baby boy essentials with Carter's

• this post is sponsored by Carter’s; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
  

  
  my absolute favorite go-to when dressing my girls in their first year (and beyond) has been Carter's.  when Parker and Jolie were born, there wasn't a whole lot that fit them outside of Carter's brand- they were so teeny tiny at just 4 pounds and 5 pounds! they wore their babysoft sets, sleep and plays, and the original bodysuit well through their first year of life, and Baker followed suit with the sweetest hand-me-downs fitting her like a glove.

  during a baby's first year, its all about the baby essentials, fit for any occasion, and Carter's always has what I'm looking for.  I appreciate the one-stop-shop, and no one does the coordinating outfits better than Carter's.. even with the newest addition being a baby boy!
  
  when we found out we were pregnant with Brady I was clueless on how I wanted to dress him.  there were so many options and styles.. and ya'll, I was really good at dressing three girls.  what was I going to do with a boy??  building a collection of baby boy clothes was totally new for me!  but I knew, without a doubt, that my first go-to would be Carter's.
  it has been SO FUN.  so, so fun!  

I stocked up on all the adorable newborn clothes to fill Brady's empty drawers with visions of him wearing them soon.. and here we are with an 8 week old Brady in our arms and I cannot get enough of how precious he looks wearing these comfy clothes!  he's changing by the day and his most recent milestone is learning to play and interact with all of us- his little voice is just the sweetest! and he's growing like a weed- I mean.. where did those cheeks come from?!  time if flying and snapping these memories of my fourth baby's first play time on a quilt under his little play gym will be something I won't forget.  I have pictures of all four of my kiddos playing like this and wearing a Carter's sleep and play or onesie..
Carter's has been along for the ride since the very beginning.

the warm weather is here, so whether we are playing in the coolness of the house or at the park, dousing ourselves in bubbles, or going on family dates to Costco- which always turns into 2 hour expeditions and scarfing slices of pizza while loading the groceries and wrangling babies into car seats, I really focus on dressing my kids for comfort.  side note: Costco pizza is WAY delicious.  

I'm so hungry.. getting back on track here.. of course I want them all to look super cute, but lightweight and breathable is key.  I also need to make things easy on me. with four kids under my feet, it is a lot to worry about when it comes to getting dressed let alone making decisions on what all four of them will wear.. just to the make a trip to the store or post office.. or Starbucks!  it can be a bit overwhelming..which is why there are (many) days they don't get out of their jammies!

I think, as mom's, we all go through seasons of change.  walking into this stage of motherhood, welcoming a fourth baby, is absolutely the most crazy its ever felt for me as a mom.  I feel like I'm in survival mode and going through the motions to get through the day. it is true that our life is more like controlled chaos and less like the rainbows and unicorns it might seem to be, but I am counting every single day as part of something that I wouldn't change for the world, will never forget, and I never ever want to take these moments for granted.  these babies are the lead characters in 4 years worth of the most colorful memories one can imagine and I couldn't be more thankful for the woman I have evolved to since becoming a mother.  these days I find myself seeking grace, patience, and joy in all these little moments that I would have never noticed before having kids. 

I don't even remember what life was like without them!

these little faces that bring so much happiness into this house and its hard to say that I don't want 4 more.. Jordan may loose his mind, but a girl can dream, right?

one of the best parts about shopping Carter's are the affordable prices.. and even more so when there is a coupon code involved!  ya'll, I appreciate coupons and discounts because.. FOUR kids! holla!

Click HERE for 20% off your entire purchase online and in stores:)

in the meantime I'll be over here sobbing in my third cup of coffee because Brady has grown out of his newborn size clothes and is fittingly way too well in size 3 months.  babies don't keep!
thats the truth!

photos by b faith photography

peaceful sleep with owlet baby care

I am so excited to be teaming up with Owlet Baby Care to share about our experience with this amazing monitor and explain a little more about how it works!  it has seriously changed the way we (all) sleep at night! of course, with a new baby come sleepless nights, and the middle of the night cluster feedings is not what I’m talking about.. it’s the worrying through the night if my baby is okay.  in Jordan’s line of work he has seen many unfortunate situations and he is on high alert through the first several months with a new little one- he wakes at the smallest sound or grunt or movement that the baby makes!  when I was pregnant with Brady I discovered the Owlet Smart Sock 2 and I shared with him the technology of this amazing product and he and I both were SO excited about it!  

I thought that maybe since Brady was baby number four that I (and Jordan, too) wouldn’t experience that same worry that filled my brain during the night in our first few weeks (and even months) home with the twins and even more so with Baker. well I was wrong, it was for sure still there and with each child it seemed like I was getting more and more anxious.  

with Brady, this anxiety started while we were still in the hospital.  he had a few drops in his oxygen levels because of silent reflux episodes.  he woke me one night, at 2 days old, hitting the side of the hospital bassinet with his little arms as he was gasping for air.. talk about terrifying.  since we have been home I constantly check him during the night and luckily we haven't had any episodes, but my peace of mind comes from the Owlet. its completely changed our sleeping game.

this tiny sock fits perfectly around little man’s foot while he sleeps. it’s very soft and he doesn’t seem to notice at all when he's wearing it- even fits easily under his footie pajamas! after using it the first night, both Jordan and myself were able to confidently fall asleep between feedings and sleep with ease. we will take what we can get to be as well rested as possible for another day of crazy with four babies, ya know?!

this magic sock it is definitely a MUST HAVE for every new mama.. as well as second and third time and in my case, fourth time mamas! while Brady sleeps, the Owlet Smart Sock 2 tracks his heart rate and oxygen levels with pulse oximetry- its the same technology as the little red light they clip on your finger at the doctor's office.  the Smart Sock 2 is designed to notify you if your baby’s levels fall out of the preset zones and sends the information to the Owlet app on my phone and to the base station sitting close to where we sleep.  if something outside of the present zone is ever detected the color of the base changes and it plays a loud song to notify you. 

there has been a couple nights the sock has lost connection when I’ve gotten up to change Brady’s diaper and Jordan has even gotten the notification on his phone while he's been at the fire station. the app is really amazing because we can see a live feed of Brady's readings that are being tracked, even when Jordan isn't home!

I’ve gotten a lot of questions about our experience with the Owlet Smart Sock 2 and if you are on the fence I strongly suggest you climb right over:). if your anything like me and worry about your baby when they sleep this would be the one thing I would invest in.  I don’t think you can every put a price tag on something valuable like this. 

photos by bfaith photography/ thank you Owlet for collaborating on this post 

Brady Jordan | Newborn Photoshoot

I'm in MAJOR disbelief that we are closing out Brady's 5th week of life- how in the world did we get this far ALREADY.  time flies when you are having fun.. and/or not sleeping..?   I have to give him more credit than that because he does sleep well through the night and only wakes once to eat, but its just the day to day that is complete chaos and keeps us all very busy and exhausted!

I've been hoarding these sweet newborn photos until after I was able to send out Brady's newborn announcements mainly because I'm weird like that and didn't want to "ruin" the surprise in the photos I selected for the card.. see, weird and a little OCD.  for the first time ever Jordan and I included ourselves in the newborn photoshoot and I loved how they turned out.  a lifestyle shoot just 7 days after Brady was born was just a little bit hectic: consisted of one giant screaming meltdown by a teeny toddler to be unnamed, another kid that refused to smile and pouted over nothing her mother could ever understand, and I basically died of sweat the entire time.

..but Brady slept through the whole thing.

thank goodness.

photography by: b faith photography

 grey swaddle // little unicorn

housedress c/o dwell + slumber

twins' dresses // candy kirby designs 

baker // lace peplum tunic  + leggings + bows

brady // tee + pants

...to the moon swaddle c/o baby jives

hello world cocoon swaddle c/o fawn + sage

custom baby blanket c/o dwell + darling

teddy bear hood c/o pine + poppy shop

celebrating Brady // baby boy sip + see

we celebrated our baby boy yesterday with the sweetest and most thoughtfully planned sip and see by my girl Brittany, my sweet mother in law, and her bestie, Teresa.  Teresa loves my family big.. while I was nursing Brady in her room yesterday before the party started I noticed pictures of my girls framed next to her bed and on her dresser.. made my postpartum heart swell with thanks because of women like her in our life.

we invited friends + family for a small gathering to meet baby Brady, eat appetizer foods (I could seriously live off pimento cheese and chicken salad!), yummy cupcakes initialed with the letter "B", and sipped coffee and lemonade as we loved on our little Massey.  it was such a fun afternoon!

brady's cardigan onesie HERE + pants HERE + paci clip HERE + pacifier HERE 

 the lovely pearl + jane made a banner and cake topper especially for Brady and my mother in law got crafty with the scrap banner she made herself!

 Jordan's Meme holding her great grand baby number SIXTEEN.

my little photobomber!  Parker asks me to take pictures of her and Brady all day long.  I love the way she loves him

we finally got home and did the chaotic dinner + bedtime dance with three little ladies and in the quiet aftermath of the day Jordan and I ate left over cake and watched one of our many DVR'd shows to wind down before we got into bed ourselves.  this little guy was zonked out and slept hard until he woke early this morning to eat.

so thankful for everyone that came and shared our joy over this babe!  

Baker's Sip + See HERE

SHOP THE POST

brady jordan | one month

ONE.

I'll just go ahead and admit that this last month has been the fastest four weeks of my life.  I cannot believe Brady is already growing out of his newborn sleepers + onesies and slowly filling out the next size up.  newborn diapers are getting snug and while I feel like I was just getting to see his sweet face like last week, he's changed so much since we first met him one month ago!

I am pretty sure we have arm rolls.

..and leg rolls 

..working on a double chin.

..and praying to the hair gods that his hair stays put.

he's cuter by the day- so many heart eyes!

he's also been putting in good work on filling out all these baby boy things I have hanging in his closet that swallow him whole at the moment.

felt letter board // romper

we visited the pediatrician and Brady is growing like a little weed!  he's gained about two pounds in three weeks!!

Brady at ONE month

Weight: 9 pounds 9 ounces (35th percentile)

Birth: 7 lbs 4 oz

Height: 22 in (57th percentile)

Birth: 20 in

Head: 37.5 cm (27th percentile)

Birth: 34.5 cm

at Brady's two week appointment we started him on reflux medication (its a baby version similar to Zantac) and have since seen some improvement!  we bumped his dose to 1.25mls twice every day and hopefully he will see even more relief.  all of my babes have had a touch a reflux, getting worse with each kiddo and we've never medicated until now.  Brady continues to have some episodes of reflux straight into his nasal passage (rather than out his mouth) making it really hard for him to breathe- so we were ready to seek out any and all options our pediatrician had to offer.  we've definitely been challenged with keeping him comfortable and elevated after he eats but the medication makes the reflux less often than it was, which allows all of us peace of mind.

E A T

this boy loveeees to eat.  a lot.  from the moment he and I met for skin to skin to practice just minutes after he was born he was ready - nearly a perfect latch from the get go (which I know is not common and such a blessing for the both of us).  my milk started to come in on day 2 and finally to the full amount by day 3 (I was really dehydrated from being sick after surgery so it took awhile compared to Baker's delivery) and memory hormones recalled again what my supply was from previous experiences with breastfeeding the girls.  I asked for a pump to help relieve some of the pressure after feeding Brady and came home with over 20 ounces of milk to store.. just as I had with Baker before.  breastfeeding has continued to go well over these last four weeks.  Brady eats about every 3 hours during the day and will sleep in 4-5 hours stretches between feedings throughout the night.  this last week Brady has been hard pressed to eat every 2 hours and I'm offering as often as he needs!  his raspy hangry cry is that of a baby lion and in the evenings he wants nothing else but to nurse for hours and hours.. which is fine when Jordan is around to help me with the girls while I'm posted up on the couch with a baby on the boob, but when he's gone for 24 hours and I'm solo it can be a leeeetle stressful.  needless to say, this first growth spurt has left me pretty exhausted, but we are surviving!

P L A Y

we are still a couple weeks away from focusing on any kind of "play", but Brady is starting to be awake much more throughout the day and so we plan to start tummy time soon!  Brady has started to focus in on objects close to his face and respond to light (television/ceiling fans) and acknowledge a familiar voice.  he loves to be held and close by to someone so he feels safe and will just hang out and observe his surroundings while on my lap or being cuddled by the big sisters. 

S L E E P

Brady is slowly coming out of the "sleepy newborn" stage and finds himself is awake during the daytime hours for about 45 minutes to an hour between feedings.  he often will fall sleep the last 45 minutes to an hour before he's ready to eat again..and other times he will fight the sleep and cry and cry in exhaustion.  he wants to be held for every nap and that just doesnt work when I need to tend to the other three!  so we have been making it work thanks to the solly wrap- homeboy is strapped to my chest for about half the day so I have two hands to manage the rest of the crew. 

at night Brady will sleep about 3.5-4.5 hours after the last feeding before I go to bed, which has been about 11pm at night.  we've started a nighttime routine with him that includes a warm bath and rubdown with lavender lotion before I nurse him to sleep.  we have found that he sleeps amazing the first half of the night when we do this!  usually waking between 3:30-4:30am to eat he will go back down to sleep immediately.  occasionally, about 15 minutes after I lay him down, I'll hear him snorting and having a rough time trying to breathe through his nose. so I know he has refluxed and thats when he ends up sleeping on our chest for about an hour or so before we are able to lay him back down.  after the first feeding of the morning (often between 6am-7am) he will go back to sleep for about an hour and then lay away until its time to eat again.  I've been pumping every single morning after that first feeding because thats when my supply is the greatest and I'm determined to build up my stash in the freezer and to help continue my good supply as he grows and needs more. 

B R A D Y

you have some major fan girls in this house! I remember how the big girls loved on Baker when she first came home from the hospital and I hoped and prayed when you arrived that all three of them would love you the same! I have never seen your older sisters love and adore something or someone so much.  Baker is your biggest fan!  her constant requests for hugs and sugars.. "let me seeeee!" she exclaims and I about die when she lays her little hands on your face in admiration.  nothing in my wildest dreams could have prepared me for this kind of gentle sweetness coming from her and projected onto you.  your sisters break out in giggles when you start to root on their face and really are convinced that you are kissing them back.

I have so much pride when I see those three dote on you all day long.

you are totally in for a lifetime of this, and I'm more than excited to see you all grow up together.

diaper changes + hunger + gas pains get you worked up the most.  your lion roar is loud and raspy and the moment your dad or myself pick you up the cries stop.  so, you've got a cozy place in the wrap many hours in the day and no one is complaining about those snuggles!

you had many "firsts" this month!

we visited daddy at the fire station and while you slept the afternoon away everyone was so glad to have been able to meet you:)

the big sisters were proud to show you off, too!!

we also took you to your first baseball game!  we left the big girls with your BB + Papa for the afternoon and daddy and I had the best time letting you tag along for the day!  we daydreamed and chit chatted of your future in playing little league.. I never thought that being your mama would bring so much more joy than I already have with your sisters.  

you are something special, sweet guy. 

you have the most expressive facial movements - I love love love your sleepy grins, wrinkling of your nose, and pursing of your lips.  when you give us a glimpse of your eyes we cant help but notice how much you resemble your sisters!

I really see the perfect blend of Jolie, Parker and Baker in you.  in one moment I see an exact replica of Miss Parker Jane - your eyes are set apart just like Parker's and your sweet little perky nose is nearly identical to Baker Bree's!  that permanent scowl that you wear is straight from Jolie.. she scowled for the first four months of life, and it seems you are doing the same.  but also.. your lips + chin resemble your eldest sis the most. 

I really cannot wait to see what month 2 has to bring - oh how you will grow and change over the next four weeks my little man caboose. 

we love you so, Brady Jordan!