Other things

I haven't posted as much on the blog as I had originally intended. Fact is, I'm not as invested as I thought I would be. My focus has turned to my photography, which I hope to grow as a business. I will post a link to my photography blog once it's up and running.

Self Feeding: 7 Months

My baby is 7 months old, and she absolutely does not like to be spoon-fed. She tolerated it at five months, but around 6 months, whenever I tried to coax a spoon towards her mouth, she either tried to grab it out of my hand or turn her head away.

Before I became a parent, I used to think this was a negative thing. I'm not sure exactly why, but I thought it was a sign of neglect on the parent's part when a child refuses to be spoon fed. Well, after a little bit of research and newfound enlightenment (actually being a mom), I've discovered that it's actually perfectly normal for a baby to want to experiment and handle their own food. Which makes sense, right?

Babies are so amazing. They're born with life-saving reflexes and natural instincts. Feeding themselves is no exception. Self feeding is more commonly known as "baby-led weaning." It's not to be confused with giving up breast milk or formula, though. It's basically just giving your baby a piece the food you're eating and letting them try it. If they don't like it, they'll throw it down. If they do like it, though, they love it!

So far, I've let Raegan try apples, steamed asparagus, baby carrots, celery, teething biscuits, mango, chicken, yogurt, and banana. She only took to the apples, carrots, and yogurt so far. She loves when I make smoothies, and she won't let me or her dad drink them without giving her a taste or two.

She also loves when I freeze portions of my smoothies in her little popsicle molds. She devours them quickly, and most of it actually makes it to her mouth! (By the way, the smoothies I make only contain juice, no milk. Babies aren't supposed to have cow's milk until 12 months.)

It's so much fun seeing how my baby has preferences as to what food she likes and what she doesn't like. So far, fruit is a big hit. She's definitely her mother's daughter!

Read more about baby-led weaning here.

The Best Cookies I've EVER Made!

My ultimate favorite, most loved cookie is the chocolate-chip cookie. 

Coincidently, I began baking at a young age, (I think around 13 or so.) And I've been on the hunt for the best recipe ever since I've started making these babies from scratch. 

I think I've finally found the best recipe in the world. 

Courtesy of Pinterest, I stumbled upon a pin of a wonderful looking chocolate chip cookie. Little did I know, this pin would change my life. I've tried countless amounts of recipes for this cookie, and none compare!

These cookies are so soft, thick, and delicious. They didn't last long in my house among myself and my husband.  I can't wait until I make them again! 

You can find the recipe at Sally's Baking Addiction. You're welcome.

Happy Mother's Day

"Motherhood is not a hobby. It is a calling. It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for."  -Elder Neil L. Anderson-

I have the wonderful privilege of having two women I can call Mom: my biological mom and my stepmom, Dana. I'm so lucky to have both of them. They are both unique in their own ways, and that's why I love them.

My mom is one of the most kind and generous people that I've ever known. She will bend over backwards to help her children when they are in need. We've had our rough times, but what mother-daughter relationship doesn't? I gave her heck back in my teenager years, but those days are over, and I'm so happy with the relationship we have today.

My mom and me when I was a little one.

Us on my wedding day.

Dana is the best stepmom anyone could ask for. She is so much fun to be around, and so adventurous. I love chit-chatting with her, and we could talk all night! She has a spunky personality that makes her unique. She's so perfect for my dad, and you can tell they are so happy together.

 Dana with my sister and me in Hawaii

Dana, my sister with her son, and me

A year ago today, I announced on this blog that I was going to become a mother soon. (Read that post here.) I was 15 weeks along. This past year has been one of the fastest yet. It's been quite the ride that my husband and I have gone through becoming new parents. I have learned so much.

Being a mother is something that you can't explain to someone. There is nothing that can prepare you for this unique experience. You don't quite understand it until you become a mother yourself. The love I feel for Raegan is so strong. When she goes to bed at night, I find myself looking at pictures of her and just falling in love over and over again. 

I love you, Raegan. Forever and always!

Ahh... The Weekend.

As I'm sitting here in my living room typing this, both of my loves are quietly napping close by me. My little love is in her rocking to-go cradle, and my big love just crashed on the couch. Soon, it shall be my turn to take a nap uninterrupted.

Today, Raegan has -kind of- given me a hard time with her crankiness. She didn't want to take her early morning nap with me *sigh*, leading her to being more grumpy than usual when her actual morning nap rolled around. So, I'm grateful she's actually getting a good nap in: 2 hours now, and counting!

When Raegan is happy, (which is about 98% of the time), she is the most amazing baby ever! Sometimes I feel like it makes her unruly times harder to bear. I get frustrated with myself because I think I'm doing something wrong, when in all actuality, she's just being a baby! 

On a lighter note, she's mastering her sitting skill more and more every day. She also has found a love for her toy box in her room. I can see us spending a lot more time in her nursery when she becomes mobile.

I love that it's Friday and the weekend is here! That usually means more mommy breaks for me since daddy can take over and help out a little bit more than he can during the work week.

Well, I best get going. My little one just woke up and is all smiles and ready to have fun!

Until next time,

Lesly

A Nice Day for a Walk

While it was a little hot today, it was nice to to get out and go for a walk with my friend, Rebekah. She has a little man who is just one month younger than my baby. It's always fun to have friends with babies around the same age as yours!

Our friends, Rebekah and Jacob

Raegan got a little cranky when we stopped to take a few pictures, so I gave her my watch so she'd be more content.

"Mmm! Mommy's watch makes me happy!"

It's nice to get out and go for a walk/jog! We make it a date every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I'll have to get some pictures of Raegan and Jacob next time. They love each other!

Photography

I love photography. I actually hope to become a professional photographer someday. 

I have the perfect subjects too. My husband, my two dogs, and my baby girl! They probably get tired of me taking their snapshots though. But I need the practice!

Recently, my husband bought me a new camera lens. It's better than my previous one in the way that it has a larger aperture, making the subject of my photos stand out more and the background to blur. I LOVE IT!

I also love GIMP: it's a free photo editing software similar to photoshop. I'm getting the hang of using it, and it's fun just playing around. Here's a before and after of one of the photos I recently edited:

Pretty cool, huh?

Baby steps at a time, and I'll be a pro one of these days!

Happy 6 Months, Sweetheart!

I can't believe Raegan is already 6 months old! Yesterday was her half-birthday. I took some pictures like I do on every 3rd of the month since she was born. However, I had a new camera lens to play with! My husband gave me my mother's day gift a little early. (All I wanted was some chocolate for goodness sake! But what can I say... He spoils me.)

Back to Raegan: When she was newborn, she seemed so fragile. During my baby blues, I wished that she was just a little bit older, more solid. 6 months old is the perfect age. She is now "just a little bit older," just as I had wanted. I couldn't be more happy!

She loves playing on her tummy. She loves new things. She's exploring more of the world around her, at least as much as she can. She always wants to taste what I'm eating. She is so much fun!

Raegan is my little buddy. Being a stay at home mom, I get a lot of time with her, and for that I am grateful.

Here are some more pictures from what I took yesterday:

My favorite one. She is just too precious to me. Check out those ears!

Fenugreek, Miracle or Not?

For those who don't know, I exclusively pump to feed my baby. Starting out, I made more than enough milk. I even was able to stock some in my freezer because I was producing more than what my baby needed every day. It was incredible, knowing that even though breastfeeding didn't work out, I could still provide nourishment for my little one.

Well, after Christmas time, I noticed a decrease in my supply. I'm not sure how it all happened honestly.  I think I had a bad day or so when I wasn't able to keep up with the demands of pumping around the clock. Maybe it's because I dropped one or two pumping sessions a day. But since then, I haven't been able to keep up. I was forced to buy formula to supplement that extra bottle or so my baby needed at the end of the day to go to sleep.

Lately though, after going through several cans of formula, (which are in no way cheap), I've been looking for different ways to boost my supply! I miss having a stock of milk in my freezer for back up! So instead of first trying to pump more often, I decided to turn to fenugreek.

I had heard so many great things about it; how it boosts milk supply. I even heard of a woman who tripled her supply by taking it! So I had to try it out!

Well, I've been taking it for a little over a week now, and I have been hopeful... But even taking the max dose, (3 capsules, 3 times a day) I haven't seen my supply increase. Maybe by an ounce or so a day, but not enough to be worth buying this again. I will continue to take it and finish what I have though. I heard sometimes it can take 2 weeks for it to have an effect, but by golly I smell like maple syrup! It's a normal side effect, but it means I'm taking enough.

In the meantime, I think I will just have to resort to pumping more. These last few days, I've embraced my pump, and I've now managed to squeeze in two extra sessions a day. I do pump more than I did before, but I still have to give my baby formula. She's a growing girl!

I hope this fenugreek does end up working for me. I could really use a break. I want to have enough supply so I can store enough to feed her to her 1st birthday and beyond. I'd like to quit pumping before she hits that turning point, but I might not be so lucky.

Until next time. I'll post an update with my results when I figure out if it works for me or not!

Lesly

Lack of sleep

A few days ago, as I put my baby to sleep and gently laid her in her crib, I felt a sense of relief. A day full of entertaining, changing diapers, and feeding, was coming to a close, and soon it would be my time. Well, that was short-lived and interrupted by a restless, crying baby. I was left using my time to hold and comfort her, because that's what she wanted: my time.

At first, I was slightly irritated. Why doesn't she just go to sleep? Why won't she let my husband console her? Why, 15 minutes after I put her to bed, does she wake up again!?

Those thoughts and feelings quickly faded away with one thought: she will never be this little again.

She will one day grow to be an exploring toddler; running and playing off on her own. 

She will one day go to school for the first time, with her backpack full of supplies, and her mind ready to learn away from home.

She will one day grow to be an independent teenager, not wanting to be rocked to sleep, not crying and waking up me in the middle of the night to eat or be held.

As I sat in her serene, darkened room, I felt so peaceful. One day, this little baby I held in my arms will be grown up, and too big for me to hold anymore. I wanted to hold her forever.

Cherish the small moments, for they go too fast. I'm learning how true that is.

3 Weeks in Idaho

We consider Idaho to be our home. Being away for 2 years and 3 months made this trip seem way overdue. That's military life for you though.

So we flew into Salt Lake City and stayed with Keali'i's sister, Elbea, and the next day we headed off to Idaho with my mom. The rest is a blur. We attended my mom and stepdad's temple sealing, and we also went to Keali'i's brother, Loren's wedding. We spent time with SO many loved ones, I can't even count. I wish I could've spent more time with more people, but it was stressful trying to stretch ourselves. We almost overdid it!

We look forward to going back out west soon, Keali'i has decided he doesn't want to stay in the Marine Corps any longer. But, that will be another post another time. :)

Here are some of my favorite photos captured during our stay!

Shopping Cart

Yesterday was Raegan's first time riding in the cart like a big girl. At first, we didn't know if she'd be ready to sit in the cart without being in  her carseat as usual, but I knew she would like sitting up better so she could have a view of the world around her.

She was a hit. She's so popular, and a few people stopped to tell me how cute she was. Keali'i and I even had a nice conversation with an elderly couple who were in awe of her. 

She had a hard time sitting up on her own, occasionally leaning over to the side, so I put something to support her so she wasn't sitting sideways.

All in all, it was a fun experience. We look forward to many more shopping trips with our little girl!

Four Wonderful Months

Four months ago today, I held my beautiful baby in my arms for the very first time. Since then, it's been a crazy ride. 

Raegan's little personality has begun to blossom. She's sweet, happy, and sometimes temperamental. She's only rolled over from her tummy to her back a few times. She thinks her fists make the best chew toys. She has yet to sleep through the night. She is quite the talker, and she's learned that it's fun to grab mommy's hair. She loves a change in scenery, and she always wants to be up and looking around. I love that she's a very social baby, and she tries to make friends with everyone she meets.

So far, as a new mom, I've learned that sometimes the best thing you can do is trust your instinct. I know my daughter best, and I can take care of her better than anyone else can. I hold her so close to my heart. She really brings a wonderful light to mine and Keali'i's life. We can't imagine a better little companion that we could've had. 

Here's to many more months to come!

Baby Blessing

I apologize for the delay in posting this. I can explain.

On the day of Raegan's blessing, I was very emotional. Raegan was very cranky before church, and I was so worried that she would cry throughout the blessing. Fortunately she didn't. Keali'i did an amazing job in giving her a blessing. It was so heartfelt and sweet.

After church was over, though, Raegan was cranky again, and as my back was turned, her dad took her out of her dress. There went my pictures! I wanted to capture us as a family on her special day. But it would've been too much to put her back into the dress. 

So this picture was taken today, two and a half weeks after the actual blessing. I've come to terms that it's not all about the pictures; it's the moments that we need to cherish. Raegan was beautiful the day she was blessed and she's just as beautiful today.

I love my sweet baby. We are so lucky to have her in our family.

P.S. Her blessing dress was delicately made by her Great-Grandma Ray. It's so lovely in every way.

Love, Lesly

A Good Recovery

My baby has been a lot happier today. In turn, that makes me happy. She's still been sleepier than usual, but I can really tell she's feeling better! 

It's her big day tomorrow. She's getting her baby blessing at church. Pictures to come!

2 Month Vaccinations

Today was one of the worst days I've had so far as a mom. If you have a little one you'll probably understand.

I woke up this morning and checked my phone. It reminded me that Raegan had her 2 month wellness checkup at 10 am. I had totally forgotten! But luckily, I woke up early enough to get ready and Keali'i was able to take off work to come pick us up.

As I happily bounced my sweet baby in my lap, I told her, "You have your appointment today!" Then a fear suddenly sunk in... This checkup would be accompanied by the dreaded shots.

Back when Raegan had jaundice, they had to draw her blood via heal-stick, and it was dreadful to watch her go through that pain. Knowing that I would have to go through that again today, I wasn't looking forward to it at all.

We got to the doctors office. Everything was fine with her, and she's gained about 2 lbs since her last visit, which is great! When it came time to get her shots, she was content and happy, as usual. But once those long, piercing needles were stuck into her tiny, spindly legs, terror set in. Just watching her face go from curiosity to pain was enough to break my heart. And what was worse, I couldn't calm her down quick enough after it was over. Eventually she did calm down enough for us to put her in her carseat and go home, but all day she hasn't been her same, happy self.

She's slept a lot more today, which is normal after vaccination. In-between her naps, though, she's so fussy. I had to pick up some infant tylenol from the store in hopes that it will help her. But I really feel horrible for having her go through those shots. I hope she feels better soon.

Even though I've had a bad experience today, I know that this is for her benefit. The risk of not getting the vaccinations outweighs the pain she has to go through. I got the shots when I was little and I turned out fine. I just have to keep reminding myself that and hope that soon I get to see my happy baby smile back at me like she used to.