Nash is 10 Months Old!

I really need to get better about blogging more than once a month.
Well, it seems hard to believe that this little man is already 10 months old. I feel like it was just yesterday that I was still pregnant, but also seems strange that we even had a life before him.  10 months has definitely been the best thus far! Absolutely my fav age will be 6 months plus. It's not that I don't love the newborn phase, because I did tremendously, but I much rather be able to chase Nash around and hear his giggle all the way across the house.  Here is this month's favorites:

1. We play hide and seek all the time. He will find me and I yell "Boo!" then he cracks up and takes off crawling in the other direction so I can go after him.
2. This kid will eat anything and everything, he is such a good little eater.
3. He is cruising with anything that he can pull himself up on. The favorite is his motorcycle (see video) from his GiGi. He is pushing that thing all over the house.
4. Clap, clap, clap his hands. Yes, he got this new trick down and has never been more proud of himself.
5. He is now waving bye-bye
6. He talks and talks and talks
7. It's music time! He loves to dance to the music-especially Daddy's loud horn music (ska)
8. I don't think it comes as any surprise that this precious little boy is a bit mischievous and is having fun discovering things he shouldn't be getting into, touching or eating and promptly doing as he shouldn't.
9.  The two top teeth are making an appearance! We discovered the top left one popping through the gum a few days ago.
10. He is still such a snuggle bug, which I hope he always is.
11. When he gets really excited he snorts. Well, he actually snorts when he laughs, cries, and get's excited. It's pretty awesome.
12. When you point a phone or camera his way and tell him to "Say Cheese!" he gives a big cheesey grin worth a thousand bucks!
12. Those beautiful blue eyes and long lashes will melt anyone's heart

Nash is 9 Months Old!

It has happened. This little handsome boy is been out of the womb as long as he is was in it.  I honestly didn't think it would come this quickly. But time flies when you are having fun and, boy, are we having fun. I think this month has been my favorite so far. (I know I say this every month) He is learning so much, growing so fast and his personality is emerging more each day.  Who needs reality TV when you have a baby around to keep you entertained? Here is this month's lists of favorites:
1. He now says Dada, Mama, Nana (we think this is for Grammy, he only says it when she is here) and Baba (we think this is for pup pup)
2. Sometimes he gets so excited he snorts
3. He's crawling all over the world, standing up on anything with a ledge, and getting more daring with stepping out holding on with only one hand.
4. This kid will eat anything (except broccoli) and has a more refined taste in food. Food with much flavor and spice is the preference.
5. Pup pup is his favorite play mate.
6. Brushing his teeth is a favorite game full of giggles.
7. He sleeps with his little bum in the air.
8. The tupperware cabinet has become a favorite.
9. His name is Nash and he likes to dance
10. He knows that when the camera is on him he needs to smile
11. Honestly, there is no cuter kid out there.

Nash is 8 Months Old!!

Have I mentioned that time is going by quicker than ever before? I think so, but it bares repeating.  This kid is growing so fast and it makes me so happy and sad at the same time.  I think the 7-8 month has been the best month thus far.  Of course I have loved every moment of his life since he has been born, but this month he has done some really fun things.  Here is the list of this month's favorites:

1. Grammy has now moved into position of funniest thing on Earth
2. He is officially crawling (can someone say baby gates and cabinets locks?)
3. He talks and sings and certainly lets you know what is on his mind
4. Snuggle bug, such a snuggle bug
5. Food is actually starting to taste good to him now, but only if it's loaded with flavor like chicken broth and ripe fruit.
6. He is getting into the DVDs (I know I shouldn't like this one but it's just so funny and cute when he discovered it)
7. Those two little white teeth, omg.
8. Standing is the best thing, especially if it's on the ottoman
9. Tons and tons of toys fill our home and he would prefer the remote, cell phone, and silicone spatulas and basically anything that an infant isn't supposed to have
10. He clicks with his tongue, motorboats with his lips and raspberries on our faces
11. He says Mama and I think he might actually know that means Mama
12. He gets a huge grin and loves to look at al of our family photos. He knows who loves him most.
13. He is in the regular tub, no more whale tubby.

Nash is 7 months old!

Nash was 7 months old on Christmas.  He is growing so fast and month 7 has been a big stage for little guy.  We are now on the downslope to 1 year.  I know I say this every time, but I can't believe how fast it's going by. He is such a joy in our lives and there is no cuter, smarter, better child out there.  Here is this months list of favorites.
1. He talks and talks and TALKS! (Must get that from his momma)
2. He can't break him away from anything with a screen. IE: computer, TV, cell phone, video camera, regular camera. (Must get that from his dad)
3. He is so close to crawling he can just taste it and gets really frustrated he doesn't know what to do with being on all fours.  Sometimes he will scoot backwards, but that really frustrates him. It's so funny.
4. He loves pears, peaches, pineapple, apples......pretty much any fruit. He will eat some veggies if it's mostly mixed with fruit. I know it's just a phase.
5. He loves his saucer and standing up is the greatest thing.
6. His first tooth cropped up through the gums!
7. To tell you he loves you he puts a soft hand on the side of your face, to really let you know he will give you an open mouth kiss. So sweet.
8. He is great at playing on his own. He can self entertain for 20 mins before he needs some attention. It's great!
9. He is still just the snuggliest baby.
10. It just gets better and better.

Stats for this month 15 lb 8 oz

Eat Something! (said in a Jewish motherly voice)

Around Thanksgiving this year, we started Nash on solids.  Let me just say that there is no need to feel like you ever have mastered something in motherhood. As soon as you feel as though you have a grasp on something, they change and grow and whatever you just learned is completely obsolete. It's like trying to stay ahead of technology; it's never going to happen. He seemed to enjoy rice cereal ok, but I feel like it's just a filler and really want to raise an adventurous eater. After all, Isaac and I are foodies of sorts and want our son to enjoy a wide variety.  I decided, before he was born, that it would be very important for me to make his baby food. I am a great cook and I was sure that whatever I made him he would gobble up with a large smile on his face. I am still waiting for the big smile after he eats.  The one stand by that I know he will eat without crying, twisting away and contorting his face are pears. This little man loves his pears. Thankfully, we get a lot of pears this time of year in our Bountiful Basket and have been able to keep him satisfied with that. I keep trying new combinations, but after so many looks from your infant child that seem to say "What are you trying to do Mother?! Poison me?!" I get a little discouraged and go back to the stand by of pears and rice cereal.
Last week we were in the grocery store and I forgot to pack him any solid food. He was STARVING and creating quite a scene. I ran to the baby food isle and found a package of Plum Organics baby food, threw off the top and squirted a little into his mouth. He ate the entire thing before we got to the checkstand to pay for it.  All these weeks of trying to make the most delicious baby food and my son prefers packaged goo to my delightful cooking.  It makes me think of the time Nic and I would beg my mom to please buy the Chips Ahoy cookies instead of homemade chocolate chip cookies.  As a mother it just breaks your heart and you secretly want to kill Nabisco and all the packaged food companies for poisoning your darling child's system with the added sugar and sodium and brain with marketing ploys.
As of now, Nash is beginning to eat better and his taste buds seem to be expanding past pears.  I just keep trying to cram healthful things down his throat in hopes that one day we find the magic combination that makes his face say "Wow Mom! That was the best thing I have ever had. Can I have another tablespoon of it?"

Grammy is hilarious

Nash is 6 Months Old!

Well, folks, we made through the first 6 months of Nash's life.  I still can't believe how fast time is going and every day it seems that he finds something new he can do.  It has definitely been the month of major milestones and achievements! Here is this months list of favorites:

1. He thinks that baby in the mirror is freaking hilarious

2. He thinks Daddy is freaking hilarious

3. He thinks Tia is freaking hilarious

4. He is sitting up all on his own, a whole new world!

5. He talks and talks and talks

6. When someone he loves comes close to his face, he softly touches their face with one or two hands. So sweet.

7. He started eating solid food. (It was a challenge the first few days, but I think we are getting the hang of it)

8. His little personality is really starting to emerge.  He lets us know what he likes and what he doesn't. If he loves it he smiles and talks and laughs, if he doesn't he makes his body flat (planks) and does a Gremlin growl cry.

9. He is sleeping mostly through the night.

10. He is just such a happy baby. Everything makes his smile and laugh.

Stats: 14 lb 14 oz, 26 inches long

MAMA

Today, Nash has been King of Cat Naps. Again.
So, I went in to attempt to soon him back to slumber. As I leaned over the edge of the crib he looked up at him with the saddest little pout lip and said "Mama" and that's it. Unmistakable two syllable word that makes any mom's heart skip a beat and think that nothing could make her more happy than this moment.
I am sure that he has no idea what he said, but it wasn't a bamble of nonsense. It was just "Mama" and hands down the sweetest thing these ears have ever heard. I can't wait to hear more.

Also, he makes me want 10 babies.

5 Months Old!

Nash is 5 months old! Man, how time flies when you're having fun.  He is growing by leaps and bounds and I feel like most of the 4th month he wasn't doing much of anything different, then, BAM! He is doing all kinds of stuff.  Some of the things I love from this month are:
1. He can recognize my voice on that box thing Grammy always talks on. He tries to grab it and get to me when I am at work.
2. Grabs anything within reach.
3. Lights are the newest fascination.
4. When we come home from work, he laughs and smiles as if to say "Oh THERE you are! I have been waiting for you all day!"
5. He smiles at all the pretty girls. Only the girls and the look on his face says "Hey there pretty baby."
6. He is rolling side to side front to back.
7. He is just such a happy boy.
Can't wait to see what the next month has in store.

Patience Is A Virtue

I have always heard that once you have children you gain more patience.
I have decided this is definitely false information. I believe you still maintain the same amount of patience that you had before, only now that you have a child, the pie is divvied up differently and less evenly.
My patience, for instance, is divided as seen on the chart below.

As you can see pretty much everyone and everything (except Nash) can send me to the edge and back. Patience has never been my strong suit and now it's magnified that I have little to spare. This is something I am working on improving, but in the mean time, watch out.

Nash is 4 Months Old!

Time is flying by so quickly. Every month goes by in the blink of an eye.
Nash is growing fast and is so much fun! I will admit that I think everything he does is amazing and I am certain there is no other child as smart and talented as him. Yep, this is one proud momma.
Here is this month's list of things I love:
1. He laughs at Tia
2. That handsome boy in the mirror always receives the shy smile
3. When he is tired he is such a cuddle bug
4. Giggles, giggles, giggles
5. He sucks his two middle fingers AKA the bowling ball grip, just like his momma did
6. Hoot Hoot is the only thing that can comfort him when he goes to sleep
7. He finally gets Peek-A-Boo
8. He's a shy flirt to the cute girls on the block.

Stats:
24.25 inches, 13 lbs

I'm Ok with It

I have been a mom for 3 and 1/2 months and a perfectionist for 26 years.
Two things that don't mix: Perfectionism and life after a child.
As much as I tried to cling to my old ways of life, it simply is no longer possible.  This is what I came up with; I am ok with it.
I am ok that we will probably never have enough money, time, or sleep, but we will always have an abundance of love.
I am ok that my dishes sit on a dirty sink with a half unloaded dishwasher for 4 days, because we have a delicious meal nearly every night and Isaac usually makes it and really what is sexier than a man who cooks?!
I am ok with my saggy, stretch marked, resembles a cat who has had too many litters belly, because it has grown the cutest, most precious baby and hopefully will hold a few more.
I am ok with going to bed at 9 PM and bailing on going out with friends because my baby needs to be in bed by 7:30.
I am ok that spending quality time with Baby Daddy is catching up on our DVR'd TV shows that we missed because we are just too busy to watch it when it's on.
I am ok with my new perfume of spit up and baby lotion, because it means I was snuggling Nash all day.

And most of all, I am ok with not being super mom and pretending I have everything under control, because who wants to be friends with a perfectionist anyway?

Nash is 3 Months Old!

Hard to believe it's already been a quarter of a a year since Baby Nash joined our family.  He is the joy of our lives.
My accountant told me that he couldn't remember his life before his children were born and I asked how long he had been married before; 6 years!  I thought to myself, how can you forget the first 6 years you were married to someone?  Now, I can understand.  It seems strange that Nash has just recently become apart of our life.  It's as though life only began once he emerged into the world.
He is growing like a weed and everyday there is a new cute thing he does. So here is this month's list of things I love about this little guy:
1. He started to giggle! It started out just in his sleep, which was darling, but now he will giggle when we giggle.
2. He loves to smile at that super handsome boy in the mirror.
3. 8 PM Bedtime, that he made for himself. That's right folks, he made this time.
4. Getting a diaper change is the highlight of his day.
5. Sleeping preference: hand in cleavage.
6. He discovered his tongue.
7. Chubby leg rolls.

Nash's Baby Dedication

Today, we had Nash's baby dedication.
First off, he looked so dang cute.  It was a really special day for our little family.  I have thought about our baby's dedication long before we decided to start having kids.  It's a very important step as a couple, parents, and a family.
A baby dedication's purpose to is to honor and acknowledge that "our children are a trust from the Lord. Children are given in love from the Lord, always belong to Him and are to be nurtured in their love and knowledge of Him. For this reason we as parents dedicate ourselves to love and disciple our children to follow our Lord Jesus and dedicate our children to Him who has entrusted them to us."
We also commit to showing Nash a Godly marriage and providing him with a home full of love.  
These are two very tall orders, but just as we promised before loved ones and God that we would always love, honor and cherish one another; we promised to love, honor and cherish our new son and raise him in the ways of the Lord.

It was so wonderful to be surrounded by our family and friends and take this step to mature Nash's spirituality together.  We thank God every day for the blessing of this baby boy.

And the Nicknames Are Here

Isaac and I have lovingly nicknamed each other and Nash. This actually did not just happen. This has been going on since we found out we were pregnant. Isaac is Baby Daddy (very high class) and I am Lil' Momma. I am assuming Isaac dubbed me this because I am a small person. Little did he know the whale I would become from all the water retention, thankfully he didn't nickname me at the end of my pregnancy.

Anyway.

Our handsome little Nash is The Boy. I know, it's super original. I think that Isaac came up with this and began calling him The Boy as soon as we found out, that indeed, he was a boy.

In the beginning, he was The Bean. Now, The Boy.

So, there you have it Baby Daddy, Lil Momma and The Boy................Ironically, Tia isn't The Dog, she is Pup Pup.

Nash is 2 months old!

Nash is now 2 months old and time is flying by. We are enjoying each new phase and seeing Nash grow and explore his new world. Here are a few of my favorites from this last month.

1. The smile is finally here!
2. He is a very dramatic sneezer. AHHHHHHOHHHHHH Acho!
3. He is a morning person

4. The fan! He loves the ceiling fan that goes round and round

5. Coos and little giggles

6. Those legs can kick, kick, kick super fast

7. He is on a schedule! He eats at 7, 10, 1, 4, 7, 10 and 4 am for a late night snack.

His Stats: 11 lbs 8 oz, 22.5 inches

The Breast Pump: Friend or Foe?

So, I am breast feeding Nash. This was a significant struggle in the beginning. I felt super prepared for birth, thanks to my Hypnobabies class, however no one thought to fill me in on what I was in for with breastfeeding.

One thing that I purchased was a Avent Duo Electric Breast Pump to help bring my milk in and since I plan to return to work before I wean my kid, this would be a necessary item.

The first time I pumped I thought to myself "Well if I didn't feel like a feeding machine before, I definitely feel like heifer now." This thing is a double pump so you attach it to both boobs and it tries to, not just retrieve your milk, but suck the ever living life out of you. I am pretty sure a breast pump could suck milk from anything with nipples, not just a lactating mother.

Now, after a few weeks of nursing, I feel as though I have the hang of it. I actually (GASP) enjoy it. Even though I thought every mother who said she enjoyed breastfeeding was the most delusional liar I had ever met. However, pumping was still a loathsome task. It just flat out hurt and felt a little degrading. I know every mother who does pump will say "Just think of your baby." Well, all I could think of was "OMG it's only been 1 minute and 38 seconds?!" So here are a few tips that I have found to make pumping bearable:

1. Use a little olive oil on your nips before you put the suckers on. Two reasons why this is effective; A. Your baby doesn't have a dry mouth, it's full of natural lube to make nursing easier B. Olive oil is a natural healing oil and will help with chaps nips.

2. Turn on the TV. I like to watch Food Network and by the time the host is on to the second dish, I am finished and have two full bottles.

3. RELAX. This is probably the most important, but tips one and two help me achieve this.

Now, that I have found the secret recipe for pleasant pumping, I can pump once or twice a day without any hesitation or the butt cringe of "OMG NOT AGAIN!!"

So, in answer to my original question Friend or Foe, for me, it's a love hate relationship. It allows for me to not have to be available to nurse (fun for a night out, not fun for a way to go back to work) It allows Baby Daddy some bonding time. It takes time away from doing something else because I have to do this.

I guess I am grateful that I have the option. So, today, it's a friend. But ask me again tomorrow, I may have a different answer.

Nash's Nursery

I had every intention of having Nash's nursery all ready for him by June 17. However, he had other plans of arriving 3 and 1/2 weeks early, so I didn't exactly get it all completed in the time I wanted to.

Now, two months later it is all complete! And I have to say, it is freakin' cute.

Sometimes, I surprise myself with my sense of style and design.

First, I started with the great colors of blue, green and orange. Then I found this fantastic fabric that had all these cute owls on it and thought that would be a really fun nursery. I really didn't know that owls were all the rage. I am sure that everyone copied me though and I was the first one to think of the owl theme. With those fabrics my very talented grandmother hand quilted his darling quilt. I mean seriously, hand stitched every inch of it and I love that he doesn't have bed in a bag bedding like most other babies.

I am so glad we bought the crib first and that the rest of the motif happened to look fantastic with it. Isaac refinished his dresser that his dad had made for him when he was born 25 years ago. I was a little skeptical at how it would look, but after a lot of hours and love, it turned out really cute.

The art work my grammy made for him. We saw these really fabulous prints on Etsy that she used as inspiration and created these wonderful mixed media pieces for his room. So darling.

I had purchased a changing table and then thought that it was a stupid piece of furniture. I mean, he would use it a maximum of 3 years. I figure after a few months we will change a diaper anywhere we need to, so really, how much use was it going to get? Then I had the brilliant idea of this bookcase from Ikea. Super cute and versatile, I could use it for a changing table, storage, decor (because of the darling green storage bins) and once he is out of diapers, it will still get a lot of use. Sometimes my genius is astounding.

The large tree with the two little owls is a decal, believe it or not! My co-workers from my last job purchased it for me as a shower gift. I am so grateful because it was more $$$ than I wanted to spend, but it was just SO perfect.

The little decor items have a story too. The fabulous orange tree on his dresser his Auntie Shante (she is one of my dearest friends) found it for his baby shower. I begged her to give it to me until she finally gave in and did! She also was kind enough to set up a lot of Nash's room while I was in the hospital birthing him. Aren't great friends worth a million?! Anyway, the little owl that is in the tree is from his Great Grandma who hand made it along with the darling owl hat. The owl hat he wore in his first photos that turned out darling.

Finally, the mobile. My mom and I had this great idea to make this mobile we saw on Etsy. We just finished it two weeks ago. Still haven't hung it yet, but as soon as he is in his crib, it will be hung.

Well, I would love to know what everyone thinks of the room.