Happy Owl-O-Ween!

Clara's first Halloween has come and gone. Lee Lee, Pop Pop, and Lolly came over for dinner and to pass out treats to trick-or-treaters. Clara Beth just hammed it up in her owl costume! We took a bunch of pictures (of course) that I will share below. I cannot believe it's November! It's officially my very favorite time of year! Hooray for the holidays!

I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!!

Coming to an End...

The time I've been dreading, since July 13, is here. This is my last full week of maternity leave. Time has truly never moved so fast. I cannot even begin to express how blessed I have been to have gotten this much time with my Clara Beth. I will have had 16 weeks with my precious baby. This time I've had with her will be something I will forever cherish. I've gotten so much more time than most mommies...but that doesn't make it any easier.

There is so much I'm going to miss. I'm going to miss cuddling with her in bed after her first morning feeding. Daddy would feed her around 5:00, while I pumped. Then, she always came back to bed with mommy. She's the best little cuddle bug. We would then often sleep until 8:00. I loved just looking over at her when she finally woke up for the day...big brown eyes with a big ole grin. MELTS.MY.HEART.

I'm going to miss having my coffee with her in my arms. By the time I had my coffee, she would often already be back asleep for her morning nap. Then, we would just lie in the recliner together and cuddle some more. I know I should probably put her in her crib...but that morning nap is mommy and Clara time. A time I would spend staring at her, in awe of what God had blessed us with.

I'm going to miss our morning walks. Now that the weather has been nice, we take a walk each morning. Clara would often stay awake for the first part, sometimes "talking" with mommy. But that didn't last long. Little Miss would be asleep before too long.

I'm even going to miss looking at the clock and realizing it's 2:00 and I'm still in my jammies! (Something I swore I'd never do!) HA! Sometimes everyone needs a jammie day! :)

I really could go on and on. I know I will still have beautiful, precious moments with my little girl. I know being a teacher gives me more opportunities to spend with her, as far as holidays go. I know I've gotten 16 weeks with her. But that doesn't mean that going back to work won't be the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I don't want to miss a single thing.

I am so thankful that God blessed us with this amazing little girl. This tiny bit has brought me more joy than I knew was even possible. Clara Beth, your mommy loves your more than you know.

I Heart Wreaths!

So I just discovered Pinterest. Yes, I know I'm a little late in the game...but I've had my hands a little full. Two years ago, I made this Christmas wreath. I basically just copied it from the one I love at Pottery Barn. I went back and added more ornaments too it and took off the bow...but I didn't take a picture of that one.I've been wanting to make a Fall wreath...but have not yet settled on what I want to do. Here are a few I found on Pinterest.

I love the colors in this one...maybe add an initial on the right?

I love the white pumpkins...I just think they are so pretty. I always put some white pumpkins out in the yard during this season. I also love the burlap rosettes. So cute! Now I just need to decide what I'm going to do. Maybe I'll head to Hobby Lobby this week!

Clara is Three Months Old!

{CLARA'S STATS}

• 14 - 15 pounds (based on us getting on the scale with her)

{FEEDING}

Clara is still eating pumped breastmilk. We are so thankful my supply has not dwindled. Fingers crossed it will stay the same when I go back to work in three weeks. Clara is eating 4 - 4.5 ounces every 2.5 - 3 hours. It comes out to about 27 to 30 ounces a day. She loves to eat and is thriving!

{SLEEPING}

• Our little love is mostly going 6 to 7.5 hours each night! YAY! Just getting that uninterrupted sleep is HUGE. She typically goes down for the night after her last feeding, which is often between 9:00 - 10:30...which is still pretty late. BUT, D and I are night owls so it isn't so much of an issue. We will lay in bed with little bit until that last feeding, get some cuddles in, and put her down. She is still in the rock - n- play. Once she outgrows the rock-n-play, we will move her to her pack-n-play, which is also in our room. She hates her crib right now (which I try just during nap time). Judge all you want, but I love having her in our room. :)
• She is getting a little more consistent with her naps. I put her in her crib once each day to TRY to get her nap, but she always ends up waking herself up and has to go in the rock-n-play. Maybe it's cozier to her? I'm not quite sure. She sleeps best on mommy...she took almost a two hour nap yesterday! But, I want her to get used to going down in her rock-n-play for now. So...we're still workign on it. For the most part, she takes 3 20 - 30 minute naps...but like I said, sometimes we get lucky and she'll take an even longer one.

{CLOTHING}

• We just moved her up to size two diapers. I'm hoping she will wear them for a while because she has a lot of room in them.
• Clothing varies. She can wear SOME three month things, depending on the store. But for the most part, the 0-3 month clothes are a little snug. So she's in 3-6 and 6-9 month clothes now. Like I said last month, I try to buy bigger so she can wear it longer.

{PERSONALITY}

• Oh my goodness is she showing her little personality! I feel like things just keep getting better and better each month! She has started giggling...and oh, is it the most precious sound. I love that our home is full of giggles and squeals now. It is the best thing in the world!
• She is crazy about her daddy! When Daddy comes home, he comes straight over to Clara and he gets the biggest grin from her. She'll grin, and then be all bashful and look away, then look back at him and squeal. It is one of my favorite things. There is something so special about a daddy and his little girl. Something that lasts a lifetime (take it from a girl who is crazy about her own daddy!)
• She loves books. She has just begun to "pay attention" as I read to her. She will coo and "read with momma" as I read. I hope hope hope her love for books continues to grow.
• She is our little drama momma! She will do this little fake cry thing, and then burst out into a grin or a giggle. Oooooh she is playing us! It's actually pretty funny though.
• She's still my snuggle bug. She loves to be held and cuddled. She just melts into you when you hold her. She loves kisses and loves to give her "kisses" back to anyone and everyone...including her puppies Karlie and Cooper.
• She still does not like tummy time...not one little bit! There have been times where it has litterally ruined her day because of it. I use the boppy to prop her up, but she just won't have. She gets very angry...and her little stork bites on her forehead and eye get so red! I'm just hoping when she's ready, she will really love it.

The Littlest Pumpkin

So yesterday we planned our first trip to the Pumpkin Patch with my dear friend Brittany, her precious baby, Reid, and our mommas. I know I have mentioned the Preston girls before, but they are our oldest and dearest friends. Brittany had Reid in May...so she's been my "go to girl" on anything and everything baby. We have had such fun doing mommy things together. Our moms are best friends and have taught together for years. They have had just as much fun doing "grandmommy" things together!

The weather could not have been more perfect yesterday. It was like getting a little taste of fall! We had lunch at Otto's at La Centera and then headed to the St. Peter's Pumpkin Patch for cute baby pictures. The babies were good sports, Reid a little more so than Clara. :) Her feelings were very hurt. This was not her idea of fun. (But boy did the pictures come out cute!) This is my favorite picture of the two of them. It pretty much sums up our day at the Pumpkin Patch. Baby Reid is Mr. Laid Back...Miss Clara is our little Drama Queen. Reid was all about the bows on Clara's outfit. He kept grabbing at them! She looks so heart broken in this picture, but I have to tell ya, there weren't any tears. This was the closest thing we got to a grin at the patch! (You can kind of see one of her tiny dimples!) Maybe this wasn't so bad after all?!

A Few of my Favorite Things

I cannot get over how all of Clara's baby "stuff" is taking over our house...and she's not even three months old yet! We have been so blessed with such generous family and friends who have given us so many wonderful gifts. I thought I'd share a few of my very favorites today while little miss is napping.

Itzbeen Baby Timer: This has to be, hands down, my all time favorite baby item. There are four buttons for four different timers (change diaper, feed, sleep, and one you can use for anything else...I use it for pumping). So let's say you are about to feed your baby. Instead of writing it down, you just hit the Itzbeen. That way you can see how long it has been since they last ate. GENIOUS! Every mommy and daddy should have one of these. AND they come in blue, pink and green. Seriously, Derek and I would be LOST without it! Rock 'n Play Sleeper: I have talked to so many mommies who would agree with me on this one. The Rock 'n Play sleeper is a must! It doesn't take up too much room and is light weight, so I carry this from room to room with me. This is the one thing she is perfectly content hanging out in while I do something quick (unload the dishwasher, put in a load of laundry, brush my teeth). She sleeps in this at night as well. I'm not sure what we will do when she outgrows it since she hates her crib. :( Sleep Sheep on the Go: We had registered for the larger Sleep Sheep for Clara's nursery. (It's a sound machine.) I had no clue they even made a smaller one for travel. Clara's Gramma bought her the Sleep Sheep on the Go. It is perfect for her Rock 'n Play. We just attach it to the bar and it puts it right to sleep.

Aden & Anais Muslin Swaddle Blankets: These swaddling blankets are amazing! They are so soft and light weight...perfect for this Houston heat! Plus, they are really big! They wash really well, and seem to get softer the more they are washed. I LOVE these blankets! Thank you Lolly!

Boppy Lounger: My sweet friend Brittany introduced us to this magic pillow! Clara just loves this. I carry this from room to room with me as well. Perfect to set up on the couch beside me as I fold laundry. It's wonderful!

Little Miss Thang's Newest Trick

Have I mentioned tiny bit has discovered her tongue???

Which results in blowing bubbles!

Oh how she brings me so much joy. I am so blessed to be Clara's mommy.

Clara is 2 Months Old!

Please forgive me for slacking on my blog posts. I'm hoping I can get through this one before little bit wakes up!

{CLARA'S STATS}

• 12 pounds 4 ounces (86%)
• 23.25 inches long (83%)
• Head circumference 15.55 inches (71%)

We are wondering if she'll be tall like her momma!

{FEEDING}

Clara is still eating breastmilk...YAY! She eats 4 ounces every 2.5 to 3 hours. She will sometimes eat 5 ounces if she's really hungry! I still continue to pump every 3 hours and Derek gives her her bottle in the middle of the night. I know he's absolutely exhausted each time he gets up with her, but he totally fakes it for her. I'll hear her just talk to her while he feeds her. He brings her into the living room, sits in his chair and turns on ESPN. It's a very special bonding time for Clara and her daddy!

{SLEEPING}

Just recently, Clara went 7 hours! It was HEAVEN! (Even though I still had to get up to pump.) For the most part, she goes 4 to 5 hours between her first and second feeding. She will go 3 to 4 hours for her next feeding. We cannot complain! Clara is still sleeping in her Rock n Play beside our bed. (It's the greatest thing!) I'm not sure what we will do once she grows out of it.

{CLOTHING}

• Clara is still in size one Pampers. I'm wondering how much longer she will be wearing them though because, just recently, she's had a few blow outs in them! We will finish up the last box and we will have to try the size twos.
• I'm amazed at how the sizes are so different depending on the store. Clara will wear 0 - 3 from some places and 3 - 6 from others. I have begun buying clothes size 6-9 so she can wear them longer.

{PERSONALITY}

• Clara is a happy baby. Her smile just melts my heart. She is especially happy in the mornings (like her Daddy). She has also been "talking" up a storm. She may be a little chatty cathey (like her Mommy).
• She loves her little bouncey. It has become a life saver for me. I put her in it when I get dressed, carry it into the kitchen when I have to clean, etc. It's great! I have to move pretty fast though. She's about done after 15 minutes or so.
• I think our little girl is very sensitive (like Daddy and Mommy.) She still does not like to be changed if she's too tired. She definitely lets us know. Loud noises have just started to bother her as well. Which isn't all that great considering we have two big dogs with big barks!
• Tummy time is NOT her favorite! We try it a few times a day, but she gets very upset. She does, however, hold her head up very well while we are holding her.
• She still loves her baths! Baths ARE her favorite!
• She is our cuddle bug. She just melts right into you. I hope she never grows out of that.

Clara is 1 Month Old

I cannot believe our baby bee is already a month old. Time is truly going by way too fast for me. I really wish it would just slow down a little. {CLARA'S STATS}

• 9 pounds 9 ounces (64%)
• 21.25 inches long (60%)
• Head circumfrance 14.37 inches (38%)

{FEEDING}

I was all about exclusively breastfeeding from the get go. Unfortunately, Clara was unable to latch on. We tried IT ALL for three weeks! She would literally nurse (with a shield) for an hour, THEN we would give her 2 ounces of breastmilk from the bottle. Feedings would take over an hour. We had a lactation consultant come out to the house and I took some natural herbs. I was truly devistated that she was unable to nurse. The good news...I've been able to pump, so she is getting the good stuff AND Daddy is getting to take part in the feedings. As of right now, Clara eats every 2 - 3 hours and is eating 3 ounces of breastmilk. Derek does the feedings in the middle of the night while I pump. So we are both getting up each time, and are both equally exhausted! It is all worth it though. I would love to exclusively pump for a year, which means pumping at work when I go back. Should be interesting!

{SLEEPING}

We had Clara sleeping in her Pack n Play in our room, but just moved her into the Rock n Play two nights ago. She is still in our room and I will keep her in there for a few more months. Since we moved her into the Rock n Play, she seems to be sleeping more soundly. (Not as many grunts coming from that tiny girl!) She still wakes about every three hours. But she really only gets fussy if she needs to be fed, changed, or just needs some loves! Hopefully she will begin to sleep for longer periods of time. That would make her Daddy very happy! (Mom still has to wake up to pump.)

{CLOTHING}

• We JUST moved Clara up from the Newborn Pampers to the size 1. She COULD still wear the newborns, but they were a getting a little snug. The 1s are HUGE on her though. She looks so teeny tiny in them!
• She is still in newborn clothes and 0 - 3 months. A lot of the 0 - 3 months are too big (especially those from Gymboree).

{PERSONALITY}

• Knock on wood...but Clara has never been much of a crier. Like I said...she only fusses when she is hungry, needs to be changed, or just needs some love. She seems to be pretty content for the most part.
• She LOVES to be sung too. I am beginning to see tiny grins here and there. I like to think she is smiling at me...and not doing it by accident. The grins come out when we sing to her or are talking to her. She plays with her tongue and sticks it out at us. (I think she wants to sing along!) She also has begun to kick her legs and wave her arms when I sing to her. It is the most precious thing in the world!
• Bath time makes her happy! She is so alert and loves when we scrub her little head with the brush. We have lots of video of bath time!
• She does NOT like to be messed with when she is sleeping (unless we pick her up to cuddle of course). If we change her while she is sleeping, she will let us have it! She wiggles and squirms all over the place.
• She loves her car seat. Okay, she does NOT love when we put her in there. I am still so nervous I'm going to hurt her when I put her in. But once she's settled, she falls right asleep. Although we haven't taken many short roadtrips, each time she rides in the car, she's out like a light.
• She enjoys tummy time. We only do it for a few minutes each day, but she seems to like it.
• She loves lying on her tummy on Daddy. She looks so teeny curled up on him. It makes me so happy seeing him love on her.

It is going to be such fun watching her learn and grow each month. I cannot get over the joy I feel from our precious angel. God has blessed us beyond belief!

Clara Elizabeth Beeman is here!

Five weeks later and I am just now getting to this! Clara's story will begin with a 35 week pregnant mommy. I had found out at our 3D ultrasound (at 30 weeks) that Clara was breech. The ultrasound technician did not make a big deal about it and said there was still plenty of time for her to flip. I went in at 35 weeks for an ultrasound, where we found out that Clara was still breech. Dr. Levin told us that if she was still breech at 37 weeks, a c-section would be scheduled. I'm not going to lie...I was a little dissappointed. However, the most important thing was getting our baby girl here safe and sound. So 37 weeks rolls around, and guess what? Our stubborn girl was STILL breech...and looking pretty comfy in there. So the c-section was scheduled for July 13th at 12:30PM (38 weeks and 4 days pregnant.) We were BEYOND excited by that point! It finally felt very, VERY real. Derek and I left for the hospital around 9:30 that Wednesday morning. I was extremely emotional...having feelings of excitement, joy, fear. I knew this was the most important thing I was ever going to do...become a mommy. My mom, dad and sister followed us to the hospital. Everyone arrived in their pink!

Aunt Linda, Uncle Jarvis, Grandmother, Gramps, Papa and Sarah came to the hospital too! My mom and Derek all ready to go in their scrubs. HERE WE GO!!!! I don't think we've ever been so excited (or nervous) in our lives! We were truly beside ourselves! 1:37PM, Clara Elizabeth Beeman arrives into the world! She was 7 pounds 8 ounces and 20 inches long. When Dr. Levin pulled her out, Clara let out the biggest squeal! She was so bright eyed right away...truly the most perfect little thing I'd ever seen. No one can prepare you for the feelings you will get the moment you see your child for the first time. There were lots of tears...the happiest tears I've ever shed. It killed me I wasn't able to get my hands on her right away. (I had to wait 3 hours...which felt like a lifetime!)

Derek got to walk Clara out from the OR where her fan club was anxiously waiting. I loved that he got to do that.

Our first picture as a family of three!