Living a tasteful life

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Baby Sawyer: 2 Month's Old + Life Lately

My sweet little boy turned two months old last week! Time really does fly. It's crazy how much he changes from day to day. I love watching him learn and grow. It's so fun to see what new skills he develops each week. He loves to lay on his changing table and smile and coo. He still hates getting dressed. Putting clothes over his head drives him nuts. Bath time is becoming more relaxing for him. At first he would scream the whole time, but now he's finding comfort in the warm water, but not so much when he gets out. We like to give him a bath every night as a matter of routine. He gets hangry when it’s time to eat and grunts and fake cries until I give him what he wants. Afternoon strolls are his favorite. He lays in his stroller, pleasantly awake, taking in all the sights and sounds around him. He’s developing more and more of a personality each day. I can’t believe how much he has grown since last month. Those chubby little cheeks are my favorite!

Two Month Stats
This guy is a whopping 10 pounds and 14.5 ounces. You can look at those chubby cheeks and see that he's been growing. I'm so proud! He may not be the biggest boy, but the Dr. was pleased with is constant growth. 

Current Schedule
We just transitioned to the second phase of schedules in the Mom's on Call book. This new scheduled is geared towards getting him to sleep through the night. We are not quite there yet, but definitely heading in the right direction.

Favorite Things
I just purchased this activity mat for him and he absolutely loves it. Kicking the piano is his favorite part.

Hardest Moment
The day after he got his shots was rough. The actual shots weren't great either, but seeing him not be himself on day two, broke my heart. 

Sweetest Moment
The morning he turned two months old, Whit woke him up and brought him into our bedroom to sit with us in bed for a bit and he laughed for the first time. It melted our hearts!

Breastfeeding & Pumping
I am currently still breastfeeding and it has been going pretty well. I feel like we've finally gotten the hang of it and I now don't let it keep me from getting out of the house. I also started pumping about two weeks ago. Once a day is about all I can handle. I'm hoping to get a stash saved up for those times when we have to be away from him.

Here's a look at some of the things we've been up to in his first and second months.
Whit and I took Sawyer on our first lunch outing together when he was five weeks old. These days our restaurant choices include places that have booth seating (to fit the car seat), are noisy (to muffle any crying that may occur) and serve beer (for our sanity)! :) 
We had a little Sunday funday pool day with our friends. Sawyer did really well napping at someone else's house for the first time. We packed up what seemed like everything we owned, all to go two miles down the road.
5 Weeks Old
 He did really well and slept inside while we enjoyed some time by the pool.
My friend Melissa just delivered a beautiful baby boy on Monday. Sawyer can't wait to meet him and have a friend to play with.
 I love his tiny little feet.
And I can't stop taking pictures of him sleeping. Look at those arm muscles!
6 Weeks Old
 He's six weeks old in this photo and looks like a grown man.
We had our first trip out of town to visit Whit's parents in Myrtle Beach. Sawyer snuggled with their dog, Mahi.
 He also spent some quality time with his grandmama. 
 And with his uncle Taylor.
We went through a little rough patch for two days, where he had no interest in napping for longer than 45 minutes at a time. So, we gave all the swaddles and baby gear I own a try. We have the Halo Sleep Sack, which he seems to like since it allows him to keep his arms out.
I also tried carrying him around in the Solly Baby Wrap. I've only tried it one time. I think once I master the correct way to wrap it, it will be a good option when taking him to the grocery store.
7 Weeks Old
Monster is slowly adjusting to having this loud new thing in the house. She will casually watch him as he plays. She also puts her paws up on the tub during bath time to peak in and see what all of the fuss is about.

Sawyer had his first trip to a local brewery. We enjoyed some pizza and a beer while the little guy snoozed.
It's hard to make it to the gym these days since I can't take Sawyer with me. So, we decided to walk the bridge with a friend. It may not have been the wisest decision to start back exercising by walking these steep bridge in 80 degree weather, but we made it! There was actually a nice breeze since we went early in the morning. Sawyer enjoyed napping while I did all the work.
And so tummy time begins! Sawyer is still trying to figure out what to think about it. He sure does enjoy the comfort of his soft blanket.
8 Weeks Old
He got his two month shots last week and it was the saddest thing. I don't think he's cried that much since the day he was born. Thank goodness daddy was there to help comfort him. I made sure not to watch. But before the shots went down, he was so happy and talked away to the Dr. She put him on his tummy to see if he would try and hold his head up, and not only did he do it, but he also rolled over for the first time! 
The effects of the shots really set in the next day. He wanted to play so bad but was too tired and cranky. He definitely wasn't himself, and gave me a run for my money. I couldn't get upset with that cute face though.
We love this sweet boy so much!







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Friday, August 17, 2018

Sawyer's Nursery

Photos: Hilleary Photography
I'm so excited to finally share pictures with you of Sawyer's nursery. We had our newborn photo session at the house the other week and my wonderful photographer captured a few special photos for us. I'm so thrilled with the way his nursery turned out. We have a three bedroom house, and his room was once our second guestroom. Transitioning the room seemed like such a daunting project because I wasn't sure where to even begin. We had to sell furniture, shift some around and then figure out what all we needed to buy. 

I knew that I didn't want a theme per say. My goal was to create a space that could easily transition as he grows. One that was neutral and bright. The walls in the room were already white and we already had white curtains — check! I'm really thankful I didn't have to go through picking out a paint color. I'm the most indecisive person ever and the thought of painting makes me cringe. We had a good, clean starting point for the room. A white nursery with accents of blue and grey is what I had envisioned. My very first purchase was the glider. It was important to me to have a comfy chair in the room. I also wanted one that didn't look like a rocking chair and that had a washable slip cover. I found the perfect one at Celadon during their Memorial Day sale. The great part about it is, we can move it to our living room when we are done with it in the nursery. 

Next was the crib. I knew I wanted something traditional. I debated on a few different options and finally decided on this beautiful white iron, Million Dollar Baby Classic Abigail 3-in-1 Convertible Crib. It's simple, gender neutral and grows with your child. 
I was stumped when it came to what to put on the wall about the crib. I searched and searched for paintings that were affordable but came up empty handed. Then I came across these black and white animal prints on Instagram and knew we had to have them above the crib for some contrast. The little blue chair was something I had registered for and received as a gift at one of my showers. It's so little and cute and is perfect for monogramming.

After ordering five area rugs, we finally landed on the striped one you see in the photo. We wanted it to be bright with some sort of pattern but one that wouldn't become the focal point in the room. I'm really happy with the one we ended up keeping it. 
The dresser search was a month long venture. I wanted one that would serve as a changing table, but with enough drawers for storage. Oh, and one that wasn't too tall given I'm challenged in the height department. I found some that were the perfect shade of white but looked cheap, others that looked well built but weren't white and so on. I stalked our local antique mall every weekend, hoping to get my hands on what I was looking for. And then I came across this beautiful dresser with rope handles...but it was navy blue! I was sick of searching and decided that it was nothing that a little paint couldn't fix. Thanks to my mom and my brother's girlfriend, I now have the perfect white dresser I had been searching for. You can see a before picture here. I added one of my favorite maternity photos for a personal touch. And the beautifully hand carved bird was made by my husbands late grandfather.
If you look closely in the reflection of the mirror, you can see a painting hanging on the wall. It's one that Whit and I purchased on our trip to Italy last year. We managed to make it all the way back without it getting damaged. It's so beautiful and the colors work perfectly in Sawyer's room.
We moved one of our fiddle leaf fig trees into the room to add a pop of color. The white rocking horse was mine when I was a little girl. And I wanted the tufted jute pouf for some texture. I really wanted to add a basket light fixture but we decided a fan was more important since the sunlight shines on that side of the house in the afternoons.

The crib bedding is probably one of my favorite parts about the nursery. I spotted this macramé crib skirt and knew I had to find a way to incorporate it. I pretty much based everything around it. I decided to go with a simple white bumper and trellis patterned crib sheet which is not pictured.
This little cubby you see pictured below really had me stumped. It's a small look nook with a light fixture mounted on the wall. I believe the previous owners of our home had a small desk in the space. I really wanted to put a bookshelf there but I couldn't find one that was the right dimensions. Eventually I would like to get a custom one made, but in the meantime the current set up will do. 
This is the nightstand that was originally in the guest bedroom and it happened to fit just perfectly in the space. I added a few special things on top like my late grandmother's bible, another favorite maternity picture of mine, the first pair of shoes Sawyer received, a cute little sailboat I picked up at an antique mall and a few books that were gifts from my baby showers.
After weeks of stressing about this room, I'm really pleased with the outcome. I wanted it to be perfect, knowing how much time we would be spending in there. Right now I'm enjoying the fact that it's clean and toys aren't all over the place. That day is coming soon!



Sources:






Glider (similar) here, here and here

Dresser (similar) here


Mirror (similar)


Pouf (similar)

White Floor Lamp (similar)

Blue Table Lamp (similar)




Rocking Horse (similar) 


Sailboat (similar)












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Thursday, August 2, 2018

Life with a Newborn + Our 10 Favorite Baby Items

Photo: Meredith Hilleary Photography
Sawyer has only been waking up once during the night to eat, allowing us a little more sleep and I feel like a new person! It may not sound like much but it's a big deal compared to where we were a few weeks ago. Life has changed for us in so many ways, as I was warned it would. But it's all for the better and we have so much love for our sweet little boy. 
I've been asked by several people to share an update on how things are going and various other questions about life with a newborn, so I wanted to follow up with answers in this blog post. Carving out time to post has been challenging, so thank you all for your patience. First, I want to share a look into what life has been like since we came home from the hospital. We've come a long way since then!
Two pieces of advice I was given when I was pregnant: 1. Stay at the hospital the full 48 hours because once your home, you're on your own. 2. Take all of the supplies they give you. Trust me, you will use them. The first few days at home were all a blur. My eyes were constantly glued to the monitor when he slept, watching him closely to make sure he was breathing. I was too scared to close my eyes.
Breastfeeding has been a journey full of learning. I was (and still am) always wondering if he is getting enough milk and gaining enough weight. We were running on fumes, watching countless Youtube videos on how to swaddle, changing what seemed like 100's of diapers a day, and I was breastfeeding every two to three hours, all while putting a smile on my face to greet friends and family who were patiently waiting to meet him. Add dealing with ranging hormones and postpartum self-care. I was missing the guidance of the hospital nurses that take care of momma and baby everyday. But I'm so thankful for my mom and in-laws who stepped in and stayed with us those first two weeks. 
I'm not going to lie, it's nice to be on the more pleasant side of things. Sawyer is now six weeks old.  Today, I feel more confident, we're getting a little more sleep (emphasis on a little), I'm more comfortable with breastfeeding and diaper changes, our swaddle game is on point, my hormones are leveling out and I'm feeling much more life my old self again. It's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel during those first few weeks of life changing newness but as everyone promised me, there is one. When Sawyer looks up at me with his big blue eyes and that sweet little smile of his, all of the rough patches become more and more of a distant memory. 

I am so happy to report that we are now on a schedule. I owe this to the Moms on Call book. It's a wonderful guide for people who thrive on routines. It has been so great to have something to refer to and it's also gotten us to this wonderful sleep pattern. Without it, I would have been lost. It's the perfect resource for first time moms.
Sawyer brings us so much joy. Our evenings are no longer spent sitting on the couch trying to find a Netflix movie to agree on. Instead we're carefully tackling bath time together, listening to his sweet coos as we are getting him ready for bed and embracing every smile and milestone. We are a team now more than ever. 

Many of you have asked about what items we are using the most and what's working, so I thought I would put together a list of my 10 favorite items we've been loving so far.

1. Fisher-Price Deluxe Newborn Rock 'n Play Sleeper - We would be lost without this. Sawyer has been sleeping in it since he was about 5 days old. At first we had him in it only during the day, but soon realized how much he loved it. It vibrates which naturally soothes him. I also like the fact that it's inclined vs laying flat in a crib. 

2. Portable Sound Machine- This is also key. Having that white noise helps with sleep and also distracts from the other noises throughout the house. Ours is a little different than the one I linked here but I've seen this one pop up a good bit.

3. Water Wipes- These are made with specially purified, softened water and a tiny drop of fruit extract. There are no harsh chemicals to worry about, making them perfect for baby's sensitive skin.

4. Moms On Call- The book that is saving our sanity. This book came highly recommended by many of our friends. It helps you and your baby get into a routine, outlining a schedule that changes with age. We owe his stretches of sleep to this book. It really is amazing and I highly recommend it for new moms.

5. Moms On Call Swaddle- In addition to the sanity saving book, they also make swaddles. This particular one is ironically is Sawyer's favorite and it keeps him nice and snug. It's large and made of a thicker material, similar to what the hospital used but softer. Once we discovered how well he slept when using it, we immediately placed an order for more. 

6. Magnolia Baby Onesie- I love this brand particularly because of the fit. Many of the newborn clothes that I have for Sawyer are still too big for him. This brand fits so well and the cotton is so soft. I also love the small detail on this onesie, dressing it up just a bit.

7. Pee-Pee Teepe- If you have a boy, these will definitely come in handy! 

8. Glowbaby App- This app let's you log so much info about your baby's care, including developmental milestones. But the main thing I use it for is a breastfeeding timer. It's a great tool to help you keep track of things.

9. Project Nursery Baby Monitor System- This is a great monitor with a lot of nice features like the temperature, a two-way audio intercom and it plays lullabies & white noise. It's also easy to pack up and take with you if you're traveling. 

10. Seventh Generation Newborn Diapers- We've gone through a ton of diapers in a short amount of time. Thankfully we've still been using the stash we received at various showers and haven't had to buy any yet. We've tried several different brands and this one is my favorite. These chlorine-free, unbleached diapers have a snug fit keeps everything in. I also love how high it sits on the back, blocking the blowouts.  
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