Diamonds are a girls best friend

A fews days before Mattie turned 5-months-old, we decided to have her ear's pierced.  I had been contemplating it for a while, thinking about the pro's and con's, and ultimately decided on a whim that it was time:)

My sister and I both had our ear's pierced as babies and have known no different. Megan wait until Amelia was a little older to have hers pierced and she is constantly pulling them out.  She pierced Ellie's when she was about 7-months and she's done great with them.  I would have done Mattie's at the same time we pierced Ellie's, but her ears were still too small.

I knew that I wanted to pierce Mattie's around 6-months, and before our trip to Aruba so that we'd be home if she had any problems or infections.  So one evening Mr. and I dropped Jackson at my parents to swim while we ran some errands...and we ended up at the Mall getting our princess some diamond studs and piercing her ears! Mr. was so sweet and wanted Mattie's earrings to match mine, he loves his girls:)

Poor Mattie had no idea what she was in for, but lucky (for me) she tolerated the actual piercing much better than the markings.  Holding her head so still was nerve-wracking and I envisioned her ending up with a nose ring when she jerked away!

All said and done, they are just precious and haven't bothered Mattie yet.  I just love her little ear bling and our princess girl:)

Read more...

April Showers...

I didn't realize it at the time, but the month of April was prepping us for amazing May flowers.   Big changes took place for our little family, and I'm pleased to say that things couldn't have ended up better!  May was certainly a month full of exciting and nerve-wracking decisions, which I promise to get to...sooner, than later:)

During the month of April we started walking the neighborhood again.  I never thought in my wildest dreams that two kids would mean our days of walking after work would be challenged.  But, sadly between nursing and feeding two kiddos and baths and our bed time routine leaves little time for much else in the hour we get home from work.

I digress.

We started walking when we could and Jackson found a sweet little baby turtle friend.  He named her Sara and she hung around the pond out back for a few days.  She really was a cute, little thing.

We celebrated Mr.'s 39th birthday with a late dinner at Ruth's with Mimmy & Beh.  My handsome husband keeps getting better looking with age, which is so not fair;)

Mardi Gras is going to be better than ever this year, 2014.  Mr.'s step-mom is Queen of her Mardi Gras krewe.  The parties have already started, first being her surprise crowning!

The Zoo got a few new members as we decided to get a family pass for the year.  It's not the St. Louis Zoo, but Jackson loves to run through it.  We've been a few times to get our money's worth!

I was able to spend a few weekends poolside at my parents as the weather quickly changed to Summer.  Mattie will spend a good bit of time laying out with us too, in the shade of course.  The hardest part of April was keeping Jackson out of the water.  He had his cast the whole month and couldn't wait to swim, which he did as soon as the cast came off in May.

Jackson and Mattie are forming the sweetest sibling bond and it completely melts.my.heart.  Seriously, these two have us wrapped around their fingers and toes!

Big brother trying to break baby sister free from her swaddle:)

Jackson took it upon himself to cuddle next to Mattie one afternoon

Jackson is so sweet and tender and for the most part - happy.  Whether he's run around in his PJ's, playing with his Pop or hanging with his Daddy, fishing or cleaning up the pond...he's happy.  Jackson, Mr. and Beh started a new little tradition of meeting up for donuts on Saturday mornings.  My sweet boys love this time so much! 

Festival International was the last weekend of the month and we certainly enjoyed ourselves. The advertising agency I worked for (did you catch that, wink wink) has the Festival account, which I managed.  So, we had a lovely little set up this year with VIP passes! 

We had a couple family nights and managed to get some sitters to have adult time too! Jackson absolutely LOVES music and to dance, so I felt bad leaving him at home.  Mattie Jayne, well she absolutely needs her bed by about 7:30-8PM and makes it known to all.  I shouldn't complain because she is such a good sleeper, but it does require us to be home a bit more than we're used to.

Speaking of Mattie Jayne; she turned 4-months in April and weighed in at 13.04 lbs.  She was in the 50% for height, weight and head circumference.  I've been so bad at her monthly updates, but honestly besides getting cuter and bigger...not much has changed.  

She sleeps amazing at night.  Goes down by about 7:30-8PM and sleeps until 6-7AM (even later most recently).  She fights naps if you let her get too tired and well, girlfriend is not happy when you let her get to that point.  I think she may have her mother's temperament, which some have accused of being a little b*$#@.  She nurses every 4 hours or so during the day and has a smile that lights up the room, just like her big brother.

We had a nanny that started to flake out on us during the months of April & May, so Mattie spent a good bit of time hanging out at my office, her daddy's office and with grandparents.  So happy our situation has changed and we now have reliable care. It was really starting to weigh heavily on me, which just plain sucked!

That pretty much wraps up the month of April...which feels like just yesterday! 

Read more...

Happy Halloween

Our Halloween weekend couldn't have been any better! The weather here is absolutely indescribable and our not so little man is a ball of laughter and babbles that lights up the room. Jackson was too excited to take his afternoon nap on Saturday, so he was a little cranky Captain Jack... good thing he's so cute anyway:)

Our little ghost

Tomorrow is what?!? Halloween!!!

Mr. Big Stuff


Look who decided to sit up all by himself!


Captain "Jack"son Sparrows

Read more...

Sleep Boycott

Yes folks, that right, the boss of the house has decided that sleep is totally overrated and would much rather be carried around the house, bounced up and down, while having his back patted. His other preference is nursing, nursing and nursing a little more. I'm not sure if this is the dreaded "4-month wakeful period" or what, but Jackson is getting up more at night now then what he did when he was a week old.

For the past three nights Jackson will go down for bed and wake up between 11-12AM screaming. No amount of comfort will put this little man back to sleep. So what is a sleep deprived mama to do besides nurse her little man back to slumber land. All is great for another hour or so, but like clockwork, he's up again. We repeat this cycle all night. All night. I feel like a milk machine, shoving my breast into his mouth in hopes of another hour of sleep.

What happened to my sleeper? I know I complained about the initial bedtime wakefulness, but I'd much rather ten minutes of that to the all night sleep boycott we're having now!

I have tried Tylenol in case the ever present drool is an indication of teething. I've tried gas drops in case his tummy is upset. We've changed countless dry or slightly damp diapers. I've rocked, I've sang, I've bounced around the living room. Please tell me this phase will pass, soon!

Read more...

4 months!

My little peanut is 4 months old! I cannot begin to tell you the joy and love this little man has brought into my life. He can truly light up a room and melt your heart with his smile. His coo and laughs are so contagious. Jackson is quite the cuddler and I hope he stays this way forever.

Jackson rolls from his belly to his back, and is working on his back to belly. He will sit for a few seconds, if you put him in that position. His most favorite thing to do is "stand" on your legs or a flat surface.

I am still nursing, but Jackson takes 2-3 breast milk bottles with the sitter while I am at work. He still eats 4 oz bottles, but with his size you would think it was double that! Jackson is a pretty good sleeper, he goes down for bed anytime between 9-10 and sleeps anywhere between 6-9 hours, eats and goes right back to sleep. I have a sitter that comes to our house to watch Jackson, so he naps when he wants. He normally takes a morning and afternoon nap.

Jackson is starting to drool a lot and is bubbly all the time. He loves to chew on his hands or your finger:) He prefers this to his pacifier. When he can find it, Jackson will go to town sucking his thumb. It is pretty cute:)

He loves his exersaucer, we put a pillow under it and that has made him able to enjoy it longer. Jackson still LOVES his bath and could stay in the tub all night. It is adorable! Jackson hates to be craddled and will fuss even harder if you do. He likes to look over your shoulder and if you shhhh in his ear it calms him and puts him to sleep.

I can't remember what life was like before this little came and stole my heart. Everyday he gets older is so bittersweet.

4 months, 16 lbs. 4 oz, 25.5" - 75% for height and weight, 50% for head circumference

Read more...