I didn't want to spoil our birth announcements by posting them before everyone had gotten theirs in the mail which meant I had to refrain from posting his newborn photos too. But now that everyone has received theirs in the mail, I can share them! Woo! Here are a few of my favorites!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jessie Salas did an amazing job of capturing our sweet boy on his 1 week birthday. we wanted them to really be about him in his newborn state. just pure love. those lips. that innocence. oh swoon. he was so small then.. now he's a much bigger boy!   the shots of us? i love them. and I love that my mom even snuck in  a few!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

yes. he's wrapped up in my Baylor Line Jersey. Future Bear right there!

 Tiny Prints and Shutterfly have always been my go-to when it comes to announcements, cards, etc. so it was easy to pick out a birth announcement when the time came. I absolutely love how they came out. Not frilly, but not too grown up, just perfectly Beckett and perfectly baby.

 

On Shitty Friendships: Ain't Nobody Got Time for That.

(woo! a non-baby related post! haha)**

via

 In the last few months, well in the last year, i've done a lot of growing up. I think that moving half way across the US will do that to someone. It gives you some perspective to stand back and really evaluate your friendships.      I'm lucky to have a really great core group of friends. the ones that are genuinely happy for you when something great happens, and the ones that are by your side when the shit hits the fan. some may be near, and a lot of them may be far, but it's those real friends that have kept my faith in friendships alive. some of those friends i've known for years, and some not as long, but in the time i've known these people, i've really come to value their opinions, advice, prayers, and companionship. these friends are the ones you don't have to see or talk to everyday, but as soon as you see them or talk to them, its like time never passed and you pick up right where you left off. these are the people you keep in your life.   then there are the acquaintances. I think these come in two groups.  there are the ones who you let into your life, but never really earn their spots in the core group. you keep in touch on facebook and instagram. you see each other out and about. you get invited to their weddings and out to dinner. you let them into your life. your home. I think some family even fall into this category (immediate & extended depending on your relationships with them).   Then there are the ones who you think you know. you may see them out, but almost avoid them if possible. its not a real friendship. its one of those for looks things.   for what seems to me, the first kind of acquaintances, life and your friendship can become a competition. instead of nurturing your friendship, they spend more time competing with them. in times when you should be supporting each other, it becomes a battle. and silence. silence is the betrayal of any friendship. its the worst.   im at a point in my life where I can choose who I keep in my life. I have a family now. I don't have time for drama. i've been the bigger person. extended olive branches. held my tongue. in the last month or so, i've see it all. the highest of the highs, and the absolute lowest of the lows. i've seen our real friends open their hearts and genuinely be happy and supportive of us, and i've seen our "friends" hide and avoid the situations at hand. it's both heartwarming and pathetic all at the same time. im done putting any effort in with the pretenders. ain't nobody got time for that.   moving on.   **I wrote this post about 2 weeks ago after a really, really bad day. little did i know that while all this was going on a "friend" of mine had a personal vendetta against me (for no concrete reason) and wrote a nasty post about me. the only reason I figured out it was pointed directly at me was because she and her husband deleted me off of fb, twitter, instagram, etc. (how adult like, huh?) I'm assuming she thinks anything I've written about in the last 10 months has been aimed at her because apparently she's the only other person I know that has been pregnant lately. Well she wasn't and 99.9& of what i was venting about had nothing to do with her and anything she took personally was because she needed something in her life to create drama. She must really be bored, huh?
Either I've been completely oblivious to all of this or I've inadvertently created this 'issue' all on my own, but if she were truly a friend, she would have said something to me instead of blasting me on her blog. In fact, I don't remember the last time I commented on something she blogged about, nor do I "argue" with anything she says. Opinions, yes i have them. Dreft does smell like baby prostitutes.. that's my opinion and if you don't like it, so be it. I guess I'm supposed to apologize for getting pregnant at the same time so all the attention wasn't on her? I don't know anymore. We live in different states and don't have many mutual friends. At this point I could care less, but I am offended and annoyed that a Christian woman would be such bitch.. oh wait. Yeah I did.
Just goes to show you that people who never widen their circles can't see past the tip of their nose.**  

One Month.

Happy 1 Month Birthday, Beckett!

Gosh, I seriously cannot believe its already been a month since we brought Beckett into the world. When people say that time flies when you're having fun, they aren't lying.  It seems like just yesterday we brought him home and now he's a month old. Jeez. He is such a great baby. I cannot go on about how lucky we are that he picked us. Here's the lowdown on our beautiful 1 month old!

Stats: He weighs 10 pounds 6.5 ounces and is now 22 inches tall! Future tennis, football, swim, baseball player? He's going to be tall! He has a wicked case of baby acne with a little cradle cap on his forehead/ eyebrows, but it has started to clear up! He has my nose and ears and his Uncle Nic's hair line ;) In fact, he really favors my brother Nic, so he's going to be a handsome guy! He has big blue eyes like his Daddy, and brownish hair. It's got a wave to it when it's wet but straight when dry. We aren't sure what color its going to be, but he has the most adorable swirl on the back of his head! His eyebrows and LONG eyelashes are blonde, so who knows! He's between sizes.. he's too big for newborn clothes (tear!) but is still swimming in 0-3month clothes. Luckily H&M has the most adorable (and soft) 1month clothing, so he's wearing them! He went from newborn to size 1 diapers, which is good, because as great of a eater he is, his poops are huge! ha!

Food: Beckett is quite the eater! He is strictly breastfed and does really well. He eats for about 30-45 minutes ever 3-3.5 hours. He will take a bottle if he has to, but we are trying to not use a bottle unless we really have to. I pump when I can and we have reserves for when Colby wants to feed him or if I need to run out for a few. He is a champion burper. He burps better for Dad then me, but I'm okay with that. He probably thinks I'm crazy when I tell him its time for burpees, but he will do them for me if I ask nicely ;) He's not a big spitter upper, but has spit up maybe 3 times? If he's like either of his parents, he will hate throwing up, so maybe we will get lucky! We have all these adorable bibs that we haven't gotten to use yet, but I'm sure the time will come!    Sleep: Beckett is a rockstar when it comes to sleeping. He sleeps in 3-4 hour stretches (even when he was 1-3 weeks old!) If we let him, he will go longer. He naps really well in during the day, which is nice for me (hello naps, showers, cleaning, laundry, etc!) He falls asleep in the car just like his momma, and LOVES  falling asleep in his momaroo. He never wants or wanted to be swaddled (even in the hospital) so he sleeps with a blanket or two in his bassinet (tucked in tightly!) He will fall asleep with his soothie from time to time, but spits it out and/or throws it (Im telling you, legitimately throws!) away from him. He makes the funniest noises when he is falling asleep, but we've grown used to them. He likes short naps on our chests, which are the sweetest! He sleeps with both hands out and above his head, which is the cutest thing, you know, ever.

Awake Time: Beckett is extremely alert when he's not asleep! People are always like ooh look how alert he is for being so young! He loves tummy time. We have the Boppy Flying Circus Play Mat that he loves! He also loves his daily walks in his bassinet stroller attachment. (I hate walking him in his car seat!) Chill time is spent in his momaroo or his boppy lounger, but he prefers the momaroo more. I think it's because he likes the noise! We have dance parties a lot.. he has a favorite pandora station (Happy radio) and we try and dance for at least 15 minutes a day! Its therapeutic for Mommy & Daddy and fun for Beckett! Bath time is fast becoming all of our favorite time of day. He LOVES his baths and we love giving him to him! Our 4Moms infant bathtub makes them SO easy! Sometimes we don't want to take him out because he looks like he's enjoying it so much!

 

 

Personality: What a sweetheart we have! He smiles and coos, and loves to cuddle. He favors me over Dad when he's having a moment (sorry CL, but you know its true!) He loves happy music (or anything with an upbeat tempo), especially Pharrell's 'Happy' and his Marcel the Moose (even if his name is technically Mortimer) and Mr. Ladybug Man. Daddy says he's pretty easy going, which is very true. We are so lucky to have such a chill baby, but I think its because we were so relaxed and easy going throughout the pregnancy! Beckett also makes the funniest faces.. from the "ooh face" to smiling, he always keeps us entertained!

Some of the many faces of Mr. Beckett!

Firsts & Milestones: He can hold his head up for a few minutes at a time. He knows our voices, and even responds to my mom's voice when she FaceTimes! Car rides, a trip to the grocery store, walks around Stanford Shopping Center, 3 trips to the Dr (1 week, 2 weeks, and 1 month!). We celebrated Valentines Day and watched every day of the 2014 Olympics in Sochi (He really liked the skiing!) He's also made friends with the dogs! They pretty much ignore him unless he's crying, which is not too often, so they are always like 'what is that?!' He's started to hold onto things..our fingers and hands, he pulls my hair, and holds onto his Daddy. He holds onto our clothes, and his pacifier. He also likes to give us 'kisses'. Basically he comes in, mouth open and just licks our faces! Haha! He's a big strong boy!

Nicknames: Beckett Bear, Mr. B, bebe, Buddy Buddy, Bubba. We love you Beckett, so much, and have enjoyed every second of your being. We can't wait to see what this next month holds!

My Thoughts on Pregnancy.. Part 3

So now that baby is here, I can finish out my mini-series on my thoughts on pregnancy.. and well labor and delivery and the first few days home!

yes, those are heel prick scabs. poor kiddo.

to finish this mini series, i'll start the same way I started the last two posts on this..
 Now before anyone gets butt hurt about anything im about to say, these are my opinions and my thoughts on my pregnancy. I completely understand that no two pregnancies are the same and its very rare that anything i'm about to say will resonate with someone else, but thats ok. thats why this is my blog ;)   The last few weeks leading up to Beckett's birth were great. Yes, I was a little uncomfortable, but it wasn't anything major (I did have an almost 9lb baby!). The hardest thing was the carpal tunnel which honestly woke me up more than the midnight bathroom runs. I slept mostly through the night only getting up once or twice, then going straight back to bed.   I continued to work, from home mostly, but kept busy with clients and tying up lose ends. I continued to go to prenatal yoga, which was really a great idea. An hour to stretch and relax really went a long way! I HIGHLY recommend yoga as exercise pre-, during, and post pregnancy! (I can't wait to start again!)     We packed, cleaned, put away, and organized until we couldn't anymore. I wrote out lists and crossed things off. We prepared as much as we could. We relaxed. Went on numerous date nights. Slept in. I felt big, but never waddled. I soaked up every kick and movement that he made. I knew it was coming to an end and wanted to make sure that I remembered what it was like before he arrives. (Now, looking back, I can't imagine life without Beckett) We really relished in every pre-birth moment.   Labor. Yes, its called labor for a reason, but it wasn't that bad. I mean, yes, I threw up in between contractions, but I felt better after breakfast came up. Contractions are intense. Imagine period cramps continuously getting more and more intense. Bad? Yes. Sucky, yes. That bad? no. I went as long as I could (18 hours) without an epidural, and I was fine. Could I imagine delivering without one? NOPE! God gave us the technology to have epidurals for a reason! lol.   Since I didn't get the chance to push or have Beckett vaginally (i hate that word too. don't worry), my thoughts on delivery are different than one that did have a baby vaginally. I didn't have a birth plan. "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry"  and I am a firm believer in that. My only plan was to arrive at the hospital with a baby belly, and leave with a baby in my arms. Safe and sound was the plan. The C-Section was a surprise, but we got a big, healthy baby boy, so if that was how he was supposed to arrive, so be it.    Does my incision hurt? It did, it's still sore. But you know what hurt worse? SITTING IN A HOSPITAL BED FOR 4+ DAYS. Those beds are horrible. Did I hate that I didn't get to see my son the moment he made his arrival into the world? A little. Am I mad that I have a new scar? Or that my first major surgery was to deliver my son and that I was awake for it? Meh. My C-Section scar will be my proudest badge of honor for the rest of my life.    I'd like to address the 'you didn't deliver your baby because you had a C-Section' people. First off, as a new mother in labor, your only concern is to deliver a healthy baby. You'd do anything to make sure that your child is healthy. I didn't have much of a choice. It didn't even cross my mind that I didn't deliver my baby. I put in the labor. I hung in there as long as he allowed. I was lucky enough to be in an institution that carefully monitored every single thing and made sure that Beckett was delivered safely. So if you think I didn't deliver my son because I didn't push, you are highly mistaken. And well, eff off.   The day after delivery was rough. I mean, your bleeding, can't walk because of the epidural/ surgery, and laying basically helpless in a bed. (On the bleeding, its not nearly as bad as I imagined. Yes, you have to wear a pad, but when was the last time you wore a pad versus a tampon? I think we are just not used to seeing how much comes out!) I had nurses changing my pads which were the size of dish towels (no lie). More nurses and doctors and residents saw my boobs than I'd like to share. You are SORE in your midsection even though it's still numb. your legs hurt from not being able to stand for days. You can't eat solids until you pass gas, and your connected to an IV among other things. You need help using the restroom. And going number 2 was intense the first time (TAKE THE STOOL SOFTENERS!) But it's not that bad, and it's totally worth it.   Breastfeeding. Yeah, it takes forever and you have to do it around the clock. Yes, it makes your boobs hurt. But is it taking a brillo pad to your nipples bad? No. Use lanolin and olive oil for the first few days, and grin and bear it. It's not that bad. Yes, at first it sucks ass, but you get used to it. And the pain goes away. Same with pumping. It takes precious time, but when you can sleep through a feeding because someone else can take over? Sheer bliss.    And the calories you burn breast feeding? AMAZING. Not going to make any friends here with what Im about to say, but whatever. My wedding rings fit all throughout my pregnancy and the only days I didnt wear my engagement/wedding bands were the first few days in the hospital. They fit right back as soon as I got home. 9 days after delivery I was in pre-pregnancy/ non-maternity jeans. and 11 days post delivery I am 10 pounds lighter than I was before I got pregnant and at my smallest in the past 5 years. And im eating more than I ever have and not working out yet. Haters gonna hate. But im smaller now than I was in my best shape before I got pregnant! Holla!   The no lifting for 6 weeks because you just had a baby? Awful. I have energy and feel like I can do everything, but I can't and shouldn't. I did just have my insides cut open and did just have a baby. I need to take it easier than I have been. And when you try and bend over, your incision lets you know you are still healing. Hell today, I took a shower, had breakfast and lunch, took the baby for a walk, did the dishes and a load of laundry. And dinner? Made that too!   Sleep deprivation? Yeah thats rough, but its not that bad. NAP when you can. For real. Im bad about that, but im getting better. We have a great sleeper on our hands so the 3-4 hour stretches of sleep are amazing. He will sleep much longer if we allow him. (And we sometimes do! Hello 5 hour stretches of sleep!) He's got a really natural schedule that we aren't going to mess with. At night the bath really helps chill him out! He sleeps in his bassinet for naps and at night.. none of that co-sleeping crap. We didn't even want to mess with that! When we move into a bigger apartment (soon!) we will transition him into his crib, but since he's so used to his bassinet, I don't foresee that being a huge ordeal.    I didn't realize how sleepy I was the first few days home until I was like 'What is wrong with these nursing pads? They're only half circles and don't work very well'. then my mom started laughing hysterically and let me know I was not opening them up and was using the backs. haha. No wonder they didn't work! We had a good laugh at my expense. Sleep when you can, but when you wake up, be prepared to see your itty bitty baby to be a little man when you wake up.   I wouldn't trade any experience I've had during my pregnancy, delivery and days home. Is it that bad? NO. would I do it again? In a heartbeat. SO that's it. My final thoughts on pregnancy. Here's to raising the most kick ass kid on the planet!

My Fav Quick Beauty Faves!

Since Beckett was born, I've had between 2 and 10 minutes to get ready after I shower (well more so if little mr. stays asleep or if CL is home), so  I've been taking my beauty regime and cutting it back to the bare minimum. Lucky for me, I've been enjoying a more natural me. And not wasting all my time blow drying my hair? blissful!   When I do have the time to get all beautified, trust me, I almost enjoy the quick routine better! here are my current quick beauty faves!

1. e.l.f lip exfoliator. I love e.l.f.'s products (I have a slew of brushes, blush, and other products!) and this is no different! since I had such dry lips during pregnancy, this has helped me get my smooth lips back! plus it tastes like brown sugar, and keeps your lips moisturized!    2. toni & guy catwalk sleek mystique blow out balm. when I have the time to blow dry my hair, i always use this. not only does it protect my (bleached) hair, but it smooths it out and keeps my blowout nice for 2 days. that means I can get away with doing my hair once for two days! I can't buy that kind of time! I have super thick wavy-ish hair, and this keeps my hair straight and lively! Its worth every cent!   3. victoria secret's shimmer eye shadow. I've been a HUGE fan of VS's make up for a couple of years now, and I'm so thankful I stocked up on this shimmer eye shadow before baby arrived. One quick swoop of this eye shadow gives you a little color and sparkle and with a little liner and mascara, your out the door in less than 60 seconds. My current faves are Luxe Life, Name in Lights, Provocateur, and Dusk!   4. mary kay timewise targeted-action eye revitalizer. one of my dear friends (and MK girl) Courtney gifted this to me when Beckett was born, and y'all, I'm a believer. Sometimes this is all I put on day or night and the black circles and puffiness? disappear! it rolls on and smells good. what more could you ask for? If you need anything MK, Courtney will hook you up! She's a doll!    5. L'Oreal  Ideal Moisture Day Lotion for Normal Skin. I love a good face lotion that doesn't smell like sunscreen, and when I picked this up, I was pleasantly surprised. It doesn't smell, has an SPF of 25 and doesn't make your skin greasy. I use this everyday and haven't had a breakout, and my skin feels great! It also comes in Sensitive Skin and Dry Skin.    6. e.l.f. blush in tickled pink. again with the e.l.f., I know, but its really that great! I'm pretty frugal when it comes to makeup (I don't care what you say, it all comes out of the same factory! and the most expensive e.l.f. product is $6!) I have a few shades of their blush, but I'm currently loving the tickled pink. It's just enough to give me some color, look awake and a little sun kissed! It's a great shade for any skin tone!    7. Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream in Light Sheer Tint. For when those black circles come to haunt you, this stuff works wonders! I don't use it all over my face, but a little under each eye and on my problem areas, and my face looks super fresh! I apply it after the eye cream, and lotion so that its got a smooth base!    8. eos smooth sphere lip balm. i used the hell out of this stuff during my pregnancy, and it hasn't stopped. I have a sphere on my nightstand, in my purse, in my diaper bag.. I just can't get enough! Since its 100% natural, I dont worry about getting any on the baby when i'm covering him in kisses! plus it tastes yummy! (PS Costco has a 5 pack for $10. GO GET ONE NOW!)    any of you new moms have any other go-to beauty products?

Beckett's First Few Days Home

Colby had to go back to work on Thursday, so it was Me, my Mom and Beckett at the house holding down the fort. Luckily he's a really great baby and our first day was pretty easy. We got him dressed in one of his many adorable outfits, and I got to take a shower. (A home shower is 1000000x better than a hospital shower, btw!)  

 

 

We really didn't do much the first day other than cuddle, eat, change diapers, ride in our momaroo and get things organized.  He also got his first manicure! haha I had to call and make his first pediatrician appointment and get my maternity disability figured out (way more confusing then it should be!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Wednesday was a lot of the same, but with 100 more photos in a different outfit! We also tried to get some feet prints on some small canvas'. That was fun! haha When they are this little, the tiny moments are so fleeting, that you are contantly snapping photos to remember them at this stage!

Friday was both our first pediatrician appointment and Valentines day! We were up early to get ready for the day! It was the first time since I had put on a full face of makeup and blow dried my hair since Beckett was born, and boy did I feel like a million dollars!

excuse the mess haha.

 Our pediatrician appointment went really well. I really like our doctor, Dr. Hall. She's very sweet but very dialed in. Everyone seems to just love Beckett, so that's always nice! He had gained some more weight so that was reassuring as well!

After the Dr we stopped by BuyBuyBaby to pick up a few things, mostly a Valentines day bib and a post partum belt for me. If you don't have one, seriously go get one right now. I've been having back problems and want my organs to go back to their normal position, so it's killing two birds with one stone.    When we got home, I had the most beautiful arrangement of flowers from my son and my husband. I cried. It was so sweet. Colby grilled (ginormous) steaks for dinner and we had a nice, relaxing evening in!

 

 

 

 

The first weekend seemed to fly by. Beckett had his newborn photos taken on Saturday with Jessie Salas Photography. She was so wonderful! He literally melted into every position she put him in. It was so cute! We also did a lot of napping. On Sunday, Colby and I escaped for an hour or so to get some more newborn diapers and look for a beanie since he was off to Boston/ New Hampshire for a few days and it has been a frozen tundra up there! It was so weird being out and about without Beckett, but we knew he was in excellent hands with my Mom!

 

 

 

Monday was supposed to be an easy morning dropping Colby off at the San Jose airport, but his flight got cancelled, so off to San Francisco we went to get him on another flight. It was nice being in the car alone for 40 mins on the way home. It was quiet, and nice, but I missed my little Beckett bear!

I am so thankful that my Mom was there while Colby was out of town. I was not ready to be on my own quite yet! Not to mention, little mister was getting circumsized on Wednesday, which is a story alllll of its own!

 

 

facetiming with dad while he was in Boston!

Wednesday we made it to the Dr to get him circumsized. My mom and I did NOT stay in the room. We left Beckett in the room with the Dr and waited for what seemed to be an eternity. He was fine, and the dr brought him out all dressed and ready to wait for 30 mins before we could leave. Then the screaming started. He wailed for about 10 minutes straight with no consoling. Then I realized that he had blown out his diaper-- literally minutes after his procedure. "Can we change him?! Oh gosh. theres a lot!" My mom ran to find a nurse who thankfully told us we could get him cleaned up. Then it happened again. We were cracking up. Two big poops within 5 minutes. The dr came back and was like WHOA, he pooped for me too! Three big poops- the circumcision literally scared the shit out of him! haha. Luckily after he was cleaned up and 4 diapers later, he was asleep and we were on our way home. Poor kiddo!

 

 

 

We laid low the rest of the week with another pediatrician appointment on Friday. He's growing like a weed and we like our dr more and more each visit! He got his first bath on Friday night.. he didn't like it so much, but has since gotten used to them! Woo!

 

 

 

The weekend was short since my mom was leaving on Sunday morning, so we spent as much time together as we could. We even took Beckett on a walk on his 2 week birthday! He's such a sweet kid! I am enjoying every moment with him! SO that was the first two weeks. We survived!