Summer Update!

My blog has taken the back seat... with full-time work and baby... life is hectic (but fun!!). I do keep up with pictures though! Visit my picture website if you'd like to keep up with us. I promise I'll always update the picture website! Hope everyone is enjoying their summer! 

www.joshandamber.shutterfly.com   - 2012 tab

3 Months!

Crazy how fast the past three months have flown by. Miss Addison is now 15 weeks and we are enjoying every second with her sweet smile and giggles. Every time she sees Josh or I she starts giggling! Even if we leave the room for 5 minutes and come back. We are soaking it all in! She goes next week to her 4 month check up... I'm convinced she's hit the 15 lb mark - she's such a cute chunky baby! We will see :)

Our good friends started doing photography and took Addison's 3 month pictures. She's also doing her 6 months, 9 months and a year! She's incredible. If you're in KC, you should check her out!

www.lifebythefrenchs.com 

Here are a few of my favorites. 

(All are on our website - www.joshandamber.shutterfly.com). Enjoy! 

I swear i did my hair before these pictures... darn humidity! Good thing the pictures are mainly lil miss and not momma

 How cute is this for her book shelf!! 

If she only knew how much she can get away with using this smile! 

This one of Josh holding her may be my favorite only because this is "her" look! Always giving me the "what are you doing mom!" look :) 

Look at those chunky thighs.. i could kiss em all day long!  

Happy Friday!

Superwoman

So the title is not what I am but what I HAVE to become soon... Superwoman! The past two weeks back at work have been nuts. I'm completely off balance and trying not to sink! Each day gets easier though and this weekend we have had no plans so I'm catching up (aka breathing again!). It is hard work having a baby and working full time. Both are so demanding and want my full attention. I'm learning to balance though and let's be honest - Addison gets more attention than work. (Because she deserves it and well, I want to give her more!) I just need to find that happy medium. So anyway, the blog comes near the bottom of my to-do list; but Addison decided to take a 2 1/2 nap today so I have time!

A LOT has happened in the last few weeks. I'll be short so you're not reading for an hour on one post!

Family picture!

First off, back to work - I knew the first day would be emotional going back. I love every second with my daughter at home. The thought of not seeing her as much made (still makes) me sick to my stomach. So I warned daddy that if I had a meltdown on the way to daycare and then on the way to work on day #1 that he should probably just keep his mouth shut and not give me a hard time. Let's just say I prepped him good because I was a holy mess! Our morning schedule is easy - Addison wakes up at 6-7am and I feed her, then Josh takes care of her while I get ready so that was not the issue. Once we got in the car and started driving to daycare though I got a lump in my throat and couldn't breath (literally, couldn't breath). Tears started flowing before we got out of our neighborhood. Right before we got to our daycare's house I got it together so I could go up to the door and explain the bag of stuff i brought with her - basically her schedule :) I did really well, kissed her goodbye and ran to car.... then had my meltdown. Cried entire way to work, sat at my desk for an hour staring at the 3000 emails I had received on maternity leave and then finally realized I needed to do something... like work. The lady who watches Addison sent me multiple pictures on my phone during the day and we were texting every hour. It was so sweet of her; it made my day much easier. And I will say - every day since that day - I've been ok. I survived and will continue to survive. I took a new role at work so that's helping the situation too. I enjoy my job and am happy to be back. (As long as I don't think about Addison too long, then I get sad again!). Here's some cute pictures she sent me.. wouldn't they cheer you up too!

The weekend of June 9th my sister in law and niece came to Kansas City. My niece turned 5 on June 19th and her mom always said that she can have an American Girl doll when she turns 5. So that weekend was finally the time! If you don't know much about American Girl dolls... let me tell ya, it's an entire ordeal! The store is CRAZY. You can buy clothes, get their hair done, buy books/stories about the doll, strollers, dogs, etc... it's almost hard to believe it's a doll store!! She (the doll) even got her ears pierced! My niece loved every second of it though so it was totally worth it!

Best momma ever!

She found the perfect baby!

Last week on Thursday our good friends had their baby! He was a bit early so he's in the NICU but he's doing fantastic! He just needs some more time in the hospital and then will be ready to play with Addison. He is the most precious preemie I've ever seen! We are soooo happy for the new family!

Fathers Day was spent with daddy loving his little girl. We were in Tulsa for a wedding so we spent Sunday morning eating brunch with my family and celebrating with my dad too!

the very best dad there is! - my daddy (Papa Mike)

And last by certainly not least, Addison enjoyed her first pool day! She loved the pool. Kicked her feet and loved the water.

Of courses she had 2 swimsuits for the party! 

So that's our month of June! Miss Addison turned 3 months! Hard to believe how old she's getting so fast. We just love her so much, enjoying every second with the little princess!

Hope everyone is having a great summer!

Priceless Time

The past two weeks have been priceless. We traveled to Ohio to visit family and Addison got to meet her great grandma and her great great grandma! Plus, all of Josh's cousins, aunt, and uncle. How cool is it that she has a great great grandma! Not many people can say that! Of course we got a million "5 generation" pictures. 

Great Grandma - Grandma

Great Great Grandma - Daddy and Addison 

I was a bit nervous about flying with Addison but of course, she was wonderful. We unfortunately had a layover on both flights so it was a pain getting off the plane and back on but it was quick so wasn't too bad. She was either sleeping or eating on the flights. She just cuddled up on my lap and fell asleep; it was amazing! On the last flight she had a moment of weakness for about 3 minutes and then passed out. We figured she deserved a few mins to release some energy after 4 flights and 4 days of being held and passed around! 

Yeaaa I survived my first flight!!

Traveling with a 10 week old... we are crazy and we know it. 

Such a good girl!! 

We spent a few relaxing days in the small town of Bucyrus, Ohio. There was lots of lounging, food and family time. It was great and much overdue for Addison to meet everyone! We have SO many pictures of the weekend on my website too. www.joshandamber.shutterfly.com. Here are a few of my favs: 

 We aren't crazy about the bottle but getting better at it! 

 Great Grandma! 

Uncle Brandon

 Meeting cousin Landon! He's 3 weeks younger than Addison! 

Great Great Grandma

 Love my family 

 Great Grandma and Cousin Alyson

 Cousin Picture! 

Now we are spending my very last week of maternity leave cuddling on the couch. Addison snapped right back into schedule and I've been trying to cope with the fact that I won't be with her every second of the day. Everyone is asking me if I'm ready to go back.. I don't honestly know the answer. Do I want to leave her? NO. Do I miss my job? Yes. I miss having our routine and crazy enough, I miss work. It's just hard because I don't want to be away from Addison. So honestly, I don't know my answer. Right now, it's I'm ready to go back and at least try it out. We will see how it goes after a few weeks :) I'm sure I won't let her go at night or on the weekends!! It's crazy to think she's almost 3 months old! 

Sweet baby holds my hand while nursing

 daddy love

 sleeeeeeepy time 

This weekend my niece is coming to Kansas City to celebrate her 5th birthday! My sister in law always said when she turned 5 she can get an American Girl Doll. Sooo that's what we are doing! KC has a huge store so we are making a day of it. A total girls day - brunch, shopping, doll and clothes buying and then going to see Madagascar 3. My niece said she'd like us 4  to go together so Addison gets to come along for the ride too. (NO she is not getting a $100 doll... give her a year or two! Although, I doubt I can wait until she's 5...). It will be a perfect weekend before I return to work. 

Happy Hump Day!

Time Flies!

The past few weeks have been crazy but so great. Addison is on a great schedule and sleeping 8-9 hours at night and loves her nap time. I can officially say our "schedule" is working out..for the entire family :) I just got done reading "Becoming BabyWise" and it's been the best book. My cousin recommended the book and I couldn't be more pleased with this type of schedule with Addison. 

Last Wednesday we took Addison for a trial day at her daycare. (I go back to work in 2 1/2 weeks!). I dropped her off and felt a little uneasy but figured it was just me being a "first time mommy". When I picked her up a few hours later she had only eaten 1 oz (she should have eaten 10 0z be then!) and hadn't slept. When I walked in she was fussing on the ground by herself. :( The class was huge with 5 teachers and 4 kids to each teacher and Addison was definitely the youngest. All the attention was on the toddlers and I just couldn't do it. I know not all big daycares are like this but I just decided it wasn't for our family. 

SO... that began the frantic search for a reliable, trusting, clean, nice, scheduled in home daycare. I spent THREE full days on the phone with babysitters, references, background checks, etc. After multiple interviews we finally found one for us! It's just perfect. She'll start when I go back to work. It's two ladies who do the daycare in one of the ladies home. They've been doing in home daycare since 2000 and I have three friends who had their children go. I was so happy they had an opening for Addison! Plus, it's $100 less a week than big daycare! So overall, it was just perfect for us. 

I really never thought I'd be "that" mom but I am. I couldn't sleep at night worrying about it and I wasn't giving up! Thankfully now, I can sleep :)

Other than that, we spent the long weekend relaxing at home. Addison is starting to "talk" cooing and blowing bubbles. She will have an entire conversation with me cooing and raising her eyebrows/smiling. She's such a ham. I love it! 

Here's a few recent pictures of lil miss: 

 I'm a drooler! 

 Daddy is so funny! 

 Tummy time! 

 Check out that bird!! 

 Go Cowboys! Momma's girl :)

Sleeping beauty. We usually sleep in our crib but nap nanny is just so comfy too! 

It's crazy how fast time flies these days. We do nothing all day and the day is over! We are trying to enjoy every second of it. We are headed to Ohio in a few days to spend time with Josh's family. Addison gets to meet aunts, uncles, cousins and Great Grandma and Great Great Grandma! We are super excited!