3 months

Three months already?!  

Where does the time go?

Our sweet pea is 3 months, which means that technically she has been a part of my life for an entire year.  Kind of a crazy thing to think about.  The last three months have been some of the best of my life.  I have fallen in love over an over again, both with my sweet princess and Paul.  Seeing him become such a wonderful dad is heartwarming.  He is the love of my life who gave me the other love of my life... And for that, I feel so beyond blessed.  This last  month has been one of the best for Peyton.  She is starting to become such a little person.  She continues to grow every day... So much so that she no longer has that sweet (or not so sweet I suppose) newborn cry or the newborn looks.  Now she is just a sweet precious baby.  I am pretty okay with that.  She happens to be the cutest baby ever!  

As always, some fun little Peyton facts:

• She now is 22 inches long!! (I don't know her weight, we don't have a scale and she didn't have a pedi appointment this month, thank goodness.)
• She wears size 1 diapers and 3 month clothes... She still has a couple onsies that say newborn that fit, but I am fairly certain those brands run BIG.  She fits perfect in 0-3 month, but I am sure that means that in a week she will be too big for them.
• She is such a happy girl, she smiles a LOT and laughs... Once in a while, you can even catch a cute little giggle!
• She won't take a bottle, or a pacifier, but she loves nothing more than to chew on her hand.  
• She has begun the "I can grab it so I will put it in my mouth" phase.  Her favorites, other than her hands, are her Sophie giraffe or any blanket that is on her.  
• She is so much more vocal, which is so awesome!  This little girl has quite the lungs, and when she decides to use them, watch out!
• She has continued rolling over from front to back and is really trying to roll over from her back to her stomach.
• She loves what I call mirror time.  I stand her up on my dresser and she just laughs and makes faces at herself and me.  So stinkin cute!
• She is NOT a napper.  She only takes milk naps.  I am lucky if she sleeps for an hour at a time.  
• However, she does sleep through the night!!!!!  Not every night, but lately its been more and more. Up to 8 hours straight!  It's funny how sleeping until 6am now feels like sleeping in.
• Her favorite things are her rainforest (but it has a giraffe and zebra, so I am not sure how that works) activity mat, her swing, and her Sophie.
• She is so much more observant.  She loves to just look around and take in the world.
• This last month she has had two big outing "firsts".  First amusement park, Gilroy Gardens, and first zoo experience, Happy Hollow.

I think that is all of her "new" stuff!  Here are some cute pictures from her 3 month birthday!  

 

She does this all the time.  Cracks me up!

Looking at her monster.

He loves to lick her feet (or head, or hands) and she is not the biggest fan...

I love her little chunky thighs!

Precious.

SO happy!

sweet feet

Making bubbles.

She didn't want to take pictures with her big bear this month...

Me and my Sweet Pea!

happy hollow

My loves.

We are lucky to live in an area where we have lots of family destinations just a short drive away.  There are so many places we want to go...  One of these is Happy Hollow.  Both Paul and I went when we are kids and have fun memories.  We couldn't wait to share some of these with our Sweet Pea.

Last weekend we decided to get out and take her.  We were excited to see what it was like now and how Peyton would like it.  Luckily she ended up being awake for most of the trip so she was able to take it all in.  There was a merry go round that she could go on, we were going to go on our way out, but of course, she had just fallen asleep.

Before she fell asleep, she got to see a lot of animals.  She got to see a jaguar close up, a capybara, merekats, a donkey, goats, mini horses, lemurs, and so much more.  But, what seemed to catch her eye the most was the blue macaw.  There were red ones too, but she seemed particularly intrigued by the blue ones.  I can't blame her.  The colors on the birds were so vibrant and beautiful.

Taking a break in the shade.  She is one happy girl!

This monkey was so TINY!

Peyton's favorite bird!

My gorgeous girl taking in the macaws...

first amusement park

A few weeks ago, Paul and I decided to get season passes to Gilroy Gardens, our local amusement park.  Neither of us had ever been, but it was such a good deal, we couldn't pass it up.  We thought it would be a nice place to take Peyton throughout the year to walk around since there is a lot she could look at.  Then I found out that there are even RIDES she can already go on!!  YAY!

We made our first trip to Gilroy Gardens, and despite the heat it was a good time.  The park is beautiful and so clean.  I was definitely impressed.  There were a total of 3 rides that Peyton could go on.  However, she pretty much slept the whole time so we didn't get to go on any rides.  Next time...! I can't wait to take her back!

23 things

I read this in my online birth club and thought it was too cute not to share.  I found myself agreeing with many of them...
 
1. The more time and effort put into decorating a nursery, the more likely that the baby will sleep in your room.
2. Things that don't wake a sleeping newborn: loud noises and bright lights. Things that do wake a sleeping newborn: sitting down to eat dinner.
3. Maybe they'll say it's the eyes. Maybe they'll say it's the mouth. Whatever it is, people will insist on telling you that your newborn looks like you. It's almost never true.
4. You may not want to cut your baby's nails because you are afraid of making her bleed. However, if you don't cut your baby's nails, she will probably scratch herself and, then, she'll bleed. So, why postpone the inevitable?
5. There is no greater thrill than the first time a baby calls out "mama" or "dada," even when it is directed toward the cat.
6. Sleeping a lot and eating a lot are traits highly cherished in babies. Unfortunately, neither are particularly admired in adults.
7. As a new parent, strangers will often approach you to ask, "Is she a good baby?" Surprise them by saying, "No, she's kind of an #$$hole."
8. You will discover that there must have been something very, very tricky about composing a melody for "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," The ABC's," and "Baa Baa Black Sheep."
9. From the moment you arrive home from the hospital, you will be asked if your baby sleeps through the night. Tell them you don't know. Tell them you spend most nights out clubbing.
10. Make sure you learn all the noises that farm animals make. Even though most people no longer live on farms, the sounds that sheep, pigs and cows make are priority number one when teaching your little one to talk.
11. If she is wearing a nice outfit, it is likely that your baby will poop.
12. If you are wearing a nice outfit, it is likely that your baby will poop.
13. Despite advances in science, no one has figured out how to diagnose a dirty diaper besides sniffing at it or peeking in it. When you're in public, learn to do this discreetly.
14. Never in your wildest dreams (or worst nightmares) did you ever imagine how much you would be talking about poop. Unless you work for a laxative company. If you work for a laxative company, you are probably already talking about poop a lot.
15. Strangers are friendly when you're with with a baby. That said, strangers are even friendlier when you're with a puppy.
16. One of the surprise perks of having a baby? When you're with one, you can talk to yourself out loud and people don't look at you like you're crazy.
17. Everyone tells you to "sleep when the baby's sleeping." It's good advice. But, remember, it's "sleep when the baby's sleeping... unless the baby fell asleep in the car and you're driving."
18. Don't beat yourself up over every little thing. Babies have really low expectations.
19. If you think you might be posting too many pictures on Facebook, you probably are.
20. No matter how much you love your child, naptime is never long enough.
21. When people come to visit in the first weeks after you come home from the hospital, remember they are there to see you and the baby. Remember they don't expect you or your house to look perfect. And remember, if you are talking anywhere near the baby monitor, there's a good chance they can hear you.
22. The secret to being a good parent? There isn't one. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying.
23. When all else fails, if you can't stop your baby from crying, turn on some music and dance around the living room. Even if the crying doesn't stop, at least you'll enjoy yourself.

confessions of a brand new mom

Before Peyton was born, I had my ideas of what life as a mom would be like.  I made rules that I would follow.  Needless to say, being a mom is something that can't really be planned.  You just have to go into it open minded. Knowing what you are getting into is good, but over analyzing could be bad.  There are so many "do's and don't's" that people will tell you and they change depending on who you are talking to.  I have decided to just go with the flow.  Peyton, pretty much, makes all the rules.  Well, not really, but I don't try and get her to follow a schedule.  She eats when she is hungry and sleeps when she is tired, not when I tell her to.  I think it works better that way, but to each their own. 

Any how, after almost 3 months I think I am finally getting the hang of things (probably just in time for everything to change again...).  

Here are some of my "confessions":

• I am terrified of her getting "flat head" from spending all day running errands with me. (Yes, I do know that ONE day spent in and out of the car seat will NOT give her flat head.)
• SIDS is my absolute biggest fear.
• I said throughout my entire pregnancy that at ONE month, she would be moved from my room to her room to sleep in her crib... Well... She still is in my room.  She loves her Rock N Play!  And breast feeding, I love having her closer for middle of the night feedings. Hopefully she will sleep through the night soon so I can transition her to her crib.  
• I do not believe you can spoil a newborn.  I love just holding her and spending mornings snuggling on the couch.
• I have come to accept that my hips quite possibly may never go back to where they were.  I will miss my pre-pregnancy jeans dearly, but no "skinny jeans" I own could ever make me happier than Peyton makes me.
• She will not take a bottle.  I keep saying I am going to try harder to get her to take it... But, it is hard.  When she is hungry she wants to eat NOW... The idea of spending time warming a bottle while she cries when I could just feed her right then seems silly.  And, I love that bonding time with her.  However, I would LOVE to have a date night with Paul... and to do that she needs to take the bottle.  Maybe I will try again tomorrow.
• I rarely get out of my pajamas/workout clothes before noon.  If I actually get to shower, blow dry my hair, AND put make up on... Well, it is a VERY successful day!
• Having her as a tiny little baby makes me never want her to grow up... But at the same time I can NOT wait for her to get bigger.  DISNEYLAND!!!!
• Being a mom is harder and easier than I expected it to be.  

Getting to stay home everyday with my Sweet Pea is the biggest gift ever.  Also the biggest life adjustment ever.  I had been working for the last 11 years.  Not having a job is still surreal.  Being a mom IS my new job... Best job ever, with the cutest boss ever too. Really, how can you not love this face?!