I'm a Babywearing Momma

 Yesterday, Brantley Rae and I went to the Magic City Slingers group at the Hoover Library. They are Alabama's first babywearing group. Check out their website to read more about them. 

This is how the group works. You join for $30 and you get to rent a different sling every month for 1 year. At each meeting you can try on different types and find one that you and your baby like. Brantley and I tried on a few before we finally chose the one we brought home. You actually don't have to join the group. If you have your own sling you can bring it and ask them to help you put it on without paying and joining the group. They were really nice and we LOVE our sling so far. Oh I almost forgot, the group meets the first Wednesday of each month on the bottom floor of the Hoover Public Library.
Check us out...

 

BR falls asleep really fast each time I put her in it. It's GREAT!! We went to Target yesterday after the meeting and I didn't have to take her car seat in. It was GREAT as well!!

Let me know if anyone wants to go with me next month.

BR at 1 Month Old

 

 8 pounds 10 ounces

22 inches long

                                -Sleeps 3-4 hours at night (I can't wait for this number to increase)

                                -Eats every 2-3 hours during the daytime (She's a growing girl!)

                                -Naps a lot during the daytime

                                -Really fussy in the evenings (I REALLY hope this stops soon!)

                                -Stairs at bright lights and contrasting patterns

                                -Follows objects and faces with her eyes

                                -Smiles randomly, usually when she's sleeping or waking up

                                               

                                    Likes:                 

                                      -to be held                             

                                      -paci                                 
                                      -tummy time (they have a Love-Hate relationship)                      

                                      -being swaddled                      

                                                                             

                                    Dislikes:               

                                      -her bouncy chair and swing     

                                      -getting in her car seat               

                                      -putting on clothes, especially shirts that go over her head    

                                     -tummy time                             

                                     -taking pictures when she's cold (Hence the screaming in the picture above, ha!)

Hopefully over the next month or so, Brantley's 'likes' will start to outnumber her 'dislikes'.

We are very much in love with her!! She changes more and more everyday and it's so neat to watch.

I'm hoping to take better pictures soon but our house is so darn hard to keep warm it's hard to keep her happy while I try to take them.

They're Getting Hitched!!

Congratulations to Ashley and Jeremy!!!

Yesterday afternoon, Chase and I got to help Jeremy surprise Ashley with his proposal at Aldridge Gardens. It went perfect and she was very surprised. I'm so glad that Chase and I got to help out. Britney helped a lot too and she did a great job of getting Ashley to the gardens and around back to the proposal spot. HERE is the video that I captured of Jeremy popping the question. Please excuse my commentary!
 Click HERE to go to Ashley's blog and read the proposal story. So sweet!!

Tummy Time

Brantley Rae is getting better at holding her head up every day. She's such a cutie!!

 

  

  

  

  

   Brantley Rae is starting to like her swing a little bit more every day too. It's such a relief for me. I can put her in there and eat breakfast, lunch or take a shower. Yay!

 

Today BR is 4 weeks old. I have started putting her to sleep awake so that she can start teaching herself to fall asleep by herself. Last night was our first attempt and she did pretty well. My hope is that it continues to go well and that nap time and our nights will be better once she can do this really well. More sleep for mommy is always a good thing.

I hope everyone is having a good day!

Oh guess what...today I met Stephanie Fisher at the doctors office. She was really nice! I SO wish we could afford to have her take pictures of Brantley Rae. She does amazing work!! If you haven't seen her work, head on over to her blog and take a look at her pictures. I wish I had at least half her talent.

Too Cool for Her Stroller

Sunday was a beautiful day here in Birmingham so Chase and I decided to take BR for a walk in her stroller for the first time. He and I both needed the exercise and I don't think we could have sat inside on such a beautiful day anyways. 

Check her out...

She was asleep pretty much the whole time we were out walking and she looked really cute with her sunglasses on. She stuck her arms up straight in the air so many times. It was really cute but I don't see how that was comfortable. My arms would have gotten tired!

Anyways, I need to get better at taking more pictures. For instance, I should have gotten a picture of Chase pushing the stroller with Marley running along side and I really wish I had taken a picture of me by the stroller with her in it. I guess I'll get better with time, right?

I hope everyone is having a good week. BR will be 4 weeks old on Thursday! Yikes! I'm gonna try to take some more pictures so be on the look out for those.

Visiting Grandmother

Last Saturday afternoon, my mom and I took BR to meet my Grandmother. It was such a pretty day to be out and about. We had such a great time visiting with Grandmother. BR was a very good little girl while we were there and Grandmother LOVED holding her and watching her facial expressions.

 

I hate that I didn't take any more pictures while we were there since my Grandmother's eyes are closed in the first picture, but I didn't think about taking more pictures until it was time to go and BR was already back in her car seat. Next time we're all together I want to take a 4-generations picture with me, BR, my mom and my grandmother. 

It was a great afternoon and I'm very glad BR and I got to go visit my Grandmother.

3 Weeks Old

Thursday BR turned 3 weeks old. I can't believe how fast time is flying by. Next week she'll be ONE MONTH old!! ahh! She's going to be 16 before we know it. ha!

  We went to the doctor on Tuesday for our first doctors appointment and got a very good report. Brantley was 8lbs 3oz and 21 inches long. So she has gained over her birth weight and grown 1/2 an inch. Yay! Dr. Simpson was really impressed and so was I. He was that everything from her exam pointed to normal development and he doesn't foresee ANY problems. Hallelujah! Not that I was worried about her but it's still great to hear that she's doing so well.

We did however go through 5 diapers while we were at the appointment. I mean seriously!! 2 just wet ones and 2 poopy and 1 for the ride home. HA! I would get a clean diaper on her and then before I could get her outfit buttoned she would poop again. She was SCREAMING at the top of her lungs and I couldn't get her dressed so that she was stop. (It was cold in our room and she had been undressed for her exam.) Finally, when we ran out of diapers I just told her she was have to stop pooping or sit in it until we got home. Mean, I know but there wasn't anything else I could do at that point. Thankfully she was done and I got her dressed and in the carseat and she went straight to sleep. Exhausted from all the crying! Poor baby!!

Oh FYI to all the Mommies that read my blog...BR had a pretty bad diaper rash on Tuesday so while we were at the doctor I asked him what he recommended. He told me to use Aquaphor Healing Ointment. I had been using Desitin and Boudreaux's Butt Paste on it but it wasn't getting better, but after using the Aquaphor for only 1 day the diaper rash was totally gone! Life Saver!! I would definitely recommend this product.

  Yesterday morning BR was in a really good mood so I decided to take some pictures of her playing in her crib. Right now "playing" means that she just looks around and moves her arms and legs. She's still trying to figure out what those things are for. haha I love to watch her sweet little facial expressions. She's so cute!

 

She is starting to stay awake for longer periods of time during the day which is so fun for me. At least it's fun while she isn't being a Fuss Bucket. No matter her mood I love her and I'm still amazed that she's my daughter and I'm her mommy. Thank you Lord for such a sweet little blessing!!

Yesterday afternoon, Chase took a nap with Marley and Brantley. It was so cute that I had to take a picture!

 She had her paci in her mouth and she was snoozing!!

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Let me explain this one...

I was "throwing her out with the wash!" haha Not really, but I thought the picture would have been cute but then she started screaming so it isn't as cute as I had hoped. What can I say, she's a smart little cookie! She honestly doesn't like bath time yet but we're working on that and eventually she'll like it, I hope!

Anyways, that's all for now! BR is napping so I've got to take this opportunity to take a shower. Thanks for reading. Have a happy Saturday!