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Bryn: Month 8

Here we are again … another one of Bryn’s month updates. I know it’s cliche to say but I honestly feel like I JUST wrote her 7 month update. The idea that she is 67% through her first year of life puts a lump in my throat and I honestly just can’t think about it. Sigh.

Grow, Baby, Grow!

No check-up this month but Bryn continues to grow!

Clothes: 6-12 months, 9 months

Diapers: Size 4 (due to blow outs)

Breastfeeding/Pumping

Bryn continues to be a great nurser and I am still producing plenty of milk to meet her needs. We have yet to supplement with formula which is something I am really proud of. My ultimate goal is to let Bryn self-wean the same way that Emmalyne did but I honestly take it week by week. Luckily I have a great freezer stash that could last us awhile I posted all about my tips for pumping at work so if you missed it be sure to check it out.

Baby Led Weaning

It’s amazing how laid back I am when it comes to introducing foods to Bryn. OOPS. Maybe it’s because Baby Led Weaning rocked our socks with Em? Since I pack her food for school I always pack either roasted sweet potatoes and butternut squash that I prep on the weekends. I also include 2 Mum Mums. At school they know they can give her anything soft so depending on what’s on the menu she might get some more. She has also had bananas, blueberries, applesauce, yogurt bites, and a French fry. #Truth

Sleeping

At daycare she tends to not nap because she is so excited to play. However, at home on the weekends she naps like clockwork. She tends to take a 2 hour nap around 9AM and then 1.5 hour nap around 2PM. If there’s one thing sweet Bryn could work on it would be her nighttime sleep. Some nights she’s a rockstar … other nights not so much. I try to soak it in though because these middle of the night snuggle sessions are fleeting.

Personality

Goodness … I feel like Bryn is a misrepresentation of what it’s like to raise a baby. HA. She is SO happy all of the time. She rarely fusses and gives her smiles freely to anyone and everyone. She doesn’t care who holds her as long as she is getting snuggled. Bryn is truly one of the happiest babies I have ever seen.

Play

Bryn is really starting to play and it’s a lot of fun to watch! I can set a basket of toys in the middle of the room and she will dig into them for a long time while I get some things done. I also have her Pack-N-Play currently set up in the kitchen so that way she can safely play while I am cooking dinner. She is perfectly content to play on her own as long as she knows you’re in sight

On the Move

Bryn is definitely Army crawling now and can get all the way across the house fairly quickly. She has also pulled to standing at “school” but I have yet to see that happen. Probably because we don’t have our living room set up in a way that’s conducive to it! I remember with Emmie I was SO EXCITED when she started to do these things. With Bryn I just feel fear because I know soon I will have TWO kids running around the house to chase.

Sisters

I am having so much fun watching my girls start to play together. Since Bryn is more mobile she is getting around the house. Emmalyne likes to pretend her sister is her baby doll which is both endearing and frightening. Ha. My favorite thing though is when Em says Bryn is “so cute” and calls Bryn “her baby”.

I am blessed beyond words to get to call these sweet girls my littles. They bring my life so much more joy than I ever thought possible. I love you sweet Bryn. You and Emmalyne are my sunshine!

Like what you see? Make sure to follow with Bloglovin’! I would love to hear from you on Facebook or Twitter! Need a daily dose of Emmalyne? Find us on Instagram!

Bryn: Seven Months

Thank you for all your comments on yesterday’s post about my post baby body progress! It’s a long road but I am thankful to be enjoying the journey. Now it’s time for Bryn’s turn!

Grow, Baby, Grow!

Bryn is growing like a weed just like her big sister. At 6 1/2 months she weight in at 19lbs 12oz! Not sure about height but she was in the 70%.

Clothes: 6-12 months, 9 months

Diapers: Size 3

Breastfeeding/Pumping

Breastfeeding is still going strong! Bryn is sticking with the same schedule that she had at 6 months. She nurses first thing in the morning and then takes 4, 4oz bottles throughout the day at “school”. She nurses before bed. I pump 2-3 times a day depending on the day itself and get plenty of milk to keep her exclusively on breastmilk. Still working on my pumping posts so if you have specific questions let me know!

Baby Led Weaning

We did baby led weaning with Emmalyne and I was excited to start with Bryn. So far she has had sweet potato sticks, roasted zucchini, roasted carrots, bananas, and avocados. Her favorite snack is Mum-Mums. We haven’t exactly been following the “4 day” rule for introducing solids but I am ok with it. So far Bryn hasn’t met a food she doesn’t love and destroys her lunch. Right now she is getting lunch and a snack at school and some dinner at home.

Sleeping

So far sleeping is still going ok for the most part. Bryn wakes up for the day between 6:30-7:30AM depending on what time we have to get out the door. She takes two solid naps throughout the day and sometimes a catnap before dinner. I put her down for the evening between 6:30-7:00PM. Sometimes she wakes up during the night. Sometimes she doesn’t. It’s a gamble at this point!

Personality

I think sometimes people think I am making up how relaxed Bryn is but Presley, Lindsay, and Erin all met her over the weekend and I think they know what I am talking about! Bryn is really one of the happiest babies I have ever met. She is rarely fussy and only gets mad if she’s overtired or hungry. Bryn is free with her smiles and snuggles into your shoulder. The only naughty thing she has started to do is gnaw on anything and everything … including arms, legs, shoulders, and thighs.

Play

Playing is getting more fun with Bryn. She has discovered her reflection and loves the play mirror she has. I put a basket full of her toys in the middle of the floor and she will happily sit there and go through all of them. Considering the fact she is starting to “scoot” she can easily get to whatever she wants. I have set up the pack-and-play permanently downstairs for her to safely play in while we do things int he kitchen etc. I no longer trust her around Emmie’s toys.

Sisters

My favorite thing about this month is that Emmalyne has started to play with Bryn. No one can make Bryn laugh the way that Emmie can. Emmie constantly says, “aww the baby’s cute!”. She will show off Bryn as her sister too to anyone who will listen. I love watching them sit together on the floor and play. It is giving me a glimpse into the near future and them giggling away in the playroom playing dress-up and cooking in their kitchen.

I couldn’t be luckier when it comes to being a mom. If there was a role I feel I was meant to play it is being their mom. Chris and I are both very very blessed to get to learn about the world through the eyes of our daughters! If you want to catch up on Bryn’s updates you can see them all HERE.

Dear sweet Bryn – I love you so very much! You and Emmalyne are my sunshine.

Like what you see? Make sure to follow with Bloglovin’! I would love to hear from you on Facebook or Twitter! Need a daily dose of Emmalyne? Find us on Instagram!

Bryn: Month 6

This can’t be real life …. how is it possible that my sweet baby is HALF a year old?! Didn’t I give birth to her yesterday?! They say that time flies when you’re having fun and it’s so true. Throw in a healthy dose of grad school and the days are gone in a blink. I am seriously in denial that I am sharing this update with you guys today.

Grow, Baby, Grow!

No official height and weight for the month. Her six month check-up is next week. However, I think she is over 20lbs now and who knows how long. I went to put on some 6-12 month rompers on her and she was too tall for them. The buttons couldn’t reach. OOPS.

Clothes: 9 months, 6-12 months

Diapers: Size 3

Breastfeeding/Pumping

I shared my Q&A post on breastfeeding with you guys on Tuesday. Thanks for your emails on it! I am glad that it helped some of you out. If you missed it, breastfeeding is still going strong. Bryn is still being exclusively fed breastmilk either from the breast or via pumped milk in bottles. She eats ~6-7 times a day right now. We are probably going to be starting baby led weaning with her this month. We used that method with Emmalyne and LOVED it so we are going to definitely try it with Bryn.

Sleeping

Sleeping is a little off/on with Bryn. Across the board she is a really good sleeper … sometimes she is an exceptional sleeper. For naps she currently takes her first nap by 9AM, one around lunch time, and then around 3PM. She goes to bed for the night between 6:30-7PM. Sometimes she’ll wake up around 10PM when I am going to bed so I nurse her quickly before putting her back down. Most nights she doesn’t wake again until 4-5AM which is right before I am getting up anyway. Sometimes she sleeps later. The other night she slept from 7PM to 8AM. SCORE.

Personality

My mother-in-law has nicknamed Bryn “Baby Buddah”. First because of her amazing roles and belly. Second because she is seriously the most content baby. Her teachers at school tell me every time I pick her up how amazing she is. That she doesn’t ever cry and is just all smiles all day. That’s my girl! Emmalyne was a VERY easy baby but Bryn is 1,000x easier. She is just happy to BE and that’s a lesson I can definitely learn from her.

Play

Play is becoming more fun with Bryn. She loves her bouncer and her play mat. Since she is rolling and scooting all around she more readily gets to the toys that she wants. She is taking after her sister and has a love affair with Sophie the giraffe.

Sisters

Every day I see the sisterly bond between my girls grow a little bit more. Emmalyne loves to hold “her” baby and will constantly pat Bryn on the head and say ‘aww, baby cute!”. Em is using Bryn’s name more often now (instead of just baby) and will tell people Bryn is her sister. My favorite moments are when the girls hold hands or Emmie gets Bryn to crack up. I can’t wait to see them start really playing together in the future.

I am so blessed beyond measure to get to call these sweet angels my daughters. Motherhood is the best adventure I have been on … definitely the most challenging but certainly the most rewarding.

Dear sweet Bryn – I love you so very much. You and Emmalyne are my sunshine.

Like what you see? Make sure to follow with Bloglovin’! I would love to hear from you on Facebook or Twitter! Need a daily dose of Emmalyne? Find us on Instagram!

Body After Baby #2: Five Months

Just like with Bryn’s updates, I also fell a month behind on my post baby body progress! I shared my last update at 3 months postpartum and I feel like I am moving right along!

What do the numbers say?

Numbers wise I am slowly but surely getting there. I am officially one pound away from my pre-pregnancy weight and about 6 pounds away from my big goal. However, I only use these numbers as a reference point and REALLY go by how much clothes are fitting 😉 Considering the last 2 months included my first set of finals and spring break I am pretty happy with where I am.

Fitness

I am trying VERY hard to fit in my workouts, however, I am having to get creative and sneaky with it. I try to wake up around 5:00AM some mornings to get in a short workout. However I am realizing that I definitely can’t run that early and on an empty stomach. So, instead I do incline walking, T25, or a Nike Training Club workout. At night I do more incline walking while I study. Have to multitask 😉 I haven’t gotten as much running in which makes me sad but I have been getting a few miles in via sprints. Overall I am doing the best I can and that’s cool.

Eating

Another area that I am working on improving. I am back to tracking calories and macros a bit to try to curb my junk food consumption at school. I have found that sitting in a classroom ALL day is the best way to crave junk. By tracking my numbers a bit I can visually see where I am spending my calories. I have been using LoseIt! and love the app. I am aiming for ~2300 calories a day to support both weight loss and breastfeeding and so far that’s working for me. I am really good about getting in my water though everyday which I think is apparent in my milk supply.

Overall I am very satisfied with my progress. I feel like I am closer to my “normal” at five months after Bryn than I was after Emmalyne. For reference, here is my post from then! My goal for the next month is to work on my abs a bit since beach season is here and I am ready to rock a bikini

Like what you see? Make sure to follow with Bloglovin’! I would love to hear from you on Facebook or Twitter! Need a daily dose of Emmalyne? Find us on Instagram!

Bryn: Month 5

I’ve been a little behind on posting Bryn’s monthly updates and I want to kick myself. However, I wasn’t a complete fail … I did actually manage to take her 4 month photos for my own personal memories but I didn’t get around to posting them. OOPS. But I am here today to share her 5 month update with you guys!

Grow Baby Grow!

At 4 1/2 months old Bryn went in for her check-up. She weighed in at a whopping 18 lbs 1 oz! She is also 26 inches long. Girl has rolls for days and I love every single one of them!

Clothes: 6 months, 9 months, 6-12 months

Diapers: Size 3

Breastfeeding/Pumping

I am super excited to report that Bryn is still exclusively receiving breastmilk. I am nearing 6 months of pumping for her and my supply hasn’t decreased at all. Currently she nurses first thing in the morning around 5AM and then takes 4 40z bottles of breastmilk at school throughout the day. I am currently pumping around 7AM, 10:15AM, and 3PM. At home she nurses 1-2 times before bed and occasionally around 10PM for a late night snack but that is less frequent these days. I am so very thankful that our breastfeeding relationship is going strong and my supply is obviously meeting her needs. You don’t get that chunky when you’re underfed 😉

Sleeping

Oh goodness! Bryn has blessed me this month. She currently goes to bed between 6:30-7:30PM. Sometimes she is pretty wiped when she gets home from “school” and it’s closer to 6:30PM. Other nights, like bath nights, we push it a little later. She has recently started sleeping from bedtime until right around 5AM when I wake up. I am LOVING the uninterrupted sleep! Her naps at school are a little sporadic but when she is home she is typically ready to sleep around 9AM, 12:30PM, and 3:30PM. Fingers crossed she keeps it up!

Personality

Oh my goodness friends, Bryn is seriously just the sweetest baby. I could gush on and on about her because she is truly a wonder. She is ALWAYS happy. My friends have even started picking up on it. One of them was over (hi Jessica!) and went to get Bryn from her nap. When she went up to get her Bryn was all smiles and Jessica asked “is she always this way?”. I can honestly say yes! Bryn gives her smiles frequently and freely (now if that could rub off on Emmie …). She has this deep belly laugh that Chris can elicit out of he. At the same time she is calm, gentle, and observant. The only times she is even a little fussy is when she’s hungry, tired, or wet. I feel like God knew I could only handle SO much with our current situation and blessed me with an amazingly loving and easy baby. #Blessed

Firsts

We had some big firsts this last month! For starters, Bryn is now rolling from back-to-front with ease. This also means that she has taken to sleeping on her belly which makes me nervous but I got over it. Em was the same way. Once they can roll you just can’t keep them off of it! She also cut two teeth! She got her two bottom teeth in before hitting 5 months old. And wouldn’t you know it … my sweet girl didn’t even make a peep. In fact, Chris only realized she had them when she bit him on the nose! HA. We also went to the zoo, celebrated her first Easter, and have made some great family memories.

Sisters

Oh sisters. Every single day Emmalyne embraces her role as big sister a little bit more. She loves to pat Bryn on the head and say, “aww baby cute!”. She is also the first one to alert us when Bryn is unhappy with ‘mommy, baby is crying!”. She is referring to Bryn as baby less and calling her by her name more. She tells people how Bryn is her baby sister. Em is incredibly gentle with B for the most part but I have definitely had to swoop in a few times 😉 My heart feels like it’s going to explode when I see them together. They don’t even know how lucky they are to have their best friend already.

I am reminded every single day about how very blessed I am. I have the two best girls a mother could hope for. Mother’s Day is this weekend and I am so very thankful that these are the two beauties who made ME a mommy.

Dear sweet Bryn – I love you so very much. You and Emmalyne are my sunshine.

Like what you see? Make sure to follow with Bloglovin’! I would love to hear from you on Facebook or Twitter! Need a daily dose of Emmalyne? Find us on Instagram!