Jack and Reese

From the first day we brought Reese home from the hospital, Jack has been very curious. He can always be found right next to her wherever she is. She also always notices him when he walks into the room. He actually makes her laugh HARD just by walking by whereas her daddy and I can make faces for an hour and we barely get a little giggle. He will also "perform" for her when she is playing on the ground and then look over at her to see her reaction It is hilarious! Mr. Lilly well he could care less. He didn't even know she was here for like 2 months. Notice he is in like none of these pictures. But there's sweet Jack, always near by. Now that she is a little more mobile and grabbing for things I was worried about Jack. But he actually just lays there and lets her "climb" all over him and pull on his face and ears. I guess we'll see when she can really climb on him how he tolerates it! For now it is so sweet! I can just picture their relationship growing as the years go by!

1st full day home

BOWS!!!!

When I found out we were having a girl I could not WAIT to start buying bows!!! I grew up with a bow on my head and Reese will too! I actually surprised myself by not putting them on her as much as I thought I would. She rarely wears one around here and I maybe throw one on her about 50% of the time when we go out somewhere. She is very cute in them though! Just this week she discovered them on top of her head and has started pulling the headband over her eyes. It's so funny when she does this b/c it looks like she is wearing her bow like a pair of sunglasses. Anyways...I get a creative itch from time to time and I sure got one today! With the holidays around the corner and all the cute holiday attire in stores I have been looking for some cute festive bows to go with them, but couldn't quite find what I was looking for! So I spent a little bit of time watching some tutorials, made a quick trip to hobby lobby and...

VOILA!!!

I'm so proud of them. They are very amateur-looking, but I think they turned out pretty cute. I did the one on the left 1st based on a video and then kind of did my own thing on the right. We are going to be all set in the bow department for all the upcoming holidays!

My little model...

I think she likes them!

9 months on, 9 months off

Well...after 5 successful months of pumping, it is time. Time to kiss the baby weight goodbye! I'm tired of feeling gross and thinking about losing the weight. It's time to just do it! I'm tired of eating lunch and then looking 5 months pregnant! Enough! I want to feel good about myself! I'm feeling very comfortable with the deep freeze full of milk so that if my supply goes down a little bit that is ok!!! Pregnancy does crazy things to your body. Everything isn't really back where it should be...haha. Even though I am only 5 lbs above my pre-pregnancy weight I definitely don't feel as though it looks like only 5 lbs. I gained 35 lbs during my 9 months. I guess I thought that with pumping I would lose it all fast and then some. But those pesky 5 lbs just keep hanging on. Probably b/c I seriously have more cravings pumping than being pregnant!!! I have SUCH a sweet tooth! I have always had one but man I want sweets ALL THE TIME! I guess it was the day I had 2 cupcakes, a cookie, and then shared a piece of chocolate cake at work. I had no self control!!!! So here we go. I joined weight watchers last week and officially started Sunday. I was worried about being famished all the time since I am still pumping, but I get 10 extra points until she starts eating solids, and then I get 5 extra points. I have learned soooo much in just a few days! Alot of foods that I thought were healthy had sooo many more points than I thought they would! So I basically had to throw out alot of stuff and start over. The online program is pretty easy to use once you get used to it.

So here is a look back at my personal journey. Warning...avert your eyes at the end.

6 week belly

18 week belly-it's a girl!

28 week belly

36 week belly- I still had another month!

And now here is your warning.

Seriously don't look if you are squeamish.

Ok I warned you!!!!

This is what 5 months postpartum looks like. And this is before eating!

I realize nobody probably cares about this but I do! I want to look back and see where I started in a few months! I think taking a picture will make me more accountable maybe? Maybe I'll do some sort of follow up then. I won't show you the rest of my body, but my thighs, butt, and arms are definitely much more squishier than before. But is was all soooooo worth it! And I can't wait to do it again! Maybe next time I will start with a healthier body! This couting points stuff really works too. I have lost 4 lbs since Sunday! I'm sure it's all water weight, but I like seeing the scale go down! Maybe I can start running with Reese in a jogger once it cools off more. I said maybe!!! I will have to start slow though b/c I have not exercised in over a year!

5 months!!!

Goodness gracious Reese is 5 months old! This has been the funnest month yet! She has just been an absolute joy and has SUCH a personality! We can't even begin to imagine life without our Little Tooter! Here we go...

Reese weighs about 16-ish lbs based on our home scale.

Mostly 6 month clothes.

Size 2 diaper during the day and size 3 at night.

Eats 5-6 oz every 3-4 hrs of breastmilk. Per our pedi recommendation we are waiting until 6 months to start solids. We re-dropped the 10pm feed and it worked so much better this time. She actually is sleeping better not eating so late. She is finishing more of her bottles too instead of leaving an oz. or so at the bottom, which is also stretching her longer between bottles. Her last bottle is usually around 8ish.

While eating and falling asleep she likes to put her hand all over our faces. It is really sweet but sometimes it hurts if her nails are long! Sometimes she'll put her fingers in my mouth or try to claw my throat! It's actually pretty funny. The minute that bottle goes in the mouth it's like a reflex...hand on my face.

Sleeping in her crib like such a big girl!!! Sleeping much better too than when in her bassinette. She goes to bed at 8:30 and sleeps until about 7. She usually is stirring a bit around 5 and that's when we give her her prevacid and she always falls back asleep. We only play the paci game 1-2 times a night and sometimes not at all!

Speaking of paci's...Reese is getting SOOOO good at finding her paci in bed and PUTTING IT IN HER MOUTH!!!! Amazing! I have been waiting for this day for a long time! Sometimes if she's fussy I'll run to her room to put her paci in and she already has it and has fallen back to sleep!

Drools. Alot.

Everything goes straight to the mouth. I love watching her discover something new and put it in her mouth and take it back out and look at it and then put it back in her mouth. She is constantly learning!

Out living room has officially been taken over by baby gear. Current faves are the jump n jive and exersaucer. She is pretty much over the activity mat now. She gets very offended if you put her under it.

She was bit by a spider and got poison ivy this month. So stressful but she was fine!

Loves the bath. We are now doing baths in the guest bath, but still with the infant tub and spongie thingie.

Went to Northpark to see daddy's board he made for the playhouse competition benefiting children who were victims of abuse.

She is soooo funny!!!! She has really discovered her personality! She is ALWAYS happy, and only cries when hungry or tired. Just meet her needs and she is an absolute joy! She has started squealing in addition to the laughing when she gets excited!

Laughs the most when we kiss her neck and toss her in the air!

Jack and Reese are still BFF. Whenever he walks into a room she just stares and stares! He makes her laugh by just walking by!

Our favorite time of the day is first thing in the morning when we go get her out of her crib. She makes the funniest sounds and smiles soooo big up at us!!! She pull her legs up with her hands and then kick them down to the mattress really hard when she gets excited!

HATES tummy time. Probably the reason she has not rolled over yet.

Takes a long nap morning and afternoon with a cat nap usually thrown in at some point around noon.

Falls asleep with her hand on her face EVERY TIME!

Started a home daycare this month that has been an answered prayer!!! Since I work every other weekend she has only has to go about 2 days a week. We get daily text updates and pictures too! We could not be more comfortable and happy with our choice! The pic below is the night before her first day. She knew I needed some extra cuddles from her!

Reese can sit up on her own for a few seconds before wobbling back or to the side. I swear she will be sitting before she rolls. Her favorite activity is if we are both sitting on the floor and she is sitting between my legs playing with her toys. I think she thinks she is sitting up on her own!

LOVES the water!

When I get home from work she starts breathing really fast and kicks her arms and legs in excitement!

I feel like we are finally coming out of that newborn fog. We are sleeping more, getting out more, and have adapted a really great schedule!

We try to go on a walk every morning and every evening. Reese loves chilling in her stroller and looking at everything!

Eyes are a hazelish bluish color and that RED hair is really coming in! It looks brown in some light but very red in other light!

Loves to "read" and eat her books.

We painted the piggies for the first time this past month! I just had to do it! They are so cute!

Started growling when she is really excited! It is the funniest sound!

Mommy update at 5 months...

I reached my next short term goal of pumping for 5 months.

Pumping 5X a day.

Started weightwatchers!!!!! Goodbye baby weight! See ya next time!

All I can say is I LOVE this little girl more than I can even begin to explain. I still stare at her in disbelief that she is mine! I am so lucky to have a job where I get to spend 4 whole days a week at home with her! I race home on the days I work to see her perfect face! She is my little buddy and I hope she always knows how much I love her!