Sophie loves waffles!

Our family Christmas present

Ta da! Spencer and I decided to give each other a new Panasonic 50" Plasma HDTV and a new stand from Costco. It really looks awesome in our living room and we actually switched the living room around a bit. We're up to a lot of changes in Oxford and we can't wait to share them all with you.

For now, a little sneak peek!

Happy Holidays!

Look forward to much more from me very soon! The holidays have almost eaten me alive, but I am determined to come out unscathed! My closet turned mudroom is almost finished and I can't wait to share it with you all! I am determined to keep up this blog a lot more in 2011 - here's to a much more organized and peaceful year! <3

Happy 8 Months Sophie!

Sophie, this month you are 8 months old! You have mastered crawling and pulling up to stand. Even though you are still a little peanut, you are wowing us with your milestones!

This past month you celebrated your first Thanksgiving and your first Christmas! You spent a lot of time with family members and they've enjoyed watching you grow as well. You had your first visit with Santa at Meadow Brook Hall. You loved it. You touched Santa's glasses and smiled with him. We told him what you wanted and said you have been a VERY good girl. It was special for mommy since I used to visit Santa there when I was a little girl. Mommy did tear up a bit. We really enjoy this tradition with you.

Sophie, you have this attention getting scream/shout that is just too cute - it is very rare when you do it, but when you do it is too funny. Daddy is usually holding you and we both start laughing and looking at each other. Your personality is really starting to develop and we can see you have a little wild streak! You know what no means and like to test us by trying to eating the kitty's food, touching daddy's surround sound receiver and putting your hands on the fireplace gate.

Your favorite friend is still the kitty, Sevin. You squeal when you see him and Sevin likes to be around you too! He sits on mommy's legs when I rest them on the coffee table when I am feeding you a bottle. You like to pet him while you eat.

We have put down the crib mattress because mommy found you standing at 3 am in your sleep once! We wondered when that day would come and it's finally here. You are a very brave baby and we know you will be an early walker. You are already starting to scale around furniture too. You are mommy and daddy's little climber!

You have your two bottom teeth fully in and we are awaiting your next teething experience. You also have been getting a lot more hair. Daddy likes to style it in a faux hawk!

You still have a pretty good appetite and have been eating more finger foods. We started you on waffles in the morning after your first bottle. You really enjoy them and like stuffing a lot into your mouth at once. I have a very cute video to accompany this! You still eat 5 oz. every 3 hours and nap an hour after eating. You mostly eat stage 2 foods, but we've been introducing stage 3 foods in a thicker consistency. You like eating some snacks in the afternoon - your apple cinnamon rice puffs or "crunchies" as mommy calls them is your favorite. Soph, you are pretty easygoing with food. Your bedtime is around 10pm usually, but has been later lately due to the holidays.

You could still fit into size 2 diapers, but we moved you up to size 3. You are still very long and skinny. Mommy's supermodel. You fit in 6-9 month clothing now. You are in mostly 9 month because of your length, but it is still a little big on you. Since you are getting a lot more hair, mommy has been trying a lot of hair clips/barrettes on you now. Is it possible you look even cuter than before with headbands? Yes.

Sophie, I say that I enjoy every stage better than the one before it, but I know every day just keeps getting better. It is amazing. Almost 3 months until your first birthday and I really can not believe it. Mommy and daddy enjoy watching you learn and grow - helping you along the way. You are perfect and we revel in all of the moments we share as a family.

Happy 7 Months Sophie!

As we creep closer and closer to the one year mark I am trying to cherish the little baby stage because before you know it my little cuddle baby will be a toddler. Still, 7 months is now closer to a year than 6 months. (I'm actually writing this when Sophie is 7 1/2 months, so technically she's closer to 8 months....but who's counting?!!!! Her scared mother, that doesn't want her to grow up is!!!!!)

This past month Sophie, you've gotten 2 teeth! The first sprouted by itself and a day later we saw the one right next to it coming up too. It was only painful for a a few days for you and we had to give you Tylenol to help you sleep, but you dealt with it fairly well. The same time your teeth started coming in you mastered crawling. You are like a baby torpedo - blasting from here to there...there is no stopping you! You like crawling after vents and the kitty.

You also like to get on your tippy toes when you crawl making an arch or the yoga pose 'downward dog' as mommy likes to call it. It is so funny to watch - sometimes I think you are going to go in a runner's sprint! Sophie, you also pulled yourself to stand for the first time this month. Daddy was laying on the floor and you crawled to him put your hands on his legs and pulled yourself right up! We better get the baby gate out now!

You are still in size 2 diapers and are eating 5 oz. every 3 hours. We've added a lunchtime "solid" feeding now, so you are eating rice cereal/oatmeal (you love!) and a fruit. You still have a dinner feeding and eat more at the dinner feeding. You now eat stage 2 foods and have also mastered your sippy cup. Sophie, you even know how to drink from a straw! It's so cute...you don't know how much water you are getting at a time yet, so some will spill out of daddy's waterbottle. You are still like clockwork and take a nap an hour after every bottle. Sometimes it's for 3 hours and sometimes it's just 20 min. You still need your naps - you don't like being cranky. You've pushed your bedtime a bit later, around 10:30, but it is ok since you usually sleep pretty well and sleep until about 8am.

You are in 6 month clothing now and 3-6 mo. clothing is officially tight. We've put you in some 9 month clothes, but they are still a little big/long for you. We bought you a winter coat and a snowsuit. Although we are not looking forward to dealing with the snow, we are looking forward to you having fun in it!

You are always so happy. Mommy and daddy get comments all the time on how well-behaved you are. You usually smile at people when they talk and smile at you. I can see you being a very personable baby. You are still the most adorable thing ever, and if it's possible, your eyelashes are getting longer! Even though mommy gets scared when you grow, daddy and mommy are both in awe of you are your little budding personality. You are a very happy-go-lucky baby. It is a joy to share life with you each and every day.

Our trip to Ann Arbor

I've been wanting to take a family trip for a day to Ann Arbor. It is about an hour and a half away from our house, but very much worth the trip. I have heard about Zingerman's - the best bakery/deli in Michigan, but had yet to step foot in the collection of 3 buildings on Detroit St.

One of my photography clients lives in Ann Arbor and after their engagement shoot on a particular hot, exhausting day, treated me to a Zingerman's vanilla iced latte. Heaven. Pure heaven. I was hooked. Hand shaven vanilla beans from Mexico? These people surely know their food. Literally everything is available to sample prior to purchase. A taste guarantee? I am in. Food is even shipped nationwide from the Ann Arbor location. See here for Zingerman's mail order.

My husband got J.V.W.’s Detroit St. BBQ - Zingerman’s BBQ Amish chicken, Nueske’s applewood-smoked bacon & coleslaw on grilled sourdough bread. Served with a side of applewood-smoked baked beans. And I decided on Dave’s Open Road - Grilled Amish chicken breast, applewood-smoked bacon, Wisconsin muenster cheese, Zingerman’s ranch dressing & lettuce on grilled challah bread. We also got a loaf of Parmesan Pepper Bread to take home. Sophie liked to test out her new teeth on a slice.

After our late lunch we walked around Kerrytown and discovered more shops. There is an adorable upscale baby store, Elephant Ears, that I wanted everything in it!

I am sure we will visit Ann Arbor again, there's so much to see and do. To be honest, my husband and I were reminiscing about the college days when we were there so maybe next time we will leave Sophie at home to relive our irresponsibility at the many bars downtown. :)

Sophie's officially mobile!

Hope your Halloween was great!

Our pumpkins!

Happy 6 Months Sophie!

Is it really halfway until your first birthday Sophie?! You are discovering everything with a big smile on your face. I live for those smiles. Six months has been a fun month!

This was one big month of learning and new experiences for you. You tried fruit for the first time! You are also a pro at eating your veggies. Mommy and daddy are so proud. You like squash the best along with peas and green beans. Unfortunately the green veggies are constipating for you, so we have to ask the doctor about that issue. You've also eaten carrots and sweet potatoes too. You also will be trying some avocado this week since I want to start making and freezing more of your food.

You were sick for the first time with a stomach bug that lasted for 2 weeks! We had to give you probiotics and change up your formula to a gentler, soy formula for sensitive tummies. At first when you were sick we thought you were in pain because of teething, but still no teeth yet! You also got a very bad diaper rash because of your upset tummy so we used a special cream to get rid of that.

You are still a pretty good sleeper, but when you were sick for 2 weeks, you didn't like falling asleep on your own. You now like to wake up around 5:30 am when daddy leaves for work and toss and turn a lot. I take you into mommy and daddy's bed so you can finish sleeping. You practice crawling in your sleep and toss and turn quite a bit.

You are an expert roller now and can get to anything you want by rolling to it. You scoot while trying to crawl and rock while on all fours. You go up on your hands and knees and then drop down to scoot with your head down and inchworm to the things you want. We are waiting any day now to see you take off!

You are still in size 2 diapers and are eating 5oz. every 3 hours. You have 2-3 tablespoons of rice cereal and 2 tablespoons of veggies/fruit at dinner. You are a pretty good eater. We're going to ask the pediatrician if you should start eating cereal or fruit in the morning too.

Sophie, you are wearing 6 month clothes now. In a span of one month you outgrew your 0-3 and 3 month clothes. Even some of your 6 month clothes are getting tighter! You must have had a big growth spurt. We even put you in a couple 9 month outfits.

It looks like you are getting a lot more hair this month too. It is very fuzzy and thick and daddy likes to style it often. You can officially sit and will play for a few minutes sitting, but you sure like to be on your belly to (try to) crawl.

We took you to your first football game this past weekend. You really enjoyed it! You liked looking at all of the people and the new noises. You helped the cheerleaders with some chants even! You looked especially adorable with your fleece outfit - you had everyone coming up to you to say hi! We also took you to the pumpkin patch to pick our pumpkins. You liked sitting with the pumpkins and touching them. You also like touching cornstalks. It is a new texture for you! We also went to the cider mill. We went twice so far. We will definitely go again. It is our favorite time of the year. You had a little bite of a donut - didn't seem to faze you!

Sophie, we love you so much. You enrich our lives by just being a part of our family. We share in your joy of every new experience with you. These past 6 months have been the most rewarding months of my life. I am so proud to be your momma.

What are you reading?

What are you reading right now?

I am trying to get through my mound of Glamour, Real Simple and BH&G magazines.

What are you and baby reading right now?

We're starting the Madeline Complete Collection - The book was a gift from our shower from Sophie's Aunt Jaime. (My best friend/sorority big sister)

Tell me what is on your reading list!

Run Around....Sophie?

Sophie recently likes this song - I had to tell my dad since he is actually close with Dion from Dion and the Belmonts. The word spread and so did this video straight to Dion's computer. He loved it!

Closet Turned Mudroom: Progress

We have a wall of 3 closets opposite our 1/2 bath on the first level of our home. It is great for storage, but we really don't need that many closets. This winter we struggled to find a place to put our coats, boots and especially a seated area for my pregnant butt to get them on at! I didn't want to drag the snow and dirt in the house with me....so this idea was born. We are turning the furthest closet (in the pic below) into a mudroom! Yes! A closet turned mudroom.

Our hall of closets

Here are some inspiration pics:

Here is what we've done so far in the pic below:

Drywall cut
Rewired and relocated switch lower

Here it is mid-stage below:

Drywall cutting complete
Molding taken down
Window cut and reinforced ledge

What's left to do:

Cornerbeading
Patching
Selecting new tile
Install tile and grout
Paint
Build bench
Decorate

This is going to be AWESOME when it's finished!

Master Bedroom Reveal

And now for the details:

My husband did an amazing job! He installed a ceiling fan and transformed the ceiling from a icky blue to a gorgeous white! The crown molding looks so much better too. Looks quite different than this, don't you think:



Got to love the seller's unmade bed when we did our final walkthrough! Ugh. I <3 my new bedroom!

Happy 5 months Sophie!

Sophie, you are getting so independent! You love to stand more often and now like practicing sitting. You make sounds and babble quiet often!

You are eating 5 oz. every 3 hours now. You've eliminated your middle of the night feeding and are (mostly) sleeping through the night. It is great. Mommy and daddy especially like that part of your independence. You still rustle around quite a bit and about 1/2 way through the night you need to be turned to sleep on your tummy.

Everything goes in the mouth now and you are becoming quite the expert on pulling mommy's hair! You are still drooling, but no teeth yet.

You enjoy bathtime and are splashing around much more. Daddy likes to teach you how to splash. He certainly helps you make some big splashes!

You are officially in size 2 diapers - they seem to be a bit roomy still, but I think you like it. 0-3 month clothes are getting tighter for you so mommy broke out the 3 month clothes and some 3-6 sizes.

We even decided to start you on some solids! You tried rice cereal first. You didn't like it runny like we first made it for you...you preferred it a little thicker. After you mastered cereal for 2 weeks we started you on your first vegetable - carrots at 5 1/2 months! More info on that in your 6 month post!

Oh, Sophie. I am scared that next month you will be 1/2 a year old. I love this age for you. Everything is new and you are SUCH a happy-go-lucky girl. We love you so much and enjoy this lovely journey being your parents.

A day in the life - Amy

Today I am featured in The Domestic Wannabe's blog! I had the opportunity to take part in her "Day in the Life" series. I hope you enjoy reading what a day is like for us!
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Hello blog world! I am Amy from The Mistress of Oxford. I am so happy to take part in Ashley's Day in the life series. I have a 5 month old daughter, Sophie, who we call "Pea" or any version thereof - "Peanut" ...."Peas and Carrots"...you get it. She makes up the best of my husband, Spencer and me.

Ahhh...those eyes...I get lost in them.

My husband Spencer and I are high school sweethearts - we've been together 10 years. A year ago we bought our first home and enjoy making it our own.

HE: Lover of paintball, hunting, fishing, welding & sports
SHE: Loves wine, photography, walks, shopping, traveling & dancing

To give a little background, this particular day is a Tuesday. I work part-time with a web company M,W,F and am off on Tues/Thurs. This seems to be the best schedule for us now as I build my side business on my off days and do shoots on the weekends. Yup, I'm a photographer. I love it and hopefully someday soon I will be able to quit my part-time job and run my own business full-time. On M,W,F we are lucky enough to have my mother come to our house and watch Sophie. My mother retired this year and now watching Sophie part-time is her new job! :)

I hope you enjoy a little glimpse into our life!
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7 am: I wake up to Sophie's gurgles and coos. I go in her room to see a big smile on her face. We decide on her outfit for the day and I change her diaper and outfit. Today is a cute striped polo romper. I bring her downstairs and tidy up a bit in the kitchen and wash a few bottles from the previous day.
8 am: Sophie finally realizes she's hungry and I make her a bottle. I balance her in my arms while I make it and mentally give myself a gold star for that task. (Hey, it's the little things!)

8:30 am: Sophie finishes, I get dressed (big accomplishment - another star!) and we head out to the local bagel shop to get our stash for the week. I decide on 4 cheddar poppyseed bagels and 2 everything bagels. I ask for one cheddar bagel to go with light cream cheese. The workers ooh and ahh at Sophie for a bit and we head on over to Starbucks. I get my summer regular (Grande Iced Carmel Machiatto) and get the car washed.

9:30 am: We get back and I put Sophie on her activity mat. Drool is everywhere. I attach a bib and let play away. I notice she has grown particularly fond of the crinkle leaves and keeps pulling at them. She giggles as I rub the leaves over her hands.

I can see she is getting frustrated and pick her up to cuddle with me on the couch.


9:45 am: Sophie fights sleep and finally falls asleep in my arms with a paci. I take her upstairs and put her in the Rock & Play Sleeper (LOVE!) next to the desk in our office. I sit down and start editing photos from a recent newborn shoot.

11:30 am: Spencer gets home for lunch. Sophie wakes up and it's time for her to eat. We sit at the table discussing our day so far.

12:20 pm: Spencer leaves to go back to work. Sophie falls asleep in my arms and once again I bring her upstairs to the office to finish editing.
1:30 pm: Sophie is up. I bring Sophie downstairs and catch up on a couple DVR shows.

2:30 pm: I make another bottle for Sophie. She scarfs it down. I grab my camera and snap away since she is full and happy.

About 2 seconds later, she takes little nap.

4:30 pm: Spencer is home from work. He grabs a shower and works on painting the master bedroom ceiling. We continue to play.

6:00 pm: Sophie eats. I contemplate about making dinner, but I think I am feeling pizza. We order it along with 2 chocolate malts. We all 3 pack up and go downtown to grab the dinner to bring home.

Now that I made you lick your monitor....

7:30 pm: Dinner is finished and I pack lunches and get the coffee ready for the next day. Spencer plays with Sophie.


8 pm: Spencer puts Sophie in her pj's and they unwind on they couch together. I put a load of laundry in downstairs. I tell myself I need to do laundry much more often than I do.

9:30 pm: Sophie takes her last bottle for the night and falls asleep right after.

10 pm: Bedtime for us!

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Q&A with Ashley

1. What is the most surprising thing to you about being a mother?

• How things come naturally. You know every little thing about your child. You know what every different cry means and become "crylingual". The whole women's intuition comes into play for sure.

• I am also surprised how well I am able to balance personal and professional life. Life gets hectic sometimes, but you just do what you got to do.

• And, of course, how I could love something so much.

2. What are some tips you would give to new moms, or soon to be mommas?

• No matter what your plans, your kid runs the show.
• Never say never - You will do things you told yourself you wouldn't do as a parent.
• Take time for yourself. A child is very demanding but it's important to do the little things for yourself too. A happy mom = a happy baby.
• Go on a date night at least once a month. It's easy to get lost in baby. It gives you a break for a few hours and lets you reconnect not only with yourself, but your significant other too.
• It's ok to feel overwhelmed. Let the mess in the house be, leave the dirty laundry alone and savor the time with your newborn. You will never get that time back.
• Don't leave work to do when your 9 months pregnant. I can promise you that task will be 100% harder - let others help!
• Invest in a good camera - you will be taking more pictures than you ever thought you would when your little one is here. It doesn't have to be the best out there, or a DSLR, just something you feel comfortable with and will last. It is worth the investment.
  

3. What are your top three baby products?

Fisher-Price Rock & Play Sleeper
Number one product hands down. Most mommas buy this as an inclined sleep solution. For the first few weeks Sophie would not sleep on her back. We were apprehensive of letting her sleep on her belly in the pack and play next to our bed so we looked for a more permanent solution. I like how light and easy it is to fold and move. Sometimes she will nap/lay in this while I am editing photos and she is content.

Itzbeen Timer
Like Karen from Karen At Home, I view this product as a must-have especially early on. It's easier to see the pattern your child distinguishes. There can be a lot of chaos when you have a newborn and knowing exactly when your child last ate, was changed and how long they nap for is simple with a touch of a button. This is great for sleep-deprived moms and dads who don't want to write down/remember the last time their child. The first week we almost forgot we had the timer and let me tell you, life has been a lot easier since using it. It even has a nifty clip on the back of it. I carry it with me even in the diaper bag. It gave us a good sense of Sophie's habits.

Boppy Pillow
Initially for use as a pillow to help breastfeed, we keep the boppy on the couch so Sophie can sit with us. We only use it for her to sit in while we are supervising her. She loves hanging out and playing with her toys and teethers while sitting up like a big girl.

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We hope you enjoyed your glimpse into our lives! Being a mom is definitely a full-time job, but very worth it. It is just amazing to see our love in one person - our daughter who I am in awe of everyday.

Thanks Ashley for the opportunity to share our day with your readers!

Daddy loves to make Sophie laugh

Sophie loves laughing with her daddy!

Sophie Laughs

Here's some Sophie laughs to brighten up those Monday blues!

The Lip Video

This is the famous lip. It comes out when Sophie gets frustrated or very hungry! This was taken around 3 months....a little late, but oh so cute.

One year ago...

It is amazing to think that just one year ago we found out we were pregnant!

It is even more amazing to know that this:

and this (wow - look how faint!):

turned into:

and this:

and then a couple weeks before her birth:

And ultimately this:

I never knew two pink lines would change my life forever, for the better. I love you Sophie!

Guest Bathroom

I can't believe I haven't posted this update! Actually, I can. The week I went into labor, we finally finished the guest bathroom. About 4 months late, but here it is nonetheless! If you remember the bathroom looked like this:



And now this! It is amazing what a little paint and new fixtures do to a room. I love how the damask just pops against the orange paint. The first photo is my attempt at a panoramic shot.