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!
**************************

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!
**************************

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!

******************

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.

*********************

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.

Happy 4 Months Sophie!

Sophie, you have made so many amazing strides this past month! You rolled over, found your feet and are babbling to us. We even transitioned you to your crib, which has been seamless and it helped mommy and daddy sleep a lot better too.

You still eat every 2.5-3 hours, however you are favoring 3 hour stretches and sometimes require 5-6 oz. Most of the time though, you think 4 oz. is enough. You wake once a night to eat around 4am. Mommy and daddy still take turns getting up and feeding you. Mommy thinks that you like when daddy puts you to bed. He seems to know what positions you like the best. About halfway through the night we hear you rustling and we know it's time to flip you over to your belly to sleep. You love that.

Your drooling is into overdrive now and we are expecting to see teeth sometime soon. We don't think you are in pain yet, but you sure like to put your hands in your mouth and chew on them!

Your 4 month well baby appointment isn't until August 19th (you will be almost 19 weeks by then) so we will have your official stats then. You are getting transitioned into size 2 diapers. You are getting too long for the size ones!

We get told you are such a pretty baby. We know you are gorgeous, but when we are out, you gather quite a crowd! You even took your first trip to Maryland to see your second family. Aunt Jaime was so happy to see you again. You even got to meet Mama Carol and Aunt Jaime's sister and close family. Everyone loved you and mommy and daddy got a break since Aunt Jaime's family doted on you. You were SO good for the 11 hour car ride and even slept through the night one night in Maryland. You liked it there. Daddy even bought you a special toy since you were so good. It has become one of your favorites.

You're still our "pea" and we love that nickname. Daddy uses it the most. You still like to stand and sometime whine a bit when you want to do it. You are so excited when you stand you open your mouth wide and smirk. ADORABLE!!!

Each day just gets better and better. Watching you grow is the most amazing experience. I can honestly say it is a pleasure being your mommy!