6 months!

Cheeky little boy!

I'm getting so big Mama!!

Well 6 months has come and gone and our sweet little babe just does not stop growing! The change between 5 months and 6 months has been such a big one! Little A is learning new noises (that high pitched squeal that only dogs can hear) and is turning into a very busy little guy.  His latest thing is panting like a dog (maybe been watching the pups a little too much!?). Our little one is sitting up on his own and grabbing anything in sight! He's not mobile yet but I am SO okay with that as it is nice to be able to plop him down with his toys and know he's certainly not going anywhere! Austin loves butternut squash and cauliflower and is also a huge fan of prunes! (little old person in the making hehe).  I just love to have him with me wherever I go and have yet to leave him longer than two hours with anyone (and that was only once while I went to the dentist...it was awful and I don't think I'll do that again for a while!). I think it is just so special and such a joy to have this little one with us wherever we go so that we can watch him learn and grow and we don't miss out on a single thing.

We have lots to look forward to in the coming weeks. The most important thing being a long overdue visit to Grandma and Gramps' in the Cariboo.  How exciting for Austin as he has not seen his grandparents since early July. Boy will they be surprised how much he has changed! Thank goodness for things like facetime and skype so that we can keep in contact with them often.  Also on the horizon is Austin's first holiday; Thanksgiving! That too will be spent in the Cariboo with Grandma and Gramps and I can't wait for Austin to enjoy his first holiday with family. What a lucky little guy.

Also, Austin's baptism will be sometime in the next month or two. We are meeting with the pastor at the church down the road from us this week and we are excited for this celebration. We think it is so important to teach your children about Christ (even if you do not attend church!), faith, and where we all come from. I remember reading bible stories with my own mama and I'm excited to do the same with Austin!

What a joy and blessing children are. We are so lucky and blessed to have such a healthy, happy little guy and could not be happier. Heres to the next six months baby Austin! Your Mama and Daddy love you so much!

Making Memories

It comes to my attention more and more now that I have a son that making memories are so important.  For example; this past weekend (made into a 5 day one for my husband), my husband, father, and brother took a trip to San Francisco to do some sightseeing and take in a football game. It may have been a bit expensive in the end but the memories they made will last a lifetime. It is so worth it to spend that money and time to do things like this as you just cannot get time back once it is gone.  They had a fantastic time, rented a very fun car, saw the sights, and enjoyed the football game (even if the Packers lost).  As we all grow older, get busier, and have families, it becomes increasingly more important to do things like this. This will be a trip they will talk about and have fond memories of for a lifetime.

This guys trip prompted my mother and I to do something we have never done before; take a trip just us (and tagging along is sweet baby Austin).  We will be heading to Maui in February and not only do my Momma and I get to spend some great quality time together, she also gets to spend a week with her baby grandson who she just doesn't get to see enough. I am so excited to be spending this time with her as she is not only a fantastic mom who is always there for us but she is my dearest friend besides my husband.  We talk everyday and although that is great, it will be so nice to spend a whole week with her! We will be making some fantastic memories, and Mom gets to be Grandma non-stop for a whole week.

So I ask you to please, take a day, weekend, or week out of your busy schedules and plan some quality memory making time. It is so important!! One day we will be old and grey, and these memories will be the glue that holds our lives together.  We can sit back, close our eyes, and remember such fantastic times with family and friends.  I am so glad my husband, dad, and brother got to have such a great time and I'm sure they are counting down the days until they can all get together and reminisce about it. Each one of them has told me over and over what an amazing trip it was and how they had such a great time. That makes me smile. So while Austin and I missed Daddy very much, we are so happy that he got to go and make some memories with his family, because at the end of our lives, those memories are all that we will have.

Where have the past six months gone?!

I am sitting here. My house is quiet and babe is asleep. I'm reflecting on the past six months and what a whirlwind they have been. We have such a perfect little boy to thank for our days just rushing by. It's quiet moments like these that I can sit back and realize just how blessed we are. God has given us such a wonderful gift in our little one and I thank him and pray for our little boy every day.

These six months have been such a joy, and I am so thankful to live in Canada where we get a year of maternity leave. We are just so lucky! I couldn't imagine not spending my days watching baby Austin grow and learn. We have definitely had our ups and downs along the way but it will be like that the rest of our lives as parents now.  I'm so looking forward to all the things to come but, little one, time can slow down now!

There are so many things for you to learn, and so many things for us to teach you! Daddy cannot wait to show you how to ride a bike, ride a quad, hunt, and play sports.  He cannot wait to coach you in sports if you so choose to do that! The world is yours to explore! Sometimes, when the house is quiet like this, I think of my own childhood. Baby boy, you are oh so lucky to have both sets of your wonderful grandparents to watch you grow! If your great grandparents were around today you would be such a joy in their lives. I know that they are watching you from heaven and are so proud! Grandpa Robin would have loved to get you out on the boat and fishing! And Grandpa-T would have been happy to sit and play card games with you forever (and teach you bad words in French). Enjoy your grandparents little one, they will be some of the most special, influential people that you will ever meet.

Here are Austin's 4 and 5 month photos. You could never tell he came a month early!

Well it has been quite a journey getting through these 6 months (however fast it has been).  We have had many a sleepless night (and day!). We are slowly but surely settling into a routine that he will change as soon as we have become accustomed to it I'm sure. 

Some of our favorite things for the fourth and fifth month are....

Bumbo chair!! We bought ours second hand but you can find one here and be sure to get the tray.  This has been a lifesaver since Austin has been wanting to sit more upright. I sit him next to me when I'm getting dinner ready, folding laundry, or eating dinner. And since starting solids last week we have been using it to feed him in until he's big enough for the high chair! Definitely a great buy and so worth it.

Baby Bullet!! This was given to us by my wonderful momma but you can get yours here. This has been great for making Austin's first foods. We skipped cereal all together as it was difficult to find one without dairy and I just think its more a filler than anything else.  We have made everything in here though and we love it! So quick, easy, and also easy to clean as all the parts are top rack dishwasher safe. If you have a regular Magic Bullet this will also do the trick, no need to go out and buy the baby specific one.  We also just use regular old ice cube trays to freeze our baby food in and then dump those frozen cubes in labeled ziplock bags! Easy peasy.

Johnson and Johnson Honey Apple Baby Lotion!!  I picked this up at Target down in Seattle. It smells amazing! I haven't seen it in Canada yet but if you do, please tell me so I can get some more!

Safari Jumperoo!! Ours was bought for us at Target in Seattle but you can find a similar one here. Austin loves to jump and bounce and play with the toys and has been in it since he was almost four months old. Definitely a lifesaver when this momma is trying to get dinner on the table or eat her breakfast.

Also, honorable mentions that you will here more about during the six month post. Munchkin baby feeding products like spoons and bowls, aden and anais muslin swaddles, and grobag baby sleep bags!

...more to come later. I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the silence for a little while longer....

Month 4

I know I say this every month but I can't believe our little boy (or not so little boy!) is four months old already.  Mommy and Daddy have been slacking so ignore the lack of photo...stay tuned!

This past month has been fantastic! We've had our ups and downs (sleep regression much?!) but seem to be settling really well. Our little ham is smiling up a storm at anyone he can get his eyes on and is now practicing sitting on his own! Such a strong little man.  When he started leaning forward and trying to sit by himself I couldn't believe it but he is getting stronger and more independent every day.

We've had a crazy, busy, last few weeks and have some more fun stuff planned for this summer.  We got to spend some great quality time up at my parent's house with all of the family.  It was a great time had by all (despite some bumpy bits, but it's family so what do you expect!). Little A got to spend some serious quality cuddle time with Grandma and enjoyed snuggling with Gramps.  We can't wait to see them again for Thanksgiving and ESPECIALLY can't wait to spend Christmas in the Cariboo! I'm already thinking of cute Christmas outfits for our little one...but lets not get ahead of ourselves here, it's still summer! (but I'm already itching for it to be fall so I can put up fall decorations!)

We are taking our first out of country vacation in two weeks and taking Austin to his first baseball game down in Seattle. And who are we kidding...Mommy just wants to go so she can shop shop shop! Austin has no fall or winter clothes as he fits into all the stuff I bought him for those seasons now (growing so fast!) so I know I'm just going to go crazy when we get down there. We are also hitting up the Comox Air Show on August 17th and we got little A the cutest camo ear muffs and sunglasses for the occasion! I can't wait for all the fun family time that we have planned!!

We have had a great run of warm sunny weather here on beautiful Vancouver Island and we have all really enjoyed it! But all this sun so early on (usually it waits until August to do this) makes me excited for it to be fall.  Okay well lets be honest though I'm excited for fall by the time Canada Day is over. Fall and Winter are my favorite seasons and I love to decorate! September will roll around and I'll have pumpkins, ornamental corn, gourds, and lots more fun fall decor out and decorating our little home! And I can't wait for all the cute little Halloween and Christmas outfits that I can dress Austin in!

As I said, stay tuned for Austin's 4 month photo...it will be here soon!

xox

Months 2 and 3

Wow! It has been a whirlwind few months with our little peanut and I haven't had a spare second to update the blog! Sorry for the long delay. Our little chunkers is almost 4 months old now and I cannot believe how much he has changed in such a short amount of time.

He had bilateral inguinal hernia surgery when he was around 6 weeks old and it was probably one of the most heartbreaking, stressful moments in both mine and my husband's lives.  Little monkey was a trooper though and came through it all with flying colours! Kudos to the wonderful surgeon we had and all of the wonderful nurses (with the exception of one) at VGH. We are so lucky to live in a country where he didn't have to wait for surgery and received the most exceptional care....and we didn't come out of it all broke! Here are some photos of our sweet little babe at the hospital.

Since the surgery Austin has just gotten bigger and more alert and I sometimes can't believe our boy was once this little guy...

Our little man is now so full of smiles and giggles and we could just watch him all day long.  He does suffer from really bad reflux but his meds seem to be working now and he is doing much better.  

We have made two trips up to visit Grandpa and Grandma and Austin has been a star traveler! He had such a fun time snuggling with them and can't wait to see them again.  It's so hard having my mom and dad live so far away and we cherish every moment we can spend with them. I am so lucky to have such amazing supportive parents who have helped me through all of the difficult moments of mommyhood.

I am so looking forward to all of the big events and holidays that are on their way.  I cannot wait for Austin's first Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Christmas...I am already planning his outfits and photos! I am loving being a stay at home mommy and being able to take care of my little family! It is so much fun having the time to cook dinners, lunches, and breakfasts and I can't wait until little peanut gets to start trying real food. So many things to look forward to.

Daddy has been such a big help too and watching him grow and flourish into such a wonderful father has just been amazing.  He loves spending every minute he can with his sweet little boy and is looking forward to all the sports and coaching to come....but we both would like Austin to slow down a bit; he's growing too fast!!

Here are his 2 and 3 month chalkboard photos and a few cute ones to boot!

Getting him to smile for the camera is sometimes impossible! Always mean muggin!

Proud Papa

There's a cheeky little smile!

Happy 1 Month Baby Austin

Wow does time ever fly! Our sweet little boy is 1 month old already and growing like a weed!! It's crazy how fast he is growing. I've already put away some of his newborn clothes as they don't fit anymore which just blows my mind. Our little one was 6lbs7oz when he was born and his weight dropped to 6lbs1oz. Now, 1 month later he weighs a whopping 10lbs3oz and has grown 3 whole inches.


We have so enjoyed our time with our little man and I love our days together. Daddy can't wait to get home from work to snuggle his son (and mommy if she's lucky!). We've had a few sleepless nights that were brutal but we are starting to get into a routine (if you can call it that, newborns don't really give you a routine, they like to keep you on your toes!) ... although I'm excited for the day he sleeps longer than 3 hours (which he only does once from 10pm-1am and then eats every two hours).  We've had a few struggles along the way but Austin is doing much better on some reflux medicine and with an elevated bed at one end and mommy feels better listening to him at night!

What a wonderful blessing and gift a child is and he amazes us every day. We can't wait to watch him grow and change and are excited for every milestone along the way.

On a side note, here are a few things that we are in love with this month!

Whale of a tub (found here whale of a tub). What a great little baby bath tub with a stopper for his bum and a little whale toy!

Timi and Leslie diaper bag (found here Louise diaper bag). This is a great bag on it's own even if it isn't a diaper bag!

Swing. We love our fisher price swing which gives me a few minutes of hands free to get laundry done, dinner on the go, etc. Austin loves the rocking motion. He's in it as I type this!

Breast pump. I love my Medela Pump in Style as it has been a life saver for stocking up on milk as well as giving Dad a chance to feed babe.  It's also handy for going out to have a bottle of breast milk with us. Oh, and having a double pump is a MUST if you don't want to sit there forever pumping each breast separately! A little pricey, yes, but soooo worth it.

I love mommy and Austin afternoon time where we play with our toys during tummy time and while he's lying on his back. It's so neat to see him looking at his toys (and mommy) and following my voice. Mommy and Daddy are so in love with you little Austin and can't wait to watch you grow up....but don't do it too fast!

1 Month Already!!

Our sweet baby boy is 1 month old already. I cannot believe that a month has already gone by and our little guy just keeps growing.  More on his one month "birthday" to follow but here is mommy's last big chalkboard update. After this we will be doing our mini chalkboard sessions instead.

Our Birth Story

So if you're wondering why my blog has been so quiet lately it's because our sweet baby boy made his appearance a little early!! On March 11, 2013 Baby Belton came into this world (quite quickly I might add) and changed our lives forever. Here is a recap of how our little one was born.

On Saturday, March 9th I made my husband drive me to the hospital for a non stress test as I felt that the babe wasn't moving around as much. They got as all hooked up to the monitors and as soon as they did he started moving around all over the place...Mama was just paranoid. What the nurse did notice was that I was having pretty regular Braxton Hicks contractions and that I should keep an eye on them. I had also been battling the flu for 3 days which was no fun at all.

Throughout Sunday I kept feeling pretty regular tightening and thought I would call the doctor on Monday morning to get my Thursday appointment moved up to Monday or Tuesday just to double check that everything was going okay...well baby had other things on his mind!!

4:30am Monday morning I woke up my husband because my water had broke. We called the doctor and they told us to come to the hospital right away as I had not had my group B strep test and would need antibiotics. She told us that if I wasn't in labour in 24 that they would have to induce me.  We left the house around 5:30am and by the time we got to the hospital around 6am, contractions had started.  They got me hooked up to an IV (what a process, 3 nurses later and they finally put it in the crook of my elbow because they couldn't find a vein) and started my dose of antibiotics and told us we could go home around 9:00.  We decided that I would be more comfy at home so we started the 30 minute drive back to our house. We actually made it about 3 blocks from our house when I told my husband he had to turn around. The contractions were coming quickly and so strongly that I couldn't even talk when they were happening.  We got back to the hospital and they admitted us and got us a room asap.  From then on things started to happen pretty quickly.

Our doctor came in to see us and seeing how quickly I was progressing decided to hang out with us in the room.  She checked me once we got settled and I was already 6 cm dilated! (this was at about 10:30 ish.  I asked her then (between contractions) how much longer it might be until I was ready to push ... she thought about another 4 hours as I was going so quick and a centimeter an hour is considered quick even for second babies!  Well about 30 intense minutes later I was 9.5 cm and in two more contractions I was ready to push.  I had my second bout of antibiotics around 11am so we were good to go.  I pushed for what felt like a really long time but what my husband informs me was really only about 20 minutes or so and baby Austin was born a healthy 6lbs 7oz! Such a good size considering I was only 35 weeks 6 days!! It was such an intense labour as things came on so fast but I am happy that it ended up that way as it was quick and we got to meet our sweet baby boy that much quicker!!

It is truly amazing what our bodies can do and I am still amazed at what I went through to finally get to meet our little boy.

Two days later they sent us home but we would go back for another two days as he was jaundiced and needed to go under the lights for a couple of days.  They sent us home on March 16th and we have just been in awe of him ever since.

I am so lucky to have such an amazing mother who stayed with us for two weeks, and father who stayed with us for the first week and came back for the following weekend.  It was so helpful to have my mom here to make sure we ate, kept our house clean, did our laundry, and babied our other babies, our pups!  We miss her already and are counting down the days until we can see her again.  Her help was beyond what we could expect and I can't say enough amazing things about her...I don't know what we would have done without her!

Here are some photos of our beautiful new baby boy...we are so blessed!!

35 Weeks Pregnant

How far along? 35 Weeks

Total weight gain:  39 pounds

Maternity clothes? I can still fit into two pairs of my regular jeans if I do the hair elastic trick and wear the belly band over top. All of my non maternity sweaters still fit, as do my lululemons so I am just wearing the few things I got at Old Navy when I am feeling particularly giant.

Stretch marks? Still none on the belly, fingers crossed!

Sleep: At this point…sleep sucks. I have no trouble falling asleep it’s staying asleep that’s a pain in the butt. I’m up to pee every hour and a half and I wake up with a tight, tight tummy (Braxton Hicks) usually a few times too. Overall though I really can’t complain as I have gotten this far with few issues.

Best moment this week:  My baby shower. My amazing sister in law and mother in law planned me the best baby shower. It was so much fun and there were so many personal touches that just made the afternoon so special. Baby (and me!) got so spoiled and it was so nice to see everyone!!  My mom flew in especially for the shower and it was so nice to have her there and I’m already counting down the days until she’ll be back. There is something about sharing all these pregnancy moments with your momma that is so special.

Miss anything? Same as the last few weeks; feeling (and being!) more mobile.

Movement: I feel like it has slowed down a bit as baby sleeps for longer stretches and starts to run out of room.

Food Cravings: I am still a sugar fiend at this point.

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope!

Symptoms: Braxton Hicks, and just general soreness at the end of the day from dragging all this extra weight around.

Gender prediction: Well, the majority at my shower said they thought girl. My mom still thinks it’s a boy though. I will say girl (this week!) haha.

Labor signs: None yet. I will get checked next week to see if I am dilated at all or not and to double check the babe is head down. I hope he or she still is so that we are all ready to go when the big day comes!

Belly button in or out? Out

Wedding rings on or off? On, although I have to say that now my fingers do get a bit puffy from time to time.

Happy or moody most of the time: Happy, and excited!

Looking forward to: Baby’s birthday. I’m so ready for it now and can’t wait to find out if baby Belton is a he or a she!

34 Weeks Pregnant

How far along? 34 weeks, 1 day

Total weight gain:  39 lbs

Maternity clothes? Just the few tanks and one pair of jeans I bought from Old Navy…hopefully they will get me through the next 6 or so weeks.

Stretch marks? None on the belly yet.

Sleep: Sleep is okay. I get tingly legs and arms at night no matter what position I am in…and I pee all the time so I guess I am just getting used to interrupted sleep!

Best moment this week: I just love hearing that little heart beating away at our doctors appointments. It’s magical every time!

Miss anything? As I have said in previous weeks, I miss feeling and being more mobile.

Movement: Still lots of it but no jabs as dramatic as they used to be. I think baby is definitely running out of room in there! I love how fascinated my husband is with my belly too because its one of the few things about baby he gets to experience while he or she is still in my tummy!

Food Cravings: Carbs!

Anything making you queasy or sick? No

Symptoms: My hips haven’t been as sore this week, which is a bonus. Just the normal; peeing lots and irregular sleep.

Gender prediction: I feel like I shouldn’t even guess at this one anymore….I just have absolutely no clue.

Labor signs: None

Belly button in or out? Out

Wedding rings on or off? On!

Happy or moody most of the time: Oh so happy.

Looking forward to: We start our prenatal classes on Thursday this week and we are excited about that. My shower is this weekend also which I am very excited about because my momma is flying in for it! Can’t wait to spend the afternoon with some fabulous ladies…and my doggie hehe. Midnight the Dog is going to wear pink and tag along to the shower because she is just that cute! Photos of this wonderful day to follow!

PS: Notice the pink shirt for Anti-Bullying day!!

33 Weeks Pregnant

How far along? 33 Weeks, 2 Days

Total weight gain:  37 lbs

Maternity clothes? I did break down and buy a few items when I saw that Old Navy had brought back their maternity line AND it was 40% off. Bought a couple tanks, a t-shirt, and one pair of jeans.

Stretch marks? None that will be visible to anyone but my husband haha

Sleep: I’m still sleeping relatively okay, just uncomfortable.

Best moment this week: Going out for a romantic Valentine’s Day Dinner with my husband. Our last one kid free!

Miss anything? I wore high heels out to dinner and they weren’t the most comfortable. I miss being able to wear them to work every day and being able to stand all day in them too. I will be happy when I can do that again…I may treat myself to a new pair when that day comes!

Movement: Lots of rolls. Sometimes it’s a bit uncomfortable as baby gets bigger and there is less and less room in there. I get lots of friends and students asking me what it’s like to have baby moving around in there and I will say this: it is probably one of the most AMAZING feelings you will ever experience as a woman. And the bond you feel with your little one is unexplainable.

Food Cravings: Still just sweets!

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope!

Gender prediction: Girl? Haha I just don’t know

Labor signs: None yet (thank goodness!)

Belly button in or out? Uuuuuugh I don’t want to talk about it.

Wedding rings on or off?  On

Happy or moody most of the time: So happy!! And anxious to finally meet our little one!!

Looking forward to: My shower and starting our prenatal classes!

32 Weeks Pregnant

How far along? 32 Weeks

Total weight gain:  37 lbs

Maternity clothes? Nope. I did borrow two pairs of jeans from my mom though who is a size or two bigger than me.

Stretch marks? None yet.

Sleep: Ugh, sleep is okay. My hips get so sore from sleeping on my side though.

Best moment this week: Seeing my family and for my mom to be able to see and feel the baby moving around in there.

Miss anything? An ice cold Lucky.

Movement: Movement is still very strong and lots of it

Food Cravings: Still sweets.

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope!

Symptoms: Sore knees, hips, shoulders (I think from sleep) and just generally not as mobile as I’d like to be.

Gender prediction: Girl! I have a girl feeling now. My husband has thought this all along but I wasn’t so sure. Now I’m starting to think he’s right!

Labor signs: None. I will probably go crazy when that actually happens.

Belly button in or out? Out.

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or moody most of the time: Happy!!

Looking forward to: Valentine’s day (I love holidays of all kinds!). And thinking about all the holidays with our little one next year. I can’t wait to get all of the cute Valentine’s and Easter outfits that they have out there!!

31 Weeks Pregnant

How far along? 31 Weeks

Total weight gain: 34 pounds

Maternity clothes? None yet. Will have to cave in the next week or two and get some shirts I think…although I keep saying that.

Stretch marks? None yet, fingers crossed.

Sleep: Sleep is okay. Not awesome but I feel like I’m getting enough of it.

Best moment this week: Realizing we only have a about 2 months left. We are just getting so excited to meet this little babe. I also realized that most of our “big” moments have happened in the spring! We got married in the spring, bought our first house in the spring, and I graduated university in the spring! Now we get to add this to our wonderful list of spring happenings.

Miss anything? Being able to keep up with everyone! I feel like I’m huffing and puffing just trying to put socks and shoes on.

Movement: Less kicks and jabs and more big rolls.

Food Cravings: Eating sweets with a vengeance. I should not be left home alone as I just bake up a storm!!

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope

Symptoms: Hip pain at night from having to sleep on my side. Also just generally out of breath. I know it’s only going to get worse!

Gender prediction: No clue. Not even one hint of a feeling one way or the other.

Labor signs: None. I haven’t experienced Braxton Hicks either…does everyone I wonder?

Belly button in or out? It’s out. I hate it.

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Happy or moody most of the time: So happy!!

Looking forward to: Heading up to see my parents in the SNOW on Friday for family day long weekend! Cannot wait!!!

More Maternity Photos

Here are some of our favorite photos from our amazing maternity photo shoot!