No More Suffering in Silence

I've been sitting on this post for months now. Trying to find the right words, the right way to say what I want to say. I've been struggling through a lot of stress for many different reasons, but the greatest stress directly relates to my sweet Lennon.

I'm just going to come right out and say it. Lennon had a seizure. I've had an immense amount of PTSD ever since. I have been unable to sleep the same way or even go through the day without worrying. I'll start from the beginning.

As most of you know, we moved across the country from April to June. The Mr. had to leave earlier to start his new job and Lennon and I stayed behind because I had to finish my school year. Well, Lennon got sick in May. I'm talking flu sick. Throwing up, high fever, just miserable. I took her to the doctor and she seemed to get better. That was just the beginning of a month long battle of fevers. When they started happening, I wasn't too concerned. They were getting as high as 102-103, but the doctor said to bring her in if it got to 105. It never did.

The school year ended, and we started to pack up our life. The movers came and we went to stay with one of my friends. We were headed up to our co-workers cabin to spend some quality time before it was time to go for good. When we got up there, Lennon had a low grade fever, 99 something. I went to the local store and got some children's tylenol. The fever went down. The next day, she seemed fine. Not quite as hungry, but acting like her normal self.

Well as the night progressed, so did her fever. She refused to go to sleep and I got so frustrated. We were up super late trying to get her fever down, luke warm baths, cool compresses, sleeping in just a onesie, but to no avail. She finally went to sleep, but then woke at 3:00am. Her fever had spiked to almost 104 and she let out a terrible scream. She made a sound like she was going to throw up and started to seize.

Reliving that moment in words is just something that I cannot do, so you can imagine it in your minds. I'm sobbing just writing this post.

I called 911 and it seemed like the longest 5 minutes of my life. All of my co-workers surrounded us and were my rocks. I couldn't have survived that moment without them. Her seizure lasted about 30 seconds, but she became unresponsive afterwards, which I learned later on is completely normal. In that moment, though, I was terrified. The first responders arrived and she came to. We got in the ambulance and rode to the hospital. I still have no clue what caused her to have such a high fever. They tested her for the flu and strep, both were negative. They said it was likely a virus.

The kind of seizure was a Febrile Seizure and is actually quite common. According to Mayo Clinic, "A febrile seizure is a convulsion in a child that may be caused by a spike in body temperature, often from an infection." It doesn't matter how high the fever gets, it's how fast it gets there. Lennon's fever spiked so fast that it was almost inevitable. 

The kind EMT gentleman gave me some amazing tips, because his son had previously had Febrile Seizures. He suggested that I ALWAYS have a temporal thermometer, children's Tylenol, and children's Motrin on hand. As soon as we left the hospital, we went straight to walmart and I put together a fever care pack to have with us at all times. 

I've become quite obsessive about checking Lennon's temperature, she actually knows how to do it herself now. As soon as she exhibits a fever, I start alternating Motrin and Tylenol. This flu season has got me on edge and on alert. We have been taking Elderberry Syrup every day to try and avoid getting sick. We all had colds this last week and I will tell you that I bawled my eyes out when Lennon got a low grade fever. We are trying to manage, but I don't think the stress will ever fade away entirely. 

I write this post, not for pity, but to speak the unspoken. People are so afraid to talk about things, but in reality it actually helps to process and heal to TALK to others! It helped me when I had a miscarriage, because I am 1 in 4 and I am not ashamed of that! It helped after Lennon had a seizure. Just by talking to my friends, I realized that some of their kids, or even themselves, had Febrile Seizures. We need to not be afraid of speaking out. More often than not, someone else is going through the same thing and just wants somebody to talk to. Join together, be supportive, talk to one another!

Lastly, I want to thank my friend Jen who was there for me in the hospital when I had my miscarriage and who drove behind the ambulance when Lennon had her seizure. I am so grateful for her friendship and unwavering support. We all need friends who will stick by you through the awful things that you sometimes go through in life. 

Let’s not suffer in silence any longer! 

Until next time, 

The Rainbow {Part 2}

On Sunday, May 29 {40 weeks, 5 days to be exact}, I decided I didn't like the diaper bag that I had purchased so we went back to the mall. At this point, I was completely waddling and starting to feel some tightening in my belly. I also thought my water was starting to trickle, but I had never been through any of this before so I had no idea. On the way back from the mall, I knew that I was starting to have contractions that were about 7 minutes about, but they didn't hurt at all. I just dismissed them and then got an urge to go grocery shopping so we were all stocked up.

We got home and I made a big feast of green chile enchiladas. I must have been crazy. We ate and then we slept {but not for long}. I got up around 11:00 and went to the bathroom and WOOOSH. There it went. My water broke. What an experience that was. It certainly doesn't happen like it does in the movies. I woke up the Mr. and off to the hospital we went. It took us about 20 minutes to get there and I was having contractions {that still didn't really hurt} that were 5 minutes apart.

We checked in and they told us to go to triage so they could monitor me. We got up to the labor and delivery floor and the nurse immediately took us to our room because it was obvious my water had broken. Throughout the night, I continued to have mild contractions and was able to get some rest. I woke up around 4:30-5:00 and they had started to get more intense. I wanted to do this all natural so I labored through the contractions while walking around the room. I was able to walk freely and not be connected to the monitors constantly. I was not progressing very quickly. They checked and I had only dilated 3 centimeters. For real.

At that point, I was able to get into the labor tub and it was sweet, instant relief. I didn't stay in there long {but looking back I have no idea why}. The contractions continued to get worse and worse. They started coupling, one happening right after the other. I was not getting any breaks. Lennon was posterior, which was the reason for my horrendous back labor and the consistent contractions. My doctor made me do this crazy, painful maneuver to try to get Lennon to flip over. To no avail. At one point throughout the day, the nurse suggested I get some Stadol for the pain {because I didn't want an epidural} and that was the trippiest ride I have ever been on. It seriously felt like I was flying through space like Peter Pan. So weird.

I labored in so many different positions, with absolutely no relief in any of them. My mom was pushing on my tailbone and the Mr. was squeezing my hips. Even that didn't provide relief. I started to black out from the pain and knew that I had to give up on my natural birth. I felt so defeated. I even apologized to my doctor because he was so encouraging throughout everything. He kept telling me I could do it, that I was strong, that I did Yoga and that helped me. But I couldn't. I let him down and myself.

Let me tell you though, that epidural. Was. Life. Saving. I honestly don't think I could have continued on or pushed without it. I was able to sleep and rest and I so needed that to be mentally and physically ready to go through the end of labor.

The rest of the night was breeze. I had an extremely pleasant experience. Around 7:30 p.m. {20 and a half hours of labor later} they checked and I was fully dilated. It was time. The nurses were amazing. We carried on good conversation in between pushes. I felt no pain. It was smooth. And at 9:21 p.m. we met our beautiful, precious Lennon Claire. Ten fingers, ten toes. 19 inches of squishy baby goodness. We immediately fell in love. I would endure all of that pain over and over again just to be able to have her in our arms. All was right in our world. She is PERFECT. Our little Rainbow. 

Until next time! 

The Rainbow {Part 1}

I've been feeling much more inspired lately and figured that I should probably write a post about Lennon's birth before I can no longer remember.

A few months ago I wrote a two-part story of "The Storm" and now I will write about our beautiful Rainbow. Because after all there is a Rainbow after every storm.

When we were cleared to try to conceive again, I went a little crazy. I wanted it so badly. I wanted a baby. I wanted what I wasn't able to have the year before. I wanted what so many of my friends were able to have. I wanted it so badly that it just wasn't happening. I was using apps to track my cycle and temping to see when I was ovulating. I was convinced that I no longer was ovulating so I kept going back to my doctor. My doctor had started to become more like therapy for me. She helped me more than anyone else was able to.

Then one day, I just stopped. I stopped charting. I stopped temping. I stopped all the madness and just let go. It seemed that I finally was getting over the traumatic experience that the entire year prior was in my life. I felt free of my grief for the first time in so long. That's when it happened.

The Mr. and I decided to get away. We went to our favorite city, San Diego, for a weekend and just had fun. We let loose and did whatever we wanted. I just knew. I know that sounds crazy, but I just knew we had conceived that weekend. I got this feeling that this was it. Then on our way home we drove through a storm and saw 5 rainbows. DROVE THROUGH A STORM AND SAW 5 RAINBOWS. If that's not a sign from above, then I don't know what is. The next weekend we went camping and on our way home we saw another rainbow. I didn't even need to take a test, in my gut, I knew. I knew before we even left San Diego.

We were pregnant.

Obviously I did take a test, just to confirm it for The Mr., and sure enough.. a very positive line staring us in the face. Due to our experience the past year, neither one of us allowed ourselves to get excited. We knew that anything could happen at anytime. I think we both tried not to get too attached to the idea that this could really happen, that we could end this pregnancy with a baby.

Through the next couple weeks we waited. We waited for appointments and ultrasounds and tests {we were able to have more of everything because of our past}. We waited to tell anyone. Then we saw it. The heart was beating. There was a baby. How amazing that moment was. I knew that the hard part was not over, but I knew that was our baby.

The months went by, my belly got bigger, but I was still cautiously trying not to get my hopes up. Even though I felt her kicking and moving all around in my belly, I tried not to get too attached. Yes, I was excited, but it was hard to think past the current day I was in. "Today I am pregnant" was my mantra throughout the entire pregnancy.

Once we got to the end of the pregnancy, things became a little more difficult. Doctor's visits became more frequent and my blood pressure started elevating. It was the end of the school year and I was stressed. Not only because I'm a teacher, but because I was aching and not sleeping. My blood pressure got so high one visit that my doctor sent me to the hospital to be monitored for Pre-eclampsia. Thank goodness all of the tests were negative and they sent me on my way. Unfortunately, my blood pressure was still all over the charts. Some days it was normal, some days it was high.

They continued to monitor me through the rest of my pregnancy. I made it to my due date and I went to my 40 week check up. All looked well, but I was not dilated at all. My blood pressure was amazingly in the normal range. I was in and out of my appointment in the blink of an eye and they scheduled me for another appointment that Friday.

Fast forward 4 days later and I went to {what happened to be to my last} appointment. Well.. wouldn't you know, my blood pressure was through the roof. They scheduled another appointment for the following Tuesday {if I didn't go into labor naturally before then} and back to the hospital I went for them to monitor my blood pressure... again. Guess what, blood pressure was normal as soon as they started checking it. I was off the hook for another couple days, so my mom and I went shopping. I bought a diaper bag from Kate Spade, because Kate Spade, duh, plus I only had two and that was not near enough. Well...

Until next time!

Lennon {9 Months)

Here we are 9 months into our precious Lennon's life and only 3 months away from her first birthday. I just can't believe how fast this time is going. I want to go back to those days in the hospital where she was fresh and new and smelled so good. But at the same time, I love watching her grow and learn. She has changed so much in the last couple of months, it is unbelievable.

Height: 27.25 inces

Weight: 16 lbs, 11 ounces. I know her last update said 16.9, but that was a total guesstimate and obviously was wrong! I think I need to get a new scale! 

Eating: Now that we have allowed Lennon the control to feed herself, she will eat practically anything that you put in front of her. She LOVES avocado and yogurt. She has tried meatballs, peanut butter on toast, scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, peas, green beans, zucchini, carrots, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, and so on and so forth. I would be here all day listing all of the foods. The girl can eat. 

Sleep: She has been sleeping in the Pack 'N Play now for about a month and a half and it seems to be going well. I plan to try and transition her to her crib in her own room when she turns 1 {we'll see if I'm emotionally ready for that when the time comes}. Right now, I still like having her close. 

Milestones: We have a little crawler! It seems that it just clicked one day last week and bam, she's crawling everywhere. Her poor knees need to build some callouses. She has also now said "MAMA" and I'm pretty sure I've heard her say Hi before as well. She is also pulling to stand and trying to move around once she's standing. 

Likes:  Mommy, Daddy, Ziggy, swinging on a swing, talking, kicking, standing, giggling, smiling, exploring with mommy and daddy, and traveling. She LOVES bunnies, she is always pointing to them in books and picked one out at Build-a-Bear a couple months ago. 

Dislikes: There's not really anything that she dislikes right now. 

Personality: Her personality is starting to bloom! Her mellowness is still her baselayer, but she's definitely a little goof. 

Nicknames: Lenni Bear, Pretty girl, Pretty Princess, Lenni Loo. 

Until next time! 

Lennon {8 Months}

Finally caught up! Now, I just need to keep up with my posting. I'm truly going to make a valid effort to blog more often from now on. I've got some good posts floating around in my head and a lot of interesting things are happening in the next couple months!

Height: 26.25 inches

Weight: She was around 16 lbs 9 oz. 

Eating: So we've decided to go full on Baby Led Weaning. Lennon just wouldn't eat off a spoon and then I tried pureed peas one day {my goodness, they are terrible} and I hated them. If I can't even stomach them, why am I feeding those foods to my baby? She now is eating whatever we eat and it is going so well. She LOVES food now. 

Sleep: Well, I attempted to transition her to a Pack 'n Play one night and it did not go well. So back to the Rock 'n Play we went. I did some research and bought a sheet for the Pack 'N Play. I elevated it where her head would be and put a rolled up towel under the sheet around where her body will go and voila! We transitioned seamlessly now! 

Milestones: This month was rough with teething, but Lennon now has 2 bottom teeth. They are so cute! She also gets up on all fours and rocks {she is so close to crawling}. She is becoming quite sassy {possibly from the teething}. She also just started to wave hi and bye! 

Likes:  {These still haven't really changed} Mommy, Daddy, Ziggy, talking, kicking, standing, giggling, smiling, tummy time {for a little while}, playing on her play mat, jumping her in jumperoo, exploring with mommy and daddy, her new teddy bear and traveling. 

Dislikes: She dislikes when she cannot see me or The Mr. 

Personality: Like I said before, she's becoming a bit sassy, but that just means she's learning different attitudes. She is still very mellow most of the time. 

Nicknames: Lenni Bear, Pretty girl, Pretty Princess, Lenni Loo. 

Until next time! 

Lennon {7 Months}

I'm almost caught up! Just one more post after this! I hope I can remember back to all of her little milestones and happenings.

Height: 26 inches

Weight: She was around 16 pounds. We went be back to the doctor until her 9 month check up so until then I am just guesstimating. 

Eating: We've tried a bunch of different foods now, but they have mostly been pureed. She has tried avocadoes, which she loves! 

Sleep: Lennon is still sleeping in our room in her Rock 'n Play. She seems to be growing out of this super quickly now so I'm sure it won't be too long until we need to transition her into her crib or a Pack 'n Play. 

Milestones: Lennon has now learned how to put her lips into the dreaded "duck lips". I do not know where she learned this, but I'm thinking it's because I kiss her so much. Haha. She also screamed "DADADADADA" out loud in the airport as we were waiting for our flight to Wisconsin. The Mr. made sure to get that on video. Why couldn't it have been "MAMAMAMAMA"? 

Likes:  {These still haven't really changed} Mommy, Daddy, Ziggy, talking, kicking, standing, giggling, smiling, tummy time {for a little while}, playing on her play mat, jumping her in jumperoo, exploring with mommy and daddy, her new teddy bear and traveling. 

Dislikes: She still dislikes pureed baby food and being spoonfed. She also dislikes being put into her carseat or if The Mr. or I leave the room. 

Personality: Lennon is such happy baby. We love how mellow she is and how interactive she is becoming. 

Nicknames: Lenni Bear, Pretty girl, Pretty Princess, Lenni Loo. 

Until next time! 

Lennon {6 Months}

Well, after a nice, long 2 month hiatus, I am back! I'm so sorry for not blogging, but life just seems to get in the way sometimes. Prepare to be inundated with month growth post for Lennon {because I am currently 3 months behind}. 

Height: 25.75 inches

Weight: She was at 14 lbs 12 oz. 

Eating: When Lennon turned 6 months we started her on food. The doctor recommended starting her on Oatmeal cereal {I was actually pretty against this, so I have no idea why I actually went along with it}, so that's what we started with. I gave it to her for one day and she had such bad gas; she just was not comfortable. I switched to organic rice cereal and that seemed to go much better. Then we started with sweet potatoes. I'm not gonna lie.. the girl does not like puree's. More on this in the next monthly post. 

Sleep: Lennon is still sleeping in our room in her Rock 'n Play. I just can't come to terms with the fact that she is growing up! 

Milestones: Lennon tasted her first real food! She sits up and continues to roll. She celebrated her first Thanksgiving. 

Likes:  {These haven't really changed} Mommy, Daddy, Ziggy, talking, kicking, standing, giggling, smiling, tummy time {for a little while}, playing on her play mat, jumping her in jumperoo, exploring with mommy and daddy, going to her swim lessons, and traveling. 

Dislikes: She dislikes pureed baby food. She also doesn't like to be spoon fed. 

Personality: Lennon is still very mellow, but she is starting to show some sassiness, especially when she is eating. 

Nicknames: Lenni Bear, Pretty girl, Pretty Princess, Lenni Loo. 

Until next time! 

17 New Mommy Must-Haves

For today's post I have compiled a list of our most used and most useful baby products {in not any particular order}. I hope that you find this list useful in your shopping adventures!

Fisher Price Rock 'N Play

We absolutely love this! Lennon has slept like a champ since day one in her Rock 'N Play! The one that I linked is the one that we have. The automatic rocking function was a dream when she was first born. I truly feel that it helped her sleep better, which meant more sleep for mommy! Major win! I also like the Jonathan Adler design, but they didn't have it when Lennon was born.

Boppy Newborn Lounger

We love all things Boppy in our house, but this particular product has been amazing. Lennon loves to just hang out and relax in this. She likes to watch the Packer games and Dancing with the Stars while sitting in her Lounger. I only used our Boppy Pillow very briefly in the hospital and at home when she was first born. I have a feeling that we'll be using it again soon to help her sit up. We also have the Boppy Noggin Nest head support pillow because Lennon was starting to develop a flat spot on the back of her head. This product has saved us from having to put her in a helmet.

4moms Infant Tub

Before I registered for baby items, I had heard some good things and some bad things about this tub, but I decided to see for myself. I absolutely LOVE it. It fit perfectly in our kitchen sink and now it fits perfectly in our tub. I had to move it because Lennon loves to kick and splash water everywhere. It was much easier to give her a bath in the sink because I could stand and not strain my back, but I still love it in the tub. I love that it tells you the temperature of the water, which allows me to not worry {which I tend to do}. It also cycles new water into the tub so that it's the same temperature for her entire bath. Amazing!

4moms Rockaroo

I also didn't hear very many good things about this product, but again decided to see for myself. Lennon didn't quite like it at the beginning, only because she preferred to be held over anything else. Now, however, she loves it! I don't put her in their very long, but she tolerates it much better.

Fisher Price Jumperoo

The Mr. and I did extensive research on jumpers and ultimately found that the Rainforest Jumperoo by Fisher Price was the most highly rated. Maybe the color scheme is not the greatest, but Lennon loves it. It keeps her attention and helps her to jump and march to gain muscle in her legs. I would highly recommend this to anyone!

Ikea Antilop 

I also have done extensive research on highchairs. This one would also come up in searches, but I wasn't quite sold. Then we were able to try it out and I was sold! Lennon fits perfectly in it and it is very well supported. Not only that, but it also is so incredibly easily cleaned that it makes life just a little bit easier. To dress it up, we got a cushion cover from YeahBabyGoods on Etsy.  Love.

Comotomo Silicone Bottle

This product is amazing. Lennon takes this bottle like a champ. We've tried numerous different bottles and this one is by far our favorite. They are a little bit pricier than the rest, but well worth the investment. I have nothing but good things to say about these.

Fawn Design Diaper Bag

Major heart eyes for this diaper bag. I didn't have it when I first had Lennon, in fact, I just recently got it. But let me tell you! It is amazing! The quality does not go unnoticed. It is faux leather and is very easily wiped down.

Wubbanub 

We love our Wubbanub's! I know that it is mostly baby's preference when it comes to pacifiers, but I sure am glad Lennon liked this one! We have two and they have been amazing. It is perfect for her because it is not easy to lose {she likes to throw them now}. She loves to play the the little stuffed animal and likes to look at the tag. Win!

Skip Hop Treetop Friends Tummy Time Mat

We got this as a gift from one of our friends and used it {and still use it} every day! It comes with a pillow to help prop baby up in the early months of tummy time and two toys to help encourage them to learn! Lennon absolutely loves to roll over to get the toys {she's not quite crawling yet}. This is an absolute must have.

Shea Moisture Raw Shea, Chamomile, and Argan Oil Baby

This stuff smells like a dream. I even went out and bought some adult shea moisture for myself because I like the smell so much. Another great thing is that it doesn't seem to bother Lennon's eyes at all {if it accidentally gets in them when I rinse her hair}. We use the shampoo and lotion every night and she smells so good after her baths.

Bright Starts Roaming Safari Walk-A-Bout Walker 

Lennon's doctor recommended that we not use a walker, but we had gotten this from our baby shower so we use it. I don't see anything wrong with using a walker as long as you are supervising your baby. Lennon seems to like being able to cruise around in this and it is definitely helping her legs to move in a walking motion. We'll see if it helps in the long run!

LILLEbaby Carrier

I did a lot of research in the carrier department {I do a lot of research, can you tell?} and found that this would be the carrier that would work best for us and boy was I right! This has amazing lumbar support and has 6 carrying positions. Lennon loves to be worn when I'm cooking {we are very careful and I do not wear her when I'm using the stove, only when baking}. She also loves to go hiking and for walks while in her carrier. I'm going to need to buy some more colors!

Baby K'tan 

We also have this baby carrier, which I found to be amazing when she was a newborn. I got an extra-small and it fit snug {which was perfect when she was little}. I really like how easy it is to use, but am going to need a larger size because Lennon has gotten too big for the size that I have now.

Britax B-Safe 35 Elite and City Mini GT

Back when I first found I was pregnant, I immediately started doing research on car seats and strollers {see, I'm a research freak}. I went through extensive lists on which car seats had the best safety ratings, comfort, etc and then we went a "test drove" them at Buy Buy Baby. We ultimately decided on this combination {with the help of this car seat adapter} to make a hybrid travel system. The City Mini GT is amazing. It has all terrain wheels that have an amazing turning radius and rides so smoothly. The Britax car seat is a bit on the heavy side, but you can tell it is incredibly sturdy. Now, we get to search for her next "big girl" car seat. I'm just not ready for her to be a "big girl" yet, so that will have to wait a bit.

Copper Pearl Nursing Cover and Baby Bandana Bibs

These should be on every new Mom's must have lists! The nursing cover is amazing and I use it every time I'm out in public and have to nurse. The bibs are amazing. Not only are they great to add some style to your baby's outfits, but they are the ultimate drool catcher. These products are super soft and pretty inexpensive. Bonus: the company posts their products to Amazon, so if you're an Amazon freak like me, you get 2 day shipping for free with a prime membership.

Aden and Anais Muslin Swaddles

Now Lennon never needed to be swaddled but this blankets are just so soft. We use them as a blanket in her car seat, as spit up blankets, and just blankets to snuggle with. Everyone just own at least one set of these.


Well, I hope this has helped you in finding some products that will work for you as well as they have worked for us! Have a great day and enjoy shopping!

Until next time! 

Lennon {5 Months}

Hello Everyone,

Lennon is now 5 months {and I go back to work this week, cue the tears}! I know I say this every time I blog, but I just can't believe how fast the time is flying by! I wish we could take a giant pause so that she wouldn't grow up so fast.

Height: 25.5 inches

Weight: She is around 15 lbs. I won't have an exact weight until her 6 month check up.  

Eating: She is exclusively breastfeeding and I hope to continue this as long as I can once I go back to work. Send some prayers that my supply doesn't go away once I have to start pumping at work. 

Sleep: Lennon is still sleeping in our room in her Rock 'n Play. I just read that the AAP {American Academy of Pediatrics} said that it is best if they can still in your room until at least 6 months and more ideally until they are 1. I'm planning on switching her to a Pack 'n Play in our room soon. I'm just not emotionally ready to put her into her room yet, plus she's been sleeping great! She only wakes once for a feed around 5-6 and then sleeps until 8:30-9. Sleeping champ!  

Milestones: Lennon is just a world traveler! She's been so many place in her short 5 months of life. I hope to continue this throughout her life so that she has the same love and appreciation of travel that my parents instilled in me. She continues to giggle, roll over, and grab things. She loves to grab water bottles from people. She is recognizing more and more people and always puts a smile on her face when she meets someone new. 

Likes: Mommy, Daddy, Ziggy, talking, kicking, standing, giggling, smiling, tummy time {for a little while}, playing on her play mat, jumping her in jumperoo, exploring with mommy and daddy, going to her swim lessons, and traveling. 

Dislikes: I'm at a loss of what to put here this month. I think the one thing that she doesn't like is being hungry, which hardly every happens. I did have to wait a bit to feed her when we were flying so that she would be eating when we took off. She wasn't too happy about that. 

Personality: Lennon is just so mellow and easy going. As I said before, she always has a smile on her face and is giggling all the time. 

Nicknames: Lenni Bear, Pretty girl, Pretty Princess, Lenni Loo. 

Until next time!

Lennon {4 Months}

I cannot believe that she is already 4 months old! Time is going by way too quickly and I've only got one more month of my maternity leave. Just thinking about having to leave her brings tears to my eyes.

Anyways...

On to happier things! We went to her 4 month check up yesterday and her doctor said she looks amazing! So grateful that she is growing and healthy.

Height: 24.5 inches

Weight: 13 lbs 13 oz. 

Eating: She is still exclusively eating breastmilk. She seems to be starting to become more aware of food as she watches me eat. I'm going to take her cues on when to start introducing different foods into her diet. I don't think she's quite ready for that yet. 

Sleep: Lennon has this sleeping thing down pat {except for napping throughout the day}. She's been sleeping from 8:30pm to about 4:00am {and sometimes 5:00am} and then again until around 8:00am.  

Milestones: Lennon has rolled over from tummy to back and is working on rolling from back to tummy {she's almost there!}. She LOVES to giggle and be tickled. She is super talkative {sometimes in the most quiet of places}. If I hand her a toy she is able to grab it with both hands and bring it to her mouth. She is also starting to recognize her grandma, grandma and grandpa. 

Likes: Mommy, Daddy, Ziggy, talking, kicking, standing, giggling, smiling, tummy time {for a little while}, playing on her play mat, exploring with mommy and daddy, going to her swim lessons, and traveling. 

Dislikes: She still doesn't really dislike much. She doesn't like laying down, she would much rather be standing or sitting up. 

Personality: Lennon is still THE happiest baby. She loves to giggle, smile and hang out. She has got to be the most mellow little on that I've ever met. Even after her shots {she cried for a moment} she was kicking up a storm and talking to me. 

Nicknames: Lenni Bear, Pretty girl, Pretty Princess. I've been trying to call her by her name more so that she is able to recognize it and doesn't get too confused. She is starting to look at you when you say her name or any of her nicknames. Smart little cookie! 

The way that Ziggy is with her, melts my heart. He is so gentle and loves to give her kisses. 

That's all I've got for today! 

Until next time! 

Lennon {3 Months}

Soooo, Lennon is technically going to be 4 months of Friday {oops}. I realized that I never posted her 3 month update, so figured I should probably post that before I post her 4 month update. This is going to be a short, quick post, but I hope you all enjoy her little smile. It sure brightens my day!

Height: 23.5 inches {I wrote it wrong in the picture}

Weight: Around 12 lbs. We don't have a very accurate scale that tells us ounces. 

Eating: She is still only eating breastmilk and due to being on vacation I had to stop pumping, so she is exclusively on the boob. 

Sleep: We put her to bed around 8:30 and have our bedtime routine down pat. We either take a bath {only twice a week} or just go straight to lotion and PJ's. Then we read two books, eat, and sleep. She is a sleeping champ. Right now she's sleep from 8:30-4ish and sometimes until 5, then sleeping until 8ish. 

Milestones: Lennon has started to giggle and let me tell you, it melts my heart every single time. She went for her first airplane ride and she was such a good girl! She's in swimming lessons and seems to love it. She does not like to lay down, instead wants to stand all the time. When we were in Wisconsin, she met a bunch of her friends!

Likes: Mommy, Daddy, Ziggy, kicking, standing, giggling, talking, finding her voice, smiling, tummy time {for a little while},  going on adventures in Wisconsin, cooler weather {in WI} so we can be outside, hanging out with her Great-Grandpa and the rest of Mommy's family. 

Dislikes: She still doesn't dislike much, except for laying down when she's awake. 

Personality: Lennon is so mellow and smiley all the time. She hardly ever cries. She loves to smile when you smile at her and is giggling up a storm. 

Nicknames: Lenni Bear, Pretty girl, Pretty Princess

Until next time!

Lennon {2 Months}

Hello Everyone,

Lennon is 2 months old today! WHERE did the last 8 weeks go?? I seriously feel like they FLEW by. She has changed so much and is getting stronger every day.

Romper: Old, Similar Here
Bow: Made by Moi

Height: 22.5 inches

Weight: 11 lbs 4 oz. 

Eating: I am exclusively breastfeeding her and she eats ALL. THE. TIME. I swear I don't get a break. I'm pretty sure she's going through a growth spurt right now and needs the extra nourishment. 

Sleep: Little miss is ALMOST sleeping through the night. The last couple nights she has slept from 8:30-5am like a champ! Then she sleeps until about 7:30. She is still napping several times throughout the day and has officially been napping in her crib. I just can't allow myself to sleep at night in her crib just yet. 

Milestones: Lennon can now lift her head while doing tummy time. She is starting coo. She can stand while we're holding her. I swear she's on the verge of giggling. She kicks, kicks, kicks and is working on trying to sit up. 

Likes: Mommy, Daddy, Ziggy, the ceiling fan, kicking, standing, cooing, smiling, tummy time {for a little while}, playing on her play mat, having play dates with Harper {well maybe Mommy likes this more}, Facetiming with Grandma and Grandpa in Wisconsin, and hanging out with Grandma in Arizona. 

Dislikes: She really doesn't dislike much. I'd say the two things she doesn't like is not being held and getting her shots. {That was probably more traumatizing for me.}

Personality: Lennon is THE happiest baby I have ever seen. She smiles all the time and is so mellow. The only time she ever cries is when she's hungry or wants to be held. 

Nicknames: Lenni Bear, Pretty girl, Little Princess {I know, super corny, but it just happened}. 

Next blog post will NOT be Lennon related {well maybe a little bit}, I promise!

Until next time!

Lennon's Nursery

Well, I have FINALLY finished Lennon's room. It only took me 6 months to do it. To be honest, though, we were waiting on all of the artwork for the walls which my mom painted and brought when she came for Lennon's birth. I absolutely LOVE how everything turned out. I hope Lennon learns to love it as much as I do.

There are so many DIY projects in this room, along with some personalized gifts from Lennon's Grandparents and friends. It's very vintage/eclectic/floral/shabby chic and I love every bit of it.

I made the growth chart and will do a blog post on that soon. My mom made the Lennon Claire canvas painting and I bought the picture frame from Hobby Lobby and just stapled some twine to hang all of Lennon's Ultrasound pictures on it. The little cross was a gift from one of my co-workers. I purchased the rocking chair at an antique store and re-did it. 

A nice compilation of all aspects of her room. I made the ribbon and feather mobile {it has a dream catcher made of twine in the middle} and love how it turned out. The You Are My Sunshine board was actually a wall decal that I decoupaged onto a board that I stained. 

I love how this area turned out. My friends tied all the ribbons on the garland at my baby shower. The antler's are from Francesca's {a present from my friend}. The letters are from Michael's and were decoupaged by my mom {she's amazing}. The changing pad cover is from Carousel Designs. 

More views of my mom's artwork! Lennon's crib is from Target. Her bedding, crib skirt, and crib blanket {major heart eyes} are from Carousel Designs. 

We found these night stands at a local antique store and they match PERFECTLY with everything else in her room. BONUS that I didn't have to redo them. EXTRA BONUS it looks like they are smiling:-)..

The Rocking chair I found at an Antique store near us and completely redid it. I bought the crates at Michael's and stained them to match the growth chart that I made. The step stool was a gift from my parent's best friends. 

All of my mom's artwork. Heart eyes for all of it. It turned out beautifully. Leave a comment if you'd be interested in some of her work! 

The ladder and dresser were purchased at the same antique store near us. I absolutely love it there. I ALWAYS find a project whenever we go there. The ladder was perfect the way it was, I just put 4-5 layers of polycrylic finish. The dresser had to be completely stripped and redone. We even stripped the handles. It turned out better than I ever imagined. The cart next to her dresser was from IKEA.  

Like I said, there are a lot of DIY projects in Lennon's room. She's got a lot of love surrounding her!

Until next time!