Noelle's Second Month

Friday, December 28, 2012

It turns out, it's extremely hard to take care of an infant, work full-time from home, manage a dog, and blog all in one day. So, I will apologize for this two month update being almost two weeks late! Before I know it, I'll be here again writing about Noelle's third month.
Making faces, and waiting for daddy to get home.

Noelle grew like a weed in her second month. From 7 lbs 13 oz at her one month check up, she weighed in at 10 lbs just one month later! She also got a few inches taller. Noelle's eyes opened up more, and she really started discovering her hands. We did get a few "what is your son's name?" so I purchased some headbands to make it more obvious that she is a girl. (Apparently the pink clothing isn't enough!)

SO BIG!
Play time!
"Mom, it's kinda cold out here.
Isn't this dog ready to go inside yet?"

Noelle celebrated her first Thanksgiving, and was in a turkey coma almost the whole time. I guess just the smell of the turkey can make you drowsy too!

Taking a Thanksgiving nap.
It was a great month, as you can see, and I can't wait to update everyone on the third month. Noelle changes a little bit every day. The New Year surely has great things in store for us!




Happy New Year to you!



Less Stress in the New Year

Thursday, December 20, 2012

So, I came across this post at the Thought Catalog today, and thought it was perfect as we approach the New Year. I'm not so much for resolutions, and this blog seemed perfect for anyone out there who is like me.

25 Ways To Make Your Life Better Immediately

I can think of a time in my life for almost each of these points, and had I known, or had the courage to just fix it, or change, I certainly would have been "better" immediately!

{Not} Wednesday Wisdom

Monday, December 10, 2012

On this chilly morning, as I prepare to go into the office for the first time in eight weeks (although it is only for two hours), I couldn't have said it better myself!

Mom's Must Haves

Thursday, December 6, 2012

I'll admit it, I've been very bad at making time to write lately. Noelle has stolen my full attention recently as she's been going through a bit of a growth spurt, and our routine is just now getting back on track! She even slept a full 6 consecutive hours last night. Mommy and daddy thank you, baby girl.

Before we had Noelle I talked to a lot of mom friends to get recommendations of must have, and don't waste your time items. Now that I've had almost two full months to really break in and use everything, I thought I'd share my must haves for any other moms and future moms out there.

My (almost) favorite item we have is the Ergobaby carrier. The Ergobaby makes my life so much easier every day, and thank God Noelle loves it. Since I've been home, I'm trying to give the Halas two good walks a day. At first I thought I'd try to use the stroller for walks, but all that gear, plus a dog just would not work! Even if you don't have a dog at home to walk, and are just looking for a good carrier, I highly recommend one from Ergobaby.
Noelle one week old and still using the infant insert. Yes, there is a baby in there.
When working on our registries I found there is an overwhelming variation of swings and bouncers out there. The Graco 2 in 1 Swing/Bouncer was recommended to me and I am so glad that I took that piece of advice. I love it because I can take the chair off of the "swing" and turn it into a bouncy seat. This allows me to cook, do dishes, and most importantly shower, without waiting for a possible long nap or until the hubs gets home. Noelle can come with me in her seat and be perfectly happy. If you're going to be home without help I would definitely tell you to snag yourself one of these. 

Noelle six weeks old napping in her swing in the kitchen while mom does dishes.
Those are the two items that make my life much easier. Other items that I love are pjs that snap, not zip (though dad loves zippers), body suits (instead of pants and a onesie), swaddle blankets, and my Timi & Leslie diaper bag that I won. It's a favorite because it looks like a purse, not a diaper bag, so when I don't need a ton of stuff, it not only holds Noelle's must haves and it looks fashionable!

Noelle will be two months by the end of next week, and I start work (from home thankfully) on Monday. These eight weeks have really flown by. I'm sad that the time has passed so quickly, but happy because the more Noelle grows, the more sleep we get - yay!

With her two month birthday, and Christmas coming up, I'll be sure to post more about these milestones.

Update 3.5.2013
Update 5.1.2013