7 months recap

I'm beginning to think I should blog more often just because Brynn changes so much daily and weekly that by the end of the month its hard to remember it all and she is at such a fun stage that I don't want to forget any of it.

The beginning of 7 months was hard. Girlfriend was testing me in the patience department. She regressed in sleep and would wake every 2-3 hours for a week straight. I know to many of you that is your every day and I am so sorry. Even as a newborn she would sleep 4 hour stretches so this was completely new to me and I thought I was going to die. Thankfully we all made it out alive ;) Even better than making it out alive was the fact that at 7 months Brynn started sleeping through the night consistently. Game Changer.

Still no crawling this month but getting closer every day. She began to really get on her knees and rock and has mastered crawling backwards. It is the funniest thing to watch but girl knows how to get to where she wants to be.

We spent a lot of time outside before it got too cold. Many afternoons we would walk to the park and swing and we even met some friends at the beach for a picnic. Have I mentioned that we love living in Charleston?!

Brynn has become even more of a talker/grunter this month. Her voice is a little deeper than what I thought it would be but I'm kind of glad because I can live without the high pitched squeals that little girls are known for. She cries for mama now and it really just pulls at my heart strings.She has become quite the mamas girl and it's no secret that I love it. I can be the baby hog whenever I want because she likes it! haha.

Brynn also met Santa two times this month and we never had tears! Woohoo. She was a little hesitant but we could always get a few smiles out of her. Her Honey also did an advent calendar with Christmas books for her that she loved unwrapping every single day.

We are already 13 days into her 8 months and we can't believe how much she is growing. It makes us so sad to know we are closer to her year mark than we are to the day she changed our lives but we wouldn't trade one single day. We love you to the moon and back, baby girl.

we've made it half a year already?!

I can't even believe I am sitting here doing a recap of Brynn's 6 months. I can't believe she is already half a year old. Time please SLOW down!!

At 6 months Brynn weighed in at 14lbs, 11oz (23%) and was 25.75 in long (44%). She is our petite baby! She also got more shots at her 6 month checkup and they were by far the worst ones yet. She was miserable the rest of the day as well as the next day.

Brynn kicked off her 6 months with a tooth! The pediatrician told us to expect for her to cut all 4 within the next month. I thought we were on a roll because a week after that she cut her second tooth. However, it stopped there and she hasn't gotten any others yet. But at least the drool has slowed down.

We got to celebrate her first Halloween and all the fun festivities that come with it. We did a family costume and she was the star of the show as Rapunzel while Brad was Flynn Ryder and I was Mother Gothel. Why are holidays a million times better with babies?!

This month we have also discovered that Brynn is a baby that thrives on a schedule. Take her off it and whoaaa we have a monster. She is her mothers child when it comes to that. She knows when she should be eating real food, taking a bath, and going to bed.

Speaking of eating real food, Brynn LOVES food. I'm really paranoid about choking (for good reason) and allergic reactions but I love how excited she gets to eat food and I'm trying to be brave and give her new foods with different textures.

Brynn isn't crawling yet but wants to be so badly. She will go from sitting to laying on her tummy and will inch backwards occasionally. She still thinks she can fly places like superman. We will get to crawling eventually but for now I'm grateful that she isn't into everything yet!

She is a major talker and will talk all day long. She also "sings" to herself and it is the cutest thing ever. Before we put her to bed I will rock with her and sing while she drinks her bottle and it's cute to hear her sing to herself once we put her in the crib. Her new thing is to sing/talk really loudly in the car for about 10 minutes and then crash. It's hilarious.

We can't wait to see what 7 months has in store for Brynn. So far it's meant being a mama's girl and becoming more aware of strangers. We are thinking she will probably start to crawl this month, and I'm hoping sooner rather than later she will start to sleep all the way through the night...wishful thinking maybe?! Only time will tell.

5 months recap

Remember how in my last blog post I mentioned doing the monthly updates at the end of the month? I decided that is how I would do them from now on that way I remember what she did when she was __ months old. So it's like a little re-cap of the month and what Brynn learned/did that month.

At 5 months Brynn really learned to sit on her own. Before that she was a supported sitter but she really mastered sitting by herself. She loves it because she can reach down and hold her toys or play in the fountains at the pool, or splash the water in the tub.

Brynn discovered her toes this month and she loves to touch them and sometimes try to eat them (ew). It's funny because she tries to use them like she does her hands.

We walked the Ravenel Bridge with some of our friends, crossing it off of our Charleston Bucket list. We can't wait for their baby boy to come in December to make our adventures even more fun (and adorable)!

During her 5 months she took TWO road trips to Georgia. The first trip we spent with my parents and my niece, Zoe, who was visiting from Utah. We had such a fun time going to the zoo, playing chalk, and blowing bubbles. It was so fun to see Zoe and Brynn start their forever friendship as cousins. The second trip was due to evacuating for Hurricane Matthew. That trip was really eventful and Brynn got spoiled with so much love and attention from her Honey and Dude since I was busy taking care of her daddy.

Brynn also took her first trip to the Georgia National Fair where she got to also go to her first circus and get her first taste of sno-cone. I know, we are such horrible parents! I promise we feed her nutritious food.

This month she has really loved Butternut Squash. We really focused on all of the yellow/orange veggies but on her last day of being 5 months we gave her a taste of green beans. At first she liked them but then she started spitting them out. I think it's going to be a battle to get that girl to eat her greens.

I can't wait to catch you all up on what 6 months with Brynn looks like. It's been my most favorite month with her so far and we are only 5 days in!

Just like that she's four months!

I'm starting to confuse myself because I'm thinking maybe I should recap the months at the very end instead of the beginning. And if we are being honest I am over 10 days late posting about our sweet girl turning 4 months old anyways. I need to get my act together.

Brynn turned 4 months on August 17th. That same day she had her 4 month well check. Poor thing got another round of shots and I think it was harder on her this time than the last. She is only in the 4th percentile for her weight and had actually lost weight from the 2 weeks prior. So the doctor has us supplementing with about 5oz of formula a day. We do 2oz in oatmeal cereal (half we give in the morning and the other half at night). Then for her last feeding we mix 2 oz of breast milk with 3oz formula.

Because of her weight loss we had to go back for a weight check a week later and thankfully she had gained 8oz in 7 days. So she is now in the 6th percentile. Her doctor told us to continue what we were doing because it's working.

Although she is really little she still amazes me with how strong she is. She can do the tripod sit, and can stand if she is assisted. She is still a rolling machine, especially when we put her in tummy time. Sometimes I worry that she will never learn to crawl because she always rolls out of it. However, she is starting to put her knees under her when in tummy time and can inch forward a little bit.

She is still chewing on everything and is a drooling machine. I can't wait for those teeth to finally come through because I'm praying that will make the drool come to an end. Her clothes are always soaked.

This month she has become more clingy. She only wants her mama to hold her when she is tired. I secretly love that she knows I am there to comfort her. We were blessed with such a happy that really only cries when she is tired. Brynn is such a perfect baby and always makes me feel like I'm doing something right because she gives out smiles frequently. I can't wait to see what the next month brings and how much our cute little thing grows.

Our Brynn Baby is 3 months

I'm way behind on posting about Brynn turning 3 months! Time seems to be flying and I don't like it one bit. I'm thankful she is still a tiny little thing so that I still think she's my itty bitty baby I left the hospital with.

Brynn may want to kill me for the double chin picture one day but it cracks me up! 

A week before Brynn turned 3 months she came down with a little virus. Thankfully it only lasted about 2 days. But at her sick visit she weighed 10lbs 8oz, We just weighed her on Friday and she weighed a little over 11lbs so I can't wait to see what she really is next month. She is sporting her 0-3 month clothes, size 1 diapers, and occasionally some of her newborn clothes.

Cow Appreciation Day & The 4th of July

This past month Brynn has become quite the talker. She loves when we lay next to her on her playmat that way she can tell us about everything. It's one of our favorite things to do with her and she gets quite excited about it.

Brynn's first pedicure

Her Daddy has also gotten her to chuckle a few times. Baby laughs are the sweetest sound in the whole world. We are so thankful for such a happy baby. She spends the majority of her days giving the cheesiest smiles and the sweetest coos. Although she isn't perfect and will definitely let us know when she is hungry or tired.

River Dogs Game & Post Bath Time 

Brynn loves to be outside. When she is being really fussy we will go sit on the patio with her because it calms her right down. We go on lots of walks and she always ends up falling asleep. A sweet friend gave us a baby float for the pool and Brynn loves it so much. She fell asleep in it and probably slept there for a good 35 minutes.

She is also becoming quite the thumb sucker despite her Daddy's efforts to keep them away. She will pull her pacifier out in order to put her thumb in, sometimes both! haha. I also gave Brynn her first pedicure. It was so hard to do but it's the cutest thing...and of course I had to make us matching! ;)

We can't wait to see what this next month brings. I'm pretty sure it will include consistent rolling over! It's so fun to watch Brynn discover the world around her. We are so thankful to be her parents!

Brynn's Blessing Day

I just realized I never blogged about Brynn's blessing day. We decided to do it on June 19th that way both of our families could be here since it was the same weekend as Brad's white coat ceremony. It also happened to be Father's Day which I think made it extra special since it was Brad's first one!

Brad gave her a short but sweet blessing in church along with the men in our families and some of our dearest friends here in Charleston. Brynn was wide awake during the blessing but remained quite throughout it, thank goodness. We were really stressed she was going to cry since our sacrament meeting just so happens to be during her morning nap time.

It was funny because after the blessing the fire alarms in the building went off. Definitely a day to remember. Two of our friends actually recorded the blessing (I'm not sure that is allowed but they did it without us asking and they have emailed it to me). I'm really grateful to have a recording of it and plan on typing it up for Brynn to have once she is older.

I'm so thankful that Brad was able to give her a name and a blessing. Each night I pray that she will always strive to be a true disciple of Christ and that she will realize what a blessing being a member of the Church is in her life.

That is my biggest prayer for my children. To know that they have a Heavenly Father who loves them and wants them to return to Him. I know that if they follow the teachings of the Church they will experience true joy in their life. What more could a mother ask for than for her children to be happy and healthy?!

Stayed tuned this week for Brynn's 3 month post! I have to take pictures today!

half a dentist

On June 17th (Brynn's 2 month birthday) Brad received his white coat!

1/2 a dentist

This is a day that I have looked forward to since Brad started dental school because it would mark the halfway point of Dental School! Both of our families came into town for the occasion. The day was HOT but luckily the ceremony went pretty quickly.

Our Families

When they receive their white coat it signifies them moving to the clinical portion rather than the classroom learning. Brad LOVES being in the clinic so he is much happier. It also means that he will be able to spend more time with Brynn and me which makes me much happier. haha!  

sporting his white coat 

We are so proud of all the hard work Brad has put into dental school and it's crazy to think that I can officially be his patient now! I'm due for a cleaning so I'm sure it will happen soon! 2 years down, 2 to go! Then the fun of paying off these student loans! ;P

Our little family :)

Two Months

Our little Brynn baby turned two months on June 17th. It is hard to believe its already been two months, yet some days it feels like she has been here forever!

At two months old Brynn is weighing 10 lbs even. That seems huge to me but everyone always mentions how petite and dainty she is. She can still wear a few of her newborn outfits but she is mostly in 0-3 now. She has also graduated to size one diapers due to some serious blowouts!! (take a peek at my instagram if you want proof)

She is still a great sleeper for the most part. She wakes up at 2:30 to eat and then again at 6 but always goes back down until around 8:30am. We are pretty much on a schedule and it makes my heart so happy, and our days go much smoother when we stick to it. 

First Time to the Beach! 

We finally bought her a little playmat and she could spend all day talking to her little sea friends! It has been so fun to see her little personality come out a little more this month. She smiles more, coos more, and we have even gotten her to laugh a few times!

She is such a snuggly baby which makes us so happy. Baby cuddles make everything better. She loves to cuddle her little lovey blankets and it is the most adorable thing in the world. 

We can't wait to see what milestones little Brynn hits this next month. We love watching her discover the world around her! 

Brynn's First Month

Brynn turned a month old almost 2 weeks ago. I'm such a slacker for just now posting about it. Here is our girl at 1 month old

Ever since we brought Brynn home from the hospital she has been a great sleeper. She sleeps about 4 hour stretches and sometimes we get lucky with a 6 hour stretch. Of course she has her off days where she does 2 but those just make me grateful that it's not our normal.

We are in big trouble once we get to the teenage years because Brynn seems to give men the biggest smiles. Her daddy and dude have gotten the cutest ones but luckily she will give them to mom too. 

She loves tummy time as long as someone is down there with her and playing with toys. She loves to show us just how strong her head and neck muscles are. I'm pretty sure she thinks she's bigger than what she really is. haha.

She LOVES to be held. Which is perfectly okay with me because I love holding that sweet girl and luckily we have lots of family and friends that enjoy it too. 

Brynn is a very easy going baby so far. She cries when she's hungry or wet but other than that she is so content. We've had about 3 bad gas days but luckily gripe water always does the trick.

The girl LOVES the water. She always gives us the biggest smiles during bath time and loves getting her hair washed. We took her to the pool for the first time and she was in heaven, thankfully I see many pool and beach days in our future.

We can't believe it's already been a month. It's so bittersweet for me, but it's a good thing I know each age just gets better and better. We are so thankful to have Brynn in our lives and it's hard to imagine our family without her in it. 

A New Light

The other day I was talking to my cousin on the phone. She was asking me all about my labor and delivery and the topic of how Brad handled it came up.

I knew that Brad would be a champ during labor. He is in the medical field so I knew he would be fascinated by it all and that I wouldn't have to worry about him passing out. I however, was not prepared for how the whole process would strengthen and bring a new light to our relationship.

During my pregnancy I was always so worried about how I would be in labor. Like I have mentioned many times on the blog, I have serious white coat syndrome. I had many women tell me their labor horror stories, many stating that it was the closest a person comes to death. So to say I was terrified would be an understatement. I was worried I would do one (if not all) of the following: yell, say bad words, pass out, throw up, bleed to death...(luckily none of those happened). I had both my Dad and Brad give me multiple priesthood blessings as time got closer.

Anyways, I'm getting off topic. During my contractions and labor Brad kept telling me "you can squeeze my hand to help take the pain away." I never had the urge to squeeze his hand. I knew that the more I let my body relax the quicker my labor would go. During the transition stage of labor I was surprised on how I handled the pain. I didn't want to squeeze Brad's hand but I wanted him as close to me as he could get. At one point he was bent over the bed rails with his head in the curve of my neck. I wish I could've captured those moments in a picture to keep forever, but since I didn't I hope that those intimate moments we shared in that delivery room will always stay in my memory.

I feel like that was the most beautiful part of my labor process (until our Brynn came into the world, of course) and that it says a lot about how much Brad means to me. His presence alone got me through. Words will never be able to express how much those moments meant to me. It reaffirmed that ever since I met Brad, I never had to face anything alone. He was with me every.single.step of the way. I literally wouldn't have been able to do it with Brad. My epidural was more effective on my left side so I was completely numb. Brad acted as the strength of my left side and literally helped me with every single push. He stuck with me every single second of those two hours of pushing. I'm sure he was super sore because I know I felt like I had just ran a marathon.

It was a beautiful thing to see him get emotional as we brought our baby girl into this world together. He is such an incredible husband and father and I pray each night that one day Brynn will find a man who is just like her daddy, who will be with her through all of the ups and downs that life throws her way.

Introducing

Brynn Arrington Schmidt 

Born Sunday April 17th 2016

at 2:20 in the afternoon

weighing in at 6lbs 7oz and 19.25in long 

We have been in absolute heaven the past week with her in our home. I thought I would share her birth story before I forgot it. No worries I won't make it graphic, haha.

On Saturday the 16th (my due date) I started having contractions about 7 min apart at 4 pm. This wasn't anything out of the blue as I had been having contractions for the past week or so. By 5 pm they were 5 min apart so we called the doctor and she told me to labor as long as I could at home. By 7 pm they were coming every 3 min and were getting more intense.

Everyone always tells you to eat before you go to the hospital because once you are there you can't. So we stopped for Chickfila and I got a kids meal. I couldn't even finish it because I was in so much pain. So we headed into the hospital.

Anyone who knows me knows I have some serious white coat syndrome which makes my blood pressure soar. Well apparently with that and eating combined my contractions had slowed down back to 7 min apart. Because my blood pressure was high and we had an induction date set for Wednesday they decided they would just go ahead and admit me. So by 10pm I was admitted and they got me started on my IV and pitocin. 

I continued to have contractions throughout the night but nothing I couldn't handle. By 8am on Sunday the doctor came in and broke my water, I was at a 5 when she did that. It is the weirdest feeling ever. Once she did that I labored for another hour and a half before asking for the epidural. Goodness gracious was that epidural heavenly. I will never forget how the anesthesiologist looked, he had the biggest and pointiest ears I've ever seen and was so tall. 

I was comfortable until I started to transition but I went from a 7-10  within a hour. By 12 it was time to push. My epidural was messing with my contraction consistency so they turned it off right as I began pushing. After 2 hours of pushing Brynn finally made her appearance at 2:20pm. She came out with her hand right by her head which didn't make pushing easy, but she was here and healthy! Which is all we cared about. 

I honestly had the best nurses and doctors for each part of my labor and delivery. I had nurses that were very cut and dry when I didn't want them to sugar coat things and during my delivery I had the most encouraging nurse and doctor. I'm so thankful that Brad was there for me every step of the way. I honestly couldn't have done any of it without him.

We spent the next hour just loving our baby girl and spending time as a new family of three. That hour is one I will always remember and treasure. We are so blessed to have such an incredible girl and are looking forward to all the adventures we are going to have!