Charlotte's 4 month Update

Things are looking up!!

So Little Charlie Cakes isn't so little, her 4 month check up isn't for another few days but I would guess she's about 15-16 lbs. She's in 6-9 month clothes, and is seriously growing like a weed.  Her and Savannah are already opposites in every way! Savannah was always (and still is) a little peanut. Savannah just keeps getting taller, very tall and skinny that girl of ours. Charlotte's going to be a little chunkster. She smiles all the time, laughs when the mood strikes her, gnaws on her hands all day long, and sleeps through the night wonderfully.  She loves to swing in her swing and play on her little mat.  She started grabbing 2 weeks ago, and is still trying to master it.  Her hair is still dark and thick, although it is definitely lightening up, I have a feeling she will be blond or sandy blond like Savannah.  Her eyes are still piercing blue and beautiful.  She loves Savannah and smiles instantly when her sister starts talking to her. She had her first Halloween, where her and Savannah were a little old couple. She was the grandpa and an adorable one at that!

As for me? Things are great! With the changes in Charlotte, the entire dynamic of the household has changed for the better, therefore my mood is much better.  I started working again about 2 weeks ago.  I was at the country club for almost 3 years.  I started there when Savannah was 6 months old and then started my maternity leave with Charlotte this past May.  I decided not to go back for many reasons.  Although the money was very good, you have work every single holiday, late nights working banquets and weddings, and its almost an hour drive one way.  I made some great friends and really got to know the members well, but it was time for me to move on.  SOooo I started looking for something closer to home and something much more laid back.  I found a serving job at this little pizza place about 20 min away.  Must say I wasn't sure at first, but I am really enjoying it now.  Everything about it is different from working in a CC. The vibe is so laid back and easy going.  They are willing to give me nights only, so I can stay home with the kids and I wont have to work every weekend and none of the big holidays.  Ive literally worked every single holiday since Savannah was born but I wasn't willing to do that anymore. I need to be with my kiddos.  Taking care of my girls and being a wife is most important now, and this job will allow me to do that and make some extra cash on the side.

I will wrap it up with some pics from the past two months. Enjoy!


My sis came down from Michigan and got to meet Charlotte for the first time...

 Austins 3rd Birthday with my little party animal...

 Anthonys 4th Birthday..

 So tired and just won't sleep...

 One of my favorite pictures to date...

 Sick visit for Savannah.. she doesnt look very sick does she?

An Elsa doll from Gam made this little girl very happy...

 3 months old... couldn't get a smile...

 Savannah's Preschool pics (in love) She decided to bring her best buddy George...

 Play date with our peeps...

 It's our favorite time of the year...

 Cutest lil Granny ever...

 Sweet face....

 Time to carve our pumpkin...

 LOL (charlies face)...

 Grammy and Grampy.... turned out so good!

4 month old Charlie.

Dealing with Colic, and Tips on getting through it...

So I skipped Charlottes 3 month update because things still wern't good. At all.  Today she is 4 months old and for 1 week exactly has been absolutely A-mazing!  Literally as I sit here at 9:47am typing this, she has not cried since yesterday morning.  Yep, yesterday morning. She has been happy, comfortable, content and NOT screaming her head off! Yay!!! <insert emoji of the lady in red dancing, because thats me- doing my happy dance> Im praying that this is it, and Charlotte is making that turn that colicky babies make around 3-4 months.  Looking back, I do believe in the beginning it was her UTI that was causing her pain, therefore she was super fussy and not sleeping.  But that was cleared up at 7-8 weeks old.  We still had another solid 2 months of colic. BUT we made it, and I really don't know how..  I remember her being 6 weeks old and someone telling me "she should be over this by 3 months" and my entire body just sank with feelings of "how in the hell am I going to do this for another 6 weeks" But I (we) did. We made it through, with barely any help at all. We've only had a hand full of nights out, just the two of us. Charlotte has only been watched here in our home, no days or nights out with grandparents, none of that.  Not that that was even an option, I would never let her spend the night out this young, and before she was sleeping through the night any way.   So yes, we did it.  It wasn't easy, but now I know we can handle anything these kids throw at us.

If you are dealing with a severely colicky baby, here are 3 pieces of advice:

#3 Try not to worry about any thing else other than the baby. This was most difficult for me. Letting my cleaning, cooking, laundry, etc. go was extremely hard.  Looking back, if I had not worried so much about keeping up with the household stuff, I wouldn't have felt that extra stress and pressure. LET IT GO! (as Elsa would say... or sing rather)  *I understand you cant let everything go, just try, try, try not to stress about any thing else.  The screaming baby is enough for the moment.

#2 Just take it day by day. Do not look to the future, do not count how many days you've been dealing with it and how many days (hopefully) you have left.  Day. By. Day.  Live in the moment.

And #1 Take breaks when you can.  Sit in your car with the music playing, take a deep breath, (a shot of vodka) and regroup.  Go back in and start over.  I should have done this a lot more, sitting there listening to the constant screaming, after you have tried everything and nothing has worked (because with Colic, nothing will) Step away. To a place you can't hear it.  I would go sit in my bathroom with the fan on, which wasn't the smartest because I could still hear her.  You have to clear your head.  I felt like I was losing it about 99% of time because I didn't take breaks when I should have.

Just know, it will get better and it will eventually go away.  And when it does, have a giant size glass of wine and pat yourself on the back.  You just made it through hell and back.

Now, go enjoy that sweet, happy baby :)

What doesn't kill you - Makes you stronger

Month 2
It seems like it has been 6 months since my last post. So much has happened and life has been crazy. It wasn't until Charlotte was 6 weeks old and had a urine test, we found out she had a UTI.  For four straight weeks she was miserable, terribly fussy, screaming constantly and not sleeping.  We were trying everything we (and google) could think of. Formula changes, reflux medicine, multiple doctor visits, all the little things at home we could do to try and make her comfortable. But nothing helped and life was honestly miserable.  I was almost ready to accept that we had a baby with full on colic until I asked the doctor to do some blood and urine tests to make sure there wasn't something we were missing. Thank god we did, because that's when he found that she had bacteria in her urine that caused a UTI. Ive had multiple bladder infections in my life and they are extremely painful.  I felt so bad for our little girl. But also so glad that we found it and that it was being treated.

Unfortunately things got worse before they got better. It has literally been like being on a roller coaster ride.  Some days we thought she was finally turning around then the next day she would be up for 10 hours straight, screaming.  OMG. The screaming.  If you have never dealt with a baby who screams 24/7. Don't. do. it. It is physiologically exhausting.  It just messes with your head.  I felt so helpless, hopeless, even homicidal (ok, I'm exaggerating) I will admit though, I had my break downs, I just couldn't take it anymore.  All you want is your baby to feel better and when you can't do that, you're just lost.

Onto happier news: For the last week or two, she has been much, much better. She still fights sleep like crazy but she is a much happier, more content, sleeping a lot more, baby.  And that makes mama (and daddy) happy.  I think it's just going to get better from here. 

On the Savannah front: She is doing great.  She started a new school on August 20th, and has been doing wonderful.  Shane and I are loving it.  We were so out of loop at her old school  This place seems to make it a priority to keep the parents involved.  She's a great big sister too.  She still does her own thing but also loves to help me and is always trying to get Charlotte to smile.  

Everything is so different with two little ones, so I'm learning as I go.  Patience is key and that is really something I need to work on. But I'll get there.  

Life in pictures for the past month..

Poor girl came down with pink eye

We did manage to get some sweet smiles

Big sis helping litte sis put her socks on.. so sweet

Please feel better baby girl

In the ER Ugh.

First day of school

Visit from GG

Back seat daddy-o hahaha

Morning snuggles

Still trying to meet up with my mommy group when I can:)

Photo session fail

Pretty girl at the doctors. Again.

That hair. No words.

2 months old. 11 lbs and getting happier by the day.
 Of course I couldnt get her to smile for this picture.
Nope, not having it.