Single Working Mom for 2 and a Half Weeks...

This picture has nothing to do with this blog, it was taken when she was about 4 weeks old and I don't think I ever posted it. This is probably one of my favorite pictures. Sleeping in mama's arms. :)

Cousins - Harlow and Amelia

Notice the opposite expressions on their faces, its hilarious!

This was her good morning picture to daddy the first day he was gone.

In all of my years of life, my dad has never set foot in a mall with me, or done any type of shopping with me. But the other day he offered to take me and the baby shopping at the mall! Any excuse to spend time with the baby. This is one of the outfits that he bought her.

Papa rick with Harlow and Amelia

Me and Andrea at Meridith's graduation party.

I know everyone says that their baby is the cutest baby in the world but mine really is!

Juan moved back home!

Meridith and baby Harlow at her graduation

the whole gang together again!

Ali and Harlow at Mer's graduation ceremony

watching Meridith graduate

not watching Meridith graduate, haha

I took a break in my "maternity leave" to come home and work while the Barrier Breaker team traveled over to the Dominican Republic to do some outreach and missions work for 2 weeks. Before I had Harlow, we had planned that while they were gone, I would come home and work to make sure everything was running smoothly and to lock up and sub for some of the coaches. But man! what did I know about going back to work when you have a 7 week old?! I guess it's better to just assume you can do something than to stress about it. I think that because I didn't realize how hard it would be to take care of a baby on my own and work for 2 weeks - it made me have that "can do attitude". I think its because, its too late to change my mind, I have no other choice now. So with Pete in Washington working, and me and baby Harlow here; this last week has been rather interesting. "Interesting" being the most positive way I can put it. haha.

I definitely under-estimated myself. I'm starting to see that I'm a lot more capable of doing things than I thought I was. But maybe that's just part of being a mom. It's eye-opening for sure, who knew the funny stuff you'd do for you kid.

Anyway, my days consist of waking up with Harlow around 5:30 am or 6:00 am to feed, then by the time she's done eating, there really is no point in me going back to sleep so I get ready for the day and do any chores around the house that need to get done while she goes back to sleep. By the time I'm done with everything, its time for her to eat again. We try and get out of the house to do something, Starbucks run, bank, target, whatever errands I have, just so it breaks up my day of going from home to work again and again. Then before I have to be at work in the afternoon, I take Harlow to my parents house so they can watch her. I usually work from 4-8 pm. They generously offered to bring her to me at work at the end of my work day (with dinner) and then it's home we go. She eats, then I eat, then I shower while she naps and then we hang out and watch some TV together and then it's bath-time and bedtime. I'm just glad she has started sleeping for larger blocks of time or I would be the walking dead at work. I don't know what I would do without my parents help either.

We've actually had a pretty eventful first week home. As soon as we got here we went to Meridith's graduation to get her Masters and then Mer's graduation party and I went to Kristina's bridal shower, saw friends that were in town for all of the festivities and visited family who were missing the baby :)

It hasnt been as hard as I had imagined, but it is hard! It sure makes me appreciate Pete's help so much more! Now we're counting down the days we can go back to Washington and be with Daddy again. We miss him!

Newborn Pictures by Stephanie Ryan

Stephanie Ryan took Harlow's newborn pictures a little while ago. They turned out so cute. I love them! I can't believe how much she has changed already.

Stephanieryanphotography.blogspot.com

My First Mothers Day

MOTHERS DAY!

The only picture of me and baby on mothers day. Me changing her diaper, I guess a mothers job never ends.

This year I got to experience my very FIRST mothers day. I know I've been a mom for a little over a month but I didnt really feel like a mom to other people. I only felt like a mom to myself and my baby. BUT all of the great e-mails, texts and calls from everyone really made it seem REAL. So thank you for the well wishes. I had a great day spending it with Pete and baby Harlow.

We slept in a little in the morning, and took it slow getting ready. We let baby hang out in her PJ's for awhile while I took a long shower, gave myself a manicure and watched some TV. When we were finally dressed and ready to go we packed everything up (and theres a lot of stuff now-a-days) and got in the car to head to Seattle.

We walked all over the place, did some shopping and sight-seeing and explored Pike's Market. Pete did a little shopping at Nike Town (that guy is obsessed with shoes) and I got some really cute baby clothes for Harlow at Baby Gap (On sale of course, otherwise their prices are ridiculous, but still my favorite place to shop) and we bought some bright and beautiful flowers from the Market. We at lunch in a Bistro and walked by the water.

The baby slept most of the day in her stroller. By the time we headed home she was ready to get out of that thing. She did good for us being out and about for so long.

It was such a beautiful day in Washington, the sun was out the whole day and it was almost 70 degrees. And then it rained the next day. haha.

Can't wait for many more Mothers Days to come!

1 MONTH OLD!

1 MONTH OLD!

On Monday, my baby turned 1 month old! How did time fly by so fast?

I am so in love with her little face its ridiculous!

She smiles now! (and its not gas anymore!)

She is the cutest in the morning when she is just waking up. And man does she work hard to stretch and wake up. There is a lot of grunting going on during this time and wild arm and leg movements.

She is sleeping for about 5 hours straight during the night. Much better than I ever could have expected.

When she went to the Dr. last she had gained 1lb and 1 oz. and grown an inch!

My baby is getting so big!

Her little finger nails grow like weeds, I've been cutting them every week.

She still LOVES bath time. BUT... we had a our first little issue... she peed in it one night. And the next time she pooped in it... TWICE! haha.

She has been eating more in quantity each feeding and if you interrupt her feeding she cries so hard, and its an angry cry! This little girl likes to eat!

And we found out that Harlow loves Gwen Stephani. She was crying so hard one morning so I turned on my iPhone and picked the first song I saw, which was Gwen's "Rich Girl". She stopped immediately. And does everytime we play it now. (She has no interest in any other Gwen Stephani song by the way.)

Daddy has been back at work full time for the last week, and sometimes Baby gives mommy a hard time but as soon as he gets home shes a perfect little angel... hmmm...

She still loves shopping with me (or loves sleeping while I shop haha.)

I still can't believe that I'm a mom and I can't figure out what I did to be so blessed with such an amazing baby.

I LOVE YOU BABY!