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Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Dear Eisley...Two Months



Dear Eisley,

I've often heard "enjoy every moment because it goes so fast". Honestly, I am trying to soak up as much as you as I can. You have gotten so much bigger, but you are still a little love-- a little love that is outgrowing her 0-3 months clothing! I feel like just last week you were swimming in those clothes. Maybe all this crying you have been doing is because growing hurts.

You have found your voice and you are not afraid to use it. You make some pretty funny sounds and you love to talk after a good milk meal. Also, when something really tickles you, you have this laugh....well its more like a screech, but its cute nonetheless. It is so fun to watch the faces you come up with and the noises you share, I think we will have quite the talker.


You love the car, which is a good thing becuase we spend a good amount of time driving your Dad back and forth from work. One thing you don't like is talk radio, which I can understand, NPR gets pretty one sided sometimes. We have been rotating through Mumford and Sons, First Aid Kit, Eisley (of course), Fleet Foxes, and Taylor Swift (don't judge, haters).


Speaking of your Dad, he is head over heels for you! You guys have great morning cuddles, make faces, and have hilarious play times. You love it when he takes your legs and pretends you're running, which in turn helps you get some good man-size farts out.

You got to meet a lot of new people this month and you had a great time getting held by and playing with them. Your Aunt Anna and your Gruncle came to visit and you sure did like them, and they could not get enough of you. Also Adam and Cassie came to meet you! You were a little scared of crazy Adam's faces, but you loved it when Cassie would sing to you.  You also spent your first time without mom or dad! We were a little nervous but Andrea and Tom were great baby sitters while we went to a Christmas party without you.



Even though its been a little cold here in Portland you have loved spending time outside. You have gone on lots of walks with me to look at the pretty fall colors. And dad took you on your first hike to the top of Multnomah Falls. The problem with all these adventures is you tend to sleep through them. You love the feeling of sunshine on your face and usually just close your eyes and take in all the warmth. I get it, sunshine is just delightful!


You still love your pacifier, we have a little jar that we keep full of clean, ready to use pacifiers because you can be demanding when you want it. Lately though, you seem ok to suck on your hands. You haven't really got the hang of it yet because you tend to gag yourself and then look at us like we did it to you. No little girl, that's your long fingers at work. Sometimes when you're sleeping I hold your hand and imagine all the great things you might do with them, like play piano, feed orphans, bake cookies, sculpt masterpieces and...well, who knows, but it is exciting to dream!

Speaking of your hands, you love to move them all around when you're breastfeeding. My favorite is when you slowly rub them back and forth on my skin, your hands are so soft and I love that feeling. You also like to rub them through your hair...you might end up a hair twirler like your Auntie Meg.


Truthfully, this month has been hard, you have cried so much in the evenings that our hearts break and we wish we could make it all better. Eventually you calm down and give us big gummy smiles that melt our hearts. Eisley...we freaking love you, how did we live for so long without you. Keep growing strong, little one!

Thursday, November 29, 2012

It's rough...

This blog is not only to keep friends and family (and strangers) on the up and up with little Eisley. But also a place for me to keep a record of Eisley so years down the road I will have this to reflect on. With that said...I am about to get real with what I am feeling and how life with this new person in our family is.


 I love my little lady, she is amazing and such a blessing to us. But man...she is hard work! I know they say babies are hard work, but I guess I didn't listen to them and just thought of big cute bright eyes staring up at me and huge gummy grin. Also...who is this "they"...their a bunch of know-it-alls! I didn't prepare for hours of crying, being overly fatigued, my body hurting, and crazy hormones. But...that is what I got.


Maybe you other seasoned parents are chuckling right now reading this...you know how I am feeling all to well. But man, it's rough.

 It's rough when she is screaming every evening and I have tried everything to comfort her. My heart breaks, my head spins, and my frustration rises.

 Its rough when my husband works so hard to provide for the family, but doing so leaves me alone with her 10+ hours a day.

 It's rough when breastfeeding is still hard for me and its my way to provide for her, but I dread when its eating time.

It's rough when I compare myself to other moms who seem to do it all: clean house, cook dinner, look amazing, craft all the time, work on developmental play with their baby, have a great relationship with their husband, and spend time with friends, all the while with a perfect baby.

 It's rough when all my family is 10 or more hours away and are missing out on our growing girl. They are not here to stop by and help out when I need it. 

It's rough when all my free time (which isn't much these days) needs to be spent working on things for Grad school but I just want to sleep.

It's rough when I feel like I have lost "me" but feel selfish for admitting this...I guess I just did.

It's not rough when just one smile, coo, sleepy laugh, or warm cuddle will make all of those overwhelming times and feeling fade away in an instant.


*all photos by my dear friend Cassie*

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Eiselygram

I love Instagram...Its like facebook without the pointless updates....ok there are still a lot of pointless updates, but at least I just get to look a pictures. If you have an instagram, you can follow Brian here (expect a lot of fishing pictures) and me here (expect a lot of cat pictures). Now onto some of my favorite Eisleygrams.











Saturday, November 10, 2012

Dear Eisley....One Month.



Dear Eisley,

You have been in our lives for one month now. Sometimes it feels like you have been here for longer, honestly I love you so much that I can't image a time I didn't know love for you. Your personality is awesome and quickly changing and growing. You are pretty laid back, you like your sleep, and you love to cuddle. You definitely let us know when you want something, but you are easy to please. You LOVE eating--but you are our daughter so who would expect less. Your dad likes to make me laugh when you are breastfeeding and says you're getting a milk shake...you don't seem to mind. Speaking of things you love--you really LOVE your changing table, we make faces, kiss your round belly, sing songs, and pretend to eat your toes. This is where we get big gummy smiles from you that melt our heart.


You are so strong! Everyone that holds you comments about how strong your neck is. You look all around and you love it when dad walks you around the house and talks to you about what you are seeing. You like looking at the lights and all the crazy trinkets in the hutch. Sometimes you decide you don't like the position you're in and LUNGE to one side...always keeping us on our toes.


So far the kitties just steer clear of you-- Kizzle decided you are not to bad to be around so she is ok sitting on the couch next to you. But Brimley doesn't like you. He hates it when you cry, and he doesn't like how you smell. Don't worry, I know you guys will be great friends when your big enough to play with him.


You make us laugh all the time. When you first wake up you start grunting and moaning and you stretch out and make yourself as long as possible. P.S... planking is so last year. It is funny because we have realized that is the exact same way I wake up! You make so many faces, but your go-to face is a grumpy, furrowed brow and people always ask what's wrong-- and we just tell them thats just how you look, haha!


You hate the hiccups, sometimes even yelling at them when they come, and I understand--.they suck.  But don't worry, your body will develop more and it won't be so bad soon. You also really hate the back of your neck being touched, when it is touched you turtle your head to your shoulders. I secretly find this funny so I try to give you big kisses on your neck and watch you turtle up...I know, it's mean, right!


We have been having so much fun getting to know you and your likes and dislikes.  It hasn't all been easy, truthfully I have had some very frustrating moments, especially in the evenings when you seem to cry and I don't know how to help you. But I am reminded every day (and in the middle of the night) when I look at your sweet face and watch your sleepy smiles just how much I love you and how all of this is so worth it.


Happy one month of life!

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Picking her name

Eisley Caprice...This girl most likely won't have other kids in her class with the same name..I hope she is ok with that.


About seven years ago Brian and I were dating, I think we both knew we would get married someday, but it still wasn't a near reality. We started talking about kids and quickly started playing the name game. Most of the names we came up with for both genders were pretty horrible (think Mowgli) , and I am glad we didn't have kids at that time to be cursed with those names. But there was one name we both still loved sever years later when we finally did become pregnant...and that was Eisley. We knew of the name Eisley from a band we have both been fans of for a long time. They chose their band name from a planet in star wars called Mos Eisley. Now when I say we are a fan of the band, I would say I am really close to being a stalker of the band...I am like a teenage fan girl...following all the members (and their parents) on Instagram, knowing way to much about their personal lives, and tracking down every scrap of recorded music that has ever hit the internet.

Her middle name is my mom's first name. We knew we wanted a family name and we loved how Caprice sounded and how it  honored my mother. We kept this part of her name a secret from (almost) everyone and announced it after she was born. When we told my mom about 2 minutes after she was born that her middle name was Caprice she burst into tears. It is one of my favorite memories from her birth. 


Here are some fun defentions/meanings:
Urban Dictionary
Eisley:
A dreamy kind of music sung so beautifully, full of imagery, loaded with fantastic melodies and bursting with love that sounds like no other.
Dictionary
Caprice:
sudden, unpredictable or whimsical change; impulse
Baby name sites
Eisley:
Cheerful, strong
Caprice:
Whimsical, Playful


My hope for Eisley Caprice is that she fulfills her name. That she is a lover of music, whimsical, strong, and cheerful! Ask me again how I feel about the unpredictable impulse part when she is a teenager--hold me.





Saturday, October 27, 2012

Little E's Nest

I love her little room...and by little I mean it...it's about 8x7, baby sized room for a baby!  I had a wonderful time decorating and finding pieces to put in her room that I loved, were meaningful, and helped to create a magical atmosphere. So put some slippers on, sip on something warm and yummy and enjoy the tour.

cute wall art.


"book" shelf!
 This owl was hand painted by her Aunt Anna, it opens up and has a little note for Eisley to store her treasures in there. The yarn balls and wood mushrooms are decorations from one of my baby showers.

Baby shower guest book.

My lovely friend Cassie made this tree guest book for my baby shower, the little heart in the tree says B+A=E. I love having this little reminder of all the people that love and celebrated Eisley before they even knew her.

Painting by Uncle Greg

 My Brother painted this super cute painting for Eisley's room. I was so surprised when he gave it to me. I guess in the process of making this, one of his ink pens exploded in my parents living room, and they had to re-paint to cover up all the ink...I say it was worth it.

little bunny fu-fu

This is wrapping paper that was used at Eisley's cousin Penelope's baby shower.

the poop station!

The changing table is a super cute vintage dresser that I found with my friend Sarah at our favorite antique shop.

ABC's

 My long time friend Hannah made this amazing alphabet banner, each letter is a work of art in itself.

Drawing by Sherri from the band Eisley

Drawing by Sherri from the band Eisley

 The lead singer from the band Eisley (where our little Eisley got her name) is an amazing artist and sells  some of her drawings. She herself is pregnant with her first little girl and drew this amazing astronaut mom picture, I knew I needed it for little E's room. When I received the drawing in the mail she had sent an additional little drawing which she signed for Eisley from her. I may or may not have squealed  like a 13 year old fan girl while opening this...and then I cried...I blame the hormones.



Some touches here on this shelf is a little dear that Hannah found for us, and I used it in some of my maternity pictures. Also in the background is a little card from my amazing friend Emily it is a quote that says "Children are made readers on the laps of their parents." I love this and can't wait to read her tons of bedtime stories.

More from the poop station.

These are cute vintage baskets to store all her cloth diapers and wipes. I think the diapers are so cute so it is fun to see them on display.

ABC's...some more!

 My mom found this really cute animal alphabet print, I love that there is some not so common animals, like a vampire bat!

little German friends.

 The little prints I found at a thrift store long before I was pregnant and I kept them around in hopes of using them in a nursery some day. The little owl was a gift from Hannah again (ok she is a keeper, she gives great gifts!) for a just because time.

cozy little spot.

Eisley!

Love all the details


Lovely colors!

My sister-in-law Annie had a friend paint these amazing letters in Eisley's name...she choose super fun colors and I love all the woodland creature details, so perfect! I seriously hope Eisley's loves this forever!

Alice In Wonderland.

My dad got me this wonderful, vintage, multiple canvas prints from an Alice in Wonderland book about 4 years ago. Another piece of artwork that I have kept around (not only because it's amazing) but in hopes of using it for a baby's room someday.

Fashionable

Her armoire is full with all the lovely hand-me-down and new clothes from friends and family.

Bedtime stories for days!

At one of my baby showers, everyone brought books and wrote in them instead of cards...I can't wait to read all of these to her! Lets be real...I can't wait to read most of them for myself. 

Whew...we made it...that's the tour of her little nest. It is like my little happy place, its so cozy and I love sitting in her room. She is not sleeping in there yet, but I am sure she will love it as much as I do.