Week 22: Happy 5 Month Birthday Leif!

Today Leif is 5 months old!  He can now successfully roll from tummy to back, grab everything with both hands, support his head, giggle, cry big tears, and hold his own bottle.  And Mama Nichi is now 32.  Doesn't feel any different than being 31 (except the aftermath of pregnancy/birth was not kind to my body, but when is it?).

Weekly recap!

Monday-hubs took the family on a short hike while I worked/waited to grab lunch.  He broke out our jogger-Leif is still kind of little for it, but hubs made it work.

Tuesday-nothing too exciting except my AC stopped working in my car.  Ugh.  Angela watched Leif while hubs went to work; look at my big boy holding his own bottle now!

Wednesday-I took the day off on my birthday; dropped my car off to get it looked at.  I got to spend the day with Leif though while hubs worked, that was nice.  But...$1,200 and a new compressor later, my car was working again.  Sigh.  Thankfully Father-in-Law came to the rescue and helped us out financially.  That was super sweet of him!  Once hubs returned from work, we hung out at home waiting for Leif to wake up and then had a late lunch/early dinner at El Torito.

Thursday/Friday-nothing too exciting, just went to work.  But hubs had some fun with Leif, hat day!

Saturday-woke up and....cleaned!  That's probably my favorite thing to do the first day of a weekend/break.  I know I'm weird.  I vacuumed and steam cleaned most of the apartment, organized a lot of things, then we hit the road to celebrate my birthday-Camarillo Outlet Mall shopping!  Hubs was a champ and lasted most the day while I shopped.  So did Leif!

Score!  My favorite was the Banana Republic Outlet, 50% off everything!

Sunday hubs had to work, so another day with Leif which was really fun.  He's growing so quickly!  And Sunday was the FIRST day he rolled over without assistance!!!

This was taken about a couple minutes before he rolled over!

Same day, but he got a little poop on the other onesie, haha.  He's so handsy and he puts everything into his mouth now!

And yesterday Leif woke me up bright and early; hubs stayed up late Sunday night working on his computer so we let him sleep while I took Leif and Miles on a quick stroll around the block.  Finished vacuuming too!  Then we took a quick trip to get lunch and hit Target, and then hubs finished working while I played with Leif.

He loves this exersaucer!  He kept putting his mouth on the cup he's grasping

And I don't know why I'm so proud, but he's constantly sucking his left thumb, just like I used to.  He's so cute when he sucks his thumb!

I can't believe May is almost over!  I booked our flight to New York for August last week, and the folks reserved our hotels, so we are all set!  I can't believe Leif will take his first flight in less than 3 months (wish us luck).  And in two months Leif will attend his first wedding!  AND tomorrow the folks fly in!  AND in July the in-laws are visiting!  This summer is just packed with lots of fun adventures!  :)

Week 21: Birthday Week!

Oh Monday, you snuck up on me.  Can we make Monday part of the weekend so that we celebrate it rather than dread it???

Last week flew by!  I can't believe I turn 32 this week.  Hubs and I were reminiscing about how this time last year I still didn't know I was pregnant.  Isn't that nuts?!

So let's do last week in pictures, not too many:

This was sent to me by hubs on Wednesday.  Love seeing my happy boy at work, especially since Wednesday was a rough day (we canceled my debut Mary Kay party since a couple people canceled and it would have been very small). But we will reschedule that soon!  More about MK after the photos...

At the Piano Bar celebrating my friend Shakesha's 30th birthday (she's on the far-right).  Didn't stay very long since I had to feed Leif.

He still can't roll over, but he loves his ExerSaucer!

Hubby took this on my phone while I was getting ready for work.  He was super smiley when he woke up this morning at 5:30am!

So here we are today, where my mama/post-pregnancy brain kicked in again and I completely forgot part of my pump.  I texted hubs at 9:30am in a panic and since he's not working and the best person ever, he drove over to me with pump parts and family in tow.  I'm a lucky gal!  He took our family on a short hike near my work and I treated him to lunch for driving over.  I was just happy to see Leif!  I brought him in after lunch to see a couple faculty members and he was all smiles.  :)  Love my little boy.

Back to Mary Kay-so I had my first party last Thursday and it went REALLY well!  Everyone was really friendly and open (and it helped that Susie was there-she is hilarious without trying, and made everyone laugh throughout the class).  I even sold a bunch of product!  Then Saturday I gave a quick session to my friend Christina and that was fun being one-on-one.  So far I feel like I'm on the right path, but I'm nervous about having to contact strangers and deal with non friends and family.  I'm going to have to hit that challenge sometime or another.  I've already tried contacting a couple friends of friends and so far it's not going great (received no thank yous and no replies), but I just gotta keep on truckin'!  I really enjoy all the products so far and I really enjoy being able to help women try things out before they purchase vs. walking into a store unsure and unhappy.  Next party scheduled is at the end of the month and will be rescheduling my "debut" party for early next month.  Wish me luck!

Week 20: Busy Mama

Hi everyone,

I'm not very good at keeping up with the blog now, am I?!  Happy belated Mother's Day everyone!  I've ALWAYS appreciated my mom, but after becoming a mama myself, I appreciate every mom out there that much more.  It is hard work!  All you moms rock!!!

Last week was INTENSE.  Leif started teething Monday, and that night we got about two hours of sleep.  It was rough.  He would wake up every half hour-hour screaming his head off.  Hubby and I took turns trying to soothe him, but hubs was the champ at getting him back to sleep every time.  Tuesday night Leif needed mommy, and he had to sleep with me the whole night; but at least he only woke up a few times.  The rest of the week got better, but man, it was like he was a newborn all over again.  I'm not looking forward to this teething stage.  : \

Last week was also the last week of classes, and I'm on a nice downhill slope of relaxation at work.  Summers can get pretty quiet around my office, but I welcome it.  It gives me a chance to get things straightened out, prepare for the upcoming academic year, and I'll have a chance to hit the gym during my lunch breaks now.  Three months until I have to fit into a bridesmaid dress AND run a 10K.  It's right around the corner!

Here was my past week in photos:

Big, happy baby even though teething has been tough

Uncle Daryl, aka Wilderness Man, stopped by Friday 

Christina drove up from San Diego to visit her folks, we were able to catch up at the mall

Leif loves his Sea Explorer

What I first saw when I woke up on Mother's Day.  Love these two!

From Aunt Missy for Mother's Day!  :)

One of the hubs' presents for Mother's Day was getting my car cleaned-us waiting while it was getting vacuumed.  SO glad to have a clean car inside and out!

Mini night-hike at Vasquez Rocks Mother's Day eve.

Last night was bath night.  Here's our Shark Baby!

This week is filled with Mary Kay parties!!  Today I'm going to see the consultant who recruited me work her magic, then tomorrow is my "debut party" with my co-workers; my sales director is driving up from San Diego to put on the party.  Then Thursday is my very first party with a few friends, and Saturday I'm giving my friend Christina a facial.  I'm nervous but excited for this new chapter in my life!  I'll tell you all how it goes.  :)

Week 19: Chill weekend

I was sooo incredibly happy to just spend time with Leif this weekend.  Let's go back...

Last week went by fast thankfully.  Friday I performed with a student for her senior voice recital and didn't get home until 8pm.  When I walked in the door, hubs was rocking Leif to sleep already.  :(  I took over for him, and was so happy to just be able to hold him/see him for the short amount of time.

Saturday we only left the house to get a few groceries, but of course I dragged the hubs to See's Candies that was right next to the grocery store we stopped at.  SCORE-heavily discounted Easter candy.

The blue bunnies are my dark chocolate bunnies, yellow is milk chocolate for hubs as well as the jelly beans.  $1.05 for each bunny, originally $6.95!!!

When we got home, we had a beautiful view of the carpet remnants they left from a vacant apartment.

Yay River Ranch, thanks for keeping it clean.

Leif is used to his car seat now, and this was taken when we got home.  He's such a happy, giggly baby!

The rest of the day we played board games when Leif was napping or playing in his jungle.  Sunday we never left the apartment, and it was glorious.

Jungle Leif!  He's getting stronger, able to grab all the toys above him and kick himself around the mat.  Soon he'll flip over!

So I did decide to become an Independent Sales Consultant for Mary Kay.  Yes, I've done the research on the company, and there are a lot of people who really hate the company/did poorly/think it's a scam. I can see where they are coming from.  But there are also a lot of people who are successful and find that MK works for them.  I'll let you all know my opinion soon as I still yet to have my "debut" party and work for MK, but so far everyone I've talked to has been very supportive and not pushy in any way.  And the products are great!  So, you may be getting a call/text/message from me in the near future if I'm in your area!  :)

Leif is supportive :)

Week 18: Four Months!

Happy Monday!

This weekend was perfect in that we had an adventure on Saturday and relaxed on Sunday.  Gotta have a mix of the two!

Saturday we drove out to Santa Monica to a street where this parenting website said it was good to take a baby on a stroller walk...we drove on it and thought it wasn't that exciting.  We ended up getting lunch at a yummy Mexican restaurant that was on the top of the Yelp list.  Leif did great until we got the check-he began to get fussy (hungry!).  

After that we walked around this mall/outdoor shopping strip and ended the trip with Leif yelling at the top of his lungs (he's been very vocal the last couple weeks).  Of course once we got to the car he stopped shouting.  Silly baby.

Sunday morning I met up with Jen & Weston for breakfast.  I forgot to take a photo so she sent me one of them grocery shopping (I think!).  We had to bolt from the restaurant at the end because Leif started getting super fussy/hungry.  Always hungry.

Jen was gorgeous as always and Weston has grown up so quickly!

After grocery shopping with Leif in the moby wrap (lots of people kept smiling and ogling Leif since he was in his fedora...people love babies in grown-up hats!), we put up the door bouncer for Leif...

He thoroughly enjoyed himself for a few minutes, but then got a little tired & fussy

Leif had his four month check-up this morning, and I think all the nurses are in love with him.  I don't blame them!  

Such a smiley baby when he's fed/well-rested

Grabbing daddy's beard.  Don't you love the Finding Nemo mural?!

He was great up to the point when a student checked on him after the nurse...I didn't get a chance to feed him before we left, so he was super hungry and started screaming when the nurse checked his vitals.  Once she left I was able to feed him a little and the doc walked in right as I finished.  He was such a better baby!  Everything is great:

Weight: 17.75 lbs. (93rd percentile)

Height: 27 in. (98th percentile!)

Then he had his shots.  Probably was the loudest I have ever heard Leif scream.  Felt so bad for him!  But I fed him again immediately after and that seemed to calm him down a bit.  I dropped hubs and Leif off at home then came to work.  Hubs said Leif had been asleep since they got home for almost two hours.  Getting three shots takes a lot out of a baby.

Now I have about 45 minutes left of work (hooray!).  So far so good, just hope traffic isn't terrible on my way home.  Oh and I forgot to add another countdown-Sunday, July 27th one of the hubs' friends is getting married, so that will be Leif's first wedding!  90 days until that wedding, which will also be Leif's 7-month birthday.  But first...last day of classes is only 11 days away!

Week 17: Almost four months

Leif turns four months on Sunday!  His next check up is Monday, which I'm not looking forward to the needles, poor little guy.

Trust every parent out there when they tell you how exhausting having a baby is.  I'm not saying I'm tired right now-I'm actually feeling okay; got to sleep early, slept most the night, pretty good.  It's just the combined lack of sleep in the last four months has really jostled my brain...or I still have pregnancy brain.  I forget to bring something important to work/for the baby almost every day.  Last Thursday it was bottles/bags to pump into.  I had to thoroughly wash a glass food container I thankfully had at work.  Also forgot my saxophone (I'm performing with a student in her recital next month-forgot about a rehearsal).  Tuesday I forgot the nipple part to Leif's bottles; I had to run to Rite Aid and buy a new bottle in which Susie had to disinfect in boiling water.  I was 30 minutes late to work...but since no one except for one faculty member comes in at 8am, it was okay.  Yesterday I forgot my ice packs and insulated bag to transport the pumped milk...I had to put ice in my metal coffee cup and hope that would be okay for my long ride home.  Today I only brought a few containers to pump into; good thing Leif is with Susie right now and she'll bring him over early (which means I can feed him directly)...I've already filled the containers I have.  AND I'm starting to mix up Miles & Leif's names.  Whoops.  I know it's only going to get worse.  I even write a list of things to not forget on a white board, and I still don't look at it!  But hey, at least I don't forget Leif anywhere.  And he's dressed.  So take that world.

This week has gone by pretty smoothly besides the forgetfulness.  Tuesday we had a little dance party when I came home from work, and then the hubs was lifting Leif high in the air.  Leif really liked it.

Yesterday hubs didn't have to work so he was home with Leif and Miles all day, which I know can be tiring.  But mid-afternoon he sent me this picture:

He called it "Miles and Smiles"

Oh yeah...do you see how hubs dressed Leif?  Yes, all stripes...but bad color combination.  Definitely a boy.  Then hubs broke out Leif's high chair attachment (it can go on any chair we have).  Since Leif's neck is holding up more and more, he figured Leif can now sit with us at meals since he's always awake for them (and wants to be held!).  We tried it out.

Terrible placement of this seat-he can see the television, which he is now obsessed with.

Leif started getting fussy

And I didn't know that it was Administrative Assistant/Secretary Day yesterday until a professor brought me flowers.  And he's on sabbatical leave!  So nice.  No one else said anything, which I don't blame them for since I had no clue what day it was.  Later in the day work was quiet, so I started messing around with a website where you can change your hair with celebrity hairstyles.  I didn't like how they looked on me...so I thought what about Leif?  Turned out pretty awesome.

It would be so awesome if Leif had super curly hair to grow a fro.  Or even albino for the blond hair, haha.  Top is Ginnifer Goodwin's hair, middle is Solange Knowles and bottom is Michelle Williams

Today has gone by pretty quickly thankfully.  I know we are supposed to live in the moment and enjoy the present, but I couldn't help but make a list of upcoming events that I'm excited for and count the days left...

Last day of classes, May 9: 14 days left
My birthday, May 21: 26 days left
Memorial Day Weekend (next three day weekend): 29 days left
Folks come to visit, May 28: 33 days left
Leif's 6 month birthday, June 27: 63 days left
July 4th weekend (another three day weekend!): 70 days left
Barbie & Andy's Wedding, August 16: 113 days left
Disney 10K Run, August 30: 127 days left
Move out of our apartment, October 24: 188 days left
Thanksgiving, November 27: 193 days left
Christmas break, December 24: 243 days left
Leif's 1 Year birthday, December 27: 246 days left

That's all I can think of for now, but I'm sure more exciting days will come up!  :)

Week 17: Happy Belated Easter

Happy (belated) Easter!  Hope everyone had a fun weekend.  We definitely did!  I had a three day weekend which worked out so well since Missy flew in Thursday night.  It was a whirlwind though, wish we had more time off!

Missy arrived, yay!

While Missy got ready on Good Friday, Leif had some tummy time with toys.  He's developing his motor skills so quickly!

Then I took Missy and Leif to The Grove, a very chic outdoor mall and Farmer's Market where there are lots of celebrity sightings.  We thought it would be fun to have Leif take pictures with the Easter Bunny there, and I don't know why I thought there would be no one there...but the line was epic.  We ended up buying See's chocolate bunnies and creatively taking photos of Leif with them...heehee.

At the Farmer's Market while eating lunch

Such a happy baby

First "Easter" photo of Leif

So I forgot to mention...usually when we leave Miles at home, we put him in his crate.  Since he's getting older, we decided to try and leave his crate door open since we were going to be gone for a few hours.  When we got home, he was still in his crate!  It looked like he had come out and jumped on the couch, but that was it.  Hooray for our good pup, he got a treat!

We decided to take photos of Leif with all his bunny things just for fun...

At first we tried sitting him up against the couch, but he kept falling over/getting fussy, so I held him

Then we moved to the bed.  :)

Happy baby with his new bunny from Aunt Missy!

The next morning Leif woke us up at 7:30am on the dot, but at least he was a happy baby.

After much debate on what to do (hubs had the weekend off!), we finally decided to go to the LA Renaissance Pleasure Faire.  Hubs wasn't too ecstatic about it once we got there, but overall I had a fun time.

Entrance

Wicker Man?!  We were waiting for Nicholas Cage to pop out...

Leif was definitely a tired baby when we returned home.  When I went to check up on him later that night, he was wildly inappropriate...

Somehow Leif always flips us off while sleeping.

Since Missy had to leave on Sunday and LAX is so far south of us, we decided to take Miles and Leif to their first beach trip ever.  There is a large dog beach in Long Beach and had a lot of fun there!

Miles moved of course when I tried to take a photo, but he was laying on Missy's arm.  And can you see Leif sleeping? He's doing a much better job on car rides!

A very happy Miles frolicking on the beach

Leif's first steps in the ocean! (well, second-hubs had him in the ocean first)

Leif in the ocean!

Miles didn't like the water, so hubs of course getting him acclimated to the water even more.  Not a fan.

Tired Leif on Aunt Missy after the beach

 And again, once we got home Leif was definitely tired out from the long excursion.

Overall, a very fun weekend with Missy!  Already miss her, such a great sister.  Now I'm at work and since there are no classes, the campus is super quiet.  Only one faculty member in today which means I'm leaving early (he's really nice and letting me go).  I can't wait to see Leif!  Hope he's been a good boy this morning.