five on friday

this week was so good.  it had a lot to do with the fact that Jordan was home almost the entire week (angels singggg!) and a WHOLE lot to do with these little people that call me mama.  Parker, Jolie, and Baker have just been so easy going and a lot of fun this week.  Baker keeps me laughing all day, even in the moments I feel like everything is taking me three times as long to do because I'm doing it one handed (with a baby in the other).

their patience, lack of (ridiculous) tantrums, and overall happy demeanor this week has offered the greatest amount of grace I could ever ask for from those three.

for the first time in almost 6 weeks I felt like I had a handle on managing life with four kids.

even though, at some point, they all contracted the worst case of pink eye have ever seen, but we kept it clear of Brady so that is one for the win column, ya'll!

one. little mama

 I cant get over this girl.  she's amazing.  I never want to forget her at this age.  RIGHT. NOW.

she's blooming into this sweet and thoughtful little girl and I cannot get over it.  

her baby dolls are her most prized possession.. including her very own real live baby brother.  

..and I've never met someone that eats more peanut butter than me.

she screams "BUUTTAH!" from her highchair after every meal and I have to just put it away after she asks for her fourth giant spoonful.

this girl is the true light of our world.

two. thoughtful (and caffeinated) support

the afternoon my girls woke with the nastiest pink eye (like SO GROSS) Brittany texted me after dropping off my beverage of choice on the porch.

you know how when you find that person that you just kind of stay on the same wavelength?

three. impromptu family date night on the patio

Jordan worked over time this week as a medic at a large golf tournament and me and the girls were out and about ALL DAY.. Brady was there, too. still getting used to that:)

 our (amazing superwoman) housekeeper was at the house and we kind of evacuate for the day so she can clean.. she washes, dries, and folds every ounce of clothing in this house, you guys, even the sheets! if I could afford it she would live with us.  I love that woman- again, I cant claim to have it all together when I have a village of people that help me with this mama life.

anyway, she got a later than normal start and was still at the house around dinner time so we opted for pizza on the patio at the most amazing place up the street from our neighborhood.  a sunburned Jordan met us there and we just had the BEST time.  I have been thinking about that caesar salad since we left earlier this week and Jordan brought one home to me last night for dinner- bless that man.

four. home-cooked dinner on the table!

when I did my (online!) grocery shopping this week I was really hungry:)  after skimming my pinterest board I ended up deciding on a handful of recipes to make, including this REALLY yummy and really easy meal: cheesy pesto chicken + veggies stuffed spaghetti squash.  I followed the recipe exactly and decided to use parmesan and mozzarella when it called for cheese (it wasn't specified in the recipe).  I cooked my chicken breast in the crock pot on HIGH for about two hours with chicken stock, salt, and pepper.  I normally cook my chicken on LOW but decided kind of last minute that this was going to be dinner for that night! 

I also have THIS delicious cajun shrimp pasta on the menu for this weekend.. throwing in some chicken sausage, because well I'm so hungry.

all the time.

five. our growing little chunk

 we made a (double) trip to the pediatrician this week.  one for the pink eye and the other for Brady's one month well check. he looks great and is growing so well!  when the scale tipped to 9 pounds 9 ounces I was admittedly surprised. I knew he had gained weight and gotten bigger- for sure thought we were about 8-ish pounds.. NOPE.  little chunk gained almost two pounds in the last three weeks!

side note: I get so many compliments on this swaddle blanket- its from bebe au lait and you can find it in the swaddle set HERE

 ..and because I cant get over this baby picture of Jordan!  Meme brought us this picture of Jordan when he was about a year old while at Brady's sip + see over last weekend.. and he's wearing the same baby shoes hanging in Brady's room.  SO many heart eyes! 

also. my kids are spitting images of their dad.

heres to another FRIYAY!  happy weekend, folks:)

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!