Christmas Christmas Time Is Here

It's hard to believe Christmas came and went already. Time flies when you are having fun...and chasing baby around all the time. We are so blessed to have Piper Jean in our lives, she is a doll and is always in such a good mood. So here's here first Christmas in pictures. We hope you all had an amazing day as well. 

-Love Piper, Ben and Leslie

7 Months

It's crazy to think that it's already been seven months since the little "cookie" was born. I am just amazed at how fast our Piper Jean has grown. With her first Thanksgiving in the books and Christmas upon us, I just keep thinking how blessed we are to have her in our lives. 

such a happy girl

She LOVES:

• Moving and grooving. She is all over the place, crawling, pulling herself up you name it. We've started babyproofing, the gate mainly, so any suggestions on the best baby proofing stuff please share.
• Putting everything in her mouth. I think her upper teeth may be working their way through so she is gnawing and drooling like crazy. 
• Toys that light up. Most of the toys we have for her are the baby toys. So we finally got a few light up and noise toys. It's so fun to watch her play. 
• Eating. She's been eating solid food for a couple months now so we have been having fun mixing and matching her foods. She loves them. 
• Her new minky blankey. Auntie Jenna shared her little pink blanket when we were home and ever since she always cuddles with it when she naps. It's so cute. 
• Baby Einstein videos. We don't watch them all the time but when she's fussy we'll pop one in and she calms down and just loves to listen and watch the video. 
• Other kids. She just smiles like crazy when she sees other kids. It's so fun. 

She does NOT love:

• Changing! Lets just say we have made the move to all zipper sleepers. So much easier
• Naps. We got her in the crib for nighttime in a fairly easy transition but naps are a little harder. The only positive is when she finally goes down she can take a good nap for us. 
• Turkey. Since we started solids the Dr. told us to try meats out soon so after Thanksgiving I made her some turkey to try. We basically have to mix in anything we can to mask the turkey. Sweet potatoes and bananas have worked so far.

All in all we are having a blast with watching her grow. I've already told B he is going to have to be the disciplinary because I have a feeling I'm just going to be laughing whenever she does something. 

just love those little teeth

6 Months

A half a year has past since this little angel came into our lives. I can't believe how fast it went. Not only that we have survived it but we are so looking forward to the next six months. She is growing up so fast, so interested in everything and it seems like she learns something new everyday.

Lovely New Things:

• We have a crawler! Halloween was the day, she crawled away from me while getting her dressed. So exciting!
• Teeth. Two bottom ones!
• Sitting up on her own. A few weeks ago she went from needing assistance to and then next day she was sitting up in the bathtub. 
• Solid foods. She's started with avocado, then sweet potatoes, squash, banana. She loves it!
• She can entertain herself, for just a little bit, but enough to get something done around the house. 
• Moving and shaking. She is crawling, still scoots, then pushes herself up to a side sitting position. She has yet to be able to fully sit up on her own, she uses her arm as a kickstand but she loves it. 
• Holding her bottle. She gets so excited when we are getting a bottle ready and she reaches and latches onto that thing so quick. It's cute. 
• She will NOT SIT STILL! I can't barely get through a book at night she wants to wiggle jiggle free from me. Not looking forward to flying alone with her later this month.

Tough Stuff:

• Getting this little one changed and dressed. Like we said she loves to move around and now trying to change her diaper is a two man process. 
• Her cries are getting louder. And little lady likes to scream when she is bored. 
• Having to watch her every second. Long gone are the little baby blob days when you can lay them down and they don't move. 

We have her appointment in the middle of November. I am excited to see how much she weighs, she was about 43rd percentile last time and I think this next visit she will be above that! Next up on our list of things to do is baby proofing. If anyone has any good recommendations of what to do let us know. 

Happy Halloween!!

We got to celebrate my favorite holiday with Piper Jean for the first time today! It was so much fun! She was all smiles at our office trick or treating and was super happy and played all night with her Grandma Bridget. 

Happy Halloween!!!

Little Pumpkin

Five Months

My chunk and monk baby...she's like her momma and ready for Halloween!!

This last month has been so much fun with Piper! She's so aware of everything going on, loves watching the pups, play time is so much fun and just getting more time to play with her at the end of the work day. 

She's starting to giggle. Not a lot which is hard for me to deal with but dang does that girl smile. She's all smiles, all day long. She's really become aware of the dogs and loves to smile at them and watch them run around. I can not wait for the day she laughs at them! Basically I am just waiting for a great belly laugh from my boogie. I was just telling B how her legs and cheeks look huge today. Such a change from just the other day. It's awesome to see her grow so much. 

How things are rolling:

• Piper is really moving around now. She is learning how to pull herself around the place. She starts to get up onto her knees and rocks back and forth but she still lays onto her belly and then pulls her self around. 
• She loves to try to grab everything. Our phones and Ipads are the numero uno of her grabs. 
• Everything goes into her mouth. That's what is hard about a drooly baby and shedding dogs. It's gross. 
• We've noticed that Miss Piper loves to get her bottles at night. She kicks her legs and reaches for it and likes to help us feed her. 
• She notices all the kids at daycare and is all smiles when she gets dropped off. 

The not good stuff:

• We think she is starting to get teeth. The last few nights in general have been rough. She seems to just want to be close to me. Which I love but I know this no sleep thing will catch up to me soon. 
• She is getting great with her hands but this means she is really good at grabbing my skin and holding on. It's no fun. 
• The poor puppies are not getting the attention they need. It'll be great when Piper can chase them around the house. 

Gerber

Our little gerber baby...look at those blue eyes!

Drool-y baby

Superbaby

We have a thumb sucker

Thumbs up mom

I'm ready for daycare baby!

Busy Girl

Doing work

Down Time

Finally getting Piper on a little bit of a nighttime schedule has given me time to get some stuff done. No not just the dishes or laundry (I can squeeze that in while she's playing, multi tasking;) but the projects I sometimes indulge myself in. Cooking, painting, dreaming up something.

This last week I was able to not only paint two frames, but put together a new bookcase, hang up some decor in Piper's room, start my photo collage down the hall stairs and finally get together my 2012 photo book. Yep I said 2012....got a little behind. Stuff happens. 

Since B and I got married I've been putting together a little photo book from Shutterfly with our year in photos. You know about Shutterfly right? It's that photo Web site that always sends those great discount codes in your inbox so you can order about 100 too many pictures of your newborn and other great gifts for family.

I used my photo book discount to get my last year collection of pics together. Here is a link to my album so you can check it out. 

Click here to view this photo book larger

Photo Book Tip: Create an adventurous travel photo album at Shutterfly.com.

ps. it needs to be known, I am not this creative. Shutterfly has a time saving option called the simple path, you pick the photos, add to book and botta bing botta boom there you have it. I always use that and then rearrange, delete and add photos from there. A lot more time saving for me and I like to feel it brings out my creative side. 

Four Months!!

Where does the time go! Seriously four months seems so young yet I see how much Piper has grown and I can't believe it!

she's giggling at her daddy

With everything that's happened the last couple months time is going by so much quicker and so much more enjoyable. I have to say I think we may be getting the hang of this (not to be confused with me still not knowing what I'm doing!) 

Getting through all the nursing problems we had initially was the hardest by far.  Correcting that and getting back to work were the best things I could have done. Working gives me the break I need to keep me occupied but I definitely need to keep busy. Piper absolutely loves daycare all the kids there love her so much and keep her so entertained it's amazing, I swear Piper has more friends than B and I! She's such an amazing little lady, adjusts so well to what we take her to do and it just makes the time we have with her so much more special. I love the time we have together after work when we play, read and just hang out. B is starting to help her sit up, he'll hold her waist and help her but she can sit alone for a quick second, then she leans so far forward it looks like it hurts her belly. She always tried to sit up whenever we sit her in anything at an incline, I always tell her to stop with the ab workout she looks amazing;)

Whats Been Up:

• Loves the bath time so much now that she can kick and kick and kick! She splashes mom all the time and sometime gets so wild she splashes her face all the time
• She's rolling. Won't stay on her belly for anything. Although we've noticed that she is not rolling back to her back very much anymore. 
• Sits in the boppy
• Grabbing at the dogs. I heard a little whining going on last Saturday and I catch Piper grabbed up on Miss Izzies ear and held on for dear life. 
• Ladies found her voice! Always yelling and talking and telling stories. 
• She's started to put herself to sleep more. It's nice to get on a little bit of a sleep schedule and that's she's self soothing a little bit. 
• Naps are better too! Don't take this sleeping stuff as a brag, it's not perfect by any means either, it's just nice that she's not fighting her her sleep as much. 
• Still loves the nakedness. I let her roll around a little bit before jammy time. 

Not Fun Stuff:

• Still hates getting her clothes changed
• Starting to fight us when putting her in the car seat. Not Fun
• Still always wants attention and that goes back to her getting more vocal. Now she really yells when she wants us to pick her up.

dogs

"Workin On My Fitness"

Not to go into too much detail but I'm still not quite healed from my delivery, mostly running is a no no. Not to mention I don't want to waste the small amount of time I have working out. Week nights fly by now, between playing with Piper, getting her to bed, cooking, cleaning, and then getting everything ready for the next morning there leaves little time for any "me" time. So Pinterest has been my number one go to for some quick 30 day workouts. I love these pins I have been finding for things I can do at my home, when I have 15-20 minutes to get moving. Check out my Fitness pins here. 

Last month I did an ab and squat challenge and decided I needed to get my mom arms into shape again so I made my own arm workout to do with it. I don't know if I saw much changes but B seems to think it's done something. I tried to do cardio on the weekends but like I said, it's going to be a no go for the next little bit...an easy excuse to really take some more time for myself and doing the little time I do have for things I really like to do. 

I've found a couple more workouts I'm going to start tomorrow. You know took the last few days off to rest and enjoy the end of the summer with the fam..a.k.a, on the couch, shopping, lunching with friends, etc! (it's the small things that really count). 

Die for this butt, but won't give up chocolate for it;)

ps. if anyone has any 30 day home workout ideas please let me know

My hobbies include cuticle care and the E! network

I wanted to write this on my birthday (which was Tuesday) but this week got the best of me. 

It's been a little crazy in the Schmidt household but I think we got it calmed down a little. The house may not get the cleaning it needs this weekend but momma needs her rest. 

Have you seen Pitch Perfect? If so you get the title. If not go watch it. That line always makes me laugh. Probably because I always go "that's me"! That's how I need to start describing myself. For as long as I can remember, which is mostly just to college, I've loved having my nails done. Still to this day I hate when I have naked nails. I had to stay up late(r) on Monday to have a new polish on my fingers and toes before my birthday. Don't ask me why I just did. Its one of my quirks. 

Another thing I love still is reading. For some reason I read multiple books at one time. Not necessarily from a boring book I just like to have options I guess. I want it to fit with my mood. 

Was able to squeeze in a little birthday shopping...duh 

So this just happened...

Piper rolled from her back to belly....and I missed it! 

I walked away and she was like this.

Then when I turned back she was like this!

3 Months

Little miss here is 3 months today! What a fun little stinker she has become.

Lot of changes this past month. I went back to work about 10 weeks after Piper was born and she has adjusted so well (probably better than me!) She is all smiles in the morning and apparently all day during daycare as well. All the little kids at daycare love her! They all yell "baby Pipe is here!" every morning when we drop her off and one little girl always says "that's my baby Pipe". She has so much love there it's made me being at work a little easier, although the last week did get harder. I was ready to go back, mostly just because I knew I had to. The first week I worked three days, then four the next week and last week was my first full week back and it was LONG! I just need to stay busy during the day to make sure the day goes by fast, but I really look forward to the weekends.

I just can not get enough of this girl! Smile, Smile, Smile...she does it so much and I can't handle them! I can not wait for her to start laughing, right now it's a little more like a gasp so soon enough I think we'll hear her giggle.

Here's what's new:

• she's getting so good with her hands, she actually started grabbing at the play mats toys.
• she recognizes B and mine voices. It's so fun to go pick her up at daycare and even though she had so much attention all day she still gives us a smile when we get there!
• I nurse her at night and although I get tired, I really started to enjoy the time we have. I really never thought it would get there, but I want to remember that time..she's going to grow so fast. 
• she sits on her belly longer and holds her head up a lot more when she is being held. 
• she's started to notice the dogs. 
• she loves to play airplane. 
• she blows bubbles.
• she loves being naked! (don't tell her dad!) baths, changes all of it. 

What's not fun:

• she still does not like having her clothes changed. I guess more like she'd rather stay naked that put more clothes on. 
• not getting attention!
• not taking naps, she hates to miss out on stuff so she doesn't always want to take naps and gets very crabby!

We've Got a Roller!

Month Two

We made it another month. I guess they say it gets easier means it really does. Or else it's just knowing I go back to work soon makes me appreciate the time I have with Piper more, happy or sad. 

Her cute legs are getting so chubby! I think there is a new roll appearing every day. 

Piper has grown so much since the first month. She's began eating more from a bottle so we are able to keep track of what she is eating and it's been a blessing because I actually can do something other than nurse all day! It's so nice to have B and other friends and family feed her as well. 

I was able to go home for a few weeks to spend time with my family and help out. Piper was an amazing traveler, slept and ate the whole time. She even like the car seat I borrowed from my brother more. Thankfully because after we visited my family we had a three hour drive to visit B's fam. She did great in the car and even started taking more naps, eating more and sleeping better at night. Oh and probably because of this she has gotten so SMILEY! It honestly makes me melt to see that cute little smile show in those chubby cheeks!

Piper still loves her hands, being outside and hates it when she wakes up and isn't eating right away.  We learned she loves ceiling fans and we even were able to take her in the pool for a little swim time. She really liked it and was cooing at me the whole time. B's mom got some great pics of that. 

I took a lot of pics when home that I will go through and share. 

One Month

So the first month is over (wow is all I can say). Although it may have gone by fast for some, the days were slow and all flowed together for me. I could never remember which day it was and just did my best to get through each day. 
The first week Piper duped us. She slept well and ate and that was mostly all. The first time she make a squawk my mom, Ben and I all said "oh Cute!". We only had a couple big melt downs that first week that made me cry along with Piper but thankfully my mom was here to help. She took her so Ben and I got some sleep. 
The second week up until this week all blended together. We think she may be a little colicky (my biggest nightmare). She cries when she is not eating or sleeping but getting her to take a nap or go to bed is so hard. she just fights her sleep all the time. 
So that along with the struggle I had breastfeeding, I am happy this first month is over!

What Piper loves:

• To be held up to her dad's chest. 
• Her bath time
• Her best friends are her hands and the door to her room. She loves to look at it! 
• The bouncy chair
• Our morning walk
• To eat (she takes after her dad)
• Windows

What Piper hates:

• To be changed, clothes and diaper
• To wake up and not be eating THAT SECOND
• Going to sleep
• Her car seat
• When I drink coffee (totally sucks for me)

This week (cross your fingers) has been a little better. Mostly because she is sleeping a little longer at night, I'm not counting on this but we've been cutting out one feeding at night so mommas happier. She is also staying awake more and not crying so it's fun to watch her coo at stuff and it's fun to make noises back and forth with her. So here's to hoping that keeps up and this next month gets even better

1 Week (Yesterday)

Piper is one week as of yesterday. One thing I've learned is that I no longer have control over my day. I now am at the beck and call of little lady, between feedings, changing, usually a clothing change or two and if I try to do anything for myself it's time to start it all over again. 

But it's all worth it. Piper is so amazing, cute and so sweet, it's like a love I never have known. Even through the breakdowns in the middle of the night I wouldn't change it for a second.  

40 Weeks and we have a baby girl!

Well, I didn't need to do my 40 week belly bump photo. Saturday night I went into labor and Sunday afternoon beautiful little Piper Jean Schmidt was born. B and I are so thrilled and absolutely the happiest and proud parents you could even imagine. I don't think 10 minutes pass where one or the other of us says "oh my God I don't think I could love her more."

Piper Jean Schmidt 6lbs 14 oz 18 1/2 in long

Piper's Story:

We had a Dr's appointment on Friday, our 39 week appointment. I was 1 cm dilated and 60% effaced. B our Dr and I came up with a game plan, scheduling some appointments and testing and if no Baby by the 15th I would be induced. The Dr scheduled the induction and we scheduled some other tests so we were all set up with a game plan. We both felt so good after that appointment, feeling prepared and ready for baby in a few weeks. I told B I don't know what to do if I actually go into labor, but I guess we figured it out because Saturday night it happened. Luckily I asked B to a "date" on Saturday afternoon, we tried a new restaurant and then had some friends over to grill on Saturday night. It was fun, just hanging out talking, playing with our friends cute little six month old. I started not to feel very good and about 8ish the last of them left and I went up to take a bath. I was cramping and getting stronger Braxton Hicks for a couple weeks so I thought that's all it was. But after the bath I found out I lost my mucus plug, having to send a picture to my sister to make sure that's what it was (sorry, TMI!). She said it was and it was a lot. Of course, because I had a plan in place and thinking it would be a couple weeks, I was nervous but my sister said to just keep track of the contractions and see if they are regular. So I put on "Friends" and laid in bed and started my contraction timer. They were more regular but still anywhere between four minutes to seven and then three and then five so I wasn't sure what to think. They were getting more painful but I just stopped keeping track and tried to relax and rest. B kept saying your in labor, but I just didn't want to go to the hospital feeling unsure if I was in labor and also I was in fear of being sent home if I was. But I kept thinking if this is not labor I don't want to know what is because it was getting painful. I tried to sleep that night, B came into bed as well, but they were getting very painful I couldn't sleep in between it so I told B to go to the other room and sleep so I didn't keep him awake and Izzie and I laid in our bed and kept breathing and trying to relax. At 3:40 a.m. I felt like I had some pressure and something made me jump out of bed which in turn broke my water. I yelled "oh no" thinking I was peeing my pants. B rushed into the bedroom asking what happened and I told him I thought my water broke, which at this point I was calm because I knew it was OK to go to the hospital, but it made B freak out! It was so funny out nervous and scared he became! 

We got to the hospital just about 4 a.m. B called our moms and my sister to let them know little "cookie" was on her way. The nurse checked me, made sure I was for sure in labor, and got settled into our room. B and I planned on a natural childbirth so I started laboring in the tub, it helped a little, I was able to relax between contractions and the jets really helped. I got out to try something else as I was in there for a couple hours, the nurse checked and I was at 5 cm. I labored a little longer mostly on the toilet it was comfortable to stretch out my legs and take pressure off my back. It was getting harder and a lot more intense, the nurse wanted to monitor the baby for a while so I had to get back into the bed. B had to hold onto the monitors for me because the sleeve was way to tight to put on or wear during the contractions. At this point I asked the nurse to check me again and I was still at a 5, she tried to say she can stretch me to a 6 but I knew it would still be hours, and I also knew the chance of them giving me pitocin was high since my water broke. B and I talked about the labor part a lot and we said if I was asking for the epidural to tell me encouraging words and try to talk me out of it, but at this point I knew I wanted it and B finally gave in. The nurse was so encouraging either way and was so supportive. Thankfully it was a slow day and the anesthesiologist only had one patient before me so the nurse had time to give me fluids she also gave me another drug to help the pain before the epidural so by the time the anesthesiologist came in I was so out of it between the drugs the nurse gave me and the pain and lack of sleep. He was asking me questions but I apparently just ignored him. After the epidural I was comfortable, happy with my decision and ready to relax before Miss Cookie arrived. For the most part after the epidural it was smooth sailing for a while, the only weird thing was my contractions were giving the front of my legs charlie horses which I couldn't feel the pain but I could feel the tightening and with that on already numb legs it was so uncomfortable. B tried rub them for me but I eventually had to turn up the medicine on the epidural one more time. My Dr. was not available that day so the Dr on call came in and checked me a couple times, the last I was at 9 1/2 cm so he said the nurse would go to lunch and let me progress and then we would start pushing after. This gave me some time to get a little nap in before I started pushing as well, I was exhausted by this point. 

The Dr. and nurse explained how to push and how the rest of the delivery would go and informed me that pushing usually takes about an hour and a half. B and the nurse helped me start pushing, holding my legs and counting for me. They were so encouraging, I couldn't feel anything but the top of my uterus so I just pushed towards that, which apparently worked because I had to rest for a few contractions as they had to find the Dr. because little cookie was coming. Only 30 minutes of pushing and out comes little Piper Jean! The Dr and nurses were so surprised by how fast it went, the Dr. was saying I had to have had four kids before because no way would pushing be that easy. So apparently I deliver babies well. 

The hospital staff was amazing, teaching B and I so much in the couple days we were there, they did anything they could to make us comfortable, answer questions and they always were supportive with any decision we made. 

We're home now, my mom is in town helping with Baby. I'll do an All About Piper update, we are taking lots of pictures right now! 

38 weeks and a mini mental breakdown

Well 10 days to be exact, or I guess whenever little "cookie" is ready to come and meet the world!

I know understand when women say they are done. For the most part I think I had a fairly easy pregnancy. I did get morning sickness, when I actually figured it out it only lasted about a month. I didn't feel great through out that first half but once I got to the ultrasound through the eight month I felt great. I loved working out, yoga, Zumba, I was lifting weights getting ready to pick up baby. 

Then the third trimester hit. I remember laying on the couch and I turned to B and said I think I've hit a wall. I was getting such a sore back by the end of the day, I had so much pressure in the lower part of my body. A good friend of mine had me try on a maternity belt during one of our shopping trips and it changed my world...well day actually. It helped a lot for about a week, I still wore it everyday only because when I didn't wear it I could hardly walk. This lasted for about a month. Just this last Friday was the first time I didn't wear it all day because the pressure and pain moved again and is now lower in my hips and legs, which I'm so thankful for. It hurts only to stand now and then once I'm up I'm movin' and groovin'. 

Now that my appointments are weekly I have them every Friday afternoon. The first one I was a little effaced, my Dr. guessed about 30%. Last Friday she said about 50%. This last week I was noticing a big change in the Braxton Hicks I was having, they were a little more regular, I was getting cramping and was sure something was happening. So when I had my appointment this Friday and no changes I was taken aback. I mean why would I be having all this cramping all week and nothing happening? I know that it doesn't mean anything and "cookie" is going to come when she is good and ready but in my mind I was hoping something would start a little early so when I go into labor it would hopefully be a little smoother. 

Who doesn't wish this right? 

I decided a long time ago not to make a full "birth plan" and B and I have just been talking about when I do go into labor where we will meet and what we will do but I didn't want to have a full plan because I know that it will never go as I hope and I need to mentally be OK with that. So even with this little information about no changes when I was "for sure" something was going on it got to me. It took a couple hours really to sink in but I was a little down Friday night about it. I know it sounds silly I mean I have a couple weeks and I'll probably have more than that to be honest but I need to get this out to get through these next weeks! So if anyone has any fun ideas I can do to keep me occupied (nothing strenuous please;) let me know!

Oh and my friend sent me this hilarious link  the other day and it made me laugh so I started following her blog. Please check out her post here , now I know what I get to look forward to!