Elba's 7 Month Update

7 Months Old

There is something so painful about saying I have a 7 month old. I think it is because we have surpassed that half a year old mark and we are just speeding towards her first birthday. I can't believe how long pregnancy dragged on in comparison to watching her grow out of the womb. Even though it makes me sad to say she is getting older I am loving it. I am loving this age. Despite the teething and the new mini tantrums she is still so attached to me and dependent on me and I love that. Some days it is hard when I want a second to just shower alone, but every second I am not with her she is growing! I am just appreciating the fact that I get to be with her all day and take in every moment with her. Some moms do not have that luxury and I never want to take that for granted. I am so lucky and truly blessed to be able to raise a child and even more lucky to raise the one I have brought into this world. Every day comes with a new learning curve for myself and my girl, but we overcome them together and we grow together and learn from each other. Watching her experience life everyday is what it is all about.

Momma's Favorite Things

Her kicking and screaming with excitement when we go outside

She cracks up when she see's our dog, Oak

Her open mouth kisses

When she attacks mine and Zack's face with her hands and mouth

When she hears Zack on the phone and her face lights up

FaceTiming daddy and getting excited

When I say "Elba, look at mama" and she looks at me with a smirk

I love her new found love for the beach and the pool

Even though my back breaks I love that she always wants to have her feet on the ground

She still loves our morning walks together with the dog

When I run or walk fast she pulls me closer and grips my shirt tighter

Her smile

She giggles really hard and it sounds like a scream when I chew on her lil arms and legs

I love that she recognizes family and gets excited to see them

I love when she reaches when she knows when she wants Zack or myself

I love her puffy eyes when she wakes up 

I love when she wakes up in a good mood she gets all giggly and chatty

She holds one foot when she is sitting in the ergo

She has this new dramatic grunt cry that cracks me up

I love that she wants to sit with me while I put makeup on

She's definitely a mama's girl

Elba's Quirks

I let her choose a talking puppy toy from Target and she is OBSESSED and cracks up when it starts talking to her

The only song that calms her down all month was Sia's Elastic Heart

She loves being outside, will start whining if I walk inside and she wants to be out

She is starting to love solids, but only if I make it...weirdo

She is loving the sweet potato I make and roasted carrots

The only fruit she likes is blueberries (besides any citrus)

She only wants to shower in her bumbo seat now...goodbye baby bath

Anything that isn't a toy...is her favorite toy

Loves to chew on my leather diaper bag, the ergo, water bottles, the remote, phones, and bottles of lotion or sunscreen

Will wear bows and anything on her head just fine, just NO hats

Loves to have a tickle rub on her back and hair, she gets goose bumps and dazes off, like-mother-like-daughter

Loves the beach and anything with water like the pool or shower 

Tries to take everything out of my hand, including food

I have to be careful of paper or paper tags on things because she constantly tries shoving it in her mouth

Hates the bottle (shoot me)

Using me as a human pacifier as she has boycotted all pacifiers for over a month now

Teething like a crazy person

Has 4 bottoms teeth working on breaking through the gums, any day now...

Started this new thing where she sticks out her tongue like a lizard multiple times randomly throughout the day

Started teething on her bottom lip so it's all chapped and I am constantly applying chapstick to it

HATES diaper changes because she just wants to flip over and crawl away

HATES lying on her back because she just wants to stand or sit

Doesn't like being set down very often because she is feeling needy with all of her teething

Always picking plants and flowers

High-pitched screams when she is excited

Really testing how loud she can scream and laugh in public, cracks us up!

How well she sleeps has been varying, just waiting on those lil' teeth to break through and give her some relief

Loves having her picture taken

Loves watching videos of herself, she thinks she is the greatest thing ever haha

Gets super excited when Zack gets home from work

Starting to SHARE! YAY!

I think she may be slimming out a bit because she is so active. She is still chunky, but I definitely feel like she is losing some of it with all of her movement!

She loves other babies and kids

She cracks up when we whisper in her ear

Cries or whines when I pick her up when she is walking around with assistance

Size (Diapers, Onesies, Etc.): Diapers size 3; Onesies 6-9 months; Shirts 6-12 months; Leggings 6-12 months & some 3 month ones; 3-6 month, 6 month and 9 month jammies! Some 18 month clothes here and there!

Eyes: Olive green & gray/ hazel; They have a cooler undertone to them, we will see if they start warming up if they begin changing brown, but they might stay hazel like mine...

Hair: So much thicker, starting to get curly and wavy like Zack's too, which I think is just so precious! Love lil' curls on baby girls!

Sleeping: Teething has kinda thrown us for a curve, but we are doing what we can and working with it....it is all temporary! 

Eating: Loves the purees that I make her. I have only made her a sweet potato one and a roasted carrots one, she likes them separate or combined. Sometimes I throw in a little baby oatmeal in it to thicken it up. She still prefers breastfeeding and has begun to hate all bottles. I am planning on starting her on some different greens and other types of solids. Gonna makes some new ones this week/weekend for her to try!

Milestones: 

• Crawling, not too well...but it isn't an army crawl anymore. She uses one side better than the other
• Rolls like crazy
• Stands up on her own when holding on to something
• Copying/mimicking
• Showing lots of affection 
• We have been teaching her how to share all month and she has caught on! It is so freaking precious. If I say "Mommy's turn" she will give me whatever she has in her hand or whatever she has in her mouth. I LOVE IT. I Love babies that know how to share.
• Sitting
• Walking around all over the place when holding her hands

XO Sydney 

Shop Favorites: Bert and Bear

Bert and Bear

Etsy Shop 

The creator of Bert and Bear, Katie, was kind enough to send me some goodies for baby Elba. I chose the organic cotton diamond print fabric (I will link below). I love the color gray and the pop of peach was just girly enough!

I love all of her stuff, the boy stuff is to die for as well. 

The fabric is thick and cozy. Seriously, these things are so soft and warm...I want a pair.

I chose to be sent the 0-3MO size...which killed me and they fit her perfectly for her size. Of course they are a bit loose because she is still in some of her newborn clothes, but she has the perfect amount of growing room. The top knot headband fits her perfectly and is adjustable. I suggest ordering true to size!

AHHH nothing quite like baby feet and some adorable print leggings. They can easily change the look of a white onesie. My favorite way to dress Elba nowadays is a long sleeve onesie and some cute print leggings. It is easy for diaper changes and having few layers makes those messy explosions or spit-up massacres that much easier to change. 

The shop owner, Katie, made a discount code for my instagram/blog followers.

She is offering 10% off for a week & all you have to do is use the code SAVE10.

Elba's exact leggings HERE 

Bert and Bear Etsy Shop HERE

Follow her shop on instagram HERE

Katie is a dream to work with and so sweet. Go support her shop and purchase your little one a piece of coziness! Don't forget to use your discount code (see above).

XOXO Sydney 

**I was sent all products free of charge, thank you for supporting the businesses that support our little fam**

Elba's 1 Month Update

1 Month Old

Elba turned one month old on Christmas day. They are right when they say it goes by quickly. This past month has been both the longest and quickest month of my life. Sleep deprivation made the days drag on yet every time I put her in her car seat she fits just a little bit better. The breast infection makes it feel like each day has no end yet I put her in her jammies and I have to shove her little fat thigh in the leg hole. I love watching her grow, but at the same time this miniature human that I grew for 9 months is now getting bigger and more aware. She has become so fun these last two weeks that it makes me sad to see her newborn clothes get more and more snug. I am starting to cherish the newborn cries and the 1AM wake-up calls where it is just the both of us. It is crazy to think that she is my first born and these moments are already going by in the blink of an eye. That being said, she is aware of my presence more than ever. When I speak she looks around for me. When I look at her she looks back at me. She has come to know me as her momma this past month and it is the most rewarding feeling in the world. I love every bit of my baby girl and I can't believe we are already 1 month down. 

Here are some quirks Elba has developed over the past month:

When I kiss her mouth really quickly she opens it really wide with a shocked face

When she needs to poop she makes the cutest little kissy face

Her stretches crack me up

She makes goat sounds in her sleep

She often makes sounds like the minions in 'Despicable Me'

She smiles at Zack and I

She must have the best dreams ever because she is always smiling in her sleep

She hates when I sit down with her, she wants me to be moving 24/7

Even though she hates when I sit, she loves to sleep on my chest

She loves sleeping on Zack's chest

She REFUSES to poop when she is swaddled...but the second I unswaddle her she gets really unclassy with her poops  

She loves her Wubbanub pacifiers and holds on to them tightly and can put them back in her mouth

She loves to projectile spit-up down my cleavage so I have a nice vomit smell to my chest all day

Some nights she wakes every 2 hours and other nights she will sleep between 4-6 hours 

She gets really aggressive when I breast feed her

She had her first bottle at 3 weeks 

She LOVES bath time

She sucks her thumb and index finger when she is in the bath, I think she feels like she is back in the womb

She loves loud noises when she sleeps and cannot sleep in silence 

She is most relaxed when we are having a busy day hopping in and out of the car 

She falls asleep when I am walking around with her in my arms doing things, she knows the difference between swaying back and forth and actually applying myself to my household duties...she likes to see me struggle with household chores and putting her to sleep at the same time

She is extremely strong 

She is either smiling during diaper changes or trying to kick the crap out of me

She is still in newborn diapers and newborn clothes

She hates the cold 

She is happiest when being in physical contact with someone else (she likes when my hand is on her face holding her pacifier in her mouth)

She loves sleeping with a "rain sound" app I have on my phone

She melts our hearts

XOXO Sydney 

Lily Jade Diaper Bag Review

Lily Jade Diaper Bag Review

Alright ladies, I was sent the most amazing diaper bag to share with you all. I have teamed up with Lily Jade to review the Madeline diaper bag in the color Brandy. 

Throughout my entire pregnancy I stressed about which diaper bag would best suit our lifestyle.  My purses in the past have always been over the shoulder bags or back-pack style and convenient. I prefer giant hobo bags that I can just throw around and not worry about destroying with heavy wear and tear. When I teamed up with Lily Jade I chose a diaper bag with those details in mind!

I chose to review the Madeline diaper bag in the color Brandy. This is easily the most versatile diaper bag in the world of diaper bags. I am in love. The diaper bag can be carried as a handbag, an over the shoulder bag, a messenger bag and a back pack, it is made for everyone and all preferences!

Using the bag with both straps! It lays perfectly and not too snug under the arm, perfect length!

Wearing the bag as a back-pack...it may be my favorite way to use it!

Absolutely love the color of the bag! Gorgeous leather brown.

Using the attachable strap to wear the bag over the shoulder and long.

Wearing the bag as a cross-body/messenger style. Another extremely convenient way to use it!

Lily Jade's logo :)

I am in love with this bag! It is gorgeous and smells like the most amazing leather.

Go check out their website HERE

The direct link to my specific bag HERE

Follow them on INSTAGRAM

XOXO Sydney

**I was sent all products free of charge, thank you for supporting the businesses that support our little fam**