Category Archives: Lila

Lila’s Newborn Photos

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When Lila was just a few days old, we welcomed local photographer Melanie Underwood to our home to take Lila’s newborn photos. My goal was to get mainly candid photos that showed how life was like for our family of three, so we decided to make the shoot super casual in our bedroom and Lila’s nursery.

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We also wanted to get a holiday-themed portrait of Lila to use in a birth announcement/Christmas card.

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I love how the images turned out so much that for her birth announcement we had to go with a design that allowed multiple photos because we just couldn’t choose. Thank you Melanie for capturing our baby’s first days!

The Guessing Game

Posted in Kids, Lila, Liz's Life by

Since I’ve been home full-time with Lila, it seems my days have become filled with playing a constant guessing game. I still haven’t quite figured this girl out and find myself wondering what it is she needs from me.

Every day seems to be different no matter how hard I try to get us into some semblance of a routine. And her needs change hour to hour.

Take napping for example. Sometimes she wants to sleep on her own in her crib. Sometimes she wants me to hold her. Sometimes she needs to be rocked. Sometimes she likes a swaddle. Sometimes she wants to stretch her arms and legs out. Gah!

Good thing she’s so cute when she is asleep.

I’m trying to follow advice I’ve gotten from other moms to settle into an eat, play, sleep routine so Lila doesn’t rely on nursing to fall asleep. She’s been eating about every 2.5 – 3 hours during the day and every 3.5 – 4 hours at night. This is supposed to help regulate her sleeping at night, but that is yet to be seen. I think she’s still a little too young.

Our “routine” went extra haywire the past few days though. Suddenly she started eating constantly and hardly sleeping. This morning for example, she only went 1 hour and 15 minutes between feedings and napped for just 20 minutes before waking up rooting again.

I was starting to lose my mind a little when I thought – maybe she’s having her three week growth spurt? Right when I was convinced that was what was happening, Lila decided to nap for a solid two hours. Sigh.

It’s stressful to feel like I may be reading her signals the wrong way and not giving her what she needs. Of course I want to do what’s best for her while also setting us up for more sleep as soon as possible. I suppose it’s a little ridiculous for me to expect a 3.5 week old baby to have any sort of regularity.

We’ll figure this out soon enough I’m sure. Until we do I guess I’ll just trust my gut and follow Lila’s lead, while reminding myself that if 16 year olds can do it, I can do it. Thanks MTV! :)

First Day As a Full-Time Mommy

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Today is a big day. It’s the first day I am completely alone with Lila. Up until now, we’ve had a mix of family staying with us to help. But my mom left this morning after 2.5 weeks, Luke is back to work and I am Lila’s sole caregiver.

After a quick cry when my mom left this morning, I put on my big girl pants and got down to business. Here’s how our day has gone so far from 7:00 am – 11:30 am:

– Feed, burp and diaper change

– Awake play time singing songs

– Clean spit up off couch

– Down for a nap

– Make myself three eggs and coffee

– Soothe Lila back to sleep in the rocking chair

– Try to nap on the couch while Lila sleeps

– Feed, burp and change diaper

– Tummy time

– Change diaper again

– Clean spit up, gather baby laundry

– Down for nap in her crib

– Start laundry

– Eat a snack and sit down to blog while Lila dozes

Phew! Lots of day packed into just four hours. And notice how “shower and get dressed for the day” is not on that list. lol.

Any notion that I had about maternity leave being “a break” has quickly been forgotten. This is going to be a lot of work, but so worth it. I mean, come on, look at what I get to see at this very moment.

This whole stay at home bit is going to be an adjustment for the next couple months. I am used to being in a vibrant office setting with a lot of social interaction. It’s going to be important that I settle into a routine and keep my schedule full.

Thankfully, I found and joined a mom’s group here in town and have already met a lot of other new moms to get together with. And we’ve started reaching back out to our friends in town to have them come over and meet Lila. My goal is to have at least two social events scheduled for each week while also trying to get out every day for a walk or to run an errand.

Oh, and I should probably try to get out of my pajamas by 1pm every day, right? :)

I’m curious, how have you other moms adjusted to being home alone with a baby all day? Any advice for me?

Mom, Thank you a million times over for putting your life on hold the past two and a half weeks to be here with us. I will never forget the time you spent here with little Lila. You are the best Mimi any child could ask for! 

 

Dear Lila – You’re Two Weeks!

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Dear Lila,

Can you believe your first two weeks of life have come and gone? Today we took you to the doctor for your two week check up and you gained ANOTHER 10 ounces – 20 total since leaving the hospital. I was so proud of how well you’re doing. The doctor said I must be making “milk of gold.”

It’s hard to fathom how much our life has already changed since you’ve joined us. I can hardly even remember what our life was like before you. I know it involved more sleep, but otherwise it was void of all the joy you bring to us every day. You really have weaved yourself into every inch of our lives in such a short period of time, and it has been the most wonderful change I could have imagined.

Mimi is here helping take care of you while I recover and every day she marvels at what a good baby you are. You are very chill. Not much crying or fussing. Lots of nursing and sleeping. And lots of funny faces that make us all giggle.

You have had three baths so far and have enjoyed them all immensely. It’s the drying off part you could do without. You are quite a loud baby – lots of snorting, grunting and sighing. You like laying on your side best, but tolerate tummy time and back laying time really well. You LOVE to show off your sucking reflex and have already found your thumb.

Basically you are just so easy to love.

It melts my heart to see your daddy with you. Before you were born, he was a little nervous about having a girl. Just because he was worried he wouldn’t be “sensitive” enough to relate to a girl. I knew better though. He’s already putty in your hand! He loves to give you kisses, snooze with you on his chest and attend to your every whim. In fact, just a few days after you were born, he turned to me and said “I think I changed my mind. I want all girls now. She’s just sooo sweet.”

I can’t blame him though. I am totally smitten with you too. My favorite time is snuggling you after you get done nursing. You have such a funny face on and are in a total milk coma. Although breastfeeding is time consuming and at times uncomfortable, I am happy that I am the only one who can help you grow and thrive in that way.

The only really hard part about this whole newborn period is the realization that you won’t be my little baby for long. We were at a party last night for the mom’s group here in Incline Village and next to me was a three month old baby boy. He looked SO big next to you and my heart broke in half thinking about how quickly you’re going to grow and change this year.

Of course I am so excited to watch you get bigger, to see your first gummy smile and help you develop, but I will miss this period when you need me so much and are so tiny and snuggly. But I guess time is both a friend and foe. One thing I know motherhood will teach me is how to truly savor each moment.

So, that’s exactly what I’ll be doing tonight. Snuggling you close to me, taking lots of photos and reflecting on how blessed I am to be your mommy.

Love,

Me