1 month pictures

Ok, really, they are 1 month and two days, and even these arent "good" pictures. But, I was set on at least getting SOME sort of 1 month photos at home and had hoped to do so much more, however, Paytin is going through a crazy crazy growth spurt right now that is wrecking both her and I physically. She's cranky, crying and fussy unless she is eating and she's barely slept at all in the last two days. That makes it almost impossible to take a picture of her, so this was the brief 5 minutes I got today, to snap a couple pics to remember her chunky little self at this time in her life! Neither of our kids have been "photogenic" in their first couple of months and these pics dont do justice at all to how cute this little sweetie is in person!

This shot above just cracks me up :)!

Her favorite position, on her tummy!

Paytin at 1 month

Here's some sweet things about our little Paytin girl at 1 month old:

• can be put to sleep by rubbing your fingers gently from the top of her head, down her forehead repeatedly. Daddy found this out pretty much as soon as we brought her home and it's still the case. It's super cute to watch her eyes start to flutter as soon as she feels us doing this.
• sleeps ON me during the night, occassionally will sleep in between Mike and I. This is NOT ideal and not what we were planning on doing, as we have a little bassinet in our room all ready for her. I talked to her pediatrician about this and she was ok with it as long as we were not sleeping too deeply (which I definitely don't at all) and aware of her. I don't like it because I don't like her sleeping on her tummy, though I have friends and family who have had the same problem and had their kids on their bellies, and I would much rather her be sleeping in her own little bassinet just because it would make me feel better, but at the same time, I am totally cherishing these nights that I get to cuddle and sleep with her like this because I know they are few and far between in the grand scheme of her sweet life! Our doctor said we will need to start working her out of it closer to 2 months, but that for now, keep doing what works.
• is a breastfeeding champ! Well, at least she really likes to eat and is for sure putting on weight! I am enjoying this part of the motherhood journey this time around as well and its a WHOLE new experience. I never thought in 4 weeks I would have crawled into the backseat of our car so many times to feed her! I have all these nice extra "tools" like a nursing cover up blanket, a boppy pillow, and a double medela pump that have all been huge luxuries to me this time around. Along with the great bonding and health benefits, breastfeeding has the convenience of never having to pack a bottle, which I really like. I feel like I stress a lot less when throwing together my diaper bag because I already have what she needs to eat! On the other hand, I am really bad about keeping a good supply in our fridge/freeze from pumping, and being in public, shopping, etc when she is hungry can be really really challenging. I am really thankful to get to experience it this time around!
• We swaddle Paytin for sleep at night, and a couple times during the day for naps. I wanted to only swaddle her at night to make sure she didnt get days and nights confused, but thankfully we didn't have that problem this time around and she really enjoys being swaddled.
• She still fits into most of her newborn clothes but is slowly starting to fit into her 0-3 month clothes now too. Most of the 0-3 clothes are pretty swimming on her, but her newborn ones are getting snug all around from getting her head through, to length, and width :)!
• She's been a fussy girl the last week or so. Nothing we can't handle and nothing serious, just a case of the crankies, or Paytin the Piss Pot as I lovingly call her :). She just knows what she wants and we have to figure it out! If she could have us laying down, with her on one of our chests, laying on her tummy, all the time, she would be one happy camper. Unfortunately that isn't the case, and she doesnt like it when things dont go her way ;)
• Brayden is still IN LOVE with her. Every day I marvel at how much he loves her and how sweet he is with her. He took to the "big brother" role like he was just waiting all this time for us to have her. I was patting her tummy the other day and he corrected me and told me I was supposed to pat her back to burp her. Mike was rocking her carseat with his foot and Brayden got pretty upset with him thinking that he was bothering her. He always wants to give her her "baby fire" (pacifier) when she cries, loves holding her, always wants to kiss her, asks a lot to have her "cuddle" with him while I read him books before naptime, etc. I love watching his love for her and its something I really really treasure.
• She does NOT like to be burped. In fact, I've been projectile spit up on twice, simply because she will refuse to burp and get all that trapped air inside her. I never had this big of a problem getting Brayden to burp...she must just know its not lady like!
• She has the brightest biggest little eyes you ever saw. I love when she's awake and looking around, she doesnt want to stay focused on our faces for too too long because she's so busy taking it all in! She particularly loves to be in her crib, facing a stuffed animal monkey Mike and I bought her. She will stare at it for quite awhile before getting fussy!
• She doesnt really care for her pacifier either way. She'll gladly take it sometimes, mostly in her carseat, but most of the times, couldnt care less about it.
• She has dry skin which I know will drive her bonkers when she gets older, we just have to keep her all lotioned up!

She's just a total doll, the apple of our eyes, and such a joy to our hearts. We're so blessed to have her in our little family. It seems like she's been here forever and at the same time, I can't fathom that she is really already a month old. How is it so hard to picture life "pre" Paytin but feel like we just brought her home yesterday? Little Miss Lilypie, Oh how LOVED you are!

4 weeks!

Laying on her playmat. Paytin LOVES tummy time. In fact, she hates being on her back at all!

Trying to snap a shot of her super impressive neck and head movement, this doesnt do it justice, but at least it's something!

My little itty bitty peanut!

Had to try and snap a shot of her chunky little leg rolls!

4 weeks

ago, sweet little Miss Paytin Lily joined our lives and forever changed our hearts. I'll do a big post when she turns 1 month old in just a couple short days but today seems like a big day too. Time has FLOWN with Brayden, and I still struggle to believe he will really be 3 in just 10 days, but this time around seems to be going even faster and I am cherishing every single moment, every single midnight wakeup call, blowout diaper, sleepy smiles, peach fuzz covered arms, cuddle sessions, lullabies, etc. I am so grateful for these kiddos of ours, and for my wonderful husband/awesome daddy to them :)

Fireworks

Another one of those (whoops, should have brought my camera, times). I wasn't planning on taking the kiddos to fireworks this year. I figured it was going to be late for Brayden and too loud for Paytin, and Mike had to work, of course. He will probably have to work for fireworks every year, so its something we will get used too and plug through every year. Thankfully he didn't have to work during the day, and we went to the parade in town that THOUSANDS of people turn up for. Don't get me wrong, I know how wonderful tourism is for our sweet little town, especially with a winter like we just had, but oh my goodness tourists. I am very much overgeneralizing here right now but the way they drive (too fast, no signals, cutting people off) the way they walk into the street just assuming we'll stop, I've seen quite a few of them treat the grocery store clerks up here VERY rudely, etc. Well, the parade is a really fun event that shows Chester folk at their best with their adorable floats, funny cars, etc but to try and watch the parade is a joke. People set their chairs up the day before and park their cars all along the main street. They put caution tape everywhere, etc. I dont mind the chairs very much, they are saving spots, but the fact that they park their cars in everyone's views REALLY bothers me. So many more people would be able to enjoy the parade if others wouldnt park their cars and huge trucks in plain view. I digress.

We were able to find as pot on the grass in front of the bank, Paytin sleeping in her carseat, and Mike and I took turns going up with Brayden to the side of the street so he could watch the floats and horses and catch candy that they throw. He had a great time and the parade this year was better than ever.

Then we went home and slept :).

Anyways, back to fireworks, Mike encouraged me to go ahead and take the kids, saying that across the lake they arent loud at all and Bray would really enjoy them. So I did. Totally ill-prepared, running out the door to make it on time after trying to feed Paytin only to have to wait like 45 minutes for them to start, both Bray and I in tank tops and shorts and it got kind of cold out there, no blanket, no bug spray (thankfully we didnt get eaten), no nothing. Just me, Bray holding his blanket, me holding Paytin in her carseat, trekking down a dirt/rock trail to the side of the lake :). It was a really nice time and it was a memory to keep tucked in my mind of sitting on the way too rocky ground with my booty aching, but Brayden sitting in my lap, blankey covereing both of us, oohing an ahhing over the fireworks while Paytin slept :)

A Make-Do 4th

I didn't buy Paytin a 4th of July outfit but would have been even more mad at myself if I didnt try to get a couple cute pictures of her on her first 4th of July. So here are my attempts at 4th of July colors with my baby girl!

A couple Braydenisms....

He has started to say "not yet", "in a little bit", and "soon" in reference to time and doing things and its a crack up. I guess I use all those phrases quite a bit and he uses them all in the right context and always at a hilarious moment. Like yesterday while potty training, I asked him if he had gone yet and he replied, "Not yet, Mom, soon!" Mike and I have been getting a good laugh from him!

Today, we enjoyed some family time before Mike had to work, and were able to go to the 4th of July annual parade here in town. Mike and I took turns standing by the side of the street with Brayden to catch the candy that the floats throw, and to get a close up view of the parade, while the other parent hung back with Paytin in the stroller. It was a great time and Brayden loved the horses and the "Daddy cars" the best (the cop cars that start and end the parade). Then we went to the park where they have arts and crafts and booths set up. We paid the pricey $5 to let Brayden jump in the three huge jump houses they had set up, two of which had slides. I had to go in to help him get up the ladder to the slide the first time, and he got the hang of it pretty quick. He was fine jumping and sliding for a little bit, and then got kicked in the face pretty hard by another kid and got a bloody nose. Took me awhile to get him to calm down and ok again, but I encouraged him to try to go again....well, he immediately got tackled by a kid over twice his size. After that he was just plain done. Poor kiddo!