Baby Bear's Porridge

3 months post baby and we have found our pocket, our gravy, our BABY BEAR'S PORRIDGE. We are feeling good about things these days. So much happened so fast with be stopping work, Aar getting new job, leaving LA, saying goodbye to dear friends, making new friends, new ward new place, oh and throw in there a BABY!!! It was a lot to take in and 3 months later we are in our groove and it feels great. I am cooking, cleaning, studying, serving in the church, playing, going out on my own, taking Viv with me, traveling etc.

Oh and sleeping....I keep telling myself to knock on wood because all in all Vivian is pretty amazing. I mean no doubt we would love her all the same no matter what but the fact that by 3 months she was and is sleeping 12 hours at night makes her even more of a dream.

I don't know how we got so lucky. We keep waiting for a sickness, teething, or just something to happen to rock our boat. But in the meantime we will enjoy our sleep and rest. I am sure this will all change tonight now that I am feeling it is set, but it is ok because honestly I actually miss Vivian while she sleeps that long. I have even been known to walk into her room during the night just to see her or kiss her or hold her in her sleep. I will cherish those times I spend with my babe in the night when they happen...I loved them when she was first born and will continue to love them in the future.

We are so happy to be in this pocket right now...we are just taking it all in. I think I may squeeze Vivian so hard sometimes...I have to be careful. I love her so much and she is 100% chunk. Already has almost DOUBLED her birthweight and she is not even 4 months yet!!!

I am pretty certain that a baby who is putting on weight is a healthy happy baby. Babies brains need fat to develop, their bodies need nourishment to thrive and grow. I gotta say every time I look at her chunkiness I give myself an AIR HIGH FIVE as it is all momma here giving her her LBS.



She does have reflux which we hear can me super miserable for many which results in babies screaming non stop and no sleep. Thankfully I got right on it as soon as I knew something was up. She always spit up a ton since day 1 and at 2 months all of a sudden my baby who did not cry let out the craziest scream you have ever heard. She turned bright red and just screamed, not a cry. I picked her up and within seconds she spit up the most nasty acid like stuff ever. So I waited a couple days thinking maybe it was a fluke. But it would still happen everyday at least 1x. Always happened during a nap. Of course friends would say "oh let her cry it out", "it's just her sleep cycle, you don't want to rescue her too soon." Blah Blah Blah crap. I know my baby and I knew it was something. So I called the dr and sure enough it was reflux. She had been silently refluxing for the first 2 months then all of a sudden something changed and she started to experience pain. So the doc got her on meds ASAP with the instructions to keep her upright for 30 minutes after eating. So we did just that and things got better. She was still sleeping all night but during the day it would bother her. So off dairy I went, which then turned into off wheat, soy, eggs, caffeine, chocolate plus no dairy. He switched her meds and voila!!! We are working on trying to taper her med down so we will see how it goes in the next few weeks.

She still gets uneasy when she has a burp or needs to spit up and can't get it out by herself but the scream is no longer thankfully and she is not in pain. Just some grunts.

I am so happy I trusted my instincts and that I did not fall into the trap of sticking a binky in her mouth to shut her up or letting her just cry it out. I knew something was up. I love the fact that I know my baby better than anyone or any book out there. I take pride in being good at what I do and while I do know that there will be moments when I feel like I am not doing a good job or when by kids are doing naughty things I may doubt my efforts I am enjoying that for right now I am feeling confident in my abilities to care for the lil babe that she is now. . . . . (to be continued right? my next post could just easily be the complete opposite, and I promise you when I am feeling not so great I will let you know too, cause who likes someone who feels they have it under control all the time?)

I do think what has helped us get into the pocket we are in right now is me trusting my instincts and doing what is right for us and for our baby. A mother is blessed with intuition and I am certain intuition will always beat out any theory or opinion!!!

Practicing sitting up with dad

First time to Disneyland!!!

Oh and did you hear I have 2 new cousins...that's right 2!!!
I look like I am about to stomp on them but I assure I love them and will be super nice to them. I am pretty sure we are going to be the new 3 musketeers!!! Think if mom holds me back a year we could even all go to school together and beat up all the other kids together. OK we wouldn't beat them up but we sure would be a force to be reckoned with.

8 year celebration

Aaron and I love to celebrate things, ok maybe I love to celebrate things and Aaron has since adopted my way of things. We love any excuse to celebrate, our wedding anniversary is no different. We have tried to celebrate by going to San Francisco. It is I think one of my most favorite family traditions. Last year we went to Hawaii, so I guess I am open for new places, however there is something about going to San Fran that is just the best. I think I am going to have to insist that we continue this tradition!!! We hit up all our favorite places and revisit memories, make new ones and even go to new places. This year was the best because it was just like old times except for this time we had Vivian.

We drove there, left at 4 am Thursday. Vivian was amazing and didn't wake up until 8 (just like clockwork that little one I tell you what). So we fed her and let her stretch her legs a bit at an amazingly classy rest stop (ok that is an overstatement, is there such thing as a classy rest stop? This one was even offering massages, I will let your imagination finish the rest it offered.) We then stopped in Lafayette on the way in to hit up Bo's BBQ. Aaron's most favorite. It did not disappoint at all. We even got a special visit from Bo himself and he gave Aaron one of his nicest cigars to celebrate our little Viv (don't worry it was soon after thrown away without Bo knowing, couldn't really say no to Bo.)




We then got back on the road and made it to SF just in time to miss a 4.1 earthquake...we were in the car at the time so we didn't even feel it, probably driving down Lombard street at that moment. We got unpacked and then made our way to the Ferry Building. The best place ever. Even when it is not the farmers market it is the best. There are little shops of FOOD...ALL FOOD. So amazing.




That night we turned in early to get ready for our big weekend.

Friday we got up and headed to IKE'S to pick up our sandwiches...one word AMAZING!!! Then kept on our way to head down to Half Moon Bay. We went to Farmer John's Pumpkin Patch and it was super cute. A real farm with the real man himself there.






We then drove to Maverick's to check out the spot where all the great big wave surfers have been. I hit the jackpot that day cause on our way to Maverick's I got mixed up in the side streets and ran a stop sign. We got pulled over. Don't you worry I couldn't find my license and our registration was up in September. I was such a mess rummaging through all of our stuff trying to find our info that I think the police officer felt bad so he let us off. Not one ticket. The stop sign ticket alone was $400!!! Then on top of that the driving without a license (left on table in the apartment). Yikes that would have been a hefty price tag to deal with that ticket.

So off to Maverick's we went and walked on the beach. I of course looked for treasure and found some great shells for Vivian. Another tradition is I always collect a couple shells from every beach we go to. I have a pretty awesome collection!!!




We then headed back through Pacifica (the coolest town on the coast EVER) and hit up Golden Gate Park. We strolled around the park while Viv took another not so shabby of a view nap then we went to the Academy of Sciences. Yup we are big kiddos at heart and loved every minute of it. We had been before but couldn't pass up going again and of course had to start Vivian young at her education.





This is what Viv had to say at the end of the day. Aaron and I were just talking on the bed and next thing we know Viv is passed out. So we let her take a cat nap for 15 minutes before we bathed and put to sleep. Stinkin cute right?



Saturday started off with a morning at the Farmer's Market at the Ferry Building. The most amazing Farmer's Market ever. Ok so I love SLC market and always compare every FM to that one, but this one is even better I dare say. It is HUGE. Goes all around the Ferry Building, behind it and it is right on the water. There were tons of U fans everywhere and I made a point to yell "GO UTES" to everyone I saw wearing U gear.




It was then off to the U game for us. Aar had to head down early to pick up our new tickets (yup left ours at home so stub hub credited back the money to us and we got even better tickets at more than half the price, will use STUB HUB again in the future after this incident for sure). Vivian and I headed off to the game walking along the piers all the way to ATT park (Where the Giants play). We met up with dad and got ready to cheer for our Utes. They were sad that day, awful in fact and we were sad that Viv saw them playing so poorly. But we had a great time and it was fun being at the park with Viv!!!



We ended the night by walking home along the piers once again that were all lit up and enjoyed the view of the Bay Bridge at night. While we walked Aaron and I held hands and pushed the stroller while we discussed how fortunate we are and how happy we are to have Viv in our lives and how much we love our family!!! It was a great moment for sure.

Sunday 5 am we headed home back to our doggies who were in great care with our friends the Hunt's and the Raver's.

It was the perfect weekend and having Aaron all to ourselves all weekend was amazing. It made me so excited for future vacations as a family.

10 fingers ... the simple Joys

Thought it would be good to start the week off right by listing 10 simple joys in my life in honor of Vivian's hands finding each other last week. A simple, yet AMAZING, thing for a baby to discover. She often will fall asleep holding her hands or rubbing them together. It is so stinkin sweet!!!

10 Simple Joys in no particular order

1. Coconut Milk products
In my quest to be off dairy, soy, nuts, wheat, eggs, caffeine and chocolate I am DYING for food. Coconut milk is helping it not be so hard. Don't be fooled it is TOUGH, have you ever noticed how much soy is in all that we eat? Anyway coconut milk and coconut milk ice cream is amazing and starts my day off right with an awesome coconut milk and fruit smoothie and ends my day right with a few spoonfuls of ice cream. It is no secret how much I LOVE good food and this diet restriction for my lil one is killing me!!!

2. Having the blessing and opportunity to be home with Vivian
While not what I would totally classify as "simple" it is a joy that I can't stop being happy about. If I were working my maternity leave would be over and I would be returning to work and leaving my lil one. While I can't wait to get back to work at the right time I am so extremely happy to have the opportunity to be home with her everyday. It is a tough job of course that is demanding and tiring some days, but is AMAZING in everyway. I know my girl as good as one can know anything and it is so gratifying to know that I can be with her and that Aaron has been blessed with a job that can take care of our family without stressing me to get back to work and bring home some bacon.

3. Hearing Vivian breathe
I love when I can hear her heavy breathing in her sleep. It is so sweet and assures me she is off in dreamland peacefully.

4. Getting ready ready.
Like a shave, hair done, make up and all!!! Feels so great...a bubble bath is not too bad either.

5. Pull through parking spot
This one never gets old and we love when we get one. We always think of gpa Steenblik as he liked pull through parking spots too.

6. People ooing and awing at Vivian
This one I am betting will never get old. I love it!!! Our neighbor at least once a day totally oos at her when we are outside and is so cute. All the girls in Young Women's love her too. They come up to her and smile at her and just get so excited to see her and of course say how cute she is, which they aren't lying.

7. Instagram
New favorite obsession. I like way more than facebook and blogging. I really am a visual person so it is perfect for me and I love to see the adventures of others!!! Not on it? Get on it NOW. Then of course tell me so I can follow you.

8. Serving in our church
Not that this would surprise anyone but really I love serving in the church. I love being a part of ward, integrated and all. I love working with others and being busy. I have always found serving in the church is so great. While it can easily feel sometimes like an obligation I have found when we look at it as an opportunity and a joy our attitude changes dramatically. It is so great to be back in Young Women's, while of course I wouldn't say no to any calling, YW is my most favorite. I also feel that when we serve in the church our connections to our ward family increase and it really becomes a genuine family of people who you care for and who in return care for you.

9. Netflix
I love jumping in bed when Vivian is asleep and turning on our computer and getting our show (FNL right now) cued and cuddling and watching it together. I am now understanding why people get into shows when they have a baby...if baby goes to bed around 8 then that leaves a few hours in the evening to play at home.

10. Foggy mornings and nights
I love when the marine fog rolls in. It is so cozy and comfy. It makes me so happy. I love taking Viv on a walk when it is foggy. We snuggle our bodies so close in the Ergo Baby (that could be a post of itself, don't have it get it, it will change your world with a kiddo) and just stroll to the beach, along the beach or harbor and it is the best!

Happy Monday and don't forget to recognize your joys!!!