Dear Charlie,
I've been home with you all week for Spring Break, and boy have you amazed me! To say that you have grown is an understatement. I can't believe what an outstanding little person you are.
You smile all the time, you laugh when I'm amusing you, and you rolled over again for the first time in about a month. I'd been waiting for you to roll over again for awhile, but honestly I almost gave up.
We were visiting Grandma and Grandpa and you were having tummy time. The next thing I knew, you had rolled over and we had missed it because we were watching the scene on the tv. I begged you to repeat your trick, and after some frustration you did it.
Another demonstration of your awesomeness was when you just decided to hold your bottle. I looked at you and you had both hands wrapped around your bottle. What. The. Heck.
No. You aren't big enough to feed yourself yet.
Also, you don't think you need to take a nap anymore. You think you get to decide when you sleep. Um, I don't think so. As your mother, I know how much sleep you need and how to make sure you get enough to keep growing.
Being able to watch you grow this week has been such a joy. Making you smile and laugh is my new favorite game. I hope Auntie Anna enjoys her time with you as much as I do.
Time really does sneak up on you. I'm aware of that more and more each day. You and me, we are a team. A year ago I found out you were joining our family, and we began our journey to bring you into the world.
Where did the time go?
Mama loves you!
Thursday, March 29, 2018
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
How I think of thee, my tiny human
Dear Charlie,
I've been back at work for a whole month, and I wanted to tell you just how often I think about you.
When I'm driving to work and I'm singing to the radio, I think of how one day we will sing along together. I wonder if you'll appreciate my variety of musical tastes or if you will prefer a more eclectic selection. Also, will you make fun of me when I sing "Can't Stop the Feeling" by Justin Timberlake?
Throughout the day I have to slip away to pump my milk so that you can have as many fresh bottles as possible the next day. I look forward to our nursing dates at 2am and at 4:30pm. My early mornings consist of preparing your bottles and anything else you might need.
When people ask about you, I immediately pull out my phone to show off my most recent collection of baby pics and videos. You laughed this week and I got it on film!
You've also started to outgrow your 0-3 month clothes, and that makes me sad. It's amazing that you are growing so much and how much you are changing week to week.
Today I began to wonder when you would be ready to eat solid foods. I also started to wonder how many more weeks we had left before you officially fit in to size 2 diapers.
I guess I want you to know that you dominate my thoughts throughout the day. My favorite part of the day is coming home to play with you and to kiss your sweet rosy cheeks. My next favorite part is rocking you to sleep and savoring the few minutes of watching you start your trek through dreamland. I especially enjoy watching your little mouth as you sleep, you must be dreaming about eating or something like that.
Mama loves you, sweet boy!
I've been back at work for a whole month, and I wanted to tell you just how often I think about you.
When I'm driving to work and I'm singing to the radio, I think of how one day we will sing along together. I wonder if you'll appreciate my variety of musical tastes or if you will prefer a more eclectic selection. Also, will you make fun of me when I sing "Can't Stop the Feeling" by Justin Timberlake?
Throughout the day I have to slip away to pump my milk so that you can have as many fresh bottles as possible the next day. I look forward to our nursing dates at 2am and at 4:30pm. My early mornings consist of preparing your bottles and anything else you might need.
When people ask about you, I immediately pull out my phone to show off my most recent collection of baby pics and videos. You laughed this week and I got it on film!
You've also started to outgrow your 0-3 month clothes, and that makes me sad. It's amazing that you are growing so much and how much you are changing week to week.
Today I began to wonder when you would be ready to eat solid foods. I also started to wonder how many more weeks we had left before you officially fit in to size 2 diapers.
I guess I want you to know that you dominate my thoughts throughout the day. My favorite part of the day is coming home to play with you and to kiss your sweet rosy cheeks. My next favorite part is rocking you to sleep and savoring the few minutes of watching you start your trek through dreamland. I especially enjoy watching your little mouth as you sleep, you must be dreaming about eating or something like that.
Mama loves you, sweet boy!
Thursday, March 15, 2018
Hanging with Grandpa
It's not secret that my dad and Charlie are like two peas in a pod. I love watching them play together. This week I needed help with a scheduling conflict, so Sam dropped Charlie off at my parent's house to run some errands, and I picked him up after work.
During that time, my mom kept sending me cute photos. Here. Share in the adorability :)
I can't believe how much my baby has grown! He's still on the small side according to the growth curve, but I notice the changes. I'm excited to see how much he weighs at his appointment next month!
Saturday, March 10, 2018
"I'm always hungry"...
... seems to be my motto lately.
Being back at work has been great for my daily structure. Water consumption is decent, and I know when to take snack breaks, but when the afternoon rolls around I feel like I'm starving. I know I need more veggies, especially when I want to lose the last 11lbs of baby weight, but I'm lacking motivation severely in the "it's good for me" department. Regardless, I know I need to reorganize my meal planning if I want to a)lose the weight, and b) be healthy so that Charlie is getting all the right vitamins and nutrients from my milk.
I was chatting with a colleague who had a sweet baby girl about a month before Charlie was born, and the topic of food was definitely of interest.
She asked me for some of my food prep secrets to help keep the monthly food budget in check, and mentioned that she reads the blog. I took the hint ;)
Awhile back, I adapted to the 21 day fix mentality of portion size and well-rounded nutrition. I had to map out my daily allotment of food to ensure I was getting what I needed. I was immediately aware of the holes in our nutrition and gained some insight to how we could do better.
Suddenly the idea of eating became like a giant puzzle. Additionally I think that I gained a better understanding of how to build a balanced meal. The point is, that by mapping out my food to guarantee I was hitting my goals I became a meal plan master.
If you are interested in my secrets, keep reading.
First, I like to plan our dinners a week at a time.
Every Saturday morning I take a look at what we have on the calendar and I plan accordingly. Here's an example:
Sunday
Family Dinner (Buy Drinks)
Monday
Hidden Veggie Mac 'n' Cheese (Buy cheese)
Tuesday
Leftovers
Wednesday
Crockpot Chicken & Cauliflower Rice (Buy chicken broth)
Thursday
Leftovers
Friday
Bacon & Eggs (Buy Bacon)
Pancakes
Saturday
Homemade Pizza (Buy Pizza sauce and pepperoni)
After I've chosen my meals, I make my grocery list.
I check the freezer and food storage to see if I'm missing any ingredients for my dinners. If I need anything, I put it on my list.
Next I write my regular items. Sam is pretty consistent with his breakfast and lunches, so we usually buy bread, yogurt, eggs, and produce. Lately I've been really into adding veggies into my protein shakes, so I've been frequenting zucchini and black beans.
Finally, I jot down anything else that we are running low on (ex. toothpaste, shampoo, etc.)
Our food budget each month is flexible, but I try to stay within a certain range each week to maintain that flexibility. the good news is that some weeks are less expensive than others because we are only buying what we need. We do splurge once or twice a month, but we definitely keep ourselves in check.
Since I'm also a picky eater, I'm always on the hunt for recipes where I can hide more veggies or make baked goods more nutritious. I like to use pureed pumpkin in my brownie mix and nothing else, I feel like I'm getting a vegetable in my dessert and the brownies turn out fabulous.
So there you have it, my very simple secrets to nutritious eating and maintaining my food budget.
Now I need to reevaluate my current meal plans and throw in extra veggies and protein so I won't constantly feel like a zombie on the prowl.
Being back at work has been great for my daily structure. Water consumption is decent, and I know when to take snack breaks, but when the afternoon rolls around I feel like I'm starving. I know I need more veggies, especially when I want to lose the last 11lbs of baby weight, but I'm lacking motivation severely in the "it's good for me" department. Regardless, I know I need to reorganize my meal planning if I want to a)lose the weight, and b) be healthy so that Charlie is getting all the right vitamins and nutrients from my milk.
I was chatting with a colleague who had a sweet baby girl about a month before Charlie was born, and the topic of food was definitely of interest.
She asked me for some of my food prep secrets to help keep the monthly food budget in check, and mentioned that she reads the blog. I took the hint ;)
Awhile back, I adapted to the 21 day fix mentality of portion size and well-rounded nutrition. I had to map out my daily allotment of food to ensure I was getting what I needed. I was immediately aware of the holes in our nutrition and gained some insight to how we could do better.
Suddenly the idea of eating became like a giant puzzle. Additionally I think that I gained a better understanding of how to build a balanced meal. The point is, that by mapping out my food to guarantee I was hitting my goals I became a meal plan master.
If you are interested in my secrets, keep reading.
First, I like to plan our dinners a week at a time.
Every Saturday morning I take a look at what we have on the calendar and I plan accordingly. Here's an example:
Sunday
Family Dinner (Buy Drinks)
Monday
Hidden Veggie Mac 'n' Cheese (Buy cheese)
Tuesday
Leftovers
Wednesday
Crockpot Chicken & Cauliflower Rice (Buy chicken broth)
Thursday
Leftovers
Friday
Bacon & Eggs (Buy Bacon)
Pancakes
Saturday
Homemade Pizza (Buy Pizza sauce and pepperoni)
After I've chosen my meals, I make my grocery list.
I check the freezer and food storage to see if I'm missing any ingredients for my dinners. If I need anything, I put it on my list.
Next I write my regular items. Sam is pretty consistent with his breakfast and lunches, so we usually buy bread, yogurt, eggs, and produce. Lately I've been really into adding veggies into my protein shakes, so I've been frequenting zucchini and black beans.
Finally, I jot down anything else that we are running low on (ex. toothpaste, shampoo, etc.)
Our food budget each month is flexible, but I try to stay within a certain range each week to maintain that flexibility. the good news is that some weeks are less expensive than others because we are only buying what we need. We do splurge once or twice a month, but we definitely keep ourselves in check.
Since I'm also a picky eater, I'm always on the hunt for recipes where I can hide more veggies or make baked goods more nutritious. I like to use pureed pumpkin in my brownie mix and nothing else, I feel like I'm getting a vegetable in my dessert and the brownies turn out fabulous.
So there you have it, my very simple secrets to nutritious eating and maintaining my food budget.
Now I need to reevaluate my current meal plans and throw in extra veggies and protein so I won't constantly feel like a zombie on the prowl.
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
Life with Baby: 3 Months
This little guy is three months old today!
He is currently spending his days with Daddy, and is always happy when his Mama comes home from work every day. While Mama and Daddy don't watch much TV, Charlie is entranced with any and all televisions that are on.
As far as sleep goes, he goes to bed at 8:30pm and will usually sleep until 2ish. The white noise machine helps him fall asleep on his own. He drinks bottles 90% of the time now that Mama is back at work, and is good with both breast milk and formula.
Goals for next month are to try to get as close to 12lbs as possible, and learn how to play peek-a-boo with Daddy.
Thursday, March 1, 2018
Life With baby: Week 12
Oh CharlieB, you are so sweet and sour.
At 12 weeks he has the most kissable cheeks and still place holding for the best faces.
Mama went back to work earlier this week, and he's been spending quality time with Daddy. They've gone to Home Depot, Smith's, the Family History Library, City Creek, and school to visit Mama during Parent-Teacher conferences. Last weekend was his first trip down to Provo for a visit to the Museum of Art at BYU, and game night with friends in Provo also.
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