This weekend was the epitome of the perfection that is fall. It was absolutely gorgeous–the colors, the sunshine, the temperatures that were warm but still cool enough to feel like fall.
When we’re in the middle of winter, spring, or summer, and someone mentions fall, it is days like today that I think about and look forward to. I can feel the air, I can smell the smells, I can imagine the orange glow of the leaves and the sun. It’s just perfection.
Naturally, today was THE day to get out to the pumpkin patch.
And of course, everyone had the same idea. It was crowded! But it was nice, as everyone all around us seemed to be in good spirits. Early this week, we had maybe a 4-5 day stretch of rain and gloomy weather, so everyone was ready to be out to enjoy the day.
I started off in my jacket and with Nora wrapped in a blanket, but it turned out to be warmer than we originally thought and we were actually able to shed our outer layers.
We picked out four pumpkins–one for each member of our little family (Tessa, too!). We also explored the grounds, where there is a petting zoo, teepees, hayrides, and a country store. We picked up a pumpkin fried cake (yum!) and took lots of pictures.
A baby only has one first trip to the pumpkin patch, you know.
With the exception of a minute when she had spit-up shoot out of her nose, Nora slept the whole time. I guess she didn’t find it to be all that exhilarating. But we wandered, and with all of the little kids around, it wasn’t hard to picture how Nora will tear it up come next year. (But I can’t even really think about that for too long, because it freaks me out that she’s going to grow up that fast.)
Even though she’s not yet aware of her surroundings, and she’ll never remember this stuff, we think it’s important to begin to make these family memories. So we did.
And Nora was the cutest pumpkin in the patch. (Duh.) :)
Babies are time consuming.
Who woulda thunk it?
My days are filled with Nora. Feeding Nora, changing Nora, bathing Nora, snuggling Nora, talking or reading or singing to Nora. Honestly, it’s wonderful. I have eight weeks of maternity leave left, but with four of them already over, I’m already dreading leaving my girl and going back to work. I love being with her all day, and it’s sad to think that it won’t be like this forever.
Anyway, caring for Nora doesn’t leave me with much time to do anything else. It’s difficult to find time to shower, or make the bed, or cook, or clean. And obviously, it’s hard to find time to blog. I have posts I want to write, but have not had the chance. Each day, it seems like we hit the end of it and I find myself wondering what the heck I did all day, because the house is a mess, and the to-do list in my head is largely untouched. But the answer is always the same, and it’s always simple–I spent the time with my daughter. And isn’t that what maternity leave is truly for?
This past week has been busy. In addition to the daily Nora duties at home, I had somewhere to be almost every day this week, so I had the extra challenge of having to get us both ready and out of the house every day. (Don’t get me wrong, though, this isn’t a rarity–I’ve been taking Nora out pretty often since the beginning. I don’t do well cooped up at home, so we have to get out so I can maintain my sanity.) But actual appointments are kind of stressful because that means we have to perfect the timing.
Also challenging was Nora’s bout with a growth spurt. It started last Friday, when she was just about three weeks old. She was eating more often, and not sleeping as well at night. By Wednesday of this week, I was feeling pretty exhausted, but praise God, the growth spurt seemed to end and Nora fell back into her good nighttime sleeping habits. We’ve been doing better since then, but I’m still trying to catch up on my sleep. I can’t complain too much, though, as I swear I have been one of the most well-rested new mommies in the history of the world. We know we’re lucky.
Nora is four weeks old today and I’m amazed by that. What the hell… four weeks?! Where does the time go? Seriously.
I’ll leave you with a bunch of photos from this past week, and a promise that I will get to some of the posts I have planned… eventually. (HAHA.) I hope to do them this week, but my brother’s wedding is next Saturday and I have a bridesmaid dress fitting on Tuesday/Wednesday and my dad is coming into town on Thursday and we have bridesmaid pampering/rehearsal on Friday, and… you get the picture.
Soooo… pictures! Here you go…
Last Saturday morning. Is this not hilarious? Tessa cracks me up.
A super cute (and girly!) Halloween outfit that my mother-in-law got for her. It was nice and cozy for her on a cold, rainy Monday.
I love when she wrinkles her forehead.
Wide awake and relaxing in her bouncer.
Funny sleep position during a snooze on Friday morning.
Liking her baths more these days.
Visiting with Aunt Cristina this morning.
Today, Nora met her cousin, Brendan, for the first time. He was totally into her, it was adorable. And look, she’s smiling! ;)
Michael with his sisters and Nora
The other big cousin, Logan (who said “baby!” every time he passed Nora).
A super cute (and girly!) Halloween outfit that my mother-in-law got for her. It was nice and cozy for her on a cold, rainy Monday.
I love when she wrinkles her forehead.
Wide awake and relaxing in her bouncer.
Funny sleep position during a snooze on Friday morning.
Liking her baths more these days.
Visiting with Aunt Cristina this morning.
Today, Nora met her cousin, Brendan, for the first time. He was totally into her, it was adorable. And look, she’s smiling! ;)
Michael with his sisters and Nora
The other big cousin, Logan (who said “baby!” every time he passed Nora).
Before I had a baby, I always heard parents talk about how their favorite moments with their children were in the mornings. Babies usually wake up in good moods, and everyone would say what a joy it is to go peek over the side of the crib and see a smiling baby to start their days.
Well, we don’t have the smiles yet, but there is still something special about starting the mornings with Nora. She’ll usually fuss or make noises, and I’ll peek over the side of my bed and see her in her Rock ‘N’ Play, all wrapped up in her swaddle, ready to get the show on the road. She’s wide-eyed, she’s alert, and she’ll stare at me in a way that seems like she knows me–she recognizes me as her mama.
I’ll change her diaper and feed her, and we’ll hang out and enjoy her awake time while lounging in our pajamas.
But my favorite part of the mornings with Nora?
BABY STRETCHES. Hands down.
Plugging away with this blogging activity…
This one isn’t very interesting. Wouldn’t most people have the same answers to this question?
Blog Activity, Day Six
Five People Who Mean A Lot (in no particular order)
1. My daughter, Nora – In her 24 days on this Earth, she has changed my life in ways that I cannot fully describe. She is a ray of light. I already love her more than I ever thought possible, and she doesn’t do much aside from eat, sleep, and poop. Amazing, huh? :)
2. My husband, Michael – He is my best friend and my life partner. We have a lot of fun together. I’m grateful to get into bed with him every night and wake up beside him every morning. And I love that he is my daughter’s daddy.
3. My mom – Another best friend. I am so appreciative of our relationship and that we have pretty much always been close. I can tell her anything.
4. My dad – Our relationship has not always been the best (in fact, there was a time when it was pretty much non-existent), but we have recovered and somehow found our way out of the darkness that was those challenging years.
5. My brothers – (They’re twins, so they can count as one person, right?) I totally believe in siblings. I feel like siblings are the greatest gift you can give your children, and the foundation for my viewpoint is my relationship with my brothers. I don’t remember life without ’em and I like it that way.
In her three weeks of life, I have fed Nora well over one hundred times. With the exception of a cup feeding or two that the nurses gave Nora the night I spiked a fever in the hospital, I have been responsible for every meal that Nora has ever had.
Until tonight.
Tonight, Nora had her first bottle.
I always knew that giving Nora a bottle was going to be a necessity–I have to go back to work eventually, and she will be in daycare. Not only that, but I’m going to be away from her at some point in her infancy, right? ;) Even so, I hadn’t given the introduction of the bottle much thought until a few days ago. I started asking around and doing some reading, and as it turns out, it sounds like 3-4 weeks old is the ideal time for introducing a bottle to a baby. And actually, it works out pretty perfectly since it would be really nice for Nora to be able to take a bottle on my brother’s wedding day, when she’ll be with my in-laws for a little bit–and the wedding is in two weeks!
On Thursday, I started preparing. I pulled bottles out of their boxes and sterilized them. I started reading about the best way to give the first bottle–let daddy do it, mommy should leave the room, start with two ounces, etc.
I’m not going to lie: I’ve been dreading it a little bit. Although I was excited for Michael to have the chance to feed her, and there is a certain level of freedom that returns with her taking a bottle, I just felt SAD about it. There is part of me that has really enjoyed the fact that I’ve been the only one who can feed her.
I really love breastfeeding; it’s my time with her. I love looking down at her while she feeds, watching her hungry little lips and her droopy little eyelids, knowing that she is as comfortable and secure as she could possibly feel. Thankfully, though, that’s not going to go away. I’ll continue to breastfeed for most of her feedings, but Michael will now get to participate, too, as he’ll be giving her a bottle every evening. But we had to start with that very first bottle, and well…
…Today was the day.
I pumped three ounces this morning and prepared a two-ounce bottle for her. When we got home this evening and she began to act hungry, I warmed it up, and I handed it over. And the little one went to town.
She really, REALLY went to town.
Nora polished off the two ounces in just a few minutes. She didn’t even seem to mind that 1) I never left the room, 2) the milk was still a bit cool from the refrigerator and, 3) you know, THAT IT WAS COMING OUT OF A PIECE OF PLASTIC. So I warmed up the third ounce, and she chugged that like it was her job. The whole three ounces–GONE before I even knew it.
If only I could pump it that quickly. Damn.
About
I'm Heather. I'm 33 and have been married to Michael for seven years. Together, we have two beautiful little girls we love more than anything, and a miniature dachshund who drives us crazy. I'm a full-time working mom who has very little time for my own "stuff" these days, like home improvement, cooking/baking, cake decorating, and photography. Despite the team not making the playoffs since 1999, I'm STILL a Buffalo Bills fan, which I think speaks to my loyalty AND sense of humor. I can't wait to pick up the pace with travel again some day... you know, when we're done being ruled by tiny fists. Welcome to my blog.
