I Phone 4

So I finally gave in to the Iphone madness. When they first came out, I refused getting one. I claimed that my blackberry was just fine. Thankyouverymuch! Well when I went to the beach in May with my mom and sister, I forgot my phone charger and my blackberry sat dead as a doornail for 3 days. If I wanted to use the phone, I had to use one of their Iphones... well after that weekend... I was HOOKED. Brad got me the new Iphone 4 for my birthday and so far I really like it. I especially like playing words with friends... actually I'm kind of obsessed.

Now I am in the market to make it pretty and protect it, because there will come a day when I drop it on the pavement... I just know it... it will happen... I'm a klutz. Since I am obsessed with houndstooth, I think this is the case I will be getting. Hopefully no one confuses me for an Alabama fan though!

So Long Breast Feeding

As of Saturday, we are officially done with BF. Am I sad? A little... Is it nice to wear anything I want and not have to worry about yanking my boob out? You betcha!

For those that have traveled this road, how long did it take for your ladies to return to normal? If ever? Mine arent bad, but they arent glorious either.

A few things I am already over with formula feeding... getting up at 5 am to make bottles is a pain. Its so much easier when the milk is readily available! Also formula is expensive. I am cheap and use the costco brand and that is still 10$ a week. But I cant complain, my baby is happy and growing like a weed now!

4 Months!

I cant believe Keating is already 4 months old! This month he has learned so many new things! He has cracked himself (and us) up, he can roll over front to back and back to front, he can put weight on his feet and stand up when you hold him. He has gotten better at entertaining himself, which is great for me because I dont have to constantly hold him and keep him occupied.

Right at 4 months he hit the 4 month wakeful... which is NOT FUN! He went from sleeping through the night to waking up multiple times. We are trying really hard to keep him in routine so that when this phase is over he goes back to his old sleep pattern. I am really missing my beauty sleep!

Keating had his 4 month Dr's appointment yesterday. He has gained nearly two pounds in the last month and over 2 inches. I guess he is catching up! He is weighing in at 13lbs 13oz and measuring at 25 inches. He was a great patient this time, except for puking on the Dr and peeing all over the table. Whoops!

It is hard to believe that he has gone from this little peanut
To this big guy!

Hair help?

Friends, Im having some hair trouble. Last summer my hair looked like this... it is my natural hair color that my hair stylist added a glaze with a tiny bit of blond hair color to lighten it up. I loved it and it blended so naturally without showing roots.

She mentioned that I could go a little darker for winter the same way. Well I was itching for change and went for it. I loved the richer color! The brown faded out a bit and I figured for summer it would be great to go back to Exhibit A above. Except it didnt work.

After two attempts with two different stylist, I am left being a red head. My original stylist was booked up so I saw someone new & she took it upon herself to "warm" my hair up a bit. "Warming" my hair = red. I am not happy. I love red hair, just not on myself.

So this is where yall come in. Should I go back brown so that I am not a red headed mess or is there something that I can use to take the red out? Suggestions please!!!!

"You Say Its Your Birthday?"

"Its my birthday too!!!"

This year I actually feel older! I'm thinking its the whole kid thing? :) Its hard to believe that 10 years ago I was celebrating my sweet 16. Wow, where does time go!? I don't think that I ever really imagined how my life would be at 26. I know I thought about how I hoped my life would turn out, but I can honestly say that I couldn't have planned it better. I have never felt so loved and fulfilled.

I would never trade this season of my life for anything in the world. I dont know what I did before I got to see this precious face every day!?We dont really have anything special planned since we just got back in town. I just want to hang out with my two handsome men!

I hope everyone has a great day!

SH*T People Say

Last night while watching the movie Role Models (Which was just okay) with B, I came to a realization. Why do these movies feel like they have to use such vulgar language to be funny?? I think Knocked Up and The Hangover are hilarious, but I dont have to hear "Mother F-er" to crack up. It actually starts getting quite repetitive.

Now, I'm not a sensitive person and I dont always have my "earmuffs" on, but seriously its pretty ridiculous! That much cussing just makes people sound ignorant. I want to give them a thesaurus so that they can learn a few new words.

Am I the only one that this bothers??

A week in photos

Last week we spent a few days in Hilton Head with our family. The beach was nice, but taking a baby is hard work! Keating preferred the pool to the beach because it as SO hot. When we got back into town we had to get the house ready for family come into town for my cousin's wedding. So things have been pretty hectic! Here are a few pictures from the last week.



Looking cool in his camo hat

He LOVES Reece

Our only family picture from the whole trip. I'm really bad at getting family photos!

He's a mama's boy!
Tuckered out after a long day at the beach
So humid and sticky!
People say Keating looks just like his dad... I dont know where they get that idea from!
Kicking it in his swing
First time putting his toes in the ocean

Blue and his Shonnie

Sassy pants Reece

My sister and me at our cousin's wedding. (Yes, my hair is red now.... no it isnt supposed to be)

Passed out with his Great Aunt and Great Great Aunt

Rockin' the spin pins, it was SO HOT!

Getting some lovin' from auntie

Keating and GPaw

This week we have lots of fun stuff going on... most of all MY BIRTHDAY!!!!! =)

One Year Ago Today!

I saw two pink lines. Brad thought tests were supposed to look like that, even if you weren't pregnant... I bought a digital to prove it to him. Sure enough PREGNANT!
From that day I was changed. I felt different... it wasn't just me anymore, I had company!
We immediately told our families while we were on vacation.

They were shocked to say the least!
We were thrilled!


9 months later we had a beautiful baby boy!
I cant believe how fast he has grown! Look at my 4 month old little Georgia fan!



Such a happy boy now! Its SOOOOO nice!!!!

A year ago when I was sitting on the beach, it never even crossed my mind that I would be coming back this year with a baby! Life is sweet and God is good!

Chaos and Clutter

So I admit it, I'm not the cleanest of people. Growing up I was the teenager who's floor was covered in clothes and I "knew right where everything was." Well, fast forward 10 years and I'm still fighting my messy tendencies. The first year we were married our house stayed spic and span for one reason... we were trying to sell it and I cleaned it CONSTANTLY! Once Keating was born we took it off of the market and the cleanliness has gone down the drain.

Please dont judge me as being a slob. I pick up after myself, obsessively clean my shower with the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, and constantly throw junk away... But as much as I dust, it comes back within hours. We have a crazy amount of dust for some reason. No matter how long or often I scrub our shower, there is pink soap scum in the grout, And the clutter.... WHERE DOES ALL THE CLUTTER COME FROM????? It has gotten worse with the baby stuff. Diapers, wipes, random toys, play mats, TWO swings (yes my kid NEEDS two because he is high maintenance!)

My question to you is....What do you do with it all? How do you keep your house clean and organized? What products do you love? Help me!!!

The spin pin....review

I found these at Target yesterday and I already love them!!! I wear my hair put up with bobby pins a lot because I'm pretty lazy when it comes to fixing my hair. These are SO MUCH EASIER than bobby pins.

The package comes with two spin pins, I saw them in blond and brunette and I got the blond shown above. You pull your hair back to the nape of your neck and twist it into a bun. Then take one spin pin and spin it into the bun clock-wise. Take the other pin and spin it in from the opposite side of the bun. Voila! That easy!

I have no idea how it works or why it holds your hair in... but it does and I love them! You can also do a low bun or a side bun to change it up a bit.

..... I have no crafty title.....

Has anyone tried these? I think they would be perfect for lazy summer hair. I'm going to track them down today and try them out!

Am I the only one that wants to see the Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud? Anybody? Anybody? Bueler? Mrs. Foreste?? =)

Maybe its just me, or maybe I have a school girl crush on Zac Efron (not maybe, most definitely)... Either way, he makes a seemingly somewhat depressing movie, look good. Look REALLY good!
Speaking of looking good... anyone else ready for a little Eclipse action? I know I am!
I'm also ready to be hanging out on the beach! This week I will be trying to get our family packed and ready to head out. It takes a LOT of work to pack for myself and a baby. I think some women are just able to do this naturally... I am lucky to remember my own tooth brush much less everything that Keating needs! Hence why I am packing early! Plus, when your baby is getting food other than a boob, it requires way more planning. Hats off to you formula mamas, there is so much prep work and cleaning that is involved with formula.
For a little weekend recap... Friday we had a little cook out with my parents. Saturday we went out to the Virginia Highlands for a festival. It was SO hot! Sunday we went up to the mountains to look at a prospective wedding location for my sister. (I think we may have a winner) Keating ate lots, and cried very little! It was so nice and peaceful having a laughing happy baby! He also hit 16 weeks on Saturday! Where has time gone!? He is getting so big!

Thanks for all of your nice comments! I'm glad that no one told me I was stupid! I guess that's the learning curve with a new baby? I should have listened to my initial instinct when he was a month old, instead of letting his Dr. talk me out of my opinions.

What does everyone else have on tap this week?

Got Milk? I'm an idiot... really!

I'm running low... well not really. I have milk, but it isnt flowing out at the speed of a super soaker like Keating wants it to... apparently. He gets restless, starts kicking, flailing his arms, screaming. (Im sorry if I bore you with talks of his screaming... hopefully the end is in sight)

Brad's wise aunt made the suggestion "maybe he is still hungry?" Well I had thought that myself, but I figured he is gaining weight and he stops eating when he gets enough. I talked to the Dr. about it, she assured me he was getting plenty.

QUITE the opposite actually!

Yesterday I began an experiment. I decided to nurse, and then when he acted frustrated or done, I would have a bottle to give him. Well by golly, he gulped it down. I did it at the next feeding, and the next... same deal. This pattern continued throughout the day and I began again today.

Today, I decided "lets add in a little cereal and see how he likes that". MILK DRUNK! He hasnt gotten milk drunk since he was a wee little 6lb baby fresh from the hospital. For those of you that dont know what milk drunk is... its where he eats so much that he just stops, and stares off into space. Totally full, about to bust, but oh so content!

Yall, I think my pissy kid is just HUNGRY! I was feeding him every three hours or whenever he acted "hungry" but for a kid that screams so much, we didnt know he was STILL hungry. Brad would say "Is he hungry?" and I'd usually snap back annoyed "HE JUST ATE!" But now I know that he wants more than what he is getting from me.

I may regret saying this, but he hasnt even had a meltdown since I started feeding him more. Now, I know Im probably going to get flack for giving him cereal already. He is 16 weeks on Saturday, which in my opinion is 4 months... right? I honestly dont even care, say what you want. If you came into my house and heard this kid wail, I'm pretty confident you would be shoveling cereal in his mouth too!

I still want to try to keep breast feeding, but it is getting harder because each time his frustration increases. I am pumping to keep up with his demand and he is getting a little formula in there too. Since we are getting so close to really starting solid foods I think I can hang on a little while longer. I said I'd go 6 months in the beginning, and I'm going to do it one way or the other.

I'm losing my hair... and my mind!

Has this happened to yall? My hair is falling out EVERYWHERE! I seriously need a furminator... just for myself! Poor Brad has to deal with my hair clogging the shower drain and everywhere else. On top of that, for some reason its making my head itch like crazy. I'm guessing this is a hormonal thing after having kids? How much am I going to lose? Am I going to need that spray stuff to fill in bald spots? Lord I hope not!
In addition to losing my hair, I'm seriously losing my mind. I forget EVERYTHING! I thought this was supposed to go away after pregnancy? I think its almost worse now. When will I have my body and mind back to normal?

Rewind: May

Where did May go?? It seriously FLEW by!

It has been brought to my attention that I havent posted many photos of Keating lately. My appologies! I really have no good excuse except for the fact that I suck at multi tasking! Here is the month of May from Blue's point of view.

Looking really cute in my bumbo. This is what I call the calm before the storm. He can be so happy and serene, then he will just lose it. That is what happened right after this photo was taken.

My first trip to the beach. I liked the naps, but not the water.

We took him to Destin for a few days after my sister graduated from college (GO DAWGS!) Keating wasnt such a fan of the pool, it was way too cold. He looks pretty cute in his gold fish swim trunks though!

Not too crazy about my hat. I also have my first farmers tan from wearing that onesie. Oops!

It is hard to go to the beach and keep a baby out of the sun!

He did take a few great naps out on the beach though. The sound of the waves knocked him out!

Playing with my buddy Gates. He is showing me what kind of trouble I can get into when I'm bigger!

Its amazing the difference in 5 months of age in babies.

Aww what a happy baby! Too bad he isnt always like this!

We will show these to their girlfriends when they're older!



Hanging out with Daddy!

May really wore Keating out!

(Brad doesnt always wear BRIGHT YELLOW shirts like that, just on Sundays when he helps direct traffic at our church!) Brad also woke up right before I took the pic, hence the half smile when I made him pretend to be back asleep.

**Yes, the Tervis has made it into yet ANOTHER photo!

A few updates... We are still trying to figure out the reflux. The Previcid seems to be really working. He is in a much better mood a majority of the time now. We even brought him to lunch yesterday and a woman at the restaurant said "what a happy baby you have!" That made my day... but she should witness his meltdowns at home!

Cloth Diapers: We now have 9 diapers. We are in limbo between cloth and disposable. We were given a lot of diapers (Thank you Mrs.Foreste), that I still want to use. So I am slowly purchasing more cloth. We are using Rumparooz, Bum Essentials, and we have one Bum Genius. I like them all for different reasons but Ill go into that later. I really love how cute his tiny butt looks in them!