Looking Back and Going Forward...

I can't believe it's the last day of 2014. 

This has been very significant year in my life for sure!

Here's a little look back...

We found out I was pregnant and got a puppy (Charlie) at the end of March (in the same week)!

Announced my pregnancy to our parents on Mother's Day and to the rest of our friends and family end of May...

Found out we were having a BOY in June!

Started decorating Camden's nursery in July...

Went on our "babymoon" to Clearwater, FL in August...

Took maternity photos and had Camden's first shower in September...

Hosted a fun Fall inspired dinner party in October...

And revealed Camden's nursery!

In November we celebrated our 1st anniversary (while I was 9 months pregnant!)...

AND welcomed our son Camden to the world!!!

December brought a new life as parents...

And our first Christmas as a family of 4!

No doubt 2015 will be full of many firsts for little Camden and I can't wait to see him grow and turn into a little person with a personality all his own.

Thank you all for sticking with me through this amazing year!

It has definitely been the year of "BABY" everything, so if that bores you I appologize!!

I am hoping to refocus on my passions and hobbies next year and will be posting all about my journey to lose the baby wieght. So, I promise it will not be 100% baby talk!

I wish you all a happy and healthy new year!!

Cheers to 2015!

CAMDEN // one month!

One month?! Where has the time gone?

If I'm being honest, I have to say I'm glad we got through the first month. I feel like it must be the most difficult of the first year. I think we have just now started to figure out his quirks and we have a pretty good schedule down (with some flexibility). 

Weight: 7 pounds, 10.5 oz (up 2 lbs since birth!)

Height: 21 inches (up 3.5 since birth!)

(Stats from 1 month appointment on 12/19/14)

Eating: 100% breast milk from a bottle about every 3 hours. He is currently taking 2.5 - 3 oz per bottle, but we may be upping the amount since he seems to be hungry for more! I pump about every 3-4 hours and I'm able to keep up with supply for him. However, if we up his amount, I may have to supplement with one formula bottle per day. I'm hoping my supply will adjust to the increase and we will not have to do that. We are using Dr. Brown's bottles which I have noticed his gas issues seem to have decreased since this switch.

Sleeping: sleeps between 1.5 - 2 hours at a time. Any tips for longer stretches at night welcome! He sleeps either in the Rock n Play or the swing in the family room while one of us sleeps on the couch. Sometimes if he's really fussy, we will sleep with him on our chest on the couch (very rarely though as we do not want to get him used to sleeping this way!) He has taken several long naps in his crib during the day, but I'm still nervous to have him in there at night when I'm not staring at the monitor the whole time! Hopefully, I will get over the worry and we can start having him sleep in his crib soon!

Clothes: Still wearing NB, but starting to fill out the Carter's brand. I've noticed he's a little too long for some of the footed onesies, so we may have to wear 0-3 mo very soon for those.

Diapers: We love Pampers Swaddlers (he is in NB size). I've tried Luvs and we like Pampers better. I have some Honest Co. diapers that I have not tried yet. 

Wipes: Pampers are the best hands down. I've tried a lot of different brands such as Huggies, Target and Honest Co. and I like Pampers the best.

Likes: Sleeping (when he does fall asleep), eating, snuggling/being held, wubbanubs and Nuk pacifiers, being swaddled and rocked to soothe to sleep, being sang to, faces, his hands, being on his side and tummy, tummy time!, burping (he's had some good ones!), messing brand new diapers right after mom or dad changes him, Rock n Play and the swing. 

Dislikes: Being too hungry, changing clothes, having gas/reflux, being swaddled if he's not tired.

This little reindeer has grown so much! He is up 2 lbs and over 3 inches since he was born. I credit that to his appetite! This boy can take down a bottle with the best of them! He is currently being fed 100% breast milk from a bottle. I have officially started exclusive pumping over the past few weeks. It is difficult and a lot more time consuming than breastfeeding (mostly because I have to pump every 3/4 hours and the extra cleaning of parts and bottles), but it is what works for us and Cam so we are going with it. It is nice that Bill can help with the feedings though. 

He is still letting us know every 3 hours that he is hungry. This boy's body is like clockwork! Bill and I have been splitting up the night time feedings so we can each get at least 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night (I can't get much more because I have to pump at least every 4 hours). I'm hoping we can start to stretch out those night time feedings very soon!

He has been a happy/content baby most of the time and really only cries when he's hungry, when he's got gas or when I'm changing his clothes. He is a great sleeper during the day! His "witching hours" are 1am - 5am. He is randomly awake during this time which is why mommy feels like a zombie during the day. Bill usually takes over about 4/5am so I can get my 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep. we take turns sleeping on the couch with Camden in the Rock n Play so we both aren't up all night. I am hoping to get his nights and days switched around here soon! Any tips on this are welcome!

Postpartum update: I lost about 25 lbs after the first few weeks after Camden was born. I'm pretty sure that was mostly liquids/water weight since I swelled up pretty good towards the end of my pregnancy. I have a good 15 - 20 lbs to go to get to my comfortable weight or prepregnancy weight (yep, you can do the math...). As I am still recovering from the C section, I'm not able to be too active yet but, am hopeful I will get the green light to start working out after my 6 week Dr appointment the first week of January. My diet has consisted of mostly food that visitors have brought over and pizza because I'm too exhausted to cook, which is not helping the weight loss! However, I'm pumping so I want to keep my calories up in order to produce enough milk supply. I'm going to try to get on a healthy diet after the holidays. Stay tuned for more progress in the upcoming months...

I'm hoping to post some of our one month favorite products very soon!

Merry Christmas week!

Our Christmas / Birth Announcement Cards

Yep, totally took advantage of the "slashy" card. I combined our Christmas cards with Camden's birth announcement cards. Two for the price of one, genius in my opinion!

When I came across the card layout below on minted's website, I immediately knew it would be perfect!

I actually DIY'd the photos of Camden for the card and I must say, I'm pretty impressed with my skills!

The little sweater is Carter's and I got the knit Rudolf beanie from this etsy shop. 

And just because everyone loves a good blooper...

Merry Christmas to you and yours! :)

I'm linking up with Natalie and Annie for Thoughts for Thursday.

Christmas Wishlist

Is it sad that mostly what I would like for Christmas is a full night's rest? 

Or even just a date night for Bill and me?

Other than that, here's a few items I would love to find in my stocking or under the tree...

Since my #ootd's recently have pretty much consisted of PJs, I thought I would help build my wardrobe so to speak with a few items. 

I've been wearing a lot of sleeping gowns because I am still a little sore around my c section incision. This thermal nightshirt would be a perfect addition to my PJ collection. I'm also loving these striped lounge pants which look uber comfy. To go along with the comfy/PJ theme, I'd love this state graphic hoodie. Any excuse to show my home state some love!

I've wanted a diptyque candle for a while now, but have not splurged on one yet. Would love to find this one in my stocking. The Urban Decay 'Naked3' pallete has been on my wishlist for a while too and would also be a perfect stocking stuffer. I am in desperate need for a new scent (I've been wearing Burberry Brit since college). I've heard great reviews about Victor & Rolf's flowerbomb scent. Does anyone have this and like it? 

What's on your wishlist this year? 

Can't believe Christmas Eve is a week away!

Lately...

I thought I'd post another little life update for you all to have a glimpse into the new mommy/maternity leave world. 

Obviously, my world is still revolving around the cutest little chubby-cheeked babe and I wouldn't have it any other way!

First of all, it is seriously the cutest thing in the world when your husband feeds your baby! The photo above just makes my heart melt! All 3 of my boys together! *HEART EYES*

Camden cuddling with daddy! I want to frame this photo!

Bill has been such a great help recently and has been taking some night time feedings so I can get some extra sleep. That is the best Christmas gift ever!

We've been working on tummy time for a little bit every night and so far so good. He has been moving his head around a lot recently. He hasn't quite got complete control over it, but you can tell he wants to. 

I finally figured out my Happy wrap. I'm not sure Cam really loved it. He seemed to want to stretch out when he was in there and the wrap really keeps him scrunched up. Which I'm sure most newborns love, but this guy just loves to stretch out! Hopefully, he will get used to it because it would be great to use it more around the house and if we go grocery shopping or something.

Cam received the most amazing gift from one of Bill's coworkers last week. It is so soft!

The blanket is from The Minky Moon, which is an online shop that makes personalized minky blankets. Great idea for a baby gift!

We had a handful of visitors over the weekend and this was my uniform. Black leggings, black tank and the most comfortable, over-sized black cardigan. Perfect for covering up the post baby belly. More on my postpartum body later...

We had a successful bath last night with very minimal tears. He actually seemed to like parts of it! He loves his back rubbed and when I scrubbed his back he was completely quiet and seemed so content. I think we got the bath water the right temp this time and I heated the towel for him with my hair dryer for a bit before so it was nice and cozy for him after the bath. We are getting the hang of it!

Plus, he smells so amazing after his baths! We use Johnson and Johnson Baby Bedtime Bath soap and it seriously smells heavenly!

That's pretty much my life lately in a nutshell! The days and nights are all a blur recently. He is starting to sleep a little better at night, but I really look forward to the day when he sleeps for stretches longer than a few hours.

I'm hoping to get out with him at some point this week! I've just been too nervous to take him out on my own, but I think the time has come to venture out! Wish us luck!

New Mommy Must Haves

Today Camden is 3 weeks old! I can't believe it's already been 3 weeks since our little man came into our world. At the same time, I can't remember what life was like before he was here!

They say it takes about 21 days (3 weeks) to form habits. I think we have finally started to settle into a routine with Cam. Over the past few weeks, I have come to love a handful of products and items in my life that has helped me become more comfortable with this new mommy life. 

Here's my 'New Mommy Must Haves' list...

1 | Sleep gowns - I wear these instead of the traditional 2 piece PJs because I am still slightly sore around my c section incision. The gowns are also more forgiving around the middle section immediately after giving birth (it takes about 6 weeks for your uterus to shrink back down to size! For some reason, I did not realize this before baby!). I am currently loving this sleep tee shirt and also this button up sleep gown which is handy for feedings and pumping. 

2 | Fuzzy robe - I purchased this robe before baby and I'm so glad I did. I have been wearing it daily and it really keeps me warm during these colder winter days. 

3 | Sippers - These slippers have been worn everyday since Camden was born! I also wore them in the hospital. They are so cozy and have rubber bottoms so they feel more like shoes. 

4 | Sleep bra - Ladies, they do not lie when they say your boobs will leak in the middle of the night! I have woke up a few times with puddles on our sheets :/ true story. So, I recommend a very comfy sleep bra (like this one) and nursing pads for the nighttime. 

5 | Dry shampoo & concealer - If you are like us, you will have a lot of visitors and you may not have time to shower or really spend too much time on your hair and make up. Don't worry, people will be more interested in the baby than what you look like, but you may want to freshen up a bit before they see you. Spray in some dry shampoo and use this awesome concealer to cover those dark circles and you will be as good as new!

5 | Extra pump parts & Medela quick clean steam bags - Since I am mostly pumping and bottle feeding at this point, I sometimes feel as though all I do all day is clean bottles and pumping parts. I made the smart decision to purchase some extra pump parts so I wouldn't have to do as much cleaning. I highly recommend doing this even if you are planning on exclusively breast feeding because you will still need to pump in order to increase your milk supply. I am also loving these microwave steam sterilizing bags from Medela for quick and easy daily sterilization of bottles and parts. 

6 | Nipple cream and nursing pads - Be prepared for some sore nips if you are breastfeeding and/or pumping! I am currently using Lansinoh lanolin cream and nursing pads and really like them. I've tried a few different nursing pads and I like the Lansinoh brand the best. 

Finally, don't forget to stock up on the coffee!! I have never appreciated my coffee more than I do these days... Or have your hubby go for a Starbucks run :)

Also, I am enjoying my Netfix for those late night feedings. I've got a list of shows lined up to start watching! 

Moms - Is there anything else that you really loved during the newborn stage?

Gifts for Him | $50 or less

Bill and I are not exchanging gifts this year for Christmas since we just received the best gift ever (little Cam). However, we are planning on stuffing each other's stockings with goodies. We have a price limit of $50 total for each of us. Sometimes it can be more difficult to find small items to fill the stockings than giving gifts! 

Here are a few ideas I have for him this year...

1 | Wool scarf - $39.99

2 | The North Face 'eTip' gloves - $45.00

3 | Bluetooth beanie - $29.99

4 | 'Field notes' note pads - $9.95

5 | Shoe cleaning kit - $16.00

6 | Flannel lounge pants - $29.50

7 | Acqua Di Gio cologne (this stuff smells so good!) - $37.80

8 | Slippers - $40.95

I'm loving the flannel pants! I may have to get this pair to match :)

I can't believe we are almost half way through December!

I better start my Christmas shopping now!

Life Lately...

Life has definitely changed for the better. My world has turned upside down since the day we brought little Cam home from the hospital. We've had a lot of visitors, which is so nice. And we've enjoyed our time together as a family of 3 (well, 4 if you include Charlie). 

On Friday night, Bill, Camden, Charlie and I spent the evening cozy on the couch watching the Muppet's Christmas Carol. I am in full Christmas spirit these days! I'm so excited to spend this Christmas with baby Camden!

I'm just loving our Christmas tree and mantel! Our first family outing was a trip to go get our tree. I just love having a real Christmas tree in the house. The smell is amazing! 

I was able to get out of the house solo for a few hours this past weekend, so what did I do? Got a mani and pedi of course! I needed a little pampering in my life! I got a pretty deep red color gel mani, perfect for the holidays.

We also recently gave Camden his first bath. Let me tell you, he does NOT like to be wet and naked! He wailed the whole time and it took both of us to hold down his wiggly little body to wash him. After that stressful experience, I spent the next hour just holding him and rocking him to sleep. I felt so bad! Hopefully, he will get better with the bath!

Saturday night, we watched Ohio State crush Wisconsin in the Big 10 Championship game! I celebrated with a glass of wine too! Perfect night!

Saturday was Camden's due date! Crazy to think he could have still been in my belly at this point! I'm so glad he has joined our lives a little early :) 

That's all for now!

I'm hoping to start getting back into a routine of blogging again now that we have established a pretty good schedule. I've definitely missed the blogging world!

I'm linking up with Biana for Weekending

CAMDEN | 2 weeks!

Wow! We've made it through 2 weeks!
Camden had a weight check on Tuesday and he is up to 6 lbs, 6 oz! I'm so happy he is growing and is healthy! 

I have got to say, the newborn life is not easy and the sleep is minimal, but this little man makes it alllll worth it!! I don't have too many complaints and I think comparatively, he is a pretty easy baby. The first few nights and days he just slept a lot. To the point that we started getting worried. Then, from night 3 on he started waking up in the middle of the night between the 12am and 3am feedings and would just grunt around for hours. This is when I typically take him to the family room and put him in his swing and I take a midnight cat nap on the couch. 

Currently, we are still working on breastfeeding and so far it has been hit or miss. Sometimes he is able to latch for a bit, but then he falls asleep or gets fussy after a few minutes. Plus, I'm never sure how much he is getting when I breast feed and we are currently working on beefing up his weight. So, I've been pumping a lot and bottle feeding mostly. This has been great because Bill has been able to take some feedings during the day and at night for me to get some much needed extra zzz's or to get a few things done through out the house. Of course, cleaning the pumping parts is annoying, but I've been rinsing/soaking during the day and sterilizing with the Medela microwave bags once a day. It really hasn't been too bad. I also purchased extra parts to make things a little easier (totally recommend doing this if you are pumping).

We've had a lot of visitors and Cam loves to be held by everyone! Anytime we have people over he just melts in their arms and falls asleep. Everyone tells us he is the sweetest baby and we don't really disagree. 

He sleeps in the Rock n Play by our bed on my side at night and naps in the swing during the day. We are also starting to try out the crib for some naps during the day and we have been pretty successful! I'm not quite ready to put him in there over night. Mostly because every time I put him in the crib I have to constantly be staring at the monitor and will check on him every 5 mins to make sure he's still breathing... Does this motherly worrying ever get better?

CAMDEN | 2 WEEKS

LIKES | His wubbanubs (we have 2 - the puppy and the blue bear)! I had to give it to him in the photo above just to get him to stay still. Boyfriend loves those things! The Rock n Play and the Graco swing for naps. Also loves to lie on mommy's chest for cat naps and loves to be held. His hands! He loves to have his hands on his face at all times, which can be a little concerning. I don't want him to scratch himself so I've been putting him in these long sleeve onsies with the mitten cuffs on the ends a lot. The mittens I got just fall off of him. He loves to look at faces. If you get close enough to him and stare and talk, he will stare back at you and it is the most adorable thing! He loves to have his back rubbed too. This will put him to sleep and make him coo. 

DISLIKES | Being swaddled. This is very saddening, especially since both Bill and I have mastered the perfect swaddle. However, little Houdini will find a way to get his hands out every time. Then he just grunts around until we unswaddle him. So, we are going to try the Halo sleepsacks and I just ordered some Summer Infant Saddlemes. Hopefully, these will work better. He also hates being naked and changed. He gets a little fussy after eating sometimes and we are thinking it's just his way of working through some gas/digestion issues. He is getting better when we change his diaper.

His ambilical cord just fell off his belly button, so we are going to try his first bath this week...
Wish us luck!

Camden is here!

Camden William Rumple | born 11.20.14 at 3:06pm | 5 pounds, 13.6 ounces | 17.5 inches long

Sorry to keep you all hanging for a few weeks. If you follow me on instagram (sorry for the baby post overload!), you already know that Camden was born on November 20, 2014 at 3:06pm via C section. He was a perfect little 5 pound, 13 ounce package. Everyone is healthy and happy!

It was a long process getting him in the world. I was induced at 11am on Wednesday, November 19th at 11am and was in labor for 27 hours until we made the decision to go the C section route. If you don't know, I was induced early at 37 weeks and 4 days due to gestational hypertension. I don't think I will post a full birth story because I've learned from reading too many that every experience is so different and you really have no idea how your birth story will go until it happens. 

Basically, I was unable to dilate farther than 3 - 4 cms after 27 hours, which in the medical field they refer to as "failure to progress". I hated hearing that phrase every time the nurses would read their reports when they changed shifts. "Lindsay was induced and delivered via C section due to failure to progress." Kind of made me feel like a failure! I know I did everything I could to have a vaginal birth, but my body simply was not ready. I was hardly a "finger tip" dilated when they induced me so we knew it would be a long road. 

However, every little discomfort and pain and feeling of anxiety was completely washed away the moment I heard his little cry as they pulled him out of me. It is simply the most wonderful sound in the world! And seeing his cute little face with a button nose just made me melt for him instantly. 

The photos above were actually taken by the hospital photographer. I'm so glad we ordered them! They turned out so well! His little coming home outfit was a little too baggy for him, but we made it work :) 

The past 12 days have been somewhat of a blur; 4 of them spent in recovery at the hospital. We've had a lot of visitors which I love, but also wipes me out. This newborn stuff is no joke! Feeding every 3 hours has been a lot of work, but I just love spending time with him and cuddling afterwards. He is so snuggly! He has been such a great baby so far. He really only cries when he is hungry, when he's naked or when we change his diaper. He does grunt and groan a lot especially after eating. I think that may just be his way of working though the digestion/gas issues :) 

I will post a little 2 weeks update on Thursday with more details on life with this little man. Until then, I will continue to fill your instagram feed with his adorableness! 

Thank you all for your kind words and concern from my last post. Rest assured we are all just fine and settling in!