Hamptons Recap

Was it all fun and full of sunshiny smiles? Well, no. BUT it was a nice change of pace for the most part. Leave it to my brother in law to rent a house far too large to find anyone. You can't yell from across a room down the hall like I can when I'm home. "HONEY! I NEED THE BABY'S TOWEL!". Nope. All the response I would get in return would probably be my own voice echoing back "honey-ey-ey, i-i-i need-eed-eed the-uh-uh baby-by-by's tow-tow-el-el" and I doubt anyone would have heard from downstairs. Hm, I should have tried it out. She also clung to me like a life line any time I put her down for any reason the entire weekend. I had to bring the carseat into the house so that I could take it into the bathroom with me for her to sit in it while I go pee and she'd still cry. I think she did all her crying there to last her for some time. It was as exhausting as it was nice. Before the trip, I was super anxious because I didn't know what her first time away from home would be like, and while it didn't warrant so much of the anxiety, it definitely isn't something I would want to do again too soon. I wanted to take some more photos of the house because if you can find a quiet moment alone, it's actually pretty amazing. The house itself and the view surrounding the house is absolutely breathtaking if you can sit back and take it all in. I was a little disappointed because I didn't think I would find that window of quiet time, but luckily, I had a few moments to myself last night once she went to bed. The house has 2 media rooms, 7 bedrooms including one gigantor master suite and one slightly less gigantor (second?) suite, a ton of bathrooms all over the house, a tennis court, a playground, a putting area out front (who thought of that???), a full sized pool, and a bar. A BAR bar. Oh, the basement was full of all sorts of fun stuffs that we didn't get to play with. My brother in law rocks! Only he would think to rent out a bed and breakfast for the summer. Go figure. Crazy. We love you. Thank you.

This is literally just HALF the house

Have you ever seen this before? That's what you drive up to. I'm not much a golfer, but how COOL is that???

There's Hunter with mommy!

Here are some photos of Hunter and Leah in better spirits. Hunter would only cry when Leah would start crying. Laughter is contagious, but wow, so is sobbing.

Hunter: "Cheese!"

Leah: "Move over Hunter... He's my daddy"

Silly babies

She did love being in the pool. I'd have to say the pool was the best part of the weekend. I still find it amazing that babies have a natural ability to swim. Any time she's in the pool, you see her kicking.

"kick kick; kick kick"

There's Hunter in his little police cruiser

"Mommy, I tireds now"

Home is still truly the best place to be.

Random Mommy Crazies

I wonder every night whether new mommies have trouble sleeping even once their babies sleep well through the night. For anyone who is a new mommy that answered "no" to that, unsubscribe please because I don't like you AT ALL.

Please don't ever tell me what you do for/to/with my daughter is none of my business. In fact, what I do for/to/with my daughter is none of YOUR business. If you're not me, it actually most certainly IS my business.

Once you're a mommy, why is it so difficult to remember when you weren't a mommy? It's only actually been 6 months for me, but beyond the past 6 months, I don't much remember what it used to be like. "It" referring to life pre-baby time. What's the deal when you have kids that are like... old? Other than the fact that it must make you feel old?

I keep meaning to catch a photo of her chewing on her toes. It makes me cringe because it's rather pretty eeeew but it's hilarious because her foot, even to her, is not so tasty. Her expression says so.

Some people's babies are more important to me than others. It's unfair. I know. Don't get me wrong. They're ALL super cute and adorable. I just adore some more than I do others. Mine especially, but that goes without saying because I did say specifically "some people" meaning other people. Pffft, you can't tell me your kid isn't the cutest, most delicious child to you because then you'd be lying. If you can say that without emotionally flinching, again, please unsubscribe. There's something wrong with you and I don't want to be your friend. You might steal my baby.

Showers: Bridal/baby/whatever showers. Why is what should be the most funnest event be THE most stressful event of them all? I'm not attending any other future weddings (less two) and maybe I'll drop in on a handful of showers. Big stinking fat m.a.y.b.e at that. Leah is my reason. Whatever you throw at me, she will bail me out. I love my baby. There are so many reasons to love her.

I would really like to sleep at a reasonable hour one of these days.

I could probably get in some hours for work, but we're reformatting our computer soon (the hub said so), and that would just mean more stuff to back up to the hard-drive and transfer back so... yeah, eBay, Amazon and Blogger it shall remain until then. Sorry boss man.

I lost my favorite hair clippy for Leah. I hope I find it before she does. Better yet, if it must be lost, I hope I lost it outside somewhere. And FYI psycho ee-mo (you know who you are), I put clippies in her hair because yes, I love them, but also because her hair gets in her eyes so they do in fact serve a purpose. OKAY?!

Someone today mentioned she would never have pegged me for the blogger "type". I asked why and she gave me a non-response like response of "I don't know. I just know you're not the type" or something along those lines. What exactly is a blogger "type"? I dunno. I just invited her to subscribe today, but now that I'm thinking about it, I may just have to uninvite her. If you're reading this, I'm debating on breaking up with you. Weirdo.

Okay, that's about all I was able to make out of the stuff flushing out of me noggin. On an end note, because what's a blog with no photo? Here's Leah! I finally caught her on camera doing her PLLLLLLL act (I seriously don't know what else to call it) and cripers, what is it with peas landing on everything? Why only peas and not carrots, or avocado, or sweet potatoes? Why must it always be pea stains?

The Mommy List

The best things about being a mommy:

• You wake up to see a smiling face EVERY day, all throughout the day
• She dozes in your arms with her hand resting on your cheek, as if to make sure you're still there
• She snuggles up to your nose and thinks it's the funniest thing in the world when you kiss her
• She gets super hyper whenever she sees a bottle. Even if there's nothing in it
• There are endless outfits to put her in, and she's adorable to look at no matter what she's wearing
• If you put her in bed with you, she just snuggles up to your side and you snooze off together
• She makes the funniest noises and faces and makes herself laugh
• She makes the funniest noises and faces and makes you laugh
• She makes your heart smile every time you look at her. Even if she's only sleeping
• She thinks you are the one sole most important person in her life and her eyes reach you absorbing everything
• Her eyes speak volumes
• She has her own way of saying "I love you" even though she can't actually speak the words and it melts you

...and the list is endless. Don't get me wrong. It isn't all rainbows, unicorns, butterflies and sunshine all the time, and the list of the not-so-good aren't quite as short as I'd like to pretend it is, but you tend not to think of them as often. It's the reason I can call her "Band-Aid" and mean it. The good list still far outweigh the bad, and that's what makes moments like this

and this

so laughable even if you've already gone through three loads of laundry for the day and you've JUST finished washing the bouncer seat that now the pulverized peas comfortably lay. 

Because there's always this

Swimmer Sunday

We look forward to our weekly swimming day on Sundays, but it's also the most tiring day out of the week. For both of us. She poops out rather early for the night and me, well, I usually feel like I've been run over by a semi. So. So. Sore. Today more so than any other day. It's probably a combination of lack of sleep (according to some people, I'm the one who needs sleep training), hunger, and focusing super hard to not drown my daughter. But it sure is an awful lot of fun.

"Mommy, can we go now?"

"What we waiting for mommy??"

She cries briefly at first every time because while the pool is heated, it's still pretty cool at first.

"BRRRR! Mommy it's cooold!"

Once she gets used to the temperature, however.....

My lazy little munchkin. She just leans back on my shoulder and floats on along....

"Look! I swimming!"

Here we are learning to kick and blow bubbbbles while chasing after the orange crab toy.

Mina has an eye on that runaway ball!

Time to go home!

Ouchie!

It was her 6th month appointment with the doctor, which meant needles and tears. You would think it gets easier at each appointment, but it doesn't. Not for her. Not for me. An ouchie on each of her little legs. Good news is, after her 6th month, she doesn't have to see him again until September.

But once we were home, she was her happy little self again. Well, for the most part. Here she was getting a little angry because the ball wouldn't fit into her mouth?

So we moved on over to the playmat, and while I went to grab something to eat, she somehow got tangled in there:

Next was her Bumbo. It's broke-ed. Well, the chair is fine obviously, but she somehow pulled the tray off its stand, and was pretty intent on trying to get that in her mouth somehow:

And the reason why she has different outfits on in different pictures all in a day? She drools. I don't just mean a spittle or two. I mean her entire front gets soaked through kind of drooling where for a trip out for an hour or two, I pack with me at least two dry onesies and generally use them both wishing I'd brought an extra. Why don't I use a bib? I do. All 10-15 of them per day.

Mommy, I Can Feed Myself!

"Yummmy"

"Mine!"

"Let go of my spoon!"

Spa Castle

To start, HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! The fireworks in our neighborhood is making me nutso. Luckily, it's not waking the baby too much. I feel like going out there and pouring water all over my neighbors.

Saturday, we spent the entire day at spa castle. Can I tell you, anyone with children should go. It is the best way to spend the day. The kiddie pool is perfect for the little ones and if you take a friend, parent or husband, you can take turns watching the baby and doing your own spa things. We spent most of our time in the kiddie pool and well, eating. I'm still tired from yesterday.

It is a spa after all. She had to have the head gear for it!

Mina with mommy

Squirmy with mommy

Definitely fun times. On days you're running out of things to do with a little one, it really is such a great way to spend time. Heated pool, sleep area, food. Everything you need all in one place. Awesome.

Grandmammy Day

We spent today with grammers and grampers. Uncle Andrew swung by briefly, made you cry, and then ran away to his Hamptons home for the weekend to celebrate July 4th. He probably peed all the way there because he didn't know what to do after he made you cry. Grampers makes you cry too because he has such a booming voice, but you always warm up to him eventually.

She is...

6 months today!

To my little band-aid (because you fix everything that hurts): What I realized today is that I keep comparing you to how small you were when we first brought you home, but in truth, you are still pretty pint-sized. The bones in your fingers are still so little, so fragile. Your entire arm is only the length of my own hand from the tip of my thumb to my pinky; your feet barely the length of one finger. You still cry when something scares you or if you can't see me from behind the kitchen wall. You are slowly becoming quite the character. Any time I try to catch you on video, you stop whatever it was that you were doing and put on this great big innocent smile. You've stuck your toe in your mouth a time or two (eeew) and you are starting to sit on your own as of yesterday. Not for very long, but long enough. You gurgle and have learned to blow spit bubbles. Lots of them. You especially do this when I leave you alone for too long or if mommy is trying to feed you something and you're feeling full. I'm convinced daddy taught you this even though I'm pretty sure he'd say it wasn't him. You started laughing at anything and everything. Not only do you know how to turn over onto your belly, you know to turn back, and you can now turn to both sides. You've come such a long way, little girl, and there are so many more days I am looking forward to as you reach your little milestones and all your very first everythings.  

I was putting her to sleep today, and she was putting up such a fight that I finally gave up and cradled her to sleep, and realized, she really is still so little. Happy 6th month!

***ON A SIDE NOTE: HAPPY BIRFDAY, AUNTIE LOUISE!***

Ba-Ba-Ba-Ba Gurgle Gurgle PLLLLL

She talks to the ducky. Like, has a conversation kind of babbling going on. It's the funniest thing

She even reaches out to pet him while she blows spit on his face

And of course, once she realizes the camera is on her, it stops instantaneously. I didn't even bother trying to catch it on video... "What mommy? You say something?"

I know there will come a day that this little girl will grow up and scream at me how unfair I am. I will hear her calling to complain to her friends how mom "just doesn't get it" and my heart will probably break into a little black hole. I know that between now and then, there may come a time where she will be teased in school for one reason or another and again, my heart will break for her because I will not be able to fix everything, and as a mom, you feel like you should be able to. Every so often I will take myself there. The what-ifs of all the scaries in life. The stairs, the streets, the strangers, the mean kids in school, the milestones to reach, and I wish like hell that I can kiss away all her sadness, her hurts, her scares. I will be consumed with sadness to ever have to watch her struggle, to hurt, to learn to strive on her own, but I know that the day will come. Just that knowledge alone allows me to take in every bit of her now. My tired days, my frumpy days, the days I don't feel so well, somehow does not interfere where she is concerned. Stories like these also make you want to hold on to your baby just a little tighter wherever you go, whatever you're doing because you end up consumed with the worry that somehow you will lose her. I know for sure when this family set out for a day in the park, they did not in their worst nightmare, imagine that they would have to return home without their little baby.