Working Mom

Yesterday was my first day back to work. I'm fortunate enough to work from home, but having a 7-week old babe around makes it a little complicated. I mean, how could I not stare at this face all day?


I get a lot of questions about why I'm back to work so soon and what our plans are for Rowan in the coming months. While my job is protected by law for 12 weeks, the thought of 6 of them being unpaid was scary after just putting an offer in on a house. Could we have made it work? Probably. Would I have gone back as early if I weren't working from home? Unlikely.

Thankfully Grandma is here to help the first few weeks and these particular coworkers were asleep on the job for most of our first day.


I know some days will be more challenging than others. But today work was slow and we survived.

I'm sure this pair will make me eat my words at some point. Probably today. No doubt the unsuspecting grandma who dares to walk on our sidewalk will send Ruby into a fit which will then send Rowan into a meltdown mid-mama's conference call. I'm fully prepared to hit the mute button if necessary.

We were late to the "add your kid to the daycare wait list" game, so even if we wanted to send him to daycare sooner, we can't. We're hoping to get a spot for the Fall. (Side note: did y'all know they have daycare "classes" where you can't get them in until Fall even if there is a spot open now? What the?)

Mom guilt aside, I think daycare will be good for all of us. Good for Rowan in that those baby germs will help build his immune system and give him more social time. Good for mama in that I may or may not lose my mind juggling my work and personal to-do lists.

I envy those of you with family nearby who can watch your little one. Even though I think daycare will be a good thing (eventually), my heart aches thinking about those first few days of dropping him off and heading back home to work. You know its going to be tough and you feel for those mamas who do it before you...

But you never realize how tough until you are faced with the prospect of trusting your little with a complete stranger who is likely in charge of 3 or 4 other sweet babies at the same time. 

So here's to all of the working and stay-at-home mamas, I don't know how you all do it mentally, physically, or emotionally. Being a Mom is a job in itself, but it's so worth it and beats the hell out of my 9-to-5.
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Minted Giveaway {Winner}

Happy Thursday! I'm just popping in today to announce the winner of the $150 Minted credit!


Congratulations to Emily C.! 

And thank you all for following along! I'm so glad to work with great companies like Minted to give back to y'all for all of your support and sweet comments on my little corner of the internet! 
You are the best!

For our privacy, some of the details on the announcement have been blurred out by my amateur editing skills. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Apps for New Mamas

One of the first things I did when I got a positive pregnancy test was download the What to Expect app. Though I don't advise using the forums on that app (they will scare the hell out of you... as will Googling symptoms), I loved it for following along with the babe's development.

Once I got closer to delivery, I decided to search for some other apps that would help a new mama out. After 6 weeks of use and some advice from fellow boy-mama, Stephanie, I've come up with my favorites and thought I'd share them with y'all today!



Full Term
Cost: Free


This app is perfect for timing contractions and helping you decide when to head to the hospital but it can also be used for counting kicks. Once you start logging some contractions it averages your duration and frequency of the contractions. You can view them in a graph but I mostly just looked at the "Last Hour" section. Once we got to 1 minute in duration and 5 minutes apart, we headed to the hospital. By that point I was almost 4 cm so they didn't have to send me home.  

Sprout
Cost: Free trial or $4.99 for full Sprout Baby app


This app basically does everything, like tracking feedings, pumping, diaper changing, immunizations, etc. I mostly just use it for feedings now but in the beginning it was really useful to track diapers and make sure Rowan was getting what he needed in the early days of breastfeeding. Now I just consult it when I can't remember which side he ate from last.

Sound Sleeper
Cost: Free


This app has a bunch of  different sounds you can play, I usually use the ocean or womb options when I don't have Rowan's Sleep Sheep on hand.

Moms on Call
Cost: $3.99


Stephanie recommended this app after using the Moms on Call method for sleep training her little man and since we are also using their sleep schedule, it was a no brainer to get the app. You can update the app if you have a second baby and it will help coordinate your kids' sleep schedules. Though Rowan will refuse a nap or two during the day, we are able to follow the schedule pretty closely and we get a glorious stretch of sleep from about 9:30 pm to 3 am. Woo!

So far these are what help to make our days easier so I hope they help those of you who are expecting or are a new mama! Anyone have other apps you would recommend?!

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Our Weekend + 2 Years

Today marks two glorious years of marriage to this handsome guy, and I couldn't be happier to call him mine.


I'll spare you the sappy details of how much I love him and how great of a father he is to Rowan. It's definitely been a whirlwind year for us and I cannot wait to see what 2015 has in store for our little family!

We celebrated with lunch at our favorite spot on Shem Creek, Vickery's, and later introduced Rowan to the madness that is Trader Joe's on a Saturday.


We used the car seat attachment on the shopping cart and let me tell you, that shit is not easy to navigate around a busy store. We only took out one cart which I felt like was a success. Side note: Why the eff is it always crazy at TJ's? I don't think I've ever been to one that isn't packed with crazed patrons.


We left with the essentials... clearly. I should also note those cookies are gone already. Not sorry.

Though I joke that Steve's Anniversary gift from me this year was an adorable babe, we decided our gift to each other this year would be a house!


With the babe in tow, we've seen about 8 houses and narrowed it down to two yesterday. Now the hard part is deciding between the cul-de-sac house with a private backyard or the house with a great open concept but lots of neighbors. There are some projects in both houses so I'm excited to make the house ours, whichever one we pick! Stay tuned!

I hope you all had a great weekend! Also, am I the only one that is excited to fill my almost two-month old's Easter basket? And is it acceptable to sneak some egg-shaped Reese's in there for mama?!
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Rowan's Birth Announcements + $150 Minted Giveaway {Closed}

I'm so excited to share Rowan's birth announcement with y'all today! I used Minted for our Save the Dates and multiple Christmas cards, so it was only logical to use them to send our kid's cute face to all of our loved ones. True to form, the quality was perfect!


I was debating between a few options (see them all here!) but ended up loving the On Display announcements the most! I just loved the classic look. 

I used Minted's free recipient addressing option which made this new mama's life infinitely easier. I can't recommend it enough! We already had the addresses saved in our account from using the free addressing with our Christmas cards so it was a breeze, but Minted makes uploading them really easy too.

I also added our return address so it took me less than 10 minutes during one of Rowan's naps to get these ready to mail!

Lucky for you guys, Minted is generously giving away $150 to one lucky reader! You can use it on birth announcements, foil-pressed stationary (love this Paris inspired option!), or even some Easter photo cards!

One winner will be selected next Thursday, March 26th. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Minted. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own!
For our privacy, some of the details on the annuoncements have been blurred out with my amateur editing skills. 

Linking up with East Coast Chic and Home of Malones today!

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Lately...

With my maternity leave coming to an end next week, I've been focusing on trying to get into a routine and Rowan on a schedule. Even though I work from home, we may have to take him to daycare and let's just say this mama isn't happy about it.

I'd love to find some time for a Spring DIY project, or maybe just time to bust out the Easter decor, but there doesn't seem to be enough time in the day. Working mamas, how do you balance everything?! It seems impossible right now but I know it will get easier over time.

I did manage to bake this week though! I never would have thought I'd spend my St. Patrick's Day baking lactation cookies rather than my favorite Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes but these are actually really delicious and I have absolutely no problem stuffing my face with them.

Recipe via In the Pink and Green

I also managed to capture Rowan's first intentional smiles on camera yesterday. There's nothing better than finally getting a smile out of him that isn't gas-related...

He is working hard on that receding hairline and double-chin. Love it.

Tomorrow I'm sharing Rowan's Minted birth announcements and (hint hint) there may be a little giveaway for y'all! I hope you are all having a great week!

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Friday Favorites

Happy Friday, friends! I hope you're all had a great week and are enjoying some warmer temps and extra hours of daylight like we are!

Yesterday I finally fit into my non-maternity jeans so that was a big moment for this mama. I say "fit" but what I really mean is I squeezed into my fat jeans. You know, the only ones you can wear after you go on that all-you-can-eat cruise? I'll take it though.

On to the rest of my favorites from the week... I've missed these posts! I'm linking up with Christina, April, Darci, and Natasha!

Rowan is one month!


I can't believe our little man is already one month old! True to form I was a few days late taking his one month photos (#momfail). And of course my typically happy and calm baby acted like a maniac the moment I tried to get his wubbanub from him. 

New Mama-Approved Swimsuit

Color-block One Piece (on sale!)

I thought I was going to come away from my pregnancy unscathed but sure enough, after delivery some stretch marks showed up. It's still too rogue in that area to consider a two piece, so thankfully this swimsuit came to the rescue! I love that it has straps, boob support (because I definitely need that these days...), and the waist portion is black to hide the newly formed lumps and bumps.

New Gold Jewels

Bar Necklace. Confetti Druzy Necklace. Watch (similar).

After months of shameless hinting about a push present, my husband got me this gorgeous MK watch that I've had my eye on for years! I'm so excited to wear it with my new necklaces, I'm pretty much obsessed!

Covered Goods Car Seat/Nursing Cover

Nursing/Car Seat Cover. Stroller.
I shared this in my one month baby favorites last week but had to show it in action here because I love it so much! I used it yesterday to take Rowan to a lady lunch date and it blocked the wind so well, he was perfectly content!

House Hunting

We're going house hunting for the first time this weekend! I'm a little nervous because its such a big purchase but I'm excited to put down some roots here with my little fam! I'm hoping we can find a house where we can put our own stamp on things, like replacing flooring or redoing a kitchen or bath, so we'll see what we can find!

I hope you all have a great weekend!

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Baby :: One Month Favorites

Rowan will be one month old next week (whoa! slow down time!) so I thought it was appropriate to share some of the things that got us through the first few weeks.

The first two weeks in particular are all about survival. I'm talking endless coffee, a husband who feeds you (because you will be so busy trying to feed your adorable offspring that food will become an afterthought), and lots of baby wipes.We totally overuse baby wipes.

I would recommend and/or gift every one of these items to my friends who are expecting. Other honorable mentions go to these for burping and this Ubbi Diaper Pail to contain the smells!


1. Aden and Anais Swaddle Blankets: Definitely a favorite registry item. They are pretty large and make swaddling so easy! We have 8 of them (2 sets) and I'm strongly considering getting more.

2. Boppy Changing Pad Covers: Particularly helpful if you have a boy... things can get pretty rogue. We haven't had to switch out the changing pad cover quite as much thanks to these!

3. Solly Baby Wrap: I was intimidated to use this at first but I don't really know why, its SO easy! Watch the newborn carry video online (here) and practice with a stuffed animal if you're nervous at first. I love it for walks and I even wore it around the outlet mall since navigating a stroller in stores can be complicated. Rowan falls right asleep when I put him in it. He even slept past his feeding time which is really rare because this kid wakes every 3 hours like clockwork to eat.

4. H&M Side Snap Onesies: Am I the only one that can't manage to get a regular onesie on my kid?! Newborns are so floppy and I hate putting things over his head. These H&M onesies are super easy to put on him, they're organic cotton so they are super soft, and they wash up well (even after massive diaper blow outs... believe me, we've tested!)

5. Wubbanubs: Pretty much every mom recommends these and I'm one of them. Rowan couldn't hold a paci in his mouth at first so we tried a bunch of different kinds. Then one day he decided he loves his wubbanub and holds onto it with his little hands, its so cute!

6- Mamaroo: We debated which swing to get Rowan and I'm so glad we went with the Mamaroo! He is so happy in it and seems to like all of the settings and sounds. Its compact for small spaces and seems more sturdy than the traditional swings.(We have the old version which is cheaper!)

7- Covered Goods Nursing/Car Seat Cover: We've ventured out in public a few times so far and every single time we do, I get questions about my Covered Goods nursing cover. It doubles as a car seat cover and I absolutely love it because it keeps the wind off of my sweet babe and strangers' prying hands (and germs) away from him. I also have 2 DIY nursing covers that I use when this is the laundry.

8- Graco Little Lounger: This is Graco's version of the Rock 'n Play and we love it because it gives you the option to lay your baby flat or at an incline. There are locks if you don't want it to move and a vibrating function. Rowan has slept in this beside our bed the first month because I'm too nervous to have him downstairs in his crib overnight just yet.

I know many of you are expecting so I hope this helps! Anyone have other things to add? If you have questions feel free to ask!

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Three Weeks Later...

Hello, friends! Is anyone still out there?

It took me a little longer than I expected to get back into blogging after Rowan made his appearance three weeks ago (and holy crap... how has it been three weeks?!). I feel like I'm finally coming out of the newborn fog, so it feels good to get back to this little space of mine!

I have to thank my amazing husband, family, and friends for checking in on me, bringing us dinner and dessert, visiting, and sending help in the form of Starbucks gift cards. Y'all really know the way to a new mama's heart!

I thought I'd get back into things with a little life update, so in case you're like me and you wonder how the first few weeks of life are for a new mama... here you go!

Labor + Delivery

I thought about sharing Rowan's birth story but it actually went almost exactly as I had hoped, with very little drama to share, so I'm not going to dedicate a full post. Here is my quick recap:

Contractions started Monday afternoon (02/09) and progressed very quickly. (Contractions hurt like hell, thank God for the epidural.) My water broke at the hospital. I labored for 9 hours at the hospital with 45 minutes of pushing.

One thing I don't recommend is getting pain meds through your IV as you are waiting on your epidural. They made me so incredibly loopy, I could barely respond to questions and I was dozing off in between contractions, but yet the pain was definitely still there.

Baby

We learned at Rowan's 2-week checkup that he gained almost 2 pounds and grew 2 inches in his first two weeks of life. He is already growing out of newborn sleepers because of his length!

It's safe to say this kid loves to eat. Breastfeeding is going well so far but I do admit that its a little frustrating feeding every 3 hours. Though that's much better than every hour... Rowan cluster fed all night for the first week we were home. That shit was rough.

Postpartum

Since my delivery went pretty smooth I've felt really good aside from the lack of sleep. Two things I was not expecting after birth: tailbone pain and night sweats. Ugh. Someone please tell me the night sweats go away soon?! I can't even stand to smell myself. Just another glamorous side effect of pregnancy I suppose...

My husband has been absolutely amazing taking care of me, Ruby and Rowan. You really do fall in love with your husband even more when he becomes a Dad. I could listen to him read to Rowan or sing him goofy made-up songs all day.

Ruby

Ruby is so adorable with Rowan, I can't even handle it. She was a little forceful with her kisses at first but she has learned to be more gentle. She follows you with Rowan anywhere you go and is protective of him around new people.

Yesterday Rowan was fussing in his Mamaroo so Ruby nudged my leg, walked over to the mamaroo and looked at Rowan, then looked at me.. like, "Hey are you going to do something Mom?" I mean, too cute!

Blog Plans

I don't plan on going full out "mommy blog" on y'all but I definitely plan to share some of my favorite mama + baby things very soon! I'll also get back to regularly scheduled programming once I can entertain more thoughts besides when did my kid feed last and what was his diaper like.

I'm not sure how we got so lucky to call this little man ours. He brings us so much joy, all of the sleepless nights are 110% worth it! We're feeling so blessed!

I hope you have all been doing well, I'm so excited to catch up on my blog reading!

 For our privacy, I have removed some photos from this post. Please do not copy or pin images from this page.

 

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