one month.

I can't believe it's been a month since this.

and at the same time i can.

It's been such an incredible crazy exhausting emotional month. The biggest month of my life! My first month of motherhood. Motherhood is so beautiful and rewarding. Yet the hardest thing i've ever done.

We were at Cafe Rio American Fork the other day and I found myself looking around at all the moms and their kiddies running around and thinking wow. Ya know, look at all these women who have done what I am doing right now. Who have experienced the challenges of breastfeeding/caring for a newborn/multitasking/constant worrying/emotions/figuring out your life now that you have a completely helpless precious soul depending on you for everything. 

and i realize..

i can do this.

in my one month as a mommy i have learned a thing or two...

-getting out of the house is the best thing ever(esp with the hubs or friends). no matter what the errand.

-going on walks is my new favorite thing.

-sleep whenever, wherever you can. 

-suddenly, doing the dishes/laundry isn't such a chore anymore. If I have the free hands to do it, hallelujah!

-What has become more of a chore though is figuring out dinners every night.

-the Boppy is my new best friend =)

-stains are inevitable, but rubbing a Fels-Naptha bar on the stain works miracles. And i've been told so does suave shampoo. Who knew!

-you can never have enough burp cloths, clean binkies, diapers and wipes around the house!

-Gripe Water is fabulous for hiccups, while gas drops work great for gas.
-Everyone loves to pronounce her name haYlli. not HAAlli. Interesting. Poor girl is going to be correcting people quite a bit with a unique first and last name spelling.

-can't get enough advice and encouragement! {thank you thank you for all those who commented on my last blog post. It helped a ton to hear all your stories!}

-soo grateful i have a smart phone. Comes in handy many times as a mama.
-It's crazy how many digestive gurgles in my belly feel like a baby moving! Now that I know what it feels like to have life inside of me.
-it's a love/hate relationship with breastfeeding. when it's going well, I love it! Wish it happened more often. It's hard. Halli is not the best eater. 

But it is getting better. I am gaining more confidence as Halli's mother. 

It seems that there is a new challenge around each corner. Halli finally latched on to the actual me july 1st so she was barely 3 weeks. But we still use the shield. She usually starts a feed with that darn shield and then i'll take it off halfway thorough. So as soon as I felt hope that we'd actually get this breast feeding thing down, another curveball is thrown! 

Halli seems to be going through either 1) a growth spurt making her fussy during and after feedings

2) has an allergy/sensitivity to something i'm eating

3) my milk is either not satisfying her or is too slow for her liking.

5) i'm not making enough milk to satisfy her

4) is maybe teething???

5) it could be anything!!

That is the hard part. It.could.be.anything. How on earth am i supposed to know?? I should trust my mommy senses right? Well lets see..my mommy senses are pretty confused and saddened right now to see such an unhappy baby after feedings which is when she should be content and happy.

We give her gas drops and or Gripe water, move her legs around, everything it seems!

It's making me almost dread when she has to eat again =(

It hasn't always been this way which is why i'm hoping it's a phase or a growth spurt. I've started limiting, pretty much eliminating my dairy. So we'll see what happens...

It's sad and hard to have such an upset baby 50-75% of her awake time.

Halli Ann tid bits at one month:
At one month she weighed 8 lbs 2 oz.
She's 8 lbs 9 oz currently.
she is now in size 1 diapers to hopefully try and reduce blow outs.
had her first blow out July12th in mommy's favorite onesie.
loves the heat.
loves being swaddled and pacified.
loves being held but what newborn doesn't.
she loves being rocked to sleep but we're working on her getting to sleep on her own..
Can't seem to decide when she's done eating..hmm..it's making mommy and daddy a little crazy.
it's been decided she looks like Daddy. And I love it! =)

still kinda can't believe I have a baby...I am a mommy? What? It's crazy.


Are you ready for picture overload?? =) in no particular order:

my cousin Jen

happy 4th of July! =)

my sweet cheeseball niece =)

love her smiles!

{raise your hand if you want some milk!}
Tyler's added commentary upon seeing this pic =)

chillin' in her swing

just a few of the many faces of Miss Halli Ann:

captured her first smile! hasn't happened since though..it was very short lived =(

love how her head is arched back

 Lovin' skin to skin with mommy =)

 can't get enough of her! Especially when she is content like this.

 This is her Swaddlepod that she slept in for a while. We've since started using one that velcros thanks to a good friend who purchased one for us. We love it!

After a nightly feeding. In a milk coma. It looks like i'm choking her but this is how i burp her most of the time. 

swaddled and pacified.

With her Uncle Orson

 Tyler was explaining how she is a great sleeper on our chests. But as soon as the night hits it's like the witching hour and she refuses to be put down. It's gotten better since this photo was taken. She was about two weeks.

Thankfully the shorts and onesies were able to be saved..

relaxin' with daddy in the heat =) minutes before this shot was taken her eyes were open. it was cute.


Clawson family photo =)

  

four generations =) 

Halli's one month photo shoot:

Mom enough photos!

And there's the meltdown haha

These are the announcements we sent out to family =)

We love her newborns and recommend the photographer to everyone! She's actually a friend/neighbor so it's even better!
Madelyn Wayment Photography
to view our favorite newborn and maternity pics click here.


So this post has taken me long enough that I can now add pics from our Pioneer Day festivities =)
We had a bbq at my brothers house and then saw some fireworks. Didn't even phase miss Halli Ann. She just continued to suck on her bink during the fireworks and daze off into the night sky.

 i'm in love with her cute little jeans!

my sweet niece whom i just adore!

 loves touching "baby halli" as she is known to my nieces.

we tried having her mittens off for a while but she mawled herself to death =( clipping her nails is so much easier said than done! I've tried several times.

anything is more interesting than mommy and daddy to baby Halli. Right now at least.

 these girls love their Uncle Tyler =)

Once again, love the Moby.

And that about wraps it up.
I should probably start on her two month post since it will probably take me a couple weeks to finish..

P.S. it's my birfday this friday the 27th! =)