and so it goes.

happy easter everyone.  although everyone's blogs will be filled with a recap of time spent with family, at church, etc.  our easter went a little differently.




how's that for drama eh?  yes, i officially took my first child to the emergency room for the first time, although i am confident it won't be the last.  and yes everything is fine.  my poor baby was in absolute HYSTERICS today and she refused to nurse/eat and i just knew something was wrong.  in six months of being her mom, i have never seen her like she was today.  our dx?  constipation and gas.  poor baby seems to have her mom's digestive system...  good luck baby is all i have to say.  so we were sent home with a "script" for pear juice.

of course when we get to the ER though, she was smiling and cooing.  "oh what a happy baby" was the phrase heard constantly.  and she seems to be fine now.

of course i was in hysterics too for most of the day.  but at the end of the day, we have a healthy baby and that remains the easter blessing i am most thankful for.  here's to a good week and a productive one for my little one's digestive system!

balance: throwback and currently

throwback, hubby and i the second night we ever hung out.  don't we look like a couple?  ya we weren't.  but kinda were, since let's be honest, from the day we met to the day we married exactly 4 months and 24 days transpired.  so the relationship was pretty much on fast forward from the day we met.

and to counteract that throwback.  here's what we are up to currently

feeling: better today!  i was down in the dumps yesterday and it sucks because i realize i am and i want to enjoy each day since they are so brief but i just couldn't pull myself out of my funk yesterday.  i am feeling a little more joyful today and gearing up for easter weekend!

imagining: of moving out of ohio.  i know a lot of people plan on moving and never do, at least here.  but you all, i cannot be born, live, and die in ohio.  i just can't.  i wish it was happening sooner rather than later, but i will keep dreaming, planning and SAVING for it.

listening: to my husband's advice and my own instinct.  at least trying to.  you guys first time parenting is not for the faint of heart.  there are so many experts and books and advice and schedules.  and everyone is convinced their way is the only way.  but you all, take it with a grain of salt.  every time that i listen to my own heart in the way i parent i feel good about myself, even if it goes against the "experts" advice.  every time i listen to a book over my gut, i end up feeling guilty and like i did her a disservice, because normally it just delays the time until i do it my way.  and my husband's advice? "eff em" - those people that give you dirty looks cause you gave your kid candy at 10 am?  eff em.  the person who scowls at you in the dr's office because your kid is crying cause it's past their nap time?  eff em.  you matter, your family matters and that's it - run with it ladies, you are rocking it!  

moving: i am still moving to my exercise videos! and am quite proud of the way things are shaping up, but i got to be honest, i am ready to be outside and moving, please come soon spring!!!

thanks ot and et and harvesting kale :) for the link up.

first six months favorites

hard to believe the little is getting ready to be six months old.  it's crazy how much she has changed and how interested she is in adult things already, namely my coffee cup and my water tumbler.  literally obsessed.  today i swear i turned my head for half a second while holding her and when i turned back she was chewing on my straw.  i am so excited for what the next six months are getting ready to bring us and of course celebrating her half birthday in a little less than two weeks.

the changes occurring in the first two years for a baby are remarkable and with so much on the market and them outgrowing thing so quickly, it is hard to know what to invest in.  here is my version of some "must haves" that include items i have found to be either just indispensable those first couple months or very multipurpose.  noticeably absent are high chairs, car seats, changing tables, etc.  those things are necessities and everyone has different preferences and styles.  so without further ado..

1. fisher price rock and play sleeper: this was recommended to me by another mom who had it recommended to her by another mom and so on.  i was so overwhelmed by all the bassinet and co-sleeper options but i knew i definitely wanted to keep her in my room the first couple months.  but the bassinets are PRICEY and i didn't feel completely comfortable having her in bed with me.
this thing is awesome for the following reasons:

• lightweight and folds up easily, you can hold the baby in one hand and the sleeper in the other which makes it awesome transporting from upstairs to downstairs (very portable!)
• approved for night time sleep! 
• it has a slight incline making it awesome for gerd/colic sufferers
• cheap this thing clocks in at around $50
• small it fit right next to my bed easier soothing
• it ROCKS hence the name, which equals easier soothing.  

notice my emphasis on soothing!  little a started out in this from night one and rocked it till about 3 months when we transitioned her to a crib.

2. halo sleep sack: this is a bit of a common item but i registered for a couple different swaddlers and liked this one the best for the following reasons (the other ones remain unworn and packed away).  little A had to sleep with her arms out (she keep her balled up fists right next to her cheeks and has since the womb) since the startle reflex didn't wake her up or disturb her sleep we used this swaddle which allowed for a tight wrapping around her midsection but let her arms be free.  we have stuck with the halo brand as she has gotten older and she is now using their sleep sacks.  also no blankets to get bunched by the face and obstruct breathing!

3. nordic carrier: i wanted to include this because i think it has features a lot of other carriers on the market lack.  this carrier has the infant position for when they are very small and literally grows with them all the way up.  i know a lot of people purchase the k'taan or moby for small infants and then the ergo baby or bjorn for when they are older.  everyone i know who has purchased this LOVES it, it's affordable and it literally does grow with the child, eliminating the need for two carriers!

4. indestructibles: i LOVE these books.  i got them as a set from steals.com and i am planning on buying more.  here is their excerpt and basically all the reasons why i love them "Built for the way babies read, Indestructibles are printed on an amazing paperlike material that can’t be ripped, torn, or punctured. Indestructibles are 100 percent safe and nontoxic, and if they get too funky, just throw them in the washing machine or dishwasher. They’re made for baby to hold, grab, chew, pull, and bend, and are designed to create an even more special bond between reader and baby. Printed without words, the parent gets to make up the story, or just cuddle with baby while they explore together"
also one more point I would add, the pictures are beautiful and contain very subtle variations in color across the page, perfect for babies developing vision!

5. tiny love play mat: although i love our play mat, this is just more of a recommendation of "get a play mat."  we started laying A on her back at about six weeks and we have definitely gotten our use out of it.  she used to just lay there and look at the figures, then she started batting at them, and now we just use it as a multipurpose mat: hang teethers from it, use it for tummy time, etc, etc.  it is also very easy to transport so i usually take it with us when we travel.

6. bjorn bibs: we started solids recently and since it is cold here, feeding the baby naked isn't an option yet.  these bibs rock- they catch all the food and are SO easy to wipe clean (since we stained all her bibs in basically a day).  one caveat i will say, they take a little getting used to, i put it on her at every meal but usually about halfway through she has had ENOUGH of it and i take it off.  i am hoping as she gets older and we continue to use it she will get used to it.  i imagine we will use these for a long time.

7. gerber 3 pack sleepers: at six months of age, my child still lives in pajamas half the time, i 
figure hey i am in leggings, she should be comfy too!  these are cheap so you don't have to worry if they get stained and even the snap ones are easy to get back together in the middle of the night.  they do run small though, so keep that in mind when buying sizes.  pajamas are an absolute necessity those first couple months especially.  so always have more than you think you will need.  (also just a recommendation clothes wise, outfits are cute but skip anything with layers those first couple months, your infant is TINY, layers looks so ridiculous on a newborn because there isn't anywhere for the fabric to go, it just bunches)

8. boppy pillow: i bought this for breast feeding and it definitely helped those first couple weeks but i didn't get much use out of it after that.  i had packed it away when my friend suggested to pull it back out now that little A is learning to sit on her own.  since i had just been holding her while she sat and played, this was a turning point!  that little cushion goes around her hips and gives her a balance for either side.  i can now face her and we can place the toys between us.  i am loving the boppy again.

9. IQ baby knock knock blocks: these were a christmas gift and i love them.  there are so many different sensory experiences for baby, including crinkling, different fabric textures, rattles, the list goes on and on.  currently baby loves having her dad and i build towers for her to knock down and chewing on them.  as she gets older i imagine she will enjoy building her own towers and we have used them for a while though as she liked staring at the black and white patterns when she was younger.

10.  soothe and glow seahorse: when she was younger, A would be knocked out by the time we put her in her bed, but probably around 4 months, she would be half awake or in a twilight sleep when we would put her in her crib for bedtime after nursing.  this is a lifesaver.  she will literally start to fuss as i lay her down, i push on that little seahorses tummy and she is MESMERIZED and asleep by the time it goes off.  i put hers on the edge of the crib along the slats so she just turns her head and stares at it.  



whew, ok that was long.  how about you?  what were your favorites for the first six months?  and other mommas out there, any recommendations for the next six months? (especially TEETHING recommendations!!) 

it's friday friday friday

quick story.  i have been on antibiotics for the past almost two weeks (hallelujah i'll be done tomorrow) since i did end up having mastitis.  and that means 3 pills every 6 hours.  since i am up at least once a night anyway, i normally just pop them when i wake up and lay my little head back down.  even though my bottle of medicine explicitly states "do not lie down for 10 minutes after taking medication" and for 12 days i was fine.

except last night, when i woke up and could literally feel my esophagus all the way down my body because hello i had swallowed battery acid.  turns out the reflux from my medicine came up and burned me, literally.  i spent the next hour sitting up guzzling water, hot tea, and chomping saltines while my poor husband suffered from heartburn and the sound of me chewing next to him.  then of course a half hour after i fell back asleep, A woke up to eat.

suffice it to say, you guys... when will i learn to follow directions??!!?

but nevermind, it's friday.  and i thought i would share this recipe i came up with yesterday except try not to hate me but i don't have any pictures.  i just think it is so weird time consuming to take pictures of my food.  but it is delicious and we are having leftovers on pasta tonight.

Crock Pot Mexican Chicken

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I threw mine in frozen)
1 green pepper
1/2 of an onion
handful of jalapenos to taste
1 jar of rotel undrained
1 cup of water
1 1/2 tablespoons of taco seasoning (i got my recipe for homemade here)
3 ounces or so cream cheese

basically throw that junk in there and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  my chicken was frozen so it cooked for around 7 hours.  serve over rice or in flour tortillas (we had ours on brown rice).  i also think this would be excellent over pasta... which we are having tonight!

happy weekend, here's to something other than 10 degree weather!

catch up

teething baby and a husband at home has meant lots of family time, not many naps, and not much screen time.  so here is a catch up,

(one) i sold my first etsy order!  hallelujah ptl, doing my happy dance.  i wrote about failure here and although i am still approximately 19003249083429083 orders away from making money, it still feels nice.  in celebration, i am offering a coupon code 10% off any order 10 dollars or more, just use coupon code neworder upon check out!

(two) yes there is still snow on the ground where i live, yes i am bitter about this.  we are below 20 degrees here people.

(three) baby socks are for the birds, enough said.

(four) i think A is having nightmares.  about 45 minutes after we put her to bed we heard panicked crying and when we went into her room she was crying TEARS and looked extremely frightened.  now when she normally is just crying in her crib because she wants to get up there are NO tears.  i really hope she doesn't suffer from night terrors in the future.  it was a terrible feeling.  i nursed her and j read a story and she was right back to sleep for the night, but i felt terrible.

(five) i have sampled two new bakeries this week which has left me a little disappointed actually.  also my sweet tooth is currently out of control.

(six) i added bloglovin since google reader is adios muchachos!  now all you lovies who desperately have wanted to follow me can..! :)

and i am going to link up with ot and et and harvesting kale :) :) :) here's hoping spring will come soon!

cleaning - my house!  i got some MUCH needed cleaning in today and it does a soul good.

planning - for my husband's birthday and A's half birthday!  we have decided to celebrate half birthdays with all of our kid(s) and i LOVE LOVE LOVE birthdays.  surprises await!

planting - nothing, i am lame, there is snow on the ground.  i did buy tulips to cheer myself up though.

skipping - i have been skipping cooking recently and it hasn't felt good.  we have ordered too much take out and been eating too many chips.  i got back in the game today with a crock pot recipe and am hoping that this gets my out of my slump.  sometimes you just don't have ideas and even the simplest of recipes seems too complicated to execute.

wearing - my winter jacket.  again.  still.  ridiculous.

it's friday.

ya'll it's here.
the weekend, the blessed blessed weekend.

high five for friday:

1.  i am going to ulta this weekend.  i realized today that i haven't recently ever cleaned out my makeup bag.  ga-ross.  i still had eye shadow from high school in there.  on my wish list: a stick under eye concealer, some neutral eye shadows, a "fresh" daytime look that can be pulled together FAST as in, my baby is still occupied by her hands by the time i am finishing my mascara fast.  prior to this, i realized, yes i had become one of those moms that... wasn't keeping up on it.  come on bria pull it together.  time for spring cleaning to continue in all areas and a fresh look and maybe a new perfume!

2.  my family is together!  how sappy is this, but you guys, there is nothing like seeing a daddy interact with his daughter.  i can spend all day trying to make little a laugh and nothing, dad comes home takes one look at her and she cracks up like it's going out of style.  their love is comforting to me and i bask in it whenever possible.

3.  i did p90x yoga today... come on not the whole thing, it's an hr and a half.  but you guys i LOVED it. it definitely rivaled some of the best classes i have taken and i would love to get the chance to do the whole thing.  i plan on doing the other half of it sometime this weekend.

4.  chewkie's (nickname!) other bottom tooth has sprung through!  stop growing up so fast little girl!

5.  dog park opens this weekend, yes yes yes for time off the leash, running, being tired out, not being up in our business 24/7/365

currently

ya'll it's almost spring.  the reason i say almost and not "it's here" is because we currently have snow on the ground.  yes snow, and we had white out conditions yesterday.  of course today it's sunny and beautiful and the snow will probably all melt.... not that i'm complaining.  but it's a good day.

this little beauty cut her first tooth, and you guys... i am going to miss that gummy smile.  i let her know that if she wants to stop growing teeth and just stay gummy i would love her forever anyway.  also the tooth is SHARP, i am talking velociraptor sharp (sp on that dinosaur name??)  also the other day my aunt's asked me if she was teething yet and i said "i have no idea, i thought she was teething at 3 and a half months." seriously, first time parent for the win.  for some reason teething was something i was obsessed with... oooh her nap schedule was off today, she must be teething, oooh she wanted to nurse more often today, teething!  oooh she cried at bedtime... you guessed it teething! 
then the event actually happens and i am blind to it. 

and to celebrate i thought i would do a link up post.  they are fun and i like to document what the haps is currently.  i link up with ot and et and harvesting kale, thanks for sponsoring this!

watching: husband and i have started watching house of cards on netflix.  i really like kevin spacey and i think the show is good.  also it is taking us a long time to get through it because it is drama drama drama/talking talking talking so we can usually only watching one epi at a time.

craving: summer and sunshine.  i thrive in the heat.  100 degree days?  that's cool.  throw it my way.  it's coming though, i can feel it!

looking: halfheartedly for a place to live.  our lease is up somewhat soon (pretty soon) and we have no idea what we are going to do.  denial denial denial!

loving: i am always loving my family so i will also say i am loving the maxi skirt i got from groop dealz soooooooo comfy and i think i look instantly pulled together and it takes me less time to get dressed, win win win!

planning: some trips!  some to see family and some to see friends.  and by planning i mean i think about them, and being away from ohio and wishing they were here.

failure

you all, confession, i am s-c-a-r-e-d to fail, not just at big stuff, but small things too.  in fact, i have a dangerous tendency to not try at things i could fail at.  if i don't feel that i am capable of doing it perfectly the very first time, sometimes i will sit out or half ass an activity just so i can tell myself i didn't try.  it's the only child ohmygosh if i don't do everything right and one person critisizes me the world will end syndrome.

see i used to work outside of the home.  at a job i h-a-t-e-d.  i am talking come home in tears/fits hated. it was a company that didn't value it's employees and a stressful job.  but i was secure, i was good at it, i could quantify my value with my paycheck, and i wasn't failing.  when baby a came along, my husband kept telling me "we have bank money, take this time to figure out what you WANT to do, don't do something just to do it" and you all... i just didn't get it.  i played around with the idea of waiting tables (but as my husband says my spacial intelligence pretty much amounts to "i'm on earth"... yes i am that clumsy) and working nights would take me away when A could possibly need me most.  and working during the day just isn't an option for our family based on what we want.

during the holiday season, i started making headbands for my little one and my aunt suggested selling them.  so she hooked me up and i have accessories in one of her friends shop and i opened my own etsy shop... in january... and you all i have yet to sell one measly little hair band.  and it is scaring the shit out of me.  i am worried i won't make the money back i invested, won't be able to do something that i enjoy to make money.

but you all... as i sit here typing this... no joke - i am realizing how silly it is.  i didn't invest thousands, i can easily pick up a part time job if i have to. and i still have time... to edit my listings, promote my business.  and even if after this year, it never really takes off and i have sold two items, i can tell myself that i tried and that i tried hard.

i am a girl that follows the rules and it is so hard to push me out of my comfort zone.  my husband made fun of me because he let me try my hand at playing grand theft auto one day and no joke, i stopped at the red lights... he said "the cops don't even pull you over for that in this game."  but you all, life is short, way too short to sit at a job you hate for 40+ hours a week, way to short to spend time with someone who isn't good for you, and way too short to sit out and not try.  i am realizing this and i am trying.

outfit

remember when i said i ordered the jeggings in sky blue here?  apparently i didn't.  i ordered mint green... 25 and my memory is already failing.  anywaysssssssssssss.  here is an outfit i cooked up.  the sweater i have on is wrinkly from being at the bottom of my drawers...  awesome.  you all i am a little embarrassed to even put this up because let's be honest, i will not be a model ever or a fashion blogger (hello awkward poses and i did NOT do my hair) but i think this is a cute outfit and it is super comfortable for running around in.

i like the mint with the neutrals.  and the pop of blue is actually a teething necklace for my little one.  overall it says spring but i am still mostly covered up since it's actually still just in the 40's here.

sweater: gap years and years ago, i actually need to get a nice sweater to replace this as this one has seen it's last days.  it has been SO versatile though, lightly striped so it is interesting, cashmere blend so it is lightweight but heavy enough to be warm

t-shirt: victorias secret old

jeggings: ebay

shoes: toms

in other news, my little is 5 months old!  i have no idea how that happened.  

i've hesitated sharing pictures of her because of privacy concerns (one reason i deleted my facebook) and i will be watermarking every.single.one of hers because hello, she didn't asked to be put up on the internet.  but sometimes i want to share and she is a HUGE part of my life.  plus she is so dang cute... look at those CHEEKS ya'll.

in other news, it's friday, i've already completed my workout for the day and again, it's friday!  we are low keying it this weekend (is that shocking? it shouldn't be... we've been low keying it since pregnancy...) but i still love having the whole family together.  

and you guys... quick confession... i LOVE honey boo boo

catching up

(1) mastitis: i am pretty sure i had this last week.  picture 2:30 am, me wide awake in a hoodie, sweats, socks, under a heated blanket and comforter crying crying crying because of the physical pain and still being so cold.  this is the sickest i can remember being in my adult life.  it was with me for about 12 hours and then i got over it.  the lactation consultant said people usually don't get over it without antibiotics but i am pretty sure it was mastitis vs the flu since i got over it so quickly and had the flu shot and i have been dealing with plugged ducts recently (tmi?).  yuck yuck yuck.  i feel incredibly lucky because i did not have a rough start to breastfeeding at all but i'll tell you what... this was enough.

(2) ya'll.  confession, having a kid has been tough on my marriage.  after i got married i saw all these surveys/data that basically say "satisfaction in marriage declines after birth of child" - i don't want that to be me and i don't want that to be my marriage.  hubby and i are finding our groove as parents but it takes constant check in's and trying to remember big picture stuff.  last monday, he suggested "screenless monday" (well confession 2, i named it but he came up with the idea) basically we don't turn on the tv, we stay away from our phones/computer screens and just focus on talking to each other.  it was awesome.  it helps set the tone for the rest of the week and helps us connect on the first day that we spend away from each other after the weekend.

(3) it's been what like a year and a half since this cd came out?  i am STILL NOT SICK OF IT.  i LOVE IT SO MUCH and play this video constantly... i freaking LOVE those ballerinas in it.  i used to play this song on my ipod while i would do dishes/chores and j would inevitably make fun of me because i would always be belting it out loud, can'thelpit.

(4) i am attempting aforementioned road trip by myself tomorrow.  i need to see my friend but for reasons unforeseen it wasn't able to happen yesterday.  i am a little nervous but a lot excited.  all of my girlfriends have moved away in the past two years or so and it does a heart good to see them.

(5) nothing gives me as much satisfaction as deep cleaning.  when i was dating j and we would get in a fight i would always end up in his bedroom and then i'd be like "well... there's nothing to do in here... so i would clean his bathroom to relieve the stress.  i deep cleaned my kitchen today (no fight necessary) and girrrrrrrrrrrrl it does a soul good to have clean counter tops and a clean floor.

(6) i know it says it in the title... but the insanity workout is insane.  it goes so fast that i COULD NOT keep up, i mean half the time the trainers can't even keep up.  i might get to the point where it could be an effective work out for me on it's own but right now i think it is just going to be a tagalong to my extra workout as a quick calorie burner at the beginning.

baby is up from her nap... happy monday friends!