Questionnaire

I have been at a loss when it comes to blog posts lately. I thought I would do a fun little survey to mix things up and hopefully I can get the creative juices rolling soon. 

1. What brings you the greatest joy? Sweet Caroline smiles. My favorite time of the day is going into her room when she wakes up from her naps. She greets me with the biggest grin and sweet squeal. 

2. What are your vices? Spending far too much time on Facebook. A nightly craving for dessert.
 
3. What is on your nightstand? Right now we are sleeping in the guest bedroom so the only thing on the nighstand is my phone charger. 

4. Do you have a secret talent? Nope. I always wished that I could roll my tongue.

5. What is your greatest indulgence? Clothes. I love a nice dress that I can wear year after year. 

6. What should everyone try at least once in their life? Something that pushes them past their comfort zone. For me, that was running a marathon. 

{Rock N Roll Raleigh}

7. What makes you laugh? My husband, Caroline, a good GIF or TV sitcom. My recent netflix favorite has been 30 Rock. 

8. What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you? I have quite a large foot size for my 5'2" frame. Size 8.5

9. What is on your bucket list?  I checked off a lot over the past three years. Running a marathon, visiting the Mediterranean and becoming a mom. Next up, I would love to take Caroline to Disney World. I also have a dream of visiting Holland where my great grandparents lived.

{Cruise to Greece}

10. What is on your feet right now?  A blanket. 

11. How did you make your first dollar? I worked as a lifeguard for three years at a local pool.  

12. What superstition do you believe in? I don't believe any any superstitions. 

13. What items in your closet do you wear the most? My Lilly sundresses, I love how they make me feel dressed up in a second.

{Wishlist Worthy}

14. What is the best gift you’ve ever received? Engagement and wedding rings. Not sure if that's a gift but I'm counting it. Joe also got me a beautiful ring with Caroline's birthstone for Mother's Day. 

15. What is on your liquor shelf? We have a butlers pantry which I store all of our glasses and liquor. Right now it is fully stocked with a variety of spirits- St. Germain, Gentlemen Jack, Cointreau,    Lemonchello and several bottles of wine. 

16. What is on your kitchen counter? Boon grass drying rack, bottles, formula, fresh flowers and half a watermelon. 

17. What would you never leave home without? Keys, phone, mascara and lipgloss. My current favorite is Bene balm in Rose. 

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Caroline | Four Months

Here are a few little things about you from your fourth month:

Nicknames: Little Bit, Sweet Girl, Blueberry

Weight: 13 lbs

Height: 23 inches

Looks: Those bright blue eyes stare at the world around you so intensely. 

Personality: You are such a happy and easy going baby. You show sweet smiles to any new face you see. You love to laugh at your dad's funny faces. You make the funniest faces when you get upset- you scrunch your face and stick out your bottom lip. 

Eating: You eat 4 oz of breastmilk or formula every 3 hours during the day. At night, you wake up around 11:30, 2 and 5 for a bottle before immediately settling back down. 

Sleeping: We have transitioned you to the crib for naps and night time. It went well and you did not seem to mind one bit. Mom and Dad sleep upstairs in the guest bedroom to be closer to you. We also started laying you down awake instead of rocking you to sleep. You have slowly learned how to sooth yourself to sleep. 

Wearing: Filling out 3 month clothes. You are in size two diapers. 

Favorite Things: Still loving being on the go and taking in the world around you. You have learned to grab onto rattles and enjoy shaking and attempting to get it in your mouth. Hearing your voice while cooing and babbling make you smile so big. 

Least Favorite Things: You really love our routine and I can guarantee a meltdown when things go awry and nap time is skipped. 

Big things happening within your fourth month:
You learned to grab a rattle with both hands.

You visited the beach for the first time. 
Sweet girl you, rolled over several times from stomach to back. 

We celebrated Father's Day!
You received lots of love at our family reunion with Joe's family. 
Enjoyed local bands on our first Friday Night on White in Wake Forest. 

   

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Top Five Essential Newborn Baby Items

It happened so quickly, my sweet little one is no longer a newborn. These past three months have been amazing, exhausting, overwhelming and filled with more love than I can imagine. When it came to our baby registry I tried to be as minimal as possible. It was interesting to see what we actually had vs what we really needed. There have been a few items I have used over and over again these past few months. I would recommend these items in an instant to any parent to be.

Boppy Newborn Lounger- This pillow comes in handy for safely hanging with a newborn on the couch or the floor. It keeps them from rolling and provides a comfy space for baby to lay. It is machine washable which helps when it eventually gets covered in spit up or poop.

Baby Wrap- I never thought I would be much of a baby wearer. However, if you have a newborn that does not like to be put down at times this was a lifesaver. I would often wear Caroline when she became fussy during the evening "witching hour". I also wore her a lot when we first went out to prevent unwelcomed hands in the stroller. It is great have your hands free to do housework, go on walks or enjoy dinner out. I loved my wrap so much in the first few weeks that I actually have two of them. The Happy Wrap is my favorite for summer as it is lightweight and much more breathable than a thick cotton wrap.

Rock n Play Sleeper - This one impulse purchase after a long night of no sleep changed Caroline's sleep during the first month. When we brought Caroline home she was so restless in her bassinet and would wake easily. Many nights she would end up sleeping in my arms. One day during that first week home we picked this up praying it would help her get a good night's sleep. Well, it is not a miracle worker but it did help us go from one hour stretches to three hour stretches at night.

Sound Machine- Most baby books recommend white noise to help sooth a baby to sleep. I could not agree more. We use this for naps and bedtime. It helps calm her down when she gets upset and drowns out noise that may startle her awake.

Halo Sleep Sack Swaddle- These convertible sleep swaddles have been a lifesaver. The velcro keeps her arms snug and secure and muffles the startle reflex. We have been swaddling Caroline before bed until last week when we transitioned her to the crib.


Other Favorites- A honorable mention goes to these three phone apps: The Wonder Weeks, Sound Sleeper and Baby Nursing. Wonder Weeks lists developmental milestones based on due date and describes what to expect for each developmental leap. Sound Sleeper is the perfect white noise on the go. We use the fan setting for when she gets upset and it helps distract her just enough to calm down. Baby Nursing is a tracking app for feedings, diaper changes and sleep. I started using this in the hospital when the doctors come in to ask how often she eats or needs a diaper change. I continued to use this app when we got home to monitor her growth and keep up with my pumping schedule.

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Friday Five

Fridays are always my favorite. Being home with Caroline the days tend to blur together. However, Friday signifies two jam packed days spent enjoying time as a family of three. Nothing makes me more happy than seeing Joe play and love on Caroline.  Since it is Friday, I am sharing five favorite things from this week. 

{One} Newborn Essentials. Feel like this blog is becoming baby centered? Well honestly, it is! This little space is a refection of my life and right now it is all about my sweet baby girl. We have officially passed the newborn phase and I thought it was time to share the essentials that got us through these past three months. I'm looking forward to sharing them with you next week!  This white noise app is one of the most used on my phone. 

{Two} Currently Munching. This Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad is delicious. It is the perfect summer, on the go snack. I make them in single serving portions and can grab one when I have a free moment. I have made a few tweaks which I'll share next week. 

{Three} New Sneaks. Since returning to exercise I quickly realized that my tennis shoes have seen better days. I put way too many miles on my sneakers with countless miles training for a marathon as well as several half marathons. I don't plan on running any marathons anytime soon so I wanted to get a fun but still functional pair of shoes. I have always loved Nikes but they were not great for my running needs. So I took a chance and gave Nike Free Run Distance a try. They are so much lighter than typical running shoes but still have some padding so you don't feel like your running barefoot. 

{Four} Shopping List. I have been spending way too much time trying to figutre out what to do with this post baby body on the beach. I have a one piece but it doesn't fit quite right. I think a tankini may be a good fit but don't want to look like an middle aged mom. Of course all the swimsuits I love are $100+ dollars and we are on a one person salary. Does anyone have a favorite swim suit to share? 

via Anthro

{Five} Produce Delivery. I am so excited to start getting fresh fruits and veggies delivered to our door. The produce box is a local company that works with vendors to deliver seasonal produce to you each month. Having fresh produce on hand will force me to get creative with our meal plans!

Produce Box

  

Linking up with Clare, Karli, Amanda & April .

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