4 months old

My darling little princess is 4 months!! I know I say this every time, but I can't believe how fast time flies. This stage so far is my favorite. Eloise, you are such a happy little baby and you love to smile and laugh all day. I love making you laugh and daddy teared up the first time he heard it! It is the most beautiful sound in the world. Here are some other things you are doing this month:

-You love to play with your feet. You hold them while I give you a diaper change. But, you don't like to let go of them so I can put the new diaper on. You laugh at me when I try to undo your grip on your toes. It is sooo cute.

-You can reach for your toys (sorta) and hold them. You really love your block that makes a funny sound and Mortimer the Moose.

-You are putting EVERYTHING in your mouth and drooling all the time. Teething is right around the corner. You suck on your fists and your thumb and your fingers and anything else that gets near that mouth!

This past month your Aunt Keri, Gigi and all your cousins came and visited you. You smiled at all of them and the little girls loved holding you. It was cute to see you with your daddy's side of the family. They can't wait until you are old enough to play barbies and have sleepovers.

Also you weigh 13 lbs this month. The doctor was a little concerned that you aren't gaining enough so this next month mommy is going to feed you extra. Let's hope it works.

I love you baby girl! I can't wait to see what next month has in store for us :)

Eloise at 1 month:

Eloise at 2 months old:

Eloise at 3 months old:

Eloise at 4 months old:

tidbits

• We are now cloth diaper wearers every OTHER day. I have to buy at least 12 more diapers before we can become EVERY day. I was even thinking of trying something new. I absolutely LOVE Bum Genius but with so many options I figure we can try something else. Fuzzibunz seems like a good option and a lot like Bum Genius so they could be washed together. I have to check prices and see what is on sale first.
• Things I have noticed about Cloth diapers vs Disposables. Eloise has not had ONE blowout wearing a cloth diaper. She has had many wearing disposables. Also, she seems to get a little bit of diaper rash almost every time she is in a disposable diaper. It's going to be a hard transition to all cloth at night. But, if it clears up her rash for good I will give it a try. But, cloth makes her bum bigger so her clothes aren't always fitting correctly.
• I have finally decided that I am definitely, no matter what, going back to work in September. I wrote my letter of 'intent' to return and I was upset about it for a couple of days. Then I remembered that I actually like my job. Teaching first grade is wonderful. The kids are fun (most of the time) and I have a lot of vacation time. So, I started planning out next year and I got really excited. I have so many new ideas and crafts to do with the kids that I am (almost) looking forward to it! Plus, Eloise will be with my mom while I am at work. There is not a better person in this world to watch her. She has NOTHING else to worry about or do and she told me that her entire job next year will be to make sure Eloise knows she is the most important thing in the world. What else could I ask for?
• My uncle is still deciding if he wants to take Maggie. I really hope he will take her. If not, we have some other options. But, we are sure that giving her away is the right thing for us. I know I change my mind about this topic a lot. I change my mind about it hourly. But, I can't fully love two dogs and a baby. She needs a family to give her everything she needs. Sad, but true.
• Pandora 'Heavenly Lullabies" station helps Eloise fall asleep during her naps and I love the music so it is a win-win for everyone!
• My sister-in-law and her kids are coming for a couple of days to visit next week. Kate, Olivia and Mac are excited to see their little cousin and it should be a fun visit. We'll probably grill out a lot and go to the outlets. It is always nice to have visitors because it gets Julian in high gear to do things around the house that need to get done.
• Post baby body: I am back to my 116 lbs. This is the exact weight I was before I was pregnant with Eloise. I feel more in shape and I feel tighter. My bra size is exactly what I was pre-baby. But, I also feel flabbier in my stomach. I know this probably doesn't make any sense. I can tell my stomach is in better shape but my hips are wider and probably will be that way permanently. Also, the skin on my stomach is still stretched out. I am not sure if this will ever go back to normal. Some people say it does, others say it never does. I guess it depends on the elasticity of your skin. Lordy Lordy I hope for everyone's sake at Shannon's pool that my skin returns to it's normal size. One piece bathing suits here I come...

quiet mornings

I don't have many quiet mornings these days. I usually wake up to the sound of a crying baby and then nurse her while I listen to crying dogs begging me to feed them and let them out. It can drive a person insane. But, this morning I was determined to enjoy the noises of my life. I listened to the crying baby and thought how blessed I am to have her. When I was listening to the whining dogs I thought about how fun they are and how its going to be so fun to take them to the beach with Eloise this summer. After I fed them I let them outside to enjoy the sunshine and it made me realize I have to start enjoying the little things in life just like they do. So, today I am enjoying the sunshine and the laziness of a beautiful Saturday!

update on Maggie Moo

So, I know this may sound a little crazy, but we have decided to keep the Moopers. I really needed to get how I felt about the two dogs off my chest, and since then, things have gotten better. My uncle offered to take Maggie, and it would have been a perfect fit. He is slightly crazy and out of control and so is she. He also has had chocolate labs, so he knows what that entails. But, he wasn't able to take her right away, and I got used to the idea of keeping her. Julian had some serious pep talks with her, and it must have worked. The issue was never that she was a bad dog, I just don't have the connection with her that I do with Duke. So what? Lots of people have dogs that are just dogs (my in laws for example). Dogs are meant to be pets not children. I guess I had higher expectations considering I feel like Duke is my son. But, Maggie is our dog and we love her. She is part of this family, and you don't just go and give away members of your family. She may have seizures and loves chasing balls more than what is considered 'normal', but she is OUR dog. She loves us and she deserves for me to give it a good chance. I had a bad couple of weak moments where I cared that my couch was getting ruined, my floor boards are chewed, and she peed in the house. Guess what? Giving Maggie away wouldn't change any of that. Duke still has a couple nights where I find turds on the floor (dammit duke). My couch wouldn't be restored to its beauty (that is what slipcovers are for) and the floor board needs to be replaced no matter what. I go through phases where I want my house to be perfect, but that just isn't me. Our house is lived and loved in, and my dogs are a part of that. So what if it smells like lab... WE HAVE LABS DUH! So what if it there is enough dog hair on the floor to stuff a pillow...VACUUM YOU LAZY WOMAN. We have dogs and we have kids (well one kid so far). Life gets messy and that is how you know the house is being lived and loved in. Julian even put a gate on our deck so that if the mountain goat fighting starts, I can immediately nip it in the bud by putting them outside. They are smart dogs and I love them. I am so sorry I talked about giving you away, Mags. Usually one is Catholic to give something up for lent. I am not Catholic and I am not giving anything up for lent. But what I am doing is making a major effort to take time each day to Thank God for my dogs and give them some love. I have been a little preoccupied with an amazing baby that I forgot to focus on my doggies. So for 40 days and 40 nights I will try to pet and and cuddle with the dogs at least once a day. The dog lover in me knows that this is my family and I can't give up on them. Welcome back you silly doggie. Mommy loves you <3

Milestone Chart 1-6 months

I know that every child develops differently. But as a new mom, I wanted to know when I should be expecting certain things to happen. Maybe I just don't know babies that well, but I have no idea when to expect Eloise to get her first tooth or to start crawling. I like this chart because it is broken up into three categories. Don't worry, I won't freak out if she doesn't hit every milestone on the chart at the exact moment it says it should happen. I enjoy this more just for a framework of when I can start expecting things to happen. I look forward to hearing her first words, or for her to start to crawl, and now I have an idea of when those things should be happening. Plus, if I didn't have any clue when these milestones should hit, I wouldn't be able to tell her doctor if there was some sort of serious delay.

Now, to add some cuteness to a boring post:

my top ten baby items

My best friend gave birth to the sweetest baby boy! Ryan Joseph Taynor was born on March 3, 2011 at 11:17pm. I am so excited for little Ryan to join us in our little group of friends! Anyway, as I held that tiny little newborn, I was reminded of how small and delicate Eloise used to be. Everything was so new, and as I look back fondly on those memories, I am even more excited to see what the next couple of months bring us.

New babies come with all types of gadgets. All new moms think that every baby needs the newest thing in order to survive. Boy, did we learn fast that all you need are a few MUSTS and everything else just takes up space. But, that doesn't mean I won't want some new gadgets with the next baby. Who knows if it will turn out to be one of those MUSTS? :)

Here are my top ten favs:

1. My Little Lamb Cradle Swing by Fischer Price

This swing has been a lifesaver. It cradles and rocks our little Eloise to sleep since she was born. There were many nights that I slept on the couch downstairs next to this swing because it was the only way Eloise would sleep if I wasn't carrying her. Also, she had some gas issues and was uncomfortable laying flat for a couple of weeks. This swing is still, to this day, #1 in my book. Now that she is older, she sleeps in her crib at night. Naps, on the other hand, are a whole other thing. She will only nap longer than 20 minutes in this swing. I hope it comes in a big girl size, because I don't think she'll ever give it up.

2. Baby Bjorn Babysitter Balance

This isn't a super fancy bouncer, and it doesn't swing, bounce, or vibrate on its own. But, it is a very handy little dodad. It has three seat options, so even as a little baby, she could sit in it. We love it for meal time. We have a big kitchen island where we sit to eat, and she sits in this bouncer on the island. I know it is probs not recommended to be placed on top of our kitchen island. But, we don't leave her on it and go take a walk. She sits in it while we are right there and she can look around and be a part of meal time without someone having to hold her. Now that she is getting older, she is even bouncing herself a little which puts a smile on her beeeaaauuutttiiffuuulll face. love it.

3. Prince Lionhart Ultimate Wipes Warmer

Cold bum bums are no fun. Just ask a baby who is getting their diaper changed and a cold wipe just touched their booty. Eloise loves her warm wipes and sometimes it even makes her tinkle, gross and cute at the same time. The only downside to this item is that you need to remember to water down the pad at the bottom every week. But, I have it on my to do list each weekend and it has worked out wonderfullyyyyy. Also, being a new cloth diaper junkie, this particular wipes warmer also has the option of warming cloth wipes. Thats right folks, if you use cloth wipes, you can warm them in THIS HERE CONTRAPTION. warm bums rock and we wouldn't have it any other way.

4. Avent Pacifiers

I am not sure if you have a baby that is a 'sucker', but Eloise sure is. She loves to suck nipples, fists, pacifiers, blankets, my shoulder and occasionally my face. When she has major tired eyes and I give her a paci, she falls alseep so fast it is like magic. Of course, there is a downside. IF it pops out, her eyes pop open, and she fusses until someone puts it back in. But, I will take the bad with the good Naptime wouldn't be the same without these puppies. What about nipple confusion you ask...not with this child. She loves all types of nipples so be warned if you come over and she feels the need to suck. My sweet little baby girl loves these, and I already know giving them up is going to be a fight. But, she's the ruler of this land and she demands her paci.

5. Blackberry

A nursing mama is a mama who spends a lot of time in a rocking chair at all hours of the day. Most of the time, I can just stare into that gorgeous face and watch her suck away with her little hand on my chest. But, sometimes, just sometimes, you wish you had something to do. Do I wish I had an Iphone? YES YES YES (my re-up is in July). But, my blackberry works just fine. I can check facebook, make lists on the notepad, text people and answer emails. I wouldn't recommend this for all nursing sessions because you want to enjoy those beautiful moments. But, it is handy dandy when you feel the need to do something.

6. GiGi's Burp Cloths

Eloise's grandmother, who everyone including grandkids and friends alike, refer to as GiGi, sews like a pro. She made us burp cloths out of gerber cloth diapers. She makes them for everyone has has a baby and she does an amazing job matching them to your nursery decor. She even bought an extra one of my Pottery Barn crib sheets and used it to make the burp cloths so they match perfectly and are AAAAAdorable. Do I always use them as burp cloths? No. I use these multi-talented things for everything. They are sometimes wipes, tissues, napkins, etch. They are the jack of all trades and so so pretty. If you don't have a talented Gigi like Eloise does, that you can just buy some fabric and sew it on yourself. You will be happy you added loveliness to the grossness of what you are about to do with it.

7. My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow

This pillow is wonderful nursing pillow. It has a pocket for your phone or your water or your pen and paper that you use to write down what time you fed your child last because you haven't slept more than 3 hours and you might be losing your mind. (Did I feed her at 1am or 3am or both? Was that a dream?) It snaps in so that you could potentially walk around with a baby while they are feeding. Don't get me wrong, I also love my boppy. Yes, we have more than one nursing pillow (3 to be exact). But, if I had to choose, I choose you, my dear brest friend.

8. Moby Wrap

Although, I haven't figured out how to wrap a bigger child yet (add to the to-do list), when Eloise was a little baby she enjoyed being all wrapped up close to her mama. We did use a sling at first, because figuring out how to use the wrap was a pain in the you know what. Thanks to my sister in law, I figured it out and it made life a bit easier. Now that Ellie wants to see everything around her and keeps popping her head out, I have to learn a new hold. But, I am sure once I learn the new hold, she'll love it again.

9. Aden and Anais Swaddle Blankets

These blankets are GREAT! They are a big bigger than the average swaddle blanket, and a bit lighter. Just fold it in half, swaddle them up nice and tight, and you have a very happy baby. They are super stretchy blankets, which makes for a really good strong swaddle. They are also really pretty! Now that Eloise is older, she isn't swaddled anymore. But, at first, we enjoyed these blankets for swaddling. Now, we just enjoy these blankets.

10. Vera Bradley Baby Book

As a mother of a new baby, it is my job to be the keeper of memories. This baby book is fantastic. it has places for pictures and for how you felt during certain moments. You write down milestones and when they happened. I am in love with this baby book and I can't wait to look at it when she is older. I want to be able to tell her that she was rolling over at 5 weeks and when she was born her daddy cried. I remember all of this now, but who knows in 10 years if I will have the same memory. But, I wrote it down in her book and now these memories are around for the rest of time.

are two dogs too many?

I have two really beautiful labs, Duke and Maggie. We got Duke in 2007 before we were married and he is like a son to us. He is a big yellow bundle of love. He is one of the loves of my life. Then, there is Maggie. She is a sweet, kind bundle of energy. But, I never really bonded with Maggie. Don't get me wrong, she's a good dog. Probably a better listener than Duke is. But, she has seizures. We had it pretty well maintained with phenobarb but lately she's been having them more often even with her medicine. Now, add a baby to the mix and I can't even begin to describe to you how much easier life would be with only one dog. Can I have two dogs and a baby and have a good life? Absolutely. Could my life be much easier with only one dog and a baby? Yep. Julian and I are definitely dog people. We love dogs, all types, all the time. Before Ellie came along we always said we would open a kennel where all the dogs no one wanted could come and stay with us. Then comes baby, and we have a dog WE don't want. Well, I shouldn't say we don't want her. I would love to keep her. If she didn't have seizures and wasn't a puppy anymore. Here's the thing: I am putting up with my dogs as of right now. I don't get to fully enjoy Duke because you can't fully enjoy two dogs and a baby at once. The dynamic we have going isn't healthy for the dogs or for myself. I miss Duke. Yes, I know he is right there laying on the chair behind me, but I miss him. I can't pet or love on him without Maggie jumping in the middle. Maggie is a good dog, she loves walks and playing ball and is great with other dogs. She deserves so much more than her owner "putting up" with her. She should be the love of someone's life (like Duke is to me). I feel awful for even admitting any of this, but I have to be honest with myself, and thats what this BLOG thing is all about, being honest. I don't want to look back at the years I had dogs and not remember how much they meant to me. Giving away Maggie is a sad thought, but I know deep down inside, if we can get a good home for her, it's the right decision. Now, if Julian was bringing up giving Duke away, I would scream, cry, and pitch a fit like a toddler. Shouldn't that be how you feel about your family pet? I think "poor Moops" but in reality, it's going to be the most loving decision we can make, because we are making it for the right reasons. I will always have a place for Maggie in my heart, just not in my home.