Annie :: 4 Months

In Annie's third month of life her personality really started to shine. She has become our little spit fire. Maybe it is that she is still so tiny but everything she does is cracking us up. We are such first time parents - hanging on her every move.

Annie is reaching for anything and everything she can get her hands on. From our food to wrappers and credit cards - she wants it all. She even loves grabbing her tootsies, as we like to call them. She plays with toys most of the day while laying her on tummy. If we put her on her back and give her a toy she will roll right on her belly to get a closer look. I am chalking it up to her being a stomach sleeper? She is a rolling machine. Sometimes she will roll four times in a row to get to something. She is also doing the swimming motion. 

She is constantly pushing up on her teeny tiny feet causing her head to dig into the ground in an attempt to move across the floor. She is happiest when we let her hang out with a nakey bottom. She will play with her toys for a good hour or so straight. She is also starting to jabber and will talk back to you if you look her in the eyes and make sounds. My goodness that smile plus some coos melts my heart.

We are working on her sitting. James is hilarious. He has little "training" sessions with her. I am secretly trying to slow the whole "growing up process." Despite my attempts Annie is getting closer and closer to sitting. She sits kind of like a gorilla - with her weight on her hands. She is golden until you offer her a toy and she lifts up her hand and starts to lose balance.

Annie weighs a little over 12 pounds and is wearing mostly 3-6 month clothes. Although she still fits into some 0-3 month pajamas and dresses. She is in size 2 diapers. Everyone still comments on how tiny she is. Pictures are misleading.  Despite her petite size she has these squishy cheeks and chunky legs that we kiss on all day. We really do have an obsession with kissing those cheeks. It is kind of embarrassing.

I am still nursing 100 percent and love it. This past month I have faced some challenges during her growth spurts and have started to take Fennugreek and drink Mothers Milk Tea. I have noticed a significant difference when I work out or try to cut calories. Everything is much better now but I am realizing that nursing requires a lot of work. I am grateful that I have my Mom and James as my nursing cheerleaders. I give her a bottle of breast milk several times a week, which helps me stay sane. Even though I had a few rough days this month, I am still loving it. 

Annie goes to bed around 7 or 7:30 p.m. She wakes up at 7:30 a.m. but is still eating every 4-6 hours throughout the night. She doesn't even open her eyes to eat. She just gets the job done and goes right back to bed. Since she hasn't doubled her birth weight yet - I am not worrying about sleep training. I don't know if that is really my forte anyway. I didn't really pay much attention to her nap schedule until this week - but she is basically on a 3 hour schedule. Sleep. eat. play. I have just followed Annie's lead - and since I don't get out much a pattern has kind of formed. Her night sleeping isn't perfect - and I am still feeling a bit tired. But so far we feel pretty darn good about our little groove.

The one thing that has caused some sleep issues is the rolling. Annie has always been a tummy sleeper but since she started rolling I find her in the oddest positions. She will go from one end of the crib to the next in a dead sleep. I don't even know how it happens but I am grateful she has the bumpers to help ease the blow.

We left Annie with her first non-family member baby-sitter right around the 4 month mark. It has taken me some time to warm up to the idea since we are in a new place but I am so glad I did it. I am hoping we can find a couple to swap with in our ward soon.

Annie and I are having a thumb sucking battle. I can't even admit it to my dentist Dad. But this little girl has decided that her thumb is the cats meow. James thinks its adorable. I try to remind him that you can't take a thumb away and it is a hard habit to break. I pull it out of her mouth every chance I can get and put the binkie in.

She still hates her carseat. I mean HATES it. She even thinks it is a pretty great place to make a messy diaper - and does it almost every time I put her in it. I am fairly certain it is her way of punishing me for putting her in the car. My best bet is to leave the house right after she is fed. Put her in that puppy tired and you are in for a screaming mess.

Still loving her nightly bath in the Puj (best product ever), mornings are her happiest time and she still falls asleep best with a binkie and her silky blankey. Occasionally she will fall asleep in her swing. 

I have loved watching her interact with James this past month. She thinks her Daddy is the cats meow and laughs the most when he is around. Although I hate that she is growing up so quickly, I am relishing every new stage and trick that Annie comes up with. My love for her is so immediate. She is our sunshine and the center of our world.  We sure do love our little spunky bambina.

Our First "Real" Baby Sitter...

One of my very best friends from college came to town to for a few days.

After a string of unfortunate events with Annie + a busy husband

I was ready for a night out on the town with a good friend.

We had left Annie with my Mom once or twice - but never a real sitter.

Since we moved to Charlotte a month and a half ago 

it was a little hard to find a baby sitter or to do a swap.

But I took a leap of faith and went with an 18-year-old girl from our ward.

James reminded me that she probably had far more experience with babies than both of us combined.

Probably true.

Nevertheless, you should have seen the pages of notes I left for her.

Can you say paranoid?

Annie was already asleep but just incase I wrote down everything I could possibly think of.

Emergency numbers, pediatricians, her favorite items.

Oh yes, it was rather embarrassing.

Getting out the door I was a fumbling mess.

Jessie took this picture to remember the big moment.

I was half laughing - half crying.

Thank goodness we had a fun night ahead of us to take my mind off of things.

Jessie and I met up with James for a quick round of Sushi Uptown 

and then headed to the Panthers game.

We had a blast watching Dave.

James was in heaven watching the game 

and I was loving having some time with him and Jess.

Two of my favorite people.

I even convinced James to let me text the babysitter....

several times.

When I got home I rushed to check on Annie but she wasn't even needing her Mama.

She was fast asleep and did just fine.

And I felt like a new woman -

despite my slight  severe anxiety over the matter.

We absolutely loved having Jessie in town for a few days.

Our late night chats made me miss the good ol' college days.

I wouldn't change my "grown up" life for the world.

But it sure is fun remembering our messy apartment, late night treat runs, borrowing each others clothes

and all the drama that came with living with 4 girls.

They are my life long best friends and I wouldn't trade those years for nothin'.

I loved turning back the clock for a few hours, enjoying a night out on the town 

and spending some time with two people I absolutely adore.

As hard as it was, and as much as I missed Annie in those few short hours....

It was a good reminder that there is a lot more to me than changing diapers and burping a babe.

I think I'll try to remember that more often.

That Gummy Grin...

Annie was really fussy the first day Allison was in Charlotte.

My spunky little girl was just acting off and was refusing to eat.

Nothing is more frustrating than a baby that won't nurse.

I was irritated and Annie was not pleasant to be around.

Thankfully I have the best sister-in-law in the world who just goes with the flow.

Love her.

Everyone was guessing that Annie was teething.

Fussy. Wanting to suck on everything. Refusing to eat etc.

But it just didn't feel right to me.

She is too young to be teething and I knew it.

Turns out she had a nasty sore throat.

James had it - I was fighting it - and poor 4-month-old Annie caught the brunt of the bug.

After a few doses of Tylenol she was feeling much better 

and was flashing that gummy grin at her aunt Allie.

Sadly, we didn't get to do as much as I would have liked while Allison was in town.

We worked on a few crafts,

met James for lunch at our favorite crapery Uptown

visited a darling {but way too pricey to buy anything} boutique called Coral,

ate fish taco's in Charlotte's Historic Art District

and chatted on the couch for hours on end.

We sure do love visits from Allison

and can't wait to see her again soon.

Hopefully next time we will be sporting a lot more of that beautiful gummy grin.

Reaching...

In the last few weeks my little Annie Belle has come out of her shell.

She is a little spit fire.

I have a bittersweet feeling about her getting older.

I look back at those newborn pictures and ache to hold that sleepy quiet babe.

But just as I wish for those moments back 

my sweet girl will smile up at me and reach to touch my face.

It isn't an easy feat for her and it requires some serious concentration.

Watching those little fingers move in slow motion to feel my cheeks makes my heart swell.

Just today it hit me.

I am her person.

The one who soothes her and makes her feel safe.

It is me she will reach for - forever.

I will fix the boo boo's. The broken hearts and injured egos.

It is my job.

No matter how much training someone else has -

they can't nurture Annie like I can.

Not because I am skilled or some super Mom.

But because I am her Mom.

 No training or book could have prepared me for her specific personality or spirit.

She was meant for me and I was meant for her.

As much at that thought intimidates me,
{And heaven knows I have a billion things to learn}
it brings me the most incredible joy.

This right here. This is happiness in its purest form.

Pictures by Allison Barker.

Annie's First Dip...

I guess you could say it was a hit!

Taking after her mama with a love for the pool.

I am afraid that if I close my eyes for too long 

she will be 5 years old and cannon balling into the deep end.

I think I'll keep her just like this forever.

Manicure Gone Wrong...

It is the nightmare of every new parent.

Those thin scratchy finger nails.

And I did it.

I made the dreaded mistake.

I clipped just a teeny tiny bit too short.

{insert cringing here}

Annie didn't even know anything was wrong.

But boy did I feel like the worst person alive.

After several hours trying to get the bleeding to stop at home...

the doctor finally zapped it with a little chemical to clot the blood.

Hence the dramatic looking wrap on her hand.

{really, it makes it look 1 million times worse than it was}

The doctor had a good laugh at/with me.

"Did Mom get excited with the manicure?"

She asked Annie several times before she sent us out the door with this bandage.

To make the mom guilt worse -

I woke up the next morning to a little girl with a bright red, warm thumb.

The microscopic cut had become infected.

Not sure where it happened -

but it was definitely infected.

So back to the doctor we went.

Being the new, hysterical Mom that I am, I was all teary and felt horrible.

When the doctor told me she'd need to go on antibiotics I nearly lost it..

It is all so funny looking back now.

But at the time it was "very serious."

Ha.

I even asked if she would lose her thumb.

I am certain the doctor walked out and had a big laugh with the staff about that one.

I am officially "that" mom.

Poor Annie.

And you know what they say,

bad things come in threes.

After about 10 days the antibiotics were finally gone.

And then the terrible diaper/yeast rash set in.

The doctor had warned me this might happen.

It came on with a vengeance and poor Annie was not happy about it.

So, sink or swim I learned all about taking care of a nasty diaper rash.

I had it all wrong on day one.

Turns out - you can fail at something as simple as taking care of a diaper rash.

But by day three we have the diaper rash system all worked out and things were looking up.

Needless to say,

Annie's first manicure went poorly.

Two weeks later 

and I am just now reaching the end of the consequences of the manicure gone wrong.

Moral of the story -

don't trim.

Just file.

Oh, and new Moms are dramatic.

Thee end.

Sunday Best...

Its safe to say we are obsessed with that little face.
These were snapped on a slow Sunday afternoon by the man in our life.
I am one lucky lady.


On a side note. Check out my drastic hair color change.
Looks like pregnancy/nursing decided it was time I became a brunette.
Anyone else experience this?

Car Dates...

The weather in Charlotte tends to flip quickly between hot and sticky to a sudden summer down pour.

While I don't love the sticky - I am obsessed with the hot summer rain.

The ups and downs have caused us to quickly change plans several times.

I guess we are NC weather rookies.

An afternoon driving range outing turned into mom and babe watching Dad from afar.

But my all time favorite was when a picnic in the park was interrupted by a slew of rain.

Our little family dined in the car.

Chipotle. John Mayer. And my two favorites.

Can't complain about that.

On My To Do List :: Motherhood

In addition to documenting Annie's growth -

I also feel like it's crucial to document my own.

My oh my have the last 3 months pushed me to grow in ways I never thought imaginable.

During my senior year of high school I learned the value of a to do list.

From sketching out my future goals, to detailing what I needed to get done the next day,

it was always a pretty big part of my life.

It gave me control and a sense of accomplishment.

But after having Annie, things are different.

I don't have complete control over my days.

Sure, I can try to have a routine or a schedule.

But I can't expect the meltdowns, the growth spurts, the blowouts or the sleepless nights.

The first month of Annie's life I truly just relished it all.

I did not make a single to do list.

I spent a lot of time with my sweet husband and my baby girl.

It was wonderful.

I can't say it enough. It was a magical time in our home and in my life.

But eventually I felt like I had to come to grips with the fact that

life outside the four walls of my home did exist.

The day-to-day tasks seem harder than ever to accomplish

not to mention the little "extras" that I love to do.

And don't even talk about working out.

When Annie was 6 weeks old I brought back the to do list.

It needed to happen before I lost my mind.

But then frustration came.

I simply wasn't crossing things off.

I'd compare myself to other girls and feel oh so behind.

Thank you notes still needed to be written,

pictures hung,

laundry done,

and on and on and on.

I felt like I was 

"not accomplishing anything."

As soon as the line came out of my mouth I felt terrible for uttering it or even thinking it.

{Although I am sure the thought will cross my mind many-a-time}

I am accomplishing the most important thing in the world every.single.day.

Why is it that silly things like "drop dry cleaning off" make it on my to do list - 

but being a good mom isn't?

What about -

sit on the floor and coo back as many times as she will allow?

Change diapers. Feed.

Bounce.

Sing. Read.

These things are far more important than cleaning my toilets or 

going to the gym.

It all seems so clear when her eyes stare right through me and she gives me the biggest gummy giggle.

But how easily it is forgotten.

I am learning to forgive myself for not being able to cross it all off.

For having a mound of laundry and 3 day dirty hair.

It's all ok.

Because at the the top of my to-list is to be a good wife and mom.

I simply need to slow down 

and remind myself that as long as our little family is happy and healthy

I have accomplished just about everything.

Charleston Part II :: So Very Southern

After getting settled into the Inn we set out to explore Charleston.

With less than 24-hours in the city we were advised to just take our time

strolling the streets around Rainbow Row and the Battery.

We strapped Annie in her carrier and away we went.

James and I were both shocked at how old and massive the homes were.

How on earth did they have huge homes like this back then?

They were simply stunning and right up my alley.

I must admit, I am swooning over the homes in the South.

I love the traditional style and dream of owning my own brick home with a history 

and bright colored walls inside.

A girl can always dream, right?

Don't you just adore this one?

Brick. Shutters. Walkway.

I wanted to move right in.

I couldn't get over these streets that dated back to the 1700's. 

Annie was pleased as punch to ride right along with Mama.

She was wide eyed and loved exploring.

This moment right here.

I'd like it back already and can't believe James got it on camera.

That little face and big gummy grin has us wrapped around her finger.

Why yes Miss Annie, you can have anything you want.

These horse drawn carriage rides go throughout the town giving tours.

We thoroughly enjoyed the free history lesson as we'd stroll along side them.

I wasn't so sure how Annie would do if we hopped aboard...

and James wasn't so sure how he felt about, "riding behind a horses bum all day."

Ha. I could not stop laughing at that line.

The lighting was gorgeous all day and I couldn't resist snapping pictures.

I love the white brick mixed with palm trees.

These women desperately wanted me to put Annie in this buggy. 

Looking back I am a little sad we didn't walk away with this adorable hand made basket.

I can just imagine Annie wheeling her dolls around in it.

Darn it.

After a few hours walking around, James was hungry.

And when the man is hungry you get him food pronto.

When we walked up to the restaurant and a man was passing out flyers - I knew it was trouble.

But James was hungry...so in we went.

Fried chicken. Fried tortillas. Fried shrimp.

You get the picture.

We ordered the only non-fried items on the "men-ya" 

and got out in a jiffy.

Even Annie was a bit disgusted.

image via

Next stop was the market.

Unfortunately my hands were full with my prized possession 

so I didn't snap a picture but here is the front of the market. 

This long building stretches for blocks and blocks and is full of local vendors.

It is open air - but covered with fans to help with the heat.

Founded in 1788, this public market is open 365 days a year.

It is simply marvelous.

Along the side of the market is a whole slew of tasty shops.

Oh my goodness were we happy.

I may not like fried food but give me some "suga" and I am a goner.

When this woman offered me a sample of praline goodness, I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

I managed to pull myself away without buying any

but you better believe I went back and stole a second sample.

Then it was off to the pier.

I can hardly wait to dip my toes into the warm Atlantic soon.

Annie was getting a little tuckered out from her long day of exploring.

image via

After regrouping at the Inn for a few minutes, we headed out to dinner.

My friend Sarah sent us an incredible spreadsheet about restaurants in Charleston.

If you are headed that direction let me know and I will share a few recommendations.

One of my favorite things about this quaint area is that there were hardly any chain restaurants.

James and I are kind of obsessed with discovering a unique spot that is only found in one place.

We decided on Hank's Seafood.

It was one of the best meals I have ever had.

Crab cakes for an appetizer 

and scallops for the main course.

You can't go wrong.

Too bad I was stuffed beyond belief to down a dessert.

Our first southern road trip was nothing short of a success.

We drove home during a beautiful summer thunderstorm.

With green trees forming walls around us, it seemed so very southern.

Be back soon Charleston.