Baby's First Christmas

With just under a month until Christmas, Charlotte got her first Christmas photos taken at the Target Portrait Studio. We are mailing them out as our Christmas cards this year, so be on the lookout for your first look at our beautiful girl. A sneak peek at her Christmas gown:

She also made her first wish list for Santa!

A few things she's hoping the fat man leaves under the tree for her....

1) Glad Dreams Coat Set - $100 -- http://www.babybeauandbelle.com/Glad-Dreams-Coat-Set-p/bbtb-110030.htm
This set comes with a coat, hat, hand-warming muff and storybook. My favorite part? The coat is embroidered with this: "Once within this dreamy coat, Danced a dainty lass. Remembering all the glad dreams, To her daughter, the coat will pass." This is the gift I plan on giving to Charlotte from mommy.

image courtesy of Baby Beau & Belle

2) Car Seat - $199 -- Eenflo Symphony LX All-in-One Car seat -- at Toys R Us: New mom's: Don't forget to register for the car seat they will need once they outgrow their infant seat like I did!

image courtesy Toys R Us


3) Praying Girl Musical Water Globe -- $24 - Things Remembered -- http://www.thingsremembered.com/product/Occasions/New-BabyBaby-Shower/Top-10-Baby-Gifts/Praying-Girl-Musical-Water-Globe/pc/101/c/2576/sc/3102/156925.uts?refineByCategoryId=3102

image courtesy of Things Remembered

4) Kitty Ruffled Bodysuit in Winter Leopard - sale $14.48 (Gymboree.com) and Snowy Day Fur Cardigan - sale ($16.48)

images courtesy Gymboree.com

5) White Floral Ribbon Tulle Dress - $59.99 - pinkprincess.com -- in preparation for her upcoming christening, a beautiful baptism gown!

Charlotte's Famous!

Charlotte recently made it big time - appearing on the Reuters sign in Times Square!

So proud of my peanut - she's a doll! I'm sure she put a smile on the faces of any New Yorker who happened to glance up that day.

Back to Work - Making the Transition

Charlotte turned 12 weeks and that meant three dreaded words: back to work! So last week I headed back to work full-time at my job as a manager at a global content wire service. I had been dreading this day since I had Charlotte, but knew it was necessary to go back. I asked my mommy friends for some advice on how to handle the transition and most of them said the same thing: stay busy.

That was easy to do with 12,817 emails to read on my first day back. I cried twice driving into work that first day, but knew she was in good hands. My mom had come up for the week to watch Charlotte. She doesn't head to daycare until December. This eased my worried mind quite a bit, knowing she was with grandma.

My advice to mom's out there who have to head back to work: ease into things. Talk to your boss and see if part-time is an option. If not, schedule a meeting with your boss on the first or second day back and talk about what you absolutely have to get done in the next week or two. I am lucky in that my boss is a great family guy who is very understanding - so this helps a lot to be able to talk to him about any and everything.

Be flexible: even if you have a schedule set in stone now, know that it will have to change a bit when you head back to work. Charlotte definitely knew something was up the morning I went back to work, she was fussier than usual. Stay patient and realize it's a big change for your baby too. Have dad help out as much as possible. Don't be afraid to tell your spouse that you need more help. I told Sam I'd need his help with 2 AM feedings and helping her get ready for bedtime more now that I'm back to work and he's stepped up quite a bit.

As for the lack of sleep while going back to work, I don't have much advice on that. I'm glad if I get 4-5 uninterrupted hours of sleep - and that's usually only 2-3 days a week. This past Sunday my mom and I decided to decorate the house for Christmas - get a jump start on it early since she was around to help. I put Charlotte down for a nap, and decided to plug the baby monitor in downstairs so we could hear her while we were decorating. As I plugged the baby monitor in and went about getting the decorations organized, I looked around and realized I had carried down the fan from my bedroom and plugged that in, NOT the baby monitor. This lack of sleep business can really do a number on you.

Talking helps. Speaking to my hairdresser (another new mommy to a 5 month old), my sister-in-law (mother of a soon-to-be 3 year old and a 6 month old), and a friend at work (mom of a soon-to-be 2 year old) you come across different tips and tricks. And even if they don't work for you, just having someone to empathize with and know what you're going through really helps.

For now I have to work full-time to support my family and while I enjoy my job I surely miss peanut while I'm at work. But it makes the time we spend together that much more precious to me. Oh, and I've also resorted to playing the lottery - I've got my fingers crossed!

The Story of Charlotte

I made this video the other night and I think it turned out well. I wanted to have something to show Charlotte when she's older that we loved her from the very beginning.

Charlotte video: http://youtu.be/30jaVeHcjWk

Enjoy!

5 Minute Makeup

Let's face it - many of us don't have a lot of time to do our makeup these days. Whether we're running late for work, trying to take care of a baby, or jetting to an outing, five minutes is all you probably have to do a quick makeup job. I'm here to show you how to create a pretty look in just 5 minutes!

How to do the 5 minute face:

First, start with freshly washed skin. Before drying your hair, apply face lotion. I use ProActiv's Green Tea lotion (does not contain Benzoyl Peroxide or Salicylic Acid - products to avoid when pregnant/nursing). Let that soak into skin while drying your hair. Once hair is dry, apply a primer - trust me, this is the trick that will keep your makeup on your face all night long. Skipping it is quite detrimental! Any primer will do, I use Victoria's Secret or Smashbox (just make sure it's an oil-free version). If you want to skip the face lotion step - use a hydrating primer. Next, mix in your hands two-thirds tinted moisturizer - I use Stila's Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer Oil-Free in Light ($34 at Sephora.com) - (or use foundation if you need more coverage) with one-third of Victoria's Secret PRO Radiant Face Illuminator ($15 at victoriassecret.com.) Let the primer set for 30 seconds.

image courtesy of Sephora.com

image courtesy of VS Beauty

Mixing these two products together creates a flawless, glowing complexion. Dust your entire face with powder to set, including your eyelids. Finish your face with blush on the apples of your cheeks - I love Nars' Orgasm blush even though it's a bit pricey, it's the prettiest blush I've used to date. In the summer I use the blush/bronzer duo ($29 for the blush, or $41 for the duo).

image courtesy of Sephora.com

For a quick eye - always, always, always do your brows - they highlight your entire face more than anything! I like Clinique's brow pencil in soft blonde. Remember to blend and don't go too far beyond your natural brow shape. For eye shadow, I use a quick shimmer shadow - Clinique's Strawberry Fudge duo. Next, apply black eye liner on top and bottom (for daytime I use brown or grey on the bottom, or nothing). I like Urban Decay's pencil liners the best.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero - image courtesy of Sephora.com

Finish with a coat of mascara, and a pinky lip gloss. As for mascara, just buy what works for your eyes. I've wasted so much money on mascara over the years it's insane. Right now I'm using L'Oreal's Voluminous, but even that is a little chunky for me. If you have a mascara that you just LOVE, please share it in the comments below!

And that's it for the 5 minute face. If you have an extra 60 seconds you can always add a highlighter to your brow bone and the upper cheeks (I like Benefit's High Beam - $26) and another coat of mascara, but this is a look that will set you right for the entire evening.

image courtesy of Sephora.com

Are there any makeup tips or tricks that you've learned to create a fast look?

Fall Festivities and Road Trip with the little One!

A couple of weeks ago Sam and I took Charlotte to her first fall festival at Mapleside Farms. It was the perfect afternoon - mid 70's and sunny. The venue had hayrides, a bounce area, and a huge slide for kids to play on. I can't wait to take her back when she's big enough to enjoy it all. She enjoyed getting pushed around in her stroller and posing for pictures for now!

The fam at Mapleside Farms

A week later it was off to Pennsylvania to pick up grandma Birdy for our trek to Washington, DC to visit Auntie S (my sister, Samantha). Auntie S didn't get a chance to hold Charlotte in the hospital so she was very eager to do so now that Charlotte was 7 weeks old at this point. Packing for a trip with a baby was a job in and of itself. You need every imaginable item: diapers, wipes, creams, lotions, wash, onesies, sleepers, pack 'n play, sheets, music maker, play mat, boppy, bottles, bottle warmer/cooler, burp cloths, and the list goes on! The car was packed before we got to PA, but luckily Bird didn't pack too much - although we did have to cart a pumpkin all the way down to Washington, DC for Miss S!

Auntie S with Char Tiger

Grandma, Auntie S and mom with the peanut

Charlotte was great in the car on the ride from Cleveland to PA. PA to DC was a little harrier, but 8 hours in a car was driving ME nuts, so I can't imagine it was fun for a 7 week old baby. We had to stop twice to feed her - and one time I had to nurse her in the back parking lot at Sheetz - not ideal, but that is why it's good to travel with blankets and a boppy!

When we arrived in DC Thursday night around 7 pm, it took awhile to unpack the car filled with babyland goods. Then S and I went and picked up Chinese and we had a lovely laid back evening at S's that night.

The next day we had our first playdate with Jenn and Caleb - he was born ten days before Charlotte!

Jenn and Caleb, and Bird and Charlotte

Jenn and I exchanged tips and tricks and it was nice to chat with a fellow new mommy!

That night we went out to dinner at Clyde's - my first test as a mom with a baby in a restaurant! I definitely got a few glances when I walked into Clyde's carrying a car seat, but most people were just saying how cute she was. I am pleased to say that Charlotte got an A++ on her dinner behavior - sleeping most of the time and sucking quietly on her pacifier the rest. Whooo!

The next day we took her into Georgetown for her first girls shopping adventure. Navigating the busy streets of Georgetown with a stroller wasn't as difficult as I had thought, and S and I took turns steering Charlotte into the stores. We even saw some Penn Stater's canning and had to stop and give them some cash and do a few WE ARE cheers with them! (S attended Penn State).

Later we had to stop for lunch midway through our shopping, and Bird gave Char a bottle in the restaurant. She once again was a great baby! Downside - the restaurant didn't have a place to change her, but S and I managed to do it in the bathroom. What kind of restaurant doesn't have a changing table these days!? Crazy to me.

Bird feeding Charlotte

That night we just laid low and hung out and watched TV. Our friend Alberto stopped by and got to see Charlotte awake for approximately 30 seconds before she fell asleep again - our shopping trip definitely wore her out!

Saying goodbye to S the next day was quite sad - but we'll get to see her again in a couple weeks - hooray!

Stuff No One Tells You...But I Dish It Out!

This week my little peanut turned 6 weeks old. That meant that she was scheduled to get several vaccinations. Needless to say, it wasn't the most fun experience - for Charlotte or mom. And thus the idea for this post began.

Charlotte at 6 weeks old

The six things no one tells you!

1. Shots suck and it will traumatize you.
The doctor didn't even give her the shots. Two nurses came in the room after the doctor examined her and asked me to hold her arms above her head. I was making funny faces at her and trying to distract her while they both counted "1, 2, 3" and then stuck her in both legs with the needles. Umm, thanks for the warning, ladies. Charlotte immediately began screaming uncontrollably and I can't say I blame her. It was the worst and hardest she's ever cried. On the way out of the room, one nurse says to me, "You can feed her if you want, that sometimes helps." So there I am trying to breastfeed her in the horrible chair in the doc's office - no pillows, no nothing. Somehow she did calm down a bit and I was able to get her home OK. Future moms - prepare for this experience. People did warn me that she'd "be fussy" but no one told me it's literally the worst moment of your life as a mom to date. So you heard it from me.

2. Someone at some point will make an a-hole comment to you.
I'm not the kind of person to name name's or say exactly what was said to me, but at some point early on, someone will make a really rude, insensitive remark that will make you want to punch their lights out. My advice - don't take it personally. People can be idiotic and thoughtless. Most likely they either don't understand what you're going through, or they think they are being helpful. Either bite your tongue and politely smile and nod, or hit them with what you are really thinking. Maybe that person will think twice before making another a-hole remark to a new mom.

3. Don't schedule a massage past 6 months of pregnancy, but schedule one for 6 weeks post-delivery.
I think I was 7 or 8 months pregnant when I told Sam I needed a massage because my back was killing me. Even though the masseuse was gentle it was still impossible to lay on my belly comfortably. I did get a massage this week and it was amazing. Definitely schedule a "mom night out" around the 6 week mark to maintain sanity and alone/relaxation time just for you. A hair or nail appointment or even grabbing a glass of wine with a friend will really help.

4. Breastfeeding is hard and a full-time job.
When you're pregnant everyone asks if you plan on breastfeeding. My response was always, "I'm going to give it a shot." And I sincerely have been trying my absolute best since I know it's wonderful for Charlotte and the best thing for babies. But let me tell ya, there are days I want to quit. There are days when I ask myself, "Is it really worth it?" Maybe for some mom's the breastfeeding thing gets off to a great start and stays that way. Since I was separated from Charlotte after birth and wasn't allowed to nurse her for 24 hours, we had a more difficult beginning to the process. Maybe that's why it's been more challenging for us. I know from talking with a few friends they only lasted for 3 months doing it, and now I can understand why. My advice - keep at it, even when you're having a bad day. Don't feel guilty if you need or want to stop or have a day where you need to supplement with some formula. And most of all, don't let anyone make you feel bad about how you choose to feed your baby.

5. There will come a point when your house looks like a dump truck drove through it and you'll want to hire a maid.
I'm at that point right now. My house is literally a disaster zone and I honestly don't have the energy to care. If you have friends or family that ask how they can help, tell them to come over and clean. And then tell them you're serious.

6. Your dog will become your best friend.
When I was pregnant people asked me how I thought my dog (Bruiser) was going to handle the baby. I honestly didn't know. He's a guard dog with some aggression issues, but he absolutely loves our immediate families. Somehow Bruiser just gets it. I don't know how, and I don't know if every dog is this way, but he knows when I'm about to have a mental breakdown, and will either come and lay at my feet, or just leave me alone. The other day after Charlotte had a very fussy period of crying, my husband stepped in to calm her down, sensing I was at a delicate moment. I went and simply laid on the floor next to Bruiser and just pet him for a few minutes. It was very relaxing and therapeutic. I know he enjoyed getting a few moments of undivided attention from mom, too.

Bruiser and I back in the day -- I think this was in 2009.

Alright, that about covers it for the six things I've learned in the 6 weeks since having Charlotte. I'm sure there's a lot more to come...stay tuned!

Thanks for reading!

I think there's a 9 lb. peanut on my sofa!

Just Slingin' It

I recently discovered a great product for newborns - the baby sling! "The Baby Book" by Dr. Sears is the book that I've been reading and it highly recommends "baby wearing." This is one of the many ways you can bond with your baby. It also helps to keep new moms sane, as you can have both hands free!

I had experimented with baby wearing already as Sam and I received a baby carrier as a gift at one of our showers. I like it, but as of now Charlotte still likes to keep her legs bunched together ("frog leg" as I call it) so stretching her legs out so she can fit securely into the carrier is a struggle since she's still pretty small. I think the baby carrier will be better once she can hold her head on her own and she's a bit bigger.

For newborns and babies that need their head and necks supported, this new baby sling is amazing! I ordered it a few days ago and can already tell you mom and baby both love it.

Charlotte and I bonding in our new baby sling

The baby sling I ordered is the Balboa Baby Adjustable Sling. You can purchase it at Target for $59.99. It's endorsed by Dr. Sears and comes in two different colors (brown, shown above, or black.)

Mommy Blunders and Outings

This week Charlotte turned five weeks old. It's totally crazy how fast the time with her is going and how much she grows each day.

She is still eating every 3-4 hours (sometimes every 2 hours if she's cluster feeding), so lack of sleep has become the normal state of being around the Meriwether household. This week the lack of sleep really caught up to me. I was nursing Charlotte at one point, and thought to myself, "Hmmm, her diaper looks really strange, like a lot bigger. Interesting..." I then realized a minute later when I couldn't locate her second foot, that I had somehow diapered her left foot! Good going, mom. Lack of sleep 1, Mom-0.

Moms: What blunders have you made in the real world?

Outings with baby and listening to yourself

On Friday we had our first outing that was located over 40 minutes away. I will say that even though in my mind I thought I had timed and planned everything out perfectly the day before, on the day of I was still 30 minutes late. Luckily my friends didn't mind one bit. I learned a valuable lesson: when it comes to babies, there is no specific timeline or schedule, so stay flexible and give yourself an extra 20-25 minutes to get where you need to be on time!

Charlotte at her first outing

Our visit was a low key trip to a good friend's house (thanks for having us, Amy). Charlotte was a bit fussy to say the least. Luckily I did have the sense to pack a bottle, because she got hungry as soon as we got there - even though she had fed right before we had left. As Charlotte was crying and nothing I was trying was calming her down, I said to Amy, "It's weird she's so upset, she really only cries when she's hungry!" After rocking her, checking her diaper, and trying every other trick in the book, I offered her the bottle I had brought. She greedily took it down in a matter of minutes.

Note to self: listen to your baby!

Packing with a baby

It's amazing how much stuff you have to pack even for a short visit when you have a baby: diapers, wipes, diaper cream, blankets, pacifiers, bottles, bottle cooler, change of clothes, etc.

The car ride was a bit stressful especially when she started screaming and I couldn't turn around and put her pacifier in (which she loves to spit out and then cry for a second later).

She seems to like her Baby Einstein musical mirror (recommended by friend Dana), but I'm looking for any other suggestions on how to handle fits in the car when there's really nothing you can do (except pull over, which I did once.)

Does anyone have any advice for making car rides a bit easier?

I'm a Mom! What?!

Hello friends and welcome! It's been a long time since my last writing post for those of you who used to follow my beauty blog -- three years to be exact. I decided my beauty blog needed to die a graceful death and thus, a new blog is born!

I've been promising people I'd start to write again, and that I'd start a "new mommy" blog. Literally every time I've sat down in the past two weeks to start this, my baby has started crying. Ah the joys of new mommydom! By the way, for those of you who don't know me, I have a newborn baby - Charlotte Faye Meriwether - who is 4 weeks and 5 days old. She is absolutely amazing. My husband, Sam, and I absolutely adore her and we are very blessed to have a happy, healthy baby girl. I'm a native of Pittsburgh, PA but I've lived in Cleveland for the past seven years. I also have a 5 year old Spanish Water Dog named Bruiser. I'm sure I'll mention Bruiser, or B man, Bruise daddy, or Swampy in several posts.

The purpose of this blog is to track my progress as a new mommy, get advice from other moms out there, and navigate the world of motherhood with an audience - it's already been quite a ride and hopefully this blog will entertain you at the very least! If you have any questions, topics you'd like me to write about, or general advice for me or any mom out there - please feel free to leave a comment/question.

So where to start? "Let's start at the very beginning" (sung in the "Sound of Music" voice, naturally)! I was lucky in that I had a fairly easy pregnancy. Aside from the Sakyo Japan chicken teriyaki cravings and mega-swollen feet, I did not have some of the rougher symptoms that can often come with pregnancy - morning sickness, stretch marks, etc. So I figured I'd have a rough delivery. No one gets off with an easy pregnancy and an easy delivery - of that I am convinced!

Sparing a lot of details, here is the general rundown of how Charlotte came into this world. My due date was originally set as August 22nd by MetroHealth Hospital. For those of you not familiar with the Cleveland area, this is the downtown hospital. I really liked my doctor, who I had been seeing since I moved to Cleveland, however, I was concerned about the level of care I'd receive, and the fact that downtown was not really a convenient location once I moved to the Shaker Heights area (about 7 miles east of downtown). So after a glowing recommendation from my lovely hairdresser whose mother is a nurse for a particular doctor, I switched to Cleveland Clinic - delivering at Hillcrest Hospital. My new doctor changed my due date to August 25. In the days leading up to the due date, I was feeling great. I had a lot of energy and even though I wasn't sleeping well, I was generally in good spirits. My team of direct reports at work had thrown me a baby shower a few weeks prior and I was excited to finally find out if "Baby M" was a boy or girl. She turned out to be a girl - much to my surprise - I was 90% sure it was a boy!

August 25 was a Sunday, and when I woke up I had a feeling that today was the day. Don't ask me how I knew, I just felt different. I went to the grocery store that morning to stock the house. Later, Sam and I started watching "The Money Pit" when Bruiser came a-barking. Sam said he'd walk him, but I said I'd do it, that I needed the exercise. As I was walking Bruiser, I called my mom as I normally did. I told her that I wasn't sure, but I thought my water had broken, since I had heard a really faint popping sound. I wasn't sure though, because only a tiny amount of liquid came out and all the google searching I had done said it was a lot more than that. As Bruiser and I came closer to my house, my water definitely broke. That was at 1:30 PM, give or take a few minutes.

Now, labor starts one of two ways - 1) water breaks - very rare, most women do not have this happen. Only about 20% of women will have their water break, or so my baby class taught me. 2) contractions - I did not have any contractions at this point, so at 2:30 PM the doctor on call (who by the way was not the doctor I had switched for as he was on vacation) said I didn't need to rush to the hospital but I needed to get there within two hours. Sam and I arrived at the hospital around 4:30 PM, and some nubain and an epidural later, Charlotte Faye was born 23 hours and 50 minutes after my water broke. It was a very long labor and we had some complications along the way, but the moment that I pushed that baby out and Sam leaned down and said "it's a baby girl" my heart melt. People say the moment that you see your baby your life forever changes, and I can say that I never really believed that until it happened to me.

Now on to some tips for my friends out there who are expecting, or who may be considering becoming pregnant:

* Don't get pressured into finding out the sex of the baby if you want it to be a surprise.

People thought Sam and I were absolutely bonkers for waiting to find out, but I will tell you one of the only things that got me through those 23 hours of labor was the excitement in finally finding out the sex. I know for Sam that was an exciting part, too.


* Take a baby class with your husband/partner.

Sam will probably disagree with this point, but I think the baby class taught me a lot. When I passed out in a class talking about needles, I knew instantly that Sam would be a great labor coach! Bonding before the baby with your spouse is always a good idea, too.

* Don't worry about weight gain/loss.

The only exercise I did for 10 months was walking. And I'm glad to say I've lost almost all of my pregnancy weight. I still have about 8-10 lbs to go, but I don't regret any of the ice cream or chicken teriyaki that I ate and I'm not stressing at all about losing those last few pounds.

* Ask your friends with babies what to register for, and what to leave off the registry.

I asked a lot of my new mommy friends (thanks Gia, Kelly, and Dana) for some registering advice, and it made my life a lot easier. Some of my favorite and must-have baby items: a baby swing (Charlotte loves to take little naps in there), sheet savers, lots of burp cloths, and California Baby Calendula Cream - I love this stuff and it smells amazing!

* Speak up if you think something isn't going right during your delivery.

I had some complications during my labor, and looking back, I wish I had asked more questions. Don't let the nurses or doctors intimidate you. In the end, the health of you and your baby is the most important thing. Don't be afraid to question the care you are receiving.

* Have a birth plan, but be flexible if it has to change.

During labor, I was sure to tell each nurse that I wanted to bond with the baby right after it was born. Unfortunately due to the complications that came up, the baby had to be taken to the NICU, and I did not get to hold her right after birth, which was devastating for me. At least I got to see her before they took her away to the NICU, and she looked right at me for a few seconds. Those are seconds I will never forget.

Charlotte and I bonding in the NICU

* This may sound simple, but be nice to the nurses!

I was sure to remember each nurse by name, and try to be as nice as possible, even when I wanted to rip someone's hair out. The nurses at Hillcrest were amazing and I think they appreciated Sam and I being friendly and engaging.


Alright, I hear a crying baby, time to go!

Thanks for reading - stay tuned for more mommy updates!

Charlotte at 1 month, 4 days old. She's a freaking cutie pie if I do say so myself.