second!

Vivienne continues to have a super HOT temper and throws temper tantrums often, but she's been much more enjoyable to be around this past month. Together we giggle & play & she snuggles now (if even for a hot second), but it just makes my heart flutter. The way she lays her head on my shoulder is my favorite!!

Her two top lateral incisors have poked through, so soon her two-teethed smile will turn into four. I'm sure hoping her top two central incisors are next, otherwise she will be rockin' some fangs, lol. She remains in size 4 diapers & 12 month clothing. She's currently getting over a bout with pink eye, and an unexplained 3 day fever... I swear, all babies are sick on their first Birthday. It's like a right of passage or something.

Her favorite place to be is still outside. She eats grass despite my best efforts to keep it out of her mouth & is just starting to explore with sand. I think she's gonna be that kid who's always dirty... you should see her when she comes home from daycare... she's a complete wreck!

Vivi girl still turns into a pumpkin around 6:30-7:00 pm. She guzzles a bottle & then falls to sleep on her own, like a champ. Her sleep has been pretty good this past month (knock on wood!) She's still an early riser, but she usually sleeps all night, so I will not complain. She is also finally getting into a nap groove, praise the Lord!

She points at things and says "dat!" She can make "more" in sign language. She has been waving bye-bye, blowing kisses, and making "big girl" for a few months now. Her favorite word is "uh oh!" She is very loud & vocal in general, but still doesn't say "momma" for me yet. She does her best to imitate sounds, but doesn't say too many actual words yet. Her newest skill is making an "oh!" face ------->

She loves playing with things where she can take the items out of whatever they are in (and see how big of a mess she can make) i.e. a box of blocks, stacker toys, pulling clean clothes out of the laundry basket. She has become very ticklish, especially on her sides. It's a guaranteed hearty giggle every time. She also likes music & I think will be a dancer (at least I hope!)

Vivienne is still the apple of her brother's eye, but she doesn't always want him around. Ellis is very touchy-feely & always wants to help, but often times she screams when he's touching her. They do have moments of playing together that are really special though... it's basically one of the best things to witness as mom.

Thing I love about Vivienne this month:

- The way she lays her head on my shoulder.

- The morning stretches she does on her changing table.

- Her laugh. It doesn't happen all that often, but she's been giving us good belly laughs more & more.

- Her chubby legs. Girl has junk in her trunk even though she's just a little nugget.

- When I sing & dance, she tries to do a little shimmy shake, too.

- How much of a momma's girl she is, but she also loves her some Grandma Sue!

- The look she gets in her eye once she learns something new... it's like a boost of confidence that you can just feel her radiate.

Happy 1st Birthday, baby girl! We love you to the moon & the stars!

Vivienne: Eleven Months Old

2021-07-13T21:20:00.003-05:00

Our feisty little firecracker is eleven months old!

She's doing this new thing, where she whips herself back, and with great force! She doesn't care what's behind her... when she feels like laying down, she will. And she's starting to tantrum already...besides the screaming when she doesn't get what she wants, she makes her body really super stiff and whips it back. Getting her into her car seat is a real treat lately. Same with changing her diaper.

Vivienne is wanting nothing to do with drinking bottles or nursing; she just wants to EAT real food. Good thing she's almost a year, because getting her to drink a bottle is such a challenge! She's only taking 4 oz bottles now, every 3-4 hours. I think our very last nursing session was earlier this month... I am both ecstatic and heartbroken about it (if you know, you know).

I swear she's had a lingering cough all month... but so has every single kid in her room at daycare. Those kids are always snotty nosed & hacking up a lung. Ugh, I hate those dang daycare germs!

Her sleep is still fairly inconsistent. It's good for a couple weeks, and then it's not so good. Both Ellis & Viv are early risers too; we typically start our days between 4:30-5:30 am. Viv (needs) to take 2 naps/day, but we're lucky if we get 2. She goes down pretty well in the AM, but PM naps are sometimes hit or miss. Allegedly at daycare, she always takes a 2.5 hour afternoon nap, but I cannot seem to get her to do that at home...

Viv still loves to screech at the tippy top of her lungs, and her first (intentional) word is "uh-oh!" It is beyond cute when she says it, and she uses it in the right context. She babbles "da da da" or "ba ba ba," and "ma ma ma" only comes out when she's complaining. She is justttt starting to pull herself up on things, but still does not crawl. I think she may skip crawling altogether. And she will probably be talking before she's walking. She often mimics sounds -- if you laugh, she laughs. If you cough, she'll cough. If you yell, she'll yell.

She's getting a touch better with stranger danger, but she's still pretty shy. She finally doesn't cry when I do daycare drop off; they tell me she likes her space, doesn't like too much stimulation, and is happy as long as she's full. Vivienne is beginning to comprehend facial expressions, and starting to test her limits. After we try to correct a poor behavior, she'll immediately try to do it again, and you can tell by that look in her eyes that she's just trying to see if she can get away it or not.

Viv has upgraded to size 4 diapers and 12 month clothing. I'm guessing she's between 17-18 lbs. and she still just has two bottom teeth. Everythinggggg continues to go in her mouth.

Things I love about Vivienne this month:

- The way she lays her head on my shoulder when I pick her up in the morning.

- How she claps her hands together when I say, "good job!"

- Her pretty blue eyes & the perfect curl of her eye lashes.

- When she gives a big, gummy smile & those two bottom teeth just shine!

- That I continue to be her favorite person.

Scrub-a-dub-dub, Baby Vivi in the tub!

2021-06-28T12:28:00.003-05:00

You know I had to recreate this wash tub photo shoot with Viv...

Do you remember Ellis's? (Click here to see it.)

Gahhh, naked babies are my favorite!

And just for fun....

Vivienne: Ten months old

2021-06-14T09:53:00.000-05:00

Ten months of loving on this spunky little nugget!

Viv's been rather clingy this past month - even more so than usual. She started in a new room at daycare, and every day they tell me, "she had a hard day and was very emotional..." which is basically a nice way of saying, "your baby is clingy AF and cries all the damn time" THIS IS KNOW. How I fix it? This I don't know. Is it possible to change someone's personality? 😅

Vivienne still shows no interest in crawling or pulling herself up to stand. I'm not worried about it, nor and am I encouraging her too much because a baby on the move, well... is on the move! She'll get it in her own time. Zac & I joke that she will be talking before she's walking. She always has a lot to say!

Viv went from a side sleeper to a tummy sleeper this month, and her sleeping is improving! She generally sleeps from 7:30-8:00 pm to 4:30-5:30 am. Once or twice a week she still wakes for a middle of the night feed. IDK what we're gonna do when I'm done nursing... guess Dad will have to start trying to get her back to sleep! 😉 She no longer has any interest in a nuk - if you give her one, she will just throw it across the room.

Speaking of nursing, our days are numbered. She nurses beautifully early in the morning & before bed, but during the day, she's much too busy -- and I think I'm just not making enough to keep her satisfied anymore. So we've begun working through our freezer stash. I'm hoping she'll continue to nurse just morning & night for another month or so, and then I'm calling it quits (maybe, lol). Ask me in a week, and that might change. I still have the same love/hate relationship with breastfeeding that I did back when I nursed Ellis (read about there here).

Vivi still just has 2 teeth & wears size 3 diapers. She's in 9-12 month clothing, and somehow owns 7 swimsuits? I think she's hanging out around 17-18 lbs. She's rather petite when compared to her friends... little hands, little head, little feet... but she still has delicious leg rolls! She must have a rockin' metabolism because she's eating like a horse. You literally have to stop feeding her, otherwise she will just continue to eat during meal times. It's very rare that she pushes away food -- I know she will go through a picky phase like all kids do, but right now I'm loving that she eats whatever I give her.

She has become quite aggressive - claws at your face and pinches your neck. She's forever grabbing Ellis's glasses. There ain't nothing gentle about her. She will pull your hair and I swear, has go-go gadget arms. Homegirl can reach anything, no matter how far it is away from her. She cries when you take things away or tell her no. She's also reallllly good at staring you down and has pretty epic RBF.

Despite her hot temper, she is happy some of the time.... and really does bring us so much joy. I'm just hoping she gets all her fussiness out now and is a more pleasant toddler...

HAHA... jokes on me, I'm sure.

Things I love about Vivienne this month:

- How much she loves Grandma Sue

- How she itches her nose & eyes when she's tired

- The way she bounces her body when she's feeling happy

- How she blows a kiss, claps her hands, and does sooo big with her arms

- When she's in the right mood, how just Ellis laughing makes her laugh

- How she gets just one curly q in her hair, on her left side

Love you Vivi Rose!

Vivienne: Nine months old

2021-05-10T12:15:00.002-05:00

Three-quarters of a year old!

Beast Baby Vivi remains just that... a beastly little creature most days, but gosh do we love her. She makes nothing easy & continues to challenge us daily. If this is foreshadowing to her teens years, we're doomed!

Although she is a spit-fire of a baby, she has so many cute quirks I adore. The way she points at her rainbow mobile and tries to say "what's that" then comes in for a snuggle... how her little chin continues to move even after she's done nursing & fast asleep... the way she giggles when I kiss her neck. There is so much good with the frustrating, but Miss Viv certainly likes to push our buttons, even at just nine months old.

Vivienne had her first overnight away from us this past month (at Grandma Sue's house), and she did great! However after too many weeks of bad sleep at home, we finally did some sleep training (aka: let her cry it out). The first night, she cried for about an hour. The second night, about 30 minutes. The third night, she only gave a whimper. The fourth night, she didn't make a peep. I've been putting her down drowsy, but awake and she's been sleeping a pretty consistent 8-10 hours before getting up to feed. Now I know as soon as I hit 'publish' on this post, she will go back to getting up 2-3 times in the night, but for now I will take any small victories we get!

Viv weighed in at 16 lb 10.5 oz & measured 27" long at her recent well-check. Although she's only in the 25th percentile, that girl can EAT! She lovesss food. I swear, she'd eat a Big Mac if we let her. She gets a mix of purees and finger food and does great. We're still nursing, but she is definitely starting the weaning process -- she's nursing for less & less time each day and it's getting harder to keep her interested.

Vivi is not yet mobile, but she manages to roll around from one side of the living room to the other. She needs something in her hands at all times, as well as me in her view at all times. She waves "hi" and is just learning to clap her hands. She also started pointing this month, and that little finger up in the air is just so darn cute! She is starting to learn what the word "no" and "yucky" means. She continues to have a very loud voice & still has no chill. She's hot or she's cold and she will tell you about it. However if you raise your voice at her, she will give you the biggest frown & cry and cry and cry. Mean girl can dish it, but she can't take it in return.

She loves to be outside and when we go for family hikes, there is a 100% chance that she will fall asleep in her carrier. I've said it once, and I'll say it again... there is no better feeling in this world, than your baby sleeping on your chest.

The way her & Ellis play with each other just makes me melt. Ellis is so good to her. He loves laying with her in her crib, reading to her, and I think he enjoys the baby toys just as much if not more than her, lol.

Things I love about Vivienne this month:

- They way her eye lashes have the most perfect curl to them.

- Her deliciously chubby thighs.

- Her gummy smile with just two bottom pearly whites popping through.

- They way she flicks her wrist when waving "hi."

- This very specific grunt noise she makes -- it happens sometimes when she plays and sometimes when you try to hand her off to someone else.

- That she still prefers me over everyone else.

We love ya, Viv! But please, try to be nicer this next month :)

Vivienne: Eight Months Old

2021-04-15T15:14:00.001-05:00

Vivi girl is another month older & another month more feistier! Zac says she's stubborn like me, (and although that's very true) I'm choosing to label her determined, assertive, & strong-willed! She definitely has a forceful personality, that's for sure!

It was a big month for Viv - she popped her first 2 teeth! And, she's back to enjoying bath time; she's kicks & splashes & giggles in the tub, and it's so fun to watch her.

Although she found her voice a few months ago, she REALLY uses it now. We call her our little pterodactyl. She's learning to say more sounds & still prefers to screech very loudly so that all can hear. When she babbles, I hear a lot of "dadas" and when she cries, I hear a lot of "mamas"... funny how that works. She also does this tongue/bubble thing with her lips allllll the time, and it's both adorable and annoying because she sprays spit everywhere. But it's like her signature move.

Viv has been sleeping alright-ish this past month. She had almost 3 really good weeks in a row of sleeping through the night, but lately she's been getting up 2-3 times in the night. I just nurse her back to sleep because it's the easiest way that we can all get some sleep, but I'm so ready to sleep train. By 6:30-7:00 pm, she is ready for bed and will literally turn right into a (crabby) pumpkin. She STILL will NOT nap unless I'm holding her. She "allegedly" naps at daycare... and they also tell me that she holds her own bottle... however I have yet to witness both...

She is loving table food and very much enjoys eating and feeding herself. I'm still primarily giving her purees because I had made a bunch up & frozen them, but we're also experimenting with some baby led weaning here and there. But gone are the days when I can eat and not offer her something -- she wants to participate at all meal & snack times. She reaches & opens her mouth like a little baby bird, just waiting for me to give her something. She's still nursing while at home and still takes 5 oz bottles at daycare every 3 hours.

Viv has full-on stranger danger and doesn't want me to be further than an arm's reach away from her at all times. Her clinginess & lack of independent napping makes it REAL challenging to get anything done around the house, or even play with Ellis... and some days I get really frustrated. But other days I tell myself this phase will end soon enough (will it though? 😅) and I need to enjoy this feeling of being so needed.

Viv is still nosey as ever -- she doesn't miss a beat! And, she's proving to have a hot temper & a short fuse - just like her Papa Poogie. She is starting to throw little temper tantrums when she doesn't get what she wants... cries & screams & kicks & throws her nuk or toys. Sassy little stinker!

She likes her jumper and really gets that thing movin'! Also, she's sitting up independently and prefers to sit and play vs. lay & play. Most times she dislikes being on her belly but is finally rolling over. No signs of crawling yet, and I am A-OK with that! She pulls at her ears when she's tired, and she likes to be outside - especially when I wear her in the Ergo carrier.

Vivienne is still in 6/9 month clothing & size 3 diapers. She's eating more now than ever, and it's weird -- I feel like she hasn't grown much in the last month or two. It's like she's plateaued for a bit.

Things I love about Vivienne this month:

- That Momma (me) is still her favorite person.

- How Ellis can make her smile & laugh just simply by being present.

- We're teaching her to wave "hi" and she does it on command about 75% of the time - but the way she does it with her arms resembles a dead, floppy fish and I find it hilarious.

- I think it's adorable when she chews on her toes. Girlfriend is flexible!

- The way the sun always catches those random long, wispy strands of hair by her ears.

- How peaceful she looks in my arms after I've nursed her to sleep.

#gardenlife: round 7 | the seeds are planted!

2021-04-08T14:25:00.001-05:00

If you've been following along for a while, you know that seven years ago we planted our first garden. We've come a long way since then, but still have so much to learn.

Our first garden, in 2016, had a great harvest, but Grace ate about 1/2 of our produce. In 2018 & 2019, we put Ellis to work in the garden - he's such a great helper! In 2020 we started seeds indoor for the first time. We failed at our first attempt, but round 2 was a success! Our 2020 tomato harvest was out of this world! (I have a '20 garden highlight saved on my Instagram if you're bored & want to check it out). We're hoping 2021 is another successful year!

Gardens are a lot of work, but reaping their bounty come late summer is just the best feeling! Whether you plant a full on garden or even just a few tomato plants in pots, you know that feeling you get when you see your plant sprout... and then flower... and that first fruit -- it's like Christmas morning!

I'm happy to report that we actually got our seeds planted on time this year for our growing zone (5b). Ellis was a great littler helper. And Viv, too :)

We upped our seed growing game some this year too... I purchased this plant stand and a couple sets of these grow lights... check out this growth in just two week's time!

We're thinking that we may have to re-pot our green beans soon -- those things are outta control!

Now summer just needs to hurry-up... I can't wait to get these babies in the ground!

Vivienne: Seven Months Old

2021-03-12T15:01:00.000-06:00

Happy seven months, Vivi girl!

We're coming into my favorite baby stage... where babies "get fun" & learn lots of new things but aren't mobile yet. And they aren't so needy (as in: cluster feeding, gassy, colicky, etc.).

I feel like Viv has developed/learned so much this past month. She is really interactive now & is actually starting to play with toys on her own... It's time to baby-proof all the accessible things, because if she gets ahold of it, it will go in her mouth.

I've finally seen her roll from her back to belly a couple of times, but she does it very sparingly. She is also sitting up independently for longer periods of time too, but doesn't have it mastered yet. She has however, mastered the "fake cough".

Viv has found her toes & very much enjoys chewing them. The drool is still coming in puddles at times, but no teeth yet. She's eating homemade purees like a champ and loves food in general. We're still nursing... hoping to make it to the one year mark but we'll see. I can tell I'm slowly starting to produce less and less despite my best efforts.

She is quite the talker and always has something to say (or complain about, lol). She still prefers to beller at the top of her lungs, but she is starting to try to mimic certain words we say, like "yucky" and "hot". She's also a big fan of spitting/making bubbles with her mouth.

Vivienne has become sooo nosey! She needs to see everything that is going on and will just about break her back and/or give herself whiplash to ensure she's not missing a beat. Also, she's got stranger danger fears coming in hot. Don't you even try to look, talk, or touch her until she's had a good longgggg look deep into your soul. And even then, it's about a 50/50 chance on whether or not she's gonna let you hold her. You best hold her facing out if you want any chance at all.

Her sleep situation is still hit or miss. Some nights she sleeps great, others not so much. She seems to go in streaks. She will have a week where she sleeps 9 hours straight, and then she'll have a week where she's up 3 times/night. Also, we've been working really hard on crib naps during the day, and she's getting a smidge better but it still feels like an Olympic sport to get her to take a nap independently for more than 20 minutes.

Viv wears 6-9 month clothing & is in size 3 diapers. She's just over 15 lbs. She now seems to be growing hair instead of losing it, and it's getting very light... sometimes it even appears reddish. And her eyes are still the most wonderful shade of blue.

Things I love about Vivienne this month:

- The way she caresses something with her hand before she falls asleep -- my neck, shirt collar, her sleep sack, her bed sheet. Gahh, I could stare at her for hours!

- She has about 8 strands of long, wispy & slightly curly hair that fall over her right ear. They are about 2 inches longer than all the rest on her head and I don't know why, but their randomness makes me so happy.

- How she kicks her legs really aggressively and fast when she's excited.

- Her tiny tootsie roll fingers and chubby thighs. Also, kissing her delicious cheeks.

- Watching her learn to grasp & eat food. Most of it stays in her fist or falls off her tray, but it's so fun watching her try to eat independently.

- That she still prefers Mom (me) over anyone else. But loves her brother, too.

Ellis: Four Years Old!

2021-02-22T12:43:00.003-06:00

Our Ellis James is FOUR!!

I wish everyone had an Ellis in their life. He's kind of like a puppy... he's always happy to see you and always wants to play. He's grown into a very caring, kind-hearted, and sensitive little guy.

He is also such a helper. He wants to help cook supper. He wants to help shovel the snow. He wants to help Viv stop crying. He wants to help vacuum. He helps puts his clothes away. He helps take out the trash. He loves helping to put groceries away. And he gets praises from daycare almost weekly for being a good "picker upper."

Don't get me wrong... he's still very much a kid... who has to be told 687,465,487 times to put his shoes & coat on every morning before we leave for daycare. Seems he hears everything, but his listening skills could use some improvement 😉

But Ellis has a steel trap of a memory -- if you tell him something once, he doesn't forget it. Ever. He's a pretty smart kid, too.

And he also never ever stops talking. He has a fairly extensive vocabulary, but most words that start with "th" still come out with an "f" sound... "three" is "free" and "thirsty" is "firsty". So darn cute!

He's very into making all sorts of creations with magformers, blocks, & jumbo legos. He loves all things animals & animals themselves, in theory -- but when it comes time to actually pet them (at the zoo, for instance), he's a little timid.

He's still on medication for asthma - but thankfully it is well controlled & really only flairs up (so far) during a respiratory virus (cold/flu, etc.) I'm still praying that he grows out of it.

He also loves T.V. (what kid doesn't?) Wild Kratts & Spirit Riding Free are some current favorites. And he loves to race -- race up the stairs, race around the yard, race to the bathroom... everything is a race. He also enjoys board games, puzzles, and being outside. We're ready for spring and look forward to all his help in the garden this summer.

He is STILL not winning any sleeping awards. He's a night owl and an early bird... like up at 4:30 AM early bird. We've quit naps since age 3, but he does "quiet time" and he will sit in his room and "read" all the books he owns for 1 hour straight. I hope he always loves books!

Ellis would however, win Best Big Brother award. He's completely smitten with Vivienne. He asks to hold her all the time. He loves to talk to her, make her laugh, and he doesn't miss a night without kissing her forehead and giving her a hug before bed. He thinks everything she does is the absolute funniest. He laughs at her all day long. It makes my momma heart so happy to see how much he loves her.

His current favorite foods: pancakes, pizza, "baby" oranges (cuties), beef sticks, mushrooms, "ants on log", and pretty much any fruit. He's the only 4 year old I know who would order a perch plate instead of chicken strips (though he likes those, too). He's not really a picky eater, he's just an extremely slow eater. And he has to be reminded often to "EAT!" because he's so busy talking. He's pretty good at eating his vegetables too, as long as they are raw and not cooked.

He got glasses this year, and (I believe) is even more handsome! He is doing so well with them.

Zac (Daddy) continues to be Ellis's favorite person on the planet. Their bond is really something special, and Ellis loves him fiercely.

Ellis is still just a little nugget, weighing in around 31 lbs. and 39.5 inches tall. He fits best in 3T clothes (though pants are always short), and size 9/10 shoes.

We love our little guy so SO much & he is a bright light in this dark world.

God Bless Ellis & Happiest Birthday to him!

Previous Birthday Posts:

Three Years Old! | Two Years Old! | One Year Old!

Vivienne: Six Months Old

2021-02-13T14:55:00.000-06:00

Half a year with Vivienne Rose.... some days it feels like it's flown by, and other days, I look at the clock and think, "OMG it's only 10 am?"

Viv continues to be a little handful. I joked to Zac the other day that it's a good thing she's a second baby, because if she was our first... she'd likely be an only child. I love her dearly, but MAN. She is exhausting.

She has a hot temper & isn't afraid to show it. She's very much a drama queen. She will be smiling & laughing one second, and the next second she's crying bloody murder. She's kinda like a sour patch kid... sour one second, sweet the next.

*Embrace the season, Katie. Embrace the season. ---> words I live by these days.

She loves kicking her legs up in the air & hanging on to her feet. I image she will soon put them in her mouth, because everrrrrything goes in her mouth.

Vivienne is never still - wiggling, reaching, flailing her arms, grabbing at everything, but she still hasn't rolled over. She rolls from back to side, but has never landed on her tummy.

In addition to working on rolling over, we're also working on sitting up independently. She sits nicely in her little booster chair thing, but without that she folds over & flops like a pancake.

She still doesn't nap (unless in the car or being held - and even then, it's very short cap naps) and her sleeping at night is very inconsistent. Sometimes she wakes up every 2-3 hours, other nights she will sleep 8-10 hours straight. I wish I could figure her out because our routine is very consistent so IDK why her sleeping patterns are not.

She weighs in at 14lbs 12oz & is 26 inches long.. She still loves to nurse when at home, but she is becoming quite a distracted nursling. Any sound or motion in her line of vision and she's whipping her head around but not unlatching... and I tell her "NOT NICE Vivi! That hurts momma!" She smiles and keeps on going. Little turd.

She's a big fan of baby oatmeal, and we're slowly introducing other purees. She hasn't seemed to love anything yet. I am intrigued by Baby-Led Weaning, but IDK if my momma heart can bare to watch her grab a big ol' piece of something and not be terrified that she'll choke. We'll see.

Vivienne continues to do a fine job of losing more & more hair. And it's also lightening up alot. Come springtime, she'll be both mostly bald & blonde.

She still has no teeth (and drools a ton), has graduated to size 3 diapers, and is in 6-9 month clothing. Nuks are still hit or miss (I feel like they do help her calm down sometimes though) and same for the bath -- sometimes she loves it, other times she screams her head off. Also, don't leave her in a room (safely) alone for more than 2.5 seconds because you WILL hear about it.

Her newest "thing" is pulling at her ears when she's tired, and she somehow manages to always pull my hair. It's no longer safe to hold any drink while also holding her either, because she will grab it and it will be a mess!

Also, Viv doesn't have an indoor voice... she just bellers very loudly and often... homegirl always has something to say. She also startles very easily and doesn't enjoy people all up in her face. Give the woman some space!

Things I love about Vivienne this month:

- Momma is her favorite (actually, this is both a blessing and curse, lol).

- Watching her learn new things (i.e. picking up toys, grabbing food, etc.).

- How easy it is to make her smile (usually).

- The way she gets bashful and nuzzles her head in the crook of my neck.

- Her chubby thighs, tiny hands, and gummy smile!

- How when she gets real excited, she flaps her arm up and down very aggressively.

Missed a recap? Click to links below to catch up:

One Month | Two Months | Three Months | Four Months | Five Months

Ways to elevate your family meal time

2021-02-08T14:02:00.087-06:00

Let's face it -- we've all been staying home a lot more over the last year thanks to COVID and we're getting burnt out at meal time.

Grabbing take-out or to-go (support your local eateries!) is fine some days. But personally, I'm getting sick of the drive-thru with cheap burgers and salty fries and calling it a "car picnic"... that lost it's appeal several months ago.

And I feel like our meals at home have been lack luster and just wah wah wahhh lately, even though I try to meal plan (this planner makes it fairly easy). (Remember when I used to share our menu for the week? Well then I had a baby and all things right and just fell to the weigh side, lol.)

So I am trying to get creative, to make eating family meals more fun, while also getting my family more "hands on" in the kitchen.

Here are a few ideas that I've put together:

Taco Tuesday -- and it just got a whole lot more fun with this lazy susan topping bar:

Perfect for tacos, nachos, fajitas -- the warming pot keeps meat/rice/beans nice & toasty while the topping trays can hold all the yummy fix'ins. Plus the taco holders are perfect for littles ones who have a tough time keeping the taco all in one place. I love that each person can customize their own, too!

S'mores Night -- made super easy with this (flameless) electric s'more maker:

This is great for little helping hands since there is no open flame. And it brings back the nostalgia of summer, which I'm especially longing for during these frigid temps lately.

Family Fondue -- this set is on sale for only $29.99!

Confession: we got a fondue set (like, over 10 years ago), and I STILL haven't pulled it out of the box. Terrible -- I know. But I'm thinking this would be so fun for Valentines Day! If you have a good chocolate or cheese sauce recipe, let me know!

And if you really wanna blow your kids away -- treat them to a homemade snow cone!

I love the look of this retro countertop snow cone maker and seriously -- you would be the coolest parent around.

Speaking of snow -- have you ever made snow ice cream (out of actual snow)? I'm intrigued by this recipe and want to try it on our next snow fall.

Of course, you don't need any of these fancy contraptions to make family meals more meaningful, but they do help to add a little touch of fun to the monotonous meal-time.

Now, what's for dinner tonight?

This post may contain affiliate links.

Vivienne: Five Months Old

2021-01-10T14:31:00.004-06:00

Happy five months to this sweet & salty little chickee!

Overall Vivi is a much happier babe than her first few months of life outside the womb, but she still has a hot temper & sharp mood swings (so, like... a typical girl, right?!) 😜

Viv is in six month clothing, size 2 diapers, and weighs in around 13.6 lbs — a little peanut, but growing just fine on her curve.

She loves to make bubbles with her mouth & she babbles / screeches all day (and sometimes night) long. I think she’s gonna be a Chatty Kathy just like her brother. The other day Zac was whispering to her and she was "talking" really softly and quietly back to him, like she was trying to whisper, too. Cutest thing ever!

Nursing for hours & hours is still her favorite pastime. At daycare she takes 5 oz bottles every 3 hours. And she still farts and burps like a trucker. The best is when a burp catches her by surprise... she gets this look on her face like "OMG did that just come from me?"

Everything goes in her mouth. Toys, paper, your nose — nothing is off limits.

She is showing a lot of interest in food. I’ve given her a small bite of mashed potatoes & have let her suck on a piece of pear — she gags & ultimately the food comes out, but she wants more. I think in a week or two she’ll be ready for baby food! She’s just gotta work on sitting up better before she’s ready.

She’s really using her hands a lot more; scratching at things and holding toys. Sometimes she even just stares at them in amazement, like “woahhh, I have hands!”

Vivienne is losing more and more hair by the day (similar to her Daddy! haha) and it's getting lighter and lighter. She has a few random really long hairs around her ears, and I love the way they stick out & seem to glisten in the natural light.

The sleeping dept still isn’t good. She’s generally up 1-3 times in the night. Sometimes she makes a two hour stretch of sleep, and sometimes she makes an eight hour stretch — there really is no rhyme or reason to her madness. Just when you think you’ve got a routine down… NOPE. Naps still don't happen either, unless you’re holding her.

Vivienne loves to go on hikes -- I wear her in the Ergo carrier and she falls asleep almost instantly. I swear she naps better outside than in, even in the winter!

She has only rolled from her back to her side a handful of times, but is always very wiggly in general. And if she’s on her back, chances are her legs are straight up in the air. She still isn’t a fan of tummy time, either.

Things I love about Vivienne this month:

Her endless baby babbles & coos.

How her eyes light up when she's happy.

I'm still obsessed with her tiny little hands and sausage roll fingers.

The way she "hugs" me. Her head fits perfectly in the crook of my neck & she melts her body into mine. Pure Heaven!

Her big gummy smiles.

That she loves to be by mom the most. <3

But her brother is also one of her favs, too!

Previous posts:

One month | Two months | Three months | Four months

Favorite Recent Amazon Finds - December

2020-12-30T10:27:00.000-06:00

Just a reminder, I always enjoy seeing what others are finding on Amazon, so I thought if I liked seeing that content, chances are someone else does too. Please know, I would never recommend junk -- only tried & true items that I actually use or find helpful, and think you would too!

Also, this year more than ever, it is so important to shop small & local, and we’re trying our best to do so when we can; I would encourage you to do the same! If you have or know someone with a small shop that you'd love for others to check out, leave me a comment (with link if available) below, and I will post a round up in the near future!

(Click on the image or title links to easily shop)

Ultrasonic cool mist essential oil diffuser

I am just starting to get into essential oils -- well, I take that back -- I've used them in soaps, lotions, & laundry for years but am just starting to diffuse them. I love this diffuser because it's not an eye sore -- it's just a petite little thing (but can cover a 230 sq ft space) so it easily fits into my decor and is whisper quiet with 4 timer settings and many light options. Perfect for a bedroom, office, bathroom -- or in my case -- tiny kitchen.

Back and neck massager

Ok, this is LEGIT good. If you get tension headaches, this is a must have for achy neck & shoulders. It hits all the right places and even offers a heat setting which is so nice.

Kraft Paper

A kraft paper roll is such a great thing to have on hand. Use it for kids to draw on, as gift wrapping, a table runner, floor covering -- the possibilities are endless!

Kitchen wash / dish cloths

I must have ordered 4 different sets of kitchen cloths over the past few months and didn't like a single one. They are all either really huge or such flamboyant colors that don't match my kitchen. These are the perfect size & I love the color options. It says they are "coral velvet" material (I thought they were microfiber) but they are super absorbent, light-weight, and quick drying. You can use them for anything, but I like them in the kitchen. Very affordable, too.

Comfortwash sweatshirt

This is actually a men's sweatshirt, but CHEAP! It's classic Hanes, mid-weight, and very comfy for lounging around the house. I have it in colors Crimson Fall and Cypress Green (love the vintage wash) and a size small is a perfect over-sized fit for me to wear with leggings.

Previous Amazon round-ups in 2020:

This post may contain affiliate links.

Vivienne: Four Months Old

2020-12-19T18:06:00.000-06:00

Well, we've reverted a bit this past month... Viv has been quite the little beast baby for the past few weeks, especially in the evenings. I asked Zac last week if he really thinks she has gas or colic, or if this is just her personality? Because boy oh boy, if she's this crabby as a baby, what will her teen years look like?! 😟

She is back to waking 2-4 times in the night. But for FOUR WEEKS STRAIGHT she consistently slept 8-10 hours every single night. Perhaps this is the 4 month sleep regression that everyone talks about? Also, she has become quite the wiggle worm in her sleep. She does a complete 180 turn most nights, and always ends up in a different position than what I put her in, but she still has not rolled over yet. She still DOES NOT NAP during the day for more than 10-20 minutes at a crack, and unless she's being held.

Vivienne is starting to grab at things with her hands and will hold a rattle. She's really exploring more with her hands, and she likes to swing her arm & fidget her hands while we nurse. Speaking of nursing, she really still prefers to eat all day long. Her record is 90 minutes straight before she finally fell asleep & her muscles relaxed enough for her to unlatch. NINETY MINUTES!! And she was swallowing the whole time, not just using me as a pacifier. Crazy girl!

Viv must have the strongest abs on the planet because when she's laying on the floor, her legs are always up in the air. We've also noticed that she focuses in on things more - us, Ellis, the TV, her toys.

Her toots are ROTTEN! My mother-in-law even commented, "I've never smelled a baby fart that bad in my life before!" 😂 And it's all the time. I can't imagine how bad she's gonna smell once we start some veggies.

She drools in puddles and her hands are always in her mouth, but I don't see any teeth coming in yet. She sometimes takes a nuk, sometimes not.

Vivienne LOATHES her car seat, except if it's moving. Then she might fall asleep. Otherwise, Viv really prefers to be held, at all times.

Her head is getting balder by the day - that precious newborn hair is rubbing off in random patches, poor thing.

She's really starting to babble and screech and tell stories, it's so cute! And Ellis thinks it's just the most hilarious thing in the world.

She's in 6 month clothing, size 2 diapers, & is 13 lbs and 25 inches long.

Thing I love about Vivienne this month:

Her expressive eyebrows (just like Daddy & Ellis!)

Her big, open mouth smiles.

The way she laughs when you tickle her neck (still waiting for a good belly laugh though!)

How happy she is in the morning.

The way her chubby tights and chubby arms resemble tootsie rolls.

When she gets excited, she does this thing where she slaps her arm down to her side. It makes Ellis laugh and laugh and laugh.

And despite how crabby and sleepless and difficult Vivienne is, I love her to the ends of the Earth. And I am really, really trying to savor these moments because I know I will look back a year from now and miss this tiny, fussy babe.

One month | Two months | Three months

It's not just glasses...

2020-12-15T11:41:00.001-06:00

Our little elf got glasses! We're still trying to find the perfect pair, but these will do for now...

It was no surprise that Ellis would need glasses -- every single person in both Zac & my family wears glasses, contacts, or has had vision correction surgery. But when the Dr. told me just how EXTREMELY farsighted Ellis is, I both wanted to cry & puke. My heart literally sank, right then & there in his office.

I still remember my sister's tearful call almost 9 years ago when she found out her daughter (hi, Elena!) would need glasses... and I thought she was being so dramatic & overly emotional. But now, I GET IT. Their little faces are just never going to be the same...

Ellis basically couldn't see anything. The Dr. couldn't believe how smart he is and that he didn't have a history of accidents (running into things) because his vision is that bad. Quite possibly even the harder pill for me to sallow though, is that he got his horrible eyesight from me. We basically have the same prescription. I feel so terrible & guilty.

I know that you can't pick which genes your kids do and don't get from you, but boy did I pray that my bad eyesight wouldn't be one of them. I got glasses at 3 years old, and now so did he. Growing up, I was very self-conscious about my glasses (and still am) because my lenses are THICK & magnify my eyes so much. And now, he has to live through that too. It just makes me so sad for him, because I know how cruel kids can be. Also, it super sucks not being able to see well, even with glasses. You can't see what's written on the board at school. You can't read road signs until you've passed them. You can't even see the time on your alarm clock in the middle of the night. And new in 2020 -- having to wear a mask while wearing glasses is pure torture.

Now I know what you're thinking, "Relax, Katie... it's *just* glasses!" But it's not just glasses.

It's another thing that makes him different from all the other kids. It's another issue that I can't fix... just like I can't fix his asthma. Just like I can't seem to fix Vivienne's fussiness. It's like another punch in the mom-gut that I just have to take. It's another thing I can't control -- and I know that's part of having kids. They will learn the hard way & I cannot keep them in a bubble. I know Ellis will go through much harder things in life than being picked on for the kid with the big eyes. But, I'm reminded that I caused his poor vision over and over again, every time that I look at his precious little face.

That's the thing about Motherhood / Parenthood that nobody ever talks about. All the gut punches you have to take as a parent, and all the guilt you will feel. It sucks, man. You would literally do anything for the health & well-being of your child. I've spent countless hours researching lens materials & children's frames. I've called / met with 6 different Opticals & spoken with 'experts', who by the way, tell me each something different in regards to what would be the best solution for him. And don't even get me started on the very limited frame selection for small children and on how ridiculously priced glasses are. But truthfully, I would pay $1000 for glasses that didn't magnify his eyes... if only they existed.

Zac of course, always brings me out of my pessimistic state of mind and tells me to find the good... To be THANKFUL there's glasses that can help him see. To be THANKFUL that there's medication & inhalers to help manage his asthma & help him breathe. To be THANKFUL poor vision and poor lungs are seemingly his only issues to date. And I know he's right. I am SO thankful for Ellis's health. I will never take that for granted. At the end of the day, I know Ellis will be just fine. But I still dislike the fact that his vision is so poor and there is no option to correct it permanently.

*********

You know, I was originally going to title this post: "Look at the new Ellis!" But the truth is, Ellis is still the same old goofy, caring & kind-hearted helper that he always was. His glasses don't define him; they are merely a tool he uses to help him see... and I'm trying reallllly hard to be thankful for them, even though I currently despise them.

Still cute as a button though, huh?

I am a lucky momma.

Getting in the Christmas Spirit ~ 2020 Style

2020-12-08T12:52:00.000-06:00

Is anyone else a little bummed out about the Holidays this year? They just... look so different.

No Christmas concerts. No holiday work parties. Limited family gatherings. Church is different. Work is different. Shopping is different. Santa is wearing a freaking mask & hiding behind plexiglass...

And I get it, it has to be this way this year, but it just sucks. We're trying our best to keep our traditions alive, but even those will look different this year.

You know what hasn't changed this year? Christmas lights. They are magical and festive and as fun as always!

Last Friday night we took a ride up to Holtwood Campground and drove through their Winter Wonderland. It was a good get-out-of-the-house while also not leaving the car activity. Ellis LOVED it; we drove through it no less than 10 times.

Side note: the amount of time we now spend driving around & having car picnics, is up about 9000% from previous years. Anybody else? #thankscovid

Saturday morning, it was time to cut down the Christmas Tree! Instead of going out to breakfast like we usually would, Zac & Ellis went on an early morning donut run and we enjoyed some sweet treats at home instead. Plus bacon. Because, duh. Bacon makes everything better.

Ellis realllly sank his teeth into his donut

After that, we visited our favorite Ma & Pa Christmas tree farm down the road. It was a cloudy, brisk morning and the pickings were slim, but we landed on a super picky blue spruce & brought her home.

All blue ornaments this year, per Ellis's request - with a couple of my favorites sprinkled in...

Notice the gloves on Zac's hands? This tree is SOOOO picky!

Ellis's hand print - 10 months old

Viv's foot print - 3 months old

Sunday morning we woke to goodie-filled stockings & a letter from St. Nick to the kids... it went something like, "Santa is watching... Ellis, listen to your parents. And Vivienne, don't cry so much."

After a lazy morning, we addressed/stuffed Christmas cards as a family & then went on a quick little trail walk before settling in to cheer on The Packers.

It was just the weekend I needed to get me out of my "everything is different & sucks" mind-set... Even if it basically was really just another cozy weekend at home.

Perhaps that should be the tag line for 2020, "another cozy weekend at home" instead of "everything is different and sucks." 😂

Previous Christmas Tree posts: 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019

Vivienne: Three Months Old

2020-11-15T10:37:00.000-06:00

Hallelujah, praise the LORD!!! Vivienne has *sort of* turned into a different baby this past month!

It was at about week 11... she randomly slept over 8 hours one night and since then (knock on wood) she's continued to sleep 8-10 hours at night. She smiles on demand, can be set down & not cry her fool head off (sometimes), and is so much more enjoyable to be around. She's more happy, and therefore, mom is too!

I mean, don't get me wrong... she can still be fussy, but she's not fussy all the dang time. It is definitely better.

After six weeks of being dairy-free, I gave it up... it made no difference. We've also stopped the probiotic. And stopped seeing the chiropractor. None of it worked. It seems she just needed to "outgrow" her uncomfortableness & crabbiness... just like the Pediatrician said she would.

It's been a big month for Viv... she was baptized, I returned to work, and she started daycare. Her teachers tell me she is doing wonderful... they say she is happy & tells lots of stories. Vivienne also celebrated her first Halloween. She was a Little Stinker (skunk), which I thought was very fitting given the literal little stinker she's been for us the last couple of months.

We are still breastfeeding, which means I have to find time to pump at work, and I LOATHE it. For all you momma's who are exclusive pumpers... you da real MVP. Vivienne is taking 4-6 oz. bottles every 3 hours. At home though, she still prefers to nurse every 2-2.5 hours.

She is sleeping like a champ at night, but durning the day she still fights naps so so hard. Sometimes she naps, but most times she doesn't. If we want her to nap for sure, we have to take her for a car ride. I'm hoping that daycare will get her into a napping routine.

Vivienne just graduated to size 2 diapers, and she's in 3 month clothing, but some pieces are getting too short & too tight, so I'm sure she'll be moving into 6 month clothing very soon.

She now really enjoys laying on her playmat and swats the toys that hang from it. She babbles & coos, and she smiles and smiles when you talk to her, and I just love it!

Her gas & poops have slowed way down as well, thank goodness!

Vivienne is very easily startled. If you sneeze or burp or drop something on the ground or even talk too loud, she jumps and her arms go flying, and most times she cries from being scared.

She had a little bout of cradle cap, but it's just about gone. She's also done a fine job of losing a bunch of her hair... (me too babe... that postpartum hair loss is no joke!)

She's found her hands and generally prefers to suck them over a nuk. When she sits up, she drools like a fool. It's like she doesn't remember to swallow her spit when she's set upright lol.

Vivienne has decided this month that she's NOT a fan of the bath. She screams & poops in the tub every.single.time.

Even though Vivi is generally a much happier baby than she has been the last 2 months, when she's mad -- watch out!!! She screams at the tippy top of her lungs and it's shrilling. Home girl will let you know EXACTLY how she feels, at all times.

Things I love about Vivienne this month:

- How easy it is to make her smile.

- When she makes a fist, how she always tucks her thumb in between her pointer & middle finger.

- Hearing her try to "talk" back when you talk to her.

- When I fasten her diaper a little too snug, she gets little love handles, and I just adore them.

- I also adore her chubby thighs.

- I'm still obsessed with her tiny little hands, too.

- When she's getting mad, how she breathes in & out of her nose really fast, almost like she's panting through her nose. I find it rather funny.

- When she falls asleep on me. Gahh! There is nothing better in the world than a sleeping baby on your chest.

Incase you missed it:

Vivienne: Two Months Old

Vivienne: One Month Old

Favorite Recent Amazon Finds - October

2020-10-23T09:09:00.000-05:00

Click on the image or title links to easily shop!

Magnetic Meal Planning Pad with Tear Off Grocery List

This thing couldn't make it easier to meal plan... but even if you don't meal plan, the tear off grocery list alone is worth it! Hang this pad on your fridge and write down your shopping list as you think of items. I love the categories too (meat, produce, pantry, etc.), so that when you're shopping in the store you don't need to re-visit aisles.

Cap Organizer

Ok, whose husband has ten thousand ball caps? And, they can't part with a single one, am I right? I've never found a good storage solution for them until now. This little hanger contraption stores those hats nice & neat, and makes it so easy to see what's what. Now I just have to get Zac to put his hats back on the clip instead of on the kitchen table. Baby steps.

Outlet Cover with 3 Outlet Extension Cord

I love this solution for taking all those unsightly plug ins & getting them out of sight. This will be really handy come Christmas decorating time, when there's more to plug in than there are outlets for.

Stainless Steel Cleaner

You guys. I have been searching for literally EVER to find something that cleans my stainless steel appliances. I tried everything. No really, everything. And nothing worked.

BUT I finalllllly found one that LEGIT works!!! It has plant-based ingredients and includes a microfiber cloth too. If you have stainless steel anywhere in your home, you need this cleaner!

Ring Cleaner Pen

Speaking of cleaners, I don't know about you, but I could clean my wedding ring at least once a week. And now with this easy pen, I can! I love the brush design, so it can get in all the nooks and crannies. Shines the ol' diamond right up!

Previous monthly Amazon round up posts:

This post may contain affiliate links.

MAKE: DIY Pumpkin Spice Latte - two {healthier} ways!

2020-10-15T10:35:00.004-05:00

I treat myself to one Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Latte a year, because I've made the mistake of looking up the nutrition information for a tall Pumpkin Spice Latte, and yikes! 39 grams of sugar. Plus the dang thing was like $6... I know I'm cheap, but who can pay that every day for a coffee?

Well I had my yearly PSL just over a month ago, and ever since then, I've of course wanted one every day.

Side note - I can't believe the drive-thru line for Starbucks, at every hour of the day. It's always at least 7+ cars deep... they've created a real addiction!

I knew there was a way I could make it myself to save on sugar (and $$$).

I'm happy to report that I found TWO really good versions that you can make from home! One for coffee drinkers and one for tea lovers... both are excellent in my opinion.

All you will need is an inexpensive milk frother -- below is the one I have.

How to make a pumpkin spice latte:

Brew your favorite (unflavored) cup of coffee OR Tazo Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea
Warm up an equal part of milk (or milk substitute -- I've been using oat milk since being dairy-free for Vivienne, and it's perfect in this!) So if you've got 8 ounces of coffee/tea, warm up 8 ounces of milk
Add a splash of pure maple syrup
Add a generous sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice
Froth the milk, maple syrup, & pumpkin pie spice and then pour on top of the coffee/tea
ENJOY!

When searching for pictures of coffee, I found this one of Ellis, (circa March 2017) and I just had to include it.

Happy Pumpkin Spice season, to you!

Vivienne: Two Months Old

2020-10-12T15:42:00.003-05:00

Last month was hard. This month was a tiny touch better, maybe? I don't know, it's still not good. We have ok-ish days and bad days. There was about a 3-4 day stint a week or so ago where I thought... hey, she seems some better! But that ended, quickly. :(

Viv is still very much a handful. I spend most of my days while on maternity leave feeding her, changing her, trying to get her to sleep, or trying to get her to stop crying. It's a vicious cycle we play from sun up to sun down and through the night. She is not the kind of baby that you can just set down & let be for a few moments. She screams. However, recently she actually *sometimes* enjoys laying on her play mat. Of course, only after she has a full belly & clean diaper. And she'll only lay there for 5-10 minutes, tops.

Sadly, her sleep hasn't improved much. In fact, she fights sleep like it's the devil, especially during the day. I can't get her to nap to save my soul. And I think that's a lot of the problem... she's way overtired! It's so dang frustrating. She will once in a great while go 4-6 hours between feedings at night; it's usually the first stretch of the night. But then she is up every 1-2 hours thereafter. I guess God has graciously blessed us with two babies now, who just don't like to sleep (it took Ellis until 3 YEARS OLD to sleep through the night, and he's still up at the butt crack of dawn every day).

Vivienne is still full of gas and continues to have a million poop diapers a day. We go through one jumbo box of diapers a week, it's insane! Also, she is still hungry as a wolf... what goes in must come out, I guess, haha! She up to 10 lbs. 12 oz. & 22.75 inches now. We're still pretty much exclusively breastfeeding, but she has taken a bottle a couple of times and done very well with it. She guzzles 4 ounces down like it's nothing. We'll give her 2 more & it's gone in a flash, even with paced bottle feeding. Girlfriend can EAT! I'm one month into being dairy-free for her, and I don't really know if it's helping her or not.... but I've read it can take up to 6 weeks to start seeing improvement, so I'll keep at it a bit longer I guess. We also started a probiotic last month... again... we don't see a ton of difference in her mood & manner with the addition of that either.

I think I just have to accept the fact that she is just a hard, fussy babe and this is just the way it is; I have to stop trying to "fix it" and just pray that with time it gets better. But the way she cries and acts, it makes me think something is wrong, and I just want to help her be comfortable. I know I shouldn't, but I can't help compare her to Ellis at two months, because that's all I know. Ellis had reflux/gas & sleep issues as well, but he was such a happy, chill baby. Vivienne is a bear most days. But... I did manage to catch a few smiles on camera!

She is starting to smile and wants to talk/coo so badly, but nothing really comes out yet.

She's in size 1 diapers & 3 month clothing.

She doesn't know how she feels about bath time yet...

She's hit & miss with a nuk. She acts like she wants it, but every time we offer it, she spits it out.

She does NOT like when you blow on her belly... just ask Zac. He was trying to "play" with her and she screamed bloody murder. Took me 10 minutes to get her to calm down!

Viv doesn't mind car rides or walks, so long as you don't stop moving. She also does well in the Ergobaby... and I remembered how much I love baby wearing.

Things I love about Vivienne this month:

- The way she smiles... she opens her mouth up big and sticks the tip of her tongue up to the roof of her mouth.

- That her legs are finally starting to get some chub & look less chicken-leg like.

- For the rare times when she does fall asleep in her car seat, I love how smooched up her face gets and how her mouth pushes together.

- When she sneezes, how her legs fly up in the air.

- The way she lifts her hands & stretches out her fingers when she's relaxed and is disrupted by a noise.

- The way she let's Ellis hold her, and how giant she looks in his little lap.

Honestly, I'm glad we have another month of the "newborn phase" behind us.

And I'm realllllly hoping Month 3 is the magic month where she turns into a happier baby!

In case you missed it -- Vivienne: one month old

The Pumpkin Patch | 2020

2020-10-02T15:00:00.000-05:00

You know those memes you see floating around on social media, that perfectly sum up the train-wreck that is the year 2020?

Well that's kinda how our "trip" to the pumpkin patch went this year.

I say "trip" because it's really just to Zac's Grandma & Grandpa's house... which is about 7 miles down the road.

In years past, we've -- or rather, I've -- tried to make the experience special for Ellis. He'd wear the curated outfit I had picked out for him, we'd go to the patch just before dusk when the lighting was perfect, and I'd take about a thousand photos of him frolicking through the patch... see past trips here (2018) and here (2019).

So of course I had high hopes for this year -- to make it special for Vivienne, too. After all, it would be her first pumpkin patch experience. I'd pick coordinating outfits for both her & Ellis, and we'd take a bunch of fun sibling pictures of them loving on each other in the patch and having so fun.

But ahhh, Reality.

The reality of it was that Ellis wore his grubby daycare clothes... he was in every color of the rainbow, really. And he came home that day with a big cut between his eyes... something about running into the fence at daycare? That's a 3 year old for ya. Also, he had a cold, so I didn't want him holding Vivi. His nose was snotty & he was over due for a hair cut.

Viv cried the whole car ride to the patch. I had her all tucked away in her car seat because it was rather cold and windy. She was only 5 weeks old when we went... she couldn't sit up... she couldn't even stay propped up next to a pumpkin.

I had no cute outfits picked out. I forgot my good camera & only had my phone. And honestly, I had a rotten attitude. It had been a long, draining day caring for Viv, and I was in A MOOD. Really, I know better than to have any expectations, especially with two kids, because you just never know what you're gonna get.

As I'm writing this, I'm realizing that these trips to the pumpkin patch are more for ME right now, than they are for the kids. I love picking out the outfits. I love getting the cute photos. I love watching them trying to walk through the patch with their little legs getting tangled up in the vines. I love seeing them light up when they find the perfect pumpkin. And I love how much that pumpkin patch means to Zac's grandparents.

How very selfish I am. But those simple things, they bring me joy. And I could use a little bit of that right now, especially in this world we are living in.

It wasn't the picture perfect time I had floating around in my head, but I'm fairly certain that Ellis still had the time of his life. Really, that is all that matters.

And Viv -- well, she won't remember it anyways.

Vivienne: One Month Old

2020-09-24T11:03:00.002-05:00

On September 9th, Miss Vivienne turned one month old.

I've been meaning to write this post since then, but every single time I sit down to write it, she starts crying. She unfortunately does a lot of that. And everyone knows that you can't just sit down with a crying baby... you gotta do the mom-bounce and sway, the shushing & the singing, and then once you finally get the crying to stop -- you don't dare move a muscle.

My mother-in-law asked me the other day if we've gotten into a routine yet, and I just had to laugh. This is our current routine: Nurse for 20 minutes and Viv falls asleep (or so we think!), so we lay her down. Within 3 minutes, she's crying. She pooped. Change her diaper. Get her back to sleep, lay her down. Within 5 minutes, she's crying & has the hiccups. Rock her again, get her back to sleep. Set her down, she poops, again. Change her diaper. Rock her back to sleep. Set her down, she opens her eyes, flails her arms, brings her knees to her chest & toots up a storm. She cries & cries. Pick her back up, and now she's hungry again. And the cycle repeats.

That's where were at.

At one month old, Vivienne is a VERY fussy babe. She has zero chill. She will speak her mind, LOUD and often, and she really just seems like she's in a constant state of discomfort. It breaks my heart.

I'm not going to lie or sugar coat it -- both she and I, are struggling. The constant crying is very trying. Honestly, most days we're both crying. She is rarely happy or content. And the most frustrating part of all of it, is that I don't know why she's so unhappy and it pains me so much that I can't seem to fix it.

She's growing just fine & her pediatrician isn't concerned... says it should get better in a few months. Good God, a FEW MONTHS of this?! Lord help me.

After many recommendations, we've tried taking her to a chiropractor; we're ten adjustments in and she shows no signs of improvement. Since I'm breastfeeding I kept a food log for a week to see if I could pin-point something I'm eating that's bothering her -- nothing stuck out. We've tried gas drops; they don't help. I just ordered a probiotic... we'll give that a try next. If that fails, I am going to eliminate dairy from my diet, which will be the hardest thing ever, but I feel like I have to try. She shows no signs of any kind of food intolerance though, other than being gassy & fussy, so maybe it's a shot in the dark but it's the last thing I can think to do... I find it hard to believe that my milk isn't the best thing for her, but maybe I'm just in denial.

Speaking of milk, Vivienne would eat every hour if I let her... and most times I do because nursing is the only thing that really calms her down. But when you have a baby attached to your boob every hour of the day, do you know how much you get done around the house? NOTHING. Nada. I know I need to give myself grace, but it's soooo hard for me to just sit on the couch. Plus, there's Ellis to care for. I feel like I'm failing him because all my time is required by Vivienne right now.

Viv also doesn't sleep much. If we get a 3 hour stretch in the night, we're very lucky. But most nights she's up and crying every 1.5 hours. During the day she takes short cat naps, even if I hold her Aren't newborns supposed to sleep like 15-17 hours a day? That ain't my kid!

She also poops more than any baby I've ever known -- so much so that I've asked her pediatrician about it, but again -- it's the "normal" mustard-colored seedy breastfeeding poop, and she's gaining weight just fine, so he isn't concerned. Says it should slow down in a few months. And Viv, well -- she HATES a dirty diaper even for a second, but she also hates getting it changed. Screams the entire time.

Despite all the complaining I've done, I do love this little chick soo sooo much. And I am very thankful for her. I just wish it didn't have to be so hard, so that I could enjoy this time instead of wishing this phase was over. The guilt I feel just typing that is like a 200 lb. brick on my chest, but like I said -- I wasn't going to sugar coat it. That is really how I feel right now.

But now, things I love about Vivienne this month:

- Her teeny tiny little hands... well, all her little features, really.

- The way her hair ever so slightly sticks over her ears.

- How relaxed nursing makes her.

- The way she raises her eyebrows & gets a few forehead wrinkles when I burp her a certain way.

- The way she arches her back & sticks out her bum when I pick her out of her car seat.

- The sounds she makes when she's mad & I shove a nuk in her mouth -- it literally sounds like she's cussing me out. haha

- And perhaps what I love most of all, is seeing how much her big brother loves & adores her. He asks to hold her all the time, always wants to be hugging/touching her, & is so proud to be a big bro.

I'm hopeful when I write her two month post, things will be better... but I'm also not holding my breath. :)

View Ellis's one month post (from March 2017). here.

Ellis Everard - age 3 interview.

2020-09-10T15:22:00.009-05:00

Photos by Jullia Rae Photography

Somehow I remembered that it was time to do Ellis's yearly interview... incase you don't recall, last year I asked him a series of questions & wrote down his completely unprompted responses. You can see that post here.

It is my intention to re-ask these questions every year, and write down his answers exactly the way in which he answers them. It's so fun hearing what he says... and sometimes, his answers really surprise me!

How old are you?: I'm 3 (but he pronounces it like "free").

What do you want to be when you grow up?: A bull driver. And then I wanna be a bull bucker. And then I wanna be on the farm & milk cows. And then do chainsaws. And then when I grow up, I wanna be a roaster.

What is your favorite food?: S'mores. Chocolate. Graham crackers. Marshmallows.

What is your favorite color?: Blue.

What's your favorite thing to do?: Watch my dad do chainsaws & hunt.

What's your favorite animal?: All of the animals.

Who is your best friend?: he couldn't name anyone except for daycare friends, which is the question below...

Who is your best friend at daycare?: Liam & Jordy. Tenley & Remi. And Ingrid & Miles. And Addi.

What is your favorite toy?: Monster trucks that go fast. Dump trucks.

What is your favorite show?: Paw Patrol.

What is something that you are good at?: I'm good at stabbing those squiggilers. (No idea what he means here...)

What is your favorite book?: George.

What is your favorite place to visit?: Kane & Elena's house. Caleb's house. Jamo's house.

How do you help others?: When someone has their tie shoes, those stringing things broke off, yeah I help them like that.

What is something you dream about?: I dream about every animal I love.

What's your best memory?: Go fish.

Oh this kid, he cracks me up!

Amazon Finds - for the Nursing Momma

2020-09-05T12:04:00.002-05:00

Click on the images or title links to shop!

Haakaa

Hands down my best purchase to date. You just attach it to the opposite breast you're feeding from to catch any let down that would otherwise just go to waste. I consistently get about 2 oz per feeding with this thing, literally by doing nothing. Every nursing momma needs this. I cannot recommend it enough!

Milk Storage Organizer

This makes storing your breastmilk easy & organized. It's spring-loaded so it freezes milk bags flat & you can keep them in date order without them falling all over your freezer. Once this fills up, I bag the individual milk bags into a gallon freezer bag & then store in our deep freezer.

Button-down Pajama

Super soft & comfy and has functional buttons for easy night time nursing.

Nursing Bras

Seamless, clip down, wire-free & inexpensive. Good quality & very comfortable.

Liquid I.V.

The packaging says it provides the same amount of hydration as drinking 2-3 bottles of water -- just mix 1 packet in 16 oz of water. It contains essential minerals & vitamins to combat dehydration -- but what I found most helpful was that it made my body feel better during those first few weeks of zero sleep with a newborn. Instead of turning to caffeine, I drank one of these a couple times a week in the afternoon & it made my body feel so much better and less like I just got hit by a truck.

And the one thing you cannot get on Amazon but I HIGHLY recommend - APNO (all purpose nipple ointment). Ask for it in the hospital before you leave (it's a prescription) and it works wonders, trust me!

Previous Monthly Amazon Round Up Posts:

This post may contain affiliate links.

My Darling Days

The Pumpkin Patch | 2021

Vivienne: One Year Old!

Vivienne: Eleven Months Old

Scrub-a-dub-dub, Baby Vivi in the tub!

Vivienne: Ten months old

Vivienne: Nine months old

Vivienne: Eight Months Old

#gardenlife: round 7 | the seeds are planted!

Vivienne: Seven Months Old

Ellis: Four Years Old!

Vivienne: Six Months Old

Ways to elevate your family meal time

Vivienne: Five Months Old

Favorite Recent Amazon Finds - December

Vivienne: Four Months Old

It's not *just* glasses...

Getting in the Christmas Spirit ~ 2020 Style

Vivienne: Three Months Old

Favorite Recent Amazon Finds - October

MAKE: DIY Pumpkin Spice Latte - two {healthier} ways!

Vivienne: Two Months Old

The Pumpkin Patch | 2020

Vivienne: One Month Old

Ellis Everard - age 3 interview.

Amazon Finds - for the Nursing Momma

It's not just glasses...