ALL SMILES

That time when your baby smiles back at you is unforgettable. At around 8 weeks your babe will be able to smile at you with purpose, usually following a big smile from you. Desmond started doing this at 6 weeks and it only gets cuter. He follows a smile with a wide open gum bearing "silent laugh" - pretty much what I think would be a laugh. This is a good time to start making different faces and watching the amusement and delightful feedback from your little one.

There are different stages of alertness that your baby shows. The quiet alert state is when your baby is awake and you guessed it - quiet! He or she may stare at you with wide eyes and be able to hold eye contact. This is a great time to make faces. Try sticking your tongue out for 10 seconds at a time. Watch as your baby shifts his/her glance down towards your mouth and tries to work his/her tongue! Don't worry if it doesn't happen right away, just try 10 second bursts of some tongue action and sooner or later your baby will mimick you. Also try making your mouth into an "O" shape or making kissy faces. These are also fascinating expressions for babies! As they grow older, your facial expressions will get lots of smiles in response and even squeals of delight. Take advantage of all of the quiet alert times and watch your baby hit the cutest milestones! :)

XO

EVERYTHING SMELLS LIKE MILK

Ugh. Yes. Milk everywhere. At first it's kind of adorable, but now I'm over it. My life is now about small loads of laundry everyday, lysol wipes, dish soap, bottle brushes, cotton nursing pads, and air fresheners. Just when I get the milk residue off my shirts, my body, bottles, furniture etc.. it starts all over again. I love being able to go the extra mile with exclusively pumping and bottle feeding but I'm obsessed with anything other than breast milk right now.

I suggest sterilizing parts once a week, smaller loads of laundry, unscented dish soap, reuseable nursing pads, and lots of lysol wipes and/or loads of paper towels and some spic n span.

I love motherhood but I don't feel it's necessary to smell like motherhood. I already look the part... Yoga pants, silly bun, minimal makeup, slip on shoes, and baby vomit on my shirts and in my hair; no need for the added stench.

On a side note: I've got the scattered brain thing down! Picture me getting ready to pump as I'm frantically searching for my flanges right... 10 mins later I noticed they are already attached to my boobs in my hands free pump bra. Go me!

MOMMY'S DAY

Ladies. Do yourselves a favor and take one day a month (if possible) to have a day to yourself. Give your hubby the bottles and diapers and run screaming to the nearest salon, nail shop, starbucks, mall, gym... basically anywhere where it's a complete pain in the ass to take a kid. Stay at these places as long as possible and bask in all the glory that carrying one purse has to offer. Scroll through facebook for an hour, plug into some music, call your girlfriends, or just sit in absolute silence and speak to nobody. Do everything opposite of what you do on a daily basis taking care of your little one. This is so important for your sanity. If you're broke - which you probably are - take a few hours and go for a walk, a drive, window shop, hang out with some friends, grab a coffee or a lunch date with someone and just have some normal adult conversions. I love my son, but I'm a better mom, girlfriend, daughter, and human being when I've had some R&R. My fiance and I plan to take one day a month each where we spend an entire day out of the house. Long story short: take a load off. However and whenever you can.